Ellie had been back in the Slane Theocracy for several days, but Bell had only just returned… and she looked exhausted. Settling those elves must have been quite a struggle for Bell!
But this girl is truly honest. When Ellie initially asked Bell to settle the elves, it was just to put Ti Du and Tilly at ease. Ellie never expected Bell to actually put her heart and soul into settling and caring for them, which is why it took her so many days to return.
However, the first thing Bell did upon returning was, as expected, to complain. But the content of her complaint was completely beyond Ellie's expectations.
"Clementine, you are too lazy! It's already this late! You haven't made any preparations at all!" This was Bell's first sentence after returning to the Slane Theocracy and entering Ellie's room.
These past few days, Ellie had been staying in her room, testing her new magic. Although she did notice a different atmosphere than usual during worship and meals.
The priests, attendants, and even some guards all seemed to be eagerly anticipating something.
And the attendants had already started a big cleanup and decorations. Even my fake older brother, Queen Aesel, came to find me, apologizing that his situation was special and he couldn't take me home.
Ellie, still confused, forgave him. She had been this guy's fake younger sister for quite some time, and he had never told her anything about the real Clementine's family. So Ellie didn't care about that. Not only Queen Aesel, but even that Sister God's Grace Chant, whose name Ellie didn't even know, came to ask if Ellie had any special plans, and if not, whether she wanted to team up.
This made Ellie even more confused, as if some extremely important festival was approaching. Since she had transmigrated, she had no basic concept of time and couldn't understand calendars or anything. Also, she often used teleportation magic to travel around, so she had no accurate concept of the seasons. For example, it was early winter in the northern Empire, while it felt like summer here in the southern Slane Theocracy.
"Fortunately, I returned in time, otherwise Clementine would definitely be laughed at," Bell said to Ellie with great dissatisfaction. This made Ellie even more puzzled. Although she probably knew it was some kind of festival, didn't she also have the amnesia setting? But amnesia doesn't mean a lack of common sense, so to avoid exposing herself, she could only hide in her room.
"Are you celebrating some festival here in the Slane Theocracy?" Ellie asked curiously, as the atmosphere outside was indeed one of an important festival.
"Unbelievable! Clementine, you don't know? How can this be?" Bell said with an expression of disbelief, then handed a large box she had been holding to Ellie.
"What is this?" Ellie took the box curiously and, upon opening it, was instantly speechless. So it was this!
Inside the box was a red and white outfit. To be precise, it was an outfit designed to imitate a certain Old grandpa in a red suit and red hat. Yes! A Christmas outfit that girls could also wear.
Well! She probably understood what was going on. It must be that when the Six Great Gods were still alive, they brought the culture of Christmas from that world to this one, right?
This could also be considered a form of cultural invasion, right?
After all, this was the Slane Theocracy, where the Six Great Gods were worshipped as deities. The culture they brought would naturally be followed!
Ellie scratched her head helplessly, looking at the Christmas outfit in the box, a little speechless. By the way, where did this come from? It shouldn't have been prepared by Bell, right? Seeing Bell complain about Ellie not preparing anything when she returned, it shouldn't have been Bell who got it.
"Where did you get this?" Ellie asked.
"Huh? Didn't Clementine order it? It was at the door, you know. I picked it up in front of your room when I came back," Bell, who was already tidying up Ellie's room, turned around and answered curiously after hearing Ellie's question.
"When would I have time to order something like this? Uh... could someone have delivered it to the wrong person?" Ellie certainly didn't have the leisure to bother with such things.
"No way! Only the Black Scripture team lives here, and Clementine's room is on a separate side. No one could have delivered it to the wrong person. I think someone must have sent it to you, right? Hurry and try it on!" Bell put down what she was doing and came closer.
"Don't be... silly." She had never worn anything like this when she was alive, and thinking back to the Christmases she had celebrated when she was alive, she felt... only the word 'heartbreaking' could describe it. Now that she had transmigrated here, she didn't want to get involved in such things.
"No! You must wear it! Everyone has to change into such an outfit tomorrow. It's a rule!" Bell said righteously, and even snatched the box from Ellie's hand, taking out the Christmas outfit.
There's a strict rule for this? How boring must the people of the Slane Theocracy be? Ellie didn't know how to complain. Since it was a rule, she could only put it on. But speaking of which, could she even fit into the clothes that were left at her door?
Ellie, with a skeptical mindset, put on the Christmas outfit that Bell had found at the door. It was loose, only barely acceptable. It was clearly one size too big, and aside from being a bit tight around the chest, it didn't fit anywhere else.
At first, Ellie suspected that this outfit was prepared by Bell herself, and she was just lying about finding it at the door. However, after putting it on, Ellie dismissed that idea. Bell had been taking care of her for some time, and Bell was very familiar with her figure. She shouldn't have made such a blunder.
So, someone else sent this outfit... But among the people Ellie knew in the Slane Theocracy, whose relationship was good enough to send clothes? Ellie didn't recall having such friends.
After the clothes were changed, Bell also noticed the ill-fitting problem and offered to help alter them. She also said that it was fortunate it was one size too big, so it could still be remedied; if it were too small, there would be no way. So, she took off the ill-fitting Christmas dress from Ellie again, found a needle and thread, and started working on it herself.
Bell was already proficient in all household chores, and she even knew how to alter clothes... Ellie thought she had underestimated her a little. So, who sent this outfit? Just as Ellie was thinking this, Bell spoke first.
"Strange? This outfit isn't new, is it? Some parts are unstitched. It seems it's been worn a few times."
It was someone else's worn clothes! Hey! Ellie instantly felt a little displeased. Who would be so bored as to send their worn clothes? Couldn't they send a new one?
Hmm?
Wait a minute... If it was worn, uh... among the people Ellie knew in the Slane Theocracy, who had a similar height and build to her, but much smaller breasts? This doesn't require much thought, does it?
Ellie helplessly held her forehead... She never thought it would be you. The only one who fit these conditions was her, Zesshi Zetsumei! But why would she send clothes to me?
It makes no sense, right?
She had fought with Ellie many times, even to the death, and she had told Ellie to her face that Ellie was the second person she disliked the most. There was absolutely no reason for her to send Ellie clothes, right?
That's right... among the people in the Slane Theocracy who met the above conditions, there was only one: Zesshi Zetsumei!
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