< 145. Reverberations of Winter >
#145
It was early in the morning when Evelyn Droza opened her eyes. The ceiling I looked up at was unfamiliar. She seemed to have slept for a very long time.
“here is···?”
She slowly lifted her upper body. The blanket covering her body had a cozy smell. The sunlight seeping through the curtains was crossing the room.
The interior was clean. There were rows of thick beds. It was a scene I vaguely remembered. It was clearly the health room at Phileon Academy.
‘Why am I here? I definitely…’
Evelyn frowned. Her memories were sparse and disjointed. In her blizzard, she came across an all-white woman and hugged her, but she couldn’t remember what happened after that. At that time, I heard a familiar voice right next to me.
“Are you coming to your senses?”
“···Senior Erzsebet?”
Evelyn turned her head and widened her eyes. The girl with her sword purple hair was looking down at her with her arms crossed.
The frostbite marks he had made were clearly engraved in the center of his pure white neck. Erzsebet said.
“Hmph, I guess they call me senior.” “You don’t even know what you’ve done, right?”
“Well, that’s… I’m sorry. “What on earth happened? Did I make a mistake?”
“I did. That was a huge mistake too. First of all, please say thank you to this person. “Because he is your benefactor.”
Erzsebet winked. Behind her, a young man she had never seen before stood with his hands in her pockets. His tall height, jet-black hair, and eyes as red as the sunset were impressive. Although she was fierce, she was a very good-looking person. He said as if he was throwing it away.
“Hey, is there any pain?”
“yes? Ah, yes.”
Evelyn nodded quickly. Thank goodness. He muttered and turned his back. Ibelin, who belatedly remembered Erzébet’s words, opened her mouth,
“Um, uh…thank you…!”
But the young man had already left the room. I couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on. However, my guess is that it seemed clear that something major had been done. Erzsebet sighed softly.
“Never mind. “Because that’s the kind of person he is.”
“W-what on earth happened…?”
“I came here to explain that. Now, take it.”
Suddenly she noticed that her hands and feet, which had always been cold, were feeling warm. A prayer that was located in the center of the heart. Her liver sat down in her chair and held out her mug.
“Ji, do you want to tell me directly? No, there is no need for that…”
“It’s noisy. I told you that I still need to calm down, so I just listen quietly. “Are you not going to take it?”
“Ah, ba, I’ll take it. sorry···!”
Evelyn accepted the cup. Hot lemon tea was steaming from inside the mug.
“So, you are the Witch of Winter…”
Erzsebet cleared her throat once and began to tell the story of what had happened over the past year. Ronan, who had been watching from the doorway, opened her mouth.
“I guess we won’t need it, right? “I don’t think I’ll be able to concentrate if a senior comes in.”
“huh. “Eri is very kind.”
Adeshan nodded in agreement. Instead of a long, thick leather coat, she was wearing the martial arts school uniform worn in spring and fall.
As soon as he heard that Eveline had woken up, he rushed over without even combing his hair, but Erzsebet came first and was taking care of her. Ronan shook his head at her.
“What’s funny is that you want to deny it. “I just need to live honestly.”
Aside from helping Schlieffen’s sister before, he was just a good-natured person. Why are you embarrassed about that? She glanced back at Ronan and Ade Shan smiled at her.
“Hehe, that’s similar to someone I know.”
“Who?”
“There is such a person.”
Ronan asked again, but she never told him. Anyway, it was fortunate that Ibelin came to her senses. The two people, who had put their minds at ease, took a step forward. Adeshan asked.
“So, it’s still morning, what are you going to do today?”
“First of all, I want to rest a little more. “I’ve been tormented day and night for a few days and I’m really tired.”
Ronan stuck out his tongue as if he was fed up. During the few days he returned from Rodolan, he traveled to various places and received praise for his achievements. Interrogator Karaka’s detailed testimony acknowledged every single detail of his accomplishments, but on the contrary, it made the job more troublesome.
Even after completing the pilgrimage and returning to Phileon, it was not over. People from all walks of life came to express their gratitude and received an incredible amount of gifts. I could still see the faces of the merchants who were excited to erect a statue of the hero who ended the winter. Ronan said.
“But I’m glad it worked out well.”
“huh. really.”
Evelyn and Asher were found not guilty. It was thanks to Archmage Lorhorn, and no one else, defending him.
Of course, you have a lot of responsibility, and it would be difficult if the talent you want to recruit as a disciple turns out to be a criminal. I thought it would take a lot longer to explain because there were so many things committed, but it was fortunate.
“that’s right. I heard you also received an invitation to the imperial palace. “When are you going?”
“Ah, they say it’s okay as long as you contact me three days in advance.”
“I see. Just tell me roughly when you will be there. “I will try to adjust the time as best as I can.”
“Right on time?”
“huh. “I can’t wear my usual clothes to see His Majesty the Emperor.”
Adeshan said that he would make the clothes for the emperor’s audience. Even though Ronan said there was no need for her, her attitude was firm.
As I left the Gallerion Pavilion, the campus that had belatedly welcomed spring came into view. There was still a slightly cool air around. The chirping of birds could be heard in the hazy daylight.
Fresh wild grass, leaves, and spring flowers that had bloomed for a few days were giving off a fresh scent everywhere. Ronan, yawning profusely, was about to return to her dormitory. She said Ade Shan as she grabbed his sleeve.
“Ronan. “Could you please give me a little bit of time?”
“Huh…huh? What happen?”
“I can’t explain the details… I’ll go and tell you. “It snowed yesterday.”
“eye? Hasn’t it completely become spring now?
“I thought it was like that too, but it rained briefly early yesterday morning. “We have to go before the sun rises.”
Ronan followed her with a tired look on his face. It seemed like it was something very important, as he was holding onto her sleeve tightly and not letting go. What happens again this time?
Ronan walked to the west side of the site, led by Adeshan. Because it was still early in the morning, there were hardly any students walking around the campus.
Well, it’s times like this that the student council president can hang out with a guy like me. As I walked, thinking about various things, I arrived at my destination. Ronan looked up at the familiar hill and shrugged his eyebrows.
“Hill of the Four Seasons?”
It was the hill I climbed with Adeshan before Haeju. I remember leaning on each other’s shoulders and looking at the sunset for a long time. Four trees were growing together in one place.
“It looks like it’s really snowing. “It’s nothing special.”
“huh. “Let’s go up.”
What Adeshan said was true. Perhaps because it is a place with relatively little maintenance, the hill and its surroundings were covered in really white snow.
Adeshan grabbed Ronan’s hand and pulled him. As I got closer to the top, cherry trees in full bloom caught my eye. Come to think of it, she said that at least one flower blooms every season.
They soon reached the top. Ronan turned his head to follow Ade Shan’s finger and froze in place.
In an instant, all the random thoughts floating around in my head flew away. Ade Shan, who smiled as if asking how she was, spoke confidently.
“Remember what I said? “It’s pretty in winter.”
“…If you think about it, it is spring.”
“It snowed. “Today is winter.”
Ronan nodded slowly. Now that I thought about it, I remembered that she had promised to come up with me again when winter came.
This couldn’t be denied. It was a beautiful scenery.
Cherry trees that had bloomed late formed a colony on the east side of the campus. White snowflakes were piled neatly on top of the beautifully blooming light pink petals. The pale blue sun was slowly rising in the distance.
Whiiiiing…! A spring breeze suddenly blew through the trees. Countless flower petals floated in the wind and fluttered with the snow. The two people’s eyes widened.
“Waaah…!”
It seemed like a million butterflies were flying at the same time. When the wind changed direction towards the hill, the flower petals flew towards the two people.
Ronan was absentmindedly admiring the spectacle. Adeshan’s laughter was heard right next to him.
“Ahaha, Ronan, look at this.”
Ronan turned his head. She was balancing herself with her chin lifted so as not to drop the cherry blossom that had landed on the bridge of her nose.
A few snow-covered flower petals were already stuck to her hair, which was as black as the night sky. Ronan, who had been quietly looking at Adeshan, opened her mouth.
“It does look pretty.”
“Hehe, right?”
I probably would never forget this day. The two came down from the hill only after the sun had fully risen. Ronan, who was going down the hill, opened his mouth.
“By the way, thank you for the eternal pearl. Thanks to you, I survived. “You are a hero who saved the world.”
“Yes···? hero?”
“yes. “If it weren’t for that, there might have been a war with the dragons.”
“I’m not sure what that means, but I’m glad it helped.”
Adeshan smiled. Until then, his hands were still clasped. There was no particular reason other than that she wanted to do it.
****
“Hyaaaaa!!”
The incident occurred the next afternoon. A shrill scream echoed through the hallways of the Navardose pavilion. Ronan, who realized that it was Asher’s voice, immediately burst into his door.
“f*ck, what’s going on?”
“Ro, Ronan…! What should I do? “Am I going to become a monster now?”
Asher, dressed in pajamas, was standing in front of a full-length mirror, panting. She was covering her bangs with both hands, as if she had hit her forehead somewhere. Ronan frowned at her.
“What are you talking nonsense all of a sudden?”
“Hey, look at this…!”
Asher slowly removed his hand. Part of the bangs were dyed white and formed a bridge. To her dismay, it was pure white, the exact same color as the witch’s hair. Ronan’s brow furrowed.
“What is this? “You’ll feel bad.”
“Mo, I don’t know. “When I woke up, I was there.”
Asher said, crying. He said he woke up like usual, looked in the mirror, and saw something like this growing on his head. Ronan began examining his head.
“Is this a side effect of being possessed by a witch? Let’s see…”
“Ugh!”
Ronan pulled the hair he was fiddling with. Boop! With a cheerful sound, her pure white hair was pulled out in clumps. Asher curled up, clutching the spot where she had been pulled out.
“Oh, it hurts…!”
“Hey, look at this.”
Pure white hair grew quickly and filled the empty space. Boop! Boop! No matter how many times I pulled it out again, it was the same. Ronan laughed.
“This is ridiculous. “It looks like it will sell for a lot of money, so why not just pull enough to fill one sack?”
“Hey! Ha, don’t do it!”
Asher waved his hand as if to shake it off. At the same time, something cold and sharp passed Ronan’s cheek. Sigh! A sound resounded as if her sword was stabbing wood. Ronan slowly turned his head towards her.
“This···.”
His eyes widened. Ice as sharp as a dagger was embedded deep into the tree. Asher took a deep breath and hurriedly ran over.
“Hey! Ro, Ronan. are you okay?!”
“You bastard…!”
A drop of blood flowed from the spot where I had grazed, but now was not the time to worry about such things. White cold air was slowly seeping out of the ice.
The wall made of stone was slowly turning into ice. It was very similar to the ice that the Winter Witch used to handle. Ronan asked.
“Can you use ice now?”
“Well, that is…”
“men and horses. Tell me straight. This is outright attempted murder. “You don’t want to be ‘taken off and kicked out into the hallway’, right?”
“Hi! Oh no! In fact, it wasn’t long after I returned…”
Asher hesitated and continued his explanation. It was the morning after his return from Lodolan that he realized his new power. He tried it, wondering if he had any strength left, but ice had indeed appeared.
“Then did you do it to make it snow yesterday?”
“Yes···. that’s right. “I was so scared… I couldn’t tell anyone.”
Asher hesitated and answered. I’ve heard that sometimes there are magicians who acquire new attributes, but this felt a bit different. Rather, it was similar to himself, who accidentally created the core by absorbing Vajra’s power.
By the way, the minister showed up yesterday thanks to this guy. Ronan laughed and lightly flicked Asher’s nose with his finger.
“Ugh!”
“good. “Then I will forgive you.”
“Uuuh… thank you… but why all of a sudden…?”
“Thanks to you, something fun happened.”
Ronan laughed. Actually, the attempted murder was just a joke, and it didn’t feel bad at all.
I was so happy that I wanted to have a banquet with expensive alcohol. He was already a man with fraudulent telekinetic powers, but if he could utilize the Winter Witch’s abilities together, it would be an incredibly powerful force.
-smart.
At that time, a knock on the door was heard from behind. Ronan turned her head. I thought some idiot was knocking on the open door, but a familiar face was standing there. Schlieffen, whose eyes met Ronan’s, opened her mouth.
“It was quite noisy. “What’s going on?”
Judging by the serious expression on his face, he must have been quite upset because he suddenly heard a scream. Ronan motioned for us to go.
“Ah, you don’t have to worry. It’s a good thing. “Go and finish your business.”
It would not be too late to gather everyone in the club and inform them about Sergeant Lee. Schlieffen slowly shook his head.
“I didn’t come specifically for the sound, Ronan. “I happened to stop by while I was looking for you.”
“ok?”
“I need you to come with me right now.”
The voice was serious. He was always like that, but today was somehow different. Should I say that I look a little nervous? Ronan tilted her head.
“What’s going on?”
“This is a call from Instructor Nabi Rose. “I see you have something to say about the Festival of Swords.”
