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Chapter 176: Winter Wonderland!

  The sky was blue, the sun climbing slowly to its peak, patches of white and gray to be seen, and the flock of birds flying ever so freely. It was a normal day... Well, it would have been normal if there weren't two ptinum streaks bolting across such blueness.

  Two massive figures darted across the vast blue sky, spreading their beautiful pairs of wings ever so freely aing their eyes shih such beauty. The very moment the skylight hits them, the glow is even brighter than the sun itself. They were just too eye-catg.

  It wasn't just the sly which has ged. The sery below has also gradually started to shift. From browns and greens which covered most of what could be seen, colors if bd white started to fill the ground the more they headed north. Not only that, the air was starting to get cold as well.

  "Grey, how long will it be before we reach the Kosalvier?" [Julius]

  "It won't be long. If everything ght, we should arrive before noon." [Grey]

  "That's awfully quick, isn't itー" [Julius]

  "Waah~! Snow!" [Yuna]

  Julius couldn't even finish his words, when a squeal suddenly resounded behind Grey. Ae them being high in the sky, the very in of the scream jumped up and down withard for her safety, not a trace of fear in her face.

  One, five, thirty seven, up until it reached thousands. Snowfkes started to fall in front of everyohe more they zoomed towards the north. It wasn't a snowstorm or anything dangerous, just a simple, beautiful snowfall, filling the nds with gray and white.

  It wasn't the first time Yuna had seen snow, she had done so many times over as she used magic over and ain. But seeing it ocaturally, she couldn't help but be mesmerized from their beauty. It was simply breathtaking.

  "How beautiful..." [Amelia]

  "So this is what winter is like, huh..." [Julius]

  Even the usually eic Julius simply stopped whatever he was doing to admire the wonderful spectacle. It was out of character for him, but who could bme him? When seeing such a se unfold, it was iable for oo stop and admire.

  It was especially true si was the first time all of them had seen such a se. Even Grey who has lived two lives has only seen such sights oelevision. Although he doesn't show it much, he was also in awe, mesmerized even.

  Although Alfrione, being a tropical try, was also beautiful in its hts, there was just a different allure in snowy tries. Well, they would probably get used to it after a while, maybe eve annoyed by the snow, but for now, they were enjoying such a beautiful sight to the fullest.

  There wasn't only snow-cround. There was also a frozen ke and frozen river unfolding in the sery below. Adding to that is a couple of forests, evergreen and unbothered by the freezing snow.

  "Everyone, do you want to go doy?" [Grey]

  "Eh? Would that be alright?" [Amelia]

  "Of course. A day or two of pying won't affect us too much. Just think of it as if we are starting htseeing right now." [Grey]

  It was a hard to refuse offer with two opposing choices. Although they wao hurry up ao their destination city, they also wao let loose while they still could. It would be hard to get the full experieh many eyes around, after all. It was the only ce they had.

  "Agh! Dammit! Let's just go a loose!" [Julius]

  "Un! I also want to py around!" [Yuna]

  "Mmn... I also agree with them. I think it's a good idea." [Amelia]

  The answer was settled with a unanimous vote. Everyone agreed to spend a day pying around and go wild on the white snowy ndscape. A gentle smile appeared on Grey's face as he asked the familiars to desd down the snowy fields.

  Cold winds blew and snow flew here and there as two figures desded, creating a small blizzard of their own as they fpped their wings. Their ptinum scales blending with the snow, they would have been hard to spot if it weren't for their eyes and crystals which stood out like a sore thumb.

  With a little leap, everyone came down from the familiars, their boots immediately sinking down the snow as soon as they did. It was a weird feeling, but none of them found it unfortable, only iing.

  "Oh, so this is how snow feels like, huh..." [Julius]

  "It's somehow fluffy...? Isn't it?" [Amelia]

  "Amazing! Snow! Lots of snow!" [Yuna]

  Julius stomped his feet around, Amelia squatted and pyed around with it with her hands, and Yuna ran around the pot even bothered by the cold a little bit, her breath being visible with the drastic drop of temperature.

  The familiars weren't left out either. As soon as everyone jumped down from their backs, they turned back to wolf pup forms. Grey also called out the other familiars, and so everyone resent. Well, everyone except Poris, he was still guarding Eliza and so he wasn't called.

  Grey felt bad that Poros was always left out, but there was only so much he could do. Though they could bond during the Labyrinth dive, they couldn't do so when enjoying simple things like pying around. He swore in his heart he'll make it up to him wheime es.

  "Oh, is that a white rabbit?" [Julius]

  Well, they weren't the only ones around. Not only were there arctic rabbits, there were also arctic foxes and white owls to be seee looking like a frozen ae wastend, the pce was actually bustling with life.

  "Hey, Grey, first oo catch the rabbit wins! And don't you dare use your absurd strength, you hear me!" [Julius]

  "Oi, Julius, wait a minute!" [Grey]

  "Ha! Make meー Ah! F*ck! So cold!" [Julius]

  Grey didn't even have to do anything. Before Julius could even take more than a dozen steps, he already fell down helplessly towards the cold snow, shivering and freezing aggressively, the sound of his teeth cttering eg in the air.

  The reason was simple. It was because he got out of Grey's barrier which has been maintaining a fortable temperature for the duration of the flight. Now, he was feeling ess he had never felt before. It reminded him of the ice bath during the foundiival he and Grey once suffered against.

  He was now like a shriveling cat during the rain, no, actually, he orse. He looked like those cartoon characters whose noses were growing icicles from too much ess as he went back to the barrier. It was only for a moment, but he experienced hell. A cold, freezing hell.

  "You idiot, this is why I told you to wait... Here, a coat. I also have some other things. What would you like?" [Grey]

  "Gi... Gi-Gi... Give... Me-Me..." [Julius]

  "Haah... You're hopeless..." [Grey]

  Julius was shivering so much he couldn't even say two words clearly. Grey just decided to give him all he has for his sake. There was the coat, a scarf, a pair of warm gloves, and a couple more things, all ented with temperature regution.

  It wasn't just Julius. Grey, Yuna, and Amelia were also now wearing winter-suited clothing. Not only do they keep them warm and fortable, they are fashionable as well. They all looked like models Grey once saw oelevision.

  Grey was wearing all bck like he usually does. Julius had a pairing of beige and off-white colors. Amelia matched her hair and wore red colors with bits of bck here and there. And stly, Yuna wore white matg the snow around her.

  The only things which weren't white on Yuna's attire were her bck scarf and earmuffs. It was only given that she looked beautiful, but Grey couldn't help but look at her, his heart pounding wildly like a rag stallion.

  "Grey, is something wrong?" [Yuna]

  "N-No, not really... It's just that... Umm... You look so beautiful... I couldn't take my eyes off you," [Grey]

  He was the one who said it, but he was also the most embarrassed, c the lower part of his face with one of his hands. But it was to no avail, his ears only proved how flustered she was. Yuna's looks were just too explosive.

  Meanwhile, Yuna couldn't respond with words. She only pounded one of Grey's shoulders as if she rotesting, her face getting redder and redder the more she pounded. She was just as embarrassed as he was, but also happy at the same time,

  Well, it wasn't only Grey and Yuna. Julius and Amelia were also having their own moment by themselves. The familiars could only look at the two pairs warmly as they observed from a distance, giving them the space they needed.

  Time passed and more snow fell from the sky. To pass the time, everyone decided to pn around the snow and build a lot of things. And what better thing was there to build with snow than a snowman. Building it was a must!

  Oer another, snowmen popped left and right as everyone built their own. There were small oall ones, and even weird looking ones which couldn't be described by a single word. They pyed around like children without a care for the world.

  "Ha! Grey, mialler than yours!" [Julius]

  "Hm? I don't remember us having a petition,.. Well, even if we did, you won't be winning anytime soon." [Grey]

  "Huh? What do... you... mean..." [Julius]

  Julius' pride was quickly crushed as soon as he looked at the dire Grey ointing at. There, he saw a massive snowman standing more than five meters tall, and the ones who built it were her than Yuna, Amelia, and the famiirs.

  "Hey, that's cheating! There's so many of you!" [Julius]

  "Fufufu, we didn't agree on the rules to begin with! So this isn't cheating!" [Yuna]

  "Yuna's right. Please admit defeat, Yhness." [Amelia]

  "Amelia, not you too!" [Julius]

  Like a child who just got crushed horribly in a game, Julius' knees were down to the ground. Grey couldn't even remember there was a petition in the first pce yet everyone was on board with Julius' sudden whim. He felt a little left out.

  Nontly, Grey bent down to the ground and cupped himself a bunch of snow. He then rolled it with his palm whilst humming to himself and without much thought, threw it in a random dire, a perfect trajectory, nding towards the back of Julius' head. It was a total ce. Yep, a total ce.

  "Ah, sorry... Didn't mean to do that..." [Grey]

  "You bastard...! That's it! I'm pummelingー" [Julius]

  "Ah. I also didn't mean that one." [Grey]

  Total disrespect. Julius hadn't even finished his words when another snowball hit him. Now, it wasn't the back of his head, but rather, his very handsome face. Silence filled the pce as the snow fell back to the ground.

  Irked veins popping on his face, Julius slowly scooped up a bunch of snow and just as slowly, he stood back up, all the while f a ball with the snow he gathered. No more words o be said. A snowball fight has broken out.

  At first, it was only Julius and Grey who were involved, but when stray snowballs hit Amelia and Yuna as well, the battle got bigger. Even the familiars joihe fray using bits of magic to throw snowballs oer another.

  And just as the climax of the match roag, a strong gale howled as winds gathered in one pce. It wasn't a blizzard or anything of the sort. Yuna simply used magic to gather snow and create hundreds of snowballs at the same time.

  "Oi, Yuna! Using magic is cheating!" [Julius]

  "Fufufu, I'm sorry, Julius, but it's already far too te. Amelia, please hide behind me. I'm gonna fire a big one." [Yuna]

  "Okay~! And good luck, Yhness~!" [Amelia]

  "Amelia, you traitor!" [Julius]

  Betrayed by his very own fiancée, Julius has no other choice but to run away. Soon enough, a barrage of snowballs rained down upon him as Yuna released her fury. If he was to ever slow down, he would undoubtedly be buried uhe snow.

  He was already running for his dear life when just in front of him, aorm started brewing up. Hundreds, if not thousands, of snowballs floated in the air, ready to be fired at a moment's notice. It was Grey.

  "You're done, Julius." [Grey]

  With a fli his finger, another barrage was after Julius' life. He incered both from the front and baowhere left to run. All he could do was stay still and wait for his cruel fate. It was over.

  "Hey, this is bullying!" [Julius]

  A pitiful scream echoed throughout the snowy fields as Julius was buried uhe brunt of Grey and Yuna's bitack. He was the first to be totally defeated, knocked out without any hopes of recovery.

  The match tinued and thousands of snowballs razed the fields. After Julius, Amelia and the familiars were elimihe matly stopped when Grey surrendered. Well, who wouldn't? His dear Yuna has started using icicles, after all.

  After the snowball fight, everyoopped a little bit to rest. Grey and Yuna then moved their hands once again and cooked lunch for everyohe hot stew and soups were especially appreciated with the cold climate.

  "G-G-Grey, h-help me!" [Amelia]

  Her legs trembling, voice shaking, a quaking, A lone dy stood in the middle of the frozeears f in the er of her eyes as her face turned pale white, blending with the color of the snow around her. It was Amelia.

  With nothing much to do, Grey decided to teach everyone how to ice skate. They didn't have any ice-skating boots, but with the help of ice magic, Grey was able to make improvised ones. It would be a waste to not use the frozen ke, after all,

  Only after a bit of teag, Yuna and Julius were able to learn ice skating quickly. One of them was even ughing hysterically, boasting about how much of a genius he was. It was obviously Julius.

  The only one who hasn't progressed was Amelia. It wasn't that she had no talent for it. She was just simply too scared to move in such slippery ice. It has been several minutes sihey started and she still hasn't moved an inch.

  It would have been nice if her fiancé could teach her, but he was hopeless. He learnt it easily, but when it came to teag, he sucked like a high-end vacuum er, only making Amelia more fused with his abstrad intangible words.

  "No, no, Amelia, you're trembling too much. Just put more trust in yourself, and start pushing and then push some more!" [Grey]

  "E-Even if y-you e-expin it th-that way, I-I'm still s-scared!" [Amelia]

  "Haah... Alright. Here, hold my hands. I'll be guiding you." [Grey]

  No other choices left, Grey held Amelia's hands and started guiding her closely. He pushed whenever she needed a push and supported when she needed support. Little by little, they were making progress.

  But as such a se unfolded, a little distance away, a certain silver-haired elf outing. She k 't be helped, but whenever she sees Grey holding another woman's hands, even if it was her friend, a certaiion bursts in her heart. It was frustrating. Very frustrating.

  "Ah, Ah!! Grey, look! I do it! I'm really skating!" [Amelia]

  "Haha, good for you... Now, go to Julius and give him a good smae, alright? That bastard's got the guts to ditch his fiancée and have fun by himself. I think it's only fitting he receives a smack or two." [Grey]

  "Yes! I will do just so!" [Amelia]

  There wasn't a speercy betweewo. Even when Amelia truly loved Julius, him leaving her behind to skate on her own also irritated her a little bit. Needless to say, it wasn't going to be pretty for him.

  And just as Grey waved his hands goodbye to Amelia, a certaiugged on his coat. It was her than Yuna who uffing her cheeks, pouting to show her dissatisfa. She pouted even more as she looked Grey in the eye.

  "Umm... Is something wrong...?" [Grey]

  Asked Grey but there weren't any answers. Yuna simply tio pout, lifting Grey's hands and having her fingers interlock with his. She held his hands so tightly, it would have been broken if Grey was a normal person.

  Grey couldn't be any more puzzled with Yuna's as. It was only when he looked at her expressions once again that he remembered a certain memory. She wore the same face when she looked at the people back when they had their first date in the capital. Then, it finally hit him.

  "Yuna... Are you perhaps... Jealous...?" [Grey]

  Yuna fli the mention of Grey's st word. Her eyes the swimming in a different dire, trying to avoid Grey's gaze as her cheeks started to burn a fierce red color. As for her answer...

  "N... No..." [Yuna]

  ... It was an obvious lie. A gentle smile appeared on Grey's face as his suspis were ascertained. He never knew his girlfriend could be so adorable, his heart going wild as an indescribable happiness surge inside of it, flooding it whole.

  Grey then shook off Yuna's hands, making the tter surprised. But what surprised her even more was what followed after. Without any warning, Grey suddenly hugged her tightly, and as he leaowards one of her ears, he whispered...

  "Don't worry. My hands are only yours to hold tightly." [Grey]

  It was a critical hit! As soon as Yuna heard those words, she buried her fa Grey's chest, trying to hide her very flustered face. What's worse, she heard the loud beats of her beloved's heart, making her even redder than what is humanly possible. She has turned into a ripe tomato.

  A satisfied smile floating on Grey's face, the day tinued and a lot of things were done. After their ice skating, they went snowb, made more snowmen and snow angels, and also did some ice fishing.

  The st one was especially fuhe petitive opus won by a rge margin after swimming down the holes and fishes by handー or rather, by mouth. The other familiars also pyed along and they were able to get a lot of fish for dinner.

  As for who got the smallest catch, there was o guess. It was Julius. He was just too eid impatient that he always scares the fishes away. There was ohat he caught a very small fish which made everyone burst ughing.

  Just like that, time passed some more and the sky started to ge colors. For their shelter for the night, Grey made a certain structure he only saw in television and books ba Earth. He was very satisfied with the results.

  "So this is called an igloo, huh... It's pretty well-made, too..." [Julius]

  "Amazing... To think that you could use snow to create a house to shield against snow. How ingenious." [Amelia]

  "Un! This house is amazing! I wonder if we make a castle, too?!" [Yuna]

  Of course, it was an igloo. It retty big pared to the ones ba Earth since magic was used, but it was still an igloo heless. It was warm, it provided shelter, and was also spacious enough for the four of them. There was nothing mrey could ask for.

  Well, if he actually went all out and built an ice castle like Yuna said, but for now, he was satisfied with the igloo. They were only going to stay for a single night, after all. If he was going to build o would be a project for another day.

  "Grey, I've been w..." [Julius]

  "Hm? What is it?" [Grey]

  "Isn't it also your first time here in the north? How e you know so many things about it? I'm pretty sure some of it is your idea as well." [Julius]

  It was a natural question. No matter how ohinks about it, it was just toe. Grey was too excited about pying with snow and ice, he pletely fot about his setting. He messed up big time.

  "Ah, that... I just read a few materials here and there in my free time. As for ice skating and snowb, I've read something simir so I thought it would also work here, that's all." [Grey]

  "I see... So that's how it is..." [Julius]

  "Hmm... I've thought about it before, but you really are amazing, Grey, aren't you? I wouldn't have thought about it if it were me..." [Amelia]

  "That's right! My Grey's amazing!" [Yuna]

  Thankfully, Grey had also gotteer at lying. In just a quick sed, he was able to whip up a reason that even Yuna, who knew of his circumstances, was also fooled. He was terrified of his oabilities.

  The amber sky only turned darker with the setting of the sun. And with the darkening of the sky, the st of deliciousness filled the air as dinner was served. Everyone had a happy time together, chatting and ughing ever so happily. They then had a little rest as the sky turned bck.

  'Hm? It should be about time, isn't it?' [Grey]

  Such a thought revolving around his mind, Grey abruptly headed towards the exit and took a peek outside. His eyes looked over the horizon, a gentle smile appearing on his face as his suspis were firmed.

  "Grey, what are you looking at?" [Yuna]

  "Haha, nothing much... Why don't we all go outside for a little bit? I want to show something to everyone." [Grey]

  Ending his statement with a smile, not only Yuna, but Julius, Amelia, and even the familiars titled their heads in their fusion. Evehey granted Grey's request and headed outside the igloo.

  But evehey went outside, there was still fusion in their faces. No matter how much they turheir heads left and right, they only saw snow and even more snow. They still don't know what the smiling Grey wao show them.

  "Oi, Grey, are you pying a prank on us?" [Julius]

  "You bastard, how rude. You go back if you want, you know?" [Grey]

  "Well, no matter how I look, it's just snow. There isn't anything else." [Julius]

  "Haah... How impatient. If you 't find it, you just o look somewhere else." [Grey]

  "Somewhere else? What are you... talking... ab... out..." [Julius]

  There were no more words o be said. As Grey ended his statement, he looked up towards the sky, wearing the same smile on his face. The others soon followed and what they saw left them all speechless.

  Red, blue, green, yellow, and all the colors of a rainbow. Like the waves atop the deep blue o, the colors danced around in the sky freely, not a single oraihey fshed and dimmed like fireflies in a dark forest. Oh, what a mystical sight to see. The northern lights, a true beauty.

  There wasn't a single word uttered. Everyone eechless, their eyes fixated on one of nature's greatest treats. The orchestra of light and colors, as the sky darkened even more, was forever engraved in everyone's hearts.

  CHAPTER 176 END

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