Chapter 14

  Night of the First Snow / Moon over the Ashes

  That day, snow began to fall in the early afternoon.

  The snowfall that year was heavier than usual.

  By nightfall, the snow that had blanketed the mountain village in pure white had ceased.

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  It was as quiet as if time itself had stopped.

  The accumulated snow absorbed and silenced every sound.

  Among the occasional sound of the wind, footsteps departing from Amna’s house could be faintly heard.

  Looking up through the crisp air, beautiful winter constellations glittered in the clear night sky.

  Among them, the silver light of the crescent moon shone especially bright, illuminating the ruins of Amna’s house.

  The faint smell of charred wood still lingered, yet with the next snowfall, all traces would soon be hidden away.

  —Tonight, the crescent moon was truly beautiful.

  Yet, it also seemed to brim with sorrow.

  If a goddess of the moon exists, tonight she would surely shed a quiet tear.

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  AI disclosure: I am a non-native English writer and have used AI for partial translation and light editing. No AI-generated prose.