* * *
Once my birthday ended, the year was already nearing its close.
I had grown somewhat accustomed to the dry winters of the western region and to living as Sean Kreveta, or Shane Pantheon.
My daily life was surprisingly simple.
I woke up in the morning, ate breakfast, and rested.
I had a light lunch before attending Arthur Sothes’ lessons.
Afterward, I spent personal time while having a snack and then held hands with Raizen.
Once dinner was over, my official schedule for the day was done.
‘Even a rich unemployed guy wouldn’t live this well.’
Right now, it was snack time.
Today’s snack was apple pie.
The perfectly balanced flavors—the not-too-sweet stewed apples, the crisp pastry, and the hint of cinnamon that spread at the end.
As always, it was flawless.
‘So peaceful…’
A thought I’d never had in my life crossed my mind.
The snack was delicious, the room was warm.
No one was rushing me, no one was watching my every move.
There were still things to worry about, but at least for now, I could relax.
Maybe that’s why—I dozed off while sitting.
When I suddenly opened my eyes, only about an hour and a half had passed.
It was almost time to meet Raizen.
I took a sip of milk to wash away the dryness in my mouth.
Then, without thinking, I glanced toward the window.
“…Huh?”
Normally, the curtains were closed, but I always pulled them back during snack time.
That’s why I saw it—the scene outside.
Everything was covered in white.
‘No way…’
Snow. It was snowing. Not sleet, but thick, fluffy flakes.
It hadn’t been falling for long, yet the world was already blanketed in white.
The first snow of the season here.
And the first snowfall I’d seen since coming to this world.
I immediately rushed to the door and stepped out.
Mila was just about to knock.
“Young Master?”
“Mila! It’s snowing outside!”
Her eyes widened with joy.
“Oh! It’s the first snow!”
“Yeah! Let’s go find Hyung!”
“Fufu, alright.”
I practically ran down the hall.
I could hear Mila telling me to be careful, but I couldn’t slow down.
Before I knew it, I was in front of Raizen’s door.
I knocked hurriedly before throwing the door open.
“Hyung! It’s snowing!”
“Snow?”
He hadn’t even realized it was snowing.
I followed his gaze and saw that his curtains were still shut.
“I see.”
That reply carried a clear, ‘So what?’ tone.
But I didn’t care.
I grabbed his hand and pulled him up.
“Come on! Let’s go see it!”
“…What?”
“Hurry!”
With my grip firm on his hand, I bolted.
“Sei, wait—!”
I heard someone shout behind me, but I ignored it and kept running.
As we dashed across the duke’s manor, I could feel the servants watching us—some surprised, some smiling fondly.
“Hah… ha…”
At last, we finally stepped out of the main building.
The frigid air clung to my cheeks, a biting chill spreading through my entire body until my skin tingled.
‘Crazy… What the hell did I just do?’
Had my mind actually regressed too?
Running outside excitedly just because of the snow?
And dragging Raizen along with me on top of that!
“Sei?”
At the sound of Raizen’s voice, my shoulders flinched.
I instinctively tried to loosen my grip, only to realize that I had been clutching his hand tightly.
But just as I was about to let go, he squeezed my hand even tighter.
‘…I’m screwed.’
“You like snow, don’t you, Sei?”
It was a mere murmur, almost like he was talking to himself, but for some reason, it didn’t sound casual at all.
Snow?
Did I like snow…?
I wasn’t sure.
The place where I grew up rarely got this much snow, and besides, my mother never liked me playing outside for too long.
If I ever came home with wet clothes from playing in the snow, she would get irritated, sighing as if it exhausted her.
‘I should… try to cover this up, right?’
I mustered the brightest smile I could.
“Yeah! Hyung, let’s build a snowman together!”
“Before that, you need to dress warmly first.”
The one who answered wasn’t Raizen, but Mila.
She had hurried over, her cheeks flushed from the cold, holding thick outerwear for both me and Raizen in her arms.
Without a word, Raizen simply extended his hand, took his coat and gloves from Mila, and put them on himself.
“Y-Young Master!”
“I can do it myself, so take care of Sei.”
“…Understood.”
Mila calmly helped me into my coat and even wrapped a scarf snugly around my neck.
In the meantime, I quickly pulled on my gloves.
“If you get too cold, please come inside. I’ll be waiting in the lobby.”
“Okay!”
Now that things had come to this, I couldn’t just go back inside.
With no other choice, I took a step forward—only for someone to suddenly grab my hand.
Even through the thick gloves, the familiar touch was unmistakable.
I didn’t even have to look. I already knew—it was Raizen’s hand.
‘Well, hand-holding is important, after all.’
I was the one who dragged him out here in the first place just to hold hands.
Gripping his hand a little tighter, I took another step forward.
Crunch.
The untouched, pristine snow made a satisfying sound under my feet.
Without thinking, I shivered and pulled Raizen—who was still standing at the entrance—closer to me.
Just like when we were running earlier, he was easily dragged along.
“…!”
Raizen’s eyes widened ever so slightly as his foot sank into the snow.
For a brief moment, he actually looked his age.
That expression was so amusing, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Hyung, it makes a crunching sound!”
“…Yeah.”
Hand in hand, we started walking again.
After a while, I turned back to look—our footprints were neatly lined up side by side in the snow.
“Look, hyung!”
Following where I pointed, Raizen’s gaze shifted downward. He stared at the ground in silence.
“Our footprints match.”
The words, barely more than a whisper, didn’t just echo in my ears—they resonated deep in my chest.
Was it because of the snow still falling thickly around us?
Or the quiet stillness of our surroundings?
Or maybe… maybe it was because of the faint smile on Raizen’s face, something I had never seen before.
Thump. Thump.
The sound of my heartbeat suddenly felt deafening.
∗ ∗ ∗
Raizen is an annoying bastard.
Before me stood a perfectly crafted snow rabbit—so well-made that anyone would stop and admire it.
And next to it… well, there was something that was supposed to be a snowman but looked more like a misshapen lump.
Of course, Raizen was the one who made the snow rabbit.
And the… thing next to it?
That was mine.
‘Why the hell is he so good at everything?’
“…Hyung… is there anything you’re bad at?”
Raizen responded with a bright, almost smug smile.
“Do you like the snowman?”
Thrown off by the sudden question, I tilted my head before realization struck.
‘Yeah! Hyung, let’s build a snowman together!’
Wait… did he actually make it because I said that earlier?
The more I thought about it, the weirder I felt, so I quickly nodded.
“I really love it!”
“That’s a relief.”
Raizen’s voice was calm, but for some reason, in that moment, he seemed so much more mature than me.
‘You’re just a middle schooler, why are you acting so composed?’
Quietly, I gathered some snow in my hands, shaped it into a ball, and then—without warning—hurled it at Raizen before making a run for it.
I didn’t even look back as I dashed away, but I didn’t hear any signs of pursuit.
‘Come to think of it… would Raizen even play in a snowball fight?’
I couldn’t imagine him getting worked up over a snowball and chasing after me.
Slowly, realization sank in, and I came to a stop.
That was when—
Splat!
A cold, wet sensation spread across my back.
I turned around slightly, and there he was—Raizen, holding another snowball in his hand.
‘I didn’t even hear him move?!’
A chill ran down my spine, but one thought stood out in my mind.
‘This… this is my chance to hit him—legally.’
I didn’t care how much I got hit.
As long as I could land even one good shot, it would be worth it.
Gripping a freshly packed snowball, I pointed at Raizen and shouted:
“Hyung! Let’s have a fair and square match!”
Of course, the only one who got obliterated was me.
∗ ∗ ∗
After our snowball fight, we were unceremoniously dragged into a room.
Waiting inside were Mila, a group of servants… and the duchess herself.
For some reason, her eyes were slightly damp as she greeted us.
“My precious darlings! Did you have fun?”
She ruffled our hair without hesitation, even though it was damp from the snow.
The servants, on the other hand, looked far more alarmed than she did.
“Now, let’s see your hands.”
When we held them out, she placed a small red crystal in our palms.
A gentle warmth spread through me, and before I even realized it, my entire body felt dry and toasty.
“Whoa…!”
“Amazing, isn’t it? But don’t think you can play in the snow every day just because of this. This artifact won’t stop you from catching a cold.”
“Yes!”
Smiling, the duchess led us to a sofa near the fireplace.
The moment we sat down, a cozy blanket was draped over us, and warm mugs of hot chocolate were placed in our hands.
I took a careful sip before glancing at Raizen.
To my surprise, he was holding a mug too.
He studied it as if it were some strange, unfamiliar object before finally taking a sip.
I had expected him to grimace at the sweetness, but his expression remained unreadable.
So, to become a mastermind villain, do you have to train yourself from a young age to control every single emotion?
…Or maybe, just maybe, he actually liked sweet things?
‘…Either way, it has nothing to do with me.’
It’s not like I’d ever be making him anything to eat.
* * *
