Winter ruled the forest with an iron grip.
It was the harshest of all seasons—one that tested every living thing foolish enough to endure it. Snow buried the land and weighed down the trees, while the earth beneath lay frozen and unyielding. Rivers that once roared with life were locked in place, their waters stilled beneath thick layers of ice.
There were no birds in the sky.
No insects crawling beneath the snow.
Only silence.
And the cold—sharp, lingering, and lethal.
The Great Forest of Lunar was home to many things. Some ancient. Some mysterious. Some even divine.
Among them was the great river and lake known as Tsukuyomi.
The river carved through nations, crossing borders without regard. The lake, however, lay deep within Lunar itself—within the territory of the Great Ancestor. Neither monster nor human would dare step foot there without permission.
But today...
Two beings wandered dangerously close to that unspoken boundary.
Or perhaps—
they had permission all along.
---
Hana and Haruki moved through the forest near the labyrinth, eventually emerging before a colossal frozen expanse.
They stopped.
The lake stretched endlessly before them, its surface a smooth, pale mirror reflecting the dull winter sky.
"Woah... it's huge..." Haruki muttered, hovering above Hana's head in her robotic bird form.
"Yeah," Hana replied, eyes scanning the surroundings. "Think we could find a place around here?"
Haruki's wings fluttered with excitement. "Hell yeah! Just imagine the view—waking up to this every morning."
Hana stepped onto the ice, testing it carefully. "Maybe. But this place looks like it could flood pretty badly once winter's over."
"Can't we... prevent that?" Haruki asked quickly. "There's gotta be a way, right?"
"Haru," Hana sighed, amused. "Let's focus on finding a stable place first. We can't jump straight to a mansion. And working with snow is already a pain."
"Aww..." Haruki drooped midair.
Hana smiled softly. "I told you not to get your hopes up. We'll consider this place later. For now, we just need something temporary."
"...Okay. I guess."
By then, Hana had reached the center of the frozen lake. Strangely, the ice barely reacted to her weight. She felt light—too light—like a feather drifting across the surface.
She frowned but didn't dwell on it.
The view was perfect from here.
"Oh! Look!" Hana suddenly exclaimed, pointing toward the far shore.
There, half-buried in snow, was a cave-like opening—formed entirely of ice and compacted frost. It looked recent. Crude.
But usable.
A temporary shelter.
Hana broke into a run, letting her momentum carry her across the slick surface. She slid effortlessly, her speed increasing as if the ice itself welcomed her.
Seconds later, she reached the shore.
The entrance towered over them, jagged icicles hanging like fangs from its edges. It resembled the open maw of some massive frozen beast.
Inside, darkness loomed—yet it was strangely beautiful. Ice dripped from the ceiling in twisting patterns, and a massive pillar stood at the center, supporting the entire structure.
"Ohhh... this looks cool," Haruki said. "Think it's another labyrinth?"
"No," Hana replied after a brief pause. "I can't sense anything deeper inside. Feels more like a den... or—"
She stopped.
"...a giant tree."
"Tree?!" Haruki blurted. "What do you mean tree?"
"Look at the walls," Hana said, pointing. "Those aren't ice formations. They're frozen branches. And they all connect to—"
Her finger shifted toward the central pillar.
"...the trunk."
Haruki stared, unconvinced. She flew over and slammed straight into it.
Clank.
The sound rang sharply through the hollow.
"Ah—ow! That's NOT wood!" Haruki yelped.
Hana snorted. "Sounds like a skill issue."
"Wha—?!"
Hana laughed as she stepped further inside, examining the structure. The ceiling was solid. The foundation stable.
"Well," she said, nodding. "It's decided. This is our temporary B.O.O."
"The hell is a BOO?"
"Base of operations. Duh."
"...Sure," Haruki said flatly. "So—can we do it?"
Hana glanced at her. "Do what?"
"You know. That thing."
Understanding dawned. Hana sat beside the frozen trunk and nodded. "It'll take time. But... yeah. We should be able to pull it off."
"I don't care how long it takes," Haruki said quietly. "I'm tired of being a floating ball."
"I know," Hana replied gently. "But don't expect a human body. Yours is different from mine. At best, you'll get something like this—a puppet body."
Haruki's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Wow. You sound like a total nerd. Maybe you should hang out with me more instead of that dork—"
Grab.
"Ow! Hey—it hurts!"
Hana had seized her hand and squeezed. "Yeah. That's deserved. Now get to work. You wanted this done before he comes back, right?"
Haruki huffed. "Yeah... fine."
She focused—then hesitated.
"...Could you stop—"
Hana shook her like a malfunctioning toy.
"H-HEY—!" Haruki screamed, her voice warping as it echoed through the icy chamber.
The frozen den rang with laughter.
Unaware that fate was already tightening its grip around them.
---
The playful atmosphere lingered for a while longer.
So—what were they actually doing?
The idea had come up earlier, back in the labyrinth, during the short break they were given. Haruna was the first to point it out: Hana's transformation ability wasn't all that different from Haruki's. Hana herself later confirmed it, adding her own observations. Her current form hadn't been achieved through control or practice—it was the result of an unexpected evolution.
After piecing things together, they reached a decision.
Once they were out of the labyrinth, their first priority would be finding Haruna's former master.
The second—
Getting Haruki a humanoid body.
Since Haruto had gone with Haruna to handle the first task, Hana and Haruki stayed behind to carry out the second.
The problem was Haruki herself.
Her anatomy was unstable, unnatural—something only she truly understood. Even with that knowledge, she could barely maintain a body larger than a small bird.
And now—
They were trying.
Again.
And again.
It wasn't easy.
Understanding how a body worked—then forcibly rewriting it into something far larger—was anything but simple.
Haruki knew the theory. She needed to construct a humanoid frame, then push her limits and scale it up.
Simple in concept. Brutal in execution.
Her energy drained at an alarming rate.
Hana noticed immediately.
Her eyes, hypersensitive to Astron fluctuations, locked onto the violent spike in consumption. Without hesitation, she acted.
She tore off her own arm.
No struggle. No hesitation.
The limb dissolved into liquid midair, transforming into a translucent, flowing mass that engulfed Haruki completely.
It was a gamble.
Hana's digestive and assimilative abilities were far weaker than Haruto's blood. If Haruki's structure began collapsing, Hana could immediately recall her slime body and abort the process.
Still—
It was risky.
Within the liquid, Haruki struggled. Her form twisted, stretched, collapsed—cycling through unstable humanoid shapes as she fought to maintain structure while increasing her size.
Then—
Something changed.
Astron consumption dropped sharply.
Hana's cells merged seamlessly into Haruki's body, supplementing her mass directly. The burden of expansion was no longer hers alone.
With the added stability, Haruki's form solidified.
A recognizable humanoid silhouette took shape.
And the moment it did—
A voice echoed through her consciousness.
<
<
The words fractured her focus. The mental link between her and Hana snapped for a brief, terrifying instant.
<
"Haru?!" Hana shouted, panic flooding her voice. "Are you okay?! Hey—can you hear me?!"
No response.
Haruki had reached the threshold.
Just like Hana once had—
She reached the end of her tutorial.
The metallic fluid surrounding her turned pitch black, floating weightlessly for a heartbeat before collapsing inward. It hardened instantly, then shattered like fragile glass.
Fragments scattered—
Revealing a humanoid figure hovering silently in the air.
Hana's breath caught.
A wide, genuine smile spread across her face.
"You actually did it..."
Haruki hovered above the ground, just as she always had—but now, she was different.
Complete.
Her hair was short and snow-white, framing her face softly. Whatever material covered her body was skin-tight, seamless, stretching from her neck down to her toes like a second skin. Her arms were bare, human in shape and tone—but her hands told a different story.
They blended into Hana's slime cells, semi-transparent with a smooth, glass-like texture. Blue and purple hues shimmered beneath the surface, shifting gently with every movement.
Slowly—
Her eyes opened.
Crimson red.
Etched into her pupils was a faint symbol of power, glowing quietly as Astrons flowed through her new form.
Haruki had finally been born.
In a body that was truly her own.
"Big sis... d-did it work?" Haruki asked as the mental link reconnected.
Hana smiled warmly. "Yep. You somehow pulled it off. That's my girl."
Before Haruki could even react, Hana's severed arm flowed back into shape, flesh reforming as if the injury had never existed.
Relief and excitement hit Haruki all at once. She lost her balance midair and dropped straight onto the icy ground with a dull thud.
"Ow..."
Hana chuckled as she walked over. "I knew you could do it, but... yeah, that got a little out of hand. I didn't expect it to be that risky. Sorry, Haru."
Haruki pushed herself up, glancing down at her new body, turning her hands slowly as she examined the glassy texture.
"I mean... it doesn't look that bad, right? My mind got kinda scrambled for a bit, but I'm fine now."
She hesitated, then added more quietly, "Though... it's really cold."
Hana frowned slightly and took her hand. "Cold? You didn't feel that before. Did your senses change?"
They had.
This body wasn't a copy anymore—it was constructed entirely from Haruki's imagination. Along with it came memories of sensation from her former, human-like existence.
Unfortunately, those memories chose the worst possible moment to return.
Winter.
Outside.
No heat source.
"Can you turn back for now?" Hana asked gently, pulling her closer. Her own body radiated warmth—temporary, but better than nothing. "At least until I can start a fire."
Haruki tried.
She imagined her old form—the small, floating orb.
For a split second, it worked.
Then the transformation stalled.
Her Astrons were completely drained.
"...Oh no."
Hana focused, peering into Haruki's body with her sensory abilities. The result was immediate and clear.
Her reserves were empty.
"If only I knew how to transfer energy..." Hana muttered.
As she searched the surroundings for anything—anything—that could provide warmth, she noticed something strange.
There were patches of melted ice.
Along the trunk.
On the ground.
Even clinging to the frozen branches.
Hana activated Magic Instincts, sweeping the area.
Warm spots.
Everywhere.
Focusing deeper, she found the source.
Slimes.
Clusters of blue, translucent blobs scattered throughout the hollow. They weren't moving—almost as if they were asleep.
She guided Haruki further inside, toward the strongest concentration of warmth.
"Hana?" Haruki asked, confused.
"Just—give me a second."
Hana brushed away the snow, revealing an entire pack of slimes nestled together beneath the ice.
As they stirred, something clicked.
A connection.
Not hostile.
Not foreign.
Familiar.
Without hesitation, Hana gently laid Haruki atop the pile.
"Hey—what are you—oh..."
Warmth flooded Haruki's body. She relaxed almost instantly, sinking slightly into the soft, bouncy surface.
"...That's... really warm."
Hana exhaled in relief. "Wow... that was lucky."
She looked up—and noticed more.
Clusters of slimes clinging to the interior of the hollow, dotting the massive tree like sleeping caterpillars.
"I really hope this is safe..."
Yet she felt no danger.
Only comfort.
Like being home.
The slimes didn't attack her. If anything, they reacted to her presence.
"Ha—hey—!" Haruki laughed suddenly. "It tickles!"
The slimes began piling onto her, nudging and clinging playfully, like overexcited kittens.
That was when Hana understood.
This place wasn't random.
It was a symbiotic nest.
The slimes—naturally warm due to the acidic compounds in their bodies—offered heat and deterrence against predators. In return, the tree provided shelter and sustenance, trapping animals that wandered in seeking refuge.
Simple.
Efficient.
Perfectly natural.
Seeing it in person, though...
It was strange.
As for Haruki—
Her new body was still sensitive to temperature, but the slimes' digestive power was far too weak to harm her. Her regeneration easily compensated for the minor irritation, reducing it to nothing more than a tickling sensation.
Hana knew that.
That's why she hadn't hesitated.
This level of regeneration required almost no Astrons—exactly what Haruki needed right now.
It was the same reason slimes were considered low-threat creatures in most fantasy worlds. Individually, they lacked the damage output to overcome natural regeneration.
Only numbers ever made them dangerous.
And even then—
Not here.
Not to them.
For now, at least—
The girls were safe.
---
Evening arrived quietly, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Far from the frozen taigas of the great forest, a majestic castle stood at the heart of a sprawling city—its foundations laid by generations of human blood, sweat, and ambition.
The Kingdom of Leonhart.
A neighboring nation to the Great Forest of Lunar, and one of the many realms that lived uneasily beside monsters far stronger than itself.
At the city's center rose the royal palace—not a crude medieval fortress, but a refined structure of pale stone and smooth towers, shaped as much by magic as by masonry. Crystal-powered lamp posts lined the streets leading toward it, their soft glow flickering to life as the sun dipped lower. Banners bearing the lion crest of Leonhart hung from the walls, stirring faintly as the evening wind died down. The last rays of sunlight brushed against the castle's spires, casting long shadows across its surface—gold fading slowly into amber.
Within those walls, unease had already taken root.
Inside a spacious chamber decorated in traditional royal fashion, a man and a woman stood in silence.
The king and the queen.
King Leonhart approached the bed where the princess lay sleeping, her breathing faint but steady. At first glance, the resemblance between father and daughter was unmistakable—enough to make anyone suspect there was more truth to Velnard's observations than coincidence.
"How is Nethra doing?" the king asked quietly.
The queen, a high elf, did not turn as she answered. "The same as before. No signs of recovery. Even my spirit magic can barely reach her."
Her voice was calm—but restrained, heavy with frustration.
The king clenched his jaw as he looked down at his daughter.
A king was meant to stand above all others. To protect his people. To bear their burdens.
Yet he could not even protect his own child.
He sat beside Nethra and gently took her hand. "I…"
Before he could continue—
The door burst open.
"YOUR MAJESTY! URGENT NEWS!"
A soldier stumbled into the room, breath ragged.
The king snapped his head up, irritation flashing across his face. "What is it?"
The soldier dropped to his knees. "I-I beg your forgiveness! But this cannot wait!"
"What happened?" the queen demanded sharply.
The soldier raised his head, fear trembling in his voice. "The Kingdom of Midgar… they succeeded. They've summoned around twenty heroes."
Silence fell like a blade.
Cold sweat trickled down the king's face. "Who confirmed this?"
"The second duke himself is spreading the news. Our agents overheard it at an inn and verified it. It's true. Two of the heroes carry divine blessings—and they're already moving to obtain the Five Holy Relics."
The king's expression collapsed into something raw.
Despair. Shock. Fear.
"Twenty heroes…" he whispered. "If they turn their gaze toward us… we won't last a week."
"We shouldn't jump to conclusions," the queen said, forcing steadiness into her tone. "They may target other nations first. We must observe before acting."
"Observe?" the king exhaled sharply. "They sacrificed over a hundred mages for a single summoning. This is madness. History repeating itself."
After a brief pause, the queen spoke again. "Should I contact my father?"
The king shook his head slowly. "It won't help."
He turned back to the soldier. "Summon the council. Immediately."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The soldier bowed deeply before rushing out.
Left alone once more, the king sank onto the edge of the bed, his hand still resting over Nethra's.
"Why now…?" he murmured.
The queen sat beside him, her hand resting over his in quiet support. "We will find a way."
"I know." His gaze lingered on his daughter. "…But the relic must not fall into their hands."
The implication was clear.
That relic—the same kind the heroes were searching for—was tied to Nethra herself.
And Leonhart was far too weak to resist a force backed by two blessed heroes.
There were only two realistic choices.
Fight, and risk annihilation.
Or surrender, and become Midgar's vassal.
Negotiation was a fantasy for a nation this small.
The final decision rested on the king's shoulders.
Unless—
There was a third option they had yet to see.
…