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

Chapter 51: Visit from the Snowy Mountain Investigators (Glare’s Perspective)

I gaze out over the snowfield from near the cave where past Fenrirs have made their nests.

Before I could spot the expected figure on the icy path, the sound of high-pitched bells, rin-rin, reached my ears. This is the sound of the sled from the Kingdom of Felsnow. As the owl messenger had informed us, Chris must be arriving.

“Are you safe, Princess?! …Lord Fenrir!”

As soon as he confirmed our presence, Chris called out loudly. He called out to Lady El first… well, considering his feelings for her, I suppose it’s understandable. But really, he should’ve been more concerned about the high-ranking Lord Fenrir. Honestly, that’s a point against him in my book.

Chris skillfully brought the reindeer to a halt. The sudden stop sent a fine mist of snow scattering into the air like smoke.

With disheveled platinum hair and ice-blue eyes shimmering with worry, Chris gazed at Lady El. He truly must have hurried to get here. His arrival was much quicker than I had expected.

“Hello, Prince Christopher. We’re fine. There was an avalanche, but the snowmen absorbed it and leveled the ground. Things have mostly returned to normal now.” “Oh, thank goodness.”

Chris let out a huge sigh of relief, and both Lady El and Lord Fenrir smiled at him. Who wouldn’t be pleased to have someone care so purely for them? It’s a testament to his character.

Chris even greeted me with a smile, thanking me for my hard work. I returned the gesture with a nod.

“Is everything alright in the Kingdom of Felsnow?” Lady El asked. “Yes. There was a strong tremor, but we had already cleared the snow, so there was no avalanche. Michelle will handle any confusion among the residents.” “Then there’s no need to worry.” “Indeed. She is truly reliable.”

Chris smiled wryly, while Lady El hesitated over what to say, her brows knitting into a troubled smile. The awkward atmosphere lingered for a moment, but Chris broke the silence.

“I’ve finally made up my mind. I intend to pass the throne to Michelle. As queen, she’ll govern the kingdom better than anyone.” “I see… I’m sure you gave it a lot of thought. I hope the new path you’ve chosen, Prince Christopher, is a wonderful one.” “Thank you!”

With Lady El’s blessing, Chris beamed. His expression showed no trace of doubt anymore. It was a delightful change.

“Chris, what path will you take from here on?” I interjected.

Chris smiled broadly and began to speak with enthusiasm.

“I want to become an investigator of the flora and fauna of these snowy mountains. May I protect these lands together with you all?”

Upon hearing this, Lord Fenrir, who had been in his beast form watching the conversation, shifted into his human form. Whether in beast or human form, Lord Fenrir is always breathtakingly beautiful!!!

“You are welcome here,” Lord Fenrir said, extending his hand to Chris.

“Thank you very much,” Chris replied, his cheeks reddening as he took the hand with firm determination. It was a strong and resolute handshake.

Chris, treasure those words of Lord Fenrir. They are truly an honor, and you should be deeply grateful for them!

“Glare, you look happy too,” Lady El whispered, gently poking my side with her elbow.

I simply replied, “I won’t deny it.”

Chris is brimming with curiosity and diligence, and he will undoubtedly make an outstanding investigator of these snowy mountains. I’m looking forward to the creation of the compendium we once discussed. The results are exactly what I hoped for, and I’m more than satisfied. I watched Chris with a sense of ease.

“You’ve made a good decision,” Lord Fenrir said, placing his hand on Chris’s head and giving it a few gentle pats.

—Chris, you should be absolutely honored. Be genuinely thankful and grateful for this!

The distance between them felt less like that of royalty and more like senior and junior colleagues. It made me a little envious… I snorted lightly to disguise my jealousy. Not that anyone could compete with Lord Fenrir’s aura of nobility.

“There, there, Glare,” Lady El said, trying to pat my head but only managing to rub my cheek since she couldn’t reach. I accepted her kind gesture, but please, refrain from soothing me as if I were a child. I will reflect on my behavior.

Ah, now it seems Chris is envious of me. Well, it’s all rather complicated, but both Lord Fenrir and Lady El’s kindness is appreciated. When I conveyed this sentiment with my gaze, Chris, being perceptive, understood and nodded deeply.

Lord Fenrir and Lady El both tilted their heads, watching us in unison. Such adorable nobility!

“Other than the tremors, we found various items scattered from another world. The sheer number of them was quite shocking,” I mentioned.

“Yes, I noticed some scattered near the castle as well. And on my way here,” Chris replied, glancing back at the sled.

The knights calming the reindeer rummaged through the sled, lifting one of the items so we could see.

“That’s a toaster oven,” Lady El muttered.

“It has sharp edges, and it looks dangerous. If something like that had fallen from above…” Chris said, sounding worried.

“It heats up when electricity flows through it. Burns and fires are a real risk, so it’s fortunate it didn’t fall into the Fairy Spring,” Lady El added, shivering as we all sighed in relief.

“There are rumors that green fairies are involved. I was briefed on the situation by the Fairy Kings while en route here,” Chris continued.

“Ah, it’s this,” Lord Fenrir said, casually pinching one of the former green fairies and showing it to Chris, who widened his eyes in surprise.

“Is this a snow fairy? But its aura and magic feel different,” Chris observed.

“Sharp eye. I transformed the green fairies into snow fairies. They’re now residents of the snowy mountains, and won’t cause trouble anymore. We’ve rounded up all the ones hiding, so the area is safe,” Lord Fenrir explained.

“I see…”

Chris scrutinized the former green fairy, then looked up at Lord Fenrir.

“The Jade Princess residing in the castle seems to be acting peacefully. She’s likely not involved in the tremors.”

At that statement, Lady El flinched.

“What?! The Jade Princess… you mean from the Green Kingdom? She’s in the Felsnow Castle?” Lady El asked, startled.

“Yes. I mentioned a recent meeting with another country, didn’t I? She’s been staying in the castle since then, under surveillance. It seems she snuck out and appeared at the Winter Festival… I deeply apologize for our failure to monitor her movements and the green fairies.”

Chris bowed deeply.

In fact, the Jade Princess was supposed to return to her country with the crown prince right after the meeting. However, she secretly slipped into town and made an appearance at the Winter Festival.

However, since Elle-sama’s memory of that unpleasant event has been erased, there’s no need to bring it up deliberately.

Chris had been considerate in his approach. He took the blame for the oversight, ensuring that Elle-sama’s reputation wasn’t tarnished, and in doing so, he protected Elle-sama’s memories. Internally, I offered him a silent prayer of thanks.

“I know the royal family of Felsnow truly cares about the country, the people, and the snowy mountains. Though we haven’t spent much time together, I trust you deeply. You took precautions, but the stealthy actions of the green fairies went unnoticed, didn’t they? Let’s work together to ensure we’re even more prepared in the future.”

Elle-sama’s words made Chris’s eyes sparkle with emotion.

“I am deeply grateful for your kindness!”

“No, no. It’s something Fenrir often tells me,” Elle-sama replied, looking up at Fenrir-sama, who nodded in satisfaction.

The scene before me was simply too precious. Being an assistant is amazing. Absolutely amazing.

Chris must be thinking the same thing. His face is bright red as he presses a trembling hand to his mouth. I’ll have to chat with him about this later. We’ll talk all night, for sure. Sleep won’t come easy tonight.

“Christopher, what’s the plan moving forward?” Fenrir-sama asked Chris.

“If there’s anything I can do to assist with these snowy mountains, I’d be honored to join you. I’m proficient in mid-level magic across all elements, so I believe I can be of some help.”

“I see, thank you. Then there is something I’d like to request right away.”

“It would be an honor. Please, just tell me what it is.”

Chris answered with determined eyes. With this level of enthusiasm and skill, I’m sure he’ll be a long-lasting asset as a snowy mountain investigator.

“The green fairies seem to have been subtly tampering with this mountain. As a result, some areas of the soil have become impure. Though the land is being healed by winter’s arrival, poisonous plants, which don’t naturally grow in these mountains, have emerged. I’d like to remove them.”

“Understood. I’ll assist you.”

“There will be many, so it would be helpful to have someone knowledgeable about plants. I’d like you to search for plants that look different from the usual flora.”

“I understand. I can also enhance my eyesight with magic, so you can count on me.”

“Ah, that’s very helpful. I, along with the former green fairies, know the locations of the affected areas. Let’s start patrolling.”

“Yes.”

After finishing the conversation with Fenrir-sama, Chris relayed the message to the knights. He received a large package from the sleigh and sent the reindeer and knights back to the kingdom. It seems their role was to escort Chris here. In snowy mountains, it’s easier to move with a small, elite group, so I’ll commend this decision.

“Chris, I’m thinking of keeping records regarding the poisonous plants from the Green Nation.”

“Of course, Glea-sama. It’s important to leave records to warn future generations. I’ve also brought magical tools for documentation, so let’s conduct a thorough investigation.”

Chris, his eyes shining, smiled innocently as he pulled out a pen and enchanted paper from his bag. Honestly, we’re about to go gather poisonous plants.

But I couldn’t help but smile too.

“That sounds good. We promised to make a plant and animal encyclopedia, so I’m excited it might be completed sooner with you around.”

“I’ll do my best.”

I see now; an honest junior really is adorable. Following Fenrir-sama’s example, I patted his head. If I were to compare him to an animal, Chris would definitely be a dog.

Chris, who had been looking at me in surprise, suddenly shifted his gaze to something behind me. I could feel it too—Fenrir-sama and Elle-sama were probably playing around again.

Chris’s face alternated between blushing and looking dejected. It must be tough for him, balancing his reverence and his feelings for Fenrir-sama.

This guy sure has a lot of emotional burdens.

I firmly grasped his head, and he let out a yelp, “Ow ow ow ow!” in a panic.

“Aww, Glea’s bullying the junior! Be nice to him, okay? Seriously, it’s really important to be kind to juniors, got it?”

“I thought I was being affectionate.”

I was about to tease him further, but Elle-sama was staring intently at my hand, so I loosened my grip.

…Now that I think about it, Elle-sama was bullied as a junior at the company, wasn’t she? It’s probably best if I stop messing with Chris in front of her. When I gently patted his head, Chris smiled sheepishly, saying, “This is a bit embarrassing.”

“Work hard and have fun with it. You’ll do great, Chris.”

I managed to give him some vague encouragement. I’m not great at this kind of thing…

Whether as a snowy mountain investigator or in matters of the heart, I hope a future comes where he finds satisfaction.

His ice-blue eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes. Leave it to me.”

As expected from someone so perceptive, his voice was cheerful, as if something had been lifted from his shoulders.

I was momentarily drawn to the red tie fluttering around his neck. I remembered that it was an item symbolizing familial love. Placing my hand on it, I prayed for Chris’s future to be a happy one.

After all, a unicorn’s pure prayers are incredibly effective. He’s sure to find happiness. Now, it’s time for some enjoyable work.