Carlisle did not stop until he was certain he had escaped the sight range of that eerie snow sculpture. He raised a hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. How long had it been since he experienced such a chilling sensation?
That bizarre shape. The exaggerated clown costume and twisted smile of the snow sculpture resurfaced in his mind, and Carlisle shivered involuntarily.
He would absolutely never dress like that.
And it was even more impossible for him to show such an expression.
As if confirming something, he subconsciously touched the corner of his mouth. Good. The curve of his lips felt normal.
He then looked down to check his clothing. His knight's uniform remained neat and proper, not a ridiculous clown outfit.
Carlisle finally released a long breath, but in the next moment Rem's expectant words echoed again in his mind.
"This was made to look like you."
"Hey, isn't this the knight boy?"
Puck suddenly floated over from the side and landed on Carlisle's shoulder.
"Why do you look so pale?"
"Oh, Great Spirit. It is nothing. Just a slight headache."
"Eh. That will not do." Puck tapped Carlisle's forehead with his little paw. "If you get sick, Subaru and that pink haired maid will freeze to death."
He suddenly floated nimbly in front of Carlisle, his eyes shining.
"Oh right. Lia and I made an amazing snow sculpture. Do you want to come see it?"
Carlisle cautiously stepped back half a step.
"May I ask... what kind of snow sculpture it is?"
"Secret." Puck winked mysteriously. "But it is definitely much better than that one over there."
He pointed toward the noisy direction.
"When I passed by earlier, I saw Ram and Subaru arguing. Young people these days are really energetic."
"Haha... yes, they are." Carlisle gave a dry laugh, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the hilt of his sword.
"Come on, come on." Puck pushed against his back insistently. "Do not be shy. Lia is really looking forward to it."
Carlisle was pushed in front of a snow sculpture. Emilia stood beside it with her hands clasped before her chest.
"How is it?"
Carlisle looked at the snow sculpture in front of him and fell into a longer silence.
A strangely shaped snow tree. A twisted cloud. Or perhaps... he hesitated to speak.
"Is this... a tree?"
Puck proudly wagged his tail.
"Wrong. This is Lia's carefully sculpted..."
Emilia excitedly interrupted.
"Puck using magic!"
The tumor like protrusion on the top of the sculpture reflected the sunlight in a rather eerie way.
"Eh? Knight boy?" Puck tilted his head while looking at Carlisle, who had suddenly turned around. "Where are you going? At least give a comment before..."
"Great Spirit."
Carlisle's voice suddenly became serious.
He turned his head slightly, sunlight reflecting coldly along the edge of his knight's uniform.
"Please forgive me. I cannot presumptuously comment on my liege's work."
His words were flawless. They upheld the knightly principle of not speaking rashly while cleverly returning the right of judgment to Emilia herself through the respectful title of liege.
Puck's tail froze in midair and his round eyes blinked.
"That is truly... a very official answer."
Emilia, however, clapped her hands as if she suddenly understood something.
"I see. Carlisle wants me to discover the shortcomings myself!"
She turned back toward the sculpture with renewed enthusiasm.
"Then I will adjust the angle of Puck's ears again."
"Good. I survived that."
Carlisle had just breathed a sigh of relief when hurried footsteps suddenly approached from nearby.
"Found him. Carlisle was hiding here."
Subaru jogged over, followed by Rem, Ram, Roswaal, and a somewhat unwilling Beatrice.
"Is your snow sculpture finished? Where is it?" Subaru looked around curiously.
Carlisle pointed into the distance.
"Over there. But why is everyone here?"
"Because your snow sculpture is the only one left to be judged in the Mansion." Subaru placed her hands on her hips. "We are going together as a group to watch."
Beatrice snorted and crossed her arms.
"What an outrageous maid. Dragging Betty out by force only to give such a low score."
"Lady Beatrice... because it really did not resemble it."
Before judging Emilia's first sculpture, Beatrice had already been dragged out by Subaru to participate in the competition. Beatrice originally planned to complete her sculpture using magic, but Subaru stopped her.
"I want to see what Lady Beatrice makes with her own hands."
That statement barely convinced her.
The result was that Beatrice's so called "Puck snow sculpture" barely resembled a cat shaped outline, and it was even rougher than Emilia's abstract work.
After Subaru and Roswaal once again mistook Emilia's newly made snow sculpture for "a not so fat dead tree" and gave it six and two points respectively, everyone finally walked toward Carlisle's sculpture.
By the time they arrived, the sculpture was already surrounded by villagers. The crowd was packed so tightly that even water could not pass through, and exclamations constantly rose from the three layered wall of people.
Subaru had no choice but to shout loudly.
"The judges are here!"
Only then did the crowd reluctantly move aside, forming a narrow path.
The snow sculpture appeared before everyone.
Fiery red hair like burning flames.
Blue eyes like the deep ocean.
The image immediately resurfaced in Subaru's mind.
"...Reinhard?"
The sculpture was incredibly well made, but for some reason Subaru felt slightly unhappy.
Roswaal, however, spoke playfully.
"Oh my, oh my. How remarkable."
He deliberately drew out his words.
"To choose the current Sword Saint as the subject."
Every detail of the sculpture perfectly replicated the heroic posture of that female Sword Saint.
The delicate pattern of the sword tassel on the blade at her waist was clearly visible.
The folds of the knight uniform had been carefully polished.
Even the faint smile at the corner of her lips looked lifelike.
Carlisle had not intentionally chosen a subject. But as the snow gradually took shape beneath his hands, he naturally sculpted the strongest person in his heart.
"Truly a perfect work, just like its creator. I give it ten points."
"...Six points."
Ram seemed to have caught Subaru red handed.
"Aha." She narrowed her eyes. "Subaru, and you claim you are not abusing your authority as a judge? Carlisle's work receives the same score as that dead tree?"
"You are too loud." Subaru's ear tips flushed slightly. "Fine, fine... eight points. Are you satisfied now?"
Ram crossed her arms.
"The reason? What is the reason for this sudden increase in points?"
"Be because..." Subaru stiffened her neck. "I suddenly noticed that the weaving pattern on the sword tassel is extremely intricate. Is that reason professional enough?"
She obviously could not admit that seeing Carlisle carefully sculpt another girl made her feel slightly jealous.
"Tch."
---
"Wow. Such beautiful clothes!"
Petra jumped happily while holding her champion prize, the large bow in her orange hair gently swaying. She eagerly unfolded the carefully made school uniform.
A dark suit jacket paired with a pleated short skirt.
"This year's snow sculpture competition champion is Petra Leyte."
Subaru loudly announced the result while casually helping the little girl straighten her crooked bow.
Carlisle looked at the winning sculpture.
This was... an exaggerated mechanical rabbit tank with a rotating drill bit. It was said to be the result of Subaru's "slight modifications," and it unexpectedly gained Roswaal's favor, becoming the second perfect score of the entire event.
Carlisle noticed that after announcing the results, Subaru lightly jumped down from the temporary award platform. She brushed the snow from her gloves. A smile remained on her lips, but those eyes that were usually so bright seemed slightly distant.
Carlisle remembered the six points she initially gave Reinhard's sculpture, a score that clearly did not match the quality of the work.
He understood something.
Carlisle walked through the noisy crowd and stopped beside her.
"Subaru."
The girl turned when she heard her name. Snow particles clung to the tips of her hair and sparkled in the sunlight.
"Oh? Carlisle?"
"The event was a great success."
He looked into the distance.
Petra was surrounded by children showing off her uniform. Rem and Ram were still arguing about which facial features the sculpture should retain. Even Beatrice was talking with Roswaal, though her words were clearly not friendly.
"Everyone is very happy." Carlisle gently withdrew his gaze. "This is all thanks to you."
Subaru froze for a moment, then suddenly smiled brightly.
"Right. Building snow sculptures is super fun."
"Yes. Actually... that mechanical rabbit tank..."
"It is super cool, right!"
Roswaal's exaggerated laughter sounded from the distance.
"Oh my. What a destructive aesthetic."
Carlisle looked at Subaru's lively profile and nodded softly.
"Yes. Very cool."
A moment later he spoke again.
"Actually... choosing to sculpt Reinhard was simply out of respect for her strength."
He paused briefly.
"I would prefer to try sculpting another subject."
Subaru leaned closer with curiosity.
"What subject?"
"A girl who is always full of energy."
His gaze fell upon the snowflakes in her hair.
"But I am worried I cannot capture that essence. Perhaps she herself would be willing to offer some suggestions."
Subaru's eyes suddenly brightened, as if the entire winter sun was shining inside her amber pupils.
"Right now? I know where the best snow pile is."
She naturally grabbed Carlisle's wrist. The knight allowed himself to be pulled along, a faint smile appearing in his eyes.
Not far away, Rem stopped arguing with Ram. She looked at the hand Subaru used to hold Carlisle's wrist, and a ripple of emotion flashed through her blue eyes.
"Do you like Carlisle?" Ram suddenly asked.
"S.Sister!" Rem's ear tips instantly turned red.
Ram lightly pushed her forward.
"Go. Losing to that noisy girl would be too embarrassing."
Rem hesitated for a moment, but finally lifted her skirt and ran after them.
"please wait a moment. About the snow sculpture..."
The setting sun stretched the three chasing shadows across the snow, weaving them together into a delicate pattern.
Startled sparrows flapped their wings and flew toward the sky, which was slowly turning gold and red.
Golden sunlight brushed the tips of Carlisle's blue hair as he turned his head, illuminated the hem of Subaru's fluttering coat as she spun around, and gently touched Rem's outstretched fingertips.
On this evening at the end of winter, the snow quietly recorded all the feelings that had yet to be spoken.
...
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