"When is that!?"
It's this morning, isn't it?
Was Nina the only one?
“I was alone when I saw you. I thought Stella or Andre or Creto might be around, but isn't that right?”
Yeah.
"Oh no... I'm sorry!"
No, Lefiria-san isn't bad.
It is natural for a child to go with an adult to collect. No one thinks that a child will enter the forest alone.
... I wonder if you went into the woods alone to meet Yukisilo and Yukinko?
I was told by Stella that I could not see me, so I tried not to think anywhere, but that was all I could think.
Nina was very concerned about Yukishiro and Yukinko.
Although she is a well-known child, she is also a child. It is possible that the desire to see you has gone sideways.
You might want to call André, but now that you know you're in the woods, it's too late.
"I'm going to look for the forest!" I'm sorry, but please tell André about Refiglia. ”
I see!
You understand the gravity of the situation. Refilia changed her bloodstream and ran out.
My motor nerves aren't very good, so I'm stuck in the snow and I'm falling down, but I'm sure they'll give me the information. Now I have no choice but to believe.
I entrusted her with the transmission of the information, and immediately it was transferred to the side of the secret base.
Coming from the front of Lefelia's house next to a secret base in the woods.
"...... Isn't it strangely quiet?"
The moment I metastasized, I had a strange feeling of discomfort.
I just came to this place with Nina about seven days ago, but things are different.
I felt strangely quiet.
It was natural that the activity of animals and monsters was dull because of the snow, but even considering that, it felt too quiet.
It was as if the creatures of the entire forest were hiding their breath in fear of something.
While alert, he discovered a large footprint as he proceeded to the cave, a secret base.
It's a big thing, obviously different from the footprints of Yukishiro and Yukinko.
It's a large bear-like footprint.
I felt my blood suddenly fading.
Maybe Nina was attacked.
I imagined the worst, but I don't see any circumstantial evidence to suggest it.
There are a lot of traces around the hole, but it's a creature that leaves such a big trail.
You can't go into the hole very much.
Maybe Nina is running in here because she knows that.
Make sure there are no dangerous creatures around, then peek inside and transfer to the relay point where I can get in.
”Hee!”
Nina?
A small scream was heard, and Nina, with her tears on her pale face as she entered, hugged Xylo and Yukinko.
"K, Cletto...?"
"I'm glad you're okay. I heard that he wouldn't come back all the time, so I came looking for him with worry."
Nina grabbed her hand as she told her in relief.
"Ugh, Crete... I was scared...!"
Nina squeezes her voice and leaks a large grain of tears.
Her thin hands spun around her back and gulped down her strength.
I'm surprised that she's suddenly hugging me, but I'll give her a big hug to sink in her fears.
Yuki Shiro and Yukinko also rubbed their bodies against ours and were sweet.
After hugging her for a while, Nina slowly left.
"I'm sorry I cried all of a sudden."
Fine. Are you all right now?
Yeah, I got Creto.
Her eyes were red with tears and she rinsed her nose, but she smiled as usual.
It looks like your body is chilling, so drink some hot water
Nina's body was refreshed because she had been out for a long time. Her face is a little white and her lips are blue.
You'll need to raise your temperature first to hear the details.
I'll give you a water bottle filled with hot water from the subspace, and let you wear some cold shields.
"Creto's clothes, bumpy."
"It's the right size for my body, so please be patient."
"It's okay, that's fine."
Nina grabs it while drinking hot water.
In the meantime, I gave dried fruits to Yukishiro and Yukinko.
Are you hungry? I eat rustle and dried fruit.
Can I ask why you were hanging around here?
"...... yeah"
I have some idea why Nina has been here all this time, but I need to ask her just in case.
I decided to keep it.
Nina nods and tells me what happened after I went to the King's City for work.
I promised her I wouldn't go to the secret base until I came back, but Nina couldn't hold back because I couldn't come back for six days.
When she decided to go for a walk alone, she told Stella that she was going for a walk, and she was able to enter the forest and reach the secret base.
It was good that way, but when I was playing with Yukiro and Yukinko, I heard a ferocious roar from the outside. Nina was too scared to step outside.
To survive the harsh cold, I leaned in with Yukiro and Yukinko, and I came to the place where I was holding my breath with a transfer.
"I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise..."
After I finished the story, Nina apologized.
I've never had a child, so I didn't know what to say at a time like this.
"There are feelings of wanting to get angry about that, but that's not the point right now." Anyway, I'm glad Nina's safe. "
"... yes..."
Thank you for protecting Nina, Yuki Shiro and Yukinko.
If these two hadn't warmed Nina up, she might have fallen in the cold.
It was definitely thanks to the two of them that I was safe until I rushed in.
Praisefully, Yukishiro and Yukinko croaked proudly.
Well, I'd like to say that I'm going back to the village because of the transfer, but it's not good to leave the monsters alone.
This secret base is not far from the village.
If left unattended, they could come down to the village.
“There was a footprint outside, like a bear, but do you know what kind of guy it was?”
It was a little easier if it was just a bear, but if it was a monster, it would be troublesome.
“I don't know, but I know it's loud because there was a lot of footsteps.”
Apparently, I didn't see it. If you've been hanging around here all this time, it's only natural that you don't know... "
I'll check on the outside for a second.
"Eh! Let's not do it because it's dangerous!"
"It's okay. I'm strong when I look like this." I'll knock you down like a pig. And for the safety of Yukishiro and Yukinko, who protected Nina, we can't miss the dangerous monsters. "
It was Nina who grabbed my hem to keep me, but when she explained that it was also for Yuki Shiro and Yukinko, she let go of the hand she was grabbing.
Yuki Shiro and Yukinko are just animals. If the monsters attacked me, I wouldn't be able to stop them.
Even in times of shortage of food, dangerous monsters roam around, and winter may pass. Not only for the villagers, but also for Yukishiro and Yukinko.