Spring Equinox Season, inside the Hearthstone tavern... Joshua was having a video call with Shael, the king of Frost Country.
"Can you see me?"
Shael had just activated the video call function in Text Message. She still seemed unaccustomed to the camera, so Joshua's entire Magic Web Interface was filled with half of Shael's face peeking in from the lower left corner.
The Frost Owl was staring into the camera with her ice-blue pupils.
"I can see you, but Shael, could you move a little farther away from the camera?"
Joshua took out the Nautical Chart of Coastal Country... which should now be called the Sea Race People's chart.
"Like this?"
Shael pulled the camera back a little, and Joshua could finally see what she looked like.
Nearly half a month had passed since the World Culture Expo. Shael had accepted the Sea Race People's request to reclaim their homeland on behalf of Frost Country.
Judging from the background behind Shael, she should have been on that Giant Turtle's back.
"Ciri doesn't seem to be beside you."
Shael was also observing Joshua's surroundings. He was alone, holding a Nautical Chart, with no one else in sight.
"Ciri is petting a cat. In other words, she's raising one."
Joshua was not in his study. By now, his study had become a place for Cloud Cat Raising.
Though that orange cat's body obeyed Joshua's control, its instincts as a cat remained, so it had to be allowed to move about every day.
"Cats... Compared to pets like that, I still prefer owls."
Shael unconsciously began chatting with Joshua. Whenever the king of Frost Country spoke with Joshua privately, she always revealed her true nature.
Or perhaps she was letting down her guard?
"I don't have much experience raising owls. But more importantly,