A vast expanse of white snow blanketed the northern continent.
In the middle of the snowfield, a solitary mansion stood tall. A lone figure walked toward it.
Despite the bitter cold, the woman wore only thin clothing. Yet with each step, she seemed to fold through space, covering great distances effortlessly.
She raised her reddened hands and knocked on the mansion door.
“Lady Asilia!”
The gatekeeper greeted her warmly.
Sasha Asilia, the Snowflake Sword.
She smiled gently.
“Mr. Berg, have you been well?”
Hearing her words, the gatekeeper’s face filled with emotion.
“You’re probably the only one who remembers my name, Lady Asilia.”
“That’s not true. I received so much of your help while I was here.”
“Thank you. It’s been a while since I last saw you, but you seem to be in good health, and that’s what matters most.”
“It’s thanks to everyone who helped with my rehabilitation.”
Her elegant smile carried warmth.
The gatekeeper bowed his head deeply, his actions filled with nothing but pure respect. It was a sincere reverence for her as a person.
“I will escort you inside.”
As they crossed through the mansion, Asilia exchanged greetings with the staff.
The maids, gardeners, and chefs—every person she passed welcomed her with nothing but warmth.
She carried the presence of a gracious lady of the house.
Finally, they arrived at the study of the head of the household.
— Knock, Knock.
A soft, refined knocking sound echoed through the luxurious wooden door.
There was the sound of a chair scraping against the floor, followed by the door opening.
A woman stood at the entrance, holding the doorknob herself.
It was Yerina Pierce, the Grand Duchess of the North.
The moment she saw Asilia, her face lit up with a broad smile—one that resembled a younger sister reuniting with her long-lost elder sister.
For someone like Yerina, known for her strong and bold nature, this was quite unusual.
“Lady Asilia!”
“It’s been a while, Miss Yerina.”
“It hasn’t just been a while—it’s our first meeting since you left for the Academy! You never came back even once!”
Yerina grasped Asilia’s hands.
During the time Asilia had spent recovering at the mansion after being rescued from the Grand Duke’s dungeon, she and Yerina had formed a stronger bond than expected.
In truth, Yerina had come to follow Asilia like an older sister.
With a soft smile, Asilia gently embraced Yerina.
Even though Yerina was taller, she naturally melted into the hug.
There were many things they needed to talk about, but nothing conveyed warmth and emotion like a simple embrace.
However, there was one important topic they had to discuss today.
That was why Yerina’s expression soon grew serious.
“Ian… That child…”
Her voice was full of worry.
Instead of answering, Asilia took Yerina’s hand and led her to the sofa.
She guided Yerina to sit first before sitting down herself—an act filled with quiet consideration.
Asilia spoke softly.
“You don’t have to worry too much, Yerina.”
“But I heard the news. He was attacked after leaving the Vatican. It must have been the Bloodstone Cult, wasn’t it?”
Asilia nodded.
It was a soft, calm nod—neither too heavy nor too light. The kind of nod that naturally reassured those watching.
Yerina found herself settling down, her anxiety easing slightly.
“Ian… It’s been so long since I last saw him.”
“You always had a soft spot for my disciple.”
“That’s not—it’s not that I—!”
Yerina hurriedly tried to explain, but her face flushed slightly as she muttered under her breath.
“That child’s talent is undeniably valuable for the North. That’s all there is to it. If keeping him here meant I had to offer my own engagement as the head of the household, I wouldn’t hesitate…”
She recalled the moment she first met Ian.
The words he had spoken to her back then.
—Ahem.
Yerina coughed lightly to shake off her sudden, uncharacteristically girlish thoughts.
Then she spoke again.
“It has to be the Bloodstone Cult, doesn’t it?”
“It seems certain that my disciple has been kidnapped by the Bloodstone Cult.”
“If even you think so, Lady Asilia, then it must be true.”
Yerina’s expression was filled with concern.
The Bloodstone Cult.
She knew all too well how vile and irrational they were.
After all, wasn’t her own father a member of the Bloodstone Cult?
A man who raised his children only to consume them.
That was why Yerina hated the Bloodstone Cult.
“…So they must have taken him to their stronghold?”
A low growl crept into her voice. It carried the weight of someone who was ready to launch a war at any moment.
Asilia gently took Yerina’s hand to calm her down.
“We don’t know their location yet. They have kept their hideout hidden for centuries.”
“Then I will send my household’s forces immediately. The soldiers of House Pierce do not know the meaning of surrender, and you know this, Lady Asilia.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Asilia shook her head.
Her deep navy-blue hair swayed lightly before settling again.
Yerina’s eyes flickered with doubt before she regained her composure.
“I believe in my disciple.”
Asilia’s words carried unwavering certainty.
“Are you saying Ian will find a way to reveal his location?”
“Yes.”
Asilia nodded.
It was confidence—not blind hope, but trust in her disciple’s abilities.
At the same time, it was a decision rooted in understanding the Bloodstone Cult’s methods.
Of course, that didn’t mean she planned to sit idly by and do nothing.
The enemy was the Bloodstone Cult.
“What we must do is prepare as best as we can so that when the time comes, we can go and retrieve Ian.”
That was why Asilia had come to the North.
◆
The imperial palace.
Within the residence of the Third Imperial Princess, there was a small garden.
Asteria sat at a pristine white tea table, her long silver hair cascading over her shoulders.
She took a sip of tea.
— Clink.
The soft sound of porcelain touching echoed as she placed her teacup down and turned to the woman across from her.
“I will never abandon my subordinates.”
“That alone isn’t enough. You have to go all in.”
“Isn’t that obvious, Silvia? Ian is my strategist and my right hand. If I give up on him, I can forget about becoming empress. Even if I were to claim the throne, it would be meaningless without him.”
Asteria tilted her head slightly, as if to say, Why would you even ask?
Silvia understood that Asteria’s words made sense, but still, her certainty felt almost too strong.
Asteria was unpredictable.
Even so, hearing such a firm declaration brought a bit of relief to Silvia.
“That’s good to hear.”
“…You act like you think I’m some kind of lunatic.”
“I don’t.”
There was a brief hesitation in Silvia’s response—but that hesitation spoke volumes.
Asteria gave her a slightly wounded look.
Of course, what Asteria said next only confirmed that Silvia’s concerns weren’t entirely misplaced.
“Though… convincing Father and the high-ranking officials won’t be easy.”
“That’s true.”
“So, what if I just… stage a coup and take the throne?”
“…?”
Silvia’s eyes widened in shock.
With this woman, it wasn’t clear whether she was joking or serious.
“Your eyes are too wide, Silvia—. I’m not that kind of person.”
No.
She was that kind of person.
The fact that she could even joke about usurping the throne was proof enough.
Silvia let out a quiet sigh of relief before continuing.
“The Raymond Merchant Guild has also agreed to fully support us. However, we haven’t been able to convince the Second Prince’s faction yet. On the First Princess’s side, only Minister Blitter of Foreign Affairs has expressed his cooperation.”
Asteria nodded.
Ever since Ian’s disappearance, she had set everything else aside to focus on the unfolding situation.
She had no trouble following Silvia’s report.
“So, in the upcoming Regular Assembly, we’ll have secured about half the support we need.”
The Regular Assembly—a meeting where the Empire’s future policies were determined.
Only members of the imperial bloodline and high-ranking officials could attend.
Among them, Asteria was the only one with the right to participate.
“…You’ll handle this well, right?”
Asteria nodded with a smile.
For some reason, Silvia couldn’t shake her unease.
◆
“I don’t see why the Bloodstone Cult needs to be made a formal agenda item.”
The chairman tapped his fingers idly against the documents in front of him, his expression one of mild irritation.
At the same time, his eyes swept over Asteria, the Third Imperial Princess.
It was a look of blame.
Blatant, obvious blame.
For someone to openly look at a direct imperial descendant with such an expression—it was nothing short of insolence.
“…”
But in this place, such behavior was allowed.
After all, bloodline did not necessarily determine power.
Even though Asteria’s recent rise had been remarkable, her authority was still far from absolute.
She was still overshadowed by other imperial heirs and high-ranking officials.
Of course—Asteria was not someone who would be intimidated by such things.
Her voice rang out clearly.
Firm. Unwavering.
“A citizen of the Empire has gone missing. We cannot simply overlook this.”
“But raising a motion for full-scale extermination seems excessive.”
“They are a citizen of the Empire. Should the Empire not take stronger measures to protect its own? Especially when this occurred during a diplomatic summit?”
“Hrm…”
There was no flaw in her logic.
Of course, logic alone wasn’t always enough in politics.
“But to propose an all-out war with the Bloodstone Cult over a single kidnapped citizen—this is absurd.”
It was far too radical a move.
Asteria’s proposal wasn’t just retaliation—it was total annihilation.
She was pushing for the Empire to mobilize its full military force against the Bloodstone Cult.
It was no wonder that the chairman and many officials were feeling a headache coming on.
The real problem, however, was that she had supporters.
“I agree.”
The one who spoke was Blitter, the Duke of Foreign Affairs.
“To ignore the abduction of an imperial citizen—especially one taken from what was once an enemy nation—would be to disgrace the Empire’s authority. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I cannot turn a blind eye to this.”
“But…”
“Besides, an all-out war wouldn’t happen overnight, would it? We are simply making preparations for the possibility. There’s no need to panic about full mobilization just yet. Don’t you agree?”
He turned to the Minister of Defense.
After a moment’s hesitation, the man gave a reluctant nod.
“We can at least consider it for now.”
That day—
The Empire formally approved a motion to prepare for a total military offensive against the Bloodstone Cult.
A war that could shake the entire continent had begun to take shape.
