NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 277: Christmas Day
As the birthplace of the Christmas tree tradition, almost every household in Germany had one. The gentle breeze rustling through the Berlin morning, carrying the sound of jingling bells, awakened Ren.
He opened his eyes, and the girl by the window came into view.
Perhaps anticipating something, Kiana had woken up much earlier than Ren. She sat quietly at the table by the window, her head resting on one hand, gazing outside.
[Oh, to see without my eyes]
The sunlight wasn't bright today. Snowflakes drifted down from the pale gray sky, settling on the windowpane. Kiana traced a finger across the glass, as if confiding her thoughts to the falling snow.
The date, December 25th, was circled on the calendar—Christmas Day.
For most Europeans, Christmas was the most anticipated holiday of the year, a time to put aside worries and enjoy the company of family and friends.
However, as someone from Shenzhou, Ren wasn't accustomed to celebrating Christmas. In his previous life, he had spent most of his time in a hospital room. The only time he had heard someone wish him a Merry Christmas was when a nurse had gifted him an apple.
As the illusion neared its end, the enemy searches had become more frequent. To avoid being found, he and Kiana had been mostly confined to their safehouse. Venturing out now would risk an ambush.
So, even if it was Christmas, the festivities belonged to others. It was best for him to lay low.
"Want to go out?" he asked.
"What?" Kiana's finger paused on the windowpane. She turned to look at him.
"As a European girl, wouldn't it be a shame to miss Christmas? Do you want to go out and celebrate?"
A flicker of excitement flashed in Kiana's eyes, quickly suppressed. She smiled faintly and shook her head. "No, I'm happy like this. Going out is too risky. If they find you, you'll be in danger."
It was a lie, of course. Kiana wanted to experience the festive atmosphere, but the most important part of any celebration wasn't the event itself but who you spent it with.
Even if they couldn't go out, even if they did nothing, spending this day with Ren was enough for Kiana.
"Is that so?"
"Mm." Kiana looked down at the miniature Christmas tree on the table, gently flicking the small bells hanging from its branches. An image of her and Ren standing beneath a giant Christmas tree filled her mind.
No, this is enough, Kiana. Don't be greedy.
She chided herself silently.
"Then, let's go." Ren's voice startled her. He stood beside her, already dressed, extending a hand towards her.
Kiana looked up, meeting Ren's eyes, a puzzled expression on her face. "Didn't I say I didn't want to go out?"
"Yes, I know. But I want to celebrate Christmas, and I'd like to invite you. So, will you come with me?"
The boy's eyes were clear and bright, like twinkling stars. Kiana's breath hitched. She took his hand.
"Okay."
…
Berlin on Christmas Day was far more lively than usual. The streets were filled with people coming and going, chatting and laughing in small groups.
On this day, strangers and acquaintances alike exchanged Merry Christmas greetings.
Shops were filled with colorful gifts piled around Christmas trees, tempting the children peering through the windows.
Street musicians played traditional Christmas carols, and artists painted incredibly realistic reindeer and sleighs.
In the city's central plaza, a giant Christmas tree, over twenty meters tall, stood adorned with twinkling lights. Wooden reindeer pulled a traditional sleigh beneath it.
Snow fell gently, blanketing the rooftops and dusting the shoulders of passersby in white.
"Achoo!" A snowflake landed on Kiana's nose, making her sneeze. But she didn't seem to mind, her sapphire eyes wide with wonder as she took in the sights.
[The way you move is like a full on rain]
Despite being a young woman of eighteen, she was still like a child, curious about everything. Ren smiled, brushing the snowflakes from her scarf.
Looking at Kiana's radiant smile, Ren's lips curved upwards. This is how she should be.
If not for Otto forcibly awakening the Herrscher of the Void's power within her, Kiana wouldn't have to bear the weight of millions of sins. She could have enjoyed her youth like any other girl.
If she weren't the Herrscher of Flamescion, and he weren't the Herrscher of a Thousand, their fates might have been entirely different. Perhaps, if they had met under different circumstances, he might have truly fallen for her.
[And like a comet burning up the sky]
But there were no "ifs." They were destined to be enemies. Moments like these, walking together side-by-side, could only exist in a dream.
"What are you thinking about?" Kiana's voice startled Ren from his thoughts. He hadn't realized she had moved so close.
Kiana blushed, quickly stepping back to his side. The air between them suddenly felt charged. Although Kiana had been more physically intimate with Ren while he was unconscious, it had been out of necessity, to save his life. Now, with him fully conscious, even this slight closeness made her heart race.
Compared to the easily flustered Kiana, Ren seemed much calmer, his expression unchanged, betraying no hint of his momentarily accelerated heartbeat.
He stopped at a stall selling Christmas gifts, replying with a smile, "I was just wondering what kind of gift you would like."
The stall owner, seeing potential customers, immediately greeted them enthusiastically. "Looking for a gift for your sweetheart? I have everything you could possibly want!"
Sweetheart?
The word made Ren pause. Did he and Kiana look like lovers? In his mind, they were just friends. Their relationship wasn't that close; they were more like companions.
[Where were you when I walked through the fire?]
He was about to correct the owner when he glanced at Kiana.
The girl didn't seem to have noticed the owner's mischaracterization, her cheeks flushed slightly, her gaze averted when Ren looked at her. To hide her blush, she pulled her scarf higher, covering half her face.
On a whim, Ren decided not to correct the owner.
"A gift isn't necessary. Being able to come out like this is enough for me," Kiana mumbled, tugging at Ren's sleeve.
The stall owner, not wanting to lose a sale, quickly interjected, "But a gift, no matter how small, represents your feelings for each other. And a gift bought on such a special occasion will serve as a reminder of this wonderful day, even ten or twenty years from now."
The snow was falling harder, and the sky was darkening.
If they didn't enjoy Christmas now, they might not get another chance.
Ren, interrupting the owner's sales pitch, picked up a snow globe.
Inside the glass sphere, snowflakes fell on a small wooden cabin. Before the cabin door, a gray-haired boy and a white-haired girl stood close together, as if frozen in time.
"It's beautiful," Kiana murmured, holding the snow globe carefully in her hands, the soft yellow light reflecting in her eyes.
[Do you believe in love at first sight?]
She twirled in the snow, like a winter princess in her snowy kingdom.
The hazy mist and the falling snow, reflected in Ren's light gray eyes, made everything seem dreamlike and perfect.