Winter’s Retreat, Dreams, and Lingering Doubts

Snowflakes drifted gracefully over Loran Forest, their crystalline forms blanketing the landscape.

King Utasa and King Toxic led their respective kin, trudging through the deep snow, step by weary step, towards the northwest.

Ever since the Church had dispatched forces to annihilate them, their once-thriving tribes had been decimated, with seven out of ten members lost.

Only now did they truly comprehend the formidable power of humanity.

They were too weak. Far too weak.

‘If only they could become stronger…’

King Toxic, dragging his injured body, swayed as he walked, his voice weak as he questioned Utasa: “Are we truly abandoning the homes our ancestors have lived in for generations this time?”

“This is not abandonment,” Utasa rumbled, only one horn remaining on his head; the other had been severed in battle by a human. Though he had torn that human to shreds, regrowing his horn would take time. He touched the stump, a symbol of his humiliation, and spoke gravely.

“This concession is for the future survival of our tribes. My kin have spoken of an experimental facility in the northwest called Bikmar, though it was shut down twenty years ago.”

“Yet, rumors suggest an anti-human individual has been conducting secret experiments there for years. This person frequently attacks Church members, clearly a complete madman. I believe we could form an alliance with them…”

King Toxic glanced back at his dispirited kin, each one wounded, lost, and helpless.

“We’ll discuss it when we arrive,” it hesitated. “My kin are too exhausted; they need to rest first. The war with humans should be put on hold for now.”

A complex light flickered in Utasa’s eyes as he sighed deeply. “Indeed… after enduring this catastrophe, our kin have likely lost the courage to fight humans.”

“The Church is terrifying. Humans… they are terrifying.”

King Toxic’s downcast gaze held no desire for battle, his voice barely a whisper.

Witnessing the once proud Cat Demon leader beside him, and recalling the brutal annihilation by the Church, the sacrificed kin, and the harrowing escape, Utasa threw his head back and let out a roar towards the sky.

“Moo—!”

****

Snow settled gently on the eaves of a wooden house in Green Village.

Old Jenny spread out the freshly washed quilts, hanging them neatly on the clothesline in the yard.

Even after three months back in Green Village, she still found these days somewhat unsettling. There was a quiet loneliness about them.

She rubbed her hands, stiff from the cold water, hoping the friction between her calloused palms might generate some warmth.

‘It’s getting colder and colder. I wonder how Roland and the others are faring…’

She gazed towards Mondstadt, though the city was obscured by a range of hills, its precise appearance hidden from view.

She watched for a long while, as if her sight could pierce through countless peaks, settling on someone thousands of meters away.

Withdrawing her distant gaze, she grasped the corner of the wooden basin, pouring the now icy water into a small ditch. Then, bracing her body with her aching, aged back, she clutched the basin’s edge with both hands, dragging it step by laborious step towards the house.

Without the help of younger hands, physical labor had become a significant challenge for her.

Finally inside, she closed the door, sealing out the frigid air. She let out a relieved sigh, about to light the fireplace for warmth.

“Ah, I forgot…” She stared at the few remaining logs in the hearth, frustrated, and gently thumped her lower back. “The firewood for warmth hasn’t been chopped yet. That Roland, honestly…”

The name, instinctively called out, caught in her throat. Old Jenny chuckled at her own expense, chiding her failing memory.

Pushing the door open once more, the biting cold air rushed to embrace her. It felt even colder outside now.

“Oh, winter is truly troublesome.” She walked to the corner of the yard, retrieved the axe stuck in a wooden block, and picked up a thick log from the ground, placing it on the block. “Such a bother~”

Gripping the axe handle with both hands, she swung it down the middle of the log. The dry, hard wood split cleanly in two. After chopping for a considerable time, she carried a stack of firewood into the house.

Watching the flickering flames, she exhaled, placing her frozen hands before the hearth.

“Warm, so warm.” The mist of her breath mingling with the golden glow of the fire slowly calmed her heart. Turning to the oven where something was baking, she licked her lips, thinking of a certain glutton.

‘They don’t have much money with them. I wonder what they’re eating now? Should I send them some supplies next time I go to Mondstadt?’

‘Perhaps sending things isn’t the most crucial part. Last time I visited their lodging, it was simply too dilapidated. Could anyone truly live in such a place?’

‘Maybe I should just tell Roland and the others to give up on that exam…’

‘Ah, but that probably won’t do. He’s been preparing for this exam for a long time. And after he learned about his father’s situation, he’s unlikely to be content with a peaceful life anymore, especially with the destiny of a Hero.’

She quietly watched the yellow flames dance in the fireplace, and images from the past slowly surfaced in her mind—days before Roland’s magic awakened.

An infant swaddled in blankets, a toddler taking their first steps, a child babbling their first words, a mischievous and bright boy, an outgoing and curious teenager, a clumsy, slow-witted fool…

Memories, like fleeting years, circled back, finally settling on the image of a back, holding a sword with both hands, standing defiant before a monstrous beast.

‘How handsome he looked. Without realizing it, this child has grown so much.’

From a swaddled infant, he had matured into a man capable of protecting his family. From a child who clung to her hand, he now bore a mission to find his kin.

Rubbing her calloused palms, Old Jenny’s face softened into a smile. The warm firelight reflected on her features, and she savored her own quiet pride.

A knock sounded at the door. Old Jenny added another dry log to the fireplace, then rose to open it.

“It’s you.” She greeted her old acquaintance, warmly ushering him inside. “Would you like some tea?”

Village Chief Roan patted the snowflakes from his shoulders, nodding shyly. He glanced at the somewhat spartan furnishings inside the house. “Phew—the snow outside is truly cold… are Roland and the others still in Mondstadt?”

“Yes, still in Mondstadt. He said he wants to take the magic academy’s entrance exam.” Old Jenny placed the iron teapot on the heated kang, lighting the firewood beneath it. “Hehe… young people, it’s good for them to have ambitions.”

“Hahaha, that’s good, that’s good. He is your son, after all.” Roan chuckled, rubbing his hands together. “Will they be back for the New Year festival?”

“The exam will be over by then. What else would they do but come back?” Old Jenny took a pinch of tea leaves and poured them into the teapot. “They wouldn’t dare not to.”

“It’s good if they can come back; I’ll feel more at ease. You are over forty, after all, and living alone can be inconvenient.” Roan coughed, bringing a hand to his mouth. “If you ever need help with anything, just tell me. As village chief, I have an obligation to serve the villagers.”

Seemingly catching the subtle implication in his words, Old Jenny was amused and laughed. She rested one hand on the kang wall and the other on her hip, a smile gracing her face as she replied, “Still haven’t given up?”

‘Since that person hasn’t returned anyway.’

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Roan said, his face flushing slightly as he clasped his hands in front of his chest. “I’m merely fulfilling my duties as village chief.”

“The village chief has such duties?” Old Jenny poured the now hot tea into two cups, placed them on a tray, and offered it to him. “Didn’t I tell you? There’s no need to always focus your thoughts on me. If you had truly tried to pursue other women, you would have settled down by now.” She pointed to the slightly yellow tea. “Be careful, it’s hot.”

Roan tested the temperature by touching the side of the cup, then looked up at Old Jenny, pursing his lips. “That’s none of your concern. I’ve grown accustomed to it over the years.”

Shaking her head helplessly, Old Jenny had long grown accustomed to this stubbornness, decades in the making. Roan was truly like an unyielding stone, impossible to persuade.

‘Actually, if you had been a bit more handsome back then, I might have considered you. What a pity…’

The tea had cooled to a drinkable temperature. Roan swallowed the slightly bitter liquid, exhaled contentedly, and straightened up. “Well, I just came to check on you. It’s getting late, so I should head back.”

“Such a rush?”

“Not really. It’s just that everyone in Green Village has just returned, and I plan to check in with each of them.” He looked at Old Jenny. “So, I truly am just performing my duties today; I’m not lying to you.”

“Hahaha, alright.” Old Jenny nodded, glancing at the snowflakes dancing outside, then at the almost-finished oven. She hesitated for a moment before calling out to Roan, who was heading for the door.

“What is it?”

“Didn’t you say you were fulfilling your duties as village chief? Well, I have a favor to ask.” Old Jenny walked to the oven and opened its door. Immediately, warm, fragrant steam wafted out, filling the air with a delicious aroma. “I made too much fruit pie. Take half with you. Or… you could eat it all before you leave.”

Roan looked at Old Jenny, who wore a half-smile, and swallowed. “Then I’ll eat it all before I leave. It’s dinnertime, and the villagers probably have a lot to do, so I won’t disturb them for now.”

“Only for eating, don’t think too much.”

Old Jenny subtly acknowledged his unspoken meaning and presented the steaming fruit pie on the table.

As Roan gazed at the warm pie, a hint of joy touched his lips. The snowflakes outside no longer seemed so cold.

‘At least, I’m having a meal with her.’

‘That’s good enough.’

****

Snow piled upon the cross atop a church roof in Mondstadt, forming a pristine white symbol.

“The money is almost enough.”

Mary lay on her bed, counting the coins she had saved for over a decade in her small wooden box, a thrill of excitement bubbling within her.

“Hehe, it’s enough for me to live frugally for a whole year~”

She clenched her small hand into a fist, punching the air, her cute nose crinkling as she imagined the detestable Priest Kilian before her.

“Hmph, you won’t let me take the entrance exam? Dream on! I absolutely will! Don’t think being a priest gives you the right to control me! Who wants to be a nanny for life, at your beck and call? Who wants to be a nun, serving some broken God of Light forever? Honestly, those people stuck in churches and monasteries must be brainwashed fools, aren’t they? They don’t go out and see the wonderful world, just stay cooped up in one place all day.”

“Once I learn magic, I’ll register with the Mage’s Guild, and then the entire continent will be mine to roam freely~” She fantasized blissfully about her future life. “Then I’ll meet a handsome companion—oh no, two, three… that might be too many… Never mind, I’ll take them all! Hehe~”

“Ma-ryyy—”

“Can’t you get my name right, you idiot!” Mary yelled impatiently towards the outside. “What now?!”

“I really did get it right this time,” Kilian’s voice sounded a little aggrieved. “Why didn’t you make dinner?”

“Oh, come on, can one missed meal really starve you to death?” Mary put away her small wooden box, walking out impatiently. “Honestly, honestly! Can’t that little bit of fat on your body sustain you for a while…?”

****

The snow fell faster, piling up denser.

Night descended with the snow, and tranquility blanketed the earth with the evening’s hues.

Beneath this vast blanket of white, both the great and the humble dreamt their final dreams before the arrival of dawn.

Old Jenny dreamt of the Jona Golden Fruit Pie tree and familiar faces.

King Utasa closed his weary eyes beneath a giant tree, while King Toxic leaned against his body. Both dreamt of the peaceful times their tribes once knew.

Mary hugged her pillow, dreaming of adventuring outside with a handsome male companion.

Meanwhile, in a dilapidated inn, Roland gazed at Freya, who slept deeply in his arms, unable to find sleep himself.

He reached out, gently stroking her snowy white hair, a wave of inexpressible melancholy washing over his heart.

Three months had passed, and this individual had shown no particular signs of abnormality; she seemed to have become a perfectly normal human. What was he supposed to do next? Was he to simply stay by her side indefinitely, ensuring she wouldn’t harm anyone?

‘Honestly, the “wedding” she orchestrated back in Green Village was utterly unconventional. Under imperial law, it wouldn’t even be valid, as it requires at least one priest as a witness.’

‘So, in a true sense, he and this person couldn’t be considered husband and wife. If they weren’t, what obligation did he have to remain by her side?’

“Mmm… don’t steal my food…”

Freya smacked her lips, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.

Roland couldn’t help but let the corner of his mouth curl into a slight smile.

“We’ll see,” he murmured. “Perhaps after the exam, I can use a new title for you.” His body, almost instinctively, leaned down to press a kiss on Freya’s forehead. “Demon Lord Freya, my classmate.”