The Water Magician

This is the last SS of the year!

"When the new year starts, Abel has to give me a New Year's gift."

"......"

"Um... Abel? Can you hear me?"

"No, I can't hear you."

"You're clearly hearing me! Why are you ignoring me?!"

"I don't know... I just had a feeling that this was going to be an unfavorable conversation for me, so I ignored it..."

Abel is a former a-rank swordsman.

His intuition has been shaped by experiences where life and death were at stake.

That intuition told him not to respond.

As expected, the water attribute mage in front of him is frowning.

It seems that Abel's decision not to react was indeed the right one...

However, this mage is persistent.

By the way, his name is Ryo.

"It's a New Year's gift!"

"Otoshidama? Sounds like an orb?"

"Abel, you don't need to make jokes. Making jokes is my role, and your role is to respond."

"Yeah, I don't understand what that means."

Ryo sometimes uses words that Abel can't comprehend.

Well, he's gotten used to it by now.

That's just how Ryo is.

"Important people give lots of money. That's what a New Year's gift is."

"The king gives it to the first duke?"

"Y-Yeah, you don’t have to worry about things like status. The king is important, so he can just give a New Year's gift."

"Ryo, you're already an adult, right?"

"Eh? Yeah, that’s right? What’s the matter...?"

Ryo's response was not very smooth.

"A New Year's gift is something that adults give to children, right?"

"How do you know that...?"

Under Abel's calm observation, Ryo panics and blurts out.

"I heard that after King Richard's era, there was a custom like that for a while."

"Ugh... King Richard... I wish you had kept that a bit more vague!"

For some reason, King Richard is being blamed.

Of course, he is not at fault.

"Besides, Ryo, you're rich already. You don't need to receive a New Year's gift, right?"

"That's not the point. It's not about the amount... well, receiving a large sum would be wonderful, though..."

Ryo is trying to think of a different way to say it.

Abel lets out a small sigh.

"I don't really have to give you money, do I?"

"N-No, that's not true. This is... a custom, yes, a custom!"

"A custom?"

"Yes. A New Year's gift is something everyone receives, just like mochi expenses in the New Year and ice money in the summer. Do you know about those? It's been decided since long ago that important people give them. Everyone involved in politics receives them."

"......That sounds a bit suspicious."

"Ugh... Abel is sharp today."

The failure of introducing faction politics and monetary politics.

"Mochi expenses and ice money can’t be helped, so at least just the New Year's gift..."

"Well, I'll think about it."

Seeing Ryo's sad expression, Abel shook his head gently and said that.

(Ah, this must be a dream... Speaking of which, when the new year came, I did give Ryo a New Year's gift, although it wasn't a significant amount. I remember him being really happy despite being a wealthy person...)

...

……

.........

And then, Abel woke up.

He was on a sandy beach.

In front of him was the sea.

Beside him was the usual water attribute mage, lying down.

He was down, but... he looked very happy.

Mumbling something.

"Hey, Ryo, wake up."

"......I can't anymore. I can't eat any more cake. I'm so full... mumble mumble."

"Probably, there’s no cake here."

Just like the previous story, in this version of the dream Abel was having at the beginning of the third part.

Well then, everyone, happy new year!