The two walked side by side down the snowy path, the clouds parting slightly above as the sun faintly peeked through. Astra kicked a bit of snow with her foot, glancing sideways. Daita followed just a step behind, unusually quiet, his gaze fixed on her back like he was still trying to convince himself of something his mind elsewhere, lost in a thought that refused to leave.
"So…" Astra finally spoke, breaking the silence. "You really used that flower… for me?"
"Yes, I did," Daita replied flatly, his tone not changing, his expression unreadable.
Astra frowned slightly. "Then all that effort got wasted on me. In the end, you couldn't bring the flower to impress grandpa."
At that, Daita stopped walking.
"I don't really think it was a waste," he said after a moment.
Astra turned back, confused. "Huh?"
He looked up at her, brushing snow from his shoulder. "I got so much information in these two days. Think of it like that little game we played… even the demon ended up handing me things very few ever discover."
Astra tilted her head. "Like what?"
Daita's eyes darkened slightly, and a rare grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. "The secrets of this mountain… or, I should say, the cursed mountain."
He shook his head and took a deep breath, letting the first soft, hypnotic notes float into the air.
Astra blinked. "This mountain is cursed?"
Daita nodded, kicking a chunk of snow off the path. "Not only the mountain… but the flower I used on you is cursed too."
Astra froze mid-step. "What?! So—so am I cursed now?!"
"I don't know." Daita shrugged lazily, hands behind his head.
Astra's jaw dropped. "Daita!"
He yawned, utterly unfazed. "You're the first person that flower's ever been used on since it bloomed on this mountain. So… it's still unclear whether it curses the one it heals or not."
"Oh no…" Astra mumbled, gripping her shoulder in panic.
"But," Daita added casually, glancing at her from the corner of his eye, "I don't think you will be. I mean, yeah, this mountain's cursed, but I didn't sense any cursed energy from the demons or even the animals. And they've definitely been consuming things here too. So… I'd say you're probably safe."
"Probably?!" Astra exclaimed. "That's not comforting!"
Just like that, they continued walking through the snowy trail, the sky bright but heavy with clouds. Astra, meanwhile, clasped her hands together and began whispering an endless string of prayers.
"God of Health, God of Anti-Curses, God of Forests, God of Snow, God of Slightly Suspicious Flowers, God of Healing Herbs, God of Things That Bloom in the Wrong Season, God of… of Preventing Random Deaths! please, anyone listening, help me not get cursed…"
Daita let out the longest sigh of his life. "Astra, how many gods are you even praying to? You're not even saying their names right—are you sure half of those gods even existed in the first place?!"
"I've counted 143 so far," she said solemnly, "but I'm aiming for all the 7,000 gods just in case."
"…You're unbelievable."
He was about to roll his eyes again when he suddenly stopped mid-step.
His eyes narrowed.
Two figures stood just ahead of them on the snowy path, barely a few feet away. One stood tall and poised, hands calmly tucked into his sleeves, his gaze sharp as a blade. The other had his hand resting on his hip, flipping his flute through his fingers in slow circles, brow raised.
Daita immediately grabbed Astra's shoulder and shook her lightly. "Stop your prayers—heavens won't answer you, and at this rate, they'll get offended if you keep calling them by the wrong names!"
"What now!" she snapped, annoyed, rubbing her eyes. "I was just getting to the God of Cure-Through-Unlikely-Flowers—"
He sharply motioned ahead.
She looked ahead and froze.
Ryoma's cold eyes locked onto her, the air around him somehow dropping ten degrees. Astra gulped loudly, stiffening in place.
Shion, in contrast, looked far more dramatic than threatening his eyes flicking from Astra to Daita, then to Astra again, tapping his foot, his flute flipping like a coin between his fingers.
Astra, not knowing what else to do, closed her eyes again and resumed praying.
Ryoma watched her blankly for a moment, then turned to Shion with a completely straight face.
"Tell me, Shion… do you see Astra here too? Or am I hallucinating from altitude sickness?
Shion folded his arms, flipping his flute lazily between his fingers. "No, no, I see her too. But clearly, this must be some ghost version of her. Because the real Astra should be tucked in bed right now. Far, far away from this snow mountain."
Astra cracked one eye open. Ryoma's calm, unreadable voice was now much closer. Her other eye popped open instantly. He was standing right in front of her.
Ryoma tilted his head. "Then who is this?"
"R-Ryoma! I-I can explain!" Astra squeaked, inching back with the guiltiest expression ever.
"Yes," Ryoma said flatly, eyes narrowing. "I'll need some explanations." His gaze locked onto hers, so piercingly sharp that Astra felt goosebumps crawl down her skin…not from the cold.
"But before that…" Ryoma turned his head slightly, his voice calm. "Can you tell me why you're with her?"
"Ryoma, he—" Astra began instinctively.
"I asked him, not you. Wait for your turn." That shut her up instantly.
Daita let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples as if bracing himself. "Looks like I don't have much of a choice now," he muttered. Then, casually, he raised one hand and swiftly flicked it toward Ryoma's forehead.
But before his fingers even got close, Ryoma's hand shot up like lightning and caught his wrist mid-air, grip tightening in an iron hold that made Daita wince. The tension in the air cracked like ice.
"…Easy, easy…" Daita chuckled, trying to pull back, "No need to crush my bones. I was just joking."
Ryoma's stare didn't falter. It was the kind of look that said, Try that again, and you'll lose the hand. After a long moment, Ryoma let go. Daita stepped back, shaking out his wrist, half-amused and half-impressed.
Ryoma's voice was quiet but firm. "Now will you answer?"
Daita glanced at Astra, who widened her eyes and subtly shook her head, mouthing, Don't you dare.
He gave her a crooked smirk.
"She," he said, pointing right at Astra with dramatic flair. "It was she who brought me here. Said she wanted to play in the snow. Gave me all kinds of trouble, kept insisting, followed me even while she was drunk—honestly, it felt like I was kidnapped."
"What?!" Astra gasped, practically sputtering. Liar! You just said half the truth and dumped all the blame on me?!
Shion gasped theatrically. "Drunk?! She was drunk?! Ryoma, did you hear that? Drunk!" he whispered like it was the most scandalous thing in the universe.
"Ryoma, it's not—!" Astra started, flailing to defend herself.
But Ryoma, still silent, turned to her with that same unreadable expression and stared for a long moment.
Then, without a word, he grabbed her wrist.
"Eh?! Ryoma, wait—!" Astra tried to resist, but his grip was firm and calm, leaving no room for argument.
He simply began walking, dragging her along through the snow.
Realizing she had no choice, Astra followed with a defeated sigh, throwing a final glare back at Daita.
He just stood there, smirking with that infuriating calm, hands behind his head as if he were watching a play. He muttered, watching them disappear into the snowy path.
"I got my eyes on you…"