The Blizzard of Winter is a tale from the Mythical Era.
As such, there is very little information about the essences of the Four Myths, including the Blizzard of Winter.
Even I, receiving the blessing of ‘Autumn Wind’, possess only one usable talent.
However, ‘Summer Sun’ is different.
Summer Sun is the essence of the only myth humanity has upheld under the Eastern Principality for centuries.
Therefore, there is more information compared to the other three essences.
Among the useful information is that Summer Sun resonates with the essences of the other myths.
Unlike the other essences that cannot know each other’s existence unless revealed, Summer Sun uniquely serves as a warm guide, revealing each other’s existence.
That’s why there was no room for doubt.
The Little One harbored the Summer Sun.
*****
Late at night.
“…”
I sit on the living room sofa unable to sleep.
I keep thinking.
Does this make sense?
The likelihood of the last descendant of the royal family being discovered in a house after retirement.
It would be a chance of one in millions.
However, it tells.
Royal family, abduction, Summer Sun, Principality, Absolute Magic.
And, the girl sealed in the empty house.
Puzzle pieces that were shattered fit into each other’s empty places.
If it seems impossible, what comes to mind is evidence and certainty.
While trying to find a basis for denial, what I ended up discovering was another certainty.
The more I ponder.
The more I compare the Little One’s characteristics and appearance with the Second Prince’s.
The more certainty becomes reality.
Shining platinum hair and golden eyes, unbelievable genius.
I am not a fool.
Not one to ignore the truth even when seeing it, I could calmly draw a conclusion.
The Little One is a descendant of the royal family.
The last Princess of the Empire kidnapped by the Eastern Principality.
*****
Unlike the past, Epherna’s mornings lately have been very refreshing.
She no longer complains of agonizing pain from her abdomen, nor does her vision blur as if she’s dizzy.
She knows who to thank every time she opens her eyes and feels grateful, but Epherna doesn’t show it.
As a fifteen-year-old girl, she feels embarrassed to express gratitude to someone.
With a clear mind, she gets up from bed and follows her morning routine of two things.
Wash her face and have breakfast.
These are the minimal patterns Ern mentioned for living like a human.
She sits at the table to wash up and eat breakfast.
Soon, Mister will bring breakfast.
But.
“… Still sleeping?”
When Ern was out of sight, Epherna went to his bedroom.
As expected, Ern is still asleep, and Epherna nudges him.
“Mister, wake up.”
“Ugh…”
“It’s morning. We need to eat.”
Ern tosses and turns but doesn’t get up.
Did he sleep late last night?
He usually guards his sleep time like a sword.
“If you’re not happy, you should sleep more.”
In a dazed state, Ern grabs Epherna’s waist with both hands.
He pulls her, who weighs barely half of him, onto the bed and holds her down so she can’t move.
“… Mister?”
Epherna is now in Ern’s embrace, and she looks up at his face.
Ern’s face is more relaxed than usual.
For the first time, Epherna can leisurely look at Ern’s face.
“…You’re handsome.”
His features are distinct and bold.
And he’s a man who can match anyone in looks.
She catches a whiff of his scent.
The scent of a man mixed with soap.
Subtly addictive, she can’t stop sniffing.
‘He can’t see it because he’s asleep.’
Epherna buries her face in his chest.
She stretches her arms wide and hugs him.
“Mmm…”
She feels happy.
A rich satisfaction fills the hunger in her heart.
Ern’s body felt firm to her touch.
Perhaps because he was a former soldier, his shoulders are broad and his arms thick. Until Ern wakes up,
Epherna explores his body with her senses.
*****
Mister woke up.
I felt a little disappointed.
I wished he could sleep just one more hour.
But the disappointment didn’t last long.
“Mister, is something bothering you?”
Especially today, his state seemed strange.
Even if he woke up late in the morning, seeing him absent-minded all day was really unsettling.
I sat down in front of him.
“Is there something you can’t tell me?”
His eyes met mine.
Looking at me while seemingly pondering deeply.
“…Okay. I guess it’s better to tell you.”
Rather than murmuring to himself alone.
He muttered and then spoke clumsily.
“Little One.”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t be too surprised when you hear this.”
“Okay.”
Would it really be such a big deal to be surprised?
I thought about that for a moment.
“You don’t know where you’re from, do you?”
“Yeah.”
Since I had lived here since I was very young, it was impossible for me to know.
“Your family name is Grandeum.”
“…What?”
“You’re the princess of this country.”
Suddenly, the words popped out reflexively.
Grandeum.
There was no way the people of this country wouldn’t know it.
“Are you joking right now?”
“I know it’s hard to believe. You must think it’s nonsense.”
It’s just as Mister said.
It sounded like nonsense.
Even if he joked about it, I felt like I could just let it pass.
“No.”
“Why are you telling me this if it’s not a joke?”
“No matter when I said it, you would have reacted the same way.”
I couldn’t deny it.
Whether he said it in a certain atmosphere or now, the reaction wouldn’t have been much different.
So that’s what he decided.
Since he had to say it anyway, it would be better to say it sooner rather than later.
“Kid, you need to know.”
He gently placed his hand on my head.
He pressed his body against mine as if to comfort me without surprising me.
He spoke quietly.
“It’s going to be a little long to explain.”
*****
She, who spent most of her life alone, recalls first and foremost the cold darkness from her memories.
Thick trees surround the place that looks like a forest.
There’s someone running with her, panting heavily.
Every time she tries to remember, her head turns blank.
Because she was asleep back then.
It’s impossible to recall nonexistent memories.
She closes her eyes and opens them.
What she sees next is the memory that follows.
Inside an ordinary room.
Even now, she remains trapped inside the cursed mansion.
There were several maids in the mansion.
The memories continue for a long time.
The girl lived with their help.
Although the maids always seemed expressionless and strange, the mansion had many books to alleviate her boredom.
Come to think of it, she could leave the mansion back then.
She could freely wander outside.
She spent most of her life inside the house because she was too young.
Until then, the girl had grown up as an ordinary child without any difference.
Eating when hungry, playing as she wanted, and falling asleep as part of her daily routine.
But one day.
She was imprisoned.
The maids disappeared.
All the food and furniture in the house disappeared.
She couldn’t go more than 10 meters outside.
There was no food, so she had to starve.
She wanted to find someone to help her, but she couldn’t even go outside.
After one day, she became thirsty.
After two days, she became hungry.
After three days, her entire body became weak and became unable to move.
Before dying, she realized the power inherent within her.
The power to convert sunlight into life force.
She had to use that power to survive each day.
Just because she didn’t want to die, she used sunlight instinctively, filling herself with life force by sleeping half the day.
But her body, deprived of nutrients, inevitably couldn’t grow.
The pain of hunger pierced her organs like a dagger, an unavoidable torment of hunger.
Why, why did such things happen only to her? She had cursed God more than once.
Whenever she saw someone passing by the window, she felt an inexplicable rage rise within her.
Why. Why only me?
There must be sinners scattered throughout the world who must endure such suffering.
She always fell asleep with such thoughts.
Salvation came to that girl after nearly 10 years had passed.
-Who are you?
A man with black hair and blue eyes.
-Are you hungry?
He was a miracle to the girl.
*****
The story, whether short or long, came to an end.
“Uh…”
Epherna collected her thoughts.
“So… I’m royalty of this country?”
“That’s right.”
“The people of the country called the Eastern Principality planted something called the Summer Sun on me and locked me in their house?”
“That’s correct.”
“…I understand up to that point.”
That’s the main outline.
What’s important is what comes next.
“The Second Prince, my blood relative, who is terminally ill, is looking for me to replace him as emperor. After retiring, you bought a house and found me, then received orders from the Second Prince to find me. That’s what it means…”
Epherna whispered.
“…Does that make sense?”
It seemed natural that Ern had bought the house with the intention of finding her from the beginning.
“Is it true that you discovered me by chance in the first place?”
“If not, I would have reported to the Second Prince by now.”
And somehow, he would have pulled together as many personnel as possible to release her from the constraints she was under.
Epherna also knew this, so she didn’t doubt Ern.
“…”
Ern looked at Epherna like that.
“I think I need to think about this. If what you’re saying is true, I’ll become a ruler.”
Surprisingly calm.
Perhaps because she hadn’t yet realized that she would become Empress, her emotions remained minimally fluctuating relative to her age.
It’s a bit chilling.
*****
It’s strange.
What Mister said wasn’t surprising.
I was surprised that my lineage was nobler than I thought.
But maybe because I had suspected that my origin wasn’t ordinary.
Mister’s words made me think that it had finally come true.
So instead of feeling surprised, I focused on how to use this information.
‘If I use the position of empress, can I keep him by my side?’
The emperor is someone who can do everything.
Even when I become an adult, there will be many ways to keep Mister by my side.
I returned to reality and looked at Mister’s face.
An unexpected reaction.
At the same time, there was a hidden fear.
Maybe because I’m too calm.
If I were an ordinary child, I wouldn’t show such a reaction.
At that reaction.
“…Honestly, I can’t believe it. It’s a bit scary.”
I shook my head with my eyes open.
Then his eyes changed.
“I just want to keep going like this.”
Feigning fear, I nestled into Mister’s arms.
Mister was reassured by the natural behavior that a child would do, and hugged me tightly.
I felt a sense of happiness that was several times greater than when I was touching him.
The corners of my mouth twitch like crazy as his scent seeps into my nose.
Holding on to him, I savored his embrace.
At the same time, I thought.
Moving forward.
How should I use this?
