Chapter 25: Eyes(2)

“I’ll be back!”
“Don’t go too far, and be careful not to catch a cold! Oh, and give this to Arsene.”

Avalli left the house, carrying the package Envel had given her. Envel had originally planned to go out with her, but…

‘She has to take care of Lucy.’

Lucy had fainted while talking to Avalli earlier. Even after using ‘magic’ to warm her up, she collapsed so easily, suggesting frail health.

‘Why would someone so weak roll around in the snow?’

Perhaps that was precisely why she was drawn to it. People often crave what they lack.

Unaware that she was the reason for Lucy’s snowy mishap, Avalli felt a pang of sympathy as she crossed the snow-covered village. At the entrance, she saw the men busily shoveling snow.

Arsene and Hans were among them, as expected.

“Chief!”

Avalli waved and called out. Arsene, who was directing the workers, turned his head.

“Oh, Avalli. You’re up early.”
“It snowed.”
“Is that heavy? It looks a bit much to carry with one hand.”

Arsene’s words made Avalli realize her display of strength wasn’t typical for a young girl. Flustered, she was about to adjust her grip when Hans appeared beside her and took the package.

“Let me carry that for you. Don’t strain yourself.”
“My, my, Hans. How chivalrous. You’re a real gentleman now.”
“…It’s nothing.”

Hans blushed at Arsene’s teasing, then turned to the villagers and announced,

“Everyone, it’s time to eat!”
“Envel made stew! Let’s warm up and take a break!”

At Arsene’s additional explanation, the workers dropped their shovels and gathered around.

“Can’t say no to Envel’s cooking.”
“Stew? Any meat in it?”
“Oh, did Avalli bring it? Must have been heavy.”

Karls, noticing Avalli standing next to Arsene, addressed her.

“I didn’t just bring it; I helped make it.”

Karls feigned exaggerated surprise.

“Really? I’m looking forward to trying it.”
“Envel unnie said it was great. I bet it’s delicious.”
“Is that right? Hey everyone, it seems we have a new cook in the village! Let’s dig in!”

The village men laughed at Karls’s jest.

Only Hans seemed out of sync with the jovial atmosphere, wearing a strained smile. Perhaps it was a typical adolescent aversion to seeing his parents act playfully in front of his peers.

“I have high expectations, Avalli. Don’t disappoint me, okay? I might be very sad if it’s not good.”
“It won’t disappoint.”

Karls teased, but Avalli puffed out her chest confidently. She had set the bar high, making it more likely the stew would fall short—

“Ooooh…!”
“Wow, seriously?”
“We have a real chef in our midst!”
“Best stew I’ve had all year, no, in the past five years!”
“Katherine’s going to have a fit if she hears that.”
“Leave him be. Karls digging his own grave is a daily occurrence.”

The villagers’ reactions after tasting the stew were explosive. It was the same rabbit stew they always had, nothing out of the ordinary. But today, it tasted like ‘magic’.

They showered Avalli with compliments, eagerly spooning the stew into their mouths. Even Hans, who had seemed out of sorts, was visibly surprised after his first bite.

Avalli seized the opportunity and nudged Hans with her elbow.

“So, Hans?”
“What?”
“Delicious, isn’t it?”
“…It’s pretty good.”

Hans mumbled, and Avalli smiled faintly.

‘He should be more enthusiastic, but…’

Perhaps his awkwardness was part of his charm. Even if Hans had been more effusive in his praise, Avalli would still have seen him as just a kid.

“Where are you going?” Hans asked, pausing briefly from his meal.

“I’m done with my chores, so I’m going out to play.”
“In this weather?”
“There are things you can only do when it snows.”
“…Alone?”
“It was supposed to be four of us. But Envel unnie and the mage can’t go.”

Hans frowned slightly.

“Who are you going with, then?”

He hadn’t received an invitation. Lucy’s absence as a guest was understandable, as was Envel’s, but who was the other person?

“Are you jealous, Hans?”
“It’s not like that—!”
“Yes, it is. You’re still such a kid, getting jealous like this.”
“…A kid?”
“Speak of the devil.”

Hans turned his head at Avalli’s words. A little girl was approaching, leaving small footprints in the snow.

“Avalli unnie!”
“Camelia! Don’t run, be careful!”

Camelia immediately obeyed, carefully treading through the snow. Avalli giggled.

“Still jealous?”
“…Whatever. I’m not talking to you.”
“You’ll be back tomorrow to apologize, though.”
“Oh, come on—!”

Just as Hans was about to yell, Avalli whispered in his ear,

“Come join us later, when you’re done shoveling. The three of us can play together.”
“…”
“Don’t want to?”
“…I didn’t say that.”

Hans mumbled and then continued eating his stew, his head lowered, his face flushed from either the cold or embarrassment.

‘Oops.’

She had resolved not to tease him, but she had done it again without even thinking.

‘Well, I was going to invite him anyway.’

Last night, as the snow began to fall, the four of them—the village chief couple, Avalli, and their guest Lucy—had been chatting about snow and winter. And during that conversation, Avalli realized something was missing. A certain winter tradition didn’t seem to exist in this world.

“Unnie!”
“Camelia!”

Camelia, having approached unnoticed, suddenly jumped on Avalli’s back. Avalli caught her easily, spun around a few times, and then addressed Arsene.

“I’ll be going out for a bit, Chief.”
“Alright, have fun. Be careful not to catch a cold. But what about Envel and Lucy…?”
“Lucy isn’t feeling well, so Envel unnie is taking care of her.”
“I see. I should check on them when we’re finished here.”

That much was common sense in this world.

“That was delicious, Avalli!”
“Next time, you should make it all by yourself, instead of Envel.”
“Arsene’s listening. And you idiot, there’s no way Avalli made all of this by herself. They obviously made it together.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, it is.”

Ignoring the villagers’ banter, Avalli bent her knees slightly.

“Come on, Camelia.”
“Piggyback ride?”
“What, don’t you want one…?”

Perhaps she was treating Camelia too much like a child. Avalli’s voice was slightly hesitant—

“No! I love piggyback rides! You’re the best, unnie!”

It seemed her concern was unwarranted. Camelia’s face was beaming.

“Hold on tight.”
“Okay, unnie!”

After making sure Camelia’s small arms were securely wrapped around her shoulders, Avalli stood up. Camelia wasn’t exactly light, but to Avalli, enhanced by her various traits, she felt as light as a feather.

“Let’s go!”
“Let’s goooo!”

Avalli dashed across the snowfield. The village men let out exclamations of surprise, but she was too fast for them to even hear.

“Wheeee! This is fun!”
“If you get cold, tell me, okay?”
“Okay! Heeheehee!”

Camelia nodded, giggling. They arrived at a clearing a little distance from the village where the children often played. As Avalli gently lowered Camelia to the ground, the little girl said wistfully,

“I wish the other kids were here too.”
“It can’t be helped. It seems everyone but you caught a cold.”
“Camelia never gets sick.”
“So, you get to play with unnie just the two of us today.”

Camelia’s face lit up, and she nodded eagerly.

“Yes! What are we going to play today?”
“Today…”

Avalli paused for a moment, then continued,

“We’re going to build a snowman.”

It was actually Avalli’s first time seeing this much snow, in either world.

‘This will be fun.’

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t excited.

“A snowman?”
“Yes.”

Avalli declared with a bright smile,

“A really big one!”