Reserved for Marimo-Box Scanlations
Noel La Neige
P2
The end of the 19th Century France… // Christmas // The whole city was festive and everyone celebrated the happiest day with their loved ones…
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Bang / Bam!
Ow!!!
P3
??: Owww… // That’s why I hate entering through the chimney!!
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??: You’re right. Our clothes get so dirty…
??: That’s not the point!
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Boy: Hey you!!
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??: Huh?
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Boy: Who the hell are you guys!? // What are you doing in my house!!?
P4
Boy: Get out!
??: He’s angry.
Boy: Are you listening to me!?
??: Ugh, what a pain…
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??: You know…
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??: If we came in through the chimney on Christmas day… // we can only be… you know? You know!
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Boy: Yeah… burglars?
??: Santa Claus!!
P5
Noel: I’m Noel Christenbell, a government employee of the North Pole, Santa Claus Number 29.
Rudolph: I’m Rudolph, Noel’s reindeer partner. I’m in my human form right now… // [Nice to meet you.]
Boy: Santa Claus… // and a reindeer!? // Are you guys stupid? // There’s no way Santa Claus exists!! // Plus, if he did exist, he’d be a nice old man!
P6
Noel: That’s an image that all of you humans created in your minds. // In actuality, there are many Santas / and our job is to deliver presents to the children we’re assigned.
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Noel: Why do I have to explain all of this to this kid?! [What a pain!]
Rudolph: [Ahhh…]
Boy: Liar…
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Noel: Are you listening to me?
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Boy: Santa wouldn’t come to give me a gift… // Because I… // I’m not a good kid…
P7
Noel: Dean Falmint, 12 years old, born in France, Alsace.
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Noel: Your name was on my list so we came here. // I don’t care what kind of a kid you are. Just tell me what you want! / I want to get my job done as quickly as I can!
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Dean: I… // lost the most important thing in the world // so… I don’t… // want anything…
P8
Noel: Okay.
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Noel: Let’s go.
Rudolph: Are we done here?
Noel: He says he doesn’t want anything, so there’s no need to force anything upon him.
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Noel: I hate gloomy kids like him that don’t have any dreams.
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Dean: Kanon…
P9
Rudolph: Noel…
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Rudolph: You’re Santa Claus… You should be nicer to children…
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Rudolph: It seemed like there was something up with that last one…
Noel: Shut up! I hate kids!!
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Noel: Especially that one. He reminds me of my old self… // and it pisses me off.
P10
Rudolph: But, we’re still hanging outside his house and haven’t moved on to our next job yet...
Noel: Did ya say something?
Rudolph: No… Nothing.
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<Gates open>
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Noel: Why’d he come to the church? [Haha…] // He rejected a present from Santa Claus but he’s going to pray to God?
P11
Noel: This feeling!! // Dean!
P12
Noel: Get away from there!!!
P13
Dean: WAAAAAAAH!!
P14
Dean: NOEL!?
Noel: Geez… You’ve caused so much trouble.
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Noel: Rudolph!!
P14
Monster: Gyeeeee!!
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Rudolph: Leave this up to me! // Take Dean somewhere safe!!
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Noel: Okay, thanks!!
P15
Rudolph: So… // you’ll be // fighting me for now.
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Noel: Sheesh…
P16
Noel: I’m the one that gets in trouble if one of the kids on my list dies!!
<pant / pant>
Dean: Uh… Um…
Noel: WHAT!?
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<pant>
Dean: What was that monster!?
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Dean: Why did it come after me?
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Noel: It’s a Jack O’ Lantern… He used to be a human but when he was alive, he made a contract with the devil, so now he can’t go to heaven or hell after he died… // He uses the coal the devil gave him as fuel and continues to wander aimlessly with no where to go. He’s a ghost of despair.
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The Jack O’ Lantern usually lurks in the world of afterlife… But he senses children’s sadness, suffering and desperation… / A child that strongly feels despair within themselves can bring forth the Jack O’ Lantern. // Then, he uses his burning hook to take the child’s soul to eat.
P17
Deal: Eat… the soul…?
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Noel: Yeah. // The soul of a child in despair is the Jack O’ Lantern’s favorite dish…
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Noel: And… // his dinner for tonight, is you!
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Dean: What?
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Noel: Your soul is in despair… // and has brought forth the Jack O’ Lantern into our world.
P18
Noel: Rudolph!!
P19
Rudolph: Tsk!
P20
Noel: Rudolph! // Are you alright!?
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Noel: Did you finish him?
<pant / pant>
Rudolph: No…
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Rudolph: No matter how many times I cut him… // He keeps standing up…
P21
Noel: It’s as I thought… // The Jack O’ Lantern was brought forth by Dean’s soul in despair… // So unless Dean can be rid of his despair, // the Jack O’ Lantern can’t be defeated by any weapon!
P22
Noel: Rudolph!
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Rudolph: Are you two okay? Noel? Dean?
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Noel: You’re the one that doesn’t look okay! You’re wounded everywhere!
Rudolph: Aww, it’s just a scratch.
Noel: You’re bleeding everywhere!
Rudolph: [This is nothing…]
P23
Rudolph: Noel, don’t forget… // The meaning of my existence… // Even if it destroys me and I cease to exist because of it… // I will protect you and Dean with all of my strength. // That is the responsibility of the reindeer…
P24
Dean: Are you stupid?
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Dean: Why would you do all this to protect me? // I… didn’t even ask you to save me. // I…
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Noel: What!?
Dean: I… // killed my own little sister! // Don’t I deserve to die!?
P25
Dean: Kanon, I’m home!! // I got paid today so I bought you your favorite walnut bread!
Kanon: Welcome home, oniichan!
We lost our parents in an accident so my sister and I were the only family we had left…
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Dean: You’re reading again? You’re such a bookworm.
Kanon: Hehe.
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Kanon was always weak… So I always worked until late at night… // In order to protect this innocent smile…
P26
Kanon: You can’t come home until the day after tomorrow?
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Dean: Yeah, I need to help with a shipment that’s coming in from the East. // But I’ll make a whole lot after this job is done!! Then I can buy you a new book!
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Kanon: I see…
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Dean: Are you okay!? Maybe I shouldn’t go to work afterall…
Kanon: You’re so dramatic! It’s just a cold so don’t worry about it.
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Kanon: Good luck // oniichan!
Dean: Okay… // See you later…
P27
Dean: It’s so late… // But I have a new book for Kanon at least. // Kanon, I’m home…
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Dean: Kanon!!?
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Kanon had a high fever unlike any she’d ever had… // and the next evening, she died…
P28
Dean: It’s my fault. // If only I hadn’t left her alone. // Someone like me… // someone that let their sister die has no right to live…
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Noel: That’s enough!! // Stop whining about if you should die // or if you should live, you dumb brat!!
P29
Noel: Do you think Kanon would be happy if you died!?
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Noel: If you still care about your sister, // you should see more of the world // and feel more things // and live her life through yours!!
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Noel: Isn’t that what you should do as the older brother?
P30
Noel: Dean!!
P31
Noel: Rudolph!!
P32
Dean: Ow… I’m cold… This is… death… // Yes… // Kanon had been fighting against “death” for so long… // But why was I trying to go towards it…?
P33
Dean: No… // I’m scared… // No…
I don’t want to die… I want to live!
P34
Noel: The flaming hook is disappearing… // which means… // Dean’s soul is…!!
P35
Noel: The Jack O’ Lanter didn’t get a hold of Dean’s desperate soul, // so it’s no longer immortal… // I can take him on now! // Concentrate! // Entering battle mode!
P36
Noel: Freeze!! // You beings of the darkness! // Crystal Neige!
P37
P38
P39
Dean: There’s snow… // inside the church… // snow… // It’s snowing!? // [Why?] // And it’s piling up so much!
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Noel: You sound like you’re all better.
Dean: Noel! Rudolph! And a snowman!!?
P40
Dean: What happened to my wound…?
Noel: I healed it for you… with magic.
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Noel: But… If I hadn’t taken care of it as quickly as I did you would have gone to the other side. It was a close one.
Dean: Ah…
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Noel: Anyway, I have work to finish… Bye! [Let’s go, Rudolph.]
Dean: Wait!!
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Noel: You still need something…?
Dean: Uh…
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Dean: Is it too late to ask you for my Christmas present? // I just thought of something…
P41
Rudolph: Noel…
Noel: What?
Rudolph: Are we allowed to do this?
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Noel: Why not?
Rudolph: Because… Presents are supposed to be for themselves…
Noel: It’s fine…
P42
Noel: It’s the one thing he wanted the most…