Chapter 213: Snow

Moonlight was falling softly on the rain‑filled grass and trees, the lingering droplets clinging to leaves and blades of grass catching the light, making the whole garden shine in an unusually mesmerizing way. The air was cool and damp, carrying that faint earthy scent after rain.

Nested between those shimmering patches of grass, Ash sat on a wooden bench in the Class 1S Dormitory garden. His eyes, however, were not on the moonlit scenery but on Little White, who was gleefully chasing after a small glowing bug that darted in the air, sometimes dipping low to the ground before shooting back up.

Why did she say that...?

Ash felt a faint trace of anger still lingering inside him. Elysia should not have brought up something so sensitive, not in that way. But more than the anger, there was confusion gnawing at him.

Why did I react that way...?

He did not understand it. The moment her question reached his ears, something inside him flared—an unexplainable heat, sharp and intense. Before he realized it, his body had already acted, moving him away from her.

I thought I had complete control over my emotions... damn, I guess it’s still too soon to claim that.

With a quiet sigh, Ash rubbed his face with both hands, as if trying to clear his thoughts. For now, he didn’t want to think about Elysia. He needed to shift his focus elsewhere, and so his mind turned to what he should do next—whether to head for the next Rune or handle other matters first.

There are three more Runes here... on this planet... and my theory about the Ancient Civilization being involved feels more and more correct. Otherwise, it makes no sense that ten of the twenty Runes would be here... even if I leave out the five hidden ones.

Currently, Ash had seven Runes in his possession. Counting the hidden one he had absorbed, that made eight, leaving three more that he already knew the locations of.

One is in the Neutral Continent, one lies deep in the ocean, and one rests in the continent of the Dwarves...

"Which one should I go for first...?" he murmured under his breath, his voice barely louder than the rustling of wet leaves in the breeze.

The Rune hidden within the ocean was without question the hardest to obtain. Not only was it in one of the most dangerous and inaccessible locations, but the journey itself would cost time, effort, and perhaps even countless lives. That would have been the case if he didn’t have the Rune of Death and the Rune of Concealment, both of which tilted the odds in his favor.

Even so... I’ll leave that one for last.

His focus shifted to the Rune in the Neutral Continent.

Right... thinking about that one, I guess I should first test something. Maybe I can create a skill using the Rune of Knowledge to reveal a Rune’s true name. If that works, it might make things a lot easier.

The cool silver light of the moon washed over him as he leaned back against the bench, mind already sinking into thought.

Let’s try...

But before he could enter his soul space, a voice called out to him from behind.

"You are here."

Ash’s body went still for a moment upon hearing it.

"Why are you here?" he asked quietly, his head lowered, his voice calm yet carrying an edge of weariness.

"Why can’t I be here?" Elysia replied, taking a few steps forward before sitting down beside him on the bench, her eyes lifting to the moon that hung above the dormitory garden. The silver light fell across her features, giving her expression an unreadable softness.

"I am not in the mood to talk right now," Ash muttered, his gaze fixed ahead.

"Fine, stay silent then. I’m here to play with my Snow, not to talk with you. Humph!!!" she said with a little huff, reaching forward to pick up Little White, who was in the middle of eating the glowing bug it had caught. She held the tiny serpent close to her, pressing her cheek against his smooth, cool scales.

However, Little White’s blue eyes narrowed slightly, a faint glimmer of hostility flashing within them, as if he was sensing Ash’s emotions and reacting to them.

Seeing that expression, Elysia tilted her head and then looked back at Ash, her tone softer this time. "I’m sorry, alright... I said something I should not have. Forgive me, will you?"

There was a faint bitterness in her voice, and beneath it, a note of sadness. Ash stayed quiet, listening to her steady, almost drum‑like rhythm of her loud heartbeat.

"Your words were wrong, Nancy," Ash finally spoke, turning his gaze to meet hers. His eyes, although not cold, lacked any warmth. "You can’t go around saying things like that."

".....I’m sorry..." Elysia lowered her head further, her voice sounding genuinely remorseful this time.

Ash kept his eyes on her for a while longer before letting out a slow sigh. "Fine, just don’t say something like that again, alright?" he said, gently patting her head before pulling her into a firm embrace.

Little White, caught between the two of them, wriggled impatiently until he managed to slip out, coiling himself around Ash’s neck and rubbing his head lightly against Ash’s jaw.

Mama. Mama. Mama.’

Hearing the voice echo within his mind, Ash smiled faintly. Sorry, sorry... don’t get angry. We will give you a name now.

Despite having been born only today, Little White’s intelligence was already far beyond what Ash had seen in other creatures.

The serpent could understand everything Ash said and even communicate back. For now, it seemed his vocabulary in this mental voice was limited to the single word mama’, yet Ash could clearly feel the different meanings hidden in the tone and intent each time it was spoken.

And right now, that word carried a clear complaint—the little serpent was annoyed that instead of deciding on his name, Ash and Elysia were simply hugging and talking. He also wanted to be included in their attention.

Cute.....

Still holding Elysia close, Ash asked, "Did you say the name Snow for Little White?"

"Yeah," she answered, her lips curving into a small smile. "Isn’t it lovely? It matches his color perfectly."

"I see... I was thinking of using the name Medusa," Ash said thoughtfully.

"Yuck! Don’t you dare give such a monstrous name to my Little White," Elysia protested instantly, pulling the serpent from Ash’s neck. This time, Little White turned his blue eyes toward Ash, and the look was undeniably hostile.

"See? Even Snow doesn’t like that name. Heed my words—Snow is the best, isn’t it?" she said, looking directly at the serpent.

And to Ash’s surprise, Little White gave a small, deliberate nod, his tongue flicking out as though in agreement.

"Haha... fine, I guess," Ash muttered.

"No matter how I look at it, your naming sense is just as horrible as it was before, isn’t it, Ash?" Elysia teased, her voice laced with amusement.

"It’s not that bad..." Ash replied under his breath.

Mama.

Even you think it’s bad? Why are you siding with her...?

"Haha..."

"Hehe..."

Mama...

Their soft laughter mingled with the faint hiss of the serpent, the tension from earlier slowly melting away under the quiet moonlit night.

The garden was peaceful again, the air carrying the fresh scent of damp grass, and for a moment, the three of them simply existed together under the silver glow, bound by a strange yet undeniable warmth.

"Goodnight, Nancy!!"

"Goodnight, Ash!!"

Standing in front of Elysia’s room, Ash looked at her, wondering why she was still gazing at him.

"What are you looking at? Wanna come inside? I don’t mind..."

A teasing smirk appeared on her lips as she leaned slightly on the doorframe, but Ash’s face flushed instantly. He quickly turned away, almost fleeing as he walked down the hall.

"N-No, it’s fine. Good night, see you tomorrow."

Elysia remained at the doorway, her eyes following him as his back grew smaller with each step. The teasing smirk faded, replaced by a soft and almost dreamy expression.

I wasn’t teasing you, Ash... I really wouldn’t mind if you came inside. But knowing you... you’d never do it... sigh... why are you so lovely, Ash, why?

A bold thought flickered in her mind, quick and dangerous. Should I be forceful with him...? No, no, what am I thinking?

She shook her head quickly, dismissing the strange idea, and shut her door as if sealing the thought away.

Meanwhile, Ash walked toward the boys’ section, still feeling the heat on his cheeks. Damn it... she’s gotten quite bold lately.

The Class 1S dormitory for boys and girls was connected by a single passage, though an academy staff member always kept watch to prevent unnecessary visits.

With Absolute Concealment active, Ash slipped past without trouble. Of course, he could use this ability to spend more time with Elysia whenever he wanted, but he believed that even though they loved each other deeply, both needed time to grow stronger on their own. They could only support each other from the side without interfering too much in each other’s paths.

As he approached the exit of the girls’ section, a sudden movement from Snow caught his attention. The little serpent was staring fixedly at a particular door.

Ash followed its gaze and read the nameplate.

Melissia...?

His brow furrowed. Why would Snow be looking at her door?

Before he could think too deeply about it, his vision suddenly wavered. A strange sensation flooded him, as if his sight was being pulled elsewhere. The experience was far from pleasant; a dizzying shift gripped his senses before his vision cleared again—except now, everything looked different.

What... is this? What happened to my eyes...?

He glanced around, but nothing in his surroundings had changed. Yet, the way he saw them was entirely different. Confusion flickered in his thoughts until a realization began to form.

Don’t tell me... is Snow sharing its vision with me now?

The moment he realized it, everything made sense. This wasn’t his sight at all — it was Snow’s.

It was an ability that could open countless possibilities, a powerful tool in the right situation, and ideas began flashing through his mind like sparks. But right now, all those thoughts were pushed aside, because what he was seeing through Snow was far more urgent.

From this shared vision, he could see inside Melissia’s room. Everything was tinted in shades of grey and red, almost like an infrared camera’s live feed.

The room was a disaster. Shattered furniture lay scattered across the floor, glass fragments littered every corner, and it looked as though a violent storm had torn through. In the middle of it all sat Melissia, her posture slumped, shoulders trembling faintly.

She was crying.

Ash’s brows drew together. Now... what happened to her? Did something happen in her family?

A flicker of genuine concern stirred in him, but uncertainty weighed on his thoughts. It didn’t feel right to just barge into her room without permission, yet it also felt wrong to simply turn away and pretend he hadn’t seen anything.

And another thing lingered in the back of his mind — his involvement might create something more troublesome in the future.

Ahh... damn it... should I go myself, or send someone else?