Nalan took out a small iron box and handed it to Bronya.
Then, under Bronya's astonished gaze, Nalan drank down a bottle of Cold Resistance Potion, took off her coat directly, and just like that, wearing only a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, walked out into the endless white snow.
This was utterly shocking. Even Doctor Vah's snowstorm immunity potion couldn't make people truly immune to extreme cold, you still had to bundle up tightly when going outside, otherwise you'd freeze to death all the same.
Worried something might happen to Nalan, Bronya didn't dare hesitate any further. She drank the Cold Resistance Potion and immediately chased after her.
"Lady Bronya, do you see? This is the Cold Resistance Potion. Not only is it stronger, it has no side effects at all!"
In the icy world, with cold that pierced down to the marrow, Nalan felt as if she were basking in the warm summer sun.
She ran freely across the snow, her bare white skin glowing red and soft the whole time. Even when she sprawled carelessly into a snowdrift or lay on ice blocks, there wasn't the slightest trace of frostbite.
The scene was so strange that Bronya almost thought Nalan had gone insane.
Half-believing, half-doubting, Bronya began taking off her clothes one piece at a time.
To her shock, she found that her own body temperature hadn't changed in the slightest. The way she felt in full winter gear was exactly the same as now.
"A miracle... could this really be a miracle... the Aeons themselves manifesting..."
"Don't start raving. If this were really a miracle, the people of this cursed planet of yours wouldn't all be dying out." Zoe came out slowly from the house, bundled up in a fluffy padded coat, dragging along an iron bucket as tall as she was.
"Miss Zoe, this potion, it's you, you're the one who made it?!" Bronya rushed up to Zoe in ecstasy, almost ready to kneel before her.
"That's right, it's my exclusive patent!" Zoe put her hands on her hips, her little red face brimming with pride.
"Stick with me from now on. I've got plenty more great inventions that'll blind you with brilliance."
"Uh..." The vibe was so much like a grade schooler pretending to be cool that Bronya nearly laughed out loud, even though she knew Zoe was a remarkable scientist.
"Phew, today is really freezing. I really don't like this place!"
Zoe felt she was at her limit. She shoved the iron bucket into Bronya's arms and dashed back into the house. Her childish voice floated back on the wind and snow, drifting into Bronya's ears in bits and pieces.
"Those six trees over there, cut a piece of root from each one, the bigger the better. I need to study the data."
"Tree roots?" Bronya looked around in confusion. Other than endless snow and rocks, there wasn't the slightest sign of any trees.
"Lady Bronya, look up at the back mountain!" Nalan pointed in excitement. "This invention is even greater, this is the true miracle that can lead us out of Belobog!"
On the mountain behind them, six towering trees more than twenty meters tall stood silently. Their entire bodies were pure black, standing out sharply against the snow.
Their branches and leaves were so lush and dense they blocked out all light, like massive shields that kept the blizzards at bay.
"I had wondered why I didn't feel the snowstorm here, it was because they were blocking it..." Bronya, as the successor to the Guardian, naturally had a sharp mind. With one look she saw their potential.
If they could be planted in large numbers along the borders of the Silvermane Guard's forbidden zone, not only could they block blizzards, but they could also be used as cover, opening up many new battle tactics.
"You'll never believe it, these trees are only a little more than two months old. According to Miss Zoe, in just fourteen more months they'll grow to 160 meters tall!"
Nalan's voice trembled with excitement. Not only did the trees grow quickly, their trunks were solid, their leaves dense, and they could absorb stellaron energy from the blizzards, locking it tightly inside their trunks.
In theory, if enough seedlings could be produced, then in time the blizzards of the entire planet Jarilo might one day dissipate altogether.
"Well, I can finally understand now why you're so fanatical. But before success is certain, it's better not to pin too much hope."
Bronya wasn't as optimistic as Nalan. These people possessed overwhelming combat power and advanced technology. For fragile Belobog, whether that was a blessing or a curse was far too early to decide.
The pitch-black ice trees looked like they were made of iron. But once they actually began chopping, Bronya discovered they were even harder than iron.
After working hard for quite a while, the two of them barely managed to hack out six roots as thick as an arm.
"Nalan, Bronya, time to eat." Emiya held Bronya's discarded clothes in his hands and draped them over her shoulders.
"Don't just throw your clothes around. If I hadn't noticed in time, the wind would've blown them down the mountain."
"Clothes?" Bronya instinctively glanced down, only then realizing that in her excitement earlier she'd stripped down to just a small camisole, leaving much of her pale skin exposed.
She wanted to die of embarrassment.
"Here, the roots are yours, thank you!" In a panic, she shoved the big bucket into Emiya's hands and bolted behind an ice tree at record speed to hurriedly get dressed.
"Mr. Emiya, please don't misunderstand. Lady Bronya just saw too many unbelievable things today, that's why she lost her composure."
Cold sweat poured down Nalan's forehead. As the Guardian's successor and the face of Belobog, Bronya's performance today had truly been lacking.
"It's fine. A scatterbrained girl like her is cute. She doesn't need to force herself to be all dignified and steady."
"Cute? Are you talking about Lady Bronya?"
Nalan's eyes went wide, her mouth opening so wide an egg could fit inside. She couldn't help imagining, if those two were to marry, wouldn't that be a great blessing for both Bronya and Belobog?
To celebrate Bronya's safe awakening, and also to atone for his earlier reckless behavior, Emiya went all out today.
Not only did he make classic stewed meat and pancakes, he even dug out a makeshift oven with great effort to bake a cake for Bronya.
As night fell, the blizzard outside grew fiercer. Even with the ice trees shielding them, the howling wind could still be heard.
Inside the mountain hall, everyone wore excited expressions as they sat around the warm bonfire, watching eagerly as Emiya kept bringing food out of the kitchen. The rich fragrance spread everywhere, and the sound of people swallowing their saliva filled the air.
Though it was just a few simple dishes, whether the cake, the meat, or the fragrant flatbread, each was a rare delicacy they hardly ever got to taste.
And with portions so generous that everyone could eat their fill, it felt like paradise, so wonderful it almost didn't feel real.
"Bronya, doesn't it suit your taste? Why are you just staring?" Emiya noticed everyone was devouring their food, but Bronya alone sat blankly gazing at the fire, and he couldn't help but ask in curiosity.
"Emiya... will you stay?" Bronya's voice was full of longing. From childhood until now, this was her first time feeling hope. Maybe, just maybe, they really could help Belobog flourish again.
"We will stay. We'll treat this place as our second home, make it prosper and flourish, and give it the strength to resist enemies from beyond the stars."
Emiya's words were firm. Though he was no longer a "Hero of Justice," if those before his eyes were in need, he would still lend a hand. Only now, he would act within his means.
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