In the biting wind, n and won huddled together in separate groups, too cold to feel any sha in their desperate embraces for warmth. Only Jenkins stood apart from the crowd, the frigid gusts whipping at the hem of his pajamas. The cat perched on his shoulder joined him in gazing out at the distant mountains.
This avalanche was far from normal. Peering through his monocle, his vision cutting through the darkness, Jenkins could see that the distant mountain peak, once shrouded in shadow, had genuinely collapsed. This wasn't a re avalanche—it was a full-blown landslide. The snow that had buried the mountain villa was nothing more than a minor consequence.
Perhaps during the rainy season, a mudslide might trigger a natural disaster of this magnitude, but such an event would never occur naturally on a calm winter night.
"Who was behind this?"
He felt a sense of bewildernt; he didn't even know who he was up against. When he glanced back at the group of survivors, he saw that the only Enchanters among them were Hathaway and a Mrs. Hydra.
Jenkins had initially believed it was this middle-aged woman who had rescued Miss Mikhail, which was why he hadn't questioned her. But now...
"Mr. Williatte, it's far too cold out here. Everyone is lightly dressed. We can't stay here any longer!"
the butler reminded him, his voice trembling.
He was one of the few fortunate enough to be wearing a greatcoat. He had been on his nightly patrol when the disaster struck, allowing him to follow the others out imdiately.
"But we can't return to the villa. The second floor might not be completely buried, but the building's primary structure is almost certainly compromised. Besides, who's to say there won't be another avalanche!"
"Oh, I understand, Mr. Williatte. Perhaps we could go elsewhere. There's a hot spring nearby that never freezes over. A few years ago, we built a few simple cabins beside it for visitors to use. I imagine they should have so spare clothes and firewood."
Following a narrow path leading south from the shattered cliff face, the group of scantily clad survivors trudged through the deep snow. Hathaway had ntioned the hot spring before, though Jenkins had paid it little mind at the ti. He felt a surge of gratitude for the mory now; otherwise, he would have had to swallow his pride and go to Ruen to borrow clothes, and he had no idea if Alexia had even returned.
His leather trunk, which held most of his possessions, was still back at the villa, but he wasn't overly concerned. The building was inaccessible for now, but he could always retrieve his things later. Besides, several of the Numbered Items inside had been transported by a Star Spirit, imbuing them with its aura. It wouldn't be a difficult task for Rakul to locate them.
They walked for nearly twenty minutes. If not for the few greatcoats the group had managed to salvage, the surviving young maid, along with Miss Mikhail, Miss Lawrence, and Miss Rick, would have already collapsed from the cold. Even so, as they stumbled into the frigid cabins, several people pitched forward and fainted on the spot.
Jenkins found himself busy once more, but he finally managed to build a fire and get everyone settled just before sunrise.
A fire crackled rrily in the center of the room. The survivors crowded into the three small cabins, so sitting and others standing. The shelters were rustic, but they were well-stocked with supplies, so at least the fear of freezing to death had passed.
The villa's chef had fortunately survived the disaster. He had so experience with wilderness cooking, and as luck would have it, there was dried at in the cabin. Soaked in hot water, it made for a ager breakfast.
Staring into the flas in the cramped room, Jenkins was struck by a sense of unreality. He had co here for a vacation. He was supposed to be waking in a warm bed at sunrise, anticipating a lavish breakfast. No one could have predicted this.
He glanced at the cat on his shoulder, who would rather starve than deign to eat such crude fare. Jenkins wasn't worried about it going hungry; the creature had a habit of storing vast reserves of unused energy.
"Mrs. Hydra, I'd like a word with you."
He gestured toward the door, indicating he wanted to speak privately. The middle-aged woman nodded, opening the door before he could and letting another gust of wind and snow swirl inside.
Jenkins shot Hathaway a reassuring glance, set his bowl down on a wooden table, and followed her out.
Outside, the world was a vision of silver. Just as Jenkins had predicted the previous night, another blizzard was on its way. It was only snowing lightly for now, but the ominous, heavy sky told a different story.
The pair walked a short distance from the cabins, heading a few steps closer to the hot spring. The cat dug its claws into Jenkins's greatcoat for balance, its eyes fixed curiously on the steaming water.
"Let's not waste ti. You're an Enchanter, aren't you?"
They stopped beneath a lone, snow-dusted cedar. The ground imdiately around the spring was barren, not a blade of grass in sight; only this small tree had managed to cling to life. But from its half-dead appearance, it likely wouldn't survive much longer.
"Yes, Mr. Williatte."
The middle-aged woman admitted it without hesitation, her gaze following Jenkins's toward the distant villa.
"I know what you're wondering, but I'm not the killer. The avalanche had nothing to do with . I was the one who saved Miss Mikhail."
This was not a lie.
"I don't know who caused this incident either, so please, don't suspect ."
"Then why are you here? As far as I know, you've worked at this villa for over ten years. Don't tell you have a passion for doing other people's laundry."
"Of course not. I have no such passion."
Mrs. Hydra was a plain-looking woman, short and stout. If Jenkins had passed her on the streets of Nolan City, he would have forgotten her face in under ten minutes. She was currently wearing a black n's greatcoat found in one of the cabins, an article of clothing so long on her that the hem fell past her knees.
"And it's not just who has served here for ten years. My mother and my grandmother both worked here too. And our ancestors, even further back, dedicated their entire lives to protecting this land."
"Why?"
"I cannot say. A sacred pact has given us our duty and our abilities, but it also binds us. Mr. Williatte, I have seen your picture in the newspapers. A nobleman and Enchanter with such a bright future should not be wasting his life here. If I were in your position, I would abandon everyone in those cabins and leave this place imdiately. I am certain you have the ans to do so."
Her last words were clearly well-intentioned, but there was no way Jenkins could abandon his friends, especially...
"A family duty? One passed down through generations... Let think. What is beneath that villa?"
The kitten on his shoulder seed to smile, but it was just for an instant. Jenkins was already certain of his conclusion. Now that they were away from the villa, the oppressive spiritual pressure and that faint, lurking sense of danger had vanished.
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