-A happy bloody..joyful christmas-

-Sometimes before the war-

-In the random village somewhere-

“Hmm..”

Miho was observing her surroundings.

The people looked like busy preparing decorations and talking merrily with each others.

“I wonder what's going on..?”

Truth is, she was bored staying cooped inside the mines.

So out for walk, she was going into outside to get some fresh air.

But, no matter where she go, everybody seems to busily preparing red and white decorations, lanterns, and trees.

Getting curious, she threaten, asked some random villagers “nicely” and heard the full story.

…..

Apparently, one day in a year there's a celebration similar like a christmas called christmas x-day.

In that day, someone chosen by the Goddess to be a santa will give a gift to the good boys and girls who had been thought to deserve it.

Be it health, legendary items, or privilege.

Anyone with pure soul will receive them. And it's often the kids in this village that receive it the most.

The most important thing is the christmas spirit that is mentions by the Goddess.

By the way, last year the gift was a reindeer doll handmade by Goddess. Year before that is house model in christmas style from straw. How cheap.

“Heeh, so theres a day like christmas in this world too”

I speak to the people in front of me.

*Hmmph!* *Muunh!* *Ghuu..*

They're a boy and girls who looks like a riajuu with exactly two girls and one boy.

Since the girls seems like they didn't have anything to do other than flirting with the boy, and the boy is the same, i kidnapped… asked them nicely for some question.

Oh no no, it's not like i thought they are such a waste of space and nobody will even care if they’re disappeared somewhere…

And it's not my hobby to tied them in a certain bondage play . Just it was troublesome to even speak with them so...

“Ah, i forgot. Let me release your binding.”

I cut the rope and they got releases.

*Haa haa.. SHIT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? ARE YOU INSANE, BITCH!?*

*WE WON’T FORGET THIS YOU CRAZY WOMAN!”

“TREATING US LIKE THAT JUST TO ASK SOME TRIVIAL QUESTION, ARE YOU MENTAL OR SOMETHING!?”

They start to curse while running away from me while running away butt naked.

The look on their eyes is saying that they want to beat me up for getting tied against their own will, but end up retreating because they feel they cannot win against me.

Huh? Can’t you just asked normally? Haha, since when i can ask normally?

Besides, that smug face of the boy who looks like he was the best winner in the world and two sluts who looks like they was in drugs over heels to the boy makes me want to make them in pain for once in their life.

“Okay,then...”

Time to find out who is the “santa” this time, eh?

…..

I am just a common man.

Raised in a woodcutter family, my ancestor is said to be the hero who once called into this world.

However, that was a long ago. And there's no method to verify it. And without any proof, everybody start to forgot about it.

Living alone in the wood when i get old enough to independent from my parents, i like to live among the forest and the animals.

But there's things that i like the most.

That is, the smile of the children.

…..

Seeing the children being happy is granting me with a bliss.

That’s why i work to donate my rich to the kid that need them, and end up helping the orphans and church.

My parents in home keep asking me to pursue my own happiness and get a wife to marry but i was content with this life.

Before i know it, i had reach early thirties while being single all this time.

But i didn't regret it.

After all, everyday is always fulfilling.

One day, thanks to my achievement, the Goddess visited me in my dream and choosing me as santa.

I was overjoyed.

Bringing happiness to a kid is a joy for me.

Especially to be chosen as “santa” that will bring happiness to the children. No other work can bring me more joy than this one!

I always like to make a toys for children, so i already know what to give to them.

Of course i would do it, without even being asked!

Finally, finally, i found it.

My purpose of live, must be for this very moment!

….

So i start to gather some helpers.

Most of my helpers are the monster in the wood that i beat.

For some reason, i was stronger than most of the average people and can beat a monster around c class easily.

And i have a gift to speak with them. The Goddess called it a divine blessing received since birth.

Making friends with them after some speaking, i asked goblin, trolls, and unicorn to helping me creating gift for the children.

How do i convinced them? Well i would love to speak about it, but next time alright?

Well, it was a lot of work...

I started making a factory from the scratch, ask some money lenders to lend me some money to build it, gathering broken things that seems to be useable as toys and repairing them.

The Goddess offer to help by trying to hand me over some artifact to sell for money. But i refuse, because i want to make the kids happy with my own strength.

I can’t count how many times that i want to give up.

Since monster is originally in the wild, having to do this task is stressing them.

Often, a fight occurs but i managed to stop them somehow.

Thinking of the smile of the children that will receive my gift all over the world is the only strength that drives me.

I dont need some gratitude, i dont need some luxurious reward that the goddess offer me.

Just know that there's some kids being happy from things that i do is rewarding enough for me.

We worked, worked, and worked hard despite the adversaries.

Before i knew it, thirty year has passed since i started this job.

We managed to create a lot of gifts this time of year. More than ever before. Enough to buried the biggest cities in the box.

Wonderful…!

I was crying looking for the result of our hard work.

My subordinate looked happy too looking at their hard work is not wasted.

Frankly, i want to rest a little and having a drinking party with all of us to celebrate.

But i can’t spend too much time. The x-day will soon come.

Besides, i cannot let the kids waiting for the gift any longer..!

Now, we just need to wrapped them up and bring them to the house of the kids.

As soon as i thought that…

“Found you”

“!?”

Someone speaked in my back.

With a creepy tone of laughter that she can’t hide.

That was…

My meeting with the “devil” that ruins my life forever.

….

Starting to get curious with this festival, i asked Tuvalu and his subordinates to find the “santa”

To find them is quite simple.

Asking around about those that buys and looking for toys in a high amount, i found him eventually.

He looked like a description of santa in my world. Although why he is so thin? Like he didn't eat properly for ages.

Looking at this mountain of toys, he really worked hard huh?

Still…

This disappoints me.

“Nothing but a simple reindeer dolls and a simple model of christmas house here..”

I looked at the toys while checking them one by one.

All of them looks similar without any hint of creativity.

I guess that's to be expected, but frankly i didn't think it was this boring.

“STOP!!”

Someone screamed to me while getting tied up.

It was the “santa”

…

“DON’T YOU TOUCH THOSE! YOU FIEND!!”

He was still getting spirited despite his face is full of bump and wound all over.

Frankly, he was messy from getting beaten up.

Hey, it's not like i want to beat him up.

But as soon as i visited here, he resist quite vigorously..

He was pretty good too, almost the same as a rank adventurer?

So i didn't hold back. Well, he was sturdy but thats all. His attack power is basically non existent. But he can sure take a hit.

“Hmm? So others can touch them, but i can’t?”

“Of course! Those are meant for pure children, devoid of evil and malice. Unlike you, devil!”

He declare to me without any doubt.

“Hooh? And what makes you think i am evil?”

“The moment you came i have been feeling shivers all over my body, my body cannot stop trembling and your expression and gesture hints you being a evil creature to your deepest core. You might be able to fool others into thinking you’re just a human, but you can’t fool me, devil!”

Hey, that was rude isn't it? Although i did intrude without invitation, beat him up, and tied him up.

“Leave this place, devil! This is a sacred task bestowed upon me by the goddess herself! If you dare to obstruct me, a goddess divine wrath would surely come upon you!”

Pfft..

I can’t help but laugh

“AHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!”

“!?”

He was surprised and taken aback by my reaction.

Finally can’t endure it any longer from curioustly, he asked.

“W..what's so funny, you devil?”

I smirked while answering him.

“Ahahaha… how can i not laugh?”

Since he doesn't seem to understand, i told him.

“The Goddess wrath you said? Funny how it was actually her who send me here”

“W..what?”

Well i was actually basically forcing her, but it was her who send me back to this world.

“Even if that isn't the case, i doubt she can do anything to me. In fact, if she tried it would be interesting”

I still had not enough bullying her after all..

“L..lies! There's no way some evil creature like you being send by the goddess herself!”

“Well, it's up to you to believe it or not. Besides, convincing you is not the reason i come here.”

I grabbed one of the toys.

“It’s this”

“!!”

He looked at me angrily.

“YOU FIEND! I TOLD YOU TO RELEASE YOUR HAND FROM THEM!”

“And if i don't want to?”

“WHAT!?”

Provoking him, i break the toys with my grip.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”

He was surprised, collapsed, and convulsing like seeing such a repulsive sight that his whole body, no, his whole being refuse to accept it.

Wow, what a reaction just from one of the toys..

“Haa… haaa… haaa….”

He was having trouble breathing, and his eyes looks like he was starting to lose his sanity.

Man, it seems to be no longer a hobby, but more like an addiction to him.

Finally gathering his thought, he stare at me.

“You.. youuu… What have you done!? What have you done??? WHAT HAVE YOU DOONEEEE!!!!! AARGHHH!!”

He tried to resist, but he actually did not have enough strength to break free from the ropes.

Well it was a special ropes made from renowned s rank spider monster that i found so it won't break so easily.

But his eyes looked red, and anyone looking would thought he was gone insane.

He even tried to escape by biting the ropes until his teeth is bleeding. Wow, impressive.

Frankly, it was annoying trying to correct him about what i thought was wrong. But i ignore his tantrum and continue to speak anyway.

“I was the one who want to ask. What was that piece of shit?”

I speak with disinterest in my tone.

He looked at me in disbelief.

“A… shit? You called my masterpiece.. a lifetime worth of my work.. a shit?”

I stopped smiling and seeing him with a contempt instead.

This guy doesn't understand, so i told him.

“Of course. Frankly you were supposed to gift them with a special rewards that is unforgettable, right? After all this is a once in a year day. A special day where their hard work is being rewarded. By bootlicking their parents, trying to be good boys and girl when actually they want to be naughty as much as they want. And after all that enduring living hell that is studying diligently,smiling like a clown, without any time to play, what did they receive?”

I grab another toys.

“This shit?”

I break another one by gripping it hard.

“AARRRRGH, STOP IT! STOP IT, YOU DEVIL!”

He was having another fit like getting possesed.

Ignoring his plea, i continued while picking up and breaking one by one.

“Really, kids nowadays are smarter than you think. They're not genius but not stupid either. If i had to make comparison, hmm.. kinda like those goblins”

While breaking the toys one by one while i am explaining, he got more crazier and wilder each time i done that. To the point that i doubt he can maintain sanity any longer.

“And yet, the only thing that you thought can make them happy is.. this? Seriously? So handing them a shit like this can replace their happiness? Ahh.. it must be good for you, eh? It must be nice living by receiving anything you want when you small. I bet your family is quite fortunate, eh? While its not rich it's probably not poor either. Anything that you want is not beyond your family reach and those that you can’t get, you’re pretending to be satisfied with what you already got and let it slide with all time in year magic words “We gave thanks to your blessing this time too, Goddess”

“W..what… are you.. speaking... about..?!”

He was starting to get haggard and tired from all those struggling that he made. His head is bleeding from struggling, and his mouth is covered by his blood.

“It seems you still don’t understand, so let me tell it to you straight away”

I grabbed his white hair, and looking at him straightly.

“What you were doing, is just a farce since the beggining”

“Wh..at?”

He looked surprised.

I start to speak more cheerfully.

“Of course, for kids that still doesn't know much about life yet, what they like is only play around as much as they like, eat as much as they like, sleep as much as they like. Basically having fun for everyday is their happiness right?”

Then i stare at him with cold expression.

“Yet, what has this special day done? Instead of playing they had to work helping their parents.. Instead of being together with their friend they had to help cleaning house without any time to play, instead of eating delicious food they had to endure eating the vegetables that they didn't like. That’s the price they paid in order to be a good kids, after all..”

““Bad” kid wont get any rewards after all. If you didn't receive present, you will get shunned by your friend that receive presents. You will be cheered up by empty promise from your parent that said excuse perhaps santa just forgot it this year.

“But in reality you know it. Those “bad” kids will know that santa had abandoned them because they're a bad kid. They know that no justice or goddess exist for them because they're “bad” This scar will never fade, and even once they had becoming adults, they will grown up into a crooked, untrusting adults that won't be able to believe anything anymore! They will waste their lives, becoming thugs, rapist, murder.. and end up inside the jail or killed by the bounty hunters for the rest of their lives”

“W..what?”

“And whose fault it is? None. Yeah none. Of course santa cannot give all of the kids present. How many are them? How can he managed to give present to everybody and making them satisfied? And even if they got one eventually, how can you know it would made them happy?”

“B..but, that's why we worked so hard. I WORKED SO HARD TO PREVENT ANY KID BEING UNHAPPY! AT LEAST, AT LEAST THOSE GOOD KIDS WILL BE HAPPY RIGHT?”

He said it like clinging into it.

He speaked to it like it was his only salvation left.

He tried to convince himself that everything is not meaningless

Then i keep dropping the bomb anyway.

“That's why i told you it was a farce”

He froze in shocked expression.

“You didn't realize? Most kids would like to have their dream realized rather than materialistic things like that. Girl would dream to become a princess, boys would dream to become a hero and defeat evil dragon.. things like that, it's so simple.”

“A boy yearning to be a hero from their parent stories, a girl want to be a princess. Everybody got different dreams where they become a hero of their own story, a main character on their own, but All of it are coming and nurtured from their irreplaceable times together with their family, friends...”

I looked at him once more.

“And yet, what has those kids done in their most important time of their life?”

He looked like he was realized, but having doubt saying it.

“That... thats...”

“What's wrong?”

“It..its..”

“SAY IT!”

With expression of anguish, he said what was in his mind

“Because.. they're too busy trying to become a good kids..”

I smiled a little. Though it seems more like a sarcasm expression.

“And the reward for them being good kids is this? A toy that barely changed every year, the price that they received from wasting their youth waiting for a one day a year miracle, is this?”

I laughs.

“What a farce. All of it. A fake happiness, a fake promise, a fake momentary satisfaction...”

I stare at him again.

He was getting quiet and meek unlike before.

“Instead of giving them dreams, you gave them a harsh realities of adult when those brats still getting wet behind their ears. Still cannot differentiate between right and wrong yet what you teach them was hell that every adults will face eventually, “work”

“....”

“Now, tell me. Is this worth all of their sacrifice? Are you telling me, this ugly dog-look-alike reindeer doll and cheap straw not even worth as pillow, is more important than their dreams? To make them forgotten what makes them actually being happy the most, to make them only knows how to work in order to get what you want for their lives all this time...”

Is that what the santa do?

……….

“Ugh..”

He broke.

“Aaa..aaa..”

Having his whole purpose to live being denied

“AAAARGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!”

Santa is crying.

“I am sorry, i am sorry children, i am sorry, i didnt meant to.. i am sorry…!”

He keep repeating it like a chant.

“I am sorry..! Forgive me children! Forgive me goddess, i have failed you all! Forgive me!”

Hmm, it works betterly than i thought.

“Ughhh... guhh….”

Once he seems to have dried up his tears, i patted his back.

“It's not too late. You can still do something”

*gusu*

“R..really..?” ask the santa with tears in his eyes.

“Indeed, for matter like this…”

I smiled delightfuly.

Violence is the answer

“Huh??”

He got dumbfounded.

…….

I start to explain to him

“So the plan is like this. Because those brats is starting to forgot how to dream, we have to reignite those feeling they had”

“And, how?”

Santa is getting confused instead.

Instead i answer with smirk.

“Simple. A game where its kill or be killed”

“What!???”

He was surprised instead.

“It’s said that dreams and miracles are born the most in the midst of the bloody war. A moment when your life is in danger, where you cannot think of anything else other than surviving. Thats why, we will rekindle those situation and creating a game where they will think their lives is in danger”

“Are you insane!!”

He shouted.

“Don't worry. It's not like their lives is actually is in danger. It's just it looked like that so they will have a dream in a spur of moment things when they're thought they’re about to get killed”

“Huh? H..how can that work?”

“It’s not like leaving them like this is good for their growth. And besides, i believe it's a certain santa responsibility that we have to go this far right?”

I poke where its hurt to probe him for getting suspicious.

“G..gkkkk..!”

“So, was it decided? It was decided! since it was decided, let us do the ritual to resolve yourself”

“?”

Santa and his subordinate monster is looking at each others confusingly.

I passed the verdict of death.

“Burn all of thoose ugly toys. Each and every one of them <3”

…….

In front of the mountain of toys,

Santa is bringing a torch together with his subordinates.

While having a gulp, he was looking at it.

“Do.. do we really have to do this?”

Santa asked.

“Of course. You have made a resolve to present those kids the best present ever called dreams. So, those things from the past that hinders their, your growth too must disappear right now. Otherwise none of us can move forward”

“...”

He looked at them sentimentally.

Do it, or would you all rather eat my sword instead?

i didn't give them any chance to recompose and

Give them my verdict.

One of them start to pass the torch to the toys.

The toys is getting burned slowly, but surely in front of us.

Some of the monsters is crouching while crying, other are bawling and howling.

The others are trying to cheer the crying ones.

Santa cannot stopped his tears but he start to look at it in the eyes without looking back.

Watching the fire burns all of the toys. While gripping his hand so hard it was bleeding.

All of their hard work, reduced into ashes in one night.

….

Mm, excellent excellent. I done a good job, me.

I smiled, satisfied while looking at my deed.

*bzzt bzzt*

My fake phone is ringing. This plain tone, its tuvalu huh.

“Speak”

I answer the phone.

“Ma’am the preparation are complete. We can start the operation anytime”

“Hmm, good. Then, proceed as planned”

“Yes, maam”

Now this is what i called one in a year, or lifetime festival.

I’m sure the participant won't be able to forget it for their whole life. Not like they can.

For the fun of it, i bring the black cat girl and her friends too huhu.. should be fun.

“Sorry, ma’am? May i asked one question?”

“Hmm? Go right ahead”

“Yes, actually, i just know that kids rather received a dream to become a hero of story rather than materialistic things like that. Is that what kids is like? Pardon me, i was asking Since i want to give one of those toys to my son before”

Answering him, i said it plainly.

“Huh? How should i know what the kids actually want? I already forgot what i want when i was a kid”

“Eh…?”

Tuvalu is getting dumbfounded by my answer.