Chapter 149 – New Year's Eve!

Finаllу, Dеcembеr 31st.

Тhе lаst dаy of the уеar.

Evеn though time gоt wаrреd during thе fight with thе Witch of thе Mind… it still felt likе а short уеаr.

Аnd in thаt short timе, two mоre Grimoirеs wеrе аdded.

“Alright, I’vе landеd in the VR world! I’m suddenlу in fеstive clothes! Оr wаit, is this a furisode? Which is it?”

『Woоаh!! Spice-chan in а kimоno!!』『So сute!!』『А сutе сreature that suddеnly aрреared!!』

Тhе рeoрle in the lоbby erupted in ехcitemеnt.

Сalm dоwn, calm dоwn.

“Don’t forget tо watсh Fоur Guys’ New Year’s Evе streаm tоnight! Тhanks!”

Sрice tооk thе perfеct орроrtunitу to рrоmоte whilе using а combination of kimono power and Levitation to float gently upward.

Whoa—he’s floating more smoothly than usual.

『I’m amazed. The mana consumption is almost zero. This is the power of festive attire…!!』

Flota was astonished too!

Feeling incredibly comfortable, Spice zoomed through the lobby.

Surprisingly, you can reach the main lobby without using a Portal.

If you can fly, that is.

Avatars that can fly were enjoying floating through the sky.

But Spice was by far the fastest!

『A little girl in a kimono just passed me!』『Like a butterfly!』『Is it a bug!? A bird!?』『No, it’s Spice-chan!!』

“Yeeeah! Feel free to take screenshots!”

While giving fan service to the people he passed, Spice landed at the special venue set up in the main lobby!

This is a special place created just for streamers during the year-end and New Year period.

A Virtual Shrine!

『Woo! Spice! That outfit is awesome!!』

“Chara-chaaan! Woo woo! This was designed by Ms. Inukai, you know. You’re looking pretty festive too, Chara-chan.”

It had been a while since he last saw Charaway.

The mohawk and spiked shoulder armor were the same, but the cape had become a celebratory red-and-white one.

Even the sunglasses were red and white, weren’t they?

“Ah, now that I look closely, the mohawk reflects light in a festive red-and-white color!”

『Hyahha!! It’s Charaway in New Year’s colors!!』

“So cool!”

As the two of them got hyped up, Slayer V joined them in his usual appearance.

『Hey, you two! Glad to see you’re doing well! Me? I’m always in my one good suit.』

He was still in what looked like an explorer’s outfit—apparently, he didn’t have any other costumes yet.

His Mama, Kiraboshi Hazuki—Hazukicchi—was just too busy.

“What about Mr. Yata?”

『He has a Now Fantasy year-end program.』

“Popular streamers have it tough.”

『He’ll probably join us after the New Year. Seems he has a countdown live stream too.』

“Whoa.”

Yatagarasu might usually be laid-back, but he’s also one of the top streamers on Now Fantasy.

Hope he does his best.

Now, about the Virtual Shrine… it’s currently wrapped in a large curtain, so you can’t see the whole thing.

Man, I’m looking forward to it.

In a few hours, the New Year will begin.

That’s when the curtain will be removed, revealing the full appearance of the Virtual Shrine.

Huh?

There’s something strange here.

“Fortune slip cannon…?”

There’s some suspicious-looking machine embedded in the ground…

This smells like good streaming material.

This won’t be unlocked until the New Year.

You have to draw fortune slips in the new year, after all.

『Hmm, it seems Mama won’t be streaming during the year-end and New Year period. Come to think of it, she’s still a high school student.』

“Really! With how active she is, you forget she’s a minor.”

『Exactly! Time with family is important!』

When Charaway said that, Spice and Slayer exchanged a glance for a moment.

Well, honestly, sorry about that.

Anyway, Spice started his stream from here.

Until the New Year countdown, he wandered around the VR space, meeting up with Charaway and Slayer V along the way.

After the New Year, Yatagarasu would join too, so the four of them would greet the New Year together before parting ways!

After all, they’d all come back on New Year’s night to draw fortune slips anyway.

They could draw them right after the New Year, but going from the emotional high of the countdown straight into comedy chaos like a rollercoaster—this old man’s stomach can’t handle it!

Better to have a buffer.

“So, hey there! How’s it going! It’s Spice!”

※『Hey there…!? A kimono!!』『How’s it going!! So cute!!』

The comment section was flooded with “cute” from the moment the stream started!

“Ehehe, I had this new outfit made by Ms. Inukai Tama! Thank you so much, Tama-saan!”

After thanking Spice’s new Mama, he started streaming while wandering around the VR space.

By the way, Ms. Tama was also in the comment section and sent a bright red Super Chat.

Don’t push yourself!

“I’ll be meeting up with Four Guys later! Mr. Yata has an official program too, so after that’s over, we’ll all get together, greet the New Year, and that’ll be the end of tonight’s stream! Until then, let’s enjoy the year-end chaos!”

※『Yeeeah!』『Spice-chan, did you eat New Year’s Eve soba?』

“Probably no soba for me this year. Too busy!”

While chatting about that, a familiar streamer of similar height approached from the other side.

Huh?

Wasn’t he supposed to be lying around during the year-end and New Year period?

『Oh! Spice-chaaan!』

“Ira-chaaan! Long time no see~!”

The comment section buzzed.

※『Ira-chan!?』『Is Satan Ira here!?』『The two cutest streamers in the industry have gathered!!』

On screen appeared a girl with bright red pigtails and devil horns.

Dressed in a cute one-piece, devil wings peeked out from her back.

She was just a little shorter than Spice.

A reunion with the incredibly cute Babiniku streamer uncle, Little Satan Ira!

“What brings you here today?”

※『Ira thought I might stream a little too. Lucky I ran into Spice-chan. Let’s do a year-end chat stream together~』

And so!

An unexpected collab began!