On the eternal frozen northern snowfields, the wild wind swirled with heavy snow.
Between heaven and earth, only a vast, boundless white remained.
A Gothic Witch’s Cottage stood rooted alone deep within the ice fields, resembling a deep blue jewel encased in ice and snow. That was the residence of the Ice Snow Witch, Nino.
Faint magical chanting drifted from inside the house, accompanied by the *glug glug* of a boiling magical cauldron. A steady stream of purple and green mist billowed from the chimney, intertwining with the wind and snow outside, adding a touch of mystery to this ice field cottage.
The night wind scraped against Elliris like ice blades, making her shiver uncontrollably. This polar region at night was devoid of any living creatures, showing just how harsh the environment was.
Elliris, still wearing her standard Lolita dress, could hardly withstand this weather. She hurried to knock on Nino’s door.
“Is Nino home? It’s Elliris. If you’re there, let me in! Ha… A—choo!”
Nino opened the door in utter surprise. Seeing the shivering Elliris before her, she rested her chin in her hand and pondered for a moment. Then, shaking her head, she led Elliris inside.
Nino draped a small blanket over Elliris’s shoulders and poured her a cup of hot milk.
Elliris took a few sips and wrapped the blanket tight around herself. Before the warmth of the fireplace, the previous bone-chilling cold vanished instantly.
“So, Sister Elliris, what brings you here so late?” Nino actually had a partial answer in her heart; she just needed Elliris’s response to confirm it. “You used that thing to get here, right? Otherwise, with those thin clothes, you would have frozen into a popsicle halfway across the snowfields.”
The answer was obvious. The only way Elliris could have suddenly appeared near Nino’s home was through the long-distance teleportation circle Nino had set up previously.
“I’m sorry… Nino, I really don’t know what to do anymore. I feel like you’re the only one I can truly talk to right now.” Elliris’s eyes were downcast and sorrowful, looking like someone who had come to Nino’s home specifically to vent her grievances.
“Sister Elliris really is an idiot. I truly don’t know what to say about you. Setting aside how expensive that emergency setup was, what if something happened recently and I couldn’t get away in time? I can’t guarantee anything.” Nino crossed her arms, looking askance at Elliris with one eye open and one eye closed.
“Sorry… Nino, can you stay with me tonight? I really… It hurts so much here.” Elliris pouted again, clutching her chest as she slowly forced the words out.
“I couldn’t even make an apple pie today. I’m truly a cooking idiot. For being born human, I’m sorry.” The latter half of Elliris’s sentence was clearly a bit off, but Nino didn’t notice anything strange at the moment.
“Hmph, Sister Elliris really is a cooking idiot after all! I knew it. How could you not even know how to do something as simple as making a pie? Nino knows how to make pineapple, apple, and strawberry pies. I could use the magic oven to make one for you right now, you dummy!”
Then, Nino added another blow: “To be unable to do even such a small thing, you’re just too useless. It’s because you’re so useless that Sister Sophia left you!”
As soon as Nino said this, she saw Elliris’s shoulders slump. Elliris’s bloodshot eyes instantly clouded over with a layer of mist, and the next second, pea-sized tears rolled down her cheeks.
Elliris abandoned all concern for her image; her tear ducts burst, and she began to wail loudly.
It was because she was reminded of Sophia again. The pie had become a sensitive trigger, and the harsh stimulation caused a backlash.
Nino hadn’t intended to bully Elliris with such thorny words; that was just how tsundere girls were. She truly hadn’t expected Elliris to cry even harder.
“Hey… Sister Elliris, what’s wrong?” She was stunned. Her playful tone ceased abruptly, her body stiffening as if frozen.
Nino’s slightly upturned chin instinctively tucked back, her brow furrowing. It was no longer prideful teasing, but total panic.
She watched as Elliris bit her lower lip, tears falling more violently, her very breath hitched with sobs. Nino’s heart sank as she realized too late how hurtful her words had been.
“Ah… Sister Elliris, I—I really didn’t mean it like that!”
Nino rushed closer, reaching out to touch her arm but jerking back just before contact.
Her previous arrogance had vanished, leaving only panicked helplessness. “I just… I just said it casually. Sister Elliris… don’t take it… to heart!”
Nino’s speech grew faster and more stuttered. She didn’t dare look directly into Elliris’s red, crying eyes.
“Waaaaah!”
Elliris had truly lost control of her emotions. Perhaps this body was particularly stubborn about certain thoughts, but either way, she couldn’t stop even if she wanted to. Plus, snot was already dripping into the hot milk.
Seeing her cry harder, Nino stomped her feet in frustration. She fumbled through her pockets and pulled out a handkerchief, her hand trembling slightly as she offered it. “Don’t cry, don’t cry. It’s my fault, okay? Sister Elliris, what on earth is wrong with you today?”
Nino really wanted to curse her own stubborn mouth. Seeing Elliris take the handkerchief and silently wipe her eyes without saying a word made her heart race with even more anxiety.
True sadness isn’t about making a scene.
Nino said in a tone of regret she hadn’t even noticed herself, “I really didn’t say that on purpose… Sister Elliris, why don’t you scold me? I’ve seen you speak quite sharply before. I just… my head got all heated…”
Nino spun around Elliris five times in a frantic dance before finally crouching in front of her. With her own eyes turning red, she said, “Alright, Sister Elliris, please stop crying. How about I make another apple pie for you? Would that work?”
Her prideful tone was gone, replaced by clumsy attempts to please. Nino looked like a white kitten that had realized it caused trouble and could only cautiously show affection to its beloved.
***
“Okay… Nino… I’m sorry. It wasn’t your fault. I’m just really out of it today. I’ve really… been a burden to you.” After a long while, Elliris finally calmed down and replied.
“Nino, it’s fine. Let’s make the apple pie another day. It’s late. Can I squeeze in with you? I’ve really… been a burden.”
Elliris spoke with hollow eyes filled with gloom.
Nino also set aside her pride, finally realizing that Elliris was this despondent because she couldn’t let go of Sophia.
‘Nino, you can protect Sister Elliris in your own way. Believe that you can do it, mm!’
In truth, Nino’s snowfield cottage was quite large, no smaller than Elliris’s house in the Arden Forest.
Inside, the two girls snuggled together and fell asleep.
Elliris was indeed exhausted. Nino turned to look at her, hearing her light, sweet snoring.
The girl with cherry-white hair had a face covered in tear stains. Nino lightly touched her cheek with her fingertip, trying to wipe away the marks.
“Sleep well, Sister Elliris. Nino won’t leave you.” Nino pressed her cherry-pink lips against Elliris’s forehead, her eyes filled with nothing but doting affection and adoration.