Davaz Town, Shire woke up in his own bed, feeling thoroughly refreshed.
It was already eleven o'clock last night when he finished discussing the airport and the purchase of additional planes with Gallieni. Although the dormitory at the City Defense Headquarters was always prepared for Shire, he still had Major Laurent take him back to the town.
He got out of bed and lifted a corner of the curtain, his gaze passing through the glass to look at the outside world.
Everything was dressed in silver; the trees were bent under the weight, their branches adorned with strings of crystal-clear icicles, swaying gently in the wind and making a rustling sound. Occasionally, a chunk of snow or ice would fall, raising a flurry of snow powder beneath the trees.
A few children wearing woolly hats and heavy cotton jackets were frolicking in the snow. Their laughter pierced the cold air like warm sunshine, bringing innocence and vitality to the quiet town.
