The majestic palace in front dazzled me. The designer must’ve poured all of his heart and soul into designing the palace. I’d like to think that he’d be revered for ages even if it was the only design he came up with his entire life. The structure was basically a Notre Dame Cathedral except that it had four sharp towers pointing into the clouds, which was very similar to the anthropoids’ palace in the past. It was probably done to match with the structures of the anthropoid buildings style and colours in the Imperial City. The most perfect design was four protruding tips connected by an oblique glass. A huge pure-gold star was placed at the point at which they were connected at the peak. The pure-gold star wasn’t a flat star, but a three-dimensional six-corner star with the snowy mountain as the backdrop. Hence, it resembled a five-cornered star when seen from the three other angles.
This symbol was what I came up with after Freya asked me. It was the only thing that came to mind. The five-corner star is something I was very familiar with. I couldn’t make five, so I placed a huge star at the top of the palace as it was done in Kremlin. The star was higher than the mountains behind it, so the star would light up this world before the sun does. It’d light up the entire market, at least. The star would light up the entire city that had been revived.
The palace belonged to me henceforward. The city belonged to me. The land belonged to me. The once frozen land had acquired a new life in my hands. It was also a new life for me, though I hadn’t acquired a new life in the literal sense.
I scrubbed Freya’s head as she stood next to me. She looked at me with a smile, and then held my hand. She faced the palace complimented it. “After warming up the North, I had the elves come and work their magic. They truly are so efficient at work. When will humanity be able to work at that rate?”
I smiled. “We will. We definitely will. But we need to make use of their mana before that, don’t we? It’s very good that elves and humans are collaborating. Humanity is innovative, while the elves can turn humanity’s innovative ideas into reality. This palace is the perfect example. Without the elves, humanity would probably take several years to construct it, and I’d probably have to live in a construction tent.”
Pleased with herself, Freya grinned. “It was all thanks to me coming up with the idea of asking the elves for help. Onii-sama, essentially everything in the North is my credit!”
I lowered my head and pinched Freya’s face. I laughed. “That’s true. You really have surprised me beyond words, Freya. I never imagined you’d be able to return warmth to the North while I was gone, as well. Your idea to bring in warmth was amazing. You even came up with initial phase plans for the North. You’re truly too amazing. You truly are my sister.”
“Hehehe…” Freya shyly laughed and then raised her head up to look at me very eagerly.
“But it’s been rough on you, Freya. It’s been hard on you to have to do so much work here in the North where everything is scarce. Honestly, I feel incredibly guilty right now. You’re still a kid, yet you’ve shouldered so much for me. This should’ve been my job.”
Freya shook her head then held my hand. Voice solemn, she replied,“No, it is nothing, because I told you that everything of mine is yours. Onii-sama, you are my only family and my only brother. Your business is my business, so I do not feel that it was rough on me… Of course… If you could fulfil a wish of mine… then that would be even better…”
Freya’s gaze shifted around. I looked at her and stroked her head with a smile. “Go on. Tell me, Freya. As long as it’s not ridiculous… Wait. Even if my cute sister’s request is overboard, I would still do it. Freya, tell me, what do you want me to do?”
Freya looked at me somewhat nervously, so she pinched the corner of her clothing. She looked at me and then behind me as though she didn’t dare to look in my eyes to make a request. She carefully looked at me and stated her request, “Umm… Onii-sama… Although I know that you still need to bring Miss Lucia and Miss Nier over…, and they will be giving birth in just two more months… You must be by their sides… I know that…. Mm… I am very concerned about the Princesses, as well… But… mm…”
I looked into her eyes and interjected on the spot. “Do you want to go out with me?”
My question caused Freya to freeze in place. It was as if her long preparation was rendered completely useless, because I broke her rhythm. She looked at me and blankly nodded. “Ah! No!! That is not it!!”
She seemed to suddenly realise what she just did, and hence, quickly shook her head. She then stuttered as she tried to explain herself, “No! No! No! Not at all! Not at all! Onii-sama, I know that you have work right now and that you need to take care of the Princesses. You are very busy right now, I know that. I know that. I know that…’
“But you still want to go out with me?”
I crouched down to hug her. She froze stiff in place, absolutely stunned. She didn’t even dare to budge. Her arms hung down as though they were dry tree branches. She didn’t dare to wrap her arms around my back. I gently stroked her head and back. With a smile, I told her, “Though I should indeed be by my wives sides right now and sort out things in the North, I can still go out for some fun with my cute sister for a day. Freya, go ahead and tell me: where do you want to go? We can go tomorrow. My sister did so much for me, so of course we can go out for some fun.”
Freya leaned on my shoulder and spaced out. She trembled as she looked at my face and blankly asked, “Really…? Can we really…? Onii-sama… Going out for some fun together… Can I… Can I really speak my mind?”
I responded with a chuckle, “Go on and tell me, Freya. As long as you don’t say Hilles City or Karana’s place then I’ll let you have your way. If you want to go there, then we will get the opportunity to go afterwards. Right now, though, we truly can’t. I need to stay here and wait for my wives, too.”
Freya replied in a soft voice, “Uhm, I know. Onii-sama, I just want to go to Troy City. I want to make a trip back. The flowers from the dye crops have bloomed, so it should be a very pretty field of flowers. I never had the opportunity to go and see it… I really want to see it if possible. Also… I want… to have a bath in the hot springs with you! J-Just the two of us!”
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