Chapter 2

"You will have to stay here alone for a while."

Mother said this in a soothing voice, as if singing a lullaby. Upon hearing the word "alone," my ears and fluffy tail drooped. This body is too honest for its own good.

"In fact, I have been summoned by the king. ... You remember the human king I told you about before, right? He is the most important human who governs this country of Aridora."

I knew that this country was a monarchy. I also knew that Mother was ‘cooperating’ with the king. Spirits generally develop an attachment to the humans who live on the same land and sometimes help them. For example, when a war breaks out, the spirits residing in Aridora will side with the people of Aridora. They dislike outsiders—people from other countries—invading their land.

Of course, not all spirits actively cooperate with humans. Some believe that human problems should be solved by humans themselves and refuse to lend a hand. However, Mother is cooperative.

"Recently, there has been a dispute with a neighboring country. I will be by the king's side until the situation calms down. The king is a decent fellow, even for a human. I've known him since he was a child, and it would be a shame to let him die."

Mother continued.

"It pains me to leave you, who has only been born for a year, but I don't want to take you to the capital either. It's a place where human desires and ambitions swirl. There are those who would try to make the spirit's power their own. It would be poisonous to your purity."

But... I'm not pure at all, so please take me with you.

I'm full of desires too.

"I'll be back in about a month, so bear with it."

When Mother said this casually, I couldn't believe my ears. I have to stay alone for a whole month?

Mother has gone to the king's place before, but she usually returns within a day.

I whimpered and clung to Mother's leg. Leaving a toddler alone for a month is neglect—abuse, even!

Mother looked troubled and said,

"I thought you were unusually mature, but you are still a child. However, as one who bears the name Snowlea, you must become stronger. For a month, live without relying on me and overcome your timid nature."

Snowlea is a name passed down through our lineage and is also Mother's name. Mother is usually gentle, but when it comes to education, she is quite strict. She seems to want me to grow up strong and resilient rather than ladylike and gentle.

Once, she told me to climb up from the bottom and then dropped me from the top of a cliff. If I weren't a spirit, I would have died.

"Try your best, Millefia. My dear child."

Mother kissed my fluffy head and disappeared in a small blizzard that enveloped her body, heading to the castle where the king resides.

Waaan, Mother is so mean!

It's impossible for a toddler like me to live alone for a month!

I whined resentfully, but when I thought about it calmly, it didn't seem that difficult. As a spirit, I don't feel hunger and can survive without eating, so I don't need to hunt.

The other problem is external threats, but that doesn't seem to be a big concern either. The area where I live, near the top of the mountain, is too cold for most animals to survive. Occasionally, I encounter a snow bear, a bear that doesn't hibernate, but they have never attacked Mother or me. Animals are sensitive and instinctively know that we are different from them.

In other words, there are no animals in this snowy mountain that could be my enemy, and I don't have to worry about starving to death from a failed hunt. Even as a child, I can survive for a month.

So what? It's not that hard.

I had lived alone for a few months in my previous life, and this isn't much different. Easy, easy.

However, I had forgotten that I had suffered from homesickness from the moment I started living alone to attend university.

***

I woke up in the middle of the night and realized Mother wasn't beside me, feeling very lonely. The den was quiet, and the silence hurt my ears. Snow was falling softly outside.

I tried to go back to sleep but couldn't because of the restlessness. Being alone in this mountain was lonely.

"Quuun!"

I got up and went outside the den, calling out to the sky. It was the special cry I used to call Mother, higher than my usual voice. The key is to make it sound as pitiful as possible.

Usually, when I cry out like this in the mountains, Mother always comes to pick me up.

"Quuun! Quuun!"

But no matter how long I cried, Mother didn't come to get me.

Even when she dropped me from a cliff as part of my education, she would always pull me up from the bottom when I cried like this.

I really don't want to be alone for a month!

Even if I don't get attacked or starve, I'll die of loneliness.

But Mother is in the capital now, and no matter how loudly I call, she won't come back.

Then—

I decided.

I will go to the capital to find Mother.

If I can reach the king's castle on my own, Mother will be surprised and praise my toughness.

With that decided, I quickly left the mountain.

I raised my tail high and left the den with determination.