The year 3458 was drawing to a close.
New Year’s Eve found Jin and Elsa alone together, the night deepening in the quiet intimacy of husband and wife.
Inside their tatami-matted room sat a brazier handmade by Jin. Within it, a fire-attribute magi-crystal glowed a deep, vibrant red, radiating a steady heat. Though Jin had produced charcoal as well, he had devised this crystal heater as a safety measure to ensure they wouldn't suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning.
An adamantite iron(?) kettle rested atop the brazier, sending up wisps of steam. On the kotatsu, a basket filled with citrans sat in place of the customary mikan oranges.
As for Reiko, she was busy in the kitchen, diligently preparing toshikoshi soba.
"Here you are. Thank you for waiting."
"Oh, thank you, Reiko."
"Thank you, Reiko-chan."
"You are very welcome."
Jin had requested his favorite, mori soba, while Elsa had a bowl of warm tempura soba.
"Mmm, this is excellent."
"It’s delicious, Reiko-chan."
"Thank you very much."
Jin finished his meal with soba water, while Elsa sipped on buckwheat tea.
"A lot happened this year, didn’t it..." Jin murmured, reflecting on the past twelve months.
"Becoming the Lord of Kunlun, the succession of the king in the Celuroa Kingdom, that whole ordeal with Rokure..."
"Mm... Going to Mitsuho, meeting Goose-san, and learning about the Lady Predecessor and the Magus." Elsa joined him in looking back on the year with deep emotion.
"True. Then there was building the spaceship, traveling to the Moon, and meeting Milowina."
"The World Conference, building the monorail, and the Gonpetition."
"And the most important thing was, of course... ge-getting... married."
"Yeah, that’s right. After our journey through the nations, we even went on our honeymoon."
"The Voracious Grasshoppers, the ancient golems, the long-period planet."
"Onogoro Island and the Disaster... I suppose."
It had been an incredibly dense year, Jin realized.
"I feel as if about a year and nine months have passed in reality..."
"Jin-nii, that’s surely just your imagination."
"I suppose you're right."
Just as Jin caught himself wishing he could hear the New Year’s Eve bell, the resonant tolling of a bell began to drift in from somewhere nearby.
"That sound... I thought Smith 1 had been busy with something since yesterday..."
It seemed that, under Laojun’s direction, Smith 1 had constructed a bell and a bell tower. Jin felt deeply grateful for Laojun’s characteristic thoughtfulness.
"In my hometown, they say that on New Year's Eve, you ring that bell 108 times to expel the 108 worldly desires."
"An interesting custom. Very intriguing."
Jin suspected that Goose and Vivienne would be fascinated by that particular bit of lore.
Then, midnight arrived.
[Happy New Year.]
Laojun’s voice resonated through the area. It was the beginning of the year 3459.
"Happy New Year, Elsa."
"Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year, Reiko."
"Father, Happy New Year."
"Laojun, I’m counting on you again this year."
[My Lord, I look forward to serving you as well.]
Next, Jin received New Year’s greetings from the leaders of the Hourai Island golems, led by Soleil and Luna.
"Well then, after we take a quick nap, shall we head to Kaina Village?"
"Mm."
As their lord, Jin felt he should offer them a brief greeting.
"After that, we’ll head to Loizart to pay our respects at the Royal Palace."
It was his duty as the husband of Elsa, a citizen of the Shouro Empire. Jin remarked that this should conclude his official public duties for the day.
"From the evening, we’ll invite everyone from the Jin Family and have a grand banquet."
"Mm, I’ll prepare everything."
"I’m counting on you."
Given the time difference, Jin and the others were able to get six hours of proper sleep rather than just a nap. Outside, the sky was beginning to pale with the approach of dawn.
"Father, it is almost time," Reiko informed them.
"Right, let's head out."
Even though it was winter, Hourai Island—situated on the Tropic of Cancer—was not cold. Guided by Reiko, Jin led Elsa outside and toward the laboratory. They climbed the stairs to the roof.
The eastern sky was painted in shades of deep madder.
"That’s the hatsuakane."
Then, the first sun of the new year broke the horizon.
"It’s the first sunrise."
"Beautiful."
"Are either of you feeling cold?"
"No, we're fine. Thank you, Reiko."
Jin and Elsa stood on the laboratory roof, watching the first sunrise. Their faces, illuminated by the rising sun, were bathed in the same madder glow as the sky.
"Mmm, this is delicious."
Jin and Elsa were back at "home," eating zoni.
It was a simple version with a soy sauce base, made with a stock of kokarisk bones and boa meat, filled with kamaboko and leafy greens. The mochi was square-cut. Jin had seven pieces, while Elsa had three.
"Ah, that was wonderful."
Jin and Elsa savored the zoni, which had been prepared with the utmost care by Perido Leader.
The osechi feast consisted of items that were perfect replicas of black soybeans, candied sardines, simmered lotus root, mashed sweet potatoes with chestnuts, rolled omelets, red and white kamaboko, shrimp grilled in their shells, stir-fry burdock root, and kombu rolls. It was a collaborative masterpiece by all of the Five-Colored Golem Maids.
After picking at the various delicacies, Jin patted his stomach while sipping post-meal hojicha.
"I might have overindulged a little."
Beside him, Elsa offered a soft, knowing smile.
As the time passed 9:00 AM, Jin first relocated to Jin Castle. A notice had already been sent out that a New Year’s gathering would be held.
In Kaina Village, it was 6:40 AM. Since there was no local custom of watching the first sunrise—and because light snow was drifting through the village that morning—the villagers, including the children, had all gathered in the Great Hall.
"Everyone, Happy New Year!"
This was the New Year’s greeting Jin had introduced the previous year. Every villager joined in a booming chorus.
"Happy New Year!!"