The day after finishing a lesson on table manners. I'm walking outside.
The snow is sinking as I walk, making a sizzling sound.
White breath escapes when I breathe, and the chilly air caresses my skin.
No matter how much you wear winter clothes, there are parts of your face that are exposed, and it's cold because the wind is coming in through the gaps in your clothes. It's warmer and more comfortable inside the mansion.
However, if you stay in the mansion for a long time, you might have to take instruction in manners from Erna's mother again.
I'm not going to be able to get a good deal more than a few hours of sleep.
It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on a new one.
That's why I'm taking a walk to get some light exercise. The destination is the village of Coriat.
If I see Thor or Asmo there, I may as well poke him or her in the eye.
The air is cold outside, and my lungs get cold just by breathing in. However, I like it because it gives me a sensation that the chilly air is circulating inside my body and makes me feel refreshed and clear-headed.
I look up at the sky and see clouds that look as if they have been filled with gray paint.
Unlike in the spring or summer, there is no breath of life around me.
The air is silent and serene. All I can hear is my breathing and the sound of my feet.
There is a different kind of pleasure in this walk.
I enjoy the feel of the snow as I go along, and I arrive at the village of Koliat.
I was worried that there would be another loud snowball fight today, but today, there was no such thing and life was quiet.
The villagers are not busy enough to have a snowball fight every day.
Although they can't farm in winter, they have a lot of domestic work to do.
They make baskets out of vines and leather, shoes, and clothes.
Everyone is trying hard to make up for the lack of harvest. It's quiet walking through the village like this.
I guess that's because they're all focused on the inside job.
Zashsa Zashsa Zashsa Zashsa: ......
"What's that sound?
While walking through the quieter-than-usual village of Koliat, I heard a strange sound.
It sounded as if the wood was being cut with a saw.
However, the sound was subtle and soft, and soon the sound disappeared.
The sound was soon resumed again, but soon the sound was gone. It just kept repeating itself.
Are you cutting wood in this cold weather? The sound sensation is very short for a sound that uses a saw.
Curious, I walked up to the source of the sound and saw the familiar guys there.
'Oh, it's Al,'
"Oh! ain't that Al!
There were Asmo and Thor, the two bad boys from the village of Koliat.
What are Thor's tools?
Asmo has a shovel and I think he is doing normal snow removal work, but I don't recognize Thor's long thin stick. I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's not.
'Huh? Don't you know? It's called a snow saw. It gets rid of the snow that's in your way.
"Snow Saw? How does it work?
I understood that's what they use in snow removal work, but I don't know how to use it.
Let me show you something.
As I tilted my head, Thor went to the pile of snow with a snow saw.
Will he slice through the snow in one fell swoop with a cleaver-like blade?
No, I don't care if you are a martial artist like sister Elinora or father Nord, but Thor, a mere villager, would not be able to do such a thing.
As I stared at him questioningly, Thor swung the snow saw down and crisply dug it into the snow.
Then he slid the blade down and sliced through the snow vertically like a saw.
Zashuza Zashuza, the sound you heard earlier, rang out.
'Ooh, sounds like fun!'
"What do you want to try?
Yes!
I receive a snow saw from Thor.
It's quite long and a bit heavy, but I was able to hold it normally, thanks to the fact that I've been training my body in sword practice.
'Cut me a bit of space,'
Okay.
Swing the snow saw down to the area designated by Thor.
Then the blade stuck into the soft snow with a crunch. The feel of the blade is very pleasant.
Once the blade is stuck, all you have to do is move it the same way you would a saw.
Slide the blade as told by Thor. Then, with a zash-zash, the snow is scraped away and a vertical line is formed.
It's like putting a knife in a big cake.
'Oh, fun!'
When you're done there, cut it again about the same distance apart.
Completely enchanted by the fun of the snow saw, I continued to cut through the snow just like Thor told me to.
After making the fifth cut in this way, I suddenly wondered.
"Hey, you're not plowing just by cutting into the snow, are you?
Although there were deep gaps in the snow, the pile of snow had not collapsed at all.
Just playing with the snow doesn't mean you've plowed it at all.
That's why I'm going to put the blade in from the side at the end. Here.
Taking the snow saw from my hand, I cut into it from the side this time.
Then part of the pile of snow separates and a large, shortcake-like snowflake falls with a thud.
"Ooh, wow! Let me do it too!
See?
Thor handed me a snow saw, and I scintillatedly inserted the blade from the side.
The blade goes in smoothly, thanks to the incision already in place, and a large chunk of snow falls out with a crunch.
It's fun to feel the sensation of cutting down a large chunk of snow.
The fact that Thor and Asmo are so kind as to lecture me about it is probably because they want me to do some of the tedious work to reduce their own burden, but it's so much fun that it doesn't matter.
As I was breaking down the snow, cutting in from the side as well, I noticed a long stick stick sticking out of the side.
What's that stick standing here?
"If there's snow before this stick, we'll remove the snow. If it's too big, the road becomes narrower and more dangerous because of falling snow.
"I see.
Snow is quite heavy, so it's a big deal if it falls.
Roads are not only for people, but also for carriages, so it would be better to reduce the danger.
I guess there is some wisdom in living safely in a village.
Have you never worked on a snowplow before, Al?
It's mainly a shovel that we use in the house, and if the need arises, me or your mother Erna will remove the snow with magic.
"Oh, there you have it! With Al's magic, let's get rid of the snow around here with a papa!
At the mention of magic, Thor's face lit up as he asked, "Isn't this Thor's job and Asmo's?
'This is Thor and Asmo's job, right? I feel bad about taking someone else's job.
What do you mean you're taking a job right now?
Well, I'll give it back.
Thor ran into me and I'm going to give him back the snow saw.
Cutting the snow with the snow saw was a lot of fun, but it was tiring to do it all the time.
The snow saw itself is heavy and inefficient.
"Ah! I'm sorry! Master Alfried, please!
As long as this is done, we're free today.
Thor and Asmo lie down flat on the ground despite the coldness of the snow on the ground.
Do they hate this snow removal work that much?
Well, it's not easy to go on and on in the cold weather.
It's not just that there's no end in sight, but it's also very damaging to the psyche.
...... I can't help it.
"Thank you, Mr. Alfried!
Thor and Asmo thanked me for just letting the words slip out.
When you understand the strength of the moment, you immediately change your attitude and flutter to them.
It's a good thing that you're able to do that.
You're going to have to use ice magic and stop trying to move the snow ...... when I had no choice but to activate my ice magic.
I'd like to play with the snow saw anyway.
"Thor, can I borrow the snow saw?
"Go ahead,
When I called out to him, Thor quickly ran up to me and offered me a snow saw.
"Asmo, no one else around?
"I checked, but he's not here.
Yeah, if there's no one else around, fine.
Actually, I wanted to swing the snow saw as hard as I could.
After all, it's tiring to move it with my little body.
After making sure that no one is around, I psychic the snow saw.
Then the snow saw floats softly in the air.
I took a light swing with the psychic and it cut through the air with a buzzing sound.
"Okay, that'll work.
I was able to confirm that I could magically move it without a problem, so I tried it as it was.
I took a big swing and struck it, and the snow was cleanly severed.
The power and range we wield is limited, but with a psychic, the force we wield is far greater and the energy is stronger. As a result, we no longer need to slide the snow saw.
When you swing the snow saw with the power of the psychic, the snow will collapse.
It's fun because you don't have to swing it with your hands anymore, and a large area of snow collapses.
The snow saw moves on its own, chipping away at the snow.
"Wow, that's handy, but it's awful when a weapon comes at you like this.
Asmo and Thor are muttering about such a situation with a somewhat spooky look in their eyes.
'Yeah? Do weapons come at you on their own?
Wait for ....... If you can move your sword at will with a psychic, you could beat sister Elinora, right?
If the sword wielded by your body is limited, why not supplement it with magic?
Why didn't I think of something this simple before?
You have to be able to move the sword with psychic skill, so you don't have to wield it yourself.
It seems that all I did was get caught up in swinging it with my hand just because it was a sword.
What's the matter with you, Al?
I've got an idea for a good one, thanks to Thor!
Turning around, Thor and Asmo scream and back away.
'Owwww! I don't know what it is, but don't move it to the snow saw in conjunction with it!
"Look out!
"...... sorry
I don't think I was able to see my surroundings well enough to come up with a groundbreaking idea.
I apologized to Thor and Asmo for the simple fact that it was my fault.
But I had a good idea. It's a good idea.