The day after arriving at the villa, it snowed a little. The ridgeline stretching along the mountainside sparkled white as it reflected the sunlight.

I got dressed and went outside. I wrapped the scarf I had diligently knitted around my neck and put on gloves. It was full preparation for playing in the snow.

The winter air was refreshing. When I breathed in, its characteristic dry and cold smell filled my lungs.

Though Camelli has forests, fields, and wide gardens, it was a city embracing a castle. A place where maids treated me with extreme care as if I might fly away if they blew on me or break if they held me, and countless eyes were directed at me.

But this place was slightly different. Though many people still attended to Rashid and me, because the building was smaller and surrounded by mountains, my heart felt more at ease.

So I happily made a snowman. Just as I was about to attach two round snowballs that I had rolled together, Rashid came out of the villa looking for me.

“What are you doing?”

“Look at this.”

I said while sticking twigs into the snowball to make arms. The eyes gleamed with winter tree berries.

“I made it.”

“Why did you make it?”

“Why…… isn’t it cute?”

Rashid openly showed an expression of incomprehension.

“Haven’t you ever made one?”

“No.”

“Even when you were young?”

“Well. I don’t remember.”

The children of great nobles must have had it tough. They must have played with dignity from childhood. Come to think of it, I can’t really imagine Rashid playing in the snow. Even if it was his childhood self.

Though I heard he was quite cute and lively back then, this kind of simple play seems to have been far from him.

“Then let’s make one together.”

“Must we.”

“We must!”

He asked if we really had to, and I answered that we really had to.

“It’s your first time making a snowman.”

“……”

“If we do it now, you’ll have a memory of making a snowman with me. It’s important to try things you’ve never done before.”

“Is that so.”

He stood askew with his arms crossed. Looking closely, his clothes were insufficient. Even his outer garments didn’t look very thick.

I unwrapped my scarf and put it around his neck. The deep red scarf suited him better than me.

“Yes. Then when you come back to this villa someday, won’t you remember? No, you can recall it just when winter comes and snow falls.”

Would such memories comfort Rashid too? It would be nice if we could overlay small but gentle times over sad memories. However, I know memories don’t get modified that way.

Rashid tossed one end of the scarf I had put on him over his shoulder.

“A winter spent with you?”

“A winter spent with me.”

He bent down and picked up a handful of snow. Then he pressed it slightly to pack it, and threw it at me.

“Huh…?”

The loose snowball hit my chest and crumbled with a soft sound. Having suddenly been hit by snow, I was momentarily dazed, wondering what had just happened.

“What are you doing?!”

“I’ve never had a snowball fight either.”

He packed another small snowball.

“That kind of memory seems nice too.”

Then once again, thump.

Though anyone could see he was going easy on me when throwing, I was just bewildered.

Not wanting to lose to him, I frantically packed snow and threw it. Rashid very easily dodged the snowball that drew a sloppy parabola through the air.

“Hmngg……”

Frustrated by that, a groan escaped through my teeth. I gave up on packing snowballs and instead scattered snow from the ground like scooping it up, then ran away.

“Really now.”

Rashid chuckled and followed me. At first, he seemed to have the mindset of ‘let’s see how far you’ll go,’ just slowly walking while following behind.

But after I scattered snow again, then ran hard to avoid him again, Rashid’s thoughts seemed to change a bit too.

“Stop. Stay right there.”

“No.”

“I said stop.”

I pretended not to hear and kept running. My feet almost slipped on the snowy path.

“Alisa.”

Rashid caught up in a single stride.

“Don’t come!”

Though I tried my best to escape, it was useless. It seemed like he just took a few long strides, but my body was very easily caught by him.

“Eek!”

“Don’t run. It’s dangerous.”

“Yes……”

I obediently surrendered myself to his hands like a deflated child.

We had gotten quite far from the villa by now. Looking from afar, there was a rooster-shaped weathervane on the villa’s pointed roof.

A white bird crossed my view of that rooster.

My head turned following the bird. Only then did I notice Terde’s forest.

Silver-white birch trees spread along the path. Snow was layered thick on the thin branches and a squirrel climbed up the dry trunk. It was a beautiful and peaceful scene.

“Aren’t you cold?”

Rashid asked.

“We seem to have been outside too long. We should go in now.”

“Let’s stay just a little longer.”

He cupped my cheek. It was warm. Even though he wasn’t wearing gloves and had touched snow with bare hands. It was amazing.

“Your body is saying it doesn’t want to.”

“Winter is always cold. That’s what makes it winter.”

After saying that, I slowly walked toward the forest with swaying steps. The sound of crunching came from stepping on the untouched snow. Rashid’s footsteps following me also crunched. How cute that this huge, dark man’s footsteps could be like this. Crunch crunch. I rolled the word around in my mouth and ended up laughing softly.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Just…… just because.”

I gave a silly answer to Rashid’s question and laughed again.

“Is this your first time here?”

“Yes. Unless it’s for recreation, there’s no other reason to come.”

“Then if not for this time, you might never have come.”

“I wouldn’t have.”

Then he came because of me.

A memory created because of me, one that wouldn’t have existed if not for me.

A winter spent with me.

Even when the day comes that I’m not by his side, he might remember today when winter comes, thinking ‘There was such a time.’

Just as one can guess camellia flowers will bloom soon when the passing breeze turns cold, someday when the world turns white, he might think it’s time to play in the snow. And perhaps recall the person who first played in the snow with him.

Thinking that made me feel quite good.

Rashid, who had been walking slightly behind, came beside me and held my hand.

“So I don’t lose you.”

I nodded.

“How was the inspection?”

“Just did what needed to be done.”

“Killing demonic beasts?”

“That too. Didn’t I tell you it was much easier because of the sword you gave me?”

“It’s amazing that it was that good.”

“While we do directly hunt and kill demonic beasts, it’s more efficient to cut off demonic energy before they appear in the first place. That sword was quite suitable for that.”

To think that impulse-bought sword was so useful. It was incredibly cost-effective. My heart swelled with pride at the excellent review.

We walked around the forest like that, sharing various small talk. Though they were all trivial conversations, it was enjoyable.

After the birch trees ended, evergreens continued. Winter flowers bloomed here and there within sight. Walking along the path made by the villa’s caretakers following the signposts, I became a little happier.

After walking around the forest like that, when it felt like we had walked enough and seen enough, Rashid suddenly stopped. I also stopped in place following him.

Then, with pattering footsteps, something burst out from the other side of the forest.

“Ah!”

When I was startled by the sudden appearance, Rashid pulled me behind his back. He seemed to have sensed this presence beforehand.

I peeked out to see what had appeared.

It was a small white deer. The snow-white animal shone silver as it reflected the sunlight with a bluish tint.

“Oh my.”

I let out an exclamation without realizing it.

But looking more closely, my brows furrowed.

An arrow was stuck in the deer’s waist, and its knee seemed injured as blood dripped from the wound.

Perhaps because of that, the deer was slow. The animal that had briefly stopped in surprise at sensing our presence soon tried to run away limping, then collapsed. Watching that, my heart ached and I let out a sigh.

“Oh dear……”

I wondered if there was any way to help. With a concerned heart, I approached the deer.

“Don’t.”

Rashid blocked my steps. He held onto my hand and wouldn’t let go.

“Why not?”

“It’s dangerous.”

Swoosh! With a swift sound, another arrow flew and stuck into a tree beside the deer.

Through the trees in the direction the arrow came from, a man was drawing his bowstring. The arrowhead was clearly aimed at the deer. It seemed he hadn’t noticed us yet, being focused on the deer.

“No!”

I shouted loudly without thinking. My voice echoed across the bare mountainside. Startled birds fluttered their wings.