Baby Prisoner of the Winter Castle

Clarisse smiled at the embarrassed Benson and made a new snowman face. 

The Duke of Sheridan was in charge of inserting the nose.

In this way, a beautifully completed little snowman was proudly erected in front of the main gate of the Duke’s house.

“You did really well, Clarisse.”

Clarisse was a little surprised when the Duke, who put down the snowman, turned around and said.

She hadn’t even imagined that she would be praised like this when she was only doing outdoor activities for her health.

“A, ah.”

Clarisse knew now was the time to say ‘thank you’.

But she couldn’t say anything because her lips had become stiff with happiness.  

‘I… can’t believe I did well.’

To hear this for what she’s done with her hands—It seemed like the first time.

‘I… did a good job!’

For some reason, Clarisse felt as if she was floating in the air.

Until now, no matter what she did, she had been treated as a nuisance.

“Do you… feel uncomfortable somewhere?” 

When Clarisse just looked up at him without saying anything, Maximilian asked her a question with his eyes wide open.  

“No!” 

Clarisse shook her hands quickly in response.

“I’m so happy. It’s so cool to get compliments! My heart is still pounding.”

“Is that so…?” 

“And I will never get sick. I will be eighteen in good health.” 

To this, the Duke thought of something then answered with a slightly stiff tone.

“Hmm, yeah. Then we’d better go in now.”

At his invitation, Clarisse put her hands together and answered cautiously.

“Is it okay if I do more activities outside?”

“You mean to make more snowmen?”

“No. I want to see the bell tower.”

To be precise, she intended to tell the outer wall that she had built a snowman, but Clarisse didn’t bother to tell the story to the Duke. 

It was due to the advice of her brother in the kingdom before.

｢You’re talking to a stone? I’m sure you’ll hear all the stupid things.｣

｢Don’t go anywhere and say things like that. It’s not enough that the princess is an idiot, so people will say you’ve gone crazy.｣

Clarisse didn’t want to hear such words from the duke who praised her. 

So, she only said that she was friends with a stone, but she decided never to talk about talking to stones. 

“I will let you go. But you have to come in before the sun goes down.” 

“Okay.” 

Clarisse bowed her head to greet the Duke and started running her way towards the bell tower. 

Was it because she had been told she was doing a good job? 

For some reason, her feet felt very light. So much so that when she steps on a pile of snow, the sound quickly comes from her toes. 

‘The outer wall will surely be delighted.’

Yesterday, they seemed depressed after hearing sad words from the soldiers. 

‘Although it’s a small snowman, it’s a snowman that the Duke praised.’ 

Clarisse recalled Maximilian’s words, ‘You’ve done a good job.’ For some reason, both shoulders are very tense.

“Hello!” 

Clarisse arrived under the bell tower before she knew it and put her hand on yesterday’s stone to greet it. 

“….?” 

But no answer came back.

Is he still sulking?

“U, uh… I have something to tell you…” 

As Clarisse stuttered, she recalled a new discovery she had made yesterday. 

｢I’m ashamed. When I don’t have enough mana, I fall asleep for a moment.｣

“Did you fall asleep?”

Clarisse tried to talk again, but there was no response again this time.

“What shall I do? How to wake a sleeping stone…”

She doesn’t know.

—Clarisse, who was about to say, suddenly remembered a fact.

It was Mallang.

Mallang usually has the shape of an ordinary pebble, but for some reason it would change shape when Clarisse kissed it.

“But I’ve never kissed a stone this big.”

It was all about touching and talking like this from time to time.

Clarisse, who had been thinking for a while, realized that she was wasting her time on useless things.

‘It’s a waste to spend time worrying. Try it and if it doesn’t work, then stop.’

Coming to a quick conclusion, she quickly kissed the surface of the stone.

[…What is this?]

Surprisingly, however, the answer came back immediately.

Clarisse was so happy that she jumped up and down on the spot with both hands wrapped around the stone.

[It’s not even a full moon yet, but why am I suddenly getting magic? Besides, it’s a very good energy…]

Clarisse greeted the stone who was talking nonsense as if half awake.

“Hello!” 

[U, ugh! Are you planning on breaking out of prison today?]

“Absolutely not! Anyway, I’m glad you woke up just in case.”

[N, no way, was it you?]

“Yes?” 

[How dare you throw your magic at will! On a subject that is not even my master!]

“I, I’m sorry. But I didn’t use my magic…” 

[Huh? Do you think I’ll serve you as my master if you give me such sweet and energetic magic? That would never happen!}

I’ve never given anything like that—.

Clarisse was at a loss as to what to answer, but decided to just tell the story she had planned to tell from the beginning.

“I made a snowman.”

[You cunning girl! Did they tell you I’d be proud if you did that evil thing?]

“Aren’t you happy?”

[How ridiculous. I’m just angry!]

“But putting a snowman made by children in front of the front entrance is the pride of all roofed buildings.”

[The stupid inner wall guy is talking about something that happened a long time ago. A few corners must have melted in the fire.]

“It didn’t melt at all. It is a very nice stone.”

[Then go in and play with that fool! Don’t kiss me as you want! Even if you don’t give me magic power forever!] 

“That is true.”

[….]

“I can stay here until I’m 18 years old. After that, I will die.” 

[I know! Because all human scumbags are weak, they die soon!]

“….” 

[Go away now. Because I’m going to sleep! The ugly snowman you made is nothing to brag about!]

Clarisse returned to the mansion feeling sorry and unable to speak to it any more.

* * *

And that night. 

Since there were still a few days left until the full moon, all the stones that could hold magical power were asleep with their energy drained. 

…Of course, the outer wall was different.

[It seems to be overflowing with magic power.]

The story told by the inner wall made the outer wall groan with excitement.

[She’s a very naughty kid who hands over magic power without permission.]

[But isn’t it really long since you’ve been handed human magic? I’m envious.] 

[If you’re hungry enough to want to receive magic from someone who isn’t even the master, why don’t you just fall off the wall and die?]

The inner wall never got angry even when it said sarcastic things.

[Clarisse will make a great golem master. That talent shines and is beautiful.]

[Then what?]

The outer walls continued to grumble.

[Anyway… She will die soon.]

[Human beings are short-lived. It’s really a problem because the outer wall loves humans too much.]

[W, who likes it!]  

[The attitude that if it is not for the master, it will not receive magical power is just like a human being. Our stones never behave like that.]

[There is no need for magical power because the full moon gives it enough!]

You can’t even ring the bell anymore.

The inner wall didn’t bother to say anything to hurt it.

Maybe it knows better than anyone else.

They were collected long ago by a great Golem Master, and became part of this mansion with a special mandate to protect Sheriden.

The outer wall sensed the monster’s energy from the wind, and rang a warning bell to prevent a crisis from coming to Sheriden several times.

The inner wall was supposed to watch the lives of the people inside the mansion, and in case of an emergency, call for help from the outer wall and ring the bell.

Because the number of bells they rang varied depending on the type of crisis, people used to praise Sheridan’s mansion as the best building for accurately alerting the crisis in advance.

But that status slowly faded over time.

Moreover, according to the rumors conveyed by the winds, the existence of the Golem Master itself was no longer visible in this land.

[She is a precious child to us. It might be your last chance. Don’t you know the hardness of the outer wall now?]

[…] 

[At this rate, we too will become ordinary stones.]

[That would be better. Rather than waiting for a master who will never return…]

[Outer wall!]

[Be quiet.]

[I want to live. I’ve lived a long life, and I’ve been living in Sheridan…]

[Be quiet.]

[I hate it!]

[Someone is wandering around the snowman.]

The inner wall finally fell silent at the words he spoke with great caution.

[The movement is very strange.]

[Isn’t it a thief?]

[I don’t know. It might be a spy from another mansion who dares to target my snowman.]

The inner wall wanted to answer that there was no one like that, but he just laughed. 

He screamed that he hated it so much, but someone was wandering around and he said, “My snowman.”

[Judging by the snooping behavior, he seems to be looking for a place to enter, avoiding the eyes of the patrols. Fortunately, the snowman didn’t hurt. The red carrot nose is also safe.] 

[What are you relieved of? Ring the bell quickly!]

[What are you talking about?]

The outer wall recalled the sound of the bell that it had rang with all its might not long ago.

He didn’t want to make that petty noise again.

[Even if I stay still, the knights will soon notice. It wasn’t confirmed that he was a suspicious person in the first place.]

[Sir Outer Wall, you are a knight! You have a duty to protect this mansion!] 

[What can I do!]

The outer wall screamed.

[They are laughing at my bell anyway. Do you enjoy being laughed at so much?]

[I’m ashamed to say that you’re afraid of being laughed at and try not to let people know about the crisis at Sheridan Mansion.]

[I’m already embarrassed! I just want to be a rock and disappear! Will I be satisfied with making that hideous noise again?!]

[The situation might be different now that Clarisse gave you magic.]   

[Hmph, that tiny magic? That doesn’t help anything, how can I show you?] 

He sighed deeply and muttered in a weak voice. 

[Guardian stone of the outer wall, there is an intruder, so ring the bell twice. It can’t be…] 

Before the disgruntled words on the outer wall were finished. 

The solemn and loud sound of the bell pierced the deep darkness and started ringing heavily throughout the mansion.

[W, what?]