I like crossing the most

Chapter 961 The Last Routine 140
Adventurer's Guild.

The guild counter clerk, Ms. Luna, called out, "Ms. Youyou, are you there?"

"Hey, me!?" Youyou, who was sitting idly in the corner of the guild, stood up quickly after hearing someone call her name, and asked, bewildered, "Is there something you need!?"

"Don't be so surprised..."

Her nervousness made Luna, the guild counter clerk, a little embarrassed. She waved the letter in her hand and said, "This is a letter for Miss Youyou. Please sign for it."

"From the Crimson Demon Village?" Yu-Yu took the letter, somewhat puzzled, and then subconsciously asked, "What could it be? It's probably just some boring stuff again—"

When she opened the letter and read it carefully, she was completely stunned, murmuring in disbelief.

"...Hey, not again?"

The contents of the letter were truly a headache.

the next day.

Youyou rushed to Wiz's magic item shop early in the morning.

"that……"

"Welcome! Would you like a special lucky bag?... Oh, it's Miss Youyou?"

Wiz was somewhat surprised to see the guest walk in.

"Happy New Year," Youyou said to her with a smile. "The furisode is gorgeous and suits you very well."

“Thank you very much. More than this…” Wiz looked at her with some surprise and curiosity, and asked, “What’s wrong? You look so worried.”

"Actually, my father from Scarlet Devil Village wrote me another letter. The content is—"

Youyou unfolded the envelope with a hint of helplessness.

"I'm sorry, daughter. By the time this letter arrives, I'll already be gone from this world... The forbidden festival, which happens once every thousand years, is about to begin. A raging lion with a powerful jaw has set its sights on the village, ready to ravage it. There's nothing we can do, nothing we can do to resist. As the village chief, I'll perish with the village. But Youyou, you can't come back... Listen carefully, my daughter, you absolutely cannot come back!"

That's getting more and more exaggerated, village chief.

Youyou said with a worried look, "I know this is just an exaggeration, but the thought of it being true makes me worried..."

"The Crimson Demon's way of thinking is a bit... " Wiz also looked troubled. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Have you discussed it with Mr. Kobayashi and the others? They are very reliable in times like this, you know?"

"They're not home."

Youyou said that she had of course already asked them for help, but unfortunately they had all gone to the capital and no one seemed to be home... They were clearly members of the team, yet they abandoned her, which was really too much.

"If you can, let me help you."

“…Miss Lynn!?”

Seeing the girl enter the store, Youyou's eyes widened in surprise. Lynn smiled and said, "Although I don't quite understand what's going on, you seem troubled, right? If you'd like, let me help you."

"Is...is it okay...?"

Youyou had a deeply moved expression on her face.

Lynn smiled and said, "Dasster, Cheese, and Taylor have all gone to visit relatives for the New Year, and I happen to be free. If you don't mind, I can help you out."

"Miss Lynn, thank you so much!!!"

Youyou hugged her tightly.

"That's wonderful, Miss Yoyo." Wiz said regretfully upon seeing this, "If it weren't for work, I would have come with you too—"

"Go ahead."

"—Mr. Barnier!?"

The one who suddenly spoke up and interrupted her was none other than the only demon in the magic item shop who was willing to work, Duke Banir of Hell.

"Happy New Year."

"You look quite presentable in a culotte."

Lynn praised him, and Barnier turned around with a smug look, letting them take a good look at his outfit.

“Compared to that, Mr. Barnier,” Wiz quickly interjected, “what you just said about ‘go ahead’ and all that… New Year’s is when magic item shops make money, you know?”

"We've been busy with work since the end of the year and the beginning of the new year. Taking a break now and then won't get you any bad luck. Besides, didn't you really want to help that little girl?"

Barnier said that to her.

Although his expression was gentle, he had his true thoughts well hidden: that this foolish shopkeeper would only get in the way if he stayed, and that what could have been a profitable month would turn into a loss!

However, Wiz was completely unaware of this. Touched, she clasped her hands together and said, "Mr. Barnier... thank you so much! I'll prepare it right away—"

"Wearing furisode is very auspicious."

"Huh? I-I understand. Okay, then..."

After being abruptly interrupted, Wiz was slightly taken aback, but since Barnier had said so, there must be some reason, so he chose to trust the other party's judgment.

“Hehe.” Lynn smiled slightly and said, “Mr. Barnier, there’s a good side to it too.”

"Thank you so much!"

Youyou was extremely grateful for Barnier and Wiz's kindness and immediately agreed. Then, she clenched her fists and said with a slight glint in her eyes, "Father, you've gone to such lengths. I wouldn't agree unless it was something really important!"

The three of them quickly left the magic item shop.

As Barnier watched them walk away, he sighed softly, "They're gone... How could they possibly sell the bottled goods that didn't sell last year? Besides, they're all dangerous products that cause trouble for users... I don't want to start dealing with complaints at the beginning of the new year! It's auspicious to give this useless shop owner a holiday during the Lunar New Year!"

Unaware of Banir's true intentions, Yoyo and her friends set off to save the Crimson Demon Village from crisis.

……

They are very fast.

Looking at the dense forest before him, Wiz said, "The village will be very close once we cross this forest."

"If only nothing had happened..."

Youyou still looked worried.

"There won't be any problem." Lynn patted her shoulder and comforted her, "After all, the Crimson Demons are very strong."

“That’s right.”

Youyou felt slightly relieved.

Just then, Wiz suddenly pointed into the distance and shouted, "Two, two!! Look over there...!"

"It's smoke! And thick smoke at that!"

Following the direction of her finger, Lynn and Youyou exclaimed in surprise.

"It's over by the village!"

"Let's go over there quickly!"

So the three of them hurried there. And when they arrived at the Crimson Demon's Village, they saw—

A Crimson Demon dressed as a chef spread his arms and shouted, "Alright, assemble! The once-in-a-millennium grand festival is about to begin!"

"Oh!!!" xN
The Crimson Demons below responded in unison.

"A festival...?" Yu Yu looked at the chaotic Crimson Demons with a questioning expression and couldn't help but ask, "But what was that thick smoke just now?"

"Look, there are people dancing around the fire over there."

Wiz pointed over there.

When Lynn saw it, she breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Is it a festival bonfire...? I thought the village had been attacked. I'm relieved."

"Oh, it's Youyou, you're back." Another Crimson Demon stepped forward and greeted Youyou, Wiz, and Lynn. "Greetings to everyone outside the village. Please enjoy the Crimson Demon Clan's New Year Festival."

"The Crimson Demon Clan's...New Year's Festival?"

Youyou looked stunned.

She had never heard of the Crimson Demon Clan having such a festival during the first month of the lunar calendar; otherwise, she wouldn't have rushed over so quickly upon seeing the thick smoke.

Another Crimson Demon appeared and said, "This is quite popular in Axel, isn't it? I've heard Megumin mention it before."

"……what?"

"Because a ferocious lion has appeared, a grand festival must be held."

"A ferocious lion!? The one Father wrote about in his letter!!"

Youyou immediately remembered that she had rushed back because she had seen that letter. But looking around, she didn't see that kind of monster.

Another Crimson Demon spoke up: "With its strong jaws, once it bites, it never lets go. Lion Dance, what a terrifying fellow."

"If this were an ordinary town, destruction would be inevitable. But this is the Crimson Demon Village, and there's absolutely no chance that the Crimson Demons are inferior to the Lion Dancers!" another Crimson Demon said arrogantly.

"Lion dance...?"

Wiz looked puzzled and asked curiously, "Could it be the lion with a strong jaw that dances wildly, as described in the letter to Miss Youyou...?"

"Exactly!!"

Just then, a hearty laugh came from the side, and he walked up to Youyou and the others, saying, "You've finally returned to the Crimson Demon Village, my daughter!"

The person who came was the village chief of the Crimson Demon Village, who was also Youyou's father.

"Aaaaaah!!!" Youyou screamed in anger, shouting, "As expected! Father, what's with that letter?! Didn't it say your life was in danger?!"

"Speaking of which, I did write about those kinds of things," the village chief said, stroking his chin with a nostalgic look. "I thought it was really cool."

"Father, you idiot!!!"

Youyou immediately started cursing in a fit of anger.

"Alright, alright," Wiz said, calming the two agitated individuals. "It's good that everyone's alright."

"Village Chief, is it true that there will be a lion dance?"

Lynn, on the other hand, was more interested in this.

"This is real."

To everyone's surprise, he wasn't lying about those words. Instead, he explained with a serious expression, "And this year, they come in droves, like auspicious beginnings, and that's how the festival begins."

"what?"

"And although the lion dance is ferocious, as long as it creates a festive atmosphere, they will go home satisfied."

"I see."

Lynn nodded silently and said, "Speaking of which, the lion dance plus the festival... it feels a lot like the New Year celebrations in Kobayashi's hometown."

"Speaking of which, there's a rumor that the person who created the Crimson Demon Clan is from the same hometown as Mr. Kobayashi, right?"

Wiz said this as if he suddenly remembered something.

Youyou asked with slight surprise, "So, Mr. Kobayashi, you've also written about starting the new year and played with a diabolo?"

"I think so? But from what he said, the most important thing is the first visit to the shrine, everyone going to the shrine together and stuff like that," Lynn said, recalling what she had just said.

Youyou suddenly realized and said, "Ah, if you think about it, I participated before too."

“Different shrines enshrine different gods, and I’ve heard that some shrines have as many as eight million gods!” Wiz suddenly dropped this astonishing bombshell.

"Eight million!!!" xN

The Crimson Demon Clan members were immediately shocked.

Youyou's father stroked his chin and said, "I don't dislike this kind of unconventional setting...?"

"The pronunciation of 'eight million' is also very cool! It must become popular in the Crimson Demon Village in January!" another Crimson Demon said excitedly.

Then the next day.

Lynn and Wiz, who were temporarily staying at Yoyo's house, wandered around the Crimson Demon Village and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement when they saw the Crimson Demon Clan.

"That's amazing!"

"Everyone in the village is wearing furisode and kimono! It's so gorgeous and beautiful!"

Wiz said this with a smile on his face.

Youyou explained, "It seems to be made by Mr. Chekra from the clothing store, imitating Miss Wiz's clothes. If only it were just that—"

After saying that, she looked at the other Crimson Demons with a look of utter despair.

"Explode, New Year!"

"Absolute Defense! Happy New Year!"

"Wishing you happiness and good health! Counterattack!"

The Crimson Demons, in bizarre and strange postures, continuously uttered New Year's blessings.

Lynn twitched the corner of her mouth and said, "The New Year greetings I taught seem to have become popular in an unbelievable way."

"Never mind, never mind," Wiz waved his hand with a smile and said, "You seem quite happy, isn't that good?"

"That's it!!!"

One of the Crimson Demons stepped forward and exclaimed, "Thanks to you, the festival is incredibly lively! Did Youyou have a great time too!?"

"I'm still confused, I don't have time to be happy..."

Youyou said this with a melancholy look on her face.

"That's because you're not handsome enough!" The Crimson Demon suddenly tossed two kimonos over and said, "You two should wear these too!"

"Huh?! What's this?!"

"You all got your share. Chekra did too! Come on, come on!"

Under constant urging from the Crimson Demon Clan, Youyou and Lynn had no choice but to change into this outfit.

When it reappears.

"Wow! That's fantastic!" Wiz exclaimed in surprise. "It would really suit you guys perfectly!"

"I haven't worn new clothes in a long time, I'm so happy." Lynn looked at the light blue furisode with floral embroidery on her clothes and said happily, "Youyou looks very mature and beautiful too."

"No, thank you so much! Everyone's wearing the same clothes...hehehe."

Youyou looked very happy.

Just then, a loud shout came from the side: "Hahaha! If you obey me, I'll give you half of your New Year's money!"

"You tempter! Who else but my parents would give me New Year's money?!" the little girl shouted at him.

"...I have a feeling that the village has become quite powerful."

Lynn gave a slightly worried twitch at the corner of her mouth.

"Yes. Even the little kids are here... It's so lively."

Wiz also looked embarrassed.

The things they taught before have inexplicably become popular in this way, leaving people completely at a loss for what to do.

However, this is also because the Crimson Demon Clan really likes cool things.

(End of this chapter)