The current scene was extremely awkward. Neither Elliris nor Nino was willing to back down.
However, Nino had indeed provoked this incident, and she was piercing right through Elliris’s most recent weakness.
The chill from the **[Freezing Spell]** began to seep into Elliris, making her body feel cold.
Nino was bound, but her hands and feet could still move slightly. For now, it seemed both sides were holding back.
“Ugh… it’s so cold. Nino, I hate you the most!” Elliris’s eyes were filled with frustration. Her chest was tight with anger as she spoke words she didn’t truly mean.
“Hate me? You’re just a little princess who won’t grow up. You’re a dummy who can only cry the moment your sister leaves your side.” Nino was lying on the ground, unable to move freely, but her mouth was still running wild.
“Heh, it seems I can’t communicate with a tag-along right now. Fine, have it your way. I am a little princess who won’t grow up, and now this princess’s temper is flaring. I’m going to teach this tag-along a proper lesson.”
With that, Elliris’s light binding tightened even more. Nino felt her breathing begin to grow labored.
“Ugh… it hurts! Elliris, are you trying to strangle me?!” Nino no longer cared about social standing or hierarchy, questioning Elliris with a sharp, accusatory tone.
‘Fine, let’s hurt each other. Who’s afraid of who?’
Sure enough, things weren’t going well on Elliris’s side either. Seeing the situation, Nino extended two fingers and channeled her mana. Ice crystals climbed directly up Elliris’s thighs, freezing everything from her waist down.
If the **[Freezing Spell]** continued to spread upward, Elliris would truly achieve the achievement of being frozen and unable to take a bath…
This farce was on the verge of escalating into an uncontrollable situation. Rachel, who was far away at the Resistance headquarters handling affairs, was completely unaware.
Who would have thought that this silly spat would turn into a situation where they were genuinely hurting one another?
“Nino!! You’re still fighting back, aren’t you? I’ll make it even tighter so you can’t even move your fingers. I’ll shut you up while I’m at it!” In her fury, Elliris was close to losing her reason as she issued a final ultimatum to Nino.
Agitated and angry, Elliris directly activated the Divine Mark on her forehead. The binding light began to crawl up Nino’s cheeks, intending to silence her.
But just as the beam reached Nino’s neck, Nino could no longer control her emotions and burst into a loud wail.
“Waaaaah! You win! You win, okay?! Nino hates Sister Elliris the most!” Nino’s nose was twitching uncontrollably. Seeing this, Elliris hurriedly withdrew her magic.
“Sob… Sister Elliris only ever has eyes for Sister Sophia. Nino is always just brushed aside… wahhh…”
Nino’s shoulders were shaking violently. Her eyes were completely bloodshot as she released all the restraints on Elliris.
Elliris wasn’t heartless. She immediately released the light binding magic on Nino. However, in comparison, Elliris’s body was fine, while Nino was in a miserable state. The thin lines of light magic had left bloody welts across her joints.
It was no longer possible to point out who was right or wrong in this farce. To an outsider, only Nino was crying, making it look like it was all Elliris’s fault.
The firewood in the small cabin’s fireplace crackled as it burned. Having calmed down slightly, Nino sat up with her back to Elliris.
“Sister Elliris, Sister Sophia entrusted me with a task. I will protect you like family. Please, give me the warmth of a family member in return,” Nino said. “Nino doesn’t dream of becoming someone else or replacing anyone. I won’t have any improper thoughts. I only ask that Sister Elliris looks at me a little more…”
Nino’s voice was tight, and her deliberately raised tone hid a slight tremble.
Elliris didn’t say a word. She simply stepped forward gently and handed a white handkerchief to Nino from behind.
She had cast a calming spell on the handkerchief, which carried a faint scent of lavender. The white-haired girl knelt down next to the red-eyed girl, using her fingertips to gently brush Nino’s reddened eyes, wiping away the tear stains.
“Stop crying, Nino. You were right. Thank you for making me calm down when I was at my most lost.”
Nino turned her head away, trying to stop Elliris from wiping her tears, though droplets still hung from her long eyelashes.
She stubbornly bit her lower lip, unwilling to let any more tears fall. “Who’s crying? It just hurt so much I couldn’t take it… don’t think I’m a crybaby like you.”
Nino raised her hand to gently push Elliris’s hand away, but she no longer had the aggression she displayed during their earlier spat.
“Being stubborn isn’t the same as being brave, Nino. Today was my fault; it was because I failed to value your feelings. Yes, it was my self-centeredness that made you worry. I’m sorry, Nino.”
Elliris’s voice was as soft as a marshmallow.
These words were like a warm current in winter, instantly collapsing the last line of defense for the tsundere girl. She could no longer hold back her tears. Taking Elliris’s embroidered handkerchief, her tears fell one by one, blooming into a small wet patch.
“I just… felt that if Sister Elliris really hated me, what would I do?” Her voice began to choke up, but she still wanted to speak her mind. “If Sister Elliris really hated me, Nino might really find a place where no one could find her…”
“I can’t even do the things Sister Sophia told me to do. Nino is really anxious… if I can’t even do this little thing, will Sister Elliris think… I’m useless?”
Elliris gently patted her back. Her fingertips emitted particles of light healing mana, healing the bloody welts on Nino’s body.
The holy light from the **[Light Healing Magic]** sensed their mutual emotions. Elliris lowered her head and whispered softly into Nino’s ear.
“Silly Nino. In my heart, you will always be the most powerful Ice Mage—no one can replace your position.”
Hearing this, Nino gripped the handkerchief infused with calming magic and cried even harder, yet she no longer hid her fragile side from Elliris.
Inside the small cabin, the figures of the two girls embracing looked exceptionally warm under the light of the fireplace.
“Silly Nino, stop crying… if you cry so hard, I won’t be able to hold it in either…” Elliris furrowed her brows slightly, her own eyes turning red.
She took a deep breath, trying to suppress her urge to cry. Then she said, “Nino, we both have to be well. We’ll support each other. In the days to come, we have to protect one another.”
Leaning into Elliris’s arms, Nino buried her cheek in the other girl’s shoulder, which smelled of lavender. Her tears soaked a wet patch into Elliris’s shoulder.
In a slurred, sobbing voice, Nino replied, “Okay… Sister… Elliris.”
The farce finally came to an end. The quarreling and fighting had, instead of damaging their relationship, strengthened the bond of friendship between the senior and junior.
—
The two girls rested for two days. Under Elliris’s utmost cooperation and alchemical guidance, Nino finished all the necessary preparations.
Elliris had put on Nino’s thick snow boots and a thick velvet dress, topped with a heavy cloak. Fortunately, the two of them were about the same size, so Elliris had no issues wearing them.
But was it really okay? A faint scent of osmanthus wafted from the thick cloak. It was likely the scent of the shampoo Nino frequently used.
‘Yesterday’s warm pajamas, plus today’s clothes… they are all things Nino usually wears close to her body. Could it be…’
Thinking of this, Elliris’s gaze flickered shyly, and the tips of her ears turned red and hot.
“Sister Elliris, what’s wrong?” Nino asked, tilting her head in confusion.
“Nothing! Nothing! I was just sitting by the fireplace this morning. I got a little hot, so my face is just flushed from the heat, hahaha!” Elliris made up an excuse.
In a pleasant atmosphere, the two girls shouldered their respective packs.
The two of them were about to start a new adventure! Toward the Snowfield Cave, they set off!