The story of how I, who became the beloved child of Winter Fenrir, was healed from despair

(Bonus Short Story) Sakura Festival and the Snow Country – Day 1

On the 25th, the manga adaptation will be updated on Manga Kingdom.

The web novel will also be updated, so please enjoy them both! (There will be at least two updates.)

The day of the Sakura Festival had arrived.

The royal capital of Felsnow Kingdom was decorated with hastily made ornaments, adding pastel colors of spring to the usually somber streets. Tapestries created from patchwork by fabric shops, pastel-colored glass lamps donated by glass workshops, and wreaths of wildflowers picked by children adorned the town. Despite the diversity in themes and the lack of monetary value or utility, the sheer number of decorations made it evident how eagerly the citizens had awaited this festival.

Their anticipation for the Sakura Festival was so great that they spared no effort, compensating for the lack of time with love and care.

And this love, more than anything else, delighted the royal family of Felsnow.

Princess Michela and Prince Christopher appeared in town with bright, sunny smiles.

The citizens, on the other hand, were caught off guard. They dropped ribbons and piles of flyers in surprise, hastily picking them up.

“Is the parade starting…?”
“I heard there’s a parade, but there are no guards or floats, and it’s only the two of them?”
“And isn’t it still early in the morning? I’ll go wake my wife and kids!”

The citizens scurried about in a frenzy.

Princess Michela and Prince Christopher stood quietly in the still-empty ice arcade.

(Perfect, the lack of people. This festival isn’t meant to focus on us.)
(Indeed. While it’s gratifying to have such loyalty from the people of Felsnow, we don’t want this festival to end as just a celebration of winter. The true purpose of the Sakura Festival is to achieve harmony between winter and spring.)
(It’s the first festival of its kind, so it’s fine for everyone to contribute.)
(We hope that everyone with even a bit of ice magic can join freely and feel recognized as citizens of Felsnow.)

Who would recognize them? Spring folk, summer folk, autumn folk? The government had already granted migration rights, but that wasn’t enough to warm people’s hearts.

It’s not an order to “get along,” but rather a desire to connect that will unite the people.

Michela and Christopher held hands and gracefully bowed like true royalty.

The citizens who happened to be there gasped in awe. Yet they tilted their heads in confusion as they noticed something strange. The gestures made by the prince and princess with their hands after raising their heads were unfamiliar to them.

The two began to cast a spell.

“Cold air trapped under the arcade, mix with our magic and turn into snow. Let the snow mix with the spring breeze and form round shapes as you wish.”

With a quick glance at each other, they smiled at their slightly childlike phrasing.

Under the arcade’s roof, small whirlwinds began to swirl, shaping the cold air into snowballs, which stacked in pairs.

“Snowmen?!”

A child, rubbing sleep from their eyes, let out a cheer.

In front of them, many snowmen had appeared, magically animated with branches for arms, fresh green leaves for mouths, and cherries for eyes—a spring-like and unusual design. The leaves bent slightly to form what looked like smiles.

Normally, ice magic couldn’t be used in spring, so there was no way snowmen could appear. However, using a spell to “transform existing objects into similar shapes” within the arcade allowed it to mimic ice magic.

(The winter princess’s ideas are always so novel.)
(The princess always finds ways to surprise us.)

With the cooperation of the powerful Michela and the skillful magic of Christopher, they filled the arcade with snowmen, just as the winter Fenrir’s beloved daughter had suggested.

“Princess, can we touch the snowmen?”

“You asked so politely. Yes, the snowmen seem eager to interact with everyone who has a talent for ice magic.”

With Michela’s permission, the children beamed and rushed toward the snowmen. Christopher, who had hurriedly reinforced the maintenance magic, clutched his stomach in pain, having absorbed the impact of about ten children’s charges at once.

“Stay strong,” Michela said as she gently patted his back and cast a healing spell.

Christopher straightened up.

(She asked Michela for permission first. My sister has really been embraced by the people… I’m glad.)

“Brother?”

Michela peeked at Christopher’s face, concerned about his condition. He was feeling better, but he didn’t say anything to avoid complicating the situation.

(Things are changing. Winter is thawing, and snow is once again mixing with the warmth of spring. Soon, the sakura petals will be swirling.)

Christopher chuckled softly, but when Michela shot him a puzzled look, he quickly covered it up with a cough.

A cool breeze blew through the pillars of the arcade, carrying soft pink sakura petals that gently stuck to the snowmen.

For a brief moment, Christopher thought he saw a sakura-colored tail in the wind. While the citizens were distracted by it, Michela and Christopher quietly made their exit.

(Please enjoy the first Sakura Festival!)
(We’ll see you again at noon.)