Chapter 115：Extra: A Small Gift

[Dialogue in English will be encased like this; *everything else is in Divian* ^^]

The world was blanketed by layers upon layers of fresh snow that fell continuously from the overcast skies. From the little window, sounds of children running about, playing in the snow and laughing could be heard. Sherry peered outside. As expected, kids were running on the unmarked snow, leaving their footprints with glee and building snowmen. The adults looked upon the scene with mirth whilst they shoveled more and more snow off the walkways.

Seeing it snow once again, Sherry was reminded of just a few weeks or so ago when the first snow fell.

---

"Snow! Dylan, it's snowing!!!" Sherry squealed with pleasant surprise. She held her hand out to catch the falling snow only to see it melt on her palms. Sherry was like a child, infinitely curious and excited by the world around her.

"It's no wonder it was so cold this morning." Dylan smiled and brushed a few strands of hair behind Sherry's ear.

Sherry blushed red and retreated a few steps back. "T-thank you." She bashfully muttered.

"No worries." Dylan smiled again.

Sherry held her head down and lifted it again, her hair once again fell over her eyes. Pushing it behind her ear, she flashed a smile at Dylan, her dimples highlighting her joy. "It didn't snow much in, uh, *how do you say residential? Is there even a word for it?*, um, it didn't really snow where people lived where I came from, only some mountains. That's why it's my first time seeing snow like this. It's quite magical."

Dylan gazed upon here excited face and let out a gentle hum acknowledgment, letting Sherry dance around in the snow.

"*It's just like Christmas*" Sherry chuckled, "*A white Christmas...*" [A, sweating in Aussie Christmas: Wow, imagine that! T^T]

Just as the thought crossed her mind, Sherry glanced over at Dylan whom was helping a fallen child up. 'He's helped me so much when I was all alone in a world I didn't know...It's not really Christmas yet but I should get him something right?'

---

After getting ready, Sherry made a mirror out of water and spun around to check herself out. She wore a cute red sweater and black pants to match it. On her feet were wooly socks that allowed her to go 'weee weeee' around the house as she slid on the floorboards.

"*Mm, pretty good.*" Sherry nodded and dispelled her spell. After carefully deliberating it, Sherry bought this set of clothing just for today. After all, it was her long awaited 'white Christmas'. The presents that she bought for Dylan and Matthias were wrapped and safely stored in her storage and she had decorated the house nice and Chirstmasy. Sherry had even found a tree that somewhat resembled a Christmas tree except that it was purple. She wrapped colourful cloths around it and hung wooden ornaments on the branches.

"*Now, I just need to buy groceries and prepare dinner.*" Sherry put on a coat and scarf and excitedly went out the door, grinning to herself as she hopped along to the market. This joyous mood continued even as she cooked the unchristmasy dinner of foods she and the other two liked.

Just as Sherry finished setting the dishes, she observed them with great satisfaction. They were steaming hot and smelt great!

"*Now I just have to wait until they arrive*." Sherry continued to grin and waited.

...

...

...

"*I FORGOT TO INVITE THEM!!!*"

"*How? How do you cook a dinner for people but not invite them over? Am I an idiot? I think I'm an idiot! T^T*"

...After screaming and panicking for a few moments, Sherry suddenly came to an end and took a deep breath.

"For now, I'll just go invite them."

And thus, she ventured out the door, feeling the cold gust of wind against her red face.

"*The closest to here is Matthias so let's invite him first.*"

Knock, knock. Sherry knocked on the door. "Hello, Matthias? You there?"

"...Sherry?" A tired and worn out Matthias opened the door.

"Wow! What's wrong?" Sherry took a step back in shock. She'd almost mistaken him for a zombie!

"Ahahaha~" Matthias laughed childishly but with a distant look in his eyes, "I got too engrossed with my research yesterday you see...I was just about to head to bed."

"O-oh, is that so? Well, I just wanted to give you this, *merry Christmas*." She handed Matthias a small box. "Well then, I won't bother you. Rest well."

"Thanks, Sherry." Matthias' weary voice answered.

The door was closed shut, leaving a dejected Sherry behind.

"*So much for a Christmas party.*" She sighed. "*Welps, there's still Dylan.*"

Knock, knock. "Dylan? Are you busy today?"

"Sherry? H-hold on, I'll be right there!" Dylan's panicked voice rang out. He swung the door open with gusto and was met by Sherry's blinking eyes.

"...Flower crown?" Adorn on the flustered Dylan's head was a crown made of blue and white flowers. They were small and were rather unusual in the middle of winter.

Dylan suddenly touched the top of his head and blushed, "U-um, t-the spirits gave it to me after I gave them some apple pies."

Indeed, there was the smell of apple pies wafting out from the open door.

"It suits you." Sherry praised.

"T-thanks." Dylan held his neck and chuckled bashfully. "Anyways, what brings you here today, Sherry?"

"Oh, I came to invite you over for dinner today at my place but if you've eaten already, that's fine too."

"Dinner at your house? Today?" Dylan repeated in a daze. "...I'll love to go!"

His lips lifted to reveal a charming smile of pure joy.

"T-that's great, let's go now."

When entering Sherry's house, Dylan looked around curiously at the various decorations she had put up. Upon seeing the tree, he tilted his head, seemingly questioning her peculiar decorating choices.

"Thanks for coming today, Dylan." Sherry expressed after they were done with the dinner.

"No, thank you for inviting me." He added in a small voice, a mutter, "Especially today, really, it means a lot to me..."

"Hmm? What did you say?"

"Nothing." Dylan shook his head with a smile. "Just commenting on your strange tree." He teased.

"It's not strange!" Sherry laughed. "Isn't it pretty?"

Dylan chose not to say anything and just continued to laugh.

"Ahem, anyways, here you go, Dylan. Thank you for always helping me when I was lost and didn't know what to do. Thank you for being my friend when I had no one else. Thank you for teaching me about this world. *Merry Christmas*." She took out the gift and placed it in his hands.

Dylan hesitantly accepted the gift, as if he was unsure what to do. "...Thank you."

Opening the box, he saw a little crystal neatly placed on a small cushion. "A music crystal?"

"Yeah, since you love 'Brave souls' so much, I thought I'd buy you a lullaby version of it."

When Dylan put mana inside the crystal, a soft melodious tune played. It was followed by a sweet voice of a woman singing the lyrics of Frin's unofficial anthem.

"...Thank you, Sherry." Dylan's voice was shaky. "This is the best birthday gift ever."

"You're welcome!" Sherry suddenly came to a pause. "It's your birthday today?!"

"? Yeah?"

"*If, if I had known I would have gotten that super deluxe magic music box with 100 songs instead!!!*"

Sherry held her head in agony but when she lifted it again, she saw Dylan gazing at the crystal with an enchanted look in his eyes. His face was tinged with a faint blush and the corners of his lips kept raising awkwardly as he tried to suppress his smile to no avail.

'Oh well, it all worked out in the end didn't it?' Sherry watched on with a wide smile.

"Happy 18th birthday, Dylan."

"Thank you, Sherry."