A bitter cold descended upon the mansion overnight, blanketing it in white. Even within its thick stone walls, this winter felt unnaturally biting.
Subaru stepped into the hallway, bundled in a thick coat. His breath puffed out in clouds as he muttered, "It's colder than usual… Is this normal for Lugunica?"
Rem is beside him, holding a napkin and dutifully cleaning half frozen snot leaking from his nose.
Subaru stopped in his tracks when he saw Emilia pacing nervously in the drawing room. Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her dress, her usually serene expression clouded with guilt.
"Morning, Emilia-tan!" Subaru called cheerfully, walking up to her. "You look a little… frazzled. Something you wanna tell me?"
Emilia flinched, clearly startled. "S-Subaru! What brings you here? Nothing's wrong. Everything's perfectly normal."
Subaru squinted suspiciously. Her smile was far too strained, and the way she avoided eye contact screamed guilt. "Uh-huh. You're a terrible liar, Emilia-tan. Spill the beans. What's going on?"
Her shoulders slumped as she let out a defeated sigh. "It's Puck... He caused a hatsumaki" She glanced at Subaru and explained him the details of hatsumaki. "I didn't mean for this to happen! Me and Beatrice tried to fix it before anyone noticed."
Subaru folded his arms, pretending to consider her words carefully. Then, with a broad grin, he said, "Rather than crying over frozen milk, why don't we make the best of it? Let's turn this into a festival!"
Emilia blinked, caught off guard. "A festival? But how would that help?"
"Easy," Subaru declared, raising a triumphant finger. "We'll host a snow festival! Snow sculptures, games, and fun for everyone. If life gives you snow, make snowmen!"
Word spread quickly, and by morning, the entire village was abuzz with excitement. Subaru, Emilia, and Rem worked tirelessly to organize the event. Roswaal, delighted by the prospect of such frivolity, agreed to be one of the judges alongside Subaru and the village head.
The festival began with a flourish as villagers eagerly set to work crafting snow sculptures. The scene was lively, with laughter and chatter filling the air.
Roswaal, dressed in his usual flamboyant attire, gestured dramatically as he addressed the participants. "Let your imaginatioooon run wild! Impress us with your maaagnificent snow artistry~!"
Subaru, standing nearby with a clipboard, added, "And remember, the judges—meaning me—are looking for creativity and heart. Don't just roll some snow and call it a day!"
As the judging commenced, the sheer variety of snow sculptures left the trio of judges in stitches.
One villager had attempted to sculpt a snow version of Roswaal but had ended up with something that resembled a melting candle. Subaru couldn't hold back his laughter. "Roswaal-sama, I think they captured your essence perfectly."
Roswaal's painted smile twitched, but he replied smoothly, "It's... certainly... uhhh... unique."
Meanwhile, a group of children had collaborated on a giant snow cat, complete with mismatched eyes and a slightly lopsided tail. Emilia clapped her hands together in delight. "It's adorable! Look, Subaru, they even gave it little paw prints."
Subaru nodded sagely. "Bonus points for effort and cuteness!"
The village head struggled to keep a straight face as he observed a sculpture that was supposed to be a dragon but looked more like a snake with legs. He muttered, "Creative... I think?"
The competition heated up as more snow sculptures were unveiled. Villagers showcased their creativity with everything from life-sized animals to whimsical castles. But none drew as much attention as Rem and Ram's "masterpiece."
Unveiled with a dramatic flourish, the sculpture stood tall—a hybrid of Subaru and Roswaal. Subaru's head and jacket melded unnervingly with Roswaal's flamboyant makeup, mismatched eyes, and exaggerated gestures.
Subaru took a step back, visibly shaken. "What...what is that?!"
"It's you and Roswaal, fused into one!" Ram declared proudly, her arms crossed.
"Subwaal," Rem added, her voice soft but her tone filled with an uncharacteristic mix of pride and mischief.
Roswaal clapped and said sarcastically, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Ooooh, my dear maids! Such fine artistic sensibilities! You've truly captured my exquisite aura~."
Subaru, on the other hand, was not impressed. "Captured it? This is a nightmare given form! It's like looking into an abyss of despair!"
Rem tilted her head. "But Subaru-kun, I worked hard to bring out both your charm and Roswaal-sama's grandeur."
"Charm?! I look like I've just stepped out of a horror play!" Subaru retorted, gesturing wildly at the grotesque fusion. "No offense, Roswaal."
Roswaal smiled. "None taken~. Though I must admit, I think the sculpture does me more justice than you, Subaru-kun."
The other villagers, initially curious, began murmuring among themselves, their expressions caught between amusement and terror.
Finally, as judges, Subaru, Roswaal, and the village head circled the abomination. Subaru looked at the village head, his expression pleading. "Tell me this doesn't win."
The village head rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's... unique."
"Unique? It's like the stuff of nightmares!" Subaru exclaimed.
Emilia tried to stifle a giggle, her hands covering her mouth. "I think it's creative... in its own way."
Ram smirked. "It's clearly beyond the comprehension of the simple-minded."
Subaru groaned. "Sure, let's call it 'artistic.' But can we agree to never speak of Subwaal again?"
"Never even think of it." Roswaal chimed.
As the group moved on to the next entry, Subaru muttered under his breath, "I'll be seeing that thing in my nightmares tonight..."
Meanwhile, Emilia kept glancing between Subaru and Rem, a small pout forming as she mumbled, "I could've made a better Subaru sculpture if I tried…"
Emilia and Beatrice stood side by side, each deep in thought about what to sculpt.
"I'm going to make Puck," Emilia declared with a bright smile. "He's adorable and everyone loves him! It'll be perfect!"
Beatrice raised an eyebrow. "Hmph, you think you can capture his essence? Puck is... unique, I suppose."
Emilia grinned confidently. "Of course! I know Puck better than anyone!"
Beatrice huffed and turned away. "Fine, do what you want. But I, in fact, will also make a Puck sculpture. I'll show you how it's really done, I suppose."
Emilia blinked, surprised. "You're making Puck too?"
Beatrice crossed her arms. "Obviously. But unlike yours, mine will be a masterpiece, in fact."
Emilia pouted. "We'll see about that!"
With their challenge set, the two got to work. However, despite their enthusiasm, their artistic skills left much to be desired.
When the sculptures were finally unveiled, the crowd stared in stunned silence. Emilia's sculpture was a lopsided blob with oversized ears, while Beatrice's creation was stiff and rigid, resembling a snow-covered scarecrow more than Puck.
Puck appeared above the scene, floating and tilting his head as he looked between the two sculptures. His tail swished as he tried to suppress a laugh.
"Wow, I feel so... honored?" Puck said, his voice dripping with good-natured sarcasm.
"Puck!" Emilia called out, her face lighting up. "What do you think? Doesn't it look just like you?"
Puck floated over to her sculpture, inspecting it closely. "Hmm... let's see. Two ears, sort of. A face... kind of. And... wait, is that supposed to be my tail or a snow sausage?"
Emilia gasped, her cheeks turning crimson. "I-I tried my best!"
Beatrice sniffed haughtily. "Don't bother with that lump, bubby. Look at mine, in fact. Clearly, I've captured your spirit's essence, I suppose."
Puck turned to her sculpture and blinked. "Captured my spirit's essence? Uh, sure. If my essence were, you know, terrifying."
Beatrice's face turned pink. "How dare you insult my artistry, I suppose!"
Subaru couldn't hold back anymore and burst out laughing. "Oh, this is too good. Puck, you're being roasted by sculptures that are supposed to honor you!"
Puck chuckled, spinning in the air. "Hey, I'm not complaining! It's... creative! Just, uh... maybe next time you girls team up instead of competing?"
Emilia pouted, puffing her cheeks. "I worked really hard on that!"
Beatrice crossed her arms. "If I had better materials, it would've been perfect, I suppose."
Subaru grinned, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye. "Oh, don't worry, girls. These sculptures are unforgettable. Puck, you're officially the spirit of abstract art!"
The crowd erupted into laughter, and even Emilia and Beatrice couldn't help but smile sheepishly.
Puck floated closer, patting them both on the head with his tail. "Thanks for the effort, you two. I know it came from the heart. Just, uh, maybe next time a snowball would've sufficed?"
As the snow sculptures stood gleaming under the afternoon sun, the competitive tension gave way to playful chaos. A group of children initiated a snowball fight, and soon, the entire festival was swept up in the snowy battlefield.
Subaru transformed into Big Chill, gliding effortlessly across the snow as he dodged incoming snowballs. "You'll never catch me!" he declared, tossing snowballs with precision.
Rem joined the fray with a determined expression, launching a flurry of snowballs with surprising accuracy. "I'll protect Subaru-kun from enemy fire!"
Emilia, not to be outdone, tried to organize her own team, but her snowballs lacked aim. "I'm going to get you, Subaru!" she called, though her throws often veered wildly off course.
Roswaal, caught in the crossfire, shielded himself dramatically with his cape. "My, my, such uncouth behavior! But I must admit, it's rather exhilarating~."
The villagers laughed and cheered, their initial nervousness about the cold forgotten in the joyful chaos.
As the sun set, the festival drew to a close. The villagers gathered around a bonfire, their faces glowing in the firelight. Subaru sat with Emilia and Rem, sipping hot cocoa as they watched the flames dance.
"You tried your best, Emilia-tan, but maybe snow art isn't your forte."
Emilia pouted, crossing her arms. "I'll win next time, just you wait!"
As the evening deepened, Subaru gazed at the smiling faces around him, his heart swelling with gratitude. These simple, happy moments were what he cherished most.
"I'm so glad I'm here," he thought, his spirits lifted by the warmth of friendship and the joy of the festival.