Chapter 17
**Winter Will Come Again**
Once upon a time, there was a boy who grew up without a father.
The boy was afraid of winter.
When snow fell, the fields were covered in white, and he had to clench his hungry belly and endure.
Even in his young heart, he thought:
“I’m having such a hard time because I don’t have a father.”
So the boy made a vow to himself.
“I will never let my family go hungry.”
The boy grew up, met a woman, and married her.
And he had a child of his own. Now he was a father.
But winter did not change.
Snow fell, cold winds blew, and hunger came.
Their stored food gradually diminished and eventually ran out.
He decided to protect his family.
“Wait. I’ll find us something to eat.”
He put on a thick coat and went out into the snow-covered world.
But every house he went to was in the same situation.
“I’m sorry, but we don’t have any food either.”
“We have no choice but to wait until next year.”
He went out into the mountains and fields, searching for food.
But in winter, there was nothing to be found.
The bright sky turned dark, and the snow fell without ceasing.
As he walked, his legs grew heavier. His fingertips grew numb. His eyes began to close.
And then he realized.
‘Why didn’t I have a father?’
His father must have only understood his own father once he became a father himself.
He must have wandered through the night in the dead of winter, and eventually, he too never returned.
Even after he disappeared, winter would come again.
The family he left behind would survive this winter, and another child would grow up. And someday, that child would become a father.
Winter always returns with the same story.
In the endless snow, in the endless hunger.
—
* * *
When Lucas was young, he heard a story like this.
A tale called <Winter Will Come Again>.
A story that teaches about a father’s love and the terrifying, insurmountable nature of winter.
So in the Elimeas territory, it was taboo to go outside during winter.
If you go out, you die.
You had to endure until spring came and the snow melted, so you wouldn’t become a corpse buried in the snow.
That’s why many people died from smoke inside their homes. Because they blocked the freezing drafts and kept fires burning.
‘Yes, last year too, I thought I couldn’t survive much longer.’
Lucas recalled last winter.
Back then, the territory’s situation was dire. Two households in the village were wiped out inside their homes, and several others died. There were also those who, like in the fairy tale, died buried in the snow on the roads.
Lucas hoped that this winter would pass without such accidents.
But it was a strange thing.
“……Has winter not started yet?”
It was certainly cold.
He wasn’t immune to the cold either.
‘Is it the effect of the black wood the Acting Lord permitted?’
Perhaps because his house was warm, it didn’t feel that cold.
At this level, it was warm inside.
But even when he occasionally went outside, it was the same.
‘I think last winter brought a much more biting cold…’
Sometimes in the Elimeas territory, the cold and chill were called the breath of death.
The winter cold, especially, brought actual death.
But it wasn’t like that this time. Shrugging, Lucas began to clear the snow outside.
He got a ladder and climbed onto the roof. He started pushing the snow down little by little. If he didn’t do this work, the roof would sometimes collapse.
Even if he sloped the roof so the snow would slide off on its own, it was the same.
It certainly helped, but the snow fell more heavily than that.
“Phew.”
Lucas caught his breath.
His face felt like it was freezing in the winter chill, but it was strangely curious.
‘It doesn’t quite feel like winter yet.’
—
**Climate Immunity (Lv. 3): Grants creatures resistance to heat and cold.**
—
It was bearable.
There was even better news.
A window opened, and his daughter’s voice came from below.
“Father! Dinner is ready!”
“Alright, I’ll be right down!”
Lucas climbed down from the roof using the ladder again.
As soon as he entered the house, a wave of warmth greeted him.
Even with this heating, there was almost no smoke compared to before.
‘Before, the condition of the house was terrible.’
They couldn’t not light a fire, and because of it, many people coughed.
There were chimneys, but that alone wasn’t enough.
Above all, sometimes people would block the chimney because they said it made them colder. A foolish thing to do. Nine times out of ten, they would die from smoke.
And another thing that made winter frightening.
“Isn’t this too much food?”
Like all commoners, the table was modest.
Before, there were many times when even this wasn’t available. When Lucas spoke with concern, his wife answered.
“This much is fine. We didn’t pay taxes this year. And we have some of what we received when the Acting Lord called us to work for winter preparation…”
If only every winter could be like today.
That was Lucas’s thought as he listened to his wife.
‘Winter isn’t all bad, after all.’
The children seemed the same way.
First of all, simply being able to eat without going hungry was a huge improvement.
“……I think our whole family will survive this winter.”
His wife seemed to feel this hopeful atmosphere as well.
At her words, Lucas nodded.
“I think so too. It’s been less than a year since the Acting Lord arrived, but… yes, the territory is changing.”
A place where survival was impossible was becoming a territory where one could live.
If it was this good, it was worth living in.
Lucas wasn’t the only one who felt this way. Everyone in the village thought the same. And so, the more they felt it, the more hopeful they became.
This winter… they could survive.
“I just hope there aren’t any events. Then it seems like we’ll get through winter without any trouble and spring will come.”
Lucas spoke with a wish.
But this time, that wish was not granted.
Thump thump.
A knock came at his door.
“Lucas! The lord… no, the Acting Lord is gathering the people!”
—
* * *
Cliff heard the story passed down in this territory.
‘Winter Will Come Again. What a romantic title.’
He liked it very much.
But still, he didn’t like it.
He didn’t like tragedies. Unconditionally happy endings. He had to make at least reality that way.
So he gave an order.
“Huh?”
Nigel looked at Cliff with a bewildered expression.
‘Has the Acting Lord not yet sobered up?’
The butler knew that he and Priscilla had drunk wine last night.
And he even knew that the two had finally become one. Perhaps because he had shed his innocence, Cliff had become even more unpredictable.
He had been a person who defied common sense from his very first appearance, but it hadn’t been like this.
“Gather the people. And spread the word. I, Cliff E… no, Cliff Elimeas, am going to hold a Snow Festival.”
A festival.
At Cliff’s declaration, Nigel’s face grew strange.
This was something he hadn’t heard of even when he lived outside the Elimeas territory.
“We have some food left over, don’t we?”
“That is true, but…”
“If we don’t, let’s even slaughter the geese we have. We’ll regret it later when we see the geese population has shrunk, but we can just buy more then. Besides, we’ve increased the number of charcoal kilns, so can’t we just work hard producing and selling charcoal?”
“……Are you saying we should slaughter even the geese?”
“Yes. So that every villager can have at least a piece of meat. Make soup in a huge pot. It might be hard for everyone to taste the meat itself, but we should at least give them soup with oil floating on top.”
The people of this territory were still too gaunt.
At least by Cliff’s standards.
‘It would be a lie to say I don’t feel bad about the geese…’
He could just increase their numbers again.
Buy more, leave just a few goose families, and let their numbers grow.
“Let’s slaughter all but three or four mating pairs.”
“……!”
Nigel grew more astonished with every word Cliff said.
“If we’re going to have a festival, we need food first.”
If only the Cliff couple were eating, he could understand it.
But Cliff clearly intended to give it to all the people. Of course, there would be those who couldn’t eat.
No matter how many geese they slaughtered, that would be difficult.
That’s why Cliff was thinking of even giving them just broth with oil floating on top.
“If it’s still insufficient, feed the children first.”
“……Understood.”
“Then go and prepare it quickly.”
“Yes.”
And so Cliff’s plan was conveyed throughout the territory.
A festival was to be held.
Everyone was flustered by the sudden news of a festival. Above all, even if they were to have a festival, no one had thought of doing it in winter.
Even the soldiers grew busy.
“What’s all this sudden commotion about?”
Not only the soldiers, but the villagers came out and cleared the snow.
They had to make a path for Cliff to pass through.
And so, on either side, mounds of snow were formed. Between them, Cliff walked along with Priscilla.
Priscilla also looked quite flustered.
“Hmm.”
Cliff looked at a pile of snow gathered in one place.
‘That looks perfect, doesn’t it?’
Cliff’s eyes sparkled.
“Eek!”
He scooped Priscilla up into his arms.
Held by him in front of everyone, she let out a cute squeal and blushed.
A face that didn’t know what to do.
It was a face he wanted to tease, but now he had to maintain his authority. Cliff used his mana and climbed atop the pile of snow.
A natural stage made of snow.
Cliff and Priscilla stood there.
Cliff looked out over the people from there.
“At last, the happiest day permitted by the gods has arrived! The blessed season of rest for those who have diligently worked the other three seasons!”
Naturally, there was no response.
That was fine.
Winter would come again. Perhaps next year, people would look forward to winter.
“I declare a festival in the territory for three days.”
Even hearing the word ‘festival,’ the people had no reaction.
He had expected that.
But now, they would have no choice but to respond.
“To celebrate this festival, I will give you meat today!”
Meat!
At these words, the people’s expressions changed.
“Waaaaah!”
Amid their cheers, Cliff cried out.
“A noble is one entrusted by the gods with the duty to guide the people rightly. I, Cliff, shall fulfill that divine duty and teach you the grace of the gods who gave you winter.”
In this world, the power of faith was strong.
The duty to guide the people rightly that Cliff mentioned was also a real thing. For reference, the standard of ‘rightly’ here was theology.
So Cliff had also learned doctrine and scripture.
Something came to mind.
Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.
“Enjoy this winter with gratitude and happiness.”
Cliff vowed once more.
He would definitely change the perception of winter.
“Then surely, among you, there will be those who will look forward to next winter.”
And this beginning was right now.
—
* * *
“Waaaah.”
“Ouch!”
“Hey! How dare you throw that at me?”
Children crying.
Screaming, and voices of anger.
They should have been negative emotions.
“Elele. Why don’t you try hitting him?”
“Oh dear, where should I throw?”
“Hahaha!”
Teasing, mocking laughter.
But within it, unmistakable sounds of laughter.
“……This is strange.”
Priscilla murmured.
She had never seen winter like this.
Children were running around. And they were packing snow and throwing it at each other.
Yes, a snowball fight.
Some fell over, or cried or got annoyed when hit by snow, but…
‘It’s amazing.’
Priscilla’s fingers twitched.
Her face was flushed from the cold.
But her eyes were sparkling brightly at this moment. She didn’t want to go back to the mansion.
Winter always had a dreary atmosphere.
But she never knew winter could be so lively.
‘Ah.’
In one place, they were boiling snow. To be precise, they were melting it.
Through this, they obtained water.
They dipped cloth in it, then took it out. They wrapped their cold hands in the cloth that had absorbed the hot water.
Or they filled jars with water.
They would wash their hands and feet at home with that water.
“Theobald, keep a good watch so no one leaves the village. Especially among the children, there are bound to be those who try to go outside… If so, subdue them as needed and bring them back inside.”
Cliff instructed Theobald to prepare for any accidents.
The corners of Cliff’s mouth were turned up in a smile.
A playful smile. At first, Priscilla didn’t know why he was smiling like that.
But she soon found out.
“Hah!”
“Take that!”
At some point, the children had decided Theobald was their common enemy.
They chased him and threw snowballs.
Theobald, who had become everyone’s target, made a troubled face. He couldn’t get angry at children just because they attacked him.
Above all, Cliff was watching this with a giggling expression.
‘He planned this.’
He realized Cliff’s intention.
So he dodged the children’s attacks and counterattacked with appropriate force.
The children clung to him.
And Theobald led them around.
“That bastard, he’s actually enjoying it.”
Cliff said as he watched.
And then he too crouched down. He started packing snow in that position.
“……Are you going to have a snowball fight?”
Priscilla asked, filled with curiosity and a bit of anticipation.
She too thought the children’s game looked fun.
“No. What I’m going to do is different.”
“……?”
Contrary to his words, he packed snow.
Still, the shape of the snowball was unique. One small and one large. The large one wasn’t a perfect circle, but an oval.
On top of that long, large snowball, Cliff placed the small one at the end.
“Oh?”
Then Cliff was making something on the small snowball.
Long, pointed ears.
Yes, it was a small animal.
Cliff held out the rabbit he had made of snow to Priscilla.
“Hmm. It turned out better than I thought. Does the skill apply to me too?”
He murmured something she couldn’t understand. Then he held it out toward Priscilla.
“Here, a present.”
“Huh?”
“Happy birthday.”
This is a present…?
She accepted Cliff’s present.
It was cold.
But it was cute. She stared blankly at the snow rabbit.
Snow could also be a gift.
“It’s cute. I want to keep it in my room and raise it.”
“Hmph. Even if you want to, it’ll melt quickly, won’t it?”
“Ah……”
Hearing Cliff’s words, she felt a sense of regret.
Cliff said.
“Don’t be sad. Winter will come again, after all.”
I’ll make you one every winter.
At his words, a faint smile appeared on her face.
“I hope next winter… comes quickly too.”
“Right?”
Already, there was one person.
Someone who looked forward to winter.
Cliff smiled as if he had known this would happen. It was thrilling to have conveyed the charm of winter, to have changed her perception.
And then, something even more thrilling happened.
—
**- [Environment] category level has increased.**
**- [Culture] category level has increased.**
—
Yes, I had a feeling you two would level up.
