New Year

"Hey, Naoto-kun, do you know what day it is today?"

Luna asked out of nowhere.

"Eh? Umm…"

What was it? What was today's date again?

This was that thing, wasn't it. The legendary girl-anniversary that you'd catch hell for forgetting…

Remembering things like the first day we ate pasta together would be impossible, I thought.

Ever since I'd come over here, my sense of dates had gotten kind of vague.

Then again, less than a year had passed since I arrived, so there shouldn't be any anniversaries yet… or so I thought, but a one-month or two-month anniversary would be unavoidable.

For now, I had to start by checking the calendar.

Even without one, calling up the system gave me a perfectly accurate built-in clock. Convenient stuff.

"… Heehee, you've been so busy you don't even know the date? Today is supposed to be New Year's Eve."

"Eh… ah…"

New Year's Eve… 12/31. So that was what time of year it was.

Eight months had passed since I came here. So much had happened that it felt unbelievable not even a year had gone by.

Since girly-Luna brought it up, I'd assumed it would be some girly something-or-other, but apparently she'd just naturally noticed the date, and since I looked like I'd forgotten, she'd checked in on me.

It might have been rude of me to misunderstand her like that. But maybe I really should remember anniversaries with everyone properly.

"Leone, Lyuka. Are there no year-end or New Year customs over here? Like toshikoshi soba or the joya no kane bells?"

"Yes, there are some. Thanks to people who transferred over from Japan and shared those customs, I suppose.

"We eat toshikoshi soba on New Year's Eve, and osechi for the New Year. There's mochi too.

"… But it might not be as elaborate as in your world.

"Everyone in this world has long lifespans, so each individual year is treated lightly, perhaps."

Leone explained that to me.

"Hmm, I see. Well, even so, let's enjoy that stuff…

"It's our first New Year since coming to this world. I want to throw a bit of a grand party."

When I conveyed that wish…

"That sounds wonderful. Let us absolutely throw a grand party!"

Leone agreed as a matter of course, everyone else chimed in too, and we decided to hold a grand party for the New Year.

Ursula said she'd happily attend as well.

It was shaping up to be a lavish gathering with plenty of people.

That would be tomorrow, on New Year's Day, though; for today we kept it relaxed and in-house.

"Here, tonight is toshikoshi soba, the representative custom that came over from Japan and took root."

"… Oh, soba."

The very same flavor I'd savored in Japan. I smacked my lips at the nostalgic taste. Truly, it was delicious…!

We savored the soba happily.

No joya no kane bells, no Kouhaku Uta Gassen… the otherworld's last night of year 299 wore on.

Leone, Adelia, Irana, and Mikoto, who had come a day early, along with the other cooking-skilled members, were all hard at work making osechi cuisine.

Watching them work…

"Speaking of which, I completely glossed over Christmas on 12/24 and 25…

"Is there no Christmas over here?"

I tried asking Lyuka.

"… There isn't.

"That sort of custom has been passed down from another world's Garumon.

"Parents giving presents to children, or a day when couples have sex."

There was a slight inaccuracy, but it succinctly captured Christmas as practiced in Japan, so I had no rebuttal.

"But in this world, children enter school at age six and grow distant from their parents thereafter, and couples have sex as a matter of course, so…

"Thus, among the cultures that flowed in from other worlds, while many take root, like baths and many dishes, there are also many that didn't. Date-celebrating events like Christmas fall into that latter category.

"The culture of celebrating birthdays is similarly in decline.

"Garumon have long lifespans, and growth halts at a certain stage, so it's hard to feel the passage of years.

"Especially among the higher-ups who decide these systems.

"For that reason, the very concept of dates becomes vague. Most date-aware people act in units of 'how many days from now' via the system, so

"very few can give an immediate answer when asked, 'What day is it today?'

"If anyone could, it would only be the NPCs near the system."

"… I see."

I'd thought every country on Earth celebrated dates, but different cultures meant that wasn't a given.

I'd learned something.

"The only thing that gets at least some attention is 12/31 and 1/1. The culture of celebrating year-end and New Year.

"Even here, the date that the year changes is recognized. Compared to your world, Naoto-san, only to a modest degree, I'd say.

"For nobles, holding a party on these days isn't that unusual.

"I think your proposal is a very good one, Naoto-san."

Lyuka told me.

And then, 1/1. The dawn of year 300.

The lobby of Leone's Inn was around 30 tatami mats wide, but factoring in the furniture, the living space was about 15 mats.

With this many people gathered there, it was cramped.

My companions…

Kanan, Adelia, Maika, Lyuka, Leone, Setsuna, Haru, Yuria

Luna, Suzanne, Patty, Colette, Sawako, Yumi

Griera, Irana, Klara, Lizalind, Kishilia

Ursula, Cellas, Saria, Mikoto, Libera, Mira

A grand total of 25 had gathered before me.

That this many beautiful women and girls would gather like this at a single call from me…

And on top of that, the majority were lovers I already had a physical relationship with…

Thinking it over again, it was incredible. So much so that I could hardly believe it.

"Umm…"

I stood up on the platform. Even in front of everyone I was so familiar with, speaking in a formal setting made me nervous, but when I thought of them as the people who lavished love on me, the nerves faded.

"It was around May 1st of last year, I think. When we transferred to the otherworld.

"Eight months later… today is January 1st. It's become year 300, apparently.

"Looking back, a lot of things have happened.

"I won't go through them one by one, but bitter things, fun things, you've all had your share too, I think.

"The reason I've been able to make it this far is thanks to all of you, my companions, who have gathered here.

"Thank you, truly. I'll be counting on you all from here on out as well.

"With that gratitude in mind, well… cheers!"

"Cheers～"

Even with my fumbling speech, everyone accepted it with smiles.

Each of them chatted amongst themselves, picking at the osechi.

I'd pick at the osechi too. The datemaki and nishiki tamago were well done. The egg ones really were the best.

The kuri kinton, too. Conversely, kobumaki and the like seemed iffy… or so I thought, until I tried it: kobumaki was delicious! Huh, this was different from the osechi I'd had in Japan?

… Nah, maybe it was because Leone had made it.

Not a single dish in this osechi was bad. Every one of them was incredibly delicious.

I wolfed it all down without thinking.

"Haah… satisfied."

I glanced around at everyone.

Everyone was just chatting normally, having fun.

The great thing was that, with this many people, there wasn't a single bad-blood pairing.

If anything, that would have been Mikoto and Leone, but by now they were on too-good terms.

Maybe it was a given because everyone was a good kid, but

I also thought it was thanks to Kanan working hard.

As the very first member of my harem, what you could call my right hand, Kanan also held the position of harem leader.

Because Kanan kindly welcomed in newly added members, everyone naturally got along, or so I figured.

… Well, even if Kanan had tried to bully or harass new members the way she used to, Adelia, Leone, and Lyuka would have chided her and not let her get away with it, but.

Oops, bringing up the past would upset Kanan, so I'd better stop.

Now then, since this was a special party I wanted to do something, but…

… All I could think of was hime-hajime.

We moved the venue straight to the bedroom, and

decided to take it slow with one girl at a time, either having sex or just being lovey-dovey.

Shuru, pasa, pasa…

The sight of 25 beautiful girls stripping nude was truly overwhelming… wonderful.

Sitting alone on the bed and watching them, I really felt like a big shot.

I had 24 of them wait while I took them one by one.

First, I invited Kanan to the bed.

"… Come to think of it, we've come a long way. Tossed into a strange otherworld like this, fighting frantically ever since…

"Now you're an A-Class Master, even attaining a position like noble.

"You really have risen. It's amazing, Naoto.

"And I am your Garumon… Hee hee hee, far more than 'the Kazami young lady' or some 'whatever of Reido Academy,' it's a vastly happier title… All thanks to you. Thank you, Naoto."

Kanan said.

"… Same here, all thanks to you being there for me, Kanan. Thank you."

I answered her in kind, and embraced Kanan.

"… I love you, Naoto. My body and soul are already yours, all of them."

Kanan hugged me back as she said it.

Zu, zupu, nupu… And then I made love to Kanan. Why was it that having sex with Kanan made me feel like I'd somehow… come home? Both being from Japan, having always been together… Now that I was cut off from home, perhaps she was something I could call home.

"Aah… I love you, Kanan."

Words like that, which just eight months ago I'd never have dreamed of saying, even by mistake, I was now saying out of genuine, heartfelt feeling.

"I'm so happy, Naoto…"

And the fact that Kanan looked truly happy hearing it… even now it felt like a dream, but it wasn't.

Each small movement wrapped me in tremendous pleasure, building furiously, and in no time at all…

Doku, doku, doku…

I released a generous load inside Kanan.

"Aah, aah… Naoto… so happy…"

Kanan trembled in climax, shuddering with bliss.

"Aah… I'm… so happy too…"

Chu, chu…

I kissed Kanan.

After that I took my time with each one in turn, and with the girls I hadn't yet bedded I just spent some lovey-dovey time…

Depicting the scene would be tediously long, so I'll skip it.

Last, I spent some lovey-dovey time with Ursula.

"Nn, hamu, nchu, chu… Naoto…"

I embraced Ursula, fondling her breasts while we kissed.

Ursula tangled her tongue with mine and hugged me back.

The sensation of our erect penises rubbing together felt good.

"Ursula, looking forward to working with you this year too."

"Mm… This year, come April, thou and I shall settle things in the S-Class match…

"And then, from the end of October, the S-Class Tournament begins.

"Whatever the outcome of our settlement, we shall be challenging the S-Class Tournament together.

"… I am counting on thee, Naoto."

"Yeah, Ursula…"

Chu, chu, chu… I kissed Ursula again and again, gently massaging her breasts.

"Ha, ah, aah… Naoto, Naoto…"

Ursula's penis had risen fiercely, leaking precum everywhere.

I was getting excited too.

We switched positions, and when I thrust my throbbing penis up to Ursula's face, she sucked it for me.

Jupu, ju, jupu…

While fondling Ursula's breasts, I had her service me orally, and then…

"Aah, I'm coming, Ursula…!"

Pyu, dopyu, dopyu!

The instant I came, Ursula also ejaculated, gushing from her own penis.

"Ha, ah, aaah…"

With a melting, enraptured expression, Ursula accepted the sensation of my semen flowing down her throat.

Sex would have been fine too, but commitments mattered.

Even with Kanan, I'd waited half a year, until I made B-Class and beat Yamagata.

My encounter with Ursula came when I was B-Class, and the wait would last until I made S-Class… about half a year too, huh.

About the same length of time.

A wait that long shouldn't be impossible, then.

"The S-Class promotion match is right at the start of April, isn't it. So that's effectively three more months…

"Until you become mine."

"… Y-You really say it… C-Certainly… with Suzanne becoming a Seraph and Luna and Colette evolving going forward, you must believe the advantage will only grow…

"That… I shall not deny. But as an S-Class Master, I too have a pride inherited from my mother.

"By that pride, I shall give it my all to win against thee. Brace thyself."

"Aah, of course. I'm looking forward to the match."

I kissed Ursula.

"… So, regarding winning the A-Class Tournament, and further, toward defeating Ursula, I'd like to lay out a training plan for the next three months."

It probably wasn't quite suitable for after-sex pillow talk, but since everyone was gathered, I brought it up.

"… Is that a topic I am allowed to hear as well? Well, no point fussing now…"

Ursula gave a wry smile.

"Frankly, just winning the A-Class Tournament, I don't think it's impossible with our current battle strength.

"Just by training normally and raising our coordination further… we might make it on that alone."

Ursula, an A-Class Tournament veteran, and Griera, who'd come within a step of it, didn't deny what I said.

Was I being naive? There had to be plenty of formidable, unseen rivals in A-Class too…

"… But there's always a level above. There are those above the above.

"Could three of us alone reach A-Class runner-up? I don't think we could right now. But Shaina Fervey accomplished exactly that.

"And even Shaina Fervey only has S-Class lower-tier combat ability.

"What's said about her is, 'with three alone, she's equivalent to S-Class mid-tier.'

"In other words, even gaining the strength to win the A-Class Tournament with three, you barely reach S-Class mid-tier. You don't reach S-Class upper-tier.

"If we're aiming not just at the A-Class Tournament but beyond, our power-up isn't enough yet."

To settle the grudge with Leonhardt.

To settle the grudge between Ursula and Sairas.

To match up against my idol Aqueria.

To settle Suzanne against Michaela Hilde.

To accomplish those goals, we had to reach S-Class top-4.

And then to win further, ultimately to the apex of S-Class. Achieving all that at the next S-Class Tournament was certainly going to be hard.

But unless I aimed at least that high, there was no way it would happen.

"We can't waste these three months.

"So… the LV50 and class-changes for Luna, Patty, and Colette are a given, and we'll aim for further training of the current LV50 members.

"For each person, I want them to learn powerful skills like Divine Arts, Dragon Arts, Demon Arts, Ultimate Arts, and so on.

"Especially the Top-Tier Job members, I want them class-changing into Ultimate Jobs.

"And the Ultimate Job members, into Legendary Jobs. Let's start aiming for that now.

"The question is how we go about it…

"Even past LV50, learning new skills, or having skills change, happens irregularly.

"Class-changes too."

Kanan's skills had suddenly changed, and Leone's class-change had happened out of the blue.

At that point, Lyuka stood up and explained.

"… Yes, exactly so.

"I'll explain about skill changes, evolutions, new skill acquisitions after LV50… and class-changes.

"After LV50, leveling up becomes very difficult.

"However, skill changes and class-changes don't only occur at the moment of leveling up.

"They come at the moments of repeated daily battles, of obtaining magic via sex, or of deepening one's bond with one's Master… they arrive unexpectedly at such times.

"It's not really something you can trigger by aiming for it.

"Leveling up beyond LV50 is possible, but please consider that, in principle, beyond LV50 you require double the experience points you've gained so far. If reaching LV50 took six months, LV51 takes six months, LV52 takes a year, LV53 takes two years… that kind of pace."

"… Thanks, Lyuka.

"Huh? Then Ursula's LV51 and Griera's LV52, you were freaking out about them, but they're not really that fast a pace?"

Ursula was about going-on-four-years. Griera should be eight years.

"… Indeed, compared to thee. A UR-Class Garumon hitting LV50 in half a year is quite extraordinary.

"… Even LV50 in a year is fast. Normally it would take two. For that reason, it's even said that if a newcomer carelessly takes on a UR-Class Garumon, the UR-Class Garumon ends up dragging them down.

"… However, as for whether I trained as single-mindedly as thou, drilling combat and pushing levels, a question mark certainly hangs over it.

"Becoming S-Class brought more chores too… my pace may have slowed since reaching LV50."

"As for me… well, I wasn't able to grind levels all that enthusiastically either."

"… Then both of you, now that you've joined my party, you'll need to renew your resolve."

"… Heehee, understood."

"Aah, of course. From now on, I'll work hard for Naoto's sake."

The two of them said.

"At the moment of an LV-up, the chance of skill acquisition is higher. Let's actively aim for LV-ups even beyond LV50.

"… And one more thing.

"Among us magicians, there are those who can use skills that pertain to this world's system.

"My Item Create.

"Yuria's Potion Create.

"You can understand that these are skills pertaining to the system, yes?"

"Aah, the equipment Lyuka makes affects battle, and Yuria can even change a Garumon to a Master, after all."

"That is correct.

"But among the magicians' magics, there exist other useful skills pertaining to Garumon growth.

"Class Change: Allows changing of race.

"Skill Change: Allows changing of techniques."

"… Ooh, that sounds amazing!"

"For your reference, these skills cannot perform promotion.

"Promotions like Top-Tier Job → Ultimate Job, or normal techniques → Divine Arts, are not possible.

"For those, as I mentioned earlier, please look forward to skills and classes growing incidentally as you battle daily and deepen bonds with your Garumon.

"But, for example, it is possible to change me from Faerie Princess → Great Sage.

"Also, Skill Change comes in two varieties:

"- Targeted acquisition of a comrade's lower-tier technique

"- Random change to a technique of equivalent rank

"Both are possible."

"Acquiring a comrade's technique… like having Adelia's Boost Power learned by Leone, or Leone's Accel Boost learned by Adelia?"

"Whether that's possible depends on trying. Basically, in exchange for erasing a high-rank technique, you learn one of lower rank, which on the surface sounds like an action with many demerits.

"But if there's a high-rank technique you don't use, a useful low-rank technique would be more convenient."

"I see… that certainly seems useful.

"So even outside of incidental changes, skill changes can be deliberately brought about."

The example just now… could she still have a thing about being a Faerie Princess?

"How can you use those skills?"

"… Two methods. One is for my and Yuria's magic skills to evolve and acquire those skills.

"But this would be a skill promotion, so we can only hope incidental skill growth occurs."

"… I see."

So in order to no longer need to hope for incidental change, we had to hope for incidental skill change… it was like some kind of zen koan.

"And the other is to ask someone who can already use those skills to use them.

"The only person in this world who can use these two powerful skills is the world's greatest magician… Witch Almaria-sama, alone."

"Aah, that person from before…"

The witch who looked very much like Yuria came to mind.

"I knew it'd come to that…?"

Yuria looked terribly reluctant.

"You don't particularly want to meet her either, do you? Ugh, no thanks…!"

"Personally I don't… well, being told to return to magician work would be a bit unwelcome."

"Umm… Yuria, why do you dislike Almaria-san? Are there complicated circumstances I shouldn't pry into…?"

"There's nothing of the sort.

"It's simply that she's an indulgent, overprotective person, so it's embarrassing and I dislike it."

Ah, so they were on good terms. Glad to hear.

"Geez, Lyuka…!"

"From my view, it's heartwarming.

"Almaria-sama also understands Yuria's feelings, so apparently she's making an effort not to address her too familiarly."

"Nn, geez…"

The relationship between Yuria and Almaria, just as Lyuka said, seemed like the heartwarming bond of a mother and her adolescent child.

"However, Almaria-sama is an extremely busy person. Without using Yuria's connection, meeting Almaria-sama would be difficult."

"She came that time, though?"

"Aiding the system is the main job of magicians. Cooperating with the games Eclair proposes is a role NPCs belonging to the system should naturally fulfill.

"Acting in favor of a specific Master is the irregular thing for magicians.

"Both Class Change and Skill Change, depending on use, are exceptionally powerful skills capable of bending the very rules of this world.

"For that reason, having them used will not come easily."

"In other words, to have her use them, would we need a tremendous offering, like a treasure obtained through some grand adventure…?"

"That's right. Beyond that, a tremendous sum of money is plainly necessary. Ten million G is the smallest unit of the amount required. Sums in the hundreds of millions, even billions, would normally be requested.

"… With all that in mind, shall we put in a request for the heck of it?"

"Umm…"

Our current funds were only about three hundred million G all told.

"… Well, let's go ahead and ask for the heck of it. Without bringing up Yuria's name, can you put in a request normally under my name?

"If it gets shot down because I'm only an A-Class Master, then so be it, but if it's a polite refusal, I'd like you to push for what we'd need to do to have it accepted. Well, let's not count on it. We don't have to rely on Skill Change or Class Change, since if they occur naturally we can leave it at that."

"… Understood."

"In any case, until Almaria-sama's reply comes, let's just normally hunt monsters for warrior training, and hope incidental Skill Changes and Class Changes occur.

Also, if there are challenges from B-Class Masters or Garumon Battle opportunities, take them all on.

Do mock battles to the fullest extent possible too.

Even without missions, going to monster territory for training is good. Hunting good unique monsters for Kishilia is good too.

"And then…

"Griera can't go to monster territory because the Demon God attacks her if she does.

"But your C-Class rank is also pretty low.

"How exactly did you get that strong?"

"… Aah, it's the arena."

"The arena."

"There are several arenas in the world, where you can hone your skills in battle. Win and you get prize money too.

"However, the arena's purpose is to put on a combat show.

"Information shielding doesn't function, so your attribute and what skills you have get exposed to third parties.

"If you have a battle history at the arena, you should assume that not just race but attribute and skills get completely leaked.

"… Just, when it comes to S-Class famous Garumon, no matter how much information shielding you do, their attribute and skills are mostly known. Fighting them, you'd find out anyway. Top-class folks are strong even with that.

"So if you're going to ultimately become the strongest, you can't worry about that stuff.

"… Or so I think."

"I see… that's certainly an option.

"No matter how prepared the opponent is based on prior information, in the end you can always outwit them with composition.

"Alright, let's try the arena too."

I laid out that policy.

"And then… of course, we'll do plenty of feel-good things and have fun, too."

Hard training and erotic rewards. These two wheels couldn't be missing.

"Yes!"

"… Oh, also… I keep saying three months, three months, but when in March does the A-Class Tournament begin? Depending on the case, it might end up being just over two months."

"Right, it varies year to year, but generally the 10th to the 20th.

"Though it's been held on the 1st before too. The schedule will be announced sometime in February, close to the date."

In that case, Colette's LV50 might not make it in time for the A-Class Tournament…

No, regardless, I'd get her there in time as much as possible.

I laid out that policy.

… Alright, from here until the A-Class Tournament, two to three months, let's run through it!

I made that resolution at the dawn of the New Year.