New Year Under Starlit Trails · Chapter 10

Where Fates Ignite

Scarlet

Hahaha! Behold! I shall turn these treacherous cuts of meat into a feast with my magnificent Dragon breath!

Claire

...Please. You're just blowing air onto the firewood.

Scarlet

Hush and watch! If I simply blow with all my might—

Luna

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Scarlet, you're scorching the meat!

Claire

All the barbecue meat is buried in ash now! What were you thinking?!

Scarlet

Huh?! Th-That wasn't part of the plan!

Smile

Surface of the meat appears fully carbonized. This meat is no longer edible.

Claire

Ugh... I'm taking over. Hand over the tongs.

Bell

...At this rate, dinner may not happen before tomorrow.

Asherah

Haha! Sounds like they're having fun over there.

Everyone's having so much fun that I can't help getting excited myself.

Getting everyone together for a party really was a good idea, don't you think?

The end of the festival was kind of a disaster, after all.

Better late than never.

Asherah

So, Epindel? Aren't you glad you came?

Epindel

This noisy, undignified sort of gathering is... hardly my idea of a good time.

Asherah

Oh, come on. I know you didn't exactly hate the idea when I asked you to come.

Epindel

Wh-Whatever makes you say that?!

You merely described it as a small gathering with your companions.

After everything we went through together, I simply thought it would be proper to make an appearance.

So don't get the wrong idea.

That aside, there's something I'd like to ask you.

Asherah

What is it?

Epindel

Last night was rather chaotic, so I didn't get to hear the details.

About the memory you saw through the Star Savior's relic.

Asherah

Oh, that? You really want to know?

I'm curious too.

Asherah

Even you, Captain? I didn't know everyone cared this much about the Star Savior.

Epindel

How could I not?

Polaris did give me a briefing this morning regarding the incident.

According to Polaris, the relic was the Star Savior's personal journal.

The seal itself was sustained by memories left within it.

What could possibly have been contained in his memories...?

...To restrain an entity of that caliber for all those years is unbelievable.

Asherah

Don't tell me your family asked you to find that out too.

Epindel

...I won't deny it. Memories of the Star Savior might hold information of value to House Orlan.

Asherah

If that's what you're after, I don't think it'll help much.

I barely caught more than a few clear moments.

Everything else passed in an instant, and from what I could tell, there wasn't anything particularly dramatic.

Epindel

Nothing related to combat?

Asherah

Nothing like that. It was more like... good times with his companions.

Come to think of it, I think they were celebrating New Year's in the memory I saw!

So what did the Star Savior and his companions do for New Year's?

Asherah

Well, honestly...

Asherah

Ahaha! Pretty much like us right now!

Turns out a legendary hero doesn't spend every second doing legendary things.

They were talking, laughing, eating together... exactly like we are.

That's really all I saw.

Luna

Hey, Smile! Weren't you the one who said the charred bits are inedible? Now you're eating them yourself?!

Smile

Small amounts of char are unlikely to cause meaningful harm.

...And the lightly burnt bits taste good.

Luna

Oh yeah? Then let me have some too!

Blegh! You call this slightly burnt?! It's way too charred!

Scarlet

Oho! What hearty appetites! I cannot allow myself to lose!

Bell

Gah! Watch it, you lizard-shaped catastrophe!

They were heroes of legend, though...

Surely they weren't exactly like us?

Asherah

W-Well, they might've been slightly more dignified than us! Haha!

Lisa

Attention, everyone! The rocket launch is about to begin!

Hurry and sit down!

Asherah

It's starting, Captain! Come on!

Emily

Ms. Bell, I have a question.

Bell

A question? What is it?

Emily

Wasn't the rocket launch supposed to take place yesterday, January 1st?

Bell

...How many times do I have to tell you? Since everything was already prepared, they decided to launch it today instead.

The ceremony got called off yesterday after everything that happened across NOA.

Emily

...Oh. I forgot.

Bell

Seriously... Why do you keep asking if you're just going to forget again?!

Lisa

Everyone, it's starting!

Asherah

You know... Thanks, Captain.

Where did that come from?

Asherah

It just crossed my mind, so I wanted to tell you.

Of course, it wasn't exactly uneventful...

Still, this festival gave me memories I don't think I'll ever lose.

All the time we spent scrambling around getting ready for the festival, dancing together...

Even the time we stood back-to-back and fought side by side.

They're memories we can look back on later and smile about together.

We made a whole lot of those, didn't we?

They wouldn't feel quite as special if you hadn't been there with me. So thanks, Captain.

...Oh, and one more thing.

You were going to confront those ladies at the ballroom, weren't you?

...So you noticed after all.

Asherah

Mm-hm. I cut in because I didn't want you making enemies on my behalf...

But honestly, I was kind of glad. There aren't many people who'd stand up for me like that.

People usually laugh at me for what I do, so...

I couldn't just stand there and listen.

Asherah

In the memory I saw, the Star Savior and his companions...

It made me think they must have trusted and relied on each other.

...And watching them just made me think of something.

There was something about the Star Savior that felt a little like you.

You actually saw his face?

Asherah

Uh... No. Not exactly.

It's more like... the presence he had. It felt similar to yours.

His presence...?

Asherah

I mean... looking at him made me feel like I could trust him, just like with you!

Like you'd feel safe just having him beside you!

...Anyway, forget all that! What I wanted to say was...

...I'm counting on you this year too, Captain.

Lead us forward, just like the Star Savior once did.

We're all counting on you.

You got it.

Let's make it a good year.

Asherah

...Mm-hm!

Hehe! Here's to a great new year, Captain!

Luna

Happy New Year!

Smile

Wishing for success in all things.

A long streak of flame traced itself across the night sky.

A deafening boom passed in an instant, leaving a radiant path stitched into the night.

Like a mark left across the heavens so that this day would never be forgotten.

Asherah

Oh, right! The rocket launch!

Luna

Yeah?

Asherah

I think I know how this tradition began—

...

N-Never mind! It's nothing.

Luna

Hmm...?

Asherah

...Hehe, I think I'll keep this one to myself.

Lively Voice

Bwahaha! Witness the splendor of my rocket, humans! Take to the skies!

Quiet Voice

...The design was entirely mine. All you did was decorate the outside, ■■■■■■.

Lively Voice

Fool! You have no appreciation for true artistry.

My handiwork is what made the rocket far more magnificent, so obviously I deserve the most credit!

Cold Voice

...If we're going by the calendar, we're a day late. New Year's was yesterday.

Lively Voice

Bah, who cares? Dragons don't concern themselves with human conventions!

Quit nitpicking and enjoy the show!

Warm Voice

So, ■■■■■■■. What do you think? Not quite the same as what you remember from home, I imagine.

Maybe we could make this an annual tradition, if circumstances allow. We'll call it... the rocket launch ceremony.

Lively Voice

Mm! An excellent idea!

Quiet Voice

In that case... where should we launch it next year?

Warm Voice

Hmm... I wonder.

Employee

Goodness... This garment has taken some serious damage.

I'm afraid commissioning a new outfit would be more practical than attempting repairs.

Epindel

I thought as much... Very well. I'll have a new one made.

Employee

Will it be for daytime occasions or evening events?

Epindel

One of each, please.

Employee

And how shall we handle the lining?

Epindel

The usual, please.

Employee

Certainly. Please make yourself comfortable while I prepare a few options.

Epindel

*Sigh*...

Epindel

Honestly... I still can't quite make sense of it.

Perhaps I'll never be able to see things the way you do.

But...

I have to admit, I'm a little jealous.

...How effortlessly you seem to shine.

And perhaps most of all, that you have someone who would stake everything just to stand beside you.

Even the finest dress in the world couldn't give someone that.

Employee

I've brought a few samples for you to look over. Would you like to see them?

Epindel

Thank you. Now, what do we have...

Wait, this is... clearly a wedding dress.

Employee

Ah! My apologies, ma'am! I must have mixed it up with another client's order!

O-One moment, please!

Epindel

A wedding dress, huh... I suppose it is quite lovely.

...Not that it would suit me.

...Even so, if I ever did wear one... I wonder who would be standing next to me.

...!

Ahem! Good grief... What am I even thinking?!