Volume 1 Chapter 13 Ice And Drop
In a gentle voice, Drop says something confusing.
"See? Isn't it nice? Of course, I don't think Wade is the best guy. So, let's give it a try. If he turns out to be boring, I'll lend him to Ice-chan. How about that?"
But Ice is getting tired of it all. She loses her nerves and mutters casually.
"...Ice Blow."
"Huh? What did you just say?"
Confused, Drop looks down on Ice. At that moment, Ice collapses to the ground, putting her hands on the floor.
Ice stands up. Then, unexpectedly, she pushes Drop.
"Whoa, hey!"
Drop didn't expect Ice to resist, so she easily falls down. She glares at Ice and yells.
"Hey! What are you doing? Don't mess around!"
While trying to stand up, Drop realized that she couldn't. Her hands on the ground wouldn't let go. Not just her hands, but her feet and bottom too.
"Huh, what's wrong? Why can't I stand?"
"Well, you see, Wade-kun told me to think about how to use ice magic in different ways."
Things cooled by ice magic stick to a lot of different things.
Ice looked down at Drop. Drop looked at Ice and inexplicably gasped.
"So, you see. If I grab Drop-chan's shoulder and press it to the ground..."
"No, stop, please stop."
"See, it stuck."
Drop seemed to be lying on the ground with only her knees up, but the reality was different. Everything was pressed against the freezing ground, stuck and unable to move.
"Oh, Ice, please stop, this isn't funny..."
"Funny? ...What's funny?"
Ice looks down at Drop and asks,
"Haven't you denied all of my hobbies? Haven't you denied my personality completely? Am I supposed to be your sl*ve forever, Drop-chan? Do you want to take Wade-kun away from me?"
"Oh, Ice-chan?"
"Yeah, Drop-chan."
Ice gently puts a hand on Drop's neck.
"Stop, no, I don't want this!"
"Don't shout so loudly... I've always hated that high-pitched, annoying voice of yours, Drop-chan. It's really irritating, I truly hate it."
As Ice says this, she traces Drop's lips with her finger. The remnants of Ice's breath freeze Drop's lips shut.
"Mmm! Mmm!"
"Hey, Drop-chan. I'm so happy to have met Wade-kun... Wade-kun is an amazing person! Even when faced with terrible magic, he never gives up. Instead, he thinks of ways to become even stronger."
While gently touching Drop's neck, Ice speaks,
"Wade-kun will become even more amazing. But if you're there, Drop-chan, you'll surely get in the way. I understand. I've been constantly obstructed by you."
That's not okay, Ice says.
"I've been patient. But Wade-kun is different. You must not interfere in the life of such an incredible person."
Drop starts crying silently. Each tear that falls touches the cold air rising from the ground and freezes one by one.
"So, I want you to promise me. Promise not to get close to Wade-kun anymore. If not, you know, I might do something, so..."
Softly explaining, Drop nodded tearfully. When Ice brushed away the cold air hanging in the silence, Drop tearfully laughed and made the promise.
"O-Okay, I won't get close to Wade. So, can you release me now...? It's so cold. Really, it's freezing and painful."
"Hmm..."
"H-hey, what do you mean by 'hmm'..."
"Do you know? When Drop-chan lies, she smiles. That's what you're doing now... You're planning to betray me."
"Eek!"
Drop's expression twisted into fear.
"It's not a lie! It's not a lie! I really won't go near Wade!"
"I can't believe you... What should I do? I need to think about it a bit more."
"...What do you mean by 'more'?"
"Hey, Drop-chan"
Ice asks.
"If I freeze you and crush you into pieces, will anyone find out that Drop-chan died?"
"―――Huh?"
"Ice Blow"
Touches Drop's leg. Chants. Then, Drop's leg slowly freezes. It's the same freezing cold that can freeze a manticore in one shot. Drop gets frozen in just a minute.
"No, no! Please! Forgive me, Ice-chan! I was wrong! I won't go near Wade! No, no!"
"How are you going to prove that, huh? How can you convince me that Drop-chan won't go near Wade-kun?"
"T-t-that's..."
"Ice Blow"
"Gah!"
Drop shakes her head frantically, clenching her teeth.
"No! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"
"Okay, think. What are you going to do? How will Drop-chan prove that she won't get close to Wade-kun?"
"I'll drop out!"
At Drop's words, Ice blinked slightly.
"I'll drop out! I won't become an adventurer! Then, I won't get close to Wade! Isn't that... isn't that okay? I'm tired... I'm tired of scary monsters, dungeons, and being threatened like this by Ice!"
As Drop started to cry, Ice felt a sense of breaking in her heart. So, she snapped her fingers.
Suddenly, the cold disappeared. Drop's frozen lower body returned to normal, and the ground that had restrained her returned to its usual temperature.
"Ah..."
"Come on, hurry up. Finish the procedures and leave today. I'll pack your things for you."
"..."
"Come on, hurry up."
"Gah! O-okay, I get it. Stop glaring at me. It's scary..."
Drop, nearly crying, got up and left quickly, almost like she was running away. Ice watched her pitiful retreat and felt a little proud that she had accomplished something like this.
"I... I actually beat Drop-chan in an argument?"
Ice felt a surge of confidence growing inside. It wasn't just coming back—it was rising up like a wave. She couldn't believe she had become this strong.
And she thought about why. Wade. Without him, Ice would've still been under Drop's thumb, like a puppet or a sl*ve. But he gave her the strength to stand up for herself.
"Hehe..."
Ice whispered softly, hugging the warm feeling in her chest.
"Wade-kun is amazing..."
Saying it out loud made Ice's brain tingle with happiness.
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