Enduring Winter (1)
If the life of a human is akin to the four seasons, then surely the life of a spirit is an extended winter.
Watching over all that withers away, the great wolf of the wind guarded the forest so.
*
“You’re too perfect, and that’s the problem, Yenika.”
Laplace Bakery, situated at the entrance of the living quarters, is a historic dessert shop with a legacy intertwined with that of the Sylvania Academy.
It’s prominent location on the way to the faculty buildings, the quality of the pastries managed by the former royal patissier, the terrace filled with the scent of flowers.
Its appearance, as if embodying the romance of young ladies, was the key to maintaining its territory steadfastly amidst the encroaching domain of Elte Trading.
Being a girl of that very age, Yenika had no choice but to eagerly follow when Claire said she’d treat everyone at Laplace Bakery.
The dessert tray stacked three levels high was filled with cakes of dazzling colors. It was at that moment, amid the sparkling eyes, that she received her tea.
“It’s good to strive, but being too perfect can be tough. You know what I mean, right, Yenika?”
“Uh, yeah?”
“You should know when to show a little weakness if need be.”
Claire and Anis, Yenika’s close friends, seemed as usual, but today they appeared more solemn than normal.
The atmosphere was the polar opposite of the increasingly relaxed academic mood as winter break approached.
“What’s the matter… Claire? You look so serious.”
“Well, Claire is going back to her family home over the break. She’s just worried about what’ll happen while she’s gone.”
Anis spoke nonchalantly, sipping her tea.
“Really? I get it, I helped out back home every break last year too… it’s unnerving to be away from the academy. I understand the feeling.”
“It’s not about my academic schedule that I’m talking about, Yenika! What I’m worried about is your love life!”
Claire’s tone was direct and without hesitation.
At this Yenika gasped, unable to hide her shock, while Claire relentlessly continued.
“To put it bluntly, you’ve fallen head over heels for Ed Rothtaylor.”
“Claire. Your words are too blunt.”
“I came determined today, Anis. Don’t you see why I splurged on Laplace Bakery’s finest desserts? To hammer the point home to Yenika, who’s been so busy lately.”
“Bait? It’s like I just took the bait…”
Technically, ‘took the bait’ was the most accurate description, but Anis refrained from being too blunt.
“And… my love life? What’s that all about…”
“Let’s not beat around the bush, Yenika. I think you’re skating on thin ice.”
Yenika might have thought she concealed her romantic feelings well, but to her close friends Claire and Anis, her inner thoughts were clear as day.
“Danger zone?”
“Yes, Yenika. To be frank, you’re a good ‘friend’.”
As Claire spoke directly, arms folded, Anis just hummed and sipped her tea from the side.
“Even though it’s a compliment… it’s embarrassing.”
“It’s a kind word… but not a compliment, Yenika.”
Claire looked stern as she delivered her point.
“When you first fell for someone like Ed, I felt like I lost a nation… but as time went by and I re-evaluated him, it became somewhat acceptable. Now here we are, right?”
“Claire…”
“Now blushing and nodding won’t change a thing, Yenika. I think it’s time to be reckless. I’ve held back long enough.”
Only then did Yenika realize she had walked right into a trap set by Claire and Anis.
Even reserving the most expensive private terrace at Laplace Bakery was a ploy to secure a private space free of eavesdroppers.
“Yenika, you’re following the golden pattern of a loser in love… settling as a good ‘friend’.”
A thunderous echo seemed to resound in her head.
“What do you mean by that, Claire?”
“Have you felt your heart race or face flush being unable to make eye contact with him lately?”
“Why are you asking all of a sudden?!”
“Answer me!”
Claire was taking an aggressive approach with Yenika, who seemed too vulnerable at the moment.
Anis felt concerned but decided not to intervene just yet.
“Well, that’s…!”
Yenika choked on her words.
Certainly, ever since her initial encounter with Ed Rothtaylor, the time spent together meant she now felt a comforting warmth sitting beside him rather than nervousness – a feeling of being healed.
It was an undeniable transition from her initial turmoil, yet she didn’t view it as particularly risky, rather as development.
“Do you know what such a comfortable and reliable relationship is called? It’s akin to family or a close friend. It’s just a relationship where you’re helpful to each other!”
“So… I’m doing it wrong?”
“Oh, you’re so clueless! Emotional exchange needs to be two-way. Make him yearn for you too! If you just follow him around praising, is that a romantic relationship? No, it’s adoration!”
Claire’s piercing words hit Yenika like a dagger.
There was a sudden burst of distant applause and cheers, unheard by Claire but faintly audible to Anis who retained some sensitivity to spirits.
It seems the low-ranking spirits bound by contract to Yenika were expressing relief with the direct intervention.
“Yenika, you’ve been approaching it all wrong. Your cheerful, kind attributes are appealing, but to become sly or worse off isn’t fitting for you. Surely… I think Belle’s opinion was more valid on this.”
“What sort of opinions were being shared behind my back…?”
“Forget it, Yenika. Winter break is nearly here. Don’t lose out because you were slow on the uptake. Especially with a good-looking guy like that, time is of the essence. But just my luck, I have to go back home now. How can I not worry? Huh?”
Claire vented her frustrations, and Yenika could only sit cross-legged and listen.
She didn’t understand why she felt chastised, but the mood seemed to confirm it, so she remained quiet.
Above all, Yenika trusted Claire.
“Claire is educated and skilled in human relationships… She must be right…”
“Yes, Yenika! Listen to me!”
Approaching the end of her tether, Claire’s concerns were mounting.
“Lately, it’s clear, Yenika, you’re utterly lacking in the art of allure. This calls for a change in tactics.”
“Oh…”
Unable to refute, Yenika fell silent.
Having the skill to tantalize and keep someone on the edge with one’s affections is more the purview of a girl like Lortelle. Yenika knew too well that mimicking such behavior would yield less than fruitful results.
“It means, Yenika, you need to learn to play the helpless card,” Claire said.
“What do you mean by that…?”
“Listen closely, Yenika. You need to seem a bit pitiable.”
Yenika might seem bubbly and lighthearted on the outside, naive and whimsical. She has her flaws like being terribly directionally challenged or peculiarly timid at times.
But on significant matters, she’s unexpectedly solid and immaculate.
She manages herself well, works hard, is altruistic, surprisingly tolerant. Add her popular appearance, academic excellence, and strong abilities to the mix.
As proud as one can be to have such a perfect friend, at this point, that’s not always an advantage!
“Listen and emulate, Yenika,” Claire said severely, looking directly into Yenika’s eyes, emphasizing each word.
“Protective instinct.”
“Pro… protect…?”
“Protective instinct,” Claire repeated.
Swallowing hard, Yenika echoed the words tentatively.
“Guys are all the same. You think being dependable, supportive, and always agreeing is enough? No. Show vulnerability, constant reassurance is necessary. Oh, I am helping this woman. She relies on me. She seeks emotional support from me. Constantly reaffirm this to boost his ego, to trigger his protective instinct.”
Anis was impressively quiet.
Claire might have zero romantic experience, but her insights were to the point…!
Reading all those sordid romance stories was a form of ‘learning’ in love…!
“For Yenika, this is more fitting than awkward attempts at playing hard to get.”
“That seems… iffy…”
Yenika voiced her dissonance, unusually for her. When Claire pressed for meaning, Yenika hesitantly shared her thoughts.
“Well… truthfully… I’ve been relying on him quite a bit emotionally…?”
Ed was her source of solace in her otherwise precarious academy life. Whenever she escaped to camp, Ed would always be there by the fire, greeting her in the same warm manner.
Even when Ed decided not to come to the academy, a part of her felt relieved… she had been somewhat fine with it.
“But does Ed Rothtaylor even know that…?”
“Well, maintaining life at camp and academy seems overwhelming for him…”
That was a fundamental problem.
His marathon life left little room for romance. Belle Mayar’s observations were spot-on.
To break through this, Yenika had to truly shake up Ed’s world.
“It’s just a lack of stimulation. Reveal all and seek comfort! Don’t you have any spectacular concern, Yenika? Something like, wow, this is too much for me alone to handle…!”
“I can’t just conjure up worries overnight… I’ve solved most of them!”
“Then create them! Where there is no worry, generate one!”
“I can’t just lie to stir up concern; that’d be too guilt-inducing!”
Yenika reluctantly lowered her head when Ed sincerely apologized after she had been exaggerating her complaints. Yenika’s conscience wouldn’t allow her to lie, even if it was trivial. And as for having genuine concerns, she often resolves most of them on her own due to her competence.
“If I had to say I have a concern…”
“And that concern is?”
After pondering for a moment, Yenika confessed,
“Lately, Ed has been planning to contract with a high-ranking spirit using some loophole…”
“…”
“I spent days in agony after contracting with Tarkan, and I worry that Ed, whose empathic ability is still lacking, might harm himself by using a loophole to contract. But Ed is ambitious about his growth… and it might work out for him… Sometimes, being bold and pushing forward is the right move… I wonder if expressing such concerns is just being obstructive…. Anyway, I’m worried about that…”
Despite her serious tone, Claire leaned back and hit her forehead with her hands in exasperation. Anis sighed deeply and sipped her tea. Despite how the conversation flowed, this girl remained the same. With her inherent nature, what can one do? Seeing the girl’s innocent gaze, Claire and Anis remembered why they became close friends with Yenika in the first place; despite everything, they didn’t really mind it.
“Soon, I think.”
After sending off Yenika, who had enjoyed a variety of fancy snacks at Laplace Bakery, Claire and Anis walked side by side back to the dorm. Anis’s comment didn’t seem out of place to Claire, who had a sense of what was coming.
However, it felt quite unnatural that Anis hadn’t said a word during their conversation with Yenika. They usually chatted nonstop whenever they gathered, but today, Anis was unusually quiet, only focusing on her tea. Unlike Claire, Anis, who had some insight into romantic relationships, was the last to realize Yenika’s feelings for Ed due to her busy schedule and borderline academic performance.
Claire, with her freckles and messy hair, appeared full of vitality, coming from a surprisingly well-off family. On the other hand, Anis, with her elegant and refined appearance, came from a more financially struggling background, which is why she couldn’t neglect her TA responsibilities.
“You know as well as I do…”
“Yeah. Yenika seems to be under a lot of emotional stress.”
Was it their life at Dex Hall causing the issue, or was there another trigger? Sometimes, it felt like Yenika was pushing herself too hard. If the Glascan incident was an outburst from being unable to hold back anymore, it’s possible that Yenika’s worries hadn’t been fully resolved. Despite the subtle differences that most people wouldn’t notice, Claire and Anis could feel them. The feeling that Yenika might reach her emotional limit again if a trigger occurs… a sense of unresolved fundamental concerns…
Yet, there seemed to be periodic healing or alleviation of her emotional burden. That person must undoubtedly be Ed Rothtaylor. It’s frustrating that she wouldn’t confide in her closest friends and rely on them emotionally, even when they subtly probed her concerns.
Anis’s view, however, differed slightly from Claire’s.
“Claire might have noticed Yenika’s affection first and changed her opinion about that man after talking to Belle and the faculty members… but my opinion is different.”
Claire seemed to understand Anis’s thoughts for the first time.
The reason Anis had been quiet, sipping her tea during their argument.
“I’m still not sure if that man can be completely trusted.”
“Really? Just because his reputation has improved doesn’t mean it’s less worrying.”
“But more importantly, the decisive reason is…”
Anis formed a square with her thumbs and index fingers, framing people’s faces as they passed by.
“Facial features.”
“…”
“He has the face of a playboy. Relying emotionally on a man known for being frivolous with women will only end up hurting Yenika.”
Considering whether to object to judging someone based on their facial features, Claire found it hard to argue when recalling Ed Rothtaylor’s appearance. The fact remains a fact.
“Still, it’s a bit much to judge based on facial features alone…”
As if reading Claire’s mind, Anis immediately responded.
“Maybe we need some verification. At least to confirm he’s not the promiscuous type.”
“How?”
“What else can we do?”
Anis undid the ribbon tying her hair back, letting her chestnut-colored hair fall to her shoulders. She blinked her moderately long lashes and gave a naturally coquettish laugh. “Wow, really? Aren’t you overdoing it? You’re not usually so thick-skinned.”
“What grand technique would it take? If he really is frivolous, a little flirting should be enough to bring him over, right?”
“And if he does fall for it, and you’re convinced he’s frivolous, then what?”
With her characteristic aristocratic laugh, Anis said matter-of-factly, “Then, I’ll have to take responsibility and tear him away from Yenika.” …Scary.
Claire and Anis didn’t always agree, but she didn’t expect them to take such a strong stance. Their love for Yenika was always consistent, but the methods were different.
“Anis, you hardly interact with that man. I heard he’s elusive, not even living in the dormitory…”
“Well, just because we don’t meet often doesn’t mean I can’t charm him… It’s easier to flirt when you spend a lot of time together, true. But don’t worry, Claire. I have a plan.”
Anis’s confidence was most unsettling. She shouldn’t be mistaken for a demure and elegant person just based on her appearance.
“You know my advisor, right?”
“Assistant Professor Claire?”
“Yeah. She’s getting a lot of support from academic scholarship students due to being overwhelmed with work. It’s been busy for a while due to a shortage of staff in her lab.”
Anis was Claire’s lead TA, having worked with her since her first semester of freshman year. Assistant Professor Claire trusted Anis considerably.
“I heard that guy applied for an academic scholarship too. If I recommend him to the professor, I could pull him into our lab. Especially since we’re getting a generous allocation of staff these days.”
“…”
“And it’s perfect timing. We need help with conference paperwork and the practical tasks for the incoming freshman placement exam during the vacation… Killing two birds with one stone.”
Saying this, Anis nodded with determination.
Claire looked at Anis uneasily. Was it really a good idea to go home this vacation? Would she return to find a whirlwind of changes in their relationships? Was it right to bring Ed Rothtaylor into Claire’s lab for such trivial reasons? She couldn’t shake off the thought.
[A New Creation]
After making grooves in the wooden plywood and fitting them together, then securing with rope for additional support, the wall was erected upright. It served to block wild animals from approaching the camp and somewhat insulated against drafts.
Crafting Difficulty: ●●◐○○ [Your crafting proficiency has increased.]
Winter had arrived. The once cozy snowflakes now seemed a disaster as they accumulated. Starting from the morning, clearing the snow along the camp paths and raising the walls to block the wind, it was already midday. It had been a while since deciding not to overexert due to the workload. Planning to rest in the cabin after heating it up a bit, I lay down for the late afternoon. As it would get too cold at night, I decided to wake up around dusk to finish gathering fuel and food. The cold weather, at least, was good news for food preservation.
Tomorrow, I’d have to attend to my duties as an academic scholarship student. The workload wasn’t physically demanding and didn’t take too much time. Paperwork could be done after returning to the dormitory… Well, as long as survival at the camp could be managed alongside, it was fine.
There was a lot to do.
I had to check on the magic engineering supplies at the Elte guild branch near the dormitory and also check my end-of-semester grades.
The camp was fine for now, but regularly clearing snow was a heavy task. Not just the cabin roof, but the makeshift shelters and outdoor facilities risked collapsing under the snow’s weight. Regular checks were necessary.
Still, having received a partial tuition waiver through the academic scholarship, and negotiating the rest by forfeiting dormitory residence rights, had settled my tuition fees for the next semester. It was a huge relief mentally, making me feel much lighter these days.
I even spent a bit to replenish supplies, making camp life more manageable. It wasn’t like the early days when I had to live frantically day by day.
I stopped dividing my day into hourly segments, instead loosely planning it into five parts: morning, noon, afternoon, evening, and night. Though still busy, compared to before, it felt heavenly.
Waking up in the late afternoon, Lucy was sprawled on the blanket. She lay across from me in a cross shape, deeply asleep. The gentle sound of her breathing suggested she had no intention of waking up.
“…”
I considered picking up Lucy and tossing her back into her designated wooden shelter, but it seemed too harsh for such a cold winter. Although all sorts of protective magic wrapped around Lucy meant the cold was hardly an issue, it still felt wrong.
Leaving Lucy on the cabin bed, I stepped outside, refreshed by the cold air.
Taking a deep breath, my breath misted in front of me. The crisp winter forest air instantly woke my senses.
“…Time to get moving.”
There’s always a risk to bear.
Hesitation only leads to missed opportunities.
There wouldn’t be a better timing than now.
With that thought, I pulled out a ring engraved with a golden phoenix from my pocket.
Clenching it in my fist, I held it close to my chest.
“Are you listening?”
I wasn’t sure if anyone was there, but I boldly called out the name.
“…Merilda.”
The wind blew.
Despite the chilly winter breeze, there was a strangely comforting feeling.
