Chapter 17

    The First Snow Arrives

    Abundant food, warm shelter, and meaningful recreational activities were key factors that transformed the children under the care of Redwood Church into strong, healthy kids—no longer weak or sickly. They had so much energy that they could run around playing tag in the cold weather without any trouble.

    The thin, frail body of a child who was close to death just a month ago was no longer in sight. Now, Kit was much chubbier and looked well-proportioned. His limbs were no longer just skin and bones. His clear, bright eyes made him resemble a well-nourished child from a noble family in a major city when viewed from afar. His sisters all became prettier and more adorable. If he had to compare them... They were like the bright and cheerful flowers of spring.

    The heart of an old man in a child’s body felt slightly refreshed.

    Additionally, his older brother James had grown taller. His height had increased yet again. His strong physique was second only to Brother Jason. It was expected that by next year, James would be significantly larger than most young men in the village. The boundless energy of the young man was being put to use chasing his mischievous little brothers all over the grassy courtyard in front of the church.

    On Kit’s lap sat two clingy little ones… his youngest sister, Lynn, and his youngest brother, the designated troublemaker… Ethan. The three of them were basking in the afternoon sun in pure contentment. Before long, the exhausted children who had been running wildly came to sit and chat while soaking in the warm sunlight. The sweaty, musky scent of their bodies made the boy with an enhanced sense of smell wrinkle his nose slightly as he adjusted his perception.

    Fortunately, he had trained himself over the past few days to better control his sensory reception. Daily life had become much easier because of it.

    In his previous world, where technology was highly advanced, research had determined that a bear’s sense of smell was 7 times stronger than that of a bloodhound. If compared to a human’s, Kit’s olfactory ability was now estimated to be 2,100 times greater than that of an average person. Yet, he had no way of perceiving just how much more sensitive he truly was to airborne chemicals compared to others. He simply knew what practical benefits it provided, and that was enough.

    Since Jason had left four days ago, Kit and James had been exploring the forest alongside a few of the older children. A detailed map, marking key points along the complex routes, was recorded onto soft parchment. Sister Anne had a few spare sheets in storage. Kit found it somewhat extravagant at first, but later learned that parchment was not particularly expensive in this remote area. Since literacy rates were low, there was an excess supply of writing materials, which drove the prices down accordingly.

    The little boy mentally stored away this newly acquired bit of information.

    Exploring the forest near the church with his exceptional nose led them to discover many more edible plants. The infirmary was soon repurposed into a temporary food storage room. It became packed with various herbs and aromatic spices that could be used in cooking. The nuns could only stare at the newly formed pantry with an uneasy expression for a while.

    “This... isn’t this a bit too much?” Sister Lisa inspected the forest goods that the children had been hauling in for days. “This forest is under the protection of Goddess Foris. If we... upset her, what then?”

    “No need to worry, Sister. I recite a prayer I’ve learned every time before taking anything from the forest. I believe that the great goddess will surely understand our necessity.”

    The little boy didn’t mention how the wind always playfully brushed past him whenever he silently prayed. It might have just been a coincidence, after all.

    Sister Anne was also trying to reassure her close friend.

    “Maybe Kit is loved by the forest. Don’t stress too much, Lisa.” She patted her friend’s shoulder lightly. “If you’re still worried, how about we have Kit pray to the gods even more? Maybe that way, he’ll learn to be more mindful of his actions in the future…”

    The two elderly women turned to him with wide smiles. A sudden chill ran down Kit’s spine, making him jolt in alarm.

    “Think of it as a trial run before you begin your studies at the Central Church in three years, Kit.”

    “Yes, yes. Being a priest would be so cool. Don’t you think so too, Brother David? Hee hee hee.”

    “N… Nooo.”

    (I just want to be a farmer. I don’t want to become a priest and dry up like all of you...!?)

    Unfortunately, no one paid any attention to the little boy’s protests anymore.

    That afternoon, the only sounds coming from the old, freezing church were solemn prayers.

    .....

    The simple life at Redwood Church had carried on until winter had officially arrived.

    Soft, fluffy snowflakes drifted down gently. They looked warm, yet they were so bitterly cold that the children had no desire to go outside and play...

    At least, that was how children in remote areas would usually think. But this year, the kids at the church were so full of energy that they could run around in the snow without issue. During the first week of snowfall, strange white structures filled the courtyard in front of the church.

    Even though Kit had never experienced snow in a human body before, he had long lost any excitement over it. After all, in his dreams, he had lived as a giant bear in these forests for decades. He had no idea how else his body might have changed, but right now, he felt far too resistant to the cold. Not only that, but he constantly felt drowsy, as if he wanted to hibernate.

    After cooking, studying, and washing up with the younger kids at the church, he would take every chance he had to nap and regain energy. For a while, Kit ended up becoming a lazy older brother—so much so that the younger ones started feeling lazy as well.

    Or maybe—Did eating too much bear meat make them act like bears?

    Every time he curled up on a bed of compressed straw, layered with soft rabbit fur, Kit would relax completely, his face carrying a faint, peaceful smile.

    The harsh winter didn’t seem so bad after all…

    From the first month until the middle of the second, the snowfall was light. The sky remained clear, with the sun occasionally shining down.

    From the end of the second month to the end of the third, however, the weather became bitterly cold, and the fierce snowstorms that James had warned Kit about arrived. Fortunately, they had plenty of food stocked up, and everyone was in good health. Not a single child fell ill. The only things that increased were cheerful laughter and an even bigger appetite.

    The thick snow piling up on the church’s wooden roof slid off naturally due to its slanted design, so no one needed to go outside to clear it. On some days, when Kit went out to watch James haul firewood into the shelter, he would see a breathtaking view of a snow-covered pine forest stretching as far as the eye could see. The lush green pine needles remained visible, which surprised him.

    “James... don’t those pine trees ever shed their needles? That’s strange.”

    “Hmm...” His eldest brother glanced at the pines, which looked the same as they always did in winter. Then, the curious little brother received an answer that wasn’t particularly helpful.

    “It’s normal. I heard that red pines have been like that for hundreds of years. Since I can remember, I’ve never seen them shed their needles…”

    Kit’s belief that trees should shed their leaves before winter began to shift. If he remembered correctly, young pine shoots could be brewed into tea to help with the cold. Not only that, but they were quite beneficial. The only thing he wasn’t sure about was whether red pine shoots were as edible as white pines from his previous world. He would have to test it himself.

    Recalling bits of knowledge he had picked up from documentaries...white pine shoots were incredibly useful. They were packed with vitamin C and vitamin A, which helped boost the immune system, as well as nourish the nervous system and eyesight.

    It was unbelievable how something he had casually watched before his death in his past life was now proving to be so valuable.

    Kit planned to experiment by brewing a warm tea from them. After the snowstorm passed, he would have to nudge his tough older brother into dragging him through the snow.

    ......

    What the adventurer in this new world had not anticipated was the intensity and duration of the snowstorm in the third month of winter, which raged on for nearly three full weeks. The little boy could only joke to himself, wondering whether the mighty forces of nature were angry at humanity—hence striking with such brutal cold.

    Fortunately, James had already transported a large supply of firewood inside, storing it along the hallways of their shelter. Thus, the heavily snowed-in entrances posed no real problem. The large fireplace in the central room remained alight, spreading warmth throughout the area. Luckily, the chimney and ventilation openings near the upper walls had not been blocked off. Otherwise, they would have had serious trouble.

    The long days of curling up together in the dormitory without seeing the sun finally ended when the snowstorm subsided at the start of the fourth month. The late winter sun shone through the clear sky for longer periods each day. Clearing paths through the piled-up snow became a daily task. This gave Kit the perfect opportunity to invite his older brother to gather young pine shoots from the forest’s edge for an experiment.

    His nose told him that a strong tea brewed from these shoots was drinkable. However, his tongue—protesting against the extreme bitterness—left the little boy grimacing in disgust, making him reluctant to drink it a second time.

    (Why did that show say it was a mild tea, almost like plain water? Yuck...) After forcing himself to finish an entire pot of the tea to confirm that it had no negative effects on his body, the young boy decided never to collect young pine shoots for bizarre experiments again.

    (Bitter coffee still tastes good once you get older. Maybe I just need to train myself slowly?) His gaze drifted toward the pile of collected pine needles. After recalling their taste, he quickly made up his mind.

    (Uh... Maybe next year.)

    The food stockpile in the big storage had dwindled to less than half. The herb storage in the old infirmary had also diminished. Both elders had become accustomed to using them in cooking, and their culinary skills had improved significantly. Two weeks after the storm, the tightly packed snow began melting into slushy ice, leaving the surrounding area damp and muddy.

    A clear sign that winter had officially come to an end…

    This year, unlike the last, there were no casualties. All sixteen children were in excellent health. Even the two elders felt stronger than before.

    Thus, they celebrated with the grandest feast they had ever had—to ensure this year started off exceptionally well, filled with even more strength and vitality than ever before.