Ten days later, in late March of the Protos Empire.
Frost and snow drifted through the sky. The vast snowfield stretched to the horizon, blending into the gray-and-white sky, while every feature that had once existed on the ground was buried beneath thick snow.
More than a hundred kilometers outside Banderra City, a frontier city on the Northern Border Province's front line, there was still no sign of human habitation—only a barren snowfield.
The farther north they went, the more frequently they encountered exceptionally harsh weather. It was common for the weather to make travel impossible for two or three days at a time, while scattered snowbound cities and villages grew fewer and farther between.
Beneath this endless blanket of white, a sleigh suddenly appeared atop a hillside, slicing through the frost and snow and kicking up a white storm.
"Woohoo, takeoff!"
"Faster, faster!"
"Meow meow meow! You two, slow down! Don't fall off the cliff!"
The abrupt laughter and childish shrieks rang especially clearly through the wind and snow.
The two people sitting on the sleigh were brimming with excitement. Even the cold air, carrying a faintly stinging frostiness, could not conceal the joy on their faces.
Lanchi and Sid sat on the sleigh while the black Great Fox pulling it charged wildly ahead. Golden flames burned at the tips of its ears, and snow flew beneath its powerful paws. Every step sank deeply into the snow, leaving behind golden traces of varying depth.
Cat Boss clung desperately to Lanchi's clothes.
It could tell that Lanchi and Sid were genuinely having a wonderful time!
If Tata were beside Lanchi right now, she would certainly wear a stern expression and tell him to slow down. If Hugh Treasure were there, she would probably tactfully remind Lanchi to watch out for