The next day, before the sun had even finished rising, Yuji was already up.
He had heard whispers in the village about a "secret" place, a flowery field hidden beyond the hill to the north. They said that, at this time of year, the flowers covered everything like a colorful sea.
And he had an idea.
If he was going to explore… he might as well do it in style.
Inside Roswaal L. Mathers' mansion, he gazed at the homeowner's excessively luxurious wardrobe. Clothes with ruffles. Dramatic capes. Fabrics that shimmered under any light. "This is practically a walking cosplay…"
Even so, he donned one of the most extravagant combinations he could find: a long coat with gold details, a white shirt with a bow at the neck, and even a flashy hat.
He looked at himself in the mirror. "Perfect. No one will recognize me."
---
As soon as he set foot in the village…
"IT'S YUJI!"
A child pointed immediately.
"Yuji-niichan!!"
Another tugged at his coat sleeve.
"Why are you dressed like a clown?!"
Yuji froze. He looked down. Then at the children.
"How do you…?"
One of the girls crossed her arms.
"You're walking strangely."
Another added: "And you have that 'I'm going to do something stupid' look on your face."
He sighed defeatedly. "I spent ten minutes choosing this…"
One of the children pulled at the exaggerated bow tie around his neck.
Yuji paused. The children started laughing.
Petra pointed to the path on the hill.
"You're going to the secret field, right?"
He winked.
"Wait, you know too? So it's not secret?"
"It's secret for boring adults!"
"And you don't count as an adult!"
Yuji put his hand to his chest, dramatically offended. "I try so hard to look mature…"
One of the children laughed. He sighed again.
Infiltration plan: total failure.
But deep down…
He smiled.
To be recognized like that. Called by name. Pulled by the sleeves.
Even so, he adjusted his oversized hat. "Okay. Take me there then."
The children cheered and ran ahead.
And Yuji, dressed like an eccentric aristocrat, followed… already knowing that if Emilia saw that outfit, he would get another lecture.
The children ran ahead, climbing the hill as if it were the greatest discovery in the world.
"Hurry up, Yuji-niichan!"
He climbed behind, holding his oversized hat so it wouldn't fly away.
When they passed the top of the hill…
He stopped.
The wind blew gently.
The field opened before him, a sea of colorful flowers swaying in natural waves, as if the earth itself were breathing. Shades of blue, white, and pink mingled under the morning light.
It was silent. Calm. Almost sacred.
Yuji stood motionless.
That…
It was almost identical to the field he had seen in that dream, shortly before arriving in this world.
The same vast sky. The same inexplicable feeling of peace. The same sensation that something important had begun there.
The children tugged at his sleeve.
"So? It's beautiful, isn't it?!"
He took a second to answer.
"It is… very beautiful."
His tone was softer than usual.
He walked a few steps among the flowers, letting his fingers lightly brush against the petals.
"I'm going to bring everyone here."
The children looked curious.
"Everyone?"
He nodded.
"Emilia…"
The wind rustled the flowers again, almost as if reacting to Emilia's name.
"Ram."
"Rem."
He paused briefly before saying that name, remembering her crying the previous night.
"Remi too."
Perhaps this place would help her feel less like a "substitute."
"And even Beatrice."
He could almost imagine Beatrice's indignant expression, saying she had no interest whatsoever… while secretly appreciating the place.
Petra tilted her head.
"You like them quite a lot, don't you?"
Yuji scratched the back of his neck.
"I think so. They're good people."
He looked at the field again. It wasn't just beautiful. It was the kind of place that made people breathe easier.
That made the pain lessen for a few minutes. Maybe Rem could smile there without comparing herself to Ram. Perhaps Emilia could stop worrying for a moment about the royal selection. Maybe even Beatrice would complain less.
Yuji closed his eyes for a second, letting the wind touch his face.
"Next time… I won't come alone."
The children smiled.
"Then we'll keep it a secret until then!"
He smiled genuinely.
"Agreed."
---
Yuji was walking down the mansion hallway when he heard hesitant footsteps coming from the corner.
He turned his head.
And stopped.
Remi was there.
Dressed in her maid's uniform.
Black and white, full of ruffles, delicate bows… and a cut that was definitely not modest.
She was red.
Very red.
Her hands gripped the hem of her dress tightly, as if she wanted to pull the fabric down and magically make it grow a few centimeters.
#01
"Y-Yuji-senpai…"
She couldn't even maintain eye contact.
"I… I didn't know the uniform would be… like this."
She shrugged uncomfortably.
"This is too indecent…"
Yuji tilted his head slightly, analyzing.
"Blame Roswaal." He said matter-of-factly. "He clearly has a… specific taste."
Her eyes widened.
"I can't blame Roswaal-sama!" Almost panicked. "He was kind enough to let me stay!" She lowered her head even further. "I need to be grateful…"
Yuji sighed.
"Being grateful doesn't mean suffering for nothing."
She remained red to the tips of her ears. "I feel like I'm showing too much…"
He scratched the back of his neck, trying not to make her more nervous.
"If it's any consolation…"
She froze.
He spoke simply.
"You look very pretty."
Remi froze.
Her brain clearly trying to process the information.
"P-Pretty?"
"Uh-huh." He shrugged. "It suits you."
The answer was direct.
No malice. No ulterior motives. And perhaps for that very reason…
Her face turned even redder.
She tightened her grip on the hem of her dress again, but this time it wasn't just embarrassment.
It was something more confusing.
"You say these things so easily…"
"Do I?"
"Yeah!…" She turned her face away, unable to look at him. "That doesn't help!"
Yuji tilted his head. "I only told the truth."
She made a small, frustrated sound.
But deep down…
Despite the embarrassment, she was smiling. And maybe that uniform wasn't so terrible after all…
Even if she still needed a few days to get used to it.
Yuji crossed his arms.
"Just be careful Ram doesn't judge you more than the dress already does."
Remi froze again.
"Ram... She's kind of scary..."
Panic returned instantly. And Yuji realized that her real test was beginning now.
Remi was still blushing when she finally managed to look Yuji straight in the eye.
She blinked a few times. "Wait... why are you dressed like that?"
Yuji was still wearing part of Roswaal L. Mathers' extravagant clothes, the flashy coat, the exaggerated bow tie.
He opened his mouth to answer—
"REMI!!"
The scream echoed down the hallway.
Remi froze.
Her face lost all color.
"It's... Ram."
Her voice came out almost as a whisper, like someone who had heard their own fate being announced.
"COME HERE, NOW."
Remi jumped slightly.
"Y-YES!!"
She gave Yuji a quick bow.
"If I survive, we'll talk later!" And she practically ran down the hallway, holding her skirt so she wouldn't trip.
Yuji stood still for a second.
"Good luck…"
---
The next morning, the room was silent.
But the silence wasn't peaceful. Yuji tossed and turned in bed. Heavy breathing.
Shadows of broken buildings. Distant screams. The smell of iron in the air.
Shibuya.
Explosions. Losses. People he couldn't save.
He frowned in his sleep.
His hand gripped the sheets.
"...no…"
He woke up suddenly.
Rough breathing.
His heart racing.
For a second, it was still there.
But then—
He felt something warm.
A hand holding his.
Yuji blinked.
The mansion's room. Soft morning light. And beside the bed…
Rem was sitting in the chair. Holding his hand in both of hers.
She tilted her head slightly when she realized he had woken up.
"You were having a nightmare."
Her voice was soft.
He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.
"Sorry… did I make noise?"
She shook her head.
"A little."
A brief silence.
"Wait a minute… WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"
She squeezed his hand gently.
"It's a little early for my work schedule, so I came here to see you sleeping."
Yuji blinked.
"…That sounds a little strange."
She blushed slightly.
She lowered her gaze, but continued.
"When you sleep peacefully… it feels like nothing can hurt you." Her fingers adjusted to his. "It lifts my spirits."
#02
Her sincerity was disarming.
Yuji looked away for a second. His heart was already calmer.
The weight of the dream… further away.
"So I need to sleep better, right?"
She smiled. A small smile. But genuine.
"Yes."
He closed his eyes for a moment, not to sleep, but to breathe.
And Rem's hand holding his.
Rem was still holding his hand when she tilted her head slightly.
"What were you dreaming about… to tremble like that?"
Yuji looked away for a moment.
His eyes still carried remnants of what he had seen.
"It wasn't anything important."
The answer came automatically. Rem observed. She knew when someone was hiding something. But she didn't press.
Instead, she slowly released his hand… and took a small pendant from her own neck.
A drop of reddish crystal.
Inside, a sealed thread of blood. She carefully placed it in Yuji's hand.
The instant the pendant touched his skin…
The trembling ceased completely. His breathing stabilized. His heart slowed.
Yuji blinked, surprised.
"This is…"
Rem smiled slightly.
"It reacts to my mana. It's your brother's pendant, isn't it? As long as it's with you, I can feel small variations in your state."
She lowered her eyes.
"You stopped shaking when I put it on."
Yuji closed his hand around the pendant.
"Thanks."
She shook her head. "I thank you… for letting me do something for you."
Later, in the mansion's kitchen.
Pans squeaked.
Morning light streamed through the windows.
Yuji was leaning against the counter, helping as much as he could.
Then—
He felt it. A cold air.
But different from the normal morning cold. It wasn't temperature. It was… presence.
He stood at attention for a second.
Rem noticed.
"You felt it too, didn't you?" Yuji looked at her. "Something's gotten colder now."
She smiled softly. "As expected of you. Yuji-kun!"
He blinked.
"Expected?"
She turned her body slightly towards him.
"You are very perceptive."
The tone was full of admiration. She stirred the spoon in the pan calmly.
"Intelligent. Observant. Always attentive."
Yuji stared at her for a few seconds. "I think you're overestimating a little."
She shook her head.
"I'm not."
Her eyes were sincere. Totally convinced. For Rem, that wasn't an exaggeration.
Yuji scratched the back of his head. It was nice to hear something like that from someone since if it was Megumi or Nobara, they would be calling him stupid in some way, but it's not like he didn't miss that too.
Cold air was still circulating through the kitchen.
Yuji reflexively crossed his arms, feeling the subtle change in temperature. Then he looked at Rem… and her uniform.
Short sleeves. Light skirt. The delicate fabric.
He frowned slightly.
"Rem... Don't you have a winter outfit like that uniform?"
Rem blinked.
"Winter outfit?"
He discreetly pointed to her shoulder. "Yeah, like... Aren't you cold?"
She touched her arm, as if she had only just considered the possibility.
"When the glacial period starts, we use a different variation."
She calmly explained:
"The fabric is made with thicker cotton. Very fluffy inside. Retains heat better." She paused a little. "It's comfortable."
Yuji wondered for a second.
Rem in a winter uniform… probably still full of frills, but with soft fabric.
The image was unexpectedly… adorable.
He looked away, feigning indifference.
"Good to know."
Rem tilted her head slightly.
"You worry about these things."
It wasn't an accusation.
It was a finding.
Yuji shrugged.
"I just don't want you to freeze while you make breakfast."
She smiled.
A more natural smile than before.
"Hehe, thanks for your concern!"
No hesitation.
No hidden insecurities.
She was different from the Rem he met at the beginning, more closed, more rigid, more restrained.
Now she spoke to him more lightly.
He explained simple things. Shared small details.
No fear.
No locks.
Yuji watched for a second the way she stirred the spoon in the pan, concentrated but calm.
It was… cute.
It's cute to see her being more sincere.
More open.
More comfortable around him.
Rem noticed the look.
"What it was?"
He blinked.
"Nothing."
She narrowed her eyes slightly.
"You're thinking something."
"Perhaps."
She got a little closer, curious.
"May I know?"
Yuji smirked.
"I was just thinking that you've been talking to me more lately."
Rem was silent for half a second.
Then he looked down, but not out of extreme shame, just a slight mild embarrassment.
"I feel… calmer."
She lightly tightened her apron.
"When I talk to you."
The cold air seemed less relevant now.
The kitchen was warm enough.
And Yuji realized that sometimes small changes were the most important.
It wasn't a dramatic statement.
It wasn't a grand moment.
It was just Rem… being honest.
And that was already a lot.
The morning at Roswaal's mansion was silent.
The kitchen was warmed by the fire on the stove while the smell of breakfast still hung in the air. The light snow from the cold period was beginning to make the environment colder outside, but inside the mansion everything seemed relatively calm.
Yuji Itadori was leaning against the kitchen table, thinking out loud.
"Now that I stop to think…"
He looked around.
"Where are Ram and Remi?"
Rem, who was organizing some utensils, responded naturally.
"My sister is sleeping."
Yuji blinked.
"Sleeping?"
She nodded.
"The weather is cold. Ram-sama usually rests a little more during this period."
Yuji still managed to accept that part.
But then he asked:
"What about Remi?"
Rem responded with the same naturalness:
"Cleaning the bathrooms."
Silence.
Yuji remained completely still for two seconds.
"…alone?"
"Yes."
Rem tilted her head slightly.
"Is there a problem?"
Yuji ran his hand over his face.
"Wait a minute."
He looked at Rem, trying to understand.
"So Ram is sleeping… while the new girl is cleaning the bathroom?"
Rem thought for a moment.
"Yes."
Yuji's eyes widened.
"This is totally absurd!"
Rem blinked, surprised by his reaction.
"Absurd?"
Yuji was already walking out of the kitchen.
"Come with me, Rem-rin!"
Rem didn't argue.
"Understood."
She simply followed behind him.
---
Some time later…
The mansion was silent again.
Only now there was a repetitive sound echoing through the hallway.
A broom being dragged across the floor.
Yuji was sweeping the hallway with a completely calm expression.
Meanwhile…
Ram was standing a few meters behind him.
With her arms crossed.
With a visibly grumpy expression.
Her pink hair was still a little messy from clearly having been forcibly woken up.
She looked at Yuji as if she were seriously considering pushing him out the window.
"You woke Ram…" she said, in a dry voice.
Yuji continued sweeping.
"It was."
"I was sleeping very soundly."
"I imagine."
"I don't like being woken up."
"I imagine so too."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Then why did you do that?"
Yuji stopped sweeping for a second.
Then he pointed with his thumb behind him.
In the distant hallway, someone could be heard scrubbing the floor desperately.
It was Remi.
"Because the newbie was cleaning the bathroom alone while you were sleeping peacefully in your little bed."
Ram replied immediately.
"That's called hierarchy."
Yuji resumed sweeping.
"That's called exploitation. Abuse of authority and the like..."
Ram frowned.
"You're interfering with the mansion's organization."
Yuji replied calmly:
"I'm helping." He pushed the dirt into a corner. "And you too."
Ram was silent for a moment.
Her bad mood was almost palpable.
"I didn't ask for help."
"I know."
"Ram didn't ask to work today either."
"But we have to work, don't we?..."
She narrowed her eyes.
"You're annoying."
Yuji smiled.
"I hear that a lot."
Ram watched him for a few seconds.
Then she huffed slightly… and picked up a cleaning cloth.
"Ram will do this quickly."
Yuji winked.
"So you accepted?"
She replied as she began to clean a table.
"I want to finish this quickly… so I can go back to sleep."
Yuji chuckled softly.
Meanwhile, at the end of the hallway, Rem watched everything in silence.
She discreetly put her hand to her mouth.
Holding back a small laugh.
Because, somehow…
Yuji Itadori had managed to do something almost impossible.
Put Ram to work early in the morning.
The mansion hallway was relatively quiet.
The sound of Yuji Itadori's broom scraping on the floor was practically the only noise there.
While he was distractedly sweeping, something caught his attention.
"Hm?"
He stopped the broom.
In the corner of the hallway was a small wooden door in the floor, half-hidden by the dust and carpets.
Yuji tilted his head.
"Was this here before?"
Ram answered without much interest while cleaning the table.
"Probably."
Yuji crouched down and pulled the little door.
When he opened it, he looked inside.
Then he said:
"...Ram."
"What is it?"
"There are a lot of bottles here."
She glanced sideways.
"Yes."
Yuji picked one up and stood up.
It was an elegant glass bottle… with an amber liquid inside.
He sniffed.
"That's alcohol."
Ram replied with complete nonchalance.
"It's probably Roswaal-sama's."
Yuji looked again at the hole full of bottles.
"Probably?"
"Yes."
"There are like… fifty here."
"It must be from the family."
Yuji was still examining one of the bottles when he heard footsteps approaching.
"What are you doing?"
Emilia appeared in the hallway, curious.
She looked at the open floor… at the bottles… at Yuji holding one of them.
Ram spoke calmly:
"Emilia-sama."
She discreetly pointed at Yuji.
"Yuji's life seems to be difficult lately."
Emilia blinked.
"Difficult?"
Ram sighed dramatically.
"Ram was trying to help him not resort to alcohol first thing in the morning."
Yuji froze.
"WHAT?!"
Emilia's eyes widened.
"Yuji?! Is this serious?"
He raised his hands quickly.
"NO! NO! NO!"
Yuji pointed to the hole in the ground.
"This was already here!"
Ram remained completely neutral.
"He opened the hiding place and immediately grabbed a bottle."
Yuji turned to her incredulously.
"I WAS JUST WI-"
He took a deep breath.
"I was sweeping..."
Emilia still seemed worried.
"Yuji... drinking in the morning isn't good..."
"I DON'T DRINK, DAMN IT! I'M ONLY 16 YEARS OLD!"
Ram calmly finished:
"Denial is the first symptom." Yuji remained silent.
He slowly turned his head to Ram.
"You're doing this on purpose!"
Ram replied immediately:
"Ram wouldn't do something so childish."
Emilia put her hand to her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe Roswaal should keep that somewhere else..."
Yuji pointed at her.
"EMILIA-CHAN! I DON'T DRINK!"
Ram replied:
"Or maybe Yuji should learn to resist temptations."
Yuji looked at the sky as if asking for patience.
"I'm being defamed."
Emilia tried to mediate the situation.
"Calm down, you two..."
Ram sighed.
"Ram is just worried about his future."
Yuji crossed his arms.
"I'm only 16!"
Ram replied:
"An even more worrying future."
Emilia ended up laughing softly.
And Yuji realized something important at that moment.
He had just fallen perfectly into one of Ram's taunts.
The morning at the mansion started peacefully.
After all the confusion with the bottles, Yuji Itadori decided to change the subject.
He rested the broom on his shoulder and spoke excitedly:
"Ah, speaking of which… I found a secret place yesterday."
Emilia tilted her head slightly.
"A secret place?"
Yuji nodded enthusiastically.
"A field full of flowers. It's very beautiful. I thought I'd take everyone there."
He started counting on his fingers.
"You, Rem, Ram, Remi… even Beatrice if she wants to leave the library."
Emilia seemed surprised by the idea.
"That looks… very pretty."
Yuji smiled.
"I wanted to go tomorrow. I hope it's sunny."
The instant he mentioned the next day's weather, Emilia froze for a moment.
Her smile became a little forced.
"To-tomorrow…?"
Yuji noticed the change.
"Yes. If it's sunny it will be perfect."
Emilia looked away.
"I… ᴵ'ᵐ ⁿᵒᵗ ˢᵘʳᵉ ᶦᶠ ᴵ'ˡˡ ᵇᵉ ᵃᵇˡᵉ ᵗᵒ ᵍᵒ..."
"Hmm?"
She quickly turned around.
"W-I mean, I-I-I would LOVE to go tomorrow, damn, I hope it WON'T BE COLD TOMORROW! Hehe..."
Yuji blinked.
"But you didn't even hear me right—"
"Then see you later!"
She walked down the hall almost too quickly.
Yuji stood still with the broom in his hand.
"…Huh?"
He scratched his head.
"How strange."
For a few seconds he thought about going after her... but ended up giving up.
"Ah, it must be something important."
Meanwhile, further down the corridor, Emilia walked with a worried look.
She squeezed her hands lightly.
---
The next day.
The atmosphere in the mansion was completely different.
The cold wind blew through the windows.
The grass in the garden was covered in a white layer of ice.
The sky was cloudy, and the air felt much colder than the day before.
Yuji Itadori walked out of the mansion and immediately shivered.
"Ugh!"
He crossed his arms.
"I-It's much colder than yesterday…"
His breath came out in little white clouds.
Yuji looked up at the gray sky.
"I was really hoping for sunshine today…"
He sighed.
"Is the countryside still as beautiful as this?"
Even with the cold, he started walking towards the village.
Without knowing that, at that same moment, something was already happening far away.
The cold wind blew through the halls of the mansion.
Yuji Itadori went back inside rubbing his arms.
'Man… this cold came out of nowhere.'
As he walked down the hall, he suddenly stopped.
In front of the library door… was someone who normally never left there.
Beatrice.
Yuji tilted his head.
"Huh?"
He crossed his arms and smiled teasingly. "What's the brat doing outside the library?"
Beatrice immediately turned her face away. "That's none of your business, I suppose!"
She seemed strangely nervous.
Yuji narrowed his eyes.
"Suspicious…"
He began to slowly walk around her.
"Very suspicious…"
Beatrice frowned.
"S-stop it!"
Yuji placed his hands on his waist.
"Are you hiding something?"
"I-I'm not hiding anything, I suppose!"
"Then let me see the library."
Beatrice was silent for a second.
That second was enough for Yuji to smile.
"Aha! You're really hiding!"
She blushed with anger.
"YOU'RE VERY ANNOYING I SUPPOSE!!"
Suddenly, a wave of mana exploded around her.
"GET OUT!"
In the next instant—
Yuji simply disappeared from the hallway.
A second later…
He was thrown out of the mansion like a projectile.
Yuji spun in the air.
"OOP—"
He did a perfect spin in the air and landed on the ground in style, sliding a few inches into the powdery snow.
"…okay, that was kind of rude."
It was then that he realized he was not alone.
Right in front of him was Remi.
She was shaking violently.
"C-c-c-c-c-cold…"
Remi was wearing her maid's uniform, but it was clearly not for the weather.
Her teeth chattered.
"I-I'm going to… die… K-K-K-Knight-O-O-Of-The-S-S-Shiny-Armor..."
Yuji blinked.
"Remi-chan?"
She slowly raised her face.
"Y-Yuji-senpai…"
She looked on the verge of hypothermia.
"Why is this world so cold…?"
Yuji looked at her… then at the sky… then at her outfit.
"No wonder they call it the glacial period... Why did you leave like that?
Remi replied shakily.
"R-Ram m-told me… to clean the courtyard…"
Yuji was silent for two seconds.
"…"
"This is attempted murder."
Remi raised a weak finger.
"I-I agree…"
Yuji sighed and took off the coat he wears from the jujutsu school and placed it on her shoulders.
Remi was completely enveloped by the fabric.
She froze.
"…"
She looked at the coat.
Then to Yuji.
Her face turned red.
"I-is this like… a romantic scene?"
Yuji tilted his head.
"Huh?"
Remi put her hands over her face.
"Ah… n-n-nothing!…"
Later, inside the Roswaal mansion, the sound of brooms echoed through the silent hallways.
Yuji Itadori pushed the dust to a corner while absentmindedly looking at the window. Outside, the sky was gray and the cold wind was blowing through the property.
Beside him, Rem was cleaning a bookshelf with delicate movements.
She stopped for a moment.
Rem tilted her head slightly.
"Yuji-kun…"
He didn't respond right away.
"Hmm?"
Rem held the cloth to her chest.
"You seem… a little sad."
Yuji blinked a few times, as if he had been caught off guard.
"Serious?"
Rem nodded.
"Yes."
He was silent for a few seconds, then rested the broom on his shoulder.
"I was just thinking…"
Yuji looked out the window again.
"I wanted to take everyone to a secret place I found."
Rem raised her eyebrows, curious.
"A secret place?"
Yuji smiled a little.
"It's a very beautiful place..."
He scratched his head.
"I thought about taking you, Emilia, Ram… Remi"
He laughed lightly.
"Maybe even Beatrice too."
Yuji let out a small sigh.
"But with all this cold... it doesn't seem like it will be possible."
Rem was silent for a few seconds.
Then she smiled gently.
"Everything is fine."
Yuji looked at her.
Rem continued cleaning calmly as she spoke.
"We can go to the flower field when everything goes back to normal."
Yuji blinked.
"…There is?"
He tilted his head.
"Wait."
"How do you know about the flower field?"
Rem continued wiping as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Because Rem knows everything."
Yuji frowned.
"That doesn't explain anything!"
Rem put her finger to her chin, thoughtfully.
"Maybe Yuji-kun was talking in his sleep."
Yuji stiffened.
"I did this?!"
Rem gave a mischievous little smile.
"Perhaps."
Yuji brought his hand to his face.
"Oh no… so I said shameful things too?"
Rem replied calmly:
"Yuji-kun also talked about how big Miss Rem's butt was."
He froze completely.
"...did I really say that? My god... And I thought I was already past that stage..."
Rem turned to face him with a soft smile.
"Yes."
Yuji blushed.
Rem then went back to cleaning the bookshelf.
But his eyes were filled with a small, silent happiness.
The next morning, the cold had worsened drastically.
Snow covered the mansion's grounds almost like a white blanket, and the freezing wind blew through the windows even though they were closed. Winter seemed to have decided to arrive at once.
Yuji Itadori walked down the hallway of the mansion... or at least tried to.
His steps were slow and stiff.
His body was practically frozen.
"C-cold…"
Every movement seemed to require enormous effort. His arms were stiff, his breath released little clouds of steam, and his fingers barely obeyed.
After a little struggle against his own body, Yuji finally made it to the kitchen.
As soon as he opened the door, hot air hit him.
"Ah…"
It almost felt like paradise.
Inside the kitchen, Rem was preparing something. Unlike previous days, she was wearing a winter version of her maid's uniform: the fabric was thicker, with a fluffy white lining that protected against the cold.
She looked at him… and immediately widened her eyes.
"Yuji-kun?!"
Yuji was standing in the doorway… completely stuck.
If someone pushed him at that moment, he would probably fall like a statue.
Rem quickly walked over to him.
"You're freezing!"
Yuji tried to respond, but his jaw took a few seconds to obey.
"I-I… I'm… fine…"
Clearly it wasn't.
Rem placed her hand on his forehead.
"You're freezing!"
She frowned slightly, worried.
"Rem should have gone to warm Yuji-kun in bed before he got up…"
Yuji blinked slowly.
His brain took a few seconds to process.
When it finally did process… he immediately tried to ignore the comment.
"S-so… breakfast…"
He turned his face away, walking slowly to the table with slow movements.
Rem tilted her head, curious.
"Yuji-kun?"
He sat down... or rather, fell into the chair.
"W-we… are… going to… eat… right?"
Rem stared at him for a moment. Then he realized. He was trying desperately to change the subject.
A small smile appeared on her face.
But before he could say anything, Yuji finally managed to grab a hot mug that was on the table.
As soon as he held it, his eyes almost glowed.
"Heat…"
He hugged the mug as if it were a treasure.
Rem put her hand over her mouth, trying to hold back her laughter.
"Yuji-kun looks like a kitten looking for warmth."
Yuji responded immediately, still shaking:
"I am a victim of winter."
Rem gave a small laugh. But then his expression changed slightly.
There was a bit of worry in his eyes.
"Rem was worried about her sister…"
She discreetly glanced at the kitchen door.
The atmosphere in the mansion… was definitely not normal.
The kitchen door slowly opened.
An icy wind blew in for an instant… but it was soon blocked by a tall figure dressed in heavy winter clothes.
It was Roswaal L Mathers.
His coat was long, with thick fur at the collar, and even his gloves were too elegant for someone who was just protecting himself from the cold.
He observed the scene for a few seconds.
Yuji Itadori was sitting at the table… hugging a hot mug as if it were the only source of life in that world.
His shoulders were shaking.
Roswaal put his hand to his chin.
Then he smiled.
"Ooooh… what a rare sight."
Yuji slowly looked up.
Roswaal tilted his head, clearly enjoying himself. "The hero who defeated so many majus… defeated by a little bit of coold?"
Yuji blinked slowly.
He didn't even have the energy to respond properly.
"…"
Roswaal continued.
"I figured someone like you would be more… resilient."
Yuji replied in a weak voice:
"I like it cold…" He took a sip of the hot drink. "But this is a climate ambush…"
Rem put her hand over her mouth trying to hold back her laughter.
Roswaal gave a small nasal laugh.
"Fufufu…" He walked to the table calmly. "Looks like someone was caught off guard~."
Yuji rested his head on his hand.
"I didn't bring a coat… from another world…"
Roswaal slightly leaned his body forward.
"What a tragic oversight."
Yuji sighed.
Then he looked up again.
"Hey…"
"This cold is strange."
Roswaal remained silent.
Yuji continued.
"It's too cold."
He pointed to the window.
"But only here."
Yuji narrowed his eyes.
"I noticed, when I went to the village yesterday… it wasn't like that."
Roswaal maintained the same calm smile.
Yuji asked directly:
"How is this possible?"
Roswaal lightly twirled the staff between his fingers.
"Ooooh…"
He looked out the window, as if watching the snow fall.
"That's quite simple."
Yuji waited for the answer.
Roswaal turned to face him again. "The cold is only affecting the mansion… and the surrounding area."
Yuji blinked.
"…that doesn't answer anything."
Roswaal smiled even wider.
"Fufufu."
He simply started walking towards the exit.
"Some things in this world… don't need to be explained."
Yuji stared at him.
"Hey."
Roswaal stopped at the door.
Yuji asked:
"You know why, right?"
Roswaal didn't respond. He just opened the door. The icy wind came in again.
"Enjoy your breakfast, Yuji-kun."
And left. The door closed.
...
Yuji spent a few seconds staring into space. Then he slowly turned to Rem.
"He knows."
Rem replied calmly:
"Probably."
Yuji sighed deeply.
"I hate it when mysterious people speak in riddles." He took another sip of the hot drink. "He even looks like a philosophy professor."
Rem tilted her head.
"Philosophy Professor?"
Yuji was silent for two seconds.
"Yes, those are the teachers who bring more questions than answers to their students..."
Rem… ended up laughing.
The kitchen was finally left behind as Yuji Itadori and Rem walked down the mansion's hallway. The cold was still strong, and Yuji's every step felt heavy, as if the cold air was sticking to his body.
When they turned the corner…
"KNIGHT-IN-SHINING-ARMOR!!"
A cheerful voice echoed throughout the mansion. Yuji looked up. There was Remi.
She was walking down the corridor with a broom in her hands, wearing a maid's uniform... but different from before, now it was a winter version: long sleeves, a thicker skirt and a small white scarf tied around her neck.
She looked strangely comfortable.
Rem gave a polite little bow. "Good morning, Remi-san."
Remi smiled. "Good morning, Rem-chan!"
Then she turned her face to Yuji, with an exaggerated smile.
"And good morning to my savior… Yuji-senpai!"
Yuji stood still for a few seconds.
He was still shivering from the cold.
Remi tilted her head.
"Huh… you look like a zombie."
Yuji replied with a somewhat choked voice:
"It's… very… cold…"
Remi blinked.
"Serious?"
She opened her arms, showing her uniform.
"I'm super good."
Yuji looked at her. Then he looked at Rem. Then he looked back at Remi.
His brain did the math.
Remi noticed the look.
"What it was?"
Yuji pointed slowly.
"Winter… clothes…"
Remi responded naturally:
"Of course."
"Ram gave it to me."
She slightly turned her body, showing off her uniform.
"He said that maids need to work even in the cold."
Rem agreed calmly.
"Ram-neesan always thinks about these things."
Yuji was silent. The cold wind blew through the hall. He trembled again.
Then he murmured:
"I don't have winter clothes…"
Remi tilted her head.
"Hey, take one."
Yuji responded immediately:
"It's not my house."
Remi crossed his arms.
"You literally live here."
Yuji thought for two seconds.
Then he sighed.
"Okay."
He turned his body and started walking towards the stairs.
Rem asked softly:
"Yuji-kun?"
He replied without even turning around.
"I'll borrow… some clothes."
Remi raised her eyebrow.
"From who?"
Yuji responded completely naturally:
"From Roswaal."
Rem's eyes widened.
"Are you going to steal Roswaal-sama's clothes?!"
Yuji shrugged as he walked up the stairs.
"No stealing....
It's strategic reuse."
Rem brought a hand to her mouth to hide a small smile.
Remi watched him go up the stairs.
The trio walked through the halls of the mansion, and the silence of the place seemed even more strange because of the intense cold. Yuji Itadori's every breath came out in the form of steam.
He rubbed his arms as he walked.
"This thing looks like a freezer..."
Rem walked next to him with her perfect maid posture, while Remi followed close behind, looking curiously at everything.
Suddenly, Yuji stopped.
He looked ahead…specifically at a door in the hallway.
The door to Emilia's room.
The air escaping from under the door was even colder.
Yuji frowned.
"Oh."
He walked to the door and knocked.
Knock knock.
On the other side, there was a hurried noise.
"H-hi?!"
Emilia's voice sounded a little desperate.
Yuji tilted his head.
"Emilia-chan?"
She responded too quickly:
"T-there's nothing going on here!"
Yuji raised an eyebrow.
Rem stood silently beside him.
Remi crossed her arms, curious.
Yuji rested his hand on the door.
"Emilia... You know that only makes it more suspicious, right?"
On the other side of the door, Emilia began to stutter.
"I-I'm not hiding anything! I-I'm just… I'm just busy!"
Yuji thought for a second.
Then he gave a mischievous smile. "Then let me make a guess."
Rem and Remi looked at him.
Yuji spoke loud enough for her to hear:
"What's… tall… pink… and wears a butler's outfit?"
Silence on the other side of the door.
Emilia blinked. "…Um… Let me think…"
Yuji placed his hand on the doorknob.
"That's me walking into the room."
He opened the door.
A freezing wind blasted out of the room like a blizzard. The entire corridor was hit by a blast of ice.
Remi shouted:
"AHH! WHAT'S THAT?!"
Rem just narrowed her eyes.
The entire room was frozen.
The ground had a layer of ice. The windows were covered with frost. The bed looked like a frozen sculpture.
In the center of the room…
There was Emilia. Stop. Totally embarrassed. She held her hands together in front of her body, her face red.
"I-I can explain…"
Yuji remained silent for a few seconds, looking at the frozen room.
Then he looked at Emilia. Then to the room. Then back to Emilia.
He raised a finger.
"So... You were the one freezing the entire mansion?"
Emilia turned her face away, dying of embarrassment.
"N-no…"
Remi was still hugging her body trying to keep warm.
"This looks like the North Pole!!"
Rem gave a small sigh.
"Emilia-sama… Rem believes it would be best to explain the situation."
Emilia closed her eyes in shame.
"I tried to hide it…"
Yuji placed his hands on his waist.
"Emilia-chan..."
She looked up slowly.
Yuji spoke calmly:
"You froze half the mansion."
Then he pointed to his own shaking body.
"And I'm almost dying here."
Remi immediately raised his hand.
"I support him! I support him so much!"
Emilia covered her face with her hands.
"Sorry…!"
The icy wind was still escaping the room when a small light appeared in the air.
Puck appeared from inside it, floating calmly as if nothing was happening.
"Lia, you don't need to hide it."
Emilia immediately turned to him, still flushed with embarrassment.
"Puck! But I was hiding your secret sooo well!"
Yuji Itadori looked at her with the most neutral expression possible.
Then he replied:
"Emilia-chan, you didn't hide anything at all..."
Remi raised his hand.
"I completely agree with him..."
...
Minutes later, everyone was gathered in the mansion's large room.
The fireplace was lit, trying in vain to combat the absurd cold that still dominated the place.
They were there:
Yuji Itadori
Rem
Remi
Emilia
Roswaal L Mathers
Puck
Beatrice
and Ram.
Ram was sitting on a chair… completely wrapped in a huge blanket, leaving only her red eyes showing.
She looked like a human burrito.
"Ram…" Roswaal said with a crooked smile. "You look like you're a little cold..."
Ram immediately replied:
"Ram is being attacked by the winter created by an irresponsible spirit."
Puck crossed his arms in the air.
"Hey. Don't blame me so quickly."
Yuji was sitting by the fireplace trying to warm his hands.
"So… let's recap." He pointed at Puck. "This is all his fault."
Puck tilted his head.
"Not exactly."
Beatrice sighed.
"Explain quickly, big brother, I suppose."
Puck began to slowly float in the center of the room.
"This happened because of the release of mana."
Remi blinked. "Mana… is this like cursed energy?" Remi whispered to Yuji.
"More or less…"
Puck nodded.
"Spirits like me accumulate a huge amount of mana. And at some point, that mana starts to leak out…"
He pointed to himself.
"And when we release that mana into the environment…"
He snapped his fingers.
A thin layer of ice appeared on the table.
"…it affects the surrounding climate."
Emilia lowered her head.
"It was my fault… I asked Puck to release mana little by little, but…"
Rem looked surprised.
"Emilia-sama…"
Emilia nodded shyly.
Roswaal put his hand to his face with an amused smile.
"The result was… a localized winter."
Yuji pointed to his own body.
"Located?" He shuddered. "I almost turned into a human popsicle here! All because the kitten had diarrhea... How could this be..."
Remi raised his finger.
"I support his argument!"
Ram, still under the blanket, murmured: "Ram would like to send the only butler we have in the mansion to that place..."
Yuji crossed his arms. "When you're cold, you get quite stressed, don't you?..."
Puck sighed.
"Relax. When the mana disperses, the temperature will return to normal."
Yuji looked at him.
"How long?"
Puck thought for a second.
"Maybe... another two days."
Ram pulled the blanket up to completely cover his face. Remi fell to his knees.
"I'M NOT GOING TO SURVIVE."
Yuji stood up slowly.
"Okay." He pointed to the door. "I'm going to steal more clothes from Roswaal."
Roswaal dramatically opened his arms.
"Make yourself at home."
Yuji Itadori stared at the fire in the fireplace for a few seconds. Then he slowly stood up, clapping his hands together as if he had just had a great revelation.
"Wait a minute." Everyone looked at him. "If the cold is only inside the mansion's barrier…"
He pointed to the front door.
"That means the weather outside must be normal."
Silence.
Rem brought her hand to her face in admiration. "Yuji-kun… that's incredible. You have my respect!"
Remi immediately agreed.
"As expected of my knight."
Rem crossed her hands in front of her body.
"Rem also thinks Yuji-kun is trustworthy."
Ram, still under the blanket, murmured:
"I think you two are overestimating him."
Roswaal L Mathers chuckled softly.
"Let's see if his genius is real."
Yuji walked confidently to the enormous mansion door.
"Get ready."
"I'll prove I have a brain."
Emilia watched curiously.
Yuji gripped the doorknob.
"It must be sunny outside."
He dramatically opened the door.
The door swung open. A cold wind entered. And with it…
The sound of raindrops hitting the ground. The entire garden was soaked. Absolute silence behind him.
Remi was the first to speak.
"...Is your brain on vacation?"
Yuji stood in the doorway for a few seconds.
The wind wetting his face.
He closed the door slowly.
He turned to the group.
"Plan B."
Emilia approached, smiling gently. She placed her hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, Yuji," she said, trying to console him. "At least you tried."
Yuji sighed dramatically. "I... I was so confident..."
Silence still hung in the room after the failure of Yuji's "brilliant plan." The rain continued to beat against the windows as the cold invaded the mansion.
Yuji Itadori sighed and walked to the unlit fireplace. "This can't go on like this... everyone's going to turn into popsicles."
He reached out towards the fireplace.
For a moment, no one understood what he was doing.
Then he murmured:
"Fūuga."
A small flame appeared at the tip of his fingers and shot into the fireplace.
The fire ignited instantly, the flames dancing and illuminating the room with a pleasant warmth.
Emilia's eyes widened.
"Eh?!"
She approached the fireplace in surprise.
"Yuji… you know how to use fire magic?!"
Yuji stared at the fire for a few seconds.
Then he lowered his shoulders.
"…This is depressing."
Everyone looked at him.
"I managed to use Fuuga for the first time in my life…" He pointed to the fireplace. "…to light a fireplace."
Rem immediately tried to cheer him up. "Rem thought that was impressive." She placed her hands on her chest. "Lighting a fireplace with magic is very practical."
Remi also approached.
"Exactly! You saved us all from freezing." She pointed at him dramatically. "That's the power of my knight!"
Yuji sighed.
"Don't call me that…" Yuji ran a hand over his face. "I'm so frustrated…"
Behind them, Ram murmured, wrapped in a blanket:
"I prefer depressed Yui-j. He's quieter."
Beatrice crossed her arms. "Hmph. That was just a simple trick, I suppose."
Roswaal L Mathers chuckled softly.
"Even so… it was useful."
Yuji continued staring at the fire.
"I imagined using this to defeat enemies… not to become a fireplace lighter…"
Emilia laughed softly.
"I think it's a good start." She reached her hands near the fireplace. "Thank you, Yuji."
Warmth began to fill the room, and for the first time that day, everyone stopped shivering from the cold.
Yuji Itadori still looked dejected after the comment about the fireplace. Without saying much, he grabbed a random coat he found near the door.
"I'm going to get more firewood..."
He opened the door to the mansion. A cold wind immediately came in.
Across the room, Emilia stood up.
"Wait! I'll go with you."
Rem set the cleaning cloth aside.
"Rem will also help Yuji-kun."
Remi was already getting up before they had even finished speaking.
"I'm coming too! I won't leave my knight alone!"
A short time later, the four were walking through the mansion's courtyard. Snow covered everything around. The trees were white, the paths were almost gone.
Yuji opened the small house where the firewood was kept and began to gather some pieces of wood.
Meanwhile, Remi looked around with shining eyes.
She picked up some snow with her hands.
"Wow... that's a lot of snow around the mansion..." She began to gather more snow between her hands. "We could make snowmen."
Emilia tilted her head curiously.
"Snowmen…?"
Remi began to shape a ball.
"Yeah! Back home we used to do that in the winter." She made another bigger ball. "You could also have a snowball fight..."
Yuji was stacking firewood, but suddenly stopped.
He became thoughtful.
"Wait…""
Remi was still excited.
"And you could also do like a—"
Yuji raised his head.
"—Festival."
The three looked at him. "…that's it!"
Emilia blinked.
"Yuji?"
He's turned fully to them now.
"Puck said the problem was his excess mana, right?"
Puck was releasing energy without realizing it, which was causing the extreme cold.
Yuji placed the firewood on the ground.
"So we just need to make him spend that mana."
Rem blinked a few times.
"How?"
Yuji pointed to all the snow around.
"With a snow festival."
Remi's eyes widened.
"Oh?!"
Emilia also looked curious.
Yuji explained, cheering up a little for the first time since the fireplace.
"In my homeland, when it snows a lot, people have festivals."
He started counting on his fingers.
"Snowmen. Ice sculptures. Snowball fight."
Rem looked delighted.
"That… sounds like fun. Rem has your respect!"
Remi immediately raised his hand.
"I SUPPORT!"
Emilia laughed a little.
"But… how would that help Puck?"
Yuji gave a smile.
"If he helps us create the festival…" He pointed to the falling snow. "It will spend mana in a controlled manner and faster."
Rem gave a small smile.
"Rem thinks Yuji-kun has a wonderful idea."
Remi crossed his arms proudly.
"Of course there was. He is my knight."
Yuji ignored this.
Emilia placed her hand on her chin, thinking… then smiled.
"I think Puck would like that."
She raised her hand as if declaring something important.
"Then let's have a snow festival at the Roswaal mansion!"
Rem looked excited.
Remi was already gathering snow again.
And Yuji… finally looked a little less depressed.
"…Okay."
He picked up the firewood again.
"But first let's go back before I turn into a real snowman."
End of Chapter 10