"Sigh, novels really are just made-up stories, protecting a princess and such is so boring," Obito said with a sigh as he squatted on the ground, poking a pile of snow with his finger.
The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. Obito was as disappointed now as he had been hopeful when he first arrived.
The protect-the-princess mission Obito imagined: "A kind and beautiful princess and a powerful, evil enemy, ending with a difficult victory over the enemy to save the princess and become a hero."
The reality of the protect-the-princess mission: "The princess is just a little brat; there's no trace of the enemy, and no chance of becoming a hero."
"You could look at it positively; if someone dared to assassinate the princess, they'd surely be a strong enemy, and it would be tough," Nohara Rin comforted.
"But if we don't defeat a strong enemy, how can we become heroes?" Obito was very frustrated.
"If you're really bored, why not come and build snowmen with me? It seems like a waste not to make a few snowmen with such good snow," Nohara Rin invited Obito while rolling a snowball.
"Then let's see whose snowman looks better," Obito's eyes lit up, and he immediately agreed.
Though the task left him disappointed, building snowmen with Nohara Rin was definitely something to be happy about.
"Kakashi, you join us too. I feel like you could make a very detailed snowman," Nohara Rin also invited Kakashi.
Obito's smile wasn't as bright; after all, with Kakashi involved, the vibe was different.
"Just because you're good at sculpting doesn't mean you'll excel at snowmen. After all, there's no Snow Release Ninjutsu to help with the sculptures," Obito implied that Kakashi's fine sculptures were all thanks to his ninjutsu.
"Is that so? I think no matter what, it'll still be better than your snowman, Obito," Kakashi, who initially didn't want to participate, decided to show Obito what real skill looked like.
"Just wait and see!" Obito's eyes scanned around before quickly choosing a spot to start building his snowman.
Kazahana Koyuki, watching the three of them have so much fun, also wanted to join in on the snowman competition.
Children don't hide their emotions, and the guard next to her immediately saw what Kazahana Koyuki was thinking and reminded her, "Lady Koyuki, it's too cold now, and playing in the snow could make you sick."
"I know that! I didn't say I was going to play in the snow," Kazahana Koyuki said, puffing up her cheeks.
Although she knew the guard was concerned about her health, watching others have fun made Kazahana Koyuki uncomfortable.
But a good princess doesn't scold others. Kazahana Koyuki remembered her father's teachings, so she only used her expressions to vent her dissatisfaction.
"Could I trouble you, Princess Koyuki, to be their judge? Competitions always need a judge; otherwise, it's hard to determine the winner," Mokgetsu requested with a smile.
As a typical child, playing in the snow at Kazahana Koyuki's age could indeed lead to catching a cold. So Mokgetsu came up with an idea that would allow her to join without playing in the snow, giving Kazahana Koyuki a sense of participation.
"Can I?" Kazahana Koyuki looked excitedly at Mokgetsu, then realised it didn't fit a princess's image, so she rephrased.
"Ahem, I'm saying even though I'm a princess, I'm a kind and generous princess, so since you're asking, I'll reluctantly agree."
"Then we'll trouble you, Princess Koyuki." Mokgetsu cooperated with a smile.
Even though she could only sit indoors watching Obito and the others play, being able to judge and comment gave Kazahana Koyuki a bit of anticipation—for instance, thinking about what to criticize rude Obito or how to praise Nohara Rin's snowman if it turned out ugly.
"Mokgetsu, does your country also have snow like this?" Kazahana Koyuki was curious about what other countries were like.
"It does snow, but usually not as heavily or as frequently, and it comes later in the season, typically in winter," Mokgetsu explained.
"Is that so? I always wondered why there are four seasons; they all seem about the same to me," Kazahana Koyuki said with a puzzled expression.
"Because the Snow Country has a unique location, each of the four seasons actually has its own characteristics. For example, in spring, although it's not hot, it's much warmer than winter, so lots of flowers bloom in spring. Summer is the hottest season of the year..." Mokgetsu gave examples to explain the differences between the seasons.
Since Kazahana Koyuki was very young, Mokgetsu made an effort to describe things more thoroughly to help her understand.
Listening to Mokgetsu's description of the blossoming scene in spring, Kazahana Koyuki's eyes showed a hint of longing; it was a sight she had never seen in the Snow Country.
If Obito had said this, Kazahana Koyuki might have even doubted its authenticity, as it seemed somewhat dreamy to her.
"Rin, how about my snowman?" After finishing his snowman, Obito immediately called out Nohara Rin's name.
Obito had great confidence in his snowman. To get the proportions just right, he'd even used his Sharingan.
As Nohara Rin's snowman was almost done too, she followed the sound of Obito's voice and saw a snowman that resembled Obito.
"Looks similar, right?" Obito asked proudly. He had even taken off his goggles to put them on the snowman for accuracy.
Having practiced various skills hard to not just watch Kakashi show off, Obito had finally found a chance to put them to good use.
"It's really impressive; I didn't expect you'd be so good at building snowmen, Obito," Nohara Rin said softly, praising him while generously showcasing her own snowman.
Nohara Rin hadn't made a snowman of herself like Obito. She had built two small snowmen, both of which looked like they were arguing, with one having a black cloth on its face and the other having a twig goggles on its forehead.