After the battle, everyone gathered around the carriage to stretch and catch their breath.
The monster’s corpse still lay nearby, a silent reminder of the fight, but the mood had noticeably lightened.
Sua wiped the sweat from her forehead, finally relaxing.
“Haah… It’s been a while since I got a proper fight in! Feels so good to move like that again!”
But Uncle Alex shook his head in exasperation and grumbled.
“I hated it. Hero, you still haven’t fixed that habit of charging in by yourself. Ugh, I’m always stuck cleaning up after you.”
Hearing that, Sua scoffed and shot him a smug grin.
“Hah! Then maybe you should get stronger! Rushing in is my specialty, you know.”
“Oh, sure, and because of your ‘specialty,’ I ended up covered in bruises again.”
Uncle Alex crossed his arms and scowled, while Sua pouted.
“Well, if it weren’t for me, the fight would’ve been over ages ago! You should be thanking me!”
“Hah. We would’ve won faster without all your reckless stunts.”
The two glared at each other and started bickering all over again.
Watching them, Harp let out a tired sigh.
“When will those two ever stop? Honestly, their pointless squabbling is more exhausting than the battle itself.”
Liel tilted her head and asked.
“But… why was a monster like that here? You don’t usually see creatures of that rank in a place like this.”
Harp nodded in agreement.
“Yeah. That thing was at least an A-rank monster. Normally, you wouldn’t find them near small villages…”
Amel examined the corpse for a moment before shaking her head.
“I don’t know. No matter how I think about it, there’s no logical reason for a creature like this to be here.”
“Well, whatever the case, it’s taken care of,”
Uncle Alex said, brushing off the concern.
“If another one shows up, we’ll just finish the job faster next time.”
With that, we pushed aside our lingering doubts and climbed back into the carriage.
The wheels rolled smoothly over the path as we resumed our journey through the forest.
Before long, the scenery outside began to change.
The once lush green trees now held a delicate layer of white on their branches.
Snow had begun to settle along the roadside, covering the undergrowth in a soft, icy blanket.
The wind grew colder, sending a faint chill creeping into the carriage.
“We’re really starting to feel the north now,” Liel remarked, gazing out the window.
Sua pressed her hand against the glass and stared out at the snowy landscape.
“Wow! Seeing the snow piling up like this really makes it feel like an adventure! I’m actually getting excited!”
Harp pulled her cloak tighter around herself and spoke calmly.
“Snow is beautiful, but soon enough, the cold will start to bother us. We should be prepared.”
I gazed at the snowy landscape outside, lost in thought.
The snow-covered forest path looked like a gateway to another world.
I couldn’t help but wonder what awaited us on this journey—what challenges we would face and what kind of future lay ahead.
The carriage continued forward, slow but steady, carving its way north through the frozen land.
After a long and tiresome journey, we finally arrived at the northern village.
At the heart of the settlement stood a large wooden inn, its roof and window frames blanketed in thick layers of snow.
Flurries still drifted from the sky, and though the wind was cold, it wasn’t harsh.
As the carriage came to a stop, Amel secured the reins and turned to us.
“This is the inn we’ll be staying at. We’ll rest here for the night and head to the frontlines tomorrow.”
One by one, we climbed out of the carriage.
As soon as my feet touched the ground, I heard the familiar crunch of snow beneath my boots.
It had been a while since I last heard that sound—it was oddly satisfying.
Sua followed me down, scooping up a handful of snow.
“Whoa, it’s still as soft and cold as I remember.”
Liel stepped onto the snow-covered ground, her eyes widening in wonder.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much snow before…”
Harp lightly pressed her foot into the snow, listening to the sound it made before nodding.
“The sound is pleasant, but I can’t say I like it. It’s cold. Let’s hurry inside.”
But Sua had no intention of going in just yet.
Kneeling in the snow, she eagerly started packing a snowball.
“Come on, Harp! With this much snow, wouldn’t it be a waste to go inside right away?”
And before anyone could stop her—
Thwack!
Her snowball hit Uncle Alex square in the back.
“Hey! Sua, what are you doing?!”
Uncle Alex spun around in surprise, while Sua grinned mischievously, already forming another snowball.
“Snowball fight! Hey, Baldy, are you ready to face my merciless snow attacks?!”
With Sua’s surprise attack, the battle escalated quickly.
Liel hesitated for a moment, then carefully formed a snowball and.
Threw it right at Sua.
“Take this, Sua!”
“Wha—?! Liel, you’re my enemy too?! Fine, time to counterattack!”
Harp sighed.
“…I knew this would happen.”
Yet, before long, even she was forming snowballs, subtly enhancing them with a touch of magic before throwing them.
Liel, after getting hit, shook the snow off her hair and called out.
“Teacher! Are you not joining?”
Laughing, I packed a snowball in my hands.
“I was just about to throw one. Here, Liel, catch!”
And just like that, we all got swept up in the snowball fight.
The snowy field turned into a battlefield of laughter and flying snow, our voices echoing through the cold air.
Even Uncle Alex, despite getting hit multiple times, couldn’t stop grinning.
In the end, there were no winners—only allies covered in snow from head to toe as we finally retreated into the inn.
The cold lingered on our skin, but our faces were bright with joy.
Stepping inside, we were greeted by the warmth of a crackling fireplace.
After warming up with the innkeeper’s hearty stew, we dusted off the melting snow and prepared to head to our rooms.
To our surprise, Amel had arranged individual rooms for everyone.
“Wait, we each get our own room?”
Sua’s eyes sparkled.
“We’re not all sleeping in the same one?”
“That’s right,” Amel answered with a smug grin.
“The journey to the north is exhausting, so I made sure you’d all get proper rest.”
Liel clutched her key with delight.
“A private room… My own space… It’s been so long.”
Harp twirled her key between her fingers.
“…Not bad. I might actually get a peaceful night’s sleep for once.”
Uncle Alex chuckled as he took his key and glanced at Amel.
“Didn’t expect you to go out of your way for us. You’re a better sibling than I thought.”
“Hmph. Of course. Who do you think raised me?” Ellie scoffed playfully.
As we all made our way to our rooms, we exchanged goodnights.
“Sleep well, everyone! See you in the morning!”
“Yes, you too, Teacher!”
After stepping into my room, I closed the door and let out a small sigh, scanning my surroundings.
The room was neat, bathed in the gentle glow of warm lighting.
Wooden furniture added a cozy atmosphere, and outside the window, snow continued to fall.
Sitting on the bed, I wiggled my toes absentmindedly, lost in thought.
“Come to think of it… It’s been a while since I was alone like this.”
At the orphanage, I was always surrounded by the children.
Most of my memories involved being with someone.
Having a space entirely to myself felt… strange.
I walked to the window and gazed out at the snowy scenery.
The quiet village streets, covered in white, and the stillness of the inn filled me with a rare sense of peace.
What kind of day will tomorrow bring?
As I let my thoughts drift, the fatigue of the day gradually melted away.
Slipping under the blankets, I felt the warmth spread around me.
Even if my time alone was brief, it was valuable.
Just as I was about to drift off.
Knock, knock.
A sudden knock echoed through my once-quiet room.
I blinked, sitting up.
“…Who could that be at this hour?”
Curious, I approached the door and turned the handle.
The sight that greeted me was… unexpected.
Standing there in a neat row were Sua, Liel, and Harp—each of them holding a book.
I raised an eyebrow.
“…What are you all doing here?”
Instead of answering, Sua simply held up the book and wiggled it in front of me.
The title on the cover, written in large, bold letters, read.
“The Day the Lilies Bloomed.”
The book’s worn leather cover showed clear signs of aging, its once-bright pages now yellowed with time.
I glanced at the book, then back at the girls.
“…So? What’s this about?”
No one spoke.
They just stared at me.
Then, in a completely unexpected move.
Sua grabbed both of my legs.
“Wha—?!”
Before I could react, Harp seized my left arm, and Liel locked onto my right.
In a matter of seconds, I was completely pinned down by the three of them.
“W-Wait, what’s happening?! Why are you doing this?!”
I panicked and tried to wriggle free, but the girls showed no hesitation—firmly steering me toward the bed.
“Please stay still, Teacher.”
Harp’s voice was calm yet unwavering.
“That’s right. It’s better if you don’t struggle.”
Liel added with a sweet smile.
“Alright, straight to the bed we go!”
Sua declared, tightening her grip.
“H-Hey! Wait! What are you doing?!”
But with all three of them working together, I didn’t stand a chance.
Before I knew it—I was flung onto the bed.
The soft mattress cushioned my fall as I landed with a muffled thump.
Satisfied, Sua nodded to herself.
“Tonight, Teacher, you’re joining us for something bad.”