Neige didn't stay that long within the lands of mortals. After taking back their Lord's vessel, all Ice spirits went back home to Ivern. The land of Agios which was covered in the ice had finally returned to normal. The frost took no one's life as they were only put to sleep. Once the ice has melted, there seem to be no aftereffects of such an event.
But before taking their leave the ice spirit king left Angela Evans an ice spirit guardian. It's a wolf-beast type ice spirit. It can be summoned through the contract between the little girl and the ice wolf. An Ice wolf imprint was left on the back of Angela's right hand as proof of contract.
The status boards of the candidate Saintess had been received. King Argus and Archmage Alexis were especially delighted with Lady Evans's results. The event of going to the temple of light had both good and bad endings.
The good ending is that Lady Evans and Lady Laurel were both certified candidates as saintess. The bad ending is they've lost one of the candidates. Eirwen Night had died. They've returned to the Heart Kingdom with one of them gone.
At Night, Lady Evan's place.
Lady Evans had to continue crying her eyes out after the death of Lord Night. This young lady had gotten too attached to Eirwen. While crying on her bed, a huge silver wolf laid around her mattress. This is her newly contracted ice wolf spirit. Angela Evans called it Snowball.
The ice spirit which was tasked to protect Lady Angela is a beast-type spirit. He is a protector class whose capabilities of tanking don't fall behind a human tanker. Right now this contracted spirit named Snowball is worriedly looking at his crying little master.
Contracted Beast Ice Spirit (Snowball): {Please stop crying little princess~}
Angela Evans gave no response and buried her face in her pillow. "…"
Contracted Beast Ice Spirit (Snowball): {Don't be sad anymore, okay? The Lord wouldn't want you to be this sad while he's gone. Didn't you say you're still a student before you got summoned into our world? Princess~ we have it here too. But the mortals don't call it school, they call it Academia instead.}
The young lady was finally getting interested as she moved her face away from her pillow and peeks at her own contracted beast.
Lady Evan murmurs, "Academia?"
Contracted Beast Ice Spirit (Snowball): {This is a place where you could learn the common sense of this world. It includes how to fight using a weapon or with magic. Since the princess is a future Saintess, you may lean in the direction of being a mage.}
"I am not…"
Contracted Beast Ice Spirit (Snowball): {??? Princess?}
"I am not the Saintess," said Angela Evans.
At this moment, Snowball, the contracted beast ice spirit suddenly turned silent. As someone from the Ice Spirits side, he knows more about the truth of the world. Snowball knew that his little princess wasn't the one who is destined to become the saintess.
Lady Evans understood the hidden meaning of his contracted ice spirit's silence. She couldn't help but lightly chuckle when her talkative yet mature snowball suddenly turned mute.
Chuckles~
"Haha~ This is something I've realized a few weeks ago. Unlike Aunt Laurel, I am not an idiot. Since the day we were summoned, I know that Aunt Laurel had most likely know what kind of world this place is and why she is summoned. The only possibility of it is that she either got read or heard it from someone. My other guess is that she is reborn with her previous memories and those memories include events that would happen in the future." explains Lady Evans.
Contracted Beast Ice Spirit (Snowball): {Continue.}
Angela Evan spouts her theories about this world to his contracted spirit.
"Jiejie. Eirwen Night might be the same case as Aunt Laurel, but after observing for a few days I noticed that there would be countless times Aunt Laurel would make faces like she couldn't believe the actions Jiejie did. Jiejie's actions, most of the time, are different from what she could remember.
It was on this part that I got really confused. To Aunt Laurel, Jiejie is like her enemy or rival, as aunt really wanted to become the Saintess. But for some reason, Jiejie had no interest in the title as the Saintess at all. He also treated Aunt Laurel as some kind of toy to entertain himself. He doesn't care about the king nor this kingdom. I think it is better to say that Jiejie is not interested in anything other than something unknown that the duke possesses.
He is someone uninterested in the world itself but there is something in this world that Jiejie cares for. If there is something that could lightly tap his attention it could only be children and desserts. I'm only 16 which is why Jiejie treats me more amicably than Aunt Laurel." explained Lady Evans.
Contracted Beast Ice Spirit (Snowball): {Hahaha~ Not a bad little girl.}
"Moreover, someone of Snowball's strength would never choose to serve someone like me unless Jiejie or big brother Neige asked you to. After all, you are very strong~"
Contracted Beast Ice Spirit (Snowball): {Smart. You are quite an adorable child~ I seriously like you more than before. My princess Angie, you are right. It was the king who sent me to your side as your protector under the orders of our Lord. Our Lord is your Jiejie. As for who or what he is, we also don't know but… we knew and felt that he had absolute control over the element of ice even more so than the current Ice Spirit King.}
"This I also know. After all, the reason I've received all the blessings of this world's Gods and Goddesses is because of Jiejie as well. Snowball is… is my Jiejie really…~"
Tears once again started pooling in the eyes of the young lady.
Contracted Beast Ice Spirit (Snowball): {Shss~ don't cry. I will tell you a secret. Don't tell anyone okay?}
"? Okay~" replied Lady Evans.
Contracted Beast Ice Spirit (Snowball): {The lord is alive. But he needs to sleep for a while to fully regain his strength. The king had brought him back to our land. Once you get a bit stronger I will bring you to my home so you could see your big brother and Jiejie. To get stronger you must enter academia.}
Lady Evans who got convinced to go to school and spend a few years there to learn.
Meanwhile at Lady Laurel's chambers.
The scene is completely opposite of what is happening at Lady Evans. Lady Laurel is seated at the side couch holding a glass of wine in her hand. She was wearing her makeup and sultry nightgown which enhanced the shape of her voluptuous breast. In front of her, a small feast was prepared on the table to be enjoyed together with her special guest for that night.
Her special guest for that night is a low-ranked baron who was not affiliated with any factions. Lady Laurel wanted to gather her own people who would serve her and her alone. She would see any means possible for all of her plans to be fulfilled. Now that Eirwen Night is gone, things would be easier to do, and getting rid of the last candidate should be easy.
Lady Laurel spoke, "I have a task for you. I want you to spread that Eirwen Night died due to assassins sent by the dark elves. He also wasn't allowed resurrection as the God of Light declined him. He still died even after reaching the temple and meeting the pope. Deem him as a cursed one which is hated even by both the light and dark gods."
"As you wish, my lady. What about the payment?" asked the baron while his eyes were swimming all over her body.
Bela Laurel was too used to getting her wants in exchange for selling herself. Because of this, she could flaunt her advantages with courage and pride for her own beauty. She only needs to crook one of her fingers to portray her answer.
The baron entertained the saintess candidate for that night. As for what else happens inside the room, you guys can make your own guesses.
The king had planned to give their candidates some exposure. Now that their standing as proxy Saintesses are backed by the status board from the temple of light, they have enough proof to proudly announce that the prophecy to save their world is real.
When the morning arrived the next day, the people from the town just beyond the castle walls were full of commoners. There were lots of them who were cheering upon the arrivals of the two aspiring Saintesses but most of the children were standing at the side of the road ignoring the parade that they were supposed to be excited with.
It's the two Saintess!!
They've arrived ~ We are finally safe!
Lady Laurel, please look here!
You are so cute Lady Evans~
On the sidewalk, most of the children in the town had their eyes red. There are obvious traces of tears at the corner of their eyes, even the edges were swelling. They've been crying after hearing the rumors of Eirwen Night's death. These children were especially angry with the ugly rumors spreading about Eirwen Night being a cursed one.
Murmurings from the crowd during the parade.
Hey! Didn't they say that there were three Saintessed?
Shss~ watch your mouth! I heard the last one died because he was cursed!
I heard about this too. The ones who killed him were dark elves.
Hih! Dark elves!? Aren't those from the dark race!!?
D-Demons!?
No, they aren't demons but fallen!!?
They say resurrection didn't work on her as well.
Is that even possible? Don't tell me he was a demon!?
At this moment the group of children who were hearing these ugly rumors about their savior made them really angry. They've started throwing rocks and trash at the adults who were saying bad things about Lady Night.
Shut up. SHUT UP!!
Lady Night is not cursed!
You guys were the bad guys!!!
Ouch! Stop the brats!!
Shit! I got hit by a stone on the head!
Get the guards!!
The adults call on the guards to capture these malicious children. Once the children were surrounded by the guards at the venue, the children started crying and throwing tantrums. They were crying out that their Lady Night wasn't a bad person.
Wuaa~ don't say bad things about Lady Night! He is a good person.
He gave us food and played with us!
He also helped with healing my mother's illness.
My dad's injuries were cured by Lady Night as well!
You guys are liars!! Our Saintess is not a curse one!!!
WUAAAAA~
The sounds of children's crying overwhelm the happiness during the parade. These children were the ones whom Eirwen Night would spend time with whenever he escaped from the castle. The King ordered an order to stabilize the crowd but no one really cares about the children.
What the rest didn't expect is for one of the Saintess, Lady Angela went down from her carriage and walked in the direction where the children were surrounded. Following behind her is a huge silver wolf that protects her from anything
The crowd splits as she passes by. The crying children seemed to recognize Angela but they were peering behind her wanting to see someone's figure only to be disappointed. Whenever their Sister Angel came over to play, there would always be Lady Night lazily following behind her. They couldn't help but weep more knowing that Lady Night is really gone.
Angela says as she squats down to the children's height. "Don't cry~ Jiejie says he will be back in a few years. Let's wait for him to get back together."
"R-Really? If we wait for a few years, will Lady Night come back?"
"Sister Angel, it is bad to lie."
"Sister is not lying. Jiejie is listening to us even though he is not here. Did you guys like playing with snow? Let's wish for him to bring snow to us!" said Angela Evans.
Lady Evans started coaxing the children but some adults especially those who were injured by the throwing stones of children jeered at the lady's foolishness. These men were a few hired thugs the baron had found to destroy Eirwen Night's reputation.
Snorts* Stop being a childish little girl. Lying is also bad, you know.
Angela slightly frowns at the man who has just spoken, but due to her young age, her frown looks like a pout instead.
"Mister, Angela is not talking to you!"
Tsk! "Those children did bad things even if they wished for a dead person there is no way snow would fall in the middle of summer. Look at that huge sun does it look likes it wouldn't melt your ice if you dare use it to trick some kids~"
Angela was pissed off by the words this childish man had said. She could only retort.
"What if it really snows? What would you bet then mister?" said Lady Evans.
The annoying adult sniggers at Angela Evans. Hw proudly declared a vow.
"Then if snow really falls on the sky right now. Then this uncle would run into a circle three times while barking and moving like a dog!"
King Argus couldn't watch Lady Evans embarrassed herself anymore. He was about to send some guards and have her be escorted back to her carriage, he suddenly heard a loud gasp coming from his old friend seated beside him. Archmage Alexis was riding the same wagon as the king.
GASP!!!
"What's wrong again this time!?" asked the king, then he only saw his friend look up and did the same thing only to feel something cold fall on his face. Trying to catch one with his own hands he saw a snowflake fall within his palm. The coldness is too real for it to be fake.
" Wh-What is this? Snow?" murmured King Argus.
Then as the taunting words finished, the snow had really fallen from the heavens.
