#05: A Soul as Red as Ground Cherry
For those who pursue the occult, knowledge of anthropology is a necessity. The supernatural is born, after all, from the natural. When it comes to cultural traditions such as holidays, the ideas passed down on such a large scale tend to accumulate great spiritual energy. Naturally, the two members of the Sealing Club considered themselves experts in this field.
– "Basically, it's a festival for a cryptid who wears red and white."
– "Renko! Don't call him a cryptid."
– "Well, he supposedly travels the world in a way that defies all physics, yet people rarely see him. Maybe he's more like a youkai than a cryptid."
– "I don't know. If we're talking about the true meaning of Christmas, I feel like you're missing some details."
They took a moment to consider that this creature's red and white was likely what inspired their lycoris tea, so they had him to thank or blame.
– "Red and white are the colors of Shinto purity, but I don't think he has any Shinto counterpart. Then again, what's pure about an old man who breaks into houses at night?"
– "It's not like he steals from the houses. He only does good deeds like delivering gifts."
– "You'd have to be a saint to have that kind of power and not use it for mischief."
– "That's right. His name is Santa, which is the title of a saint."
Renko leaned back in her chair and threw her arms up at her sides, scanning the archives of her memory.
– "Is he the same saint who was crucified? Well, I hope he's doing better nowadays."
– "He's still relatively popular in other countries. As long as the spirit of gift-giving stays alive, I'm sure his existence is safe."
– "Speaking of which, my treating you here was supposed to count as a gift. But it was a bit of a bust, so what should I do?"
Merry set down her cup, which was finally empty, and lifted a bright face in her partner's direction.
– "Actually, I'm glad you asked. There is somewhere else I wanted to go, if you would come with me."