novelonline Chapter 3682 Strangers on the Snow Mountain
Chapter 3682 Strangers on the Snow Mountain
Chapter 3682 Strangers on the Snow Mountain
To bypass Frostkiss Corridor, they had to leave the city first. However, the carriage could only be parked on the side of the road and could not drive into the mountains. So, at the fork in the road connecting Timewheel City and Kyle-Todd Town, Shad and Vanessa got off the carriage.
A mountain closure warning sign bearing the symbol of the Fatu people stands not far from the fork in the road. Locals generally believe that the Fatu people really possess magical curse power, and outsiders, unless they are foolish, would not disregard the obstacles and head up the mountain in such snowy weather. So, just a sign is enough to make pedestrians stop.
Of course, Shad and Vanessa simply bypassed the sign and continued walking upwards.
"Frosty Kiss Corridor" is a very romantic name, and the scenery here is indeed beautiful. Feather-like snowflakes drift obliquely, making a rustling sound when stepped on, and the pine needles along the roadside are covered with frost flowers, like they are sprinkled with white icing.
As the wind, carrying snowflakes, brushed past his cheek, Shad inexplicably recalled Winnie's kiss, which, though chilling, was just as gentle.
Vanessa put her arm around Shad's and walked alongside him, extremely glad she hadn't objected to coming here at the last minute.
"Claire's hometown is really beautiful. Now I understand why it's such a popular dating spot. How about we watch the sunset together before heading back?"
"The women on the ship will be worried."
“What are you worried about? Will the Prophet’s Association detain us? It’s alright, Shad. Slow down. I’m a little reluctant to let time pass so quickly. Let’s move forward one step at a time, and let the earth remember that we were once here.”
She said in a very soft voice:
“I love you, Shad.”
Shad turned to look at Vanessa Benedict:
"Me too, Vanessa."
He kissed her forehead.
After this winter, the story of Fatummst Island will likely come to an end. With the arrival of spring, the Golden Dawn Opera will leave the Randall Valley to resume its performances in various cities of the Old World, but Vanessa regrets that they will no longer be able to perform in Tobesque due to the impending war.
She and Xia De were discussing their plans for spring, and their first stop was already Moon Bay:
“We will try to avoid political centers like Willendale, so that I can still meet with Bella frequently when I’m in Moon Bay. Besides, Bella is under a lot of pressure in Moon Bay, and I can help her if I go. If she can really use this opportunity to separate Moon Bay from Carsonrick, she might be able to accomplish what Galina couldn’t.”
This refers to the concept of a "witch's kingdom".
There are no forks in the "Frost Kiss Corridor," and even though the snow has covered many traces, the path remains clear. The two walked to the low cliff at the highest point of the path, where an ancient and huge cedar tree grows. Vanessa even said that without the roots of this cedar tree to hold it in place, the cliff would probably collapse sooner or later.
The scenery was beautiful, but Shad went to dig up what Baron Samir had mentioned first. Although more than ten years had passed, the item was still in the same spot. He hadn't buried it very deep back then, and Shad easily found the box.
Inside the box was a jewelry box containing a beautiful silver necklace with a mermaid pendant.
"what happened?"
Vanessa asked.
"Look, a mermaid."
“In an island city like this, seashells, mermaids, and ships are very common shapes. It must just be a coincidence. Didn’t Sevi bring quite a few mermaid girls to help? I didn’t see you being afraid of them.”
The Earth Witch said with a smile, and Shad nodded slightly:
"But if this really is a token of love, why would it be buried here?"
“In some places, there is a tradition of leaving tokens of love in a place of sentimental value, and then digging them up when the couple gets married or at a specific time. Since the locals generally believe that the snow mountain is sacred, there will probably be even more people doing this.”
She touched the silver moonlight ring on her hand:
"However, I will not bury our token of love."
Then, before Shad could speak, she added:
"Speaking of which, I saw Claire holding a moonstone the other day, saying she wanted it made into jewelry. Was that given to her by you?"
"Yes, that was Claire's payment for helping to customize a birthday gift for Adelina."
Vanessa wasn't blaming Shad, but rather "mocking" Claire:
"What a silly girl, comparing herself to me without knowing anything. The jewelry you gave me isn't important because it's unique; what matters is what I got in return."
Golden eyes gazed at Shad, the tenderness in them almost melting him. The emotions of witches have always been passionate and sincere, a fact that has remained unchanged from the Fifth Age to the present.
However, just as Shad was about to embrace Vanessa and kiss her, a strange sound interrupted their intimacy.
Large swaths of snow, which had been clinging to the bare branches of the pine tree in winter, began to fall with a soft rustling sound, even though the wind here shouldn't have been able to blow so much snow away so easily.
Then, a voice came from not far away:
"Is anyone there? Can someone help me?"
The sound came from the other side of the Frostkissed Corridor. Shad and Vanessa exchanged a glance and followed the sound. They hadn't gone far when they saw a young girl leaning against a tree by the path.
The other person had unusually red hair, a rarity in the area, and was sitting there clutching his right ankle, a backpack beside him. The unfamiliar red-haired girl also noticed the two approaching from a higher position and pitifully pleaded for help:
"Hello, can you help me? I slipped and fell while walking, and I think I twisted my leg."
Her accent sounded like it came from the East Coast of Carsonrick, so Shad and Vanessa went over to her.
"Hello, are you still able to stand up?"
"I can't stand up. My ankle is swollen all over. I think it might be broken."
Vanessa then bypassed Shad to check on the other person's condition and asked:
"How did you get here alone? The mountains around here are closed due to the weather. We only came up after we got permission. How did you get here?"
The girl then said rather shyly:
"I'm a tourist from Baden, a fishing port on the east coast. I didn't have a chance to go out because of the blizzard and martial law a few days ago. Today the weather is pretty good, so I thought I'd take a walk around here."
I didn't see any warning signs; they were probably blown down by the wind.
After Vanessa's examination, it was confirmed that the girl's right foot was indeed fractured. So, after a simple immobilization, the two decided to take her to a hospital in the city. She hadn't come alone; her companions were currently staying at a hotel in the city, and someone would take care of her.
The girl was unable to walk on the way down the mountain, so Shad had to carry her. The three of them followed the same path Shad and Vanessa had taken earlier, and Vanessa even picked up a long branch for Shad to use as a walking stick.
She walked ahead, making sure Xia De followed her pace to prevent him from slipping. The girl, who was carrying Xia De on his back with her arms around his neck, didn't say much at first, but then, as they walked, she suddenly whispered in Xia De's ear:
"Is that beautiful lady up ahead your wife?"
Xia De replied:
"Not yet."
The girl then said softly:
"I see there's quite a big age gap between you two. Is this what love is?"
The words sounded harmless; the young woman was simply marveling at this unusual romantic relationship. Shad glanced up at Vanessa's retreating figure, smiled, and remained silent. The woman behind him then asked:
"Did you come here because the locals said it's a good place for couples to date? Am I bothering you?"
"No disturbance, we were planning to leave now anyway."
The girl behind him smiled sweetly:
"Sir, you're such a kind person. My name is Valentine Leblanc, I'm eighteen years old, and I'm a university student. I'm traveling with my family and friends. May I ask your name?"
"John Watson, a visitor from Willendale."
“But you look like a Dela Rion.”
“Velendal does not prohibit the people of Delareon and the descendants of the North from living there, at least not now.”
"So are all northerners as handsome as you? Oh, excuse me, I mean, as friendly as you?"
The girl on Shad's back continued to ask questions, and Shad glanced again at Vanessa's figure ahead:
"This is a difficult question to answer. There are good people and bad people everywhere."
He paused slightly:
"But it's still better to be a kind and benevolent person."
"But can evil never triumph over justice? Good people seem to suffer losses easily, while bad people are not always punished."
The young woman said it sounded like casual conversation on the way down the mountain.
"Sometimes justice prevails, and sometimes evil takes the lead, but it's always worth it to be a good person."
"If you're not guaranteed to win, why is it worth being a good person?"
She continued chatting with Xia De, and now she was speaking directly into Xia De's ear, so that Xia De could feel the warm breath she was exhaling.
This question is not difficult for outsiders to answer:
"Miss LeBlanc, if you had to choose, would you choose a good person as a friend or even a lover, or would you prefer to be surrounded by bad people with ulterior motives?"
This isn't some life philosophy, but if you don't want to be surrounded by villains, don't become a bad person yourself. I think even the most wicked person would want a few friends around them they can trust without having to be wary.
The girl on Shad's back remained silent for a long time. Vanessa, who was in front of Shad, walked faster and faster for some reason, and the snow around them fell heavier and heavier. Soon, Shad could only see Vanessa's back.
Then the silent girl suddenly spoke again:
“My legs are a little sore. Can we stop and rest for a while? I know it’s snowing heavily, but I swear I just need a short rest.”