Refrain from Christmas the next day, the city of Harpertown was engulfed in harsh air.

Between the eve of Christmas, known as the "time of prayer," and that day, people take time off work and offer their thanks and prayers for making this year safe.

Those who attend the Church Festival (Mass), those who pray at home with their beloved families, those who pray with those who promised the future - although in various shapes, "spend time and pray with your loved ones” were common.

“Prayer times” are the same at Harpertown Station.

It is the operation of trains that cannot be rested that takes place as usual, and the passengers embarking and disembarking are sparse.

To imitate the people of the city, the coffee shop "Tsubame" was also set to operate shorter hours today.

I plan to throw a small home party today after this.

Takumi and Nyarch, Luna, and four of Theo, who live alone in Harpertown, attend the party. Roland was getting ready to cook for a party at his parents' house, so he was on his way home as soon as he finished his job.

Takumi finishes her day open earlier than usual and gets ready for the party in the kitchen. There, Luna, who was decorating the cake, called out.

"Mr. Takumi, how about this?

The fact that Bush de Noel, who dropped in during my posada party at school, was very popular, made Luna volunteer herself to make it for everyone even at today's party.

Of course, there's no reason to stop it as a takumi.

Takumi left most of the cake-making work to Luna, although she watched her side because of some handling of the fire.

Luna totally got the hang of it thanks to practicing many times. In today's Bush de Noel making, both the baking of the dough and the subsequent decorations were hands-on.

The brown-dyed surface of the cocoa powder has a fine wooden skin pattern for a beautiful finish. Takumi nods satisfactorily at its success.

"Yeah, that's nice. Then, since it's a corner, shall we come up with another idea?"

On the bush de Noel decorated by Luna, Takumi waves a small monkey. Then a bright white powder sifted off from the monkey. It's powdered sugar made with more white sugar.

White powdered sugar covers the brown wooden skin softly, making Bush de Noel even more beautiful.

"Wow, it's like there's snow."

Luna raised her voice of joy as she broke her face. Only a few ideas, but the finish looks even more complete.

Takumi called out to Luna, who was staring at Bush de Noel, who had increased his shine.

"Now, the kitchen where the fire is used is warm, so let's move Bush de Noel once it's in the cool pantry. We can prepare other dishes in just a few moments, so please wait a little longer."

"Yes! If you do, I will help Mr. Nyarch, who is preparing in the hall, once he carries Bush de Noel."

When Luna said so, she carefully lifted the plate plate with Bush de Noel on it and headed to the pantry.

After seeing the rear of Luna happily carrying him, Takumi resumed finishing the dishes for the party.

――――――

"Well then, I went at Merry Christmas. I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!

Nyarch makes a loud noise in the hall of the 'swordfish' where the lamp is lit.

Both Theo and Luna put their hands together in front of their chests and offered prayers before their meals.

There were many treats lined up at the table.

Centrally placed is a fried fried chicken wingspan with crispy bones, underneath which are laid the lettuce leaves, contrasting brown and green to appetite.

Next to it was a small eye hollow pan on top of a small fire bowl with charcoal.

In the hollow pan, a cream-colored liquid resembling a mice (corn) soup also stands up in the hot air.

Around it, various lightly cooked ingredients were arranged. Mild vegetables such as toasted mythbread, boiled sanaolia (carrots), patata (potatoes) and broccoli (broccoli) are also lined up in lightly baked eye bursts.

Each of these ingredients was cut into bite-sized pieces and served on a flat plate.

In addition to this, a carefully simmered chicken bouillon soup is also available in a colorful salad with boiled shrimp and small tomatoes.

Three adults are preceded by a warm sangria with fruit paired with red wine, while Luna is preceded by an equally red-colored ponche. It's a table that makes you feel happy just watching.

Four people who have finished their pre-meal prayers reach out to each of them. In the meantime, Theo, who secured the fried chicken to his own take-up dish, calls out to Takumi as he looks at the hollow pan.

Apparently I don't know how to cook this pan.

"Eh, what can I do about this...?

"Oh, that's something called a cheese fondue. Stick the Vurst, bread and warm vegetables that you have around you into this golden skewer and enjoy them while entangling the cheese you're warming in the hollow pan"

"It was cheese in this pot! It looks delicious! Is this what you want me to do?

Luna, who was listening to the explanation together, stabs Bread in the gold skewer.

I continued explaining how to eat as Takumi nodded.

"That's right, I see. Then place the tip of the gold skewer in the pan and turn it around to tangle. Don't burn yourself because it's so hot. Hoo-hoo, a little cold before eating."

"Here's the thing...... Huh, huh"

Luna breathes a little as Takumi says, then cheeks the cheese-entangled (fondue) bread.

The intense taste of the melted cheese spread all over my mouth.

A slightly salty, mellow, rich flavor also stains the bread. More importantly, the warmth of the melted cheese made me feel very comfortable and relieved by my cold body at night.

Luna with the cheese fondue on her cheeks gives a look like she's full of happiness. Theo, who saw it, also quickly took the gold skewer and pierced the material.

"Mmm, yummy! This is bad!

Theo's first ingredient of choice was Vurst.

When you chew on the prickly Vurst, the juice comes out juicy with lots of guts of flavor. That was meeting the intense cheese taste and creating additional delicacies.

Like Luna, Theo's face broke unexpectedly.

"Cheese fondue is good, but fried chicken over here is delicious too. Yikes!

Now the voice rises from Nyarch. There was a firm grip on the fried chicken in its hand.

Besides, Nyarch's plate at hand already contains a few bones. Though it's fried a lot, it's a momentum that's going to make Nyarch eat all the fried chicken by himself as it is.

Takumi, who saw how it was, stretched out his hand to all his favourites.

"Come on, you're not eating it all by yourself. We have to keep everyone's share."

"I know! Yes, have luna too."

"Oh, thank you. Thank you! It smells good, too."

Luna, given a fried chicken by Nyarch, wears a quick bite.

The fox-colored fried coat is crunchy and fragrant, and the meat inside is soft and juicy. Luna is about to accidentally burn her tongue tip in the overflowing gravy.

Various spices are probably used to flavor the underside and clothes. Slightly spicy stimulation stirs my appetite more and more. I even felt hungry enough to go ahead and eat.

I want more fried chicken. But the cheese fondue is delicious, and I want lots of salad and soup... all with delicious dishes, Luna got confused about which one to reach next.

Which way, Luna glances around at the arranged plates just fine. Next to it, Theo was stretching his fork to fried chicken and Vurst without getting lost.

Takumi, who realizes the food is dropping by, speaks to Theo.

"Theo, meat is good, but vegetables have to be balanced."

"Yes, I know!

Teo, told by Takumi, rushes to reach for the salad. Today's salad was dressed specially with mayonnaise sauce, which Takumi specializes in, combined with tomato sauce.

The sour dressing goes well with the shaky retuga. The boiled shrimp put together was also prickly, and the moderate saltiness fully brought out the taste of the sea delights.

Four people reach out to cook thoughtfully with a smile on their face. A fun meal while playing the conversation seems to make you forget that time has passed.

If you notice, all the plates prepared on the table are empty. All we have to do is leave dessert.

"Well, then I'll bring you a cake. Can Nyarch get us some cinnamon coffee?

"It's so aiming! But at the end of the day, just feed me."

Nyarch responding nicely to Takumi's words. But the last fried chicken I had secured at some point in my hand was held tight.

A takumi with a look like a man, but there was a grin in the corner of his mouth.

―――――

"Thank you for waiting. This is Bush de Noel, who Luna worked so hard to make."

Bush de Noel, which had been made in advance at Luna's hands, was transported to the table.

Both Theo and Nyarch raise their voices of surprise at its beautiful performance.

"Ooh! Is this the rumored Bush de Noel? You look really pretty."

"Luna, you're amazing! Why not?

"Uh heh, thank you very much! I tried everything on my own today. Even so, Mr. Takumi was looking right next to me."

"No, I only checked a few things along the way today, and it's in Mr. Luna's own power to do so beautifully. I think it's really amazing how many times I've been able to make such a wonderful cake by myself."

Luna flashes her cheeks in praise of the three of them. The table was enveloped in such a soothing air.

"Well, shall we split it up then? Excuse me for a second."

Takumi draws the bush de Noel once in the center of the table to hand and cuts it into four pieces with the bread cutting knife she brought with her. From between the brown sponges there were orange fruits peeking into his face.

"Heh, you have Naranha (orange) in there"

"Ha. I made it a bush de noel with fruit today. I talked to Takumi and she told me that the bitter taste of cacao goes with the sweet and sour taste of Naranha, so I put it in!

"Mmm! It's a combination of grown-up flavors. Takumi is trying to teach Luna how to taste like an adult!

"It's not. However, I just chose the fruit that I can get right now and it seems to suit the taste of cocoa."

Takumi laughs unwittingly at Nyarch's out-of-target in-depth reading. Unless you even have brandy or liqueur in it, but if they say it tastes like adults in about this much, the cake shop is going to laugh at you.

I laugh when Nyarch laughs if it was weird that he really took the joke. Takumi grabbed the root of Nyarch firmly and encouraged reflection. It's the same sight as usual.

Luna was laughing at the totally familiar sight, but Theo, who rarely sees how Nyachi and Takumi normally do in relation to working on the station building side, was taken lightly.

A takumi notices how it is coughing up one. He returned the expression to its usual glitter and cut Bush de Noel apart and handed it out to everyone.

"Excuse me. Now let's thank Luna for baking a delicious cake."

"Yes! Don't go anywhere!

Hands together but fast, or Nyarch hit Bush de Noel.

The sweet, rich cream and bitter cocoa flavour is a golden combination. Adding the sweet and sour flavour of Naranja to it will give it a tight flavour. The fragrant nutty ones are delicious, but this one with Naranha is also exceptional.

Following Nyarch, all three cheek Bush de Noel. Sweet things delight the heart. The look on everyone's face surrounding the table made me smile naturally.

"It's really delicious. I can't believe you can make such delicious cakes from now on. You can be a leading cakemaker in the future!

"Oh, no... I'm sorry I lit you."

Luna's cheeks stained slightly red for the biggest compliment from Theo.

Takumi lays there uncommonly.

"Then Mr. Theo will have to work harder and harder to avoid losing to Mr. Luna,"

"Wow, is that right at this time! Tough guy."

Theo floats a rushing colour to Takumi words at unexpected times. To that appearance, Takumi spoke with a smile.

"No, it's just a joke. But I'm counting on you, so keep up the good work."

"Ugh! I'll do my best!"

Theo's answer, rubbed at work in the station building and only slightly thickened his core, was a powerful one.

―――

There was one takumi left in the hall of the coffee shop Tsubame, which was completely late at night and had a small party.

Takumi to finish cleaning up the table and clean easily. When I looked up, there was a tree in my eyes, a Christmas ornament.

Takumi took a single envelope hanging from the tree.

The table reads “To the wise man”. It's a carefully written Luna letter.

On the eve of Christmas, it is a lesson in this world that children write letters to Sage and decorate the tree.

Write down what you want in that letter and the requested gift will be placed under the tree on "Sage's Day” at the beginning of the year, which concludes the navigator (Christmas). What a delightful habit for the children.

As the light of the lamp swayed, Takumi gently opened the envelope and began to read the letter Luna had sent to the wise man.

- Dear Sage,

I am very pleased to be able to write to you in this way.

This year, I can now live with you two, Takumi and Nyarch, on unexpected friendships.

Not only do I get to cook delicious rice every day, but I also get to go to school.

From me last year, it's really an incredible happy day.

If this happy day is going on, I have nothing else to want.

Thank you so, so much.

However, if you can say all I can, I have one favor to ask of you.

That's what I want to learn more about cooking.

The power of cooking has been amazing since I started spending time in this' swordfish '! I started to think so.

Cooking has the power to please a lot of people, fill their hearts and make them happy.

I, too, let you make the cake with Mr. Takumi, but I was so happy that everyone at school was so happy to eat that.

I want to remember the dishes that make so many people happy, just a little bit from now on.

It's an unsolicited favor, please. Luna...

There were tears in Takumi's eyes when she read a letter written in polite letters, which she must have taken the time to write.

Though there has been a accomplishment, in welcoming Luna as a guardian, I have long wondered if someone like myself could bring her up happy.

But that was apparently a concern.

It's only been a very short period of two months, but Luna is breaking it to us, and unlike in the beginning, she's feeling better. Seeing a lot of positive things going on, he seems to be able to guide Luna properly, at least for now.

Today's letter was a real pleasure to Takumi.

However, there are still some things that make me a little worried. Yes, from Takumi's point of view, Luna seems to be a little overstretched.

He always helps actively, and he has great care for his surroundings. I'm also serious about studying school, and the attitude of being hard-working at everything is enough that I wish I didn't have to apprentice myself.

Still, as for Takumi, I wanted Luna to be more "childish and innocent” now.

I've been through a lot of hard work, Luna, so I'm probably more than willing to be alone as soon as I can.

Because it is about the wise Luna, today's letter would also have been written assuming that I or Nyarch would read it. I'm really happy with the way you spelled it out in the letter, but there were parts of me that felt like I wanted you to write what you honestly wanted as a child.

I want Luna to go through a lot now, and expand the world beyond 'swordfish'. To that end, we will treat Luna as a “family” next year so that she can say more “selfishness”.

With that in mind, it was a takumi that gently folded the letter into the pocket of his chest.