Notes:
() - Heroine's thoughts, Blue Text - Flashbacks
Juri - Prince of Shalyart - Main Story
Chapter 1 - A Snowfall on an Island of Eternal Summer
Kingdom of Frozen Treats, Shalyart, July...
Along with waking up Juri-kun from a slumber, I visited his kingdom, Shalyart. In the town, white snow was fluttering down beautifully.
Juri: What the? Snow!?
When Juri-kun shouted that, he looked up at the sky in a panic.
Juri: But, isn't the sun out? ...This is abnormal weather.
As his beautiful eyes squinted, he made an odd look.
(All the land in Shalyart is covered in ice, so I thought that it was normal for snow to fall...)
As snow was falling from the sky, the sun was also out shining brightly. While thinking that it was strange, I looked up at the sky and...
??: Juri-nii! Welcome back!
Some boys that called Juri-kun by "nii" were waving their hands as they ran up to him.
Juri: Oh, you guys! Have you all been well?
Just as Juri-kun's perplexed expression disappeared, he made a bright look that was like the sun and hugged his brothers with both arms.
Servant: Juri-sama...! Welcome back!!
Along with his brothers, some servants greeted Juri-kun.
Juri: Sorry for making you guys worried.
When Juri-kun got up, he looked at the servants with a cheerful smile. As I was getting a warm feeling from watching that scene...
Juri's Brother: Hey, Juri-nii, it's snow! This is my first time seeing it!
(Eh? First time...?)
Juri: You don't seem to understand the reason behind this.
While I was only blinking, Juri-kun explained the situation with a bright smile.
Juri: Even though there's an icy area, this place has a warm tropical climate, which makes it an eternal summer. That's why it doesn't snow here... That's how it usually is.
MC: An eternal summer despite that there's an icy area...
Juri: In the island area of Shalyart, the bottom of the ocean is cold because of the "ice crystal". The ice crystal doesn't melt, even from the sunlight.
After Juri-kun said that, he looked up at the bright sun that was isolated in the middle of the fluttering snow...
Chapter 2 - Juri's Younger Brothers
As the burning sun was shining in the sky, white snow was fluttering down...
-Flashback-
Juri: Even though there's an icy area, this place has a warm tropical climate, which makes it an eternal summer. That's why it doesn't snow here... That's how it usually is.
-Flashback-
Juri-kun looked up at the sky with a puzzled expression.
Juri's Brother: Big Bro, we're going to play in the snow over there!
The tallest boy among Juri-kun's brothers said that and ran off. After him, his remaining five brothers followed him from behind while innocently competing with each other.
Servant: Ah... Your Highness!
Juri: Ah, don't worry. This place is pretty close to the castle. Also, there are some adults around, so they won't play if they're making people worried.
As he said that, he stopped the servants that were about to go after his brothers from behind.
Juri: Make sure to come back home before evening, you guys!
With both hands on his hips, Juri-kun saw his brothers off with a smile.
(Juri-kun looks like he has the tolerance of a big brother...)
While watching the brothers getting along as they were talking to each other, I felt warm.
At another location...
......
Juri: Strange... Where could they have gone...
By the time it became evening, Juri-kun's brothers haven't returned.
As the weather was starting to become fierce, it suddenly turned into a snowstorm.
Juri: I'm going to go look for them! You stay in the castle!
MC: I'll go too...
Juri: No, you stay here... I can't put you in danger.
(...I might get in the way if I push him to take me along.)
MC: I understand.
///Choices///
- Be careful (☽)
MC: But, be careful.
Juri: Yeah, thanks. Well, I'll be going out for a bit.
- I'll wait for your return (☼)
MC: I'll wait here for your return, Juri-kun.
Juri: Yeah! Well then, I'll be going, so don't worry.
///Choices///
As I was worried about Juri-kun and his brothers, I continued to wait for their return by myself in the castle.
......
After some time has passed, the area became engulfed in darkness.
(Juri-kun... He hasn't returned yet.)
With uneasiness rising, my heart became very noisy, at that moment...
Servant: ...Juri-sama!
Juri-kun returned to the castle by himself...
Juri: No good, I couldn't find them at all...
(No way... In this kind of weather...)
When Juri-kun shook his head bitterly, I felt how worried he was about his brothers wholeheartedly.
Juri: Also, there's some trouble in the town as well...
MC: Eh? The town...?
Juri: This is the first time the people in the kingdom have experienced a snowstorm. So, it's chaos since they're not used to the snow.
My eyes turned towards the snowstorm outside the window.
(It's because Shalyart was originally a kingdom of eternal summer...)
Juri: I'm really at a loss...
As Juri-kun was feeling helpless, he scratched his head roughly...
Chapter 3 - The Night of the Snowstorm
Even though it became night with a fierce snowstorm happening, Juri-kun's brothers that went out to play haven't returned.
Juri's Butler: Juri-sama... I'll call the guards, they'll go search for them...
Juri: You go do that, but... Take a look outside.
As the window was shaking from the strong wind, the outside was so white that the darkness of the night couldn't be seen.
Juri: You can't see much now that the snowstorm has become worse. If they go looking in the middle of that, there'll be more victims...
When Juri-kun said that while sitting on the sofa, his foot shook from uneasiness. Over his position as a prince, he takes the guards into consideration while he can't help, but worry about his brothers.
Juri: It's my fault... I didn't take this kind of weather seriously. If something were to happen to them...
(Juri-kun...)
///Choices///
- It'll be okay (☼)
MC: It'll be okay... I'm sure that they'll be all right.
When I sat down next to him, I tried to cheer Juri-kun up.
Juri: You...
- Let's have faith (☽)
MC: Let's have some faith, Juri-kun.
Trying to reassure Juri-kun a little, I said that firmly.
Juri: ...Yeah, that's right.
///Choices///
Juri: Anyway, I need to have faith right now, so I can't wait for this snowstorm to pass.
MC: Yes.
Juri: The abnormal weather will simply settle down. It's just that there may be some kind of other reason behind this problem...
MC: Other reason...?
The butler made a surprised look from Juri-kun's words.
Juri's Butler: Juri-sama. I just remembered something... This snowstorm... What if this is the doing of the yeti that resides in the ice mountain?
Juri: Yeti? The guy that lives in the north mountain?
Juri's Butler: Yes...
Juri: Give me the full details.
Juri's Butler: When I was younger, I heard about it from my grandfather... A long time ago, when a fight broke out between a yeti and a man, the yeti summoned a dreadful snowstorm. After that, they reconciled by having the yeti go live in the mountains up north and to never interact with the humans again.
Juri: So, something like that has happened.
Juri's Butler: I didn't think that there were any connections to it until now, but this sort of thing suddenly happening made me think of that...
Juri-kun nodded as if he had made some kind of decision and got up gallantly.
Juri: The north mountain, huh... I'm going to go take a look up there!
MC: Wait, Juri-kun. Please take me with you this time.
Juri: But, you...
Juri-kun looked back at me perplexedly.
///Choices///
- I don't want to just wait (☼)
MC: I don't want to just wait for you while you're going to a dangerous place.
Juri: Even though it's safe here?
MC: Even so...
Juri: ...
- I feel uneasy about you being alone (☽)
MC: I feel uneasy about you going alone... The thought of something happening to you makes me even more worried. Also, your brothers too... I want to hurry and find them soon.
Juri: To think that you were thinking that... I'm sorry.
///Choices///
Juri: ...I understand. I'll take you with me. It's pathetic, but I'm actually uneasy too.
As Juri-kun was a little embarrassed, he placed his hand on the back of his neck.
Juri: Besides, having you with me... It helps.
MC: Juri-kun.
Juri: If something happens to you, I'll protect you.
Even though he said that uneasily, those words were enough to make me respond with a strong nod...
Chapter 4 - The Cause of the Snowstorm
It was most likely that the abnormal snowstorm was caused by a yeti.
-Flashback-
Juri's Butler: Juri-sama. I just remembered something... This snowstorm... What if this is the doing of the yeti that resides in the ice mountain?
-Flashback-
Because of that, Juri-kun and I headed to the mountain, where the yeti resides in...
Juri: ! That's...!
At the entrance of a cave that's at the bottom of the mountain, there was the second son, Ichigo-kun, enduring the snowstorm.
Juri: Ichigo! Thank goodness...!
When Juri-kun lost control of himself and ran over to him, he went down on his knees in front of Ichigo-kun and hugged him tightly.
Ichigo: ...Brother... Sorry...
Juri: Geez, you had me worried.
Ichigo: That's not it...
Juri: ...? What's wrong?
Noticing how strange Ichigo-kun was acting, Juri-kun looked at him in the eye.
Juri: Ichigo?
Ichigo: This snow, it was our fault...
Juri: What do you mean?
(Ichigo-kun and the others were the ones that caused it?)
Ichigo: Sorry... I'm sorry, Brother.
As his lips were trembling, Ichigo-kun spoke.
Ichigo: We... We went to play in the snowy mountain that we were told not to go to. Over there, we became friends with the yeti's child...
Juri: ...!!
Ichigo: We've never seen snow before, so we wanted to see it no matter what... Then, when we asked the yeti's child to make it fall... This happened.
Juri: ...! Ichigo...! How could you guys do something so stupid!
Ichigo-kun's shoulders twitched when Juri-kun shouted angrily. Tears were gathering quickly in those young eyes.
Juri: ...
When Juri-kun silently furrowed his brow, he made a troubled and helpless look.
(Juri-kun...)
///Choices///
- Talk to Juri-kun (☽)
MC: Juri-kun, Ichigo-kun looks really sorry, so...
Juri: ...I guess so.
- Talk to Ichigo-kun (☼)
MC: ...Ichigo-kun, do you know how much you've made Juri-kun worry?
Ichigo: Yeah...
///Choices///
Ichigo: ...I'm sorry.
Juri: No... I'm sorry for shouting too.
When Juri-kun placed his hand on Ichigo-kun's head, he looked at me apologetically. Showing that I didn't mind, I returned a smile.
MC: Ichigo-kun, are your other brothers inside the cave?
Ichigo: Well... We got separated when the snow crumbled down...
MC: Oh, no...!
Juri: What was that...! Why didn't you mention that sooner! Where are they!?
Ichigo: O-Over there...!
As the snowstorm was getting stronger... Juri-kun clenched his fist and headed to where Ichigo-kun pointed at...
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