Volume 2 Chapter 5 Interlude - Catch Me In The Pumpkin Patch
It seems to be a yearly tradition, but the giant pumpkin patch for the giant pumpkin festival is located in a different place than the other farmlands, which are wide and open.
After passing through a small path surrounded by trees from the festival venue.
Pumpkins are climbing plants, and even the vines of regular pumpkins are thick, with leaves as big as my (Watashi no) face.
The giant pumpkins are about the same size as my body, so naturally, their vines and leaves are even bigger than those of regular pumpkins.
"Wow, it looks like a forest of giant pumpkins..."
The vines and leaves are densely grown, and big orange giant pumpkins are rolling around everywhere.
To reach the giant pumpkins, I have to climb over the vines and leaves, which is quite a challenge.
"Pumpkin..."
Eir-Eir, who had been quiet, made a slightly displeased sound.
"Eir-Eir, the giant pumpkins are big, but if you cook them properly, they're not hard, and they taste just like regular pumpkins. However, they are often used for decoration rather than cooking because they are difficult to prepare."
Giant pumpkins are usually available around this time for the Festival of the Dead.
At the Rest priest's house, giant pumpkins would roll around in the garden during this season.
With their eyes and mouths carved out, when I was little, no one told me what they were, so it felt like a monster suddenly appeared in the garden, which was a bit creepy.
"We just need to carry one of these, right? We can roll it or use any method we like."
"That seems to be the case. I'm quite strong, you know. I can carry a big octopus from the market, so I can handle a giant pumpkin too."
I raised one hand and flexed my bicep.
I felt a little strong. Just a little.
"I'm counting on you. Let's go a bit deeper. The big ones in front seem to be taken by other participants already."
"Okay!"
Indeed, as Sir Ciel said, the notable giant pumpkins in front are being rolled away by strong participants.
The giant pumpkins further back don't seem to be very popular.
It must be difficult to roll them because the vines and leaves in the way make it hard, so the ones at the front are easier to carry.
Led by Sir Ciel, I step over the vines and leaves and move deeper into the patch.
As we go further, the vines and leaves get tangled, covering the sky, making it feel like a cave.
Light shines through the gaps in the vines and leaves, making the orange giant pumpkins shine brightly.
"It seems like not many people come to the back of the patch. There's no one around now..."
Since we've come quite far in, I can't see any other participants.
Instead, there are still many untouched big giant pumpkins rolling around.
Eir-Eir happily pops her head out from my chest, flapping her wings and landing on a giant pumpkin.
She's bouncing on top of the pumpkin. She looks so happy.
"Eir-Eir, don't wander too far so you don't get lost...!"
As I tried to chase after Eir-Eir, who was bouncing further in, I stumbled over a vine at my feet, feeling a bit flustered.
My hand almost slipped, but Sir Ciel pulled me back.
"Ms. Lydia, be careful."
"Ah, ...w-wait, ..."
My feet slid, and I thought I was going to fall.
I grabbed Sir Ciel's hand, but then it felt like the world flipped around me.
"Sir Ciel, ...I-I'm sorry, ...this is the second time for me."
I almost fell, and Sir Ciel protected me.
This was the second time I ended up on top of him.
The first time was when we did a magic power test at his house.
Just like then, when I tried to get off his body in a panic, Sir Ciel, lying on the vines and leaves, hugged me tightly.
I couldn't get up and ended up collapsing on him. My chest, arms, and body were touching his.
I felt like I couldn't breathe. It was as if my heartbeat echoed against his skin.
Mixed with the smell of grass, there was a slightly sweet, nice scent.
It was the aroma of the hot wine Sir Ciel had just drunk.
A unique sweet smell of cinnamon, spices, and honey.
"Sir Ciel...?"
"...Hehe."
I wondered what was wrong.
Worried he might be hurt, I called his name, and Sir Ciel shook his body and laughed beneath me.
When his body shook, mine shook too.
His hands wrapped around my waist and back gently held me in place.
I could escape if I wanted to, but for some reason, I couldn't move.
"When I'm with you, ...I can remember that I have feelings too. Holding you like this, ...everything feels far away. By your side, I can breathe easily."
"Sir Ciel..."
I pressed my cheek against Sir Ciel's chest.
I could hear his heartbeat.
I heard that gem people have something called a core instead of a heart, but I wondered about Sir Ciel.
Since he's half gem person, maybe there's a pulsing gem inside him.
It must be very beautiful.
"Since Sir Ciel always endures so much, I think on your day off, you should do what you like, however you want..."
"If that means hugging you, then I'm enjoying the privilege of holding you while pretending we fell together. I'm more of an adult than you, so I'm not as kind as you think."
"I think you are kind, but you don't have to pretend to fall to hug me. When I hug Eir-Eir, it makes me feel safe. I might not be very round, but if Sir Ciel is okay with it..."
I don't know everything Sir Ciel feels or carries, but I feel like I understand a little.
Neither of us had family to hold our hands and join the Festival of the Dead.
So──somehow.
Just somehow──I feel that the Festival of the Dead is fun, but also a little lonely.
"Ms. Lydia, ...I'm glad we're in a pumpkin patch. If we weren't, I would..."
"Me...?"
"It's called trick or treat, right? Today... If there are no sweets, it's okay to play tricks."
Sir Ciel tangled his fingers in my hair playfully.
"Sir Ciel... um..."
I felt a bit embarrassed.
Sir Ciel is── a man.
Just the two of us. I was being hugged by Sir Ciel.
I didn't think it was bad.
Because we are friends.
──Really?
My heart was racing. Even as friends, can it feel this tight in my chest? I felt a strange tension, and my body stiffened.
"Pumpkin pudding!"
From deeper in the field, I heard Eir-Eir's voice.
Sir Ciel and I looked at each other.
It was kind of funny being hugged in a pumpkin patch, and I giggled.
The hold on my body suddenly released, and I stood up from Sir Ciel.
I fixed my messy clothes and looked up at Sir Ciel as he got up.
"...Ms. Eiris is calling us, let's go."
Sir Ciel was back to his usual self, the charming aura he had seemed to disappear, making it feel like a dream.
I took his outstretched hand and headed toward Eir-Eir's voice.
At the far end of the pumpkin patch, Eir-Eir was bouncing in front of a giant pumpkin the size of a small shed.
"Wow. It's huge. It's huge, Sir Ciel..."
"Yes, let's take this one."
"But, it's too big. I don't think we can carry it."
If it were at least my size, I think I could roll it somehow.
But a pumpkin the size of a shed would be impossible to roll.
Eir-Eir returned to my head.
Sir Ciel held his hands up in front of the giant pumpkin.
"I may not have no strength at all, but I have my specialties. I'll use my magic."
As Sir Ciel said this, a glowing magic circle appeared under the giant pumpkin, wrapping around it.
In the light of the magic circle, 4 shining wheels appeared on the pumpkin, and then 2 glowing horses formed to pull the pumpkin.
The inside of the pumpkin was hollowed out, creating seats, windows, and an entrance.
"A pumpkin carriage..."
"Pumpkin pudding...!"
Led by Sir Ciel, we climbed into the pumpkin carriage and returned to the venue in our flying giant pumpkin.
Below us, we could see the bustling venue and children running toward the pumpkin carriage.
Sir Ciel said with a wry smile, "I usually try not to stand out too much, you know."
"Today is special. I want to win and go on a trip with Ms. Lydia."
"Sir Ciel. I thought you might be a vampire Count, but you look like a pumpkin prince."
"Pumpkin."
Eir-Eir bit into the wall of the pumpkin carriage and made a sad sound.
It's not very tasty, right? I don't eat raw pumpkin. It's hard.
And so── we successfully won.
As a prize for winning, I received a travel voucher and a regular pumpkin to take home as a souvenir.
When I got back to Lobelia Diner House, I made pumpkin soup, whole pumpkin gratin, and pumpkin pudding with the souvenir pumpkin and served it to Eir-Eir and Sir Ciel.
Even though Eir-Eir saw a lot of pumpkins today, she didn't eat much pumpkin, so she devoured the pumpkin pudding with great enthusiasm, making her already squishy body even squishier.
Sir Ciel poked her squishy body with a somewhat happy look on his face.
"Sir Ciel, ...by the way, you like round animals, right? Why is that?"
"Ah... a long time ago, there was a fat cat in the Margrave family's garden."
"A fat cat?"
"Yes. The cooks used to give it a lot of food, so it was round. That cat would often come close to me when I was alone... so when I see round things, I remember that fat cat. It was so cute."
Eir-Eir wobbled as Sir Ciel poked her.
I looked down at my own body. Not round. My somewhat big chest is round.
What if Sir Ciel looked at me and remembered the fat cat? I felt a mix of happiness and awkwardness.
Sir Ciel's pumpkin carriage was very popular, and a huge pumpkin park was set up in the square, becoming a playground for children.
It seems that rumors spread that the mysterious Demon King showed up at the giant pumpkin harvest festival and won, and maybe Sir Roxas and Mr. Lucian heard the rumors too, as they asked me about how I would use the travel voucher.
When I said I would go with Sir Ciel, both of them quickly said, "Absolutely not."
Everyone wants to go on a hot spring trip.
A hot spring trip.
I've never been on a trip at all, so I'm excited, but thinking about being alone with Sir Ciel makes me feel a little nervous and strange.
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