159 - The Freed S*aves Became Obsessed

Back in the days when many believed in the existence of Santa Claus, a question that perhaps everyone pondered at least once: In such a vast world, how is he able to deliver gifts to children all over the world in just one night? On Earth, parents took on the role of Santa, so it was no problem, but in Taoslen, a real Santa exists and must personally distribute the gifts. The solution lies in the fact that the Snow Song clan is spread across the entire continent, each region assigned to someone. While on the opposite side of the continent, it might not be a jolly old man distributing gifts but an incredibly sexy young girl, clad in a bikini and surfing on a board, delivering presents. But that's not what's important. Karami and Ashies, entrusted with the role of a one-day Santa, must deliver the gifts before the Christmas magic runs out. With sleighs filled with gifts, they arrive at their first city. After parking the sleigh in the air, they survey the scene. Despite the late night, the city adorned with lights and decorations radiated the Christmas spirit. Though beautiful to behold, the lights were an enemy to Santa. Santa, who had to maintain mystery, needed to sneak in, and those lights could easily reveal one's presence. Though the desire to enter through the chimney as in some fairy tales was strong. “To be honest, the chimney is a bit much, right?” In fairytales, entering the chimney might be feasible, but attempting it in reality could leave one covered in soot, or worse, facing the barbeque pit with a lit fireplace below. Entry through the front door was not an option either, so using a window was the way to go. With a map given by Nicolous to check what gifts should go to which house, Karami retrieved a gift box and handed it to Ashies. “Do you see the green roof over there? A boy named Ron wished for a toy. Go leave it there quietly.” “Alone…?” “It’s hard for me to sneak in with my clumsy movements, and getting caught would make escape difficult. What are you doing? Hurry, there are numerous stops to make.” Karami expressed her firm reluctance to go by clinging tightly to the sleigh. It absolutely wasn’t because she was terrified of going down and coming back up. Thus, Ashies had no choice but to go on her own. Creating an ice slide, she zipped down to gently land on the roof. She then surveyed around for the window’s position. Standing on the second-floor balcony, she peered beyond the window. A boy who appeared to be the room's owner was sleeping soundly. As Ashies moved to enter through the window, she found it locked. She carefully infused her magic to freeze the lock, then broke it apart. With the lock gone, the window easily opened. Ashies slipped inside. Ron, as the boy appeared to be, remained submerged in dreamland, unaware of Ashies’s presence. Taking care not to stir him, Ashies tiptoed across the room, setting the box gently beside Ron’s head. Then she made her exit. Successfully delivering the gift, Ashies returned to the sleigh. Karami beamed with satisfaction. “Well done. You seem to have a knack for sneaking in. Shall we continue with the remaining gifts?” --- Santa roams the skies freely. Upon reaching their destinations, Ashies skillfully infiltrates, leaving gifts without being noticed. Her nimble movements could rival those of a special forces unit. They had already completed three cities. Smaller villages numbered over ten. Arriving at another city, Ashies gazed down at the ground from beyond the sleigh. Despite the hour, a few people roamed the streets. Most were couples, holding hands tightly. “Rami. People… they’re holding hands.” “Well, it’s Christmas, so if they’re together, there’s a good chance they’re couples.” “Couples… hold hands…?” “Even if they’re not couples, holding hands is natural if they’re special to each other.” “…….” Listening to Karami’s explanation, Ashies once more fixated her gaze on the hand-holding individuals. “The next stop is Molly's house. Prepare yourself.” By now adept enough to be called Santa, Ashies descended to the ground. She landed in a back alley far from the city's bustling center. While the city dazzled with Christmas decor, the back alley was as drab as always. The target, a shack, had a square hole in the wall. It would have been nice if the window was open for Santa to enter easily, but there wasn’t even a window. Cold winter air blew straight through. Thanks to that, Ashies could easily slip into the house without having to touch a thing. The house layout was simple. A single-room dwelling, no bigger than about 30 square meters, with a living room that was the entire house. Bottles rolled carelessly on the floor. A man presumed to be the father snored, clutching any fabric like a blanket. In the corner of the room, children huddled together. They were dressed in clothes unsuitable for winter. They hugged each other for warmth, but it wasn’t nearly enough, shivering from the cold. After surveying the house, Ashies prepared to leave a gift box as before. “Eek!” Among the siblings, the older sister Molly, awoke with a start, frightened. Ashies was startled as well. She had concealed her presence as much as possible. Up until now, she hadn't been caught by anyone, yet a harmless girl had sensed her. Should she subdue her? Or flee? Before Ashies could translate thought into action, Molly reacted first. “Ah, Dad. I'm sorry. Please don’t hit. It hurts.” In the dark shantytown without any moonlight, nothing was visible. Molly didn't even think to confirm who it was. She instinctively apologized while shielding her sibling. For Ashies, this was unexpected. Molly's emotions were pure sadness, and Ashies could sense her fear. It was yet another new feeling for Ashies, leaving her utterly bewildered, frozen on the spot. But no punches followed. The sound of snoring continued to resonate. Molly, feeling something was off, finally lifted her head to spot Ashies. “Santa…?” Even without the light to make out details, the silhouette unmistakably resembled Santa’s attire. “Are you really Santa?” Ashies responded with silence. An unspoken confirmation. If things continued this way, it would tarnish the mystique of Santa and the innocence of children, just as Nicolous and Karami had warned. The gift had already been given, and Ashies was about to make her escape when Molly hastily reached out and grabbed her. “W-wait, Santa!” The noise caused Molly’s father to stir. Molly shivered, then lowered her voice to a whisper. “Can’t you take my sibling with you? If we stay here, Dad hits us all the time, and Mom left us. I’m okay, but please at least take my sibling.” “……” A long code follows. “Santa doesn’t give gifts to crying children. So I held back my tears to not cry. If it's because of the gift, I don’t need the gift. Just please….” Molly attempted to give back the gift box Ashies had handed her. This was unprecedented, and Ashies was not quick to adapt to these situations. What should she do? She could only think of one thing to do. *** “We’re almost done.” The sleigh was parked high in the sky. Karami scanned a long parchment resembling a receipt from a company dinner. The list detailed the cities and children who were to receive gifts. 80% of the list was already completed. It seemed Christmas would conclude without any incidents. As Karami reviewed their next destination, Ashies climbed back onto the sleigh. “You’re back? There’s only a few stops left... Who are those children?” Two uninvited guests had followed Ashies up. Little girl Molly and her even younger brother Mali were among those climbing onto the sleigh. “Well, that…” Ashies stammered, trying to explain while catching Karami’s eyes, swiftly assessing the situation. Despite wearing clothes more suited for summer and Molly’s small body covered in bruises, something was clear. The children were victims of abuse. Karami sighed heavily, causing Ashies to flinch. “Ashies, didn’t I explicitly say that Santa mustn’t reveal her identity? Yet not only did you show yourself, but you brought the children to the sleigh? What were you thinking?” “……sorry.” “If you’re sorry, return them quickly. We still have places to go, and if we delay, the sun will rise. What are you doing, not leaving?” Molly hid behind Ashies, avoiding Karami. Ashies stood firm. Like a wall against the bitter wind. “…No.” “Ashies, this amounts to kidnapping.” “Take them…” “What do you intend to do with them? Have you thought this through?” “No.” There was no thought of future consequences. Yet Ashies stood boldly. “Rami, help.” “How can I help you?” “…Somehow.” Karami was taken aback by Ashies’ brazen response, feeling a bit irritated. When told to request what she needed, now Ashies demanded it as though it were expected. Ashies knew. That if she asked Karami, she would comply. Ashies, once ignorant of cunning, had become sly. “Sigh, someone might think I grant every wish like Santa.” “……” Karami let out a resigned smile. “Well, just for today, you can consider me Santa. Just this once.” Karami allowed the children onto the sleigh. Santa must maintain secrecy, and in the Santa business, keeping that secret is paramount because revealing oneself weakens one’s power. “So what if I’m quitting after today?” If issues arose, Nicolous would handle it, not Karami. Karami positioned the children between herself and Ashies on the sleigh, draping her Santa coat over Molly, placing a hat on her head. “Um… well…” “Hush. My principle is no free rides. If you’re on the sleigh, you ought to work. Hold tight, and let’s go deliver the next gift.” *** “Wow~!” The sleigh soared through the skies, the clear sound of bells ringing. Molly couldn’t tear her eyes away from the grounds below. Sights never visible from those dark alleys. She cast aside all her grief and worries, her eyes shining brightly like any other child her age. Ashies watched Molly with soft eyes, and Karami observed Ashies. Never had Karami imagined Ashies would refuse her orders. Karami couldn’t help but shake her head with a bittersweet smile. With the new little Santa in tow, the party continued delivering gifts. Scratch. Karami crossed off an item on the list. The previous home had been the last. Staring at the list with everything crossed off, Karami beamed with satisfaction. “Excellent, we’re all done. The sun’s rising, let’s head back to Nicolous.” “What about Molly…?” “I have a plan.” While Karami considered Dumheim, she opted to take them to a more suitable place, for humans should be among their kind. Living with dwarves wasn’t the best for kids’ education. Karami steered the sleigh toward Polanis, known as the city of adventurers and mercenaries. Because so many die abruptly in adventures, Polanis is a city with a high number of orphans. Adventurers often pool money to support the children of their comrades, contributing to a church. Thus, the church in Polanis acts more as an orphanage than those in other cities. In this place, Karami could entrust Molly and her brother without worry. The sleigh landed quietly behind a deserted church. Molly climbed down, carrying Mali on her back. Karami handed Molly a gift box. “Molly, you should take this.” “But, but the gift….” “This isn’t a gift. You did work, so this is your pay. It’s what you earned as a one-day Santa.” No free rides. But no unpaid labor either. Molly’s eyes widened with surprise. “Really?” “Of course. Next year, I hope you also receive a gift for your sibling. If you do anything bad, the slave reaper will come and get you.” “…Okay!” The sleigh soared into the sky, and soon, the nuns, alerted by the commotion, discovered Molly and her brother. Only after watching them safely head towards the church did Karami take the reins. Time to report back. *** “Oh! You delivered all the gifts! Truly, thank you!” As dawn's light seeped into the silver forest, Nicolous, who had been tending to the reindeer, rushed out to greet us, grabbing my hand and shaking it vigorously. “How could I possibly repay this kindness…” “Haha, we also had a great experience thanks to you. Well, if you insist on repaying us, we won’t refuse.” “Indeed. I can’t send my benefactors away empty-handed. Please, take this.” Nicolous handed over a gift box. Opening it would yield a random event reward item—quite a lucrative surprise, as I recalled. I tucked the box under my arm. “Thank you. I hope we meet again someday.” “Haha, both of you take care. Merry Christmas!” With Nicolous’s sending off, we left the forest. The sunshine felt warm. I stretched out my arms, yawning. “Pulling an all-nighter is exhausting. Let’s go back and rest.” “What about me…?” “Pardon?” Ashies looked at me with a longing gaze. “Don’t I... get a gift…?” What an unexpected request. Did Ashies just ask for a gift? “What gift does Santa need? Seeing people happy is Santa's greatest reward.” “But you gave one to Molly….” Well, that was originally her gift. You framed it that way because you brought her along unexpectedly. Nonetheless, Ashies didn’t seem concerned with such details, lowering her head with a dejected expression. What could she possibly want so much to ask like this? I couldn’t help but be curious. “Alright. I’ll give you a gift. What would you like?” Ashies extended her hand to me. “Your hand….” “To put a gift on?” “I want to hold a hand, too.” I couldn’t help but think how sudden this was. Could it be that she was curious about people holding hands earlier? Since Ashies could feel warmth, she often touched various things like a baby grabbing everything in reach. This could just be an extension of that. Ashies, who had yet to feel human warmth. “That’s not a challenging request.” I placed my hand atop hers. A slender hand that seemed fragile enough to break if I applied any pressure. Though, applying force might shatter mine instead. Cold like holding ice. The cold emitted has lessened, but it hasn’t been freed from the curse’s influence. “So, how does it feel to receive a gift like this?” “……Hot….” I wasn’t hot, but Ashies was exceptionally cold. From her perspective, it might feel hot. Fearing frostbite if I continued holding for too long, I began to pull away. “…?” As I tried to withdraw, Ashies tightened her grip. Holding onto me firmly. Staring intently at our clasped hands, she then raised her eyes to meet mine. “This way… I’m not lonely…?” “Pardon?” “Am I not lonely…?” Despite contemplating the meaning behind her words, I couldn’t grasp it. However, seeing what seemed like unease in her gem-like blue eyes. “It’s not lonely. Thanks to you.” That’s what I answered. And then Ashies... “…Yeah.” Appeared self-satisfied. With a faint smile. --- Comments Section: BEST 1 너가두거 2024.12.26 13:09 Bunny girl Ashies, Santa girl Ashies. BEST 2 얼룩이 2024.12.26 03:11 But does Karami, although synchronized with the original host, truly view slaves and others merely as game characters? She doesn’t seem to form deeper attachments—is she truly not lonely? Living in this world for over three years, she’s mentioned the enhanced realism compared to the old pixelated graphics. As a normal person, could she feel nothing more than a game? I’d love to see more of Karami’s deep psyche revealed. BEST 3 피폐너무좋아 2024.12.26 01:56 Oh, so cute, really! Makes me want to adopt, haha! 아마추어선발대 2024.12.26 12:08 Could something be broken inside? 상옌 7일전 First said life was tough entering this world. If the writer is skilled, perhaps they’re saving this detail for later development. Karon 2024.12.26 06:36 Seriously cute! 미궁속으로 2024.12.26 07:41 Learning emotions, how adorable… BEST 1 너가두거 2024.12.26 13:09 Bunny girl Ashies, Santa girl Ashies. tokieu 2024.12.26 20:55 Wasn’t it only possible to upload before reaching level 50? How did you do it? 이상향 2024.12.27 17:37 Photos can be uploaded from level 30. 퍼리충이아니되고시퍼 2024.12.27 22:20 A feast for the eyes. --- The conversations captured above are presented as they appeared in the original text, attempting to reflect the dynamic conversation typical of an online comment section in serial fiction. Here's a continuation with the same flair and context as presented in the comment section: --- **아디쉐** 2024.12.31 12:09 신고 I'll eat well, thanks! Yummy, scrumptious, outstanding! 0 **섹시하고야한여자너무좋아** 2025.01.08 11:24 신고 Thank you! While you're at it, how about a maid, beastkin, or elf too? Rami insisted! 0 **관장초6학년해달** 2025.01.14 03:26 신고 You're the best :) 0 **Zzhinzzhilla** 2024.12.26 17:10 신고 When are you posting updates? 0 **밀라르고** 2024.12.28 13:48 신고 So cute, haha! 0 **이야기Story** 2024.12.29 13:32 신고 So there were features for each level~ 0 **누나꼴려요** 2025.01.02 02:44 신고 Haha, a seductive figure with a cute face! 0 **개와고양이** 2025.01.11 19:03 신고 Oh, Ashies is quite busty! 0 Login is required for commenting. **Weekly Bests** - Adult - BL/GL +3041 Even if Dropped in a Horror Tale, I Must Clock In +992 Mistaken as a Warlord +373 Declared a Breakup with the Heroine Who Detests Me +2884 How to Live as a Mage at Magic School +1245 Freed Slaves Growing Obsessed +346 The Mad Cleric of the Slums +937 Normalizing Dark Fantasy +418 Mistaken as a Calamity-Level Horror +819 Want to Return to Being a V-Tuber +2110 The Heroine Reclaimed Her Regression +16911 Genius Magic User on Meds +4012 Surviving the Cursed Fantasy World +17313 Best Friend of the World's Top Swordmaster +7514 Martial Arts Aren't That Big of a Deal +1515 The Crown Prince Raising an Alt Character +9116 Life's Easier When You're Good-Looking +5417 Isn't This an Adult Game? +5618 Reincarnated 30 Years Ago, It's Actually a Romance Novel? +2019 Mistaken for a Genius Wizard in a Game +5220 I'm Not the Boss Monster, Really **New Posts** + More **New** Non-Bursting Dumpling Ball Previously a bursting dumpling ball, now the same author's new work! 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