The Power of the Saint is All Around (LN) - Volume 6 - Chapter SS8

Winter in Another World 2

AS I AWOKE the next morning, the parts of my body sticking out from under the blankets were freezing. I quickly buried myself in my blankets and grabbed my pendant, which I had placed by my pillow. It was a pendant enchanted with magic that protected its wearer against the cold. I put it on, and when I got out of bed, I didn’t feel the chill at all.

Be that as it may, this morning’s strangely frigid. That reminds me, it did snow yesterday. Could it be…?

Filled with hope, I drew back the curtains to find that the view outside my window was coated in a fine dusting of snow.

“There’s snow!” I chuckled, amused by my own delight.

From what I had heard, it was rare for it to snow in this region. I had a feeling that a number of people would be direly distressed all day.

I wanted to stay cooped up in my room doing nothing for the snow day, but there was work to be done.

Guess I should get dressed, I thought to myself as I started changing my clothes.

Once I had put myself together, I headed down to the institute, but it was emptier than usual. It seemed to be because people who didn’t live at the institute hadn’t arrived yet—due to the snow. A researcher nearby mentioned that some people probably wouldn’t even show up at all.

It seemed that for the most part, people thought that going outside in the snow was more trouble than it was worth. I supposed that since everyone who got exceptionally passionate about their research already lived at the institute, it wasn’t such a big deal.

Probably.

Part of me felt like there should have been a problem, but people in this world were much more easygoing when it came to work.

In fact, I was told to take it easy for the day, so I decided to head to the dining hall for some breakfast.

When I was done eating, I headed back to the institute. Even though I had taken my time with breakfast for once, there were still the same number of people in the work room as there had been earlier. Perhaps the rest of my colleagues wouldn’t arrive until the afternoon.

I could do all of my work on my own, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how things looked outside.

Maybe I’ll go and see. 

And so, I made my way to the door that led to the gardens.

Outdoors, everything was covered in white snow, just like I had seen from my window. I saw tracks in the snow leading to the herb gardens.

I walked for a bit and squatted down by some snow that had yet to be touched by anyone. I touched it myself, and my fingertips grew chilled. I wasn’t doing this for any real purpose or anything. I just felt like touching it.

It really is cold, I thought, stating the obvious in my mind.

Just then, I heard the sound of crunching snow to my side. I looked up to find Albert smiling my way. “Good morning,” he said.

“Good morning. Do you have a meeting with Johan?” I asked. He was holding some documents.

“That’s right. Is he not here yet?”

“Not yet.”

Johan was one of the people who commuted to the institute, so I had no idea when he’d arrive, given the traveling conditions. I told Albert this and offered to take the documents for him, but Albert said he’d wait for a bit.

Is Johan actually going to show up in “a bit”? I wondered, but I was happy to get to spend some time with Albert, so I didn’t say anything and just nodded.

“What are you doing?” he asked me.

“Nothing really. I just wanted to see the snow up close.”

“Ah. Although, you seem awfully underdressed. If you’d like, you could wear my coat, or—”

“Oh, I’m okay! Don’t worry!”

“But—”

“I was thinking about going inside now anyway.”

“Are you sure? You don’t want to look at the snow some more?”

“N-nah. Oh, I have an idea. How about we have some tea inside?” 

Albert tried to argue, so I changed the subject. I was sure he had to be cold himself—he had come here all the way from the barracks of the Knights of the Third Order! That was why I proposed tea.

“That sounds great. Thanks.” Albert nodded with a smile.

What kind of tea should I serve? Actually, we have some cocoa, so maybe I’ll prepare that instead. It’s a perfect warm drink. 

For some reason, as the two of us headed inside the institute, excitement fluttered in my heart.