Published: September 9, 2025
※ A New Year's story.
This is the second update today. If you haven't read "10-51. Lord of the Layer (2)" yet, please be cautious.
※ Revised partially on 1/2
※ Typo corrected on 2/11.
This is Satou. Speaking of New Year's, it’s about osechi ryori, mochi, and New Year's money, right? Hatsumode and New Year's cards are also New Year's staples. When I was a kid, I would clutch my New Year's money and rush to the toy store to buy games, but as an adult, I only remember drinking and lazing around. Work? There’s no work during New Year's!
◇
"Arisa’s cheek stretches like mochi."
"I-ifai, hanfeh-hifelu kara—"
Despite having such thin cheeks, why are they so soft and stretchable like mochi?
"What exactly is mochi?"
"Stretches~?"
Pochi and Tama perked up the moment they heard the word mochi and came over eagerly.
"Mochi is, you see—"
"Excuse me, Master, please stop punishing Arisa around here..."
Just as I was about to explain what mochi is, Lulu gently interrupted. Looking down, I saw Arisa with tears in her eyes looking up. Sorry, I forgot.
◇
I immediately prepared a mallet and mortar and started getting the glutinous rice ready. Unfortunately, the glutinous rice must soak in water overnight, so we can’t start pounding mochi right away.
Even though there is magic that accelerates aging, the lack of any magic to skip the soaking of glutinous rice or beans overnight is, I think, a laziness among magicians.
Since it’s probably water magic, I’ll try a few experimental versions tonight.
Mia hates memorization, so she might be reluctant, but if I persuade her that it’s magic to easily make delicious mochi after eating tasty mochi, she’ll surely learn it willingly.
The red beans and black beans to put inside the mochi, like the glutinous rice, also need to soak overnight. Though I mass-produced sweet bean paste when making Muno Rolls before, they can't be used for making things like Mame Daifuku.
I continued preparing ingredients as they came to mind.
Not just the classic Japanese sweets, but maybe cheese and strawberries too.
Yeah, since we’re at it, why not try some strange ones as well?
I don’t know which fillings will be popular.
◇
"Pettan~"
"It’s pettan time!"
When I started pounding the mochi, Pochi and Tama wanted to try, so we took turns.
Nana was in charge of flipping the mochi near the mortar.
"I want to flip it too!"
"Alright, but put these gloves on before you switch."
Arisa and Mia were curious, so I handed them thin gloves.
"Hmm? Why gloves?"
"If Pochi or Tama’s swinging mallet hits your wrist, it could be torn off! These gloves are the same as the ones Lulu uses in the labyrinth, and they generate a magical small shield to guard before impact."
The main purpose of the gloves is to prevent the mochi from sticking to the hands, but that threat should make them cautious.
Even though healing magic can instantly cure any serious injury, I don’t want to eat pink mochi mixed with blood.
Watching Arisa and Mia cautiously flipping the mochi, Lulu and I rolled the mochi into balls. When rolling, we put in the fillings prepared earlier.
The little girl maids attached to the mansion helped roll the mochi too.
"Ouch, how do Lulu-sama and Master handle this so well?"
"Hehe, if you dip your hands in cold water first, it’s fine."
"Ugh, my hands are sticky."
"If you sprinkle this powder on your hands first, it won’t stick."
Well, it’s hot, but nothing compared to putting your hands into a forge.
With Lulu gently supporting the little girl maids, I happily continued working while watching them fondly.
"Pochii!"
"Tamaaa~"
"Ouch, mochi mochi aaahhh!"
"Arisa!"
Turning toward the noisy scream, it seemed Pochi, who tried to add some weird moves while pounding, made a mistake. It looked like mochi stuck to the mallet wrapped around his body, covering him in mochi.
Next to him, Arisa was in a dreadful state with stretched mochi draped over her head.
Lulu murmured a typical housewife’s "Oh dear, well well" and stepped in to handle the situation.
Mia’s water magic healed the burns, and Lulu’s life magic cleaned off the mess, but Pochi and Arisa, who had carelessly handled food, were made to sit properly and scolded by Liza.