Chapter 132
A snowy landscape stretching as far as I can see.
This is my second snowy season in this world... It's cold.
I step out onto the wooden deck.
The area is protected by a barrier, so it's fully equipped to handle the cold.
In the square, Marshmallow and Fuwafuwa are wrestling... or rather, training.
Two lizards are standing upright, gripping each other's arms... It looks like something I've seen in an animal video...
Or was it a video that aired on an animal program...?
Oh, I remember now—it was footage of monitor lizards.
It was footage of monitor lizards fighting in a city... Though these ones are a little bigger.
Oh, it dodged the water attack.
Amazing. Ah, Marshmallow has an ice attack, too.
...Monitor lizards didn't have magic, though. I guess this is the other-world version.
"Good morning."
A voice comes from behind me. It seems the children have finished eating and come out.
Looking at them... they're wearing coats that look warm.
...Three-Eyes is amazing.
"Good morning."
At last, the children have started talking to me, too.
I think that's wonderful progress.
They've also gotten startled by the square less often.
...I want to believe getting used to it is a good thing.
Still, there was something kind of cute about the lizards wrestling.
But the magic attacks that shoot water and ice from their mouths... those are way too scary.
The children sit down on the long bench I'm sitting on.
One-Eye quickly makes a warm drink and brings it over.
Lately, I've been thinking this in particular... One-Eye is incredible. A perfect maid—no, that's not right. A secretary... a butler...
I watch One-Eye cleaning.
One-Eye uses Clean magic to make everything spotless, but for some reason also wipes things down.
Should I find some work for One-Eye to do?
But... there isn't anything, is there?
Oh, that's unusual on such a cold day.
The ant children are outside.
Hahaha, if they're heading straight for the kitchen, they must be after food, right?
Should I go with them?
...Ah, right. One-Eye manages everything to do with meals.
The ant children are doing things properly.
They've made sure to get permission from One-Eye.
It seems they get chased if they do anything without permission.
I've seen children carrying food as well as wine get chased several times.
Come to think of it, I haven't seen that lately... Well, I suppose that's the result of everything that happened.
The One-Eyes are watching over the ant children with satisfied looks as well.
If there are no problems, then that's fine.
...
Even though it's snowing, they really keep at it.
Are they not cold because they're training?
Big Boss-san and Shuri's family really hate this time of year, though.
I suddenly sense magic power approaching.
It seems my companions sensed it as well; they're each searching for it.
Where could it be?
...Strange. There's nothing here.
I can sense the magic power. At this distance, I should be able to see its source by now.
My magic detection has become more precise; I can now distinguish between targets and gauge their distance.
Then there's hostility; I'm fairly sensitive to that.
The magic power I sense doesn't seem hostile, but not being able to see its source is frightening.
When I reach the corner of the wooden deck, the snow nearby suddenly evaporates.
As I stand there in surprise, a hole opens in the snow, and an amoeba emerges from it.
Oh, this one... It's the amoeba from the cave.
Did it come all the way here?
Even so, it's staring at me awfully intently.
What should I do?
Marshmallow?
Maybe the amoeba was startled; it recoiled a little.
...Do you know each other?
A fellow snow amoeba?
Marshmallow nods at me once, then burrows into the hole the amoeba made.
Since Marshmallow nodded, I suppose that means it's okay.
Still, that's quite a distance from the cave to here.
Did it burrow through the snow the whole way?
That amoeba is incredible.
Oh, some new tea? I'll have some.
One-Eye, thank you.
It's a lot better than the tea I brew myself.