"So you live in a nearby village?"
Xia Yu used a spell to ignite the dry branches and fallen leaves, starting a campfire. As she pulled out a deer leg, she asked casually, "I didn't realize there were villages around here. I wandered the snowfields for five days, and you people are the first I've seen."
She knew perfectly well that Alina was hiding the matter of the Guerrilla Shield, claiming instead to be a resident of a nearby settlement. This was normal. Given the sensitive identity of the Infected Guerrilla Shield, Alina naturally did not dare speak of it to just anyone. Even if Xia Yu saved her, such caution was responsible; there was nothing to criticize.
"There are villages, of course," Alina replied, clutching the basket in her arms. "But the snowfields are so vast. If you aren't familiar with the paths, it is quite easy to get lost."
"True. To me, everywhere is just a white blur. It all looks the same," Xia Yu said, then turned to her. "Do you have any seasonings?"
"Yes, yes!" Alina quickly pulled a small packet of salt from her basket. This was something she traded for in a nearby village; it was the only seasoning she had.
Xia Yu took off her helmet and set it aside. She accepted the salt, then pulled out an ordinary-looking scimitar to slice the meat. After rubbing it with salt, she skewered the meat on a branch and began roasting it over the fire.
Naturally, the flavor was destined to be mediocre at best, but having something to eat was already good enough. At least there was salt now, rather than just plain venison.
"Lord, I have some bread here as well..." Alina reached into her basket and handed two pieces of bread to Xia Yu.
"Do you know how to toast it?" Xia Yu looked back at her.
"Uh, a little." Alina set down her basket and moved closer to the fire. Imitating Xia Yu, she skewered the bread with two branches and held them over the campfire.
"Also, no need to call me Lord," Xia Yu said, watching her movements. "My name is Xia Yu. Just call me by my name."
"Your name? No, that would be far too disrespectful. You saved my life, after all," Alina turned to her with a sincere expression. "I have nothing else to offer in thanks."
"Forget it. I don't like that title." Xia Yu shook her head again.
"Alright, then... Lady Xia Yu?" Alina looked at her, hesitating for a moment before testing the words.
"Lady..." Hearing those words, Xia Yu looked down at her breastplate with a melancholy gaze.
"Oh, sorry! Did I say something..." Alina felt she stumbled onto a landmine based on the reaction.
"It is nothing. Lady it is then." Xia Yu couldn't exactly explain; after all, her current body looked exactly like that.
"Oh, it's about ready." Just then, the venison she was roasting was almost done. Since the fire was started by a spell, it burned quite fiercely. Xia Yu handed a piece still on the branch to Alina. "Try it. I wonder if it tastes any better with just a bit of salt."
"Ah... thank you so much." Alina reached out to take the meat. She was not an introverted person. A woman who could talk to and convince the version of Talulah who had just killed Koschei and was fleeing was never a conservative personality.
After a few brief exchanges, she could roughly infer that the Lady Xia Yu before her was not Ursine. Furthermore, she showed no discrimination toward the Infected. Regarding the six legs left behind by those three thugs, Alina had tentatively asked if she should throw those filthy Infected corpses further away.
Xia Yu simply frowned and told her those bandits deserved their deaths, and she could throw them wherever she liked. The keyword was bandits, not the Infected status Alina emphasized. In the eyes of most people in Ursus, there was no difference between the Infected and bandits; no distinction was necessary.
Confirming this meant she at least held no prejudice. Alina breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that if she didn't return soon, Talulah would inevitably come looking for her. If the two met and Lady Xia Yu started a fight because of Ata's status as an Infected, it would be a very difficult situation. Regardless, Lady Xia Yu saved her life, and Ata was her inseparable family.
Xia Yu, concentrated on the roasting meat, naturally had no idea of Alina's internal monologue. She was simply craving flavor. Five days! First, a day of Rowa Raisins, then four days of plain roasted meat without a single seasoning. For someone who loved food, it was pure torture. Back in Fontaine, her status as Furina meant she never lacked anything in her diet, but here... there was absolutely nothing.
Once the outside of the meat was slightly charred, she picked it up, blew on it several times, and took a bite. How to describe it? At least it tasted of salt. It was much better than eating nothing. As for the slight char? She actually liked it that way.
If a chef from Fontaine saw this method, they would only have one comment: the deer died in vain. Well, it couldn't be helped; conditions were primitive.
Alina nibbled on the meat while secretly observing the mysterious lady. This was clearly a person who was easily satisfied. Eating meat that was only rubbed with salt made her squint her eyes with contentment. It wasn't that Alina looked down on such food, but usually, great figures capable of releasing such terrifying spells received excellent treatment wherever they went. Unlike her, who knew no Arts, this lady was so easily satisfied; clearly, she had lived through hard times in the past.
But she was completely wrong. Xia Yu's past meals were far better than this. Modern food aside, while an ordinary person might not access rare delicacies, the sheer deliciousness and variety of modern food could crush ancient kings and generals. Xia Yu was simply reacting to the massive drop in living standards—from a wealthy world to a level barely above eating raw flesh. Now that she finally tasted salt, how could she not be satisfied?
"Lady Xia Yu, the spell you used to save me was incredible," she said with admiration. "I think I saw it three days ago. A blue light that broke through the heavy snow and tore through the clouds. Was that...?"
"That was me," Xia Yu glanced at her and answered. "Mostly because I had been lost for so long and couldn't find any sign of civilization. I thought I'd make some noise to see if anyone would come to check."
"In the end, I waited for two days and no one came. A waste of effort."
"But if you say you saw it... does that mean we weren't far apart back then?" Xia Yu said, puzzled. "Did we just completely miss each other?"
"Uh, perhaps," Alina smiled. "But it's normal that no one went there. In this kind of blizzard, the people in the villages wouldn't dare step outside even if they saw such a thing. Only bold mercenaries or adventurers would dare, but it seems there aren't any such people around here."
The main reason was that the Guerrilla Shield was nearby. No one wanted to go near the Infected and court bad luck, so those types of people stayed far away.
"I see," Xia Yu nodded, then asked seemingly casually, "How far is your village from here, Alina? I'll see you home in a bit."
"Uh..." Hearing this, Alina knew the real challenge was coming. "Our village... isn't too far from here..." She hesitated for two seconds.
If she brought this person back and they couldn't get along with the Guerrilla Shield and started a fight, she would be caught in the middle. On one side was her savior, and on the other were her comrades in arms. The thought of that scene made her scalp tingle. If she didn't bring her, this was her savior who was currently lost in the snowfields and was relying on her. Leaving her like this would be disgraceful.
Although the situation might not turn out that way, one cannot live in this world based purely on luck, especially for Infected like them who struggled to survive in the cracks.
"What's wrong?" Seeing her hesitation, Xia Yu naturally knew why, but she couldn't just say "I know you're with the Guerrilla Shield." That would make her look like she had an ulterior motive. So she threw the problem back to Alina, teasing the little deer.
"Sorry, Lady Xia Yu. My home is deep in the forest. It is just a small shack with no one else around," she stammered. "It would be difficult to host you. How about this? I will take you to the nearest village and help you find a guide who can lead you out of the snowfields."
"I'm not leaving the snowfields," Xia Yu looked at her with an innocent expression. "Even though I'm lost, it doesn't mean I want to leave. I just want to find people to trade for some supplies. I plan to continue wandering in the snowfields."
"Eh? Wouldn't a great figure like you live much more comfortably outside?" Alina couldn't understand. "Why stay in the bitter cold of the snowfields?"
"Because Ursus outside is too cruel. Some people can't stand to look at it," Xia Yu said significantly, touching her chest. "So I can only hide in the uninhabited snowfields."
Upon realizing she had arrived in Terra and identifying the specific timeline, she had immediately formed a series of plans. And the Frenzied Flame was the core—her capital for putting down roots in the Guerrilla Shield.
"I don't understand," Alina said.
"It doesn't matter. It is getting late. How about we head to your place to make do for the night?" Xia Yu stood up and began extinguishing the campfire. "Even if you lead me to a village, I wouldn't feel right letting you walk back home alone at night. What if you run into danger again? I'll make do at your house tonight, and we can go to the village tomorrow." She stretched and summoned Torrent. "Let's go, it's about to get dark."
Alina felt numb. The other party was being kind no matter how one looked at it, and she truly couldn't find a reason to refuse.
"...Lady Xia Yu, what is your view on the Infected?" Finally, she decided to take a gamble.
"Just pitiful people," Xia Yu said indifferently while organizing Torrent's saddle with her back to Alina. "I have no special opinion."
"...Then, let's go this way. I'll take you home." Alina finally gave up her struggle.
Once a lie is told, a thousand more are needed to sustain it.
In the direction she pointed, Talulah was stumbling through the snow with her sword.
'Alina, you must not be hurt!'