Captured into the Bedroom of the Enemy Emperor (1 Chapters Left to Complete) - Side Story 6

Aster.

It snowed again today. I realized it the moment I opened my eyes this morning—the world outside was dim.

The glass ceiling of Aster Palace’s bedroom grows dark when snow falls, like a curtain of snow. Before the snow from two days ago had even melted, new snow began falling, blanketing the entire world in seamless white.

In Mama’s homeland, Tane, the snow melts before it even touches the ground. She says it’s utterly magical to see snow pile up, freeze, and pile up again like this.

The snow stopped in the afternoon, and I went for a walk in the northern woods with Har Chen. Har Chen carried a white sack over his shoulder and held my hand gently with his large one.

As we walked deeper into the forest, stepping onto pristine snow untouched by humans, we discovered sharp bird tracks and the small footprints of young beasts.

Not long after, we came across three tiny, snow-white rabbits in the snowy field.

Their ears perked up as they spotted us and darted away—but after running a good distance, they kept turning back to look, as if checking whether we were following properly.

Har Chen smiled calmly and walked slowly, matching my pace.

Soon, we saw a cave. Har Chen lowered the sack from his shoulder and placed acorns, chestnuts, almonds, and dried fruits in various spots inside the cave.

Before he’d even finished emptying the sack, bold rabbits and squirrels that had earlier snatched provisions and fled now approached us fearlessly, brushing lightly against Har Chen’s ankles before dashing off again.

Har Chen said he’s been riding on horseback to this cave every winter since he was a boy—whose memory he barely recalls—to leave winter provisions for the small creatures, doing so two or three times a month.

I already loved many sides of Har Chen, but imagining that boy galloping through winter toward the cave made me fall for him all over again.

My dearest little one, Aster.

I hope you, too, grow up to be someone who cares for the hunger of small, vulnerable creatures. But above all, I look forward to meeting you in good health.

Read full content of this chapter on r e d c a t t y . c o m