Asaga’s and Mifuru’s tale were not the only tale at the Winter festival. Akitomo and Marie, their former enemies were also having their own time here. Of course, it began a little more contentious than the former pair.

“You know, you don’t need to walk around with that scowl all the time.” While he secretly was excited at hearing about this festival, Akitomo wasn’t happy who he was stuck with. “If it sticks, then that’s the face you’ll be stuck with the rest of your life.”

“I don’t need a witch like you telling me what to do.” He responded. It was at this point, he began to waver a bit in his desire of being the one to watch her.

“Funny you call me that.” She chuckled. “Seeing as I’m the one who has no magic whatsoever.” When the woman mentioned that, she remembered one important detail when the two were on opposite sides. “Speaking of which, how did you lose your powers?” While the spell can make one lose their powers in a magicless world. Marie recalled that the one he taught her aided in prevent such loss.

“I-it’s not important.” He was feeling a bit warmer now thanks to the embarrassment of having to relive that memory. “I just happened to lose it when I entered this world, that’s all.”

“Somehow I doubt that.” She didn’t believe him, since his magical skills were outmatched by few. For him to mess up that spell seemed almost ludicrous. There was also the matter where this boy found himself on the side of the demon lord against her. For something like that given his opinion of the devil, that must mean only one thing. “Wait a second, did she seal your powers?”

“N-no.” He started to freak out. “Of course she’s didn’t. I, uh, I would never lose my powers that easily.” She laughed in his face, his reaction was all the proof she needed to know what happened.

“I can’t believe the so-called great and powerful Merlin would be reduced to such a helpless child.” She continued to make fun of him, which prompted an angry response. However, his small statue made him appear more of that as a toy dog barking at its owner.

“Look, it doesn’t matter now.” He tried to save face against her teasing. “The two of us are powerless here, so we must remain vigilant against that devil of a woman.” She could only nod in agreement, as her laughter prevented any talking.

While they continued on walking, the two of them ran into a trio that Juuto knew very well. That being the Kanehira family. Sunae and Suzuta were the mother and child that Akitomo had met numerous times before at the store. However, this was the first time he had met with the patriarch of the family, Sugomu.

“Akitomo, it’s nice to run into you.” Sunae greeted them first. “And I see this is your mother with you?”

“She’s not my mom!” He yelled back to correct the misunderstanding as quick as possible. “We’re… We’re acquaintances.”

“Heh, we’re a lot closer in our ages than we appear.” She chuckled. Despite her appearance, Marie was actually just nineteen. She looked older than even Juuto who was a few years her senior. Akitomo himself was only a couple years younger than her, despite appearing that he might only just be graduating junior high. Of course, the boy would tell you he wasn’t done growing as his mother would tell him. Though that hope had pretty much gone out of the window by now.

“I knew that you were much too young to have a child his age.” Sugomu had a familiarity with her that surprised even his wife. It made a lot more sense when he answered the question she had for him. “Oh, she’s the new worker that joined the company just a few weeks ago.” So that explained to Akitomo where she worked and how she was paying the rent. Even in this world she got more attention than him.

“It’s nice to see you again, Kanehira.” She bowed down to her boss.

“We’re at a festival, you don’t have to be so formal. Especially since my wife and kid are here. Just Sugomu is just fine.”

“Right… Sugomu.” Her demeanor was something that he picked up on. Normally, she would not be caring all that much about appearances. It made the boy wonder what she was like when meeting with the league of assassins. What was her true self?

“Why are you two together? I never realized that you were friends.”

“Is it not a rule for people to go in pairs?” They assumed that the parents were only in the group they were because of their child. However, that would prove to be far from the case.

“Who told you that?” Sunae asked.

“Juuto.” With one word, the adults started to boisterous laugh at them. Just as with Asaga and Mifuru, they explained the whole failed trick everyone in the neighborhood attempted on the man.

“Oh joy…” Akitomo did not want to hear that he put himself in this stupid situation because some people tried to get a man a girlfriend.

“Anyway, we were about to head into the booth where they’re playing ‘Fish for Gifts’.” It was a game where people took a small fishing rod to try and hook small boxes with prizes inside. This was more for children, which was good for the family with little Suzuta in tow.

“It’ll be perfect for little Akitomo too.” She mocked him in front of them.

“I’m more grownup than you.” He countered. “But yes, I’d like to try out the game.” So they followed the family towards the booth where there was a crowd around a near frozen pond. It was mostly children participating in it, but that wasn’t going to stop the boy from trying his best.

“Don’t get too excited.” She tried to hold him back as he found a spot next to Suzuta. “You don’t want to have a repeat of the last time you went fishing.” Marie was referencing to a rather unfortunate event he went through where his pants got caught during his windup.

“I’ll be fine.” He looked away from her, making an attempt to hide his blushing face of having to be reminded of it. “Don’t worry, these are the small rods.” With that, he plunked down his hook into the water. This wasn’t the type of game where you want fish to bite, as there were none. Instead, you had to wait until a tiny little capsule floated by to try to hook on it.

Akitomo believed himself to be capable of doing do. After all, he once hooked onto a giant golden fish back on Enatis. So he believed that this would be no problem, which is why he was getting frustrated with how often his hook came up empty. “Errg.” He muttered to himself as he threw it out once more.

“You know.” She told him as she reeled in her her own gift. “If you weren’t trying to be flashy, then you might’ve already been done.”

“Do you want me to show you how?” Little Suzuta showed off his own catch.

“I think I can take care of myself.” He responded pulling out yet another empty hook.” As much as this amused Marie, she wasn’t a fan of having to wait around until he was finished. So instead of asking, she went over to him.

“You just have to let it fall into the hook.” He wrapped her arms around him. “Just calm down and we can get going.”

“Eh-eh…” Like a boy his age, it was nearly impossible for him to ignore her pushing her chest up into him. If anything, it caused the exact opposite reaction of her desire of getting him to calm down. It infuriated him that despite disliking her, her body was still attractive to him. “J-just get this over with quickly.” He relented to get it finished. It felt like an eternity for him as the little capsule to land onto his hook. Finally, he landed and he pulled it out.

“There.” She picked it out of his hand. “Was that so hard?”

“N-no…” He quietly responded. The giggling from Sunae weren’t lost from him, as she could tell how effected he was from that interaction. “Come on, let’s go meet with the others.”

“But we haven’t even-” He took her arm and pulled the woman away from the scene. This was all too embarrassing for him to want to face anyone.