Oh! There you are!
Come on, come on—let’s hit the slopes!
Hey… what the hell is going on here…?
What do you mean? We came to go skiing…
Winter means snow! And snow means skis and snowboards!
Right?
Riiight!
Not even close!
You… *cough.* cough.
What’s with you? You in some kind of rush?
Take it easy for a sec, okay?
“Take it easy”!? I got a call saying the Demon Lord trashed the mountains, so I hauled ass all the way here!
And you’re talking to me about skiing!? What the hell is happening!?
What!? The Demon Lord!? You’ve gotta be kidding! Hold on—I’m coming right now…!
Easy, easy!
Okay, yeah—she did a little something…
But it was just a bit of headbutting trees, that’s all!
It was a full-on rampage!
Emma, don’t say it like that—I’m embarrassed enough already!
Huh…?
But I’m fine, Hero!!
I’ve almost mastered how to crash the right way!!
You’re supposed to be learning how to not crash.
Seriously… people really don’t know how to explain things.
If nothing bad happened, that’s good, right?
Alright. Let’s go.
sigh
Hey, Ato—where are you going?
Home’s the other way.
Where else? To grab a board and some gear.
The rental counter’s right here.
And why did you all decide I’m doing this too?
You can rent helmets and stuff too, right?
Would you listen to me!? I’m not doing this!!
I’m telling you!! That’s not how you do it!!
Do you want to slam into a tree again!?
Stay off the steep runs if you can’t even control your speed yet!!
You’re something else, Hero…
Hey, Ato—what’re you thinking so hard about!?
Nothing.
I’m not here for fun. I’m on watch.
We can’t rule out the Demon Lord going on another rampage.
Uh-huh. Sure.
This is starting to get on my nerves…
Aaaah!! Hero, help!!
It’s too loud here, too…
Ugh…
Balance…
First off—your posture’s all wrong.
Like this.
Look ahead and spread your weight evenly.
Then bend your knees a little.
Hey. Are you even listening?
Did you hear that…?
Huh!?
Stop!!
Slow down—wait!
Already!?
Huh!? She’s not stopping!?
Hey! Everyone!?
Where are they going!?
Guys!!
Wait up!!
Ow… ow…
What the hell was that…?
Hey…
You gonna keep lying there all day?
Oh—Hero, there you are!
Are you okay!?
Uh… more or less.
Jeez… alright. I’m heading back.
And great—looks like it’s starting to snow.
Demon Lord, wake up!
Ah!
…hey.
Ato?
We… where did we even come from…?
Huh…?
How far did we slide down…?
Wah!? It’s snowing!
There—look!
Let’s take shelter in that cabin!!
Phew… I was scared…
So now you’re not worried about getting stuck out here?
We should stay here until the snowfall lets up.
…Says me, even though I have no idea how we’re getting back. And it’s already getting dark.
So that means…
We’re officially in an emergency… so what do we do now?
Emma, do you have to say it like that!? And why are you so casual about it!?
We’re in trouble again because of you.
Huh!? Me!?
You’re the one who flew down the mountain!
That was… Hero… so sudden! You’re partly to blame too!
What!?
Relax, Hero. Seriously.
Yeah.
When survival’s on the line, the ones who lose their cool and let their guard down don’t last.
Okay, stop doom-posting. For real.
Right! We need to focus on surviving!
Main priority: don’t freeze! Which means we should scoot closer and share body heat!
So, Hero… wanna cuddle!?
You went straight to the worst-case solution!
Hmm… but the cold really is a problem.
Who knows how long we’re stuck here.
Well… there’s a fireplace, but it’s out.
And I don’t see anything we can use to start it.
Then we do this the old-fashioned way!
There’s firewood and kindling!
Oh!
…And what exactly are you gonna do with that?
huff, huff
What am I even doing…?
Come on, Hero!
We believe in you!
Hero!!
Show us your fire-starting skills!
*Fire, burn!
This is really annoying. Stop it.
Haaah!! It won’t light! Screw this—I’m done!
Ato, your turn! Or come up with something!
sigh
If that’s the case… I could just light it with magic.
We should’ve started there!
Ugh… I’m wiped. And the snow’s not letting up… I’m sleeping.
Huh!? Already!?
I’m not wasting energy.
So what the hell do you even do in an empty place like this?
Ugh…
Trade love stories and stuff…?
This isn’t summer camp!!
Hey, Demon Lord—got someone you like? Huh? Huh?
Yeah, tell us!
Well… there is someone. His name starts with “G”… oops! ♥ I’m not saying more—I’m shy!
Oh my god, shut it. Go to sleep already!
Mmm…
Huh…? I really fell asleep…
Guys…
rustle
Huh!? Hero!? He’s asleep!?
He’s sleeping here—so that means he’s right next to me!?
His sleeping face…
I have to see it!!
Just a tiny peek… wait, I can’t see anything…
He’s not moving at all…
Maybe if I shake him a little, he’ll roll over!?
But what if he wakes up… but… but…
Nngh…
crack
Ato-kun.
Demon Lord.
You were awake this whole time?
No. I just woke up.
You? Something happen?
Well… I just woke up too.
I wanted to see the Hero’s sleeping face… but I’m kinda fighting myself here.
…Got it.
He sleeps like the dead, huh?
Yeah… I tried, but no luck.
Yeah. He’s always been like that.
Once he’s out, nothing wakes him up—not even a cannon.
Ato-kun… how long have you two known each other?
Huh? Where’d that come from?
No reason. I just got curious.
Hmm… it’s not like we had some epic first encounter or anything.
Before I met him, I was just drifting. No money. Nothing to do.
What!? Then what happened!?
Tell me! Tell me!
It’s honestly not that exciting.
…Fine. I’ll tell you—just you.
The first time I met the Hero…
sigh… I really need to find work. Being broke is bad enough—being broke in winter is miserable.
Problem is, I don’t really feel like doing anything.
How do you even figure out what you’re meant for… what you’re good at?
…Man, it’s cold.
Uh—hey!
Excuse me…!
You dropped this.
Huh? Oh… thanks.
He looks a little younger… no, wait—we’re probably the same age.
…!
W-What is it…?
Ah, nothing…
I sketched directions to the shop I need, but it got soaked.
Oh no…
Damn it. And I didn’t memorize any of it.
…Well, if I check every shop, I’ll find the right one eventually.
What!?
That’s… one way to do it.
So where are you headed?
A weapon smith.
Ah… there’s one nearby. Might be that one.
I know the way. I can take you.
Huh. If it’s not a hassle.
Not at all—I’m free anyway.
Besides… he seems interesting.
…Thanks.
So you need a weapon dealer—does that make you a fighter?
Uh… yeah.
Well… not exactly a “warrior,” per se.
For this world… I want to get stronger.
Ah… right. Every boy has that phase.
So do you name your swords and all that?
No. I’m not one of those guys. Please don’t.
That’s not what I meant.
…So what do you do, anyway?
Me? Kinda… a bit of this, a bit of that.
Mm.
…Achoo!
You okay?
Cold day, huh?
…Grr.
Oh—by the way. Just so you don’t worry.
So you can use magic?
Totally. I’m a great mage. A legendary sorcerer.
…Huh.
Hey, I’m kidding! I’m kidding!
Sure.
It’s just a match.
Look.
…I feel like you played me.
Oh… haha. Sorry. I got carried away.
But… you really are good at it.
A magician.
That little trick just now… it was smooth.
It really did look like magic…
Someone… praised me.
For the first time in my life.
Maybe… it suits me more than it suits you.
What?
Whoa!!
So that’s how you two met!!
After that, whenever we ran into each other in town, we’d chat. And one day I thought… maybe I should try learning magic. Something like that.
Whoa!!
Ato-kun, you’re so cool!
Huh? But I didn’t do anything…
You did! We’re warm right now because you started practicing magic back then!
Look how bright it is! If I tried, I’d lose control and probably burn down half the city!
Ato-kun, you’re awesome!
Warmth is wonderful, isn’t it?
Yeah… it’s nice when it’s warm.
Exactly!
Oh!
The sun’s out!
Now we can make it home!
Yay! Hero! Ato-kun!
Wait… Ato-kun, did you…
…stay up watching the fire?
No, I slept too. A magic-lit fire doesn’t go out easily—it can burn on its own.
Ohhh…
Magic is so cool!
Not everyone’s born with it.
Keeping a spell going takes a lot of mana—and real skill.
So… it really is your thing.
A magician.
Hehe… Ato-kun really is amazing, huh…
…Yeah.
Hey… what’s wrong? You’ve been wobbling since morning.
Well… I wanted a photo of the Hero’s sleeping face so badly, I waited all night… and then it was morning.
You idiot.
Waaah! Hero, sleep a little more! Just one minute! Just one second!
Sleep?! Cut the crap and get moving!
Back then…
To you, it was probably just something you said.
But to me… it meant a lot.
Hey, Ato—let’s go home.
What’re you laughing at?
Nothing.