NOVEL NEXT Ch31 - Enemy Attack ★
31: Enemy Attack ★
As we advanced through the snowy field, I sensed something strange…
It felt like something was watching us from the forest, but it wasn’t a friendly gaze like that of a winter animal. Instead, it was a terribly unpleasant feeling that made my skin crawl…
What could this be?
Right now, I’m riding on Glare.
Feeling uneasy, I wrapped the reins around my wrist and then threw my arms around Glare’s neck.
Glare’s ears twitched in response.
Sensing my emotions, the reindeer pulling the prince’s sled also came to a halt.
Fenrir let out a low growl.
“Fenrir, do you feel something too? Should we stop?”
“No, it’s different—run!”
The loud voice startled me, and Glare took off in a sprint! Waaah!?
The ice reindeer ran alongside us, matching our frantic pace.
Fenrir was running behind us.
With a roar, he created an ice magic circle, summoning snow fairies that swirled around us.
He’s fortifying our defenses… Is it that serious!?
I want to ask what’s happening, but Glare’s rough running makes my jaw chatter, and I can’t get the words out!
Wait… If I use my beast ears, I might pick up some sounds.
—From afar, I heard an unpleasant sound, like hard objects scraping against each other.
A monster emerged from the shadows of the trees, looking like a conglomeration of dull, glowing machinery!
It’s a silly description, but there’s no other way to put it—its shape is so strange.
A harsh, artificial light, like that of a flashlight, glares at us.
“What is that!?”
I finally managed to shout.
It’s coming toward us—oh no!?
“I’ve never seen this before either. Just hang on!”
Glare jumped high to avoid a rock!
I clung to him with all my strength.
The ice reindeer did the same, and I felt bad for the prince!
I glanced over at him, and our eyes happened to meet, but the prince shook his head vigorously.
…He doesn’t know either, huh?
That artificial creature doesn’t seem to belong to the Kingdom of Felsnow.
What about Fenrir!? I worriedly tried to look back.
“Gaaaooon!”
With a roar, the silver beast lunged at the monster.
The monster dodged.
It abruptly stopped and slid sideways, moving unpredictably, almost mechanically.
Then it started scuttling quickly like a spider—ugh, it’s so creepy!
Ignoring Fenrir, the monster kept targeting us.
“Is it after El!?”
Hearing Fenrir’s menacing growl made me feel like crying.
Why is this terrifying monster coming after me!? I’m scared…!
The snow fairies created an ice barrier.
The monster crashed into it and flipped onto its back. But it quickly got up and continued the chase.
Wait! Maybe I should summon my own fairies!
“Orb! Tito!”
I tried to imagine an ice magic circle in my mind… But the fairies didn’t come. What?
Is it because it’s a special magic, so just imagining it isn’t enough?
Come to think of it, Fenrir did say, “I’ll teach you how to summon fairies when we reach the summit.”
Ugh, I should’ve learned beforehand.
The monster lunged… and aimed for the prince!?
“Is it targeting the prince or humans in general?”
I instinctively nodded at Fenrir’s voice.
It was after me earlier, too. The snow fairies protected me, though.
If the kingdom’s prince were killed, it would be a disaster! Not to mention, the Winter Princess, the Unicorn, and Fenrir are all irreplaceable.
And more importantly, I can’t bear to lose my dear friends…
I need to do something, but instead of panicking, I need to stay calm.
The prince avoided the monster’s attack but rolled off the sled.
Now!
“Reindeer, turn into an ice dome!”
The reindeer, with my pearl as its core, transformed into an ice dome, encasing and protecting the prince.
The monster raised what looked like a hammer. Oh no, won’t it shatter the ice…!? I turned pale.
Fenrir stomped his foot, and an ice wall appeared, blocking the monster’s path.
The monster gave up on the prince and turned its attention back to us…
“I won’t let that happen. It’s targeting humans, is it?”
Fenrir’s calm voice.
Huh? Did I just hear that with both my beast ears and human ears?
I quickly turned around, causing Glare to slow down to avoid throwing me off. He also glanced back occasionally as we ran.
The silver beast vanished with a flash, and long hair fluttered in the winter wind. A person in white appeared.
Is that Fenrir?
The monster aimed at the nearest human.
Fenrir, no! Are you being bait!? Run away!
“Don’t underestimate me. El, thank you for worrying about me.”
The silver-haired person spoke in a calm voice.
It seemed like he even picked up my unspoken scream.
…Oh, it’s Fenrir. I felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
“I won’t allow you to trespass in Fenrir’s domain. For your crimes, you’ll face punishment. ‘Eternal Ice Bind’.”
Fenrir formed a hand sign, and an extreme ice spell activated…
—The monster was trapped inside a massive block of ice.
—An ice that won’t melt.
I instinctively understood what kind of magic it was.
“Come here. It’s safe now.”
Fenrir knocked on the ice’s surface with his fist, then called us over.
“El-sama, let’s go.”
Glare excitedly broke into a run.
I remained silent, simply holding on tightly.
We approached Fenrir.
A very handsome person smiled at us, putting us at ease.
“That was a remarkable performance, Fenrir-sama!!!!”
“Thank you, Glare. But I frightened you all… I should have handled it better.”
“It was an unprecedented situation. You did your best.”
“Glare, you’re good at flattery. It’s comforting.”
Fenrir slowly reached out to me.
With a bit of hesitation, he gently stroked my cheek. His hand was large.
“You did well, El.”
My eyes started to well up, and as tears burst out, they turned into snow flowers, blooming like pearls.
“Aren’t you going to get off?”
I could only shake my head, trembling.
I’m too scared… I’m suddenly so nervous… I can’t let go.
“Good grief… You’re making it hard for me, you know?”
Glare turned into a human. Wha—falling?! That’s too much!
I closed my eyes, but I was caught in a firm, steady embrace. Fenrir?
“I never thought our greeting would be like this. In this form, nice to meet you, El.”
What caught my attention the most was that Fenrir’s beast ears were drooping sadly. I couldn’t help but reach out and gently lift them up.
“El?”
“Cheer up.”
Fenrir’s eyes softened into a crescent shape, his blue eyes sparkling beautifully.
“Thank you. I was worried that in this human form, I might scare you.”
“Why? I know how kind you are, Fenrir. I’d never be afraid of you.”
I quickly denied it, surprised.
Ah! His beast ears perked up. I’m glad.
“I’m the first male Fenrir.”
“…No way?”
Even though he’s so beautiful! I mean, he does have a slightly androgynous look!
I grabbed his face and looked closely, marveling at his features, but was convinced by the presence of an Adam’s apple.
It’s true. Wow, amazing!?
Glare has been praying in awe for a while now—Fenrir’s that beautiful!?
Fenrir seemed amused by my actions and laughed.
“Your smile is truly beautiful…!”
“Is that so? I’m glad you like it. But El, can you speak to me normally?”
“Y-yes. I mean, yeah.”
I was strangely nervous because Fenrir looked different than usual, but his familiar laugh put me at ease.
I buried my face in his soft-collared clothes. Um… It’s almost like instinct.
“Will you continue to sleep with me from now on?”
“Of course! Fenrir’s fur is the best, I could never give it up…!”
“Then I’ll be a part of your bed forever.”
Ah. That phrase.
Y-yeah, that happened too. Hehe. We both blushed, remembering when we first met. I’m glad I was accepted so warmly. Long live magic synchronization.
—The monster’s blinking lights inside the ice finally went out.
We all stood still, staring at the ice.
…A creepy monster. But it looks like a toolbox mixed with a hammer, wrench, screws, and a light, right? Ah, it’s labeled ‘Made in Japan.’
Why would it attack people…?
Thud, thud, thud—the sound of something knocking startled me.
Oh… I forgot I trapped the prince inside the ice dome! Sorry.
When I rescued him, he looked at Fenrir and me, exclaiming, “Two princesses?!” Glare gave him a chop on the head…