Kays Translations

Chapter 31: To You, Who Will Soon Become the Snow Princess

That night, we all had a BBQ together.

It was the last night of our three-day training camp, and Renji-san had planned the BBQ as a farewell event.

All of us apprentice exorcists gathered in one place. Most of us were middle school and high school students. Looking at them, I couldn't help but wonder how many of us would survive until adulthood, which was a rather inappropriate thought.

The mortality rate among exorcists is high.

Just as we show no mercy to monsters, monsters don't show any mercy to humans either.

First strike, brainwashing, infiltration.

Anything goes if it's to kill someone.

True, exorcists have good pay, and there might be a sense of fulfillment in protecting people. From my previous life, where I spent my days doing dull routine work, I envy those who find satisfaction in their jobs. But then I also wonder, "Do they really seek fulfillment in their work?"... Well, my thoughts don't really matter.

What matters is that exorcists have a high mortality rate.

So, at least until we become adults... I don't want anyone to die. Even though they say they're prepared to die, there's nothing I can do about it.

Perhaps it's because of the resonance with the snow Princess that I'm feeling a bit sentimental and contemplating such things.

Aya-chan, Shirayuki-sensei, and I enjoyed the BBQ in a secluded spot away from the other apprentice exorcists.

"Itsuki-kun, the meat is ready."

"Ah, thank you."

"I bought some marshmallows, so let's make roasted marshmallows and roasted apples later."

"Roasted apples...?"

"Yes, it's a must after a BBQ."

I've heard of roasting marshmallows before, so that's fine, but roasted apples? You make those in an oven, right? Well, I'm not really sure.

"Shirayuki-sensei, do you really like apples?"

"Well... I guess I like them as much as anyone else."

In response to Aya-chan's question, Shirayuki-sensei nodded with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

Then she served some meat onto Aya-chan's plate. Watching her do that, my mind started to wander a bit.

Resonance means 'similar things share similar attributes'... It has elements of similar sensing or sympathetic magic, not just sensing emotions.

In this world, there's "Attribute Change" in magic, and there's also "Trait Change." The latter is a versatile magic that, when infused with magic power, can transform various things.

That's why I made a pumpkin carriage for fun and made clothes for Hina. I was imitating Cinderella.

When I was little, my mother told me bedtime stories about witches and wizards. I recreated those stories with magic.

So, I believe all the fairy tales in this world are based on truth.

Now, let's get back to the main topic.

The ageless beauty of Shirayuki-sensei, her constant love for apples, and her way of helping people through "Resonance"...

It's like the reincarnation of Snow White.

Well, maybe I'm forcing the connection a bit too much.

"Itsuki-kun, the onions are ready."

"Ah, thank you. Aren't you eating, sensei?"

"Meat is a bit heavy for me... But don't worry, I'm eating properly."

Shirayuki-sensei said with a smile. I was relieved that my forced pondering didn't seem to be noticed. She served the onions on my plate.

After the BBQ, we all gathered to watch fireworks.

The high school apprentice exorcists had brought a set of slightly larger fireworks and were playing with small handheld ones.

Aya-chan and I enjoyed some handheld fireworks while chatting about how it's like to see such flashy fireworks for the first time.

Experiencing a summer like this for the first time in my life, I tried to imprint various scenes in my memory to make them lasting memories.

But the fireworks quickly came to an end, and the night event also ended soon after.

The lively atmosphere from earlier faded, and everyone fell into a silent mood.

At the signal from my father, "Let's clean up," we all gathered to tidy up.

While the other apprentice exorcists went to take a bath, I hesitated to go with them. I didn't know anyone there, so I didn't have the courage to enter a place where no one knows me.

On the other hand, I didn't want to return to the room with the smell of charcoal, meat, and fireworks on my clothes. So I decided to sit on a bench outside the training camp facility. To my surprise, Aya-chan came over to join me.

I wondered what she was doing at this time and looked at her face. Her eyes were blue.

"Itsuki, can I sit next to you?"

"...Snow Princess."

Although she asked if she could sit, the snow Princess didn't say anything and just sat down beside me. Then, she fell silent.

A strange silence settled between us.

I was about to ask her what was wrong, but before I could, the snow Princess seemed a bit flustered and spoke up.

"Um, Itsuki..."

"Yeah?"

"...I know I should have said this a little earlier, but..."

"Yeah?"

The snow Princess looked like she wanted to say something... and yet couldn't put it into words. Her expression changed as if she had made up her mind, and she bit her lips tightly.

"...Thank you."

"...Huh?"

I was taken aback by the sudden expression of gratitude.

"You believed in me. You believed in me and saved Aya."

"...Because of the resonance."

"Even so. Thanks to you, both Aya and I were saved. Thank you... really."

The snow Princess then bowed her head.

While communication was possible, she was still a monster. It was a bit unusual for her to express gratitude like this, don't you think?

Caught off guard by the sudden show of gratitude, I quickly replied to the snow Princess.

"Let me say thank you too, snow Princess."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because you protected Aya-chan from that insect."

"But I... I couldn't do anything...."

The snow Princess muttered softly, her voice trembling.

It felt like she was a completely different person from the haughty snow Princess in Aya-chan's spiritual world...

No, she probably was a different person.

The snow Princess had her mind manipulated in that state.

To consider that her normal state is like that... that's probably not right.

"You did protect Aya-chan's magic from being consumed. You might have saved her from that insect."

"...I see."

“That’s why I’m grateful…”

I conveyed my gratitude to the Snow Princess directly and looked at her. She remained silent for a while, but kept staring at me and then tears started flowing.

"Huh!? Are you okay?"

Seeing a girl crying was a rare sight for me, except for Hina, so I panicked.

"What's wrong!?"

"It's... nothing."

"But you're crying for no reason..."

As I said that, the Snow Princess continued quietly.

"...I thought that in this form, no one would ever thank me."

"That's..."

It was understandable. After all, she wasn't human.

"You were willing to die to save the people in the village. You became something other than human, but because you're not human, they feared you."

"...Yeah."

"I've been alone all this time. But I hunted monsters hoping that someone would treat me kindly. I thought someone would find me if I did that..."

I know.

I know because I saw the past more deeply than anyone else.

“But no one accepted me. I was all alone…”

“………..”

A monster exorcising another monster.

Would the exorcist who witnessed it think of the monster that hunts as a kind one?

Most likely, they would only see it as infighting.

That's why the Ice Snow Princess has been fighting a relentless battle all alone, without any reward.

I witnessed it all.

“But when Aya and Itsuki said 'thank you,' I felt like... I felt like it was good to be alive."

"Yeah, that's right."

I know that. 

That's why I have to convey my gratitude to the snow Princess.

"Snow Princess... You deserve to live. Thanks to you, we were able to enjoy today."

I've made a lot of efforts not to die.

One reason for that is having strong goals, but there's something else.

Around me, there were many people who acknowledged my efforts.

Thanks to those people, I've come this far.

So, who's going to repay the snow Princess's efforts and devotion?

That's why I have to thank her.

The snow Princess must have the right to cry. I want her to cry.

If she can smile again after crying, that would be happiness beyond measure... Strange as it may sound, I thought about that.

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