Chapter 139

The snow was falling fiercely.

The chilling wind outside the door was howling as if it could shatter the building.

“Let’s ride our bikes to the market…”

“It’s too dangerous today, we can’t.”

“Hmm…”

Yul’s lips drooped in disappointment, but today was simply not the day. Even a grown man could be swept away in this weather, let alone a young child—it was far too perilous to let them outside.

“For today, all of you just stay indoors.”

The usually cheerful expressions of the spirits softened into gloom. Even they sensed something might go wrong. Especially since Jack was always around—any trouble would mean big trouble for everyone. Today was going to be an indoor day for all.

If the weather improved, maybe they could venture out, but certainly not now. The world looked like it had been painted white as heavy clouds blanketed the sky. Due to the dark clouds, even though it was morning, the sun was hidden, making the day feel gloomy.

“I hate snow…”

Anne lay stretched out like a worm on the sofa. At least there was no sign of lightning, which was a small relief. Patting her gently on the side, I tried to comfort her while she sprawled lazily beside me.

As I absentmindedly patted Anne, my thoughts drifted back to climate manipulation. Even if it was small-scale, covering the entire village would be impossible, but perhaps I could manage it near my house? Maybe my earlier attempt to bring sunlight failed because it was too abrupt.

The spirits gathered near the door, and Jack sat quietly among them. Yul, standing by the window, stared wistfully at the snow-covered bike. That’s when the idea struck me again.

I didn’t wish for sunlight this time. If only the snow and wind would stop.

Just a tiny area.

I attempted another localized climate adjustment near my home.

“Focus.”

The act of combining wind with my willpower drained a minuscule amount of energy from my body. Then, slowly, a subtle change occurred.

The wind calmed down, and the falling snow lost its strength. Jack and Yul were the first to notice the shift.

“Abba! The snow has stopped!”

“Ah-hoo!”

Their eyes lit up, hoping I’d give them permission to play outside. Expectation flickered across the spirits’ faces too. They believed they could now head to the greenhouse to play with plants and soil.

“Shall we check?”

Opening the door, the cold air hit us, but it wasn’t the violent gusts anymore; just a natural chill. Snow covered the ground, though it hadn’t fallen long enough to be overwhelming. Still, I frowned slightly, knowing prolonged snowfall could negatively impact the village. Such concerns were inevitable.

“Woohoo!”

Yul happily stepped through the soft, fluffy snow, enjoying the sensation underfoot. Marking the pristine white landscape with his footprints, he seemed delighted.

“Hmm?”

“Yeah. You can go play in the greenhouse.”

“Yay!”

My words pleased Jack immensely. The same went for the spirits. Without looking back, they dashed straight toward the greenhouse.

“I’ll take care of Yul.”

Evangelin casually stepped forward, riding a four-wheeled bike alongside Yul. She must’ve wanted to ride too, judging by her choice of seat next to him. Surprisingly, I thought Anne would’ve liked biking more than Evangelin.

Yul joyfully rode around the neighborhood, thrilled just to be on the bike. With Evangelin nearby, I returned inside to tend to Anne, who was still slumped on the couch.

“Thank goodness.”

“Huh?”

“At least Minho is here with me…”

As she said that, she pulled me close by the neck, toppling me onto the couch. Trapped beneath her, she gave her signature giggle, clearly satisfied with the arrangement.

Time passed until lunch, and the snow continued. Finally, patches of sky became visible, and the thick white world started receiving light. Though calm had already returned near my house, the rest of the village found peace only after lunchtime.

“Are you feeling better?”

Already lying in bed, Anne nodded faintly in response to my question. With the snow gone, her energy seemed to return slightly, showing minimal movement.

“After eating, I should probably make some clothes for the fairies.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah, luckily the snow didn’t last too long.”

She seemed to think our house had miraculously avoided the worst of the storm. There was no indication that climate manipulation or magic had anything to do with it. While I didn’t intend to hide it deliberately, neither did I feel the need to mention it, so the matter slipped by unnoticed.

Sliding off the bed, I headed towards the village. Worried about potential issues caused by the heavy snow, I noticed almost no one was out. Everyone must have taken shelter safely indoors. As I trudged through knee-deep snow, I spotted a group rushing somewhere.

“Hurry!”

What’s going on?

Stepping in front of the group pushing through the snow, they looked surprised to see me.

“Lord Baron!”

“What’s the matter?”

Their frantic demeanor suggested something serious had happened. Their hesitation in explaining made it clear—an accident had likely occurred.

“Well…”

“Speak.”

“There are workers at the mine who haven’t come for their shift change. We were just about to go check.”

“At the mine?”

“Yes. We fear something may have happened.”

“With this much snow, why would anyone work…”

Realizing I hadn’t warned them against working in such weather due to my illness yesterday, guilt settled in. Modern thinking assumed people wouldn’t work during storms, but medieval logic differed.

“How long has communication been cut off?”

“About four hours ago.”

Judging by the timing, it seemed communication ceased when the snowstorm began.

“I’m coming with you.”

At this, all the workers appeared startled. Was there something they were hiding? Why the surprise?

“Is it alright for you to come with us?”

“Is there any reason I shouldn’t?”

“Why should Lord Baron dirty himself with the mines…”

“If lives might be in danger, I must go myself.”

“…Thank you.”

Hoping nothing major had happened, we rushed to the mine together. Progress was slow, so I cleared the path with a fiery blaze, melting the snow faster than shoveling could ever achieve.

After twenty minutes of nonstop running, we reached the mine entrance, blocked tightly by snow, trees, and rocks. Relieved, it wasn’t the worst-case scenario I’d imagined.

A cave-in or explosion caused by dust wouldn’t have left such signs. Still, with the entrance sealed, those inside would undoubtedly be anxious. This was still considered an accident.

“The entrance!”

As the workers moved to intervene, I silently gestured for them to stop.

“I’ll handle it.”

Digging with shovels would take forever. Magic was quicker and safer. It would also notify anyone inside of our arrival fastest.

The snow was deep, but upon inspecting the terrain, it seemed an avalanche-like phenomenon had blocked the mine entrance. Normally, the snow depth only reached knee-level.

Summoning flames, I melted the snow. The blazing fire turned the snow into liquid, clearing the mine entrance. Trees and rocks fell naturally, creating space.

The workers quickly cleared the debris from the ground, and soon sounds from within grew audible—a sign the obstruction was thinning. Once the snow melted completely, leaving only piles of wood and rocks, we saw exhausted miners emerge from beyond the mine.

“Lord Baron?”

Retracting the floating ball of fire, the miners emerged, visibly surprised to see me.

“On days like these, you should rest in the future. Accidents like this can happen.”

“Thank you…”

Their heartfelt gratitude made me feel accomplished.

To them, what might’ve been a grueling rescue operation was merely routine for me.

Thus concluded the mine rescue mission brought on by the blizzard. Shift changes completed successfully, and the mine entrance was cleaned up neatly.

No other accidents occurred. Just inconvenient travel due to excessive snow.

Though running through the mountains revealed poorly maintained roads that turned muddy when the snow melted. Now, while frozen winter grounds spared us discomfort, come spring, the view might worsen significantly.

“We need to fix the roads…”

Tasks piled up. Personally, I planned to explore desert ruins, investigate what lay beyond the dungeon’s 50th floor, and deliver promised white clay to the forest elves’ father. Managing my village already felt overwhelming, pushing personal errands further back. Only family time remained sacred.

Returning home, I changed out of my soaked pants and sat on the couch. Anne woke up slightly groggy, yawning as she greeted me.

“You’re back?”

“Yeah. Everything okay?”

“The snow stopped. Heehee.”

“Lucky.”

Then she snuggled closer again. Lately, why was she so clingy?

Had a law mandating physical contact been enacted?

While not unpleasant, her increased affection was noticeable.

“You smell nice.”

Burying her nose into my chest, she took a deep breath. Her casual confidence amused me.

Living together brought newfound ease. Comfortable familiarity replaced formalities.

Human charm.

Actions remained unchanged, yet interactions felt more relaxed. Less pretense.

Gone were the flirtatious remarks akin to a fox luring me in.

Perhaps early stages of love?

The subtle exchanges during ambiguous moments.

Now, none of that remained—just straightforward declarations.

I like you. You like me. So, I’ll love you fully.

Especially Anne.

Nonchalantly declaring her feelings every moment, every hour.

Such consistent affection was undeniably delightful.

Receiving excessive love, I strived to reciprocate.

“What are you thinking about? Thinking about me is forbidden!”

Was she aware how transparent her suspicions were?

Gently placing a finger over her lips, I carefully lifted the seal.

Our eyes met, enveloped in a gentle silence. Breaking it slowly, I spoke the truth.

“You.”

“Cheater! Saying things like that in that tone!”

“But it’s true.”

“That’s not the point.”

Playfully pouting, I stroked her hair. She grumbled before finally cuddling back into my arms.

On a snowy day,

Fortunately, nothing extraordinary happened. The day passed peacefully.

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