Fantastical, cold, and formidable.

If I had to choose three words to describe this place, those would fit perfectly. Because somehow, the cold was so extreme that it jolted me back to reality.

It was as if the very temperature wanted to remind me of something… something slipping through my grasp.

What… What is all this…?

When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on a bed of flowers covered by a soft layer of frost. I couldn’t remember how I had arrived at this garden, but the icy contrast of the flowers filled me with a deep sadness.

“Where… am I?”

Without knowing exactly what I was doing, I rose from the snowy ground, wiping away the tears that had somehow appeared on my cheeks. As I looked around the meadow again, I realized that this field of flowers was part of a winter forest.

It was then that I understood.

Everything around me seemed to be suspended in an almost forgotten state, as if nature itself had been frozen in time forever within this lost forest.

“Is this… a dream?”

In front of me, five wooden bridges stretched in different directions, connecting to floating gardens surrounding the large lake at the heart of that frozen forest.

But there was more.

At the center of the lake, a massive snow tree stood, as if it were the forest’s eternal guardian. Its branches were covered in ice, surrounded by yet another vast garden of winter snowdrops.

This has to be a dream…

That thought lingered in my mind for a few seconds, but what shocked me the most was feeling the snow pass through my hands as if I didn’t exist. What kind of vivid dream includes snow that avoids human contact?

As my thoughts blurred amidst the wintry forest, she appeared. Her presence dazzled me.

She emerged from nowhere, as if the snow itself had taken on a human form.

I could never forget her after seeing her.

A woman with long, shimmering hair, wearing a white dress adorned with tiny red flowers. Her movements were so fluid that she almost seemed to float over the snow.

She was, essentially, a spirit.

“Even if you don’t remember me… you came back for me,” she said, her voice resonating within me in an oddly familiar way.

My mind clouded.

“A g-ghost?” I exclaimed, stepping back as I realized the woman had no face.

My legs stumbled against a bush I hadn’t noticed before. But just as I thought I would fall, she appeared again, materializing out of nowhere and catching me seconds before I hit the ground.

Her touch was soft, yet cold, as though winter itself was gently wrapping around me.

“Was our promise that important to you…?”

A strange calm overtook me as I listened to her.

She was surrounded by a cerulean aura that radiated tranquility.

Although I had been afraid at first, an inexplicable nostalgia now overwhelmed me.

“Promise…?” I stared at her intently. “What promise are you talking about?”

She remained silent, but something within me felt those words weren’t new, that I had heard them long ago—like part of a distant echo from my memory.

“Who are you…?” I asked, puzzled.

But as soon as I asked the question, everything around me began to fade away.

From the depths of the lake, countless shadowy arms emerged, reaching for me. I tried to grab the faceless woman’s hand, but she was no longer there.

She had vanished.

Everything around me shattered into pieces, as if they were fragments of a broken mirror. Though I tried to escape the shadowy arms, they dragged me into the dark abyss of the great lake.

When that forest turned into absolute darkness, I woke up startled on the floor of my room.

None of it was real.

Everything I had seen… was nothing more than a dream.

◇◆◇

The alarm blared loudly, vibrating in every corner of the room and shattering my dreams without warning.

Actually, I was the one who had set that stupid alarm, so I really had no one to blame… Anyway, I got out of bed before the alarm could bother me more than it already had.

Unfortunately for humanity, today was the coldest day Rikubetsu had seen in a long time. A storm of this magnitude would easily make anyone decide to stay home, enjoy a hot chocolate, and avoid becoming an ice sculpture.

Except, of course, for a few unlucky souls who couldn’t afford that luxury.

And among those unlucky souls… here I am.

Mikogami Anthou—that’s my name.

After getting up, I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection carefully.

Given the freezing weather, I had settled on a dark jacket and black pants. At that moment, I was trying to find an angle that would show a bit of confidence in myself.

Spoiler alert: It didn’t work.

Yes, anyone can make mistakes, and this attempt at looking self-assured was one of mine.

Because, in reality, confidence is exactly what I lacked.

With ordinary wavy brown hair, sharp black eyes, and a few freckles hidden beneath my glasses, my face projected a messy appearance that barely sparked interest in those around me.

Basically, I’m the kind of person no one would notice on the street.

Thanks to this trait, I could easily go unnoticed while handling my pending tasks. However, even if I wished with all my heart to stay invisible, I had a goal I wanted to achieve.

Yes, it was definitely that.

My greatest aspiration.

An ambitious but possible goal. That goal was to become a genius-inventor-philanthropist-billionaire. Exactly, like that fictional character everyone knows. Capable of creating the impossible and doing good with style.

But it wasn’t an easy task.

To begin with, I wasn’t a renowned inventor, nor a billionaire with a bank account bursting with zeros, let alone a charitable philanthropist—unless the world considered donating crumbs of my lunch to ants as an act of charity.

For now, the only realistic step seemed to be becoming a genius.

“And to achieve that,” I declared, looking at the calendar hanging above my wooden desk, “I first have to get into the prestigious Équox Academy of Umehara River Hills.”

Ah... Équox...

Just thinking about the academy's name sent shivers down my spine, and not because of the cold.

The problem was that I was light-years away from meeting their standards.

My grades in primary school had been unremarkable, not to say outright average. Then there was the stark reality that this was my third time applying to Équox.

During the first attempt, my results were disappointing.

It was a silent humiliation I still couldn’t forget.

The second test was even worse.

I hadn’t even come close to a decent score, which meant this was my last chance to redeem myself.

One last attempt.

I took a deep breath, feeling the chill creep through the room.

If I wanted to achieve my greatest dream, I would have to face the coldest day in Rikubetsu.

If I failed, I’d have to continue my studies at one of Hokkaido’s public schools, but that would also doom me to remain a burden on my family.

“And that’s the last thing I want.”

The truth was, I didn’t have any personal interest in becoming a genius millionaire. What I truly wanted was to make the person who had cared for me over the past few years proud.

The one who had given me a home when I had nothing.

The man who gave me a family when I thought I was alone.

“If I manage to become a genius, graduating as an Équox student, I’ll earn enough money to secure the old man a peaceful life. I want to thank him for everything he’s done for me.”

That was my mission.

A bit childish, perhaps, but at least it gave me something to focus on.

In these past months, I had studied like never before. I went over every single detail of everything that could be on the test. I wasn’t aiming to take first place or anything grand. I just wanted... to pass.

“And today... after so many sleepless nights... I’ll finally get the answer I’ve been waiting for,” I murmured, approaching my alarm clock to silence the traitorous device.

But when I checked the time, panic struck me like a lightning bolt.

“W-What?! Why does this always happen to me?! The alarm was set for seven! Seven o’clock! The old man will close the post office before I can pick up my results!”

I froze for a second.

I remembered then that the postal services would close at noon due to the snowstorm. The old man had warned me, but even knowing that, I had been betrayed by that ancient clock.

“Alright, Anthou. This clearly isn’t your fault, right?” I told myself, trying to come up with a good excuse. “Come on, who could’ve messed with the blessed alarm clock if you were the only one who stayed home?”

A soft purring under the window broke my train of thought. My orange cat was strolling happily just a few feet away.

I crossed my arms and gave him a stern look.

“Chester... You...”

His tail swayed calmly as he returned my gaze.

For a second, I waited for him to confess to my minor misfortune. But it was impossible. Even though his favorite pastime was pushing things off furniture, the alarm clock was heavier than his whole body.

I was the only human who had stayed at home, so the only one to blame had to be me.

Although, it could have also been... him.

When I thought of “him,” I was referring to my greatest nemesis.

“The observer...”

“Of course...” I muttered, as if everything suddenly made sense.

Chester leaped gracefully onto the small nightstand by the window, and as if the universe were conspiring against me, it flung open, letting in a freezing gust of wind that filled the room.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

The cold made both of us shiver.

“I understand now,” I said, rubbing my chin like a detective who had just cracked a difficult case.

His existence.

Yes, the existence of the observer explained my bad luck.

I had always considered the possibility of a being watching over my life from some unknown place. That celestial observer surely witnessed all my misfortunes—or maybe even orchestrated them—painting my life on a canvas for their own amusement.

I turned to the open window, staring at the cloudy sky.

“I know you’re watching me!” I shouted, pointing at the sky as if it could hear me. “I know you opened the window to delay me! You’re trying to hold back my dreams, but you won’t win!”

“Mew,” Chester interjected, sitting right where I was pointing.

At that moment, my stomach growled like a beast.

“Tch... Fine, you little rascal! You win this time! We’ll eat before I leave!” I declared, slamming the window shut.

Chester seemed satisfied with my resolution and jumped onto my shoulder, accompanying me as I headed downstairs to the kitchen.

We both ate breakfast as if declaring a temporary truce.

With a full stomach, I said goodbye to Chester and shut the door behind me, ready to face whatever fate the observer had in store for me.

◇◆◇

Walking along the snow-covered paths, I lost track of time due to the freezing cold of the city. Before I realized it, I was standing in front of the postal service counter.

“Good morning, son,” the elderly Wataru greeted me with a smile on his face.

“Hey, old man. Sorry for the delay. Did anything arrive for me?” I asked, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“Time doesn’t matter; we’re family,” he clarified with a grin. “And yes, you’ve got mail. This morning, a new issue of your magazine arrived,” my father said as he flipped through the cover. “It looks like there’s news about some advancements in that new medicine from your favorite inventor, Klaus Bousseu. And apparently, there’s a new season of Minoru’s favorite anime, along with some content about manga, video games, and... Wait, since when are the characters wearing so little clothing?”

Wataru extended his hand to hand me the magazine.

“I’m joking…” he muttered with a playful smile.

Mikogami Wataru.

That’s the name of the fifty-nine-year-old man standing in front of me.

Besides working as a mailman-decoder of others’ letters, Wataru has been my adoptive father since he found me unconscious in a park about four years ago.

Let me give you some context.

Back then, as Wataru was walking to work, he stumbled upon me unconscious in a park nearby. Unsure of what to do, he took me to the police station to find my parents.

But the search ended in failure within a few weeks.

Since I had no memories of who I was, the intelligence services couldn’t find any records of my parents or any close relatives. I ended up living in an orphanage for nearly a year.

But not everything was bad for me.

The old man was always there for me. He even went through the trouble of getting adoption permits, and since then, he’s cared for me as if I were his own child.

In fact, he was the one who gave me my name. In short, Wataru is my father in every sense of the word, and today, he’s my role model and the person I love the most in the world.

Oh, and he’s also my boss.

I work part-time, helping with home deliveries.

But that’s not the point.

I hadn’t received the results of my exam, and no one had informed me of any delay, so clearly, something had gone wrong.

“Sorry, Dad... Was the magazine the only thing that came?” I asked, looking at him for a few seconds. “Did you search carefully among the letters? Or perhaps you missed my mail today? I’m sure they sent the results of my exam.”

The old man gave me a puzzled look, furrowing his brow as he tried to remember. Then, he quickly rummaged through his compartments, searching in the morning section of today’s mail.

“Oh... that’s right. You’re in luck, son. I almost forgot this morning’s delivery,” he said with a smile, holding a package in his hands. “This is your order. From Équox. Your brother Minoru also received the same package. I didn’t look through it all, but he ran out crying after opening his.”

When the old man said those words, I felt like my heart stopped for a moment. Since Minoru had received the same package and ended up crying, then... Équox Academy must have rejected his application.

And if he was rejected… probably I…

“I see…”

I only muttered that as I opened the package in resignation. But when I looked inside, I found the Équox uniform, along with a smartphone and a student ID.

Wait… What?!

Before I could react, the old man beat me to it, as if he already knew the outcome of my efforts.

“How strange, Anth. Did they send you all this?” Wataru asked, looking at the package. “Kid… The uniform looks like it’s of excellent quality. No, it doesn’t just look like it… I think it’s one of the expensive ones. And that phone… Could it be a new model?”

While Wataru’s expression reflected surprise, I stood frozen, my mind blank for a few seconds. I couldn’t find a proper answer to all his questions.

Why did they send me all this?

As soon as I glanced at the student ID, I realized the old man was right. Everything looked expensive, and even the ID sparkled as if it had been forged from diamonds.

Without wasting another second, I unfolded the letter envelope, examining the document inside.

“For your passing grade, you have been selected to join the elite… Included are your uniform, student ID, and the device you’ll use on our premises…”

My world regained its color as I read the message.

Did I pass?! Did I really make it?! Did I get into Équox?! Take that, you doubter!

A single document almost made me faint from excitement as I grabbed Wataru’s hands tightly.

“I did it, old man! I got into Équox!”

Wataru began jumping with excitement alongside me.

“Well done, son! I knew you’d make it!” he exclaimed, hugging me tightly. “I’m so proud of you. I know how hard you worked for this… And although I nearly ruined the surprise, I stayed serious to avoid spoiling the moment, I swear!”

When the hug ended, I noticed Wataru’s face was covered in tears. And even though Wataru was my adoptive father, a warm satisfaction filled me seeing that he was also happy for my efforts.

Thank you for taking such good care of me, dad.

Wataru kept talking.

“You also have to go to the interview, right? Minoru came by about half an hour ago, and when he saw he got in, he ran off without even saying goodbye. He was so excited he couldn’t stop laughing and crying at the same time.”

Hearing this, I nodded to confirm his question.

The letter specified that the interviews would take place in a building on the city’s main street. According to the instructions, the Équox committee would meet the applicants in the order of arrival.

If I wanted a good reception, I had to go as soon as possible.

“Judging by the red text, it looks like I should hurry,” I murmured, reading the message carefully. “I’m sure Minoru is already there. That guy’s as fast as a mountain goat. I bet he could outrun a horse if he put his mind to it!”

The old man burst into laughter.

“Yeah, I’m sure he could. Well... if that’s the case, I’ll prepare a special dinner for you two. I’ll even buy a cake!”

Without realizing it, I was already smiling. Wataru had this knack for making me forget any worries, even if just for a moment.

“Understood, but don’t overdo it,” I replied, feeling a warm sensation in my chest as I grabbed my new uniform. “Oh, right... I need to get changed for the interview...”

Wataru wasted no time in making a practical suggestion.

“Why don’t you change here?” he said, gesturing toward the staff lockers. “No one else came to work today, so the staff lockers are empty.”

Without thinking twice, I hugged him tightly.

At that moment, Wataru closed the postal office and waited for me in the reception area while I changed in the staff lockers. The silence there was a stark contrast to the usual bustle when the staff was working.

But today, it was just us.

I changed quickly, adjusting the details of the uniform.

I straightened the black jacket with white accents on the sleeves, noting the triangular white design that stood out on the back.

It wasn’t exactly my style, but I had to admit it looked elegant.

As for the gray shirt, it had white stripes running down the center.

The black pants, on the other hand, had a military touch I loved, and the gray sneakers with dark accents felt incredibly comfortable.

I looked at myself in the mirror, imagining what it would be like to be at the interview wearing the Équox uniform. The thought made me a little nervous, but I couldn’t afford to hesitate now.

When I stepped out, I saw my father asleep on a bench inside the office. He was breathing steadily, as if the day’s work had finally caught up with him.

“I’m back,” I said, giving him a few taps on the shoulder until he began to wake up.

“Huh...? Ah...? How much time has passed...?” my father murmured, still half-asleep. “Are you back from the interview already? I haven’t prepared the party yet, but if you wait a little, I’ll get everything ready to celebrate.”

I chuckled at his confusion.

“Old man, I haven’t even left yet,” I replied.

“Ah... sorry, Anth,” Wataru said, getting up from his seat with a smile. “I was feeling a bit sleepy, so I closed my eyes and thought maybe...” His words trailed off for a second, and then he shook his head. “Never mind. Just be careful. And if the storm gets worse, find somewhere safe to shelter. Promise me you’ll send me a message to let me know you’re okay.”

Something about his words made me pause.

For as long as I can remember, the old man has woken up early every day to make his deliveries. He could have retired with what he’s saved, but he keeps working, insisting he wants to continue helping us.

That’s one of those things Minoru and I have always known.

Our father always puts our well-being ahead of his own health.

It’s as if the weight of responsibility is constantly on his shoulders, and even while bearing it, he carries it with a smile, though it often weighs more than he lets on.

Dad also worries too much about Minoru.

My brother is a bit scatterbrained and almost never eats on time. For this reason, our father makes sure that at least in moments like this, we celebrate as a family.

I suppose that’s what I like about Wataru.

Even though Minoru and I aren’t his biological children, he cares for us as if we were, so our bond goes far beyond blood.

I still remember my first day with them.

The old man had adopted Minoru half a year before I arrived, so when I stepped into the house, I felt like the new kid in a family that didn’t need any more members.

When I spoke to Minoru for the first time, I noticed that neither of us fit in completely.

In fact, we argued about almost everything, even getting mad about who Wataru’s favorite was...

But those were just childish antics.

The old man always showed that he didn’t have favorites, so fighting was never an option.

Looking back on those days, I can say we were fools.

Even though we weren’t supposed to fight, that didn’t last long.

It happened during one of our arguments, where we clashed in the yard and both ended up collapsed in the dirt, covered in mud.

When Wataru came home and found us like that, we knew what was coming.

With a hose in hand, our father began scolding us while spraying us down, and though he tried to stay serious, his face showed no trace of anger—only an attempt to suppress his laughter.

As the cold water drenched us, Minoru and I looked at each other.

We were both bruised, looking like two idiots who just wanted to hog the old man instead of sharing him. Realizing he would always be our father, we laughed at the same time.

It was then that we understood we were equals.

After that fight, my relationship with Minoru improved a lot.

We even started spending more time together, especially at the park.

Usually, we didn’t mind when neighborhood kids called us orphans, but we never let anyone speak badly about Wataru.

Anyone who dared to say something bad about our father was in for a beating. We didn’t need to discuss it or plan it.

It was an unspoken agreement between Minoru and me. Wataru was untouchable.

They could say whatever they wanted about us, but never, ever about him.

That fight wasn’t just the turning point in our relationship as brothers; it also taught us to support each other. From then on, we started sharing memories and helping each other...

Like studying for the Équox exam.

We spent countless nights sitting together, books open, our minds exhausted from overstudying. We knew it wouldn’t be easy, but we tried anyway.

I remember the days Wataru came back from his shift to find us asleep at the table. Sometimes, he’d wake us and send us to bed; other times, he’d just leave us there, covering us with a blanket before heading off.

The old man has always supported us, so now it’s our turn to embark on the mission to repay the favors we owe him. This celebration would be the first step toward our success.

But first, our father needs to get some rest.

“Promise me you’ll rest,” I said, looking at him with concern. “When you get home, I want you to take a breather. Don’t push yourself too hard with the party. It’s freezing, and we don’t know if the storm will worsen. If you promise that, I’ll promise to send you a message when we leave the interview.”

Wataru looked at me, smiling immediately.

“If you want me to come back home, I’ll do it. But you both need to be careful too. The news mentioned there would be blackouts due to the blizzard, and I don’t want you to take any risks,” he said, stepping closer to me. “I’d rather you didn’t go to your interviews, but I can’t stop your dreams either.”

I stayed silent for a few seconds.

I could understand the old man’s concern. It was clear that he wanted us to be safe with all his heart, even if that meant we’d miss the interview.

But I also understood that he couldn’t stop us, not after witnessing our efforts, and his concern only made me appreciate his affection even more.

He continued speaking, with that tone that combined affection and seriousness. “You know, even I know when I sound like a killjoy, but the news were clear about the winter storm, and I don’t want any tragedies. With the weather like this, you never know what might happen.”

“Don’t worry, old man. Nothing’s going to happen to us. I promise we’ll come back safe,” I replied without hesitation.

“You never know… But alright. We have a deal. I’ll make the effort to trust you,” he said, stretching his fist out toward me with a smile. “I promise I’ll turn on the heater and rest with Chester until you get back. When you do, we’ll celebrate like the family we are.”

When Wataru said that, I smiled and bumped fists with him.

“It’s a promise.”

With that pleasant farewell, I headed toward the city center, ready for my interview.

◇◆◇

I walked for about thirty minutes until I reached the main streets of downtown. The cold intensified with every step, as if the winter storm was determined to cover everything with its icy blanket.

It seemed the old man hadn’t been wrong about the news.

The snow covered the pavement to the point where my shoes sank with every step I took. There were no people around in the storm, only a few cars daring to drive through the snowy streets.

Finally, I arrived at my destination.

I observed the Équox building. It was the only one with fourteen floors and a modern structure with large windows. I placed my hand on the glass gate, pushing it with an extra effort.

How heavy…

The sound of the gate echoed through the lobby, almost as if it was announcing my arrival. Although there were no signs of other students, a few people walked back and forth, busy with their own matters.

I shook the snow off my uniform and headed to the reception desk.

“Hello?” I greeted the man behind the counter, showing him my student ID. “I’m here for the interview. I was given these instructions.”

The man, who appeared to be middle-aged, put his notebook aside, took my ID, and examined it carefully. After a few seconds, he handed me a note and pointed toward the elevator.

The note said my interview was scheduled for the top floor.

“Excuse me, is that all?” I asked, trying not to show my confusion. “Don’t you need another confirmation?”

The man didn’t even bother to respond.

He returned to his notebook in silence, ignoring me as if I no longer existed.

“I see…”

I took a deep breath and took the elevator to the fourteenth floor.

Nerves started to take over, but I tried to remind myself that I had already passed the exam. This was just a bit of extra paperwork before becoming a successful student.

When the doors opened, I found myself in a well-lit hallway.

All the chairs were empty, and there was a door ajar at the end of the hallway with a sign that read: “Student Interviews.”

It must be here, but… why is there no one else?

I approached the door without thinking too much.

“Excuse me, I’m here for the Équox interview,” I said, peeking inside, slowly opening the door. “I saw the door was open…”

As soon as I finished speaking, an uncomfortable feeling took over me.

The office was lit, with two leather chairs in front of a tidy desk, but… there was no one there.

Huh…? Did I go to the wrong place? Or did I arrive late?

I sat in one of the chairs, checking the Équox letter just in case I made any mistake, but I was in the right place at the right time.

In hindsight, it was still interview hours.

A twinge of nervousness hit my chest, but I deduced that waiting was my only viable option. My mind was racing with thoughts, and I even started imagining the observer laughing at me.

But I couldn’t give in.

I told myself I would wait thirty minutes.

Thirty minutes for someone from Équox to show up.

If no staff member appeared by then, I would send Minoru a message so we could meet up and head back home.

However, not even ten minutes passed before the lights in the room started to flicker strangely.

What the hell…?

I didn’t have time to process what was happening.

Before I could move, I heard the sound of the door slamming shut. The crash resonated in my ears, and suddenly, the office was plunged into total darkness.

A chill ran down my spine.

I knew the storm could have cut the power, but the force with which the door slammed shut, as if someone had slammed it, was what really scared me.

This wasn’t a coincidence… Something else was going on here.

Fear paralyzed me for a moment. I tried to stand up to check if this was just a simple blackout, but before I could react, a strange pressure began to envelop my face.

Something suffocating surrounded my face, as if a pair of invisible hands were grabbing me until I fell completely unconscious.

In less than a second, I felt the world fading away as my senses shut down, as if the darkness was dragging my existence into the deepest abyss.

Father, I’m sorry… I… I won’t be able to come home.