p. 1 Chapter 15 - The Gods and Demons from the Sky p. 2 [gong gong] [gong gong] [sneak] [haaa] Su: Like I said... Su: Humans have a custom of visiting the shrine in the middle of the night like this at New Year's Eve. [whoooosh] Lu: My hands are freezing... [brrr] Su: There's this thing called "double-year visiting". It's when you go to the shrine just as the date is changing, so it counts as if you have visited the shrine in two different years. Su: Seems like it would be very popular among the more lazy humans, doesn't it? p. 3 Lu: But being out here in the cold just so we can pull pranks on those lazy humans... Su: Don't be silly, Luna. It's important to put on an steady effort for everything! Star: But... Star: Doesn't seem like anyone is coming, does it? [whoooosh] [gong gong] Su: Erm... Su: If they are too lazy, they might only arrive by morning, maybe. [gong gong] [chatter chatter chatter chatter] p. 4 [gong] [chatter chatter] [gong gong] [chatter chatter] [kachan] Pa: Remi... Pa: So there you were. Re: Hm? Re: Patchy? The Girl of Knowlwdge and Shadow Patchouli Knowledge Pa: Aren't you cold? Re: Heh... p. 5 Re: I am one of the ones who freeze the humans' hearts in fear every night. Re: For the likes of us, the night darkness is but a gloomy warmth. Re: It's as if it is the sun itself that has an unique way of cooling us with its light. Pa: Well, Sakuya asked me if it would be better to have the soba noodles hot or cold, but I guess it's definitely some cold ones for you. Pa: I would definitely prefer them hot myself. Re: I want hot! [pull] [chatter] Sa: Is that so? [chatter] p. 6 Sa: Thank you for your trouble, Miss Patchouli. [chatter] Sa: I will do so. [chatter] Pa: Thank you, Sakuya. Sa: Hm? [chatter chatter] Sa: [Hahh] Sa: (Can't be helped, I guess.) Lu: So, are those lazy humans going to appear... Lu: And then...? [brrr] Su: Hmmm... Su: Maybe we got here too early. There's still some time until the date changes. [sip] p. 7 [gong] Su: I'm sure someone will come before dawn... [gong] Su: No matter how few worshipers this shrine usually gets, Su: at least some should come for New Year. Lu: You could say that WE came, for all that's worth... [brrr brrr] Lu: Ahh... It's so cold, I feel like giving up... Su: Hmph... Su: What's that now?! Su: I'm the one working harder here! Su: I'm keeping watch here all this time, away form the light of day! There's only the moon and the stars in the night sky, you know!? [gong gong ] Lu: But it was you who came up with this prank in the first place, wasn't it...? Su: Well, yeah, but... Lu: ...hey. Lu: What's that you've been drinking for a while now, Star? Star: Hm? Star: Fufu... It's a magic beverage that prevents your body and mind from getting chilled. p. 8 Sa: Here. Sa: Sorry for the wait. [steamy steamy] Sa: Here is your hot soba. Re: Ahhhh~ Looks so good! [excited excited] Re: I'm digging in. Sa: Ah! Be careful, it's really hot! Re: Fu fu, who do you think I am? The flames of hell themselves could not burn me! [slurp slurp] Sa: Ufufu... Pa: Don't complain to me if you burn your tongue. [fuuu] Puts it in a smaller dish first. p. 9 Re: Hmmm, but you see... Re: These soba noodles are great, but this wine really doesn't go well with them. Re: I wonder if there's a wine that goes well with soba? Sa: I don' think that wine as a drink goes well with soba... Sa: There might be another liquor better for that. Re: It would be nice to have so drink to keep warm waiting for Venus' first appearance. Sa: Hmm... Sa: Of course. Sa: Just wait a moment please. Re: I'm counting on you. p. 10 Re: Hey... Re: Isn't yours cool already, Patchy? Re: You'd better eat your noodled before they go stretched and stale... [fuuu] Pa: When you eat soba before New Year's dawn, you are asking for a long life. Pa: So it's better to let them stretch. Pa: I hope Venus shines bright this New Year. Re: It's called the Devil's Star, because it shines against the sun until the very last moment. [slurp] Re: I hope we get to live until Lucifer takes his place as true ruler. Re: So it's not a stretch to say that our luck this year is linked to how bright his star shines. [gong gong] Re: We should fervently hope for it, then. p. 11 [chatter] Ma: Uh? Ma: A liquor that goes well with soba noodles? Ma: Definitely not the kind of request I would associate with the SDM. Sa: And, not being something one would associate with this household, it follows that we don't know anything about it. That's why I'm asking you. Sa: Don't you know of anything? [chatter chatter chatter] Ma: Well, there's a lot, but... Ma: Ah! But there's one that's the absolute best to go along with soba. Ma: ...and that's about it. Ma: Oops. Ma: It's this time already? Ma: Well then, I'm taking my leave now. Sa: It's not like anyone invited you in the first place... Sa: But anyway... That was some good information about liquors. Ma: Hum... p. 12 Faeries: Ahhahaha! Su: So that was it? Su: Your magical beverage was sake, huh? [ahahahaha] Star: Ufufu Lu: And a really string one, at that. [warm warm] Su: It seems that outside world humans have a custom of drinking this sake in cold days, and then falling asleep outside and freezing to death. Su: Sounds peaceful, doesn't it? Su: We sure seem to be doing our best to get frozen before New Year's dawn. Star: That's true. [step] Lu: Hm? [glance] Su: Someone is coming! [glance]