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

The deer girl, who was sewing, reluctantly put down her needle and thread, ready to listen to what new ingenious ideas her friend had come up with.

"I've found that the more cunning and manipulative people are, the less likely they are to achieve their desired outcomes. So, I've made a slight change in my actions."

As if oblivious to the helplessness on her companion's pretty face, young Draco continued to express her feelings, and the fire in the hearth seemed to be inspired by her, burning brightly and illuminating the earthen walls of the house.

"What exactly are you trying to say, Talulah?"

"I've tamed the Yeti Princess!"

Under the surprised and delighted gazes of his companions, young Draco proudly puffed out his increasingly heavy chest.

"Really!"

Seeing Talulah nod in agreement, Alina was genuinely happy for her.

"Well... I still had to rely on the old man's help..."

Talulah chuckled and scratched her head before sitting back down by the fire.

“There’s nothing shameful about this, Talulah.”

Alina understood the meaning behind her words.

The day before returning to Ursus after the holiday, Bai Zhou checked both of them for Oripathy infection.

Because Talulah has mastered the Arcane Energy, her condition is in a stable balance under her subjective control, and there is no need to worry about it worsening.

But Alina's situation is somewhat dangerous.

Although she doesn't often use her Originium Arts, she lacks both the powerful bloodline genes to build a strong body to resist Oripathy and the wealth to buy medicine for treatment, which gives Oripathy an opportunity to take hold.

Therefore, Bai Zhou gave her an Omnipotent drug to treat Oripathy.

It worked very well. If it weren't for the fact that she still needed to be an infected person to accompany Talulah, she would already be a healthy Ursus person.

Upon returning, Talulah immediately went out to find the Yeti team.

Seeing her say that, Alina knew that she had shown the other party her leverage and successfully won their trust.

"Yelena, that silly rabbit, is at least a fifth better. Even her tone when she talks to me isn't as cold as before. The way those yetis look at me has changed. If Yelena weren't still here, I reckon they would have dragged me down to become sworn brothers with me."

Talulah and Alina recounted their interactions with the Yetis over the past few days.

However, due to the vast difference in strength, the Arcane Pill she deduced herself was nearly a hundred times less effective than the one made by Bai Zhou.

But no matter what, she finally had the confidence to confront the guerrillas.

"In that case, even the leader of the shield would be willing to talk to me."

Although the other party knew about her before, they had always been unwilling to communicate with her.

Now... she has helped his daughter and shown him that she is truly capable of solving the problem of infected people.

Once she got started, she believed the other person would eventually accept her.

"There's one more thing, Alina."

Under the curious gaze of the deer girl, young Draco gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

"I've found out a little bit about that rascal snake."

"Soon... I will kill it again."

……

On the other side, in the camp of the infected guerrillas.

The Yeti's princess, in Froststar's tent.

"..."

As her fingertips touched the cool tabletop, the white rabbit's mind was still replaying the image of that reckless fool.

"Yelena".

A tall figure entered the tent, but his excessive height caused trouble at that moment.

He carefully and quickly pulled down the curtain, using his body to block the cold wind that rushed in.

"Father."

The steady voice roused the white rabbit from her thoughts. She stood up and greeted him softly.

Her father's arrival was within her expectations.

"Yelena, I've heard about your illness..."

Beneath the grotesque skull helmet, a gentle gaze was revealed.

He looked at his strong yet equally vulnerable daughter and carefully raised his hand to touch her arm.

"It's much better now, Father."

The white rabbit lifted the sleeve of her left arm, showing her father the arm that had been corrupted by the black stone demon.

"We've indeed lost some Originium. The medicine she... Talulah gave us is very effective."

The white rabbit couldn't help but smile slightly when she mentioned the idiot who gave her the medicine, but she immediately hid the smile.

“Father, I think we can cooperate with her.”

"If that medicine could be used..."

"Do not."

Even when refused, he remained remarkably calm.

"Father?"

The white rabbit looked at its father with a puzzled expression.

She had already shown her father the effects of the medicine and proved that it was effective, so why did her father still refuse?

You have to understand that everyone in the guerrilla group is infected. If we could get these medicines, those uncles and elders... everyone... and even my father himself, would have a much better chance of survival.

"It's not that simple, Yelena."

Bozokas pulled down his daughter's sleeve to keep her from getting cold.

He could see that his daughter's condition had indeed stabilized considerably.

but……

My daughter is still too young.

She only saw the best side recently; she couldn't see through the deeper and more profound things hidden behind it.

"Why, Father?"

The white rabbit looked at its father, repeating its question.

She wants to know why.

"Who is she? Yelena, answer me."

“Talulah…”

The white rabbit was silent for a moment, then sighed.

"People of Yan Kingdom".

She received a letter from Talulah informing her that she had been taken home by her elders for the New Year.

"Yes. Talulah, she is from Yan."

Bozocasti stared at the fire, silently watching the charcoal burn away completely in the flames.

"The Kingdom of Yan... is the kingdom of the gods. It is a land from which winter retreats, a place of peace and prosperity. It is... the place where Ursus perished."

He naturally knew about the Yan Kingdom.

Therefore, he was naturally aware of the great terror that existed in Yan Kingdom.

Therefore, he felt afraid.

He feared that the Drak was just bait sent by Yan, that his daughter would be deceived, that the guerrillas would be used, and that the infected would suffer even more severe persecution.

He was afraid... of losing someone important to him again.

"Father."

The familiar call drew his gaze away from the fire.

“I believe in Talulah.”

The white rabbit picked up a few pieces of new wood and threw them into the stove, waiting for the flames to burn them.

"No, rather than believing her, I would say I believed the illusory dream she described to me."

"That idiot is single-minded; once she sets her mind on something, she'll do it no matter what."

Watching the flames gradually rise, the white rabbit seemed to see that guy's smug smile again.

"Therefore, I choose to believe her, to believe that she is walking on this icy plain according to her own will, rather than acting as a puppet on behalf of others."

"Her fire was passionate and sincere...that's not something a hypocrite would possess..."

“I believe she is genuinely helping those infected…no, perhaps she is helping all the oppressed.”

“I believe her, Father.”

"...Yelena."

Wendigo gazed at her daughter, the firelight shining on her, as if setting her ablaze as well.

Just like that child from before...

"..."

My daughter has grown up.

Being young has its advantages.

"I will meet with her."

"But... I hope she deserves your trust, Yelena."