The story of how I, who became the beloved child of Winter Fenrir, was healed from despair

Chapter 38: The Kingdom of Felsnow Council★

(Christopher’s Perspective)

The royal castle of Felsnow boasts white walls with blue pointed roofs. As it’s currently the blessed season of winter, the walls are adorned with blue leaves and vines infused with magic.

“We’re home.”

Michela and I spoke in unison as the royal couple came to the entrance to greet us. Their warm smiles put me at ease, and I felt a sense of belonging here… I realized I was anxious about how the family would react to Michela declaring her desire to become queen.

“Welcome back.”

My father’s voice resonated clearly. Light shone through the windows, causing his crown to gleam brightly. I couldn’t help but wonder how heavy it must feel. If I were to become king, could I handle the weight of such responsibility with the same dignity and composure as my father?

“Big brother!”

“Whoa!”

My younger brothers ran up and clung to my legs. I called them by name and patted their heads, causing their platinum hair to sway as they smiled sweetly. Although they are the children of the second wife, we all live together harmoniously.

“Christopher, you should go change. You’ve got snow on your clothes. Didn’t you shake it off outside?”

“I did, but… this year’s snow is especially fine and powdery.”

“Ah, I see,” my father nodded in understanding. This winter was different from the others. However… changing clothes, huh… this snow was summoned by the Princess… Ah, it’s hard to part with it… I covered half my face with my palm, feeling the chill. I remembered how the Princess had cooled my light burn this morning with an ice ring… Wait, did it melt from the heat of my face!?

It seems I had spoken my thoughts aloud. I must be an idiot. The worried expressions of the royal couple suddenly shifted.

“That ice ring was a gift from the Winter Princess, wasn’t it?”

“It was. There’s no problem with it melting. It was a gift designed to dissolve once my burn healed.”

The tense atmosphere relaxed. The king and queen, who had never met the Princess, were likely concerned about offending her. My little brothers patted my head as if to console me. Thank you… I must have shown a pitiful side as their older brother.

“Brother, I’ll come fetch you once you’re done changing.”

Michela’s smile, which silently said “let’s move quickly,” sent me rushing back to my room.

I changed into a white noble outfit. The formal wear of the Kingdom of Felsnow consists of white or silver fabric with blue emblems. When traveling to the snow-covered mountains, we wear dark-colored clothing so we can be easily spotted if we get lost.

“Shall we go?”

“Right on time, Michela… You could hear me through the walls or something?”

“I simply calculated your timing based on your behavior, brother.”

She says something incredible so casually. What kind of special skill is that? The staff we passed greeted us with “Welcome back” as they bowed. They seemed relieved that the prince and princess weren’t fighting, so I walked closer to Michela than usual. We must have looked rather close, as they watched us with warm smiles.

☆ ☆ ☆

The grand hall was filled with dignitaries. Though they tried to maintain serious expressions, they occasionally broke into smiles. It was a bit embarrassing; these people had been supporting us since we were children, and they were now looking at us with eyes full of affection.

“Let the meeting begin.”

The king’s stern voice echoed, and everyone immediately shifted into a serious demeanor.

“First Prince Christopher. It’s good to have you back. How is Fenrir?”

“Yes, he’s doing very well. He’s been hunting across the snowy plains, expertly using ice magic.”

An appreciative murmur rose among the crowd.

“That’s wonderful news. When the unicorn envoy visited a year ago, they reported that Fenrir was mostly resting in caves. This is indeed a good sign. He himself mentioned that his health is improving and that he doesn’t feel like he’s anywhere near death yet.”

“Is that true!?”

Even the king couldn’t remain calm in the face of such significant news—the lifespan of our guardian holy beast had extended.

“The magic passed on by Princess El seems to have even healed Fenrir. She was very kind, communicating with the animals and creatures of the snowy mountains, and showing great compassion towards people as well.”

“Ah, she must be a wonderful person. Christopher… Your face is red?”

“I’ve been living in the cold mountains for a while, so the castle feels quite warm.”

I quickly shook my head, offering a flimsy excuse. Everyone in the room was grinning. This isn’t the time for that! Father! I’ll explain how wonderful the Princess is later, so please be patient.

I heard Michela mutter, “Passable,” in a low voice. That’s terrifying.

“The magical influence of the otherworldly Princess El has caused unprecedented changes in the creatures of the snowy mountains. Snowmen have been causing avalanches due to the fine snow. Though Fenrir has been handling them swiftly, it’s best to advise the citizens to avoid deep hunting expeditions into the mountains.”

“Understood. This winter’s blessings have been plentiful; the entrance to the forest is rich with mushrooms and winter berries, and there is no shortage of game. We can manage with that.”

“Good to hear.”

“…This Princess from another world… Christopher, since her arrival, there has been an increase in lost objects from her world and sightings of strange creatures. What do you think?”

The king narrowed his eyes as he looked at me. I met his gaze head-on.

“I believe there may be a connection to the increase in lost objects from her world. However, I do not think it’s the Princess’s will. She didn’t come here of her own accord but was caught in Fenrir’s magic circle by accident. She’s been working hard to adapt to winter, despite her confusion.”

“Is it possible, for instance, that the lost objects are coming because the Princess is longing for her world?”

A lump formed in my throat. I hadn’t considered that. My father’s insight was sharp.

“She was working in a harsh environment, so I don’t think she has any lingering attachment to her workplace. As for her family in her world, Fenrir told me she does miss them.”

“So the Princess herself hasn’t spoken about it?”

“She’s emotionally scarred from her work, so asking her directly would probably make her cry.”

The room was filled with quiet murmurs of sympathy. Even Michela had a soft, concerned expression.

“Pushing too far might anger Fenrir. For now, continue to gently build trust with her.”

“Understood.”

In other words, I was to extract information without making her cry. That’s a tall order, but that’s politics. Personally, I also want to raise her trust in me as much as possible, so I nodded.

“As for the monsters, I have a major report. While running through the snowfields with Fenrir, we encountered a different kind of monster than the one captured by the kingdom.”

The dignitaries turned pale. The king, who had already heard some of this from Michela, merely furrowed his brows, waiting for me to continue.

“It had glowing eyes like lanterns, a body made of hard metal, and moved like a spider. It attacked anything human-shaped: the prince, the half-beast Princess, and even Fenrir in his human form.”

“Fenrir in human form!?”

The king and the others nearly stood up. I understand their reaction, but please calm down. Look at Michela for guidance. I informed them that this transformation indicated the extent of Fenrir’s recovery.

“The monster that appeared in the shallow part of the forest seemed to be searching for a girl. We suspected it might have been after the delicate Winter Princess… but it seems we were wrong.”

“Could the target of each monster be different?”

For a while, various opinions were exchanged. Though all were speculative, several promising theories were recorded as topics for consultation with Fenrir.

“If more monsters continue to appear, we may not be able to prevent the snowy fields from becoming a dangerous region. What a dreadful thought. Additionally, if Princess El is in her half-beast form, we can’t use a beastly disguise to protect her either.”

The king’s words cast a somber mood over the room.

At that moment, a grand, snow-colored magic circle appeared dramatically in the center of the hall.

“Is this the royal castle of Felsnow?”

“Hohoho, it has been centuries since we delivered our voices to this land.”

The overwhelming surge of magic power caused several dignitaries to collapse in awe. Michela, sensing the danger, prepared herself…