129. Transfer Student and Christmas [6]
「What do you do at the Christmas party?」I asked the president, who was grinning.
「Let’s see… We get together in the grand auditorium of Thousand Blade Academy and have a ceremonial dinner together. On the day of the event, we hold a『Great Exchange』of presents that everyone brings, listening to live music by famous musicians, and many other activities. Anyway, it’s really exciting!」
「I see… I’m looking forward to it.」
As far as I can tell, it sounds like a slightly larger scale Christmas party.
「It’s a good idea to leave your stomach empty on that day! After all, super famous restaurants will cook for you on an official tour!」
「A buffet-style all you can eat, though…」
When Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai added their explanations, Ria’s eyes sparkled at the words 『all you can eat』.
「It’s quite extravagant, isn’t it?」
As expected, one of the Five Academy.
Even for a Christmas party, the money involved is extraordinary.
「Fufu, that’s right. And… There’s a little event at the end, so look forward to it, okay?」
The president winked with her left eye skillfully, together with the best smile she has ever put on so far.
(Aa, this is the one…)
The president’s real target seems to be this.
「Uh… What kind of event is it?」
「Fufu, you will find out on that day」
「…I see.」
I’ve spent a lot of time with the president this past year.
Thanks to that, I was able to understand her smile.
The smile when she’s plotting something.
The smile when she’s playing a prank.
The smile when she’s trying to tease.
(…When I look back, I don’t have very good memories of the president’s smile.)
Anyway, judging by the president’s smile, it’s very likely that she’s trying to set me up for something.
I’ll have to brace myself before joining the party.
「Well, that’s about it. I hope everyone looks forward to it.」
「I think you’ll hear from your homeroom teacher sooner or later. Don’t forget to get a present!」
「We’ll set up the party, so all of you can relax, though…」
The president and senpais said so, and concluded the discussion.
■
The following few weeks, my days were very fulfilling.
During the day, I honed my swordsmanship at Thousand Blade Academy. And after classes, I engaged in the activities of the practice-swing club.
The size of the practice-swing club has also increased recently, and the number of members has finally exceeded one hundred.
It seems that this number is second only to the swordsmanship club.
If everyone likes practice-swings this much, I’m sure we will be able to hold a『blue sky practice-swing classroom』at next year’s Thousand Blade Festival.
On my occasional days off, I went to the Orest branch Holy Knights Association and participated in the training.
Clown-san said, “You don’t have to force yourself to participate at all. There’s nothing I can teach you,” but…
I’m still a special trainee of the Senior Holy Knight.
So, I should participate in the training whenever possible.
As I lived such busy and fulfilling days, time went by in the blink of an eye.
And finally the 25th of December, Christmas, has come.
(Fuh… It’s finally here.)
After the class, I and Ria went back to the dorm to leave our bags.
The time was 5pm.
An hour before the start of the Christmas party.
「Hmm hmm」
From the room at the back, I heard Ria humming in a good mood.
Looking forward to this day from the bottom of her heart, she has not eaten anything since this morning.
Perhaps she’s planning to eat up every single food in the party hall.
(Well, I should get ready soon…)
I’m a little worried because I don’t know what the president is up to. But I can’t afford to be absent just because of that.
I inserted the present which I bought in the town of Orest beforehand in the bag, and changed outfits.
And then,
「Ta-da! What do you think?」
From the back room, Ria, wearing a Santa hat, asked for my impression.
Wearing a red and white fluffy fabric, a Santa hat with a hairball at the tip, she was so cute, to say the least.
「Yes, it looks very good on you.」
「O-Oh? …Ehehe, thank you.」
She looked very happy.
「Nee, nee, show me yours too, Allen!」
「A-Ah…」
Being urged by Ria, I reluctantly put it on.
「W-What do you think…?」
It was a reindeer headgear with two horns.
「Fufu, it’s cute…」
「T-That so…?」
I looked at myself in the dresser.
(No, this is…)
Thousand Blade Academy’s cool uniform and this pretty reindeer horn…
To be honest, I have to say it’s a mismatch.
(I wish the boys could wear Santa hats like the girls. Why did they even bother to separate boys and girls in the first place?)
Reindeer headgear and Santa hats were distributed to all students by Thousand Blade Academy.
Those who participate in the Christmas party are required to wear it, like a so-called dress code.
(It’s a little… No, it’s pretty embarrassing…)
But to attend the Christmas party with Ria… I have no choice but to persevere.
After that, we finished checking if we had forgotten anything and,
「Then, shall we?」
「Yes!」
We headed to the grand auditorium of Thousand Blade Academy together.
■
The entrance to the auditorium was filled with male students wearing reindeer horns and female students wearing Santa hats.
「The reception is… this way, Ria.」
「Ah… yes!」
I led her by the hand, so as not to lose her in the crowd, and went to the simple tent reception.
We lined up in one of the four lines, waited for about five minutes, and our turn came around.
「Please present your student ID card and presents.」
When the receptionist said so, I and Ria placed our student ID card and the present we brought on the desk.
「Thank you very much. Allen Rodore and Ria Vesteria. Then, I will attach this name tag.」
She affixed a small name tag on the reindeer horns on my head and on the Santa hat on Ria.
The name tag was stylishly decorated with the pattern of a butterfly.
「This is used for verification at the venue, so please be careful not to lose it. In addition, we will collect the present here. There is a『Great Exchange』in the middle of the party, so please look forward to that. Merry Christmas!」
Then, she rang the bell at hand when the procedure was completed.
「M-Merry Christmas…」
「Merry Christmas!」
After that, we went into the large auditorium.
There was a gorgeous party hall.
The large room, which could fit slightly more than a thousand, was decorated with christmas trees, flowers, golden christmas bells, cotton floss which imitates snow, and various other ornaments.
And all of them were warmly illuminated by grand chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
It was a venue that expressed the spirit of Thousand Blade Academy, which loves to be boisterous.
「This is amazing…」
「Wow, beautiful…」
As we looked around the party hall,
「Allen-kun, Ria-san, welcome.」
The president, dressed in a lovely Santa costume, walked slowly toward us.
「Wow… That’s a nice costume!」
「I think it looks great.」
In line with Ria’s impression, I expressed my honest feelings.
Her lovely red and white outfit looked really good, no flattery mixed in that statement.
「Thank you very much. Allen-kun also looks good, doesn’t he?」
She raised her gaze, and said so a little jokingly.
「Ahaha, I have mixed feelings…」
I don’t think there are many people who would feel happy from the bottom of their heart being told they look good in reindeer horns.
「Fufu, of course it’s a joke. Well then, I’ve still got preparations to take care of, so let’s talk later.」
「Yes, sure.」
「I’m looking forward to it」the president said, and disappeared to the back of the auditorium.
(…That was surprisingly normal.)
She was quite calm.
Judging only by her present state, she doesn’t seem to be planning anything.
(…No, don’t let your guard down.)
The other party is that little devil, Sie Arcstria.
The slightest bit of carelessness will lead to big trouble.
When I refocused my mind,
「Allen, Ria. Merry Christmas.」
Rose, wearing a Santa hat, patted me on the back.
「Rose, you’re early today.」
「Merry Christmas, Rose!」
And when we were exchanging light greetings,
「……」
Someone bumped into my back.
Turning around, it was Claude-san wearing a Santa hat.
「Hmm, just when I was thinking that’s an unpleasant looking deer… It turned out to be the worm, after all.」
She bumped into me on purpose, and immediately started calling me names.
Well, it’s true that it doesn’t look good, so it’s no use rebutting.
「A-Ahaha… But Claude-san’s Santa hat looks cute and pretty on you.」
「…!? W-Worm, don’t fool around saying, such as p-pretty! I will chop off your deer antlers!」
Slightly blushing, she glared at me sharply.
And then,
「Cut it out, Claude! That is not a deer antler, it’s a reindeer antler!」Ria said, as though having run out of patience, and warned Claude-san.
(…I appreciate the feeling, but that’s not the point here.)
It would be helpful if you paid attention to the『worm』part, mainly.
「I’m sorry, Ria sama…」
When we were having such normal conversations, the lights in the hall dimmed.
Immediately after that, bright lighting concentrated on the stage at the back of the auditorium.
It was the president, dressed in a Santa outfit, who stood there.
「Everyone, today is a fun Christmas! Forget everything and have a lot of fun, Merry Christmas! 」
「「「Merry Christmas!」」」
This is how the Christmas party of Thousand Blade Academy began.
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