“Finished early, huh?”
“…”
What should I do?
I can’t believe the Winter Blizzard has completely absorbed into me.
I can feel the Winter Blizzard pulsating near my heart.
It releases coldness throughout my body via my veins, slowly freezing me solid.
‘Is this how it feels?’
Naturally, an inspiration struck me on how to use the Winter Blizzard.
An ability to emit and control cold.
But that’s not all.
It seems possible to summon winter even in the height of summer, a power that could even twist providence.
And the Winter Blizzard harbors an unfathomable darkness.
Although I can’t accurately grasp it since it has only just been absorbed.
“Have you rested enough?”
“I knew you’d say that, so I was treating my legs first.”
“We don’t know when we might be pursued, so we’ll set off immediately.”
“Yes.”
First, let’s head back.
We need to get out of the Closed Sector and return to the Empire to find a solution.
After all, to fulfill my wish, I need to detach the essence from my body.
*****
In the Northern Lemia Duchy.
Epherna and her subordinate mages have been working tirelessly day and night to clear the thick darkness that has enveloped the mountain range.
“Your Highness, it’s time to switch shifts.”
After half a day of intense focus, Epherna opened her eyes.
The fatigue in her golden eyes, which had subtly revealed themselves, could not be hidden.
For the past week since the operation to reclaim the essence began, Epherna had not rested for a single moment, dealing with the mountain’s darkness and royal affairs.
Although she was capable of restructuring her body with advanced magic, that was not the issue.
Three days ago, of the five teams that had set out with Ern for the essence recovery operation, three teams had separated.
These three teams brought back a handful of surviving children from the closed sector.
According to them, following the command of the Commander Ern, only two of the five teams were taken to seize the Winter Blizzard on the spot. No one knew what happened afterward.
No one knew what happened after that.
More than half of the forces they had assembled were lost.
Included in those forces was Ern.
‘…What on earth is he thinking?’
I can’t understand it, and the anxiety in my heart is driving me mad.
It was incredibly difficult for Epherna to not express her feelings as someone in a position of authority.
At that moment.
“Your Highness, the expedition team has returned.”
“…”
Notification of the return of the expedition team that Ern belonged to.
“Are there any casualties…?”
The attendant next to her sensed the slight tremble in her voice.
Knowing the name of the being that stirred her heart, the attendant smiled and raised her voice.
“There are injuries, but no casualties. Sir Astra also returned in one piece.”
“…I see.”
Epherna barely managed to calm her trembling lips.
“I must go welcome the brave warriors who have completed their mission.”
“Yes. I will prepare right away.”
Epherna rose from the bed she was about to lie on and headed to the vanity.
She had just finished washing her sweat-soaked body.
Once she put on her makeup and changed her clothes, she could go see him right away.
With her movements becoming lighter, unable to hide her smile, Epherna began her makeup with the help of her attendant.
“Why are you bothering to put on makeup when you’re already beautiful?”
That voice came through. A playful voice that never gets old.
But it belonged to a man with a heavy, masculine charm.
Epherna ran to him without turning her head and embraced him.
With a loud sound of impact, Epherna buried her head in Ern’s chest.
She inhaled deeply like a person who had just been saved from drowning.
“…I’m really dirty right now.”
She hadn’t even wiped off the blood and dust covering her entire body.
It was only natural since he had come to find Epherna as soon as he arrived.
Epherna ignored Ern’s words and muttered.
“You should have come back and reorganized instead. How could you think to carry out the mission with only two of the five teams? I thought I was going to die from worry… Why did you do something so reckless… I was really… worried…”
Sniffling sounds began to emerge.
Ern gently stroked Epherna’s back with his blood and dirt-stained hands.
“I’m sorry. It suddenly reminded me of when you were a child.”
“……When I was a child?”
“All the surviving children were around your age back then. So I couldn’t ignore it.”
“Why were you thinking about me as a child during the mission?”
“Don’t you remember? You were incredibly cute back then.”
“Are you saying I’m not cute now?”
“Instead, you’re even prettier than before.”
“…”
Epherna looked up at Ern with a mischievous expression.
“Say that again. Are you saying I’m less cute than before?”
“…”
She barely held back the laughter that was about to burst out.
Instead, she smiled lightly.
“No. You’re cute. Even more than before.”
I can’t win against her.
I don’t know since when, but that’s how it was.
Every word melted my heart, making it impossible to retort.
An indescribable, unique feeling melted pleasantly into my heart.
Even the cold emitted by the Winter Blizzard could not withstand it.
.
.
.
.
Meanwhile, Ray, who followed Ern, was witnessing the scene right in front of him alongside Epherna’s attendant.
“…Damn. I suddenly want some soap.”
*****
“Would you live alone and be sad~ I’m jealous, I’m jealous~ Someone is going to be the next Empress’s consort, while someone else will rot away in the underworld for a lifetime!”
“Why are you saying that all of a sudden?”
“Life is depressing. So, when will you let me retire?”
“Why are you asking me that? You should ask that gentleman Schneider.”
“That guy has been holed up lately. I haven’t even seen his face.”
“Being the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Army must keep him busy. Would he have time to meet with a mere special forces commander?”
Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen him lately either, but he attends all important meetings, so it’s fine.
“By the way, hasn’t everything you needed to worry about been resolved? What will you do, Commander?”
“What are you talking about? Why would everything be resolved? There’s still a mountain of tasks ahead.”
The coming-of-age ceremony coinciding with Epherna’s birthday.
The unresolved motives behind the Second Prince’s support for the Evergreen.
And soon-to-be Empress Epherna.
Even just listing these tasks makes it clear that they are complex and difficult; there’s no room for relaxation.
“But all the life-threatening tasks are done now, right? The Evergreen people should be disappearing soon, the aftermath of the war is nearly finished, so isn’t it true peace from now on?”
“…Well, I suppose you could say that.”
Now, we can consider that all threats to Epherna’s life have come to an end.
While the issue with Duke Tesran hasn’t been resolved, to be honest, it’s not something we can call a major problem. He has caused Epherna to be irritated enough that we could prepare thoroughly on our end.
“Still, you can’t say it’s all over.”
In the life of a ruler, where would the end of trials be?
Death is the end and peace.
Such a life awaits Epherna going forward.
“By the way, why did you call me separately?”
“Are you only asking that now?”
“Because there have been many times you called me for no reason. Whether it’s for smoking or training, there were reasons later added.”
“I never called you for smoking, you idiot!!”
Despite appearances, I’ve led a life free from ever smoking.
To be honest, it’s because I find cigarette smoke disgusting… but still.
“I do have something to say to you.”
“Something to say?”
“Yeah. I thought it would be better to tell you.”
I raised my hand to draw up mana.
I’m not trying to use magic.
I’m trying to draw out the energy that lies dormant in my heart through mana.
Very cold Winter energy.
The winter energy, using mana as a medium, wrapped around my hand.
“…What’s going on?”
Ray’s eyes widened in surprise, and I answered.
“As you can see, I have absorbed the Winter Blizzard.”
“Are you crazy? Why would you consume that? Does the essence of the Divine King look like spoiled food that you can just spit out at any time?”
“Do you think I ate it because I wanted to? I tried to seal it, but it turned out like this. What do you want me to do about it?”
“Why couldn’t you seal it when you had the Demon Language Scroll? Didn’t you swallow it just to get stronger?”
“I don’t know!! I told you I don’t know!!”
After a brief and pointless bickering.
“Anyway, I’ll think of a way to spit this out, but there might be unforeseen circumstances, so I was asking you to watch my back.”
“Unforeseen circumstances?”
“It’s just a prediction, a prediction. There shouldn’t be a situation that goes that far under normal circumstances.”
“What situation are we talking about?”
“I don’t know yet. You’ll find out when it happens.”
It would be better if it didn’t happen, though.
“If you speak so ambiguously, do you think I’ll understand?”
“You will understand.”
He’s a child I’ve taught since he was very young, like my own shadow alongside Lea.
“I’ll ask Leah the same thing. If that unforeseen situation arises, help the princess together with Lea. That should be enough.”
“…Is that an order?”
“It’s a request.”
“…”
This isn’t something I could issue as an order.
At that moment, Ray’s expression hardened bitterly as he read my sincerity.
Suddenly—
The coldness from my heart changed into a sharp pain that pierced my insides.
I almost let out a groan from the pain, clutching my chest and swallowing it down.
