Asch Albright's Card story – That "Hero" is Cupid?!

[kozvme]

 

Billy: Hey, hey, Asch-paise~n.

Asch: Hah? What d'ya want, shitty brat? Aren't you still decorating, put your hands to work.

Billy: They are working~. But I told you, if I shut up, I stop functioning...

Asch: I ain't buying it.

Billy: About the "Dear Hero Project" we talked about earlier, you've taken part in it before, haven't you, Asch-paisen?

Asch: ... Hah?

Billy: You haven't said much earlier, but you've been always superintended East, right? If so, I'm certain you have experience with "Dear Hero Project"...
Hey, what was it like for you, Asch-paisen? I'll take part in it for the first time, so there's a lot of things I wanna ask. ♡

Asch: Got nothin' much to tell you about it.
Every year we're in the fricking cold, but if you handle the kids gathering one by one, you'll be done in the blink of an eye.

Billy: Wah... It's kinda scary when you put it like that, paisen!?
A "hero" brushing toddlers under the carpet is beyond joke!?

Asch: Don't go imagine weird stuff. I'm talking about dealing with the damn kids' wishes... geez.

Billy: As far as it goes, paisen also granted wishes, huh. ♪

Asch: Of course I'm gonna do it if it's work.

Billy: Hmm...?
Is there anything that struck you the most? A wish that was difficult to grant or something interesting, for example~♪

Asch: ... None. Like I've said before, it's an event that is over before you know it.
I do it cuz I have to, but I'm not as full of spirit as the old geezer. You don't have to give that kinda thing your best.

Billy: ... Reallyyy?

Asch: Hah? What the hell are you talking about...
Tch, so uncomfortable. I'm going back to my room.

Billy: Eeeeh, what about the decorations!? You haven't done anything, paisen!

Asch: Is this work? It's not, right? So there's no reason for me to help; see ya.

Billy: Oh my gooood~~~!?



Billy: Hm, hm hmmm~~~♪ Hmhmm hm~~~ ♪ Hm, hm hmmm~ hmー
Buwah!?

Oscar: !!

Billy: Aah~ ow, ow, ow... I landed squarely on my butt...

Oscar: Apologies, are you hurt?

Billy: Woah, Oscar-paisen!?
I thought I zonked an African elephant, but I see... it was you, Oscar-paisen...

Oscar: A- African elephant?

Billy: Heave ho... here we go. As you can see, I couldn't be better~
I'm also sorry for bumping into you. I finished decorating our room, so it's like my head is in the clouds...

Oscar: I'm glad to hear you're not hurt.

Billy: Ah! That's right, now that I think about it, Oscar-paisen, you...

Oscar: ?

Billy: Do you know the "Dear Hero Project", paisen?

Oscar: Dear Hero... Ooh, the annual Christmas event in East Sector, right? I know about it.

Billy: I knew it!? You also superintended East a few years ago, right?

Oscar: Yeah. I moved to South the year after "Dear Hero Project" started, so I have only experienced it once... What about it?

Billy: Hmm~, you know. I'm also taking part in it this year, but it's my first event so I'm curious about what it's going to be like~

Oscar: That's what this is about... At the time I, hmm... I will never forget that it was really cold, but...
Granting wishes and making the children happy became a wonderful memory. It was really cold, but it made my heart warm.

Billy: Fufu. Imagining Oscar-paisen who is known for his frightening look granting toddlers' wishes is kinda amusing. ♪
What else? Like something you liked or... Oh, right, how was Asch-paisen?

Oscar: Asch?

Billy: Asch-paisen was also responsible for East, right? I heard you were classmates...
Even if I ask paisen himself, he doesn't exactly spill the beans. And it's his cute mentee begging~

Oscar: Hm... I don't know how much I can tell you when he's not here...
I remember him doing what he was supposed to, as per usual. It was really cold, so I'm not sure.

Billy: Hmm? Whaa~t, so it was really like that.

Oscar: Yeah, now that I think about it... I remember he caused a bit of a stir .

Billy: A stir... what kind!?

Oscar: Actually... Asch shouted at one of the boys who came to make a request.

Billy: Eeeh!?

Oscar: Generally speaking, you wouldn't think of yelling at kids or at elders, so I was a bit surprised myself.
Everyone rooted to the spot in an instant, my friends around me and I were confused and wanted to intervene. However...

Billy: However...?

Oscar: Asch told that boy: "If you're a man, do such an important thing yourself, don't rely on others"...

Billy: ... Huh?

Oscar: The boy wanted to confess to the person he liked, but he didn't have the courage to, so it seems he asked him to confess in his stead.
So Asch gave him a pep talk to spunk him upー



Asch: Oscar, you big...

Oscar & Billy: !?

Asch: Don't run your mouth as you please when people aren't around!

Oscar: Asch... S- Sorry...

Asch: It's not like I scolded him to encourage him or anything! He got on my nerves for being a wuss so I yelled at him!
I can handle you saying whatever you want, but don't exaggerate! I don't know how you got thereー

Oscar: Then what was the mistletoe for?

Asch: !?

Oscar: When the boy was about to leave, you suggested him to confess under the mistletoe, right?

Asch: H... Ho... How do you know...

Oscar: I'm quite good at reading lips.
Well, I didn't quite understand why the advice, though...

Billy: Let's kiss under the mistletoe!
Back in the days, mistletoes had a mysterious power, it was said that couples who kissed or proposed under one would be united in marriage​!
You told him that if he confessed under that, he would surely succeed, ri~ght, paisen?

Asch: !!

Billy: Hohoho… Even you knuckled down to work, Asch-paisen~ ♡

Asch: Kh, you damn brat! Don't run our mouth as you please, enough of that!

Billy: Kyaaah~! I made Asch-paisen... no, Cupid angry~!