Chapter 152: A Sweet Offering
Chapter 152: A Sweet Offering
The Galantos Snow Mountain, also known as the Snowdrop Mountain.
The nearby village, where Mrs. Weiss resides, is named after this very mountain.
The mountain's slopes and higher elevations are perpetually covered in snow, with only the southern base briefly thawing during the summer months.
It was now November, and the base of the mountain was blanketed in white.
Bitter, icy winds blew, and the fine snow particles danced across the surface like sand on a beach, quickly erasing any footprints left behind on clear days.
This made it extremely difficult for anyone on the mountain to find their way down, or for rescuers from the village to search for them.
The higher one ascended, the deeper the snow and the stronger the wind, making it nearly impossible to walk normally. A single misstep could lead to a fall, burying one in the snow, never to be seen again.
Despite these harsh conditions, Jimmy continued to trudge forward, her eyes scanning the landscape for the herb that held the hope of her family's salvation.
Her small face was red from the cold, and even with her thick coat and hood, the biting wind cut through her like a knife.
"Divotian, Divotian... the white flowers that look like bells..."
She whispered the characteristics of the herb to herself, as if to boost her own morale and to ensure she wouldn't miss the white flowers in the snow.
Finding the herb would mean curing her father, which would ease her mother's burden and stop her little brother from crying in secret.
Children often act with clear goals in mind, not considering the consequences or believing that bad things won't happen to them.
Jimmy was no different. She just wanted to use her efforts to bring her family back to how it used to be.
Hunter, who had followed his sister, likely had a similar mindset.
With their father sick, it was his responsibility to protect his mother and sister, and to find a way to cure their father.
The snow mountain was a dangerous place, and he couldn't let his sister face it alone.
The two small figures stumbled through the snow, their eyes fixed on their goal.
"Found it!" Jimmy's eyes lit up.
Under a slightly protruding rock, several green stems emerged from the crevices, with small white flowers swaying in the wind. Despite the snow, they thrived with vibrant life.
Jimmy excitedly ran over, but she slipped and fell.
Ignoring the snow on her clothes and the need to stand, she crawled forward, carefully clearing the snow and gently pulling out the herb, roots and all.
One by one, she tucked the herbs into her coat, as if each one was a piece of her father's recovery.
After a moment, Jimmy stood up, swaying slightly from exhaustion. Despite her fatigue, she continued to push forward, determined to bring the herbs back home.
"Jimmy!"
The familiar voice made her wonder if her exhaustion was causing hallucinations.
But there, hugging his arms and shivering, with a red nose and frozen snot, was her clumsy little brother, Hunter.
"Hunter? Why are you here?!"
"Of, of course to find Jimmy!" Hunter tried to sniffle but couldn't. "Mom said the mountain is dangerous, and I have to protect you."
Jimmy didn't know whether to be angry or to laugh. She, who had snuck up the mountain, hardly had the right to scold her brother.
"Idiot... I found the herb. Let's go back and save Dad."
"J-Jimmy..." Hunter's eyes widened in terror, staring at something behind her.
"What... what is it?" Jimmy turned around, her body freezing in place.
Standing behind her was a monstrous creature, as large as a bear, with a rabbit-like head and glowing red eyes.
"Rabang..."
Rabang's clawed arm swung down, aiming to kill, stun, or injure its prey—its usual hunting method.
Hunter lunged forward, pushing Jimmy out of the way. He was hit by Rabang's claws, his cotton coat torn, and he tumbled several times on the snowy ground.
Blood splattered across the snow.
"Hunter!"
Jimmy lay on the ground, ignoring the Rabang behind her, and crawled toward Hunter on all fours.
But her heart sank as she noticed more wolves appearing behind Hunter!
Jimmy's face turned pale, her lips trembling. It was over...
"Ha—" Rabang growled, but the three wolves didn't hesitate, pouncing on it.
Jimmy, dazed, watched the three wolves leap over Hunter and attack Rabang, not even noticing that one of them had two heads.
Two normal wolves bit into Rabang's arms, while the two-headed wolf leaped up, its claws pressing on Rabang's shoulders, and its heads biting and tearing at Rabang's ears.
One wolf was thrown aside, but Rabang soon collapsed, blood gushing from its wounds.
Jimmy cautiously crawled toward Hunter and then saw more Rabangs.
Rabangs... were pack animals.
Jimmy remembered what everyone in the village knew.
She heard the wolves' howls of pain and closed her eyes in despair, but the expected pain never came.
Jimmy opened her eyes and saw a tall figure standing in front of her.
That person's arm, like a monster's, was blocking the attack, holding back the Rabang's claw that was about to strike her.
"Are you okay?" a deep, powerful voice asked, sounding like a tough guy, giving her a sense of security.
Before Jimmy could answer, another voice spoke.
"Bad news, the kid is injured and bleeding a lot. Hold on, I'll take care of it." This voice was gentler.
"This number is a bit tricky, but... Man up!"
Jimmy was astonished to see a Rabang, as big as a bear, being thrown away by that person!
"Crimson Mark Treant!"
"Ember's Crown! That girl, you... Never mind, you too, Ember's Crown!"
Jimmy saw a red glow surround Hunter, and his wounds began to stop bleeding.
When the big brother pointed at her, a red glow also enveloped her, making her feel warm and cozy.
"Ember's Crown seems to be quite effective for treating external injuries."
Rod himself didn't know this spell could warm someone up. He didn't want to waste a second and directed the Treant to attack the Rabangs.
The Treant swung its front claws, sending three Rabangs flying.
The ones thrown by Elfman and those hit by the Treant struggled a bit but were mostly immobile.
But the Rabangs hit by the Treant were already dead when they hit the ground.
It looked like a casual strike, but the attack was incredibly powerful.
However, Rod endured the pain and sent the Treant back to the Summoner's Rift, summoning other monsters to fight.
This thing was too draining, and he needed to conserve his magic in case the little boy needed more help.
As the monsters and Elfman kept the Rabangs at bay, Rod quickly took out bandages and first-aid ointment from his backpack, bandaging the little boy and comforting the little girl:
"You're Jimmy and Hunter, right? Don't be scared. We're mages your mother sent to bring you back home.
This kid's bleeding has stopped. He just needs to sleep it off. It's okay, we're going back soon."
He quickly bandaged Hunter's wounds and wrapped him in a spare cotton coat to keep him warm.
Thinking for a moment, he pulled out a chocolate bar from his backpack and offered it to Jimmy: "Want some?"
Snowdrops, representing the hope of life and the courage to move forward.
Devotion here means deep love, enthusiasm, and care.
(End of Chapter)
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