Part 66: The Snow Has Stopped

[BGM: A Family Matter]


Hmm? Outside the window...

Am I really seeing things? It's stopped snowing! Just like the letter said, the snow has finally stopped!

I don't know if Master has seen this. I must go and tell him!

…

*knock knock*



Master? Master? Are you in there?

Oh, the door isn't locked.



Master is lying on the couch, face down and sound asleep.
The tea and snacks I brought in half an hour ago are still sitting on the desk by the door, untouched.

He's still sleeping...

He seems to be sleeping an awful lot recently; I can't even remember when I last saw him awake. Should I wake him?

Master... the snow... the snow has stopped.

Master, the snow has stopped.

Master! It has stopped snowing! Wake up!



That's strange. He's sleeping a little too soundly...

Oh well, that's fine. He'll see that the snow has stopped when he wakes up.

[BGM: Silence]


I walk towards the door, but I notice something strange.
The tea and snacks I brought in half an hour ago are still sitting on the desk by the door.
There is a teapot and a cup on a tray, and a plate of pumpkin cookies.
I always put 5 cookies on the plate because it looks better that way.

When I came in earlier, the 5 cookies were still there exactly where I put them.
But they are gone now!
I take the lid off the teapot and there is nothing but wet leaves inside.

I turn around and look at Master.
He has barely been out of my sight and he is still sleeping.

Weird... where did the snacks go?

Has a ghost taken the cookies and the tea?!



I pick up the cup and carefully examine it.
There are no tea stains on the cup at all.
Then I realize something. For the past few days the cups have always been clean when I've come to collect them.

It's almost like they haven't been used.
Never been used...

I walk back to the couch and lightly tap on the Master.
No response.

I push him harder.
No response.

I even pull some hair off of his head...
Still no response.

[BGM: Broken Dream 2]


Oh no... Is he...

Several possibilities come into my mind.

If we were human I would assume Master is sick, or even... dead.
But could those things happen to a god, too?
And what's the story with the vanished cookies and tea?

I am not sure what has happened, but Master must be in some sort of trouble.
I must wake him up, no matter what.
But how...



Hmm?

Isn't this?

I pull a pen out from under Master.
It is the one that he used for work.

I have seen him working a few times, so I have some idea of how to use it.
Even though I am just a servant, Master once mentioned that we were both gods.
Maybe I could...

No matter what, I have to give it a shot!

…