Chapter 2108: Extra Chapter: God, Chicken, and Christmas
By the time I realized it, I was standing in the middle of falling snow. That said, it was a strange kind of snow———– it felt like a hologram, passing right through my body without getting me wet.
Before me stood a giant Christmas tree glittering with lights. But…… what exactly is going on here?
[Merry Christmas! My beloved child, it’s Mother!]
[……A- Ahh, that explains it……]
Seeing Makina-san suddenly appear in high spirits, dressed in a Santa costume, I realized this was one of those dreams where I occasionally meet her.
No wonder I was in a completely unfamiliar place.
[Makina-san, I kind of already guessed this is one of those usual dreams, and judging by the situation and your outfit, I think I understand the purpose…… but can I confirm something?]
[Unn. This time, as a Christmas present for my beloved child who works so hard every day, I’m giving you a private Christmas party, just the two of us! Fufu, isn’t it wonderful? I can feel my beloved child's delight, and it makes me so happy too!]
Makina-san genuinely believed that celebrating Christmas alone with her would be the ultimate present…… Her overflowing confidence was as impressive as ever……
H- Hmm, is this okay? She’s clearly more excited than usual, which makes me think there’s a high risk of things getting out of control. After all, she’s so hyped that she’s wearing a Santa costume……[Oh, my beloved child, there’s no need to worry! Today’s Mother is a special edition! Ah, I don’t just mean my outfit. Well, okay, my outfit is special too, but…… haven’t you noticed? Even in this situation, spending Christmas just the two of us, I’ve managed to stay calm and composed without letting my love for you explode. I’ve maintained the atmosphere of a mother full of maternal love……]
[There’s a lot of stuff I'd like to retort, but you’re right, there doesn’t seem to be any signs of you going out of control.]
It wasn’t exactly the calm and composed atmosphere I knew, but putting that aside, as she said, Makina-san didn’t seem to exude the overwhelming, suffocating love she usually did. Despite her high spirits, she didn’t seem on the verge of losing control.
[At the ship party, I applied the same technique———— when my love exceeds a certain threshold, the excess emotions are transferred to another terminal, and that terminal goes out of control instead. In other words, today’s Mother is the perfect version, free from the flaw of going berserk!]
Honestly, I was more surprised that she actually acknowledged her tendency to go berserk as a flaw. Errr, does that mean Makina-san is currently in the same non-berserk state as Eden-san was during the ship party?
[That’s certainly reassuring…… but if you can do that, doesn’t it mean you don’t have to worry about going berserk anymore?]
[Well, it’s not that simple. First, the recipient of my excess emotions needs to be strong enough to handle them. At least among the Paradise Edens, no one can endure it. During the ship party, it was Deus Ex Machina II who played the role of the berserk outlet. And even though the transfer itself is fine, the recipient inevitably goes berserk, so someone has to stop them, but the terminals who can handle my emotions are usually so strong that restraining them becomes a challenge…… At the ship party, Alice, who understands me well, acted as a stopper to control things.]
[I see…… So, what about now?]
[In this case, it’s a dream…… which means it’s only mental energy. Since I temporarily bring your consciousness into my world when we meet in these dreams, it’s easier to manage compared to when we're at Shallow Vernal's world. That's why, well, this countermeasure only works either when Alice agrees to act as a stopper or within a dream.]
By the sound of it, the conditions for this arrangement seem pretty strict…… Still, being able to meet in a dream without the risk of Makina-san losing control is an incredible relief for me…… When she's not at risk of going berserk, Makina-san is actually just cheerful, fun, and charmingly quirky. You could even say all the usual concerns vanish.
[……Well, in that case, it’s safe to enjoy a Christmas party together.]
[Unn, unn! Let’s create lots of wonderful memories! Oh, and of course, what’s a party without a feast? And Christmas means chicken, right?]
At the moment when I was finally able to relax and enjoy the Christmas party, Makina-san conjured a large table in front of me.
It was empty for now, but she would probably start bringing out food soon. However, chicken huh…… Considering Makina-san is a goddess, I wondered if she might present some ridiculously extravagant turkey or something. 𝙍
[Tadah~~! A 10-piece bucket!!!]
But what she proudly revealed was a bucket marked with the logo of a famous fried chicken chain.
Right, this is Makina-san we’re talking about———– someone with a fondness for hamburgers and the like. Not that I minded, though. I’d much prefer fried chicken to some overly fancy dish.
[I’ve got bottled cola too! It has to be bottles for occasions like this.]
[True, bottles fit the mood much better than cans or plastic bottles.]
[Unn, unn! Oh, and I’ve prepared lots of other stuff too, so eat as much as you like! No need to worry about how much you eat here; it won’t affect your body back in reality.]
Makina-san smiled warmly as she spoke. Despite being someone who’s lived for billions, if not trillions of years, there was an endearing youthfulness about her, further accentuated by her Santa costume.
[Right, right, my beloved child, it’s just the two of us today, so feel free to fawn upon Mother as much as you want! Should I give you a big hug? Mother's warmth will fill you with happiness!]
[……F- For the time being, since we have food here, shouldn’t we eat first?]
[Ah, that’s right! Let’s dig in together!]
She spread her arms wide with an inviting smile, clearly ready for a hug. Feeling a bit bashful, I changed the topic.
After all, normally I’d be on edge, wary of her going out of control…… But now, with no risk of that happening…… Makina-san just looked normally cute, and the thought of hugging her makes my heart race.
It was a strange, ticklish feeling…… Just as Makina-san herself claimed, when she’s not on the verge of losing control, she’s practically flawless.
She’s kind and gentle toward me, her beloved child. Her cheerful, down-to-earth tastes make her fun to talk to, and her slight airheadedness adds a cute, endearing touch…… H- Hmm, if she came on strong in her current state, I might even find myself flustered, even strangely aware of her presence.
Lost in these thoughts, I raised a bottle of cola and clinked it with Makina’s in a toast.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [Arehh? If she can really just manage to control her berserk state…… maybe her being a heroine could actually work……]