To the Northern Ice Palace (5): The North Sea Ice Palace's Emergency Rations
"Seol! Try this on!"
"This one too!"
"How about this?"
"Oh, this would be so cute!"
S-save me...
I was currently being held captive by Arin and subjected to a full session of dress-up. I had long since lost count of how many times she had stuffed me into an outfit and peeled it back off again. Vests, short robes, martial uniforms — she put me in every kind of clothing imaginable.
"Wow! It looks so good on you!"
No, it really doesn't...
A moment later, a tiny flower ornament found its way onto my head.
She said she wouldn't do anything I didn't like...
She had definitely said that. I tried my hardest to convey just how much I hated this.
"Hmm?"
Ugh... damn it...
The instant Arin tilted her head and smiled, I somehow couldn't refuse anymore. Looking at that innocent grin, I felt guilty for no good reason at all.
Damn it all... how did I end up like this...
Truth be told, I could have escaped this situation in an instant if I used my inner energy. Even if I ran, she'd just catch me again... I would be recaptured before long and end up right back here — that much was obvious. Wasting energy for nothing would only be a loss.
...Better save my strength.
In the end, I resigned myself to my fate and accepted my role as a living doll once more.
I had no idea how much time had passed.
Hah... come to think of it, they said they'd feed me...
I was fairly sure they had promised to prepare a meal the moment we arrived at the Ice Palace. It felt like at least three hours had gone by.
I'm starving to death...
Grumble.
It wasn't loud, but my stomach was definitely filing a formal complaint. I couldn't take it anymore.
"Gyagyagyagyak!!! (Food! Give me food!!)"
"Hmm? What's wrong, Seol?"
Arin's eyes went round as she scooped me up.
"Does something hurt?"
She turned my front paws this way and that, stroked my back, and even poked at my belly.
I'm not hurt. I'm hungry...
But of course, everything I said came out as nothing more than an ordinary animal cry.
"Want me to rub your tummy?"
That's not it...
I let out a long, frustrated sigh.
That was when it happened.
Creeeak.
The door eased open, and someone stepped inside.
"Arin, is Seol having fun?"
The person who entered was none other than the Ice Palace Lord.
"Daddy!"
Arin's face lit up, and she ran straight to him.
"Gyak... (Save me...)"
Naturally, all that came out was another ordinary cry. Still, thanks to Arin setting me down to run to him, I finally had my freedom back.
Thud.
I collapsed face-first onto the floor.
Haa... kids really do have infinite stamina...
Just being dragged around for a few hours had completely drained my soul. The Ice Palace Lord took one look at me and let out a small chuckle.
"Looks like you've had quite the ordeal."
He approached slowly and knelt down in front of me.
"Are you all right?"
His hands lifted me with careful, practiced ease — the same steady, reassuring touch as always. I went limp and let myself sink into his arms.
Finally... a normal person is here...
He looked down at my drooping form and smiled faintly.
"Come along. The retainers say the meal is ready."
The instant I heard those words, life surged back into my previously lifeless body.
Food! Food at last!
Watching me spring back to life after hanging there like a corpse just moments ago, he burst into a quiet laugh, and Arin giggled as she trotted after us.
"Hehe, Seol was hungry too!"
If you'd just fed me sooner, none of this would have happened...
I grumbled inwardly, but my eyes were already locked on the direction the food would be.
"Shall we, then?"
He led us to the dining hall.
The room was filled with a gentle warmth. Outside, the cold could cut through flesh, but inside, warm braziers had been placed throughout, leaving no trace of the chill.
A long wooden table already held an orderly spread of dishes. Steam curled from a pot of soup. There was simply grilled meat, an assortment of seasoned greens and pickles, and freshly cooked white rice. True to the Ice Palace, nothing was extravagant — but every dish was clean, refined, and made with care.
Oh...
A note of admiration slipped out of me before I could stop it.
This is way better than I expected.
And yet, among all those dishes, my gaze locked onto just one thing. Several small fish with glittering silver scales, laid out neatly on ice, looking as fresh as if they had been caught only moments ago.
...That's the one.
Instinct answered before I did. The Ice Palace Lord watched me and chuckled.
"I knew you'd go for these first."
At his gesture, a maid stepped forward. In her hands was a wooden bowl packed with ice, and inside it, tiny silver fish thrashed and leapt with vigorous life. Arin's eyes sparkled.
"Wow! They're still alive!"
"Pond smelt, caught fresh from the ice lake just now." He continued in the same unhurried tone. "They're best eaten while they're still fresh."
The maid set the bowl down carefully in front of me.
Splish.
Oh... another kind of fish I've never seen before.
I watched them for a moment. Then — snap! — I snatched one and popped it into my mouth.
...That's good.
Before I had even finished swallowing the first one, my body moved again.
Splash! Splash! Splash!
One by one, the fish in the bowl vanished into my beak. Arin clasped her hands together and let out a gasp of delight.
"Wow! You're so good at catching them!"
"I couldn't even follow it with my eyes!"
The Ice Palace Lord watched me with genuine interest.
"So that's how you eat? You usually finish before we arrive, and earlier you just jammed your head into the box... I never got a proper look. Quite fascinating."
Come to think of it, I've never actually let anyone watch me eat, have I?
Mulling that over, I polished off the last fish without leaving a scrap. A servant collected the empty bowl and quietly withdrew.
"Seol really loves fish," Arin said with a bright smile.
You're only figuring that out now?
I gave my beak a satisfied shake and watched as the others began their meal. He scooped up a spoonful of soup and began eating at an unhurried pace. Arin's mother sat in front of her seven-year-old daughter, feeding her one spoonful at a time.
"Chew slowly."
Arin obediently opened her mouth and chewed with small, neat bites. Her mother gently wiped the corners of her lips with a handkerchief before offering the next spoonful. As for me, my belly was full and a pleasant drowsiness was settling into my limbs. I stretched out with a look of pure contentment.
Midway through the meal, he spoke to me.
"So then... what would you like to do now?"
"Gyak. (What do I want to do?)"
I tilted my head, and he went on.
"Well... for instance... how about properly learning the Ice White Divine Art you've been practicing?"
"Gyak. (Is that even possible?)"
"Well... Arin will be starting her training soon anyway. You two can learn together."
Hmm... learning it properly, huh...
Until now, I had only learned martial arts to survive. I had read the texts, of course, and understood them to a degree...
But if I actually trained under someone... wouldn't I get even stronger?
Not that it would matter much. I would only live another five years at the least, fifteen at the most...
No, wait... I have inner energy now, so does that make me a spirit beast? Maybe I'll live a lot longer...
I was deep in thought about my future when Arin set down her spoon and beamed.
"Daddy!"
"Can I play with Seol some more?"
"Haven't you had enough already?"
"Nope!"
He glanced down at me for a moment, then smiled — just barely.
"What do you think?"
I must decline.
In the strongest possible terms.
I shook my head as hard as I possibly could. He watched me intently, then the corner of his mouth ticked upward.
"I see."
Oh.
Don't tell me he actually understood?
For a brief moment, hope bloomed.
"Arin."
"Yes?"
"Seol says it's fine. Go ahead and take him."
No!!!!!!!!!!!!
That meant save me, not yes!
Arin threw both hands in the air with delight.
"Okay! We'll only play a little this time!"
A little...?
For some reason, I did not believe that for a second. I quietly slipped down from the chair, intending to make a run for it —
"Seol~."
Arin's voice came from directly above my head. I slowly looked up and found myself staring into her beaming face.
"...Gyak."
A cry of pure resignation slipped out on its own.
"Hehe. Found you."
Arin scooped me up with practiced ease. I didn't even bother resisting.
How did she even find me that fast...
He watched the two of us and let out a quiet laugh.
"Arin."
"Yes?"
"This time, let Seol rest as well."
"I will!"
Arin answered with gusto. Then she nuzzled her cheek against me, still holding me close.
"We'll just hang out a little, then I'll put you right to bed."
...I can trust that much, at least.
Clinging to the faint hope that she wouldn't put me through another dozens-of-outfits fashion show, I quietly closed my eyes.
Once we were back in the room, Arin seemed determined to keep her word this time. She set me down gently on the bed.
"I won't dress you up right now!"
...Right now?
I looked up at her with deep suspicion.
So she is going to dress me up later...
Arin grinned and threw both hands up.
"I mean it!"
Then she hopped onto the bed and flopped down beside me.
"Seol."
"Today was so much fun!"
I didn't have fun at all.
I muttered that strictly to myself. Arin stroked my back gently, smiling with pure, cloudless joy.
"I'm glad you were with me, Seol."
"Let's play together tomorrow too!"
I'll pass on that...
I let out a long sigh. But Arin just giggled, as if even that was adorable.
"Hehe."
This time she didn't scoop me up against my will. She just patted my back, over and over.
"You're tired, aren't you?"
"Let's sleep together."
With that, she tugged the blanket over toward me and tucked me in. It was clumsy, but she was trying to take care of me in her own way.
...I can live with this much.
While I was thinking that —
"Seol... I'm sorry I was too rough with you..."
"Gyak. (Huh?)"
Arin had suddenly apologized.
"I... I've never had a friend before... so I don't know how I'm supposed to act..."
"But still... I want to be with you, Seol..."
When I didn't make a sound, Arin let out a big yawn beside me and curled up.
"So... let's play again tomorrow... good night... Seol..."
She was asleep before she had even finished speaking.