<b>I was in a snowfield off of Mt Hyosei. Accompanied only by silence.</b>
<b>After taking a breather, I put on my fighting spirit.</b>
<b>“Haaa. . .”</b>
<b>I closed my eyes and focused my mind.</b>
<b>The air was dead, but a breeze flowed only around me. It then turned into a whirlwind, wrapping up my body as it carried up snow from the ground.</b>
<b>“N. . .kuku. . .”</b>
<b>After wrapping around my body for a short while, it gradually weakened, and finally subsided to the ground below.</b>
<b> And once again, it returned to the quiet snow field.</b>
<b>“Haaa- – -”</b>
<b>Phew.</b>
<b>These abilities and skills use so much of my mental energy. </b>
<b>I was panting from exhaustion.</b>
<b>“Well, that didn’t go smoothly. . .”</b>
<b>I’m trying to make a big whirlwind that can change the weather, just like my mother can. But I just can’t manage it.</b>
<b>By the way, this is actually me doing voluntary training. I left the store managing to my mother. Thanks to her I don’t need to constantly be attached to working.</b>
<b>So now I’m by myself, training my own power.</b>
<b>I may not be in a club, but I feel like this is more important.</b>
<b>I need to take it seriously or I won’t improve.</b>
<b>“I wonder if I’ll really be able to live up to being a Yuki Onna. . .”</b>
<b>I don’t know what I’m doing. . .</b>
<b>“Fuu. . .”</b>
<b>I sat down on a stump and took a break.</b>
<b>I’m in a field that is surrounded by trees. This place is on the outskirts of the village, and not far from my home.</b>
<b>It’s a good place to practice without having to worry about people around you.</b>
<b>I actually found this place recently, and I can now practice alone.</b>
<b>“Are you a Yuki Onna!?”</b>
<b>A surprised voice came from behind me. I was spooked and looked back to see an elderly woman standing there. She had to be over 80 years old. She was bent over and holding a cane. Her face is weathered with age, as her wrinkles were apparent.</b>
<b>“!?”</b>
<b>I just remembered.</b>
<b>There was a small house that an elderly couple lives in just off the mountain trail.</b>
<b>I heard that they make a living through giving agriculture advice or something like that.</b>
<b>But I’ve never met them before. . .</b>
<b>She began to slowly approach while leaning onto her cane.</b>
<b>“I didn’t imagine I’d find a . . .cute child in my vegetable field.”</b>
<b>“Eh!?”</b>
<b>This is a vegetable field?</b>
<b>I thought it was just an open plane.</b>
<b>The white snow covers everything, so I never noticed.</b>
<b>“S-Sorry.”</b>
<b>I hurriedly bowed. But the grandma shook her hands.</b>
<b>“No no, don’t apologize. This land belongs to the mountain god, and you are a Yuki Onna. So use it. We are simply borrowing it. Hahaha.”</b>
<b>But- – –</b>
<b>She knows I’m a snow woman!?!?</b>
<b>I was caught already?</b>
<b>“N-No, I’m. . .You got it wrong, I’m not.”</b>
<b>I was denying it as much as I could.</b>
<b>“It’s okay, It’s okay. Is it supposed to be a secret? Don’t worry about it, I won’t tell anyone.”</b>
<b>She actually then beckoned me over to her.</b>
<b>“Come over along deary. Ah I’m not going to do anything bad, it will take just a moment of your time.”</b>
<b>I just stood there in disbelief. But I didn’t know what to say, so I simply decided to follow along.</b>
<b>We left the field as she guided me into the forest. A building soon appeared, although it was hard to find due to the coverage of the forest.</b>
<b>It looked to be a log house at first glance, but surprisingly it was made of reinforced concrete.</b>
<b>“Back in the past, this hut was used as a mountain rest. However, since grandpa died, I’ve only been playing around with the field. . . Until recently I didn’t expect such a blessing to come.”</b>
<b>So it was a hostel or a B and B. Hyosei has a lot of those around here.</b>
<b>I followed her into her house after she opened her heavy metal doors.</b>
<b>“Come on in, make yourself at home, Yuki Onna-san.”</b>
<b>“Pardon the intrusion.”</b>
<b>As we walked into the old house, through the corridor, you could see telephone, books, appliances that were outdated. The air stench with age. I can’t even name some of the older items.</b>
<b>It gives the impression of living with the memories of over 80 years of life.</b>
<b>“In the past there were alot of people who came here. Often mountaineers from Tokyo.”</b>
<b>The walls were covered with a number of commemorative photos, that I suppose were taken with guests and visitors from a time long past gone.</b>
<b>The sofa and tables are in the exact same spot in the photos. It seems like this place had visitors spending time here often. </b>
<b>Just based on the photos, it must have been a lively place everyday.</b>