Nanako stared wide-eyed, her small hands clutching the blanket to cover her mouth, her cheeks flushed red.
Then she shook her head quickly, (>_<) saying:
"No way, my beloved master is still sick, this disciple would never do something like knocking you unconscious!"
The cold moon hung high.
Drowsiness gradually overcame Nanako, her eyelids slowly growing heavy and drooping.
"I should just go to sleep..." Nanako mumbled with drooping eyelids, as if sleep-talking:
"It's already too late."
Soon, she entered dreamland, and steady breathing sounds filled the room.
Time slowly passed in her slumber.
But in the next moment.
A mysterious and ethereal voice suddenly reached her ears.
"Nanako..."
"Nako..."
"Ko..."
The echoes reverberated.
In her hazy vision, she felt as if she was in a world of ice and snow. She looked around bewilderedly - fierce wind and snow were everywhere.
Then that mysterious yet gentle voice sounded by her ear once again.
"Come here..."
"Come here..."
"Here..."
Nanako gazed blankly in the direction of the voice, as if receiving some kind of summons, being drawn toward that direction by the voice.
Am I dreaming?
Where is this place?
And whose voice is that?
Nanako's expression remained bewildered as she trudged through the snow, step by step, laboriously making her way in that direction.
After an unknown amount of time, the wind and snow gradually dispersed, and the view before her suddenly cleared.
Nanako was immediately shocked.
She saw an enormous and towering Ice and Snow City appear majestically before her eyes.
It was more magnificent than any castle she had ever seen - even the highest mage tower in Winter Spring Valley looked like a child's toy compared to this castle.
Roar—
In the distance.
A massive Ice and Snow Dragon flew past overhead, blocking out the sky.
Nanako hugged her pillow and instinctively stepped back, her face full of disbelief and astonishment.
"Is Nanako dreaming? What an incredible realm..."
Like a fantastical journey, Nanako entered this uninhabited Kingdom of Wind and Snow with a face full of confusion and nervousness.
Following the guidance of that mysterious and ethereal voice, she arrived inside that massive castle.
And in the next moment.
On the high throne deep within the castle, she saw a goddess completely surrounded by ice and snow.
"You... you are..." Nanako's face was full of shock and awe.
The moment she laid eyes on that being, she knew that the existence who had summoned her here was definitely no ordinary being.
Divine light everywhere, swirling ice and snow, holy and vast magical energy and frost.
Even if someone told Nanako this was a god, she would absolutely believe it.
A gentle smile slowly appeared on the goddess's face, her voice ethereal and magnificent.
"I am the Ice and Snow Sovereign of this world, Nanako. I summoned you to my realm."
Nanako's whole body trembled.
So-Sovereign?!
As a City-Breaking Mage of Winter Spring Valley, she knew very well!
Those who dare claim the title of Sovereign must be existences who have reached the pinnacle in their domain!
They are supreme beings who can look down upon all living things.
But... how could this be possible!
She was just an ordinary City-Breaking Mage, how could such a powerful being summon her...
Nanako immediately said nervously: "What do you want? I'm just a mortal girl, I have nothing..."
The goddess's lips curved slightly as she said:
"Don't be nervous, child. I mean you no harm. In fact, I have been watching you for many years..."
Nanako was stunned and said: "Wa-watching me?"
The goddess slowly stood up and paced gently: "Yes. You are a very gifted girl. In fact, you are not ordinary at all, though perhaps you don't know it..."
"But your soul is actually far stronger than most living beings in this world."
Nanako was shocked.
So-soul...
Nanako's soul is stronger than other beings?
No way!
If that were true, why hasn't Nanako felt anything different?
Is this why this Ice and Snow Sovereign summoned her here?
Nanako said confusedly: "Senior, I... I don't understand, I haven't felt anything special about myself compared to others..."
The goddess smiled slightly and said gracefully: "You're more adorable than others!"
Nanako immediately rubbed the back of her head, her ahoge dancing about as she laughed: "Oh no no, I'm not that adorable... haha... eh?"
Nanako paused, looking questioningly at the great Sovereign.
[Oh heavens, I accidentally let out a teasing comment! (covers face) Lynn, you need to stay in character! You're the Ice and Snow Sovereign now, your character isn't supposed to say things like that!]
[But I really can't help wanting to laugh out loud! Master looking all silly and cute like this, I just can't resist teasing her a bit!]
[No! Lynn! You can do this! You're professionally trained, you can't laugh! Hahaha *hiccup*!]
[No! No, absolutely can't let little loli master get suspicious, must keep it together! Must keep it together!]
Nanako instantly froze in place.
The goddess coughed and once again resumed that graceful and elegant smile.
"Nanako, you should actually know better than me - you've lived for over two hundred years, yet your appearance has remained exactly the same. Haven't you felt even a little confused about this?"
[That's obviously because you're a special existence as the Hundred-Year Loli! Hahaha! You think that nickname came from nowhere?]
[You just can't grow up~ Really can't grow up, silly hundred-year loli, (～￣▽￣)～ you'll stay this size forever! Haha *hiccup*!]
Pop—
Countless "╬" symbols exploded above Nanako's head.
So...
Her face instantly turned bright red, she closed her eyes tight, and her teeth began grinding.
This evil, damned inner voice that made her want to beat someone up was...
Was...
She instantly raised her head to look at the goddess standing on the throne with that elegant and graceful smile.
It was that darned disciple!!!
(╯‵皿′)╯︵┻━┻
Nanako instantly lost it.
What kind of joke was this?!
If she couldn't hear her disciple's inner thoughts, how would she ever know that such an elegant and graceful goddess was actually her stupid disciple in disguise?!
She had thought she'd gotten super lucky and received the favor of some super powerful being.
But it turned out...
It turned out...
Nanako's eyes, Nanako's titanium alloy dog eyes!
They were about to go blind!
[As expected, this strategy was very nice! Looks like the blue-haired loli has been thoroughly intimidated, (*･ω<)]
[It really wasn't in vain that I went to such lengths to direct this scene, even specially transforming into a beautiful goddess. This way, no matter how I tease her in the future, loli master definitely won't develop any romantic feelings for me as a goddess~]