ALL NOVEL Chapter 39 - Preparing presents
Scarlet found the Weasley boys and the others at KFC in Brent Cross. The twins and Ron were happily devouring a bucket of fried chicken bucket in a corner of the restaurant.
“Scarlet!” Ron was the first to notice her arrival, “Hurry up! You’ve got to try this; it’s so good!”
She settled in beside William. “Did you order mine as well?”
“No, but we ordered extra!” Ron said, licking his fingers after swallowing a mouthful. “I bet dad didn’t even knew about these.”
“Maybe, you can share your experience with him in your letter,” Scarlet suggested, picking up a piece with a fork and spoon. She preferred to eat without getting her fingers greasy, though she knew this kind of food was meant to be eaten with your hands. “How was your day at the bookstore?”
“Wonderful!” Ron exclaimed. “No piles of books to knock over, no invisible books that are hard to find, no books that scream at you...Just some quiet books waiting to be picked up. Some were cheaper than ours, but some were really expensive! I mean – how can non-magical books be so pricey?!” Ron leaned in and whispered the last part to Scarlet, his face a mix of confusion and excitement.
“Prices are defined by various factors - some are reasonable, others are overpriced,” Scarlet explained as she slowly cut her portion into bite-sized pieces. “Books aimed at professionals, like engineers, architects, and doctors, tend to be expensive. It’s like paying for tuition if you’re buying those kinds of books.”
“I never thought about it that way...” Ron said, pondering her explanation.
Percy passed her the list. “We managed to get all the presents and the wrapping paper. I made some notes here; have a look and see if you need to return anything or buy more.”
“Thanks,” Scarlet said, glancing at the list before putting away. Though Percy had a bit of a cocky air about him as a prefect at Hogwarts, she found him reliable when assigned tasks. And somehow, he didn’t seem as cocky since arriving at the Red House.
She pushed those thoughts aside and noticed the twins whispering to each other, looking frustrated. “Fred, George, is everything okay?”
“Yes and no.” Fred said, taking a big bite of his chicken, “We were trying to find books about game-making, but we couldn’t find anything in the bookstore.”
“Well, to be precise, they did have some books, but we couldn’t understand a single word they were saying,” George added with a shrug, “So, we’re thinking maybe we should try another bookstore?”
Scarlet frowned, recalling the state of game development in this decade. Unlike in her previous life, when tutorials were easily accessible online before she died, PC games had only just begun to evolve, and books on game development were still quite rare. Should I suggest they start with programming languages? She wondered.
“Well...I don’t think you’ll find books that are right for you here,” Scarlet said thoughtfully. “Game-making is a new and evolving industry. Maybe university and college students would have a better idea of where to start these days. I’m not sure I can give you any good suggestions...except perhaps studying ancient runes.”
The twins frowned in confusion.
“Why ancient runes out of all the branches of magic?” Fred asked.
“We thought spells and transfiguration would be more suitable?” George added.
“Uhm...” Scarlet hesitated. She couldn’t very well tell them that, in her past life as a translator, she had worked on game-making topics and had a rough idea of how to construct a game. Also, she saw some younger casters playing games with enchantments back in the Caster Academy, and enchantment works like a charm with ancient runes in her current practice. Instead, she said, “Give me some time, I’ll find you a book that’ll help you understand why.”
The twins’ eyes lit up.
“Thank you, Scarlet, our dearest long-lost sister!”
“Milady, you’ve saved us from great distress!”
“...Stop it.”
William and Meiko exchanged glances and smiled, watching their lady chat happily with her friends.
Meiko had arrived after William had been in the Hong family for about half a year. She had been introduced by one of the elders from the Tachibana clan and now served as Scarlet’s bodyguard, protecting the young lady of the joined family from any curses or jinxes.
Japan approached Magic, or Jutsu, differently. Shrines and temples were scattered across the country, rich with legends and folklore about demons, spirits, gods, and curses. Many Japanese still believed in these myths, even if they had never encountered anything supernatural in their entire lives. When strange event occurred and science couldn’t offer a logical explanation, people often sought help from shrines or temples. This subtle connection between the people and the Jutsushi in Japan kept them deeply intertwined within the country’s spiritual fabric – ever-present but rarely seen, except during festivals, where ceremonies were often viewed as mere cultural tradition. Yet, in moments of desperation, the ancient Jutsu was always there, waiting.
Clans or families with ancient knowledge passed down through generations often hired shrine maidens, Onmyojis, or monks to cast jinxes or curses on their rivals. As a result, these magical practitioners would also be kept close to counter any hidden attack, even in modern times. One of the elders from the Tachibana clan sensed something strange about the young lady adopted by their young master from a foreign country. That’s how Scarlet’s grandparents discovered she was a priestess capable of using magic. Concerned for her safety, they called upon Meiko from the clan to protect her from dangers beyond their understanding. Although reluctant, Scarlet eventually accepted the request, as her grandparents were deeply worried.
The legends of Abe no Seimei scared them.
When Meiko arrived, secretly serving as a Jutsushi bodyguard in the guise of a housemaid, she expected to meet a spoiled girl. To her surprise, she found a girl with a mental maturity far beyond her years - nothing like an innocent child. The girl Meiko served didn’t hang out with friends, remained calm and composed in her daily life, and followed her plans with strict determination. She had all the traits the Head of a family would want in a successor, but none of the qualities of a typical child.
William and Meiko worried about their lady’s mental health. They tried offering suggestions to help her live a more relaxed life, but all were declined by their lady, Scarlet, and their young master, Kyle. Unable to change her mind, they instead offered their unwavering support, hoping Scarlet would one day enjoy life like an ordinary child.
They had almost given up on that hope, but now they finally saw it.
Their lady had friends at school - friends she could laugh and have fun with. She no longer looked dull and distant, as she had before attending the wizarding school.
A sense of relief and gratitude filled their hearts, conveyed through a single glance they exchanged in mutual understanding.
“Oh, William.” Scarlet suddenly remembered something and whispered to her trusted manager. “Did you buy the presents I asked for in the letter?”
“Yes, everything is in your room now, neatly packed in the box.”
“In the box? I don’t remember seeing any...Oh, that box,” Scarlet frowned. “I forgot about it after I put my bag on it. I need to wrap everything up...I really hope they’ll like the gifts.”
William smiled warmly. “They’ll definitely love your Christmas presents, Milady. You’ve been planning them for four months.”
Scarlet responded with a shy grin, uncharacteristically unsure of her choices, a rare contrast to her usual confidence in every step she took.
“Hopefully, this will be a great Christmas,” Scarlet said softly, almost to herself.