Using Gacha to Increase My Companions and to Create the Strongest Girls' Army Corps

Side Story

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Author Notes:

  Merry Christmas!

  This is a Christmas gacha story.

  The timing, magic stones, and gacha items in this chapter are unrelated to the main story.

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Outside the window, everything was covered in a blanket of white. Powdery snow fell gracefully from the sky, transforming the world into a winter wonderland.

“Brrr, it’s so cold today.”

“With snow falling, it’s officially winter. Here, have something warm to drink.”

“Thank you, a warm drink is just what I needed.”

Sisya, rubbing her arms and shivering, entered the living room. I handed her a cup of tea. She took a sip, sighed in relief, and the shivering stopped. She’s not wearing her usual revealing nun’s outfit lately, opting for a sweater and a long skirt to combat the cold.

“Even with the magical heaters, this chill really gets to you.”

“Yeah, maybe we should ask Estel to make more of them.”

Despite the heaters Estel made with magic stones placed around the house, it was still quite cold inside. Noru and Sisya’s rooms were particularly chilly. My and Estel’s rooms, in the house extension that doesn’t face the outside, were thankfully less cold. Runa, who handles heat well but struggles with the cold, was hibernating in her bed. Freesia, unfazed by the cold, went out to play with Noru, Estel, and Mofuto. She’s been especially energetic since the snow started, building numerous large snowmen in front of the house. Mofuto, enjoying the snow, hopped around outside, squeaking happily. I, however, am tired of shoveling snow every morning with Noru and am hoping it stops soon...

By early afternoon, Noru and the others returned from playing outside.

“Mufufu, snow really makes things fun!”

“That’s right! Snowball fights with Noru-chan are the best!”

“How do you even manage to stay out in this cold?”

“The battle was intense. They were throwing snowballs so fast I couldn’t see them. I stayed with Mofuto and watched quietly.”

These guys don’t just play; they take it to another level. It’s like a super-dimensional snowball fight.

“That sounds fun. Maybe we should join next time.”

“Uh, no thanks. I bet you’d put rocks in your snowballs.”

“How rude! I wouldn’t do that!”

Even if she didn’t use rocks, Sisya would probably pack her snowballs hard. Either way, playing against these guys sounds like a bad idea. They wouldn’t hold back against me.

“Even with warm clothes, it must have been cold for Estel, right?”

“Yes, but it’s nice to do something different once in a while.”

Despite the cold, Noru and the others were wearing winter clothes. Noru wore long sleeves and pants, not really suited for walking in the snow. Freesia’s outfit hadn’t changed much, except her hood now had fur and bear ears, making her look like a member of a barbarian tribe. In stark contrast, Estel was in a fluffy coat, scarf, gloves, a mini-skirt with black tights, and long boots—a perfect winter outfit that was really appealing.

“Estel-san, couldn’t you have used magic to keep warm?”

“I could, but feeling the cold adds to the season’s charm. Within reason, of course.”

Hmm, I guess that makes sense. Using magic to eliminate the cold seems practical, but maybe it’s like eating ice cream while sitting in a warm kotatsu in winter. Just as we finished our conversation, my phone vibrated in my pocket.

“Hm? What’s this—whoa?!”

“Why did you suddenly shout?”

“A notification on your phone… Is it for the gacha?”

Indeed, my phone showed a notification: “Merry Christmas! Christmas Gacha Now Live!”

“Ahhhh!! Christmas... a Christmas gacha...”

“Christmas? I understood the swimsuits before, but what’s Christmas?”

“What is it? Some fun event?”

“For most people, it’s a fun event... Ugh, my head...”

Hearing the word “Christmas,” Estel and the others tilted their heads in confusion. Christmas is a day to celebrate the birth of a great figure. Nowadays, it’s a major event where everyone throws parties and has fun. Couples especially enjoy it, celebrating with special dates... Ugh, those couples! Remembering past Christmases makes me feel hollow... I used to buy discounted cakes. I explained Christmas to Noru and the others in simple terms.

“I see. So it’s an event that has nothing to do with Ookura-san.”

“That's what you’d think, but even I used to look forward to Christmas!”

“But you just said something about your head... What did you enjoy?”

“The gacha, of course.”

“What?”

Yes, I enjoyed Christmas because of the special gachas in various games, just like this one. They didn’t always happen exactly on Christmas, but still! ...Why are they all looking at me like that?

“No, it’s just… That’s so you. I think it’s wonderful that you have something to look forward to.”

“I’m sorry for saying it had nothing to do with you…”

Estel put a comforting hand on my shoulder, and Sisya apologized with a serious expression. Please don’t give me such sincere reactions; it hurts!

“So, are you going to roll the gacha? I want to see what you get!”

“Sure, since it’s Christmas and all, let’s see what we get. It’s probably filled with Christmas-themed items.”

Freesia’s eyes sparkled with excitement. Although I only had 120 magic stones due to the cold preventing us from hunting much, I couldn’t miss out on this Christmas gacha. Seasonal gachas are the best part of gacha games. I used my stones for two 11-rolls...

【R Christmas Tree, R Santa Hat, SR Christmas Bell, R Champagne, R Christmas Wreath, R Music Box, SR Reindeer Suit, R Christmas Cake, R Christmas Crackers ×10, R Soft Champagne, R Gingerbread Cookies】

Everything was Christmas-themed, just as I expected. But no UR yet. With low expectations, I tapped the gacha button again... Silver, gold, white, rainbow. It stopped at rainbow. I got a UR!

“Woohoo! I got a UR! This is what happens when you have good karma!”

“You really do have incredible luck with these.”

“A UR? I wonder if it’s a special outfit for someone, like the last time.”

“Let’s see what it is.”

【R Christmas Wreath, R Stocking, R Christmas Cake, SR Christmas Song, R Santa Poncho, R Champere, R Party Hat, R Christmas Crackers ×10, R Soft Champagne, SSR Magical Sleigh, UR ‘Holy Maiden Bearing Tidings’ Sisya Alvi】

“Wait, that’s me! I’m embarrassed but honored! And a holy maiden, no less. This gacha knows what it’s talking about!”

Sisya beamed at the result on my phone screen. We were all speechless at the title.

“Why are you all looking at me like that?”

“Well… I just don’t want to think of you as a holy maiden.”

“You don’t understand. I’m a genuine holy maiden. I’ll guide you with a merciful heart.”

“Wherever she’s leading, it can’t be good…”

“I wonder where we’re headed…”

I really don’t want to acknowledge her as a holy maiden... Oh, right, her unique ability is called “Maiden’s Prayer”... Noru and Estel were just as confused. Even Mofuto squeaked in bewilderment. Amid our confusion, Freesia had a different reaction.

“Amazing! Sisya-chan is a holy maiden! That’s why she can use healing magic despite being a martial artist!”

“You can revere me even more. And I’m not a martial artist; I’m a cleric.”

Freesia probably genuinely thought she was a martial artist... Anyway, we should see what this new title looks like.

“Let’s see what this outfit looks like.”

“Yes! It must be a beautiful and elegant outfit perfect for me!”

Sisya imagined her special outfit with a grin. Elegant and graceful... It’s too much to correct. Being a Christmas limited outfit, it’s likely different from what she expects.

Since she was eager to see, I switched her title on the phone. Light poured from the phone, enveloping her and shining brightly...

“What is this outfit?!”

Sisya’s outfit changed to a red one. It exposed her shoulders and chest, and she wore a matching red mini-skirt. It was more revealing than usual. She had white socks with garter belts, making it hard to know where to look. Realizing her outfit, Sisya blushed and fidgeted, holding down her skirt.

“That’s quite a flashy outfit. You’re all in red. And there’s a lot of exposure.”

“It’s a unique look, but it suits you.”

“You look adorable. I want to wear something like that too.”

Noru and Estel’s comments weren’t bad. However, Sisya seemed dissatisfied and directed her words at me.

“Ookura-san, you knew this would happen, didn’t you?”

“...Yeah, I had an idea. But come on, you’re not one to be embarrassed by something like this.”

“Th-That’s not true! I’m not used to wearing such short skirts, it’s breezy... Please change me back!”

Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen Sisya in a mini-skirt. She always wears long skirts. That’s why she’s embarrassed. Despite always showing her chest, she’s not comfortable

 with mini-skirts. As I began to change her back, the door opened.

“What’s all the noise...?”

“L-Luna-san...”

“Why are you dressed like that?”

“Well...”

Luna, awakened from her hibernation, noticed Sisya in her Santa outfit and raised an eyebrow. After Sisya explained the Christmas gacha...

“I see. It suits you.”

“R-Really?!”

“Indeed. It’s a Sisya-exclusive outfit from the gacha. It must suit you.”

“Thank you, Luna-san!”

“Mm... I’m grateful.”

The embarrassment vanished as Sisya hugged Luna. Compliments from Luna seem to dispel any shame.

“What is this outfit related to? It seems connected to Christmas.”

“Oh, that’s Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, he delivers presents to children. He’s known for wearing red.”

“I see... So, I’m Santa now.”

Christmas limited outfits in gachas are often Santa costumes. The other gacha items also included Santa-themed accessories.

“Onii-san, since Sisya is dressed like this, why don’t we enjoy Christmas? You’ve got items for it, right?”

“Sure, we might as well have a Christmas party.”

“Yay! A party sounds fun!”

“A party means we need food! I’ll give it my all!”

Since we don’t have any pressing matters, having a Christmas party sounds good. So, we began preparations for the party. I told Noru about traditional Christmas dishes for her to prepare, while the rest of us decorated the house with Christmas-themed items. We bought ribbons and other decorations from the local shop, and set up the Christmas tree and wreaths from the gacha. As we worked, Sisya had a question.

“Since we have special outfits, what should we do? Any ideas?”

“Well, traditionally, there’s gift-giving... But doing that among ourselves seems odd.”

“Hmm, I can’t think of anything to give that you’d like.”

“It doesn’t have to be an item. It could be something like food... Though Noru’s already on that.”

Gifts don’t have to be physical items. I couldn’t think of anything other than giving items, but...

“What about a song?”

“Huh, you can sing?”

“As a cleric, I know some hymns. I sometimes visit the local church school. Maybe we could give them something too.”

Wait, she can sing and visits the church school? She might be a hit with the kids. I didn’t know she did such priestly things. A hymn might be nice, but...

“Won’t a hymn affect Luna? She might faint.”

“Oh... right... Then what should we do...”

Luna might be affected by a hymn, considering she’s a vampire. Sisya’s face fell, but then...

“I don’t mind.”

“L-Luna-san?! How long have you been...?”

Luna, who had been decorating in another room, suddenly appeared behind us.

“Don’t worry. A song won’t harm me.”

“But...”

“And I want to hear Sisya’s song. Please, sing for me.”

“Well... If you insist, Luna-san, I’ll do it!”

Luna’s persuasion got Sisya on board. She insists it’s fine, but I’m still worried. Though, having a vampire celebrate Christmas is questionable in itself.

With Sisya’s role decided, we continued our preparations. By the time the sun set and it was dark...

“Everything’s ready. Thanks for handling most of the cooking, Noru.”

“Mufufu, it’s my pleasure. The gacha cake looks delicious!”

“Noru-chan’s food looks amazing, but the cake looks great too!”

“I thought this would be a small party, but it turned out grander.”

“Haha, well, it’s nice to go all out.”

“It looks delicious. Let’s eat.”

The table was laden with a large roast turkey, bread, soup, gacha Christmas cakes, gingerbread cookies, and soft champagne. A lavish spread. Preparing the main dishes was hard, so the gacha cakes were a relief. Everyone’s eyes sparkled as we began to eat, but I stopped them.

“Wait, before we eat, let’s pull this.”

I handed Noru a Christmas cracker from the gacha. It wasn’t the usual string-pulled cracker, but a tube pulled from both ends, resembling a wrapped candy.

“What’s this—!”

The moment Noru held one end, I pulled the other end with all my might. The tube tore with a loud bang, and streamers flew out. Noru jumped in surprise.

“What was that?! You scared me!”

“Sorry, sorry. Hey, there’s something inside.”

“...Oh, it’s a little crown.”

The tube left in Noru’s hand contained a small crown ornament. A joke item.

“It’s surprising but fun. Let’s try it too.”

“Is this a common thing?”

“Yeah, it’s a standard party starter.”

“Haha, it’s fun!”

“Stop pulling them alone. Let me try.”

Freesia pulled the crackers alone, while Luna joined in, followed by Estel. This marked the start of the party.

The gacha Christmas song played from the phone, filling the room with familiar festive music. It really set the mood. Mofuto, under the table, joined in with a little crown on his head, munching on a carrot. We poured soft champagne into everyone’s glasses and began eating. The regular champagne, containing alcohol, stayed unopened since Noru and the others couldn’t drink. Noru’s food was delicious as expected. The chicken was tender and flavorful, true to her self-proclaimed skills. The gacha cakes were classic strawberry and chocolate cakes.

“Muhuhu, this cake is so good. I could eat it all!”

“Hey, that’s not fair! I want lots too!”

“It’s delicious, so savor it. ...Mmm, tasty.”

“Luna-san, you have cream on your cheek. Here.”

“Thanks.”

Everyone seemed to love the cake, happily eating it. I took a bite, finding the cream smooth and sweet, and the sponge cake light and fluffy. As expected, it was top-notch from the gacha.

After we finished eating, Noru and the others played with the Christmas items from the gacha. Sisya remained in her Santa outfit, Noru wore a Santa hat, Estel donned a Santa poncho, and Luna had a party hat. Freesia, on the other hand...

“Look at this!”

“What is that?”

“A reindeer suit...”

She was in a full-body brown suit with reindeer antlers, exposing only her face. It must be the reindeer suit from the gacha. Combined with the magical sleigh, it looked like a proper Santa setup. The sleigh, hovering slightly above the ground, was just like Santa’s sleigh. We didn’t take it outside to avoid drawing attention, but Sisya rode it to enjoy the festive feel. After some fun, Sisya stepped up.

“Alright, it’s time for my song!”

“Finally. Don’t worry, I won’t laugh if you’re bad.”

“Haha, you’ll be entranced by my beautiful voice!”

“You’re confident.”

“Yes, I’m excited.”

So, it’s finally time for Sisya’s hymn. Can this rogue priest really sing a proper song? We stopped the Christmas song, and Sisya faced us. Her confident grin turned serious as she clasped her hands in prayer, closing her eyes. Her aura silenced us.

In the quiet, she began to sing. Without accompaniment, her voice filled the room. The pure beauty of her voice struck me first. Despite her usual antics, her voice was angelic. The lyrics were unclear, but watching her, it felt like a prayer. Her voice and appearance combined, making her seem like a true saint. Listening, I felt my heart being purified. We were captivated by her song until the end.

“Phew... How was—why are you all crying?!”

Sisya opened her eyes, surprised at our reactions. I snapped out of it, hearing soft sobs around me.

“Sniff... Just listening to it made me tear up...”

“Sniff... Who knew Sisya’s voice was so beautiful...”

“Sisya-chan really is like a saint...”

Noru, Estel, and Freesia had tears in their eyes, deeply moved. Even Mofuto quivered on Noru’s lap, squeaking softly.

“You’re exaggerating... Well, how was it, Ookura-san? Have you changed your opinion of me?”

“...Yeah, I was moved. It’s hard to express, but you looked stunning while singing.”

“Oh, Ookura-san, you’re making me blush!”

She blushed and lightly hit my shoulder. The saintly aura vanished. If she stayed like that, I might actually respect her as a saint. But Sisya is still Sisya.

“How about you, Luna-san—why do you look so exhausted?!”

Excited, Sisya turned to Luna, who was slumped in her chair.

“...Impressive, Sisya. That was a beautiful song. I’m completely drained.”

“It affected you that much?! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I told you, a song won’t harm me.”

“Still, you need to rest!”

Sisya quickly helped her. Luna recovered soon after, having only been weakened. Despite her confidence, Sisya’s hymn was potent. After that, we continued enjoying our Christmas party.

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After the party ended and it was late at night, I returned to my room, ready to sleep.

“Merry Christmas! Santa Sisya has come to bring you dreams and hope!”

She came in uninvited.

“...More like nightmares and despair. Don’t just barge in.”

“Oh, don’t be

 like that.”

Sisya, calling herself Santa, looked more like the harbinger of despair. But she was still in her Santa outfit, holding a white bag, looking the part.

“What do you want? I’m tired and want to sleep.”

“Haha, I said I’d bring you dreams, right?”

She pulled out something from the bag.

“I found this left unopened. Let’s have a midnight Christmas party.”

It was the regular champagne from the gacha. When did she swipe that?

“Just when I thought you were a proper cleric, you pull this.”

“Come on, it’s been a fun party. Let’s enjoy a bit more.”

“Alright, just for a bit.”

“Haha, I knew you’d say that.”

I sat in a chair, and she joined me, setting the table with two glasses. She also played a music box with a soothing Christmas tune.

Hmm, I didn’t notice much during the party, but her Santa outfit is really revealing. I found my eyes wandering. She noticed and tilted her head.

“What’s wrong?”

“Your outfit has a lot of exposure.”

“It does. But you like this, right?”

“...Yes, I do.”

“Good, honesty suits you.”

She teased but nodded approvingly at my honesty. Though she was embarrassed before, she seemed comfortable now. We filled our glasses, clinked them, and toasted.

“Merry Christmas, Ookura-san!”

“Yeah, Merry Christmas.”

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Author Notes:

  This is likely the last update of the year.

  Thank you to everyone who has read this novel.

  Have a happy new year!

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