บท 38: Chapter 38: Daily Life with the White Witch
The reindeer pulled the sleigh, racing across the vast, endless ice field.
Sitting next to the queen, Ino noticed some subtle anomalies up close.
Her skin was exceptionally pale. Whether it was her face, neck, or even her hands, they all glowed with a porcelain-like brightness and smoothness.
This sight made Ino think, no wonder the kind inhabitants of Narnia mockingly call her the evil White Witch.
If she had a different skin color... who knows what kind of strange nickname she might have received.
...
As Ino continued to observe, a cold voice interrupted.
"What are you looking at?"
"I was checking how much longer until we arrive since we've been on this sleigh for quite a while."
Even when caught spying, Ino calmly fabricated a reason to cover it up.
"Call me Your Majesty!"
"Alright! Your Majesty, I was just checking the journey."
Ino adapted the title readily, since it didn't cost him anything. In fact, the witch was indeed a legitimate queen.
"Hmm~" The witch made a barely audible sound through her nose.
Unnoticed by anyone, the two silver fir runners of the sleigh were emitting a faint blue light.
Wherever they passed, the soft snow instantly hardened into a smooth ice surface.
It was fortunate that the barren ice field had no reference points; otherwise, it would have been evident that the sleigh's speed had increased significantly.
...
They sped along the way.
Finally, after crossing a frozen river, the sleigh arrived at a relatively flat area.
The White Witch's palace castle stood proudly on the ice field.
Compared to Hogwarts' grandeur, this ice-sealed castle exuded a sharp atmosphere.
Apart from the main building, it was entirely composed of tall spires, like an array of spears, solidly guarding the surroundings.
The sleigh came to a steady stop outside the main gate of the castle.
"Simon, park it properly! Then notify them to prepare the banquet."
The White Witch dismounted first and instructed the dwarf ahead.
Ino followed behind the witch, maintaining a standard courtly distance of one pace.
The two walked through a narrow corridor and arrived outside the castle's great hall.
Throughout the journey, Ino noticed something strange.
It was too quiet here; the vast castle seemed devoid of any living beings.
Whether it was the corridors, side halls, drawbridges, or gardens... everything was covered in ice and snow, making it a true lifeless zone.
The only sound came from his heavy boots crunching the snow.
As for the White Witch, even though she wore 12-centimeter crystal high heels, they made no sound on the ice and snow.
...
"Bam~"
The heavy stone doors of the hall opened automatically.
Silhouettes flickered... the hall was filled with countless magical creatures.
Sturdy centaur warriors, giants over twenty feet tall, dwarves with bows and arrows, minotaurs, satyrs, and even various fierce beasts.
But all these figures were frozen in place, maintaining their poses without moving.
As Ino was about to take a closer look, the White Witch's impatient voice came again.
"Ignore them; they are just former rebels who now serve as decorations in my castle."
...
Time passed slowly.
By banquet time, the White Witch's castle finally gained a bit of life.
A dozen dwarves in uniform appeared in the hall, bustling around to set up the dining table, light the candelabras, serve the dishes, and arrange the utensils... Once they finished, they left silently.
At the dining table, Ino sat opposite the White Witch.
"Tell me, why did you come to Narnia? If it weren't for the fact that you're a fellow wizard, you'd already be a statue by now."
The White Witch asked bluntly.
"Your Majesty, I came with no specific purpose." Ino raised his head, meeting her gaze.
"I'm just a wandering bard who learned a bit of magic to defend against bandits during my travels."
The White Witch did not respond immediately to this explanation.
She gazed into Ino's eyes for a long time, then slightly lifted her head to look around the empty hall.
The atmosphere grew tense until...
"Alright, I'll believe you for now." The White Witch said softly.
Phew~ Ino let out a sigh of relief; the pressure was immense.
As the de facto ruler of Narnia and a powerful witch, her presence was overwhelming.
Even compared to Professor McGonagall, another powerful witch, the White Witch's aura was much stronger. Perhaps only Dumbledore could match her.
"Thank you for your trust." Ino bowed slightly.
Under the eaves, one sometimes has to lower their head.
This meal was particularly awkward for Ino, mainly because the White Witch adhered strictly to court dining etiquette.
Her impeccable manners did not relax even though there were only the two of them in the hall.
On the other hand, although Ino had learned some court etiquette from Hans, he felt like a poor imitation compared to the White Witch.
It was the difference between natural habit and clumsy imitation.
Fortunately, this awkwardness didn't last long. As soon as the White Witch put down her utensils, the banquet ended.
The dwarves appeared again, quickly tidied up the hall, and left it quiet once more.
"Since you claim to be a bard, tell a story." The White Witch commanded.
Such a reasonable request met no resistance from Ino. Despite being coerced into coming, he had at least been fed. Telling a story in return was the least he could do.
...
In the empty hall, Ino chose to tell the story of "The Little Match Girl," both to fulfill his promise to Old John and to weave his own experiences into it, making the narrative more complete.
After about ten minutes, the accordion began to play a mournful tune.
"...When people found the little girl the next day, she was dead, frozen in the cold Christmas night."
"She had a smile on her face, her frail body leaning against the wall, as if she were asleep, dreaming happily."
"Boom~"
As Ino prepared to end the story, a fierce wind suddenly swept through the hall, overturning the surrounding furniture.
Faced with this sudden change, he grabbed the accordion and scrambled behind a giant statue, avoiding being blown away.
"Frozen to death? So you blame the winter? If it weren't for her irresponsible father and that wretched uncle, would she have died?"
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