I am the old, fiery-faced man from the senior department.

"That's what you said too..."

Young Draco stepped aside, muttering to himself.

"What did you say?"

Snow Rabbit turned his head away, while Draco tapped his feet and whistled, pretending it had nothing to do with him.

"……snort."

Snow Rabbit led his team away from there with a cold expression.

"……Ugh."

After the snow rabbit's group had gone far away, young Draco let out a long sigh.

She knew that she couldn't gain the soldiers' approval with her current lack of achievements, but one must always have some hope and illusions. What if she could convince them this time?

"It's time to go, or Alina will nag me again if I get back late."

Mentioning the spoils he had earned, young Draco hummed a folk tune from his hometown as he walked toward her home in Ursus.

[In Snow Rabbit's team]

"Big sister, why don't we take her in?"

A Yeti whispered to the Snow Rabbit beside it.

"I think she's quite strong and has a lot of perseverance. It would be great to recruit her."

"A beast with only brute force is quite powerful. Should we bring that thing into our team?"

"Of course not... Oh, I see, you mean that person only knows how to fight and kill and doesn't use their brain like we do."

"……almost."

Snow Rabbit rubbed the few candies left in her pocket, and the image of that person's slightly irritating face resurfaced in her mind.

Talulah...

A fool who gave his name the first time he met a stranger, an idiot who ate the candy a stranger gave him without hesitation, it's quite bizarre that he's survived this long on this man-eating ice plain.

However… what she meant was establishing a place where those who suffer can live openly and honestly…

Ha, what a naive fellow.

Since that's the case, next time, why not let her go see that stubborn old man?

Don't die before we meet again, Talulah.

The spicy sugar coating her tongue brought a rare warmth, and Snow Rabbit was somewhat looking forward to the meeting between that idiot and her stubborn old man. One of them was bound to be driven mad first.

"Talulah, where have you been again?"

As soon as Draco returned to the village, he saw the deer girl waiting for him at the door.

"Hey, Alina. I just went hunting in the jungle and came back with some fresh loot. Hehe, we can have canned food tonight."

Talulah showed off her spoils to Alina as if to boast, but the deer girl sighed helplessly.

"You went to see those people again? Did you get hurt?"

“You know me, Alina. How could those useless black bugs possibly hurt me? Don’t worry, don’t worry.”

Talulah grinned sheepishly, carrying the package in one hand and pulling the deer girl's hand with the other as they walked into the house.

"Let me tell you, I've figured out the leader of that Yeti squad. That woman named Yelena is all bark and no bite. She says she'll teach me a lesson next time, but she always lets me go and secretly shares some food with me every time."

"I'm sure I can convince her when I catch her next time."

"Really? That's quite nice."

Alina echoed her words as she packed up the things she had brought back and wiped away any remaining traces.

"Hehe, next time, I'll show her what Talulah is all about!"

"You always say that, but I seem to remember that when we first met, Miss Yelena smeared snow all over your face."

"...That was an accident. It was the first time I sparred with her, and I wasn't taking it seriously. I won the second time, didn't I? My fire really warmed her face."

"If my trusted companions see me looking so pitiful with my face being rubbed, this life will be over. If that happens, let's cover it up with a loud voice!"

Talulah perfectly mimicked the conversation that the two had after their second sparring session.

That time, she used the mist generated by the fire and ice to have a deep conversation with the icy snow rabbit. Although the two of them still looked like enemies in front of others afterward, Talulah felt that her warmth had warmed the little rabbit to no end.

Once she can persuade the leader of the Infected Shield and gain the support of the Icefield Guerrilla, she can then unleash her full potential and do even more.

But before that, she has to deal with the most important thing.

"Alina, what are we having for dinner tonight?"

He suddenly grabbed the deer girl's waist from behind, and the young Draco leaned out and rested his head against her shoulder, asking her in a coquettish tone.

Can you be serious for once?

The deer girl felt that her friend was a bit too naive. Although the action seemed intimate, she was cooking, and it was dangerous.

I really don't know how the old man can stand her.

"Hey, I just really wanted to eat Alina's cooking."

"You're being cheeky again. You should read less of those romance novels from Yan, Talulah. Those authors are all virgins who have never even been in a relationship. How can their writing possibly please girls?"

Faced with the deer girl's earnest teachings, Draco managed to get away with a silly, cute smile.

Without Draco's interference, the meal was prepared quickly.

“Talulah…”

As Draco was enjoying her meal, the deer girl looked at her, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.

"What's wrong? Just say it, we're like family."

Talulah looked at her with a puzzled expression, her mouth stuffed full as she ate a bite of bread and a sip of soup.

"If... I mean if."

The deer-like girl was somewhat absent-minded as she broke open the bread in her hand.

"If what?"

"If...you succeed next time, will you...leave?"

She had known all along that Draco was someone who was unwilling to be ordinary and was destined to do great things.

Separation was inevitable. She kept telling herself that they were just strangers who had met by chance, and that it wouldn't matter if they parted ways.

but……

"Leave, we really have to leave here."

This village is not safe, and if she really does start an organization, then she can no longer stay here.

That would only endanger the villagers here.

"As expected..."

"What do you mean, 'as expected'?"

Draco glanced at the deer girl, then chuckled.

"Alina, you don't think I'd abandon you and run away, do you?!"

"Huh? I...I didn't..."

"Don't lie, Alina!"

Draco soaked the remaining bread in the soup, then moved his stool over to the deer girl's side.

She raised both hands, one pointing at the girl and the other at herself, and said proudly, "Alina and Talulah are the perfect match! You are my trusted confidante, my hidden dragon. Nothing can stop us when we're together! So, Alina, promise me you'll be with me when the time comes!"

"Nonsense. Even if you're incredibly powerful, would you dare to challenge the old man?"

The deer girl seemed to understand something, and chuckled as she patted her hand.

"Eat quickly, aren't we supposed to call Huijie today?"

"Hey, even though I can't hit the old man, I did have the experience of riding him when I was a kid."

Draco didn't move, but instead picked up the bowl and ate while telling the deer girl some funny stories from her childhood.

A reunion at age 79

"Young Huijie, would you like this Victoria candy or this Casimir milk cake?"

"Or perhaps, it's this box of delicious Yan Kingdom pastries?"

Nian waved the snacks in his hand to amuse the little girl.

"Aunt Nian, I want to eat that pickled chicken feet."

The little girl immediately spotted the chicken feet that Nian had secretly placed in the crook of his leg, intending to enjoy them alone.

"Damn it! You've discovered the treasure that Lord Nian has been keeping hidden away!"

"However, since you are honest, I will grant you permission to enjoy this meal with me, sir."

The boy puffed out his cheeks, took a chicken foot, and gave it to the little girl.

"Thank you, Aunt Nian."

The little girl successfully got the chicken feet and happily ran to share them with Bai Zhou.

"You seem to be having so much fun, so you must be very confident in your script?"

Xi shook the painting and complained about Nian's behavior just now.

"Just playing with the little one. Don't you always use those cats and dogs to help you take care of your kids? It's gotten to the point where other people's kids have cats and dogs, but we always have weird pets. How will our little girl make any friends at school if this continues?"

While chewing on chicken feet, Nian also complained about Xi's methods of raising children.

"That's just how Ah Xi is."

Xi replied as a matter of course.

Didn't the little guy have a lot of fun playing with A-Yao back then? Such a tiny brat dared to climb on Zizai's head and play around.