NOVEL WEB Ch58 - Renewed Resolve
Chapter 58: Renewed Resolve
As I cried, I began to think. While imagining countermeasures against the monster, I also started to understand my own feelings.
I realized that I absolutely cannot afford to lose this person. My feelings became clear.
On Fenrir’s hand, there was a ring we had bought together, shining. It was also on my finger. I hoped that this would be a promise to continue walking together from now on.
I want Fenrir to be saved. No, I want to save him.
Just praying to the ring won’t bring about the future I hope for. So, what I need to do is…
“Hey, Grea. Fenrir will recover, right?”
“Of course. Fenrir would never leave you behind. I will crush any curses that might bring him down. He will definitely open his eyes again.”
“…Alright.”
My voice trembled, but I was able to respond firmly.
As I struggled to get out from under Fenrir’s body, Grea helped by removing Fenrir’s arm from on top of me.
It felt a bit lonely, but I was now separated from Fenrir. I adjusted his position so his beast ears wouldn’t be submerged in the water.
After getting out of the hot spring, I thanked Grea.
“You’re shaking, El. Are you alright? Maybe you should stay in the hot spring a little longer.”
“No, it’s different. It’s just the jitters.”
Even though I was sniffling and my explanation lacked credibility, Grea looked at me with an exasperated expression and handed me a very beautiful handkerchief.
Thanking him, I blew my nose hard. Grea’s face twitched. I heard him mutter about it not being beautiful.
I checked my phone.
I had a reply from my father. It was a continuation of the email I had sent right before the monster appeared last night.
“I truly feel the same way. I hope your mother gets better. It’s lonely being alone. Noel has done a great job living alone.”
I took a deep breath, overwhelmed.
“Hey, Grea. I have a request.”
“What is it?”
“Your prayers, they really work, right?”
“It’s more like a way to release frustrations, so it affects curses in a negative way, but it can be helpful.”
“Hmm… Well, in my hometown, curses can also mean blessings, so that works too. Could you pray with me for my mother’s illness to get better?”
“Of course, that’s fine.”
Grea enveloped my hands, which were tightly gripping the phone, with his own. I was somewhat distracted by the fact that his claws were a shade of blue.
“Well then, let’s also touch our foreheads for healing. It’s the purest part of a unicorn.”
Grea and I gently touched our foreheads together in front of the phone.
“May the illness be cured.”
It was a simple wish. But I felt a sense of clarity within me.
“Thank you.”
“I am your assistant, so it’s only natural.”
Grea, smiling more softly than usual, picked up the tears from the corners of my eyes and handed them to me as if they were pearls. He then spread a beautiful decorative cloth over Fenrir.
“Fenrir, please recover well. Your beloved is hoping for your awakening… Winter Queen, bring forth sacred healing.”
Grea? …Oh, I see, it’s a special technique. I had been wondering why Fenrir, even as a male, was still named as the queen, but now it made sense that it was to receive blessings from a unicorn that heals only females.
Grea placed his hand on Fenrir’s forehead, and healing energy seemed to flow through him, improving Fenrir’s complexion. I quickly crouched next to Grea and stroked Fenrir’s hair.
“Ah… I’m so relieved!”
“Fenrir is doing his best to recover.”
“I’m doing my best too! I have the water lily flower you gave me, so I’ll make sure to provide warm healing.”
I hugged Levi tightly and asked him to take care of Fenrir.
I stepped a little away from the cave and looked down at the snowy plain below.
Taking out my phone, I braced myself and operated it. …
I could pinpoint the monster’s location, which was about 3 kilometers away from here.
I didn’t put the phone back in my pouch but instead tied it to a long pearl necklace and slung it across my shoulder, so I could always see the screen.
I won’t look away.
I took a deep breath, feeling the cold wind on my cheeks and the snow under my feet, and meditated like Fenrir showed me. I asked to reflect the information of this snowy mountain into me.
I would convert all the explosive negative emotions into healing power. I am the Winter Queen El.
“—Winter’s healing.”
A snow-colored magic circle spread softly from me, reaching far and wide.
As I continued to meditate, I could sense the state of the snowy mountain. The snow damage from the avalanche was smoothly repaired where the magic circle had passed, and buried animals began to escape.
It seemed the exhausted snow fairies and black snow leopards were also receiving healing. I was glad!
The slight release of anger and anxiety froze my knees. Oh no. Controlling my emotions is still difficult… but I’ll surely get better at it soon. Fenrir taught me well.
…Since I can’t do it perfectly yet, I hope that next time I use this power, you’ll be by my side, watching over me. Spoiling me. If I succeed, praise me a lot and wrap me in a silver bed.
For that… I will protect the snowy mountain where I live with him. I’ll do my best.
But first, I need to move. What should I do… If anger is creating ice…
Thinking of Fenrir’s gentle smile, I touched the ice gently, and it melted away.
“Sorry for the wait.”
Turning around, I saw Grea looking at me with a dumbfounded expression.
I puffed out my chest proudly. He nodded with a relieved smile.
Golden light peeked out from the cave.
“I started crying… and began to think. As I thought of ways to counter the monsters, my own feelings became clear.
I thought, ‘I don’t want to lose this person no matter what.’
The matching rings we bought together sparkled on Fenrir’s hand—and on my own. I hoped this would be a promise to keep walking together from now on.
I want to help Fenrir. No, I want to save him.
Just praying to the ring and remaining stagnant won’t get us the future we hope for. So, what I need to do is…
“Hey, Grea. Fenrir will recover, right…?”
“Of course. There’s no way Fenrir-sama would leave El-sama behind. Any fate that causes him to collapse, I will crush with my curse. So, he will definitely open his eyes.”
“…Okay.”
Although my voice trembled, I managed to respond firmly.
As I struggled to move from under Fenrir’s body, Grea removed Fenrir’s arm from me.
It felt a bit lonely, but I was finally separated from Fenrir. I adjusted his position to ensure his beast ears wouldn’t get submerged in the hot water.
After getting out of the hot spring, I thanked Grea.
“Are you shaking, El-sama…? Are you alright? Wouldn’t it be better to stay in the hot spring a little longer?”
“No, it’s not that. It’s battle shivers.”
Even though saying this while sniffling wasn’t very convincing, Grea looked at me with a bewildered expression and handed me a very pretty handkerchief.
I said thank you and blew my nose with a loud “Chiiin!” Grea’s face twitched. “It’s not pretty… I heard that, you know?”
I checked my smartphone.
I had received a reply from my father. It was a continuation of the email I had sent just before the monster appeared last night.
“I feel the same way. I hope your mother gets better. It’s lonely being alone. Noel did a great job living alone.”
I took a deep breath, unable to contain my emotions.
“Hey, Grea. I have a request.”
“What is it?”
“Does your prayer work?”
“It’s a form of venting frustration, so it’s more like a curse that works in a beneficial way.”
“Hmmm… In my hometown, curses also mean prayers, so that’s fine. Could you pray with me… that my mother’s illness will get better?”
“Of course.”
Grea wrapped his hands around mine, which were tightly holding the smartphone. I noticed his nails were a pale blue, which caught my attention.
“Well then, let’s also touch our foreheads for healing purposes. It’s the purest part of the unicorn.”
Grea and I gently touched our foreheads against each other in front of the smartphone.
“May her illness get better.”
It was a simple wish. But I felt a sense of resolve within me.
“Thank you.”
“I am here to assist both Fenrir-sama and the Winter Princess.”
Grea, usually so serious, smiled warmly, then picked up a tear that had fallen from the corner of my eye and handed it to me. He moved away from me and spread a clean decorative cloth over Fenrir.
“Fenrir-sama, please recover properly. Your beloved one is hoping for your awakening… and for the sacred healing from the Winter Queen.”
Grea? Oh, I see, it’s a special technique. I had been curious why the male Fenrir still claimed to be a queen, but I understood now—he wanted the blessings from a unicorn that heals only women.
Grea placed his hand on Fenrir’s, and with the power of healing, Fenrir’s complexion improved. I hurried to kneel beside Grea and stroked Fenrir’s hair.
“Ah… that’s good…!”
“Fenrir-sama is working hard to recover.”
I hugged Levia tightly and asked, “Please take care of Fenrir.”
I walked a bit away from the cave entrance and looked down at the snowfield below.
I took out my smartphone and prepared to operate it with determination. …
I could locate the monsters. They’re moving towards the direction we’re in…!
I slapped my cheeks with my palms to invigorate myself.
“Eh… did you just say Chris…!?” I summoned an ice horse under the blushing Chris and lifted him up.
Grea mounted the moose, and I rode Grea.
Let’s move out!!!!