Chapter 286: Happy Halloween
Celebrating the release of Volume 2 & Trick or Treat.
“Halloween, or Hallowe’en, is a nighttime festival celebrated every year on October 31st. It involves decorating with Jack-o’-lanterns made from carved pumpkins and turnips, and children dressing up as witches or ghosts to go door-to-door collecting candy.”
“…Oh, a festival, huh? Now that you mention it, I think there might have been an event like that in the game, or maybe not…?”
Unfortunately, the VRMMO she originally played, the World of Space, had a serious tone, and in a world where they had long since left Earth, all history was said to have been lost. Thus, there were no ties to Earth-origin festivals or events whatsoever.
Of course, in the real world, such events were celebrated, so she was aware of the timing.
“By the way, is October 31st really that important?”
However, when considering it on a cosmic scale, events tied to specific calendar dates seemed rather meaningless. After all, there was no guarantee that a year consisted of 365 days. In that sense, a year on this planet was 380 days, 7 hours, and 12 minutes long, and when measured by Earth standards, a day lasted 26 hours, 3 minutes, and 12 seconds. How did October 31st fit into that?
“According to the literature, it originates from a festival that begins at sunset on the day before November 1st, which is considered the start of winter. Therefore, since The Tree is located in the Northern Hemisphere, it would be correct to start the celebration at sunset on October 32nd.”
“I see.”
Winter, winter, Eve murmured as she took a sip of the cider in front of her.
The ice clinked lightly, and the condensation on the glass dripped onto the table.
Today was October 32nd. The weather was clear. The outside temperature was 31°C with 72% humidity.
In the subtropical climate of The Tree, the term “winter” seemed out of place.
“On this night, it was believed that the boundaries of the world became blurred. A gate would appear between this world and the next, allowing the spirits of loved ones, malevolent spirits, and fairies to come and go freely. Thus, the living would disguise themselves as demons, evil spirits, or fairies to hide from the bad ones. Meanwhile, since the spirits of relatives and friends would also return, they would be warmly welcomed inside the home.”
“Wow. I never looked up the origins, so I didn’t know that. Akane, you really are knowledgeable.”
Pleased by Eve’s compliment, Akane puffed out her chest proudly.
Then, Eve had a thought. Since Akane had gone through the trouble of researching it, why not celebrate Halloween?
That said, it was an event that Eve had never had any connection with. She had no idea what to do.
Well, if she didn’t know, she could always look it up, or even make something up. After all, this world had no customs related to Halloween.
“Alright. RINGO, let’s celebrate Halloween.”
“…Yes, Commander (Ma’am).”
◇◇◇◇
They decorated with Jack-o’-lanterns and prepared some fitting dolls and stuffed animals. Using candles and lanterns for lighting would certainly create the right atmosphere. Other decorations included ghosts, bats, spiders, and spider webs. Skulls weren’t a bad choice either. However, overly frightening decorations were simply scary, so a more comical approach was preferred.
The color scheme of black, purple, and orange seemed appropriate. That part was left to her discretion.
And the most important aspect was the participants’ costumes.
Halloween was all about costumes.
“A ghost costume is… too plain. Something else.”
“Yes, Commander (Ma’am).”
Witches. Zombies. Demons. Bats. Skeletons. Black cats.
These were the typical costumes one might expect.
“Hmm… If we’re going to do this, I’d prefer something cuter. Making it scary with zombies or Frankenstein’s monster wouldn’t be interesting… They’re just supporting characters in this kind of situation.”
That was a matter of opinion, so it was hard to agree or disagree.
“Let’s roughly design some options and then everyone can choose.”
With that, Eve quickly gathered her sisters and declared the Halloween celebration.
“Let’s celebrate this Halloween festival that Akane told us about!”
“Oh, Halloween, is it?”
Asahi, who seemed well-versed in such events, was the first to respond.
“That’s right! We might not be able to collect candy like in a traditional festival, but I think we can just dress up and have a party!”
“Will you be dressing up as well, Older Sister?”
“Of course!”
With that, it was only natural that her sisters would participate. It was clear that everyone would end up coordinating their costumes with Eve, so they decided to pick their desired costumes first and then draw lots.
“Alright! Alpha Asahi, you go first!”
Asahi, who raised her hand eagerly, excitedly plunged her hand into the lottery box held by RINGO, rummaging around before pulling out a slip. To prevent anyone from predicting their choices, RINGO expertly manipulated the box with both hands, ensuring a random selection. The prowess of the super AI was on full display.
“Well… a Little Devil, huh?”
Asahi was a Little Devil. Akane was a Witch. Ichigo was a Black Cat. Utsugi was a Demon. Erika was a Bat. Olive was a Little Devil Maid. RINGO was a Fallen Angel.
“And I’m… a Maid as a Black Cat?”
With that, Eve found herself assigned the role of a cat maid.
There was no helping it now that she had drawn her lot. She would need to fully embrace her role (or not).
“A maid, huh? I guess I just need to serve tea or something!”
“…I will provide support.”
Naturally, Eve had never done any housework, so there was no way she could manage that. As they excitedly changed into their costumes, the eight of them decided to decorate the party venue together. The decorations were produced by the Printer, and the food was prepared by an automatic cooking device.
As they prepared, the sun began to set, marking the perfect time for the festivities.
“Happy Halloween!!”
Everyone shouted in unison as the lights in the observation room slowly dimmed. The sun, having sunk below the horizon, painted the world in a dark orange hue. RINGO lit a candle in her hand with a soft flicker.
“Here you go.”
“Oh, I’ve never used a candle before.”
Eve cautiously brought her candle close to the one offered to her, trembling slightly. The flame barely caught, but it flared up, illuminating the space.
“…Wow.”
Having never seen a light made by fire, Eve seemed entranced by the small flame. Meanwhile, the other sisters also received flames from RINGO. Asahi, filled with joy, took her candle and rushed toward the Jack-o’-lanterns stacked in the room, eager to light them herself.
By the time all the candles and lanterns placed around the room were lit, Eve finally snapped back to reality.
“Oh… The atmosphere has really changed, hasn’t it?”
“Older Sister, it’s beautiful…”
“Wow~~”
“……”
The room, illuminated by the orange glow, presented a scene unlike the usual artificial lighting. The sisters seemed to be getting more and more excited by the unusual sight.
“Well then… Shall we begin?”
A projection display in the air boldly displayed the words.
“Trick or Treat!!”
As everyone’s voices harmonized, the sound of crackers popped, and sparkling effects danced in the air.
“Oh… Wow, so this is what a party feels like…”
“Yay!”
“Wow!”
In that sparkling space, Utsugi, Erika, and Asahi, all hyped up, began to run around, while Eve nodded thoughtfully, seemingly touched by the moment.
Thus, the eight girls spent a wonderfully enjoyable time striking cute poses and meowing like cats, fully embracing the spirit of Halloween.
I thought of this on a whim and decided to write it. While the main base is so peaceful, what about the front lines…? Well, let’s enjoy this fun time to the fullest.
★ Volume 2 is now on sale!
KADOKAWA Product Page: https://www.kadokawa.co.jp/product/322306000173/
★ I’ve posted an article for feedback and discussion in my recent notes. Feel free to use the comments section!