What if you are reborn as a demon after a funeral?.

Traveling light, even just wearing a thin trench coat, Ash seemed as relaxed and at ease as if he were in a drizzle amidst the sudden blizzard.

This made Frilian a little jealous, and after a moment's thought, she couldn't help but point to the ground: "...Squat down."

"why?"

"Anyway, you're not cold and you can move around easily, so carry me on your back. You can also shield me from the wind and snow ahead." Although she was asking for a favor, Frillie didn't stand on ceremony and stated her request expressionlessly.

"...You're so lazy."

Are we companions, or friends?

"...You're emphasizing this at a time like this?" Ash couldn't help but shake his head. "To be honest, I'm starting to regret meeting you."

"We already know each other, so there's no point in saying this anymore. Besides, I'm freezing cold right now... Also, if you mess with Philon in the future, I won't just stand by and watch like before. Is that okay?"

"make a deal!"

.........

After a brief negotiation, Ash readily reached an agreement with Frillie, and then quietly turned around, squatted down, and let the elf lie on his back.

Throughout the entire process, Philon remained silent, simply staring at the two of them with a hint of annoyance on his face.

If I had known it could be like this, I would have had Ash carry me too... Lady Frilian is so cunning! — Philon stared silently at Frilian, so unwilling that he couldn't help but stomp his feet firmly into the snow behind her.

This made Frillie, who was feeling a bit uncomfortable being stared at, subconsciously turn around and look: "...What's wrong? Felene, are you cold too?"

"Yes! I'm very cold too!"

"...Then, shall we take turns?"

"May I?!"

"of course."

“I’m sorry, Lady Frilian.” Upon hearing this, Philon immediately stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and showed a guilty expression: “...I actually doubted you again.”

"Huh? You guys are eating dessert behind my back again?" Frillie's eyes widened slowly, and once again after several days, she calmly revealed an expression as if she had been betrayed. Even the hand holding Ash's neck unconsciously tightened its grip.

"I haven't had dessert for half a month... Philon, that's so mean; Ash too, we agreed to be friends."

"...No, I don't know anything about it! What was the topic?"

Ash, who was suddenly choked, felt the resentment of the girl behind him and was full of questions, his face showing innocence.

"No? Then why is that, Philon?"

"...Don't worry about it."

Not only did Ash suffer an undeserved disaster, but Frilian also felt isolated, yet Philon just stiffly turned her face away.

However, she couldn't help feeling guilty, as if she had carelessly caused a rift between them.

Of course, at this moment she couldn't help but wonder if their long-standing friendship was really just a facade.

............................

After Ash carried Frilian for a while, Frilian reluctantly got off his back, and Philon carefully climbed onto it instead.

As Philon gently hugged his neck with barely concealed joy, she whispered, "Um... Lord Ash, am I heavy?"

"Hmm~ What if I say it's heavy?"

"...Then I have no choice but to kill you and then kill myself."

He asked casually, and Philon tightened his arms around his neck, his voice becoming colder and more piercing than the blizzard on the plateau, like the permafrost of a demon's castle.

Ash's expression froze as well, and he forced a smile as he joked, "I'm not saying this to be mean, but saying such scary things in such a cold tone... even a joke is a bit frightening."

"What are you talking about...? I'm quite serious." Philon's face was unusually serious compared to usual.

"So he's serious..."

"...And then? Lord Ash, what's your answer?"

"Of course you're light! You're much lighter than Frillie!"

Faced with the girl's overly heavy-handed and ultimately suicidal remarks, Ash could only pat his own conscience and utter words that went against his conscience.

Upon hearing this, Frillie couldn't help but retort, "No way, how can you lie like that? No matter what, judging from her size, Philon couldn't possibly be bigger than me..."

"Lord Frilian!"

"Hmm? I just feel... I have a feeling... oh well, never mind..."

Not wanting her to be deceived, Frillie, faced with the girl's overly stern gaze, was somewhat confused and hesitantly chose to give up exposing this clumsy lie.

Although she couldn't understand why such a shrewd child as Philon would be fooled by such an obvious lie.

"...Could it be that he caught a cold and got a fever from being so cold? The weather in the north is really dangerous; let's find a place to rest later and take Philon's temperature."

Seeing the two people walk ahead without her noticing, Frilian hurried to catch up while genuinely worried whether Philon had caught a fever from the cold... or even fainted from the fever.

Chapter Eleven: The Strange Things Brought About by Philon's Growth - The Elves Nearly Frozen to Death (8K)

Frilian was genuinely worried about Philon's health.

The racial difference prevented Philon from fully understanding her worries, and she didn't intend to care about Frilian, who took care of her and needed her care in return—she was essentially both an old mother and an eldest daughter. After all, Frilian had just said something that upset her.

So she was naturally happy, and just hugged Ash, enjoying the warmth in the snow.

In contrast, Ash's feelings were in a completely different situation.

Oh no... I can't feel my heartbeat at all. Is the difference between people really that big? The "deep," solid, and extremely oppressive soft touch behind him left him with a feeling that he couldn't describe, and a strange, subtle sensation.

Although he tried hard not to care, the overwhelming sense of pressure was so strong that he couldn't help but care. In fact, because he could feel it so vividly, he couldn't help but gradually feel a strange sense of guilt.

His silent presence in the wind and snow caught Philon's attention, causing her to unconsciously lower her head and ask worriedly, "Lord Ash? Am I... really too heavy?"

"No, that's not how it is..."

"Really?"

"I was just thinking, you just said you'd always be on my side, but now you're suddenly saying you want to die with me... Sigh~ As a father, I'm really heartbroken~"

Unable to reveal what he truly cared about, he could only feign worry and sigh as he gazed at the wind and snow ahead.

This immediately made Philon look embarrassed, and she leaned against his back, muttering softly, "That, that was just... a joke...!"

"Will you stand on my side?"

"—No! I meant the phrase 'to die together'!"

"...It doesn't sound like a joke at all."

"Because... I really get angry!"

Philon hugged his neck tightly, whining in his ear as if in a huff, emphasizing her feelings.

But... why do girls care so much about their weight? He's never really understood it.

The only thing he was sure of was that girls' moods were indeed more fickle than the weather. — He unconsciously looked up at the sky and sighed deeply in his heart.

............................

............................

In that vast expanse of land ravaged by endless wind and snow, snowflakes fell like feathers cascading from the sky, so dense and rapid that they almost obscured all vision, and the whole world was stained with a thick layer of silvery white.

The wind, like a wild beast, roared and swept through every inch of space, trying to devour all warmth. It also caused the girl behind Ash's long purple hair to fly past him with the wind, bringing with it a scent that was hard to tell whether it was shampoo or perfume.

It didn't seem quite right; instead, it was more like a tempting, sweet scent laced with hormones, causing his previously calmed mood to be filled with even more annoyance.

They were even a little confused. They were demons, so why did they feel that hormonal aura?

No, animals can also sense human scents in this way. Species differences don't seem to be such a big problem. It's just that different organisms probably have different hormonal influences on each other, but we can put those aside for now...

It's so big! Philon is so big! Ah, no, I have to shut down these thoughts and think about something else! Am I a pervert? That's Philon behind me! I've known it since it was a baby! It's a human that will die in the blink of an eye! — He was alone, agonizing and condemning himself.

Not only did Philen hold him tightly with both hands, but she also unconsciously rested her head gently on his shoulder, enjoying the warmth in the snow and constantly watching his expression. She couldn't help but ask curiously:

"Lord Ash... what's wrong now? Are you worried about getting lost?"

"Ah, yes, that's it..."

"...You lied to me again." He subconsciously affirmed, causing Philon to narrow his eyes suspiciously.

"Why do you have so many things you can't tell me? I decided a long time ago that I would definitely become your help, but you..."

"...I am very grateful for your trust and help, but life is always full of troubles, and even the closest people will hide some little secrets, right?"

"I don't have any, Lord Ash, that's not fair."

"....real?"

"Really, I can tell you anything you want to know."

"......The weather is nice today." Even if there were things he wanted to ask, he wouldn't ask them. He gazed at the world being ravaged by the raging blizzard and murmured softly, "Tomorrow, it will probably be peaceful like this again."

"It's amazing that you can say such a thing while looking at the blizzard in front of you."

The endless snowflakes, swept by the gale, roared in with overwhelming force, so cold that Philon was frozen as soon as he looked up and huddled against his back, but couldn't help bumping his forehead against him.

Because I didn't think this level of blizzard would be a problem, and isn't it fine as it is now? — Ash, as a warrior, had no complaints about the blizzard.

Although there is a gap at the back due to the large front armor, it is surprisingly warm overall and even has a fragrance.

Especially since Philon had grown up and was still so close to him, he had no room for complaint. After clearing his mind of all distractions, he even began to pray that the blizzard would last a little longer.

Although Philen was also complaining about him, she was actually lying comfortably on his back with her eyes closed, and even looking forward to tomorrow... that the snowstorm would continue.

However... their companion, Frilian, held a different opinion.

She huddled behind the two, shivering and praying that the snowstorm would stop soon...

"...I'm really...going to die...Why is it that after all these years, the blizzards here are still so cold? No, it's definitely colder than before!"

With her hands tucked into her sleeves, huddled up like a boiled pig, and trembling as she spoke, Frillie was now more worried about freezing to death here than about Philon getting a fever from the cold.

She even felt a little regretful, thinking that she shouldn't have let Ash carry her in the first place. After all, it had only been warm for a while, and then it got cold again... It was just like getting up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night in the dead of winter.

............................

Apart from the howling wind and the sound of footsteps on the snow, there were almost no other sounds around.

On this white wasteland, Ash and Philon are like two unique beings, isolated from the world yet closely connected to each other.