On New Year's Eve, after eating New Year's soba (buckwheat noodles), a banquet is held in the hall of Nido Castle.

This tradition started long ago when Jin was a lord, and it seems to have continued in the village of Kaina for a long time.

Now, Ellis and Freddie are in charge of the banquet, and Jin has been working behind the scenes.

The villagers gathered in the hall, which could accommodate more than 200 people, and chatted happily.

Alcohol is served sparingly, and mostly juice is consumed.

Those who are intoxicated are treated with detoxification.

Alcohol and acetaldehyde are treated as toxins, so <> is effective.

This <> healing magic was developed by Sally Mireshan, a healer who moved to the village of Kaina at the behest of Jin.

Jin remembers it, and is immersed in nostalgia for a while.

Meanwhile, Rubina and Shu are too tired to sleep and leave the room early.

But Grina is taking care of the villagers with Freddy instead of Elise.

"......It's getting to be a good time to be a lord's wife, isn't it?"

was Jin's personal impression.

Jin is eating oshiruko (sweet red-bean soup) for those who are hungry.

Of course, it contains rice cakes pounded during the day.

Next to him, Elsa is also eating the same thing.

The night is late, and it is late in the afternoon.

Late at night, at 11:00 p.m., the villagers go home to their own houses and the hall is deserted.

Jin, who was sitting in a corner of the hall, muttered to himself.

"...... after a lively banquet, it's kind of lonely, isn't it?

"I can understand that."

Erza replies to this murmur.

"...... but because there is an end, a new beginning will come.

"That's right. Because this year is ending, a new year is coming, right?"

"Hmm."

The messy hall is quickly cleaned up by the five-colored golem maids.

"......This year is almost over. I think I'll take a bath and freshen up.

"I agree."

On the first floor of Nido Castle, there are bathrooms in the northeast and northwest corners.

They are divided into men's and women's baths, so Jin went to the men's bath and Erza went to the women's bath.

Since Freddy was still talking with Gulina, both the men's and women's baths were reserved, and both Jin and Erza relaxed in the baths and felt like they had shed the fatigue of the past year.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

11:40 p.m.

Nido Castle begins to ring the temple bell.

Unlike the bells that ring the time, this one is a fishing bell. The sound is not a ringing, but a heavy gong.

Jin and Erza listen to it in their room.

"Did we ring it 108 times?"

"Yes. It's said that ...... humans have 108 troubles that need to be exorcised."

"There are 108...... many."

"Yes. One theory says it also means , but in Buddhism, one of the religions of my world, it is explained ...... properly."

"Interesting story. I don't think I've ever heard it properly. Tell me about it.

"Well, I don't care."

Jin began to explain to Erza, saying that he thought he had heard it from the Director, but he couldn't remember exactly what he had heard.

"First of all, there are six roots in human beings."

is a phrase that ascetic ascetics and believers who ascend sacred mountains chant to purify themselves of the impurities of the six roots.

Sometimes they chant, <>.

The six roots are ...... the five senses and the spirit. Sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and consciousness.

I see... how can I put it?

I see. So, ......, and each of them has a bad feeling, and they're divided into levels, like present, past, and future, and ......, and you multiply six by three. Multiply by two multiply by three and I think it was 108......."

"Interesting. It's kind of like a study rather than a religion."

"Maybe so. I think Buddhism has an aspect of philosophy.

While we were talking like this, the year 3901 was about to end.

"There is a theory that the 107th cue should be struck during the old year, and the 108th at the beginning of the new year.

"There's no rule about it?"

"No, it's up to you. ......The temple in my neighborhood has about 200 cries."

...... is that okay?

"It's an exorcism, so it doesn't matter if it's a lot."

"Really, it's free."

"I'm free."

The clock struck midnight.

At the same time, the bell rings and all is quiet.

It was the year 3902.

"Happy New Year, Elsa."

"Happy New Year, Brother Jin."

Jin and Erza greeted each other, and opened the sliding door to the next room.

Reiko was waiting there.

"Reiko, Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year, Reiko!

Happy New Year, Father, Happy New Year, Elsa-sama!

And the old man's voice echoed from the manacam placed in the room.

"Happy New Year, My Lord.

"Happy New Year. Happy New Year to you too.

Jin and Erza decided to sleep a little until dawn.

Reiko was going to wake them up just before sunrise.

They were a little tired and soon fell asleep.

In the case of a homunculus, there is no need to sleep in normal life, but they can sleep if they are aware of it.

By the way, Jin, who is a compound, needs sleep just like a normal human being.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The sun rises at around 7:00 a.m. in the village of Kaina.

Fifteen minutes before that, Jin and Erza woke up and washed their faces.

They went up to the keep and waited for the sunrise.

At Nido's house, the lord's residence, Ellis, Freddy, and Greena were probably staring at the eastern sky as well.

And many of the villagers too. .......

"Oh, let's wake up Rubina and Shu, too. ......Reiko, please call out to them."

"Yes, Father."

Reiko went to the guest room where Rubina and Shu were staying.

A few minutes later Rubina and Shu arrived, rubbing their sleepy eyes. Reiko followed them.

"......Good morning, Jin-sama. ......"

"Good morning ......"

"Good morning. Look, the sun will be up soon."

On both Earth and Ars, the higher the altitude, the earlier the sun rises.

In the case of Nido Castle, the sunrise appears to be about 30 seconds earlier than the average time in the village of Kaina.

A spot in the sky to the east, which was tinted in a deep red, seemed to shine brighter and brighter, and then a golden light appeared.

It is the sunrise.

It was the first sunrise of the year 3902.

Facing the sun, Jin, Erza, Reiko, Rubina, and Shu clapped their hands and bowed their heads.

.