Hearing the grandmother's frantic voice through the timber wall, the three girls immediately wondered if the elderly lady had simply slept poorly the night before. Usually such a sharp, practical woman, it was jarring to hear her sounding so utterly bewildered today.
"Did you forage something questionable from the woods again?" a raspy, yet remarkably boisterous voice boomed from the back of the house. Even through the heavy door, the crisp tone confirmed that the old grandfather was in much sturdier health than any of them had dared to hope.
"I told you a dozen times to leave those strange mushrooms on the high rafters alone! Now see what you've done? Poisoned yourself, clear as day. I'll have to trudge across the snow to fetch the village doctor..."
The wood creaked as his heavy footsteps drew near.
"Claiming you saw the girls... We departed our old homestead without leaving so much as a scrap of parchment for those three. What do you reckon are the odds of them tracking us down across a snowfield this vast? You've simply missed the girls so much that your mind is playing tricks..."
Grumbling all the way, the grandfather pushed the thick door open, intending to see what sort of winter scenery had caused his wife to succumb to such a vivid daydream.
To be completely honest, if such a comforting illusion existed, he wouldn't mind catching a glimpse of it himself.
He missed those three girls terribly. He constantly wondered if they were surviving the harsh conditions of the frozen barrens. When the crisis had struck their old village, the evacuation had been so frantic and rushed that they had completely failed to leave a message behind.
Then, his gaze fell upon the five figures waiting in the lane. The old man's eyes went wide as saucers. Three of the faces—no, four, if he counted the unique features—were individuals he had visited regularly in his dreams.
"Old woman... I think my senses have failed as well," the grandfather muttered, his eyes glued to the visitors. "I'm seeing all three of them standing right before our porch, and they've brought company. It even looks like Talulah has managed to have a youngster of her own. I'd best see that doctor right alongside you..."
Whether he truly doubted his own eyes or was simply overwhelmed by the sudden avalanche of joy, his aging mind stalled completely. He began to turn back toward the dark interior, intending to cross-reference the vision with his wife.
"Grandpa! How much do you two wish to avoid us? We are standing right here in the flesh, and you still refuse to believe your own eyes!" Jeanne's exasperated shout finally shattered the old man's doubts.
It was indeed their three girls standing on the porch!
Though he couldn't begin to fathom how they had tracked them down to this remote haven, the details mattered very little now that the children were safely home.
"Merciful heavens, the girls are back!" The grandfather's gruff demeanor vanished, replaced instantly by a radiant, deeply affectionate smile. He eagerly stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter. "What are you doing lingering out in the freezing wind? Come inside, come inside! Bring your friends along!"
Turning his head back toward the kitchen, he immediately resumed his bickering. "What nonsense were you spouting about illusions, old woman? The children have marched all this way, and you're treating them like ghosts. You spend far too much time brooding in the corner; it's completely addled your judgment..."
The grandfather spoke with such easy confidence, completely glossing over the fact that he had just accused his own mind of unraveling a second earlier. Jeanne, Talulah, and Alina exchanged amused glances before bursting into a shared, warm laugh.
Seeing the lively banter between the old couple, a heavy weight lifted from the girls' shoulders. It was beautifully clear that despite their sudden displacement, the elderly pair had managed to maintain a comfortable, stable routine.
They followed the old man into the cottage. The structure was a somewhat dilapidated timber cabin, showing obvious signs of deferred maintenance. Several beams looked weathered, and the roof clearly required a thorough reinforcement before the next heavy blizzard.
Still, it was precisely what one would expect. Even with their sturdy health, a pair of elderly folk lacked the agility to scramble up ladders to mend rafters, and knowing their proud nature, they were hardly the type to impose on their new neighbors for chores.
"See? I told you the children were back, yet you refused to listen!" the grandmother scolded, darting across the room the moment they stepped over the threshold. She deftly shifted all the blame onto her husband's shoulders before enveloping the three young women in a joyous gaze. "My word, let me look at you... You've grown into such splendid young ladies! And Alina, your complexion looks infinitely better than before..."
Bypassing her own two foster children entirely, the old woman focused all her maternal affection on the Elafia maiden, her heart swelling with happiness at the visible improvement in the schoolteacher's health.
In the old days, while Alina had always maintained a cheerful spirit, her battle with oripathy had left her looking fragile and pale. Had Jeanne not regularly braved the deeper woods to bring back fresh game to nourish her, the girl's frailty would have broken anyone's heart.
But now, Alina's cheeks carried a healthy, vibrant flush, and her frame no longer appeared thin and brittle. The grandmother was so completely overcome with joy at the sight that she entirely forgot about the other two girls she had raised.
"Who are the actual daughters of this household again? Why has grandmother completely erased the two of us from her field of vision?" Talulah remarked dryly, watching the old woman fuss over Alina.
"Haha! You two trouble-makers don't need our coddling," the grandfather chuckled, patting Talulah's shoulder. "Even if we marooned the pair of you in the heart of the highest frost peaks, you'd manage to feast like kings and keep yourselves warm. Why should we waste our worry on you? Though, Jeanne... your stature remains a bit of a concern. You haven't grown a single inch since you departed!"
Jeanne winced slightly at the observation. Compared to the naturally tall and broad-shouldered Ursus folk who populated the region, her height was admittedly modest, but hearing it put so bluntly felt rather unfair.
"Grandpa! What do you mean I'm short? Standing at one hundred and sixty centimeters is perfectly respectable!" Jeanne protested, trying to defend her dignity.
Talulah remained on the sidelines, utilizing her distinct height advantage to offer a silent, teasing smirk.
The heartwarming scene was quietly observed by a silent pair of eyes from the corner of the room. FrostNova had no intention of interrupting the tender moment. Watching the family celebrate a reunion they had long thought impossible was a beautiful sight, and a soft, nostalgic smile graced the warrior's lips.
The display stirred a faint, distant memory of her own grandmother.
"Merciful heavens, look at me... I've spent all my breath chattering and completely neglected our guests. And this little one..."
Having calmed her racing heart, the grandmother finally noticed the white-haired visitor standing quietly by the door, as well as the young child holding tightly to Alina's hand. The young girl bore such a striking resemblance to Talulah that it was uncanny.
"Hello, Grandmother. My name is Fafnir," the young dragon girl spoke up, her voice clear and polite as she noticed the elderly woman's attention shifting toward her. "Jeanne sister rescued me from the wild barrens."
FrostNova arched a brow in mild surprise upon hearing the youngster greet the host so readily. She was well aware that Fafnir was typically a child of very few words.
Under normal circumstances, if an outsider didn't explicitly address her, the young dragon remained entirely aloof, keeping her distance from anyone outside the core trio and projecting a quiet, unapproachable aura.
Yet here she was, actively introducing herself to the old woman.
For Fafnir, the logic was perfectly simple: these two elderly people were Jeanne's family, and since Jeanne was her own family, these two could be counted as her family as well. Offering a polite greeting was only natural.
"Oh, what a darling child..." The grandmother's face lit up as she leaned down to inspect Fafnir. The closer she looked, the more the youngster appeared to be a miniature version of Talulah, though her sharp, expressive eyes carried a distinct trace of Jeanne's gaze.
The old woman didn't overthink the matter, assuming it was simply a wonderful twist of fate that allowed Jeanne to stumble upon a child who fit so perfectly into their circle.
"What are you all discussing so intently?"
Jeanne and Talulah re-entered the cottage, balancing several heavy wooden stumps to serve as makeshift chairs. The furniture in the small cabin was meager at best, and there simply weren't enough proper benches to accommodate the entire gathering.
"Nothing of grave importance, just learning about this sweet child," the grandmother replied, turning back to the door. "Oh, forgive my terrible manners, young lady! I was so thoroughly captured by the sight of the children that I neglected to welcome you properly."
"Please do not worry, Grandmother," FrostNova replied, her tone softening into a warm, respectful cadence. "My name is Yelena, and I am a companion of Jeanne and her circle."
The elderly couple offered a radiant, enthusiastic welcome to the white-haired guest. She seemed an exceptional young woman, though the grandfather couldn't help but notice that standing near her brought a peculiar, chilly draft. Perhaps the old cabin walls were simply letting in the winter wind, creating an illusion of frost.
Meanwhile, out beyond the perimeter fences of the quiet settlement, the tracking party from the Yeti squad found themselves facing a far less peaceful situation.
Their tension had nothing to do with the villagers recognizing Jeanne or Talulah. Rather, their scouts had just detected the distinctive, tells-tale signs of an imperial inspection detail approaching from the ridge.
It seemed some traveling merchant had informed the local garrison that the abandoned valley was seeing fresh signs of life, prompting the imperial officers to march out to demand their usual exorbitant taxes from the settlers.
After a few swift, whispered exchanges among the pines, the Yeti soldiers reached a unanimous verdict. They had no intention of disrupting their captain's rare afternoon of family happiness. Dealing with a handful of imperial tax collectors was a trivial task they could easily handle entirely on their own!