Chapter 323 — Some Like it Cold

Translator: Remonwater

──It was a very slight omen for change.

[Rem: Good morning, Subaru-kun.]

[Subaru: Ahfu, good morning. …..Hey, Rem. It’s a bit cold today, don’t you think?]

[Rem: I think so. It might be a bit chilly this morning. As expected of Subaru-kun, such keen insight.]

[Subaru: Well anyone would at least recognize cold weather…]

Subaru hurriedly made the topic into a talk about the temperature with Rem, who he met at the corridor early in the morning in the Roswaal residence. It was still morning, but the air was a lot colder than before. Yesterday it was hot enough to bring out sweat, but there was quite the difference in temperature throughout the night.

Subaru closes the front of his uniform to combat that coldness, buttoning his shirt all the way up to its collar.

[Subaru: I don’t feel so concerned about my matter with the cold when I see your appearance, Rem. Do you not have any seasonal maid outfits? That outfit would be rough in this weather.]

[Rem: If we get fully into ice season, there are maid outfits for the cold season. The material is thick and there’s cotton stuffed in it, so it’s very warm.]

Rem responds like that while wearing her usual maid outfit with a smile. It had a design where her shoulders and legs were boldly exposed. The excessive skin shown that would normally be a joy to see was cold now.

By the way, ice season is a way to denote a season with cold weather that is similar to winter. On the contrary, it seemed that hot seasons were denoted as “fire seasons”, and that there were changes with how people referred the four seasons in this world.

[Subaru: However, shouldn’t you wear ice season clothes with this type of cold instead? If you have trouble proposing that change, then I’ll make the direct appeal to Ros-chi.]

[Rem: I’m happy about you worrying about me, but my sister and I are already used to it, so it’s fine. This is not something you need to bother Roswaal for.]

Rem shook her head firmly in response to Subaru’s concern. He couldn’t understand her once again, but he held back on voicing his opinion.

[Subaru: Well, if you say so, Rem…….by the way, where’s Nee-sama? Not with you this morning?]

[Rem: Nope. Nee-sama is sleeping in a bit, as it seems she doesn’t want to get out of bed with the morning being cold.]

[Subaru: Didn’t you just say you and Nee-sama were used to it!?]

Subaru imagines how Ram is being cozy in her bed by herself at this moment, and lets out a sigh as he feels an obligation to punish the older sister, who is spoiled with her younger sister’s mercy.

[Subaru: You don’t need this. It doesn’t matter if it’s cold or hot. I’m going to hammer the fact that there are no breaks for residential maids into Nee-sama’s head. Let’s go, Rem.]

[Rem: But Nee-sama is tired from her daily work, so sleeping in on the occasional cold day isn’t that…….]

[Subaru: Let’s go, Rem!]

[Rem: Yes, if Subaru-kun says so!]

Rem’s has a change in heart within an instant, and she casually follows Subaru from behind, who starts walking with his arms waving. And in the end, he got stuck with doing work for this day while receiving resentful complaints from Ram, who was dragged out from her futon, being blown on by the cold breeze as well.

2

──And then came the day after he experienced the coldness of Ram’s attitude and the cold wind.

[Subaru: Afu…….Not only am I sleepy, but it’s also the cold seas…….oh, what the, Beako?]

[Beatrice: Yuck, I suppose.]

When Subaru woke up and exited the corridor, he came across a rare sight of a young lady wearing a dress, walking in the empty corridor──he happened to meet Beatrice.

This was a girl with magnificent drills that greatly stood out, who didn’t turn around even though she was the second person to walk around in the mansion sneakily──the first person obviously being the head of the mansion.

[Subaru: What are you doing up this early in the morning? There’s no way you stayed up all night, right? If you do nothing but stay up late, you’ll stop getting taller, plus your eyes will go bad if you read in the dark.]

[Beatrice: That’s an unusual and nosy warning. My height and eyesight have nothing to do with…….I don’t have time to mess around with you in the first place, I suppose. Now, go get lost.]

[Subaru: Fine fine. Putting that aside, isn’t today really cold? Yesterday was kinda cold too, but today is even colde…….]

[Beatrice: You don’t get anything, I suppose! I told you I’m not going to play around with you!]

Subaru tries to compromise with the shouting girl, Beatrice, while shrugging his shoulders at the coldness that was more intense than yesterday. She gave him a nasty look, but Subaru did not pay attention to it, as he sniffs up mucus with his nose.

The reason for the tension in the atmosphere was because of the freezing cold wind that came blowing in every now and then. It even looked as if the leaves swaying with the wind, seen in the dim and cloudy view out the window, were in pain.

[Subaru: It’s easy to catch a cold when the seasons change, so be careful.]

[Beatrice: Hmm. It’s pointless to worry that much about me. I’m not that weak enough to have you worry about me. Don’t get too full of yourself, I suppose.]

[Subaru: Worrying about you…or rather, taking care of you if you catch a cold sounds like a pain. I feel bad for Rem when I think about her not coming across your room easily and having the porridge she made become cold as a result. At least be admirable when you catch a cold. You sure aren’t a cute loli.]

[Beatrice: Why must you complain to me for the results of your hypothetical outcomes!?]

Beatrice was blamed with his imaginations, and she angrily resents him for it. She quickly puffs up her face, turns towards Subaru, and swipes her hand as if she was shooing away an insect.

[Beatrice: Anyways, I am very busy. You go ahead and burn yourself out with the things you need to do while you risk your life, not caring about whether it’s cold or not cold, I suppose.]

[Subaru: That’s bull. Saying you’re busy when you’re someone who just reads books in her room…….oh, that’s right.]

[Beatrice: ……I’m leaving now.]

[Subaru: You should help out with the work at the mansion sometimes too. You’ll shrug off the cold if you move your body, and there will be less worry about getting a cold from insufficient exercise. It’s killing two birds with one stone, yeah!]

Subaru makes this suggestion with a smile as he holds onto the shoulder of the girl who sought to turn his back on him, Beatrice. In response, Beatrice turns around with a displeased look and says

[Beatrice: ……Let go of me, I suppose. How many times do I have to tell you that I am busy? Don’t make me repeat myself.]

[Subaru: Okay okay, I get it I get it. I’ll talk to Roswaal so that you get the proper money for your portion of work, so help out with stuff such as weeding the garden like a kid.]

[Beatrice: Wh─wha!? I cannot believe you think that I am puffing up because of a reason like that! Also, listen to what I am saying, I suppose! Listen! Seriously, stop screwing around with me!]

Subaru picks up the girl with a reddening face, Beatrice, and took her away as he started to walk while she acts violently against him. She was resisting it, but today she surprisingly wasn’t using any magic to counterattack.

The insufficient part of her resistance was convenient for him, though that was a bit of a miracle.

[Subaru: Aaalright, time to run! Let’s knock out this coldness at full spirit!]

[Beatrice: Once I get down, the first thing I’ll knock out is you, I suppose!]

Subaru shouts at Beatrice, who erupts in anger, and cheerfully ran over to the mansion’s corridor.

The sound of Beatrice’s screechy, angry voice continued to be heard throughout the mansion throughout the rest of the day.

3

──And then came the day after he played with around with Beatrice.

[Roswaal: Ooooh, look what we have here. You’re up early, Subaru-kun.]

[Subaru: Oh…ohh…….it’s Ros-chi. Goo…good mor……good morning…….]

There was no day that resembled a day off for an employee’s work. Subaru met the head of the mansion early in the morning at the corridor──the chief of the Roswaal Mathers’ estate.

As always, his face was applied with clown makeup. This eccentric noble was doing his usual patrolling today as well.

His heterochromatic eyes──Subaru receives a look from his blue and yellow eyes. Once he exchanged morning greetings with him while shivering, his cracking head and cheeks stiffen, and he looked out the window.

Roswaal tilts his head curiously at Subaru’s appearance.

[Roswaal: Doesn’t look like you’re in a very good mood this morning, huuuh. What happened?]

[Subaru: Nothing happened. It’s just that it’s cold!]

Subaru listens to him say something undeniable and breathed out foggy breath as he talked big.

It was cold, too cold. Subaru tramples on the bed in this cold that was extreme enough to to freeze his own mucus.

[Subaru: No matter how you look at it, this weather is too abnormal! I thought that it was just my imagination up until yesterday…but clearly that’s not the case today! The windows are frozen, and my breath is pure white!]

Subaru pointed his fingers at the frozen window. He had countless blankets wrapped around his body. He had his steward clothes on top of his night jersey. It was a style that completely insulted the style of royalties. Even when he was wearing these clothes, the chills were eating away Subaru’s life through the openings of them.

[Subaru: The hell is up with this!? Does the change in season really come at us with such sudden force? The temperature has been going down 10 degrees each day these past 2 days! Even a bear would freeze to death from not being in time for hibernation being attacked by the cold with this kind of force!]

[Roswaal: My oh my, you are weeaak. Can you not do “that”? “By keeping myself up with my mind and body, just how much would the temperature go down, my presence of mind speaks”…..]

[Subaru: Don’t see myself being convinced with you wearing those fluffy clothes and fur, though.]

Roswaal talked about the force of will, but he appeared to be perfectly protected against the cold, so he wasn’t convincing. He wore layers of arctic clothes of thick fur, and they looked as if they would even allow him to bear the intense cold of snowy mountains.

[Subaru: At this rate the difference in protection against the cold is so great that it wouldn’t be unthinkable for it to be a reason for murder…..*sniffle*]

[Roswaal: Seeing you sniffle with a sinister look like that certainly indicates that you’re just about at your limits, huuuh. I overlooked the cold up until yesterday, but as expected, this is a bit…]

[Subaru: Judging from the way you’re talking about it, do you know why it’s this cold? If so, then let’s do something about it. If the source of this is some sort of mabeast like “Jack Frost”, then let’s exterminate it. Let’s do it ASAP too. Sensei, please *sniffle*]

Subaru instigates him to join in with his idea little by little, as Roswaal puts his hand on his chin. He was just about at his limit with his drooping mucus and his frozen train of thought. He was reaching the point where he’d be capable of causing a moral hazard by taking everyone else’s clothes off.

[Roswaal: Subaru-kun, are you peerhaaaps pretty bad with cold weather?]

[Subaru: I complain about winter being cold, summer being hot, spring making me sleepy, and about matsutake mushrooms being expensive in the fall. I’m the classic example of a weakling, *sniffle*.]

[Roswaal: Don’t know what matsutake mushrooms are, but I’m understanding that you are a young man with very short patience. If that’s so, then there’s nothing that can be done about it. We aren’t going to go complain.]

Roswaal waves his fur mantle and starts to walk as if to guide Subaru, who followed him. Subaru steps on the long fur carpet and squints to look out the clouded window.

[Roswaal: Interested in what’s out there?]

[Subaru: No, I’m not. I wasn’t raised in a snow country, so I’m not well informed on this, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we were to have snow with it being just this cold. See, I’m worried about clearing the snow on the village’s fields, if we were to have snow that is.]

He’s been told that it’s almost time for the harvesting of the fields for the Alam village near the mansion.

Subaru, being someone who was intimate with the villagers, had made a promise with the children to help with the season’s harvest. Even without that promise, snow was not welcoming weather for it.

[Roswaal: Subaru-kun you…….get along particularly well with children, huuuh.]

[Subaru: Just a coincidence. Besides, I’m not fond of those selfish, rash creatures called kids. However, they hug me, so it can’t be helped……]

[Roswaal: Yes yes, that’s what’s commonly known as being “tsun tsun” back at Subaru-kun’s home town, riiiight.]

[Subaru: *sniffle*! Ahh, shit, my noseee! *sniffle**sniffle*! Oh shitt!]

Subaru uttered inconvenient words and sniffled to force a cover up. Roswaal overlooks that with suppressed laughter and traced the window with the finger of his held out hand.

[Roswaal: Well, have no worry; it is this cold, but it shouldn’t reach all the way to the village. Since after all, this chill is only around the area of the mansion.]

[Subaru: I can’t relax! What is up with that mysterious phenomenon? Do we just assume it’ll sort itself out!?]

[Roswaal: This cold won’t spread, since there are two girls who went around and dealt with it. I wonder if they did it sneakily before they got caught by you yesterday.]

[Subaru: …..Talking about Beatrice and such?]

Roswaal’s words cause him to remember Beatrice’s strange behavior from yesterday. He didn’t know what she was doing since early morning, but perhaps she was decreasing the amount of damage from the chill.

If that was the truth, the person she was helping would be──

[Roswaal: I don’t need to explain who is the source for this cold, do Iiii?]

Roswaal, who was guiding him, stopped walking at the same time Subaru arrived at an answer.

Subaru was very familiar with the the room of the Roswaal’s residence west wing’s top floor that was right before his eyes. This is because this was a place he’d visit once without fail during the day to see the room’s owner.

[Roswaal: Emilia-sama, sorry to intrude you this early in the morning. Can we come in for a biiiit?]

[Emilia: ──!? Roswaal!? Uhh, uhh, hey wait! Wait!]

When Roswaal called out at the door, they heard rushing sounds from the room as a voice responded to them.

It was a silver bell like voice that Subaru knew even beyond the door, but it caused him to show that he felt very conspicuous disturbance and uneasiness. He felt uncomfortable. He also felt uncomfortable about the owner of the room being up at this time.

They spent several weeks under the same roof. She wasn’t very good at waking up.

[Roswaal: Suuubaru-kun]

Roswaal calls Subaru’s name, who was knitting his eyebrows, and pointed at the room’s doorknob. Surely he wasn’t asking him to open the door, was he? Subaru reaches out for the doorknob while having doubt in his mind.

[Subaru: It’s cold! What is up with this thing!? Emilia-tan, can we come in!?]

[Emilia: Eh!? What, Subaru’s here too!?]

[Subaru: I am here, but you didn’t pay attention to what I said. You have something else to say, don’t you!?]

[Emilia: Something to say…something to say? ……Good morning?]

[Subaru: How polite of you to greet…….wait no! Ahh, dammit, I’m opening the door!]

The doorknob he felt was so chilled to the point that he thought that he was feeling ice. It was highly likely that there would be an even more intense chill within the room, considering how cold the doorknob was.

[Subaru: I’m coming in! If you are in the middle of changing your clothes, then thanks!]

[Emilia: Not “sorry”!?]

Subaru opens the door to the room, having both his concern and secret intentions come out at the same time. The door had a resistant that made a sound, which sounded as if it was coming off from the floor, and once that happened, the blocked cold wind came overflowing from the room.

[Subaru: No wayy! It’s coldd!! Whatt is the meaning of this!?]

Subaru shrieks at the cold wave that was beyond his expectations and looks inside the room with an astonished look in his eyes. Upon looking inside, he saw Emilia against the bed with both hands held out as she stood still.

Her face quickly blushes, and while she used the bed to hide that from Subaru he says

[Subaru: Emilia-tan, just what is……]

[Emilia: Yo─you can’t just do that! For you to enter without getting permission from the owner of the room first, that’s just rude……yes that’s reeaally rude, right? See, um, hey, do it again!]

[Subaru: And that’s what Emilia-tan says, but what does the owner of the mansion have to say about it?]

[Roswaal: I grant you permission to enteeer.]

[Emilia: Roswaal!]

Subaru pushes aside Emilia’s request with sophistry and stepped into the room.

The source of the cold wave was without a doubt the inside of this room. It’s identity was made clear from Roswaal’s evidence, Beatrice’s actions, and from Emilia’s childlike attitude of trying to cover up the mischief.

[Subaru: Where is Puck, the source of all this? I have a bone to pick with him, as someone who is a representative for those sensitive to cold.]

[Emilia: The source? What do you mean by source? He didn’t do any…er weelll, that’s not really right, but I don’t know.]

[Puck: ──It’s fine, Lia. No matter what you do, it seems this is about the limit for hiding it, soo.]

She was bad at realizing it was time to give up and acted flustered, but what helped Emilia out of the situation, someone who couldn’t make tricky lies, was the resignation of none other than the perpetrator of the riot himself.

In response to that voice, Emilia ruffles her eyebrows, turns around at the bed, and puts her hands on her waist.

[Emilia: Jeez, Puck you idiot! I was so close to fooling them too…….]

[Puck: Eh, it would’ve been impossible even after 100 years.]

[Emilia: Eh!?]

Putting aside Emilia, who was unironically surprised, Subaru takes a peek at the bed behind her. The spirit who was behind the case for the cold wave was circling around on top of the blanket.

[Subaru: You really do seem like a cat when you do that.]

[Puck: Mmm, sorry for causing trouble.]

The grey furball moves himself around in response to being called out to, and his black, round eyes look at Subaru. The kitten that was small enough to hold on one’s hand, Puck, shrugs his shoulders, gives a wry smile at Emilia, and says

[Puck: Don’t get mad at Lia and Betty, okay? You two, think of this as something I did for myself.]

And that is how he covered up for his beloved daughter and younger sister with care.

4

[Subaru: “Demonic” commencing period?]

Subaru puzzles over the unfamiliar word with a frown on his face.

He was at the Roswaal’s residence’s dining room, and all of them were gathered together. Everyone was surrounding Puck, who was on top of the table, including Ram, who was bad at getting up, and Beatrice, who tried to run away.

There was another source for the cold wave that was had these past few days, not just Puck. Just what had they found out here? What popped up into the conversation as an additional source was the start of the “Demonic commencing period”, some particular vocabulary.

[Subaru: What is the demonic commencing period? It’s not just a mating season?]

[Puck: I’m not an animal, and I don’t have something like a mating season. That’s rude.]

[Subaru: That comment worries me from all angles.]

Subaru turns to his surroundings with a bewildered face in response to Puck, who was washing his face with an exposed appearance of a cat. Once he did this, the person who raised her hand at his glance with a “yes” was Rem.

Rem was in a maid outfit for ice season, which she hadn’t used until yesterday. There was a lot less exposure in this outfit, but even then, looking at the legs exposed with the short skirt made him feel chilly. It was common for him to not understand the mentality of a girl wearing a skirt in winter, even when he crossed to this world.

[Rem: The demonic commencing period is a phenomenon that happens periodically just for the existences that have strong magical power. Each of their od for the strength of their magical power──the od influences the attributes of the magical stones, so it’s really limiting.]

[Subaru: Is od once again something that is different from mana and gate?]

As far as Subaru’s knowledge went, mana was the source for the magical power of this world. Gate is the organ that circulates mana inside and outside the body, and it seemed that gate had a direct relation to the quality of a sorcerer’s attributes.

Incidentally, Subaru’s attributes as a magic user were mediocre. To make matters worse, as of now, he’s been firmly told to not use magic because of how he allowed himself to use his gate unreasonably.

[Subaru: Judging from what Rem said, I’m guessing od is more important than mana and gate?]

[Ram:──That ignorance is enough to become a crime against Roswaal, you being the employee that you are.]

And then Ram let out a blunt sigh at Subaru, who said something that showed his shallow understanding of magic. Ram was next to Rem, bundled up in even more thick clothes. She makes a scowling expression with her light pink eyes and says

[Ram: I’m questioning your common sense now that you’ve said that you don’t know about od. You’ve reached an extreme level of imprudent shallowness, Barusu.]

She always abused him with her words, but they were even sharper in this cold wave. Ram scolded Subaru with her look, holding onto her sister’s arm to keep herself warm while she breathed foggy breath.

However, unlike Rem, she had cute earmuffs on, so her look had no effect.

[Subaru: I’ve thought this since the day before yesterday, but Nee-sama is really bad with the cold, huh.]

[Ram: Weak points and strong points are entirely subjective matters. I do not live life while seeing things with a narrow outlook like that. Stop saying oblivious things, it’s stupid. Go die.]

[Subaru: The second half of your statement was piercing!]

[Beatrice: This is just the usual, but leaving this up to you guys wouldn’t really allow the conversation move forward, I suppose……]

The impatient girl, Beatrice, sees the exchange between Subaru, who didn’t forget to provoke her even in this cold, and Ram, who was displeased, and forces her way into the conversation. She wore her usual dress as she pointed her finger at Subaru.

[Beatrice: It can’t be helped, so I will give an explanation. od is a life stone…….it’s a source of magical power that spirits, humans, mabeasts, and any other type of life have within them, no doubt about it, I suppose. od is like a type of vessel for magical power, so it’s also an organ that saves up the mana taken in from gate.]

[Subaru: Hmmm, a vessel that stockpiles magic. Go ahead and continue.]

[Beatrice: The way you’re speaking irritates me, I suppose….. Anyways, we’re dealing with a great amount of mana of outstanding od. However, there’s a limit to any type of vessel’s capacity, I suppose. And the mana that overflows because of the od meeting its limit…….it’s necessary to emit it before that happens.]

[Subaru: Bring it out before your stomach explodes inside, huh. …….So something like constipation?]

[Beatrice: Think about how you word it, I suppose!]

As Beatrice finishes her explanation, she resents Subaru, who interpreted what she said in his own way. However, he was now able to understand the details of the riot that happened thanks to her.

[Subaru: In other words, it’s this cold because of Puck letting out his saved up mana.]

[Emilia: …….Yeah, that’s what it is. Sorry for not saying anything about it.]

The truth of the situation becomes clear. Emilia hung her head in despondence. Subaru sees Emilia’s behavior of taking responsibility for this pet cat’s actions as a guardian and gave a side glance to Puck, the war criminal. Then he says

[Subaru: That’s some bothersome reduction of constipation……..is it something that’s done regularly?]

[Puck: About once a year. I let it out moderately when I lived with Lia in the forest. However, you guys may be having these reactions because of how I’ve been quiet about the matter ever since I came here. Tehehe]

[Subaru: Don’t you “tehehe” me!]

Subaru makes a face of astonishment at the cat that let out a shy laugh. After that, he folded his arms and continues.

[Subaru: Well, I won’t complain because it’s necessary for you to let out your magical power. But why did the effects of it suddenly get stronger these past three days? There are other ways to do it, aren’t there?]

[Puck: Hmmm, I was being careful about it’s effects and did it little by little since the start. However, considering how the amount of mana was greater than usual, and how I thought that nobody would say anything even when it got cold, I thought to myself “Hmm? I wonder if I can do it a little more? Alright, I can I can! Everyone is surprisingly simple to deal with!”…]

[Subaru: You are careless with your work!]

Just when he thought this was perhaps due to circumstances beyond his control, it was actually the result of simple negligence.

In any case, the peculiarity from sensing the temperature lower 10 degrees each day is something anyone would notice. Thinking about how this chilling cold was a result of Puck getting carried away with himself caused displeasure to grow.

[Beatrice: It is essential for a great spirit like Nii-cha to go through the demonic commencing period. Out of consideration for Nii-cha’s cuteness and hairiness, put a stop to this meaningless noise, I suppose. *sniffle*]

[Subaru: You’re having the sniffles too! Or rather, I thought you’d be in a pickle too once this got found out, but you played a trick and put on a barrier to trap the coldness. Am I right? Tell me the truth!]

[Beatrice: *Bffft*. I have no clue what you’re talking about.]

[Subaru: You just blew your nose!]

The top of Beatrice’s nose became red, but she still continued to defend Puck. When Subaru became dumbfounded by the obstinate girl’s attitude, Emilia took his place and came into the conversation with a “Wait”.

[Emilia: You see, Puck and I have been reeaally thinking about the incident that happened. However, Puck should’ve been close to finishing his demonic commencing period…….right Puck?]

[Puck: Yeah. At the same pace, about three days would’ve been enough.]

[Subaru: We wouldn’t be prepared for that! If it got cold at this pace, we would fall over from freezing to death!]

Puck wasn’t being serious enough about the matter, considering how he was the one responsible for it. It seemed like Puck did not feel the coldness himself, and so he kind of felt like it was something they’d have to deal with themselves.

[Subaru: By the way, I wasn’t worried about Puck because he’s a spirit and has fur that combats the cold, but aren’t you cold with such thin colding, Emilia-tan? I want to see Emilia-tan with fluffy thick clothes.]

He showed his true motive with the last part of his words, but the first part was him seriously worrying about Emilia. Emilia was wearing the thin dress that she always wore, even in this cold.

In response to Subaru’s point, Emilia looked down with an increasingly apologetic look.

[Emilia: Well um, I am contracted with Puck, you know? Which is why the effects from receiving Puck’s magic are kept in control. So, that’s why um, I am umm, good with this cold……]

Emilia becomes more and more apologetic, and the assumptive girl looked as if she got smaller. She was acting self punishing a lot this time partly and seemingly because of how she felt guilty about how she was fine with the cold.

The pricks of her conscience would be scathing if she were the only one to avoid damage because her parent’s uproar.

[Subaru: Isn’t it a bit pitiful to cause this much trouble for your daughter? Let’s think of something to do about it.]

[Puck: I get it okay, I’m sorry. Even I think it would be nice if there was another method, but did you think of something? I’m fine with using all of my mana.]

[Subaru: How about you shoot some relevantly powerful magic into the sky?]

[Puck: In other words, you’re giving me “that”? The permission to cause destruction and destroy this wor──]

[Subaru: Not giving you that.]

[Puck: Just kidding~]

Be it a natural disaster or destroying the world, the exchange was aloof, even if it was a joke. Subaru had a feeling that he wouldn’t receive a satisfactory response if he tried to carelessly affirm it, so he held back on speaking rashly for a bit.

[Ram: But the problem with this cold is the hindrance it causes for work. The efficiency of my work has actually gone down remarkably these past three days.]

[Subaru: Well if you don’t get out of bed, then yeah I’d think your efficiency would drop. Is this demonic commencing period only related to spirits? How about powerful magic users…….like Ros-chi and Beako?]

If it included powerful magic users, then they shouldn’t be exceptions either. After he tried to take a stab at his interest, Roswaal shrugged his shoulders, and Beatrice was fixing her drills.

[Roswaal: In my case, I use my magical power daily and keep it in check. I have my everyday business to take care of, so my od is always fine.]

[Subaru: Why is it that in your everyday business Ram……ah, forget about it. I don’t want to know.]

In response to Roswaal’s side glance, Ram blushes and looks downward. If the suspiciously inappropriate relationship between the head of the mansion and the maid was close to what he thought it was, it would be vivid to him and he wouldn’t want to know about it.

[Beatrice: I do fine with my preservation of the forbidden archives and my “door crossing”, I suppose. Yes yes, and lately it’s been useful for striking a loud mouthed human.]

[Subaru: Yeah yeah, cute cute.]

Subaru brushes off her provocation, ignores the pouting girl, and looked at Emilia and Rem.

[Subaru: Then how about Emilia and the others? Mating season……er I mean demonic commencing period, do you guys not have that?]

[Rem: The demonic commending period is only limited to magical powerful attributes that are strong enough to outbreak, so……]

[Emilia: Myself as well, as a magic user, the demonic commending period doesn’t really seem to be related to me…….ah, but there were plenty of experiences through Puck. So I’m sorry for this incident. I regret it……]

[Subaru: Emilia-tan sure is joking a lot with her masochism today!]

She had an honest and serious personality, but as for today, it was backfiring on her. This was the one time where Subaru would take the place of the calm faced little girl that they were holding as a criminal and would have no choice but to pitch in and help.

[Subaru: Alright, then I guess I’ve got no choice but to give it what I’ve got and look for a solution. First of all, when was the most recent time you used magic while feeling good about it?]

[Puck: If we’re talking about recently, then it might be when I used it to fight against a wicked girl at the king’s capital. I used enough to soak up all my mana.]

[Subaru: The motivation that just came to me is coming out because of the faded wound of my stomach!]

He had a memory of when he suffered damage from “guts hunting” and had gripping pain from the scar he received just a month ago. This was just to let out magical power, so it was impossible to energetically prepare a dangerous opponent like that.

[Puck: If that can’t count, then maybe it was at the forest when Roswaal came to see Lia. It’s embarrassing to admit it, but I do feel like it was very enjoyable.]

[Roswaal: Ahhh, that certainly was exciting. That might’ve been the first time in my life I experienced a magical battle of that scale, perhaaaps.]

[Puck: I did surprise you because it was sudden without an appointment. Hahaha]

[Roswaal: Well we seriously did clash with each other for the whole day and night, after aalll.]

They were casually laughing with each other, but contrary to the atmosphere, the truth was that it was very dangerous. If these two really did compete with each other like they said, it would be so catastrophic that you’d call it “Apocalypse Now”.

[Emilia: After that, I heard that the map had to be rewritten, but……]

[Subaru: Okay, that’s out too! I reject the strategy of writing a formidable enemy as a “friend”!]

[Emilia: Eh!?]

[Subaru: Don’t give me that! Don’t change the topography because of a fight! Apologize to Inou Tadataka!]

[Emilia: I am sorryyy Tadataka-san. Am I fine now?]

Subaru gets her to apologize to the great man who created a map, and then gets worried from realizing how this was a more difficult challenge than he thought it’d be. He wanted Emilia to lend him knowledge if she could, being someone who had an abundance of experience, but

[Emilia: Puck didn’t really bother anyone when I was with him at the forest, and I didn’t really think the demonic commencing period was that much of a problem. And so I was in a pickle……]

[Subaru: And then these few days are the result of worrying. I understand your feelings of wanting to do something yourself, Emilia-tan, but that’s when everyone else…….that’s when it’s okay for you to rely on everyone, myself in particular.]

It didn’t feel bad to rely on someone. That was something that was even more relevant if it was Emilia. Next there would be Rem, sometimes Ram, then Beatrice and Puck, and it would be okay to add Roswaal to that list too. Then also the villagers, the children, and──wait, isn’t that surprisingly a lot of people?

It seemed that he had increased the amount of acquaintances he had in this world. If that was the case, he wanted to take care of those bonds.

[Subaru: If the world turned into ruins and a journey begins to defeat the devil king Puck, it would be troublesome……When it comes to peacefully making temporary measurements, we could…oh that’s right.]

[Emilia: ──! Subaru, did you think of something weird again?]

[Rem: As expected of Subaru-kun. I am impressed.]

[Subaru: Those expectations are false starts!]

Subaru gives a wry smile at Emilia, who got her teeth into the matter, and Rem, who was making quick judgements. He walks up to the dining room’s window completely filled with clouds, rubs the window with his palm, and looks towards the mansion’s courtyard.

[Subaru: The coldness is restricted to this mansion because of Beako’s barrier, huh.]

[Beatrice: That’s right, I suppose. If the chill escapes to anywhere besides the building, then the garden trees and the flower beds would become pitiful. That’s why I kept the barrier at a moderate extent, I suppose.]

[Subaru: I see you show consideration for the garden. I’ll sincerely give you my props for that one. …….By the way, about the barrier, can you tamper with the barrier even now? If you can, then I have a request for you.]

[Beatrice: There’s nothing I can’t do, I suppose. However, what do you want to do?]

[Subaru: Fufufu, something that is interesting, fun, and crosses over the demonic commencing period, of course.]

Subaru snaps his his fingers with one hand while having the other touching the window, and then points at the ceiling. Roswaal was the only one who had one of his eyes closed while chuckling, while everyone else responded to that gesture by opening their eyes wide.

While having Subaru’s figure reflecting in his yellow eye he says

[Roswaal: I won’t object something that seems interesting. I also had great interest in the spiritism from a few days ago, after aalll. And so, what do you have planned for this mansion and the great spirit’s demonic commencing period? I wonder.]

[Subaru: I’ll write out the formulation of the plan and I’ll read the project. Back at Hokkaido of my hometown…….there are notes about my home town in a broad sense, but it’s a festival of that hometown. Let’s squander the rest of Puck’s mana in a grand way.]

What came to Subaru’s mind was a snowscape festival that has only been seen on TV. It was a grand festival held in white snow countries, and borrowing the name from its pioneers he would call it──

[Subaru: The first chitty chitty──the holding of the Roswaal residence’s snow festival!]

[──]

He had a decisive look with his thumb put up and his teeth sparkling. Everyone responds to Subaru’s announcement by holding their breath.

[Emilia: Chitty chitty snow festival……]

Emilia heard that name, says it again, and then tilted her head.

Then──

[Emilia: Do we need……..that chitty chitty part?]

──She let just the adoption of that part pass by her, and then he would begin to work out the details for the snow festival.

5

And with this and that, the plan suddenly headed towards implementation, progression is made──

[Subaru: Alright, it’s begun. The first snow festival! Everyone, do you all want to go to New York──!?]

[Everyone: Ye─yeahh….!…?]

Voices of approval raised sparsely in response to Subaru’s spirit, who was leading a meeting in front of the public.

Subaru wasn’t having much results with their spirit, but he didn’t mind it, as he gazed at the scenery before him. To Subaru and the people he had on board with his plan, the first thing to take care of was making the festival have a fun atmosphere.

Currently, Subaru and the others viewed the Roswaal residence’s front garden that became a snowy landscape, and on it there was a great number of people. To be specific, the people that were gathered were mainly the residents of the Alam village.

The villagers had ice season clothes to protect themselves against the unreasonable cold, but they had something more than displeasure against the coldness on their facial expressions. Something was standing out vaguely.

Festival──it was because the unspirited people had roughly no reaction to that one word.

[Puck: Nevertheless, for this to be a snow festival…Subaru’s ideas surprise me as always.]

And then the one who made his appearance was Puck, who came out from being rolled up in Subaru’s scarf. The one who used his remaining mana to create this landscape gazes at the festivals participants and caresses his whiskers.

[Subaru: In regards to not using up resources wastefully, you cannot make light of modern people who lived through the days of gluttony. At any rate, if you can’t hide it, you might as well have a party.]

[Puck: I didn’t think this would become a party. Humans complain about it getting colder, and yet they don’t complain about the snow. It sure is hard to understand how you guys think.]

[Subaru: It is like a natural calamity, but humans do have this habit of getting excited at snow and typhoons.]

[Puck: Hmm, yeah that is confusing.]

Even when Puck heard Subaru’s explanation, he tilted his head in confusion.

Humans were beings that wanted to do stupid things every now and then, although a paranormal being like him may not have understood it. They get scared of natural menaces, but occasionally they are able to turn them into fun. They truly were inconsistent creatures.

[Villager: Subaru-sama, go on!]

[Subaru: Oops, right right. Sorry!]

And then a villager called out to Subaru, who had been talking with Puck. Incidentally, they shouldn’t be able to see Puck, so it looked as if Subaru was talking to himself for a long time. However, they did not talk about it, which showed how the villagers understood Subaru to a high extent.

[Subaru: Anyhow, I’ll explain the rules. To put it briefly, you all have this mansion’s front garden! Use the snow and ice here. The idea of this snow festival is to compete against each other with your creative personalities and creative powers in an artistic festival! There’s also a wonderful gift prepared, so by all means, aim for victory!]

[Everyone: Yeah──!]

The villagers who acted as participants got extremely excited from hearing a single word about a wonderful gift. It was a festival organized by the feudal lord Roswaal. It was natural for them to have their expectations rise for a gift.

[Subaru: Alright, then you all have until this fire fades away! Ready, let’s rock and roll!]

[Everyone: ──?]

[Subaru: Oh, by rock and roll I mean start! Start, start!]

They followed Subaru’s command and the snow festival starts, although there was a questionable misstep.

Each of the villagers cooperated and went to work, but they required a good amount of concentration power and skillful fingers to create a snow sculpture. He looked forward to seeing what type of artistic masterpieces they’d come up with.

[Subaru: Will it be marvelous? I wonder if it’ll be marvelous.]

Subaru gazes at the villagers, who took the challenge of creating a snow sculpture with seriousness, and he jumps off the snow platform, appearing to be satisfied.

From this point on, a few hours would have to pass for the performance show to finish. While he waited, he headed towards the other part of the snow festival where one more experiment with the remaining mana was being held.

There were the long-awaited snow and ice. It would be a shame if the party ended on a simple note.

[Subaru: How’s the work going over here?]

[Young man: Ahh, Subaru-sama. Looks like you’ve had success too. We are doing well here as well.]

The person that responded to Subaru’s greeting and turned around was this young man of the young people group of the village. He sweated from his forehead and was breaking ice. Similarly, there were group members here and there working by putting ice onto carts.

[Subaru: Nevertheless, it looks like they’re enjoying themselves, playing in the snow over there. Don’t you think you got the short end of the stick?]

[Young man: No we didn’t. This is also for the sake of the village. Also, the feudal lord said that it seemed that the fire season is going to be hot this year, so I wanted to show my thanks for this proposal.]

The head of the young people group laughs while wiping the sweat off his hair in a crew cut, not even having a care for the breeze. Subaru nods at his response, and is relieved from knowing how his plan didn’t end up being a forceful one.

In every direction, he saw young men breaking ice, working hard for the snow festival. They saw this as an honorable duty to take up, as they prepared the ice for fire season and for the village’s ice house.

They simply could not miss out on preserving food and ice to cool themselves against the heat during hot weather season. In this world where there wasn’t a technique to make ice, the ice house was very important.

Subaru just happened to remember being told about that, being someone who went in and out of the village frequently.

[Subaru: But heavy labor is heavy labor. Even when it really would be advisable for myself to help too…….]

[Young man: That’s not the case at all, because we are helping Subaru-sama. If we spend any more time at this rate, we’ll be hit divine punishment. Moreover, you also showed us something good.]

[Subaru: Something good? Did something really happen?]

Subaru did not have an occasion come to mind. He tilts his head and the head of the young people group looks away in response. When he sought to follow his eyes, he saw Rem and Ram running around the front garden in a hurry. They were engaged in managing the snow festival, and the ice season maid appearance’s freshness looked as cute as ever.

[Young man: Just from seeing that appearance, you feel moved. Isn’t that so, Subaru-sama?]

[Subaru: ……Ahh, that might be true. If it really is okay to, then I’m glad.]

The group members give deep nods in response to the satisfied leader’s words. If that was their way of showing a consensus, then Subaru understood that it was a firm handshake between him and the leader.

Subaru makes sure of their spirit, and once again returns to the meeting place for the snow festival. As one expected, Subaru also didn’t know much about the snow, but if he went around and gave advice moderately──

[Child: Ah, it’s Subaru!] [Child: There he is, it’s Subaru!] [Child: Have a taste of white terrawr!]

[Subaru: Ohh, you guys sure are lively even when it’s cold!]

The people who met Subaru, who returned to the meeting place, were kids simply bursting with high spirits. They made steam come out from their hot bodies and were running around enthusiastically, oh so enthusiastically.

[Child: Wahahaaa, snowww!] [Child: Jyahahaaa, snowww!] [Child: Bahahaa, snowww!]

They slip on the snow, sprawl on it, and then rolled around. These kids were fully enjoying the snowscape. They transformed into captives of the snow, but Subaru did not laugh, as he remembers their childish minds. He simply gave a deep nod.

[Subaru: But someday you’ll realize it. You’ll realize the truth that you guys were the ones playing in the snow and……]

[Petra: Ah, looks like Subaru doesn’t have anything to dooo. Hey, hey look! I made this with snow!]

The girl that stepped up to Subaru, who was showing shallowness while being pretentious, simply chops away his current state. This was the beautiful girl of the village whose future they were looking most forward to, Petra.

Petra had a rabbit made of snow placed on her hand.

[Subaru: Ohhh, it’s a snow rabbit! They make mountain hares here too!?]

[Petra: Ehehehh, cute, isn’t it? Did it come out well?]

[Subaru: It did it did! Alright alright, then I have something even more wonderful arranged. Watch this.]

[Petra: ──?]

Subaru finds leaves and pebbles in a place nearby as Petra tilts her head. When he put it on the mountain hare she made, just like that, the arrangements for its eyes and ears were done.

Petra sees this and her expression quickly becomes bright.

[Petra: Wow, amazing! Subaru that’s amazing! It became a rabbit! A rabbit!]

[Subaru: Heheeem. Right? If you get that happy, then my spirits will rise too! Alrightt, then let’s make it more powerful! Let’s not only put on eyes and ears, but a tail and wings too. Also, a missile, a function for transformation assembly, a cockpit, and a caterpillar too……]

[Petra: Ah, hey wait, wait…….]

The mountain hare was being remodeled within Subaru’s hand, as he did not hear Petra’s voice, who was trying to stop him. After a few minutes, it lost its initial look, and transformed only into a simple weapon to hurt people. He completed the “Aviation assault model great fire power war weapon Y U K I – U S A G I”.

He also hurt the innocent girl’s mood a lot, though that was natural.

[Subaru: Yeahhh, a woman’s heart is as fickle as autumn weather……a girl’s mood is hard to understand. *spit*]

Subaru spits out the snowball that hit his face, and saw Petra off, who became more distant. It seemed that the tickling boy heart could not match the little girl’s tastes.

[Subaru: I guess Petra is more of a real robot type of girl, rather than a super robot type of girl.]

[Child: Hmmm, I feel like you’re wrong either way.]

[Subaru: Nah, it’s too early to come to conclusions. Next time I’ll attack with the real robot route.]

The future where he’d once again get hit with a snowball by Petra is decided, and then Subaru looks around the exhibition hall with the snow sculptures that were starting to be finished. He saw many poor quality works, considering how it was their first time making snow sculptures, but even then, they were artistic masterpieces created through everyone combining their efforts. It was difficult to put a specific label on it.

[Subaru: But wouldn’t it be a shame to lean towards a realistic motif? Perhaps it’s because there’s no concept of characters. There’s a lot of castles and animals……..oh, this looks pretty good!]

[Child: Ohh, thank you, Subaru-sama. This is my Wolgarm masterpiece!]

[Subaru: It’s like you’re implying I’ll forget about the incident after they pass just because of the cold! I’m not laughing!]

It was a snow sculpture of the mabeasts that caused an unprecedented dilemma where they were chased away from the mansion and village just a few days ago. The source for his goosebumps wasn’t just the cold, as the fear and the tension from the incident were still fresh in his mind.

[Subaru: I do like the stress on impact, and I want to evaluate your efforts. However, you did not show enough consideration for the judge’s mental trauma. Thus, I give this seven points! I look forward to your next piece of work!]

When Subaru criticized the snow wolgarm, the male creator gave a bitter smile, as he said “8th in points, huh”. Seeing that interaction, Puck tickles the back of Subaru’s neck with his tail.

[Subaru: Afun, what is it?]

[Puck: It’s about your grading of this snow festival, but who are you doing this with?]

[Subaru: Me, Roswaal, and the village’s chief as a masked judge are participating in the grading. If the judge’s face comes to light, people might try to buy their rank through bribing him, after all. I have an attitude of being determined to deny that type of dirty manipulation of ranks in this festival for the competition of art.]

[Puck: Seeing how you’re doing all that, I’m wondering if there are people who want the wonderful gift.]

[Subaru: It sure is a possibility. The present is a wonderful gift that is a one of a kind in this world.]

Whether it had a money type of value or not, the only thing rare about it was the handwriting. When Puck found out about how the wonderful gift would come from his pocket, he makes a surprised face with an “Oh, really?”.

[Puck: It’s not Subaru’s concern, and yet you were really generous with this.]

[Subaru: Aren’t Emilia-tan and you the ones who are worried? Cooperation is something you’d do. Usually.]

The labor wasn’t that big of a deal. Subaru was enjoying the festival in itself. He did not even hesitant on making such promises for cooperation. When it came to debt, Subaru was the one who had far more.

[Puck: Hmmm…….I do feel a lot of “that” about that side of you, Subaru.]

[Subaru: You are being too vague, so I don’t get what you’re saying. I can’t understand if you simply put it as “that”…..]

Subaru reacts to Puck’s voice, who let out a chuckle, and then he suddenly stopped walking. When he did, the young ladies working at the front are noticed by Subaru, and then they happily clap their hands.

[Rem: Ah, Subaru-kun! Please take a look. It’s a sister collaboration snow sculpture made by Nee-sama and I!]

[Subaru: So Rem and Nee-sama aren’t helping, but participating instead. That’s surprising.]

The cheerful girl Rem points at their work that was directly nearby. To the side of the snow sculpture, there was Ram, who was wearing thicker clothes than the rest. She had her arms folded, looked at Subaru, and snorted her nose.

[Ram: Oh, Barusu. Looks like you were called over by our artistry and arrived defenselessly.]

[Subaru: Putting how you make it sound as if I’m willingly walking into disaster aside, I did come to see you guys. Why is Ram participating in this extremely cold festival? You even looked like you didn’t want to help.]

[Ram: I have permission from Roswaal-sama. Do you perhaps highly prefer Rem and the others to play outside of the mansion in the snow while only I act lazy in the bed?]

[Subaru: You are being unnecessarily aggressive, but you’re saying that you don’t like being left out, right?]

When Subaru becomes dejected from Ram’s perverseness, Rem gently stepped in front of her. Then she holds onto her sister’s hand, whose nose was red from the coldness, and says

[Rem: I forcefully invited Nee-sama. Nee-sama says that playing in the snow is childish, but I really want to play with Nee-sama……]

[Subaru: Do you not feel guilty for making your sister say this much, Nee-sama?]

[Ram: I’m superior for feeling Rem’s love strongly. Be jealous.]

It was difficult to talk down a person started to have a defiant attitude. Subaru quickly gives up on breaking through farfetched arguments, and then looks at the sisters’ snow sculpture collaboration. The snow sculpture had a white cloth covering all of it and was the size of a life size human. Speaking of Rem’s skillfulness, it had quite the sense of an artistic masterpiece.

[Subaru: Rem and Ram, this is a masterpiece created through the concentration of your guys’ power, skill, and sisterly love.]

[Rem: Yes, I think Nee-sama’s instructions helped with my ineptness, and then this is perhaps the best result.]

[Subaru: Didn’t you just look at Nee-sama? The truth has come out! ……..so, what is the name of this work?]

[Rem: Yes. The name is “The wonderful Subaru-sama statue”!]

[Subaru: I can see the end result just from the name!!]

Rem neglects Subaru’s shouting and removes the cloth that covered the snow sculpture. Once she did this, the exposed snow sculpture represented a single man. You could see how particular the details were in this gem.

They were fanatical about the details; the small parts were fairly polished. The results of this snow sculpture simply had the potential to overpower the other works. It was just that, if he had to point out just one fault about the snow sculpture, then it would be that it didn’t nail down a certain motif.

[Rem: Nee-sama wanted to make Roswaal-sama, while I wanted to make Subaru-kun, so our opinions differed.]

[Ram: It’s the conclusion that resulted from finding a meeting ground.]

[Subaru: It seems like you conceded, but you didn’t!]

The sisters talking about their secret story causes Subaru to have trouble evaluating the snow sculpture before him. It was beautiful how they dealt with a single work as sisters, but to think that those efforts resulted in a blasphemous type of snow sculpture…

The “Wonderful Subaru-sama Statue” collaboration work looked like it was copying Roswaal at one glance, but you could also feel indications of Subaru’s looks on it. It had a model that drove his way of seeing things mad when trying to put it into words.

[Roswaal: Oh, what do we have hereee? Being gathered around a place like this, what are you all…….oh, this is……]

Roswaal, who was going around the exhibition hall and grading works, meets up with Subaru and the others, who were in front of the Subaru-sama statue. He comes face to face with their snow sculpture, and then Roswaal shows a stiffened expression that was seldom seen. He loses the appearance of a smile from his mouth, is unable to make a comment, and looks around restlessly.

[Ram: Ah, Roswaal-sama…..you’ve seen something embarrassing. However, take a good look please.]

[Rem: It is a collaboration between Nee-sama and I. The whole body is there, but please evaluate it without favoritism.]

Ram and Rem see that the marker was present, and then they sought for evaluation. Ram having an overflowing amount of self confidence was the usual, but Rem also had some self confidence, who was someone that spoke humbly.

You could see that they had expectations for a high score for their snow sculpture, but──

[Roswaal: Alright, sorry to break it to you, but it gets 5 points.]

[Ram: And thennn?]

[Subaru: That’s final! It is what you see! You’re praying for a rise from this!]

[Ram: I can’t believe this…….]

Ram looked at Roswaal with astonishment, but he shook his head and raised his right hand. He had four fingers raised, giving them even less points than the amount Subaru gave.

Incidentally, each judge had 10 points, so a perfect score would be a total of 30 points.

[Roswaal: The results weren’t bad, thouuugh. It kinda feels like these results are giving me the chills.]

[Ram: The concept shouldn’t have been wrong……just as I thought, Barusu was obstructive.]

[Rem: This can’t be right! Nee-sama and I negotiated our ideal visions, so it’s odd to be unsuccessful. Surely this is just because the times still haven’t caught up.]

Ram and Rem heard Roswaal’s brief review, and then the sisters rushed into discussing about it. However, if those were the things they reflected on, then it felt like their next work they’d finish would be indescribable again.

[Subaru: Or maybe it’s because we could only feel weird about them as people who have been used as the theme………]

[Emilia: Ah! Subaru, I found you! Beatrice and I also snuck into the competition. If you’d like, come see the snow sculpture……oh, wow. What is this? This snow sculpture gives off a preeetty weird feeling.]

[Subaru: Rightttt, I couldn’t be righttt.]

Emilia casually came by and also showed a strong reaction against the “Wonderful Subaru-sama Statue”.

This meant that mankind hadn’t arrived at the time where they’d catch up with that sense yet.

Anyhow, the first snow festival went on like that──and Petra was decided to be the winner. The winning work was the “Aviation assault model great fire power war weapon Y U K I – U S A G I”, which earned a total of 28 points.

It was a victory obtained by her in a way that was cunning with determination.

6

[Emilia: I think it’s weird how I received 9 points even when I tried that hard……..]

[Puck: The event might’ve been a bit of a tough one for you and Betty. Look, how should I put it…….it’s because your guys’ snow sculpture didn’t really have much artistic impression.]

Emilia and Puck exchange words at the front garden after the snow festival and the cleaning.

Emilia looked displeased as she stood in front of the Puck snow sculpture she made, pouting with her face. Next to it, there was Beatrice’s Puck sculpture that she made. They received 9 and 7 points, respectively──ever since the results of that grading, she wanted to guess the meaning of how she apparently left out details in regards to the portrayal.

Perhaps one should say that mankind wasn’t quite at the stage where they would be able to evaluate the avant garde snow sculpture.

[Emilia: But Subaru really only said weird things. He is well informed, huh. It shouldn’t have been possible to have a festival using snow, being near the great Elior forest, after all.]

[Puck: It was a festival that was possible because it was an area where snow is rarely seen. If we lived in an area where we had no room to enjoy snow, then he wouldn’t have come up with this festival.]

[Emilia: That’s right, I suppose…….Yeah, maybe.]

Emilia gives a deep nod at Puck’s words while looking around at the remaining snow sculptures in this exhibition hall at night. Thanks to Subaru’s idea of having a snow festival as a solution for Puck’s demonic commencing period, his od was in a stable condition. The intense chills these past few days would also completely settle down tomorrow.

[Emilia: But if that’s the case, then surely these snow sculptures will melt tomorrow too, huh. There’s so many of them too. It’s reeaally a shame.]

[Puck: That’s how snow works after all. It’s form does not last forever. That’s all. That’s all there is to it.]

Puck’s words cause Emilia to feel subtle uncomfort and didn’t point out anything. She just stops walking in the middle of looking around at the snow sculptures and looked up at the sky with shining stars.

The starry sky spreads all over up high, looking down at the snow sculptures in the air free of the cold.

[Puck: It’s too bad Lia, Beatrice, and the children of the mansion weren’t able to win.]

[Emilia: That girl’s mountain hare was well done, so it can’t be helped. Roswaal and the old man gave high praise for it. …….though it was weird how Subaru was quiet about it considering how he was in high spirits.]

[Puck: I have no comment for that. However, I wonder if she liked the wonderful gift.]

[Emilia: I wonder too. It was Subaru’s hometown’s……what was it called…corn potage? Something like that.]

The prize for winning the snow festival was a mysterious item that he had. It had never before seen letters and drawings lined up on it. The bag that had a strange feeling──it seemed that there was food inside, but it was a little weird.

Incidentally, at the same time Petra was eating the “Corn Potage Snack” at the village and was being taken aback by the deliciousness of it, but that was another story.

[Emilia: Maybe it would’ve been a good idea to consult Subaru from the beginning. If we did, it would’ve been settled without fretting about time like that.]

[Puck: That’s trueee. However, you can’t grow up as a child who leaves anything and everything up to someone. Even if you can’t manage it, try your best until you know it, okay?]

[Emilia: Yes~ I understand.]

Emilias giggles as Puck caresses his whiskers, letting out a “Good”. After that, they had a short moment of silence, then Emilia suddenly begins to speak.

[Emilia: Hey, do you remember what Subaru said at the end of the festival?]

[Puck: ──When it becomes the demonic commencing period next year, let’s have a snow festival again. I usually don’t like festivals, but if it’s that child, then they do feel like a party.]

[Emilia: I reaally feel a little “that”……..about that side of Subaru.]

[Puck: Yeah. I also feel “that” about it.]

If Subaru was here for this situation, he might’ve made a pout at being left behind by the two who were having a vague conversation. It was a conversation that could only be followed if he had known them for a long time and had a family like relationship.

[Emilia: Next year, huh. ………I’m not sure what the future has in store. I wonder what will happen.]

[Puck: It’ll be what Emilia wishes for. I think that would be nice if it turned out like that. Not considering if we’ll be able to do something like what Subaru said at that time, that is.]

[Emilia: Are you against snow festivals, Puck?]

[Puck: I’m not. I also had fun, and you looked like you were having fun too, after all. …….However, I don’t know if Subaru will be happy or not when I stay by your side until next year.]

[──]

Emilia held her breath quietly in response to Puck’s words.

She was in a serious situation and couldn’t make any rash judgements. Even the environment surrounding her would have sudden changes after a year.

Her heart was to blame for having Subaru──for dragging that kind boy into that vortex.

[Puck: His stomach’s wounds, the wounds caused by the mabeasts biting him──that child’s remaining scars are the result of Lia’s actions. I know you haven’t forgotten about it, but you need to keep that in mind.]

[Emilia: ──Yeah.]

Puck had an easygoing voice, and yet he was never just soft with his words when talking with Emilia.

Emilia nods, and Puck washes his own face in silence. After that, he gazes at the snow sculptures around Emilia and says

[Puck: But it would be nice if we have it again next year. Have a snow festival, I mean.]

[──]

[Puck: Being able to do it next year would mean me having too much mana to the point of having a demonic commending period, and nobody other than Subaru would be able to lead a festival.]

If they could have a snow festival next year too, then that would mean Emilia would spend another year safely and that Natsuki Subaru would stay at the mansion too.

[Emilia: Ye─yeah. ──Yeah, I think that’d be nice too.]

Emilia gives many nods at Puck’s unexpected words and a smile comes on her face. In response to Puck’s beloved daughter’s smile, he flips his whiskers in a seemingly satisfied manner and──he keeps the dangerous unease in his chest to himself.

Would they be able to have another snow festival next year? Would they protect the conditions needed from now for the year?

Would Emilia’s safety, Subaru’s safety──and on top of them, Puck’s own safety, and the other determining factors──

There were many big changes that came about in these several months. From now on, just how much of that──

[Emilia: Puck, what’s wrong?]

Emilia tilted her head at Puck’s look, who kept silent. In response to her, Puck immediately makes his ears stand with his usual manner and

[Puck: Mmm, it’s nothing. I was just thinking about how it will become hot as usual starting tomorrow.]

[Emilia: Ah, come to think of it, that is true. Subaru and Ram might start throwing complaints at each other again.]

Emilia worries about the next day as a matter of course without paying attention to Puck’s fear.

Puck responds to his honest, straightforward beloved daughter’s emotions by continuing to swing his tail while keeping his mouth shut.

──While the silence is kept to indicate something would happen in the year for next year’s snow festival.