SIDE STORY 25

SIDE STORY – ICE AND WIND (2)

Alex Bayer was confused for a moment.

Because while it was good that the woman responded to his words, she had held out both of her hands at the same time.

‘W-What?’

Don’t tell me she’s rejecting it?

But isn’t this strange for a rejection?

He briefly thought.

The woman was sweating profusely as she held out her hands, and Count Bayer who tried to hide his confusion as much as possible then realized it at that moment.

‘She doesn’t know.’

The greeting gesture of kissing the back of the hand.

She did not understand it.

And at the same time, Alex realized a few more facts.

The strange things he did not see because he was mesmerized with her.

The odd attire of the woman who did not seem to be a nearby villager.

Her pointed ears.

Is she an elf?

I’ve heard that among the elves, those with excellent affinity with the spirits are not easily affected by the weather.

Because they themselves are in harmony with the weather.

If the woman in front of me is an elf, her strange outfit can also be explained.

‘I-I shouldn’t look. I shouldn’t.’

His gaze unconsciously caught her beautiful and smooth legs, but he knew that it was rude to stare at it.

Alex looked at the woman again as he struggled not to look down.

And his intuition told him.

‘She’s not an elf.’

When he met the Sword God, he had seen a few elves by his side.

Their ears were pointed and long.

But the ears of the woman in front of him were pointed but not long.

And she felt different.

He had not met all the elves in the world as he only met three, but he still thought that she was different.

‘She feels different.’

Unlike the elves of the kingdom, the elves of the empire were active in their interaction with humans.

Perhaps that was the reason why when he met the elves, his first thought was ‘They’re just like us.’

They were like humans.

Beings who existed in reality and not just in fairy tales.

However, the woman in front of him felt a bit different.

She felt a little strange, but not unnatural, as if he was looking at a flower that blossomed in a snowfield.

What is she?

Who is this woman in front of me-

“Uhh…”

“Ah!”

He had made her wait for too long because of the confusion in his mind.

When the woman, who was still holding out her hands, had a very troubled expression, Alex came to his senses and knelt on one knee before her. He then gently held one of her outstretched hands and pulled it towards him.

Regardless of the identity of the woman, Alex wanted to be courteous first.

Thus, it was proper to greet her first. Alex lightly pulled her left hand and pressed his lips against the back of her hand, and the woman flinched and became embarrassed.

But she did not pull her hand back, and a smile spread across the face of Alex.

Because the woman was very lovely.

‘That’s right, the wind is free.’

After all, the true wind can transcend not only identity but also race.

Alex thought that Arthur Chase would have called it nonsense if he had heard it, but smiled once more and stood up.

He said while looking at the eyes of the woman who was now closer to him.

“My name is Alex Bayer.”

The woman blinked at his repeated self-introduction, and soon shrunk back.

Because she roughly understood the situation.

“My name is Blue… N-No, it’s Yuna. Yuna.”

She did not give a last name.

Or rather, considering that the first word she spoke was ‘Blue,’ perhaps Yuna was an alias.

But Alex did not blame the woman of being rude for giving an alias, or inquire about her real name.

He thought that each person had their own story.

He did not meet her as an enemy, so he did not ask her about it.

‘It’s probably because she’s pretty.’

The cold remark of Arthur flashed in his mind, but Alex ignored it and spoke to the woman – Yuna, again.

“I see. Then Yuna. What brings you here? Are you lost like me?”

“Lost? N-No…”

“You seem to be living in this mountain.”

“Uh… ah, yes.”

Yuna stuttered in her answer.

As though she was not used to talking to people.

‘Perhaps she’s a fairy?’

Not an elf but a mysterious fairy who lived in the mountains.

Perhaps she was like the fairies in legends whom he did not know if they existed.

“Uhh… Are you… lost?”

“Yes, I’m ashamed but… it’s because this is my first time here.”

At the time when Alex scratched his head and thought that he should have said that he lost his way.

“T-Then, should I guide you? The path down to the village.”

He very much welcomed her proposal.

But Alex was not in a hurry.

“Thank you. But it’s already nighttime… How about leaving tomorrow morning?”

“Tomorrow morning?”

“Yes, in the meantime… how about we talk for a while?”

Nonsense.

There are more than 10 hours left until tomorrow morning.

And you want to be together with her until then?

In front of the campfire?

‘As I thought, you’re inexperienced.’

The retorts of Arthur Chase seemed to echo in his head again.

But Alex Bayer who left home in his mid-teens had little experience in this field.

It was a situation where his desire came first.

In any case, the woman blinked at his suggestion that was close to irrational, and Alex gulped as he tried to calm his nervous heart.

And a second, 2 seconds, and 3 seconds later.

“Hmm, okay.”

The woman answered with a wide smile, and Alex secretly clenched his fist.

***

“Are you going to the mountain today?”

“Yes, I can go alone now.”

At the question asked by the son of the innkeeper, or the future village chief, Alex replied with a grin.

The son of the innkeeper, who worked as a guide for five days and made a lot of pocket money, was disappointed for not being able to do it anymore, but soon changed his mind.

‘Earning for five days is already enough.’

Furthermore, the customer in front of him had already paid a lot of inn fees, so perhaps he would be staying for another month or so.

Although this was a place where many tourists come to see the beautiful snowy mountain, most of them only stay for a day or two and then leave.

But the young man in front of him had already been staying in this village for over 10 days.

He wondered what had happened.

‘Is he training in the snowy mountain?’

The son of the innkeeper gulped and swallowed the question that almost came up to his throat just before it went out of his mouth.

He did not know if those with swords, especially mercenaries, were actually robbers or rapists.

The youth in front of him seemed to be different from those scoundrels, but he could land himself in trouble if he carelessly asked.

“Have a safe trip.”

“I think I’ll come back late again today.”

Alex replied and left the inn, and the son of the innkeeper thought with his chin on the counter.

‘Is he seeing a girl?’

His bright expression seemed like he was about to go meet a woman.

But the son of the innkeeper soon shook his head.

How could there be a woman in the snowy mountain?

‘I’ll go see Jennifer later.’

Jennifer was the second daughter of the man who ran a watermill.

If the future village chief had seen himself in his youth, he would have shouted ‘No! Don’t be fooled! She’s a b*tch!’, but his young self was unaware of the real self of Jennifer, so he just smiled happily.

***

Half a month had passed since Alex Bayer stayed in the village.

During those 15 days, Alex went up the mountain every day to continue doing dating-like activities, such as meeting and talking to Yuna, viewing the scenery, and eating packed lunch together.

‘W-We’re not dating yet.’

But that was what some people say when they were already dating.

Alex coughed alone and went to bed early. Tomorrow, he was going to meet Yuna early in the morning and visit the secret place of Yuna deep in the mountain.

But the next morning.

His plans were ruined from the start.

“Why are you here?”

“It’s been more than 3 years since you ran away.”

To the rather stupid question of Alex, a tall young man with a dignified appearance replied with a disagreeing expression.

Arthur Chase.

The future Count Chase.

“Did my father send you?”

“To be exact, my father sent me a letter, and according to that letter, I should visit you if I happen to pass by.”

“You were in the empire?”

“I’ve been taking classes at the Imperial Magic Tower since last year. I’m thinking of going back to the kingdom now. It’s like a short-term study abroad.”

Alex silently nodded at the reply of Arthur.

Arthur was a wizard in the first place.

Moreover, he had heard that his friend was gifted in magic since his childhood, so it made sense for him to come to the empire to study abroad.

After all, the level of the magic tower in the empire was higher.

“Anyway, let’s go back now. For a prodigal child who left home, three years should be enough.”

Arthur quietly spoke and turned around.

It was an unspoken gesture to quickly pack up and leave.

But Alex stopped in place and spoke instead of packing his stuff.

“I’m not going back.”

“What do you mean?”

When Arthur frowned and asked, Alex thought for a while and replied as he scratched his chin.

“You see…”

Alex fumbled and briefly explained the story from when he first met Yuna up to the present.

And Arthur gave a short comment after hearing the entire explanation.

“Crazy b*stard.”

“Hey, hey.”

“I’ve seen a lot of your foolish actions since we were young, but this time is too much.”

The good-natured Alex frowned at the outspoken remark of Arthur, but Arthur seemed to have no intention of stopping.

“I’m sure you already know. That she’s not a human being.”

“That’s right. But aren’t elves and dwarves like humans too? Fairies are like us too.”

“That’s probably true in the sense if she’s a being capable of intelligent thinking. But Alex.”

“It’s all right. She’s not dangerous. She’s a good person.”

Alex insisted, and Arthur narrowed his brows again but eventually sighed instead of getting angry.

“Fine. If you say so, I won’t argue about it. Instead, I have two conditions.”

“Conditions? Two?”

“Yes. First is to make sure that you’re sane. You may have been bewitched by a non-human.”

Arthur was also considering the possibility that ‘Yuna’ was a demon, but did not speak that out since Alex would definitely protest greatly.

A vampire or succubus-type monster.

Evil beings who bewitch and manipulate the opposite sex as they wished.

At the words of Arthur, Alex turned stiff for a moment but soon nodded.

“Okay, then what’s the second one?”

“I want to meet her.”

Alex was already obsessed with that ‘Yuna’, making it impossible for him to make a proper judgment.

So Arthur, a third party, had to check it himself.

But at this remark of Arthur, Alex immediately shook his head.

“No way.”

“Alex.”

“The first condition is fine, but not the second one.”

“Why?”

When Arthur asked with a sharp gaze, Alex averted his eyes but soon faced the other again with a serious expression.

“Because you may fall in love too.”

“What?”

“Because you may fall in love with Yuna too. I do not want to fight my friend.”

In response to the serious answer of Alex, Arthur furrowed his brows and raised his middle finger instead of speaking harsh words.

***

In the end, the stubbornness of Alex won.

Arthur was very dissatisfied with the behavior of Alex that prevented him from meeting Yuna in the end, but decided to move on.

Because Alex was sane.

Or rather, his condition was even better than before.

‘Maybe she’s a mountain spirit… no, a divine being.’

Not demons, but divine beings like angels who came down to this world together with the goddesses in ancient times.

‘Or maybe she’s just someone who lives in the mountain.’

Arthur stared at the back of his friend who climbed the mountain excitedly, and thought as he took a light stroll around the village.

‘But how long should I stay?’

His original plan was to grab the neck of Alex and drag him back to the kingdom, but that seemed difficult.

‘I’ll have to wait and see for now.’

He thought that Alex would not allow it today, but would say okay if it was tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.

‘I should at least check before leaving.’

If Alex would insist on remaining in the village, Arthur would have to return to the kingdom alone.

But he had to make sure that Yuna was not a really dangerous being at least.

And-

‘I’m curious.’

Who was the person that Alex was so obsessed with?

The future archwizard took strictness and seriousness like a motto, but in the end, he was still a young man who had yet to reach twenty years of age.

Who in the world is that woman who made my friend so obsessed?

What kind of person is she?

Will I ever have someone like that myself?

Arthur had a small smile as he continued to have innocent thoughts.

***

Three days later in the afternoon.

An opportunity came to Arthur who had been thinking of secretly following Alex if the latter still did not allow it by tomorrow.

“There’s going to be a village festival.”

“I’ve heard. It’s a festival that’s held once a year.”

Many tourists visited the village because of the beautiful snowy mountain and nearby hot springs.

Such a village had a Fox Festival.

According to the legend, the father of the village chief discovered a place where hot spring water gushed out after being guided by a white and beautiful fox in the snowy mountain.

The father of the village chief built the first hot spring of the village on that site, and since then, the villagers held a festival every year in honor of the fox who brought the village the gift of hot springs.

“If it’s the village chief’s father, it’s too close a time to call it a legend.”

“Anyway, that’s why we’re having the Fox Festival, and I’m going to invite Yuna to this festival.”

At the words of Alex who had a smile on his face, Arthur was surprised for a moment and asked Alex again.

“Did you say that she’s coming down the mountain?”

“Yes. Of course, I’m the one who suggested it first. Is there something wrong with that?”

“No, there’s nothing wrong with it.”

The reason Arthur was surprised for a moment was simple.

She would be coming down the mountain.

She was someone capable of coming down the mountain.

‘Is she really just like a human?’

If she was a monster, she would have been reluctant to visit the village festival, and if she was a mountain spirit, it was highly likely that she was bound to the mountain.

“Arthur?”

“No, it’s nothing. Anyway, I guess I can finally meet Miss Yuna.”

“Don’t fall for her.”

“I won’t.”

“Really?”

“Really, really.”

What the hell am I saying?

Arthur was a bit embarrassed but replied sincerely, and Alex was pleased as he grinned.

“Okay, then let’s go together. I’ve also wanted to introduce you to her. After all, you’re my best friend. Right?”

“Hmph, not really.”

Arthur turned his head away as he snorted, but Alex did not stop grinning.

Because he could see the burning red earlobes of his shy friend.

“Anyway, I’m looking forward to it.”

The festival.

The festival with Yuna.

And when the day of the festival came.

Arthur seriously stared at Yuna who came down holding hands with Alex.

No, it was not only Arthur as everyone in the village looked at her with mesmerized expressions.

She was indeed a very beautiful and lovely woman.

He could also understand why Alex fell in love.

But it was not just because she was beautiful that Arthur piercingly gazed at her.

‘She’s not human.’

The woman Alex Bayer had met in the snowy mountain.

Yuna.

She was not a human being.