《How to Survive as the Wife of The Monster Duke》 Chapter 1 In the harsh winter, Biflten had more people who died of cold than monsters. The Duke of there, Aden de Biflten, was the worst groom with a huge estate. Aden had more free time to meet monsters than to meet a woman. He, who always smelled blood, was unknown to the social circles of the Attenble empire. As he rarely showed up, rumors spread that he was a man of ugliness. Then one day, a nobleman who was curious about his face was discovered with a stiffened body, so rumors spread that he was someone who wasn¡¯t supposed to be encountered. No woman wanted to marry the Duke of Biflten, who was full of rumors. But Biflten, a young man, was neither interested in succession nor rumors of his pursuit. As a result, these actions set the elders of the Biflten house ablaze. [There is no problem with the family members of Biflten.] The elders spread rumors, but the rumor of Biflten who didn¡¯t have any social circle could not be reached. When no one believed, the search for the monster Aden de Biflten¡¯s bride finally came to fruition. [You can get a divorce if you want. ] There was a more severe condition of divorce attached to the unconventional search for recruiting duchess. ¡®If you want, I will invite you to Biflten Castle with no one knowing, come and decide,¡¯ that was what the content said. [You don¡¯t have to face each other.] This was the case when they summed up the elongated words according to the long aristocratic etiquette. However, it was counterproductive. In a land full of monsters, you want me to spend my first night in a dark room with the Duke of Biflten called a monster? [Aden de Biflten rarely stays in the mansion.] So you¡¯re asking me to live alone? However, the folly of elders who tried to avoid the malicious rumors of the Duke of Biflten only backfired. So it was around the time the Duke of Biflten¡¯s recruitment of brides failed for a year. *** It¡¯s a vivid dream. When I woke up, there was always a symbol in my memorable dream. Ilyin, in the dream, looked up at the mobile twirling from the ceiling. Even though it wasn¡¯t the bed where the baby was likely to be, there was mobile hanging on the bed. ¡®Precognitive dream.¡¯ Ever since she was young, dreams with mobile has always shown the future to Ilyin. She watched herself in her dream. She, who was in a bright room carefully browsed through the bedroom to see if there was someone beside her in the room. At that moment, the bedroom lights went out. She heard a voice in the dark. ¡¸Ilyin de Biflten¡¹ Ilyin opened her eyes wide. My name? No, my surname has changed. It¡¯s not Ilyin de Arlene, it¡¯s Ilyin de Biflten? A sharp, dull pain hit the back of my head as if a hammer had hit it. ¡¸Ilyin.¡¹ A low voice rang in the ear. When the voice was heard all over the dark, it felt like the sense in my ears was amplified by several times. The bed was shaking. To be clear, as if it had touched someone¡¯s body. I could tell because it was a precognitive dream. It was the Duke of Biflten who climbed up on the bed. Aden de Biflten. His hands, which seemed to be cold, were passionately hot. The hands sweeping my lips and the hand touching the ends of the clothes were more cautious than I expected. It was a delicate touch, as if he was touching a piece of glass that would shatter soon. ¡°Ha¡­¡­¡± In her dream, she exhaled a deep breath. The hands that carefully pressed her clothes were large enough to be reliable. She could not clarify if it were the sound of her clothes rustling or the mattress rustling. ¡°mhm¡­¡± The waist fluttered up. I felt like I was holding a bedsheet in my hand. The night was long. *** Ilyin opened her eyes. In her hand was a letter to recruit a bride of the Duke of Biflten. Ilyin confirmed the name again and then opened the letter with an unbelievable face. ¡®Ilyin de Biflten.¡¯ My surname has been changed. Having the name of the Biflten family means that I will marry the Duke of Biflten. Ilyin jumped out of her bed. A long old mobile touched her forehead. *** Rumors of Biflten were rife. Some said, because of the snowstorm, you can¡¯t even see the outer walls of Biflten Castle unless it¡¯s summer. In winter, they said that the cold was so severe that it was difficult to reach the province, let alone the castle gate. The only people who could guide outsiders were the people who lived in Biflten. They were the only ones who knew the way. But, the harsh winter was just in the boundary of the Biflten Territory. Outside the boundary was a ray of veritable warm sunshine as if it was a lie, and the lines were drawn and painted in different colors. ¡°The land abandoned by god¡­¡± Ilyin¡¯s repeated Biflten¡¯s nickname unpleasantly. There were rumors that monsters who are entirely different from other provinces appeared in the cold weather. A place full of monsters¡­ Besides, what about the Duke of Biflten? There was also a rumor that he was ugly. That was somehow acceptable. They said that your body stiffens when you encounter his eyes. And also for him, his sword comes first rather than the words. In different phrases, that meant he would cut you off without even letting you talk. The crazy Duke of the north; That was the assessment of the current Duke of Biflten, Aden de Biflten. ¡°Aden de Biflten.¡± She looked down at the Biflten family bridal letter. [Helping the hostess of Biflten family] Below it was conditions that lifted the spirits of all the empire¡¯s ladies. If she had to explain it in a long way, it was like this: Unlike rumors, the Duke of Biflten is fine. However, if rumors bother you, you don¡¯t have to look at his face forever. Also, the Duke doesn¡¯t often stay in the mansion. They were inconsiderate sentences that seemed to only kill the bride alone in a distant land. Ilyin¡¯s gaze went down. [If you¡¯re uncomfortable, you can leave immediately. I¡¯ll take you anytime anywhere you want.] It felt different from the dull writing right above it. It had a rough feeling, but the content was soft. Perhaps, not everyone in the empire would believe it, but, Ilyin knew that this was Aden de Biflten¡¯s handwriting. This was also one of the reasons why Ilyin wasn¡¯t afraid of her trip to Biflten. Anyway, she already foresaw the beginning of the first night. I¡¯ll arrive at the Biflten mansion safely. And that man may be different from the rumors. ¡®mhm¡­¡¯ The first night was soft and sweet. ¡¸Ilyin de Biflten.¡¹ The dream foretold the first night with the Duke of Biflten. I¡¯m getting married to him. ¡°Fate is inevitable.¡± From my young age, precognitive dreams were never wrong. I tried to avoid it, but it ended up visiting me. Ilyin folded the letter and put it on the table. If I can¡¯t avoid it, I won¡¯t be dragged away. Only the first night had been foreseen. But how I¡¯ll stay in Biflten is in my hands. She stood up from her seat to hold her fate in her hands. ¡°Did you call me?¡± A long time later, after I pulled the bell-rope, the maid knocked on the door. ¡°This letter, where is the man that brought it?¡± The Biflten person inevitably delivers the letter from Biflten. Even if the Biflten man used another postman here, the postman would know how to reach the Biflten man. It was time to send a reply. I¡¯ll be your bride. *** Ilyin was a bit upset. She had never intended to marry the Duke of Biflten until she received this letter yesterday. Of course, I changed my mind after I had a dream. Because of that, I couldn¡¯t send a letter of consent directly to the postman. It was a matter of course. The problem was that the postman left the mansion right after delivering the letter. ¡°You don¡¯t know where he went?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The maid answered briefly. Ilyin waved her out. It was no use prying more into a maid with no loyalty. But that didn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t have a way. ¡°Father, it¡¯s Ilyin.¡± Ilyin went to find her father, Viscount Arlene herself. ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± Viscount Arlene was reluctant to see her face. Even though they lived in the same mansion, it was the first time they had a proper conversation in a decade. Nevertheless, Viscount Arlene himself did not want to see her for another moment. There was one thing his gaze said, A terrible thing. ¡°Can I use some people from the mansion?¡± Viscount Arlene¡¯s face was distorted. He knew about her precognitive dreams. At the age of seven, Ilyin¡¯s first precognitive dream was her brother, Sid¡¯s death. When her dreams were right, and after her brother¡¯s death, Viscount Arlene¡¯s own wife went crazy, and so, he treated her as something terrible. ¡°Did you dream again?¡± That¡¯s right. But Ilyin said no. ¡°No.¡± I said it after I had already decided what to say. ¡°I just thought it was time to find my marriage partner.¡± ¡°Okay¡­.¡± After Sid¡¯s death, Viscount Arlene¡¯s wife, who went crazy, couldn¡¯t make Ilyin¡¯s debut in society. Thanks to this, Ilyin was even blocked from meeting the aristocratic gentleman of the Empire nobility. ¡°Are you thinking of attending the banquet?¡± asked Viscount Arlene himself with a reluctant look. That wasn¡¯t the case, but Ilyin nodded briefly. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to find the Merchant¡¯s Group.¡± I had to go and do something else, but I didn¡¯t tell him. If I said, there would be talks about precognitive dreams again. There was a reason why she hadn¡¯t talked to her father for more than a decade. Viscount Arlene himself had always doubted her. He decided whatever she does would be after seeing a precognitive dream, so he never listened to her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t talk about dreams outside.¡± However, marriage seems to have been an exception. Ilyin swallowed a laugh. Yeah, you don¡¯t want to put anything terrible in your mansion anymore. ¡°Go on. You may use people of the mansion.¡± Irene withdrew without a word at the congratulatory order. I got what I needed. That¡¯s enough. There¡¯s no need to talk to a person who treats me like a monster anymore. I¡¯m treated as a monster, and I¡¯m marrying a monster duke; what combination would suit me better than this? Ilyin, who couldn¡¯t repress her laughter, called out one of Viscount¡¯s knight. ¡°Get me the merchant groups list heading north and the location of the capital¡¯s branch.¡± The knight knew what Viscount Arlene¡¯s daughter meant to his master. So he sneered and said, ¡°There are not just one or two places, my lady.¡± There was a distinct sneer on his face. She was just a lady in name, and because he didn¡¯t really want to serve her, he didn¡¯t feel like calling her name. She grew up in a mansion, so she was treated like a person who doesn¡¯t know the outside world. It was the treatment that she always received for nearly twenty years. I¡¯m used to those eyes and words. ¡°To the merchant¡¯s group, which periodically supplies a large quantity of goods to the north. Most of the supplies are food that can last for months and should consist only of the things that stand in warm places.¡± This can be limited to a few places. In the north, which was close to Biflten, very few estates could consume large amounts of food. There must be many people who want to live close to the monster-infested territory. ¡°But why are you looking for this?¡± The knight asked poorly even when he received the orders. ¡°To find a marriage partner.¡± The voice of the knight who laughed at her was heard quietly. He was probably thinking that no one was going to marry her. Rumors about Ilyin de Arlene would have spread big enough to spread throughout society. She was the esteemed lady who didn¡¯t even make her social debut, even when she was already in her mid-twenties. They probably would have wondered that the reason I didn¡¯t debut was because I had a flaw. They might have imagined what that flaw was and created something amazing by pondering about it over and over again. ¡°Get out.¡± The knight didn¡¯t even answer and turned away. ¡°¡­..¡± Ilyin persevered. She¡¯s a person too. There was no way she wouldn¡¯t be angry. But it¡¯s okay. You¡¯ve been doing this all the time. It¡¯s okay. You won¡¯t be coming back to this mansion anymore. So it¡¯s okay. She put herself to sleep, as she always did. Chapter 2 T/L Corner: ¡°She put herself to sleep, as she always did.¡± (For this last sentence in the previous chapter, Sorry guys I made a mistake. It wasn¡¯t sleep, but she was calming herself down as she always did. ??? ??? ? ???, ??? ????. So this means, ¡°She calmed herself as she always did.¡± ????: This sentence has two different meaning, Putting someone to sleep/calming oneself which I mistook for. *** ¡®What if I come out of Biflten?¡¯ The relationship might fall apart after midnight. It was written in the recruitment of brides. Go back if you don¡¯t like it. Still, I didn¡¯t intend to return to this mansion. No one will welcome me anyway. My father, Viscount Arlene, doesn¡¯t love me enough to accept me, who broke off the engagement and returned home. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll kick me out by saying his reputation has been tarnished. Slam! The knight shut the door violently, making the room echo. Looking at the knight¡¯s attitude, it seems like I¡¯ll have to wait a little longer but, releasing a person will be much faster than running around. Anyway, the first night will happen. The hostess of the Biflten family is already fixed. You don¡¯t have to be nervous. Ilyin again calmed her anxious heart. *** It was dreary dawn as the morning sun had not yet risen properly. It was the time when only the shadows of people and objects could be seen in the light nearby. A dozen people moved busily next to the wagon. There was no light, so they could have bumped into each other or made a little fuss, but they were moving swiftly without a single sound. In a big wagon, there was mostly rice and fruits that were loaded. They picked the high-quality items and hid the items concerned with packaging under the blanket. The blanket was painted in green, which meant trust. The pattern of a flying hawk. [Essid] What was written next to it was the name of the merchants¡¯ group who distributed these items. ¡¸Hurry up! Let¡¯s depart before the sun rises! ¡¹ The voice of the leader rang around. Ilyin looked around. One person ran in front of the leader and bowed his head. ¡¸Leader-nim (1), if we leave too early, they might freeze.¡¹ ¡¸If we depart now, we will reach the entrance to the Biflten Territory at precisely 2 o¡¯clock in the afternoon. It¡¯s all right.¡¹ Biflten? Ilyin watched the leader lift the blanket and check the items. Inside the blanket, there was a thick cotton buffer. They were probably trying to protect food from the cold rather than from collision. ¡¸We¡¯re all ready to depart!¡¹ The leader lifted the last wagon¡¯s blanket among the people at the top, moving in unison. Ilyin clearly witnessed there. All of a sudden among the food was a mobile (2), with colorful decorations made of ten different colors of light. Ilyin opened her eyes. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Perhaps the dream was hoping that she would quickly reach Biflten. *** Autumn at the age of seven, my first precognitive dream. Ilyin¡¯s younger brother, who fell from the terrace on a snowy day, was still clearly seen in her dream. ¡®Sid will ¡­!¡¯ As a child, she clung to her parents about what the dream was. Unlike Viscount Arlene, who treated it as just a dream, Mrs. Arlene herself, who noticed that it was a precognitive dream, was afraid of winter and soon went crazy as the days got colder. ¡®Sid dies from falling from the terrace on a snowy day.¡¯ Only those words seemed to be stuck in her head. Mrs. Arlene had a seizure whenever Sid went near the terrace and prevented him from going out of the room on snowy days. It was a desperate effort to prevent death somehow. ¡®No!¡¯ Then Sid rolled not on the terrace, but the stairs of the mansion. The exceptionally high emergency stairs on the third floor were the cause of the trouble. Unfortunately, the edge of the stairs had a huge impact on the tender Sid¡¯s head, and he, who was suffering from anxiety, eventually died on a snowy day. No matter how desperate she was, the precognitive dream could not be avoided. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever had my dream?¡± After Sid¡¯s death, Viscount Arlene asked that question whenever he saw Iliyn. Little Ilyin was afraid of such a father. Seeing Ilyin shaking her head every time in front of him, Viscount Arlene, who was anxious that he would have an accident in the near future, repeatedly scolded her. ¡°Crazy B*stard!¡± Ilyin¡¯s maternal grandmother, who couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, slapped Viscount Arlene. Since then, instead of prying into Ilyin¡¯s future, he treated her as something terrible. Looking ahead to the future is a terrible ability. Ilyin¡¯s maternal grandmother was sick and tired of the curse that had been passed down to the mother line. The same was true for Ilyin. When I was young, I wanted to believe that my dream was nothing. However, even after waking up, the oddly clear dream always came true. It showed the future without fail, and the mobile was always with me in that dream. The thing that was hanging by her bedside when she was a child. Looking at the mobile that her mother gave her, Ilyin sometimes thought about her mother before she went crazy. She was a loving mother. Until Ilyin foretold Sid¡¯s death. ¡®Why did you have such a dream?!¡¯ The resentful voice at Sid¡¯s funeral still seemed to ring in my ears. ¡®It¡¯s like the cursed dream of blood¡­¡¯ Ilyin¡¯s maternal grandmother was saddened to see Mrs. Arlene, who had no reason left. She hated the ability to have a precognitive dream. ¡°My lady. This is Brad. ¡° Then there was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Almost at the same time as I said come in, the door opened with a bang. It was clear that he would have entered even if she hadn¡¯t told him to. It was a family knight for whom she asked to find out about the merchant¡¯s group the other day. ¡°Good job.¡± Words stuck in my mouth popped out. The Knight left the room without saying a word. The sound of a door slamming, like a week ago, rang loudly in the room. The list was only three lines long. Even though this was the capital, it would have taken less than a week to investigate this if he had searched from the merchant¡¯s group of a large scale, setting aside miscellaneous ones. As expected, he didn¡¯t work properly. [Essid Merchants Group] But there was the information she wanted. She stood up after checking the location of the capital branch of the Essid Merchants group. It was time to move. *** ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Ilyin de Arlene.¡± Viscount Arlene had some acquaintances, but few knew how much of the name Ilyin occupied in the family. The clerk at the merchants¡¯ group of the Essid had a long, easy look on his face. It was clear that he was weighing if the woman in front of him was impersonating to be an aristocrat. If you aren¡¯t an aristocrat who is cultured to memorize each family¡¯s genealogy, you may not know my name. Anyway, my family has no outside activities, and my father has treated me like a nobody. Ilyin opened her mouth. ¡°Ilyin de Arlene. Isn¡¯t it enough to be a member of the Arlene family?¡± ¡°Then, please wait for a moment.¡± The clerk eventually went inside, unable to ignore the aristocrats. But was it too much to say that I wanted to meet the leader right away? The clerk, who had been inside for a long time, came out again and said, ¡°He¡¯ll be back if you wait for half a day,¡± the clerk replied with an indifferent look on his face. It was a predictable story. Are you telling me to wait for half a day knowing where the leader is? No, in the first place, the words to wait for half a day without giving out a chair were just euphemisms used to refuse the meeting. If it came out like this, there was only one way. Ilyin said softly after confirming that there were no more people around. ¡°I know that there are a lot of goods that will depart north soon.¡± The clerk replied with a wry look. ¡°Of course. Borough is where we usually go.¡± The Borough Territory was north, but it was much closer to the capital than the Biflten Territory. It was closer to the central part of the capital than to the north of the empire. ¡°A lot farther north than that.¡± She added her words in a convincing voice. ¡°I know there¡¯s a lot of carts loaded with food to go to Biflten. I don¡¯t think Biflten, who is unwilling to interact with the outside world, would have a lot of deals with many merchant groups.¡± Ilyin wouldn¡¯t have been able to specify it here if it weren¡¯t for the precognitive dream. There was no reason why Biflten would be called isolated territory as long as it was easy for a person to find out. People live in Biflten, too. However, in a place where you can¡¯t even have something called summer 365 days a year and is much colder than winter in the capital, you can¡¯t possibly grow corps. So, where do they get the food from? Do they keep a year¡¯s worth of food in the summer when the weather gets warmer? That can¡¯t be. There were many variables in the operation of the territory. There must be a way to Biflten even in the winter. Very few people know. It wasn¡¯t winter now, but the weather was cold enough. Perhaps Biflten is already in hell with a blizzard. ¡°¡­please wait a moment.¡± In an instant, the serious clerk went back inside. It looks like I guessed it correctly. Ilyin was convinced. ¡°This way.¡± The clerk guided Ilyin with a subdued look as if he had become a different person than before. As I went inward along the curved corridor, a sign with the word ¡®Leader¡¯s office¡¯ came out. The sign was spectacular. However, the clerk passed by and opened the door of a small room inside. ¡°Leader-nim, I brought her here.¡± ¡°Good work.¡± When the clerk went out, the leader smiled and welcomed Ilyin. ¡°Did you say you were Ilyin de Arlene?¡± It was far from the fancy impression that comes to mind when you think of the merchants¡¯ group leader. The leader who wore a white shirt and comfy pants looked simple. It¡¯s the same look that I saw in my dream. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very careful matter, so I want you to understand what we¡¯re talking about,¡± said the leader with a deep bow. ¡°We¡¯re not dealing with Biflten.¡± That can¡¯t be true. Ilyin¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°For now, the wagon doesn¡¯t go to Biflten. I¡¯m not a vicious employer enough to send a wagon loader to that stormy land.¡± The way he smiled was natural. ¡°It¡¯s true that large quantities of food are distributed north. But it¡¯s a piece of goods that are scattered across Borough state and the surrounding land. As you know, the north is vast.¡± Would I have believed if I hadn¡¯t seen it in my dream? She might have gone too far. But Ilyin knew the answer. ¡°If you can¡¯t believe it, would you take a look at the wagon yourself? They¡¯re just getting ready.¡± ¡°All right.¡± The leader showed Ilyin directly to the place where the wagon was being prepared. It was the same as I saw in my dream. It was late afternoon, not early morning, and the wagon was steadily filled with cotton buffers. As Ilyin looked at the buffer, the leader smiled. ¡°It¡¯s really needed to get to the North. There aren¡¯t a lot of roads that are good enough for the wagon.¡± ¡°I know that, but- ¡° Ilyin pressed the buffer firmly. It must have been a bigger wagon than she thought, as her hand went quite deep. ¡°Even if it¡¯s cool, it¡¯s still hot enough to move fresh items. Everything inside will be damaged if you use so much cotton to walk around Borough,¡± said Ilyin, who put her hand on the cotton. The leader softly spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t know how you got interested in our stuff-¡± ¡°But.¡± Ilyin intercepted the soft words of the leader. ¡°If you¡¯re going to the winter region, then it¡¯s a different topic.¡± A winter region. It was another name for Biflten. The place, which maintains the weather winter all year round, was also called the winter region by the people who lived there. It was also a more definite name than nicknames such as land abandoned by God or land of monsters. Ilyin took out the letter she had brought. One was a letter she wrote. And then overlapped was a bride recruitment letter from the Biflten family. Ilyin showed the leader a letter stamped with the sentence of the Biflten family. ¡°If I wanted to be this man¡¯s bride, would you change your mind a little?¡± Chapter 3 At that moment, the face of the leader changed drastically. If it were for other people, they would have thought he was laughing, but Ilyin knew. Even in Viscount¡¯s mansion, she had seen maids who changed their attitudes strangely. It was mainly from new maids. They showed a strange attitude when they realized what Ilyin¡¯s position was in the mansion and began to look down on her. But for the leader, it was the opposite. It was a more serious reaction. Ilyin, who confirmed it, opened her mouth again. ¡°Biflten won¡¯t deal with many places. It¡¯s also a place where everyone is reluctant to interact.¡± She handed over her own letter to the leader instead of a letter stamped with the Biflten family¡¯s sentence. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say that the leader of merchants¡¯ group who delivers the goods now, not even in summer, doesn¡¯t have anything to do with Biflten family.¡± If they were going to the Biflten Territory now, which was hard to access in the summer due to the heavy wind, it was almost certain. Ilyin continued. ¡°You¡¯re at least in friendly terms with the Biflten family, or maybe someone loyal. Then you have a duty to deliver my letter.¡± ¡°Why is it?¡± The leader asked back. He no longer denied it. ¡°If no one wants to be a bride again this time, as every time, I will enter Biflten family without having to compete with others.¡± Ilyin said softly. ¡°Then, at least I¡¯ll be the hostess of the Biflten family or stay as a guest.¡± She tilted her head slightly. ¡°Is this still not enough reason to pass on my letter?¡± ¡°¡­it¡¯s enough.¡± The leader eventually bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯ll deliver it to them as soon as possible.¡± ¡°You can check the letter if you want to verify it.¡± Because It wasn¡¯t a sweet love letter that other people shouldn¡¯t see. Ilyin had that thought. The leader shook his head. ¡°No, but¡­¡± The leader had a really curious look. ¡°How did you know?¡± He was referring to the relationship between Biflten and the merchants¡¯ group. Ilyin euphemistically said that she won¡¯t answer. ¡°I want to hear from you sooner than later.¡± Anyway, you can¡¯t believe it even if I told you that I had a precognitive dream. *** It was just a week after that. [We welcome lady Ilyin de Arlene¡¯s visit.] The letter bearing the sentence of the Biflten family was polite. It took three days to reach borough estate from the capital. But it was questionable how it took only a week to get to Biflten, which was at the north end. [I¡¯ll put the carriage on standby outside Viscount Arlene¡¯s mansion. You can get in the carriage whenever you want.] The contents of the letter were polite but indifferent. Come if you want to come. I won¡¯t wait eagerly. Is it an illusion to look at the letter that way? Ilyin, who glanced at the letter, looked over the fence of the mansion through the window. A strange carriage was seen. However, there was no sentence of a noble family to identify whose it was. Ilyin lowered her gaze in the letter again. [The horseman has a sign of Biflten family.] If it¡¯s that, then there was no risk of getting into the wrong carriage. Since what I had been waiting for came, there was no reason to drag on more time. Ilyin got up from her seat. *** ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Viscount Arlene, who saw her again in a week, naturally did not welcome her. The repeated visits seemed very unpleasant. Ilyin stared at her father quietly. Was he a good father when she was a kid? Not at all. He was someone who cared more about the image of the family than his own family. Instead of regretting that his wife went crazy, he was angry about how she tarnished the family¡¯s name. There was not enough to talk before she left this place. She had no memory of being loved by her father. ¡°I¡¯ve decided where to get married.¡± ¡°What?¡± Viscount Arlene was naturally surprised. Marriage was a celebration of the nobility. Depending on which family you marry, what you have to show to the outside world changes. ¡°Which family?¡± ¡°Northern.¡± That¡¯s how Ilyin replied. I could hear a tsk sound coming from his mouth. There was already a hostess in Borough estate, the largest estate in the north. The small estates around them were only small families that were much less famous than the Viscount Arlene family. ¡®It would have been better if I hadn¡¯t revealed.¡¯ Viscount Arlene beckoned as I concluded. It meant to go out. There was nothing good about declaring marriage anyway. For Viscount Arlene, she would tarnish only the name of the family. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± I didn¡¯t even think about getting a greeting anyway. Ilyin turned around to leave. ¡°Ilyin.¡± Then Viscount Arlene called her name. Ilyin hesitated. It was the first time in more than a decade that her father called her. ¡°Yes.¡± Unknowingly, the answer came out with a slightly softened voice. When their eyes met, Viscount Arlene asked. ¡°Have you ever dreamed of me?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Ilyin laughed. Even the slightest expectation she had disappeared. ¡°None.¡± Viscount Arlene didn¡¯t call her name twice. *** No one came out of the Viscount Arlene¡¯s mansion. Yes, now both my father and mother will live as if I were not there. The same goes for the people who work here. Ilyin never looked back twice at the mansion, which was getting further from the carriage window. I¡¯ll never come back. ¡°Biflten¡­¡± Ilyin looked out of the carriage. The carriage, which quickly left the capital, was running north. Wearing a sword engraved with the Biflten family¡¯s sentence at the end of the handle, the horseman sped up silently. The road was well paved and was not severely shaken, but it was still uncertain whether it would be the same until we reached Biflten. Ilyin re-opened the thickest clothes she had ever brought from the mansion. It was said that Biflten is a place where it¡¯s difficult to find a body that died from freezing in the cold. Even in winter, it will be difficult to withstand the winter clothes worn in the capital city, which boasts a relatively mild climate. ¡°The horseman didn¡¯t seem to wear warm clothes.¡± Maybe it¡¯s because the horseman was a Biflten man. Ilyin looked around in the carriage. The chair with black microfiber velvet fabric was fluffy. The wall was also surrounded by velvet fabrics containing fresh cotton, perhaps to block the wind. Rather than decorations, it was more noticeable that the cold wind was carefully handled to prevent it from leaking through the window. ¡°What is this?¡± Ilyin looked at the cloth on the opposite chair. It was a blue fabric that was glossy like silk but somewhat cottony in texture. The luxurious fabric decorated with silver foil was so warm that my fingertips flinched. The fabric itself seemed to be heating up. Is it a fabric made only by Biflten? There could never have been a clothes that the aristocratic ladies who were sensitive to dress fashions didn¡¯t wear. No matter how little Ilyin had socialized, she had the experience of welcoming the guests of a crazy Mrs. Arlene and Viscount Arlene many times. I¡¯ve seen so much clothing, but I¡¯ve never seen such cloth before. Can I touch it? If it was a precious item that should not be touched, it could not have been put here. However, there was no such thing as a container for storing cloth. Are you telling me to cover it with if it¡¯s cold? Ilyin carefully spread the fabric. Although it was close to sky blue, it was a mysterious fabric that reflected the purple gloss upon receiving the outside light. It looked more like a veil on the head than a blanket on the knees. It was thin enough to see beyond the cloth. Ilyin carefully put that fabric on her head. The view was slightly blue, and at the same time, the warmth spread through my body. ¡°Wow,¡± Ilyin admired. If this was a common item, Biflten people might be really different from the capital people. ¡®You¡¯re really going somewhere else.¡¯ Even if you call it a Principality of Biflten and not a Biflten territory, it was a place that had no exchange with the Empire. Will I be able to adapt well? And can I even survive? There was no one to punish Duke Biflten for not obeying the imperial laws in a strange land even if he lived in the same Empire. A place practically equivalent to a country of Biflten family. It¡¯s a place that nobody knows. Even if the first night was safely played, you don¡¯t know what will happen if you were out of the eyes of Duke of Biflten. Besides, the Duke of Biflten. ¡®Don¡¯t make eye contact.¡¯ The word that the nobleman who first made eye contact with the Duke of Biflten died with a stiff body was dismissed as rumors. However, when the knights under that nobleman were also found with stiffened bodies, the keen interest that they had for the Duke of Biflten completely ceased. Who would want to die out of curiosity? ¡®Never make eye contact with him.¡¯ He¡¯s the Duke of Biflten, who recruited a bride without caring about the fact that the bride has to carry out the family¡¯s honor. It was unlikely that he would kill the bride by stiffening her body, but I still have to be careful since human affairs are always unknown. Ilyin removed the blue cloth from her head. Even though she didn¡¯t know that the carriage was moving fast, her legs trembled. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Ilyin comforted herself. The dream has not foretold my death yet. *** The outside of the window turned white. The somewhat unique-shaped carriage continued to run toward the north. In order to run outside of the blizzard, a separate compartment was set up for the cognitive horse seat, and the horse was also armed with protective gear. ¡°Wow¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t believe it was close to late summer. A lie like snow blew out of the window as if it was turning the calendar backward, not a wagon to the north. The white snow brushed past the carriage, drawing white lines, each with its rough shapes. And the temperature in the carriage plummeted. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m getting steam out of my mouth in late summer. ¡°Huuu.¡± I rubbed my hands together and blew my hands to warm it. The hands, which seemed to warm a little as the white steam touched them, quickly froze. Once again, Ilyin quickly hid her hands on the fabric. Only the inside of the fabric was warm. Rattle! The carriage shook incessantly. Either I had to fight the cold or fall asleep. Even if I fell asleep, I quickly woke up. It was so cold that I couldn¡¯t sleep properly. And even the toes froze from the cold. Ilyin rubbed her legs with her warm hands, pulled out of the fabric. It was obviously in a blizzard, but the speed of the carriage got faster and faster. There was no sign of the time, and the sun was already buried in blizzards and clouds, and it did not seem like it would rise again. And suddenly, I passed through the caves. When I thought I was in the mountains, it was covered with snow and I passed by the place where it was dug like a cave. ¡°!¡± The carriage shook violently. Ilyin clasped tightly to the wall of the wobbly carriage. The carriage swayed sideways, but it didn¡¯t stop. What¡¯s wrong with this? Ilyin turned her gaze outside the invisible windows. ¡°¡­.!¡± At that moment, she couldn¡¯t scream and kept her mouth shut. Red things were coming in from outside. They didn¡¯t care about the blizzard. The creatures that caught up with the high-speed carriage were all those who ran four-footed. Monster? Ilyin didn¡¯t know much about monsters. But even the capital city¡¯s knights may not recognize what those creatures moving at such a fast pace through the blind blizzard was. ¡°I¡¯ll run fast!¡± The rattling sound half-buried the horseman¡¯s voice. The other half was buried in the screeching sound of monsters jumping. Chapter 4 It had been the same for over twenty years; she was used to the treatment she was given. She was used to the look she was given, and the whispers. ¡°A place that can support a regular supply of goods to the North. Most of the items have to be food that can last months and should consist only of things that come from warm places.¡± This was enough to limit it to a few places. There was little land in the north near Biflten with large quantities of food. There weren¡¯t many people who wanted to live close to the monster-infested lands. ¡°But why are you looking for this?¡± the knight asked suspiciously. ¡°To find a place to be married in,¡± she said. The knight sneered. I bet he thinks no one will marry me, thought Ilyin. Rumors of Ilyin de Arlen would have already been spread to the social circles. A young noble who didn¡¯t even make her social debut despite being in her mid-twenties. They automatically assumed she had some sort of flaw. This became a gossip subject for many, and they wondered what flaw she could possibly possess. ¡°You can go now,¡± said Ilyin, ¡°Thank you for your service.¡± The knight turned away without so much as a nod. Decent courtesy is dead these days. Ilyin persevered. She was human too; she couldn¡¯t help feeling a little resentful. It¡¯s alright, she comforted herself. She was used to this; she could certainly take it a bit more. She found comfort in the thought that she had only a little time to spend in this mansion. She would be gone soon. That relaxed her. What will happen if I choose to leave Biflten? she wondered. Something could go amiss on the first night. The recruitment letter also provided an alternative of divorce for the prospective brides. They gave her the option to leave. But Ilyin would never set foot in her father¡¯s mansion if she could help it. At least, not in this lifetime. No one will welcome me anyway. My father doesn¡¯t love me enough to accept me back from my failed marriage, she thought. If anything, they¡¯ll say that I ruined the family¡¯s reputation. She sighed and startled as the door closed with a bang. The knight had slammed the door behind him as he went out. The attitude of the knight disgusted her. But no matter, she would be away soon. Eventually she would come down for her first night. The Mistress of the Biftlen family was already ready. There was no need to fret. Ilyin felt a little relieved. * Ilyin had a dream: It was a dark dawn as the morning sun had not yet risen. A time so dark that one could barely see the shadows of people and things. A dozen people moved towards a cart. They moved silently, shuffling as there was no light. There were mostly fruits and rice loaded onto the cart. The high-quality ones were hidden beneath blankets to protect them from the weather. The blanket had a seal drawn in green, indicating trust. The seal of a rising hawk. The name next to the seal spelt Essid. It was clearly the name of the place distributing the goods. ¡°Hurry!¡± said a voice, ¡°We need to leave before sunrise.¡± The Lord perhaps. Ilyin, in the dream, looked on as a person ran towards this Lord and bowed his head. ¡°My Lord,¡± said the person, ¡°If we leave too early, the deliveries might freeze in the cold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± assured the Lord, ¡°If we leave now, we will be at the gates of Biflten by afternoon. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Biftlen? Ilyin thought in the dream. She watched the Lord lift the blanket and check the deliveries. Beneath the blanket were thick cotton buffers. Its purpose was to save the fruits from being crushed into each other. ¡°We are all set!¡± declared the lord as he lifted the last blanket to check the contents. Ilyin saw a mobile with the provisions, so colorful that it shone and sparkled. Ilyin opened her eyes. Perhaps the dream was a sign providing her with a means to reach Biflten quickly. * Ilyin¡¯s first precognitive dream was during fall when she was seven. The dream was as vivid now as it had been so many years ago. She had seen her own brother fall from the terrace on a snowy day. ¡°Sid!¡± she had cried and woken up. She had clung to her parents, crying. Unlike Baron Arlen, who brushed it off as nothing but a childish nightmare, Lady Arlen, her mother, had believed her. She had known the nature of these dreams. She had become afraid of winter and went mad as the day got colder. ¡°Sid will fall off the terrace to his death on a snowy day,¡± Ilyin had said and it has stuck to Lady Arlen¡¯s mind from that day. Lady Arlen would have seizures whenever Sid went near the terrace and would forbid him from leaving his room at all on the days that it snowed. It was a desperate attempt at preventing his imminent death, to no avail. Sid fell down the stairs of the mansion. The emergency stair on the third floor was usually high. As Sid fell, his head had bumped on the sharp edges of the stair. Sid had been very ill. By the time the fall ended, Sid was already dead. He had died on a snowy day. No matter how hard one tried to avoid them, the precognitive dreams always came true. ¡°Did you ever dream of me?¡± Her father would ask her after Sid¡¯s death. Every time he saw her, that was the only thing he barked at her. Little Ilyin had been afraid of her father. He had never shown her any warmth after that, only pestered her for any unfortunate visions she would have had that would befall him in the near future. One day, her grandmother had had enough of it and had slapped the Baron across the face. ¡°You crazy, vile piece of shit,¡± she had cried, ¡°Will you leave her alone? She is just a child!¡± From that day forth, the Baron had only looked at Ilyin resentfully. Having the vision to see the future but being unable to change it, or even trying to change it, was a terrible thing. Ilyin¡¯s grandmother lamented at the terrible ¡®curse¡¯ that had gripped her progeny. When Ilyin was young, she had not given a thought to her dreams. She had thought they were just harmless dreams but then they started coming true and she couldn¡¯t ignore them further. It always showed her the future and always, a mobile would be present. She didn¡¯t know if the mobile was the requirement of these kinds of dreams or if her mind had created it to differentiate these dreams from others. When she was young, Ilyin loved watching the mobile that hung over her head as she slept. It had been a gift from her mother before she went mad. Her mother had always loved her until Sid¡¯s death. ¡°Why do you dream such terrible things?¡± she had asked with resentment in her voice. ¡°The cursed blood¡­¡± Sid¡¯s death had changed everything. Her father¡¯s wrath and her mother¡¯s resentment rang in her head. With Sid¡¯s death, she had lost a family. Ilyin¡¯s grandmother pitied her mother and pitied her. Ilyin began to hate her dreams. ¡°My lady, he is called Brad,¡± said a voice, following a knock on the door. It brought her back from her memories to the present. ¡°Come on in,¡± she said. The door swung open and the knight entered. She had sent him to identify the Lord she had seen in her dreams. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said to the knight. He turned around and left the room without any response, slamming the door after him like before. The knight wasn¡¯t really good at his job and deserved no acknowledgement. The city wasn¡¯t even big, and it had taken him one whole week to find the Essid Merchant. But she wanted information. It was time to move. * ¡°Your identity, Ma¡¯am?¡± asked the clerk. ¡°Ilyin de Arlen,¡± she said. There were some Arlenza nobles that Ilyen knew, but very few nobles knew about Ilyin. She had never been officially presented in the social circles. The clerk at the capital of Essid made a long face. He was trying to investigate whether Ilyin was indeed a noble. ¡°Ilyin de Arlen. Isn¡¯t it enough to be from the Arlen family?¡± said Ilyin again. Her father had treated her as a nobody. The Arlen family didn¡¯t have many connections and very few people even knew of his daughter. She understood the Clerk¡¯s hesitancy, but she had no time to dawdle. ¡°Please wait a while,¡± said the Clerk. The clerk made his way inside. Was it too much of a stretch to demand to see the head of the place right away? Ilyin wondered. The clerk came out again. ¡°Miss, you¡¯ll have to be back in half a day,¡± he said. It was quite obvious his Lord had refused to see her at the moment. She sighed. Ilyin looked around and saw no one approaching. ¡°I understand that a large delivery is to head north,¡± she said. ¡°Of course,¡± said the Clerk, ¡°Boro is our main destination.¡± Boro estate was much closer to the capital than the Biftlen estate. It was closer to the central part of the capital than the northern part of the empire. ¡°I heard it¡¯s headed further north than that,¡± she said. ¡°I know that some of the carts are headed for Biftlen.¡± It was impossible for Ilyin to say more without clarifying about her dreams. In Biftlen, even in summer, crops were unable to grow. So, it was clear that Biftlen had deliveries from different places. It won¡¯t let its people starve just like that. Ilyin was sure that only very few people knew about these deliveries. It wasn¡¯t winter yet, but it was getting chilly. Maybe Biftlen would already be covered in blizzards. ¡°¡­Please wait a moment,¡± said the clerk, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. The clerk went back inside. Ilyin was sure that this time she would be granted an audience. The clerk appeared a moment later. ¡°This way, please,¡± he said and ushered her inside. The clerk looked much subdued now. He led her through the curved hallway. A sign reading ¡®Head of Merchants¡¯ was hung above. It was flashy and self-assured. The clerk led her by it and into a small room at the side. ¡°My Lord,¡± said the clerk, ¡°She is here.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± said a man who looked simple enough. By the sign at the door, she had expected to see a huge, flashy, perhaps narcissistic gentleman. But the ¡®Leader¡¯ of merchants, dressed in a white shirt and active pants, looked very humble. She recognized him from her dream. The clerk bowed and left the room. The Lord greeted Ilyin with a smile. ¡°Did you say your name was Ilyin de Arlen?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s a sensitive matter so I have invited you indoors,¡± said the man, ¡°We aren¡¯t dealing with Biftlen.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true,¡± she said, narrowing her eyes. ¡°First of all, our cart does not go to Biflten,¡± continued the man, ¡°I¡¯m not vicious enough to send my men to that barren, godforsaken land.¡± He smiled again. ¡°It¡¯s true that a lot of food is being delivered north. They are being delivered to the Boro estates and the surrounding lands. You already know the north is quite vast.¡± Chapter 5 If Ilyin hadn¡¯t seen it in her dreams she would have ignored it. But Ilyin knew the answer. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, would you like to look at the cart yourself then? We¡¯re just getting ready.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she said, and the Lord guided her to where the cart was being prepared. It was the same as Ilyin had seen in her dream. The only difference was that it was not early in the morning, but late in the afternoon. The cart was steadily being filled with cotton buffers. When Ilyin looked at the buffer, the Lord grinned, ¡°It¡¯s necessary when going to the North. There aren¡¯t many roads good for the cart to go on.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± Ilyin pressed down on the buffer as if the cart was bigger than she thought and her hand went in quite deep. ¡°Even though it¡¯s quite chilly, it¡¯s still too warm to move fresh things. If you use too much cotton and deliver to Boro, everything inside will go bad,¡± he explained as she pulled out a piece of cotton. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you got interested in our things, but¡­¡± Ilyin interrupted him, ¡°If you are going to the Winter Region, this all makes sense.¡± The Winter Region was another name for Biflten, a place where the weather was permanently wintered. It was also a much more formal name than the other nicknames it had been given, such as ¡®Land Abandoned by God¡¯, or ¡®Land of Monsters¡¯. Ilyin took out the letters she had brought with her. One was a letter written by herself, and the other was the bridal recruitment letter from Biflten. Ilyin showed the Lord the letter with the Biflten family¡¯s seal. ¡°If I wanted to be this man¡¯s bride, would you change your mind?¡± she spoke. At that moment, the face of the Lord changed strangely. Anyone else would think that he was going to start laughing, but Ilyin knew this wasn¡¯t the case. As a noble, she had seen countless maids strangely changing their attitudes, mainly the new maids, when they realized what Ilyin¡¯s position was in the mansion and they began to look down on her. But the Lord was the opposite and Ilyin spoke again, ¡°Biflten won¡¯t do business with many places. It¡¯s a place where everyone is reluctant to interact.¡± She handed the letter she had written to the Lord instead of the letter bearing the Biflten family¡¯s seal. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s impossible to say that someone who is delivering goods to Biflten, at times like this, is not related to them.¡± Even in the summer, Biflten was well known for its harsh weather, Ilyin was certain that this Lord was indeed who she was looking for. ¡°You¡¯re at least in a friendly or perhaps loyal position to the Biflten¡¯s. Then, you have the responsibility to deliver my letter.¡± ¡°How come?¡± The Lord asked, not denying what she said. ¡°As always, if no one is willing to be married at this time, I¡¯ll be on my way as mistress of Biflten right away, without any competition,¡± Ilyin spoke softly. ¡°Then at least I¡¯ll be the mistress of the Biflten family or stay as a guest.¡± She tilted her head slightly. ¡°Is there still not enough reason to deliver my letter?¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± The Lord eventually bowed his head. ¡°We¡¯ll deliver it to them as soon as possible.¡± ¡°You may check the letter if necessary,¡± she added. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m sending a warm love letter that no one should see. The Lord shook his head. ¡°No, but¡­¡± the Lord paused, curious, ¡°How did you know?¡± He meant the relationship between Biflten and himself. However, Ilyin replied obliquely implying that she would not answer. ¡°I want to hear what the Duke has to say.¡± Even if she told him about the precognitive dream, there was no way he would believe it. * It was exactly a week later when a letter bearing the seal of the Biflten family arrived. It took about three days from the capital to reach the Boro estate. Ilyin wondered how it only took a week to get to Biflten which was located in the far north. ¡®We¡¯ll send a carriage to be on standby in front of the Arlen mansion. You can get in the carriage whenever you want.¡¯ The contents of the letter were polite, but they also seemed indifferent. It sounds like they¡¯re saying, ¡®Come if you want to. We won¡¯t wait eagerly¡¯. Ilyin wondered if she was just overthinking it. Looking up from the neatly written letter, she looked out of the window and over the fence of the mansion where she saw a strange carriage parked, but there was no sign of a seal to define which aristocrat family it was from. Then, she noticed that the horseman carried the mark of the Biflten family. If this was true, there was no fear of miscommunication and there was no reason to waste any more time, since what she¡¯d been waiting for had arrived. Ilyin got up from her seat. Chapter 6 ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Despite not seeing Ilyin in a week, Baron Arlen did not welcome her. To be honest, he seemed quite unhappy about her visit. Ilyin looked at her father carefully. Was he a good father when I was a kid? Not at all. He cared more about the image of our family than anything else. Instead of feeling sorry for my mother, he got mad at the fact that she ruined our family¡¯s reputation. Ilyin didn¡¯t remember being loved by her father. ¡°I¡¯ve decided where to go.¡± ¡°What?¡± Baron Arlen was rightly surprised. Marriage was a celebration of the aristocracy. Depending on which family one marries, what you had to show to the outside world was very important. ¡°Where to?¡± He inquired, his curiosity now peeking. ¡°The North.¡± That was all Ilyin said. Baron Arlen clicked his tongue. There was already a mistress in the Boro estate, the largest territory in the North. The other small estates around them were small families that were far less famous than the Arlen family. I¡¯d rather not reveal where exactly though, she thought to herself. Barlon Arlen beckoned her to conclude, it meant he wanted her to get out. There was nothing good about declaring marriage anyway. ¡°The reputation of the family will only be ruined further.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ilyin didn¡¯t even think about getting a greeting and she turned her body around to leave. Then, unexpectedly, the Barlon called out her name, ¡°Ilyin.¡± She stopped dead in her tracks. It had been more than a decade since she was called by her father. ¡°Yes,¡± she replied. Without realizing it, Ilyin had answered in a soft-spoken voice. When their eyes met, Baron Arlen asked, ¡°Have you ever had a precognitive dream about me?¡± Irene smirked, even the slightest expectation of a greeting had disappeared, and she answered coldly, ¡°None.¡± Baron Arlen did not call her twice. * Not a single person came out of the Arlen house as she departed. Now my father will probably live a life without me, just like he did without my mother. Moving away from the window, Ilyin never once glanced back at the house. I¡¯ll never come back! ¡°Biflten¡­¡± she whispered to herself whilst gazing out of the carriage as it was quickly passing by the capital and heading North. The horseman, who wore a sword engraved with the Biflten family¡¯s seal at the end of the handle, sped up without uttering a word. The road was well-paved, so it didn¡¯t rattle the carriage, but it remained unknown whether this would continue to Biflten. Ilyin took out the thickest jacket she had. Biflten was notoriously known for the cold temperatures and frozen bodies were sometimes found in the landscapes. Winter weather, that Ilyin had experienced in the past, would probably be warm compared to the weather at Biflten. She noticed that the horseman didn¡¯t wear a thick jacket, it could have been because he was accustomed to the cold weather. Ilyin looked around the carriage. The seat was fluffy and covered with black velvet fabric. The walls were also made of velvet fabric containing soft cotton too, perhaps for wind protection, rather than for decoration, it was meticulously handmade to prevent the cold wind from seeping in, she guessed. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ilyin wondered aloud, looking at the cloth on the opposite seat. It was a pretty blue fabric that looked silk-like and glossy but felt more like cotton. The luxurious fabric was decorated with silver and was warm enough for her to wince at the touch of it. Is it something made in Biflten? There could be no strange fabric for a noble, who always had to be informed of the latest fashion trends. As much as Ilyin did not engage in social activities, she had several experiences of greeting guests on behalf of her mother. However, despite her numerous experiences with clothing, this fabric was something she had never seen. It didn¡¯t seem logical for someone to misplace a valuable item like this. Moreover, there didn¡¯t seem to be a place to store the cloth in the carriage. Is it something to cover up when cold? Ilyin carefully spread the cloth. It was close to sky blue, but it was a mysterious cloth, reflecting the violet gloss when it was illuminated by the daylight. It looked more like a veil for one¡¯s head as opposed to a mere blanket. It was also thin enough to see through it. Ilyin carefully put the cloth on her head. At the same time, her view was slightly tinted blue, and a warm sensation spread to her throat. She gasped in amazement. If this was a common item in Biflten, the clothing worn by people must be very different. I am going to a completely different place. Biflten was quite an isolated place that had little to no exchange with other people. I wonder if I can adapt well? And I wonder if I can even survive there. A strange land, but in the same empire, where there was no one to punish the Duke of Biflten for not complying with the imperial law. It seemed that Biflten itself was more of an empire on its own. Even if the first night is held safely, no one will know what might happen next if I get on the bad side of the Duke. Especially since he is the Duke of Biflten. I should not even make any eye contact. It was dismissed as a false rumor that the nobleman who first made eye contact with the Duke of Biflten died. Later, however, the knights under the dead man were also found dead, and the interest and attention about the Duke were suddenly silenced. Who wanted to die of curiosity? ¡°Never make eye contact,¡± she affirmed to herself loudly. Ilyin knew in the back of her mind that it would be difficult for anyone in the Biflten family to kill her off, but at the same time, she wasn¡¯t completely at ease. Ilyin opened the blue cloth on her head. She didn¡¯t know how fast they were going, but she could feel her legs begin to tremble. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± She comforted herself with the knowledge that her dreams had not yet foretold her death. * The landscape outside of the window turned white as the somewhat peculiar-shaped carriage continued to move towards the North. To ride in the blizzard, the horseman was equipped with a separate compartment, and the horse was also covered with protective gear. Ilyin couldn¡¯t believe it was near the end of summer. Instead of running a carriage to the North, it felt like she was running back in time and turning the calendar to winter. Riding through the white snow, they left tracks behind, each with a rough appearance. As the temperature in the carriage plummeted, Ilyin couldn¡¯t believe she was able to see her breath in the late summer. She rubbed her hands together and breathed into them, which seemed to warm them up momentarily as the white steam touched them, but quickly got cold again. Exhaling again, Ilyin quickly hid her hands in the blue cloth. It was the only warmth that she could find in the carriage. Then, out of the blue, there was a loud thud. Chapter 7 The carriage shook incessantly while Ilyin fought against the cold and tried to sleep. However, the cold was too severe, and her feet were going numb. She tried to warm them up by rubbing them with her hands. Even though they were in a snowstorm, the carriage was speeding up. She wondered what the time was but had no way of knowing because the sun was already buried among the clouds. They went through what looked like caves covered in snow and then suddenly, the carriage lunged and Ilyin held tightly onto her seat as it shook. They didn¡¯t come to a stop though and she looked out the window to see why. She covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming, as she saw red creatures rushing towards them. They were fierce-looking four-legged creatures and they caught up with the carriage easily despite the snow. Were they monsters? Ilyin did not know what they were, but the knights at the capital would know what these scary and fast-paced creatures were. ¡°We will be speeding up!¡± The horseman¡¯s voice was barely audible over the creaking carriage and the sounds the creatures were making as they neared them. It¡¯s all right. Ilyin covered her ears and closed her eyes. She had not dreamed of her death, nor these frightful monsters. She heard something clawing at the carriage but the sound died out as they sped up, but the monsters continued to pursue them. It¡¯s all right. Her heart beat faster, and she told herself that she would be safe this first night that she had seen in her dream. Ilyin¡¯s eyes shot open when she heard a bang against the window, and she met the creature face to face. Red scales surrounded its small beady black eyes, and it was dusted with snow. She saw its eye move in that brief moment and the monster opened its mouth in excitement. The carriage suddenly turned around, and the monster lost its balance, trying desperately to hold on with its claws. Thankfully, the window didn¡¯t break and only a deep scratch was made. Ilyin had broken into a cold sweat and shuddered. She thought again that she would not die yet. However, she was still terrified and her body shook from the cold and shock. She again closed her eyes and covered her ears. Ilyin had no way to fight against monsters that could run this fast. The horses galloped without losing speed, and she saw the castle walls and she knew that she had arrived at the Biflten Castle. She was safe now, but she felt that this had been a mistake. ¡°Damn!¡± She heard the horseman curse and could not believe what she was seeing. Some of the monsters were climbing up the castle walls and they were surrounded by the others. The horseman turned sideways as he tried to run away from the monsters in front of him. Ilyin heard scratching at the back of the carriage, and her shoulder hit against the door. She froze and dared not scream for she feared that the red claws would come at her if she were discovered. The carriage slid and stopped in the snow. She saw the horseman fight bravely against the monsters outside and watched helplessly as his sword met their claws. Ilyin¡¯s body went rigid, as she knew that while the horseman could fight against the monsters, he would not be able to protect the large carriage indefinitely. The monsters turned towards the carriage, they were too much for the horseman to cope with, and she grabbed the door handle with shaking hands. She had to get out if things came to that. Ilyin bit her lip until she tasted blood; there was nowhere to run. However, she reminded herself that she had not yet dreamt of her death, and if she had to die, she would not want to wait for it. She would have committed suicide already if that were meant to be her fate. The only reason she had endured her life at the mansion, was because she was afraid of the short wait if she tried to hang herself. She was afraid of death and feared loneliness. When the monsters banged against the carriage, Ilyin opened the door and jumped out. White mist escaped her mouth and seeped through the blue cloth covering her face. The cold wind whipped against her bare hands, and the snow was sharp enough to wound her soft hands. She couldn¡¯t stay standing outside the carriage and started running as fast as she could. Then, something cold brushed up against her face. Chapter 8 Ilyin jumped back, and the blue cloth fell to the ground. What was that? She tremored in fear. Out the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a black uniform, decorated with red tassels. The low and clear voice was like a beast, and she could see that he wore no protection on his face. He had indifferent blue eyes and a sharp chin. Their eyes met briefly, and Ilyin flinched but soon calmed down. She couldn¡¯t help thinking of Aden de Biflten but quickly realized that the man in front of her was not he. The man stood still and his jet-black hair blew wildly about in the snowstorm. ¡°A woman?¡± The man was looking at the carriage when the monster who had been chasing Ilyin, ambushed her from the back. She felt the monster¡¯s hot breath on her neck and the smell of it was revolting. The man drew his sword, and she closed her eyes as in terror as she stood perfectly still between the two. She could not help but think that this was the end. Then, she heard a scream next to her, and the man grabbed her away from the monster. He moved like she was an obstacle he needed to clear, and his large hand covered her face, but the hand was warm enough for her to open her eyes; she saw the monster fall to the snow-white ground, dead. The man looked down as he stuck his sword into the ground, then narrowed his eyes and bent towards Ilyin. She felt the icy wind against her cheeks now, and it sent shivers down her spine. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to freeze, hold on to this,¡± said the man as he draped the blue cloth over her head with a gloved hand, and she felt the warmth return to her as her world turned blue again, thankful that he¡¯d picked it up for her. ¡°Your highness!¡± Ilyin knew only one person here who could be called that, and she closed her eyes in anticipation of meeting the Duke of Biflten. The man standing next to her had vanished in a moment. The cold wind still howled as the fighting came to an end, and a knight who had seen Ilyin escape the carriage escorted her to the castle. She was covered with a blanket but she was freezing under it, only the blue cloth gave her warmth. I did not thank him. She only remembered his crystal blue eyes; the man had already disappeared. * While the knights cleaning up was efficient, they paid little attention to Ilyin. They only took her back to the carriage. ¡°Wait here, please.¡± They seemed to know who she was, yet she was left alone for a long time, but thought that this was far better than being met with hostility. ¡°Welcome!¡± said a man wearing a strange outfit. The old man covered himself with a wide cloth while wearing a formal outfit underneath it and Ilyin noticed that it was different from her blue one. ¡°How can you make her stand like this!¡± He yelled at a maid, and the blue tassels on his uniform shook along with his voice. ¡°Please, come this way.¡± The maid, who wore a red accessory in her black hair, spoke softly and then led Ilyin. The old man had followed Ilyin to the room and bowed low, ¡°You will rest here for a week.¡± ¡°What happens then?¡± she questioned. ¡°Has nothing been explained to you yet?¡± The horseman hadn¡¯t mentioned anything to her, and then she¡¯d been ambushed by monsters on her arrival and no one else had said anything to her either. ¡°I¡¯ve been told nothing,¡± she replied. The old man mumbled something as he shook his head. She heard that he was cursing some people named the Delroses under his breath. Who were they? she wondered. ¡°I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I am Lidan of the Blue North.¡± He said in a friendly tone. ¡°Blue North?¡± Even though Ilyin could not use a sword, she could distinguish those who trained and those who did not. Lidan was not muscular and he did not have a sword. ¡°I heard that you had a mishap outside the castle. I will arrange for my people to explain to you all about Biflten.¡± Lidan, despite his friendliness, was cautious with his words, revealing little to her. Chapter 9 ¡°Biflten is ruled by four families.¡± Ilyin couldn¡¯t make sense of what the maid, who had introduced herself as Lizzie, was saying. There would be only one owner of the land, as the Biflten lands were owned by the Duke of Biflten. A maid with a red hairband disappeared and did not come back, and maids with blue hair bands came to her room. Colors seemed to be important in this castle, as Lidan had introduced himself as the Blue North and wore blue tassels. She thought of the man with the crystal blue eyes, he had worn red tassels ¡°The Blue North, the Red Delrose, the Green Mille, and the Bright Elo. Sir Lidan and I belong to the Blue North. The head of the Red Delrose is Sir Aden de Biflten.¡± Lizzie explained further. Ilyin looked at the blue bracelet Lizzie was wearing. He would have something red on him. Ilyin thought of the man she had met again and wondered whether he was the Duke¡¯s subordinate. ¡°If you like it here in Biflten, you will marry him.¡± ¡°Do I go back if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid so.¡± Lizzie smiled, but Ilyin thought it too earnest to be real. ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± Lizzie continued. Ilyin stared at her and said, ¡°I have many, but one for now.¡± Lizzie had been massaging Ilyin¡¯s body with a scented cream that warmed her up. Even with a burning fireplace, the room was still cold. ¡°Please ask.¡± ¡°Why is the Duke thinking of marrying a noble of the Empire?¡± Ilyin now knew that Biflten was not influenced by the Empire and four ruling families were already against the law. If the Empire had allowed this system, everyone would have known. This seemed to be like a different country, so why? ¡°It¡¯s because he cannot marry one of the Red Delroses and is not interested in the other families.¡± The Duke may not be interested in women, but he had to be interested in their families. Ilyin knew that the Red Delroses were not friendly with the Blue North, and perhaps also with the other two families. ¡°Who is Lidan?¡± Ilyin asked. ¡°He is an elder of the Blue North.¡± Ilyin nodded slowly, and now she thought she could understand Biflten¡¯s ruling system. It seemed that the Red Delroses were the real aristocratic family, and the other three seemed to be the Delroses¡¯ retainers. This was a strange place. ¡°Are you warm now?¡± Lizzie asked with a smile, and Ilyin acknowledged with a nod. Later, Ilyin asked the maid to guide her through the mansion and she gauged her position from the way Lizzie treated her. Aden de Biflten seemed to be set on marrying outside his lands, and she knew that no Empire lady wanted to marry him. This meant that Ilyin was a rare chance, and the Blue North, being so kind, would probably try to stay close to Ilyin if they could not have one of their women married to the Duke. Kindness always came with a price. Ilyin instinctively knew who was hostile and who wanted something from her; she¡¯d been able to distinguish this her entire life. She was in a dangerous and strange land, and many would blindly follow those who were kind to them, but not her. If the Blue North and the Red Delrose were enemies, the Duke would not marry someone close to the North. ¡°You have to wear a coat since the cold becomes severe from here,¡± Lizzie warned Ilyin, who saw that they had come to a corridor with wide glass windows and she could see the thick snow outside. ¡°Are you feeling cold?¡± Ilyin looked at her clothes at the maid¡¯s question, and while they were thinner and lighter than what Ilyin had thought, she was warm nonetheless and feeling as if she were blanketed with a hot water bottle. Her hands were cold though, but it was manageable. Ilyin shook her head, and her blue tassels swayed as she replied, ¡°I¡¯m all right actually. Thank you.¡± ¡°Please let us know if you have any problems,¡± Lizzie said as she lowered her head. Ilyin felt some discomfort in knowing what the Blue were aiming for. Suddenly, a man appeared as Lizzie took a step to leave. Ilyin let out a gasp as she recognized that he was the man she had seen outside the castle walls. His blue eyes narrowed on seeing the two women, like a wolf who¡¯d seen its prey; the corridor filled with tension. ¡°This is not a place where the Blue North should wander about.¡± The man spoke slowly, and Lizzie bowed while Ilyin thought about what to say. She was a guest in this castle and she didn¡¯t know who the man was so she wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. The man would not introduce himself, focusing his cold eyes on Ilyin. She couldn¡¯t open her mouth to respond as the man¡¯s gaze looked over her blue cloth, clothes, and her face. She felt hunted like she had to run from the red monsters again and now she knew that she couldn¡¯t escape. The man was that formidable. ¡°She is the lady from the sunny lands.¡± Lizzie introduced Ilyin to the man. ¡°She is?¡± The blue eyes stared at Ilyin again indifferently, but his tone sounded surprised. ¡°I am Ilyin de Arlen from the Empire.¡± Ilyin looked at the man with a gaze that asked him to introduce himself. She finally was able to move, and the man¡¯s eyes glistened at the change in her body language. ¡°I am Den of the Red Delroses.¡± He was now more polite, and Ilyin thought maybe that was because he now knew that she was not one from the Blue North. ¡°Thank you for saving my life!¡± she blurted. The man stopped at Ilyin¡¯s thanks, and his crystal blue eyes stared at her again. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t stay out in the winter long.¡± His words were cold as he passed her by. Lizzie let out a breath, and Ilyin tilted her head. She liked his warning better than the Blue North¡¯s kindness, as it was so clear the latter wanted to use her. Ilyin thought she would remember his name as she followed in Lizzie¡¯s footsteps. Chapter 10 The estate was large, there were five large halls on the first floor, and the main building was seven stories high. The Duke lived on the seventh floor, and therefore Ilyin was only allowed to go up until the sixth floor. Lizzie¡¯s words were short regarding the seventh, ¡°Only the Red Delroses can go in. You can go in if you marry.¡± It meant that guests were forbidden to enter, and Ilyin wondered why there was only one large mansion. There were many areas reserved only for the Red Delroses, and it meant they had more authority than everyone else. Even some of the corridors that led to those areas were implicitly off-limits. ¡°Thank you for guiding me,¡± Ilyin said her thanks, and Lizzie bowed. Walking the mansion had been hard work, and after a few rests in between, it was already the evening. ¡°Things are different here, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lizzie placed a small glass in front of Ilyin, and she nodded. However, Ilyin knew that the North and the Delroses were enemies. She would have to maintain the balance between the two if she wanted to live here peacefully. ¡°I want to meet other families tomorrow,¡± Ilyin spoke with a modulated voice, as she did not have enough information to cement her position. She was surrounded by maids of the Blue North, and it was not a coincidence that she had not met any other family members except Den. The Blue North were blocking her from others, and if things went like this, Ilyin would be regarded as one of the Blue. The lands were ruled by Aden de Biflten, a Red Delrose and Ilyin asked, ¡°Would he like someone close to the Blue North?¡± No, she thought to herself. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Lizzie spoke and then hesitated. Ilyin observed her response with a smile, ¡°Would that be a problem?¡± ¡°Since I belong to the Blue North, I would need to ask our elder first,¡± Lizzie continued, sounding like she was tripping over her tongue. Ilyin hid her smile upon hearing those words and spoke with a disappointed-looking face, ¡°Since there are other families in this estate, I want to meet someone from one of them. I¡¯m curious to see who they are, but you don¡¯t need to bring a high-ranking individual.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to set a meeting,¡± Lizzie said smiling, and Ilyin knew she would do no such thing. Ilyin had to find another way or just walk around the estate herself. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± Ilyin kept her thoughts to herself and turned her gaze to the window with a smirk on her face. *** Nightfall came and only the Biflten estate was lit up by torches that burned at regular intervals, but only dimly, looking like a faint smear in the dark snowstorm. Ilyin stared far away as Lizzie gave her a sideways glance, ¡°This will ease the cold.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, taking a sip, thinking that it was small for a teacup, and almost spat it out. ¡°Liquor?¡± It was not tea but hard liquor at that. ¡°This is a wine that ladies often drink around here,¡± Lizzie explained. It seemed that women in the wintry lands could drink. Ilyin sipped just enough to wet her lips, and it felt like a fire spread through her body instantaneously. Ilyin¡¯s gaze turned to the window perchance and she spotted one of the torches suddenly being extinguished. ¡°A messenger has come, probably to apologize for the ambush,¡± Lizzie enlightened her. A messenger? The silhouette Ilyin saw did not look human. As it drew closer with soldiers watching over it, she saw red scales glistening in the estate¡¯s light. Ilyin set down the cup with a loud clang. She then saw a man come out from the estate, and while she could not see his face, she could see that he was a tall man. She could see from the silhouettes of those around him that they were wearing thick clothes, while he wore only a light coat. Then, everyone bowed to him, and Ilyin could see that the monster turned its gaze to him specifically. ¡°Who is it?¡± Ilyin half expected Lizzie¡¯s answer, and the maid told her that it was the Duke of Biflten. She could see that no one could meet his eyes, and she would¡¯ve done the same if in that situation. The Duke and the monster stood for a while in silence. ¡°Can you communicate with a monster?¡± Ilyin asked. Lizzie nodded, ¡°Of course, they are different from the ones from the sunny lands.¡± Ilyin was astonished at Lizzie¡¯s straightforward answer. The monster bowed, and she could see that it was a gesture to apologize. Then, something other than its red scales glistened and Ilyin¡¯s eyes opened wide as the Duke swiftly drew his sword; the monster collapsed in front of him. While Ilyin did not know the Biflten lands, she knew that killing a messenger meant war. As if Lizzie knew what she was thinking, she said, ¡°Please don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re safe here.¡± Ilyin drank from the cup again and felt fire flow through her, it seemed that she was the only one surprised about what just happened. It¡¯s different here. The peaceful atmosphere of the capital, where words were the only sharp things, was nowhere to be seen. While people were surprised at being wounded in the capital, here, people ignored corpses. That monster would be buried in snow by tomorrow. Ilyin now realized how cold and strange this place was. Chapter 11 Two days had passed since Ilyin had arrived at the mansion, but she had not seen the Duke up close, yet she would marry him in five days. No one from the Red Delroses had come to greet her despite the other two families trying to send her people through the Blue North¡¯s barricade. She only saw Delroses¡¯ knights around, but they also did not speak to Ilyin. They seemed to be thinking the same thing as Den. Then, what about the Duke? When do I see him? Ilyin felt frustrated. The Duke went to war instead of the war coming to him, and she only knew that after seeing the knights leave the next day. He did not show himself after returning either. The Duke did not stay in the estate much. It seemed that the letter had been true. Ilyin was not allowed to see his face due to her position, and they would spend the first night together regardless of this. Ilyin calmed herself down, and she grabbed the blue cloth flapping in the harsh winds, ¡°Daytime is manageable,¡± she said to herself. People did adjust to things, and Ilyin had somewhat become used to the cold enough to go out for a while. She had to survive here, and she wasn¡¯t in front of the mansion only to observe the building. The maids were looking at her from afar as she¡¯d requested. ¡°Snow,¡± murmured Ilyin. How much was there? Ilyin looked at the piles of snow the knights had moved to make a path, they were almost as tall as a person, and it continued to fall at her feet. She looked around and touched the snow with her shoe that was wrapped in cotton. The snow was loose and more of it landed softly on the cotton shoes the Blue North had given her. She thought it would be hard like ice and she was pressing the snow again when a gust of wind almost lifted her blue cloth. She grabbed it and stumbled after losing her balance. ¡°While I do not want to bother you, there are stairs up ahead.¡± A man grabbed a surprised Ilyin¡¯s arm, and he used the other hand to fix the cloth on her face. She could feel the warmth from his hand and knew that voice, ¡°Den?¡± Ilyin didn¡¯t know when he had arrived, she had been sure no one had been near her. She flushed as she felt his breath over her head. ¡°You will go missing if buried in snow,¡± he said quite seriously. It was Den, and as he held her arm, Ilyin¡¯s pale and thin wrist was exposed to the cold air and she felt her skin burn despite the cold wind. ¡°Let me go,¡± she moaned. She turned to him as she tried to pull her arm away, but her feet sunk in the soft snow. Den pulled her towards him, and Ilyin fell into his arms rather than onto the snow. She saw the red tassels swing in front of her eyes, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m sorry for snapping at you.¡± She quickly brushed her clothes while Den looked at her and asked a question, ¡°What are you doing out here with the maids?¡± His eyes were on the building like he could see the maids hiding there, ¡°Do you want to go missing before the marriage?¡± ¡°No, I just wanted to look at the mansion and get used to the cold.¡± Ilyin calmed down after there was some distance between them, as she had been tense. His blue eyes did not look as sharp as they had yesterday. ¡°Get used to it? Are you planning to stay here long?¡± ¡°Even if he is not interested in you?¡± Ilyin was surprised how informally Den addressed the Duke and wondered whether he knew him personally since they were from the same family. She looked at his questioning eyes, ¡°If I can stay here safely, then yes.¡± Ilyin gave up dreams of marriage with love before she was ten so she didn¡¯t care about being in a loveless marriage now. ¡°Even if you cannot see his face before the wedding?¡± Ilyin answered behind the blue cloth, ¡°I will still become his bride.¡± She spoke with confidence. Den continued, ¡°What will you do if the Duke refuses to marry you?¡¯ The wind blew more harshly, and Ilyin grabbed her cloth. She could not read his eyes as he stared at her and it felt like time had stopped; he seemed to be waiting for her answer. Ilyin thought she knew the answer because she had been called Ilyin de Biflten in her dream and would marry thus. However, she would not tell a stranger such things. Chapter 12 ¡°I will think about that if I¡¯m refused,¡± Ilyin smiled while she held the blue cloth that was flapping in the wind. It was nearly time to go inside as the winds became stronger in the area as the day grew darker. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± Den was pointing at the cloth with narrowed eyes, and Ilyin wondered whether she should not have worn it. It seemed a rare item, if it had been common, everyone would have been wearing one. ¡°It was in the carriage I came in but I¡¯m not sure who the owner of it is.¡± Den seemed irritated, and Ilyin guessed the answer and asked, ¡°Is this from the Blue North?¡± She felt the cold wind blow as she took it off and thought that the man¡¯s blue eyes shone even brighter in the wind. ¡°I see, but you don¡¯t need to take it off just because I¡¯m a Delrose,¡± Den commented as he lowered her hand. She remembered now that he had been the one to tell her to take care of it. A Delrose knight called Den from afar. ¡°Leader!¡± Ilyin stared at the two men who approached and she wondered if Den headed the knights here. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now,¡± he said and he quickly walked away. Ilyin saw that snow had piled up on her feet. They had been speaking for a while, but she had not felt the cold. She tilted her head and watched as his brawny body strolled away before she turned to go inside the mansion. *** Den, also known as Aden de Biflten, thought things over as he turned around to leave. She had a mysterious scent about her. Although he had asked her what she would do if the Duke refused to marry her, he had no intention of doing so and was going to refuse her since he thought she was from Blue North. He had never even spent a single night with any of the women the three families had sent to his bedroom. ¡°This is the end of my report.¡± Idith, the knight who had called him, bowed after handing it to him. Aden didn¡¯t know why he remembered Ilyin being surprised when Idith had called him. ¡°Sir?¡± Idith said, noticing the Duke was lost in thought. When no other families were present, Aden was the Duke in front of the Delrose knights because they did not avoid his eyes. ¡°Do you have anything to report regarding the Blue North?¡± Den asked, coming back to the present moment. ¡°Nothing new, but Lidan is here.¡± Aden narrowed his eyes at that news. ¡°Should I search that lady?¡± Aden raised a hand to stop him, ¡°No, she is from the empire.¡± ¡°She is?¡± Idith had been surprised when he saw her clothes and the blue cloth, ¡®Ataz,¡¯ which brides of the Blue North wore through generations, showing their origins. ¡°There is a reason why Lidan is here.¡± The Blue North had been able to move fast because of Lidan, and Aden was irritated at their plan to lure Ilyin to their side. He frowned as he contemplated things after Idith left. *** Aden knew of his new bride only a few days ago when Milo of the Red Delroses, who managed the Ecid merchant group, had contacted him. He had said he needed to tell Aden something face to face, and Milo spoke with Aden when he returned from war. ¡°Her name is Ilyin de Arlen,¡± Milo informed him. Aden was surprised at Milo¡¯s words, as he had thought no woman would agree to these preposterous conditions. Milo, who was known as Ecid in the empire to make transactions smoother and to remain silent about Biflten, gave Aden a letter. The sender was Ilyin de Arlen and seeing the letter surprised him. ¡°Someone answered that request?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The letter was short and the writing neat, ¡®Hello, I am Ilyin of the Arlen family. I have sent this letter through Ecid as I do not know any other way. I read your letter and have acknowledged the conditions. If I have no reason to be refused, I will become your bride.¡¯ ¡°How did she know you were Ecid?¡± Milo¡¯s face was serious as Aden questioned him about whether there was a leak, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I have investigated the Arlen family, but there was nothing strange except that the Viscountess has a touch of madness and talks nonsense.¡± Aden lowered his gaze to the letter again as that information did not help him much. Normally, a letter would speak of the weather and something unnecessary about the cold. However, her letter went straight to the point, which Aden appreciated. The Arlens had nothing notable about them, and the Viscountess¡¯s illness was the only thing that stood out in the quiet estates. Since she was ill, Ilyin de Arlen had no way of entering society. Therefore, her face was not well known, and she had no portraits that showed her at her age. Waist-long silver hair, deep violet eyes, and a thin frame. Aden only knew this much about her appearance, and if it were true, Biflten would welcome her as a bride. Her being well known or close to the Imperial family would complicate things. One thing stood out though, there were no informants involved. Aden tapped the wooden desk with his forefinger, a habit he had when thinking. The Viscountess¡¯s daughter had discovered the relationship between the Ecid group and Biflten without any informants, and she must have one of the three families or a high-ranking empire family behind her. Aden looked down at the information Milo had given him and thought that the three families were irrelevant. The report was too clean, and a Biflten would recognize another. Chapter 13 ¡°Who is she?¡± He murmured and thought of the last words in her letter. She was quite plucky in that letter, and he did need a bride. She fit the requirements perfectly, and the timing was right. Milo informed him that Ilyin had been quite logical in persuading him. She had mysteriously delved into the Biflten secret but had come to this faraway land for marriage alone. While she would like the title of a duchess, Biflten did not socialize with the empire, and the title had no meaning in that manner. What did she want? Aden thought that only the Imperial family would be dissatisfied enough to do something, as they did not like Biflten and bowing to them through generations. However, things were too lax for her to be an assassin, as the Imperial family could do things much more efficiently. ¡°Milo,¡± he summoned. The merchant, who had been waiting outside, now came in, ¡°I await your orders.¡± ¡°Bring the bride in,¡± Aden said as he placed the letter in the drawer. Milo spoke in surprise, ¡°We do not know her and where she got the information yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re bringing her in,¡± Aden smiled like a lion. While he looked relaxed, things could completely change if he saw a prey. Milo bowed to his master and went out to follow his orders. Aden stood up. He did not back down from challenges and would find out how she knew about Ecid and Biflten. Her decision to come to Biflten was welcome, as Aden de Biflten¡¯s home ground was here. *** On the day Aden first met his bride, he was at a battlefield. ¡°Sir, enemies are coming!¡± Aden held his sword. The monsters that had come to the Biflten castle walls were monsters from a large herd in this area. The red-scaled Mollies had been enemies of the Biflten family for a long time. While they were not intelligent, they fought well. Mollies, when the bride is coming?! The elders of the three families, who could not hold a sword, thought the same thing on hearing that the Mollies were coming. ¡°What are the Delrose knights doing?¡± One of the elders yelled. They were slaying the monsters that the knights of the other three families were avoiding. While their job was to separate the monsters before they became a powerful herd, the designated knights were not doing their job. ¡°The Blue North cannot agree to the succession ceremony when the leader cannot protect his people!¡± He continued. ¡°The Bright Elo agrees,¡± said another elder, and the elder from the Green Mille was nodding in agreement. The three elders could pressure the Red Delrose only at the succession ceremony that had to be held every three years. The ceremony was the reason for all this trouble. They always said the same thing at this ceremony, that the Divine Objects the three elders had were needed for the succession. Aden swung his sword, thinking he could push down his anger with it, which made him practice with it often. However, he had to burn the source of his anger and he raised an elbow to strike a monster, ¡°You dare to provoke the Biflten family in the wintry lands!¡± Aden¡¯s voice was angry, there was a reason why the Biflten family owned these lands. He struck his sword on the ground and the tall piles of snow vanished in an instant. White steam rose and the Biflten cold turned people¡¯s breath into frost. Aden was surrounded by a vapor that filled the space as his rage did. At that moment, a monster lurched at him, as its instinct told him that a knight without his sword was easy prey. However, the monster collapsed as he encountered the heat, unable to attack Aden. Only the Duke who had completed his succession ceremony could resist the cold in Biflten and the monsters began to talk among themselves. ¡°Isn¡¯t he a Delrose knight?¡± One of them asked. Aden had heard that monsters could not talk in the empire and so their conversation startled him and he watched them cautiously as he held his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white. ¡°The leader of the Delrose knights is the Duke?¡± Another monster questioned, his voice was deep and rough. Aden listened as the monsters revealed his secret. He was not in a hurry because the mollies would be buried in snow by tomorrow. He raised his sword again in anger. ¡°Sir, I see a carriage!¡± yelled a knight. He had been slaying the mollies around him when the Delrose knight shouted and he looked up and saw a simple carriage approaching in the distance. ¡°It¡¯s being chased!¡± The knight shouted over the noise of the battle. Mollies were after it, and Aden¡¯s lips opened, ¡°Idith! What path is that carriage taking?¡± The Red Delrose ruled over this area, and the carriage seemed to be running on a carriage path owned by the Red Delrose. Mollies blocked the path, and while the castle walls had been excusable, that was an invasion. The carriage stopped in the snow and Aden could vaguely make out the horseman, who seemed to be a Blue North. But Aden looked away again as the man began to battle the mollies, he looked capable and there was no reason to rescue a Blue North¡¯s carriage. However, Aden¡¯s head turned again at a high-pitched scream. His eyes focused on the carriage and the door flew open as someone jumped out, looked around briefly, and started running in his direction. Chapter 14 He felt something very frail fall against his body, and a lady¡¯s white hands pressed on his chest. He could feel her breathing stop in surprise. Her pale and thin arms did not belong in Biflten, as they looked weaker than thin branches that would snap against the winter winds. Then he saw something drop from her head as the woman stepped back in surprise. Who is this? The harsh winds blew like they wanted to crush the petite woman. She looked up at him, and her deep violet eyes shook, and he saw that she was a human. As she breathed in and out, Aden smelt a welcoming, fragrant scent that had been absent from Biflten. A woman who shook as she did, could not endure the winter here, yet somehow she was standing in the snowstorm. Suddenly, a mollie ambushed her. Aden instinctively raised his sword to stab it, and the monster shrieked in agony as it fell to the ground and died. The woman¡¯s heartbeat was faint and her voice trembled and Aden discovered what the fallen object was; it was the Blue North¡¯s Divine Object, and Aden came to his senses. He narrowed his eyes and bent next to the woman. Her presence was almost overwhelming as her fragrant scent filled the space between them. He dropped the blue cloth over her head and felt disappointed as her scent was hidden by it. What was he doing? He had rescued the woman by coincidence. While he did not know her, she was of noble blood, enough to wear a Divine Object. He would just turn around, thinking that the Blue North owed him a favor. However, he could not do so, and it was then that he realized that she smelled like summer. ¡°Sir!¡± He heard a knight shout to him and saw the woman lower her gaze. Aden looked at her and thought, she¡¯s probably thinking she should not meet my eyes. It was most likely because of the story which claimed that someone had frozen after looking at the Duke in his eyes. The woman did not seem to realize who she had just met. Only the elders and the knights knew that he was the Duke, and they remained silent as they had promised to do at the previous Duke¡¯s funeral. The Winter Duke had been a monster, in Biflten at least, and that story was not that much of a lie. The summer scent slowly died out and Aden strangely yearned for it. *** Aden had only briefly met the woman amidst a raging snowstorm and did not know why he remembered their encounter so vividly. He almost thought it had been an illusion and even if she had been real, he would not meet her again as she was from the Blue North. The lady has come from the sunny lands, he had thought at the time, from the Empire? The woman looked much more alive in the mansion, and the smell of summer emanated from her. ¡°I am Ilyin de Arlen from the Empire,¡± she said confidently. Aden now knew she had sent the letter, this was his bride and he gazed at her violet eyes which were clear and direct. She did not belong in the winter and Aden knew another person like her. That person had smelled like dry winter; she had been his mother and had always asked him to get her out of Biflten. He thought that those from the Empire would crumble under the harsh winter conditions. ¡°I am Den of the Red Delroses,¡± Aden did not like that he was hiding things from her, who came from the sunny lands. ¡°Thank you for saving my life,¡± she said politely. Her voice knocked his head, and he could see that she was not from the Blue North, with her frail neckline and faint laugh. Her violet eyes narrowed as she smiled and her eyelashes were trembling in the cold, which confirmed that she did not belong here. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t stay out in the winter too long.¡± It was his last gesture, as he did not want her buried here. The words from the letter stuck in his mind ¡®I will become your bride¡¯. However, he didn¡¯t think she would stay. When he met her again, she had become much more used to the winter but still smelled like summer. ¡°Are you planning to stay here long?¡± Den questioned. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied flatly. The woman did not hesitate in her answer. She had been chased by mollies and nearly died on the first day here, and she had been truly frightened. However, she chose to stay and he thought her foolish. ¡°Even if the Duke is not interested in you?¡± He said with a quizzical look on his face. ¡°If I can stay here safely, then yes.¡± You can, if you become close to the Blue North. The thought disgusted Aden enough to rip the blue cloth off her head. ¡°If you cannot see his face forever?¡± He persisted. ¡°Of course I will become his bride.¡± Aden had thought the conditions were too preposterous to warrant his attention, as no one would last here under them. Could she? ¡°What will you do if the Duke refuses to marry?¡± He was warning her, but she only smiled. ¡°I will think about that if I¡¯m refused.¡± Her eyes were clear, unlike his mother¡¯s, and her smile was bright and fresh. Aden held his breath for a minute. Chapter 15 Aden did not leave the mansion from that day on, as he could not ignore the woman he¡¯d met with the beautiful warm violet eyes, but he couldn¡¯t approach her either, which was strange. Ilyin knew him as the leader of the Red Delrose knights, it was not a lie, as when he¡¯d shown his face to her, he was so. In hiding his identity, Ilyin was not afraid of him as a result. Aden tapped the hard wooden table, and the knights held their breath as they realized that their master was irritated. He could not stand in front of a bride who believed that The Duke of Biflten could freeze a person just by meeting their eyes, and who would not treat him as Den. That rumor had been convenient for him when he¡¯d received his dukedom at a young age, however, it bothered him now to no end. ¡°Sir, the three elders are here,¡± one of the knights announced. Aden stopped tapping on the large mahogany table and told him to let them in. The room now bustled and Aden found the presence of those who were not knights, annoying. He thought of the woman¡¯s faint presence and thought that if they were quiet like her, at least he would not want to kill them. ¡°Sir,¡± the three elders said in unison as they bowed before him, but Aden knew that it was fear that motivated them and not loyalty. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Your marriage is near,¡± Lidan spoke first, but the Mille¡¯s elder intercepted. ¡°Let the Mille prepare your marriage ceremony.¡± ¡°What do you mean? I had thought Elo would do so.¡± They hadn¡¯t discussed this before coming and Aden looked at them in confusion. ¡°Mille has overseen the marriage until now,¡± the elder replied. ¡°When the bride was from here, didn¡¯t the Duchess like the Elo hall the best?¡± He talked about Aden¡¯s mother, and the Duke¡¯s gaze turned to the Elo elder, who then coughed. ¡°That¡¯s because she had stayed here for a long time. Would a lady who had stayed in the Empire until recently, like that light?¡± When Mille¡¯s elder retorted, Aden raised his hand to shut him up, ¡°I do not know why you talk like that.¡± Aden thought of Ilyin, who was trying to get used to the cold in her way. However, she could not go out without that blue cloth, and Aden had no intention of making her go out until the first night, ¡°I will skip other procedures and will marry in this mansion.¡± *** This marriage was a strange case; the fact Ilyin was from the Empire was not surprising, as the previous duchess had been the same. However, the previous duchess had married for love, and she moved to Elo¡¯s halls after getting used to the weather. Their halls were filled with lights that looked like miniature suns which she¡¯d adored. But this time it was a contract marriage and she could leave when she wanted. Aden knew though, from her strong eyes, that Ilyin would not leave yet. ¡°She¡¯s weak against the cold,¡± someone commented. ¡°Please be nice,¡± Aden requested. Everyone gave him unwarranted advice as he skipped over all the ceremonies. Ilyin agreed to the contract even after hearing that she had to endure the cold weather outside if she wanted this. This was a contract marriage after all and she had come here for something, and Aden had done this to silence the elders. Nothing mattered after this, while the elders would request an heir, the succession ceremony would only come in three years and they had to keep silent until then. Aden saw his bride, who was reading the marriage documents. She wore the divine blue cloth and a light white coat. He thought that she looked like she was drowning in the coat as he approached her in silence, and he had mixed feelings about how she¡¯d react when their eyes met. Well, marriage was only a contract and Aden left things at that, but his heart began to beat faster unexpectedly. *** ¡°There won¡¯t be a marriage ceremony?¡± Ilyin had thought that meant she had to go out of Biflten, but that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°Biflten is cold in the third month, and people here do not go out much in the fourth month when the preparations will be nearly finished,¡± Idith explained. Ilyin looked at the man¡¯s clothes. It was the second time Ilyin had spoken to a Red Delrose, and Idith had bowed after introducing himself. ¡°He told me to ask you if you feel uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Did His Highness say that?¡± Idith hesitated for the briefest of moments, ¡°Yes, he did.¡± Ilyin looked outside. The snow was still too harsh and cold for her. The weather in Biflten was divided into four months rather than four seasons. While she thought them the same, the coldest weather was late in the third month and continued through the fourth month. She knew that they weren¡¯t following traditions because she wouldn¡¯t be able to endure the cold, ¡°I understand.¡± Idith looked surprised, and Ilyin bowed her head a little, ¡°Thank you for being considerate.¡± Had the Duke ordered this or someone else from the Delroses? Either way, Ilyin knew that they were thinking of her, although she was marrying despite the lack of ceremony now. She had to go through all skin nourishment treatments that Biflten required her to indulge in, from the day before her marriage, and her skin was now more beautiful than when she had been in the Empire. Chapter 16 As she prepared for her marriage, she wore the blue cloth for warmth and was astonished to learn that it was a Divine Object. I thought it was a precious item but I didn¡¯t know it could be called divine! Her dress was white and matched the blue cloth perfectly, and she wore a bracelet with all four family colors represented on it by precious stones. It was a tradition that hoped to prevent the bride from being the reason for battles. It¡¯s surreal! Ilyin had been sitting at a table with one chair because strangely, she wasn¡¯t allowed to see the man she was marrying. The document on the table had their names neatly written on it, with space next to each name for them to sign. If the Duke signed, she would now become a Bilften; she would be his wife. Ilyin was not feeling elated though and there was no luxurious ceremony, which disappointed her. She¡¯d had some fantasies of being a happy bride when she was young, of wearing a long white sparkling wedding gown and walking down the virgin road, with candles along the path flickering among the azure blue flowers. She would then meet her loved one at the end of the cobbled road, and her bouquet would be thrown happily to anyone. Ilyin knew she would not marry again, as the Arlens were not that powerful to be able to remarry a daughter, and her father would not give her any dowry. So, this was the first and last time. Ilyin read the document in a gentle voice, ¡°The bride, Ilyin de Arlen pledges her life to the Duke Aden de Biflten.¡± The sentence was simple, and the night she had envisioned in her dream was becoming a reality. ¡°It does not need to be for life.¡± Ilyin thought the world had turned dark as a warm hand covered her eyes. She heard a low and sincere voice, and it was too cultured for the rumors to be true. The voice was softer than her expectation, and she did not feel afraid that a strange man was behind her. She felt like she had met him before, and her heart raced. ¡°Is it your highness?¡± Ilyin spoke without turning around and thought his hand flinched a bit. ¡°Yes, I am Aden de Biflten,¡± he introduced himself after a brief moment of silence. Ilyin greeted him with a shaking voice, ¡°I am Ilyin de Arlen.¡± She could see some light through his long fingers and also the document. However, her attention was on his hand that touched hers which held a pen. Aden gently led Ilyin¡¯s hand with his strong swordsman grip but his touch was gentle, despite his strength and he whispered, ¡°You may go whenever this place becomes too much for you.¡± She heard his voice above her and felt the Duke¡¯s firm chest pressing against the back of her head; they were close. ¡°People outside from here cannot last,¡± he whispered to her. The Duke had signed the document, and after Ilyn wrote her name, the two were now married. Before putting the silver pen down, Ilyin queried, ¡°Why did you ask for a bride from outside then?¡± He hesitated before answering and then murmured that he had not expected someone like her to come. Aden removed his hand from her eyes but remained standing behind her. He was standing so close to her and she turned slightly and saw his sharp chin and his lips. She also noticed that his collar was open, which would be a privilege that only the Duke could have in this area. Ilyin tried to avoid glancing at him further. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later,¡± he said gently. *** The preparations for their first night together were simple. The maids from all four families handed Ilyin a light silk gown while doing her hair up, as only the mistress of the mansion was allowed to do. Then, they took her into a place that Ilyin was familiar with. She¡¯d seen this room in her dream. Thin white curtains were layered over a four-poster bed and soft, downy blankets covered the mattress. While the room was not luxurious it did resemble the Biflten snowfields. ¡°The master may be late.¡± The maid from the Blue North spoke indifferently, and Ilyin thought otherwise, since he¡¯d whispered to her as if he¡¯d see her shortly, and she thought of the man she had just met. He seemed so different from the rumors she¡¯d heard and she wondered why they had been spread in the first place. But she had erased the notion of him being nice to her, as she had become too old to fancy such thoughts. ¡°Drink this.¡± The maid from the Green Mille poured liquor into a small cup and placed it on the bedside table. ¡°Women on their first night prefer this.¡± That meant it was not a necessary step, and Ilyin nodded her head slightly and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± The maids bowed and left the room and she was alone finally. She looked around and thought about Aden de Biflten, who would be coming through that door. The name was still strange to her, as she did not know his face yet. Chapter 17 Ilyin touched her hand as she remembered his hand on hers. She didn¡¯t know if she would bed someone whose face she hadn¡¯t seen and whom she didn¡¯t know yet, and she feared that she might freeze up. Sighing loudly, she held the small cup in her palm. She looked at the light green liquid before drinking it and immediately felt heat spread through her body. She took another sip and her tongue tingled, and her breath smelled sweet. She wondered whether she could do this. Ilyin would only meet the Duke tonight, and how she acted as the mistress would decide things other than her relationship with her husband and she would need to balance her position among the four families. Could she honestly do this? He must¡¯ve been looking for a bride in the empire because he needed an heir and he couldn¡¯t marry another Delrose, and he certainly didn¡¯t want to give power to other families. How much authority do I have? Am I only someone to give birth to an heir? She placed the cup down as she thought he must already know how small her family was. Was he aware of her position in the Arlen family? Information was gathered and spread through meeting people, but the Arlens seldom communicated with the outside world. While there had been visitors whom Ilyin had to greet, the Viscount had only been nice to her in front of them so he could retain his good reputation. That was not the only reason he was nice to her though, as the Arlen estate had been in turmoil after Sid¡¯s death. Servants had died or disappeared, and all of them had known about her dreams. Only those who had served the family for generations had survived. Ilyin had heard a maid, who had been with the Arlens for three generations, categorically say that the place was cursed. She now knew that her father had blamed her dreams for all the deaths and he¡¯d said that evil things happened due to her rashly looking into the future. Ilyin¡¯s smile was bitter. If she had been truly at fault, why did only those who knew about Sid¡¯s death disappear or die? She sighed and looked up at the ceiling and then at the curtains hiding the bed. She had no intention of hiding things about her family but she wouldn¡¯t say anything about her dreams, since no one would believe her here. She had come here alone to marry the worst bachelor in the empire! Was he though? She wasn¡¯t certain about this and felt like she was walking on a tightrope, blindfolded. Ilyin still didn¡¯t know anything about Biflten yet. Suddenly, all the lights in the room went off and she was surrounded by darkness since the curtains at the windows had already been drawn closed. She didn¡¯t know what to do. Was he here? She hadn¡¯t heard anything though. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Ilyin flinched as the voice had been nearer than she¡¯d expected. ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered. ¡°You may go if you don¡¯t want this.¡± She was silent, as she had heard this before more than once. ¡°Do the Delroses, not like people from the empire?¡± She recalled that Den had said the same thing. The Duke was silent for a while, and Ilyin waited. Was he surprised? ¡°Why do you think that?¡± he asked. ¡°It seems to be a common opinion among the Delroses.¡± He was silent, but it was shorter than earlier. ¡°Delroses have no reason to dislike you, and if you want, I will take steps.¡± What steps was he referring to? Even though he was nice and kind towards her, he still could kill people with his sword. ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± she replied calmly. The Duke spoke as Ilyin rubbed her hand, ¡°You¡¯re now the mistress of the Biflten, and the Delroses are under you now.¡± It was natural that she would be closer to her husband¡¯s family, and she nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Your duty is to be my bride, Ilyin.¡± Her face turned towards the voice, as that sentence sounded odd, coming from someone else. ¡°If you do your duty as my wife, the rest is up to you. Since you¡¯re the Duchess, others have to serve you. If not, throw them out.¡± The voice came nearer, and she felt a hand on her shoulder. He was touching her like she was made of glass. ¡°That will uphold your position.¡± Another hand followed her collarbone, and she felt his warmth. ¡°Is there anything I should not do?¡± She had to ask, as Biflten was different from the empire. ¡°No.¡± The hand that had been on her shoulder now touched her hair. ¡°You may use my knights.¡± He was saying that she could use force if necessary, and Ilyin felt her hair cover her neck after he removed the silver hairpin. Then, she felt the bed against her back and a hand moved gently through her soft hair. ¡°Do you regret this?¡± She felt his arms around her and Ilyin closed her eyes in the darkness. She did not regret it, as this moment seemed like her dream and she thought she may wake up in her room in the Arlen estate, where the sunlight had been bright but the air damp. Chapter 18 She did not want to be among people who were irritated with her. She did not need sunshine nor summer and preferred this dream. Therefore, she did not regret this. ¡°No I don¡¯t,¡± she replied softly. Ilyin felt a hand stroke her hair, and his breath was warm against her skin. She closed her eyes, and the Duke spoke in a gentle voice, ¡°Are you scared?¡± It would be a lie to say that she was not. Ilyin only had a faint idea about what would happen next, and since she could not see, her senses were heightened wherever she felt his touch. Will it hurt? Will I open my eyes? Will I freeze then? ¡°Are you scared that you¡¯ll meet my eyes?¡± ¡°A bit.¡± Ilyin¡¯s whisper was like a wisp, and she felt something soft on her wet eyes. ¡°Then, you don¡¯t need to see them.¡± A soft cloth covered her eyes, and she was in total darkness. Aden¡¯s lips lightly grazed over the cloth, and Ilyin grabbed the blanket tightly. She felt his breath and she trembled. However, the Duke¡¯s lips trailed over her until she calmed down and she felt his gentle care. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ilyin let out a breath at his touch, and no lady who¡¯d heard about the Biflten bride advertisement would have imagined this night. A man whose sword was faster than words and a harsh duke who remained in the cold with monsters. He was different from the person described in such rumors. She felt his large warm hands caressing her trembling skin. Then, she felt a warm touch on her gown, and he undid the first button, exposing her collarbone and round shoulders. Ilyin breathed in the cool night air as she felt his lips on her revealed skin. The Duke bent forward like he was asking her to get used to him, and it felt as if he left a mark on her shoulder where he¡¯d last touched. He undid another button, and now the gown was open to her belly. Aden¡¯s hands were on her shoulder and waist before she felt the cold, and as they warmed her, his lips kissed her between her bre*sts and then trailed downwards. Ilyin¡¯s toes curled at the delicate touch, and she could hear the Duke growl. She felt his hands shake slightly as he gently held her waist. Since she could not see, her skin was all the more sensitive to his touch. Ilyin felt his hands shake again as he pulled her gown open. His movements were gentle, but she heard the sound of cloth ripping. She flinched again but couldn¡¯t see him bite his lips. Aden hesitated as he breathed in, as Ilyin¡¯s scent was drawing him closer to her. His head felt dizzy like someone had hit it, and his hand grabbed her bare waist as if he was lifting thin ice. Ilyin¡¯s knees drew up a little and her underwear slipped down a bit, and she gasped before she could think about it, as Aden¡¯s soft lips kissed her where no one had touched her before. She felt goosebumps as she felt his touch and it seemed like waves were coming up from below. ¡°If you want me to stop, grab my hand tightly.¡± His whisper was hot against her ear, and his hands held Ilyin¡¯s hips as his lips went down again. The touch was longer this time, and he bit the cloth covering her nether regions, pulling it down with his teeth, and her hips writhed as her underwear went down halfway. Aden¡¯s big hands protected her hips from the cold air and she felt herself getting wet. He kissed her inner thighs, and his warm breath heated her. His lips had been about to delve deeper when he felt Ilyin¡¯s body tremble and she tried to stifle a moan. ¡°Are you embarrassed? Or, are you worried that someone else may be here?¡± She knew that no one else was here, so it was not that. ¡°No one will peek at the mistress of Biflten.¡± His voice seemed to be huskier as he whispered again, ¡°Only you and I are here.¡± His hand now slid between her legs, and a finger was on her entrance but his touch remained gentle as his fingers moved inward. Ilyin let out a low moan as he touched her and the Duke let out a soft laugh, ¡°You can be yourself, no one can hear you.¡± His fingers pressed her again, and her hips thrashed this time. Aden breathed in and out slowly as he tried not to rush things. His hand shook as he reined himself in, as he could not use his frail bride to satisfy his desires. His patience boiled his blood. Chapter 19 He unbuttoned the rest of Ilyin¡¯s gown, spreading it on the bed, and placed a hand on her heaving chest. He smelled a little blood as she¡¯d bitten her lips and he said, ¡°You do not need to do that.¡± As her underwear was now damp, she felt his fingers more directly this time. His lips were on hers before she could bite them again, and he felt her moan in his mouth. Ilyin¡¯s hand fisted the blankets again, and he gently released her fingers from them to kiss the back of her hand. His mouth then trailed down to the soft skin on her belly, and another hand stroked her hair. It was not fear that kept her anymore, but pleasure. She heard him unbutton his shirt and bend towards her. His body was hot against her skin, and Ilyin felt his erection slide in between her thighs. She didn¡¯t move, and she could hear Aden¡¯s chuckle as his erection was now about to enter her. Ilyin knew what that meant, and she heard his moan in her ears. She knew that he was waiting for her. ¡°Are you scared, still?¡± Aden kissed her face, and then his lips moved down to her bre*sts. He was not asking her to hurry because he realized that it must be strange for her to spend a night with a husband whose face she hadn¡¯t seen. Ilyin shook her head. She was still scared a little bit but felt mostly at ease because of his gentle gestures. She realized that her choice had been right, and life in this strange mansion may be less scary than she¡¯d expected. ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± he whispered in her ear. Ilyin had been about to speak when Aden¡¯s lips found her bre*sts and she sucked in a deep breath instead. His tongue was gentle and she moaned at the tantalizing sensations. Her body shook, and his hand went down again to where her juices were flowing. She wasn¡¯t surprised but let out a gasp at his touch. Her entire body tingled and her cheeks became flushed. The energy in the bed was electric, and Aden growled as he bent down to take off the last of her clothing, ripping the side of her gown off, but his hands were gentle as he kissed her leg and left fresh marks on her skin. She flinched as wet sounds emanated from her secret place as Aden¡¯s fingers dipped inside her, and she writhed harder. Then he kissed her as he moved his fingers and rubbed her most sensitive area with his thumb. ¡°Aaah!¡± Ilyin¡¯s waist arched again as she grabbed the blankets and twisted them tightly in her hands, and Aden held one of them with his. ¡°If I do not control myself, please squeeze my hand tightly.¡± Ilyin nodded as another finger entered her. He then bent over her to kiss her deeply and his mouth devoured hers as he tilted his face to swallow her moans. Three fingers were in her now, moving individually and one slid in her while another gently rubbed at her walls. A strong finger pressed down on her sensitive spot, and waves rolled in her head. She almost fainted from lack of breath and was close to reaching an orgasm. Slowly, he entered her, filling her with his hardness and it felt as if every nerve in her body was tingling. Aden held her hand tightly as she was narrower than he¡¯d expected and he gently moved deeper inside her as he kissed her, ¡°Can you bear this?¡± He asked softly, his warm breath tickling her ear. Ilyin didn¡¯t even realize that she¡¯d nodded as her head swam in ecstasy. However, she thought she could manage if he continued to move slowly. It was then that Aden entered deeper into her and her hips rose as he slipped his tongue hungrily into her mouth. She almost squeezed his hand, but she didn¡¯t want him to stop and so she twisted the blanket tighter around her hands instead. ¡°You do not need to endure any discomfort, Ilyin,¡± the duke murmured as he began to move more forcefully. Needy moans filled the room, and Aden kissed her nose, smiling slightly. Then he held her head with his hand as his movements became more intense. His needy moans became louder, and Ilyin held the blanket tighter with each sound. The duke let out a low growl and her hands shook, but she only held the blankets tighter and her knuckles whitened. ¡°You may hurt your hands like this.¡± The duke¡¯s hand touched hers, and he pulled back a little bit to whisper into Ilyin¡¯s ear. ¡°Hold me,¡± he said as he guided her arms to wrap them around his muscular back. Then, Aden pushed himself in, and his erection thrust into her softness. Chapter 20 Ilyin clawed at his back as the sensations became even more intense, thrusting her hips against his, and she realized she must¡¯ve left some marks with her nails. Aden held her head so that she wouldn¡¯t bang it against the wall as he pushed himself deeper inside her. Their breathing quickened and she felt as if she were on fire. He pulled back again when she was near her orgasm and kissed her, and then thrust in deeper than before. They climaxed at the same time, and her body shook from head to toe as his kiss took her breath away. ¡°Are you still scared?¡± he said, as he kissed the cloth over her eyes. Ilyin shook her head and heard a small laugh as Aden kissed her shoulder. They stayed entwined for a short while and she opened her eyes in surprise as he became hard inside of her again; the night had just begun. *** Bright light woke Ilyin from her slumber and she opened her eyes squinting to try and focus. The duke was gone and her hand touched where he¡¯d lain. He must¡¯ve woken up early, as the bed was cool. She felt like last night had been a dream and flushed at the memories. ¡°Are you awake?¡± She heard a maid ask. The maids of the Blue North had opened the door to come in and bowed as they held a nightgown on a wide silver platter. ¡°We will change your clothes,¡± she continued. ¡°Thank you,¡± Ilyin replied, still feeling half asleep. She noticed maids from the Red Delroses outside the door as well, as she greeted those who had come in. So, now they will also stay with me. It was to be expected as she¡¯d married the duke. Ilyin tried to move her neck so she could see them better and let out a scream as she felt a sharp pain shoot through her back and into her head. The Blue North maids ran to her side, ¡°Are you in pain?¡± One of them asked, looking extremely concerned. She hurt everywhere, from inside her thighs to her shoulders. ¡°A little,¡± she said. She raised a hand to tell them she was all right but flushed when she saw her body for the first time. Aden had left marks all over her body and even the maids seemed surprised. But she was a newlywed who¡¯d spent her first night with her husband so why were they looking so shocked? Ilyin wanted to say that she would change alone, but the pain silenced her. ¡°I will bring you some medicine to relieve the pain,¡± a maid bowed after changing Ilyin¡¯s clothes, and she tried to hide the marks by pulling the sleeves down as far as they would go. ¡°Oh dear,¡± she sighed, unable to bring herself to look at the mirror because she felt so self-conscious. ¡°Mistress, here is your medicine. It¡¯s made from a rare herb called nened.¡± The maids had returned quickly as if they¡¯d already prepared the deep green potion. She didn¡¯t want to drink it after seeing its unappealing color and it smelt ghastly, but she wanted to alleviate her pain so she closed her eyes and gulped down the slimy liquid. *** Idith, the second-in-command, came running to the knights¡¯ building from the main house. There were too many people for his liking in the main building demanding to congratulate the head of the Biflten¡¯s on his marriage. While that was tradition, things were not going well at the moment. The bride was ill, and it wasn¡¯t deemed life-threatening that these people needed to see the groom with their own eyes right now, so they had gathered in the first-floor lobby and were chatting away. Idith had run from the seventh floor of the main building to the knights building to find his master. ¡°Leader, it¡¯s urgent news!¡± Idith yelled. ¡°Come in.¡± Idith opened the door of an office in the knights¡¯ building and saw Aden who immediately asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°News from the main building¡¯s sixth floor,¡± he replied half out of breath. Only one person would interest him, and she was his bride, who would soon live on the seventh floor. ¡°The mistress seems unwell. She has a fever.¡± Ilyin had been fine yesterday. ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± As Aden was a swordsman, a doctor resided in the manor. Idith¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t happy. ¡°He is still seeing to the wounded at the castle walls. It will take time to call him due to the snowfall.¡± ¡°Who is seeing to her?¡± ¡°Ted, the doctor¡¯s apprentice.¡± Apprentice? Aden had been the one to send the doctor to tend to the wounded. He only had himself to blame. ¡°Let¡¯s go see her first then,¡± he said, looking genuinely concerned. Chapter 21 The mansion was in an uproar. The uninvited guests all bowed when they saw the embroidered robe with the Delrose crest on it, as they knew it was only worn by the head of the Biflten family; they had bowed out of fear rather than respect. While they couldn¡¯t see the Duke¡¯s face, his masculine chin and thin lips were memorable to all. ¡°This way,¡± Idith was the only one speaking, and the guests all whispered about how the knights could act so freely like that. The sixth floor was the same, as Idith had notified the guests in front of the room, before the Duke arrived, saying, ¡°He is passing through.¡± The maids of the Blue North seemed astonished to see the Duke, since he normally disappeared for a few days after the elders had placed a woman in his bedroom, and they¡¯d assumed that the woman would spend the night alone as they¡¯d made the preparations. However, he had spent the night and had now returned. ¡°Is this because she is from the Empire?¡± Idith heard a maid whisper as the women walked away, and he glared at them coldly. While the Duke had also heard them, he ignored the comment and went to knock on the door. As he was about to open it the doctor came out and gaped in surprise, bowing immediately. He knew Aden well as he worked for the Delrose knights. ¡°Why do you look so shocked?¡± Aden asked the doctor. ¡°I did not expect you.¡± The doctor cleared his throat and looked back to report like a professional, ¡°She has muscle pain all over, and her fever won¡¯t go down.¡± Aden raised a brow, and Idith turned his gaze to him too. However, the doctor waved his hand realizing what they must be thinking, ¡°It¡¯s not because of last night. While it may have been a small factor, the main reason¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Aden interrupted impatiently. The doctor¡¯s voice was careful, ¡°The Blue North maids gave her nened to ease her pain.¡± Nened was an effective herb with no side effects and was even used on battlefields. ¡°It seems to have an adverse effect on someone from the Empire.¡± *** ¡°Father was someone who longed for the summer,¡± a familiar voice spoke. Snow had piled up, and more snow was falling, and two people were sitting on a pile of it. Ilyin looked around at the familiar surroundings and saw the mobile that she¡¯d seen in her dreams of the future before. So, this is a dream. She looked at the two people and saw that they were Delrose knights and one of them was the leader, Den. Her face was revealed in this dream as she was sitting on the Blue North¡¯s blue cloth instead of wearing it over her head. ¡°While he was satisfied with showing my mother the Elo lights, that wasn¡¯t real sunlight,¡± Den¡¯s voice was calm as he continued, ¡°the summer that had disappeared from Biflten long ago had not looked like that at all.¡± He was smiling, and his eyes looked kind. ¡°You would know it better than me,¡± she replied, feeling somewhat unsure about the conversation. He became silent for a moment and then spoke firmly, ¡°I will bring summer back here.¡± It seemed like a major feat for him, and Ilyin, who had been closely watching the two, opened her eyes wide, wondering if that was at all possible. ¡°How?¡± Her dream self asked, and Den opened his lips to reply, but the dream abruptly ended. *** ¡°Are you there?¡± Den called out. Ilyin opened her eyes, and her body felt sweaty and sore. She blinked rapidly and saw that she was still in Aden¡¯s bedroom and then turned to look at the door that was being knocked on, squinting through the thin curtains of the four-poster bed. ¡°Who is it?¡± She replied weakly. ¡°This is Den of the Red Delroses.¡± Ilyin blinked at the inexplicable situation and looked around to see that the mobile was absent. This was not a dream, but if not, why was Den here? The maids should¡¯ve taken care of this, as another man should not visit. However, the maids were not here, even though they had stayed with her all day when she¡¯d repeatedly woken up from her fever. ¡°What is it?¡± Ilyin¡¯s voice was soft, but Den somehow heard her. ¡°I heard you were unwell.¡± That was not an acceptable reason for him to be here, and Ilyin covered herself up to her neck with the blanket. ¡°His highness has asked me to check on you.¡± She listened to Den without answering him, and while she was grateful that the Duke was worried, she was still surprised. Why had he sent his knight¡¯s leader when he could¡¯ve just sent a Delrose maid? Ilyin was confused and wondered if this was normal in Biflten. Chapter 22 After thinking carefully, she replied, ¡°Come in.¡± This situation may not be wrong in Biflten, since the lands were ruled differently. If so, chasing Den away may be the impolite thing to do. Ilyin¡¯s words meant that Den should come in if he thought it apt. ¡°But only for a minute,¡± she quickly added, still feeling unsure about allowing him to enter the room. The door opened, and the black-haired man walked in. While his hair was neat, he seemed to have put on his clothes in a rush. She saw his white shirt as his jacket was unbuttoned, and Ilyin looked away as he reminded her of the Duke she¡¯d partially seen yesterday. ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡± He gently asked. She suddenly remembered her dream yesterday, as her dream self had been very friendly with him. Ilyin shook her head as she shouldn¡¯t have dreamt such a thing after her first night with her husband. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Ilyin¡¯s answer was sudden, and she grabbed the blanket that was still up to her neck. ¡°Is this acceptable in Biflten?¡± She had to ask him the question as the dream had made her more cautious. ¡°What?¡± Den tilted his head, and he looked sincerely surprised. ¡°If this was the Empire, you entering this room would be considered a heavy crime,¡± Ilyin spoke as calmly as she could, and Den hesitated as if he knew what she meant now. ¡°It¡¯s acceptable here.¡± Ilyin sighed but still felt uncomfortable. She would have to get used to the cultural differences, but the dream still bothered her and she wondered what would happen if this situation was illicit. ¡°I heard that the medicine made you unwell.¡± ¡°Medicine?¡± Ilyin came back to her senses. While she didn¡¯t remember much, she did recall the doctor that came to see her, because she was surprised that he was also a man. ¡°Nened doesn¡¯t suit those from the Empire so we are bringing medicine through Ecid, which will arrive soon.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, feeling grateful. Den left abruptly, as he seemed to realize that his presence made her uncomfortable. Ilyin sighed in relief but she knew he was only doing his job. She had heard that the Duke didn¡¯t stay in the estate often and thought that he would not ignore her illness. He had been so gentle with her last night and she smiled as she took in a deep breath and relived the evening in her mind. *** ¡°Sir, this goes against tradition!¡± Lidan said sternly. Lidan of the Blue North visited the knights¡¯ mansion often, and Aden looked at the old man with narrowed eyes before turning to look at the clock. It was late for a visitor. ¡°What are you so dissatisfied about?¡± ¡°It is about the mistress¡¯s maids.¡± Aden tilted his head as he remembered the order of things, ¡°Is this about changing them all to those from the Delroses?¡± ¡°Yes, as the Blue North has taken care of the bride for generations.¡± Lidan was saying that Aden had overstepped, and the Duke did not hide his annoyance. ¡°We served Lady Elena¡­¡± ¡°Not when I was young,¡± Aden cut the elder off. Lady Elena was Duke¡¯s mother. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a Blue North maid after she became ill.¡± Lidan hesitated for a long time before replying, ¡°That was because Lady Elena preferred Delrose maids.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s because the Blue North did not take good care of her!¡± Aden glared at him coldly. ¡°I am aware that the Blue North serves the bride.¡± That was why Ilyin had come in through the Delrose¡¯s carriage path, which was the fastest out of all routes to the Empire, and Aden thought back to when he¡¯d first met Ilyin. Ilyin was a small and delicate creature, yet only one Blue North horseman had accompanied her here. Aden had thought that the Blue North wouldn¡¯t welcome someone from the Empire and he couldn¡¯t hide a sneer. The Red Delroses chose practicality over luxury even though they were the head family. On the other hand, the Blue North owned the plains that had been the most beautiful of all the lands when Biflten had summer. That is why the duchesses had stayed there the longest, and while the plains were now covered by the snow, the beautiful buildings and traditions remained. Aden knew that the Blue North served the bride. ¡°That¡¯s when you take care of the bride sufficiently, but it seems that the Blue North doesn¡¯t know how to take care of someone from the sunny lands.¡± Aden picked up a dark-green nened leaf, common anywhere in the knight¡¯s mansion, and looked at it intently. ¡°That also goes for your horseman.¡± Lidan¡¯s face grew rigid as Aden crushed the leaf in front of him. Chapter 23 Ilyin¡¯s fever eventually went away, but she still felt muscle pain. This she had to endure on her own, as the doctor, who¡¯d come running from outside the castle walls, emphasized that those from the Empire had to take medicine from there. Then she heard the resident doctor of the Delroses shout in anger to the maids outside the thick doors, ¡°How would herbs, grown in cold and shadow, heal someone from outside?!¡± ¡°Should I tell him to go elsewhere?¡± One of the maids asked quietly. Ilyin shook her head at the Delrose maid, who then bowed before going to stand by the wall until she was needed again. They were much more reserved than the Blue North maids, and Ilyin looked at their shiny red bracelets. Ilyin had drifted in and out of sleep after Den had left, and when she¡¯d finally awakened fully, all the maids had been replaced by those of the Red Delroses. The ones being yelled at were from the Blue North, and Ilyin sighed, feeling sorry for them as she glanced at the Delrose maids who all stood against the wall like statues. ¡°Lady.¡± She heard a knock at the door and the maids instantly answered it, unlike the Blue North maids who would¡¯ve taken their sweet time. Ilyin wondered who would refer to her like that after she¡¯d been married, and then saw that it was Milo from Ecid, as the door was opened for him. ¡°Greetings, mistress. I heard that you have not been well.¡± ¡°That is true, Milo.¡± He straightened his posture at the door, and Ilyin smiled as he bowed and handed the maid something. ¡°This is a medicine often used at the capital, so it won¡¯t discomfort you. However, if you feel an itch¡­¡± Milo was speaking loudly to be heard from the door, and his explanation was dragging on. Ilyin waved at him, beckoning him to enter the room, ¡°Come in and speak.¡± She thought Milo was following the Empire rules by being so loud because he worked for them and felt grateful for his position. However, Milo blinked at her words in confusion. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± He looked perplexed. ¡°M¡­ me?¡± Ilyin also blinked as Milo stammered. ¡°Yes.¡± Milo¡¯s face turned pale at her words. ¡°Are you asking me to enter the Duchess¡¯s room in front of the Delrose maids?¡± Milo looked flabbergasted as he said that that would be like asking to be beheaded by the Duke. ¡°What on earth do you mean?¡± Ilyin remembered Den¡¯s words in the awkward atmosphere earlier. Had he not said that it was acceptable for a man to enter her bedroom here? *** Idith had good hearing and couldn¡¯t help but overhear the maids chattering as he took care of the overdue work at the estate since Aden wasn¡¯t able to. ¡°Did His Highness spend the night?¡± A Mille maid was gossiping, and it was Idith¡¯s job to inform Aden of the rumors that concerned him. ¡°Yes,¡± the other maid answered confidently. ¡°Is this because she is from the sunny lands?¡± ¡°Perhaps, do you think so too?¡± While the words were spoken fast, Idith could still make out what they were whispering about. ¡°Lady Elena was also from outside.¡± The Blue North maid answered and Idith narrowed his eyes at seeing the estate¡¯s undisciplined state. Their whispers were foolish, even if the owner of the estate went out often. Aden was furious with the Blue North, to the extent that being chased out would be a light punishment for them. While the Delroses had been enemies with the Blue North for a long time now, Aden¡¯s response had been strangely passionate. Idith thought removing the Blue North maids from Ilyin¡¯s side had been a good idea, but Lidan had almost run away from the room after coming to complain about it. The Blue North¡¯s actions, from when the bride¡¯s carriage had first arrived, had been punishable. Still, his master had been waiting with patience. Aden de Biflten¡¯s rule was to pounce at the critical moment. However, things were different this time, as the decision to remove the Blue North maids had been too light and rushed. Aden would¡¯ve chased the Blue North maids out in the cold with only thin clothes, and they would¡¯ve frozen there for everyone to see. ¡°Greetings, mistress. I heard that you have not been well.¡± Idith heard Milo say. Chapter 24 Aden only contacted Idith when he went out of the estate and not when he went back and forth between the main mansion and the knights¡¯ mansion. Therefore, Idith had to search for him. ¡°This is a medicine often used at the capital, so it would not discomfort you. However, if you feel an itch¡­¡± Milo continued. Idith witnessed something he shouldn¡¯t have, as Milo spoke in front of the bride¡¯s room. ¡°Come in and speak.¡± He heard Ilyin command. If any other bride had done that, rumors would¡¯ve spread through the building rapidly, before reaching across the land, that the new bride had let another man enter where she¡¯d spent the first night with her husband! Of course, there was a bigger problem. Milo¡¯s response directly opposed Aden¡¯s words. It was all right for Aden to enter the room since he was her husband! ¡°Yes?¡± Idith wanted to knock Milo, who didn¡¯t realize what was going on due to having just returned, unconscious, and drag him outside. The only good thing was that only the Red Delrose maids were present. ¡°M¡­ me?¡± He heard Milo stutter. ¡°Yes.¡± The maids¡¯ eyes were wide open, and Idith grabbed a maid who almost dropped the silver tray from her hands. Idith put his finger on his lips to signal her to be silent. The maid nodded, and Idith pointed to the other maids again to order her to silence them too. Her voice shook as she agreed to do so. ¡°Are you asking me to enter the Duchess¡¯s room in front of Delrose maids?¡± Idith was shocked to hear Milo say this. ¡°Milo, the master is asking for you,¡± Idith called to him. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there!¡± Milo looked relieved. Idith couldn¡¯t even show himself as he asked Ilyin for permission for him to leave. She hesitated for a moment but then said yes, with poise. Idith dragged Milo away until they couldn¡¯t be seen; the merchant was like a log. Milo must¡¯ve felt like Aden¡¯s sword had been on his throat during that awkward moment with Ilyin. ¡°What just happened?¡± Milo asked, looking bewildered. Idith ignored him and went to look for Aden. It didn¡¯t matter why Aden was lying, as he would¡¯ve had a good reason to do so. Idith only needed to follow his orders, but Milo had just opposed that lie. The bride was not stupid, and Den, the knight¡¯s leader, would be the one questioning all of this. He could guess how Aden would react, and Milo may very well freeze to death. While Aden had to be notified, Idith and Milo were both in trouble, and Idith let out a rare cuss. *** Aden had been looking over the information he had received from Ecid while he sat in the knight¡¯s mansion. Although he hadn¡¯t been too curious about outside lands, his bride made him question things. He was looking over the information about the Arlens, as he had ordered for a deeper and wider search of their history. They had no connection to the Imperial family, and she was most certainly not an assassin. Aden had been patient the previous night and had held himself back, otherwise, he would¡¯ve been like a whirlwind on his bride. He¡¯d had to control his urges so that she would feel something other than pain, but it had only driven him wild. The night had been intense, despite his control, but now his delicate bride couldn¡¯t get out of bed. Of course, the Blue North and the nened had made things worse. The Viscount Arlen¡¯s family had lived there for generations, but the Viscountess¡¯s heritage seemed to be a mystery. The fact that information regarding the Viscountess kept popping up bothered Aden. Nothing else alerted him except the fact that her name kept appearing although the Arlens were somewhat questionable, despite being a weak house. Even though the investigation had been short, there was too little information to go on, unless someone was blocking information intentionally, and the easiest way to do that would be to kill someone to keep them silent. The Arlen family¡¯s highest-ranking maid had gone missing. Milo was by no means an incompetent man, and he¡¯d narrowed the scope of his investigation down but had found nothing of interest. He looked to the day he¡¯d first met Ilyin, for clues. The Arlen¡¯s knight had escorted her but didn¡¯t come into the Ecid building. While Ilyin may have ordered him to stay out, he should¡¯ve insisted, to avoid punishment if she was their beloved daughter. Chapter 25 Milo expanded his search and found a maid who¡¯d complained about her workplace when coming to the capital, under Ilyin¡¯s orders, to find something. The maid had said that her mistress was a strange and weird woman, and she¡¯d paid the price of her folly with her life. She was already dead when Milo found her, but he discovered that the maid who¡¯d served Ilyin had gone missing when he¡¯d gone searching for the deceased maid. He found it very odd that the Arlen family¡¯s only daughter didn¡¯t have a maid exclusively assigned to her. Aden narrowed his eyes as he thought of Ilyin on that first night. She¡¯d looked close to death with her frail figure, and he¡¯d put a hand on his forehead in concern. She had been relieved at having her eyes covered, but Aden didn¡¯t tell her she¡¯d met him as Den. He also didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d say if Ilyin asked the reason for his deception, and he strangely feared her reaction; he was already making up excuses in his head. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s Idith.¡± Aden raised a brow when he saw Milo come in with Idith and asked the merchant if he had anything else to report. Milo spoke in a shaking voice, ¡°Have you ever gone to her room? Or, did you say that it was all right for a man to enter the bride¡¯s room in Biflten?¡± ¡°Idith!¡± Aden cut into Milo¡¯s words and looked at Idith, who stared at the ceiling before answering. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Explain why he is speaking about that.¡± Aden knew how efficient his subordinates were, and Idith would¡¯ve heard that particular conversation with his good hearing. However, he had trusted Idith, who had shown undying loyalty since they were children. While Milo was the same, Aden didn¡¯t want others to know that. His bride, who was vulnerable at the strangest times, made him act foolishly. Aden wouldn¡¯t have said such things if he had been his normal self, but Ilyin, lying in the light, had surprised him. Her summer scent had caught him, and Aden had found her surprised face, cute. He wouldn¡¯t have said such a thing if he had been sensible, as the flimsy lie would¡¯ve been discovered the moment another man had entered her room. However, he didn¡¯t think that any man would be bold enough to enter the Duchess¡¯s room. ¡°I had gone to her room¡­¡± Milo attempted to explain. Aden was proved wrong, and the pen he had been holding in his hand suffered the consequences. *** It was said to be Biflten¡¯s tradition for the bride to spend a week in the room she¡¯d spent her first night with her husband in, so that she may be loved by him. Ilyin had been set to follow that tradition, but the problem was, her body was weak. ¡°You will go up the seventh floor the day after tomorrow,¡± the doctor instructed and Ilyin flushed as he prevented the Duke from coming into the room. The maids had placed trinkets and flowers from the Empire around the room that Milo had brought, hoping to cheer her up. ¡°Would that be all right?¡± An old maid bowed, and Ilyin knew instinctively that she was the head of the Delrose maids. ¡°What is your name?¡± She enquired. ¡°I am Etra of the Delroses.¡± Etra spoke with her head bowed and said also that the second-in-command of the estate had something to speak to Ilyin about, with her permission of course. When Etra glanced at the door, the maids who¡¯d been standing there suddenly became alert. ¡°I will escort you for a walk in the corridors, as they are warm today. His highness must be in a good mood.¡± What did the Duke have to do with the corridors? Was that a metaphor for something? Ilyin didn¡¯t know. While she was still weak, her fever was now down, after resting for days. Etra looked at Ilyin¡¯s thin arms which were revealed as the girl moved, with sad eyes. ¡°Wintry lands have rich dishes that warm up the body, and they will be provided after you leave this room.¡± While Ilyin thought she hadn¡¯t changed much from when she had been in the Empire, she smiled at Etra¡¯s sincerity and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Etra bowed and helped Ilyin to move more easily, as the old woman was strong enough to support her weight. The maid helped her into a coat and followed her slow pace. She was different from the maids of the Blue North, who had been astonished at seeing Ilyin¡¯s body after her first night with her husband. ¡°Hello, Mistress,¡± Idith greeted politely. Ilyin had seen the second-in-command, Idith of the Red Delroses, before. He had been waiting in the hallway and now he led her to another room. She noticed that Idith waited for her to enter first, and she knew that the Delroses were showing the utmost courtesy to her at the moment. Ilyin found that strange. To her, servants had been those who had observed her and reported to others about what she did and spoke about. Their priority had been to observe and serving her had been less important. Chapter 26 ¡°I am Idith, and I believe that we have met before.¡± ¡°Of course, I remember you.¡± Idith bowed low, and the distance between them was almost too far. However, Etra and Idith seemed to think that this was normal here. Ilyin thought of what Den had said when he¡¯d entered the room, and thought that his words had been incorrect. Milo¡¯s response was more evidence, as the man had been quite sure of himself when she¡¯d first seen him in the Empire. If she hadn¡¯t dreamed of the future, Ilyin would¡¯ve thought her suspicions wrong and left. However, yesterday he¡¯d been shaken as if he was about to be beheaded. ¡°Is the Empire¡¯s medicine working for you, mistress?¡± ¡°I am quite all right now.¡± Idith was speaking out of politeness, and Ilyin thought of Den. He had been awkward when saying that he was asking about her health after being ordered by the Duke to do so. Why was she thinking of him? Den bothered Ilyin now after she¡¯d seen him in her dream. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I came to ask whether you are aware of Biflten¡¯s succession ceremony.¡± Ilyin tilted her head, ¡°It was my knowledge that the Duke had already obtained his title.¡± ¡°You are correct. What the succession ceremony means here is that it¡¯s related to the head¡¯s power, not as the Duke, but as the ruler of the wintry lands.¡± Power? Was it like magic? Ilyin¡¯s head tilted further. While she had heard that the Imperial family had magicians, they were rare, as one needed to be born with magical powers to become one. Therefore, she¡¯d never seen magic before and only knew that one could do quite a lot with it. ¡°The ceremony is held every three years, and the next one is coming up soon. While the master has done it alone, it is tradition for the Duchess to also participate after marriage.¡± Ilyin nodded. ¡°If you¡¯re uncomfortable, we can delay¡­¡± Ilyin held up a hand to stop him from speaking, ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± She was feeling better now and postponing such events meant that the servants would have more chores to do. Idith looked happy with her answer and gave a short explanation about the ceremony. He told Ilyin that the four families each had a Divine object, and the head needed to receive power from those four items during the ceremony to be able to use his power, which raised the temperature of the lands and protected Biflten¡¯s people from the cold. ¡°This is the first time that I¡¯ve heard such things.¡± Idith nodded and explained, ¡°It¡¯s because this power cannot be used in the sunny lands.¡± That was why the Duke of Biflten was nicknamed the Duke of Winter. Ilyin recalled the rumors she¡¯d heard in the Empire. While the scary gossip, of how one shouldn¡¯t meet the Duke of Biflten, had spread in this generation, Ilyin had also heard that the previous Duke of Biflten had shown himself in social circles every once in a while. But she had heard nothing about magic. ¡°I was unaware of this,¡± she replied. ¡°We¡¯re still researching about the origin of this power.¡± Idith calmly spoke about how the Duke had placed Divine objects at the altar because he was single, and now the Duchess had to bring the bride¡¯s Divine object there as well since he was now married. ¡°Do I keep it after the ceremony?¡± She enquired. ¡°As the objects mean that the power is spread among the four families, normally they are returned to their owners.¡± Idith looked at the blue cloth of the Blue North as he spoke, ¡°Of course, the family can choose how to store the object.¡± He seemed a bit uninterested in something referred to as ¡°divine¡±, and Ilyin looked at the blue cloth before speaking, ¡°What happens if I lose it?¡± ¡°It is said that the objects are made to return to their owners, so don¡¯t worry about that too much.¡± Idith bowed his head. ¡°That is why we are here.¡± Ilyin remembered the Duke¡¯s words about how she should treat her subordinates and smiled as she nodded, ¡°I will do my best not to lose it.¡± She didn¡¯t want to place these Delrose people in a position to get into trouble, as they were sincerely taking care of her, unlike the other three families. ¡°Please call me whenever you need me,¡± Idith said kindly after he¡¯d finished explaining everything to her, then he promptly left. While he walked fast, he was silent. The corridors did seem warm, unlike before, as she walked back to the room she¡¯d been staying in. They said that she¡¯d be moved to the seventh floor in two days. That floor was owned by the Delroses and she wondered if maids from the other families would be sent to her. Etra was assisting her during her walk back to the room and as they turned the corner, they bumped into someone she¡¯d been secretly thinking about all day. It was Den. Chapter 27 Aden de Biflten did not need improvisation, unless it was on the battlefield, as he now had the power of being the head of the Biflten. However, a problem like this could not be solved with this power. ¡®Why is he like that?¡¯ Milo mouthed the words to Idith silently as Aden had excellent hearing and luckily his master didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°Can¡¯t Your Highness appear as yourself before her?¡± Milo¡¯s solution was simple, as the frail bride would not be able to notice a skilled swordsman like Aden if he chose to hide his status. Aden didn¡¯t answer, and Idith hit Milo¡¯s arm when the merchant had been about to speak again while keeping his eyes on the Duke. He was thinking of an improbable possibility. Why had his master gone there? Idith thought of his master standing in front of his bride and the conversation he¡¯d overheard. Aden had entered the room as the Duke but pretended to be the knight¡¯s leader in front of Ilyin. He¡¯d wanted to talk to her face to face and had even made a flimsy excuse for being there, which was definitely unlike him. Idith thought that he knew how things stood and felt that he was a step ahead of his master this time. While the servants whispered about how Aden preferred women of the Empire, Idith didn¡¯t think of it as a bad thing, if that was who he chose. His master didn¡¯t like the wintry lands that had swallowed his mother from his childhood, as Idith had been around him from that time, and knew what had happened. Aden wanted to eradicate the cold. And while he abhorred the three families, he raised his sword to protect the north. That was enough for Idith, and he didn¡¯t care why Aden loved his bride. He sounded like a young man in love rather than the bloody ruler of the wintry lands. ¡°How about letting her know?¡± Milo added with a cold sweat, as Aden had remained silent. Aden finally looked up to Milo, ¡°Let her know?¡± ¡°Yes, the mistress won¡¯t be able to get out of the manor anyway.¡± Ilyin was surrounded only by the Delrose maids and didn¡¯t seem to like the maids from the other families. She had tried to take off the blue cloth, knowing that it belonged to the Blue North, but it was bitter cold. ¡°Your Highness has deceived her from the beginning,¡± Milo remarked bravely and Idith blinked in shock. He didn¡¯t seem to see what the problem was until Idith gave him a death stare. Milo¡¯s eyes widened as he mouthed silently, asking whether his assumption was correct. However, Idith had no intention of answering as Milo had been the one to create this situation. Idith had ordered the Delrose knights, on the day of his master¡¯s visit, to enter the bride¡¯s room if they needed to convey any messages. He couldn¡¯t explain further what his master was thinking of the incredulous knights. However, he added that they must ask for the bride¡¯s permission, which was all he could say. Milo had not been there, as he was outside, and he should¡¯ve been quick-witted enough to step back if he felt that something weird was going on, instead of saying things outright. ¡°Use Milo instead,¡± Idith suggested, and Aden folded his arms and leaned back. It was a sign that Idith should explain further. Milo¡¯s eyes nearly popped out but Idith ignored the man standing next to him while he spoke. *** Questions filled Aden¡¯s mind constantly. Why was he acting like this? That particular question came back to him in a different way after he¡¯d walked down the same corridor four times. What made him act so unlike himself? As the mollies seemed to be plotting something outside of the castle walls, he had a lot more important things to think about. Since he¡¯d destroyed most of the herd, he had time on his hands. However, he could destroy the rest of them easily if he jumped at this opportunity, but he was procrastinating. Instead, he was walking around while waiting for his bride to walk by, as he wanted her to think that their meeting was by chance. He didn¡¯t understand himself and had been about to turn around when she appeared in front of him, like an illusion. Ilyin seemed as much surprised as he was. ¡°Hello.¡± His voice was deep and mellow. Ilyin held a hand to stop him as he approached her, ¡°Can you stop there for a moment?¡± She seemed like a wary small animal, and Aden halted, even though she wasn¡¯t the slightest bit threatening. ¡°I¡¯ve heard different things from what you told me before,¡± she said bluntly. Her knack of getting straight to the point made Aden think of her letter, which made him smile. Ilyin tilted her head as Aden waited for her to speak. ¡°I do not know much about Biflten yet.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Aden carefully listened to her words. ¡°However, a strange man coming into my room seemed to be something out of the ordinary.¡± Chapter 28 Aden let out a short breath and thought of Idith¡¯s suggestion. ¡®There is no other way if you want to meet her without letting her know who you are.¡¯ ¡°Who says that?¡± ¡°Milo of the Red Delroses.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± Aden felt as if his head was buried in snow for a moment. Out in a wide snowfield, there were dangerous places where one could get buried in snow, with a single wrong step. When a person stepped on a spot where the snow had piled on a crack, one got sucked into the hole, along with the snow. Aden felt as if he was on top of such a spot, and would regret what he said next. However, he still spoke, ¡°Milo seems to have confused his manners as he has spent a long time in the Empire and may have been surprised at seeing you.¡± Why would a person so sure of himself be surprised? Ilyin thought things over and remembered her state at the time. She had been wearing only a gown, albeit a thick one. Also, the Duke had left marks on her that even surprised the maids. Ilyin had covered her eyes as Etra made sure that the marks were properly hidden. Come to think of it, Den had also been hesitant that day. ¡°I understand,¡± she replied as she nodded. ¡°If you¡¯re uncomfortable, I will forbid the knights from entering your room, which is what you are accustomed to in the Empire.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s all right,¡± Ilyin sighed, and her voice was calm despite her flushed face. ¡°I am in Biflten after all.¡± She meant that she would follow the tradition here, and Aden put a hand to his forehead as she slowly passed him by. His heartbeat was faster than when he¡¯d gone out to fight monsters in enemy territory. He felt buried in snow, as he seemed to have gotten the first step wrong. Would it have been better to reveal himself on the first day when he¡¯d met Ilyin? The same person who¡¯d lowered her gaze in surprise upon hearing him called Den. Aden sighed heavily. ¡°Etra, I want to ask you a favor.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Can you send me a person who can teach me the Biflten manners?¡± Aden heard the conversation between the two women as they walked away and his face turned white as he became serious for a moment. He had to meet that individual first, as Ilyin would have to learn the ¡°new¡± manners of the Biflten lands that applied to her. Therefore, he could have a say in what she would be taught. *** How could she be so tired after such a short walk? Ilyin opened her weary eyes, and while the bed was soft, she saw a grey sky instead of the ceiling. Snowflakes large enough to block her sight were falling in bucket loads. She woke up but had to jump back once she realized that she was surrounded by monsters. Her heart skipped a beat as she instinctively ran, but she didn¡¯t leave any footprints on the snow that she¡¯d initially mistaken for a bed. She was baffled by all of this. ¡°They are coming this way!¡± someone screamed. The red-scaled monsters she¡¯d seen before, were hiding in the piles of snow, and some had camouflaged themselves to hide their conspicuous color, but they couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°Wait until they come nearer!¡± another voice yelled. She saw the familiar mobile among those who shouted with hoarse voices. Ilyin exhaled as she¡¯d been holding her breath; she was seeing the future in a dream. She passed the monsters and looked around and saw that the rest of the herd was hidden on a very tall rocky cliff. She thought that the monsters had been waiting to ambush the people below, but their numbers were too small. Then she looked at something that resembled a village below the cliff. While it was far away, she didn¡¯t think that it was a human village, although it seemed like one because of the building structures. She saw the soldiers marching forward on a long slope that led to the cliff. The one leading them looked familiar, as his black hair and blue eyes were visible to her even through the snow. It was Den. ¡°Get down!¡± she screamed in panic. A moment later, the monsters next to her moved forward with streaks of bright blue light flashing about them. Ilyin almost fell off the cliff after seeing the strange phenomenon and she flopped onto the ground. The monsters were holding long sticks with strange carvings on them and the blue light was shooting out of those staffs. She wondered if it was magic. Then, the ground shook. She looked up at the cliff in surprise and saw something unimaginable. The ground, no, the snow was moving. An avalanche had risen to ambush the knights as if it had its own will. As the snow enveloped them, Ilyin woke up. Chapter 29 Ilyin was startled awake by her dream. Beads of sweat covered her brow and she couldn¡¯t shake the vivid vision of the snow ambushing the soldiers. But no one had died in the dream and she breathed deeply feeling somewhat relieved. ¡°Etra,¡± she called shakily. Etra responded immediately, ¡°Yes, Mistress.¡± ¡°Will the Red Delrose knights go out to battle soon?¡± All of the Delrose knights would face a snowstorm. However, since they had not died in her dream, the worst possible outcome could be avoided. ¡°Should I enquire about that for you?¡± Eta asked, bowing her head. Ilyin thought for a moment before answering. The Delrose people were treating her with loyalty, unlike other families. She could see that by their actions and the way that they spoke to her. However, Aden de Biflten was the head of the Delroses and she was concerned about what he would think if he found out that Ilyin wanted to know about their expedition? Although, he had been firm in saying that Ilyin could do what she wanted as the mistress of the house. She made her decision and replied, ¡°Yes, please.¡± ¡°I understand. Also, I secured a lady who is well versed in the Biflten culture.¡± Ilyin blinked at the lack of speed and Etra continued to explain the delay, ¡°She will come at night since she was summoned to the knight¡¯s mansion earlier. It seems to be for your safety, please understand this postponement.¡± It was true that one needed to confirm whether such a person was trustworthy and Ilyin nodded in understanding, ¡°Thank you. Tell her to come when she¡¯s ready.¡± Etra bowed and asked a Delrose maid outside about the expedition. Ilyin got out of bed and went to sit by the table and another Delrose maid placed a short, but warm blanket, over her shoulders. Ilyin thanked her and the maid flushed, as her status did not allow her to answer. Ilyin stopped the maid as she had been about to step back, ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°Yes Mistress,¡± The maid seemed tense, and Ilyin smiled to say it was all right for her to speak. ¡°I need to ask you something. It seems that the four families stay in different areas under an unspoken rule.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The maid seemed less tense at a topic she was familiar with, and Ilyin smiled softly, ¡°I was curious where the Delroses stayed.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± The maid started explaining to her mistress with a smile. *** Ilyin had a map of the estate. From her maid¡¯s explanation, she was able to circle the location where the Delroses were mainly situated, as well as where the other families were too. She did this because she was now the mistress and would have to know what was going on around her. However, she thought that something was strange when she¡¯d heard about the succession ceremony. It was said to be held in the basement owned by the Delroses, which was inevitable since the Duke was of the Delroses. Still, the strange thing was, that while the other families were scattered about, the Delroses were situated in one area. The map showed her that only the Delroses could move about without having to pass through the other family¡¯s areas, while none of them could do the same; it was impossible. She fingered the route that Lizzie of the Blue North had guided her through. Ilyin had passed through the various family¡¯s territories, which had only been allowed as Lizzie had been guiding a guest. She recalled that they had rested often and irregularly, and now saw that they had only rested in the Blue North areas. Lizzie seemed to have been trying to avoid people, and Ilyin had met Den during a walk there. The separation of the families made sense since the owner of the estate was a Delrose. The Duke¡¯s upcoming schedule concerned her though and Ilyin thought about the succession ceremony where he would be present. Since it was held in the basement, where only the elders would be present, it would be easy to avoid his eyes. The Duke had been at the battlefield and she remembered a knight calling him on the day she¡¯d first met Den. The Duke had been there, and a knight had been searching for him. Ilyin had been unable to look around and had lowered her gaze, fearful of seeing his eyes because of the rumors she¡¯d heard. The strange thing was, that it had seemed as if he were among the knights when she¡¯d assumed that he would¡¯ve been at the back, or moving alone. Ilyin wouldn¡¯t have known this if she hadn¡¯t been there. Chapter 30 He was different from the other knights as he had a special ability, so how could the knights fight with a person whose eyes they could not meet? The knight had looked for the Duke in the middle of the battlefield at the risk of seeing his eyes. Maybe the rumors were exaggerated. The Duke may possess the ability to freeze a person, but it seemed that this could be prevented or avoided. ¡°Mistress, about the Delrose knight¡¯s expedition¡­¡± Etra spoke softly, realizing that Ilyin was deep in thought. Ilyin nodded, ¡°Yes. What is their plan?¡± Etra glanced at the map in front of Ilyin as she spoke, ¡°While the exact date is a secret, they will be heading out soon.¡± Ilyin had known that would happen, but it didn¡¯t mean that she couldn¡¯t gain some clues about her dream before they left. She looked at the Biflten¡¯s map, and while knights would¡¯ve known where the place was in a second, it took a while for her to find the spot that matched what she¡¯d seen in her dream, and Etra waited calmly to avoid putting pressure on her mistress. ¡°Are they going to the west?¡± The place Ilyin found on the map was the mollies¡¯ territory in the west. ¡°Yes.¡± Etra looked surprised at her guess. Ilyin agonized about what she should do. If she tried to warn them, she doubted that they¡¯d believe her. And, how could the knights avoid an unexpected avalanche, even if they were used to the snow? ¡°I heard that His Highness will be on that expedition,¡± Etra whispered. Ilyin froze in shock at this news. *** Ilyin moved up to the seventh floor that night, and the resident doctor smiled in satisfaction at seeing that she¡¯d become quite well. ¡°A medicine to strengthen the body?¡± The old doctor suggested, with a pleasant smile on his face. ¡°However, since it may cause problems like the nened, let¡¯s rather go with the medicine from the Empire first. We need to make you stronger before you can take medicine that¡¯s made here.¡± His words were warm, and Ilyin couldn¡¯t believe that this was the same person who had scolded the Blue North maids. ¡°Also, I will let His Highness know that you are well. And please let me know if His Highness is too forceful.¡± Those had been the doctor¡¯s parting words, and Ilyin blushed at his wink. Etra had told Ilyin that the doctor was one of the few people who could nag the Duke among the Delroses. The seventh floor was quite different, Ilyin observed as she sat in the large bedroom. The maids had prepared several kinds of liqueurs for Ilyin as it was known that the Biflten liqueurs agreed with her, unlike the herbs. ¡°This tastes like peaches. It can be drunk easily despite being quite heavy,¡± the maid explained. Ilyin knew that it would come in handy when she was sitting alone at night, as the lights could go out at any moment. She lifted the small glass filled with the light pink liquid and tasted it. It was hot as it ran down her throat but felt sweet on her tongue. It was delicious, and Ilyin took a few more sips, unlike her usual self. Suddenly, the lights went off and a moment later, Ilyin went still as a warm hand touched hers. ¡°Do you enjoy a drink?¡± He gently took the bottle as if he could see in the dark, and placed it on the table, and Ilyin quickly looked down at the floor. She didn¡¯t want to confirm whether or not she would freeze if she looked into his eyes, and even if that didn¡¯t happen, it might cause other problems. Allowing such rumors to continue meant that the Duke had some use for them, and saying anything about it wasn¡¯t a good idea. ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Then, do you like this one?¡± She heard him tip the bottle and pour some into a glass. Ilyin felt him tap the glass she was holding, and he took it from her. Did one hear better in the dark? she wondered. Ilyin heard him drink and then it sounded as if he stood up, most likely thinking that sitting still was impolite. She heard him put the glass on the table. ¡°It tastes like peaches,¡± she said softly. The scent was near her, and she froze. The Duke bent his head towards her to kiss her on the cheek, and whispered, ¡°Your cheeks are flushed.¡± ¡°Can you see me?¡± she asked, feeling self-conscious. Ilyin had asked that question because she couldn¡¯t see anything in the darkness, so how could he see her? She heard a small laugh. ¡°Are you curious?¡± he replied. Come to think of it, he must be able to see in the dark, how else could she explain the first night that they¡¯d spent together. Ilyin¡¯s face flushed again as she was swept off her feet. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Her surprised voice was drowned out by his laughter, which was near enough for a kiss. Ilyin closed her eyes as she sucked in a deep breath. He placed her on the table, and she opened her eyes slightly as she tried to balance herself. Her feet were hanging in the air, and the Duke leaned against her as she tried to find a place for her hands to rest. ¡°The table¡¯s here.¡± His warm hands guided hers as he kissed her upper lip and whispered, ¡°I can smell your scent.¡± Ilyin thought he was talking about the liqueur, and his hand gently stroked her cheek. His kiss was short but it devoured her. He then bit her tongue tenderly as if it were a soft fruit. Ilyin¡¯s hands trembled slightly on the table, as her body felt weak. His hands were on hers with more force, and their fingers linked together. The Duke kissed her cheek again and then leaned in closer to kiss her nose and lips. Chapter 31 He seemed like he was greeting her as their noses brushed together. Ilyin felt his smile on her skin as he kissed her again, long and deep this time. His tongue slid over her teeth before taking her breath away again. The air became warmer each time their lips met, and she couldn¡¯t support herself with her arms any longer, but he grabbed her before her arms buckled. He then gently raised his hands to undo the ribbons on her gown. The soft material dropped onto the table, and Ilyin¡¯s red cheeks would¡¯ve been visible if the lights had been on. His hands covered her back and shoulder to keep her warm, and his lips brushed against her shoulder softly. Ilyin¡¯s shoulder flinched at his touch. She must¡¯ve felt cold to him because he placed a cloth on her head. She realized that it was the blue cloth that she¡¯d been wearing all the while. She felt warm now. The Duke lifted the cloth to kiss her once again, and the odd sound of the cloth rustling rang in the room. She now met him more easily as their lips touched, and her grip on his hands tightened. Ilyin let out a soft moan of pleasure. As her body loosened, the kiss became deeper. She had been about to grab the table again, but her hands only met air. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Ilyin embraced the Duke as she had nothing else to support herself with, and he pulled her closer to him. She was now dangling over the table, and the Duke kissed her on the nose once more. ¡°Were you surprised?¡± he whispered in a deep voice. Ilyin shook her head out of habit, but her heart was pounding. A hand trailed down from her back to her buttocks, and heat followed where he touched. She only had underwear on now, and he easily pushed it down. His hand gave her warmth in the cold air, which made Ilyin tremble. She felt his thumb on the inside of her thighs, and he rubbed her near her nether regions. His fingers then slid up like he was following her juices. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Ilyin flinched again as his thumb pressed down on her most sensitive spot. However, it was only for a moment. She gasped as his hand didn¡¯t give her release. Instead, his fingers touched a spot just above, which made her squirm, anticipating the moment of release. ¡°Ah!¡± They were entwined together now as he teased her, and then his fingers were on her again. Ilyin¡¯s left leg hung in the air, and the Duke kissed her knee before letting it rest on his shoulder. She clung desperately to him, flushing at the realization of her deep desire for him to take her right then. A hot hand slid up her left buttock and Ilyin pulled him closer as her desire intensified. ¡°Should we sweeten the deal?¡± he murmured. He must¡¯ve thought that she was tense as he reached out with one hand on the table to open a bottle. Then, he placed the glass they had both drunk from between them. Ilyin heard him pour the drink into the glass hastily. She flinched as drops of the liqueur splashed on the insides of her thigh and other areas of her body too. The Duke let out a soft chuckle, ¡°I apologize for my mistake.¡± His voice was composed, and she wondered whether he hadn¡¯t noticed where he was pouring the liqueur in the darkness. However, she had been able to notice it. He was holding her close to him while pouring the liqueur from mid-air, which meant that the drink would splash everywhere. ¡°Did it splash much?¡± He joked after pushing the glass away, and a finger slid on the inside of her leg. ¡°Did it splash here?¡± His hand was on the back of Ilyin¡¯s calf and traveled upwards right next to her nether regions. ¡°Or, would it be here?¡± He pressed another spot, and the flimsy cloth that had covered her head slid down her body. Ilyin¡¯s leg shivered at his touch, and he kissed her knee as if to let her know that everything was all right. ¡°Will you teach me?¡± His whisper was sweet as he told her that he would need help. Aden guided her hand with his and circled her knee with her fingers. ¡°Is it not here?¡± Ilyin shook her head and opened her mouth in case he wasn¡¯t able to see her, and said, ¡°Not there.¡± The Duke¡¯s response was quick, as her fingers were now on her ankle bone, ¡°Then, how about here?¡± Ilyin nodded slightly as she felt liquid on her hand, and he moved as he had seen her small movement. She felt something hot and soft and flinched as his lips moved from her ankle to her waist. ¡°Where else?¡± he asked. Ilyin felt his hot breath where his lips had touched, and he moved her fingers, instead of waiting for her answer. Her fingers were now on the insides of her thighs, and she slowly moved them higher. She trembled at her touch, as her fingers were on her most secret part, instead of Aden¡¯s. The feeling made her toes curl. ¡°It seems that this is the right place,¡± he said lustfully. Ilyin wanted to say no, but Aden quickly removed her fingers and she felt his tongue slip inside her. She arched her back, feeling as if she were going to explode from a pleasurable feeling. His tongue licked her sensitive spot before sucking her juices, and the sensations were mind-blowing. Ilyin¡¯s hips writhed and she moaned as the Duke¡¯s breath filled her. ¡°So, would this work?¡± he teased. Chapter 32 Ilyin¡¯s breathing quickened and a muscular arm supported her waist. She felt herself getting wetter and her juices flowed. Aden must¡¯ve noticed that too, as the wet sounds his mouth made filled the room. His tongue had been busy, but now his fingers delved inside her to tease her. Ilyin squirmed as he rubbed her cl*toris with fingers that were wet with her juice. He lifted himself, and she hung on to him without even realizing it. The Duke smiled as he stroked her hair. ¡°I have no choice as you¡¯re hanging onto me.¡± He embraced her tightly, and as their bodies met again, his erection slipped momentarily inside of her. She trembled and tilted her head back. Aden kissed her revealing neckline. His erection slipped in and out of her with shallow movements, as he waited for her to climax, and Ilyin could feel every sensation. The Duke let out a hot breath, and she felt the heat spread on her neck. While he was iron-hard, he was still not thrusting deep inside her. He entered her slowly, almost unbearably slow. Ilyin felt his pure strength inside of her and her toes curled from the deep sensations. Short and shallow orgasms passed through her body, and he would stop to kiss her whenever she was about to reach a climax. Ilyin had held on to him from the beginning and he pulled her even closer as he laughed. She was in his arms now, and he was positioned to thrust deep inside her. She moaned loudly as the ecstasy flowed through her from head to toe. They could feel each other now, and Aden embraced her tighter as he held the small of her back. Ilyin¡¯s breath came in gasps as each movement shook her body and made her feel him all the more. ¡°Shall we move as you may feel uncomfortable here?¡± Aden moved slowly, and she felt him as they moved together. Her breath was shallow because she felt weak. She hugged him tightly as she felt like she would fall limp if things continued like this. ¡°Your Highness¡­!¡± Her words were pleading, and the Duke only laughed. The bed was too far, and Ilyin couldn¡¯t figure out whether he was intentionally walking slowly, or if the bedroom was too large. Her face turned whiter with each movement. ¡°You can call me by my name, Ilyin.¡± He bent his body forward, and Ilyin felt the soft bed on her back. He slipped out of her for a moment but stayed near enough to tease her. ¡°¡­Aden.¡± She could feel his smile as his name rolled off her tongue. Aden gently kissed her nose and eyes again. Ilyin felt like he hesitated for a moment before doing so, but he brought her close again to enter her. ¡°Wait¡­¡± The cool bed brought her to her senses, and she grabbed his hand before she melted completely. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± Her voice was hot and rough, and Aden stroked her smooth hair as he waited. ¡°Please, speak,¡± he asked softly. His lips were on her cheek now, and Ilyin let out a breath before whispering to him again, ¡°Are you going to battle?¡± He answered after a moment¡¯s hesitation, ¡°Yes.¡± Ilyin grabbed his hand tighter as she remembered the snowstorm in her dream. She had to tell him that the monsters may cause snowstorms, but could not justify her statement. She spoke again after a silence, ¡°Be careful of an avalanche.¡± The Duke laughed at her words, ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± His lips touched hers and he whispered after a long kiss, ¡°I will be back safe.¡± He kissed her fingers, and Ilyin felt tension build up as he nipped at her soft spots. Her stomach tensed, and she felt her muscles tighten. The Duke breathed in her ear, ¡°Do not worry about me, Ilyin.¡± Then, he thrust deep inside her again, and she let out a loud moan in ecstasy. The Duke murmured in her ear, ¡°Please, worry about this moment instead.¡± She had no time to ask him about what, as he let go of his patience. Ilyin felt sparks in her head as his harsh movements penetrated deep inside her. She had been right to speak first, as she couldn¡¯t think about anything else until she fell asleep. *** Aden thought about Ilyin, whose words had been nervous and tense. He may have been too insistent, but that was a thing of the past. The summer scent filling the room was ready to harvest, as she had been drinking a peach liqueur. Aden had wanted to spend a long night with her, but his bride was like glass. He¡¯d had to stop his teasing and had taken her to the bed. Aden had felt discomforted that she would call him by his title, as Ilyin was different from other women. ¡°You can call me by my name.¡± He recalled telling her. Her whispering his name had been much sweeter to his ears. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± He recalled her saying, and then she¡¯d also asked, ¡°Are you going to battle?¡± His bride had spoken in a rough voice just before Aden had entered her. He¡¯d heard of women asking for favors in bed, and it didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea when he kissed her nose. Aden had thought that that was how one lost everything to feminine charms. However, it seemed that Ilyin was a different type. What she had whispered was much different from what he¡¯d expected. Chapter 33 ¡°Be careful of an avalanche,¡± she¡¯d warned him. He smiled at the memory of their strange conversation, and Idith turned around when he heard his laid-back laughter. ¡°Your Highness? Concentrate please,¡± Idith said. Aden composed his expression and pressed a finger to his lips jokingly. While Idith wanted to say something, he stared ahead instead. His horse whinnied as if sensing his master¡¯s emotions. The horse was different from those of the empire, as it had to run in the snow. An avalanche. Biflten, being the wintry lands, had more than its fair share of avalanches. Winter monsters wouldn¡¯t live in places where something like that would occur and they had been around long before humans arrived. ¡°We will be arriving soon.¡± Idith¡¯s words were short, and the other knights followed them quietly. Aden looked around with his blue eyes. The low hills and the falling snow were what he¡¯d seen every day in Biflten. Of course, except for the fact that the red mollies lived nearby. Be careful of an avalanche? Aden smiled again as he remembered those words for the second time. While he saw Idith flinch, Aden continued to think of other things. He knew that he was too lax during this advance, but he couldn¡¯t let go of that summer scent of hers and it constantly occupied his mind. ¡°All ready. We will charge soon.¡± Aden spoke quietly, and Idith conveyed his words. It took only seconds for his order to spread to all the knights and he didn¡¯t need to shout to them to charge. They had been about to move when Aden heard a strange sound and it felt like something large was boiling and shaking beneath the ground. ¡°What is this sound?¡± A knight looked around while Aden felt the earth shake under his feet. He raised a hand to stop the knights, and again, it took only seconds for Idith to convey his message. The horses born in Biflten were quite close to their masters. While most wouldn¡¯t allow any other human to ride them, they followed sudden orders from their masters immediately; their lines did not break. ¡°What is this?¡± Mollies had inhabited this place for centuries, and while avalanches were common during the January storms, this was not normal. Aden looked around in disbelief and saw a blue light spreading across the snow in the distance. It seemed to be coming from the cliff. ¡°Retreat,¡± Aden said frantically and Idith turned to face him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Retreat to the castle!¡± Idith asked again as he could not believe his orders, ¡°Retreat?¡± Aden motioned with his hand instead of answering, as they had to get away from here as fast as possible. ¡°Your Highness, we cannot attack here again if we retreat now.¡± While Idith knew that his master didn¡¯t give meaningless orders, he had to ask again. There was no reason for them to have come all the way here if they retreated now. ¡°If the mollies get back together in April¡­¡± ¡°All, retreat!¡± Aden had no time to explain and couldn¡¯t explain anyway. He knew that these tremors may be caused by reasons Aden could not imagine, despite having lived his entire life here. However, Aden couldn¡¯t ignore Ilyin¡¯s words, if this was an avalanche, they had to move now; it was now or never! He remembered his bride¡¯s clear words yesterday. Her violet eyes were clear when up close. The knight¡¯s horses all turned back. ¡°Retreat at full speed!¡± Idith¡¯s shout rang through the air, and the tremors became loud enough for everyone to hear. The horses ran as the knights understood Aden¡¯s intention. A heavy avalanche had started and they managed to escape it in the nick of time. *** Aden had returned to the Biflten Estate that afternoon, and the servants all were at a loss for words because of his unexpected return. Only the Delrose maids had prepared clothes and a bath for him. They said their mistress had asked them to prepare this, saying that he may return earlier than expected. Aden went up to the seventh floor with his head full of questions. All the Delrose knights were alive, and only the mollies had suffered in the snowstorm. He clearly remembered the blue light coming from the cliff and could only assume that the mollies had used magic, which was normal for them. The problem was, the mollies may have other monsters as allies since they had buried their habitat in snow intentionally. While this situation needed urgent discussion, he had somewhere to go first. Chapter 34 After bathing and putting on clean clothes, Aden marched up to the seventh floor where he knew Ilyin would be. Standing in front of the door, he quickly composed himself. Smelling the faint smell of summer, that lingered in the hallway, seemed to calm him down and he took a deep breath before knocking and asked, ¡°Are you in?¡± ¡°Please, enter.¡± Her voice sounded faint. Aden¡¯s breathing had steadied but his calmness hid an inner turmoil; he suppressed his thoughts and pulled the door open. *** The door opened and Aden switched the lights off. Ilyin felt momentarily blinded and she blinked in surprise. She couldn¡¯t see anything, even with her eyes open. Squinting her eyes, she was able to see his silhouette in the faint corridor light. She could see his shadow and his hand as he closed the door before the room was enveloped in darkness. ¡°You are back early,¡± Ilyin spoke first. She¡¯d seen him returning earlier, while she¡¯d sat at the window feeling anxious. The avalanche had been large enough for the people in the estate to feel the tremors. The Delrose knights, who¡¯d followed their leader closely, hadn¡¯t looked injured and she¡¯d felt a wave of relief. The one leading them, Aden, had entered the manor at great speed, and it was then that Ilyin had sent the maids out of her room. ¡°You seem to have expected my visit.¡± Ilyin had known that Aden would be curious about how she knew about the avalanche. That thought had crossed her mind when she¡¯d given him the warning, but she couldn¡¯t stand by and just watch him being buried in snow. Her husband had taken good care of her, and the servant¡¯s attitude towards her had changed because of him. Her dreams were not a secret that she¡¯d kept from everyone, but Viscount Arlen had told her to keep quiet about the insane curses Ilyin spat out of her mouth, that she¡¯d dreamt about. She had kept silent since then because no one had believed her and she feared that the Duke would disbelieve her too. She thought of her husband, who was meticulous when it came to his day-to-day business affairs. He must know about Ilyin by now, or at least about how she¡¯d been treated in her home. While her father had hidden her, as if she were a deadly secret, the Arlen¡¯s weren¡¯t that capable of keeping their mouths shut and they had little experience in hiding information in the first place. Aden may even know about Ilyin predicting Sid¡¯s death. However, she was convinced that he wouldn¡¯t believe her. She glanced out of the window and spoke with a shaking voice, ¡°I saw you arriving from the window.¡± Sitting upright in bed she listened to Aden¡¯s breathing, which sounded heavy, and she wondered if he was angry or whether he¡¯d just been in a rush to get to her. Ilyin quivered. While he would have no reason to be angry, the sounds in darkness brought unnecessary thoughts to her. ¡°Then you would know what I am curious about,¡± he said. His voice was much calmer than she¡¯d expected, and she felt the mattress cave in slightly as he sat down next to her. Ilyin hesitated as she felt his heavy presence right next to her as his body pressed against her shoulder; he felt hot. ¡°Um¡­¡± Ilyin had planned on telling him about her dream, as she thought Aden wouldn¡¯t treat her words as complete nonsense after he¡¯d seen the avalanche with his own eyes. Her reason said that that would be the case, but she was struggling to accept the idea that he may very well listen to her with an open mind. She had not acted suspiciously until now, and she had been a quiet bride on the outside. Had her dream not revealed that Aden and his knights would be buried in the snow, she may very well have ignored it. Ilyin realized that she was afraid of being rejected and treated differently if she revealed her ability to foresee things. And if one person treated her differently, rumors would spread like wildfire, as had been the case in the small Arlen Estate. She imagined the awful position she¡¯d be in if that happened here in the wintery lands. ¡°You cannot tell me?¡± His low voice hurt Ilyin as he seemed angry. ¡°I believe that Your Highness already knows,¡± she spoke slowly, as she didn¡¯t want to tell him directly about her dream. Chapter 35 ¡°About what?¡± His voice was eerily low, and a warm hand held her cold shoulder. She felt comforted and protected as he held her delicately, like a fragile flower, the same way he¡¯d held her during their first night. His hand traveled to her cheek like he wanted to console her, and then touched her behind her ear. She felt his face come nearer and smelled his cool scent. His kiss on her upper lip changed to a deeper one in an instant, and he seemed to be persuading her to talk to him. ¡°I thought that you already knew,¡± Ilyin spoke after a silence after their lips had parted. ¡°You think of me as someone who would search you behind your back,¡± Aden spoke in a dull voice. While his response seemed instinctive, it also seemed like a white lie. Aden would¡¯ve investigated Ilyin before accepting her as his wife. ¡°You would want to know about me, the same as I wanted to know about you,¡± she replied. Ilyin didn¡¯t feel hurt, as she had listened to what others had to say about the Duke of Biflten. The rumors had been like scary stories told around a campfire at night and she had heard them even before she¡¯d dreamt of their first night together. ¡°Were you curious about me?¡± Aden laughed. Her affirmative answer was swallowed in a deep kiss, and the kiss felt more urgent than before. Aden drank her up like someone who had finally found an oasis in a desert, and his kiss told her that he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone else near her this way. Ilyin felt herself go limp. ¡°Then, how about this?¡± Aden whispered to Ilyin as she crumbled on the bed, ¡°I will ask you to tell me a secret of yours every day.¡± Her husband¡¯s breath tickled her shoulder as he left red marks down her neckline again. His lips trailed on her shoulder and licked her collarbone. Ilyin felt the bed on her back, and she thought he was the only one with heat in this room. She felt warm near Aden, and he covered her face with a hand. She felt another warmth from the lower parts of her body and knew what Aden meant as he brushed her neck with a finger. Ilyin flushed. ¡°Will you tell me?¡± He breathed softly against her hot cheeks. She knew that he wanted to know how she knew about the avalanche, and Ilyin lowered her gaze in the darkness. Aden¡¯s hands and lips were caressing her body while she hesitated, and she felt him cup her bre*st. Ilyin let out a low moan. His hands were powerful, but Aden didn¡¯t force himself on her. He fingered her n*pple, and while she was still wearing clothes, she could still felt his touch arousing her. Slowly, he undid the ribbon of the gown so that he could put his hand under her clothes, and she gasped as his hands roamed on her bre*sts. However, she still couldn¡¯t open her mouth to tell him what he wanted to know. Ilyin knew that she was being loved. There was no one around them to see yet Aden was gentle with her, regardless. She knew him to be fierce and strict but he showed another side of himself when he was with her. Ilyin knew that this was a privilege. Aden had treated her this way even before she¡¯d told him about the avalanche. She knew that he was taking care of her as much as he could. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether you will believe me,¡± Ilyin spoke as quietly as she could, but the darkness let her words ring. She could sense that Aden struggled to hear what she said. His kisses were oncoming as if he was showing her how much patience he had. His hands shook with desire as he stroked her hips and then her nether regions. Ilyin¡¯s body shook along with her voice, ¡°I had a dream.¡± Aden¡¯s hand stopped caressing her, but only for a moment before his touch became deeper. His lips were on her bre*sts now while his hand gently pressed down where she was wet, and he gently asked, ¡°You saw the avalanche in your dream?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ilyin quivered, although his voice had sounded calm, he did not respond to her answer. Chapter 36 Ilyin clenched her fists, as she did not expect Aden to believe her. She couldn¡¯t see the expression on his face and stopped herself from looking in the direction that his voice was coming from. She managed to look to the other side. ¡°What did you see in your dream?¡± he asked. She heard his voice right next to her and she held her breath as she felt his breath tickle her neck. Ilyin turned around, as she was not certain yet whether she could look at him or not. However, Aden interpreted her movements, ¡°Ah, I questioned you too much.¡± He placed a hand under her shoulder as she still avoided his gaze. Ilyin gasped as he lifted her body and turned her around before having her sit on his lap. She flushed as she felt his erection even more directly. Her gown had slid off, and she felt his member on her skin. ¡°You will not see my eyes in this position,¡± he spoke. Ilyin blinked, with a soft murmur of assent, that he would not see hers either. She heard his breathing that came to her in quiet bursts, ¡°Are you more comfortable now?¡± She nodded and heard a laugh in her ears. His hands were large enough to cover much of her skin, and she felt how large he was as she sat on him. Their bodies came closer together as he embraced her shoulder. ¡°Do you believe me?¡± Ilyin couldn¡¯t help but ask, and Aden¡¯s hands roamed freely as he seemed to search for the right answer. It felt like he was taking forever and she waited with bated breath for his answer. Where the heat of his breath touched her neck, her body became clammy, like she was breaking out in a cold sweat. Ilyin had been about to raise her hand to rub her arms when Aden gently stroked her shoulder. She heard his even breathing, and he spoke as he brought her closer to him, ¡°You have no reason to lie to me.¡± That was true. Ilyin lowered her gaze. Aden would know that she had no intention of returning to the Arlen estate if he¡¯d searched her background, and that would also mean that he knew Ilyin cared for her life here much more than she showed. Aden was right. Ilyin had no reason to lie but she was concerned about being labeled as a liar, regardless. ¡°I am still curious, but it seems that today¡¯s chance is over,¡± he said. Ilyin¡¯s eyes opened wide as she knew she had not questioned him yet and Aden let out a low laugh as he felt her surprise. ¡°You asked me whether I believed you.¡± Ilyin opened her mouth as she felt deceived, but the Duke smiled again, ¡°All right, I will ask again. What did you see in that dream?¡± He must¡¯ve been curious to take back his words so rapidly, and Aden buried his face in her shoulder. Her body shook as his touch was much more direct and intense than when they had been facing each other. He used the arm he¡¯d embraced her with, to trail down from her bre*st to her waist, and the other hand was on the inside of her thigh. His finger brushed against her sensitive spots like he wanted to dazzle her. Ilyin¡¯s cheeks turned blood-red. ¡°An avalanche ambushed the Delrose knights¡­¡± Ilyin knew her words were muddled, but Aden¡¯s breath was on her body. His touch was soft as if to tell her that he did not suspect her, and she felt heat where she was already wet, ¡°Ah¡­!¡± His hand circled her most secret place and he slid a finger inside her, brushing her juices before ravishing her cl*toris, and she arched her back in pleasure. ¡°The knights?¡± He waited for her answer patiently, and Ilyin let out a short breath. Aden had moved her slightly, and she had felt him on her thigh again. Ilyin tried to think about the dream. The knights had looked astonished as the avalanche had neared them rapidly as if it was alive, and she remembered seeing Den at the front of them. ¡°Is he all right?¡± she asked. Ilyin¡¯s question stopped the Duke¡¯s movement, and his voice was low as he answered, ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Him¡­¡± Ilyin hesitated because she remembered her previous dream when Den had spoken about bringing back summer to the Biflten lands. She still remembered the look on his face. ¡°Are you thinking about something else?¡± He whispered as he nibbled her ear, and she shivered as he covered her eyes with a hand while he turned her around. Ilyin felt his arms support her as his erection was just about to enter her. He slipped inside of her slightly, and his member touched her where she was most vulnerable. Chapter 37 Ilyin¡¯s head bent backward as she felt the incredible sensation, and Aden placed his arms under her legs, lifting her with ease. She was barely sitting on him, and she thought she¡¯d lose her balance if she let go. Aden placed the back of her knees on his shoulder, and her nether regions were visible now. He thrust inside of her, deeper than before, finally entering her all the way and she moaned loudly. ¡°Are you thinking of someone else while you¡¯re doing this with me?¡± Aden seemed to growl. Ilyin tried to fan herself, but he lowered her hands to place them on his thighs. She couldn¡¯t move them now. ¡°Whose safety do you want to know about?¡± His voice was rough, and her hands shook between his hands and thighs. She wanted to know if his knight had been injured. Ilyin tried to calm down as she answered, ¡°Your head knight¡­ Den.¡± Aden remained silent for a few moments. ¡°Do you want to know whether he is safe?¡± Ilyin didn¡¯t know why he was asking the same question, but she nodded and muttered, ¡°Yes.¡± Aden¡¯s hand lifted her hair from her neck, and she felt the cold air against her sweaty skin. Her silky soft hair swayed in front of her as his lips kissed her neck, ¡°He is safe.¡± He brought Ilyin closer, and his lips left a deep mark on her skin as she moaned and groaned. His hands were rougher now as they roamed all over her, and he was now fully inside of her. Aden whispered in a low and deep voice, ¡°Actually, he may be happy now.¡± But Ilyin couldn¡¯t concentrate on his words as he lifted her and ravaged her mouth. She wondered if he was going to move her somewhere else when he suddenly thrust inside her again, catching her off-guard. His patience was wearing thin, and he was moving faster and faster inside her now. Ilyin groaned as he struck deep inside her and she felt weak and he quickly placed a pillow under her before moving his hips. His thrusts were rough like something in him had exploded, and Ilyin raised her head in ecstasy. His mouth left numerous marks on her back as he tried to hold himself back. He wanted to devour her. Seeing her delicate form beneath him, he tried to control himself, and not just satisfy his needs. Therefore, Aden kissed Ilyin¡¯s back as she grabbed the blanket tighter. Her response was immediate, even to small sensations. Aden had heard her grip the blankets and placed her hand over his in case she hurt herself but it made him go deeper inside her. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Ilyin clenched her most secret area, tight enough to make Aden let go of his reason. He grabbed her by the hips and penetrated her as deep as he could. Coming back to his senses, upon seeing her flushed body, he moved his hips gently to signal that he would not finish off in mere moments. Aden¡¯s hands pressed down on the bed as he breathed deeply. He let himself go inside of her and embraced Ilyin, his lovely bride who had worried over him without even knowing it. *** ¡°Your Highness!¡± It was rare for a shout like this to be heard on the seventh floor, as those who had done so in the past, had left with their heads separated from their bodies. ¡°You have to control yourself!¡± However, he was one of the rare ones who was still whole; he was the resident doctor, Ves. ¡°Have you forgotten she is from the Empire?¡± Idith couldn¡¯t look at his master¡¯s awkward face and turned his eyes toward the ceiling instead. Aden looked at the wallpaper, which had not interested him in twenty years! He was thinking of last night when he had told Ilyin that he was not the type to search her behind her back. Aden was that type, and while Ilyin seemed to have thought it a mere excuse, he felt uncomfortable with the lies piling up. Ilyin had been worried about him, and Aden covered his face for a moment with a hand. He did feel happy despite the circumstances. ¡°The mistress will have to take medicine all the time if things continue like this! She¡¯s not even used to the winter yet!¡± Ves¡¯s shout was loud, even though his master was thinking different things. ¡°Do not go near her for a week?¡± Aden looked at Ves now, ¡°A week?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Idith thought Aden looked more shocked than he had when he¡¯d seen the avalanche. Ves walked out into the hall, after deciding he¡¯d lie down in front of the Duchess¡¯s room to prevent Aden from getting to her if it was necessary. Idith looked at the ceiling again, as only he and Aden were left in the room. Aden stared at the door, gobsmacked, and thought that a week was far too long¡­ Chapter 38 Ilyin had spent long nights with the Duke afterward. ¡°Call my name.¡± He¡¯d requested as he¡¯d explored her body. He¡¯d seemed dissatisfied with her calling him ¡®Your Highness.¡¯ When she¡¯d called him by his proper name, he seemed to kiss her more tenderly. He acted differently, since the day he¡¯d asked her to share secrets with him, and seemed even more careful than before. Ilyin thought she knew the reason and she vaguely recalled his words, ¡°Do you want to know whether he is safe? He is safe. He may be happy now.¡± Ilyin did not remember how she met the morning. Aden had taken her multiple times, and while he had stopped whenever the sensations were too much and had waited until Ilyin¡¯s breathing had calmed down, he would come inside her again and again after each pause. Another long night passed like that, and Ilyin had to bring the doctor in as her muscles ached all over. ¡°Mistress!¡± Ves looked like he would burst into tears as he ordered the Delrose people to bring in all the good herbs from the Empire. Aden may have heard something from Ves to have become so careful. ¡°Aden,¡± Ilyin murmured the still strange name. ¡°Aden de Biflten.¡± They had shared small secrets the past few nights. Aden had mainly asked her about her dreams. He seemed to think that she was lying, even after seeing the avalanche. Ilyin¡¯s heart skipped a beat whenever she thought of that day. She had dreamed of the future all her life but was worried about whether she had told him the wrong thing or not. Ilyin was afraid that he may suspect her, even just a little bit, as she didn¡¯t want to be treated as a liar or someone cursed here, as she had been at home. She had first thought that any treatment received here would be better than the treatment she¡¯d received at the Arlen Estates. She told herself that she would be satisfied with mere indifference. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± He¡¯d asked her. ¡°Do you have a question about me?¡± She hadn¡¯t replied. She¡¯d become greedy after meeting Aden and spending time with him. While Ilyin thought she should be satisfied with small things, she now wanted something more; she wanted to be happy here. Therefore, Ilyin couldn¡¯t ask him the question she wanted to know the answer to, as she thought it may make him uncomfortable. Do people freeze when they see your eyes? While the servants in the mansion didn¡¯t meet his eyes, Ilyin found herself more certain of something, especially seeing the knights returning, without anyone being frozen. ¡°I will be back safe today.¡± Aden had told her his scheduled battles, most of them unknown to the mansion. He¡¯d been going out more often than she¡¯d realized. Aden had trusted her with the information, despite needing to control who heard the information. Also, there were three other families. However, Ilyin was not trusting him completely. ¡°Really?¡± she¡¯d muttered. Would I freeze? Aden, is that rumor true? ¡°Mistress, this is Annie.¡± Ilyin looked at the door as she came back to the present moment. Annie, her manners teacher from Delrose, was someone she¡¯d spent as much time with, as she had with Aden the past few days. If she had spent the night with Aden, she¡¯d spent the day with her. ¡°You¡¯re earlier than usual today.¡± Ilyin looked at the clock and saw that Annie had arrived two hours earlier today. Biflten¡¯s day started at ten o¡¯clock because it was so cold. Therefore, Annie usually arrived around one o¡¯clock, but today she¡¯d come even before lunch. This was not her usual punctual self. ¡°I apologize for not notifying you earlier,¡± Annie bowed in apology, but Ilyin waved her hand. She would be up already in the Empire and wouldn¡¯t be bothered by this. ¡°What brings you so early?¡± she asked. ¡°I have been selected as the Delrose maid who will help with your succession ceremony.¡± Ilyin blinked as she knew Annie was considered one of the nobles by the Delroses. Ilyin now knew that the Delroses and the other three families were more of a group, as opposed to blood families. Many families belonged to each of the four, and the Red Delrose, Blue North, the Bright Elo, and the Green Mille, were more of a group name. Of course, some families used ¡®North,¡¯ ¡®Elo,¡¯ and ¡®Mille¡¯ as their surnames. Those were the families of the elders. Annie had taught Ilyin that in the past few days. ¡°Do we need to prepare anything?¡± Ilyin asked. ¡°Nothing much, but¡­¡± Annie spoke after thinking things over, ¡°there is a procedure whereby the bride receives the Divine Objects before for the ceremony.¡± That would be the items belonging to each family, and Ilyin looked up at the blue cloth on her head, ¡°The Blue North has already given you theirs, so we can skip that,¡± Annie explained further with a smile. ¡°The carriages carrying the Bright Elo and the Green Mille¡¯s Divine Objects have just left, and thus the procedure will be delayed. The ceremony will begin as soon as they arrive.¡± Ilyin tilted her head, ¡°What about the Red Delroses object?¡± Chapter 39 ¡°His Highness will give it to you just before the ceremony.¡± Ilyin became curious about the object when Annie smiled, ¡°The ceremony will be held tomorrow or the day after that.¡± Ilyin thought things were going fast for something so important, ¡°Have things been delayed a little?¡± ¡°Yes, but I heard there had been bad news from the west.¡± The avalanche had occurred in the west, and Ilyin thought of her dream. The knights had tried to exterminate the red-scaled monsters there but would have failed before. She remembered that they were called mollies, ¡°Is this related to the mollies?¡± Annie blinked at Ilyin¡¯s words, ¡°Did His Highness inform you?¡± Aden de Bilften was known to be silent and didn¡¯t discuss his business much. Of course, most of the servants were terrified even to meet his eyes. However, the Delroses who came up to the seventh floor were different. Ilyin wasn¡¯t aware, but the maids on the seventh floor changed to those who had worked here for a long time. Also, the people who came up here were those who were the most loyal to their Duke. Annie was one of them, and also one of the few who knew the Duke and the knight¡¯s leader was the same person. ¡°Do not make mistakes.¡± Aden had told her, seeming as if he was going into battle, and it was the first time Annie had seen him lie, or worry that the lie would be known. Annie had wondered who this Ilyin was, and the Duchess was a much brighter person than her guesses. ¡°There was an avalanche there, and also mollies live there,¡± Ilyin replied. Ilyin was smart, and Annie thought she understood why Aden liked her so much as she looked at her mistress. The former Duchess cared about herself rather than the mansion, as she wanted to only go out. However, Ilyin was different, and the atmosphere among the servants had already changed. The Delrose maids secured their position after being pushed away from the center, due to the Duke¡¯s long absences. It was largely because Ilyin asked for them whenever she did something, and that meant other families could not know what the mistress was doing. Annie had thought Ilyin may be close to the Blue North due to the cloth she¡¯d been wearing, but she was now clearly close to the Delroses after the first night. What had happened during that night? Annie smiled at the thought and blushed. ¡°Annie?¡± Coming back to her senses, after hearing Ilyin¡¯s question, she answered immediately, ¡°Yes. It seems that the mollies have allied with the yesters.¡± Ilyin went to the bookshelf without saying anything. She didn¡¯t ask maids to do simple chores, and they served her with more care because of that. Ilyin treated them like human beings, unlike other elders or noblemen. ¡°Yester¡­¡± Ilyin opened the map of the Biflten lands and searched for the word. Thankfully, Biflten used the same alphabet as the Empire, and she found the name in the north with ease. ¡°They usually live in the north and come down each year to find a colder climate. They had come to the northeast due to the winds there,¡± Annie explained. ¡°And met the mollies there,¡± Ilyin finished for her as she stared at the map. She heard that while monsters lived in separate groups, they never attacked each other. This was bad news. ¡°Yesters can move much quicker in the cold,¡± Annie explained as they looked at the map. Ilyin asked a question as she looked at the Biflten Castle, which was nearer to the Empire than other places, ¡°Does each monster have a different ability?¡± While Annie had been going to cut short the explanation, Ilyin urged her to speak and so Annie spoke happily, ¡°Six races live in Biflten, including humans¡­¡± There had been seven races before. Ilyin listened to Annie¡¯s words, and Annie pointed to the southeast area between the Empire and the Biflten castle. ¡°Milton¡¯s lived here. They were said to be beautiful and¡­¡± Annie nodded as she remembered the monster¡¯s ability, ¡°they were said to predict the future.¡± Predict the future? Ilyin¡¯s eyes grew wide as she looked down at the map. The southeast area was the closest to the Empire. *** The succession ceremony was said to inherit the Duke¡¯s name and his power. The room near the ceremonial room was quiet and dignified. Ilyin sat on a chair in the empty room to receive the Divine Objects. Ilyin¡¯s maids bowed and went out of the room, and she thought that things were done quietly for such an important ceremony. The Duke¡¯s power affected the Biflten¡¯s future heavily, and the ceremony was small and quiet for such an event. Also, the ceremony was held in the basement, and there were no crowds like at the wedding. Ilyin had experienced the bustling atmosphere in that room and knew that things were very different now. ¡°I have come from the Bright Elo.¡± The Elo¡¯s signature yellow was bright gold, and the strange girl was wearing a dress that was exquisitely decorated to show off the family colors. Chapter 40 Although Ilyin wore a thick fur cape she still felt chilly because of the current cold weather in Biflten and she wondered if that was the reason for the ceremony being such a small affair. She had been perplexed about why the ceremony was held during this time of the year but had then realized that it was a ritual that needed to be performed, to maintain the power needed to protect humans from monsters in these wintry lands. It would be disastrous if the power disappeared or weakened due to postponing the ceremony. ¡°This is the Divine Object ¡®Eltose.¡¯¡± The girl from Elo assisted Ilyin to wrap a golden bracelet, that was long and thin, like a necklace, on her arm, and then she disappeared without saying another word. Ilyin looked down at the item, and the bracelet looked like it would light up in the dark on its own. She hesitated for a moment, pondering whether or not she could touch it, and then carefully raised her hand to cover the bracelet. Like the family name, the bracelet shone like faint sunlight. ¡°I am from the Green Mille,¡± a strange voice said. Ilyin jumped in surprise and moved her hand away from the bracelet, which then made a strange sound when she heard the knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± The lady from Mille walked in quickly, yet quietly and Ilyin looked at the green garland on her head, which was rarely seen in a place like Bilften. Only when the lady came nearer, did Ilyin notice that the garland was made out of jewels, instead of leaves and flowers. ¡°This is Mille¡¯s ¡®Setoze,¡¯¡± she said proudly. The names of the objects sounded so similar to each other. Ilyin looked up at the lady who held an item that she didn¡¯t believe could be considered to be a divine item. Dark green hair cascaded over her shoulder, showing her ancestry, and Ilyin was in awe of her beauty. With a soft murmur, the lady handed Ilyin a flower. It was a real flower, and she looked down at it in confusion. How could such a flower exist in these wintry lands? ¡°The flower is the Divine Object?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the lady spoke in a silvery voice, ¡°it¡¯s a flower that never withers.¡± She turned around and walked out before Ilyin could ask her another question and she noticed that the girl¡¯s cheeks had flushed a deep red. Ilyin looked down at the flower, and the red petals centered around the golden stamen looked like a work of art. It looked fresher than any bloom Ilyin had seen in the empire, and she breathed in its wonderful scent. ¡°You will go to sleep if you continue like that,¡± a deep voice said. A hand came between her and the flower, and Ilyin saw the white skin that showed how little sunlight shone in Bilften. He was wearing a white shirt, and Ilyin stared at the arm in surprise. She thought she knew who he was. ¡°Aden?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He seemed happy as he answered her, and she kept herself from turning around. Aden was behind her back now. ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± Ilyin heard something clang softly behind her, and Aden chuckled. ¡°You are the only one to ask me that question,¡± she said as she nodded. He was right in what he asked and the blue cloth shook as she did, then the clanging stopped. ¡°Please excuse me.¡± Aden placed his hand on her head for a moment to remove the blue cloth. Ilyin blinked as she wondered what he wanted to do. ¡°It is a nuisance.¡± Aden brushed her hair as if to calm her down as he did in bed sometimes. Her soft hair was lush against his fingers as he played with it. He fingered her long hair and ear before gently trying to tie her hair up. ¡°Can you lend me a hand?¡± he asked politely. Ilyin did so and now held her hair up with one hand. She shook as her neck felt cold. Aden gently touched the nape of her neck, as if he wanted to warm her before putting something around her neck, ¡°A necklace?¡± Ilyin briefly saw a gold pendant with red decorations. It was simple but looked like something from the Delroses. ¡°This is ¡®Mitoze¡¯, the Delroses Divine Object,¡± Aden whispered as Ilyin looked down at the necklace. The red decorations looked like branches with leaves, and Aden tapped her hand only after putting her cape around her shoulders and placing the blue cloth on her head again. Ilyin let go of her hand to let her hair flow. ¡°Shall we go?¡± Aden¡¯s hand on her shoulder made her less nervous, and Ilyin nodded with a softer smile. Chapter 41 The ceremony room was dark, and Ilyin could barely make out a round table, from the faint light coming from the corridor. The elders from the three families sat behind them and now stood up as the couple entered, bowing their heads. ¡°Raise your heads,¡± Aden spoke curtly, and the room became darker as the door closed. Ilyin saw a soft light glowing on the round black table, which was placed in the middle of the room, and it took her a few seconds to realize that it was a mirror. ¡°The succession ceremony will now begin,¡± one of the elders said. Lidan, of the Blue North, approached the table and spoke something that resembled a magician¡¯s spell. Ilyin couldn¡¯t understand a word. She had received a comprehensive education in languages but wondered what Lidan was saying. ¡°Raise your hand after he finishes the enchantment.¡± Ilyin¡¯s grip on the Mille¡¯s item tightened as Aden whispered to her. She was unsure which to raise. Aden held her empty hand to support her and said reassuringly, ¡°You have nothing to worry about.¡± Aden consoled her as Lidan finished his spell, and he guided Ilyin¡¯s hand onto the round table. The surface was surprisingly ice-cold, and suddenly a bright light filled the room. She covered her eyes with the hand holding the Mille¡¯s flower, instinctively. She could see only the hand¡¯s shadow amidst the bright white light, and Ilyin realized that she was no longer holding the flower. Also, she no longer felt Aden¡¯s hand. She looked around to see that she was alone in the sunny lands. Then, she looked down and saw that she was wearing a white dress and summer shoes. Green grass gently rustled in the breeze, as Ilyin stared far ahead. She saw wide plains and a hill in the distance. Ilyin was standing in the middle of a dirt road that continued far ahead of her, with grass and wildflowers on either side of it. It was spring and the sky was a clear blue with soft clouds floating by. Then, in an instant, everything around her began to grow rapidly. Ilyin stepped back as she felt the ground move, and a tree grew miraculously where she¡¯d been standing. Jolted by its sudden appearance, she took a few more steps back and watched in awe as it grew several times taller than her. The healthy tree provided Ilyin with shade from the bright sunlight but she could still feel the wind. Looking up at the leaves, the sun seemed to be directly above her and she squinted. When she lowered her gaze again, she saw the colorful wildflowers but also noticed something else. Ilyin thought she had seen incorrectly, but as she looked more closely, she saw the Biflten Estate shining under the sunlight. The pale vines covering the mansion were now a bright green, and full of life! She seemed to glide towards the mansion; she was now seeing Biflten in the summer. Ilyin saw the four seasons pass her by as she walked. The scenes were like someone was placing different landscapes next to her with each step she took. Ilyin stopped when it was summer again and she heard massive waves crashing on the shore from the sea that had frozen in Biflten. The white sands turned dark as waves came rushing in. She felt the waves around her ankles as the tide receded to form another wave and she absorbed the wonderful sights as she touched the soft wet sand with her hand. The sun was hot against her face and the water pleasantly cool at her feet and she delighted in the different sensations. Looking at her shadow, it revealed to her that she was wearing a straw hat that she¡¯d never seen before. Removing it in disbelief, the sun penetrated her eyes the moment she did so, and she had no choice but to wear it again. As she waded through the cool water, she saw a cliff, adorned with green grass, on the horizon. While the scenery was strange, she knew that this was Biflten. Calmly, she walked around observing the far sights and the leafy trees and also scrutinized the cliffs in the distance, but didn¡¯t discover what she had been searching for. There was so much to take in. While she still saw winter, it was not as harsh as the current winter in Biflten. The snow was deep enough to play in but not deep enough to bury anyone, and children ran happily about, wearing light clothing. The wind was not enough to freeze people either; it was a winter warm enough to bring a smile to Ilyin¡¯s face. Chapter 42 Ilyin felt herself becoming light after a while. Her body told her she was waking up and going back to the harsh winter; she did not want to return. *** Ilyin blinked her eyes at the white light coming from the ceiling. It had always been dark enough to sleep. However, it was bright enough to show that the familiar ceiling had not been refurbished since she was seven. She had been afraid of severe winds, as the shadows made by the light moved on the stripped wallpaper frightened her. She had also been afraid of people, as the shadows shook whenever the door slammed. Ilyin stood up. ¡°The master wants to see you,¡± a maid said as the door opened, and Ilyin turned around in disbelief. She¡¯d recognized the voice of the maid who had spoken because she was the one who had served her the most. The only reason the maid did so though, was because she was the newest maid there and it was obvious that she didn¡¯t like her mistress. ¡°Lady?¡± Ilyin thought of those from the Delroses when she heard that word. They had spoken with worry whenever they called her, but this maid¡¯s voice sounded bitter. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ilyin felt herself speak as her voice rang in her ear. She looked at the window to see a broad-leafed tree that didn¡¯t grow in the wintry lands and thought of Biflten in summer, which had been much more colorful and vibrant. The sunlight faded in the dirt, and Ilyin covered her mouth as she coughed. It was all so realistic. ¡°Lady!¡± The maid slapped the bed, and Ilyin looked at her in surprise. ¡°Won¡¯t you go?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Ilyin spoke without realizing it, and she noticed that she was wearing a formal dress instead of her nightgown. She knew that she wouldn¡¯t sleep in something like this. ¡°You cannot act like this in front of the master, all right?¡± The corridors of the Arlen Estate were strange and tepid compared to where she had been. ¡°You have to answer questions!¡± As if the maid were speaking to herself, she added, ¡°How prideful is she after being divorced.¡± The maid brought her head closer, and Ilyin reeled back in surprise. Ilyin heard the maid¡¯s words loud and clear and it felt as if someone had stabbed her in the chest. However, she thought of the sights she had seen in Biflten, surely they hadn¡¯t all been dreams. She had become Ilyin de Biflten in marriage, spent nights with him, and finished the succession ceremony. She clearly remembered the Mille¡¯s Divine Object, that fresh red bloom, and the hand that had covered it, lest she fell asleep. Therefore, Ilyin decided to think that this was a bad nightmare. The maid led her up the stairs, and she thought that the mansion looked small and old now. She had thought the mansion looked much bigger before. Ilyin looked around as she followed the maid, and everything was the same as it had been when she¡¯d left. ¡°Come here, now.¡± The maid was insolent, and her eyes were filled with hate. As they walked, people jumped back like they would be cursed by a mere touch from her. They were all familiar sights. She felt a pang of fear again but she was okay for now. ¡°Master, I have brought her.¡± ¡°Let her in.¡± Ilyin stood in front of Viscount Arlen¡¯s room, and as the maid went away after the door opened, Ilyin was left to face him alone. ¡°It has been a long time since I saw you,¡± the Viscount said indifferently. Ilyin thought that he still didn¡¯t welcome her and replied bluntly, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So, did you tell the Duke your secret?¡± The Viscount didn¡¯t even offer her a seat, and she remembered that it had always been like this here. Ilyin grabbed her dress defensively, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I heard that you were divorced. There would be only one reason for that.¡± The Viscount talked of how fitting their family was and went on about their long history for a while before looking at her directly, ¡°You spoke about how your dreams told the future, right?¡± Ilyin wanted to say that that wasn¡¯t true. She had told Aden about her dream but she wanted to correct something else. She wanted to tell her father that she was not divorced, and even if she was, it had not been due to her dreams. She wanted to tell him that she was not cursed, even if she was only in a dream. Ilyin had not known before that she could feel this passionate about something, as words she had suppressed all her life came bubbling to the surface. She wanted to say she did not see only death. If she hadn¡¯t seen that avalanche, many knights would have been injured or killed. They had been able to avoid that. Ilyin wanted to say that she was not cursed, but her lips would not open, even in a dream. Chapter 43 She had always been on her toes in the Arlen Estate. Ilyin had been the most afraid of her father, who had not much of his reason left. He would order something out of the blue when he was drunk or excited, and she had been terrified during those times. The Viscount had always disliked Ilyin, and that had made her live a life in a constant state of stress at the Arlen Estate. She would¡¯ve lived like that to her death if she had not seen her first night with Aden. Ilyin had always thought this was the only place she could be. ¡°You have not spoken of your childhood, right?¡± The Viscount looked serious as he asked Ilyin. She lowered her face and closed her eyes. The floorboards, which were more familiar to her than people, were now replaced with darkness. This is a dream. It is not happening. She thought of the mansion she had seen up to now. The mobile had not been anywhere. Even if the dream was this realistic, that would be her saving grace. ¡°You seem to have at least thought of that,¡± the Viscount sighed heavily at Ilyin¡¯s silence. ¡°An eerie woman who sees death. How His Highness would have been surprised. I hear that there are many superstitions in the North¡­¡± Ilyin heard the Viscount cluck his tongue and reminded herself that she was dreaming. ¡°However, we still have a chance. You spent a night with him, right?¡± He continued. The Viscount grumbled that Ilyin should have done so since she had been there over a month. Gritting her teeth she let the words flow with her eyes tightly closed. ¡°Is there anyone outside?¡± The maid who had guided Ilyin came in as the Viscount spoke, ¡°Show her to the doctor and remain silent.¡± His voice was fierce, ¡°Stay silent until you die. I could say something to His Highness if you have a child. I told you to remain silent. Is this because of your mother¡¯s common blood?¡± The maid pulled at Ilyin¡¯s arm at the Viscount¡¯s wave for them to go, ¡°Let us go.¡± Ilyin didn¡¯t open her eyes. This was an extremely realistic dream, which she¡¯d had a few times before. She only looked for one thing whenever she found herself in a dream such as this and allowed herself to be treated mercilessly while doing so. Ilyin opened her eyes and searched the room one last time before going out. She didn¡¯t see the mobile. If it was not there, she would not be thrown away. *** Aden had gone through his first succession ceremony when he was eleven years old. The repeated rituals had not been as complex as the name suggested, and the ceremony only needed four Divine Objects and someone from the Biflten bloodline. The mirror on the round table would glow brightly for a moment when he placed his hand on the Divine Objects, and he¡¯d wanted to know what the light was when he had been young because he thought he had seen something strange during the first ceremony. However, Aden became indifferent to them over the years, as he grew tired of what the three elders requested for each ceremony. He just wanted it to be over and done with. While the elders said that the power would protect Biflten, they would force him into battlefields because of that power. Lidan had said once, that while it was easy for Aden to kill a hundred monsters, it would take a great many knights, risking their lives, to do the same. While Aden had gone into battle because of that reason before, now he did not. His childhood had ended when the elders had tried to split the Delroses. Aden was calming Ilyin down during Lidan¡¯s spell casting. The old man was speaking in an ancient Biflten language that had been passed down from the elders who had commenced this ceremony before. He didn¡¯t care for that. He cared only for the woman standing next to him. Ilyin¡¯s hand was cold and trembled as he held it, but he knew that nothing much would happen. She breathed deeply, and her scent seemed to calm people down. Aden gently stroked the back of her hand, as he recalled that she would calm down and breathe normally while they were in bed if he did so. She responded the same now, and Aden heard her breathing return to its normal rhythm. He then guided Ilyin¡¯s hand to the round table after Lidan had finished speaking. Feeling her surprise at the light, he embraced her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s all right. It will be over soon,¡± he whispered. But the light shone for a much longer time than usual and she seemed to be in a trance. Aden saw the elder¡¯s surprise, and they watched Ilyin who stood stiff, staring blankly at the mirror. ¡°Ilyin?¡± Aden called as he felt panic rising. She remained motionless despite the flashing light. ¡°Something is wrong!¡± The Mille¡¯s elder approached her, and at that moment, the light went out along with something else. ¡°Ilyin!¡± Aden shouted. He enjoyed listening to her heartbeat whenever he held her. It was the same now, but then suddenly, her breathing and her heartbeat stopped, and she fainted and collapsed to the floor. Chapter 44 Aden knew death, as he had killed often. He was now unaffected by it, despite having once thought that those he killed could speak and had willpower. He knew that he had to kill to survive though. ¡°Thankfully, she will live.¡± The doctor stood in front of Aden with evident tension. ¡°I don¡¯t know what stopped her breathing, but it was only for a moment. She is sleeping now.¡± Aden motioned him to go away. He looked ready to explode or behead someone with a glance if they dared disturb him now. ¡°She just needs to wake up.¡± Doctor Ves bowed his head, trying his utmost best to console his master. Aden heard numerous people walking about as Ves opened the door to leave, but the sounds didn¡¯t annoy him as he was focused on Ilyin¡¯s well-being. The Delrose family had gone into emergency mode after Ilyin had fainted and the seventh floor was full of people bustling around. Normally, only the least amount of people needed, would quietly walk these corridors on any given day, because the owner disliked noise, but now, speed was of the utmost importance and the need for tranquillity fell by the wayside. Idith had managed to contact the Empire, even in the heavy snowstorm, and Milo had arrived speedily with medicinal herbs in his carriage, despite not planning to return for a year. The maids who had attended to the previous Duchess had come to the seventh floor, one after another, as they had taken care of someone from the Empire before, and therefore, had the experience needed to care for Ilyin. Wearing long-sleeved shirts and thick winter coats, due to the mansion being colder than ever before, they were vividly reminded of the fact that the Duke was the only person in Biflten who could influence the temperate, which made them fear him. They knew that he could make them freeze to death inside the mansion if he chose to, and they would¡¯ve preferred to have been outside in the snow because it was warmer! ¡°Sir, it is Idith.¡± Aden was in Ilyin¡¯s bedroom, and Idith opened the door after knocking softly. He saw Milo through the crack of the door, who stood with an inexplicable expression as he¡¯d faced a disaster upon entering the bride¡¯s bedroom not long ago. ¡°Report,¡± Aden grunted. The room was much warmer than the corridor, and Idith removed his thick winter coat as he spoke, ¡°The records of the succession ceremony were stored in the Blue North estate, so it took some time to locate them.¡± ¡°And?¡± Idith hesitated as he looked at Ilyin, ¡°This is an unprecedented event. I have looked over the previous Duchesses who had been from the Empire, but there had been no strange responses like the one Ilyin experienced.¡± While Idith reported, Milo handed the herbs to the maids and explained to them what the properties of each herb were and what they could be used for. No matter how much experience the maids had tending to someone from the Empire, they were winter locals at the end of the day, so he had to explain to them in depth. Next to him, Ves busily examined the herbs too, as he was also a winter local, but he was better than no doctor at all. ¡°What about an Empire doctor?¡± Aden asked. ¡°I tried to bring one,¡± Idith chose his words carefully, ¡°but no one was willing. People may have suspected who I was, but it is nearly April here, sir.¡± This was the coldest month in Biflten, and no one from the Empire would willingly come during this Godforsaken season. ¡°You may all leave,¡± Aden instructed. Lost in deep thought in the quiet room, Aden sat close to Ilyin and stroked her hair as gently as a butterfly¡¯s flutter. Her breathing was even and she was in a deep sleep but he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what would happen if she didn¡¯t wake up. Biflten had always been cold from as far back as Aden could remember and he¡¯d assumed that he would live and die in this weather. He had never thought of summer before and had not understood why his mother wanted to go to a hot place. When he was young, she¡¯d told him stories about how the sun was bright and warm, the wind cool, and how one had to squint to see the scenery at times. Aden had thought that would be a nuisance and found the idea of wearing thin clothes very peculiar, therefore, he¡¯d never yearned for the summer as she had. However, his first taste of this unfamiliar warmth had been an unforgettably powerful experience. He¡¯d thought that it was the scent of the sun, rather than the summer itself which had drawn him in, and as he gazed at Ilyin, who looked cold at first glance but had been warmer than anyone here, he was reminded of that magical experience. Aden thought Biflten would become unbearably cold if she was not here and he felt uneasy about the cold for the first time. *** Ilyin didn¡¯t have a clue as to how long she¡¯d slept, as her dreams had seemed long and there had been many. At first, her dreams had shown beautiful landscapes of Biflten but had gradually distorted into nightmarish scenes at the Arlen Estate. Amongst them were past events she¡¯d never experienced before and she¡¯d desperately searched for the mobile for reassurance whenever she saw Viscount Arlen, but it had eluded her. Darkness abounded as her brain slowly drifted out of her dream state, which dissipated quickly, and she began to feel fearful and disorientated because she wasn¡¯t sure where she was. Ilyin then felt something against her back and realized that she was lying on a soft bed as she cautiously opened her eyes. ¡°Ilyin?¡± She heard the voice in the dark and even forgot to close her eyes as she turned her head, ¡°Aden?¡± He didn¡¯t answer her, and she was growing anxious as she thought that this was another dream. ¡°Aden, are you there?¡± She asked, beginning to panic. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± His answer finally came with a deep sigh, as if he sounded relieved. Chapter 45 The room was much warmer than expected and it felt stuffy, which reminded her of the warmth in the middle of summer at the Arlen estate and she asked fearfully, ¡°We are in Biflten, right?¡± Aden realized that she didn¡¯t know where she was, ¡°Yes, this is your bedroom.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s so hot.¡± ¡°I see.¡± In an instant, the air grew cold, and Ilyin blinked in surprise. Did Aden do that? ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure of how hot the Empire gets. I apologize.¡± Judging by his words, which sounded oddly timid, she gathered that he¡¯d altered the temperature in the room. So, this is the Duke¡¯s power, Ilyin laughed, but it sounded more like a dry cough, ¡°I am all right.¡± She breathed in and out deeply and closed her eyes, no longer afraid of the darkness, and mumbled, ¡°I woke up, right?¡± She needed to confirm whether this was her reality or not, and with a simple ¡°yes¡±, he assured her, and she smiled and relaxed into the present moment. ¡°You have never been out of Biflten?¡± She asked inquisitively. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Have you experienced Biflten¡¯s summer before?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have summer here, Ilyin.¡± Aden¡¯s voice was soft but clear, and he was now holding Ilyin¡¯s small hand. ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen it during the succession ceremony?¡± His reply was slow in coming this time, ¡°Why, did you see something?¡± ¡°Yes. I saw a lot up until I woke up,¡± Ilyin let out a short breath. She¡¯d had nightmares, but was certain that the first dream had occurred at the succession ceremony, where she¡¯d seen a mansion in the bright summer sunshine and a wondrous beach where the white foam had lapped against the shoreline. ¡°I saw Biflten¡¯s bright summer.¡± She recalled searching endlessly for the mobile throughout her dreams but had come up empty-handed. ¡°I could see the cliffs from far away. Did you know that there¡¯s a beach in Biflten?¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if it was the exact location, but she was certain that it had been in Biflten and she remembered the sight clearly, unlike the fragmented dreams of the Arlen Estate in which she¡¯d been afraid. But it had all been mere dreams and she grabbed Aden¡¯s hand, grateful to know that this was reality. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯m hearing of it,¡± he replied, looking interested in what she was telling him. ¡°The sea is wide with a long beach.¡± Ilyin wished she could see the scene again, with Aden, and she also wished to see the mobile. ¡°Could we see it again at the next ceremony?¡± Aden didn¡¯t answer, and she felt him fidgeting as he tapped on the bed, so she kept quiet and just listened to his regular breathing, which was comforting to her ears. ¡°Do you want to see the summer?¡± Aden asked after a while, in a distant voice. Ilyin realized that he may not have liked the question and said, ¡°Biflten is a good place.¡± She worried that it may sound condescending, but Aden smiled as he whispered to Ilyin, ¡°Father was someone who longed for summer. He admired it.¡± Ilyin tilted her head as she listened to him. ¡°While he was satisfied with showing my mother Elo¡¯s lights, that wasn¡¯t real sunlight.¡± Her eyes widened as she heard the familiar words. ¡°I will bring summer back here.¡± Ilyin¡¯s heart beat faster as she realized that those were the same words that she¡¯d heard Den say in her dream. *** Ves was toiling away these days and felt like he was skating on thin ice at the mansion, ¡°She has gotten much better.¡± He had waited for a long time to say this, and he recalled that the Duchess had been a healthy person, compared to other visitors from the Empire when she¡¯d arrived at the mansion. Seeing her quick recovery did settle his nerves somewhat. ¡°You still have to be careful at night though, please,¡± Ves added, realizing that Aden wouldn¡¯t listen to his advice and as if hearing his thoughts, the Duke motioned for him to leave. ¡°You know you can¡¯t, right? Please let her rest.¡± Ves spoke louder so that the Duchess could hear, but Aden remained impassive and motioned for the doctor to get out, and Ves had no choice but to do so. Aden sighed deeply as Ves left the room and he knew that the doctor would¡¯ve tried to lie down in front of Ilyin¡¯s room to prevent him from sneaking in to be with her. Ilyin¡¯s question had been special last night, ¡°Do you have a secret I should know?¡± He hadn¡¯t hesitated for a second when he¡¯d told her that he didn¡¯t have any secrets, and while he had been curious all night, Ilyin hadn¡¯t let on about why she¡¯d asked that question. It bugged him slightly, but then he thought of the deep scent of summer last night. ¡°Sir, it is Idith.¡± Idith had been the busiest person out of every one of late since Aden had left him to oversee the running of the mansion, while he stayed in Ilyin¡¯s room. Idith didn¡¯t look at Aden with despairing eyes, unlike Milo, however, Idith did look worn out, that was why Aden had asked him to rest and so he wasn¡¯t sure why he was here now. ¡°Come in.¡± Seeing the fresh snowflakes on his coat, it was obvious that he¡¯d just come from outside, ¡°The Yesters have sent a messenger to you.¡± *** ¡°Is this enough water?¡± Etra asked as the large bathtub was being filled by the maids. Ilyin smiled awkwardly and nodded as the Delrose maids stood in a line, holding massage items or creams to pamper her with. Etra stopped one maid who was holding a familiar cream because it was not from the Empire. ¡°She had used it well last time,¡± the maid said, looking a bit confused. Etra wouldn¡¯t hear of it and she ordered her to confirm with Doctor Ves and instructed her to only use items known to be safe. Two other maids talked animatedly among themselves, ¡°Isn¡¯t this too hot?¡± ¡°They say the Empire uses hotter water.¡± ¡°Get out!¡± Etra yelled as she chased the maids away. Ilyin blushed, feeling embarrassed for them as she said gently, ¡°It¡¯s all right Etra. They can stay.¡± Chapter 46 The maids wandered around aimlessly, seeming unsure what to do next and Etra eventually motioned to them that they should come into the bathroom, as their mistress had summoned them. They carefully tested the water temperature and used cloth from the Empire, because they¡¯d been instructed to only use products from there until Ilyin became healthy. ¡°Please tell us if you are uncomfortable,¡± Etra requested. The maids seemed to have decided that their mistress was a frail lady, since she was sick so often, and even lay a soft cloth under her feet when she climbed out of the bathtub. Then, another maid helped her walk back to the bedroom where she was pampered, as they rubbed essential oils on her hair and brushed it until her thick blond hair looked revived and lush again. When it came time to eat, they fussed about the food as well and Etra said, ¡°This is too cold.¡± She checked every dish before it was served to Ilyin, even after she¡¯d told her not to worry because she was beginning to feel like a burden to everyone. Nevertheless, Etra continued to check them regardless and Ilyin couldn¡¯t help but smile as she watched her do so. ¡°I am not that sick.¡± ¡°You still have to be careful,¡± Ves said. ¡°I am all right, honestly.¡± As Ilyin tried to stop Etra from doing the extra work, Ves gently implored, ¡°We will die if we don¡¯t take care of you correctly, Mistress. And please call us whenever you need to.¡± The maids all went away with Ves and Ilyin was left alone with her thoughts, unaware of how cold the mansion had been during her sleep. She looked up at the immaculate ceiling and saw that there were no shadows. Ilyin felt no fear when the door to her bedroom opened here, and couldn¡¯t refuse the maids, since they were so different from those in the Arlen Estate. She wondered whether she deserved to be served like this, but they were so eager to do so, albeit to save their skins. She was somewhat sorry that she wasn¡¯t able to refuse their help, and the only saving grace was that they seemed not to hate what they were doing. Ilyin lowered her gaze from the ceiling, and her thoughts turned to Den. She thought of Aden, and now the answer to the question she¡¯d asked him, seemed to be staring her in the face, but she wasn¡¯t entirely sure. That was why she¡¯d asked Aden whether he¡¯d had a secret, but he¡¯d said that he had none. Dreamily gazing out the window, she suddenly saw a black stallion approaching the mansion and the man riding the black beauty was someone familiar, as she recognized his black hair which stood out against the white snow. He wore light clothes, even though it was blistering cold weather, and there weren¡¯t many people who would be able to tolerate the ice-cold air without a thick winter coat. Ilyin felt like she had on the night of her arrival and was now almost certain who Den was. The rumors about the Duke¡¯s eyes freezing people were most probably inflated but it had been spread to make the Duke seem like a formidable presence. That would¡¯ve been enough to keep the other three powerful families in check. Not many would want to risk seeing the Duke¡¯s eyes, even if it was merely a rumor, and she had been fearful of this. However, there were the Delrose knights and maids who came into contact with him often and this had made her suspicious. The Duke seemed to move about a lot so that the other families wouldn¡¯t know whether he was inside or outside the mansion. How could the Duke move so freely when the servants and knights had to avoid his eyes to avoid death? He could hide his face with a cloth, but there were limits to this. Therefore, the only conclusion she could come to was that there was a high possibility of him having another identity. It was then that the room turned dark, and Ilyin¡¯s gaze remained locked on the window; she believed she had her answer. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± His voice was low and gentle as always. Ilyin nodded slightly, ¡°I am all right since everyone is caring for me.¡± She raised her hand, thinking that Aden would hold it but he hesitated. ¡°My hands are still cold.¡± She remembered he had been outside and just said, ¡°Please.¡± Aden was silent for a moment before placing his hand on hers, which was cold, and she rubbed it like he had done for her, to warm it up. Ilyin felt him flinch as her hand rubbed the flesh between his fingers, and she warmed him before reaching for his wrist. Aden stopped her fingers with his now warm hand. ¡°Aden, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult to concentrate. It tickles.¡± A small laugh escaped Ilyin¡¯s lips and it felt good to loosen up a bit. Aden seemed to have taken off his coat before he sat on the bed, and she breathed in the aromatic oil he must¡¯ve used while bathing. Then, Ilyin removed her cape and placed it next to her, instantly feeling the heat from Aden¡¯s body. Chapter 47 ¡°I want to talk to you first. I have been curious all day,¡± he said as he exhaled deeply. ¡°About what?¡± Ilyin tilted her head ¡°What is the secret you want to know?¡± Aden had decided that it would be better to ask Ilyin what he wanted to know while she was lying relaxed in bed, and for the first time, she didn¡¯t avoid his gaze. ¡°If I may ask,¡± she began. ¡°Yes.¡± His answer was quick, and Ilyin placed her hand on his thigh and softly asked her question, ¡°Do I freeze if our eyes meet?¡± Ilyin felt him twitch under her hand and thought it may not have been a good question. The silence was longer this time, and Aden¡¯s voice was nearer when his hands reached up and covered her cheek. ¡°Would this be an answer?¡± Her nose gently met his, and she thought they were looking directly at each other in the darkness. Aden remained that way as their breaths mingled and she enjoyed the feeling of his warmth. ¡°Then, can you show me your face?¡± She knew she would only need a little light to do so. Ilyin felt his hand tighten on hers and she realized that she¡¯d asked two questions already, but Aden didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°Of course,¡± he replied. His answer was lighter than she had expected, but that had not been all. Ilyin felt his warm whisper in her ear, ¡°But you have to promise me one thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± His voice was sweet like the devil, ¡°You cannot flee the castle after seeing my face, Ilyin.¡± Aden embraced her like he wouldn¡¯t let her go, no matter what her answer was, and his hand slid from her cheek to her soft, supple bre*st as he gently placed his knee between her legs. Ilyin felt his strong, muscular thigh through her clothing and he slowly rubbed himself against her, stimulating her cl*toris and her body immediately responded to his touch. Feeling his hot hand on her skin, Ilyin thought she wouldn¡¯t have asked him to reveal his face if she¡¯d intended to run away. She closed her eyes slightly, knowing that she liked this place, although she¡¯d been hesitant at first, she was certain now. Even though it was a cold, strange, and scary environment, she liked the Delroses and Aden, and her gut told her that he would never let her go. Ilyin raised her hand to stroke Aden¡¯s shoulder first and she felt coldness, but as her fingers traced his skin and reached his throat, she felt the heat radiating from his skin. Her hand shook a bit as she had not done such things before, and Aden¡¯s lips opened like he wanted to say something. She reached up to touch other areas of his attractive body and brushed against his eyelashes. She was intrigued to see what his face looked like after trying to picture it in her mind for so long, and she felt excited about finally getting to know the real Aden. ¡°Do you want to know my face?¡± It would be a lie to say no, but Ilyin hesitated with her reply. She had been barely holding on at the Arlen estate and felt like she was at the end of her rope there, where only a deep abyss had welcomed her every night. She¡¯d thought that it would only ever be in a dream that someone would wait for her and spend the night with her, holding her and comforting her, so this moment felt very surreal. ¡°You have one chance, Ilyin,¡± Aden whispered in a deep, clear voice. ¡°If you want to run, do so now.¡± ¡°I will not run,¡± Ilyin answered, and his hand that had been on hers now moved up to her shoulder. Now his body was as hot as it was cold. Her gown slid from her shoulder, and his lips traveled lazily to her neck and her bre*st. Ilyin moaned softly as Aden unbuttoned her gown and gently brushed her collarbone. His fingertips drew circles along her chest as he teased her hard peaks, licking them with his hot wet tongue. While Ilyin¡¯s attention was focused on his fingers, his other hand moved between her thighs, and with a slight tug, he removed her skirt as his fingers continued to caress her skin. She was already wet because she knew what was coming. His hands played with her underwear, yet to be removed, and he stroked her cl*toris through her silky panties. The slow, teasing movements of his finger made her body writhe in anticipation and she trembled with lustful yearning as her moans grew louder. Wet sounds filled the once quiet room as Aden supported one of her slender legs with his right hand and her hips rose in the air as he continued to gently rub her between her thighs. Chapter 48 Ilyin¡¯s body tingled in anticipation as his strong, rough hands gently caressed her skin. Aden was on the bed beside her and kissed her passionately once more before positioning himself more comfortably. Even though they were fully clothed, she could still feel his hard crotch rubbing against her thigh as he moved on top of her and then leaned towards her. Ilyin was surprised when she felt something soft behind her back as she took his weight. ¡°Ah,¡± she gasped when she realized that it was the pillow he¡¯d been using earlier. As the bed leaned slightly to the left from his weight on it, the heat from his body drew closer. Aden¡¯s movements stopped, and she knew that he¡¯d finally found the position that he wanted as he made a muffled sound when his hot breath reached his throat. Rubbing his nose against the bridge of hers, he kissed her upper lip and teased her mouth with his soft hot tongue. Lost in the heat of the moment, she vaguely heard a sound, and a very faint light illuminated their surroundings. Ilyin closed her eyes slightly, but in the darkness, even the slightest light was very bright. As if trying to distract her, Aden kissed her for a long time, as if he wanted to keep her in the dark and prevent her from seeing his true identity. Her long eyelashes trembled and fluttered as he kissed her gently around her eyes, which made her eyes close automatically, and then he licked her lips again while her eyes were closed. A soft tongue brushed her upper lip several times, which made her lips open slightly, exposing the inside of her hot mouth. Ilyin let out a breath, and her lips parted. Aden took that opportunity to kiss her harder, exploring her mouth gingerly and discovering the mysteries she was hiding. Then, his fingers moved eagerly across her smooth belly and down to her thighs, where he rubbed the soft area below her cl*toris and felt her wetness with his bare hands. Ilyin moaned in pleasure and surprise. Aden pulled himself slightly away from her to kiss her slender arms that covered her chest, and then he gave her gentle butterfly kisses until he reached her middle finger. As he eased himself further away from her, his black hair shimmered in the mirror as the very faint light shone on it, and Ilyin touched the bridge of his nose, which had touched hers so many times. She could also see his wet lips moving as Aden exhaled hot air because of the light from the lamp, but she could barely make out his crystal blue eyes and couldn¡¯t help but wonder what expression his face had right now. And then, as if to answer her question, he moved his face in such a way that she could see him clearly in the light, and her heart stopped for a moment as her suspicions were confirmed. ¡°Den,¡± Ilyin whispered when she realized who he was. Aden let out a short breath, ¡°You already knew that?¡± She wasn¡¯t surprised when he¡¯d come to her, and she¡¯d guessed it was him, choosing not to avoid his gaze since he¡¯d arrived like she usually did. ¡°I still have a lot of questions I want to ask,¡± Ilyin whispered. ¡°I know, but that¡¯s enough interrogation for now,¡± Aden joked as kissed her pretty eyes. But he quickly noticed the subtle change in Ilyin¡¯s expression, which was slightly different from before he kissed her, and so he added, ¡°If I say this, am I the one running away?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she replied. Her answer was pretty straightforward, which made Aden let out a small laugh, and he waved the white flag of surrender by simply saying, ¡°Okay,¡± he said, ignoring her changed mood, and then moved back from Ilyin¡¯s body and lifted his bride and placed her on his thick muscular thigh. ¡°Ah,¡± Ilyin exclaimed, slightly startled by his sudden movement. Their faces were much closer to each other because she was straddling his lap, and then unexpectedly, a squelching sound sounded through the room, which ruined the moment. Ilyn¡¯s face reddened with embarrassment as she felt the liquid dripping out of her, and she realized that it must¡¯ve wet his pants. But he didn¡¯t seem to mind getting his clothes wet, and instead of saying anything, he hugged her tighter. This was the first time that she¡¯d ever sat on his lap, being embraced like this, and it warmed her heart. Now that his physique was visible because of the light, she could see a stark difference in his appearance. When he presented himself as the commander of the knights, it had been hard to see his body because he¡¯d been wearing thick clothes, but now that he was in front of her, she could tell the difference. His strong arms, which had been hardened by using his sword daily, and also by the battles that he¡¯d fought, wrapped around her and she looked at them closely. These were the arms that had been warming her up every night. ¡°What are you curious about?¡± he whispered in her ear. For a person who willingly accepted the interrogation, he seemed uncooperative, and she said boldly, ¡°You!¡± As he pulled her closer, the sensation of his stiff, yearning p*nis rubbing against her inner thigh became more evident, and her body felt as if there were a fire raging in it. Blushing, she looked at his face, trying to focus her attention on him and not on his rock-hard c*ck that moved against her thighs. Now that it no longer mattered if they saw each other face to face in the light, she wanted to ask him some direct questions, as there were a lot of things that she wanted to know. However, Aden kept distracting her, and as he pulled her closer again, he rubbed his hard-on against her cl*toris. As he moved it faster and faster against her silk panties, her head spun, and she shouted, ¡°Stop it. You¡¯re being unfair!¡± Ilyn panted, feeling dizzy with desire as her moans grew louder. Then, as if he had realized that she was close to her climax, he hugged her tightly, and she screamed in ecstasy. A squelching sound echoed again, and they both felt soggy, but neither one of them paid attention to it. Catching her breath, Ilyin asked, ¡°Would it be okay if we just looked at each other¡¯s faces?¡± Aden willingly turned his face to look at her because of her sudden inquiry. He was supposed to be the one to be questioned, but it was Ilyin whose face was blushing, and he found it somewhat amusing. ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk,¡± he said, smiling because he didn¡¯t feel like he was being interrogated. ¡°Why did you lie to me?¡± Ilyn asked angrily. Murphy¡¯s law, her question this time was direct, and Aden chuckled. Ilyin thought about the sound of his laughter and that she would remember it whenever he whispered to her. Chapter 49 Aden came across as a jolly person who loved to smile and laugh and his expression was generally light and bright, which was a complete contradiction to the rumors that said that he was bloodthirsty and that he was more accustomed to wielding a sword than he was to talking; it seemed that the rumors were based on lies. ¡°If I said I wanted to see you too, would you believe me?¡± Aden asked her, and Ilyin tilted her head slightly. ¡°Do you remember the day you first met me?¡± He asked as he made eye contact with her. There was no way in hell that she would ever forget the day that she¡¯d met him, as the Duke Aden de Biflten, after she¡¯d arrived in the winter region being ambushed by monsters. ¡°I was surprised to hear that they were looking for me that day. That¡¯s why I thought we shouldn¡¯t make eye contact,¡± Ilyin laughed. ¡°Do the knights of Delrose know the face of Aden?¡± She asked, thinking that there would¡¯ve been no way that she would¡¯ve called for him on the battlefield. ¡°Of course.¡± When she pondered this, she realized that they must know his identity since he¡¯d been on the battlefield as the knight¡¯s leader. But when someone had called out, ¡°Your Majesty,¡± that person hadn¡¯t been looking for some other duke, they¡¯d been calling him. And she now recalled leaving the carriage and bolting towards him and then accidentally falling into his arms. Aden lowered his gaze, impressed by the fact that she¡¯d figured out his identity on her own. ¡°So, you¡¯re not saying that you¡¯ve been lying to me until now, are you? Do you honestly think I¡¯ll be scared?¡± Ilyin stared at him in the silence that followed, waiting for his response, but Aden kissed her cheek instead. The arm that she was holding onto for support became a shackle that held her tightly in his warm embrace; she couldn¡¯t even run away. ¡°Aden, answer me¡ª¡± But she was cut off when he suddenly kissed her lips, plunging his tongue inside her mouth and distracting her from her questions. Ilyin¡¯s cheeks turned pink when her body started responding to him immediately. She looked him up and down slowly, and even though his body was trapped inside of his clothes, his muscular outline was visible. Realizing that Aden knew she was looking at his body, Ilyin blushed profusely. ¡°I am ready to be interrogated,¡± he said. The tone of his voice sounded different, and his attitude had changed. He smiled, and Ilyin realized that he was referring to another interrogation as he pulled her closer to him. Sparks flew as their bodies touched, and if it weren¡¯t for a few pieces of cloth that covered them, their bodies would¡¯ve tightly intertwined. But the sensation of his hard crotch straining against his pants, and rubbing against her wet and aching folds, still felt good, although it was a completely different feeling compared to when he was touching her with his fingers. ¡°You seem to be choosing to ask questions still,¡± he teased as he nibbled her ear. Ilyin lowered her face, which had become hotter and redder. Aden laughed, and Ilyin felt that his faint laughter sounded a little bit sarcastic because he seemed to know everything that she was thinking, yet he was still teasing her. Reaching out, he ran his hand through her long, soft silver hair, moving it over her shoulder and watching it as it cascaded down over her firm bre*sts. He then caressed her ear with his fingertips as his other hand slid down her back. Ilyin flinched at the familiar feeling that spread from her head to her neck. The heat that rushed through her body felt like a hot stream of water, and there was absolutely no time left for questions; she was drunk with lust and passion because of his sensual touch. ¡°You always close your eyes when you see me. Or turn your head away,¡± Aden said and followed the edge of her gaze, as she could now see him freely. Ilyin couldn¡¯t avoid him in the end, now that he¡¯d come to meet her gaze, and she realized that he could see her in the dim light, and also, that he must¡¯ve noticed her avoiding his face every night. She opened her mouth slightly, ¡°That¡¯s why you came as Den. It¡¯s okay. Well, not really. But I guess I can live with that.¡± Ilyin burst into laughter. ¡°You have to be nice to the people below you,¡± she reminded him. Aden thought of the people of Delrose who were running around on the seventh floor a while ago. ¡°They are doing well,¡± he answered wryly. If Milo had been listening, he would¡¯ve fallen to the floor and most likely wept with laughter. He hugged Ilyin and held her hand as he kissed her lips without breaking eye contact. ¡°But lying would be wrong,¡± he said as he nibbled her finger lovingly. ¡°Hmm,¡± Ilyin wanted to answer yes, but she was caught off-guard when Aden leaned over and threw her down on the cotton blanket. He thought of a lie, but that ended short, thanks to Ilyin¡¯s cleverness. Aden couldn¡¯t help but wonder what would happen now because Ilyin had not known for a long time that he¡¯d been lying. He¡¯d been afraid of being caught, but what was even more terrifying was to be caught lying and make her hate him. He now wondered if a relationship founded on lies would be able to continue once the lies had been revealed. Ilyin may be disappointed with him now and leave for good, and that terrified him. Distracted from his thoughts by his ferocious need to relieve the sexual tension burning inside him, he roughly removed Ilyin¡¯s clothes as his patience had run out. He was as hard as a rock as his lust for her intensified, and he said, ¡°I gave you release earlier on, so now it¡¯s my turn.¡± As a good hostess, she thought there was nothing that she shouldn¡¯t do. There was only one piece of cloth between the two of them now, which covered Ilyin¡¯s bottom, and it was already wet enough to feel the weight. Aden then pushed his hard c*ck against her damp bottom, and because he was so turned on by her, the outside of the fabric became wet from the pre-c*m which dripped from the tip of his erection. He moved a little closer to Ilyin and began rubbing the throbbing head of his hard c*ck against her swollen cl*t, and moaned loudly, ¡°Yes!¡± Chapter 50 Ilyin arched her back and Aden used this opportunity to grab another pillow and slide it beneath her behind. With her legs raised, there was only one thing left to keep her stable, and her legs wrapped tightly around his. ¡°Because you figured out my weakness because I lied, I should be punished fairly,¡± Aden whispered as he twisted his body around hers. Her elevated b*ttocks made it easy for him to pull down her underwear and his aching er*ction came in contact with her wet, slippery entrance. ¡°Ah,¡± she groaned softly, as his chuckle lingered in her ear. After moving her body into the perfect position, he then put her hand on his neck so that she could feel the rapid beating of his pulse. ¡°Please, use me,¡± he said seductively as he thrust himself deep inside her, watching in satisfaction as her eyes opened widely from the sudden pleasure. That night, Ilyin, who held authority in her soft hands, had requested two things. ¡°That is it for now,¡± she said. The first order was a cruel one. With his back against the bed, Ilyin raised her pointer finger and blocked his lips. Aden was the Duke of Winter, who ruled Biflten ¨C he even had the strength to slice a monster¡¯s neck with his sword. But at her small gesture, he stopped moving and asked, ¡°Are you ordering me to leave?¡± Ilyin giggled, ¡°No. Please stay with me until the sky lightens. I have not yet seen the sunrise with you.¡± Ilyin caressed his cheek as he drifted off to sleep and the two of them spent the night together. She had become so responsible, that even Beth, who had strong values, would be proud of her. Ilyin laid her head on Aden¡¯s legs and told him about her dream where she¡¯d seen many sceneries, ¡°The field was so vast that I couldn¡¯t see the end of it. And there was a massive cliff.¡± Ilyin¡¯s description of Biflten¡¯s scenery was foreign to Aden, but yet strangely familiar. With his vast experience in war, he could guess where each landmark was that she mentioned. Although he didn¡¯t know every place in the winter district, he couldn¡¯t know where the popular landmarks were. However, the landscape that she was describing was different from what he remembered. In his memories, Biflten was, of course, covered in snow. In contrast, the view of Biflten that Ilyin spoke of, sounded unbelievably beautiful. Ilyin had never explored the winter land before, and Aden told her that the reason why she¡¯d seen that kind of scenery must¡¯ve been due to the succession ceremony. ¡°Have you ever seen that kind of scenery at a succession ceremony?¡± Ilyin asked. Aden could only shake his head at her question. After some thought, he told her about a painting he¡¯d seen as a child. ¡°I am not exactly sure if it was a painting though,¡± he explained as he recalled the image of a landscape that he¡¯d briefly seen, which seemed to have been painted with yellow only. ¡°So, you have never had a long dream like I did?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time that I¡¯ve heard of that kind of phenomenon happening at a ceremony,¡± Aden sighed because her dream did concern him. Ilyin noticed the expression on his face and stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. ¡°I also had a nightmare,¡± she revealed. After talking about the scenery for a long time, at around four o¡¯clock, she mentioned her nightmares and Aden listened intently as she explained her long dream to him, without interrupting her. ¡°It was a dream about me, leaving the winter district.¡± At first, she began the story carefully and then hesitantly continued, ¡°I opened my eyes in the Arlen residence. More accurately, I¡­¡± Ilyin faltered as she looked at his face, ¡°I was banished from Biflten after we got a divorce.¡± Aden gave a short response, ¡°What a stupid dream.¡± His vulgar expression was a way to assert that that would never happen, and Ilyin smiled. ¡°I know. But in the dream, I was scared,¡± she whispered. Aden recalled the Arlen residence that he had Milo investigate. He had always found it strange that Viscount Arlen had never assigned a single maid to Ilyin, even though she was a royal. Whenever Ilyin looked anxious as she spoke, Aden gave her a light kiss, encouraging her, ¡°Please, go on.¡± As she did, he continued to pay attention to her words and his hand touched her body that was shaking from uneasiness. His touches became rougher though and Ilyin lightly slapped his hand, pretending to be angry, ¡°Naughty hand!¡± He quietly detached from her and Ilyin¡¯s grinning face seemed to show that a lot of the uneasiness had left her. He only had permission to touch her cheeks, and he moved his hand to the back of her head as he thought about what she was telling him. He couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what she had gone through at the Arlen residence, which had prompted her to have had such a detailed nightmare. The Biflten¡¯s residence was a place where people outside didn¡¯t even dare to think about approaching her. If living at the Arlen residence gave her more fear than living here, it was evident how traumatic living at the Arlen¡¯s must¡¯ve been. ¡°You will never have to leave. Never!¡± Aden pressed his lips to her forehead. ¡°Because I saw your face?¡± She asked, looking confused. From when he¡¯d asked her, he had no intention of letting her go. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her words. If only his adorable bride knew what dark thoughts were in his head when he pulled her closer by her neck and attached his lips to hers. ¡°Ah,¡± she gasped in surprise. I want to covet her as I please. With shaking fingers, he gently placed them on her chest where he could feel her lovable beating of life. ¡°Naughty hand,¡± she said, as she scolded him before continuing, ¡°I was seven when I first had a foreseeing dream.¡± Throughout the long night, he had heard what he wanted to hear. As if Ilyin knew what unasked questions he had, she explained her story in more detail. Chapter 51 ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you are not comfortable,¡± Aden cautiously told her, but she just laughed. ¡°It¡¯s okay now,¡± she said confidently, and he felt the beating of her soft pulse. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I have this ability. They say, my mother, my grandmother, and the generations before them, all had these kinds of dreams.¡± The origin of this ability was unexplainable. Instead, she told him about the incident that happened when she was seven. ¡°I saw my younger brother die in a dream. After that, in every dream with the mobile, everything came true,¡± Ilyin whispered. ¡°Mother wanted to stop Sid¡¯s death. Because she didn¡¯t allow him near the terrace, he fell down the stairs instead.¡± Aden held her trembling hands tightly. ¡°I¡¯m scared I will have a bad dream again. Because if I foresee something, I cannot prevent it from happening.¡± ¡°You must¡¯ve been terrified seeing the snow,¡± Aden said quietly. ¡°At least I didn¡¯t see anyone getting hurt in that dream. So, it was okay.¡± Ilyin buried her face in his embrace. ¡°Please don¡¯t get hurt, Aden.¡± She held onto him and slowly shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see something awful again, whether it¡¯s in my dream or a reality.¡± ¡°I promise I won¡¯t get hurt.¡± He pressed a deep kiss on her neck and pulled her shaking body closer to him, embracing her tighter. The hand that reassured her was gentle. It was so gentle that Ilyin momentarily forgot about the ¡°punishment¡± from earlier that night and she giggled, ¡°Naughty hand.¡± His hand stopped and felt slightly disappointed. This was his third attempt, but Ilyin only laughed at him, and by the fourth ¡°naughty hand¡± he was wiping the tears from her eyes. Ilyin continued to tease him throughout the night and he attempted one small rebellion, but he eventually gave up after she scolded him, and they spent the remainder of the evening cuddling each other. *** The succession was carried out as planned, to their relief. The elders of the three families were afraid that there would be problems at the succession, because of the strange experience that Ilyin had had, but Aden¡¯s power was unmoving. However, they still needed to get to the root of all the strange phenomena. Aden decided not to worry about confirming with the three elders whether or not the power had been restored correctly because his power had returned to him. So whether they cried at the thought of losing their protector, this was not his problem, and he broke into uncontrollable laughter. Idith hurried over to ask him a question, ¡°Your Highness, is everything alright?¡± He wasn¡¯t worried about the Duke inheriting his power, nor the bride that had collapsed, but rather, his concern was his well-being. Aden knew that without the power of being the head of a family, it would be difficult to survive in Biflten. Besides, the north-westerly wind was especially harsh that winter, and the Yester family, running wild, added to his concerns. Aden knocked on the desk in frustration as he replayed everything that Ilyin had told him in his mind. After listening to her dreams and then hearing how Viscount Arlen had reacted, it was apparent that he had married the Viscountess without knowing about her ability to foresee the future. But it was also true that many women from the sunshine empire had become brides in the wintery lands. He thought back to Idith¡¯s briefing. In the records that Idith had dug up while Ilyin had been fast asleep, there were stories about the previous duchesses who had come from the sunny empire. If there was anything different about Ilyin, she only could foresee dreams, which stemmed from an unclear origin. Aden opened his palm and pondered about the unanswered questions that he had. He wondered about the magical power that came with leading the family, because the source of that power was not known, as well as the abilities of the monsters that were said to be unable to survive in the sun. ¡°Idith.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Idith replied immediately from outside the room. ¡°Find out more about Viscountess Arlen, especially the area where she came from.¡± He would¡¯ve asked Ilyin directly, but the reason why he was asking would be too obvious, and he didn¡¯t want to hurt her because of mere curiosity. Even during the previous evening, he didn¡¯t pry deeper, instead, he¡¯d just listened to what she had to say. There were many instances when he¡¯d wanted to ask her more questions, but he¡¯d kept his mouth shut. As if she¡¯d sensed that he¡¯d been backing off, she¡¯d given him an adorable smile, which had suggested that she understood. After Idith left, Aden opened his palm once again and stared at the thin lines on his skin. After the succession, his power had become more stable, and therefore his residence became brighter; today, his house would be warm. *** These days, the Arlen estate was booming. It was all thanks to the excellent achievements of the Viscount after he¡¯d introduced a new crop from the south, known as ¡°carrots¡±. The weather at the Arlen estate, which was close to the capital, was strangely hot. The four seasons were quite distinctive there, as was the case with the surrounding estates, but winter was particularly warm, and the summer was scorching hot, with never-ending sunshine. Like the southern estates, there were few days in the year where there was heavy rain, and the Viscount took advantage of the climate to grow the crops from the south. This clever idea had unexpectedly come about after he¡¯d asked doctors for help to take care of his mad wife. When he¡¯d been searching the south for assistance, it had been by pure coincidence that he¡¯d heard about carrots, and it hadn¡¯t been a struggle to find skilled doctors who could hold their tongue and keep quiet if need be. The seeds of the wonderful new crop could be planted anywhere, so the viability of the carrots was exceptional, and their plump roots were healthy rations. Chapter 52 There was no use for it in the wealthy Arlen estate, which was conveniently near the capital, but the sales value was good. It was cost-effective to grow, yielding a large quantity of produce in one harvest and the Arlen estate was also much closer to the north than the south. If they negotiated a good deal with the north, where they were suffering from a food shortage, their financial situation would blossom. ¡°Master, I am Cedric, your knight.¡± The Viscount, who had no interest in learning the names of those who were lower in status than him, wasn¡¯t entirely sure who Cedric was, and he pulled on the bell rope instead of replying. When he did, the office door opened slightly. ¡°I have investigated what you have ordered,¡± Cedric said. It then dawned on the Viscount that it was the knight he¡¯d ordered to investigate the northern market. He nodded his head in acknowledgment and replied, ¡°You work fast.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± ¡°So, what did you find out?¡± Cedric looked at the floor and hesitated for a moment as if he were gathering his thoughts. Raising his head to look at the Viscount, he finally said, ¡°Firstly, I searched for places in the upper regions that distribute goods to the north. Some of those already had exclusive customers, which is a shame. The most likely area to get business from is the Acid region. I plan to send someone there later today.¡± The Viscount was satisfied with his speedy investigation and good work ethic, and he listened closely as Cedric¡¯s briefing continued, ¡°Other northern regions are very exclusive, so we will require more time to get in contact with them.¡± Viscount Arlen smacked his lips together when he heard the knight say ¡°exclusive.¡± In all honesty, the Arlen family had no way to make connections with the north until now, and he told the knight, ¡°I have decided on my marriage.¡± ¡°With which region?¡± ¡°The north.¡± Suddenly, the Viscount¡¯s expression lit up as he remembered that Ilyin had gone to the north. *** Milo had been frequenting the north less and less of late. It was getting bitter-cold, and it was a time when traffic to the north slowed down due to the unbearable conditions. However, his destination was not the northern region but rather, Biflten. ¡°It is the first time I am traveling around like this in April,¡± Milo said as his mouth opened wide while he yawned. The heavy blizzards which occurred during April in Biflten were hard to endure. Even for those from the Winter region. And the roads were almost unusable because of the thick ice and snow. ¡°Me too,¡± the clerk replied. Other than the cold, Milo had no complaints. The Winter region didn¡¯t have enough people to take care of the sunny people. And they couldn¡¯t feed the Duchess the harsh herbs of the Winter region since she hadn¡¯t even adjusted to the region¡¯s cold weather as yet. For some reason, Milo recalled his conversation at the palace. ¡°Let us talk inside,¡± the Duchess had said. ¡°M-m-me?¡± He¡¯d stuttered ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you mean to enter the Duchess¡¯s room in front of Delroses maids?¡± Someone else had asked. The Duchess¡¯s innocent suggestion had almost put Milo at death¡¯s door last time. After that incident, Milo did his best to avoid going to the Winter region. Even with the food distribution this winter, he had planned to send someone else because he was aware of how his master watched him, which made him feel uncomfortable in his skin. ¡°We loaded our supply with herbs, so I shouldn¡¯t have to go up there for a while,¡± Milo said as he spread his body across his black leather chair. ¡°They have contacted us again,¡± the clerk informed him. Milo jumped out of his seat. ¡°What did they say?¡± The clerk replied with a calm expression, ¡°It¡¯s not a summons. You can relax.¡± Milo wondered why he wasn¡¯t getting straight to the point and narrowed his eyes at the clerk. He then slumped his shoulders and brushed his hand through his hair as he asked, ¡°What is it then?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an order to look into the Duchess¡¯s maternal family.¡± ¡°Maternal family?¡± They had ordered him to investigate Viscount Arlen not so long ago. When he¡¯d looked into the Viscount¡¯s background for the first time, there was nothing that had stood out which was of particular importance. However, when they delved deeper into the family history, they¡¯d uncovered a sinister secret. The workers at the estate had all been replaced by new staff members approximately twenty years ago, and when he¡¯d tried to investigate those workers, he¡¯d discovered that they¡¯d all died or disappeared. He couldn¡¯t help but find this extremely suspicious. The events had occurred around the time when the Viscountess¡¯s madness had begun, which was probably why his master had ordered him to continue his search now. It seemed like there was more to this story than had met the eye, and Milo¡¯s mind raced as he tried to find a connection between the two. ¡°Good,¡± he replied as he fell into thought. The Viscount¡¯s family didn¡¯t have much to do with the north. If he wanted to learn about the family¡¯s internal affairs, rather than just news from external sources, contact with them would be essential. But that meant exposing himself to the family. Up until this point, there had been little risk of Milo getting caught by the Viscount. Because his investigation had focused on the staff who¡¯d already left the Arlen estate he¡¯d been under the radar. However, inspecting the family made the risk of being found out greater. No matter how weak Viscount Arlen¡¯s sources of information were, Milo needed a way to approach the family without setting off alarm bells. Suddenly, there was another knock at the door. ¡°Sir Milo, someone is here to meet you for an important matter.¡± The situation felt familiar, and Milo tilted his head as he asked, ¡°Who?¡± ¡°He says he is from the Arlen estate, and he wants to suggest a deal.¡± Milo thought he had many visitors today and sighed heavily. ¡°Come in.¡± The person walking in this time was not from Biflten, but a clerk from the sunny lands, who knew nothing about the Winter region. Milo looked up at the visitor and realized at that moment that the job was going to be easier than he¡¯d thought. Chapter 53 As Aden promised, he stayed with Ilyin until the morning. The bride easily met eyes with the Duke of Winter, and no one on the seventh floor gave her actions a second look. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me, everyone knew already?¡± Ilyin narrowed her eyes at Etra, who had come to say her morning greeting and open the bulky curtains. Etra bowed her head lower than usual, ¡°I apologize, madam. We were instructed to keep quiet.¡± The maids who had come in behind Etra looked at Aden lying next to Ilyin and seemed to understand the situation because they bowed their heads also. Their words were, of course, the same as usual. ¡°His Royal Highness ordered us not to tell,¡± a maid said too much, and when she felt Aden¡¯s gaze, she hiccuped loudly for some odd reason. Perhaps it was a nervous reaction to being in his presence. Ilyin watched this, which gave her the impression that the maids weren¡¯t afraid of Aden as she assumed they would be. Then again, this should be expected because Delrose maids were known to not freeze at the sight of their master. But this wasn¡¯t all, the dynamics between noble and servant seemed different to where she came from, and she couldn¡¯t help but frown at their casual behavior. ¡°Sorry, madam!¡± The way the maids spoke was distinctly different from the way that maids would talk in the sunny lands. Ilyin thought back to the maids at the Viscount¡¯s estate who would become stiff at the sight of the Viscount. ¡°If it¡¯s an order, it cannot be helped.¡± Ilyin finally broke into laughter. She couldn¡¯t be cruel to the poor maids who asked for forgiveness with such teary eyes. And they were not intentionally deceiving her. The maids were merely following orders. ¡°The person who lied is the villain,¡± Ilyin added. Aden suddenly decided to look out the window, staring into the far distance. The maids looked at each other without saying anything further and then looked to the floor. ¡°What time will the head of Delroses start working?¡± Ilyin asked Aden. ¡°It¡¯s time to start the morning schedule now,¡± he replied as if it was someone else¡¯s business, but it was his own. Ilyin smiled with a twinkle in her eye as she asked, ¡°Shall I walk you out?¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold outside.¡± Aden tried to discourage Ilyin, but she stood up and pulled him to his feet. Seeing this, Etra quickly placed a thick shawl over Ilyin¡¯s shoulders. ¡°It is quite cold outside the house, madam.¡± ¡°I will not go outside then.¡± After getting washed and dressed, Aden eventually left the room, escorting Ilyin on his arm. She unexpectedly got lost in a strange feeling. Different families occupied the floors below them, so the two of them wouldn¡¯t be able to wander around together like this so freely. But on the seventh floor, they were free to do as they liked. In the privacy of the rooms, they could share secrets without worrying about anyone overhearing them. This place was far more comfortable than the Arlen estate, and the seventh floor was the most peaceful place of all. Ilyin thought it was like walking on fluffy clouds at times. Following closely behind the two of them were the maids who carried items that helped fight the cold weather and extra warm clothes for the madam from the sunny side. As they neared the staircase leading to the sixth floor, Aden slowed down and said, ¡°From here, I must be the commander of the knights.¡± In short, it meant that he couldn¡¯t walk with her unless there were specific circumstances that required him to do so. Ilyin then turned to face him. When they were outside, she was able to look at him as much as she pleased. Feeling better, she smiled, ¡°It is fine here. I understand.¡± Her voice sounded different as if she were imitating someone else. Rather than meaning it was ¡°fine¡± because they were at the stairs, Ilyin copied what Aden had said before. Noticing this, Aden put his hand on his forehead. It was then that Ilyin discovered herself acting strange and unfamiliarly. Teasing him with such a playful voice was unlike her. It was a side of her she had never seen in the twenty-something years she had lived in the Arlen estate. Aden¡¯s momentary silence felt longer than it was, and a slight uneasiness crept up inside her. She worried that he could be angry with her. Although the pause in conversation felt prolonged, it ended just like that when he said, ¡°A commander that guides the Duchess around the place doesn¡¯t sound so bad after all.¡± A maid stood behind her, holding a pair of thickly lined gloves, and she then came up to her and slid them on her hands. And before she even realized it, someone wrapped a woolen scarf around her neck below her hair. Seeing this, Aden waved his hand to send the maids away. As he extended his hand, a blue light glowed from his palm, and Ilyin¡¯s eyes widened. It must have been his power which she had pondered over. ¡°Wow!¡± Ilyin exclaimed. In an instant, the temperature inside seemed to become warmer. The body heat under the scarf on her neck quickly began to feel hot. Aden¡¯s intentions were clear, and understanding the owner¡¯s wishes to spend time with just the two of them, the maids quickly freed her from the excess protective gear except for the scarf and gloves. They then distanced themselves from the couple, and a small commotion between the maids followed. Because they whispered, Ilyin couldn¡¯t hear a word, but Aden did. The maids were contemplating whether or not to take off the scarf from Ilyin¡¯s neck. When the maids saw Aden¡¯s eyes on them, they immediately stopped talking among themselves. Finally satisfied, Aden turned back to Ilyin. ¡°Shall we go?¡± Ilyin looked at him and then back to the maids who were now standing far away. As she looked at them, the maids bowed their heads down. It was a greeting to wish her a safe trip rather than a way to avoid her gaze. She couldn¡¯t very well say no, so she smiled at Aden, entrusting herself to his hand. Chapter 54 ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the day started this early for the knights,¡± Ilyin said as she looked about nervously. Aden glanced at the knights periodically while he listened to her, and he noticed that they seemed startled every time they met his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s okay to be at ease now,¡± Aden said as he led Ilyin through the inside of the Delrose knight¡¯s house. As they walked, Aden told her that there was a part of the knight¡¯s house where various families came to meet for business purposes. And the section of the knights mansion they were in now was considered to be Delrose¡¯s private area. ¡°Really?¡± She replied, looking somewhat uncertain by his comment. When Ilyin met Aden¡¯s eyes with ease, the composure of the knights that were training diminished. ¡°Huh?¡± One of the knights made a stupid noise. None of the other knights said anything out loud, but their reaction was the same as the knight who had made the sound, and their body language said it all. The fact that the lady met Aden¡¯s eyes meant that she was a real Delrose now. As the knights figured this out, their attitude also slowly changed. Their initial reaction was to be expected because the knights of the knight house couldn¡¯t have known this fact which only the Delrose¡¯s on the seventh floor of the main building knew. The swordsmanship of the knights became sloppy as they looked at Ilyin intermittently instead of focusing their attention on the knight who was leading the training. Aden saw this and squinted his eyes, glaring at the knights, who then quickly returned their focus to their training. ¡°Everyone seems nervous,¡± Ilyin whispered, concerned that the knights might hear her. She felt that she was to blame for their feeling of discomfort. Ilyin assumed that they couldn¡¯t hear her, but Aden saw the expressions on all the knight¡¯s faces change as she spoke to him. The knights fought battles in the middle of deadly snowstorms without anyone falling out, and, therefore, their hearing was much better than Ilyin thought. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just let them rest a while.¡± Aden¡¯s deep voice echoed throughout the training ground as if it was an order, and the knights who were training, immediately stopped what they were doing. Ilyin¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she asked, ¡°Would that be okay?¡± ¡°I was thinking of introducing you to the knights anyway,¡± Aden replied casually. He thought it would be a better idea if he could be beside her the entire day. However, that wasn¡¯t an option, and he frowned because he didn¡¯t like being in a situation like this. The Yester clan¡¯s movements seemed peculiar lately. And there were many people in the mansion that had loose lips. Aden didn¡¯t think that the mansion was a safe place for her to be. Although the seventh floor of the main building only housed Delrose people, in a dire situation, the maids of the Delrose¡¯s wouldn¡¯t be much help if a fight broke out. Therefore, there should be trustworthy knights by her side. The knight, who was leading the training, approached them and introduced himself, ¡°I¡¯m Emil of Delrose knights.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Emil,¡± Ilyin replied and smiled kindly at the knight. Some of the knights lined up behind him, looking curiously at her. Their stance was different from the stiff image that Ilyin had become accustomed to back home. She thought of the knights in the Viscount¡¯s house who would only have a conversation if necessary. Other than that, they treated each other as if they didn¡¯t exist. She also recalled how those knights had mocked her when she was looking for someone to marry. Things were a lot different here, and she began to feel less tension. ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing a person from the warm region so close. If anything is lacking, please let us know.¡± Emil bowed his head low and added, ¡°Welcome to Delrose.¡± Emil¡¯s words seemed genuine rather than sounding as if he were obligated to be kind, and the sight of the friendly knights behind him gave her a warm feeling of being at home in the middle of a bitter-cold winter. ¡°Thank you,¡± Ilyin replied as she flashed a smile at them. She felt thankful for the warm welcome and her heartfelt lighter instantaneously. *** Aden decided to assign two knights to Ilyin. Usually, he allowed them their free will to decide amongst themselves who would be best suited for the job. There were no knights that would put their life before the mission in Delrose. But it was different this time. Aden remembered Ilyin¡¯s smiling face, claiming she knew nothing about swords. As her cheeks blushed while smiling, she wasn¡¯t able to choose from the knights standing in front of her. Ilyin wasn¡¯t someone who could ignore the hopeful stare of the knights. And Aden could tell by looking at them that the knights were hoping she would choose them. He understood how they felt because it would be an honor to be by Ilyin¡¯s side. Ignoring the fact that it was the first time they saw a person from the warm lands, Ilyin looked like she was too soft and weak to be in the middle of the winter region. It was enough to ignite their sense of life-long duty of protecting someone. ¡°I¡¯ll come by often to see everyone,¡± Ilyin said, hoping to calm them down. She was overwhelmed by their attention, and after pondering for a while, she still couldn¡¯t decide on which knights to choose. Aden could see her trembling fingertips, and he knew she was worried that the knights that she did not select for the job might be disappointed. ¡°Should I help you?¡± Aden finally whispered to her, and she nodded eagerly in response. Without asking for their opinion, which was unusual, Aden then assigned the two knights. He specifically chose two women to protect her. It was out of the question that men would be by her side, but he couldn¡¯t admit that such childish thoughts had influenced his decision. For the next few days, Ilyin passed the time without much discomfort. Although the cold weather became fiercer in April, the Delrose people put their best efforts into assisting her to get used to the harsh winter region. ¡°Your highness, I¡¯m hot,¡± Idith said unexpectedly. These words were never spoken, by anyone, during April. Aden, who¡¯d been deep in thought, stopped tapping on the wooden desk and looked up at Idith, ¡°The temperature of the mansion is way too high. Of course, it is the best way to keep the Yester clan out.¡± Chapter 55 The Yesters became more active in the cold, although it felt like there was another reason than that one. Idith swallowed his thought and said with a troubled expression. ¡°But I¡¯m worried that it may harm your health.¡± Aden understood his concerns, but it was still Biflten in April. No matter how warm it was, it was still colder than the warm region by far. Aden shook his head, ¡°I have no intention of lowering it.¡± The cold of Biflten in April was too cold for Ilyin, who still had acclimatized. ¡°Your Highness, if you use your divine power like that¡­¡± Aden raised his hand and stopped Idith from continuing. ¡°I understand your concern, but it¡¯s not as difficult to do as you may think.¡± Strangely, everything around the mansion was warm, just like Idith¡¯s worry. It was because of Aden¡¯s divine power, but there was no power without consequences. The winter region¡¯s temperature was determined by the owner of Biflten and how well he used that divine power. An example of the misuse of divine power was the previous duke, who was by far the worst at handling the divine power out of all the dukes in history! And it was suspicious how he¡¯d fathered someone like Aden de Biflten. Unlike him, Aden was known to be the best at handling divine power in all their history. Unfortunately, he was unable to make the entire winter region warm like the sunny lands. The most he could do was make it hotter for a short time in a specific area of the winter region. When Aden was young, he felt pity for the people who froze to death, so he overused divine power to save others, but he no longer did that. He knew that if he collapsed, the winter region would fall with him. Idith knew that he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to be the kind of person to destroy himself because he couldn¡¯t control the amount of divine power he used. But right now, the winter region was warm as if it weren¡¯t April at all, which was wavering his concrete belief in him. ¡°Is this April just particularly warmer?¡± Idith asked jokingly. Aden was tapping on his desk again. He didn¡¯t use as much divine power to accomplish this as Idith assumed he did. His body still felt light regardless of the higher temperature he¡¯d raised in the area. At that moment, someone knocked on the office door. Idith looked at Aden momentarily and then opened it. ¡°Your Highness, there is an urgent message from the warm region,¡± Idith said. The knight of the Delroses, whose shoulders were covered in snow, bowed before The Duke and then placed a scroll on Aden¡¯s desk. As he opened the envelope with a sharp letter opener, he immediately recognized Milo¡¯s writing. Viscount Arlen¡¯s house wants to trade with Acid merchant, Aden read. He remembered the trouble Milo had caused recently. His subordinate was never someone without wit, but a mistake usually got engraved in one¡¯s mind, and Aden hadn¡¯t forgotten what Milo had done. Aden squinted as he read further. They want to start supplying carrots to the north. Aden was aware of the carrot crops. Even though he was a winter region person, he was also an owner of an estate and would be in big trouble if he knew little about the current food situation. He knew that carrots were grown in the south. They were a dream crop because they didn¡¯t take much labor and were therefore cost-effective. But because of the freight cost to the north, it was the same as other crops and ended being costly. If the Arlen estate, near the capital, began transporting the carrots to them, it would be a different story. The problem was that Arlen¡¯s estate was not in the south. Intrigued by the letter, Aden read on. The Arlen estate recently succeeded in growing carrots. I¡¯m trying to confirm this, but meanwhile, they were in contact with other houses in the north. Contacting other families in the north was a given. They were likely thinking of direct trade from the beginning. But then the following sentence caused Aden to frown deeply. It looks like they¡¯re looking for the Duchess. They are only searching in the north, so it seems like they know she came here, but they don¡¯t seem to know where she is exactly. So, in summary, the Arlen¡¯s knew their daughter was getting married but had ignored this. And they didn¡¯t even pay attention to where she had been heading when she¡¯d left the estate. They wanted to supply carrots but had no connections, so they must¡¯ve thought of Ilyin, who¡¯d gone to the north. It had been a while since Aden had met someone who had such an easy mind to read. Aden put the letter down on the desk and stood up. ¡°How should I respond?¡± The knight who delivered the letter carefully asked. Aden raised his hand and stopped him. He knew this was an urgent matter, but he had somewhere to stop by first. *** ¡°The Grand Master of Delrose?¡± Ilyin responded as if she were surprised. The entrance of the mansion was guarded by the four houses who took shifts doing so. It seemed like it was shining Elo¡¯s turn, and it was an Elo¡¯s knight that arrived with a message of Aden¡¯s visit. ¡°I will meet with him.¡± The Elo¡¯s knight left with a troubled look on his face as he said, ¡°She is on six-floor, in the Delrose¡¯s library.¡± When the knight disappeared from the library, Ilyin turned to the Delrose maid beside her. ¡°Was it awkward?¡± The maid asked. ¡°No, not at all,¡± Ilyin replied. The seventh-floor maids all giggled, and Ilyin laughed with them. It wasn¡¯t a normal situation for the Delrose Grand Master and the Duchess to meet alone. Unless the person who delivered the message was a seventh-floor maid or a Delrose knight, there was some acting required by Ilyin. It seemed like she did better than she¡¯d thought this time. While the maids joyfully neatened her hair, Ilyin sat and wondered what had prompted Aden to contact her urgently in the middle of the day. Ilyin leaned her head against the backrest of the elegant chair she was sitting on and thought about his arrival. Being the Duke, Aden would come to the seventh floor every night, so there was no reason for anyone to start a rumor of the Grand Master meeting the Duchess in private. Even though the library was on the sixth floor, the Delrose maids made sure to check the entire floor hallway before Aden came up, including the hallway in front of the library, even though it belonged to the Delrose¡¯s. There were so many excuses they could use to kick all the other family¡¯s people out. Chapter 56 ¡°Hello Den,¡± Ilyin said quietly, recognizing him straight away because Grand Master¡¯s uniform was a familiar sight to her now. Aden put his index finger on his lips while smiling at her. ¡°It¡¯s only Delrose people in the hallway. ¡°Okay.¡± Ilyin approached him then and asked, ¡°Is there something urgent?¡± She talked as quietly as she could, and Aden found it adorable that she was trying to keep the Delrose¡¯s secret. He thought for a moment that he could hear her small heart beating. Before speaking further, Aden took her hand in his, hoping to soothe her. He¡¯d come to see her unexpectedly and didn¡¯t want her to be more surprised by what he had to say. ¡°I have something to ask you, Ilyin.¡± He paused for a moment before looking directly at her, ¡°It¡¯s about the Viscount¡¯s estate.¡± Taken by surprise by his question, Ilyin stopped breathing for a moment, and her mind began to race. Did something happen at the Viscount¡¯s estate? Or did the Viscount send a strange message here? But I didn¡¯t tell anyone that I¡¯m going to Biflten! The carriage she¡¯d ridden into the winter land hadn¡¯t had a Biflten symbol on it. She was sure of that. If the bride didn¡¯t like the winter region and wanted to return home, Biflten used the same carriage for the bride searching and left it as it was. And to prevent rumors from spreading, they didn¡¯t put any symbol on the carriage. ¡°What is it?¡± Ilyin asked, feeling shaken. ¡°Shh.¡± Aden seemed to know what she was thinking. He quickly pulled Ilyin into his arms and then hugged her tightly. She nuzzled her face in his broad chest and let out the breath she¡¯d been holding. As he felt her relax in his arms, Aden stroked her silky soft hair. ¡°Is it something bad?¡± Ilyin asked as she couldn¡¯t even guess what it was. Aden rubbed her back while speaking. ¡°It¡¯s not something bad. Would you like to listen?¡± He whispered. ¡°If it¡¯s uncomfortable, we can talk more about it later.¡± Ilyin held him tighter and said, ¡°Tell me now.¡± ¡°Okay then.¡± Aden separated Ilyin from him momentarily, but her face was close to his. He didn¡¯t know how to explain the situation to her. ¡°The Arlen estate is growing carrots,¡± he started speaking slowly on purpose. Milo must be going crazy waiting for the message from the winter region, but Aden wasn¡¯t concerned about that right now. He didn¡¯t have an incompetent subordinate who couldn¡¯t stand his ground while waiting for a message. ¡°Carrots?¡± Ilyin tilted her head slightly. She didn¡¯t know too much about carrots but knew it was a crop from the southern region. ¡°But the Arlen estate is near the capital? So it certainly wasn¡¯t something that originally grew there.¡± Aden slid back the blue cloth that was covering the top of her head. The blue cloth followed the flow of the silver hair as he put it around her neck. Her purple eyes, which Aden could now look into, shimmered as they reflected the library¡¯s light. ¡°Milo is looking into the details,¡± he replied. The mansion¡¯s temperature was on the high end due to Aden¡¯s divine power. It was higher than February, but it still seemed cold to Ilyin, who was from the warm region, and she wore a thick cape over her clothing. In the warm region, a cape would be something that would only be worn in the middle of the winter. Aden stroked Ilyin underneath her cape, and she laughed as it tickled. Then he started talking quieter again, ¡°Biflten has no shortage of food. We have enough without Arlen¡¯s carrots.¡± The touch of his warm hands could calm Ilyin¡¯s nerves, and she slowly nodded her head as she listened to him. There was no way that crops would grow in a place where all four seasons were winter. And because of that, in the warm region, there were rumors going around that the winter region likely lacked food supplies. The people who had started this rumor didn¡¯t know about the relationship between the Acid Merchants and Biflten. ¡°But if you want to, we¡¯ll import the Arlen estate¡¯s crops,¡± Aden offered. The number of crops grown on the Arlen estate¡¯s farm wouldn¡¯t put a dent in Biflten¡¯s finance anyway. Aden looked down at his hand while he was thinking and noticed that Ilyin was holding onto his hand so tightly that her fingers had become white around the knuckles. He carefully brought her hand in front of him and stroked it gently before adding, ¡°If you find it uncomfortable, then we won¡¯t take up their offer.¡± Ilyin relaxed the hand that she¡¯d clenched so tightly without realizing it, and Aden carefully massaged it. The hand which was touching each part of her fingers moved around to the palm and then to the back of her hand again. Aden had strong hands that could handle a giant sword, but they were soft whenever he was touching Ilyin, and she moaned softly. His hand, which trailed over hers, was very attentive, and Ilyin¡¯s body reacted to the ticklish sensation of fingers moving between fingers. Aden¡¯s big hand, which was covering her small one, was touching the sensitive part on the inside of her wrist. When he touched her again, the soft cloth slid down her arm and hung over her elbow. Aden then leaned his body into her and planted a kiss on her forehead. The area of her skin that had been touched by his soft lips, was then touched by his forehead as he brushed his head against her. Aden whispered against her cheek, and she felt his warm breath. ¡°Also, if you never want to hear about Arlen again, I will shut my mouth about it.¡± ¡°Okay¡± was all she could mumble. Chapter 57 The two of them were very close to each other, and as Aden approached even closer, Ilyin¡¯s body bumped into the bookshelf behind her. Ilyin quickly regained her balance, afraid that the bookshelf might fall. But Aden didn¡¯t care and kissed her. She couldn¡¯t tell who let out a short sigh as the tongue that invaded her mouth entwined with hers. As she felt the softness of their tongues sliding against each other, Ilyin¡¯s body felt electrified. The bookshelf that was holding their weight made a loud noise. Surprised by the sudden sound, Ilyin tried to lean forward into his embrace. As she put a foot forward, his muscular leg came between her thighs, and she blushed. She immediately became stimulated by his thick thigh between her legs and became wet. ¡°You are now part of the winter,¡± Aden muttered. The surrounding atmosphere got hotter as their breathing deepened, which reminded her of the warm region. Aden pressed Ilyin¡¯s hand against the empty part of the bookshelf, and she tried to keep her balance to prevent herself from leaning against it. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to know about what is going on in the warm region, it¡¯s okay with me,¡± he said. She put some strength into the hand that was pressing against Aden¡¯s chest, hoping to push him back a little bit, but he held it instead and softly kissed her fingers. His kisses started at the tip of her thumb and then moved up the back of her hand. And then he kissed the sensitive part of the skin between her fingers. By the time he reached the inside of the fourth finger, after going through each one in succession, Ilyin¡¯s withstanding body now leaned heavily against the bookshelf, and she moaned louder. The sound echoed through the quiet library. Ilyin straightened her body that kept slumping, and Aden smiled as he put his hands around her slim waist. The solid thigh between her legs moved closer, and he began to rub it against her cl*toris, which was sensitive from all the anticipation. Her moans became uncontrollable and louder by the minute. But she suddenly closed her mouth when she realized that there must be a Delrose outside the library. Aden¡¯s movements intensified as he rubbed his leg faster against her. While doing so, he lifted her white dress slightly, and it hung over the back of his hand. Goosebumps soon covered her thigh that was exposed to the cold. The hand which had been softly stroking her stomach found its way into the inside of her silky underwear. After moving through her soft bush of hair, his hand slid in between her thighs and her private parts. And then, the most sensitive part of her body was pressed hard. ¡°Ah!¡± Ilyin threw her head back as she felt her legs weaken. Her back bumped against the bookshelf again. She leaned forward with her weight, and Aden¡¯s hand, which was on top of her cl*toris, pressed against it harder. ¡°Ah!¡± Ilyin could no longer contain her moans. Aden rubbed his thumb against her a few more times, and her breathing quickened. ¡°You could just focus on Biflten. It is large enough. If you want a small world, I can make you happy so happy that you¡¯ll forget the warm region exists.¡± ¡°Aha,¡± was all she could reply. His fingers moved faster in her underwear, and the finger that stood up in a narrow place consistently rubbed her smooth, wet cl*toris up and down. Ilyin¡¯s body began to quiver as she started to climax. As it reached its peak, her body shook, and she held onto Aden tightly as she screamed into his shoulder while the pleasure surged through her. Aden held her tightly and rubbed his forehead against her cheek. ¡°That, that¡¯s not it.¡± Between the short breaths, Ilyin was finally able to let out her words. Feeling dizzy from all the heavy breathing, she reached out her hand and put her fingers on his lips. Aden kissed the tip of her nose and waited for her breathing to return to normal. The gentle kiss that started at the tip of her nose seemed to have a different motivation. As if asking for permission again, he kept bugging the soft hand that was between his lips and hers. ¡°Ah,¡± Ilyin moaned softly again as Aden¡¯s tongue licked her fingers. He then licked the sensitive skin between her fingers, and as soon as she let her guard down, he slid his fingers into her warm mouth. The hand which invaded her underwear again was the same. It was already wet from her climax, and it was easy for Aden to slide his fingers inside her. The two fingers that were taking turns stimulating her cl*toris spread her lips open, and a squirting sound echoed in the library. He could feel her warm juices sliding down his hand. The two fingers that were stimulating her plunged deeper as if they were craving Ilyin¡¯s inside. ¡°Ah! Ah!¡± Her moans grew louder once again. It would be scary to go back to the Arlen estate, Ilyin thought, as she accepted Aden¡¯s breath, giving in to his persistence. The way her father, Viscount Arlen, and the other people at the estate looked at her was scary. It might have been better if it was hostility because she could then hate them too. But they looked at her with complete disregard as opposed to hostility. They knew she had nowhere else to go, so they viewed her as if she were an object for them to take their anger out on. But things had changed, and she was okay now. ¡°Ah!¡± Ilyin finally leaned her body against him completely, after feeling as if she were melting with pleasure. ¡°As long as,¡± Ilyin stroked Aden¡¯s palm with the hand that was holding up her index finger, ¡± I am part of here, that¡¯s okay.¡± Aden had waited patiently for her reply and smiled. As in her dream, if she ended up at the Arlen estate without anywhere else to go, it would be terrifying. But that had not happened, and she felt relieved. Aden suddenly pushed her against the bookshelf, which shook again, and she wriggled in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s only us in the library,¡± he said, and the smile on his face broadened. Aden then patted her bottom, and Ilyin blushed when she saw the twinkle in his eyes. Chapter 58 Aden thought Ilyin was adorable, and he smiled at her when she parted her lips like she had something to say. Gently, he caressed her small soft lips with his finger and quietly said, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± No matter what she was scared of, Aden would be there for her, and he squeezed her hand tightly. ¡°I heard that the Viscount House is looking for you.¡± Ilyin¡¯s shoulders sagged as Aden unbuttoned her cape. When his warm body leaned against her, he could feel Ilyin¡¯s heart beating fast. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell them I was coming here. I only told my father that I¡¯m going to the north,¡± Ilyin said in a timid voice. Aden nodded his head, ¡°I see. I think that¡¯s why they¡¯re looking in the north then.¡± He touched her shoulders multiple times. ¡°Please choose one of these options for me, Ilyin,¡± he said after consoling her enough that her shoulders became relaxed. ¡°If you want me to accept Viscount Arlen¡¯s offer, then I¡¯ll gladly accept. He is your father. But if you don¡¯t want me to, then I,¡± his blue eyes flashed underneath his long eyelashes, ¡°intend to show him the winter. So choose one for me. Whatever you want. And don¡¯t worry about the decision you make.¡± When he finished speaking, Aden slowly rolled Ilyin¡¯s dress up to her waist, and it spread over his big hands that were now holding her firm buttocks. Because of that, he could feel the wood of the bookshelf over her underwear. It was well finished, so there was no worry that a piece of wood would pierce her. The only problem was her wet bottom. ¡°Aden, the bookshelf,¡± Ilyin tried to get off the shelf, but Aden¡¯s movement was faster. Her underwear was ripped off quickly by his hands and dropped on the floor because it was so wet from her juice that it had some weight. And without hesitation, Aden slid his throbbing manhood inside her. ¡°Ah!¡± Ilyin¡¯s neck jerked back. The bookshelf shook harder than before and made a louder noise. She was concerned that her wet thigh might touch the bookshelf. ¡°Aden!¡± But that thought immediately flew out of her head when his rock-hard erection entered her deeply, rubbing against her sensitive insides, ¡°Ah!¡± Ilyin¡¯s body lifted as his strong hips slammed against her, leaving her breathless. ¡°Ah, ah!¡± Ilyin¡¯s body shook with the bookshelf as Aden rammed deeper inside her. The hand she considered leaning against the shelf grabbed Aden¡¯s shoulder instead, as she couldn¡¯t handle her body shaking. And as their bodies got closer, the incredible sensations she felt heightened. Aden moved faster and faster and a mixture of wet, moist sounds, as well as the sound of the bookshelf banging against the wall, echoed in the library. His firm grip tightened on her buttocks as he plunged deeper inside her, and with one final hard thrust, he let out a long, loud moan. As his body trembled, Aden hugged Ilyin and slipped his hot tongue into her delicate mouth while his warm liquid filled her below. He wanted her to know that she was no longer alone by sharing this intimate experience with her. *** Viscount Arlen was very impatient. Of course, it would be better to establish a trading partner due to the food problem, but even without that added stress, he didn¡¯t have the relaxing attitude of a noble. To put it nicely, the Viscount had the basics of what it took to be a merchant, but he expressed all of his thoughts like a novice merchant would. And he didn¡¯t behave like a noble either. ¡°Sir Milo, they said they shall trade with other merchants if we don¡¯t answer within today,¡± the visitor from the winter region advised. It felt like they got more messages from Viscount Arlen in a day than they had meals. Milo sighed, ¡°Carrots aren¡¯t that necessary for the winter region.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying,¡± the man from the winter region replied condescendingly. Viscount Arlen acted as if he was holding a card that they would regret not playing. Of course, if they thought about the merchant clan¡¯s profitability, it seemed like a waste. But it was still profitable considering the freight cost from the Arlen estate to the north. Although, it wasn¡¯t enough money for the clan to ruin their image or their position. The Arlen farm was too small for that. How many carrots could such a small farm produce anyway? ¡°Milo!¡± Someone shouted out. At that moment the Merchant Master¡¯s office door vibrated as if it was being hit by the harsh April wind. ¡°Come in,¡± Milo replied. The door immediately opened, and the person that walked into the office was from Delrose. Milo knew that the message he was waiting for had finally arrived from Biflten. ¡°A message from the house,¡± the man announced. ¡°Hmm.¡± Milo fixed his clothes and listened. He was waiting for a reply from the mainland, but he already knew the answer. His Highness didn¡¯t like Arlen too much. Milo knew this from the investigating he¡¯d done. Even if he ignored everything else, the fact that His Highness¡¯s lady didn¡¯t have a personal maid, unlike the rumor suggested, had bothered him. It meant that the lady¡¯s position within the Arlen House was the complete opposite of the rumor. ¡°The house will,¡± the man started to relay the message, but Milo wasn¡¯t paying attention. He could use other methods to investigate the wife of the Viscount. There was no reason for him to accept the trade just for that information. So Milo felt like he¡¯d already heard the answer. After taking a deep breath, the messenger man continued, ¡°Accept the trade with the Arlen estate.¡± ¡°What?¡± Milo was caught off-guard and immediately started to question this unexpected message, but then stopped himself. The messenger man had more to say, ¡°But, he will meet the Viscount in person.¡± Chapter 59 The Biflten house flipped at its master¡¯s sudden decision. Because it was in the middle of April when the snowstorms were heavy, the three houses, other than the Red Delrose house, couldn¡¯t contact their respective elders. Due to that, instead of the elders, it was one of the brave Elo knights who had come to see Aden at the Delrose Knight House on the large estate. ¡°I have something to say to the leader of the Delrose¡¯s.¡± Idith was guarding the office and hid his awkward expression as he relayed the message to those inside the office. ¡°Master, Elo is requesting a meeting.¡± ¡°Who of Elo?¡± Aden asked. Elo¡¯s elder was no doubt in the northwest of Elo, trying to find a way to avoid the cold. ¡°It¡¯s Rosie, Elo¡¯s knight,¡± Idith responded. ¡°I see.¡± Rosie was one of the few knights of Elo that Aden knew. He wasn¡¯t someone he interacted with as a duke, but rather as the Grand Master of Delrose. They had disagreements multiple times on the same topics. Elo¡¯s knight, Rosie, was someone who cared for his subordinates as if his life depended on it. In other words, he didn¡¯t care much about the lives of knights from other houses. ¡°Let him in,¡± Aden said gruffly. Den, The Grand Master of Delrose, was considered to be very difficult to deal with in general. He often adopted aggressive tactics on the battlefield, but most believed that that was because of his accurate calculations. And he was the agent of the Duke, of course. It was only seen in the Delrose Knight Order as people were not allowed to face the general in person. ¡°Rosie of Elo.¡± Rosie had a simple greeting for an upper-class person, and he greeted the Grand Master in the same way. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Aden had no intention of listening to a long talk because the topic at hand was quite clear. ¡°I heard the general of Delrose is traveling to the warm region.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Den leaned against the back of his chair. ¡°So?¡± Rosie stared into the face of the Grand Master of Delrose, whom he¡¯d seen a few times on battlefields. The Grand Master didn¡¯t bother hiding his displeasure. ¡°It¡¯s April.¡± April in Biflten was the coldest season. ¡°The Ester Tribe¡¯s movement is not to be overlooked. They combined with the Molly Tribe recently too. As you know, the Ester Tribe in April is dangerous. I think it¡¯ll be best if we advise the general.¡± It was a textbook-like suggestion, and Den tilted his head while he rubbed his chin, ¡°Are you saying that it¡¯s dangerous for the general to go to the warm region?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doubting the skill of the general, of course, but,¡± Rosie knew better than to continue. The safe place to be for April in Biflten was not the Biflten mansion but besides the Duke of Biflten. If there was someone around who could control the temperature, then there was no reason to fear the Ester Tribe. As Esters were sensitive to the temperature, they were very active in the cold weather and became lethargic if the temperature went up, even by a few degrees. ¡°Just say it out loud.¡± Aden laughed. He put his hands on the desk and leaned forward. ¡°That Elo¡¯s property is too close to the Esters.¡± There was a brief moment of silence in the office. ¡°I can¡¯t represent Elo¡¯s position completely.¡± Rosie was a cautious knight and sneaky as well. ¡°Your Highness isn¡¯t the leader of the Delrose but also the guardian of Biflten. The elder is not too happy with the actions of the Delrose¡¯s recently.¡± There was only one thing that had changed in Delrose¡¯s action recently. The long-distance warfare had decreased as Aden stayed in the house more often. That was not the job for the Delrose. It was an unusual situation as Aden didn¡¯t like the mansion and the pressure from the three houses on the succession. An elder from one of the three houses had said before the succession ceremony. ¡°We cannot accept someone who can¡¯t even protect the winter region¡¯s people, as the master of Biflten!¡± Aden lifted his head and laughed. As the succession was over, which was why Aden had stayed in the mansion, he had no reason not to go around with the Delrose knights. ¡°Then I shall also relay a message from the general.¡± Honestly, it was Aden¡¯s thought, but the person who would laugh at the truth was Ilyin. ¡°The general expected Elo or the Blue North to come to him the moment he decided on the campaign.¡± The Blue North was always aware of what the Red Delrose¡¯s did. It was clear that Elo reacted with sensitivity as they were close to the Ester Tribe¡¯s army ground. ¡°He said he doesn¡¯t know when the Delrose¡¯s became the sword of other houses. If you don¡¯t like raising your sword that much, why don¡¯t you throw it away?¡± *** ¡°Will it be okay?¡± Ilyin spread the map of Biflten on the desk. She forgot about the scrumptious-tasting cake and tea she was having. Etra quickly brought in two new cups of hot tea. And the tea that cooled down went to the maids. ¡°Is this the warm region alcohol?¡± Aden asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s tea. Careful, it¡¯s hot.¡± Ilyin replied. ¡°Is it okay if I try some?¡± The voices of maids whispering went away. Tea was one of the many things brought from the warm region for Ilyin. She told the maids to drink tea whenever they wanted, but no maid dared to touch her stuff under Etra¡¯s watchful gaze. But Etra didn¡¯t say anything about the leftovers, and so the maids started sipping on the cold tea outside in the hallway. ¡°Of course!¡± One of the freshly made cups of tea was for Aden. He¡¯d never traveled to the warm region, so it was the first time he¡¯d had a cup of tea. He swirled it around in his mouth a few times, like how he did with alcohol and frowned a little. The warm tea tasted bitter, which wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d been expecting. ¡°Seems like you don¡¯t like it.¡± Ilyin laughed as she watched his face scrunch up. Etra was about to bring alcohol in a crystal glass instead, but Aden raised his hand and motioned her to leave. Chapter 60 ¡°This is my first time trying it,¡± Aden said as he took another sip. The taste didn¡¯t improve the second time around, so he put the floral teacup down. A fork was suddenly shoved in front of his face, and peering over it, Ilyin¡¯s eyelashes fluttered as she said, ¡°Try this too.¡± Aden thought the person who said the cake was sweet looked sweeter, and he smiled warmly. When he didn¡¯t respond, Ilyin tilted her head and frowned slightly. She then looked at him as if she¡¯d remember something quite important, and quickly pointed at the silver cake fork, ¡°This is the one that I used, and the one I¡¯m holding now is clean. Before Ilyin could continue, Aden stretched out his hand suddenly and took the fork in front of her. And the clean fork with the fresh cake in Ilyin¡¯s hand also changed direction and was now going towards her mouth. ¡°If Elo didn¡¯t have the manpower to hold off the Esters, they wouldn¡¯t have set their main base there.¡± Aden lowered his fork and looked at the map that Ilyin was studying. He pointed at the Elo¡¯s symbol that was right beside Ester¡¯s territory and asked, ¡°Have you heard of Elo¡¯s light?¡± Ilyin took her attention off the map for a moment. She¡¯d heard about it in her dream, and she recalled something about Elo¡¯s wedding hall that had light. ¡°Sort of,¡± she replied as she raised an eyebrow. ¡°That light is not as bright as the warm region¡¯s sunshine, but it¡¯s warm and strong enough for the Esters not to like it.¡± Aden stared at Ilyin again as she sipped the tea. He wondered how she drank something so bitter without a change in her facial expression. Pushing the thought aside, he continued, ¡°Also, the temperature is pretty high for April. Even if the northwest wind is too much, why couldn¡¯t they even handle a small invasion while having their main base in the northwest?¡± Aden squinted as he spoke. It was his way of expressing his displeasure of Elo. It was a rightful thing that Delrose¡¯s power was so great because they had a master with divine power. But it wasn¡¯t like the other three houses were old and weak. However, they didn¡¯t want to waste their resources, so they always asked for Delrose¡¯s backup. Aden got a fright when a fork was shoved in front of him again just as he was about to open his mouth to speak, and Ilyin said, ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that there¡¯s no need to backup Elo now because the succession that required a divine object, is completed, right?¡± She¡¯d summarized it well, Aden thought as he took a bite of the cake she¡¯d offered, despite himself. He wasn¡¯t too fond of sweet things, but he seemed to enjoy the fluffy cake she fed him. ¡°That¡¯s about right.¡± ¡°Still, I¡¯m a little bit worried. Not just about Elo, but about the safety of the mansion too.¡± Aden placed a finger on her worrying mouth, and her moist lips brushed against his hand. ¡°Never mind that, have you decided?¡± Ilyin placed the teacup on the saucer and looked out the window. It looked like she needed cake as her expression changed to a more serious one. ¡°About whether I will go to the warm region or not, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aden had told Milo that he would accept the trade for now. But only on condition that he met the Viscount himself. Of course, he wasn¡¯t planning to meet the Viscount as the Duke of Biflten. Aden proceeded to share his thoughts about the House of Viscount Arlen with Ilyin. He said that if she wanted to, he didn¡¯t mind if she told them she was in Biflten. Ever since Aden became the Duke of Biflten, the connection between the winter region and the warm region was all but gone. But that was because of Aden¡¯s personal preference, and it had nothing to do with any political situation. Ilyin said that she wasn¡¯t ignoring his question, just because it was regarding the Viscount House. And she explained that her heart was torn in two because she couldn¡¯t decide whether to meet the Viscount in person or not. She knew Viscount Arlen well. If he were to find out that she¡¯d married the Duke of Biflten, he would only be interested in how he could profit from this. Ilyin could read him like a book and knew that the Viscount would inquire about how the couple¡¯s relationship was doing and whether or not they were on good terms. And then he¡¯d try to manipulate the situation to see what he could get out of The Duke. Ilyin¡¯s hair stood on end just thinking about it. Of all things, she didn¡¯t want to become the weakness of Biflten. ¡°Are you worried?¡± Even with Aden¡¯s cake prescription, she didn¡¯t lighten up. So he pushed the cake and the map to the side and kissed her on the cheek. ¡°Shall I help you a little?¡± ¡°How?¡± Ilyin looked at him with big sad eyes. Aden was silent for a moment. He put his hands on the desk and leaned forward, kissing her until her heart was beating fast. As their warm tongues entwined, he could feel her slowly relaxing. After some time, when he thought she was feeling better, he spoke again, ¡°Ilyin.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What do you want Viscount Arlen to be doing in about ten years?¡± Aden was aware of lots of things from Ilyin¡¯s small talk every night. She didn¡¯t bother hiding how she¡¯d lived in the estate, nor how she was treated by people in the Arlen house. Even then, Ilyin¡¯s situation was still too complex for Aden to understand, as he lived a life of raising the sword; to slay or not to slay was all he knew. Although Ilyin seemed to dislike her father, it didn¡¯t seem like she would stab him to death if the opportunity arose. Chapter 61 Ilyin thought that if she was to meet Viscount Arlen again, and if he was to abuse her verbally, even worse than before, she would close her ears instead of trying to shut him up. It wasn¡¯t because she loved the Viscount, but rather that she had a fear of him. ¡°In ten years?¡± Ilyin thought about the strange question. And the first thought that popped up was that he¡¯d still be living his life. ¡°Yes. If it¡¯s complicated, then I¡¯ll help you a little more.¡± Aden stood up from his chair, went around behind Ilyin, and hugged her. He then whispered into her ear, ¡°What would you think if, in ten years, Viscount Arlen has higher honor, a good position, and is living very well?¡± The first feeling she had was one of discomfort, and Ilyin¡¯s lips closed tight as she pulled a face. Aden laughed, ¡°Do you have any love left for him as a family member?¡± Ilyin recalled when the Viscount had asked, ¡°Did you ever have a dream of me?¡± She thought she¡¯d left that memory at the mansion, and she shook her head in response to Aden¡¯s question. ¡°Then it¡¯s okay to make it much worse,¡± Aden said as he looked at her. He then bent over and kissed her forehead gently and whispered again, ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing either. Do what you want, Ilyin. Do what your heart desires. Whatever you do, you won¡¯t be able to leave the winter region now that you¡¯ve seen my face.¡± The whispering voice was so sweet and reassuring, and Ilyin knew what he meant by that. It seemed like he was threatening her, but in reality, it was the opposite. Aden was comforting her and letting her know she belonged with him. ¡°No matter what you do, I won¡¯t let you go. So it¡¯s your choice. Do what you want,¡± Aden promised her. ¡°If it¡¯s too difficult to answer now, it won¡¯t be too late to decide when we are in the warm region.¡± Ilyin lowered the gaze a little. It would be a lie if she didn¡¯t think about awful things happening to the father, who wasn¡¯t like a father, and her siblings who¡¯d made her life in the mansion a living hell. She didn¡¯t want them to be well. The only reason she didn¡¯t do anything untoward in the mansion was that she didn¡¯t have anywhere else to go. But things were different now. In ten years, she wanted all the bad things to happen to them that had happened to her. Ilyin was surprised at that sudden thought. Aden held onto her clenched fist and spoke, ¡°You¡¯re not a bad person. It¡¯s them that are bad.¡± He hugged her tightly again, ¡°But it¡¯s okay if you¡¯re still anxious. If you go to the warm region with me, I will show you just how bad of a person I am.¡± Then he looked deep into her big eyes and winked, ¡°But you don¡¯t have to be as bad as me.¡± *** The majority of the winter region people never left the area. Many centuries ago, the Milton tribe used to be in the southeast, so the human settlement in the winter region moved further inland. The Biflten castle was closer to the warm region before the Milton tribe became a force to be reckoned with a thousand years ago. But now, it was just an abandoned settlement. Since then, in the winter region, people chose to stay away from the warm region. But this changed depending on the personality of The Duke at the time. The overall understanding was that the warm region and the winter region were separate. To them, the fact that the Duke of winter was one of the citizens of the empire was useless information and forgettable. There was no reason for the warm region emperor to come to the winter region and the winter region had its law. Of course, going to the warm region required a large number of supplies and a lot of manpower, so only people with certain statuses could go there. And there weren¡¯t too many brave souls that wanted to risk traveling through the snowstorms either. Also, the winter region¡¯s magical ability was better than the warm region thought, so they weren¡¯t too curious to explore that land. Thanks to all of that, the warm region was unknown territory to the winter region people. The Delrose maids were shocked when they heard the news. They never thought that they would ever go to the warm region in their lifetime! So they were running around confused at the order to pack for the trip and were also told to pick someone that would take care of Aden¡¯s wife in the warm region. There were a few maids that had experience in traveling to the warm region. They had served the last Duke of Biflten, who had had ties with the warm region, but not Aden. In his generation, most of the people that had experience going to the warm region were gone. ¡°How about Sieh? She¡¯s almost the same age as the Lady,¡± one of the maids suggested. ¡°That child doesn¡¯t have much experience for a position like this,¡± another maid said. The position of serving Ilyin while in the warm region was being debated by the maids. And they struggled to decide who¡¯d be the better fit. Because the Delrose¡¯s didn¡¯t force an order, the maids could choose whether or not to go to the warm region. Etra was in charge, so she didn¡¯t have a choice, unfortunately. And she had to start studying about the warm region pronto! The day before departure, the maids who had some knowledge about the warm region started packing Ilyin¡¯s bags. ¡°Isn¡¯t this too thick?¡± One of the maids whispered. Ilyin thought she could take only a few items like she had when coming to the winter region. But from the maid¡¯s perspective, that was not going to happen. First of all, there were many skincare cosmetics. Although Ilyin said that she didn¡¯t need the products, they still had to pack them. It was usual for the lower ranks to bring along ten items even though the higher-ranking person would only use one. ¡°How about this?¡± Nessi, a Delrose maid, asked as she lifted a thick jacket. It didn¡¯t have a thick cotton lining like the winter region jackets, but it looked like it was warm enough to survive the winter in the warm region. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too thin?¡± The maid, Mito, felt the jacket and then shook her head at Nessi. She went into the dressing room and then brought another one out. It was an item of clothing worn in the winter region in late January or early February when it wasn¡¯t as cold as it was now. ¡°How about this?¡± Mito asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t this too thick?¡± ¡°Then how thin should it be?¡± ¡°It¡¯s winter in the warm region too.¡± ¡°Do you think that winter is the same as April here?¡± Nessi and Mito were confused, and they started bickering. Between the two winter maids, they couldn¡¯t decide on what to pack for the warm region. ¡°Do you need some help?¡± Someone asked. Nessi and Mito, who were still bickering, frowned at the sudden interruption. ¡°You can¡¯t touch anything regarding the Lady,¡± Nessi said. ¡°Go get permission from Miss Etra,¡± Mito instructed. ¡°Okay. I will do so.¡± The quiet voice seemed familiar. And when the two maids turned around, they were surprised. It was Ilyin standing behind them. They jumped in fright and exclaimed simultaneously, ¡°Oh my, ma¡¯am!¡± Chapter 62 Nessi and Mito succeeded in grabbing hold of the Mistress, who they assumed would rush to Etra immediately to report them. ¡°We¡¯re sorry!¡± Nessi bellowed, looking petrified. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Ilyin said as she laughed. The two maids must¡¯ve thought another maid had walked into the room and realized it was her. ¡°Are these the clothes that are coming to the warm region with us?¡± Ilyin pointed at the colorful pile of clothing on the bed. Nessi bowed, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. We heard that it¡¯s also winter in the warm region, so we chose some thicker items for you to take with you on your journey.¡± Ilyin took a look at the clothes that the maids had gathered together. Although they were considered a bit thin for the winter region, in the warm region, the clothes would be way too thick. And besides that, none of the nobles over there would wear items such as these in the winter. The higher their status, the more they wanted to wear flashy clothing regardless of whether it was too cold or warm. As she looked at the clothes that were puffy and cute-looking, Ilyin chose her following words carefully, ¡°These clothes seem to be a better fit for winter region people.¡± Hearing her words, Nessi and Mito looked at each other, and Nessi asked, ¡°Are they too thick?¡± ¡°Yes. In the warm region, something a bit thinner would be more suitable,¡± Ilyin replied, taking care not to upset them. She then looked around the dressing room. ¡°Can you show me the clothes that would usually be worn by people when it¡¯s not cold at all?¡± The maids led her to the back of the large dressing room. New clothing, that didn¡¯t seem to have been worn by anyone, hung on the railings as if awaiting their new owner. ¡°These clothes are all yours,¡± Mito said with a big smile on her sweet face. Ilyin wondered if the clothing had been worn by the previous duchess. She slowly looked over the clothes and remembered that the previous generation¡¯s duchess was Aden¡¯s mother. So she would¡¯ve been middle-aged. Yet, it looked like her style of dress was that of someone younger. ¡°We prepared it new this time,¡± Nessi added. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Ilyin responded despite herself. Their Mistress looked far too surprised, and Nessi and Mito looked at each other. Nessi then stammered, ¡°That, they prepared it shortly after you arrived, ma¡¯am.¡± Ilyin¡¯s mouth opened. She didn¡¯t look around entirely, but most of the clothes in the dressing room looked like there were for women. ¡°Everything in here?¡± Even in the winter region, it wouldn¡¯t be strange to buy or change clothing every season. Of course, in the winter region, there would only be winter. But she was told by the maids that Biflten¡¯s seasons were from January to April, where February was not so cold, and April had the lowest temperatures. So there was a way to tell the seasons apart. And it looked like someone had taken it upon themselves to buy all the clothes for January to April already. ¡°If you don¡¯t like them, I¡¯ll tell the other maids to prepare different clothes,¡± Mito said quickly. She could see that her Mistress was uneasy. Ilyin finally came back to her senses, raised her hand, and stopped her, ¡°No, not to worry. I was just surprised that there are so many outfits.¡± She kept calming the maids down by speaking in a soothing voice. ¡°If there are any clothes you need, please call us,¡± Mito said. As if they still didn¡¯t feel relieved by Ilyin¡¯s words, Nessi immediately added, ¡°And if you need anything else at all, please let us know!¡± Ilyin smiled at the maids who wanted to look after everything for their Mistress. ¡°I¡¯m okay, honestly. Thank you, this is more than enough.¡± She was sincere in what she said, and they weren¡¯t empty words. There were more than enough clothes and accessories for Ilyin to choose from, and even if there were a lot less, she¡¯d still be content. For her, Delrose¡¯s attitude of wanting to do anything for her was more than enough. As her face seemed to be relaxed, the maids soon recovered their sunny dispositions. ¡°Which clothes do you like the best?¡± After searching through many of the outfits, Ilyin picked something much thinner than what the maids had picked out. In the dressing room, there weren¡¯t too many thinly-lined clothes. It was likely that they didn¡¯t know how cold the warm region people would feel. Therefore, they couldn¡¯t prepare adequately. ¡°Since we¡¯re going because of the Acid Merchant, we¡¯ll probably go to one of the merchant buildings. So I¡¯ll wear these clothes first, and then if we end up staying longer, we can buy more,¡± Ilyin said. Then her eyes widened. ¡°Oh dear, perhaps there¡¯s no budget allocated for the trip.¡± Mito shook her head aggressively, ¡°No way! His Majesty told us to prepare for the trip without anything lacking.¡± Ilyin then recalled what Aden had said, ¡°If you come to the warm region with me, I¡¯ll show you how bad of a person I am.¡± She¡¯d chosen to go impulsively but was still bothered by those words. Ilyin was also at a loss for what she¡¯d say to her father if she met him in person again. Since she was now the Duchess of Biflten and the Mistress of the Biflten House, each one of her actions could affect the prestige of the Biflten House. She wasn¡¯t sure if she could stand confidently in front of her father and look him directly in the eyes like she had done in her dreams. As Ilyin¡¯s expression darkened, Nessi and Mito carefully observed her. ¡°Ma¡¯am? Is there something wrong?¡± Ilyin shook her head. ¡°If it¡¯s okay, can I see the clothes His Majesty will be wearing?¡± They¡¯d prepared such thick clothes for her, so it was highly likely they¡¯d done the same for Aden. The two maids looked at each other and bowed to Ilyin, and Mito said, ¡°We¡¯ll lead you there.¡± Chapter 63 Ilyin found out why the two maids exchanged looks when she followed them. The place the maids took her to was the seventh floor, to Aden¡¯s office. ¡°Ilyin?¡± Aden looked a little surprised. Before Ilyin could process the situation, the door closed, and the maids dismissed themselves. But before the door closed behind her, Ilyin was sure that she caught a glimpse of the maid¡¯s mean expression. All of a sudden, only two of them were there. Eventually, Ilyin looked at him with a little surprised expression. ¡°I was informed that Den was looking around the mansion.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s the reason why you were going around the mansion alone.¡± Aden laughed and then said, ¡°The Knight¡¯s Order is being led by Idith.¡± It seemed like he¡¯d spread the rumor that ¡®Den the Grand Master of Delrose¡¯ was looking around the mansion. It made it look like it was two people playing one character. Ilyin chuckled to herself as she understood his joke, and she asked, ¡°So, are those the clothes that you are wearing tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ilyin observed Aden¡¯s clothing. They were much lighter than the clothes she¡¯d just seen in the dressing room. The Duke didn¡¯t find it too cold in the winter region, so the maids didn¡¯t seem to put much care into insulation for him. Ilyin glanced back at him and said, ¡°I heard that the winter region Duke doesn¡¯t feel the cold, is that correct?¡± ¡°It is, but,¡± Aden pondered a while before speaking again, ¡°this might not be true in the warm region.¡± He opened his hand, and a blue light spread lightly across his palm. Then the temperature of the room immediately went up. And when he closed his hand, the room temperature dropped noticeably. It showed how freely he could use his power in the winter region. ¡°But once I leave the winter region, I can¡¯t use the divine power anymore.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ilyin looked over his clothes again. They did look warm enough, but it might be a bit cold at night, so she found clothing that looked a bit thicker. ¡°One second.¡± Her soft hand grabbed Aden¡¯s outerwear. As Ilyin¡¯s hand suddenly touched around his collarbone, he froze despite himself. The sound of the top button getting opened echoed unusually loud in the quiet room. Ilyin¡¯s hands then slowly headed below while undoing the other buttons. Her movement had no hesitation as she opened the buttons one by one, and her pretty violet eyes seemed to sparkle. Aden took a short breath while watching Ilyin. It was when she lifted her tiny hands and carefully unbuttoned his shirt that he shuddered. Oh no. It seemed like it was only Aden that had naughty thoughts. While Ilyin was innocently helping him get undressed so that he could try on other garments. And that was what drove him wild. Aden closed his eyes for a moment and then shifted his gaze. There was a full-size mirror nearby, and he saw the reflection of Ilyin¡¯s hourglass figure. Aden wasn¡¯t sure if this short moment was taking longer because he was focusing. He looked down at her as she unbuttoned the last button and saw that her lips had parted slightly. ¡°Instead of these clothes,¡± Ilyin started to speak, but their eyes met, and she lost her words. Ilyin tilted her head a little and smiled. She then stretched out her hands and flung open the rest of his clothes. Through the thin shirt, Aden could feel her soft hands. They were small and shaking slightly as they touched him, and he could feel his heart rate increasing. ¡°Ilyin,¡± Aden finally grabbed Ilyin¡¯s hands, ¡°I don¡¯t think I can hold back any longer.¡± He then pressed her delicate palms against his chest as he stared into her big eyes. The room that got used as an office had an unusually bright light, and she could see his muscles through the white shirt. Ilyin looked at her hands pressing on the shirt and then took her hands off in surprise. ¡°No,¡± she tried to protest as she slapped his hand, but Aden grabbed her wrist and spun her body around so that she was facing the mirror. Aden was closing her eyes, and he held her hands up as if he wanted her to stay facing the mirror. ¡°Den?¡± Ilyin¡¯s small voice echoed in the small room. There was no roughness in the way he held her wrists. Because of her hands that were held high, Ilyin blushed a little. It looked like she¡¯d been tied up by Aden. She could feel the heat from Aden¡¯s body where he touched her, and she bit her lower lip. Aden took a deep breath and murmured, ¡°You, do you know your scent is provocative to me?¡± Then he let out a short hot breath, ¡°Please.¡± Ilyin blinked, and before she knew it, Aden lowered his head towards her. His kisses started from the tip of the hands he was holding with one of his, while his other hand brushed down her white arm in a smooth rhythm, like someone playing an instrument. As he reached the concave of the inside of her arm, he kissed the back of Ilyin¡¯s hand. And the hands that got held high were moved behind her head. Ilyin had to look at the full-size mirror to see them. The mirror vividly reflected their appearances. And the sound of his kisses above her head was enough to turn her on. ¡°Ah!¡± Aden¡¯s gentle kisses slowly trailed down to the concave part of the inside of her arm and elbow, and he then nibbled the soft skin under her arm. ¡°Mm.¡± His lips arrived at the side of Ilyin¡¯s bre*st as his hand cradled her other voluptuous bre*st. Ilyin lost the strength in her legs as she felt lust spreading through her entire body, and she said, ¡°Hold me.¡± Aden gladly held her body as his strong hand crushed a part of her supple bre*st. Over the dress, his powerful fingers grabbed a hardened n*pple, and then he rubbed his palm over her bre*st and kept stimulating her n*pple. ¡°Mm¡­¡± Ilyin melted into his body as her legs became weak. Aden quickly put his muscular thigh between her limp legs as she leaned her body against him while her hands were still being held up high. His soft lips reached Ilyin¡¯s ear, and he nibbled on her earlobe. She shuddered from the sensation as she looked at the mirror through her blurred vision, and she could feel Aden¡¯s hot breath as he was biting her ear. Aden then breathed against the nape of her smooth neck, ¡°Did you want to see me being patient?¡± Chapter 64 Looking at her pure, innocent face, Aden narrowed his eyes and let out a hot breath. Underneath the long and dark eyelashes that shone under the bright light, his dark blue eyes shimmered dangerously. ¡°No,¡± Ilyin answered despite herself. She let out a small scream when his hand slid into her clothes, and Aden laughed, ¡°Then you wanted to test me.¡± Before Ilyin could respond, Aden hung one of her legs over his arm and lifted it. The hem of the dress scrunched up with his movement and revealed her perfect round bottom. As the air touched the wet underwear, Ilyin felt a chill. But Aden slid his hot hand inside her thigh before she started shivering. He whispered, after bursting out a tickling breath, ¡°I don¡¯t think I can hold back anymore. Punish me.¡± Aden moved differently, unlike his words suggested he would. With the hand that wasn¡¯t holding her, he undressed and then saw how he was holding her. Ilyin flinched as his erect p*nis touched her hip bone and reached to her waist. Aden then instructed, ¡°Look at the mirror.¡± Ilyin¡¯s gaze moved toward the mirror as if it was guided by his words. She watched as the hem of the dress slid along the leg that got lifted by his rough hand. And then the wet underwear between her thighs got exposed. Aden¡¯s hand was caressing her inner thigh, and then it moved inside her panties. ¡°Mm!¡± Ilyin¡¯s stomach fluttered from the intense stimulation. While Aden kissed the top of her head, lightly pressing her down, her gaze fixated on the mirror. She watched as his hand moved in her underwear and then felt a cold finger slip inside her. ¡°Ah!¡± Because of the coolness, Ilyin felt it more distinctly, and she moaned loudly. The finger that was going in and out of her wet insides then pressed on her cl*toris. And then, as if it was craving her inside, it stimulated her until she climaxed. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Ilyin¡¯s body shook in pleasure for almost a minute. Aden¡¯s fingers had become wet with her juice, along with her underwear. And feeling somewhat embarrassed, Ilyin asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it uncomfortable because it¡¯s wet?¡± Aden took one look at her and ripped off her underwear. ¡°Never.¡± Then his fingers were able to slide inside her more freely. Two fingers gently rubbed the cl*toris again while his thumb slid straight into her opening. ¡°Ah, ah!¡± Ilyin¡¯s moans echoed off the walls in the room. Surprised by her loud cries of pleasure, she automatically tried to cover her mouth. Aden took her hands, which were still being held up, and put them on his chest. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you finish testing me?¡± He whispered. Then he lifted Ilyin and went to stand in front of the mirror. Her one leg could barely reach the floor. Because the mirror was so close, reflections looked enhanced, and Ilyin saw her red face from blushing. She also noticed his shiny hand that reflected the light. It was the hand he¡¯d used to rub between her thighs with, and it was shiny because of the juice that had flowed from her nether regions. ¡°If not these clothes, which other clothes should be okay?¡± Aden asked as he put her hands on his shoulders. When he changed the position, the hand that held her leg moved higher up, and her bottom reflected vividly in the mirror. Aden¡¯s head swum with lust as he watched in the mirror as the liquid ran down his fingers. His fingers moved faster inside her v*gina, and the finger touching the cl*toris started moving rhythmically. ¡°Ah, ah, ah!¡± Ilyin¡¯s leg became weak as she reached a powerful climax, and she screamed. Aden held her body again and jokingly said, ¡°I guess this position is uncomfortable for you.¡± He then turned his body as he held her tightly and the side view of their bodies reflected in the mirror. Ilyin¡¯s leg was still up, so her bottom was exposed. And since her underwear had been ripped off, the only thing that could cover her bottom was the hem of the dress. But that was rolled up to her waist. At that moment, Aden lowered his body and asked, ¡°How about this?¡± Ilyin¡¯s leg then got placed on his shoulder. The hem of the skirt that spread under his neck hid his hand. But what was happening underneath the hem of the dress could be seen in the mirror. Ilyin didn¡¯t need to see it because she could feel it. ¡°Ah!¡± The two fingers that were stimulating her cl*toris slid into her opening as well. Luckily, because a strong arm held her, she wasn¡¯t falling on the floor, regardless of how relaxed her body became. His free hand grabbed Ilyin¡¯s wrists, and he led her hands to his shoulder. ¡°Now, tell me yourself. Do you like this,¡± he whispered as he slid the tip of her hand inside his clothes. Because he stimulated her while doing this, the tips of her fingers also pressed down hard. ¡°So you like that,¡± Aden said as he pulled off his shirt. Chapter 65 His broad shoulders looked inviting as they glimmered under the light, and Ilyin licked her lips as she replied, ¡°Oh, yes¡­¡± Aden covered her bottom area with his large hand. Because Ilyin¡¯s thigh was wet, his hand slid easily on her leg. Then he bit the hem of her dress that spread out in front of her and pulled it down to her waist, exposing her bre*sts. It was a simple dress that didn¡¯t have a ribbon wrapping around the waist, causing her lower stomach and his mouth to touch straight away. Aden pushed down on her lower abdomen with his mouth as this was where she quivered whenever he stimulated her. Then he trailed his tongue further down and licked her cl*toris slowly until Ilyin reached climax. She arched her back as she moaned loudly, ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Oh, my word.¡± Aden laughed almost awkwardly. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to change my pants too. It looks very wet, so the subordinates might get the wrong idea if I go out like this.¡± He hugged Ilyin as his knee rubbed against her sopping wet bottom, and Ilyin¡¯s body fluttered. She knew he did that on purpose. Ilyin realized too late that she¡¯d provoked him without meaning to. But she couldn¡¯t come to her senses because of the pleasure, which was moving through her body constantly. So she held onto Aden¡¯s solid neck. Thanks to that, she can feel his knee touching her thigh. Aden took her hand, making her rub his hard chest and abs, and then moved it down to his rock-hard p*nis. The heat from his throbbing erection was so hot that it might burn her. But the strongly erected thing was still trapped inside his pants. ¡°Please release this first,¡± he whispered passionately. Aden then stimulated her bottom again with his knee and grabbed Ilyin¡¯s hand as he showed her what to do. ¡°Like this.¡± Not much movement was required to undo the pants. Even though Ilyin only untied it slightly, his thing popped up as if it was angry, which was probably due to waiting so patiently for so long. As her gaze met his hard-on, Aden felt his p*nis erected to the point of pain. At this rate, he felt like he would shove it in her without a thought, like a beast. But he couldn¡¯t do that. ¡°Whew.¡± He hugged Ilyin after letting out a hot sigh and said, ¡°Use your hands.¡± As their bodies came close together, Ilyin¡¯s hands got trapped between his hard body and her body. Eventually, there was only one thing that her hand could reach. And her hand touched his erected genit*l. The thing that was letting out pre-c*m, was grabbed by her hand. She needed two hands to hold it, and so it wiggled against her arm. Aden gasped as he felt a more intense stimulation than expected. He slowly closed and opened his eyes while breathing deeply, as if trying to be patient. ¡°Ah¡­¡± At that moment, Ilyin leaned a little to the side as she lost her balance and unintentionally pulled on the thing she was holding. Aden tried to stifle a moan, but the stimulation was so intense that he thought he might lose his mind. He then turned and hugged Ilyin. Because his lower back was against the mirror, she could see her face as well as Aden¡¯s broad back reflecting in it. Her fingers dug into his muscles, and when he stood up, he carried her with him. It was only a moment that separated. And in the next moment, Aden¡¯s manhood slipped inside her wet opening, roughly scratching Ilyin¡¯s inside. Her shoes fell from the tips of her feet because of the force of his hips ramming against her. Her white, thin socks reflected in the mirror, and her toes curled up in pleasure each time Aden moved inside her. ¡°Ah! Ah! Don¡¯t stop!¡± Ilyin moaned and groaned with each deep thrust as she dug her nails into his back. Aden let out a strange gurgling sound, and Ilyin wondered if it was because of the mirror. Or perhaps it was because they weren¡¯t in a bedroom, and there could be a maid standing outside the door listening. Her insides became more nervous than usual and squeezed his p*nis as if she was pushing it out. Aden felt her insides tightening around his erection and his mouth opened as he plunged deeper. The wet sounds of passion echoed in the room, as well as Ilyin¡¯s short moans. As her fingers dug deeper into his strong back, Aden couldn¡¯t take it any longer, and his waist banged against her frantically. ¡°Faster! Ah! Ah!¡± Ilyin¡¯s head jerked back as her body shook violently. Watching her trembling in pleasure, Aden pulled back and gave one last deep thrust before climaxing. And he couldn¡¯t stop himself from moaning loudly as his body shook too. Idith had said that in the winter region, during this time of the year, people didn¡¯t go outside that much. And so Ilyin looked outside the window with a very concerned look on her face. Chapter 66 ¡°We are ready to depart.¡± The two of them were greeted by Idith. ¡°Are you worried?¡± Aden asked Ilyn quietly. Ilyn glanced out the window. Before she could lie and reassure him that she was fine, he cupped her face. His hands felt nice and warm, she didn¡¯t realize how cold she had become until then. ¡°Are you worried?¡± He repeated. Ilyn knew that Aden was asking this because he knew she was avoiding her father. ¡°I am worried.¡± ¡°What are you worried about?¡± Aden¡¯s strong and steady voice was always so reassuring. ¡°It might be too cold,¡± Ilyn joked. Aden didn¡¯t seem to have gotten the joke since his gaze turned to the window. Aden was from the winter region so this ¨C a snowstorm in April ¨C was normal for him but Ilyn was from the warm region, she wasn¡¯t used to such cold conditions. He stretched out his hand and took off the shawl which was wrapped snugly around Ilyn¡¯s neck. Before Ilyn could even feel the cold air against her exposed skin, Aden opened his hand, and his palm shone a mystical blue. He was using the divine power. The immediate rise in the temperature of the carriage was evident and the wind that was viciously blowing outside seemed to have lost some of its power. ¡°How about now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay now,¡± she smiled. It really was. Ilyn held Aden¡¯s hand tightly. The warmth that emanated from it was reassuring. *** The Delrose carriage headed to the warm region was now well on its way. The snowstorm that had previously stopped the carriage in its tracks was no match for the divine power. While his power was not strong enough to warm up the entire region, the current master of the winter region had the strongest divine power out of all the previous Dukes combined. ¡°Your Highness, are you okay?¡± Idith questioned. He was worried that Aden was using too much of the divine power. No power came without consequences and while Idith did not know much about the power Aden held, he had heard stories of how the former Dukes who abused the power grew weaker the more they used it. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Idith searched Aden¡¯s face for any sign of distress but could not find any, he seemed okay. It was the four of them in the carriage, but Idith and Etra were so quiet and still that one would even forget their presence after a while. Ilyn was the only one who shifted occasionally in the quiet carriage. Her closed eyes were covered with the Blue North¡¯s silk. Aden constantly checked Ilyn¡¯s temperature to make sure she wasn¡¯t becoming cold. Thankfully, it seemed as though the divine power was doing a good job at keeping the carriage warm as Ilyn drifted deeper and deeper to sleep. Just as Aden was about to touch her forehead to feel her temperature, Ilyn suddenly grabbed his hand. ¡°Ilyn?¡± Aden was startled. *** It was winter but Ilyn could tell by the soil and lack of snow on the treetops that she was somewhere in the warm region. This was a dream and, in this dream, Ilyn was on a horse. ¡°Hold on tight, Ilyn,¡± came Aden¡¯s strong voice. She found herself constantly checking to make sure her feet were on the stirrups, so she didn¡¯t fall off the moving horse. Ilyn suddenly felt a chill down her neck and instinctively looked around. A fight had broken out. She noticed that people wearing black masks were armed with bow and arrows. Behind them, barely visible in the distance was a wrecked carriage. It was the same carriage that she was on. ¡°Your Highness, at this rate we cannot escape them,¡± Idith spoke, fighting off the arrows shooting his way. ¡°Can we hold them off until we reach the winter region?¡± Ilyn realized that by winter Aden meant Biflten. From what Ilyn could see, the group was struggling to hold off the masked men and they were nowhere near Biflten. Usually, the border separating Biflten and the warm region was quite visible; the warm region bright and colorful and in stark contrast right next to it was Biflten which was cold and gray. However, in front of her right now, the warm region seemed to stretch on forever with no sign of Biflten. ¡°It¡¯s too¨C¡± Idith was stopped mid-sentence by an arrow flying straight at his chest which he deflected using his sword. ¡°Even if we reach Biflten, the divine power still won¡¯t be of any use to us. I won¡¯t harm them even if they cross over,¡± Etra intervened. He was fighting using a dagger. ¡°We will¨C¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± Idith let out a loud cry. Ilyn¡¯s eyes widened, as Aden¡¯s body fell to the ground with a thud. The blood spread quickly throughout his thin shirt, slowly turning to a bright red color. Aden had an arrow sticking out of his back. He had been hit. *** Ilyn opened her eyes and discovered that her neck and forehead were covered in a sheen of sweat that made her shiver whenever a breeze blew past. ¡°Ilyn?¡± Aden¡¯s voice was laced with concern. Ilyn then realized that she was squeezing Aden¡¯s hand. Startled, she immediately tried to let go but Aden tightened his grip around hers. Ilyn was shaking. As the cold air nipped at her skin, she finally felt awake and brought back to reality. Outside her window she could see that there was still a light snowstorm. This meant that they were still in the Winter Region. They were in the warm region when Aden was hit by an arrow. When are we reaching? she thought, This means the dream hasn¡¯t happened yet but¡ª ¡°Ilyn.¡± Aden¡¯s calm voice interrupted her train of thought. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he caressed Ilyn¡¯s hand reassuringly. ¡°Seems like you had a foresight dream,¡± he whispered. Ilyn flinched. Her eyes instinctively turned to Idith and Etra but found that their gaze was fixated on the window. Did they hear what Aden said? she thought, more importantly, did they know that I was dreaming a foresight? The thought of it made her heartbeat quicken and her chest tighten. Ilyn let out a strangled breath. She then thought of the people of Red Delrose. Everyone who had worked so hard to protect and serve her. Everyone from her guards Idith, Etra, Milia and Niss to the maids who catered to her every need. There was no one in Delrose that wanted to harm her. She wasn¡¯t sure about Blue North or the other two houses, but she trusted Delrose completely. She didn¡¯t need to be nervous. At this thought the tightness around her chest loosened and she let out a shaky breath. ¡°What did you see?¡± Aden asked again. His voice was always calm and steady, even under immense stress. Ilyn tried to recall the dream as precisely as she could, ¡°The people in black masks attacked us. They had bows and arrows. It looked like the carriage was destroyed. I-I couldn¡¯t see anyone else.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Aden said, ¡°What else?¡± Ilyn didn¡¯t know how to say the next part, ¡°You got hit. You and Idith were discussing about making it to Biflten when it happened.¡± The words left a bitter taste in her mouth. ¡°Destroyed carriage, only four people in the group,¡± Aden seemed to be in deep thought, ¡°Do you perhaps remember how many masked men there were?¡± Ilyn tried to think. With all that was happening, counting how many of them there was the furthest thing from her mind. She shook her head. ¡°I think we were pretty similar in number though.¡± ¡°That should be enough.¡± Chapter 67 Aden wrapped his arm around Ilyin¡¯s shoulders and helped her sit up. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much,¡± he said as he adjusted the Blue North¡¯s silk on Ilyin¡¯s head. ¡°In your foresight I didn¡¯t actually die. I was just injured, and my wounds heal quickly once I am in the winter region.¡± Ilyin managed a nod even though she still wasn¡¯t quite convinced. ¡°I can¡¯t avoid being hurt, but at least we¡¯ll find out the identities of those underneath the black masks,¡± Aden reassured her. ¡°We¡¯ll have to try to deceive Idith, no, the dream.¡± Upon his name being called, Idith became alert, ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Idith,¡± Aden waved him over, ¡°Out the carriage.¡± The carriage stopped. Idith was curious as to what his master was thinking but obediently left the carriage without a single word. When he left, Aden closed the curtains, and his hand began to shine blue as he used the divine power. The light was extremely bright as it seemed like he was using more power than usual but there was no noticeable difference in the surroundings. ¡°What did you do?¡± Ilyin was confused. ¡°Idith is very familiar with the winter region, but he doesn¡¯t know much about the terrain of the warm region, so he¡¯ll have to make-do by looking at the map,¡± Aden motioned to the front, the carriage was fast approaching the warm region. ¡°If the people who ambushed us know of our destination, it means they know who I am,¡± said Aden. This meant that they would not follow them into the winter region since they know that the person they were after is the Duke of Winter. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of narrowing the border of the winter region, so it looks like a part of the warm region.¡± The border separating the warm and winter regions was very distinct. ¡°Ah,¡± Ilyin nodded as she understood his plan. Aden would manipulate the weather to make it so that the winter region near the border was warm. This way both Idith and the masked group would think that that was the warm region. The masked attackers would then enter the winter region with their realization. Aden gave a dark smile seeing her slowly realize his plan, ¡°I will be able to show them winter.¡± *** The carriage safely reached the warm region. The Acid Merchant had sent people to the border to greet the Biflten group. As they were from the winter region, clothes more fit for the warm region were prepared for them. The group from the winter region however didn¡¯t have a problem with their own outfits. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The merchant people were discussing amongst themselves but stopped immediately when they realized Ilyin¡¯s presence. ¡°Greetings, Mistress.¡± They bowed politely and quickly pushed the clothes they brought deep into the carriage. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Ilyin smiled kindly as she gestured towards the clothes. They thanked her wholeheartedly as relief swept over them and before they left, they bowed graciously to her. It was at sunset when the group arrived at the Acid Merchant. The group from the winter region seemed flustered as they were not able to get used to the sunshine. Even the usually nonchalant Aden seemed interested as he looked at his shadow that was becoming longer because of the sun. Ilyin laughed quietly at their reactions. It seemed like she would have to help them a lot here in the warm region. ¡°Welcome,¡± Acid Merchant¡¯s Milo greeted them briskly. The curt greeting was completely different than that of when he greeted them at the winter region. Ilyin was surprised but soon understood. The leader of the Acid Merchant was Milo and if he was too familiar with them in front of the people of the warm region, it would be revealing where his loyalties lay. It looked like Aden thought the same as he didn¡¯t say anything about it. ¡°The Viscount¡¯s representative is waiting,¡± Milo reported in a low voice. Aden cocked his head to the side, ¡°Representative?¡± His voice was calm but there was a hint of annoyance. The group accompanying Milo bowed lower upon hearing the tone of Aden¡¯s voice. It felt like the air around them suddenly got colder. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I said that I would meet with the Viscount himself.¡± His words echoed in the silence. Milo knew that the Duke of Winter wouldn¡¯t be able to use the divine power in the warm region but couldn¡¯t help feeling his neck becoming cold. It was the Duke¡¯s words and aura that emanated that coldness. ¡°I will correct it.¡± He bowed and quickly went back into the merchant building. Chapter 68 ¡°Sir Lidan,¡± came a knock on the door, ¡°It¡¯s Knight Harth.¡± Lidan of Blue North was staying on the fourth floor of the Biflten mansion. This part of the mansion was Blue North¡¯s territory. It was safe for him to relax but he was standing by the window instead of warming up by the sofa. ¡°Come in.¡± The door clicked open, and Harth carefully stood in front of him. Harth was the guard who first brought Ilyin to the winter region. He had yet to even brush the snow off his shoulders. ¡°The Delrose carriage has arrived at the Acid Merchant,¡± he bowed deeply. Lidan laughed after being quiet for a moment, ¡°Isn¡¯t this April particularly warm?¡± Harth was quite resistant against the cold but even he couldn¡¯t handle the April cold with his bare body. ¡°Even with the Duke of Winter here,¡± Lydan chuckled. *** As soon as Milo informed the Viscount of Aden¡¯s intention, the Viscount agreed to come right away and ordered that the Duke be given the utmost importance. It was quite unusual for a noble to be so submissive. After contacting Viscount Arlen, Milo returned and carefully spoke, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the Viscount is looking for another dealer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably not it.¡± The words left Ilyin¡¯s mouth before she realized it. Milo and Aden simultaneously turned to her. The three of them were now in the Master Merchant¡¯s office deep inside of the Acid Merchant building. Ilyin had been here before. As she looked around, the first time she came here to ask Milo to deliver a letter came to mind. Back then she didn¡¯t realize the people here would become some of her closest allies. Her gaze turned to Aden. Monster Duke, that was how she knew him before; that was his reputation in the warm region. Ilyin didn¡¯t realize her gaze had turned into staring. When Aden noticed he simply returned a soft smile. He¡¯s so nice to me, thought Ilyin, but she knew that he could immediately put up a scary front when necessary. With the power tree in Biflten, it was essential to have an intimidating reputation. ¡°Perhaps¡­ do you know something?¡± Milo asked carefully. Ilyin tried to open her mouth to speak but found she was unable to do so. She was going to talk about her family¡¯s shame, it rightfully bothered her. After a while, with the help of Aden¡¯s reassuring gaze, she gathered her courage and spoke. ¡°Viscount Arlen is currently in financial trouble. When I left, the family had almost no money,¡± she couldn¡¯t help but blush, ¡°They seem to attend luxurious parties daily and throw money at the subordinates, but the truth is that they have nothing.¡± Ilyin began telling the story of her family. Viscount Arlen¡¯s was a family that just barely got by with income from their small farm. The master of the family at that time was one who had no aspirations to become a noble and had no desire for honor. It soon changed when someone with a greed for honor became the master for this generation. The subordinates turned their back on the master who was keener on showing off than taking care of the farm. It was when Viscount married Ilyin¡¯s mother that he was able to obtain financial stability. The woman who showed up one day was very beautiful. Her origin was unknown, but it didn¡¯t matter as she was so beautiful, she immediately caught Viscount Arlen¡¯s heart. The subordinates of the Viscount House and even the woman¡¯s own family were against the marriage. Surprisingly enough it was the woman who showed more interest in the Viscount than the Viscount to her. Since the woman¡¯s family couldn¡¯t dissuade their daughter, they had to give a huge amount of dowry to quiet down the subordinates¡¯ protests. The dowry was enough for the revival of the Arlen family. ¡°But that money just ended up exacerbating my father¡¯s spending habit,¡± said Ilyin. ¡°I am sorry, but may I ask you one thing?¡± Milo spoke suddenly but shrunk at Aden¡¯s cold glare. ¡°Ask away.¡± Ilyin tugged Aden¡¯s arm to let him know it was okay. Aden let out a short huff and reluctantly looked away. Milo hesitated then asked, ¡°May I ask regarding Mistress¡¯s mom?¡± Milo had been investigating this matter but decided that asking Ilyin would be a much safer and quicker option. The topic of Ilyin¡¯s family seemed to be such a sensitive subject that even Aden avoided talking about it. Ilyin turned quiet. Aden shot Milo a glare so deathly, the back of Milo¡¯s neck became cold with sweat. Chapter 69 It wasn¡¯t that Ilyn was reluctant to answer the question. It was just that it was a lot to unpack. That side of the family, it had been a while since she spoke about it. She pondered shortly and then opened her mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t know too much either. My grandmother used to live within the Arlen territory, but moved away when I was young,¡± she hesitated for a moment before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll believe me, but for generations the women from her side of the family have been born with the ability of foresight.¡± ¡°Foresight?¡± Milo asked. Ilyn briefly explained about the ability. While she didn¡¯t include the details about the mobile, she recounted the story of how she foresaw her brother dying and the Viscount¡¯s reaction to it. As she told this story, Ilyn realized that it was only hard to tell this story the first time, as the second time was much easier. Still, she found Aden gently squeezing her clasped hand. Ilyn smiled at him to show that she was okay. ¡°I see,¡± said Milo. Milo felt like the last piece of the puzzle had finally fit. He was wondering why his master took interest, but it looked like he wasn¡¯t going to let Viscount Arlen be anytime soon. His master¡¯s calmness was cold anger. Milo served him long enough to know how scary that could be. ¡°Getting back to the topic at hand,¡± Ilyn continued at Milo¡¯s serious expression, ¡°The money my grandmother gave the family was large enough. I¡¯m not sure if father was planning on using it to revive the family, but by the time I was old enough to understand the financial situation, it was almost gone.¡± ¡°To father¡ª¡± Ilyn broke off, she felt uncomfortable for using the word father so much after a long time, ¡°Carrots were probably a very welcome thing. I¡¯m sure he really wants to establish a deal this time.¡± Acid Merchant had a monopoly on the food merchants to the north. If he was thinking long term, there was no way Viscount Arlen was going to let go of Acid Merchant. ¡°I see.¡± From Viscount¡¯s side, it was a deal that had to be landed. Aden couldn¡¯t help his smile at that. *** Ilyn wore a black veil before leaving the merchant building. Aden wore the long and complicated title of ¡®Deputy of the Northern Circulation Manager¡¯ as he left for the meeting with Viscount Arlen. Milo guided Ilyn through the merchant building. ¡°Deputy?¡± Ilyn asked. Her face was hidden behind the dark black veil. The only part of her that was visible over the long winter coat she wore was her pale skinny hands that were seen from time to time. Her silver hair which usually attracted the most attention was neatly pulled back in a tight bun with extravagant red and gold pins. In fact, the veil, and the other jewelry she wore was more noticeable than her hair. Nobody would be able to tell that this was a youngling of Viscount Arlen. ¡°Yes.¡± The Delrose maids, as instructed, dressed her to look like a noble from the warm region. The disguise was perfect; she didn¡¯t look like a wife of the Duke of Winter, nor the youngling of Viscount Arlen. ¡°Then who is the Northern Circulation Manager that Aden is supposed to be a deputy to?¡± Ilyn asked. She felt like she could almost disappear underneath the dark veil she wore. Milo almost missed Ilyn¡¯s question because of it. ¡°Make sure to serve Ilyn without any problem.¡± It was a direct order from the master. Milo had cold sweats just thinking of it. He quickly answered, ¡°You.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Ilyn stopped, ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± replied Milo, ¡°Master said that for this deal, he would leave the fine details all to you.¡± Ilyn nodded. It was probably because this was linked to Viscount Arlen. Aden was going in for the negotiation himself which made it seem like he was going to do as he pleased but making himself the deputy and her the manager showed that he respected her decisions. ¡°You can come if you want to see for yourself.¡± Aden had told her as he adjusted the veil on her. His hand, which held reluctance to let go, lifted the veil a little and caressed her lips. She trusted that he would do well. I can go see it, where Den is. Ilyn¡¯s thoughts raced, what should I do? Ilyn turned and stared at the end of the hallway. She thought of Viscount Arlen who would currently be sitting across from Aden while speaking to him. He was a father that was always hard on Ilyn. Ever since her brother¡¯s incident Viscount Arlen was always worried about what would come out of her mouth next. Due to that, she wasn¡¯t even allowed to attend social events and was always stuck at home. Even when she had to hear the dishonorable nickname of ¡®Secluded Lady¡¯ her father thought it would be the best way not to bring shame to his family¡¯s name as he was worried that she would reveal the family¡¯s secret. Ilyn suddenly started moving and Milo quickly followed her. ¡°Where shall I guide you?¡± ¡°I want to see Den.¡± Since they were outside, she used his fake name even so, she couldn¡¯t help the warmth spread through her chest as she mentioned him. ¡°I shall lead you.¡± Milo didn¡¯t ask anything. He always followed Aden¡¯s orders, but he didn¡¯t question the smart Mistress¡¯s choice. If anything, she showed her capabilities by taking over Acid Merchant without any prior relation with them. Milo was finally able to solve the puzzle of how she was able to discover the relationship between Acid Merchant and Biflten. She probably saw the merchant¡¯s carriage headed towards Biflten in a foresight. She moved so aggressively on just that information, he thought. He felt it before, but the Delrose Mistress was not a person to be underestimated. Milo bowed his head lower as led her. Chapter 70 ¡°I¡¯m sure you know by now,¡± Viscount Arlen leaned back haughtily, ¡°The quality of carrots improves in the warm region.¡± Though, even his arrogant fa?ade was unable to hide the desperation laced in his voice. The Viscount pushed forward papers he brought. Aden quickly scanned through the documents and his eyes that were used to looking at a large amount of texts at a time was able to quickly pick up the main points. ¡°The spike in the temperature of the weather was over the span of twenty years, but less than thirty,¡± he summarized the points in a calm voice. ¡°Yes. The central region is unable to produce mass quantities of carrots. My farm is the only one that produces and supplies carrots around the capital. And the carrots are of great quality, you won¡¯t be able to find a single carrot smaller than my hand!¡± The Viscount boasted while sticking out his open palm. Aden looked with distaste at the fat right hand that looked like it had never even held a pen, let alone a sword in front of him and nodded. It was at that moment when the door slowly swung open with a creak. The two men¡¯s gaze turned to the door. The person that entered was a woman wearing a black veil. The fancy red and golden ornaments in her hair twinkled as the light danced off them. Her thin wrist was briefly visible when she reached to close the door. It was a hand that looked white and soft without any blemishes. As she turned her head, the veil moved and revealed her neckline. The lady then quickly grabbed the veil as if she didn¡¯t want it to move any further. ¡°Welcome,¡± Viscount Arlen spoke. Aden stood up as he knew who she was and her gaze turned to him. ¡°And she is?¡± Arlen looked back and forth between the two of them. Whoever she was, she seemed to be someone at a higher position than him. He remembered how the deputy had introduced himself as the deputy to a manager and how he mentioned that the manager was very busy so wasn¡¯t sure if they could attend personally. Arlen remembered the displeasure he felt as a mere merchant had sent a deputy to see a noble but decided to let it go as he just assumed that merchants were just lowly people who didn¡¯t know the etiquettes of the noble in the first place. But how did someone so busy make it here? ¡°Acid Merchant is deeply interested in this deal,¡± the man in front of him had said. The fact that the lady was here seemed to prove that sentiment. That made Viscount Arlen feel better. ¡°She is managing the northern circulation for our merchant.¡± Aden introduced her. He was polite like he was introducing a superior. Viscount Arlen bowed a little as he realized her position. He wasn¡¯t being a sycophant, he comforted himself, he was just following the noble¡¯s etiquettes. ¡°This deal, I hope we can make it work.¡± Aden held back a laugh when he saw Arlen trying his hardest to maintain his stature in front of them. But everyone here knew. The person who was holding the sword here was the woman in the black veil. The person who Viscount Arlen was trying to pretend not to brownnose. *** Ilyn took a deep breath as she stood in front of the door to the meeting room. She had to remember, right now, she was not Ilyn De Arlen. Even if she walked in without the veil, she was no longer a youngling of Viscount Arlen. She had no reason to fear Viscount Arlen. Even though he is my father, he can no longer do anything to me. She reached for the handle and as she was turning it open, she heard a footstep coming towards her from the end of the hallway. She glanced in the direction and saw that it was a knight. She soon recognized him as the rude knight that figured out which merchant was trading with the north. The knight scanned her with curiosity, but he didn¡¯t seem to recognize her. Even though her face was hidden by the veil, Ilyn couldn¡¯t help but feel startled. She shook it off before walking into the room with as much confidence as she could muster. ¡°Welcome.¡± The first thing she saw when she entered the room was Aden then Viscount Arlen who was sitting across from him. ¡°And she is?¡± When she was at home, she remembered him to be much bigger. Until she came to Biflten, much of her world was controlled by Viscount Arlen. If he told her to leave the house, she had to leave the house, if she was told not to leave and shut her mouth, she had to endure the bad rumors and listen. But in front of Aden, Viscount Arlen looked incredibly pathetic. Aden stood up as he saw Ilyn. ¡°She is managing the northern circulation for our merchant.¡± Aden introduced her as a superior. Ilyn examined the Viscount through her veil. Her chest felt tight, and her heartbeat quickened. She was reminded of the past days when she had to live under him. Ilyn watched as realization slowly hit the Viscount of her title as manager. Time slowed down uncomfortably as he breathed out, put his hand on his stomach and greeted her as if he was a gentleman, ¡°This deal, I hope we can make it work.¡± His words rang in Ilyn¡¯s mind. It was the first time she saw this. The Viscount always belittled merchants and right now he tried to put up a superior front, but Ilyn could see right through him. Chapter 71 Right now, it was them that were on the edge. ¡°Right, it¡¯s like that.¡± The fate of this deal rested in the hands of Ilyn. She nodded slightly and then walked past him and made her way to a slightly raised seat, all the while being careful that the veil that covered her did not move. It seemed that the Viscount had no clue that the person underneath was his daughter. ¡°I believe that my offer is quite fair for Acid. After all, since the freight cost is so low, the cost should be different from the south.¡± It was true. Aden reluctantly nodded his head in agreement and seeing that, the Viscount grinned from ear to ear. ¡°This winter is unusually harsh. I heard that carrot consumption in the north has increased,¡± Viscount Arlen said. This was harsh? Aden couldn¡¯t imagine how warm a normal winter would be in the warm region otherwise. He just responded with a nod. The Viscount stroked his chin worriedly as he couldn¡¯t quite get the reaction he wanted. ¡°How about we head towards my mansion? We can talk more over dinner. What do you think?¡± The sun was already down as it was winter. The warm orange light had flooded the room. Aden turned to Ilyn, ¡°Is it okay if I go?¡± She knew he was asking just to make sure she wasn¡¯t uncomfortable. Aden¡¯s eyes met hers over the black veil. She remembered her dream and how he was hit by an arrow and hesitated for a moment. In the foresight, he was attacked while they were returning to the winter region. Aden looked okay and she trusted that he would be careful. It¡¯s going to be okay. Ilyn gave a short nod. ¡°I¡¯ll be back quickly.¡± Aden reassured her after seeing the worry in her eyes. The comforting warm smile he flashed could be only seen by her. *** Viscount Arlen had a clear intention for inviting Aden to his mansion. He would try to appeal that it was that faster to reach his mansion by carriage since it was close so the freight cost would be that much cheaper. Yes, it was close for sure. ¡°It¡¯s Arlen soon,¡± said Viscount Arlen. Aden smiled at Viscount Arlen¡¯s words whilst picturing someone else in his mind. According to Milo¡¯s report, Ilyn used to travel this road by herself. A knight would accompany her, but Aden heard that the knight didn¡¯t take care of Ilyn properly. Even though it was close, it was still a long way to travel alone; especially with a knight that couldn¡¯t be trusted. Aden remembered Ilyn¡¯s thin wrist and shallow breathing which sounded as if it could stop at any moment. She got better after the Delrose maids started taking care of her, but when they first met, she looked like a fragile ice sculpture that could break at just one touch. And It was Viscount Arlen who made her like that. The thought of it made Aden fill with cold rage. ¡°Ah, do you see that over there?¡± Viscount Arlen pointed out the window, a joyous expression on his face. It was almost pitiful, his attempt, to look down on Aden as a noble. Aden turned to look outside. The Viscount was pointing at a tree with a few fall leaves left. It was a wide leaf still attached that caught Aden¡¯s gaze. ¡°I heard that in the winter region, the leaves that are wide are the ones that sprout first, like that one.¡± The Viscount pointed. Before Aden could question what the Viscount meant by ¡°like that one¡± , Viscount Arlen announced that they had arrived. As the carriage passed the tree, Viscount Arlen spread his arms welcomingly. Aden couldn¡¯t help his creasing eyebrows as he looked outside. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a completely different scenery from a moment ago?¡± Aden asked. ¡°It is indeed.¡± He turned his gaze from outside to Viscount Arlen, ¡°Could you stop the carriage by that tree for a moment?¡± Before he could tell the Viscount that he asked to stop so that he could examine the carriage for security purposes, the Viscount cut him off. ¡°Of course!¡± Viscount Arlen called to the horseman loudly and had him turn and halt at the tree. ¡°Would you like to inspect it?¡± The excitement in Viscount Arlen¡¯s voice was evident. Aden got off the carriage and walked towards the tree. Due to the divine power, he was sensitive to the surrounding temperature. As he passed the tree, the weather became considerably warmer. As he stood beside the tree that Viscount Arlen had pointed out, the feeling became clearer. Like standing in front of a fireplace, the warmth that the wind carried was different. He looked up at the tree with confusion as the wind was quite warm even though it was winter. He then proceeded to cross the border of the Arlen territory. The wind got noticeably colder. Aden laughed. ¡°How is it?¡± Viscount Arlen called out with a grin, ¡°During summer, the place past this tree becomes especially warm and believe it or not, you can¡¯t grow carrots over there.¡± The border of the winter region was always very clearly visible due to the snowstorm during every season but that wasn¡¯t the case here. It was only subtle differences such as different crops that made one aware of the change in region. While the Viscount kept mentioning the wide leaves on the tree, in Aden¡¯s eyes it was all the same. It was just the change in temperature that made it clear that the tree was the border. Chapter 72 Biflten, for a very long time, tried to solve the riddle of how the border of the winter region became so noticeably distinct. There were theories put out that the territories impacted by the master of Biflten¡¯s divine power only had winter, but no one knew the actual truth. ¡°Summer,¡± Aden muttered the unfamiliar yet lovely word. Summer in Arlen also seemed to have a border that was clear cut. In Aden¡¯s mind, a few of the puzzle pieces slowly fell into place. The biggest piece out of which was, after Ilyn and the end of the succession, it was much easier to increase the temperature of the winter region. As if he continued, he could bring summer to Biflten. There was a weird connection between the pieces. ¡°You mentioned that it¡¯s been just under thirty years since it got unusually hot?¡± Aden asked. Viscount Arlen nodded, ¡°Yes, little over twenty years.¡± Considering Ilyn¡¯s age, the timeline seemed to fit. Aden came up with a grand theory in his head. Perhaps, Ilyn is the key to the summer? If so, then the fate of Arlen territory was already decided. The corners of Aden¡¯s mouth turned up. ¡°I see,¡± he turned to the Viscount. ¡°We will certainly have to get her permission, however.¡± He didn¡¯t forget to mention Ilyn. ¡°If she allows it, then let¡¯s make a deal,¡± Aden said, ¡°I¡¯ll pay 20 golds per carriage.¡± The usual rate for carrots was 15 golds per carriage. Viscount Arlen couldn¡¯t hold back and let out a joyous laugh. He grabbed Aden¡¯s hand and shook it. ¡°You have a deal!¡± For the Viscount it was as if the deal was already made. In his head, he was quickly calculating the amount of carrots his farm produced in a year, the profit he would be making and what to do with the profit. ¡°Indeed,¡± Aden grinned. Ilyn was now a winter person. If his theory was correct, starting next year the temperature of the Arlen territory would return to as it was before which meant that they would not be able to produce carrots anymore. Aden couldn¡¯t help but laugh. What a perfect way to destroy the honor Viscount Arlen had earned while locking Ilyn in the house. Winter begins now. *** The House of Viscount Arlen treated Aden very well. As Aden knew of the financial situation of the House, the meal he was offered felt like an overkill they could not afford. Viscount Arlen had a chirpy face on as he had no idea that Aden knew that the house was struggling to make ends meet. Since the Viscount kept insisting on writing up a contract during the meal despite Aden¡¯s insistence on getting permission, Aden helped draw up a contract. Of course, he was going to rip it up the moment Ilyn disapproved. There were many ways Aden could bring down the House of Viscount Arlen, but he didn¡¯t want to pursue any of the ways that could bring sadness to Ilyn. Ilyn came before anything. ¡°Hmm.¡± The Viscount stroked his chin, pretending he still had a lot to worry about as he read the contract but failed as the corners of his mouth kept turning up. The contract mentioned the amount each carriage would contain, the cost and that the price may change each year depending on the market condition. The Viscount¡¯s gaze seemed to have skipped the latter part. Aden said after finishing dinner, ¡°On top of the contract, I¡¯d like to offer a monopoly to the Acid Merchant.¡± As Viscount Arlen¡¯s smile dropped from his face, Aden laughed, ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll give you more.¡± Viscount Arlen¡¯s face seemed to have eased after hearing that. ¡°How many years?¡± As Aden gave it a thought, an ear-splitting scream came from the room above them. Startled, Aden¡¯s gaze turned upward then to Viscount Arlen. The Viscount looked completely caught off guard. It seemed like this was not a part of the festivities the Viscount had in mind for the night. ¡°Ma¡¯am!¡± Viscount Arlen frowned as a maid screamed. Aden cocked his head a little. Ma¡¯am? Then, Viscount¡¯s wife? ¡°Bring me the guest!¡± A shrill voice rang. Aden turned his gaze to Viscount Arlen, ¡°I heard your wife has a bit of a health issue.¡± It was a known fact in the gossip mills of the warm region. ¡°Acid Merchant also deals in medicine. I would like to meet her and perhaps I can recommend her some good medicine,¡± he added. The Viscount felt defeated, there was nothing he could do. He had warned the maids not to let his wife out, but it was too late now. ¡°Would you? She will welcome it.¡± Viscount Arlen walked slowly and led him to her room. Normally the Viscountess would have found it would be rude for guests to come into her room, but she immediately opened the door as if she was waiting. The maids that were holding her back all left. Aden observed that the maids who met eyes with the Viscount froze. ¡°Go downstairs,¡± The Viscount waved them off like he didn¡¯t like them. It was a gesture for them to disappear quickly. ¡°Come in.¡± The face that greeted Aden had kindness all over it. Aden walked into the room and unlike the chilling scream and commotion that was caused, the person on the bed was graciously sitting and waiting for him to enter. Chapter 73 Aden couldn¡¯t help but feel captivated by the Viscountess¡¯ silver hair albeit this head of hair looked duller and flatter than he was used to seeing. A strange feeling which he couldn¡¯t shake off followed him the moment he walked in. ¡°Greetings, I¡¯m Den from Acid Merchant,¡± he said with a brief bow. The Viscountess smiled; it was a weak smile, one that showed her tiredness making her put-together fa?ade fade away. With that, the scent of summer Aden had felt the moment he walked in got stronger. The scent was different from that of the fresh scent of Ilyn. The scent of the Viscountess was like that of an old vegetation. To Aden, it was a very unfamiliar scent. If the people of the warm region came across that smell, they would describe it as a moss which had been left out in the sun surrounded by a huge amount of humidity. ¡°I see that she married a handsome man,¡± said the Viscountess in a clear, commanding voice which was a contrast to her frail disposition. Viscount Arlen sighed and quietly said to Aden, ¡°She is always talking gibberish.¡± I don¡¯t think so. Aden ignored the Viscount. The Viscountess of Arlen also had the ability of foresight. The voice of Viscountess contained certainty. She wasn¡¯t speaking gibberish. ¡°Don¡¯t stop the child if she comes.¡± The Viscountess spoke again. At that, the Viscount¡¯s sighing got louder. ¡°I have something to give her.¡± The Viscountess continued to speak in her clear voice. Aden quickly realized that the Viscountess was talking about Ilyn. Did the Viscountess see something in a dream? ¡°A light snack should be ready by now. Why don¡¯t we go downstairs and finish talking?¡± Viscount Arlen said to Aden trying to usher him out of the room. The Viscountess also turned to look out the window as she seemed to have nothing else to say. Aden said a short goodbye and left the room. As he was leaving, he turned to check on the Viscountess one last time. She emitted a faint smell of death. It was faint but it was there for sure. Before his mother passed away, she looked like her. *** When would the summer at the Arlen territory end? Aden was deep in thought. ¡°I see that she married a handsome man.¡± The tone of Viscountess was different from those who simply mumbled random sentences. There was a strong sense of certainty in that voice. It was clear that she had the ability of foresight, so there were two possibilities; the key to summer was either Ilyn, or the entire Viscountess bloodline. Aden focused on the foresight ability that came from Ilyn¡¯s mother¡¯s side. If the key was Ilyn herself, then this year would be the end of summer since his divine power was affected after the succession with Ilyn. That meant it should have started to become colder. But if it was the bloodline? Viscountess Arlen also had the ability of foresight so if it was the latter, then summer would end when the Viscountess either leaves the place or dies. If what Aden saw earlier was any indication, it would happen soon. The Viscountess¡¯s room was already filled with the stench of death. Her health was very bad. Bad enough that there was no point for the Viscount to even bother with a doctor. Either way, Aden realized, the territory¡¯s summer would soon be over. ¡°How many years would you like the monopoly to be?¡± Viscount Arlen was clearly in a rush to finalize the contract. ¡°3 years.¡± Viscount Arlen¡¯s mouth stretched into a wide grin as did Aden¡¯s although Aden did a much better job at hiding his glee. The Viscount had ignored a part thinking that it was a rare probability, but at the end of the contract it was clearly stated, ¡°Each year, if less than half of the first year¡¯s supply is remitted, you are to remit three times worth of the first-year deposit.¡± Viscount Arlen would slowly lose everything he had left. *** ¡°It looks good. However, the condition stipulated at the end has caught my eyes.¡± Ilyn said after reviewing the contract. The merchant building at night had no outsiders so Ilyn had taken off the black veil as she sat across from Aden. ¡°The Viscount didn¡¯t even care,¡± said Aden with a soft chuckle. When summer in Arlen disappears, that condition in the contract will become the venom that deals the fatal blow to the Viscount. His fate was sealed. ¡°It¡¯s up to you if you would like to start the trade,¡± said Aden, ¡°If it bothers you, you don¡¯t have to sign it.¡± He knew the Viscount¡¯s weakness, so he knew many ways to bring him down, he didn¡¯t need the contract to do so. Ilyn lifted her pen and looked down at the contract. It felt weird. Unlike the Viscount, she knew what this contract meant. The moment she allowed this deal, it would be as if a time bomb was put on Viscount Arlen. Ilyn hesitated despite herself. To use Aden¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t become bad. ¡°How was it earlier?¡± Aden didn¡¯t rush her and instead asked her something else. ¡°In the room.¡± Ilyn remembered the meeting with him and the Viscount. Aden, who always looked so dependable, and the Viscount, who looked so pathetic next to him. The Viscount she saw over the veil was a small and pathetic man. It was like he was nothing. It made her wonder why she allowed him to hold so much power over her all those years. Compared to Aden, he was nothing. Aden reached out and caressed her silver hair. The hair that was always in a bun was let down; it was more curvy than usual now. It looked full of life unlike that of the Viscountess. He smiled as he met Ilyn¡¯s eyes. Like he knew what she was thinking. ¡°Ilyn, do what you want. Achieve what you want. So that the winter can become your tool.¡± Don¡¯t worry. The moment you married me, you got everything. His whispers were always so sweet. He approached her and put his forehead against hers. The contact spread warmth to both. Aden slowly leaned in and placed his lips on Ilyn¡¯s. Like always, he brushed his lips carefully against hers. Ilyn, like giving permission, opened her mouth slightly. He smiled and let his tongue wander in. He attacked her lower lips and then tilted her head to deepen the kiss. Leave the northern wind to me, and Ilyn can remain a warm person. When Aden pulled apart, his eyes were glowing. Viscount Arlen will lose everything. It was all up to Ilyn now. Chapter 74 The deal between Acid Merchant and Viscount Arlen was official. Viscount Arlen put his stamp on the contract with a very satisfied grin. ¡°I looked forward to doing business with you.¡± The Viscount had a wide smile as they shook hands. ¡°If there¡¯s a problem regarding the trade, contact me,¡± said Aden. ¡°Don¡¯t I contact her directly?¡± Viscount Arlen bowed slightly as he gestured to the lady in black veil. The lady who was observing them from afar didn¡¯t react. The Viscount hesitated and then asked, ¡°What is your name if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡± Ilyin momentarily hesitated at his question. Since there was no interjection from Aden, she realized that as long she didn¡¯t give her actual name it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡°El.¡± Ilyin gave the first name she could think of. She was worried that if she talked for long, the Viscount might recognize her voice. Her voice, fortunately or unfortunately, came out rather hoarse as she hadn¡¯t spoken for a long time. The Viscount didn¡¯t seem to have any suspicions. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll contact El directly.¡± And just like that, the contract was completed. *** Aden who was the Duke of Winter had never left the winter region so he didn¡¯t know what to expect would happen to the winter region when he returned to Biflten. Of course, the previous Duke, his father, always travelled to and from the warm region so there were a lot of accounts on what actually would happen. They all said the same thing; nothing would happen to the winter region. Idith said the same but still, he couldn¡¯t be gone for too long and so the group quickly prepared their return as soon as the deal was made. ¡°The snow here melts so quickly!¡± ¡°Really!¡± The maids played amongst themselves. Ilyin observed the chatty maids from afar. She felt this before, but the Delrose maids were very different from the warm region maids. She didn¡¯t know about the maids of the other three houses, but at least the Delrose ones were. Growing up with maids who were very strict about hierarchy, she felt more friendly towards the Delrose maids. Of course, the maids and she both maintained appropriate boundaries when necessary so there wasn¡¯t any problem. But every now and then, Ilyin couldn¡¯t help but find the maids very cute, especially when they were in the warm region. One of the maids looked around and quickly Ilyin hid behind a building so as not to be seen. After waiting a bit, she stuck her head out, and saw the maids that were poking the snow with their bare feet. ¡°Wow, you try it!¡± The excited voice echoed. If it was the winter region, this wouldn¡¯t be possible. Ilyin couldn¡¯t help chuckle. ¡°What amuses you so?¡± A blue cloth was put around Ilyin¡¯s neck. The warmth she felt was familiar. ¡°Den,¡± she smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± Aden hugged her from behind and watched the maids. ¡°They¡¯re slacking.¡± Aden pretended to be angry. Rather than taking care of Ilyin they were playing amongst themselves, they had no excuse not to be punished. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everyone seems to be amazed by the warm region.¡± Ilyin smiled fondly at them. She observed the maids and slowly reached out towards a snow pile. Her thin wrist looked like it would freeze quickly if it touched the snow and Aden instinctively stretched his hand to stop her. Then he stopped. The snow pile collapsed at her small touch. Was the snow pile in the warm region really that weak? The snow in Ilyin¡¯s hand quickly began melting. The bright sunlight glistened on the snow. The part of the snow that was melted reflected the light making it twinkle. But it was the tip of Ilyin¡¯s hand that caught Aden¡¯s gaze. Aden looked at Ilyin¡¯s glistening hand and then slowly raised his gaze. The morning sunshine covered her, and her lively hair twinkled with sunlight. There was bright light in Biflten mansion as well. When he was young, he had seen a bright light in Elo¡¯s territory. He was told that the light was an imitation of the sun from the warm region. He understood now. Aden brushed down Ilyin¡¯s hair subconsciously. He touched it lightly and the hair twinkled with the light. Aden couldn¡¯t help close his eyes at the brightness in front of him. ¡°Den?¡± Chapter 75 Ilyin looked back at him. The melted snow slowly dripped through her fingers. Aden unconsciously grabbed Ilyin¡¯s hand. Her hand, which was slowly getting colder, quickly heated up from his warmth. Aden tightly held her hand but could not take his eyes off her face. He was captivated by the mysterious purple eyes under the long silver eyelashes. She, a person of summer, seemed to shine extremely bright under the sunlight. Even though it was a desolate winter now, the scent of fresh spring followed her. Aden had never been to a forest full of life. A place full of green life. It was hard to even imagine because he had never seen it, but he dared to be confident that he was in the middle of one right at this moment. Aden couldn¡¯t help being mesmerized by how bright she shone standing in the middle of a garden. Despite it still being winter, Ilyin radiated so much light. Aden was awestruck. Aden finally understood his father, who wanted to present his mother with sunlight. And his mother, who deeply admired the sun. A person under the sun shone beautifully enough to be hard to forget. And for the first time, Aden coveted summer. I want it. You who shine brilliantly, you who are happy with warmth. Aden hugged Ilyin tightly again. *** Aden and Ilyin were quickly prepared for return. Despite the interruptions caused by the Delrose maids¡¯ fascination with the sun, preparations proceeded smoothly. This was thanks to Milo¡¯s quick grasp of the situation of the maids constantly stopping in amazement at different aspects of the warm region. And with that, the last day in the sun, which the maids of Delrose especially dreaded, had arrived. ¡°Ilyin.¡± Ilyin, who felt as if she had just fallen asleep, opened her eyes at the resonant voice. What she saw was a familiar yet unfamiliar room. The ceiling and wall decorations were familiar, but the furniture arrangement was quite unfamiliar. To be exact, it felt like it had been a long time since she was in this room. Ilyin¡¯s mouth widened without realizing it. There was only one other person in the room; it was her mother. Her mother with tired eyes and shallow breathing. The lively and fine silver hair she saw as a child had long lost shine and strength. It was the Viscountess, whom she hadn¡¯t seen since she left the mansion. The door opened with a slow creak. Ilyin saw herself opening the door and entering. She found a mobile by her mother¡¯s bedside. It¡¯s a prophetic dream. ¡°Ilyin.¡± The voice of the viscountess was faint. She looked straight at Ilyin who was dreaming and not the Ilyin in her dream. A weakly stretched body whose every breath sounded like its last, with a pale, sunken in face. It was how Ilyin had last seen Sid before he died. Her mother was dying. She won¡¯t last the night. She instinctively noticed. ¡°This is a dream.¡± I know. Ilyin wanted to answer, but it was unclear whether her voice would reach her. Ilyin tried to speak but the words got stuck in her throat as strange feelings overwhelmed her. This was her mother whom she had not met properly since the age of seven. Ilyin¡¯s father hated both her and her mother. He complained that his own son¡¯s mother had foreseen his death, and then went crazy. ¡°She confuses dreams with reality and even says strange words that don¡¯t make sense,¡± he would say to people. But not now. Ilyin was sure. Her mother was talking with a very clear mind. This was the clear and warm voice that Sid had heard before he died. ¡°Come here,¡± the Viscountess said softly and slowly turned her head and looked out of her window. Ilyin looked out too and saw the full moon outside the window. *** Ilyin jolted awake from her dream. She quickly pulled back her blanket and rushed to the window where she drew open the thick blackout curtain. Surprised by her sudden movement, Etra knocked on the door. ¡°Madam, what¡¯s wrong?¡± However, the words did not reach Ilyin. Infront of her was a beautiful night with clear skies. In the clear sky without a single cloud, was a full moon. It was the same sky as in her dream, the same full moon. Oh my god. My mother¡¯s death is today. *** Milo¡¯s work in the warm region was not only the work of the top people of Acid. To be precise, he oversaw all the external affairs of Biflten. Milo was most definitely the second busiest person after Aden in Delrose. ¡°If it¡¯s an attack, the most likely culprit is the Blue North.¡± Milo and Aden were sitting in the private room of the top owner of Acid. At dawn, that was the only place that lit up brightly. Aegis, who was originally supposed to protect Aden¡¯s back like a shadow, was waiting outside the room upon Aden¡¯s orders. This was all a continuation of Aden¡¯s plan to ¡°deceive the dream¡± ever since he had heard Ilyin¡¯s foreshadowing of them being attacked. ¡°I agree, but it¡¯s better to be careful when you have doubts,¡± said Aden. Milo bowed his head politely in agreement. However, one could tell there was something on his mind. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Milo began carefully. Aden watched his loyal subordinate silently. Milo struggled to bring out words under Aden¡¯s strong gaze. Chapter 76 ¡°Will it be okay?¡± Milo didn¡¯t rush his words. The heavy silence thicketed the room. ¡°Predictive dreams are abilities whose origins and limits are still unknown,¡± Milo continued despite the nerves, ¡°Of course, as you said, what was predicted before happened, but what variables will occur¡­¡± The displeasure on Aden¡¯s face was evident. Milo read it clear as day. However, he did not withdraw his words and observed the disposition of the lord. Those were words that could be said because it was Milo. Milo was a person trusted by Aden, so much so that he dared to put brakes on Aden¡¯s decision. ¡°I do understand your concern.¡± Aden, who had been silent for a while, spoke. He did not blame his cautious subordinate. Of course, suspicions of Ilyin offended him, but Milo¡¯s words were not deceptions but concerns. There was certainly a risk to unconditionally trust an ability that was not fully understood. Still, Aden did not intend to change his plan. ¡°Anyway,¡± Aden said after a brief pause, ¡°If it really is the Blue North, it¡¯s time to get to the matter at hand.¡± It was largely due to his father that the notion that a winter duke would become an ¡°ordinary person¡± in the warm region was deeply rooted in the consciousness of the Biflten people. Satisfied with the apparent peace, the previous Duke did not care to know what kind of monsters grew in Biflten. He was also the weakest winter duke, but he was not as interested in power. Red Delrose¡¯s knights had always been outstanding, but this was not always apparent as they were unable to hone their abilities properly without a competent leader. ¡°Lidan.¡± Blue North¡¯s Lidan. If Aden was really attacked as Ilyin predicted, and if Lidan was behind the attack, that meant that Lidan¡¯s neck was still chained to the people at the top of the hierarchy. Arden smiled as he licked his lips. ¡°If he had only relied on his power, he would not have been able to survive until now. You don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡± As Milo feared, there were many variables. Contrary to Ilyin¡¯s prediction there could be no attack, or even if attacked, the size of the enemy or the way they were attacked could be completely different. Still, since the possibility of an attack had been brought up, there ought to be no carelessness. If they were fully prepared, they had nothing to fear even if they were attacked. ¡°Okay.¡± The idea that the winter duke would collapse when he was out in the sun was only Lidan¡¯s wishful thinking. Milo bowed his head without further refuting. ¡°Please allow us to deploy troops around the wagon instead,¡± he spoke quickly before the lord could say anything, ¡°I will instruct the knights to escort you outside Her Majesty¡¯s sight.¡± Aden didn¡¯t refuse to that. He nodded briefly as a sign of permission. Then suddenly turned his eyes and looked at the door. ¡°¡ªIlyin?¡± ¡°What?¡± Milo, who was not as sensitive to presences as Aden, seemed to have heard nothing. But Aden could tell. They were in a building which was mostly vacant and silent except for the soldiers who slept and stood guard. Even there, his senses seemed to capture Ilyin¡¯s unique presence. It was a short but lovely movement that seemed to slowly fade away. ¡°Madam¡±? As he expected, Aegis¡¯ voice was heard at the end of the hallway. He seemed to have encountered Ilyin, too. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s already dawn, but is Den sleeping?¡± Aden didn¡¯t miss the urgency in her voice as he quickly raised himself up. ¡°No, he¡¯s inside.¡± Aden didn¡¯t wait for Aegis to guide Ilyin. He immediately went to open the door and caught Ilyin coming across the hallway towards him. ¡°Ilyin, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ilyin¡¯s breathing was uneven, and she was visibly shaking. Ilyin quickly approached him and hugged him. Anyone could see her anxious state. Aden embraced her small body. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he repeated as he rubbed Ilyin¡¯s back until she took a deep breath. ¡°What makes you so anxious?¡± he asked, his voice filled with worry. He thought of things that could threaten Ilyin in the sun. Seeing the face of Viscount Arlen after so long may have caused her to lose sleep at night. ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a nightmare.¡± Ilyin¡¯s shaky words were different from what he expected. ¡°It was my mother,¡± Ilyin speaking in a trembling voice, grabbed his arm tightly. ¡°Can we go to Viscount Arlen right now?¡± *** All schedules to head to Biflten were suspended. It was very fortunate for Ilyin that the top of the Acid was entirely owned by Delrose. As soon as Aden heard about her precognitive dream, he instructed Aegis to suspend all schedules. Viscount Arlen seemed to know that Ilyin would come, to be exact, that she would someday predict the Viscountess¡¯ death. But Ilyin didn¡¯t know it was today, her face grew pale. ¡°The Viscount, did you call him?¡± Aden asked cautiously. ¡°My mother¡­¡± Ilyin thought of the precognitive dream. Mother, who has a mobile next to her, clearly said that this is a dream. Chapter 77 The foresight Ilyin saw this time was different than usual. During this foresight, she wasn¡¯t observing herself in the dream, but she was completely aware of herself and even managed to have a conversation with her mother. She had plenty of foresights before, but this was the first time that a person in the dream was aware of the person dreaming and was able to deliver messages. Because of that, Ilyin wanted to believe that what she saw wasn¡¯t a foresight but just a dream. Ilyin couldn¡¯t help feeling that she was rushed awake because her head was spinning the second she awoke. The dream had a mobile for sure though. Ilyin stopped as she thought that. How? How did Aden know? She hadn¡¯t fully explained what the dream was about because she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say that her mother was going to die. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said it out loud!¡± She could still hear the voice of her mother filled with regret scream, the day her brother Sid died. It felt like the moment Ilyin said her foresight out loud, her mother¡¯s death was going to become certain and so she couldn¡¯t say it. She just told them that they had to go to Arlen as quickly as possible, hoping against hope that it was just a bad dream. Ilyin was about to say something but then her dizziness got worse, so she lowered her head. When she said she had to go to the Arlen mansion, the winter people, at the crack of dawn, had to wake up and prepare for the trip. ¡°Can¡¯t you do this a little quieter?¡± Aden, noticing how awkward Ilyin felt, waved Idith over to order people to stop moving so busily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ilyin said quietly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be,¡± Aden said immediately. If Ilyin needed it, for certain her priorities came first. Aden wrapped his arms around her shoulders. As soon as Ilyin hugged him and mentioned Arlen mansion, he knew instinctively that something had happened to the Viscountess. The mansion had enough defense around the mansion to protect the family. There were also no groups of monsters nearby that could attack within a few hours so there was only one thing that could have happened in that mansion. The death of the Viscountess. ¡°My mother,¡± Ilyin tried to continue. Since she had caused all this fuss at dawn, she wanted to give the reason as to why she was like this. Aden had ordered the mansion to prepare for a trip without a word. Ilyin was thankful but also sorry. Aden was a master that was trusted. The red Delrose were loyalists that followed his words without question, but they too couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the reason for such a random order at the crack of dawn was. ¡°Don¡¯t ever say anything ominous again.¡± The rough voice of Viscount Arlen seemed to ring in her ears. It was the day of Sid¡¯s funeral. That night her father had been drinking, and despite telling her not to say another word about foresights anymore, he was still curious about whether she had dreamt of him. Even after that, he was still curious. He was afraid of Ilyin saying the dreams out loud but always wished to know if the dreams were about him. Ilyin lowered her head. She could still clearly see her mother¡¯s weak, pale face she had seen in the dream. There was a definite smell of death exuding from her. Ilyin¡¯s gaze went to the sky. It was the same full moon that she saw in her dream, her heartbeat quickened. Ilyin¡¯s mother had started showing signs of madness from the shock of Sid¡¯s death. After that, Viscount Arlen never allowed the two of them to be in the same room again. Even so, Ilyin¡¯s memory from when she was seven years old was as clear as if it were yesterday. The Viscountess was a mother who tried her best to only show good things to her children. Unlike her father who was busy trying to uphold his dignity, she tried to make sure Ilyin and Sid enjoyed whatever they could. Unlike the other nobles¡¯ wives, she treated her daughter and son like her equal. She didn¡¯t give in even when the Viscount kept saying that only the commoners behaved that way. Thanks to that, Ilyin and Sid were able to play with toys made by their own mother, which was uncommon for a noble. They spent more time with their mother than the family tutor. Until her brother died. It had been twenty years since then. The two were completely distant as if the mansion was a wide field separating them. The Viscountess¡¯s condition grew worse and worse to the point where she couldn¡¯t even recognize Ilyin. Each time they met, Ilyin¡¯s mother blurted out all the words in her head without hesitating, whether they were kind or not. It was a different person from the mother that she saw when she was young. ¡°We are ready to leave.¡± Idith approached them and reported, breaking Ilyin from her reverie. Aden nodded and turned to cover Ilyin¡¯s head with the blue cloth. ¡°Are you okay?¡± His voice was always calming. Even when he was told about the foresight of him being attacked, he was calm. A person I can always depend on. A person that will never turn against me. Ilyin remembered the cold atmosphere in the mansion right after Sid¡¯s death. As if what she said caused the disaster, everyone whispered whenever they saw her. But not him. Ilyin let out a soft breath. ¡°Yes, but Delrose,¡± she turned to the Delrose people that were ready to head to the Arlen mansion. It wasn¡¯t a big party. The two knights that would guard her, a few knights that will guard Aden and Idith and Etra. It was just enough to move quickly. Chapter 78 Ilyin looked up to the full moon which was still as bright as it was in her dream. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a loss to the Merchant to visit the nobles without an appointment?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about Acid,¡± Aden comforted her. It was like he expected. Ilyin was someone who always thought of others even if something bad happened to befall her. You can be a little more, no, way worse and selfish and that still wouldn¡¯t be bad. ¡°You promised me in the early day,¡± Aden whispered into her ear, ¡°you have winter¡¯s everything, as long as you are in Biflten forever.¡± Don¡¯t feel bad for using what¡¯s given to you. He thought as helped Ilyin get on a horse. ¡°Right now, just worry about yourself,¡± Aden looked back at her after getting on the horse himself. ¡°Thank you.¡± Always, really. Ilyin held onto his hand that was holding the reign. Thanks to the blue cloth the morning air wasn¡¯t cold despite the horse¡¯s fast movement. In fact, Ilyin even felt a growing warmth which she knew was due to the nerves and fear. She leaned against Aden on the horse. His arm felt so dependable even though that was the only thing she had to hold on to. Ilyin closed her eyes and leaned against him. When she opened her eyes the sky and Aden¡¯s shoulders and jawline filled her sight. Even though he was riding the horse, every time Ilyin opened her eyes, he turned back to smile at her to calm her down. It was only a moment to Arlen mansion. Aden rode past the summer¡¯s border he saw earlier in the day, and quickly approached the mansion. Ilyin remembered again the time she rode away from the mansion in the symbol-less blue Nos carriage. She didn¡¯t expect that she would come back. Ilyin clenched Aden¡¯s hand despite herself. Aden kissed the top of Ilyin¡¯s head. It was the softest consolation. ¡°Will it be okay, Aden?¡± Ilyin asked again. ¡°Of course,¡± Aden nodded. He continued after a small pause, ¡°Whatever you are afraid of, it is okay.¡± ¡°If I go to see my mother, they will know the relationship between the Acid Merchant and I.¡± That couldn¡¯t be avoided. It also meant that Aden¡¯s face would be revealed which in turn might have an impact on Biflten. If that happened, if Ilyin¡¯s father found out that she was married to Aden, the Duke of Biflten, he would definitely try to exploit it to his favor. ¡°Stop right there!¡± The soldiers called to halt aggressively. They could turn back if they wanted. Ilyin tightened her grip around Aden¡¯s hand. Since she was wearing the blue cloth, they couldn¡¯t have seen her face. If they turned around right now, if she chose to believe that the foresight was just a bad dream, she would still be El of Acid Merchant, and there would be no problem caused to the Merchant and Biflten. ¡°Winter isn¡¯t that weak,¡± Aden softly caressed Ilyin¡¯s head as if reading her mind. From the top of her head, his warmth covered her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry and do as you wish.¡± The soldiers approached. They would still be able to see her face. She had to decide. Ilyin, who had her head down, lightly kissed Aden¡¯s cheek. It was an impulsive gift, enough to clear Aden¡¯s mind momentarily. Ilyin got off the horse on her own. The blue cloth that Aden had carefully put on her covered her face right up until below her eyes. She approached the soldiers. Behind them, she could see a knight look down at her. Ilyin slowly raised her hand to the top of her head. She grabbed the veil covering her and without hesitation removed it. Her beautiful silver hair shone in the moonlight. The knight and the soldiers¡¯ mouths widened in surprise. ¡°Let us through,¡± she ordered firmly after revealing her face. *** The Arlen mansion bustled, news that Ilyin de Arlen who disappeared had returned spread quickly like wildfire. To the world, she was seen as an immature noble youngling, who was raised with all the love and care in the world but left against her father¡¯s wishes to find love in the north. The rumors began from the mansion and the choice of rumor that was going to be spread was completely up to Viscount Arlen. ¡°I¡¯ve chosen my place of marriage.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°The north.¡± The Viscount tried hard to find out which family she married into. The daughter who left without a word had really disappeared without a trace. Arlen mansion originally didn¡¯t have much communication with the north. To be precise, they didn¡¯t have a reason to be friends. If anything, if they had communicated more, the Viscount would know who it was that Ilyin had wed. Not knowing which family in the north she married into, Viscount Arlen had to keep steering away from questions related to Ilyin¡¯s whereabouts whenever guests visited the mansion. He was worried about who it was that she married. There weren¡¯t many well-known families from the north. There was only one family that was widely known and that was the family of the Duke of Biflten and unless they were crazy, they would never accept a mere youngling of Viscount into their family. Biflten was in the winter region so if she really happened to go there, it would be faster to forget about his stupid daughter. For Ilyin who was raised in Arlen ¡ª which was as hot as the south around the capital ¡ª Biflten was too cold of a place for her to survive. Also, wasn¡¯t Biflten a land of monsters? There¡¯s no way. Viscount Arlen dismissed even the thought of it possibly being the Duke of Biflten and was slowly looking into other families of the north. To begin a deal with Acid Merchant, which was in charge of the north, was an absolute turning point. Chapter 79 Moreover, finding Ilyin¡¯s whereabouts gave him an opportunity to start exchanging goods with the northern families by using the advantage of being a producer of carrots. Then, when the monopoly of Acid ended the Viscount might be able to directly deal with northern families, which meant half the freight fee. Even better if Ilyin had married into one of them. Using the guise of being in-laws well, he could expand his connection to other families. Even just with that, the profit was infinite. He went to bed with such sweet plan but was jolted awake by a commotion happening in front of the mansion. He thought it was just a dream. Dream, stupid dream! For 20 years he was sick of the word dream. Not once did he have good results with events that involved the word dream. Regardless of whether it was a good or bad dream, he couldn¡¯t help reacting especially sensitively whenever someone had a dream. ¡°What is this?¡± Infront of Viscount Arlen stood Ilyin. The Viscount was convinced that he was still half asleep but no matter how stupid he was, he wasn¡¯t someone who wholly believed his imagination. The Ilyin that was in front of him was wearing clothes he had never seen before. It wasn¡¯t unfamiliar clothing; it just looked unfamiliar as it was on her. It was something a very noble youngling would wear so it looked very awkward on Ilyin. The clothing Ilyin wore in the house were only the ones allowed and approved by Viscount Arlen. While all the clothes were tailored to fit the image of the Arlen family, it was never something this fancy. Not once did he let Ilyin wear something so decorative so much so that it looked frivolous. ¡°What are these clothes?¡± Ilyin took in a breath as she faced him. It was just for a brief moment. She looked up at the full moon out the window and talked like she had just made up her mind. ¡°I came to see mother,¡± said Ilyin, blatantly ignoring Viscount Arlen¡¯s question about her clothes. The Viscount¡¯s face hardened, but he found that he wasn¡¯t able to say anything. The presence of a man standing behind Ilyin confused him. Was he seeing Den? Den the Acid Merchant personnel that he met just a few hours ago? ¡°What is all this fuss you are causing at this hour?¡± he said, making the anger evident in his tone as he saw Den. This was expected. Viscount Arlen thought. To come to a noble¡¯s mansion at this hour without any appointment was very rude. In that moment, in his conniving head flashed the deal he had made with the Acid Merchant. Maybe he could get a better deal using this as an excuse? It was a nuisance to visit people at dawn, so he still was going to try to get whatever he could out of it. ¡°I will make sure that the Acid Merchant pays recompense for this disturbance,¡± he said sternly yet the glee in his eyes was undeniable. Upon hearing the Viscount¡¯s words Aden was about to say that it didn¡¯t matter, Ilyin interjected. She said the words she had in mind ever since she climbed up the stairs of the mansion up until she was standing in front of Viscount. ¡°I came here as a daughter to my mother.¡± No matter who I married and whose family I joined, the fact that I am the daughter of the Viscountess doesn¡¯t change. That also meant that the Acid Merchant didn¡¯t have to be responsible for them coming here at such odd hour. Her father had already recognized Den as an Acid Merchant personnel and now that Ilyin came with him, she couldn¡¯t deny her relationship with the Acid Merchant, so this was the only way. ¡°As the daughter?¡± Viscount Arlen snapped his head to the end of the hallway he had his back on upon hearing a loud noise. His expression was awkward like someone had put a handful of sand in his mouth. Aden turned his attention to where the loud noise was coming from. The sound was coming from the Viscountess¡¯s room, which was located right at the turn of the hallway if he remembered correctly. The mansion was already in a chaotic state even before the group had arrived. There was almost no reason for a noble¡¯s mansion to be so loud at such time. It has already started. He was certain after hearing the commotion coming from the end of the hallway. ¡°Did you come¡­ after seeing something?¡± said the Viscount wincing as he struggled to get out the words. Aden¡¯s eyes narrowed with displeasure. The Viscount didn¡¯t even bother to try hiding his disapproval of Ilyin¡¯s foresight ability. Ilyin didn¡¯t avoid Viscount Arlen¡¯s gaze. ¡°Yes. That is why I came.¡± ¡°Master!¡± At that moment, a maid came running from around the corner of the hallway. ¡°Mistress is-¡± she cut off upon seeing Ilyin. She gasped, forgetting to even report to her master. She saw someone she thought she¡¯d never see again. She certainly remembered Ilyin. She was in charge of cleaning around when Ilyin stayed at the mansion. That wasn¡¯t all, she used to keep a watch on Ilyin so she knew her well and as she observed closely, she saw that Ilyin was not the same anymore. Ilyin¡¯s eyes held a gaze like it was someone else¡¯s. It was the eyes of someone who was standing strong. It wasn¡¯t the eyes of someone who was just going along with the people around her and accepting everything. Part of it could have been attributed to the fact that she was wearing much more ornate clothing than before. Her silver hair and the ornaments on her were shining brightly, she definitely looked like a different person. ¡°Mother called me.¡± Ilyin was going to go to her mother even if the Viscount stopped her. Her violet eyes shone with strong will. What is it that made someone who was so powerless hold such fierceness in their eyes? The maid couldn¡¯t believe that it was Ilyin that was standing in front of her. Aden, who was standing behind Ilyin, put his hands on her shoulders. His gaze went to the end of the hallway where the maid came from. ¡°It¡¯s already noisy,¡± he paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°as you saw, it looks like it¡¯s coming.¡± How do you know? Ilyin remembered the question she wanted to ask but stopped before coming here. How did Aden know about the foresight when I hadn¡¯t told him? Chapter 80 ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about it in a moment,¡± he said as if reading her mind. Aden couldn¡¯t help but feel partly responsible. When he saw Ilyin¡¯s face while coming here, he wished that her ability was a lie just this once. Ilyin looked scared and troubled. But it was the truth. I had already guessed what was going to happen to the Viscountess and didn¡¯t tell Ilyin. Ilyin foresaw the attack on me, and I in return allowed her to get attacked by this surprise. As Aden looked at Ilyin¡¯s concerned profile, his lips became sealed. This was too big of a sin to be simply covered with the word mistake. ¡°Alright then.¡± Ilyin turned away from the speechless Viscount Arlen and as she passed him his eyes never left her. She was having cold sweats as if someone was after her. There¡¯s no need to worry, Ilyin thought as she grabbed Aden¡¯s arm despite herself. He softly brushed her hand with his fingers and escorted her. The attendants of the mansion when they saw Ilyin gasped in their own voice. Their reaction was all similar. How and why was she here? ¡°Everyone, get out of the room.¡± Her words held power. It was a majestic presence they never felt from her before. The maids stopped themselves and left without realizing. Ilyin, just like that, entered the Viscountess¡¯s room quickly like in the foresight. *** It was the same ceiling she saw in the dream. The sky that could be seen out the window had the same full moon; everything was exactly the same as it was in the dream. Her mother¡¯s weak body lay in the bed in front of Ilyin. The Viscountess¡¯s eyes had almost had no life. The silver hair that was wet with cold sweat was covering a face that had become as pale as ghost. The lips that were so dry and had no blood called her. ¡°Ilyin.¡± The only thing different from the dream was Viscount Arlen¡¯s gaze that followed Ilyin as she walked into the room. Ilyin slowly approached the bed. She felt everything more clearly than in the dream, she could sense that her mother didn¡¯t have more time. The dream that she dreamt wasn¡¯t a nightmare, but a real foresight. She foresaw the death of a family member again. Ilyin couldn¡¯t help thinking of how much she didn¡¯t like the future she couldn¡¯t stop as she looked at her mother in bed. Now she could understand a little the reaction her mother showed when Ilyin had foreseen Sid¡¯s death at seven. She remembered how one time the disaster of an avalanche that was going to hit the Delrose Knights in Biflten was averted. While the avalanche itself couldn¡¯t be stopped, they were able to avoid getting hurt. She wished she could only see the foresights for those kind of events. Ilyin stared at her mother, whose breathing was getting weaker. Aden, who was beside her, was also watching the Viscountess. In Aden¡¯s eyes, it was more certain now than when he saw her earlier in the day. That the Viscountess¡¯s muscles were already giving in. It was sign of a death. The Viscountess¡¯s lung muscles were slowly giving in, she was having trouble speaking and her eyesight was becoming dimmer. Right now, with unbelievable determination, she was focusing her gaze on Ilyin. The breathing was weak. Slowly the sound of life was going away. Really, there was almost no time left. Soon, that hard breathing would end. ¡°Ilyin,¡± the Viscountess¡¯s voice was more air than sound. Ilyin stood by the bedside and listened. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here,¡± she swallowed the lump forming in her throat, ¡°like you called me.¡± Aden, who was looking at the Viscountess, turned to look at Ilyin. He was convinced now more than ever that she could definitely see the future. Ilyin never liked Viscount Arlen. The short stories that she told Aden at night she always made sure to portray the Viscount as a good person, but the Viscount was never a father figure to her. What happened to her brother when she was seven had surprised Ilyin but since she wasn¡¯t able to control her ability, she had to be kept under the watch of her so-called father who brainwashed her into thinking that she wasn¡¯t supposed to say anything about her ability to foresee the future. Ilyin was also separated from Viscountess who had taken care of her, her entire childhood. Viscount Arlen was the reason why Ilyin¡¯s childhood ended at seven years old. And Viscountess Arlen? In Ilyin¡¯s stories, she was a comforting mother. Until Sid died. After that, Viscountess Arlen started losing her mind due to the shock and had no filter. She said hurtful things to Ilyin, but even then, her account of the Viscountess wasn¡¯t as bad as when she talked about stories of Viscount Arlen. What kind of a person was Viscountess Arlen to Ilyin? Aden thought. Ilyin was separated from her mother after coming to Biflten and even though that was the tradition, if that gave Ilyin a feeling of loss, that was Aden¡¯s sin. He always thought that, so when Ilyin arrived, his first order to the people of Red Delrose was that since Ilyin came to a faraway region of winter, scared and unfamiliar, she should never feel loneliness. But no matter how hard Delrose tried, there was always a hole where the Viscountess used to be in the heart of the child Ilyin and as if it was telling him that right now, Ilyin¡¯s face carried a weight like he had never seen before. Chapter 81 ¡°You¡¯ve married an amazing person.¡± The Viscountess¡¯s voice was feeble but as the room was quiet, Ilyin heard it clearly. Ilyin turned to Aden. She smiled at him softly and answered, ¡°I have indeed.¡± There was no need to explain further. Ilyin also knew that the Viscountess had foresights. Ever since Ilyin was seven years old, it was difficult to face her mom. There were opportunities to see each other as they lived in the same mansion, but it was rare since the Viscountess was rarely in her right mind as madness swallowed her. It had been a long time since the two of them had a normal conversation, but they knew everything about each other like they had just spoken yesterday. Aden shortly thought that this was the connection between the people with the ability of foresight. Then the feeling of loss from the Viscountess¡¯s empty space in Ilyin¡¯s heart was something that Delrose couldn¡¯t fill in. ¡°There¡¯s a mobile here like in the dream.¡± Ilyin turned her gaze to the head of the bed. There hung a mobile she was familiar with, just like how the foresight had a mobile that just happened to be there. It was decorated with ten different colored silk. Just like she always saw in dreams. ¡°It¡¯s yours,¡± said the Viscountess softly and Ilyin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Don¡¯t stop her if she tries to come.¡¯ ¡®I have something to give her.¡¯ Is that what she meant? Aden looked at the mobile again. As if Ilyin was trying to look at her living mom just a little more, she couldn¡¯t keep her eyes off. She never quite felt the empty space of her mom until now. Ilyin was aware that her mother¡¯s health wasn¡¯t well, but she didn¡¯t think she¡¯d pass away this soon. Even to the ones with the ability of foresight, death was always a surprise. After Sid¡¯s death, Ilyin was always afraid of death showing up in each foresight. On the other hand, she had weakly thought about how if she prepared herself the moment the death was foreseen then maybe it might be less shocking. But that wasn¡¯t the case. Ilyin thought about how anxious her mom was when Ilyin prophesied Sid¡¯s death. ¡°Mom, you knew this fate.¡± It was rare for a grown up noble to use the word mom. Aden¡¯s gaze was on Ilyin. He didn¡¯t want to interrupt her in any way when Ilyin was having her last moments with the Viscountess, so he just lightly put his hand on her shoulder. It was consoling. Ilyin held his hand and spoke, her voice almost cracking. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said it out loud.¡± She was reminded of the words that she had heard and repeated to herself since she was seven. She guessed this is what they meant. It meant that after knowing about death, all focus went on that death and that everything else lost light. That seemed to be why both her grandmother and mother both really disliked the ability of foresight. Once again, the burden of the ability to foresee felt even heavier of a duty. Not being able to avoid the future that was approaching was scary, but it was even more scary when you knew exactly what it held. Ilyin¡¯s hands trembled. Aden looked at her and quietly hugged her. Even though he had lots to say, he had no intention of getting in the way of their farewell. Ilyin stared at the Viscountess until the room got even quieter. Aden noticed that the Viscountess had stopped breathing before Ilyin but didn¡¯t bother saying it. Ilyin carefully put her hand on the Viscountess¡¯s cheek when she froze, the cheek that still had some warmth now was cold and the pale hue of it had no semblance to the color of blood. It was weird that she wouldn¡¯t be able to see her mom anymore. No matter where she was, even if it was the far winter region, to her knowledge her mom was alive somewhere and so she didn¡¯t give her mom much thought. She was more focused on adjusting to the winter. Even now. It would be great if she just woke up from a dream and it was the winter region. Then in the Arlen mansion faraway, her mom would still be alive, and that she could just endure. But this was the reality. The only thing in this reality was Aden who was consoling her. ¡°Ilyin,¡± Aden said softly and grabbed her trembling hands. He kissed her on the forehead. Then he said something she needed the most, and she wanted to come true the most. ¡°Believe in the power of winter.¡± *** When Ilyin and Aden had entered the Viscountess¡¯s room, Viscount Arlen had gotten a weird feeling as his gaze was locked on the tightly held hands of Ilyin and Den. Den, the man who was wearing a neat black uniform. The man with pale white skin, neatly slicked back hair and dark blue eyes that was like frost, and who felt like he was from another dimension. For sure this was the man that Viscount Arlen saw in the morning. He should be part of the Acid Merchant, but his clothes didn¡¯t show any such indication or symbol, was it on his sword then? Viscount Arlen, unlike himself, thought sharply and to his mind came some more peculiar things. Den¡¯s hand that was escorting Ilyin. Even someone as dull as him could know, Den was serving Ilyin with utmost care. Was it serving? To Viscount Arlen, the relationship between Ilyin and the man was confusing. Viscount Arlen could see clearly that the man was paying attention to every detail to make sure nothing was bothering her. As if taking care of something so important that might crack if something went wrong even slightly. It wasn¡¯t respect shown to a higher up, but it wasn¡¯t loyalty shown to a master either. It was something way more personal. Perhaps? Chapter 82 Viscount Arlen remembered Ilyin¡¯s words of her getting married to a family of the north. Perhaps, this was the reason why there were absolutely no rumors from the northern families? Because Ilyin married a merchant? Viscount Arlen clicked his tongue. How could she even think about getting married to a lowly merchant? He shook his head. Ilyin¡¯s rumors were now turned true, that she was a weird noble child that ran away because she couldn¡¯t handle the Viscount. Lowly blood is lowly blood. He remembered the Viscountess that came to him a long time ago. It was for him a one-time thing with a one-time affection. No honestly, the finance rather than the affection was sweeter. She came one day and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to carry your child.¡± It wasn¡¯t like a resolution nor a conviction. She talked nonsense, it wasn¡¯t that she was promising the future, but that she came after seeing a future where she would be having his child. Though he didn¡¯t believe her at the time, he was interested as the bold woman was extremely beautiful. However, a child was born just as she said and like her mother, the child that was born was ominous. The Viscount looked at where Ilyin and Den passed again. Then clicked his tongue and turned his gaze away. He didn¡¯t want to bother seeing his wife dying. Just like the usual, she would say it¡¯s the future or something that was nonsensical and ominous. He could tell people that he didn¡¯t want to be a part of the reunion with the daughter that ran away and that his wife passed away during the reunion. The Viscount only thought about his image during all of this. There was no hesitation when he was turning around. *** The Viscountess of Arlen¡¯s funeral was held with great grandeur and pomposity. As if Viscount¡¯s wish came true, the northern families that knew him came to offer their condolences. Of course, they didn¡¯t show it personally. It was mostly the vassals of the family or the representatives of the family that came in their lieu. Amongst them were those who complained about why they had to come to such lowly family, but they rationalized it as their master¡¯s great generosity and had an arrogant attitude the whole time. Ilyin¡¯s vision was slightly obscured by the black veil. It was dark like there was a layer of achromatic cloth on top of the bright world. Even though she knew it was because of the veil, it felt like it was a perfect metaphor for her life currently. Still, Aden was by her side the entire time. In the world obscured by the achromatic cloth, she felt that this man shone colorfully despite it all. She grabbed his hand tightly. Their stay in the warm region had extended unintentionally. The Acid Merchant sent people for condolences to show respect to Viscount Arlen with whom they had just started a deal with. Of course, that was only a cover-up, the reality being that they were sending people to serve Ilyin and Aden. Milo quickly moved the moment he heard of the death of Viscountess Arlen. First, he unpacked everything they had packed to head back to the north and sent the maids that served the master couple to the Viscount mansion. ¡°You must be heartbroken.¡± Viscount Arlen was busy receiving guests. The guests moved around the Viscountess¡¯s coffin, but everyone just seemed to be doing it out of formality as they just quietly showed respect and walked past it. It felt like people who were close to her could¡¯ve come, but there was no one at the funeral that looked like her friend. The guests could be heard whispering at how even her own family didn¡¯t show. Even though it had been a while since they were in touch, none of the family showing up at the funeral stirred up some rumors. ¡°Ah yes.¡± Even Viscount Arlen who cared about the family¡¯s image turned his head sadly at the subject. He was holding back any excuses he could say and kept silent. ¡°He¡¯s the same even on a day like this.¡± It was Aden that was beside Ilyin. Etra and Idith were behind the two of them. A person approached them and instinctively, Idith moved to block the stranger, but Ilyin stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s ok, Idith.¡± She looked at the lady whose face was also covered by a black veil. She was holding a cane but her back was so straight that it didn¡¯t seem necessary. Idith moved back at Ilyin¡¯s words. There was a chuckle from underneath the veil, ¡°You¡¯ve married an amazing person.¡± It was the same thing the Viscountess said. Aden¡¯s eyes opened a little wider as he realized who she was. He was curious about the answer, but even for the Duke of Winter, he didn¡¯t have the ability to see through a thick veil. ¡°Grandmother.¡± Ilyin¡¯s voice gave the answer. ¡°If you¡¯re curious about the name, call me Bertha.¡± Ilyin¡¯s grandmother, Bertha, looked straight at Aden. Aden bowed, ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Bertha laughed again. The joyous sound that didn¡¯t fit the funeral echoed lightly around the three of them. ¡°For sure you are a young man quite different from the rumors.¡± She looked happy. This might be the first time in a while, no, the first time ever that Ilyin saw her grandmother this happy. They didn¡¯t communicate much. Grandmother who moved far away when Ilyin was young hadn¡¯t even told her where she was going. ¡®Where are you going?¡¯ Young Ilyin asked. Bertha¡¯s answer was just as enigmatic as her, ¡®You will know if you need it.¡¯ Ilyin, even at a young age, somewhat understood what her grandmother meant. If there was something important, the foresight would tell her. Like now. This time, my grandmother came to find me. Ilyin looked at the coffin quietly. The Viscountess, tidied up more than when she was living, lied there with her long shiny hair which ironically looked more alive now than it ever did when she was alive. Chapter 83 Bertha walked towards the coffin and looked down on her daughter whose eyes were closed. ¡°You saw it too right, grandma?¡± About mother¡¯s death. Ilyin didn¡¯t say the last part. Bertha nodded, ¡°Yes. Something like this I always see.¡± She leaned her body towards her daughter. She kissed the already cold forehead and after pausing for a few seconds, slowly turned away from the coffin. ¡°I was only seeing good things recently,¡± said Bertha looking at Ilyin and Aden. For a moment, Ilyin blinked as she didn¡¯t understand and then covered her mouth with her hand as realization dawned on her. No. Oh god, no. Bertha laughed again. ¡°Don¡¯t be so worried. Not the embarrassing parts, dear.¡± Bertha winked. Ilyin took Aden¡¯s arm and buried her face in it as Bertha chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t seem so alone anymore,¡± said Bertha fondly, ¡°I know you must have heard this a few times, but you really married someone amazing.¡± Bertha shook her head a little and lifted her veil as it was getting in the way. Aden¡¯s eyes met with Bertha¡¯s. The eyes that were even more of a dark violet than Ilyin¡¯s eyes looked back at him clearly. ¡°Duke of Winter.¡± The voice of certainty rang. It was quiet enough for a funeral that was rather loud to bury. Idith and Etra shifted slightly at her blunt statement. Ilyin, who was right in front of Bertha, leaned in as she couldn¡¯t hear her, but the two of them did. As did Aden. Their ears definitely picked out her voice. Bertha said it whilst looking straight at Aden. Aden realized that Bertha knew everything ¨C the marriage, Biflten and his actual identity. He looked at Ilyin, then put his index finger to Bertha. Of course, while having his index finger on Bertha¡¯s lips, he made sure to still be courteous. It was a respectful, and in a way cute, way of asking her to keep it a secret. Bertha was flustered by her grandson-in-law¡¯s cutesy act. She laughed absurdly and turned to Ilyin. ¡°You married a conniving one.¡± Unlike her words, her face was bright. Bertha turned around and said in what seemed to be a worrying voice, ¡°Does he act like that to others?¡± ¡°No way,¡± Ilyin shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. She was being mischievous as Bertha would¡¯ve seen it all already. Even though she didn¡¯t see her grandma too much, she felt closer to her. Aden remained serious between all this. ¡°Never.¡± His stern face made him look a bit like the Duke of Winter. Bertha laughed. ¡°By his cold look, I guess his nickname isn¡¯t empty.¡± Aden thought about how he should be careful around Ilyin¡¯s side of the family. It wasn¡¯t a hostile wariness. It was okay if he lost to Ilyin all the time. He was okay being the flower path underneath her feet and being stepped on by her. But not in front of others. Even though it was her family, they were still others. He didn¡¯t want to become someone who just lost all the time. He had to be someone who was reliable and strong for Ilyin all the time. By any means, Ilyin¡¯s side of the family, especially Bertha in front of him , wasn¡¯t an easy opposition. How could you beat someone who could see everything about everyone with the power of foresight? ¡°You must be heartbroken, Viscount Arlen¡¯s child.¡± At that moment, someone approached them. After seeing her face when she walked by, Ilyin realized it was someone Ilyin recognized. It was the child of Baron Vitin. Thankfully, Ilyin¡¯s smart head spat out the woman¡¯s name quickly. Bertha put her veil down and covered her face. Aden stood behind Ilyin as he didn¡¯t know who the person was. Idith and Etra scanned the child of Baron Vitin. She didn¡¯t look like she had any intentions of attacking nor even the ability to and so they naturally let her through to Ilyin. Even then, the two of them positioned themselves at the child¡¯s blind spot. ¡°Thank you for worrying.¡± Ilyin¡¯s expression couldn¡¯t be seen as it was covered by the thick veil but her formal gratitude was conveyed clearly. At that moment, the child of Baron Vitin¡¯s gaze suddenly turned to Aden, who was standing behind her. ¡°Who is this?¡± In the customs of the nobles, it was natural to introduce the person they didn¡¯t know to each other. The meeting was usually for the purpose of acquainting each other but the way the question was posed by the child of Baron Vitin felt daring. The child seemed to be clueless on the etiquettes of nobles. Everyone who attended the funeral had quickly scanned the man beside Ilyin already. Weren¡¯t there things that could be discovered without even asking? Firstly, Viscount Arlen recently had more communication with the northern families and the rumor of his daughter being married was going around secretly. There was no way people who communicated with the Arlen house didn¡¯t know this. ¡°That man is¡­¡± There were whisperings amongst the guests. The man beside the child wasn¡¯t well known, which meant his rank wasn¡¯t that high. His clothing didn¡¯t seem like that of a knight¡¯s since if he was a knight somewhere escorting Ilyin out of duty, then there would be a cape or accessory that showed where he belonged. But he didn¡¯t have anything. His face was handsome, but his clothing seemed so simple. Of course, they were people who came from noble houses, so they knew how to look at clothes and most of them knew that the value of what he was wearing was quite high. Chapter 84 ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, they didn¡¯t say it but isn¡¯t it obvious¡­.¡± Decisively, the child of Viscount Arlen showed up with an outside man who was perhaps her husband. Even though she didn¡¯t officially debut to the social scene, the person who knew best about formalities of a noble household was Ilyin de Arlen. It was a truth that was known by few of the guests that came to the Viscount¡¯s mansion which spread to the rest that showed up to the funeral. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have brought him without knowing the meaning of this.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like someone that¡¯s known.¡± Aden knew that the whispers amongst them was mostly concerning him. Ilyin also had quite a few different words reach her ears, but she knew that the main topic of these whispers was him. It was his choice to reveal his identity, however. Ilyin looked up to Aden. Was he really okay? She heard that he had severed ties with the warm region after becoming the Duke of Biflten. This particular information might become a fire starter and cause tension amongst the people there but Aden smiled reassuringly at her like he read her mind. ¡°Den of Acid Merchant,¡± said Aden, his voice strong and clear. Viscount Arlen already knew him as part of the Acid Merchant, as the agent of the Northern Circulation Manager. From what he heard and from Milo¡¯s report, Viscount Arlen hadn¡¯t told others about Ilyin¡¯s marriage. He was probably going to start a rumor regarding Ilyin, of how she ran away from home because she didn¡¯t want to listen to her father. Then he would¡¯ve gotten the uncharacteristic title of an adoring father who tried to listen to his daughter, giving up raising the family name just to give her joy. And later, he would try to figure out which family Ilyin married into so he could profit off it. It was hard to find someone who could be read so easily after meeting only a couple times. Nobles found marrying a merchant lowly. Aden was a bit worried about that, but Ilyin was already holding his hand. That meant that Ilyin didn¡¯t think that they should be hiding their relationship here. Even if it was a small gesture, Aden couldn¡¯t help feeling happy. This meant that Ilyin was proud to show him outside. ¡°Ah, a merchant. I see,¡± said the child of Baron Vitin the disapproval clear in her tone. Aden could make out her shallow thought of how a higher position child Ilyin married a lowly merchant. Their conversation echoed in the funeral home. ¡°Then with a merchant?¡± ¡°The Viscount Arlen¡¯s family¡­.¡± Aden¡¯s ears tickled by the whisperings that started up again. He listened without any change in his expression. The news spread fast of the child of Viscount Arlen who never disrespected the etiquettes of the nobles. She was escorted by a man whose affiliations were uncertain, and that man also stood by her mother¡¯s coffin as Ilyin was there. He must be her husband. The Viscount family was keeping silent but that man was definitely chosen by the child. By the looks of Viscount Arlen, he didn¡¯t seem to like it. Ilyin de Arlen, no, the person who used to be the child of Viscount Arlen was married to the man with slicked black hair and dark blue eyes. *** After taking in the funeral home Ilyin proceeded to kiss the Viscountess in the coffin who had her eyes closed. It meant something that she repeated this action that only had to be done once. She knew that a commotion like this always happened where nobles gathered ¨C whether a funeral, marriage, or any other event for that matter. Soon after, the funeral home became quiet like she wanted. Aden stood by Ilyin until the end of the funeral. He woke up before her in the morning and went to bed later than she did. Bertha also stood by Ilyin without a word. She didn¡¯t even notify her son-in-law, Viscount Arlen. As Viscount Arlen was busy greeting other nobles, it was possible that he neglected the guests that came alone. After the first day of the funeral, Idith went to Bertha who was leaving the Viscount¡¯s mansion. ¡°I have an order to bring you to our madam¡¯s bedroom,¡± Idith said as he bowed politely. He didn¡¯t have to show such degree of loyalty to someone who wasn¡¯t his master or madam, but he made sure to be as respectful as possible. Bertha looked at him with an interested expression. ¡°Is it Ilyin¡¯s order?¡± Bertha could make out half of the situation just by looking at Idith¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s my master¡¯s order.¡± But Bertha really only realized half. It was Aden¡¯s order to bring Bertha to where Ilyin was. ¡°Oh.¡± Bertha smiled. Conniving, very conniving. Bertha thought joyfully and took her cane and followed Idith. Idith realized that the purpose of the cane wasn¡¯t for walking after she took a few steps. He carefully reached out his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll escort you comfortably.¡± It wasn¡¯t like an escort. It felt rather like he was asking for something. Chapter 85 Bertha started laughing at the end as she received a surprised gift from her grandson-in-law and his aide¡¯s cute actions. ¡°Can¡¯t stop you,¡± she said as she gladly gave him her cane. Idith pondered for a bit then took the cane in a motion similar to that of taking a long sword. ¡°I didn¡¯t even expect much from the Viscount¡­¡± She looked like she was trying to avoid the word son-in-law, ¡°I didn¡¯t think my grandson-in-law would be more eager than my granddaughter.¡± To think he¡¯d do something so cute. She followed Idith in a joyous mood. Idith bowed deeply to her again. Idith thought that the reason why she followed him without concern was probably because she saw his face in a foresight. He was again reminded of the greatness of the ability of foresight. He wasn¡¯t thinking of it in the beginning, but he swore he would never lie in front of the madam. White lies or not, it would just look like child¡¯s play to someone who already knew everything. He politely led Bertha to the bedroom. She followed him with a walk so powerful, so firm, it didn¡¯t fit someone who was so old. *** There were a few reasons why Aden brought Bertha to Ilyin¡¯s bedroom. First, she was Ilyin¡¯s only blood relative, so he had to be on her good side. Even though he was the Duke of Winter and the master of Biflten who ruled the north frozen with snowstorms, he couldn¡¯t force the marriage life with Ilyin. Of course, Ilyin looked happy in his embrace but if her grandmother Bertha opposed the marriage then he didn¡¯t know what would happen. He didn¡¯t think Ilyin would leave Biflten immediately but even if she thought of leaving, he had no intention of letting her go. ¡°Treat her with the highest care.¡± Aden didn¡¯t want Ilyin to feel an even bigger loss than losing her mother and if did and was because of him, it was an even bigger sin. To win Bertha¡¯s heart for Ilyin was a thing that he had to be doing. If Bertha found Aden uncomfortable, then Ilyin wouldn¡¯t be able to stay comfortably. If he got on Bertha¡¯s wrong side, then there could arise a cruel situation where Ilyin would have to choose between Bertha and Biflten. ¡°Welcome.¡± Ilyin greeted Bertha with a bright face. Another important reason was because of this. Ilyin lost her mother suddenly a few days ago. He was hoping that spending some time with her family would console her. Thankfully Ilyin recovered her laughter quickly while she was with Bertha and on the nights when she was left alone with her thoughts, she would spend it with Aden. By spending some lewd nights ¡ªthat would make Idith, who was guarding the door, feel embarrassed¡ªhe was just trying his best not to make her feel alone. ¡°It¡¯s Milo.¡± Aden cocked his head a little. There was no reason for Milo to be here right now. ¡°Come in.¡± What was the reason for Milo to come to Viscount Arlen¡¯s personally? Aden thought. ¡°Milo at your service.¡± Milo came dressed in the clothings of a servant, rather than the head of the Acid Merchant. It wasn¡¯t too surprising. Milo¡¯s task wasn¡¯t limited to taking care of the merchant. Milo¡¯s tasks also involved being undercover and collecting information. ¡°Cut the formality.¡± Even though no one was watching, Aden had no intention of having a long conversation in a barely sound-proofed room. ¡°What is it?¡± Milo moved carefully. He brought out a pen and paper and then relayed the report through writing. Aden didn¡¯t think that was too much precaution. Of course, there was almost no one who could keep so quiet around him without him noticing. His senses were so rare, it was even hard to find amongst the Biflten monsters, who had much more heightened senses than humans. Even then, it was better to be careful. ¡®I think you should return to the winter region quickly.¡¯ Milo wrote. Aden¡¯s eyes narrowed. Idith, who was guarding behind him, opened his eyes wide. Milo quickly wrote underneath. ¡®We got a report from Elo through the mansion.¡¯ From Elo? There was only one thing that could make them report in such a hurry. ¡®Is it regarding the Esther Tribe?¡¯ ¡®Yes.¡¯ There was no way. Even though it was April when the northwestern wind was strong, there was no way that the powerful Elo would quickly collapse to the point of having to contact the mansion in just a few days. If they had no such strength to hold back the monsters, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep their main base near the monsters¡¯ territory to begin with. And either way, the messengers would have had a hard time delivering messages in the cold weather, so the news of the Duke of Winter heading to the warm region couldn¡¯t have left the proximity of the mansion. How then could the Esther Tribe that was so weak against the Divine Power move at such perfect timing? Something was wrong. ¡®Get ready.¡¯ He wrote as he got up. Chapter 86 Bertha never settled down in one place. Despite her old age, she went around the entire continent. She went to places she wanted, settled where she wanted and worked on what she wanted. Then if she foresaw a situation where she was needed, she moved again. ¡°Like now,¡± Bertha laughed. ¡°Then you moved around anywhere before this?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she nodded at Ilyin¡¯s words, ¡°You thought I left Arlen because I disliked it?¡± Ilyin couldn¡¯t say no. She blushed. Rarely. Very Rarely. If she said never, she¡¯d be lying. In the mansion, mostly when something bad happened. Whenever she heard mean words from Viscount Arlen, or when her mother didn¡¯t recognize her. Then she felt like she needed a place to vent and sometimes she thought that place could be her grandmother but as her grandmother hadn¡¯t told her where she lived, there was no way she could find her. So, when Ilyin was young, she thought that her grandmother hated her. If it wasn¡¯t for her grandmother slapping the Viscount¡¯s face, she might have thought that the entire time. Like always, the incident took place when Viscount Arlen asked and bullied Ilyin about whether she had a dream about him. Her grandmother, who happened to be visiting, slapped the Viscount. That day, she felt relieved. That there was someone who cared about her but then she just disappeared again. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the Viscount, I would¡¯ve stayed here!¡± Bertha said angrily. She waved her hand like she was holding something but then she saw her empty hand in vain. The cane she carried around was propped against the wall. Ilyin asked after listening, ¡°So my father really¡­. forbade you from coming here?¡± ¡°Apparently his cheek is too precious,¡± Bertha spat out annoyingly. ¡°Anyways, you really still look at him as your father?¡± Ilyin laughed awkwardly. She also didn¡¯t want to acknowledge Viscount Arlen as her father but the habit that grew from living in the mansion for 20 years didn¡¯t seem to go away so easily. ¡°You don¡¯t have to live so kindly, dear,¡± Bertha looked at her with concern, ¡°You can live more cruelly.¡± Ilyin eyes widened at Bertha¡¯s words. ¡°You can be as cruel as you want.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not even that bad.¡± It was the same thing Aden said. Bertha laughed, ¡°I only saw your happiness in my dream.¡± She put her hands on the table between them and on the table was the mobile that the Viscountess had left Ilyin. Bertha shook the mobile gently and the ten accessories reflected different lights. ¡°Won¡¯t you¡­. come with us?¡± Ilyin asked while staring at the mobile. She wanted to say ¡°to the winter region¡± but held back in case someone was listening. ¡°To where you are?¡± There was no way her grandmother, who saw through dreams, didn¡¯t know where that was. Ilyin carefully nodded. Her heart pounded quietly. She didn¡¯t know when she would meet her grandmother again once she returned to the winter region. If her grandmother couldn¡¯t stay in Arlen, then couldn¡¯t she just ask Den to have her come to Biftlen? Is it too much to ask? ¡°You¡¯re trying to freeze me to death.¡± Bertha pretended to be angry. Of course, the upward corners of her lips couldn¡¯t hide the joke and Ilyin let out a sigh. She was reminded of how cold the winter region was and how hard it was to adjust to. She had no choice as she married Aden, but that wasn¡¯t the case for Bertha. Even though Bertha looked very healthy, she was still old. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No need to be.¡± Bertha let out a laugh, ¡°Tell me when it gets a little warmer.¡± ¡°That place¡­.¡± Would it ever get warmed? Ilyin stopped herself from saying it. She remembered how Aden said that he would bring summer back. ¡°Also, if I go, wouldn¡¯t I bother the newly-weds?¡± Bertha¡¯s mischievous laughter seemed to hint that she knew everything. Ilyin, with her face turning completely red, turned her gaze to the mobile. Blue, white, red, yellow, green, black, purple, orange, grey, brown. The mobile that was decorated with ten different colored silk was very fancy. Ilyin looked at the familiar mobile that was shaking in Bertha¡¯s hand. ¡°You take this,¡± Bertha gave the mobile to Ilyin, ¡°It should¡¯ve gone to you earlier.¡± Ilyin took the mobile. She was thinking about taking it anyway. She didn¡¯t want to throw out an item that her mother managed to give with the help of a dream. Yes, it would remind her of her mother, but she didn¡¯t want to ignore it. ¡°I wanted it when I was child,¡± Ilyin said as she shook the mobile and the ten different colors reflected up in the air and glimmered in their own ways. ¡°It was in my room when I was little, but it disappeared one day.¡± The reason she was so familiar with the mobile wasn¡¯t only because she kept seeing it in her foresights. She thought about when it disappeared, then remembered that it had happened not too long after what happened to Sid. When she was little, she remembered that she asked a maid to bring any mobile. The maid, with an annoyed face, brought a very old mobile. This was the item that hung in Ilyin¡¯s room. She remembered how she felt empty when it disappeared. Now that her mother finally gave it to her meant that it was her mother who took the mobile from her room. Ilyin shook the mobile again. ¡°It looks like mom also didn¡¯t like me having more foresights.¡± It was hard to deny the link between the mobile and her ability of foresight as it showed up in every foresight she had. ¡°It¡¯s not like you wouldn¡¯t have dreams if you didn¡¯t have the mobile.¡± Bertha sighed, shaking the mobile as she spoke. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Even without it Ilyin had foresights. She remembered she had foresights of her first night with Aden. She blushed a little and looked at Bertha. ¡°Did you make this?¡± As Bertha knew about the item, Ilyin naturally thought that. After mom married, did Bertha give it to her after she was pregnant with me? Ilyin looked at the item and realized that maybe it wasn¡¯t as old as she thought. Chapter 87 ¡°No, I too had it when I was young,¡± a nostalgic glint shone in Bertha¡¯s eyes as she turned the mobile around in her hand. ¡°Pardon?¡± Ilyin could help her widened eyes. If this was something that her grandmother had received when she was young, then it was safe to assume that it was a couple of decades old. This was quite hard to believe seeing as how the mobile didn¡¯t show any signs of being weathered down by time. The box-shaped accessory made of cloth in which the mobile came was in perfect condition. While the mobile wasn¡¯t necessarily an item that was meant to be handled repeatedly, the fact that it was preserved so well through so many decades was shocking to Ilyin. ¡°You can hand it down to your daughter as well,¡± said Bertha, a fond smile playing on her lips. ¡°It¡¯s a family heirloom?¡± Ilyin asked, still in awe at the object in front of her that had managed to elude the effects of time. ¡°When my mother was given this, she was instructed to hand down the mobile if I too saw the mobile in my dreams,¡± Bertha spoke reminiscently. ¡°Then you see this mobile in your dreams too, grandmother?¡± asked Ilyin. ¡°Of course,¡± Bertha said matter-of-factly, ¡°As did my mother and your mother too.¡± As Ilyin¡¯s mom never allowed her to speak about anything even remotely related to foresights, there was no way Ilyin would¡¯ve heard about this. Ilyin looked at the mobile again. ¡°I don¡¯t like dreams but-¡± Bertha sighed and she spoke after looking at the mobile, ¡°I was hoping you wouldn¡¯t see the mobile.¡± ¡®Cursing blood that dreams.¡¯ Ilyin remembered how her grandmother had referred to their ability when she was little. That voice was deeply embedded in her memory for some reason. She thought it was pointed at her. The mobile that looked brand new shook heavily at the smallest of movement. It was a wonder how despite being so thin that it was see-through, the cloth covering it managed to protect the mobile from any hint of damage. As Ilyin was a noble, she was knowledgeable on the different types of clothes, but this was the first time Ilyin had ever come across a fabric of this nature. ¡°I know it¡¯s a mobile but¡­¡± she trailed off as she put down the mobile and lifted one of the accessories to observe, the material was softer than she expected. She tilted her head a little as she observed the blue accessory by turning it side to side. The purple reflection it emitted when light streamed through was a familiar sight. ¡°Huh?¡± Ilyin creased her eyebrows. Realization quickly dawned on her as stretched out her hand to the side. She grabbed the blue cloth which she now recognized was the same as the one that the warm region had stopped using as it was no longer cold. The cloth that was a divine item that belonged to the Blue North. She put the cloth beside the mobile¡¯s blue accessory and as she did, both began to reflect the purple light in a similar manner. ¡°This is¡ª¡± Before she could complete her sentence, Ilyin was interrupted by the sound of someone¡¯s arrival at her door. ¡°Ilyin.¡± Etra and the other Delrose knights disguised as maids were posted in front of Ilyin¡¯s door. There was only one person who could call out her name without having to worry about the guards. ¡°Den?¡± Ilyin looked up at the door in surprise. She was told that Aden would be late as he had other businesses to take care of. ¡°Can I excuse myself for a moment?¡± Ilyin looked at Bertha for permission as she got up. ¡°Of course,¡± Bertha nodded. The relatively small room she was currently at was one that she used to live in when she stayed at the Arlen Mansion. The Delrose maids upon seeing the room had hurriedly tried to fix it up as best as they could. They insisted that they couldn¡¯t have Ilyin stay in such a room. Ilyin walked towards the door to open it but Aden beat her to it as he entered the room. The squeaky sound that usually accompanied the opening of the door was heard no longer as the maids had oiled up the door during their quest to make the room more worthy of Ilyin. Aden upon entering politely greeted Bertha. Bertha responded with a playful smile. Behind him stood Idith and Milo. Though Milo was dressed in a servant¡¯s garb, there was no way that Ilyin wouldn¡¯t recognize him. Why was someone who should have been at Acid Merchant here? Was it something urgent? Ilyin couldn¡¯t help wondering. Aden briefly scanned the room, the distaste evident in his face. He wasn¡¯t too pleased that Ilyin was staying in such room, and it was a reasonable feeling. It was too small and old of a room for Ilyin to use but due to the traditions of the nobles, Ilyin, who hosted the funeral, couldn¡¯t stay outside of the mansion. ¡°This was actually my room before,¡± Ilyin said quietly. Aden briefly found himself unable to hide his emotions at that statement. Ilyin lowered her head in embarrassment. For Aden who lived in the Biflten Mansion as the Duke of Winter, she knew how this room would look to him. Little did she know that the emotion Aden felt was completely different to what Ilyin thought. ¡°You lived in a place like this for twenty years.¡± Aden¡¯s voice came out forced as his jaw was clenched. The biggest emotion he felt was anger towards Viscount Arlen. He knew well how Ilyin lived in the Arlen Mansion and would receive the reports from Milo and sometimes from Ilyin herself but he just now realized how little he knew as he had never imagined that things would be this bad. He had to try his best to conceal his anger in front of Ilyin. As Aden looked around the room again, he could feel his anger bubbling up and threatening to show. Aden took a deep breath and collected his emotions before he spoke, ¡°I received a message a moment ago.¡± He paused for a bit as he remembered the words that he carefully chose on his way to Ilyin. He knew Ilyin would be surprised regardless but he wanted to make the conversation as easy on her as possible. ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to return earlier,¡± Aden said, looking rather guilty. Ilyin¡¯s mouth opened a little. Something must have happened in the winter region. Ilyin thought immediately. It felt like her heart dropped. ¡°Perhaps, did something happen at the mansion?¡± Ilyin asked, her voice filled with concern. Aden had anticipated that Ilyin would catch on soon. He stretched his arm and gently stroked her tense shoulders. ¡°Nothing with the mansion, but something did happen to Elo.¡± They have to return to winter quickly. Is the future that I foresaw coming? The thought of it formed knots in Ilyin¡¯s stomach and quickened the beating of her heart. Chapter 88 Aden was thankful that the message that came from the winter had arrived after the funeral. Ilyin was able to get through an extremely difficult event without other outside stressors. Ilyin¡¯s mind was extremely anxious now, however. She didn¡¯t bother saying goodbye to the Viscount while leaving the mansion and instead, it was the Viscountess¡¯s coffin that received her farewell. Next was Bertha whom Ilyin dreaded having to say goodbye to. It was a sudden, but an expected farewell. Ilyin¡¯s grandmother had told her beforehand that she wouldn¡¯t come with Ilyin to the winter region but that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t still feel empty. ¡°I know I can¡¯t go in there,¡± Bertha looked around and pointed the end of the cane that had she got back from Idith at Milo¡¯s nose. Milo flinched. ¡°Since my baby is feeling lonely, I¡¯ll contact you from time to time,¡± said Bertha. There was a crack in her tough exterior at the thought of her granddaughter leaving. Aden gave Milo a look which meant that Milo should do what Bertha wanted. Milo, noticing it, bowed deeply. ¡°I¡¯ll see you again.¡± Bertha grabbed Ilyin¡¯s hands and while the rest of her face showed no emotions, the love brimming in her eyes was evident. It was a promise with no deadline. Bertha looked at Ilyin for a while and then turned around. As Bertha couldn¡¯t stay in the Arlen territory due to the order of Viscount Arlen, she had to go somewhere else. After saying goodbye, Ilyin left the Viscount mansion and her anxiety grew tenfold. ¡°Ilyin,¡± called Aden softly, there was no way he would miss her tensing up. As they made their way back to Acid Merchant, he gently grabbed her hand, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ilyin took in a deep breath but even then, her mind refused to calm. It felt like something was tightly gripping her heart. ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Ilyin¡¯s voice came out strained. I¡¯ll be okay. Ilyin let out a long sigh. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. The foreseen future, the return to the winter was in front of them. *** As they were already prepped, they were able to leave soon. The return trip¡¯s schedule was different from what the Delrose people were told, however. ¡°The other carriage will leave tomorrow.¡± It was an order prepared with Ilyin¡¯s foresight in mind. Aden gave the order to the surprised looking maids. ¡°And also, there won¡¯t be other guards.¡± Of course, Milo would place knights strategically where Ilyin wouldn¡¯t see them, but it had to seem like there would be no guards. This was all a plan to deceive Ilyin¡¯s foresight. Etra, Idith and Milo were the only ones in on it. Ilyin¡¯s guard knights Milia and Nis upon hearing this command immediately protested, ¡°but Your Majesty¡ª¡± ¡°Careful.¡± Milo cut them off with a warning. Milia, who had spoken out instinctually, quickly shut her mouth. It wasn¡¯t the right honorific to use outside of the Delrose territory. ¡°Grand Master,¡± Milia, after pondering about how to address him in the warm region, corrected herself, ¡°This isn¡¯t a safe place.¡± While this was an understandable concern for a knight, Aden did not falter. ¡°I will give an order through Milo regarding that,¡± Aden said firmly. Milia was about to protest but then stopped herself. He was the Grand Master that had led all the battles in the winter region. He was even able to cope with the aggression of the anomalous winter monster tribe. He wouldn¡¯t give out such an order without a reason and to refute him was basically doubting him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Ilyin grabbed both knights¡¯ hands as she knew their worries, ¡°I¡¯ll see you when I arrive.¡± Her kind farewell helped the two knights feel more at ease and Ilyin, escorted by Aden, headed towards the carriage. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± Milo bowed deeply to the two of them. Aden moved after accepting his goodbye. Behind them only Idith and Etra followed. Ilyin looked up at the carriage. It was the carriage she rode here and the same carriage that broke down in the dream. Her heart began hammering as she took in a breath. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Aden whispered as he caressed Ilyin back in an attempt to calm her, ¡°nothing will happen.¡± Ilyin still couldn¡¯t easily get on the carriage. ¡®Your Majesty!¡¯ Ilyin could hear Idith¡¯s piercing scream ringing in her ears again. In her dream, she clearly saw an arrow hit Aden¡¯s back and she could feel that it was a fatal hit. Ilyin quickly shook her head. She tried to calm down by convincing herself that it wasn¡¯t like she had actually foreseen his death. Even then, she was scared. Ilyin tightly grabbed Aden¡¯s hand not caring about if the pressure would hurt him. This was something she thought the most about during the funeral; the future that was foreseen was unavoidable. She couldn¡¯t stop her mom¡¯s death nor Sid¡¯s death, the only thing she could do was be beside them when it happened. Despite knowing the future before anyone, she felt like she couldn¡¯t prepare for it. ¡®Cursing blood that dreams.¡¯ It was true. This was a curse. A curse that caused her to be in a longer state of anxiety than anyone and to be in pain longer as well. Suddenly Ilyin thoughts were interrupted as found her perspective being tilted. ¡°Ah!¡± she screamed as she found her body being lifted without a warning. Her opened eyes momentarily could only see the clear sky. Aden lowered his head towards her a little as he held her up. He put his lips on her nose. Ilyin scrunched her nose and let out a laugh as it tickled. The laughter that came out danced around like music to Aden¡¯s ears. Aden looked at the eyes that were half closed and mischievously slid his lips on Ilyin¡¯s nose again. Ilyin chuckled again, ¡°Den, people are¡­¡± Watching, she wanted to continue but trailed off when Aden pulled away and flashed the most heart-wrenchingly beautiful smile. Aden¡¯s dark blue eyes were half covered by his natural long eyelashes. ¡°If they¡¯re smart enough, they¡¯ll turn their head,¡± he smirked. Ilyin couldn¡¯t see the people behind them while being held this way by him. Aden quietly laughed and became a bit more aggressive. The lips that taped her nose again covered Ilyin¡¯s breath. Ilyin shuddered as goosebumps trailed along her arms. Aden just had that effect on her. Chapter 89 ¡°Den!¡± Ilyin gasped breathlessly. In the brief moment when their lips were apart, Ilyin¡¯s voice danced around the two of them. ¡°Yes?¡± Aden smiled down with a devious smirk. Aden was well aware of what he was doing and the effect it had on Ilyin. He took advantage of her muddled mind and leaned down to attack her with another passionate kiss. Aden¡¯s tongue explored Ilyin¡¯s lips and teased them to the point where Ilyin shut them close out of embarrassment. The brazen kiss was so intense it almost felt sinful. Ilyin protested in vain before eventually giving into the pleasure. ¡°Den.¡± Ilyin¡¯s voice came out shakily as they slowly pulled apart. The breathlessness in Ilyin¡¯s voice was a big tell. Her shaky voice held a strong mixture of emotions. It was an embarrassment that Aden could easily detect through her flushed cheeks and avoiding eyes. Aden was satisfied with just that. He had no intention of further teasing her anyway. It was this shy, innocent side of Ilyin¡¯s that was Aden¡¯s favorite and he wanted to keep it all to himself. ¡°We¡¯ll continue this when we get back to the mansion,¡± Aden whispered to her a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. He laughed. His breathing came out choppy as well. That made Ilyin blush even more. It was making her mind hazy. ¡°Do I look like someone who wouldn¡¯t keep their promise?¡± Aden looked down at her as he carried her in the carriage. Ilyin shook her head as he sat her down on a cushy chair. ¡°Not at all,¡± she said. ¡°Then, do you feel a little assured?¡± There was nothing more she could do about it. Ilyin still felt uneasy but like Aden said, he wasn¡¯t someone who didn¡¯t keep his promises. Ilyin ended up nodding in the end. ¡°Shall we go then?¡± Aden waved his hand to the outside. Upon his signal Etra got on the carriage. In the driver¡¯s seat sat Idith who became the driver for the day. It was only the four of them in the carriage. Thump! That was the moment Ilyin¡¯s foresight began. *** Aden kept the window open. Even though he couldn¡¯t see what was behind the carriage from inside, keeping the window open allowed sound to enter the carriage to warn them if need be. The cold night air slowly filled the quiet carriage. On Ilyin¡¯s head was Blue North¡¯s cloth and beside her lay the mobile that was given to her by the Viscountess. It was the object that was passed between Bertha and her during their conversations. ¡®A mobile.¡¯ Ilyin had told Aden that for a dream to be a foresight, the mobile had to show up. Since the ability of foresight was passed down by the Viscountess, it was hard not to relate the mobile to the ability of foresight. Out of all the things, what bothered Aden most was that when light shone on the mobile it reflected the same purple light that was emitted by the Blue North¡¯s cloth. Aden turned his gaze outside the window and squinted. He could distinctly hear the sound of people approaching and it was bothering him. It sounded like a little less than ten. The sound could be heard from all directions. Aden quietly observed the few galloping horses that were getting closer. Aden¡¯s eyesight was better than most people would probably imagine. The eyesight of the person who had to battle in the middle of a snowstorm where it was hard to even tell apart land from sky was something quite incomparable. ¡°Ilyin,¡± Aden grabbed Ilyin¡¯s nervous hands. He noticed that her hands were rather cold. ¡°Are they coming?¡± she carefully asked. She would have been lying if she said she wasn¡¯t nervous. Aden stood up and spoke, ¡°In the dream, were we riding on the same horse?¡± Ilyin nodded slightly. ¡°I see,¡± Aden paused to think, ¡°I think we should get ready.¡± At his words, Etra stood up. Right that moment, as if the carriage hit a rock, it rattled heavily but Ilyin was the only one who lost her balance. Ilyin gasped as Aden quickly grabbed her before she could fall. During all that, Etra had opened a hatch underneath the chair. Ilyin¡¯s eyes widened as she didn¡¯t realize there was a drawer there. In the small compartment was an assortment of various small weapons like knives and daggers. ¡°Ma¡¯am, please take this.¡± Etra handed Ilyin a small familiar looking dagger. Ilyin immediately put up her hand to stop her. ¡°I think you should use it, Etra,¡± she said as she recalled how Etra was using this dagger in the dream. At her words, Etra¡¯s eyes widened for a moment as if to ask how she knew but it was only for a moment. This was Ilyin. It was no use trying to hide anything from someone who could see the future. ¡°Ilyin, a moment.¡± Aden lifted Ilyin who was leaning against the wall to the driver and moved her to where he was sitting. He then knocked on the partition separating the driver from them. The carriage was designed in such a way where there was a window between the driver and the passenger seats. Idith who was at the driver seat glanced back at the sound of Aden knocking. No words were exchanged except a nod from Aden but Idith looked like he had understood. Aden then began unsheathing his sword. What is he doing? Ilyin couldn¡¯t help wondering. Aden looked over the carriage again. He had faith that Idith would be fine on his own, but he had to be careful so as to not hurt Ilyin. Aden cleared his throat and said, ¡°Then, excuse me for a moment.¡± As he finished his observation, Aden didn¡¯t hesitate as he lifted his sword and swung towards the wall in full force. Thump! His strength was enough. Ilyin gasped as her shoulders shrunk. There was almost no debris that flew towards her. Etra, who was covering Ilyin with her body, dusted off the little dust particles from Ilyin¡¯s clothes. Upon Aden¡¯s swing, the front of the carriage had collapsed and there now stood a whole big enough hole for a person to go through. A wind so strong blew in that it felt like the three of them were going to be blown away. Chapter 90 At the sudden impact, the surprised horses leading the carriage became erratic and scared, but as Idith was an experienced driver, he managed to calm the horses as he swiftly moved himself from the driver seat onto the horse. He understood his master¡¯s intention of him needing to come out of the carriage. ¡°We¡¯re moving on to the horses, right?¡± Ilyin also quickly caught on. She questioned in her head if it were possible, however. She carefully got up in the shaking carriage and estimated the distance between her and the horse. It was too far. Especially with the unstable carriage, she didn¡¯t think she would be able to make it. Ilyin grabbed Aden¡¯s hand. ¡°Will you be okay?¡± Aden asked worriedly after sensing her hesitation. Ilyin quickly nodded to assure him. To be honest she was scared but in her foresight she remembered that she was riding a horse which meant she would have made the jump and she would be fine. She wouldn¡¯t fall off the horse or carriage. Ilyin looked back at Aden. If Ilyin believed in anything, it was Aden she believed in the most. Ilyin knew that he wouldn¡¯t put her in an impossible position. ¡°Should I go now?¡± she asked, her heart hammering against her chest. ¡°Yes.¡± Aden brushed her hair, ¡°If you¡¯re nervous-¡± Aden was cut off by Ilyin¡¯s lips against his. He momentarily blanked out unlike himself, the only thing on his mind being the taste of Ilyin. The moment Ilyin pulled apart, Aden came back to his senses and lifted her up. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he cleared his throat. It was Idith that caught Ilyin outside of the carriage. Idith hoped that this would be the first and last time this had to happen. He ignored the glare that he received from Aden when he touched Ilyin¡¯s waist. Despite being shocked, Ilyin didn¡¯t scream. When she was safely on the horse, Aden got on behind her. They rode on the same tan horse they were on in her dream. Etra had taken the other horse. Almost at the same time as they made the switch came a loud crashing sound. Neigh. This commotion startled the horses but before the horses went berserk out of surprise from the quake, Etra quickly took out her sword and cut the tie between the horse and the carriage. Ilyin¡¯s eyes widened as she looked back, a big sword was sticking out where they were sitting in the carriage. That could have been us. Ilyin couldn¡¯t help thinking as that haunting image was burned in her mind. The carriage had completely collapsed and broke. The horse that Aden and Ilyin was riding went to the front and behind them Etra and Idith followed. It was the same as Ilyin had seen in the dream. Ilyin tried to look behind Aden¡¯s shoulders but was stopped. ¡°You¡¯ll get hurt.¡± Aden covered the back of Ilyin¡¯s head with his hand that wasn¡¯t holding the rein. He hugged her tightly with her head into his shoulders close enough so she wouldn¡¯t see anything if she opened her eyes. To Ilyin, Aden¡¯s breathing felt louder than the strong wind that was blowing through her hair. She held onto the mobile and the Blue North¡¯s clothes tightly with one hand and Aden¡¯s shoulder with the other. ¡°Your Majesty, they¡¯re getting closer,¡± Idith called out against the wind. It was definitely hard to gain distance on someone who was chasing at full speed. At Idith¡¯s word, Etra looked back. Idith¡¯s sound that was barely cutting through the air. Ilyin looked back at Etra despite herself. Etra, who sat completely turned around while holding the reins, was holding a dagger in her right hand. Etra swiftly swung back her hand as she threw the dagger with great precision and force. Ilyin finally realized why there were so many weapons under the carriage chair. The sound of the horses became fainter by the minute. Ilyin could only see Etra. Etra took out two more daggers and quickly moved her hands again. Ilyin turned her attention to the other side. Idith was also holding a dagger. Shortly after the throwing of daggers followed a loud noise from over Aden¡¯s shoulder. It sounded like a huge crash accompanied with sounds of people howling in pain. The sound of horses too was greatly reduced. Ilyin sighed in relief, it seemed like they managed to gain some distance. ¡°Ilyin, hold on tight.¡± Ilyin flinched. It wasn¡¯t Aden¡¯s voice she flinched at but the fact that she had heard the same words in her dream, ¡®Ilyin, hold on tight.¡¯ Ilyin tightly grabbed onto Aden¡¯s shoulders. Clash! Ilyin had buried her face in Aden¡¯s shoulder, but she didn¡¯t need to look to know what that sound was; it was the sound of Idith hitting off arrows with his sword. Ilyin heard a sigh of relief as she realized something probably must have passed by them. Ilyin was holding onto Aden so tight to the point where her hands were turning white. ¡°Your Highness, at this rate we cannot get away from them.¡± Ilyin¡¯s heartbeat sped up as Idith repeated the same words as in her dream. It was soon. Soon. She couldn¡¯t help thinking. ¡°Den¡­¡± her voice came out trembling. It was more of a prayer than calling him. A prayer for him not to get hurt too badly. Aden noticed Ilyin¡¯s moving and knew his future was fast approaching. Through the hand that was tightly grasping onto him for dear life, he was able to feel Ilyin trembling. Through it he could feel her fear as well. ¡°Can you hold off until we reach the winter?¡± Aden asked without thinking. Idith, who was blocking the arrows, looked in the distance to check how far they were from the winter. Aden knew the answer before Idith even answered. ¡°The distance is too¡­¡± Aden didn¡¯t bother to listen to the last part. Of course, Idith was saying it¡¯s too far. It was the same as in Ilyin¡¯s dream. Aden tightened his grip on the rein again. The time to trick the foreseen future was coming, only a small movement was needed. Idith hit off few more arrows and spoke, ¡°Even if you reach Biflten, the divine power does not touch the warm region.¡± That was true. Aden nodded shortly. That was why he deceived Idith. ¡°Even then, we go as far as we can.¡± Aden answered shortly. Etra slightly shook her head while hitting off arrows. She was holding the dagger she was going to give to Ilyin. Chapter 91 ¡°The range is further than we had anticipated. There is nothing we can do if they attack Biflten from the warm region,¡± said Idith, the concern evident in his voice. ¡°We will-¡± With the current conversation, Ilyin couldn¡¯t help but bury her face in Aden¡¯s embrace in worry. Aden held her tight but right at that moment jolted with surprise. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± shouted Idith as he saw an arrow sharply fly by. Blood spurted out from Aden¡¯s shirt where the arrow had scraped him. A few drops splattered on Ilyin¡¯s face, her eyes wide with shock. ¡°A-Are you okay?¡± she managed to sputter out while looking at Aden. Ilyin instinctively tried to reach for Aden¡¯s back with worry but was stopped by Aden¡¯s right hand. ¡°You¡¯re going to hurt yourself,¡± he said. When Ilyin did not feel anything on Aden¡¯s back she looked at Aden and uttered, ¡°The arrow?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± said Aden trying to calm Ilyin down. The blood had now soaked his left arm but all he was focused on was wiping the blood on Ilyin¡¯s face. If Aden was hurt he didn¡¯t show it with his face void of any expression. ¡°Idith,¡± said Aden, looking ahead. ¡°Yes,¡± came a reply immediately, the air surrounding them was heavy with tension. ¡°How many can you spot?¡± ¡°Four of them.¡± Ilyin clenched her hand till her knuckles turned white. Everything that was happening was eerily similar to her foresight and she could feel that there was more to come. There was still every chance that foresight might come true. ¡°Kill them,¡± ordered Aden in a cold voice that was unlike Ilyin¡¯s foresight. At that command Idith and Etra nodded and slowed their horses. Aden picked up the pace and held Ilyin close to him. As they rode off they could hear the clashing of swords, chilling screams and eventually silence. The piercing screams and commotion of battle did not help ease Ilyin¡¯s worry in the slightest. Worried about Idith and Etra, Ilyin tried to look over Aden¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Are you more worried about them than me?¡± said Aden. When Ilyin couldn¡¯t reply, Aden laughed, ¡°I¡¯m joking.¡± As Ilyin realized how tightly she was holding onto Aden¡¯s shoulders she looked down and noticed that his wound was much deeper than it looked. ¡°Your hand will get dirty,¡± was all Aden said as he looked at her. ¡°B-blood,¡± was all she could manage out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The wound will heal quickly in the winter region,¡± Aden assured Ilyin as he tightened his hold around her and sped up. ¡°There¡¯s still time till then,¡± said Ilyin more to herself than anyone, the horse running faster below her. Ilyin couldn¡¯t help the slight relief that washed over her as she looked at Aden and remembered what he had said a few days back, ¡®Let¡¯s deceive the dream.¡¯ Aden laughed as if he had read her thoughts, ¡°We¡¯re already in winter.¡± He then pulled Ilyin¡¯s blue hood over her head, as if he was trying to shield her from something. She then saw a blinding light in his right hand. It was as if someone had pressed fast-forward on time which triggered the changing of weather. The clear blue sky they were riding under slowly disappeared giving way to rainclouds that soon covered the sky. There was a clear distinct line between the two regions. The overhanging gloomy clouds were a welcome sight as Bilften¡¯s sky was always grey. The moon was instantly covered by the dark clouds. As it got dark, Ilyin felt little crystals fall from the sky, something she was all too familiar with. It was Bilften¡¯s April which was rougher because of the northern wind. With the snow and the wind, the place that previously reflected the warm region was transformed into a beautiful winter. As they rode into the darkness, a snowstorm covered everything in sight but Ilyin felt safe in the embrace of her Winter Duke, Aden. As the horse slowed to a stop, Ilyin wrapped her clothes tightly around her and looked back. Idith and Etra were getting off their horses. They were unharmed but the same couldn¡¯t be said about the four dead bodies they had brought with them. As Ilyin got off the horse, she tightly clutched Aden¡¯s hand as she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the four bodies in front of her. They were frozen, their eyes glossed over. Even though they were lying there like statues, they looked aggressive and ready to pounce on anyone at the slightest provocation. ¡°I kept my promise,¡± said Aden and opened his palm, lightening the heavy snowstorm. ¡°It¡¯s the reward for believing in winter,¡± he whispered softly with a smile as he looked at Ilyin. As Ilyin looked at Aden she realized that her foresight had come true albeit with a slight but very welcome twist. Aden was hurt just like in her foresight but he was not hurt too badly. It was Aden that orchestrated the changed vision. Chapter 92 Ilyin felt safe with Aden, a warmth she could not explain. This was ironic considering how Aden was the quite literal personification of winter. As she let out a deep sigh¡ªone that was quite overdue¡ªand closed her eyes, a tear escaped her eyes and turned to ice as soon as it hit the ground. She was fine in the cold beside Aden. When she was beside him, she felt like she wouldn¡¯t ever have to be afraid of foresights again. Ilyin slowly let go of the fear that was gnawing at her from when she saw the Viscountess and smiled. A genuine smile. They arrived at the Biflten mansion as the sun was beginning to rise. Four families had gathered to receive them. Everyone in the mansion was surprised to see the group walking in with the slowly rising sun. This was because it was the coldest time of the year. The Delrose maids quickly ran to the group with blankets shouting a string of ¡°Oh my!¡± and ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± Ilyin was covered in four blankets after she climbed off the horse. Within no time, the maids had everyone covered with blankets to battle the cold. The snow had covered everything. There was still quite some residue left even though Aden had controlled the snowstorm and the temperature with his power. Even after the long and hard journey Aden didn¡¯t look tired at all. The atmosphere was eerily quiet save for the various whispers that occasionally broke the silence. You could hear one person whispering, ¡°Grandmaster of Delrose?¡± and others curiously voicing out, ¡°Did the master of Delrose not come together?¡± When they had started the journey, the families had seen their master and the grandmaster head out to the warm regions with the Duchess. But now they were surprised to see Aden come back alone. Those whispers made the unbearable cold worse but people of Delrose warmed the atmosphere with awe and respect in their eyes as they looked at Aden, The Duke of Winter: The Master. Aden brushed off the specks of snow from his shoulder and torso and with his deep, clear voice he ordered, ¡°Take madam to her room immediately.¡± In the presence of other families, he was Den, Grandmaster of Delrose. Ilyin tried to shake her hands to stop them and ask them to tend to Aden¡¯s wound but she realized that her hands were buried under the blankets. She opened her mouth to let everyone know of the wound on Aden¡¯s arm but seeing the presence of other families turned her off to that idea. ¡°Grandmaster!¡± exclaimed every knight in the vicinity and as they bowed down to Aden. All the Delrose knights were treating him as the Delrose Grandmaster as they had been taught. Aden was by now used to the grand gestures performed for him as the Grandmaster but today with Ilyin in front of him, his cheeks tinged pink with a hint of embarrassment. When he looked at her, he could almost hear her thinking about his wound, her eyebrows creased in worry. He gave her a small smile and put his finger to his lips. Seeing that Ilyin gave a small nod and looked away. Satisfied, Aden turned his eyes to the door, where he found a furious Doctor Ves charging towards him. It was only when he stopped in front of Aden that his glare was visible. The Delrose doctor Ves kept shooting daggers with his eyes, as he couldn¡¯t call Aden His Majesty as he usually did in the presence of the other family members. *** Ilyin would have been lying if she said that it was not cold. She thought she could adjust to the cold but for someone who had lived in the warm region for the past twenty years, it was something that was easier said than done. The Delrose maids had busied themselves with making sure Ilyin stayed warm. The fact that Ilyin had come down with a mild fever had scared them and they scurried around hurriedly trying to get everything right. In the middle of the commotion, Etra made sure everything was being done correctly. There was not a speck of fatigue in her face. The room was filled with the voices of the maids trying to get a bath ready for Ilyin. ¡°Is the water too hot?¡± ¡°Bring water that¡¯s a little colder! This is too hot!¡± The maids¡¯ plan was to slowly warm up Ilyin¡¯s body as her body right now was a little too cold for their liking. As soon as Ilyin saw Etra the first words that spilled out were, ¡°Etra, is Den okay?¡± ¡°He will be okay,¡± replied Etra with a small smile. It bugged Ilyin that Etra had answered with ¡®will be okay¡¯ instead of ¡®is okay¡¯ it was as if she was not completely certain that Aden was well. Ilyin, unsatisfied with Etra¡¯s answer, said with a heavy sigh, ¡°There might be poison on the arrow, so can you ask them to look carefully?¡± Aden had great tolerance for poison. There was no poison that was produced in the winter region that affected Aden de Biflten. Etra didn¡¯t bother explaining this to Ilyin. Instead, she assured Ilyin that she will deliver the message. ¡°You need to rest. Your fever is getting high,¡± said Etra with her hand against Ilyin¡¯s forehead. Chapter 93 ¡°If not, Ves might come scold you after scolding His Majesty,¡± Etra chuckled as Ilyin quietly laughed along. It was hard to imagine Aden being scolded. It was equally hard to imagine kind-hearted Ves, who always spoke softly to Ilyin to even have the slightest anger towards her. ¡°Okay,¡± Ilyin nodded. Ilyin still couldn¡¯t help the smile on her face. It was because of the Delrose maids, who became bustling up and down, their faces filled with worry as soon as they figured out she was sick. It showed Ilyin that they really cared, and she felt like she had finally come home. Ilyin didn¡¯t want to worry Aden as he already had a lot on his plate and fell asleep as her nerve was completely unravelled by the Delrose maid¡¯s sweetness. *** On the white winter ground, the snowstorm kept blowing in one direction, lifting every particle in its way up and making them dance around. The wind was very strong, and the northern wind made it seem as though the snow was falling across rather than down. It was in the middle of all this that Ilyin¡¯s eyes slowly pried open. She was awoken by the fact that despite the snowstorm, she was no longer feeling cold. Ilyin realized it was a dream long before she saw the mobile and her eyes laying on a living creature that she had never before seen only confirmed her first assumption. As expected, when she looked around, the ten coloured mobile was peeking out from under the snow where it was buried not four steps away from her. The monsters that were running around in front of her had beautiful orange scales. While she had never seen them before she couldn¡¯t shake off the weird feeling that told her that she knew them. She soon recognized them as the Yester Tribe. In front of her she saw that they were all marching somewhere and were shoving and fighting each other to be the first in line of their group whilst simultaneously battling the northern wind head on. ¡°Out of my way!¡± Ilyin could hear them say to each other. Their movements were so fast that it was hard for Ilyin to keep track of them from the distance. Where were they headed? Were they ambushing someone? Ilyin turned her gaze towards where the Yester Tribe was headed. She looked and she saw a glowing hemisphere with yellow light in the distance. Ilyin creased her eyebrows in confusion. The glowing light was a dome that looked like it was covering something, like it was protecting something. What is it covering? If Ilyin wanted to see it, she would have to get closer and with curiosity taking over her body, Ilyin started moving. That moment, the scenery around her quickly slid and moved. It only took a moment for her to reach the hemisphere. Like the dream of succession. Ilyin¡¯s eyes widened as she froze in surprise at such unfamiliar sight. The Yester Tribe marched right by her while she was frozen as if she was not there and of course, since this was just a dream she technically was not there, and the Yester Tribe didn¡¯t notice her. Some of them even walked through her while charging at the yellow hemisphere. Which she discovered was surrounding a city of humans. Ilyin quickly realized what was happening, the place that the yellow forcefield was covering was Elo¡¯s territory. It was evident as yellow accessories filled the sea of people and even the sword handle held by the knights that looked especially nervous was also yellow. What she was watching was the Yester Tribe that ambushed Elo. Ilyin felt like she somewhat knew the identity of the hemisphere that was covering Elo. ¡°If Elo didn¡¯t have strength to hold back the Yesters, then they wouldn¡¯t have put their stronghold there.¡± Ilyin remembered how Aden had once said that to her. That ¡®strength¡¯ she realized must have been the hemisphere. Ilyin looked up the glowing dome encasing all of Elo. Each time the Yester Tribe scratched at it; it flashed a yellow light so bright that it looked white. Would it hold? Ilyin couldn¡¯t help wondering as she looked at it, an uneasy feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. It was then that someone who was standing over the wall caught her eye. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was someone as she wasn¡¯t even sure if it was in fact even human. Ilyin moved to get a close look and just like before, she moved one step and found herself facing the figure¡¯s backside. He had his back against the northern wind, his long blonde hair waving graciously in the wind. The cape which was half blue didn¡¯t seem to have any insulating ability. Was it like the Blue North¡¯s cloth? Ilyin carefully observed it. She felt like she wouldn¡¯t know until she touched it. The Yester Tribe was able to walk through her so she obviously wouldn¡¯t be able to touch anything in her dream yet despite knowing that she still found her hand subconsciously stretched towards the cloth. Ilyin¡¯s eyes widened as her fingers reached the cape. It was different this time. The feeling at the end of her fingertips was definitely of his cape. As the cape that was fluttering in the northern wind stopped, the owner turned around as if he felt something weird and their eyes met. Chapter 94 Ilyin was jerked awake as she opened her eyes. It felt like she was kicked out of the dream as soon as she met eyes with him. ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± Etra immediately rushed to Ilyin¡¯s side, but Ilyin stopped her by putting up a hand. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Etra asked, her voice filled with concern. Ilyin shook her head as she tried to control her rough breathing. Then she thought of the last thing she saw in the dream. The almost white blond hair that was waving in the wind and the deep violet eyes that looked straight at her as if he could see her. ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± Etra put her hand on Ilyin¡¯s forehead, ¡°Did you¡­ Have a dream?¡± She was now one of the few people that knew what it meant for Ilyin to have a dream. Ilyin let out a shaky breath, looked up at Etra and shortly nodded. ¡°I did but¡­¡± Ilyin couldn¡¯t help trailing off. It was different from the usual. Ilyin remembered the eyes that pierced through her and the feeling of the soft fabric against her fingertips. She had goosebumps. His physique looked like a human from the back, but the eyes definitely didn¡¯t belong to one. Who was it? No, what was it? ¡°Ilyin, are you asleep?¡± Right at that moment, Aden¡¯s voice was heard from outside. Ilyin¡¯s eyes widened. Her head that had cooled from the previous fever quickly picked out the necessary points. Out of all the things, the most important was this. ¡°Etra, how long have I been asleep?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Etra blinked her eyes at the sudden question. ¡°Just a few hours,¡± she quickly replied. She then looked at the clock and did math, ¡°just over two hours.¡± ¡°¡­Two hours?¡± Ilyin muttered. Not few days? Ilyin¡¯s gaze quickly went to the door where Aden¡¯s voice came from. ¡°Did Aden get treated?¡± Was the first thing she asked. Etra laughed, ¡°Of course. He¡¯s all well now.¡± Already? He was bleeding so much. Ilyin¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Ilyin?¡± Aden¡¯s voice came again, this time a little more anxious. Ilyin, still surprised, looked at the door again and quickly answered, ¡°I¡¯m awake.¡± Aden then opened the door. There was no way he hadn¡¯t heard the conversation with the supernatural hearing he had but for him to wait until she said it was okay was just out of courtesy. Aden poked his head through the door and knocked on the door twice again. He smiled and asked, ¡°May I come in?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ilyin couldn¡¯t help chuckle. Etra bowed deeply to her as she retreated to give them some privacy. She did the same to Aden and left the room without a sound. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Aden immediately went to the bed Ilyin was laying on, his eyebrows creased in concern. He was wearing a thin shirt, which made him look like he was from the warm region. ¡°I didn¡¯t get hurt,¡± Ilyin shook her head as her gaze went right to his left arm. It was that arm where the arrow scraped him for certain but there was no sign of a wound. There should have been a bandage over it at least, but through his thin shirt, nothing could be seen. It was too cold to wear only a shirt. Ilyin took out her hand from the comfy blanket. Her hand carefully touched his shoulder. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Her hand slowly traveled up and down the arm, her eyes fixed on Aden¡¯s face for the slightest hint of any pain but no matter how much she touched it, Aden¡¯s expression remained unchanged. In fact, he looked mildly amused at Ilyin¡¯s behavior. Aden looked at Ilyin¡¯s hand that was holding onto his shoulder. There was no pain. It was gone a while back. The wound started to heal quickly the moment they entered the winter region. After Ves observed it, she concluded that it was poison that his blood reacted to. She said she had to take a better look at what gauge what kind of poison it was. It seemed like there was poison on the arrow, but the effect was almost nonexistent. It meant that it was a pointlessly low amount that was on it. In the end, he was completely fine. There was no reason that Ilyin should be looking at it and touching it so worriedly, but Aden didn¡¯t stop her. The tip of her hand brushed his shoulder with a slight tremble. Ilyin¡¯s hand roamed his arm, but she softly rubbed the spot where she thought the wound would have been, ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Ilyin quickly flinched as Aden¡¯s face, which was peaceful at first, slowly changed. His gaze was the same, but his lips started to become tighter. Like he was holding back. ¡°No,¡± his voice was strong and steady. Really? Ilyin tried taking her hand off his arm, but Aden grabbed her retreating arm and pressed her entire hand against his arm. swallowed a surprised breath as she felt like he was pressing harder than she thought was okay. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she quickly let out. ¡°Of course.¡± The answer came a beat later suspiciously. Ilyin looked up his eyes. The eyes that were covered by long eyelashes seemed a bit foggy for some reason. She finally forced her hand away from his arm. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to make me worry less, it¡¯s fine,¡± she muttered. Aden shook his head and then let out a short sigh. He grabbed Ilyin¡¯s hand. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to believe me.¡± His expression showed determination, ¡°Would you take a look at it yourself?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Ilyin raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Whether there¡¯s a wound or not.¡± He put his left hand on the button. Why would you use your wounded arm? Ilyin quickly put her hand on his, ¡°Wait.¡± She unbuttoned it for him, she had to check if the wound was treated. She felt uneasy that he was letting out short breaths unlike himself. She quickly but carefully unbuttoned his shirt. ¡°I¡¯m really okay,¡± Aden whispered to her, who kept sighing out of worry. Chapter 95 ¡°There¡¯s no way you are healed already,¡± said Ilyin, unable to hide the astonishment from her voice. It hadn¡¯t even been a day since Aden got hit by the arrow, never mind the fact that he didn¡¯t receive immediate medical attention when he needed it. As Ilyin remembered how the blood quickly drenched Aden¡¯s shirt and stained her hands red, she thought of how strange it was that he didn¡¯t collapse. After she was done unbuttoning his shirt halfway through, she reached out to take it off of him but before she could, Aden immediately grabbed her hand. ¡°I really am healed.¡± Ilyin narrowed her eyes at Aden¡¯s words. ¡°If you¡¯re lying, I¡¯m going to tell Ves.¡± He chuckled as he heard that. ¡°Fine. Then,¡± he said as he grabbed her soft hand. Ilyin noticed that his hand was shaking. Ilyin couldn¡¯t not notice it as Aden was not usually one to shake, ¡°What are you going to do if I am healed?¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± Aden continued smoothly, ¡°Are you going to grant me a wish?¡± Ilyin looked up at Aden. There was still a slight tremor in his hands but also a big smirk on his face. They held that position for a while with Aden simply looking at her as he had no intention of letting go of her hand until she answered. His lips were sealed. Her concern won in the end and Ilyin¡¯s pondering didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Fine,¡± she grumbled. As soon as she answered, Aden let her hand go, a giant smile playing on his lips. Ilyin rolled her eyes as she slowly pulled his shirt over his shoulder, her eyes all the while at his arm. The shirt came off his upper body easily as it was unbuttoned. Ilyin stopped as she slid the shirt down until his left elbow. Her heart was beating in anticipation. ¡°Huh?¡± It wasn¡¯t there. It wasn¡¯t that she was disappointed that the wound wasn¡¯t there, it was just surprising. But how? How can a wound that big disappear in less than a day without a trace? Ilyin wondered. Her eyes widened. Maybe she was mistaken about where the wound was? She quickly examined his back and then unbuttoned the rest of his shirt. His strong chest muscles and abs were revealed in the process. The wound was nowhere to be seen. Ilyin hugged him like how she hugged him while they were on a horse to make sure she had the placement of the wound right. ¡°What¡­¡± As she rubbed over his arm in disbelief, his hand touched her arm. He slowly whispered, ¡°How is it?¡± The hand that slowly touched her arm took it off his body and smoothly, his fingers attacked her pale fingers and interlocked them in. ¡°Can I make my wish?¡± Aden asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Since there was no wound, Ilyin couldn¡¯t deny it. She was glad he was okay so in her good mood she eventually looked up at Aden and allowed it. ¡°Yes.¡± Aden chuckled and, in that moment, the trembling in his hand stopped. Ilyin then realized that that trembling wasn¡¯t because of pain, it was from anticipation. Aden pushed Ilyin¡¯s body onto the bed. The soft bed bounded up and down from the impact. Aden, who immediately went on top of Ilyin, slowly leaned down and his words brushed against her ears. ¡°I tried to tell you,¡± Aden laughed softly as he feigned a sigh. Whenever Ilyin¡¯s hands made the slightest contact with his body or when a fresh summer scent was let out as she tilted her head, it made his mind chaotic. He felt like he was going crazy. He was waiting a while for this, and he didn¡¯t think he could wait any longer. ¡°You are too provocative to me,¡± he growled as he buried his face deep into her chest. ¡°You said you¡¯ll grant me a wish,¡± Aden started untying her clothes. The robe she was wearing fell on the bed. It was a body that was driving him crazy. He explored her n*pple with his tongue in a circular motion. ¡°Mmm,¡± Ilyin moaned. Aden pulled apart and Ilyin¡¯s questioning eyes met Aden¡¯s lustful ones. ¡°For a bit, will you let me rest?¡± asked Aden, his voice now deep and hoarse. To him, resting was something else: burying his body into her scent and inside her. Aden¡¯s hands slid down without waiting for a response. His patience ended. He completely pulled Ilyin up towards him, his strong naked body completely dominating on top of Ilyin¡¯s. Ilyin could feel his already erect pen*s rubbing against her thigh, the contact driving Aden crazy as Aden remembered just how narrow her inside was. ¡°Ah!¡± Ilyin let out as Aden slipped his finger inside of her entrance. It was ready with wetness asking to be pleasured. Even if she allowed it, he wouldn¡¯t be able to treat Ilyin roughly. The bride was too innocent and lovely of a person for him to unleash all of his dark desires upon. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Ilyin moaned. His pillar was brushing on top of her private part. Ilyin flinched as it pressed on her clitor*s and brushed against it repeatedly. Ilyin could feel butterflies down there and her mind was becoming hazy from all the stimulation. ¡°Hmm!¡± Aden¡¯s waist started moving faster and he became more rough, but as he didn¡¯t enter her it was driving Ilyin crazy. ¡°Ah, mm! Ah!¡± The movement was so stimulating and even more so as she knew that what was brushing against her was wet with her juice. ¡°Hmm, mm!¡± Ilyin¡¯s body involuntarily shuddered. Aden pinned down her hands on either side. ¡°Aden¡­!¡± Ilyin cried out. Her legs closed unintentionally at such strong stimulation but in doing so trapped the enraged, erected pen*s between her white thighs. Aden didn¡¯t waste any time and started moving roughly in and out between her thighs. Her juice acted as a perfect l*be to help it smoothly slick in and out of her thighs. ¡°Hmm,¡± Ilyin moaned almost pleadingly. She wanted him inside her. Finally, it was her entrance that he finally slid down to. It was different from before and as he was already stiff and hard, he easily pushed it in. ¡°Ah!¡± Ilyin¡¯s back arched. Her mind was in chaos due to the stimulus that came up from the bottom of her stomach. She couldn¡¯t help squeezing her thighs due to climax which in turn further stimulated Aden. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Aden couldn¡¯t help but let out a shallow breath as he clenched his jaws. This was only the beginning and for Aden, who had to hide his desire. It was a hard time but also one of the best times. ¡°Hm¡­.!¡± As Aden moved a little, Ilyin further arched her back. Aden tried to calm her as he kissed her neck. His whisper that tried to calm her was sweet. Whenever he wanted to move like crazy inside her, he put his lips on her collarbone instead and left a deep mark. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The last place Aden went after leaving his love all over her body was her lips. The deep kiss relaxed Ilyin¡¯s tired body. As Ilyin¡¯s hands brushed against his strong chest, the heat emitting from it made her hot and just for that moment, she felt like she wasn¡¯t in winter. She had reached a place with a clear sky and the strong sunlight streaming down. Ilyin closed her eyes at the warmth. Chapter 96 Aden couldn¡¯t spend too much time with Ilyin. He was supposed to have been visiting her briefly before leaving for Elo¡¯s territory but the scent of summer and her just made him act out of impulse. After laying with her for a while, he lifted Ilyin off him and carefully placed her down. He didn¡¯t forget to put a soft and comfy blanket up to her neck. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± he whispered as he placed a tender kiss on her cheek. Ilyin looked at the clock. Even then, he was delayed for quite a while now. ¡°Will Elo be ok?¡± Hadn¡¯t they returned quickly to the winter region because of Elo? Aden nodded at Ilyin¡¯s question, ¡°They will be.¡± ¡°They seemed okay in the dream but¡­¡± It was still concerning. The Elo knights that were holding swords with the yellow accessory looked uneasy. It was probably due to the fact that they would have to face the Yester Tribe head on should the wall of light collapse. She didn¡¯t get to see far enough into the future to know what happened after. Ilyin couldn¡¯t help the uneasiness in the bottom of her stomach as she thought of those deep violet eyes. Not just the iris, but his entire eyes were a thick violet that was almost black, and those eyes were staring at her for sure. ¡°Did you have a dream?¡± Aden pushed back the few locks of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes. Her beautiful eyes that made him want to leave everything and lie with her for eternity. ¡°Yes,¡± Ilyin said hesitantly. ¡°Did you see something that bothered you again?¡± His gentle tone had a way of calming people. Ilyin reached out for his hand. She knew what he was asking, he was asking whether someone would get hurt or die. It wasn¡¯t that this time, but she did see something that bothered her. ¡°I saw something strange,¡± she began, unsure of how to explain what she saw to him. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he tilted his head. ¡°First¡­ I saw Elo¡¯s wall.¡± Was it a wall? Ilyin wondered as she creased her eyebrows. Thankfully Aden immediately knew what she meant. ¡°You mean Elo¡¯s wall of light?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ilyin nodded. Like its name It was a wall of light. To keep intruders away. ¡°That is the power Elo holds. That is the reason how the Elos were able to hold their ground for so long despite being so close to the monsters,¡± Aden explained shortly. Ilyin nodded. ¡°The wall¡­ didn¡¯t collapse, thankfully.¡± It felt like it was going to. Ilyin chose her words carefully, ¡°I didn¡¯t see the entire future, however.¡± Aden felt like something was missing from her words. If it was her grandmother, Bertha, would she have been able to understand her? But in the next words that followed, Ilyin wondered if even Bertha would have been able to understand. ¡°When I met eyes with someone in the dream, I woke up.¡± His eyes were a deep violet, like you¡¯d get sucked into if you stared at them for too long. Ilyin tightened her grasp around his wrist. It was a being that had long blond hair. It was hard to tell if it was a man or a woman. She didn¡¯t know there was someone other than Aden who could wear something like that in the winter region. His clothes looked so thin that it didn¡¯t look like it would do well against even the winter of the warm region. ¡°Was it¡­ human?¡± Out of everyone he knew, there was no one that could handle the snowstorm of Biflten¡¯s April in such thin clothing. It wasn¡¯t a matter of growing up in the winter region or warm region. There was no way a human wouldn¡¯t freeze¡­ unless he had Divine Power. ¡°It really looked like human.¡± She thought it was human at first. Yester Tribe and Molly Tribe were clearly identifiable as monsters as they were covered in scales but the moment she met its eyes, her certainty of it being a human was gone. ¡°The eyes.¡± Ilyin took out her hands from the comfy blanket again. She brushed it against Aden¡¯s eyes. His beautiful dark blue eyes. ¡°The entire eyes were violet, a very deep violet.¡± Chapter 97 ¡°You¡¯re saying it looked like human¡­ except it¡¯s eyes?¡± Aden tilted head slightly. ¡°Yes, it might be hard to understand but¡­¡± Ilyin said quietly and paused for a moment as if gathering her thoughts, ¡°Maybe I saw it wrong as I woke up from the dream.¡± ¡°No, I believe you,¡± Aden said immediately. How could I not believe you? Aden couldn¡¯t help thinking as he brushed back the few stray hairs on Ilyin¡¯s cheek. ¡°Even so, to believe something without evidence¨C¡± Ilyin shook her head. ¡°The only time I need evidence is when you¡¯re trying to deceive me,¡± said Aden, ¡°and you don¡¯t have a reason to deceive me, do you?¡± Aden tapped on Ilyin¡¯s forehead playfully as Ilyin laughed. ¡°Of course I won¡¯t but you always believe me no matter what and I feel uneasy because what if I¡¯m wrong,¡± Ilyin muttered as she avoided Aden¡¯s softened gaze. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he smiled his gentle smile, ¡°I believe in you so you should do the same.¡± Aden¡¯s longing kiss landed on her sharp nose. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will be able to survive the endless winter here without you anymore. How about you, Ilyin?¡± Aden asked before leaving, his question barely a whisper. Ilyin ignored the butterflies in her stomach as she looked into his searching eyes. ¡°Me too.¡± *** Master Aden de Biflten accompanied by Delrose knights left for Elo¡¯s territory. As he had practically left almost as he came back, the people in the mansion were amazed at their master¡¯s miraculous stamina. ¡°And I heard the Grand Master of Delrose can¡¯t go this time?¡± ¡°Right.¡± It was the maids from other families talking amongst themselves. ¡°I heard he got hurt on his way back with madam.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°He brought her back through the April storm.¡± Mille¡¯s maid¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Oh my, from the warm region to here?¡± ¡°Did you not see when madam came back?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t my shift¡­¡± Ilyin couldn¡¯t help feeling that the gossiping in the mansion was getting a little out of hand. ¡°How dare they in Delrose¡¯s territory.¡± They were at the fifth floor when Etra was about to interrupt the gossiping maids in displeasure. Ilyin lifted her hand to stop her. As Etra was about to protest, Ilyin quietly put a finger on her hand as an indication that they should listen a bit longer. ¡°Then what about the knights when we went together?¡± ¡°What about the master?¡± The maids had heard that the Delrose Grand Master had stayed back to protect the mansion while the master took a few Delrose knights and staff and went to the warm region with madam. The maids shared the rumours they heard, trying to find out the truth. ¡°I heard the Grand Master went to escort madam.¡± ¡°Oh my, in this cold?¡± The maid¡¯s voice got very small, ¡°That¡¯s why he had a fever after. Master apparently was very angry.¡± ¡°Was that the reason why he was put on probation near the knight¡¯s training ground?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± How would they know of the Delrose¡¯s affair? The Mille maids that were chatting slowly dispersed. Ilyin, after hearing everything, waved to Etra. It was a sign to head to the seventh floor. ¡°It seemed like there weren¡¯t any strange rumours, thankfully.¡± Ilyin spoke as they arrived back to the seventh floor, a territory belonging completely to Delrose. Etra nodded shortly. ¡°Sir Adith is taking care of the rumours in the mansion,¡± she reported. Ah. Of course, rumours spread like wildfire if not controlled. They must be nipped in the bud. ¡°Even so, the atmosphere is quite rowdy,¡± Ilyin commented. ¡°It¡¯s probably to distract from the Elo situation,¡± Etra said thoughtfully. Ilyin slowly nodded, ¡°It seems like there are barely any Elo¡¯s people in the mansion.¡± Anyone could tell which house the people in the mansion belonged to through the color of their clothes and accessories. The sea of Yellow Elos, Green Milles and Blue North usually teeming around the mansion could not be found now. It was only Elo¡¯s maids that were seen from time to time and even they looked preoccupied. ¡°Yes. I heard they all went back to the Elo stronghold,¡± Etra answered as she prepared tea for m Ilyin, whose body she noticed was a little cold. As she brought out tea leaves, the Delrose maids put down a kettle with hot water in it near Ilyin. They were the maids that had accompanied her to the warm region. Usually, they would have disappeared after leaving the water, but they spoke after a little hesitation. ¡°The Elo stronghold is two places.¡± ¡°Yes. The place with the wall and the hidden one.¡± Etra, who came back with tea leaves, gave them a cold glare for interrupting the conversation making the two maids shrink. ¡°Etra,¡± Ilyin said calmly. Etra had once told Ilyin that she was worried that the Delrose maids would look down on Ilyin if she kept fraternizing with them but Ilyin, who used to live in the Viscount mansion, knew just by looking at their eyes that they held no ill intent and were only full of innocent curiosity. ¡°But madam¨C¡± Etra began but was cut off by Ilyin. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Are you bored?¡± Ilyin asked the two maids with a gentle smile. The two maids looked at each other at Ilyin¡¯s words and quickly nodded. Ilyin took out chairs for them personally. ¡°Sit down and chat.¡± She also took out a chair for Etra but Etra panicked and quickly moved to get it for herself, ¡°I¡¯ll do it, madam.¡± Chapter 98 Etra¡¯s sharp glare towards the two maids also got harsher. It was asking them how they could let Ilyin do something for them. Two maids, albeit scared, felt that it was unfair. Even though their madam was so kind, how could they have expected her to order them to sit down and grab chairs on top of that. ¡°Can you tell me more about Elo?¡± Ilyin asked. ¡°Ah, yes!¡± This time the two maids talked freely since Ilyin herself had ordered them to talk about it more, they didn¡¯t have to worry about Etra shooting daggers from her eyes. ¡°Great! You¡¯re Mary, and you¡¯re Jean, right?¡± smiled Ilyin The two Delrose maids, Mary and Jean looked at each other in shock. There was no greater honor than for their master to know their names before introducing themselves. ¡°You¡¯re right, madam!¡± Two of them bowed repeatedly with joy. Etra sat down observing the two maid¡¯s movements for anything disrespectful. Mary and Jean also sat down as she did. ¡°I heard that Elo¡¯s territory is near the monsters¡¯ territory, is that right?¡± Ilyin continued. Mary nodded, ¡°Yes. If it was Mille or North, they wouldn¡¯t have survived.¡± ¡°They¡¯re able to hold on because of the Bright Elo¡¯s ¡®Wall of Light¡¯ right?¡± Ilyin asked. This time, Etra answered, ¡°Yes. The Wall of Light surrounds their main stronghold. If anyone has any intention of harming them, the wall does not let them through.¡± ¡°What an envious divine object,¡± Jean gathered her hands as she spoke, her eyes sparkling with interest. Ilyin tilted her head, ¡°Is the ¡®Wall of Light¡¯ the ability of a divine object?¡± Just like how the Blue North¡¯s cloth blocked the cold? Jean nodded, ¡°That¡¯s what I heard.¡± ¡°Then Delrose¡¯s divine object is¡­?¡± Etra gestured to the necklace around Ilyin¡¯s neck and told her, ¡°It can start an everlasting fire.¡± A fire that won¡¯t extinguish until its master wants it to. Ilyin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wow.¡± It was a beautiful ability and absolutely befitting of Red Delrose. While the Bright Elo¡¯s wall was also a very charming ability for a place with many monsters, Ilyin couldn¡¯t help but find the Red Delrose¡¯s everlasting fire seemed more charming. ¡°This mansion¡¯s fireplace was lit with the divine object brought by the first bride.¡± Wow, the fire in the fireplace was an everlasting fire. Ilyin thought as she stared at the fireplace. As she thought about it, she realized that if the fire went out while Aden, who held the divine power, wasn¡¯t there, the mansion would freeze instantly. Considering that, it was very odd that there was no one who was guarding the fire. As it was a very important fire, they could have had someone maintaining it. ¡°They don¡¯t have to maintain it because it¡¯s everlasting.¡± Ilyin¡¯s hand instinctively went to the divine object around her neck at that. ¡°Do you perhaps know how to use it?¡± Mary asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. ¡°The divine object ability?¡± Mary and Jean shook their heads simultaneously. ¡°I heard that the brides knew.¡± Was it a secret passed down by the elders of each family? Many Biflten¡¯s brides were probably from the winter region so that was likely but what about brides from the warm region? Ilyin remembered the Duchess before her who couldn¡¯t get used to the winter. Perhaps, warm region people couldn¡¯t use it then? Ilyin couldn¡¯t help feeling slightly disappointed at that. ¡°Can I tell you about Elo¡¯s other stronghold?¡± Jean spoke brightly as if she noticed the disappointment Ilyin felt and was trying to cheer her up. Ilyin smiled. ¡°The second stronghold is hidden deeply. It doesn¡¯t have the Wall of Light, but it doesn¡¯t need it because it is so secretive that no one knows where it is.¡± ¡°Only some of the people at Elo know. The location and the army,¡± Mary chimed in. Ilyin had a guess of where it could be, but it was only a guess. She was never at a battlefield, but logically she knew that it was strategically smarter to surround the enemy¡¯s stronghold to completely take over. To be able to send someone while being attacked if they were not surrounded, was impossible unless they had a spy. ¡°That¡¯s how Elo was able to deliver the message to us, because there are Elo¡¯s people outside of Elo¡¯s ¡®Wall of Light.¡± Ilyin said as she felt as if a mystery that had been bothering her was finally solved. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Mary and Jean said in awe and respect at how quickly she was able to put everything together. ¡°So that¡¯s why all of Elo¡¯s knights left the mansion¡­¡± And that¡¯s why the atmosphere of the other families was uneasy. As Ilyin raised her tea to her lips, she realized it was now cold. Etra swiftly handed Ilyin a warm tea she just poured. ¡°Then when Den is back, I¡¯ll have to help him not be so tired. Let¡¯s clean the mansion first,¡± Ilyin smiled. *** The atmosphere in the mansion was certainly different with Ilyin there. The attendees of each family felt it. The Duchess before her was longing for the warm region and contributed to the depressed atmosphere, but this one was curious about the winter region. ¡°At your service, madam,¡± they bowed deeply to her. As Aden left for Elo¡¯s territory, the Delrose knights had forbidden outsiders, but there was a guest. Had it been someone from a different family, they would¡¯ve turned them away, but this was someone they could not as he was a Delrose. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for your order.¡± Chapter 99 When Ilyin arrived, the Delrose knight Emil didn¡¯t ask for the purpose of her visit nor if she needed anything. For if Ilyin, a person from the warm region, had travelled here through the cold already meant that she had some sort of business and a very important one at that. This was the first interaction and the first order that Ilyin was giving to the Knights. He was nervous. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for barging in like this,¡± Ilyin lifted the Blue North¡¯s cloth a little and smiled warmly at them. The knights bowed deeply to her. ¡°Not necessary ma¡¯am. We are always at your service, be it dawn or dusk,¡± he responded with a slight bow. ¡°Thank you,¡± she smiled softly but the smile slowly disappeared. What came from her mouth next, made their hearts drop. ¡°It seems like there¡¯s a problem with the Mansion¡¯s defense.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± If what Ilyin said was true, this was a real emergency for the Delrose knights. Not only would their Master personally scold them for not having guarded Ilyin properly but also would have risked endangering her life. Emil and the knights that stood behind him turned white as a sheet. These were the knights that were trusted with the job of protecting the mansion while Aden was away. ¡°I am not sure I understand, ma¡¯am,¡± Emil answered calmly despite his racing heart, ¡°Which part of the Mansion¡­?¡± This was quite a shock to him as the Delrose knights always carried out their duties with utmost sincerity and was the main reason why Aden had entrusted them with the security of the mansion. Emil was quite confident that there was no hole their defense. However, Emil didn¡¯t let his confidence in Delrose¡¯s ability discard Ilyin¡¯s words. ¡°Elo¡¯s territory,¡± Ilyin answered carefully. ¡°Ah.¡± A myriad of emotions crossed Emil¡¯s eyes before eventually disappearing. Ilyin was sensitively able to read it. She could make out it was a mixture of relief, but he was also slightly flustered. ¡°Is it a little too much to ask for the Delrose knights to guard Elo¡¯s territory?¡± Ilyin didn¡¯t know everything about the politics in the winter, so she had to ask carefully. Emil shook his head, ¡°No ma¡¯am. That is also a Knight¡¯s duty.¡± ¡°But not Delrose¡¯s.¡± Emil was not sure how to express it to Ilyin. It was clear that Ilyin was not informed or aware of the situation. Even Aden, who had the duty to protect all of Biflten, showed displeasure at Elo¡¯s request for back up. ¡®If the Elo weren¡¯t able to handle the Yesters, they wouldn¡¯t have put their stronghold there.¡¯ As Emil thought about it, he realized that Aden hadn¡¯t been worried about Elo even as they were leaving for the warm region despite it being the season when the Yesters were most active. Despite his attempt at weakening them by increasing the temperature of the winter region, the Yesters were still very active. ¡®The temperature right now is high for April. With the rough northwestern wind, it is hard to pull off even a small invasion when the stronghold is northwest.¡¯ Aden had said before heading to the warm region. Rather than belief in Elo, he had said it rather coldly as if it was a fact, an unwritten rule. Den did not agree with how each of the families tried to save their own soldiers at the risk of others and more than anything, it seemed like there was an unwritten rule in the winter that families did not interfere in the business of other families. Even an outsider could see the clear division in Bifelton and how even the territories were clearly divided by the families. ¡°I understand. I understand how hard it must be to see the families as Delrose¡¯s allies,¡± Ilyin spoke, her voice full of sympathy and sincerity, ¡°but the Delrose knights that I know are brave and benevolent.¡± The knights looked at each other, Ilyin¡¯s compliment catching them off guard. Ilyin tilted her head a little. Her soft silver hair, with Blue North¡¯s cloth, lightly bouncing off her shoulder in the process. ¡°Delrose, because of its master with Divine Power, has an unspoken responsibility of protecting Biflten.¡± Unfairly, Ilyin¡¯s eyes seemed to be saying as she patted Emil who was trying his best to hide his displeasure. Her small, frail-looking hand surprisingly held so much strength and protectiveness. ¡°Thankfully, they have become the only family who can naturally enter into the knight-less, empty territory of Elo,¡± Emil said after feeling inspired by Ilyin¡¯s kind heart as he gave her a small smile. ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡± Ilyin laughed, her heart swelling with pride at his words. *** There was life in Biflten Mansion once again. It was thanks to Ilyin, who had ordered the Knights to work on filling in the hole that was left in the Mansion¡¯s defense by the absence of the Elo knights. Whilst expanding their defense, the Delrose knights were never forceful. This was thanks to Ilyin¡¯s constant reminder to them to never make any of Elo¡¯s maids feel threatened. She had also given a secret order only known by the Delroses. ¡®Investigate the Elo¡¯s within the Mansion.¡¯ Ilyin was sure to make it clear that she did not want the use of any force and if it couldn¡¯t be done naturally, then it was okay just to guard them. This whole situation could have been misinterpreted as an invasion of other family¡¯s territory, but Ilyin cleverly used the rumor of her that was being spread around in her favor. She was now popular as the ma¡¯am who was so kind, she worried about the defenses of the families fighting against the Yesters in April. Chapter 100 It wasn¡¯t without evidence. The Delrose knights in Elo¡¯s territory never caused trouble and instead worked tirelessly to guard the people and made sure to avoid places that made the maids uncomfortable. Additionally, for Delrose, they would be able to obtain information on the other family¡¯s unknown territory and maybe even find out important things like where Elo¡¯s second stronghold was and how big it was. Even so, they were okay with not getting any information as even Delrose receiving the precedent of entering another family¡¯s territory was a huge benefit. That wasn¡¯t the only thing Ilyin ordered, she had given an even more secretive order, ¡®Make sure to keep a good eye on those who had followed us from the warm region.¡¯ Those who attacked them on their way back and were thought to have frozen to death due to Aden¡¯s Divine Power were surprisingly still alive. They were awaiting Aden¡¯s questioning at the Delrose-owned basement cell. They didn¡¯t carry anything that could identify them, but Aden could tell from their skin tone and their mannerisms that they were from winter. Ilyin thought the same. From the pale skin that grew up without seeing any sun to being able to handle the April cold that no one from the warm region could without the help of the Blue North¡¯s cloth, they were definitely from the winter. The question was from which family they came. Aden was soon going to find out once he got back. ¡°Ma¡¯am, here¡¯s the report of all the information Sir Emil has been able to collect so far.¡± It was that night that Ilyin got a secret message from the seventh floor. Ilyin, who was wearing a light blue robe, smiled awkwardly at the tap at her door. She was holding the map of the winter region she sometimes went through before going to sleep. ¡°It¡¯s quite late¡­ Would it be okay?¡± the knight asked Etra, who stood guard outside Ilyin¡¯s doors. Etra was now well versed in Ilyin¡¯s schedule. As she came from where the sun always rose and the resources were plenty, she had no problem being active late at night. ¡°This needs to be reported. I will prepare.¡± Etra, who entered after knocking, was surprised at Ilyin¡¯s clothes. ¡°Oh my, ma¡¯am. You¡¯re sleeping early tonight.¡± It seemed like Ilyin wasn¡¯t aware that she changed into her robe. She smiled softly, ¡°I¡¯m a little tired.¡± ¡°Ah, then I¡¯ll tell them to come tomorrow,¡± Etra bowed and quickly left. Ilyin wanted to stop Etra as they had come all the way to her so late at night but found she was unable to as fatigue had sunk deep in her bones. The Delrose maids came in soon after and tidied up Ilyin¡¯s bed as if Etra had sent them. She was certain that Etra ordered them as she could probably tell that Ilyin was too tired. By the time Etra returned, Ilyin was already asleep. She had the mobile from the warm region on top of her head. Etra tidied up her blanket and quietly left the room. *** Ilyin was standing in the middle of winter. It was a dream. Ilyin looked down at her hands. This time the mobile in them. She looked down at it for a while and when she looked up she could see the Elo territory again. The Wall of Light still looked strong. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s hard to catch up to the Yesters with the northern wind.¡± It was Idith¡¯s voice. Ilyin turned around happily. She was happy to see Idith, but it was the person who he was reporting that she really wanted to see. Through the strong snowstorm that painted everything white, she could see his thick black hair. His dark blue eyes were clearer and cleaner than before. ¡°We¡¯re not chasing them.¡± He examined Elo¡¯s wall after receiving Idith¡¯s short report. It looked like he was looking at the surrounding trail left thanks to the snow. ¡°I see why they called in such hurry,¡± his voice was calm and clear despite the scene in front of him. Even from Ilyin¡¯s perspective, she could see quite a bit of trace left by the Yesters. Scratches that looked like from sharp claws. They seemed to have scratched the wall so much that there were traces of blood in some places. Aden, who looked at the snow traces, turned his gaze to the back of Elo¡¯s territory. Over the clear Wall of Light was a vast field of snow. He quickly made his way there. Ilyin knew that he was headed to the place where she told him she saw the person with deep violet eyes. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Idith was flustered at his sudden movement as he quickly tried to catch up. ¡°Be prepared to use your sword,¡± Aden spoke quietly as his eyes scanned the landscape. Idith gulped as he nodded. He was not sure what he was looking out for. ¡°I¡¯ll call the other knights,¡± Idith said in a low voice. ¡°No, just the two of us should be fine.¡± He easily deflected Idith¡¯s worry. Idith was about to say something when Aden put his finger on his lips. ¡°Quietly.¡± Was it possible for a human to move without trace on snow? Ilyin felt like she finally found the answer for that question. Aden moved with great stealth and speed as he headed to the back of the Wall of Light. Idith also followed suit without making a sound. Ilyin, who was dreaming, was able to move a little faster than them. She couldn¡¯t help but look at them in concern. She moved one step forward and immediately arrived at the place she wanted to. She was on top of the hill from where the entire Elo territory could be seen. And there on top, she met the being with violet eyes. The person with long white hair looked like he was staring down at the hill. Chapter 110 She shifted herself forward onto him, felt his c*ck slide under her as she moved. She felt it push in against her underwear ¨C so focused on him she¡¯d been, she¡¯d forgotten to remove it. But the teasing feel of it against her through the cloth was tantalizing. She experimented, shifting forward, back, sliding against it. Felt the hardness of him pressing against her cl*t, along her secret lips¡­ she moaned, her vision going white with ecstasy. Every time she moved, every time she even breathed, the world seemed to slow down. She felt the tip of it pressing against her gates. It felt like it might tear through the cloth to penetrate her. She wished that it would. She shifted again, and his thwarted c*ck slid forward, rubbing her clit again. She moaned loudly. All her sensations seemed so much stronger in this position. Everything else had fallen away into the white. There was only herself and Aden, only the sensations of her body rubbing against his. ¡°Ilyin!¡± Aden cried out. He was shuddering, caught between anticipation and ecstasy himself. ¡°Is¡­,¡± she breathed, struggling to find words as she focused on her movement, ¡°is this ¡­ enough?¡± He was half-mad with the desire she¡¯d raised in him. This was new to him, to be the one tended to. It made him burn for her. ¡°Enough,¡± he barely managed to croak out the word as, his patience broken, he grabbed her hungrily. She gasped as he pulled her out of the whiteness and back into the dim light of the room. He flipped them both easily, laying her on the bed and rolling atop her. ¡°Now,¡± he said, his breathing labored with desire as he roughly pulled her underwear free and slid inside her. ¡°Mmmm!¡± she said, biting her lip to keep from crying out. He slid in easily, so well-oiled she was from rolling against him, and her walls squeezed tight against him. He shuddered as he drove it in to its full length. ¡°Ilyin!¡± He retreated just slightly, and the motion seemed to harden him still more. Her back arched and she cried out. The sound of her shattered the last of his restraint, and he thrusted again, roughly. ¡°Ah¡­ahh!¡± Ilyin cried again, gasping. ¡°So¡­so sweet,¡± Aden breathed, the words falling from his mouth as though he wasn¡¯t aware of them. His vision swam. His body hungered for her like a beast separate from himself, wanting to grip her tighter, thrust harder, love her savagely. He barely held it in check, thankful she couldn¡¯t see the dark impulses that struggled to overcome him. He pulled free completely, then drove back in fully. Ilyin moaned loudly, her body bucked at the sensation. Their moans blended, rose together as their pace quickened. Ilyin¡¯s fingers wrapped themselves in the sheets, and she clenched them tightly until her knuckles were white. Then their wave broke as one when they hit their moment. The whole room seemed to shake as they spasmed. ¡°Aden!¡± Ilyin screamed as he burst within her. They shuddered, staying clenched together in a long moment before collapsing together. They lay for a long moment, gasping, recovering from the waves of bliss that echoed through them. Aden shifted, curling up behind her. He bit her ear gently, and Ilyin shuddered. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Tell me what you want,¡± he breathed. Not for others, he thought. For yourself. Tell me your wish. ¡°Tell me,¡± he said, ¡°and I will give it. I will give you anything.¡± ¡°Aden,¡± she whispered, her breath still settling from their furious lovemaking. It was less a response to his words than merely another aftershock of their climax, like the tremors that still raced through her skin. ¡°Tell me,¡± he said again. He bit her ear gently, and she shuddered. Then he kissed her shoulder lightly, then again. And again. ¡°I want¡­,¡± she said, finding her way back to words, ¡°I want you to remember yourself. Remember those who serve you. Think of who you want to be, and how you want them to see you.¡± Even now, she was without ambitions for herself. Her heart felt greed only for the sake of others. Aden felt a flash of regret for testing it. She gave her warmth as freely as the summer sun, without guile or agenda but simply because it flowed from her unforced. She loved him, truly. And loved his people, and she there was nothing she wanted for herself that she would take over even the humblest of them. It was a deeper beauty than that of her face, her body, and the truth of it stoked the fire in his heart anew. His kisses began to linger on her shoulder longer, and his hands began to move again across her skin. He felt her shift against him, responding to his touch. ¡°That is my wish,¡± she breathed. His hand roamed across her shoulder, her bre*st, his touch growing hungrier as his heat rose again. He kissed her neck, and she turned her face to meet him. As they kissed, she rolled her body toward his, then they rolled back together, bringing him on top of her again. ¡°Then I will do it,¡± he whispered, ¡°always.¡± Then he kissed her again, deeply, as he moved himself into position. His c*ck found her gates again, and she clutched at his back as he entered. They moved together slowly at first, then passion overtook them, and the rest of the night fell into a blur of pleasure. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only *** She awoke before him the next morning, for the first time. He was always so busy, coming to bed after her and always waking up earlier, no matter how she tried to pull him to bed sooner. Normally, she woke to his smiling face unless he was too busy to stay. Did you sleep well, he would ask. Even when duty took him away before she woke, he would return to knock on the door and ask, as though he could sense when she opened her eyes. But this time, it was her kissing him awake, her smiling face waiting for his eyes to open. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± she asked. Chapter 111 But this morning was strange. She watched him before he woke, and despite so many nights shared, she saw Aden¡¯s face as though seeing it for the first time. Relaxed in sleep, his face lost the flinty edges it carried when he was awake. The mouth that curved cold when he was angry. The eyes that could burn like ice. All his hard features, now softened in sleep. Could the people guess that the Duke of Winter, that mythic, towering figure, could be so relaxed? That their stern lord could ever look so gentle? When she asked if he slept well, he¡¯d opened his eyes quickly. Too quickly, it seemed. ¡°Were you already awake?¡± she asked slyly. ¡°No,¡± he said, earnestly, ¡°I awoke just as you spoke to me.¡± There was no lie in his voice or his eyes. She smiled. ¡°Well, good morning.¡± ¡°It is¡­thanks to you,¡± he said, smiling in return. *** When he¡¯d first heard a bride was coming for him, Aden hadn¡¯t thought his life would change. No matter if she was from the warm region, or the winter. He hadn¡¯t thought his betrothed would affect him much at all, nor play much part in the business of either the mansion or Delrose. But Ilyin had proved him very wrong. As soon as he had returned, injured, from the warm region, he¡¯d had to rush to help at Elo¡¯s territory, then back to the mansion. Yet with all still left to do, he¡¯d been able to sleep deeply thanks to her. ¡°Ma¡¯am finished all of that; It¡¯s already been done on Ma¡¯am¡¯s order.¡± Aden had heard variations of that at least three times this morning from Idith, and more from others. ¡°I always worry,¡± she¡¯d said as they lay together. Her concerns always came as pillow talk. ¡°About?¡± he¡¯d asked. ¡°Whether I¡¯m taking on too much power,¡± she¡¯d said, ¡°Taking too much from you.¡± If only you understood, he¡¯d thought, understood how much power you truly hold. Ever since I was first bewitched by your summer light, you¡¯ve held me in the palm of your delicate hand. Me, and all of Delrose. He¡¯d hoped she understood that, hoped she¡¯d hold them with care. Now, seated at his desk, tapping his fingers thoughtfully, he asked Idith for a report. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°What¡¯s the situation with the basement jail?¡± he asked. It seemed among the few things left to him. Ilyin¡¯s management was so skillful he had little else to touch. Even the information that came from their spying on Elo, she examined and organized before it came to him. Those reports still included the original, raw information, of course ¨C and that still echoed what he¡¯d been told by Rippo de Mille. That Bright Elo and Green Mille were allied with the Yesters. That someone among those creatures could see the future. Aden thought the monsters might have an uncomfortable chance of victory if it were true. He thought of Ilyin¡¯s own strange foresight, the gift that came down her mother¡¯s side of the family. Its origin was unknown. Aden wondered, if there really were someone among the Yesters who could see the future, did they also see it in dreams? The intelligence brought from Elo¡¯s territory didn¡¯t confirm Rippo¡¯s claim, but it did show strange actions on their part, enough to stir his concern. Low-level knights were being promoted and brought to the mansion. Slowly, their senior knights were being rotated out, replaced by newly minted knights promoted above their rightful place. The illusion of the same presence of forces, but increasingly mere decoration, while their more valued knights were being whisked elsewhere. Their secret stronghold, Aden knew, wherever that may be. But for what purpose? ¡°The prisoners in the basement jail all tried to kill themselves, but none succeeded.¡± Idith¡¯s cut the train of his thought. No more pondering, he thought, rising from his chair. It was time to get answers directly from those who¡¯d attacked him in the warm region. *** ¡°Grandmaster Den¡± was always busy; ¡°Biflten Master, Aden de Biflten¡± even more so. Ilyin rarely had a chance to see him in the morning. In passing, certainly, as he was hurrying about pursuing this duty or that one, and he would, in those brief moments, show small, discrete signs of love ¨C a grazing touch of the hand in passing, or a smile where only she could see. Brief, stolen moments that warmed her. But it wasn¡¯t only his responsibilities that crowded between them. She was never alone in Biflten Mansion. She had guards around her, yes, but also maids, knights, . . . always someone from Delrose that needed her attention for a moment, for one reason or another. ¡°Is the necklace too tight?¡± And now it was Etra. At least, with Delrose always beside her, she was never lonely. She was thankful for that. If living in Viscount Arlen¡¯s mansion had seemed like a dream, now she felt ensconced in a better one. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± she answered, smiling. She let the hand that had been fiddling with the necklace drop for a moment, but then absently returned to it. Etra tilted her head slightly. ¡°Is whatever worry is distracting you something that this old, slow maid couldn¡¯t understand?¡± she asked. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°No,¡± Ilyin said with a light laugh, shaking her head. She pondered for a moment, then gestured to Etra. ¡°Can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am,¡± Etra replied, bowing deeply. ¡°What can I do?¡± ¡°Bring me a plank that will burn well, and a sand board.¡± The request was so odd Etra blinked. Chapter 112 The basement jail in Biflten Mansion was Delrose territory. The statement of that ¨C who punished the criminals ¨C showed who the master of the mansion was. Standing as the Duke of Winter, Aden wore an ornate, hooded robe to hide his face. He hated having to wear it, but it was a necessary practice to safeguard his identity, and he¡¯d come to the jail with no intention of revealing himself. ¡°The Grandmaster wore a fancy robe to meet us, eh?¡± called one of the assassins. So much for that. With no more need for the ruse, Aden pulled back his hood. ¡°Really is the same man,¡± said another ¡°We¡¯ve been fooled!¡± cried a third, dripping with sarcasm. The jail was well-kept ¨C Aden didn¡¯t care for the idea of inspiring fear with a dank, filthy jail. Nor did it host any implements of torture. Was that what made the assassins so bold? That they mistook him for a merciful man? He shed the robe and handed it off to Idith, who bowed and stood to the side. The other families¡¯ territories had jails of their own, and all had torture tools in their interrogation rooms except for Blue Nos, who kept torture and interrogation separate. Only Delrose eschewed the tools of torture altogether. ¡°Fearful Master, did you get married in that robe?¡± But Aden didn¡¯t need torture to teach respect. He opened his hand with a simple motion, the blue light of divine power already growing. Idith, who knew that light, blinked uncomfortably. The assassins, however, babbled on. ¡°The bride at your wedding¡­.¡± The words were cut off suddenly when the man uttering them froze. ¡°You forgot how you were caught,¡± Aden said slowly. He pointed at the frozen man. ¡®With your hands tied, you¡¯ve no more chances to kill yourselves. And you will freeze before you can bite your tongue. So, I hope for your cooperation.¡± Silence fell in the room. Not recognizing the light of the divine power meant they were certainly not Delrose. But they knew the Grandmaster and Aden were one and the same. That meant they had at least some connection to the three elders. No one else outside Delrose knew. Aden smiled. Had they really thought it would succeed? And had they not appreciated the gamble they were taking? The mere act of sending the assassins, of directing them to the proper target, showed one of them was behind it. It seemed too obvious a suspicion. But who else would even think of touching Biflten¡¯s master? ¡°I only want to know one thing,¡± he said. Away from Ilyin, he was always the Duke of Winter. This was the face Idith knew, so different from the soft face he wore around Ilyin. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°What family are you part of?¡± He scratched his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Our schedule in the warm region changed unexpectedly, yet you found us.¡± Viscountess Arlen¡¯s funeral in the warm region had been a surprise. Had they not known about that change, there was no way the assassins could have found their way to him. Which meant someone had told them. How? If not for Rippo de Mille, he¡¯d have had many more possibilities to consider. This would have all taken longer. But now, with what she¡¯d revealed, it would be easier . . . and faster. ¡°How did you know our schedule for your attack?¡± Who could have told them about the Viscountess¡¯s funeral in time for them to change their plan? Was there truly an oracle among the Yesters? ¡°Will one of you answer?¡± All three did, but the crude jeers they gave as replies were not the answer the Master of Winter was looking for. The blue light flashed again. ¡°There are two mouths left to answer,¡± he said coldly. When his bride first came from the warm region a few months ago, rumor said the Duke of Winter had melted. The assassins were learning swiftly that rumor had been false. It didn¡¯t take long at all for Aden to get his answer. *** Hailing from the warm region, Ilyin hadn¡¯t considered how hard sand was to get in Biflten. There might well be some waiting in the ground, but it would mean digging through a mass of snow to find it. The snow around the mansion itself was cleared, of course, to make for easy travel within the wall, but there was no sand to be found there. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The Delrose maids debated whether they should seek it in the mansion¡¯s flower garden, or whether the training ground for the Delrose knights might offer any. But as they debated, Ilyin realized her error. ¡°Ah,¡± she said, ¡°oh no.¡± She stood up from her chair by the window. Etra, surprised, rushed to her. ¡°Is there something else you need, ma¡¯am?¡± she asked. ¡°No, I¡­ I made a mistake,¡± Ilyin said. Chapter 113 It was times like this, when she made thoughtless assumptions as though she were still in the warm region, that she realized she still wasn¡¯t ¨C and perhaps never would be ¨C a winter region person. ¡°I will be fine without the sand,¡± she said to Etra, ¡°I¡¯ll go out.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± Etra replied, stepping in front of Ilyin, ¡°the weather is especially cold today.¡± Even with Aden¡¯s divine power, the days were not always the same. Some were colder than others. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she told Etra, ¡°I¡¯ll only be a moment.¡± Though if it were a colder day, that made her blunder worse. Ilyin didn¡¯t want to trouble the Delrose people in such weather. ¡°Then I will go tell them to stop,¡± Etra said. Ilyin glared at her, but she knew to expect no less from her. ¡°You¡¯re going to pretend that you already brought me sand, correct?¡± She knew that servants had no choice if someone of her rank made a request. She understood the ecology of the system, and what lies Etra would need to stop them. ¡°I can tell them to come inside myself,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°There¡¯s something else I want to try.¡± She went out with quick strides. She disliked taking Etra out into this cold, as much as she disliked having sent the maids out. But as the Mistress of Delrose ¨C no, more than that, as the owner of the divine object, there was something she had to try. ¡®It¡¯s not hard to use the divine object,¡± Rippo had said. ¡°So long as the person trying to use it has divine power.¡¯ ¡°Isn¡¯t it only the Duke who holds the divine power?¡± she had asked. ¡°Those from the direct line probably have it,¡± Rippo replied as she handed Ilyin the Mille¡¯s divine object, Setoze. ¡°Being able to activate it is the question.¡± Otherwise, how could only the direct line use the divine object, if it didn¡¯t travel though the family? Rippo seemed a shy, meek girl, but however small her voice, she never held back her words. Rippo¡¯s response made sense, but it raised another problem. ¡°Well, that wouldn¡¯t include me,¡± she had said. ¡°I¡¯m from the warm region.¡± Rippo had given her a strange, almost admiring look that embedded itself in Ilyin¡¯s mind. ¡°That should be fine,¡± she said, ¡®Since you were part of the succession with His Majesty¡­. you should have enough divine power of your own to use it.¡± Though that wasn¡¯t always the case, she had cautioned. Then she told her how to use Setoze. ¡°Fine, thank you,¡± Ilyin had said, unable to hide her curiosity. ¡°But¡­ Why are you being so helpful? So nice?¡± While Ilyin had noticed that Red Delrose and Blue Nos were the most adversarial, that didn¡¯t Green Mille and Delrose were allies. If anything, Blue Nos and Green Mille were closer, and Red Delrose set as a check on the other three families. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Then why was Rippo, Mille¡¯s direct child, helping her? ¡°Well,¡± the girl had said, ¡°it¡¯s because¡­¡± Ilyin could scarcely believe what Rippo had said next. ¡°Oh my god, ma¡¯am!¡± Ilyin was pulled from her thoughts the moment she stepped out the door. The cold wind of April at Biflten felt enough to freeze her head. And the maids, as soon as they saw her, exclaimed as one. They looked flustered, as though afraid to go near her lest they spread the cold they were suffering. But she grabbed each maid¡¯s hands, in turn. Even with gloves, their hands were like ice. ¡°From now on, don¡¯t¡­.¡± As the people of Delrose couldn¡¯t refuse her requests, she caught herself before saying ¡°don¡¯t listen¡±. ¡°If I set you a task that is too difficult, let me know.¡± Don¡¯t just listen and obey, she thought. She clasped a maid¡¯s frozen hands, and her warmth spread through them. Ilyin felt the cold rush into her own hands. The maid looked as though she didn¡¯t know how to react to it. ¡°If it¡¯s an absurd order, tell me it¡¯s absurd.¡± She grabbed another maid¡¯s hands. Hers were also frozen. The maids and knights in Viscount Arlen¡¯s mansion all tried their best to follow orders, but not blindly. They would push back as best they could against an awful job, or an absurd command. Everyone had found her annoying, so they hadn¡¯t tried to do even normal daily responsibilities for her. But as always, it was very different with Delrose. ¡°I don¡¯t want my people to get sick or hurt for some petty errand.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only My people. The words spread a special warmth among the maids shivering in the cold. The bond between the attendees and master was especially close in Delrose, one seldom felt in the suppressed atmosphere of the other families. ¡°We¡¯ll keep that in mind, ma¡¯am,¡± Etra said on their behalf, drawing a laugh from Ilyin. ¡°Then those who are cold go inside,¡± Ilyin said. ¡°The rest of you come with me, as warmly dressed as you can. I¡¯ll show you something amazing.¡± Will they really think so, Ilyin thought, or is it only I? The maids looked at each other. Not one thought to let their lady go alone. All stayed with her as she headed for the Delrose knights¡¯ ground. Chapter 114 Ilyin needed it to be outside but could hardly show the divine object on the front lawn. She needed Delrose territory. So, she chose the knight¡¯s ground ¨C though she wondered if using it for such a personal experiment was proper. She asked Etra, and she responded with a nod. ¡°Your personal business is Delrose business.¡± The Delrose knights gathered around her and the maids as the entered the grounds. ¡°The sand is over here,¡± she said, leading the ensemble. She¡¯d wanted sand in case the fire spread. She looked down at the necklace, the Delrose¡¯s divine object. She was going to use it, just as Rippo had taught her. If she could, just as she had used the Mille¡¯s divine object in front of Aden, she would be an even better help to him ¨C not only Setoze¡¯s ability to erase the sound of a person¡¯s passage, but the power of this object to start an everlasting fire. In a place such as this, there was much use for an undying fire. ¡°Where should I put the plank?¡± asked a maid shaking a plank as she walked up. She was bundled so heavily, at Ilyin¡¯s order, that she waddled comically. Ilyin couldn¡¯t suppress a small laugh at the sight. The maid, not knowing the reason, only blinked. The Blue Nos¡¯s clothes Ilyin wore meant she needed no heavy winter clothing. Not so for the maid ¨C she was wearing a thick fur coat, scarf, and gloves. Only her eyes were visible. It was a wonder she could walk. So cute, Ilyin thought. ¡°Place it over there,¡± Ilyin said with a wave. The maid dutifully wobbled over to the spot and set the plank down, then retreated to a group of other maids all similarly bundled. Ilyin covered Delrose¡¯s necklace with her hands. Normally, it took only divine power and will to harness a divine object. But as with Setoze, Ilyin clenched her hands. A light grew in her hand, a strong red light befitting Red Delrose. And as it did, a flame sprung up on the plank. The plank was consumed quickly, and the fire burned still, melting the frozen yard around it. Ilyin stood agape. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± The maids, hidden in their layers, were mesmerized. They were all from the 7th floor, so all had seen Aden use the divine power before. the same. The knights were the same, having seen him use it on the battlefield. But that power, Aden¡¯s power, was to change the temperature. More powerful than calling up a fire, even an unquenchable one, but more subtle ¨C not so easily noticed. None of them had seen this before. Setoze¡¯s ability, erasing the trace of one¡¯s passage, was another subtle effect. She had only been able to tell from Aden and Rippo¡¯s reactions that she had succeeded at it. But Delrose¡¯s divine object was different. The fire still floated on the spot where the plank had been, impossible to conceal. The snow around the spot was melting fast. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The maids stood, identical as dolls in their heavy bundles. Only their wide eyes were exposed, but their murmurs and gasps betrayed their awe. Ilyin thought they looked adorable. Ilyin laughed like a child. She moved her hand, just slightly, and the fire moved in response. That coordination, the fire dancing with the movements of her hand, caught the knights¡¯ attention. She made her movements just a touch more pronounced, so they could see it more clearly. She heard gasps in response, amusing her. But then, she felt her breath suddenly quicken. *** Choosing the knight¡¯s ground had been a good choice for many reasons. First, of course, she was still able to hide the Delrose¡¯s divine power. But secondly, she was able to be taken to Ves immediately. Of course, they couldn¡¯t carry her to the 7th floor without the other families noticing, but that wouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡°There were people taking care of her,¡± Ves barked. ¡°What were they doing?¡± They were facing Vas¡¯ fury now, but the servants of Delrose knew someone much more frightening was coming. ¡°None of us had proper knowledge of the divine power,¡± Etra said awkwardly. As the only one with a high enough title to respond, she was the default spokesperson for them. Ves sighed. It was true that Delrose people didn¡¯t find divine power foreign, but they¡¯d only seen Aden. They had no way to know using the power, even once, could affect her so. ¡°His Majesty is coming-¡± a maid started to announce, but she was cut off as Aden barged onto the 7th floor. *** Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Aden studied Ilyin¡¯s pale face. He¡¯d been given a report on the situation as he had been hurrying to the 7th floor. She was lying on the bed, still unconscious, her breath coming in quick pants. ¡°Ilyin used Delrose¡¯s divine power¡­.¡± His eyes went to Ilyin¡¯s necklace. His lips twisted, but he swallowed his anger. He¡¯d left the necklace in her care even after seeing her use Setoze. It hadn¡¯t occurred to him that she could use Delrose¡¯s divine object. As well. He didn¡¯t mind that in itself ¨C so long as she used it only when necessary. But it troubled him that such a brief use could make her faint. Aden pursed his lips, stone-faced. He gave no sign, but in his heart, he felt the same tight pain he felt each time he used the divine power. Chapter 115 No power came without cost. The question was whether one had the strength to pay it. ¡°It happened at the Delrose knight training ground,¡± the report had been babbled to him hurriedly, but Aden only half heard it. He could see all he needed to know in Ilyin¡¯s pallid face. She hadn¡¯t known the kind of stamina needed for invoking a divine power. Or perhaps she thought the necklace would ask no more of her than Setoze had. He should have explained it to her earlier, the toll that it could take ¨C but he hadn¡¯t wanted to see worry on her face when he used the power himself. ¡°Everyone is dismissed,¡± he said heavily, barely registering how many were even in the room. *** The drain on one¡¯s stamina to use a divine object was variable, changing with the circumstances and the reason it would be used. When the weather was colder, controlling the weather was harder for him, and carried a greater cost. The only exceptions were those objects that didn¡¯t affect others, like Blue North¡¯s cloth. But the necklace, Delrose¡¯s fire . . . He¡¯d heard that she started the fire in the Delrose training ground. That she¡¯d been fascinated to find she could move and manipulate it. That she¡¯d done so too long, in that fascination. He imagined her blushing cheeks as she played, how adorably cute she would have been. He brushed Ilyin¡¯s silver hair. Part of him wished he could have seen her use it, but he had no wish for her to do it again. Let her leave such work for me, he thought. The back of his hand brushed Ilyin¡¯s cheek, and her eyes opened slightly. They searched drowsily before finding him. ¡°Den,¡± she whispered, and with everyone else dismissed, the faint whisper seemed to echo in the quiet. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to surprise you like this.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he said, relief washing through him at the sight of those violet eyes. ¡°Of course.¡± He leaned in, brushed her cheek before setting his hand gently on her chest. ¡°It must have hurt quite a lot,¡± he said. ¡°Does it hurt you so?¡± she asked, ¡°Every time?¡± She remembered the fire springing to life, remembering it dancing to her command. Did she do too much, move and play with it too long? She could still feel that tight pain in her heart, as though a hand had suddenly gripped it. Mere seconds later, she had collapsed. ¡°I can¡¯t say it doesn¡¯t hurt at all, but . . . ¡°Aden said, shrugging, ¡°there¡¯s a reason they say I am the greatest Duke of all time.¡± The cockiness was for her, to dispel her fears. He didn¡¯t want her to think herself or her power weak, but he also didn¡¯t want her to worry for him when he used the power himself. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Don¡¯t use it so often from now on,¡± she said, fixing him with what was, even in her weakened state, a stare that threatened storms if he disagreed. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°If Ilyin never uses it,¡± he responded pointedly. ¡°Only in emergencies,¡± she said. He could accept that condition. ¡°The fire,¡± she said. ¡°It was amazing.¡± The fire that floated, the fire that burned without consuming. Ilyin looked to the fireplace. Even here, the fire of Delrose burned. ¡°I heard that that fire was started by the first Duchess,¡± she said, ¡°But how is it still going?¡± The everlasting fire of Delrose, it was called. But she had used it, felt the cost of it. The first Duchess may have started the fire, but she was long gone. How was the fire still burning? ¡°That¡¯s probably¡­.¡± He started to say but stammered to a halt. The more he told her, the more likely she would try again. She tilted her head toward him, curious. He sighed. There were too many people in Delrose that wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse her. Someone would satisfy her curiosity, sooner or later. Better that it was him, who would tell her the truth without ambition or agenda. ¡°I have heard,¡± he said, ¡°that if there is something to burn, it takes power only to start the fire, not maintain it.¡± ¡°Then,¡± she said wryly, her eyebrows peaking in even greater curiosity, ¡°it¡¯s not an everlasting fire?¡± ¡°If we¡¯re being technical, it¡¯s a question of how the cost is being paid, by fuel or by power,¡± he answered, smiling. ¡°For example. . . ¡° He went to the fireplace and pulled out the wood, piece by piece. Ilyin watched wide-eyed ¨C the fire she thought would continue to burn on the wood instead stayed in the fireplace, and as soon as the last log was extracted, it vanished as though it had never existed. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The warmth in the room instantly vanished. There was no lingering heat, no embers as when a normal fire died. Just a cold hearth as though no fire had ever been. Aden replaced the logs and clapped his hands together. Taking a cloth, he wiped the cold soot from his hands and returned to Ilyin. Still laying in bed, she shifted to make room for him. He sat beside her, wrapping one arm around her shoulder and, with the other hand, gently taking hold of the Delrose¡¯s necklace. ¡°Look at the fireplace,¡± he said. His eyes seemed to sparkle with intent. With an audible poof, the fire resumed in the fireplace, instantly spreading warmth through the room. Ilyin turned to Aden as though studying his face. Chapter 116 ¡°When there is something to burn, it asks no more from you,¡± he said. ¡°But I heard you started the fire in mid-air. That would be incredibly tiring.¡± Because I gave it nothing to feed it but myself, she thought. ¡°It¡¯s this way with Delrose¡¯s,¡± he continued thoughtfully, ¡°but I¡¯m not sure about the other divine objects.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Shining Elo¡¯s ¡°Wall of Light¡± changes depending on the divine object¡¯s circumstance,¡± she said. ¡°Whether it¡¯s cold, or warm . . .¡± Aden tilted his head slightly. ¡°It also has the unique ability of admitting any who don¡¯t oppose them,¡± he added. ¡°It seems to have many unique features,¡± she replied. It seemed she had a lot of research to do on the divine objects. Aden turned to her, saw that questing look in her eyes as she stared at the fire. ¡°No matter how fascinating it may be, I hope you don¡¯t use it,¡± he said. He brushed her cheek like an apology. ¡°Other than an emergency?¡± she asked with a slight smile. ¡°That¡¯s . . . ¡°the words seem to fumble and be lost. Would I ever let you find yourself in such an emergency? He sighed, brushed her hair gently once. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you hurt.¡± Ilyin looked as though she was about to speak but pursed her lips as though stopping her own words. Aden leaned in swiftly and kissed her, then leaned his forehead against hers. ¡°Leave all that is hard or dangerous to me,¡± he said. ¡°Use me, as I told you.¡± He kissed her again. ¡°Promise you would use it only in an emergency,¡± he said. Ilyin stroked his chest, watched her hand graze lazily over his heart. She thought about his own power, what pain he felt in that heart when he used it. ¡°I promise,¡± she said quietly. She continued to watch her hand, her face blank. She remembered feeling in awe, watching him use his power . . . never understanding the cost of it. What in this world didn¡¯t have a cost? ¡°Does it still hurt you?¡± she asked. Her face seemed to darken. Worry, he thought, she¡¯s still worried for me. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said. Eager to change her mood, he laughed suddenly. ¡°Would you like to see?¡± He smiled, grabbing her hand. With his free hand, he began unbuttoning his shirt. As the Duke of winter, he didn¡¯t need to bundle under layers ¨C beneath the shirt lay only his bare chest. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Ilyin blushed, making Aden laugh again as he adjusted the light by the bed. His wife was always like a new bride. At least the worry had faded. ¡°Why are you so shy at something you¡¯ve seen so often?¡± he asked. He raised her hand to his chest, placed it on his heart. ¡°How does it feel?¡± he asked. Thump, thump, the rhythm of life that reverberated in her hand was strong and steady. He opened his other hand after freeing the last button, and the blue light of divine power burst in his hand. Ilyin had to shield her eyes from it with her other hand, then felt Aden place his other hand over hers. For just a moment, she felt as though she¡¯d been transported back to the warm region. The room became hot. Ilyin shifted aside the cotton blanket. She gently pulled aside the hand covering her eyes. Aden¡¯s face was still calm, undisturbed. His heart still beat just as steadily. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said. ¡°Always.¡± So long as he wasn¡¯t making significant changes in the temperature of the wider region, he was fine. Even before the succession ceremony with Ilyin, he had been fine ¨C though since then, using the power had been much easier. ¡°So,¡± he smiled, ¡°don¡¯t worry.¡± Take care of yourself, he thought, keeping the mask of the smile carefully in place. Please, care for yourself more than me. He held her tightly, feeling the long, thin hair tumbling down her back. Feeling her melt against him. Hearing her gentle breath, like the mild breezes of the warm region, and the light, almost musical whisper in his ear as she spoke. ¡°Then shall we talk about something else?¡± she said. Aden smiled. The light vanished as quickly as it had been summoned, and the room¡¯s temperature fell back to normal. He gently pulled the blanket back up to her chin. ¡°What do you think?¡± he said. ¡°About?¡± she asked, though she had already guessed what he meant. She knew he had come here from interrogating the assassins. She also knew they had to have come from one of the three families. . . and Lady Rippo had just told them of how Shining Elo and Green Mille were in league with the monsters. ¡°About the Lady of Mille?¡± she asked. Aden laughed. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, and a touch of pride crept into his voice. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Ilyin tilted her head slightly. She always tried to be careful at how she explored Delrose¡¯s business. Aden said nothing, just went on playing idly with her hair while she thought. ¡°Is this April particularly warm?¡± she asked finally. Unlike the warm region that saw four seasons ¨C spring, summer, fall, and winter ¨C Biflten saw only winter. It divided the season from January to April, with April being the coldest month. She had known that much, though coming from the warm region, she didn¡¯t yet know the real April. Everyone had said the same thing this year. That this winter was surprisingly warm. ¡°Yes,¡± he answered, wondering how best to explain it to her. Chapter 117 6-7 minutes ¡°Using my divine power has been easier this year. I haven¡¯t had to raise the temperature as much, or as often. It also means the normal range of the Yesters in April has been reduced,¡± Aden said. He spoke deliberately, as though weighing each word before he said it. Ilyin nodded slowly in response. ¡°This is the cold we¡¯d see in March, in other years,¡± he continued, ¡°that¡¯s what allowed the Lady of Mille to take the risks she did.¡± Hiding herself in the back of a cart was surely a risk. The Acid Merchant, it seemed, covered the cart in thick cotton blankets whenever they sent food to keep it from freezing, but still ¨C unless she knew of others traveling in such a way before, how could she know she would survive the journey? She would have been trapped in the cart the entire way ¨C escaping it would have simply left her stranded out in the open in winter. Add in the chance of being caught at the mansion, and the Lady of Mille took quite a risk indeed. ¡°Have you read the document I sent to you about Elo?¡± she asked. There was more they needed to discuss than the warm winter ¨C there was the information that had been gleaned from Elo¡¯s territory. Perhaps he hadn¡¯t had a chance to read it? A lot had transpired since he¡¯d returned to the mansion. ¡°Of course,¡± Aden said, smiling. There was no way he wouldn¡¯t have read something she¡¯d touched. It was as lovely to him as she was, and he¡¯d been reading it in every spare moment since he¡¯d returned. From what he knew, she had never done anything of importance in the Viscount mansion. She¡¯d greeted guests of Viscountess Arlen on occasion, but not much more. Viscount Arlen had kept a tight grip on the affairs of his territory until the very end. Aden felt sure that if Ilyin had been given a hand in it, Arlen would have prospered. Reading her report only made him surer. In the mansion, it had been a tradition not to enter another family¡¯s territory since long before he was born. The tradition became even more rigid when the previous Duke had ventured more often into the warm region. It made Ilyin¡¯s ploy of sending knights into Elo¡¯s territory ¨C for their protection ¨C so unexpected. And so very clever. It had been a wise choice. Biflten mansion was the safest place in this frozen region, since only the Duke of Winter could truly stop the monsters. Because of that, elders would commonly spend their time in the mansion. And since the elders, who cared for so much of their families¡¯ important business, spent so much time here, those areas were rich veins to be mined. Ilyin struck gold, he¡¯d thought as he¡¯d read the report. ¡°I need to look into it further,¡± he said, ¡°but¡­. I can guess how many soldiers they have in their secret stronghold. ¡° ¡°You saw the report on the provision.¡± Ilyin had been paying attention to Shining Elo¡¯s provision situation. She¡¯d noticed the discrepancies right away. The Delrose knights found documents suggesting that the Elo family didn¡¯t have a chance to move to their stronghold. Ilyin had examined the documents they¡¯d gathered and sifted out the vital parts. The size of Elo¡¯s stronghold was well known. But the documents showed that the provisions listed for the stronghold were far beyond what their garrison called for. Where would the rest be? Why, to Elo¡¯s second, secret stronghold, of course. ¡°I also saw the names of those who were left in the mansion,¡± Aden remarked. Less familiar with the names of Elo¡¯s people, this was something Ilyin hadn¡¯t been able to properly examine. Aden rubbed his chin somberly. ¡°Over the years, they¡¯re being switched out slowly. It could be seen as normal but¡­.¡± It was something that would have been hard to Ilyin to notice since she hadn¡¯t been long in the mansion. It was something few would notice, slow and subtle as it was. Aden tapped on the bed ¨C a thing he did habitually when he was thinking. ¡°Also, it seems they¡¯re thinning out their guard. Or more correctly, they¡¯re moving their important people to the secret stronghold.¡± It was the sort of thing only the master of Delrose, or the people around the Grandmaster might notice. But he saw many knights from other families as both the Grandmaster and master. He knew them well and could recite the names of all of them. But it was harder to notice who was here and not in the bustle of daily life in the mansion. ¡°The knights with the most experience have slipped off to Elo¡¯s stronghold in the past few days, saying they either wanted to guard the stronghold personally after the Yesters¡¯ attack, or simply yearned to return home,¡± Aden said. ¡°In their place, less-experienced knights have been coming to the mansion.¡± It had been happening regularly, continuously. Aden¡¯s tapping finger stopped suddenly.¡± ¡°Then . . .,¡± he muttered, trailing off into this thought. Ilyin¡¯s face darkened as her mind came to the same place as his. ¡°If what the Lady of Mille said is true,¡± she began If it was true that Shining Elo, Green Elo, and the Yesters were combining forces, then Elo¡¯s movement of their knights was a strategic move. And if the Yesters attacking Elo had been a scripted pretense¡­ ¡°What are the Elo knights like,¡± she continued, ¡°the ones that are here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you think,¡± he said. None of them carried rank or the weight of serious responsibility ¨C unheard of for the mansion. They were all green, clueless. That led Ilyin to a frightening conclusion. ¡°Elo might be sacrificing the other location that isn¡¯t their secret stronghold,¡± she said slowly. Then what would happen to those they left behind, when the Yesters kept attacking? Chapter 118 5-7 minutes ¡°Yes,¡± Aden nodded. ¡°And Rippo de Mille¡¯s claim is credible.¡± ¡°That there¡¯s an oracle among the Yesters?¡± He nodded again. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe but,¡± she said, ¡°it doesn¡¯t seem like a wild claim anymore.¡± Aden¡¯s face sagged into a frown. ¡°The assassins who attacked us in the warm region spoke. They said the oracle told them when and where to attack.¡± ¡°An oracle¡­,¡± Ilyin mumbled softly. ¡°They also said they don¡¯t know where that oracle is from,¡± he added. Aden couldn¡¯t bear to tell her what he had to do to get that answer. ¡°We don¡¯t know where he is from!¡± she replied. ¡°And it seems like there is a connection with Blue North as well,¡± he added. Ilyin nodded. Blue North did appear to have the most influence next to Delrose. She hadn¡¯t needed anyone to point that out to her. It was Blue North that had reached out first when word came that the bride was coming from the warm region, and only maids from North had attended to her. Even if it was tradition that Blue North brought the bride, the fact that Lidan, the elder of Blue North, was the first to speak to her showed that the other three families were not of equal stature. Even if it was tradition that Blue North was to bring the bride, it was weird that only the maids from North were taking care of her. Lidan, the elder of Blue North, having the first chance to speak to her couldn¡¯t have happened if the three families had similar power. And if Lidan was able to bring a clueless warm region bride into Delrose, wasn¡¯t that a good chance for him to make the future mistress of Biflten their ally? The other families, from what she had seen, couldn¡¯t manage to pull themselves up to the level of Blue North. Of course, North had grown slow because Aden was occupied on battlefields, decreasing Delrose¡¯s influence in the day-to-day and giving them an opening. ¡°Could the oracle that Lady of Mille and the assassins spoke of really be the same person?¡± she asked. Their musings could go no further. They had plenty of suspicions, but no evidence to bring them further. *** The nights she spent with Aden were always warm, warm enough to make her forget she was in the winter region. And whether he was there or not, he made sure she never felt lonely. Except in her dreams. In those, like now, Ilyin was always alone. She opened her eyes to the swirling movement around her. Ah, she thought, it¡¯s a dream of foresight. Deafening noise surrounded her. Yesters of the northern wind were on a rampage around her, flying with the cold. If she¡¯d actually been standing where she was, she¡¯d have frozen in an instant. They were at the Wall of Light. Ilyin couldn¡¯t bring herself to go near it. Kyak! Break it! Crush it! The sound of rampaging Yesters filled the air as Shining Elo¡¯s knights looked on worriedly. The strength of the wall changed depending on that of the divine object. The cold made it become hard, and that meant it was weakened and needed time to recuperate. How long could it hold? Kyak! The Yesters¡¯ force seemed quite a bit larger this time. The attacking monsters climbed upon each other and scratched the top of the wall. Thankfully, the violet-eyed being was nowhere to be seen this time. Still, Ilyin was tense, hoping she would wake up from this dream quickly. Wake up before the Elo¡¯s wall collapsed. Thankfully it didn¡¯t. Instead, Delrose knights led by Aden came suddenly over the top, falling on the monsters in a brutal battle. Ilyin watched fearfully until she awoke, with the wall, Aden and Delrose all still safe. *** Aden was in the Delrose knight ground. It was hard for him to leave Ilyin while she was sleeping, but even though Ilyin took care of so much in the mansion, he still had duties as the Grandmaster. He intended to see to them quickly and return to bed. He may be almost invincible in the winter region as Duke of Winter, but he was still tired. ¡°Grandmaster, it¡¯s urgent news!¡± Idith cried, knocking hurriedly at his office door. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked. When the north wind was blowing, urgent news was likely bad. Aden flicked a glance out the window. Even though he was applying his divine power, the view outside was still filled with rough wind and snow. Idith burst through the door. His face was as white as the collected snow on his shoulders. ¡°The Yesters attacked Elo¡¯s stronghold again!¡± he said. ¡°Their size?¡± The attack was expected. What Idith said next wasn¡¯t. ¡°It¡¯s four times their number before.¡± Aden¡¯s eyes widened. *** The Delrose knights moved quickly, even with such short notice. The larger force of the monsters meant they had much to prepare, yet it was completed swiftly. Aden, after seeing to his own preparations, went to Ilyin before he rejoined the knights. He felt uneasy. His bride was sleeping soundly, but her face was distressed as though she was in a fearful dream. Perhaps it¡¯s nothing, he thought, lightly touching her forehead with the back of his hand. Ilyin opened her eyes, blinked a few times until their usual sparkle returned. As she registered the sight of him already prepared to leave, her eyes widened. He wore a fur cape across his shoulders. As the Duke of Winter, he seldom needed a fur cape. Unless he intended to go somewhere far colder and windier ¨C the battle with the Yesters, the one she had just foreseen. ¡°You¡¯re going to Elo again,¡± she said. ¡°Did you have a dream?¡± he asked. He felt the warmth of her through his hand. ¡°What did you see?¡± I don¡¯t want to do something that makes you feel hurt, he thought. Chapter 119 ¡°Was it a good future?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± Ilyin said quietly. She grabbed his hand, and hers was colder than his for once. Holding his hand tightly, she managed a weak smile. ¡°But it was good enough.¡± She took his other hand, still touching her forehead. Bringing it to her cheek, she closed her eyes. ¡°Elo will be ok,¡± she whispered. In her dream, Elo¡¯s Wall of Light hadn¡¯t broken when she woke up. It would hold. It would all hold. This she believed. ¡°The Wall still stood when Delrose arrived.¡± So, she hadn¡¯t seen the end, Aden thought. She hadn¡¯t actually foreseen victory. Still, Aden had no dread. This was the winter region ¨C his region ¨C after all. ¡°I¡¯m afraid your dreams might trouble you.¡± That was only one thing he feared in all the winter region ¨C where he shouldn¡¯t be afraid of anything. What he wished for, more than anything, was for her dreams to end. He didn¡¯t like the dreams, the visions, that left her so disturbed, that robbed her of sleep. ¡°Sometimes they do. That¡¯s the nature of them,¡± she replied. Her cheek was still warm. She rubbed it with the back of his hand. ¡°But I still like dreaming.¡± Aden only listened, surrendering his hands to hers. ¡°I like being able to see the future for you and for Delrose,¡± she continued. Once, she had found her ability to foresee frightening. She¡¯d resented it. Now she felt no fear in it. What she saw in a dream might scare her ¨C her mother¡¯s death had, of course ¨C but she would never trade the gift of her dreams just to be free of those fearful sights when they came. His grip on her hands tightened. ¡°Den?¡± she asked, eying him carefully. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± She remembered the pain of using divine power, as he has this morning. But Aden shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m uninjured,¡± he said, but his lips pursed tightly. Unhurt, but uncomfortable. And anxious, more than that. He didn¡¯t like leaving the mansion again. Didn¡¯t like that so many things kept pulling him from her side. ¡°Then?¡± she asked. She caressed his hand gently. Relaxing at the touch, he seemed to speak almost unconsciously. ¡°I feel¡­ uneasy.¡± ¡°About what?¡± He hesitated, as though uncharacteristically stumbling over his thoughts. ¡°Leaving you alone in the mansion.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not alone,¡± she smiled, gesturing toward the door, toward the many Delrose people carrying on beyond it. But Aden¡¯s grip on her hand didn¡¯t ease. ¡°Den,¡± she said pointedly. Her voice cut through the fog of worry, pulling him back. ¡°Yes,¡± he answered. ¡°Think hard about how the mansion was when you weren¡¯t here.¡± He understood her order ¨C not to imagine the building without him, but how it had run while he had been away. How she had managed so many things ¨C and especially how she had engineered and prepared the information from Elo¡¯s territory. Her, the Mistress of Delrose. Even when he wasn¡¯t at Biflten, the mansion was never empty ¨C not while it was in her hands. ¡°Believe in me as much as I believe in you.¡± Me, and the people of Delrose who keep the mansion. She kissed his hand. ¡°Go on,¡± she said. Just as he didn¡¯t want to worry about the one he was leaving behind, the one who backed him so strongly, she wanted him to know that, just like the Duke of Winter himself, Delrose and she were not weak. Though she could stand to increase her stamina, she thought, smiling despite herself as she remembered Delrose¡¯s divine object. Aden stayed in her eyes another moment, then nodded and began to rise. ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can.¡± *** The Delrose knights could see nothing ahead of them. Used to the cold and the storms of winter, but this was too much. ¡°Your Majesty, the storm is terrible,¡± Idith said looking up at the sky ¨C though there was no more point looking up than anywhere else. ¡°Only Yesters could move properly in this weather.¡± What Idith said was the plain truth. It hadn¡¯t been long since they¡¯d left the mansion and already the blizzard was getting worse. Aden lifted his hand, the blue light of divine power glowing brightly. But the light seemed to barely penetrate the swirling snow around them. Breathing deeply, Aden pushed his power a little more, and the blizzard in front of them weakened considerably. The strong wind faltered. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Idith asked worriedly. This was strenuous use of the power, he knew. Aden nodded. ¡°We march on.¡± Ilyin said the Wall of Light would hold until they arrived. That didn¡¯t mean that Delrose had the luxury of going slowly. Would the Elo¡¯s knights reinforce them? That question filled Aden¡¯s mind as he pushed through the lingering storm and his own strain. The news of another attack on Elo had reached the mansion ¨C what about Elo¡¯s secret stronghold.? Would they come to help? They didn¡¯t last time. If they failed to appear this time, what excuse would they give? Aden¡¯s face was as hard as the northern wind. Chapter 120 ¡°Today is especially cold.¡± Coming from a winter region person, that meant something, Ilyin thought. Even the inside of the mansion was cold ¨C the first time she¡¯d felt cold in the mansion. Of course, other people in the mansion had felt it before. It wasn¡¯t just because she spent a lot of time inside. Just recently when Ilyin collapsed the mansion had been quite cold. Of course, today the reasons were different. ¡°The snowstorm outside is severe.¡± If Aden raised the temperature for the mansion, then shouldn¡¯t the outside be raised as well? But today, even the grounds just outside the doors were cold. ¡°Is April normally like this?¡± she asked. This must be the actual April, she thought. But the maid changing her bedsheets shook her head. ¡°No, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ve never seen weather like this before.¡± If someone who¡¯d lived her entire life in the winter said that it meant this was especially cold weather. Ilyin looked outside worriedly. ¡°I heard¡­ that the colder it is the stronger Yesters are,¡± she said. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± The entire mansion thought Grandmaster Den left, but of course, all the 7th floor Delrose knew that Aden had left. The maid who changed Ilyin¡¯s bedsheets fluffed the pillows and added thicker blankets before she finished tidying. ¡°You should be warmer tonight!¡± ¡°Everyone is sleeping warmly, right?¡± It seemed the maids in the Arlen mansion had been given terrible beds. Ilyin remembered the rundown building they and the other servants had been shoved into. What was Delrose like? She should take the time to look one day. ¡°Of course!¡± said the maid. She sounded confident, and Etra looked relieved. Ilyin smiled thankfully and lay down on the bed. ¡°Be well, ma¡¯am. Call me if you need anything.¡± Etra and the maid bowed deeply and hustled out, leaving the room quiet. Ilyin looked out the window. The snowstorm outside made the world a blank field of white. Feeling strangely anxious, she brushed the back of her hand, the hand Aden had held tightly. Like him, she was hoping everyone would be fine. *** She felt swirling movement again. Ilyin opened her eyes and instantly felt enveloped in a surreal feeling. It was all too familiar, the rushing movement around her. It was the same foresight she¡¯d had last time. April, the terrible blizzard, Yesters screaming in a whiteness so heavy one couldn¡¯t see ahead. All the same as before. The way they were shoving each other was the same. This was the future Ilyin knew. The Yesters that run into the Shiny Elo¡¯s territory would hit the Wall of Light and bounce off. They would clamber over themselves, grinding each other into the wall with all their might to try to break it down. Kyak! The Wall of Light would hold. Because it was already shown to her that it would. But then why was she having the dream again? Ilyin looked around anxiously. Something must be about to change, but what? The distance between Yesters and the Elo closed quickly. Even though Elo¡¯s Wall stood before them, the Yesters rushed without hesitation. Just like the Yesters that ran in the coldest winds, they moved much faster in this storm. Kyaaaak! The Yesters rushed past her. Soon, Elo¡¯s Wall would shine. [Ahhhhh!] Then the dream changed. The future changed, and Ilyin couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. The Wall of Light didn¡¯t refuse the Yesters ¨C they pierced through it and flowed inside. The knights standing within, who¡¯d believed the wall would hold them out, were stuck with surprise and overwhelmed. [Ah¡­¡­] It was a tragedy beyond imagining. Ilyin had no words. She wanted to turn away but couldn¡¯t. Even if she¡¯d closed her eyes, the sounds were too real to ignore. The Yesters that had crossed the Elo¡¯s boundary without resistance went straight forward and began destroying everything. The garrison building the knights were using collapsed, and the flustered knights that hurried out with swords drawn all went down swiftly under the Yesters¡¯ attack. Covered with Yesters, many of the yellow buildings of Elo soon looked orange as the sunset. [Stop them!] From what Ilyin could see, there was no proper command structure among the Elo¡¯s knights. With only the panicked need to stop the Yesters ¨C but no organization, no strategy ¨C they had no hope of mounting an effective defense. Kill the ones holding swords first! The Yesters weren¡¯t stupid. They knew which humans were the biggest threat to them. [Your Majesty, the Wall of Light isn¡¯t there!] Ilyin heard Idith¡¯s urgent voice. She moved slightly, and in the dream, she was suddenly near the Delrose knights. Aden¡¯s horse raced through the snow. Aden¡¯s teeth were clenched, one hand held out in front toward the travesty before him, the blue light of the divine power shining from it more brightly than she¡¯d ever seen. Kyak! The Yesters before him. As though knowing staying grouped together meant defeat, they spread out and began attacking the helpless people of Elo. Thump, thump! A vibration resonated through the ground and up through her body, pounding like her own heart. It was like the sound of a many-legged beast running through the blizzard, and it thundered in her ears as though it were right beside her. But it wasn¡¯t on this battlefield but rather coming from a hill away off. As Elo¡¯s buildings fell before her, she turned and moved herself to the source of the sound. Kyak! It was more Yesters ¨C many more. A throng of them huger than any she¡¯d ever seen in her foresight, and all running toward Elo¡¯s territory. A second wave. Chapter 121 Ilyin jerked awake, casting away the thick blankets. Even outside the door, Etra caught the soft sound of blankets falling, the gasp of her mistress as she woke, and immediately knocked. ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Ah¡­yes, Etra.¡± It was as though Ilyin could still feel the pounding of the Yesters passing by. Out the window, the blizzard enveloped everything in impenetrable white, just as in her dream. The dream that had now changed. But how? ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Etra replied, taking her mistress¡¯s response and an invitation to enter. Her face was flustered as she approached Ilyin, whose face was still white as a sheet from what she¡¯d just seen. But there was something more urgent than her dream right now. ¡°Are you alright, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°How long¡­,¡± Ilyin asked, ignoring Etra¡¯s question, ¡°how long has it been since Den left?¡± ¡°Not even an hour, ma¡¯am.¡± Ilyin pulled the remaining blankets aside and rose quickly from the bed. ¡°And how many Delrose soldiers are left in the mansion?¡± *** The army of Aden de Biflten was the strongest in the winter region, and it was so because of his divine power. Even if he were abandoned in the middle of the cold wastes without his armor, he would return alive. The only dangerous place for those he defended was anyplace he wasn¡¯t. But he was still human, and his divine power didn¡¯t free him from the many limitations of that. Ilyin, in her dreams, could see the whole of a battle, even see it all from above. Aden couldn¡¯t ¨C and he could be taken in an attack from the rear like any other general. He himself may well survive, thanks to his divine power. Ilyin certainly believed so. But what of his knights? And what of the people of Elo? And why was the army of Shining Elo, hidden away in their secret stronghold, leaving their own people undefended? ¡°The Delrose army remaining behind is enough to defend the mansion,¡± Emil reported calmly when summoned to Ilyin. He thought it odd, to be called to his Mistress in the middle of the night and wondered why the size of the army was such a sudden concern. ¡°How much of the army did Den take with him?¡± Ilyin prodded. ¡°About half, ma¡¯am,¡± Emil answered. The territory of Delrose was the area around Biflten mansion and the southeastern area that was close to the warm region. They held that territory to control the road so that no other houses could leave into the warm region, or move around Biflten, without Delrose knowing. ¡°Other than the troops at the southeast¡­. everyone should be around the mansion, correct? ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am. But what is this about?¡± Emil asked carefully. Ilyin glanced about. Only the 7th floor maids were about, aside from Etra and Emil. All of them are deeply loyal to Delrose. Den¡¯s important people. And my important people, she thought. As were the Delrose knights that were out with Aden. Ilyin didn¡¯t want any of them hurt. And like Aden, she selfishly worried about them more than the people of Elo. And because of that worry, she couldn¡¯t keep silent now. ¡°It¡¯s a feint operation,¡± she said. ¡°Pardon?¡± Emil said. He tilted his head as though not sure he heard Ilyin correctly. Did she mean them to launch a surprise attack from the mansion? ¡°You¡­,¡± he said, ¡°you want us to attack the Yesters, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ilyin replied, ¡°It¡¯s a feint by the Yesters against us. They¡¯re going to attack the Delrose army from the rear as they¡¯re engaging the first wave of Yesters.¡± Emil had no idea how she could have known such a thing, but Etra did. It suddenly made sense why her mistress had looked so pale when she awoke. ¡°Ma¡¯am, what you saw just a moment ago¡­¡± she asked. Ilyin nodded quickly in reply. ¡°We have to stop the second wave of Yesters,¡± she said sternly. *** ¡°We¡¯re going to form a reinforcement in this weather?¡± Emil asked. The Delrose always worked as one, operating smoothing even under adverse conditions, but today was particularly adverse. Not to mention the short notice and mysterious reasoning. Still, Ilyin had seen what she had seen, and she couldn¡¯t do nothing knowing what was to come. ¡°We understand what you mean but¡­,¡± he said carefully, ¡°this could lead to another attack on the mansion.¡± Emil was always considered the natural-born knight of Delrose. Among his free-spirited peers, he stood out as a man of principle, one more pragmatic and grounded than the rest, who cared deeply about Delrose and put faith in what he could see and touch. That made him the perfect choice to operate the grounds, where rules had to be strict. And Aden trusted him deeply, leaving the mansion in his care whenever he was away. And now the Emil of the knight ground chose his words diplomatically, telling Ilyin that this sortie could take the reinforcement into another group of Yesters lying in wait. It was not in his nature to take such risks on nothing but foresight, to stake the lives of the knights and all those in the mansion on such a thing. Chapter 122 ¡°I understand your concern, but there are two things wrong in that logic,¡± she said, putting up a finger to make her point. ¡°First, if the Delrose must form a reinforcement now, it would be a surprise to everyone, Delrose, and Yester alike. So how would the monsters know and prepare an attack?¡± She raised her second finger, violet eyes shining. ¡°Second, let¡¯s assume there is a group of monsters or someone else intending to attack now. If there is no Delrose reinforcement, they will meet only the Delrose army that just finished fighting an army of monsters.¡± She didn¡¯t need to elaborate on the disadvantage to such an army. She lowered her hand and continued. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t think Den will get hurt,¡± she said. The Duke of Winter, with the weather of Biflten in the palm of his hand, stronger than any other Duke in history, would most certainly be fine. The strong man that could twist even the future she saw, that wouldn¡¯t sway no matter how much she leaned on him. ¡°But I don¡¯t want other Delrose knights to get hurt.¡± For all his power, Aden was only human. Unless he could heat the entire battlefield at the first inkling of an attack, it was only natural there would be casualties amongst the Delrose knights. ¡°Emil,¡± she said staring straight into this most loyal yet suborn of the knights. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t believe in my foresight. But please don¡¯t ignore the likelihood of the danger that¡¯s coming to the knights.¡± *** The sortie could be entirely in vain. It could be some misreading of the dream by Ilyin ¨C if there was in fact anything to be read in it at all, which Emil still would not wholly admit ¨C and the whole exercise would be nothing but a pointless march of their remaining knights through the worst of April¡¯s winter. But for all that, the fact that she spoke of her concern for Delrose moved him, and whatever he believed, he could not deny her sincerity nor her logic. ¡°Den is not a fool,¡± she said as they sat together at the table. She gestured to the maid behind her, and she opened the map brought in from the other room ¨C a large map of the region¡¯s winter landscape. ¡°Around here,¡± she said, ¡°this open land is Elo¡¯s normal battlefield ¨C and meet in combat. He knows this well and would have journeyed through himself. If the Yesters¡¯ hidden troop was moving anywhere through here, he would have noticed.¡± She pointed at another area of the map, one that carried many scars of scratches and old pen marks. The familiar grounds, the areas between Elo and the mansion. ¡°The Yesters¡¯ goal still seems to be to bring down Elo,¡± she said. She pointed at Elo¡¯s stronghold on the map. Close by, relatively, but still some distance from the mansion. ¡°Then if Den and Delrose were reinforcing Elo while the Yesters were attacking, the Yesters would have to attack two targets instead of one ¨C Elo, and the Delrose knights. It puts them at a disadvantage, so of course, they prepared hidden troops.¡± She knew this from the foresight, of course. She had no doubt the Yesters had hidden troops because she had seen them in her dream. She looked at Emil. He still didn¡¯t believe fully in foresight, she knew, but his eyes studied the map carefully. ¡°As Den went to Elo¡¯s battlefield without noticing the second wave of Yesters, they don¡¯t seem to be hidden there,¡± she continued, studying the map. ¡°But they couldn¡¯t have hidden too far away since they¡¯ll have to attack Delrose¡¯s quickly to keep surprised, but they also couldn¡¯t be waiting near Biflten without being noticed. That means¡­¡± She pointed to a spot between the Elo and Yesters¡¯ territory. ¡°Around here, is there a place a large number of troops might stay concealed?¡± Ilyin asked, glancing out the window at the raging blizzard. ¡°Taking into account the speed of the Yesters in this weather.¡± Emil studied the map. He¡¯d attended his share of wars as a Delrose knight and knew well the important points of terrain in the winter region, though not as well as Idith. He pointed to a spot in the area she¡¯d indicated. ¡°Here,¡± he said. ¡°There is a road through the mountain range. But it would be buried under thick snow in winter¡­.¡± ¡°Yesters almost don¡¯t touch the ground on snow,¡± Etra interjected. ¡°They run like they¡¯re flying, leaving faint traces only. If it¡¯s truly thick with snow, and that¡¯s where they¡¯re hidden¡­¡± Etra looked to both Ilyin and Emil, her tone solemn, almost forlorn. ¡°They could flood through this pass quickly and be at His Majesty¡¯s back.¡± Ilyin looked to the point Emil had indicated, measuring it out in her mind. The time it would take for Aden to lead the knights to Elo¡¯s territory from Biflten mansion. The distance between Elo and the Yesters¡¯ likely hiding spot. If Emil was correct, the Yesters were much closer to Elo ¨C and to Aden once the attack began. But the hidden troop would only move once Aden¡¯s army had arrived at Elo so that they could catch him in a rear attack. ¡°Do you think Den has already arrived at Elo?¡± she asked. ¡°Most likely not,¡± Emil said, shaking his head as he looked outside at the storm. Chapter 123 ¡°Even if His Majesty completely dispersed the blizzard with his divine power, it would take some time to cover this distance. I would say he should be about halfway there at this point,¡± Emil said, indicating a point on the map between Elo¡¯s territory and the mansion. Ilyin studied the point Emil indicated, then put her own finger on the map at Bilften mansion. ¡°Then we should depart now,¡± she said. Her finger glided across the map, drawing a line to where Emil expected the second wave of Yesters to be hidden. ¡°We hit the second group of Yesters. We don¡¯t need to wipe them out ¨C we only need to make sure they don¡¯t reinforce the other group,¡± she continued. She turned to Etra. ¡°Etra.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Move with our reinforcement. If they do engage the Yesters, go to Elo and warn them,¡± Ilyin said. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡­,¡± Etra began to interject. My place is here, taking care of you, she thought, but as her eyes met Ilyin¡¯s, her protest faltered into silence. ¡°You have to go, to make sure Emil won¡¯t be accused of moving the army on his own,¡± Ilyin said. Aden wouldn¡¯t doubt Emil easily, Ilyin knew. But any moment of confusion on a battlefield could bring disaster. It was essential that Aden knew who ordered the reinforcement. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Etra,¡± she said smiling. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Etra said, nodding in acceptance. Ilyin returned to the map. According to her foresight, no other army or monsters lay between Elo and the Yesters. With her other hand, she drew a line from the Yester¡¯s base to Elo¡¯s territory. ¡°Then, Etra,¡± she said, ¡°Once Aden and the knights are done at Elo, bring them to the reinforcement¡¯s location.¡± The reinforcement will just need to hold their ground until then, Ilyin thought, her eyes shining. *** Emil wanted to disagree with her plan. He hadn¡¯t yet experienced the foresight himself, though the Delrose that went to the warm region had. They¡¯d seen it predict a surprise attack on their master. Aden and Ilyin¡¯s group had left first, and the remaining Delrose left behind had heard the situation from Milo. There had been some skepticism, but what Ilyin had foreseen had actually come to pass. But¡­what if she¡¯s wrong this time? Emil couldn¡¯t help having that doubt. And if the foresight was correct, that was a problem of its own. ¡°If the second wave of Yesters is that large, there¡¯s no way our army will be able to stop them.¡± The main army of Delrose could help Elo because of Aden. His divine power could kill more of the monsters than several knights. Particularly if the monsters were Yesters, weak against the heat he could summon. ¡°I know,¡± Ilyin replied simply. ¡°And we can¡¯t leave the mansion empty¡­.,¡± he continued. ¡°Of course not,¡± she said. The knights needed a home to return to. She raised a hand that went to Delrose¡¯s necklace. ¡°I¡¯m going to use the divine object,¡± she said, her voice steely with determination. She put a hand on Etra¡¯s shoulder, sensing the objection she was about to raise. ¡°I know it will be difficult,¡± she said, ¡°but the divine object¡¯s everlasting fire burns until I will it to stop. I will use it to block the road.¡± There was no other way. Trapping the Yesters with fire was all she could think of. She pointed at the map. ¡°Thankfully, the mountain pass that Emil indicated is narrow,¡± she said. ¡°The fire will be enough to trap them here.¡± But success would depend on the Delrose knights arriving with firewood, enough wood to transfer the everlasting fire. ¡°It takes a long time to go around this mountain. Even with the Yesters¡¯ speed in the blizzard, they would lose a great deal of time going around.¡± And Aden would easily beat the Yester armies separately. She tapped on the mountain range. ¡°Go first, pile up firewood, and transfer the fire.¡± Ilyin would give them an everlasting torch. It would take her power to start the fire but moving it to a torch would at least mean she wouldn¡¯t collapse. Ilyin gripped the necklace tightly. She wouldn¡¯t let Aden be attacked from behind like in her foresight. She looked down at the map. ¡°Promise me this,¡± Emil said, looking up sternly at the Mistress. His hard stare would normally be seen as rude, but she could see the fierce loyalty in his eyes. ¡°I have heard that it hurt you to use a divine object before,¡± he said, his words hard, unrepentant. ¡°Never do anything that would hurt His Majesty.¡± Chapter 124 ¡°Of course,¡± said, nodding. But as much as Delrose wanted to protect her, as much as Den wanted to keep her safe, she felt the same for them. She would protect Delrose with all her might. If it went according to plan, everything would be fine. But Ilyin knew well that things didn¡¯t always go according to plan. Much the way the foresight that had changed. She wanted the foresight to be wrong this time. She wouldn¡¯t mind being a laughingstock, a foolish Duchess that summoned a reinforcement for no reason. Just so long as Delrose was safe. But she knew that, barring another dream, the foresight was never wrong. One way or another, it came to pass. At least it hadn¡¯t shown the Yesters actually attacking Aden and the Delrose. We can stop them, Ilyin thought as she stared out the window. ¡°I promise, Emil,¡± she said. They were out of time. *** The mansion bustled rowdily at Delrose¡¯s sudden movement. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± maids from other houses said as they stuck their heads out. The Delrose maids shooed them away but couldn¡¯t stop the rumor of Delrose¡¯s campaign spreading through the mansion. Especially because it had such a strange vanguard. Inside the mansion, Etra made her preparations to leave in Ilyin¡¯s room. She stepped beside Ilyin. ¡°Whew,¡± Ilyin said, calming her breath. Her heart was pounding. Soon, a small fire started in front of her. ¡°Are you alright, ma¡¯am?¡± Etra asked. ¡°I am.¡± She moved the fire carefully into a lamp. ¡°If it gets too difficult, you must extinguish it.¡± ¡°Then go as quickly as you can so that doesn¡¯t happen,¡± Ilyin replied, smiling as she opened the door. Etra wouldn¡¯t dare go in front of her Mistress, so Ilyin hurried through first and Etra followed her out. ¡°Why are they taking the lamp?¡± some Blue Nos¡¯s maids asked, seeing the lamp in Etra¡¯s hand. ¡°It would extinguish quickly in this weather,¡± Etra replied, knowing the Nos¡¯s Maids wouldn¡¯t know the truth about the everlasting fire. Rumors echoed through the hallways as they passed: ¡°They¡¯re going to Shining Elo.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t His Majesty already at Elo?¡± Who was commanding the army, they wondered? After all, the master of Delrose and the Grandmaster were both away. That meant that there was only one person in the mansion who could give such orders. All eyes went to the Mistress of Delrose. ¡°Perhaps Ma¡¯am ordered¡­.,¡± the whispers said. Ilyin came out to send the knights off wearing Blue Nos¡¯s cloth, her face serious. Was this really the right decision for Delrose? Eyes from the other three houses followed them. But no one offered help. They were all content to merely watch ¨C it was someone else¡¯s business, for another house and another territory. But the Delrose didn¡¯t care. The Delrose¡¯s master was the master of Biflten, the Duke of this winter region, but they knew better than anyone that they couldn¡¯t count on help from the other three houses. It would be worse if they asked for it. ¡°You¡¯ll really be alright?¡± Emil asked Ilyin, though he was asking himself as well ¨C would it be alright? Was this the right decision? If the foresight was correct, of course, it was right to go save the master. He was the priority, more than the lowly knights of Delrose and the dying people of Elo. For the sake of Biflten, they had to save him. Whatever he thought of the foresight, he couldn¡¯t ignore the chance that the master was in danger. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we could just go and start a fire ourselves,¡± he offered. ¡°In that snow?¡± Ilyin laughed. It was a sweet but ridiculous suggestion. Emil lowered his head and said nothing. He told himself this was the right choice for the Master. Even if the foresight was wrong and the Yesters weren¡¯t waiting at the pass, they were still guarding the tired main force as they returned. It would be fine. But if the Yesters were there, and the Delrose knights, instead of protecting the Mistress of the house, let her use the divine object, let her put herself in danger? It wasn¡¯t a plan that he would have made in any normal situation. Unfortunately, it was not his plan, not his order. It was ma¡¯am¡¯s decision, and the Delrose knights could not object. So, all that was left was to march out and finish this business as quickly as possible. ¡°Go quickly,¡± Ilyin said, sending off Emil¡¯s horse personally. Etra nodded in response. I won¡¯t let anyone from Delrose get hurt, Ilyin thought, her lips pursed tightly. No one. Not Delrose, and not Elo if she could help it. Ilyin thought of Elo¡¯s knights. The protectors have betrayed them. And Mille as well. Her gaze went up to the mansion, to Delrose¡¯s territory where Rippo of Mille was staying. Chapter 125 ¡°Why are you being so generous?¡± Ilyin had asked Rippo the day she had shown her how to use Setoze¡¯s divine power. Rippo had lowered her head at the question, as though embarrassed to answer. ¡°I¡¯m the Mistress of Delrose,¡± Ilyin had said sternly, setting down Setoze. ¡°But I cannot speak wholly for Delrose by myself. And I cannot trust information when I do not know why it comes to me, and I cannot pass to the Duke of Winter information I cannot trust.¡± The girl kept her eyes to the floor, seeming to wrestle with something in her mind, but finally spoke after a moment more of silence. ¡°Marriage,¡± she said softly. Ilyin didn¡¯t understand. Whose marriage? Her first thought was of herself and Aden but couldn¡¯t think why that would play into the Lady of Mille¡¯s reasoning. She cocked her head curiously at the girl and waited for the rest of her explanation. When it came, she understood why the Lady of Mille had come to her. And she didn¡¯t blame herself for not guessing the meaning of her answer. ¡°Father is thinking about marrying me . . . to the heir of Yester tribe,¡± she said. Monster and human? In marriage? It was unimaginable. And if children were indeed possible from such a marriage, it was a threat almost too great to conceive. *** The divine power of the Duke of Winter to tame the weather was easy enough to see in the normal cold of winter. In this swirling blizzard, it was all the more so. Aden kept his hand raised the entire time, never stopping the blue light shining from it, yet he felt no strain. As he had expected, using the power was much easier since he¡¯d married Ilyin. Before her, he would have been gasping like a drowning man to hold it this long. As it was now, he felt only the slightest tightness in his chest. ¡°Ha!¡± the Delrose knights cried as they rode. They seemed in another world from the storm around them, shielded by an invisible wall. Even the strongest gusts were humbled by it, and only a slight breeze with a few flurries touched them, hastening their advance as they sped toward Elo. Seeing familiar terrain, Aden raised his hand higher. Though he didn¡¯t intend it, the blue light now acted as a beacon for the knights behind him, reminding them they served the Duke of Winter and spurring them on even faster. ¡°There will be a battle the moment we arrive,¡± he cried out to the knights behind him. ¡°Protect Elo as best as you can but remember which house you serve.¡± Protect your own lives first, he thought. Saving Elo comes second to that. ¡°And . . . we expect no reinforcement.¡± He looked back at the knights. One of them, riding just behind Idith, raised his hand. ¡°Your Majesty, is Elo¡¯s hidden stronghold not nearby?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a difference between existing and helping,¡± Aden said and smiled despite himself. ¡°What . . .¡± the knight began to ask, but his question dropped into chatter amongst the other knights. None of them were unclear about his meaning, but the simple declaration seemed to bring in the chill that Aden¡¯s power had kept at bay. No matter the differences between the houses, the knights were all sworn to raise their swords for the same purpose ¨C to protect others. If Elo¡¯s knights were forsaking that, if they were truly staying in the stronghold and leaving their own people unguarded, they had truly lost their way. The chatter subsided with this realization, and a heavy silence settled on the knights. ¡°Forward!¡± Aden cried, lowering his hand. Idith spurred his horse and sprung ahead, leaving Aden among the knights. Ilyin had said when the Delrose knights arrive, the Yesters would already be attacking. That meant they hit the Yesters from behind, or at the least come upon their flank. Yesters might move swiftly in weather like this, but their sight through the swirling blizzard was no better. And that would give the first attack to Delrose. ¡°Ha!¡± the knights cried. Moving as one, they drew their swords and surged after Idith. Into the clearing formed by the Duke¡¯s divine power, there came a wave of Yesters. The number of them scrambling down the hill seemed to paint it like a sunset. They would hit the Wall of Light first. That would be the best time for Delrose to make their attack. Aden and his knights all readied themselves. Kyak! The wave rolled down the shallow hill and hit Elo¡¯s territory. ¡°Ah!¡± Idith gasped despite himself. The knights drew their horses up, breaking their formation as they pulled up to a stop. Aden sat speechless, unable to understand what he was seeing. Elo¡¯s Wall of Light wasn¡¯t blocking the Yesters. They slipped right through, and into Elo. Aden gasped. The Elo¡¯s knights were unprepared. Believing so much in the Wall of Light, they hadn¡¯t even raised their swords. Aden saw them buried in the snow under the weight of the Yesters. Chapter 126 ¡°Charge!¡± He shouted, spurring his horse forward. He waved his hand, and the blue light of divine power intensified. It was the brightest he¡¯d ever seen it ¨C perhaps the brightest anyone had ever seen it. The power spread into the Elo¡¯s territory melting Yesters by the dozen, but the knights that had been buried didn¡¯t stir. ¡°Your Majesty, there¡¯s too many of them!¡± Idith screamed. With so great a force of Yesters, Aden knew they shouldn¡¯t charge. But he stretched his hand out again at Idith¡¯s protest, again raising the blue light and melting more Yesters into the ground. Kyak! The Yesters stopped their own charge as they felt the temperature change, but the mass behind them couldn¡¯t stop in time. Their formation tumbled into chaos as Aden¡¯s divine power melted countless of their number. ¡°Forget the building!¡± he ordered. The building that housed Elo¡¯s garrison was bogged down in melee. But the Yesters that had already pushed through where the Wall of Light should have been were now rampaging through the city and slaughtering Elo¡¯s people. Smoke was already choking the air. It was common knowledge in the winter region that Yesters were weak to fire and heat, so people had already begun setting fires throughout the city as a desperate move once they saw the Yesters rush through the Wall of Light. But whatever help that might be against the Yesters, it would be a little better for the people of Elo. ¡°Attack!¡± shouted Idith, leading the knights up the middle as he drove his sword through a Yester¡¯s neck. All of Elo was a battlefield now. Aden raised his divine power again, so strongly that those in the area might have thought they¡¯d been deposited in the warm region for a moment. Many Yesters fell, but Aden noted grimly that the battlefield was too wide. He was barely managing to hold the power over as large an area as he was, and he could only manage that because he was Aden de Biflten. He couldn¡¯t afford to let the battlefield grow beyond this area. He felt a strain in his chest now, for the first time in quite a while. He was using too much diving power. But he knew his ability. He could endure it ¨C so long as the battlefield didn¡¯t grow. *** With Aden using his power with such abandon, the battle didn¡¯t go as long as it should have. ¡°Sir,¡± Idith said (as they were in Elo¡¯s territory, this was Aden¡¯s title among his knights). ¡°Elo¡¯s casualties are greater than expected.¡± Idith glanced around the battlefield. It was hot ¨C he couldn¡¯t remember ever feeling hot in the winter region. ¡°Greater than expected,¡± Aden repeated. He and Idith knew Ilyin¡¯s foresight. Could it have been wrong? But why now, after over twenty years? Aden knew something else must be at play. He looked out from the battlefield, and Idith knew what he was searching for. ¡°You¡¯re looking for that figure from before?¡± he asked. The man they had seen last time when they had come to reinforce Elo, after returning from the warm region. The one Aden had pursued, sword in hand. ¡°It feels as though he would be here,¡± Aden said. It was a hunch, but that figure seemed the only variable to Ilyin¡¯s dreams. He wiped his sword clean, thinking of what Ilyin had said. A strange figure, like a man from the back, but with eyes of pure violet. It put him in mind of Ilyin¡¯s own twinkling eyes. Those eyes that seemed to carry the light of the warm region. They were violet eyes as well . . . a connection Aden didn¡¯t care to make. ¡°Idith, clear the battlefield,¡± he said. The Yesters that remained had lost their numerical advantage. There was no way they could hold with Duke of Winter here. Unless an additional army of them arrived, there was no point in Aden continuing to strain himself with his divine power. ¡°Sir?¡± Idith asked. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Idith gestured at a few knights to escort him. The battlefield was still chaotic, so Idith himself was still needed here. Aden noticed the knights following him. They were the ones that went to warm region with him, ones he could trust. He moved on quickly. ¡°Where would he be,¡± he muttered. His hunch wasn¡¯t as certain as Ilyin¡¯s foresight, but after trusting it in so many battles, he was nonetheless certain of it. The stranger was definitely here somewhere. He readied his sword. And just outside of Elo¡¯s territory, he found what he was looking for. Ilyin was right. He looked like a human, but he wasn¡¯t one. The wind was fiercer here, and only the Duke of Winter could walk in it in such thin clothing without succumbing to the cold. He squinted. The eyes truly were pure violet, with no humanity in them at all. ¡°Certainly not human,¡± Aden mumbled. He knew it the moment their eyes had met. What was in front of him was a monster, like all the others he¡¯d fought over the years. And he knew of a monster that looked human, one that had disappeared long ago in Biflten. ¡°A Milton,¡± he said plainly, and the thing in front of him reacted to the word. Duke of Winter. It was definitely the voice of a monster. Not spoken aloud but sent directly into his mind. Aden raised his sword, but the Milton moved quickly. It kicked the snow on his feet and quickly moved back, as though trying to gain distance from Aden and his knights. Chapter 127 Aden charged ahead into the snow kicked up by the Milton. It had been meant to cover its retreat, no doubt, but it accomplished little, merely melting away as soon as Aden moved into it. His sword swung in a wide arch as he ran at the creature, slicing its shirt and severing a lock of its platinum hair. It made no counterattack, but simply retreated faster. Aden¡¯s knights moved to surround the creature, but it evaded them with a monstrous speed, just a fleeting image of its ghostly hair fluttering the wind. Aden had no intention of letting the Milton slip away. In a desperate move, he threw his sword like a dagger. It flew straight and true, a throw no normal man could have made, and pierced the creature¡¯s shoulder. The Milton didn¡¯t stop. It moved even faster into the blizzard, leaving behind only stark red blood on the white blanket of snow. Aden peered into the whirling snow ahead, trying to catch sight of the creature. ¡°Shall we chase it?¡± one of the knights asked. Aden was just about to answer when a voice called out behind him. ¡°Grandmaster!¡± Aden remembered voices well, and especially committed himself to knowing the voices important to him and to Delrose. Chief of those was Ilyin, of course, but below hers were those of the people who served her. Etra, he thought. Aden whirled around. Ilyin¡¯s maid approached, riding an unfamiliar horse. ¡°Why are you here,¡± he called out. He couldn¡¯t imagine what her reason could be for being here instead of on the 7th floor of the mansion. But if she were here, did that mean Ilyin was in this chaos as well? He thought suddenly of the first day he met Ilyin, the blue cloth on the floor, the thick summer scent of her, her sound so small and weak like something failing. Like something that couldn¡¯t survive the winter. He pushed the thought from his head. ¡°Where is Ilyin?!¡± he called again. Etra met his gaze but dropped her eyes immediately. ¡°She is safely in the mansion,¡± she answered. ¡°And I have a report to give you.¡± For Etra to come to a battlefield while leaving Ilyin behind, it must be very important indeed. He gestured to her to continue. ¡°Delrose¡¯s reinforcement is holding back the second army of the Yesters,¡± she said plainly. There was much information in the simple statement, and even more questions. Aden peered at Etra for just a second, gathering himself, finding the most important one to ask first. ¡°Their size?¡± ¡°A few hundred,¡± Etra answered. Aden waved his arms, catching Idith¡¯s attention. With Delrose¡¯s knights all but finished mopping up the battlefield, Idith left them, riding quickly to join Aden. ¡°Under whose command did you move the reinforcement,¡± he asked, though he was sure he knew the answer even as he asked the question. ¡°Ilyin,¡± she said. He mumbled her name lovingly. Her decision had been fortunate. If a second army of Yesters had come, the battlefield would become too large for his power to manage. But that had to mean she¡¯d had another foresight. ¡°How are you holding them?¡± he asked. In the bitter cold of April, how could they be holding back a few hundred Yesters? Again, he suspected the answer ¨C and what he suspected made him turn his horse to run back even as Etra answered. ¡°With Everlasting Fire,¡± she said, turning her own horse in line with his. Only one person in the mansion could maintain that fire. Ilyin. Aden spurred his horse hard, and it launched itself forward through the snow. *** Just before Aden and the Delrose knights had arrived at Elo, the reinforcements, led by Emil, were just about to reach their destination as well. ¡°The mountain pass is just ahead,¡± he said. He kept a confident voice, but even now doubt wracked him. Was this the right course? He glanced back. He had come on Mistress¡¯s order, but the responsibility would not be hers alone if this went badly. ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt,¡± she¡¯d said earnestly. He never saw such an honest look from other houses. Was it because she was from the warm region? He had never been to it. He only knew of the warm region from what he¡¯d heard from other knights and what he imagined. That the warm region always had yellow light shining from the sky. That when evening fell, everything was covered in orange and long shadows were cast. That the whole region felt like the heat from a large fireplace, but much more yellow, bright, and clear than any pile of burning logs. ¡°Warm region person,¡± he muttered. Was it because the Mistress was from there that she was so different from other nobles and important people? Was that why she always seemed the person you really wanted to serve, the one you truly respected, loved. He didn¡¯t think she would ever put the Delrose knights into danger if it could be avoided. But even so, Emil couldn¡¯t ignore the slightest possibility that she was wrong, that this was a mistake. It was a natural worry he had to carry, a burden of being in charge of the Delrose knights. Chapter 128 ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down,¡± he said sternly. ¡°There is no sign of anything around us,¡± a knight replied. ¡°We¡¯ll be at our destination soon.¡± The knights of Delrose, well trained, moved with speed and precision even in the absence of their master. Emil moved aside a corner of the cloak draped around the lamp he¡¯d received from the Mistress. The fire was still clear and strong. He had to get it onto firewood quickly. They didn¡¯t have much ¨C only what they could bring on their horses without sacrificing speed. But from what Emil knew of the Everlasting Fire, the amount of wood didn¡¯t matter. He may have spent his time on the training ground, but he knew the secret of the mansion¡¯s fireplace. ¡°Stop,¡± he said. ¡°No sign yet of the Yesters.¡± He called the group to halt just at the entrance to the valley. If the Yesters truly were going to use this path as a shortcut to Elo, then this was the place to stop them. Here, at the closest point to Elo. Further up the path, and the Yesters might try to hurry back and around the valley. They had to make sure the Yesters found them as late as possible. ¡°Place the firewood,¡± he said, waving his people forward. Etra moved up beside him as the wood was being placed. ¡°I¡¯ll go straight to the Elo¡¯s territory the moment the Yesters come.¡± Emil couldn¡¯t understand how she could believe in the foresight with such certainty. ¡°What do you¡­,¡± he started to ask about the foresight, but couldn¡¯t bring himself to give voice to doubt. He shifted the question instead. ¡°What do you think about ma¡¯am?¡± Etra met his eyes, studied him for asking such a random question. ¡°She¡¯s the Mistress of Delrose.¡± That wasn¡¯t the answer he¡¯d been looking for. He started to say something else, but Etra continued. ¡°She¡¯d be the first one to die for another Delrose.¡± He and Etra had been close when she had been a Delrose knight. He knew her well, knew that her loyalty was as firm and straight as a blade. She spoke in the language of a warrior ¨C strong and straightforward as a sword thrust. ¡°She would never bring Delrose to peril over nothing.¡± That settled it for him. Whatever misgivings he might have about foresight, he would trust in the Mistress. She may be a person from the warm region, but she was also now one of the winter region. A warm winter region person. Beside him Etra bowed to him in respect. Then she bowed again, this time toward the distant mansion. Toward Ilyin. *** Biflten mansion. The 7th floor maids watched and listened with rapt attention. Of course, they did so discreetly, making sure the important person inside didn¡¯t notice. Beyond Ilyin¡¯s room, the Delrose area on the 7th floor carried a dour atmosphere like a frost. It wasn¡¯t the Duke of Winter that brought this cold in, but Delrose¡¯s doctor, Ves. ¡°If she shows any symptoms, insist that she immediately stop using the divine power. Do you understand?¡± He lectured a nearby maid. Ves was worried about the weak Mistress from the warm region. He might spend most of her time in the lab as a doctor, but even he knew the atmosphere of the mansion. It had changed much since the Mistress came. The formerly sharp atmosphere (that had reflected Aden) had dulled a bit. The 7th floor had become a place of rest for Delrose, and even Ves had seen it clearly. ¡°Yes!¡± the maid answered loudly, earning a look of rebuke from Ves. Ves shook her head, remembering how the Master had avoided looking at her when she had told him not to bother the Mistress so much at night, that the delicate woman of the warm region needed her rest. He had done a poor job hiding his smile. The warm region that had come to the mansion had done more than just change the mood of the 7th floor. It had changed something else ¨C something which likely did even more to change Delrose. Aden de Biflten was considered by many to be not only the strongest Duke of Winter, but the coldest as well. But Ves knew that, even to the Master, the warmth had come in. Much like what the maids sent to the warm region described ¨C a very bright, yellow, and lovely light. *** Ilyin took a deep breath. She could hold on for a while yet. She wasn¡¯t trying to lift the fire, or make it dance. With something to burn, maintaining it was less strain than she thought. Even so, the sensation of maintaining it wasn¡¯t pleasant. She thought she felt a cold sweat on her forehead. She moved her hand to wipe it away, and the hand that touched her skin was cold. ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you alright?¡± It was Mary, one of the 7th floor maids, who spoke. She studied Ilyin¡¯s face carefully. Ilyin smiled at her concern. ¡°Yes, Mary,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Chapter 129 ¡°You must tell me if you have any difficulty, ma¡¯am,¡± Mary urged her, excusing herself. Delrose was more familiar with Divine Power than the other houses, and especially more familiar with using it without having to resort to a divine object. Their Master, the Duke of Winter, could boast the strongest divine power in all the winter region. Yet even among Delrose, little was known about it. The Duke of Winter seldom spoke on the subject ¨C or on most others, honestly ¨C so there were few if any who understood what using it required. ¡°Strength, perhaps?¡± Maid Dell whispered. The maids were huddled a distance away from Ilyin¡¯s room ¨C close enough to respond, yet still far enough away that they could whisper amongst themselves with no chance of being heard. ¡°What kind of strength?¡± asked Maid Nina. ¡°This?¡± Dell replied, flexing her arm, faintly outlining the curve of her bicep through the thin clothes they wore inside the mansion. Nina squeezed her arm, shaking her head. ¡°You couldn¡¯t burn firewood with this,¡± she said. ¡°True enough,¡± replied Dell. Nina scratched her head. Even between the two of them, they couldn¡¯t work out how using the divine power was done. ¡°Hey, come here,¡± whispered a voice nearby. It was Annie, a Delrose maid from the 6th floor, just peeking out from the stairs ¨C the one who¡¯d taught Ilyin the ways of Biflten when she¡¯d arrived. Nina and Dell scurried over. Though she was technically a maid just as they were, Annie came from a notable family in Delrose and commanded a certain status as a result. ¡°Yes, Miss,¡± they said. The honorific was allowable in this case, as there was no ¡°Miss¡± in Delrose¡¯s direct line. ¡°Make the Mistress feel good,¡± she said to the two 7th floor maids. ¡°Pardon?¡± they answered in unison. Annie glanced back down the stairs and pointed down toward the 6th floor. ¡°The Lady Mille from downstairs told me. One¡¯s stamina with the divine power recovers more quickly if you feel comfortable. So do the best you can for the Ma¡¯am,¡± she said pointedly. They nodded, still not quite looking as though they fully understood. ¡°Make her as comfortable as you can,¡± she emphasized again. ¡°See to it. I¡¯ll be downstairs.¡± She turned and, with one last pointed look at the two maids, headed back down to watch over the Lady Mille and keep her company. It was Ilyin herself who had assigned her that role. In all of Delrose, Annie was the only one other than Ilyin who could hold a decent conversation with Rippo. The two maids scurried down the hallway back toward Ilyin¡¯s room, muttering amongst themselves how best to follow Annie¡¯s advice. The one who made the Lady feel best had left for Elo. ¡°What else does she like?¡± Fortunately, the two of them had served Ilyin since the day she arrived. With a shared glance, they came to the same idea and set to work. ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± Dell said as the two of them stepped into her room. ¡°What is it?¡± Ilyin asked, blinking in surprise at the maids. They seemed to each be lugging some sort of awkward load as they entered. Then she saw more clearly what they carried and laughed. ¡°Oh, dear,¡± she said, as the maids ¨C remembering that their Mistress enjoyed soft bedding ¨C began to pile up cushy pillows and blankets beside her. *** Emil was a cautious knight, by nature. As the reinforcement hunkered down, hiding at the entrance to the pass, he called a few of the faster knights to scout about quickly. He set one out in each direction along the mountains, just in case, and a third up the pass itself. ¡°Nothing to report,¡± the first two had reported. The area around them on this side of the mountains was secure, as expected. Biflten mansion wasn¡¯t far from here. Emil hadn¡¯t expected they would venture too close by it. Perhaps the red-scaled Molly tribe who¡¯d recently allied with them would be more daring, but Emil had no expectation of seeing them, either. Were they really coming? Emil felt doubt creep in again but held it at bay for a bit longer. The third knight still had yet to return. Emil only had to wait a little longer for the knight, in white armor to blend in with the snow, to reappear. He hurried up to Emil. ¡°They¡¯re coming,¡± he said. Emil exhaled and felt a strange relief in the words. ¡°The Yesters,¡± he said, less to the knight than to himself. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied, ¡°coming through the pass from their base.¡± ¡°Their size?¡± ¡°A few hundred.¡± Emil sighed. He took out the lamp. Though the wind was fierce here, the flame still burned.¡± ¡°Everlasting fire. . .,¡± he said. Divine power. In the winter region, the divine power made the impossible real. A fire like this one could still burn strong, even in a storm such as this, only through it. And through the power of the human that wielded it. But that power didn¡¯t come without cost, he knew. He had kept the lamp shield for as long as he could, protected it from the wind and cold, just to limit the strain. But he could delay no longer. Chapter 130 ¡°Put the fire on!¡± he said, handing off the lamp to a knight. ¡°I¡¯m off to Elo,¡± Etra said. She turned her horse, her face as white as the snow around her at the news that a few hundred Yesters were coming down upon them ¨C and upon the Master¡¯s army, if they failed. A gasp came from the knight who¡¯d taken the lamp. Both Emil and Etra snapped their gaze toward him. The small fire from the lamp had flared the instant it touched the wood, growing to cover the full pile of firewood they¡¯d set. Emil examined the fire; at the spread of the wood they¡¯d laid out. As sensitive to heat as the Yesters were, there was no way they could go through the wall of fire that sectioned off the pass like a barricade. Still, worry gnawed at him. ¡°If it fails . . .,¡± he muttered. The words tapered off. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to finish the thought. If it failed, it would be the end. All the same, he didn¡¯t regret coming here. He was grateful, in fact. The thought of a few hundred Yesters flanking the Master and his knights . . . even this blizzard, the thought made him break out in a cold sweat. The Master would be fine, he had little doubt. But he didn¡¯t want to see the Yesters leave his training grounds empty. ¡°Prepare for battle!¡± he called to his knights. The Yesters couldn¡¯t penetrate the flame, but if the Mistress couldn¡¯t hold the divine power, if her strength failed her again, the fire would wink out like it never existed, leaving not even the ghost of warmth. If that happened, their swords would be all that was left to slow the monsters. He watched Etra disappearing into the snow toward Elo. Right now, while the fire burned, the only one guarding their Master¡¯s flank was Ilyin, the Mistress from the warm region. *** Idith stayed behind at Elo¡¯s territory to clean up, as Aden had ordered. Aden himself had almost lost his reason at Etra¡¯s news, but he understood why Ilyin had sent her. She understood the urgency and the confusion of a battlefield. She needed him to hear her message, without doubt or misinterpretation. She had chosen Etra as the messenger, so he would know the truth and weight of the message. ¡°How far?¡± he asked. ¡°Over the Setry Valley,¡± she replied. She knew the area well, from her time as Delrose Knight. With Everlasting Fire, she¡¯d said. The words kept circling in his ears as he rode. They were stopping the Yesters at the pass with the Everlasting Fire ¨C which meant she was maintaining a fire large and wide enough to block their way. Aden spurred his horse faster. With the initial shock of the news past, his reason had returned, but he¡¯d lost none of his urgency. He overtook Etra, who had been leading the way. ¡°Majesty!¡± his knight escorts called from behind him. They spurred their own horses as well, recognizing their master¡¯s urgency and fell into formation behind him. Kyaaaak! Put out the fire! Fire! The inhuman voices of the Yesters carried to them through the wind. Aden could already see the Everlasting Fire, burning atop a long pile of firewood across the pass. And above it, he could see the faces of the Yesters on the other side. Cover it with snow. A few of them were decently smart. They were trying to put the fire out. Aden put his hand to his side as he rode. The knight on that side, remembering that the Duke had thrown his sword at the violet-eyed creature, gave him his own sword in its place. Etra gave her dagger to the knight ¨C she always carried a few extra weapons with her. Why isn¡¯t it going out? They weren¡¯t smart, by any means, but about half of them could somewhat think. The Yesters were trying their best to tamp down the fire where it met the wall of the pass. That meant they were gathered into a smaller area. Kyak! They knew nothing about the Delrose¡¯s divine object, about the Everlasting Fire. Few did. Their confusion was understandable. The Fire burned through snow. Aden smiled. The Duke of Winter! Kyak! There was chaos on the other side of the fire, turmoil between the Yesters that tried to run when they realized he had arrived, and those that were slower to understand the situation. And on top of all of them came down the divine power, strong enough to make the pass feel like the warm region. Etra covered her eyes at the bright light that came from Aden. Kyaak! The drastic change in temperature was too much for the Yesters. In an instant, they all melted with the snow. And in that moment, the Everlasting Fire extinguished as though it had never existed. *** The Master of Biflten that returned to the mansion showed none of the new softness, however subtle, of the one that had returned from the warm region. ¡°Welcome back, Majesty,¡± knights, maids and others greeted him as he approached the mansion. He brushed off their welcome as he brushed the snow from his clothes. Attendees from Green Mille and Blue North came out as well, welcoming the Master of the winter region out of courtesy. Aden¡¯s cold gaze scanned the face of the mansion but saw none of the yellow ornaments of Shining Elo. No welcome from them. He marked that as he entered the mansion, walking straight into Elo¡¯s territory. The Delrose maids quickly stepped aside, random whispers of ¡°his Majesty¡± diffusing behind him as he passed without acknowledging them. ¡°Ma¡¯am was well when I left,¡± Etra said, her face slightly white. A former knight, her movement was quick ¨C but even she struggled to keep up with the Duke of Winter. But as trained warriors, even hurrying as they were their footsteps made little sound. The noise in the hallway all came from the bustle of the maids. ¡°When you left,¡± he said. Chapter 131 Aden said nothing more as they strode quickly to Ilyin¡¯s door. With every step, his worry seemed to grow. He had seen the Everlasting Fire wink out in the valley just as he¡¯d arrived. That meant the person who¡¯d been maintaining it had run out of strength. It took his whole will to be patient when they reached the door. He wanted to burst through and rush to Ilyin, but Etra interposed herself. She was correct, of course ¨C Ilyin would certainly be in a weakened state, and a shock was the last thing she needed. Etra listened for a second at the door, then cracked it just enough to see inside. ¡°I believe all is well,¡± she said. ¡°She is sleeping.¡± Aden felt a deep sigh escape him, and his whole body seemed to relax. He waved Etra back toward the stairs.¡± ¡°Return to Idith,¡± he said. ¡°You can update each other while you help clear the battlefield.¡± He trusted her and Idith to sort out everything at Elo. He had no more reason to be there, with the Yesters vanquished. He only needed to be here. Cautiously, he pushed the door open wider and entered the bedroom. The room was warm, as always. Even though Ilyin had adapted somewhat to the cold, she was still a child of the warm region. The cold would never be welcome in this room. The scent of her filled the air ¨C a strong, green smell, like spring. Like the warm region. It felt intoxicating, and Aden¡¯s head seemed to spin. Such a powerful, lively scent, and yet she still seemed so fragile to him. Ilyin lay on the bed, her hand still clutching Delrose¡¯s divine object. Around her had been stacked pillows and blankets. Brought in by the Delrose maids to make her comfortable, no doubt. And they had scrounged what reminders of the warm region they could bring in and surrounded the bed. He had ordered them to do so when Ilyin first arrived, and they seem to have sensed the more urgent need today. They love her, he thought. As she loves all of them. He had been so insistent in the beginning that her room was kept warm, that it be filled with reminders of the warm region. He¡¯d feared she would miss it too much, though it had since seemed that she didn¡¯t have fond memories of the warm region. Still, the winter region was a desolate place, unfriendly to life. He had always been afraid it would leave her longing and lonely without signs of the warm region at hand. Now, she lay on the bed, buried in soft pillows and blankets, a soft smile on her face. He approached her quietly, almost afraid to disturb her. And while he had no need of the warm blankets that shrouded her, the contentment on her face made him feel a strange pang of jealousy all the same. He reached out and gently pushed down on the pillow beside her, careful not to wake her. It felt soft as mist under his hand, and it and the fur blanket that lay over Ilyin were as white as the blanket of snow outside. Ilyin lay on her right side. The blanket came up to her chin, with only her head and her right hand ¨C still clutching the Delrose necklace, exposed. Her long, silver hair spread out across the pillows like a halo. Everything seemed to be shades of white and silver, except for her cheeks that were still flushed red. Still as she was, Aden thought the scene could be a painting. A particularly beautiful painting. He didn¡¯t try to sit beside her. He didn¡¯t want to disturb her, for one, but he also simply didn¡¯t like the feel of soft things. They were unfamiliar to him. He¡¯d never needed thick blankets ¨C he¡¯d been able to control the cold since he was young. Even in his clothes, comfort had been an afterthought. They had always been made for freedom of movement, but also for show ¨C thin clothing was a simple way to display his power, to remind the people of the mansion, even subconsciously, who they served. The Duke of Winter. The man with the divine power. The man who controls the cold, who rules the winter region. The hand he¡¯d placed on the pillow drifted toward Ilyin, almost of its own accord. Even her breath washing over his hand felt soft, delicate. The blanket barely moved with her breath, even in deep sleep. He started to touch her cheek but caught himself. He was fresh from the outside, and his hand still carried the cold. But just then Ilyin moved for him. The hand that extended from the blanket shifted and covered his. ¡°Aden,¡± she whispered. She smiled, her eyes fluttered for just a second, then settled closed again. Sleeping deeply. Aden remembered the quiet hallway on the 7th floor. It was only that quiet for her, only when Ilyin was sleeping. All the same, he knew the doctor, Vas, would appear in an instant if something was wrong. So many of them would. He wanted to be angry at her for taking such risk. I can¡¯t live without you, he thought. I have no fear of monsters or the cold, but I can¡¯t live without you. Neither can Delrose. Chapter 132 Her hand felt as cold as his. For having been in this warm room, smothered in blankets and pillows, that was a bad sign, as was the red still in her cheeks. She looked as though she were sleeping peacefully, but she was in a bad state. Maintaining the Everlasting Fire had taken all her strength. You worry I¡¯ll risk myself. That you¡¯ll lose me, that Delrose will lose me. Yet Delrose and I both worry much more about losing you. ¡°Did you see me in your dream?¡± he whispered. He wanted to be angry, but he couldn¡¯t. ¡°Are the knights all safe?¡± she murmured, stirring. That was why he couldn¡¯t blame her. She did what she did because she had seen the second army of Yesters. She¡¯d seen the danger to the knights, to Delrose. ¡°The foresight changed in the middle¡­,¡± she said, coming out of sleep a little more. She tried to move to sitting, but Aden gently pressed her back down, nestled her back among the blankets. ¡°I guessed,¡± he answered softly. ¡°Your body is still cold.¡± ¡°So is yours,¡± she said, smiling again. Her hand slid up his arm, massaged it as though trying to warm him. So delicate, he thought. The fragility of her cut his heart. ¡°The knights are all safe,¡± he said. They hadn¡¯t lost a man. Every knight rides into battle knowing the risks, but they¡¯d been lucky. They¡¯d hit the first group of Yesters from the back, and of course there had been no second wave of them, thanks to her. ¡°Was it your idea to send the reinforcement with the Everlasting Fire?¡± he asked. With Etra escorting the reinforcement, he¡¯d guessed as much. Asking it openly felt like an interrogation, but he knew no other way to say it. ¡°Of course,¡± she said, and let out a sigh of relief. She had undoubtedly worried about her ability to maintain the fire long enough, worried Etra wouldn¡¯t reach him, worried that her plan wouldn¡¯t be followed. Until she saw me, he thought. Until she knew the plan had worked. It wasn¡¯t in her to relax behind the protection of others, to let the knight fight for her on some battlefield. She was the one who worried until each person that marched off to battle came home. That was part of what made her so beautiful. ¡°I was surprised that Emil came to the battlefield,¡± Aden said. He kissed her forehead gently. ¡°Emil of the knight training ground,¡± she answered. She had met so many, in such a short time since she came here. Yet she never forgot a name, never forgot a single person. Ilyin remembered more than just his name. She remembered his face, that stern look. It wasn¡¯t disobedience toward her, not disapproval. Such things only existed in the territory of Viscount Arlen. It was the look of someone that cared for Delrose, that worried for its safety as much as she did. Aden sighed. ¡°Do you not believe in me?¡± he asked. ¡°I do. More than anything,¡± she said, her eyes widening. Aden caressed her cheek. ¡°Did you think that I and my power couldn¡¯t defeat the Yesters without you?¡± The second wave of Yesters took a great deal of power to put down, it¡¯s true, but this was the winter region, and the Duke of Winter didn¡¯t falter in the winter region from using the divine power. That was only a worry for Ilyin of the warm region. ¡°I knew you could. But I didn¡¯t want a single one of you to get hurt,¡± she said simply. Not a single one. So beautiful a soul. But one person did get hurt. Aden took hold of her hand, and it was no warmer than before. He tucked it back inside the blanket, then summoned the blue light in his hand to warm up the room a little more. He set his hand on her chest, feeling her delicate breath. ¡°And I want to make sure even you don¡¯t get hurt,¡± he said. Don¡¯t hide your wound, Ilyin, he thought. He leaned in, buried his face in her chest. ¡°You said you¡¯d only use the divine power in an emergency,¡± he breathed. ¡°How could I ignore the foresight, knowing the Yesters¡¯ plan?¡± she said. ¡°If that wasn¡¯t an emergency, what is?¡± Aden sighed. She was right, of course. It was the only way to stop the second Yester army. If the knights had come without the Everlasting Fire, the result would have been disastrous. ¡°You didn¡¯t believe in me,¡± he whispered again. He wanted to be angry but couldn¡¯t. He only sounded petulant. ¡°You know that¡¯s not it,¡± she said, stroking his hair. ¡°You overextended yourself with the divine power,¡± he said. Knowing what he did now, that there had been no other way, the argument had little weight. But he cared for her too much not to cast it all the same. ¡°I was the one that always lied and didn¡¯t keep promises,¡± he said. He shifted his head to her as he spoke, his breath now reaching her neck. He noticed her cheeks flushed a little more in response. His hand gripped hers tighter. ¡°I became the liar today,¡± she said. Whatever you are, it¡¯s lovely, he thought. Chapter 133 Aden stirred her awhile longer, letting his breath play on her neck, letting his fingers caress her pallid skin. Each breath roused more color in her cheek. Each touch seemed to raise more warmth in her skin. He teased her back to her normal color, until the summer warmth of her skin had returned in full before he pulled himself away. ¡°Tend to her,¡± he said to the 7th floor Delrose maids as he turned to the door. ¡°Make sure she wants for nothing.¡± They bowed silently. Aden cast a glance back at Ilyin. She had now drifted back to a normal, healthy sleep, the Delrose necklace still resting against her skin. At the sight of it, his hands clenched unconsciously into fists. He didn¡¯t like it, this object that had done so much to her. That posed danger to her still. However sparingly she might use the power in the future, it was still there. Still a threat. For all her soft and generous heart, Ilyin inspired a harder heart in him, the tyrant he never wanted to be. For her beauty, for her heart, he would do anything. He wished he could bid her to forget everything that had given her pain or frustration. He wanted to erase Viscount Arlen from existence for his part in making the warm region a terrible memory for her ¨C Ilyin, who was the very image of the warm region¡¯s beauty. The necklace had earned the same anger from him. If he could will it so, she would never suffer again. With a kiss and a touch, he wanted to tease open the hand that still gripped the necklace. He wanted to slip it from her neck and secret it away where she would never find it, so that she would never be in danger from it again. For her happiness, for her to live without pain, that part of his heart wanted to keep her in a safe little world. For the sake of her, he could be tempted to be a tyrant. He pushed the thought down again, as he had before when it rose up in his mind. Ilyin¡¯s life was Ilyin¡¯s. Loving her meant respecting her choices. If she wanted a wider world, he couldn¡¯t lock her away in a small one. It had been her, after all, that had faced Viscount Arlen rather than shrink from him. Aden¡¯s duty was not to be a wall to contain her, but a wall that would support her unfailingly. His love was not tyranny. It was Ilyin that ruled now without question. Ilyin that could not do as she wished with him, could have anything she asked for. Everything was now at her whim. He left the room on tiptoes. Crept away silently, so his Mistress didn¡¯t stir. *** ¡°The casualties were high,¡± Idith said. He straightened himself as he came into the Grandmaster¡¯s office but couldn¡¯t completely hide the fatigue that weighed him down. ¡°What did Elo say?¡± Aden asked. ¡°Well,¡± Idith replied with a touch of hesitation. The report bore no fault of his, but he guessed it would anger his master to hear it. ¡°They claim that they couldn¡¯t reveal their secret stronghold to the Yesters, so the reinforcement was delayed.¡± ¡°Not delayed,¡± Aden scoffed. ¡°They didn¡¯t come.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t that Elo¡¯s reinforcement hadn¡¯t shown up at all. But they came very late, not arriving at Elo until after the first wave was dispatched and Aden had already left to deal with the second army. They had arrived when Idith was still overseeing the cleanup of the battlefield.¡± ¡°We always thank Delrose,¡± their knights had said, but there was absolutely no sincerity in it. They merely spoke the words emptily and took over the grim duty of the cleanup. ¡°We can¡¯t be more of a burden to the Delrose,¡± they¡¯d insisted, but the tone was clear again. The Elo knights were kicking the Delrose knights out of their territory. It was right to delegate the cleanup to the Elo reinforcement. It was their territory, after all, and Biflten was a place where each house¡¯s territory was respected. But no one should be expected to look kindly on those who ignored a desperate need until it was over, then stepped right into ordering around those who had dealt with it. ¡°So, the scale of the casualties?¡± Aden asked, jarring Idith from his thoughts. He made a quick bow, his eyes sad with memories of Elo. ¡°We left Elo¡¯s territory before everything was completely sorted. The actual situation won¡¯t be known until we receive their report,¡± Idith said. ¡°But it seems almost impossible to revive the area.¡± ¡°It was April,¡± Aden muttered, nodding to himself. He had seen much of it himself, but it was another matter to have someone else confirm it. April Yesters had fallen upon the citizens. The casualties would certainly be beyond the norm. The Grandmaster¡¯s office fell into silence. The first duty of the Duke of Winter was to protect the people of Biflten and the winter region. Of course, the moment the four houses had been granted their own territory, that duty had been shared. The Elders of each house bore it as well. That was why they each had armies of armored knights. Chapter 134 ¡°Knights not wielding swords,¡± Aden muttered again, and his lip pulled into a sneer. ¡°Where will they point those swords, if they don¡¯t lay them down?¡± Swords were granted only to protect the citizens. For those that gave up that duty, they were unnecessary. And without swords, there was no longer an army ¨C and all citizens would fall back under the protection of the Duke of Winter. If Elo¡¯s knights had forsaken their duty, what did they intend to do with their swords? He wouldn¡¯t think about changing the traditions of the winter. As the Duke of Winter, he was meant to hold them tighter than any. But his thoughts were changing, perhaps a bit of the warm region had come into him. He would no longer ignore the danger. The Elders from Blue Nos and Green Mille had said he hadn¡¯t done his duty properly. But those that didn¡¯t raise their swords to defend their own could say nothing to him. ¡°If Elo requests resources, I will grant them, but not to the point of being overly generous. And one more thing,¡± he said. ¡°Investigate the Milton.¡± ¡°Majesty?¡± Idith blurted out. Aden shot him a glance, and Idith regained himself. The name had simply surprised him. Milton. It was a tribe that had been forgotten in winter region for 500 years. There was no reason to remember them. In a place as unkind as the winter region, with its harsh winters and monsters, there was no value in remembering an extinct enemy. ¡°What should I learn about them?¡± Idith asked cagily. ¡°Their abilities,¡± replied Aden The Molly tribe could use magic. Yesters could move faster than anything in the winter region if they have a cold northern wind. But what of the Milton, supposedly gone so long ago? ¡°Their eyes were fully violet. Very dark violet.¡± Idith recalled. The man that Ilyin saw in the foresight. The Milton tribe was supposed to have been made extinct by the Duke of Winter a few hundred years earlier for being too great a threat. No one had seen a Milton in centuries, but records of them remained. They were known to look much like humans. And they were known to have foresight. ¡°But about their ability to look into the future, ¡± Aden said. ¡°Learn how they did it.¡± ¡°Yes, majesty,¡± Idith said, bowing. ¡°And what will you do with the Yesters?¡± That was another problem that needed consideration. Aden nodded approvingly at his aide.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t leave them unattended,¡± Aden said thoughtfully. ¡°There is someone that can see the future among them.¡± If Elo and Mille had really allied with Yesters as Rippo claimed, it meant Elo tried to give its stronghold to Yesters deliberately. Unlike the Yesters stronghold, reachable only by narrow valleys, Elo¡¯s territory was connected to Biflten mansion on flat ground. Yesters could move and populate quickly ¨C if they could occupy Elo, they would have an excellent staging area. They had to drive them out quickly. Idith had yet to hear about Rippo¡¯s claims of someone with foresight among the Yesters. His eyes opened wide at Aden¡¯s statement, then narrowed as his quick mind caught up to his master¡¯s. ¡°You think it¡¯s a Milton?¡± He hadn¡¯t been present when Aden had fought the violet-eyed being, but he¡¯d listened carefully to the report of the Delrose knights that had been with him. Something that looks like a man. ¡°It¡¯s an assumption,¡± Aden said matter-of-factly. ¡°And get ready to destroy the Yesters¡¯ camp.¡± That meant another campaign just after the last. A look of worry crossed Idith¡¯s face. ¡°Are you alright, majesty?¡± he asked. ¡°The knights are able to swap out but you¡­¡± Aden waved away his concern. ¡°There will be no serious battle,¡± he said. The weather was colder, and the situation was still troubling if the Yesters and Molly were indeed working together. But the threat was at least manageable now, thanks to Ilyin¡¯s foresight of the second army of Yesters. ¡°The number of Yesters must be down hard since they lost both their main army and their second army,¡± Aden said. That meant they must not have enough forces to guard their camp. They¡¯d gambled almost their entire army on the capture of Elo ¨C as though someone with foresight had told them they would succeed. But how did they just pass through Elo¡¯s Wall? And could whatever allowed that also be what altered Ilyin¡¯s foresight? Was that how the foresight had changed? These were the questions Aden hoped an investigation of the Milton could answer. He tapped his desk idly as he thought out loud to Idith. ¡°The number of Yesters must be severely diminished. But they¡¯re still dangerous,¡± he said. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t want to be extinct either,¡± Idith commented. The blue light of divine power lightly flashed briefly in Aden¡¯s hand. He gave the cold smile of the Duke of Winter. ¡°We won¡¯t chase the Yesters that fled the camp,¡± he said. Depleting their numbers would be good enough. Aden¡¯s goal was something else. ¡°But the Mollys with them won¡¯t be able to follow at the Yesters¡¯ speed. Them, we can take.¡± He was ready to whittle down every threat. Chapter 135 Aden ordered the Red Delrose to hide their preparations for battle, but emotion of it ¨C anticipation, fear, resolve, hope ¨C still seemed to infuse the air thickly around Biflten mansion. Feeling it like the charged air of a lightning storm, Ilyin doubted they could hide their work for long. ¡°Will we truly be able to hide our preparation?¡± she asked when she and Aden were alone. With someone in contact with the monsters, it didn¡¯t seem to her that anything could be kept a secret now. Even though the houses occupied separate territories, there seemed too much involved to go unnoticed. War didn¡¯t just need people. There were supplies, rations, weapons. . . Then the answer hit her suddenly. She gave a small ¡°ah¡± in surprise at the sudden understanding. ¡°You¡¯re doing it on purpose,¡± she said. ¡°I just can¡¯t fool you at all,¡± Aden said smiling as he brushed her hair. His hand followed her long strands of silver, curled them a few times. As they shifted and moved on the bed, the mobile ¨C resting on top of the adjacent dresser ¨C shook slightly. It should have been hung by now, but Ilyin was in no hurry to exactly reproduce her bedroom from the Arlen mansion here. Yet she didn¡¯t want to put away something of her mother¡¯s, either. Not that, particularly ¨C it troubled her. ¡°Did you want to fool me?¡± Ilyin said, glaring. ¡°Never,¡± Aden replied laughingly, putting his hands up in a mock defensive gesture as if Ilyin held a sword to his neck. ¡°There are other things I want to fool.¡± Not People. Things. Aden¡¯s lip curled as he said it. The rumors of Delrose activity in the mansion were spreading. As expected, they couldn¡¯t hide it even if they wanted to. And many that noticed it were already guessing where Delrose was heading as well. Toward the tribe whose army had been reduced. ¡°The rumor is that we are heading to the Yesters, correct?¡± she said, more a statement than a question. Aden smiled in response and kissed her cheek. ¡°Would you like to guess more?¡± he asked. Ilyin was quick-witted but didn¡¯t care to show off. Or to be more precise, she had always tried not to be noticed in the Arlen mansion. Speaking so freely in Biflten mansion still felt unnatural, like walking backward without knowing what was behind her. Of course, Delrose was accepting of her; Aden, even more so. Yes still, when she spoke freely, Ilyin sometimes felt if the words got stuck in her throat. And in those moments, when she did still feel uncomfortable, she would simply smile. As she smiled at Aden now. ¡°I want to hear you more,¡± she said. But Aden always brought her out of herself when she became this way. He never left her to simply smile quietly. ¡°But . . . if I get it right?¡± Half of her wanted to simply drop the matter, but the other half felt a playfulness she still hadn¡¯t gotten used to, A playfulness that, while still new to her, wasn¡¯t foreign. Aden and Delrose brought it out of her, true, but it had been inside her all along. She liked that they set that side of her free. ¡°If you get it right,¡± Aden replied, kissing her nose softly, ¡°I¡¯ll show you something very pretty.¡± Ilyin narrowed her eyes at him. She understood the game he was playing. She knew before his hand moved that it would rise up to touch her lips, and it did, tracing around the upper and lower lip, then leaning in to graze them softly with his own. ¡°Ah,¡± she sighed, and he followed with another kiss, this one a bit lewder. The maids had cleared the bed earlier, but the many soft pillows they had brought in for her were piled upon the bed. Aden lifted Ilyin and set her on them, and they were so soft she sank into them. ¡°You¡¯re always lovely,¡± he said. So small, soft, lovely. His hand reached into her hair, grabbed the back of her head to pull her into him for another kiss. The hunger of his movement excited her, as did the feel of his other hand moving around onto her back. She lifted a finger to his lips, pausing him. ¡°Bad hand,¡± she said, and her finger brushed his lips this time. ¡°I can¡¯t speak anymore if you keep doing this.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± he muttered almost sheepishly, and settled back beside her. ¡°Was the bad hand the pretty thing you meant to show me?¡± she asked glaring playfully. Aden only blushed in response. ¡°That would be good,¡± he said, ¡°but, I¡¯ll give you a hint.¡± Aden slipped forward, and before she could say ¡°bad hand¡± again, he brushed away the hair from her face and kissed her forehead before retreating again. It was all he was allowed at the moment. Chapter 136 ¡°The Yesters¡¯ territory is at the edge of winter¡¯s north,¡± he said, daring to still brush her soft hair as he spoke. ¡°What do you think will be there at the end of winter region¡¯s north?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ilyin said, cocking her head thoughtfully. She had never thought of what would be at the end of the territory. The sea, she imagined ¨C what else could there be at the edge of a continent? But was there more? His tone made her wonder ¨C what more lay at the end of Biflten¡¯s territory? ¡°Let¡¯s go there together, and see,¡± he said, and kissed her neck. ¡°January is coming, and the weather will get better quickly.¡± Better, but not like the warm region, she thought. Aden¡¯s hand glided through Ilyin¡¯s hair, then slowly moved downward, along her cheek, her neck, and down to her shoulder. As it slid over the curve of her shoulder, his fingertips caught in the fabric of her chemise and slid it down onto her upper arm. He set his hand flat upon her skin, rubbing the bare shoulder gently so it didn¡¯t get cold. Ilyin brought up her own hand and set it on his. ¡°Bad hand, again,¡± she said. Aden responded by braving another kiss on her cheek, then pulled his hand away again, looking unsatisfied. ¡°Fine,¡± he sighed. ¡°Then tell me a story.¡± ¡°First . . .,¡± she said, trapping his hand that had been moving freely upon the shoulder and bringing it to her heart. ¡°I remember that Yesters and Molly combined their forces.¡± Aden felt her heart thumping hard under his hand. Just why are you so nervous, he thought. Are you excited and flustered for the same reasons I am? His breath caught for a moment before he could answer. ¡°Yes, correct.¡± Ilyin continued to stroke the back of his hand as she spoke. ¡°From what I know now, only Yesters can move quickly with the northern wind.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said. With his free hand he drew a finger along the edge of her ear. She had it all correct, as he had imagined she would, his lovely person. She laughed softly at the tickle of his touch, then continued. ¡°The Yesters lost their main army as well as their reinforcement. Their remaining forces must be small. As it stands, if we hit the Yesters¡¯ base now, they would run rather than fight.¡± Especially when the house attacking them was Delrose, a source of terror to the different monsters of the winter region. Or more precisely, Aden de Biflten, Master of Winter, was a source of terror. The Duke with a power stronger than the Duke of any other generation, stronger than all of them combined. The monsters had no choice but to fear Delrose when he was leading them. ¡°They¡¯ll run if they don¡¯t want to be extinct,¡± Aden interjected. Monsters in the warm region were senseless, mere beasts. Those of the winter region, however, they most definitely had logic and intelligence. They knew when to fight, and when to run. ¡°The Molly can¡¯t keep up with them, and only they will be left,¡± she said. ¡°The Molly were also almost extinct. They probably allied with the Yesters for a chance to increase their numbers.¡± Which meant it was likely that all the Molly were in the Yesters¡¯ base. There was nowhere else they could be ¨C the Yesters had no other strongholds. ¡°So, what you¡¯re aiming for at least,¡± she said, fixing Aden with her eyes, ¡°are Molly, not Yesters.¡± And there was the answer. Aden stretched out his arm, pretending to fix the pillow she was leaning upon, and instead leaning against her and kissing her quickly. The faint lamplight hid her face. Aden stretched out his hand and darkened it a bit more. But even with the light gone, Ilyin¡¯s silver hair and twinkling eyes shone. ¡°As you guessed,¡± he said, and leaned in to kiss her again, longer this time. Ilyin felt warmth rush into her lips. Aden¡¯s lips massaged hers, and he held her close for a long time, floating in a dark space with only the two of them. When he finally pulled away, he spoke softly in the darkness. ¡°There are many places that are bloody in winter,¡± he said. It was a land full of blood and battles, and Aden was sorry that Ilyin had found herself in such an ill-fitting place. But I want you to love this place . . . and love me. I don¡¯t want you to leave. Rather I want to be the reason you don¡¯t want to leave. So, I will give you the whole and beautiful winter region. It will be my gift to you, my gift to give as the Duke of winter. ¡°But the places untouched by either humans or monsters are beautiful,¡± he continued, ¡°The end of north is like that.¡± He lay her down on the bed, his voice barely a whisper. ¡°And the first person to enjoy that beautiful place will be you.¡± Chapter 137 The winter region belonged to the Duke of Winter. That was a lesson the people of Biflten had been learning more and more recently. Even now whispers spread through the mansion that the Duke was already going on another campaign, as if he needed no rest from the two recent battles he¡¯d just fought. ¡°I heard only the Grandmaster of Delrose is going.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the Duke also leave later?¡± ¡°The knights¡¯ house is loud but the mansion is quiet. Doesn¡¯t that mean the Duke is resting?¡± Rumors like these scurried through the halls of Biflten, stirring up questions and speculation as they ran. And no one in Delrose would comment on any of them, leaving the whisperers from the other houses lost as to what the truth could be. ¡°I heard they¡¯re attacking Yesters?¡± ¡°Right. Seems the knights will be taking a lot of warm items, preparing for the cold.¡± ¡°Like before?¡± A few of the rumors were relatively close to the truth ¨C but of course Ilyin knew even that truth was a lie. ¡°Looks like Idith will be able to rest this time,¡± she said sitting by her window. Yes, Idith had no need to worry about squashing rumors this time. That must have lightened his burden quite a bit. ¡°Unfortunately, not,¡± said Etra, smiling as she poured drink into Ilyin¡¯s glass. ¡°He has to prepare for the campaign.¡± ¡°They must be very tired. Den and the knights¡­,¡± Ilyin mused. ¡°Perhaps, but they¡¯ve said they¡¯re still used to it,¡± Etra replied. A faint steam seemed to rise from the alcohol in Ilyin¡¯s glass, and a sweet fragrance wafted to her. Warmth seemed to spread to her hand from the glass when she grabbed it. She thought of the drink she¡¯d had before and smiled. ¡°It¡¯ll all be easier once there are fewer monsters,¡± Etra said. Ilyin waved Etra to the seat across from her. That was always Etra¡¯s seat, but she never failed to thank her mistress for it. She bowed deeply, then sat without the slightest sound. ¡°Well, it is true that there will be one less type of monster if this campaign is successful,¡± Ilyin said, choosing her words carefully. Even here, on the 7th floor, it was just as well not to specify Mollys versus Yesters. ¡°That is true,¡± Etra remarked. ¡°Do you know what Delrose knights always say?¡± Ilyin cocked her head curiously. Etra smiled. ¡°For the era where the knights are no longer needed,¡± she said. As soon as the women had begun speaking, one of the maids had fetched a second glass, and now set it down in front of Etra. She carefully filled it with the same drink Etra had served her mistress, then stepped back. ¡°The era where the knights are no longer needed¡­,¡± Ilyin repeated thoughtfully. Etra nodded. ¡°They¡¯re hoping that after our generation, we can all just play and run around in the snow without swords,¡± she said. They wanted the people after them to have a safer place to live. It wasn¡¯t a fanciful wish ¨C it was quite a sensible one, actually. It was toward that wish to which the knights charged in ever battle, fighting for a better future. But Ilyin couldn¡¯t help noticing Etra¡¯s word choice ¨C our generation. Was it because she used a sword as well? There seemed more to her words than that. ¡°Etra,¡± she asked, ¡°were you a knight before you came to the 7th floor?¡± Etra¡¯s hand seemed to flinch at the question. ¡°I lifted the sword for Delrose,¡± she said simply, not quite meeting Ilyin¡¯s eyes. The room dropped into sudden silence. ¡°If it¡¯s a past you¡¯d rather not speak of you don¡¯t have to,¡± Ilyin said. She was curious about Etra, certainly as much as Etra was about her. The curiosity born from familiarity, from love. But she didn¡¯t want to dig into things Etra would rather forget. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t tell you,¡± Etra replied. She bowed deeply, and Ilyin¡¯s hand rose to meet her cheek, and Etra sank into the gesture, resting her face on her Lady¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s enough that you lifted the sword for Delrose,¡± Ilyin said. Etra continued to rest her head as though she couldn¡¯t lift it. ¡°You¡¯re lifting your sword for me now.¡± You don¡¯t know how safe I feel, Ilyin thought. Etra shifted her head slightly and met her Mistress¡¯s eyes again. ¡°And I¡¯m always thankful,¡± Ilyin said. ¡°Not at all, Ma¡¯am,¡± Etra replied. ¡°I¡¯m grateful to be able to serve you.¡± It was true. Ilyin could tell those who spoke from the heart from those who only said what one wanted to hear. Etra was the former. Her words had a weight to them, like those of Idith and Emil. Was that how all knights spoke? She thought of Aden¡¯s softer tone, unlike those of the knights. But then he sounded different in front of Idith or Milo ¨C authoritative, hard to approach. But not to me, she thought. To me he was always softer. However high his walls, they were like sand to me. Chapter 138 Ilyin stared out the window, down at the area down below where Aden would soon be passing though Biflten¡¯s tall gate that led outside the high walls. No monster yet had been able to climb them, she¡¯d been told. This place was truly a refuge. Ilyin had never truly felt the comfort of home before, but she did here. In the past, whenever she had heard guests or maids speak longingly of home, she had been jealous. The word had always seemed to mean something different for her than for them. Certainly, Viscount Arlen¡¯s mansion hadn¡¯t been a home for her. But Biflten mansion had become just that ¨C the place that waited for her, worried for her. The place she could rest, where she could set down her worries and fears. The sense of comfort, of warmth, made her drowsy despite herself, and she raised her hand to stifle a yawn. Etra, sitting right across from her, noticed immediately and sprang up. ¡°Should I tell them to get the bed ready, ma¡¯am?¡± she asked. ¡°So sorry to yawn in the midst of our conversation,¡± Ilyin said. ¡°Not at all, ma¡¯am. It¡¯s time for you to sleep,¡± Etra said with a smile. ¡°Then thank you,¡± Ilyin replied. Despite Etra¡¯s request, the bed was always ready. For their Mistress, still so unused to the cold air, it was always prepared with a hot water bag covered in soft cloth under the blanket. They needed only to remove it and straighten the blanket for Ilyin. Etra excused herself while Ilyin made herself ready for bed. Thank you always,¡± Ilyin whispered to Etra as she prepared to lay down. ¡°Rest well, ma¡¯am,¡± Etra answered. She turned and noticed the mobile that was now barely hanging off the edge of the dresser. ¡°Ma¡¯am, do you wish me to keep this somewhere?¡± she said, examining it. It seemed important to her Mistress. It didn¡¯t seem a good idea to just leave it lying around. Ilyin looked at the mobile, her mother¡¯s item. She couldn¡¯t hold back memories from the warm region when she saw it. ¡°Or do you want me to hang it up?¡± Etra continued, smiling. Ilyin¡¯s eyes widened at the suggestion. She hadn¡¯t wanted it hung in the bedroom as it had been in the Viscount¡¯s mansion. But this was Biflten, her true home. Hanging the mobile now would never change that. ¡°Can you do that?¡± Ilyin asked. It was unusual, a mobile hanging in an adult¡¯s bedroom. But Etra nodded. ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am. This is your Delrose,¡± she said. And 7th floor is yours as well, she thought. Why should the Mistress of Delrose care what others would think? ¡°Then please do so,¡± Ilyin said. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. And call me any time if you need me,¡± Etra replied, gathering up the mobile to go look for a cord of some kind that would go well with its colors. Ilyin saw a final twinkle of the mobile as it passed through the doorway before Etra closed the door behind her. *** As Ilyin slept, Red Delrose¡¯s completed their preparations. Aden moved stealthily into her room, kissing her goodbye while being careful not to wake her, then left just as quietly. If all went well, he would return swiftly. And through all of that, Ilyin dreamed. She opened her eyes to the sight of Yesters charging through the white field of snow. As always in the dreams, the Yesters took no notice of her. The dream had put in her the very midst of the monsters. Ilyin flinched as the orange-scaled creatures ran past. She couldn¡¯t help gasping as each one passed close, as they even passed through her. She kept an irrational fear that, like the violet-eyed being, the Yesters might suddenly notice, might look at her. The Yesters spread out, as though they were trying to avoid pursuit. This was it, she thought. This was the foresight of Den¡¯s attack on the Yesters¡¯ base. She took a step forward, passing through Yesters like a ghost, then shifted herself in the dream to a new location at the front of the Yesters¡¯ base. Kyaaak! Aden¡¯s divine power shone brightly in front of the base. Even through the gray sky and thick white swirl of the terrible blizzard around them, the light of his power was undiminished. She had been told that the light shone even brighter as it got stronger in the coldest places. Here, where his power melted away the snow and revealed the soil, the light on the bare earth made it look like the warm region. [Catch every single one of them!] Idith¡¯s voice. The Delrose knights were attacking Mollys. As expected, the Mollys couldn¡¯t ride the northern wind as the Yesters did. They were falling behind and being cut down without even the chance to use their magic. Chapter 139 Ilyin looked closely at Aden and the Delrose knights, looking for injuries. Thankfully, they didn¡¯t seem to have taken any. There was blood on their clothes, but their smooth and easy movements implied it wasn¡¯t theirs. The tracks of red that ran across the snow seemed to have been written in the blood of the monsters. She tried her best to look away from the gore. It was at that moment that her eyes caught sight of it. Ah. The violet-eyed being. It was standing, unaffected by the elements. Its clothes didn¡¯t flutter, even though the wind of the blizzard was fierce. It wasn¡¯t here. It wasn¡¯t part of her dream. It was visiting, watching, like her. The realization made her flinch. The violet-eyed being turned toward her as though it had heard her thoughts. The pure violet of its eyes radiated with anger. Ilyin took a step back in spite of herself. With dream-movement, she opened a wide space between them and breathed a sigh of relief. But the violet-eyed being closed the distance just as quickly, appearing right in front of her eyes, its white hands raised. Those hands, so unlike human hands, black claws glistening against the white of its skin and the snow. They slashed at her, leaving dark lines across her body. *** ¡°Etra, is ma¡¯am sleeping?¡± Emil asked. Etra was usually up late at night. Like most who served important people, she went to sleep only after Ilyin and woke before her. When she did sleep, her position was delegated to the two Delrose knights who were always guarding Ilyin. Though knights obviously weren¡¯t familiar with such forms of service. If there was a sudden need, they would simply wake her. Not that Ilyin was picky, far from it. But all of Delrose wanted to serve as best they could. ¡°Yes.¡± She answered. Etra quietly opened the door. Her room was connected with Ilyin¡¯s, and she was worried that their chatter might be heard by Ilyin. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep,¡± he asked, his tone more hushed now that the door was open. Ilyin¡¯s sleeping schedule was fairly regular. That usually afforded Etra regular rest as well. ¡°I don¡¯t sleep a great deal so it¡¯s fine,¡± she replied simply. Emil slipped inside and quietly closed the door, also wary of their voices carrying. He carried papers, the information he¡¯d been collecting on Elo¡¯s territory as per Ilyin¡¯s order. It was raw data, yet to be organized. ¡°You know that well,¡± she added, smiling. Etra cast a glance at her sleeve. He was one of the few people that knew Etra carried hidden daggers in her sleeves and on her legs. ¡°You have no intention of coming back to the knight order?¡± he whispered. He had witnessed Etra¡¯s dexterous movement and quick decision making when they had been blocking the Yesters at the pass. Her skills were as sharp as ever, despite her long tenure as a maid. Her swordsmanship seemed to have actually improved. Emil couldn¡¯t help but think she should return. ¡°Who would serve ma¡¯am but me?¡± she said, laughing gently. ¡°The order has enough skilled people who aren¡¯t old maids.¡± Emil sighed. ¡°You know well there¡¯s no one like you,¡± he said. ¡°That you taught Idith¡ª¡° Etra raised her finger on her lips, cutting him off. ¡°That¡¯s not very important,¡± she said firmly. ¡°I told you before, even the position of maid is still too much for me. When His Majesty first put me in charge of serving ma¡¯am¡­.¡± She glanced at the wall where she knew Ilyin was sleeping on the other side, and back at Emil. ¡°¡­If I had known that I was going to serve someone so pure and innocent, then I might have even refused.¡± ¡°No one in Delrose blames you for picking up the sword,¡± Emil said, frowning. ¡°There wasn¡¯t a single moment when you used the blade it wasn¡¯t for Delrose. I know that well.¡± ¡°Even so,¡± Etra said, ¡°I¡¯m not going back to the order. What can I offer the juniors?¡± ¡°So that the next generation won¡¯t have to lift swords,¡± Emil stated. Etra bowed. ¡°I¡¯ll achieve that here as someone who possesses Delrose¡¯s sword,¡± she said. Emil stared at Etra, disappointment on his face. ¡°Someday, I hope you would join us on the battlefield,¡± he said. ¡°If coincidence allows it,¡± she said. With a look of relief, she changed the subject. ¡°I can give her the report tomorrow if you want.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Emil said, though the offer seemed not to satisfy him. He glanced toward the wall. ¡°There¡¯s nothing on top of the report. Ma¡¯am said she¡¯ll be organizing it, so you shouldn¡¯t need to tell her anything else.¡± ¡°And come to the order any time if you ever change your mind,¡± he added, the look of disappointment blooming again. ¡°I¡¯ll think about if ma¡¯am¡¯s mind changes before mine,¡± she replied. Chapter 140 Ilyin would never stop her from becoming a knight again, she knew. Etra thought of what she¡¯d said before she went to sleep ¨C a past she wasn¡¯t proud of, but not one she couldn¡¯t talk about with one she served so dearly. So she had thought, but the moment she had been about to speak of it, she couldn¡¯t. Why was that? Probably because Ilyin was too pure, and Etra looked back on her own past with jaundiced eyes. ¡°Good enough,¡± Emil said, and left. Etra listened to his steady footsteps travel down the hallway, and heard the door open at the end. Ilyin didn¡¯t know it, but Etra often slipped into her room while she was asleep, just to see if she was comfortable or needed anything. As she quietly opened the door to ma¡¯am¡¯s room, Emil¡¯s suggestion kept circling in her mind. But she had no intention of returning to the order, and in any case it would be rude to even consider it without ma¡¯am¡¯s permission. At first, she thought her mind was just playing tricks on her, that the smell of blood was just a mirage from her own bloody past. But then she saw the truth, and her eyes opened wide. Ilyin always slept peacefully nestled in white blankets. But now, the blanket was stained red, and Ilyin¡¯s ragged breathing ¨C the breathing of the badly injured ¨C reached Etra¡¯s ears. ¡°Oh my God, ma¡¯am!¡± she screamed. *** The sudden disaster that had befallen the Yesters was amusing to some of the Mollys. They were hunkered down, hiding near the Yesters¡¯ base, talking about the Yesters¡¯ fate and how it might affect their own, how they might take advantage of it. It will be good if we take over Yesters¡¯ base. Once the attack is over, we might be more numerous than the Yesters. One of the Mollys that joined in the conversation held something that seemed very out of place here, a fancy box decorated in red and gold ornament. The box was nearly pristine, despite being handled by the creatures with their sharp claws and hard scales. There were almost no scratches on it. The Mollys had taken great care with it, as if it were a holy thing. If that¡¯s the case, then our relationship with the Yesters should change. Of course, the other Mollys agreed. Earlier, the Mollys had been on the brink of extinction. In desperation, they¡¯d had to shame themselves by turning to the Yesters for safety. But if the Yesters¡¯ numbers were about to shrink to their size, or even smaller, didn¡¯t that mean their new relationship should change in response? Kyak! As the Mollys mused about their future, their further lookout suddenly fell. Its red scales were suddenly covered by the flow of a deeper red ¨C blood. At this distance, a human could have barely seen even that much, but the eyes of the Mollys were sharper. They saw the blood ¡­ and the dagger, engraved with the symbol of Delrose, that spilled it. It¡¯s an ambush! What? The Mollys scattered, panicked in their confusion. Weren¡¯t the humans here for the Yesters? The oracle was wrong! Kill the oracle! Kyak! The Mollys dashed about in their fury. Hearing their words, Aden smiled. An oracle, they say¡­ Another dagger sunk into a Molly¡¯s chest. ¡°Get rid of every single one of Mollys!¡± Idith cried as he came into view, raising his sword high. He was one of the few humans whose face the monsters knew. ¡°Catch every single one of them!¡± he shouted again, and the Delrose knights came into view behind him. It¡¯s Delrose! The Mollys could use magic but were weaker in close combat than the Yesters. And casting magic took time, so the Mollys struggled to keep their distance from the knights. But that effort only caused their line to collapse. Some tried to run without even looking back. Those who were hit by a dagger in their head or chest collapsed where they stood. It was a weapon unsuited to knights, but the dead had no chance to lodge that complaint. ¡°Be careful of their magic!¡± Idith shouted as he threw the rest of his daggers. Aden ran past him, the blue light already brightening in his hand. The fleeing Mollys slowed considerably. As winter region monsters, they were also vulnerable to high temperatures, though much less so than the Yesters. Kyak! The slowed Mollys fell quickly under the swords of the knights. A huge fire rose in front of Aden, but he swung his sword into it, and the rush of air as it passed extinguished the flame. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel unsafe whenever you go to the battlefield?¡± Ilyin¡¯s voice sprung unbidden into his memory, the happy memory of the night spent with her. With her in his arms, the bedroom had seemed as clear and green as the warm region. It had been beautiful. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel uneasy this time,¡± Ilyin had said. ¡°I saw Delrose¡¯s victory.¡± Her words had been a relief. He still didn¡¯t let his guard slip ¨C he never did ¨C but the assurance of one that can see the future meant a great to one standing on the battlefield, navigating the narrow path between life and death. ¡°Ha!¡± he shouted and surged ahead. Chapter 141 He swung his sword in a wide arc. The monsters unlucky enough to be in its path fell to the ground, severed into pieces. Starting today, he thought, the Mollys disappear from history. The battlefield was soaked with blood, though the red was already vanishing under the white blanket of snow. So, it will be in all of Biflten, Aden thought as he swung again, a land of silence that covers the monsters forever. ¡°Second line!¡± Idith cried, ¡°Keep your form!¡± Idith¡¯s sword shone brightly with the reflected blue light of the divine power, so strong that even at some distance from Aden its light glinted off metal. The knights methodically positioned themselves to surround the battlefield, to contain the remaining Mollys. This was a mission of extermination, and the Mollys were weak in close bat. Their strategy was to surround them and close in, and they couldn¡¯t let a single one of the creatures escape. Kyaaaaak! The Mollys that had remained in the Yesters¡¯ base had been taken care of quickly. Now only these stragglers remained, but ¨C now clearly outnumbered ¨C they became increasingly more vicious, even in the face of the divine power. They jostled among themselves, flailed around for an exit that didn¡¯t exist. And as they moved, Aden noticed one of them holding something in its mouth. He squinted to make out the details of it. Mollys were known for their sharp teeth and the biting strength of their jaws, but this creature was holding whatever it was gingerly, as though afraid of damaging it. Thankfully, the caution it was taking made it slow. Idith¡¯s dagger flew, slicing the air with a hiss. It hit the Molly right in the neck, vanishing to the hilt. The battlefield was now almost cleared. Aden flared the divine power once again, the blue light covering the battlefield. Then, with the din of battle silenced and the monsters gone, Aden went to retrieve the strange box from where it fell. Dirtied with the blood of the monster, it was hard to see details until he examined it closely. It was well crafted, an intricate design in gold and red. Not something that belonged in the hands of a monster. ¡°Let me open it, Your Majesty,¡± Idith said, ing up behind him. Aden obliged, handing the box to Idith who examined the box suspiciously for a long moment before pressing a small button. Click. They both peered inside as the top opened. Inside was a coiled length of red string, undamaged, still with a sheen as though it was new. ¡°A¡­ string?¡± Idith asked. *** In the Yesters¡¯ base now stood a tent bearing the symbol of Delrose. The main pole, buried deep to keep the strong northern winds from pulling the tent from the ground, showed only a few feet above the bare ground. There were no longer any monsters to be seen in the base. The Yesters were fast in April, and more vicious than normal. But they were also clearly outnumbered and at a disadvantage against Aden¡¯s power. They wouldn¡¯t dare to try retaking their base for quite some time. ¡°No sign that any of the Mollys escaped,¡± Idith reported. Both he and Aden understood what that meant ¨C the history of the Mollys ended as of today. Only four monster types now remained. ¡°Good job,¡± Aden said, tapping absently on the desk. He was studying the red string. Or to be precise, the cloth ¨C what he had initially taken for string was a tightly rolled length of cloth. Idith peered at it as well. ¡°It clearly seems to belong to the Mollys,¡± he said. ¡°Probably,¡± agreed Aden. The Mollys had been carrying it with such care there was barely a scratch on the box. And only death had made them drop it. ¡°Cloths and fabrics aren¡¯t ¨C weren¡¯t ¨C part of the Mollys¡¯ culture,¡± Aden said. They almost never wore cloth of any kind, and rarely accessories. Some of the leaders among them carried wands to use their magic, but little more than that. Cloth like this wasn¡¯t something they would make. Aden lifted the red cloth, examining it closely. It was soft, gossamer. It would have been ripped easily on a Molly¡¯s claw or scale. He was amazed they could have kept it in this condition. It was so thin he could see Idith¡¯s face through it. So soft it would have slid out of his hand, gliding down his skin, if he hadn¡¯t held it. It had no design or pattern, just a sheer red cloth. ¡°It¡¯s pretty long,¡± Idith said. About four feet, both of them estimated. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel foreign,¡± Aden said. ¡°Have you seen it before?¡± Idith stepped to where Aden was sitting. Aden handed him the cloth to examine, and Idith held it up to the light. It was so sheer the light was almost unobstructed ¨C but amazingly, the light that came through was yellow, not red. Chapter 142 Idith thought of Blue North¡¯s cloth, which seemed a very similar material. He gently rolled it back up and started to hand it back to Aden. ¡°It¡¯s not the typical cloth of the winter region,¡± he said. Like North¡¯s cloth, the divine object that protected you from the cold. He wished he had that here now ¨C it was chilly in this tent. Flak! A light suddenly seemed to glow from the cloth. Idith¡¯s eyes opened wide with realization ¨C the cloth was magic. Instinctively protecting his master, he quickly pulled it back from Aden. As he did, the light faded. ¡°Divine power?¡± Aden asked. He didn¡¯t consider it dangerous ¨C such power was something he knew better than anyone. But the blue light that had flared in the cloth was the same light that his own hands produced when he used his power. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Idith asked, flustered. The air in the tent was noticeably warmer now. It was the same divine power Aden possessed. ¡°I think I know now,¡± Aden said. He waved Idith over, and Idith handed him the cloth again, though he still held one end of it, just in case. He wrapped the cloth around Idith¡¯s hand and gestured. ¡°Let¡¯s make it cold now,¡± he said. ¡°How?¡± Idith asked. He didn¡¯t think Aden meant to use his own power. ¡°Like before,¡± Aden said. Idith looked perplexed, but Aden just waited. After a moment, Idith closed his eyes and pondered. What did he do before? Even though Idith served someone with divine power, he didn¡¯t think there would ever e a time when he would use it himself. Before¡­ What had he done? Just thought it was a little chilly in the tent? Flak! The blue light shone again, now from Idith¡¯s hand. Divine power, but not from Aden. From Idith. Idith frowned, feeling a slight tightness in his chest. ¡°Ah,¡± he breathed. Now Aden thought he fully understood the light from the cloth. If he was correct, this cloth was ¡­ his gaze went to Idith, who still looked flustered. ¡°Does this have the ability to use another person¡¯s divine power,¡± Aden asked as he examined it. He touched the material again, felt the lightness of it. So soft and sheer it would slide off skin, so thin the light shone through it, and yet it was unmarked. And the light that flowed through it came out another color. This strange cloth was like Blue North¡¯s divine object. And like the mobile that sat beside Ilyin¡¯s bed. He clearly remembered whenever he saw it in Ilyin¡¯s bedroom, the light that struck it was reflected as a different color. He touched the cloth again and felt it clearly ¨C that strange tingle he got whenever he held power in his hand. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Idith asked uncertainly. ¡°This cloth,¡± Aden said, ¡°We¡¯re taking it back with us.¡± Idith examined the cloth more closely, as though trying to divine whatever danger it might hold. ¡°It¡¯s the Molly tribe¡¯s item. We might need some magical advice on it,¡± Aden said. There was no telling its full power, or what unexpected thing ¨C like Idith¡¯s use of it just now ¨C might e from it. There were no human wizards in Biflten. To find one, they¡¯d have to travel to the warm region. But this was a winter region item, more in the area of the Duke of Winter than some wizard from the warm region. Aden shook his head, feeling the cloth in his fingers. He was known as someone who possessed divine power. This cloth he was holding was a divine object. *** There was little that monsters needed a base. They obviously didn¡¯t need shelter from the cold. The most important factor was that the area needed lectura, on which they fed. It was considered just a weed in most of the winter region and grew best in the cold. Wherever it grew, monsters would be nearby. That meant the first order of business in taking over the base was to burn away all the lectura. ¡°This is a big region, and there¡¯s not much on the map¡­¡± Idith said, trailing off. Aden nodded in response. I¡¯ll show you something really pretty. Glancing northward, he remembered his promise to Ilyin. She had said she liked summer, but there was no summer here. No land full of life, no sun shining down. But the winter region had places with its own special beauty. It had to. Somewhere at the north end of Biflten would be the place he promised her, the bright, snowy place no one had yet seen, not even the Duke of Winter. Places where life hadn¡¯t touched had their own beauty. The warm region¡¯s gardens showed the beauty man could make. Biflten promised the beauty of nature itself. He hoped she would like it. ¡°We¡¯ll need to send out several men to scour the area,¡± Idith said. Aden understood. This place had been the Yesters¡¯ for over a thousand years, and the Yesters had existed even before all the winter region¡¯s seasons had bee full of snow. Chapter 143 Did that mean the Yesters had existed somehow when it was warm in this region? Aden cocked his head thoughtfully. In the winter region, the focus was always on survival, not on the study of history. Barely anyone gave thought to questions about what was before, and Aden was no exception. Still, he had moments when curiosity would pop up. And whenever he thought to dismiss such questions, he¡¯d find the knowledge they offered was important. Aden could no longer think only about survival in the winter region. Whatever it took, however rough or bloody the path, he would bring summer to this land again. For Ilyin. ¡°Let¡¯s withdraw,¡± he said. The area was too open and too far north for Delrose to make use of, anyway. If not for the Yesters, even the monsters would have no use for this place and its fierce winds. And as long as they destroyed all the lectura, the Yesters wouldn¡¯t be back any time soon. Where would the Yesters go now, he wondered. He drew a map of the winter region in his mind and pored over it as he turned back toward Biflten. More than anything else, he was eager to tell Ilyin of the victory they¡¯d won today. *** ¡°She¡¯s bleeding too much,¡± Ves said. The doctor for Delrose actually looked paler than Ilyin at the moment, not from blood loss but from ma¡¯am¡¯s condition. With her weak stamina, the Mistress wouldn¡¯t be able to endure this kind of bleeding for long. It was critical that they stopped it. ¡°Bring more bandages!¡± she cried. They¡¯d already used several to try and stem the bleeding, but they had turned from white to blackish red as the Mistress¡¯ wounds still poured blood into them. ¡°This is the last of the herbs we purchased from the warm region,¡± a maid said from outside the door. The 7th floor maids were bustling around the mansion, as always. After Vas ran hurriedly up to the 7th floor, rumors began to spread swiftly among them. Something¡¯s happened to the Mistress of Delrose. None of them knew what the problem was yet, but once they came to take away these soiled bandages, the truth will spread like wildfire. ¡°This is ¡­,¡± the maid started to repeat. ¡°Brew it and bring it!¡± Ves snapped. Candin, the herb to restore stamina. It was common enough in the warm region but dried out so quickly it was hard to store. It was almost impossible to find in the winter region. What little they had now was only because Milo regularly sent people to buy it in the warm region. She checked Ilyin¡¯s status again. The Mistress was still unconscious, pale, and taking shallow breaths. Even Milo didn¡¯t know her status yet, could never have guessed this was possible. The Mistress of Delrose had been attacked on the 7th floor of the mansion, in her own room. In what should have been the safest place in the world for her. The Duke of Winter was returning to a mansion frozen in fear. *** Emil of the Delrose knights look as pale as Ves. ¡°I examined the wound with Ves,¡± he said. Emil was with Etra, who¡¯d notified the knight order of Ilyin¡¯s condition and advised them to increase security around the mansion. ¡°As did I,¡± Etra said. Neither of them had thought when they¡¯d spoken earlier that they¡¯d be standing together again so quickly. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a wound made by any human weapon.¡± Knights were well acquainted with the wounds caused by swords, daggers, arrows, and all manner of weapons. Etra knew the shapes and marks of too many weapons to count, and Ilyin¡¯s wound was made by none of them. She looked down at her own hand. ¡°It was a wound made by a claw,¡± Emil said. ¡°You were thinking the same thing,¡± she replied, cocking her head. Emil nodded in response. ¡°But it didn¡¯t look like any monster¡¯s claw.¡± Emil nodded again, as though bidding her to continue. ¡°Neither Mollys nor Yesters could make that kind of mark,¡± she said. ¡°They ¡­ make a deeper and wider wound. The other three monsters are the same.¡± The Mollys and Yesters were the most bestial of monsters, things that used their claws as their main weapon. But the wound on Ilyin¡¯s stomach was different. ¡°I think it rather looks more like it was done by the long fingernails of a very strong human,¡± she said. But she couldn¡¯t imagine how. Ilyin¡¯s door was shut securely, and Etra had been in the adjoining room. If there had been any sound, even any movement in that room, there was no way Etra wouldn¡¯t have been aware of it. She glanced toward the stairs. ¡°The Lady of Mille is staying on the 6th floor, correct?¡± she asked. ¡°She is, but the knights are on guard,¡± Emil replied. And the Setoze, the Mille¡¯s divine object that hides one presence, was still held by Ilyin, she thought. It couldn¡¯t have been Rippo. And the wound on Ilyin¡¯s stomach couldn¡¯t have been made by Rippo¡¯s manicured nails ¨C or her delicate arms. But then who could threaten the Delrose Mistress in her own room? ¡°One thing is certain,¡± she said. ¡°We have to contact Milo right away.¡± They would need more Candin from the warm region, and as quickly as possible. But that meant crossing Biflten in April, and without the Duke of Winter. There was no one suitable for that task. No one used to travel alone that could handle themselves if they crossed paths with monsters. Not to mention someone that could be trusted by Milo without a document bearing Aden¡¯s seal. ¡°I think I have to go,¡± Etra said uneasily. She didn¡¯t like the idea of being away while Ilyin was in danger. But if she didn¡¯t bring back more Candin, the danger to Ilyin was even greater. Winter region herbs wouldn¡¯t suffice for a softer warm region person like her. ¡°Of course,¡± Emil said heavily. Etra couldn¡¯t lose the Mistress of the Delrose. Both the mansion and the master of Biflten had finally had sunlight come upon them, and Etra was going to save that no matter the cost. And I¡¯ll make whoever was responsible for this pay dearly, she thought as she turned and walked away. Chapter 144 It wasn¡¯t the best time for travel. Aden¡¯s divine power was all directed elsewhere to the battlefields where he and the knights were facing monsters. As a result, the April winter was undeterred in the rest of the winter region. Etra was completely covered as she rode, only her eyes showing. If she wasn¡¯t so conditioned to the cold and the bitter winds, even attempting this ride would have been folly. There wasn¡¯t much she could do for her poor horse, but she had no choice. She had to make this journey and had to make it as quickly as possible. Even if she could have made it on foot (which was questionable, in this weather), time was too much a factor. She couldn¡¯t let her warm region Mistress succumb to the winter region¡¯s cold. Even as it was, even if she switched to a fresh horse in the warm region and headed back immediately with the herbs, the journey would still take longer than she wanted. Would Ilyin hold out that long? ¡°Ha!¡± she cried, urging the horse on faster. She could see the boundary of the winter region now, a sharp line where winter stopped, as though the weather had been cut though with a knife. Spring seemed to be coming to the warm region, on the other side of the line she could see the snow was thin, and patches of dirt were already appearing here and there on the ground. And she saw another thing ¨C there was a carriage approaching. Reflexively, she put her hand to her sword. ¡°Wait,¡± someone on the carriage cried, and the voice was so familiar she flinched. Milo the Acid Merchant jumped from the carriage. She brought up her horse short, almost rearing, just inside the warm region. ¡°Whoa,¡± she said to it soothingly. Stopping after riding so hard, the beast took a moment to calm. She looked to Milo ¡°Milo?¡± she asked, ¡°How ¡­¡±. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have had the time,¡± another voice said from inside the carriage. Etra¡¯s hand flew to her sword again on instinct as the speaker leaned their head out of the carriage. It was an older woman, heavily wrapped in what looked like all the clothes she might have owned. ¡°We prepared the herb already,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m excited to see how cold the winter region is.¡± Etra knew her as well. It was Ilyin¡¯s grandmother, Bertha. *** The mansion seemed unusually noisy as Aden drew close. No one came out to meet him, but the din inside was greeting enough. And the Delrose¡¯s guard contingent was different, heavier. The other families¡¯ atmosphere seemed different as well, but not as much as Delrose. He peered curiously at the mansion. What was going on? Aden had a sudden, ominous feeling. A heavier guard meant something had happened to a Delrose within the mansion. His ominous feeling sharpened, and he urged his horse on faster, sliding down the hill. ¡°Your M-,¡± the Delrose knight at the guard started to say, then bit his tongue and corrected as he waved him inside the mansion. ¡°Grandmaster! It¡¯s urgent¡­. Hurry!¡± Not many knights could speak that way to the Knight Grandmaster, who was known to be as cold as Delrose¡¯s master. The other house members, not knowing that the Grandmaster and the master of Delrose were the same person, looked curiously between the knight and Aden. Aden¡¯s face froze. He bid the horse forward immediately, passing through the mansion gate and stopping in front of the doors. He cast aside his snow-covered cape and ran inside. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Once he reached the 7th floor, everyone addressed him with his proper title, though it just reminded him that he couldn¡¯t be addressed as such outside. Why do I have to care about what other houses hear in my own mansion, he thought. It hadn¡¯t bothered him in quite a while, but he was feeling particularly sensitive now. It was a worry, that ominous feeling, and once he saw Ves¡¯ pall face and her bloody hands, once he caught the smell of blood in the 7th floor hallway, that feeling broke into realization, a realization his mind didn¡¯t want to acknowledge. ¡°What is it,¡± he asked. Ves felt as though she were clinging to a thin rope at the top of a steep cliff. No, more like she was standing on a thin ice bridge made by the Duke of Winter, a bridge that could collapse the second he let his emotions overtake him. She realized that everyone on the 7th floor could become an ice sculpture in an instant if he lost control of himself. Ves realized that all 7th floor people may become a statue and could be carried out. She was like being tied to a single rope on top of the very steep cliff. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± she said. ¡°Calm down.¡± ¡°What is going on?¡± Aden asked again, with no change in his expression. His mind finally gave in to the realization that he wanted to deny. ¡°How¡¯s Ilyin?¡± There was only one reason the subordinates would be running around so hectically on the 7th floor. And normally, the door to Ilyin¡¯s room would have been closed. Now it stood wide open, which said that urgency was more important than formality just now. Aden walked past Ves and into Ilyin¡¯s room. Chapter 145 Ilyin lay on the bed, breathing shallowly. Her bleeding had stopped, but Aden¡¯s nose still caught the scent of blood as he entered the room. He knew that scent well from countless battles, but it affected him this time like never before. His thoughts were a tangle of rage and worry, like a ball of string so knotted it could only be undone by cutting. He tried to pull his thoughts free, to order them again, but it was no use. ¡°Who dared harm the Mistress of Delrose in her own domain?¡± he asked, sweeping his cold gaze to the maids around him. He held his power in check, but they seemed frozen, nonetheless. The maids had believed the Duke of Winter to have softened since his trip to the warm region, but the Duke who subdued even the fiercest northern winds now stared at them with colder eyes than ever before. ¡°I am curious,¡± he continued, sneering, ¡°as to how security was managed on the 7th floor.¡± He went to Ilyin¡¯s side. Her breathing was faint, but Aden caught no smell of death about her. He took her hand, felt the quick, weak pulse within. ¡°Herbs?¡± he asked. ¡°We¡¯ve run out of the herbs we got from the warm region,¡± a maid responded. ¡°It took too long to stop the first bleeding¡­.¡± Ilyin¡¯s wound was covered in white sheet. Aden carefully laid it aside. He steeled himself at the sight of her wound, willing himself not to freeze the whole room. A large scar of parallel ran across her stomach. Aden could tell it was made by no weapon. It was a claw mark. The shallower cuts had closed into scars already, but one deeper wound remained, and from this she still bled. Ilyin wasn¡¯t the Duke of Winter ¨C even with the herbs, her healing could only be sped so much. ¡°When was the ambush?¡± he asked. ¡°At dawn, Majesty,¡± one of the maids said. Aden¡¯s gaze snapped to her. ¡°And Etra?¡± he asked. As much as he cared about Delrose, Aden didn¡¯t know most of the maids¡¯ names, but he knew her. He¡¯d known her since she was part of the knight order ¨C no, even before that. Etra¡¯s loyalty went back far indeed. ¡°She went to the warm region for more herbs,¡± the maid responded. Going for more medicine, he thought. But at this rate ¡­ He closed his eyes, shut out the thought. He couldn¡¯t let himself think it would be too late. ¡°At dawn,¡± he repeated. ¡°Yes, Majesty,¡± the maid said. ¡°Etra found her while ma¡¯am was sleeping.¡± Something was off with the maid¡¯s report. Aden examined Ilyin¡¯s wound again. It definitely didn¡¯t come from a weapon. He thought it could be from a beast¡¯s claws, but it didn¡¯t seem large enough. It looked more like it was made by the fingernails of a strong man. He carefully put his own hand over the scars. Yes, more like a human hand than any beast¡¯s paw. ¡°The angle,¡± he muttered, ¡°it doesn¡¯t seem as though it happened when she was lying down.¡± No doubt the objective was to kill. If someone had attacked Ilyin when she was lying asleep in her bed, they would likely have aimed for a more vital part. This was a rake across the stomach ¨C and a shallow one at that, as though the attacker couldn¡¯t quite make the mark. But shallow as it was, the wound was big enough to subdue Ilyin. If the assailant left her unconscious but alive ¡­ that was stranger. He chewed his lip thoughtfully. ¡°There was no sign of a struggle?¡± he asked. ¡°No, none at all, Majesty,¡± the maid answered. That meant Ilyin had likely been asleep when attacked. But how could that be at this angle? ¡°The wound suggests she was standing,¡± he said. ¡°Her sheets were undisturbed. There was no sign of her getting out of bed,¡± the maid said, almost hesitant to dispute the Duke of Winter. If the attack happened as the wound suggested, she would have to have fallen backwards on the bed, but she was found under the sheets ¨C how? ¡°The knights searched for the attacker, but there¡¯s been no trace of anyone outside so far,¡± the maid reported. That they couldn¡¯t even find who had done this ¡­ Aden sighed. Icy cold creeped into his head. Ilyin cared so much for these people, the loyal Delrose, but they couldn¡¯t keep her safe. He gently took Ilyin¡¯s pale hand. ¡°When did Etra go for the herbs?¡± he asked. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been half a day, Majesty¡± The maid reported they had used winter herbs in desperation, without side effects so far. Ves wasn¡¯t sure what complications there might be from that, but she had to make the choice to try and save Ilyin¡¯s life. ¡°Half a day¡­¡± he breathed. Too late. Chapter 146 It¡¯s April. Even if Etra arrived at the warm region through the blizzards of April, unless Milo was already waiting at the border with the herbs and a change of horses, it would be impossible for Etra to return in time. And unless Milo could see the future, how could he prepare any such thing? ¡°Ah,¡± he said as a sudden spark of hope hit him. There was more than one person in the warm region who could see the future. The mother of Ilyin¡¯s mother could ¨C she foresaw her own daughter dying. He stood quickly. ¡°Which way did Etra go?¡± he asked. There were many routes to the warm region. The Delrose route was safest, yet also the longest. Etra woudn¡¯t have taken it when time was such a factor. She could handle herself with a sword ¨C that¡¯s why Aden had appointed her to Ilyin ¨C so she would have risked a shorter, more dangerous path. There was no more time for pondering. Divine light flashed in his hand. It flared so brightly that even Emil, rushing down the hall, had to cover his eyes against the light pouring out of Ilyin¡¯s room. Enough power to make any place a warm region, at least for a bit. *** The winter region was a land of monsters, unforgiving to humans. Biflten had been their domain originally, until the first Duke of Winter came here. The monsters, like the land itself, had shown no kindness to the first humans that came. And the blizzard that raged on the way to Biflten showed none now. Etra felt like she was suffocating until an endless wave of snow. The divine power was being focused on the battlefield, but this was still the Duke of Winter¡¯s territory. Even so, the wind and snow was so harsh they could barely open their eyes. She could easily go the wrong way in a snowstorm like this. If not for desperate need, it would be foolish to be out here at all. But here she was, in desperate need, and couldn¡¯t stop no matter what. With the herbs secured, she rode on. Thankfully, her horse was born and raised in the winter region. If Milo¡¯s carriage hadn¡¯t been waiting at the border, she would have had to exchange it for a fresh horse in the warm region. And there was no way a warm region horse could have navigated this snow properly. ¡°This weather is ¡­,¡± she said, but the words petered out against the wind. It was getting stronger. Even the horse was having trouble pushing against it. Etra¡¯s gaze went to the sky. The clouds were dark, thicker than usual. The sun should have been up by now, but she couldn¡¯t tell if it was day or night. This is taking too long, she thought. She clenched her teeth against the thought. The Mistress of Delrose had a beautiful light, though it was too weak to shine in the cold of winter. She couldn¡¯t let that light be lost in this land of winter. She had already done so much for the winter region and had so much more to do. It wasn¡¯t yet Ilyin¡¯s time to go. Etra wouldn¡¯t allow it. Suddenly her horse reared. Etra closed her eyes and reined back out of instinct, expecting the horse to either bolt or buck her off in its panic. But the beast seemed to calm as quickly as it had started, and Etra suddenly noticed what had caught its attention. The blue light of divine power suddenly flooded the area, piercing the darkness and pushing away the clouds. The storm dissipated around her and the sun, completely obscured just a moment before, now shone brightly overhead. A miracle, just in time. And Etra knew immediately who must have sent it. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± she breathed gratefully, and spurred the horse as fast as she dared toward the manor. *** Those in Biflten mansion saw a miracle that day. There were those that believed that the divine power of the Duke of Winter was only to bring warmth or cold to people and monsters. But all saw that Biflten was truly the Duke of Winter¡¯s land, and his ability to tame and command its climate was greater than they¡¯d ever imagined. ¡°Light¡­,¡± one of Elo¡¯s maids said as she stared at the sky. The clouds that covered Biflten thinned out. And through the opening, the sun so long forgotten in the winter region shone down. The Green Mille and Blue Nos watched as well, but none were so affected as those of Shining Elo. Shining. Their label came from their divine object and its ability to create the Wall of Light. Their land had a wedding hall made of warm region light, though it was manmade. ¡°Summer¡­,¡± some among them mumbled now, for the light that came through the clouds was nothing like the man-made light that the people of Elo knew. Chapter 147 The Delrose people wondered at the light that now shone down from the sky. It stirred something in them, like a long-forgotten memory of the summers they¡¯d never known here in the winter region. ¡°Hurry!¡± Etra called back to Milo¡¯s carriage, but she didn¡¯t slow. Time was too precious. As soon as she reached the mansion, she lept swiftly from her horse and thrust the bundle of herbs at Ves, who was waiting just at the door. The doctor immediately turned and hurried toward the stairs with Etra on her heels. Ves¡¯ pace felt too slow to suit Etra, so she grabbed hold of the doctor and half carried her all the way up the stairs. ¡°Brew these and bring them quickly,¡± Ves cried as they reached the 7th floor. With this new flash of hope, the bustle on the floor regained its energy and the maids lept quickly into action. ¡°And bring fresh sheets!¡± Aden stood in the door of Ilyin¡¯s room. The powerful scent of the herbs preceded them in the hallway, overshadowing the faint smell of blood that lingered in the air. He didn¡¯t care for the scent of the herbs -there was something in them too delicate and bright for his taste ¨C but he didn¡¯t shy away from them. He wouldn¡¯t miss a single moment when Ilyin was in trouble. She had put her trust in him as Duke of Winter. He had promised her happiness, and now this horrible thing had befallen her. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Etra said, kneeling as Ves hurried off to oversee the preparation of the herbs. ¡°Punish me for my absence.¡± ¡°No,¡± he replied, shaking his head. ¡°It was the best choice, the only way.¡± If anyone else but Etra had gone, there would have been no hope. No one else could have managed this, even with his help. He glanced out the window. A carriage was just arriving at the mansion ¨C Milo, he had no doubt. He released the divine power as they arrived, and the morning sun that streamed through the windows instantly disappeared, snuffing out summer from the Delrose once again. Etra bowed deeply. She had experienced the divine power more than anyone else in the mansion, even Aden. But to have sunlight shining in the winter region . . . that was unheard off. It had been magical, noble, and it was a pleasure usually only the warm region afforded. She remembered what she had seen of the sun in the warm region, remembered the reflection of light on the snow as she had ridden back. What would it be like for sunlight to be so common here? ¡°Ma¡¯am will be ok,¡± she muttered to herself. She has to be, she thought, she is such a beautiful person from a beautiful place. Aden could see Milo and Bertha disembark from their carriage inside the gate, each carrying more bundles of herbs. Aden let out a sigh as the strain of using so much of the divine power now caught up with him. Even the pale light of the winter region now made his head hurt. ¡°You want to see summer? If you like, I¡¯ll bring summer back.¡± He¡¯d made that oath to her. If this region were warm, if it knew summer like the warm region, the medicines Ilyin needed could have been right here. She wouldn¡¯t have to suffer needlessly. He would make this place more like the warm region. He would bring summer here. Aden was determined. *** ¡°This is place is colder than I could ever imagine,¡± Bertha said, shaking her head. She hadn¡¯t felt the true cold of the winter region when she first came across due to the Duke of Winter¡¯s miracle. But the second he dismissed the divine power, she suddenly felt as though she would freeze to death. If the maids that tended Ilyin hadn¡¯t also quickly tended to her, she felt she might have done just that. ¡°You can relax,¡± she said to Aden now as she sat by Ilyin¡¯s head. Ilyin¡¯s face was pale and her lips blue. The weak sound of her shallow breathing echoed in the quiet room. ¡°I didn¡¯t foresee Ilyin¡¯s death.¡± Even Bertha couldn¡¯t be sure exactly what future dreams would show. There were so many things happening in this world at any given moment ¨C how could one hope to see everything? But she knew they always showed what was necessary. She didn¡¯t see random people, or normal moments of happenstance in faraway places. The foresight always showed what was relevant to the people who were close to the dreamer. And even then, it was only events of note, important things the dreamer needed to know. She may not see what someone close to her would have for dinner, but she would know what was worth knowing . . . and what needed to be prevented. She hadn¡¯t seen death in her dream. Ilyin would be fine. Bertha brushed her granddaughter¡¯s hair gently. Chapter 148 ¡°Thank you,¡± Aden said. He treated her with the upmost respect. The other Delrose did as well, and not just because of his example. The respect they showed Bertha came from the respect and love they felt for Ilyin. ¡°Ilyin is living in a good place,¡± she said with a laugh. A thick blue blanket was wrapped around her shoulders. Even though the worst of the chill was gone, she stayed wrapped in it. She liked the softness of it. ¡°We owe you so much,¡± Aden said. His power may have opened the road, but it was her foresight that put Milo¡¯s carriage in the right place at the right time to meet Etra. And his knowledge of her foresight that guided him to use his power in the first place. ¡°I don¡¯t know if saving my own granddaughter is something you should owe me for,¡± she replied with a smile. She pointed at Milo with her cane. ¡°Though if this fellow didn¡¯t take his time, we couldn¡¯t come even earlier.¡± Milo¡¯s face seemed to turn blue. Idith sent him a glance of sympathy. Ilyin¡¯s condition was noticeably improving. She now lay in a state more like a normal, restful sleep. With their mistress out of immediate danger, the other maids had left, leaving only Bertha, Aden, Milo, and Etra keeping a vigil in Ilyin¡¯s room. ¡°Did you also chance to see the person who attacked her in your dream?¡± Aden asked. Try as he might, he couldn¡¯t hide the tone of anger in his voice. When he found that person, they would pay. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Bertha said thoughtfully. She studied Aden. He was the master of this land, entitled to a bit of arrogance. But he was also capable of discernment. Aden wouldn¡¯t sacrifice what was best or what was needed just for the sake of pride. Delrose couldn¡¯t find the intruder, she thought. Though Aden¡¯s cold gaze said he would find them. They shone with resolution ¨C he will make that person bleed more than Ilyin has. ¡®No,¡± she said. Holding Ilyin¡¯s hand, she could feel her temperature coming back to normal. ¡°I only foresaw Ilyin being hurt.¡± ¡°There was no traced of an intruder in the room,¡± Idith said carefully. Ilyin was attacked here. Her condition was too critical to move, but they could find no trace of any intruder. Did they dare to move her to another room, since they didn¡¯t know how her attacker entered this one? And would the new room be any safer if they did move her? The investigation was still going on furiously, but so far it seemed somehow that there was no intruder. ¡°They would had to have left a trace,¡± he continued. ¡°Even if they flew in, they¡¯d have had to open the window or door.¡± ¡°I was in the room next door, and the door wasn¡¯t open,¡± Etra said. ¡°Not until I came in to check on ma¡¯am.¡± So Ilyin was attacked alone in her bedroom, Bertha thought. Or did the intruder sneak in earlier and hide? She glanced up at the ceiling. ¡°Where¡¯s the mobile?¡± she asked. Everyone looked at her, confused. They remembered the mobile that Ilyin kept around but couldn¡¯t imagine Bertha would remark on it. ¡°We were going to put it up,¡± Etra said. ¡°So it¡¯s in my room for now.¡± ¡°That might be it,¡± Bertha frowned. The confusion in the room deepened. The mobile? What could that possibly have to do with Ilyin¡¯s wound? ¡°That mobile was passed down through generations, to the daughters that had the ability of foresight,¡± Bertha explained. ¡°The family never knew the origins of the ability, but the mobile always appeared in the dream. It had to be connected to the ability somehow.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that it could be something beyond a flesh-and-blood intruder,¡± said Aden. *** Aden was still by Ilyin¡¯s side late into the night. Her color and breathing were both much better. He just had to wait for her to wake up from her long sleep. The mobile was now hung above Ilyin¡¯s head as Bertha had said. Aden stared at the mobile, touched it. Light danced through it as it shook. Purple light shone through the blue cloth, orange light through the red. Each of the ten balanced parts of the mobile filtered a different light. Foresight, Aden though as he held Ilyin¡¯s hand. The ability was a part of her, but Aden didn¡¯t care if she could do it or not. What he cared about is how she felt about the ability. She was happy she could help Delrose, and he knew her ability was a great help. Just look at what she had done with the Yesters¡¯ reinforcements at the pass. Even though he was the greatest power in the winter region, contingencies were always needed. Her foresight would always be a help with that, and he was grateful for it. But . . . ¡°Ilyin,¡± he whispered. If that ability hurts you, then I don¡¯t need it. Bertha said they¡¯d be able to find out what happened once Ilyin woke up, though they were all assuming she was attacked in the dream. It wasn¡¯t completely out of the question. ¡°Sometimes, there is interaction within the dream,¡± Bertha had explained. ¡°Even when the dream is your own.¡± Chapter 149 She seemed to be reluctant to elaborate and said only that she would tell him more when Ilyin woke up. I woke up the moment I met eyes with him, those dark violet eyes. I felt they would suck me in if I kept staring. He remembered Ilyin saying that when Bertha had spoken. And he remembered the look of Ilyin¡¯s scar. It wasn¡¯t a wound she could have gotten laying in bed. And it was too deep for a human, but too shallow for most monsters. Most, he thought. But the marks seemed right in line with the claws of the Milton. You said you wanted to have dreams for me, for Delrose, he thought. But I don¡¯t care if you dream or not. I don¡¯t care if you can serve Delrose the way you want. I care if the foresight hurts you. ¡°I couldn¡¯t bear it,¡± he whispered to himself. Can¡¯t you just stay by my side? Can¡¯t you stay safely in the light? These were his greedy thoughts. That he wanted to put her in a place where she was safe ¨C a world he could control, where danger couldn¡¯t find her. Something broader and grander than just Biflten mansion. And as the Duke of Winter, he believed he could achieve exactly that. Normally he could push down these thoughts, to let Ilyin be Ilyin. Normally he could accept her need to serve Delrose and him. Today, as she lay still sleeping with her wounds, pushing down those thoughts was much, much harder. So, he waited them out instead, sitting like stone beside her, holding her hand until she finally opened her eyes. He looked only at her, waiting for the scent of blood in the air to finally subside beneath her summer scent. ¡°Den,¡± she breathed, barely a whisper. She woke to the sight of his face, and when he heard her voice, Aden let out a deep sigh of relief. *** Ilyin sat up with a pillow behind her back. Ves, the Delrose doctor, examined her quietly. ¡°She¡¯s improved a great deal,¡± she said matter-of-factly. The wound would have to be monitored and cleaned to prevent infection, but the Delrose maids would care for that. Aside from a few warnings about moving too much or in ways that would strain the wound, Ves could find nothing more to be concerned about. ¡°I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t have cause to move too dramatically,¡± Ilyin said with a smile. ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am,¡± Ves said, bowing deeply. Of course, Biflten mansion strove to give little reason for the elites to move too much. The more important you were, the more you were expected to stay warm and comfortable. It had been no different in the warm region, of course, but the doctor still did her due diligence with the cautions. And the warnings were just for Ilyin. Though Ves couldn¡¯t bring herself to meet her master¡¯s eyes, she hoped he would understand that Ilyin shouldn¡¯t be subject to dramatic movements of any sort, for a time. ¡°Call me quickly if you feel worse,¡± she said, struggling to hide a worried tone as she dismissed herself. With the doctor gone, Ilyin finally turned to the other person in the room. ¡°I hadn¡¯t known you were here, grandmother,¡± she said, looking at Bertha who sat near the bed, still bundled in a scarf and thick gloves. The old woman laughed cheerfully. ¡°I¡¯m hoping you will show me around this wonderful place you live when you feel better,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re going to stay in Biflten?¡± Ilyin asked, eyes widening. ¡°Of course!¡± Bertha responded, motioning to the window. ¡°How am I supposed to get home in this weather?¡± The heavy curtains were closed to keep out the wind. Ilyin had no desire to see them open and didn¡¯t need them to be to imagine the April cold outside. ¡°April is fiercely cold here,¡± she said, then blinked in realization, ¡°but . . . how did you get here?¡± She had said before that she couldn¡¯t come to Biflten due to the cold, and Ilyin knew those hadn¡¯t been empty words. Ilyin could only walk about the winter region without issue due to the power of the Blue Nos¡¯ divine object. It was almost impossible for a warm region person to withstand April in the winter region. ¡°That,¡± Bertha laughed, winking at Aden, ¡°is thanks to the Duke of Winter, isn¡¯t it?¡± Aden smiled faintly but said nothing. He didn¡¯t want to say too much about it. He¡¯d used his power to the point it hurt him, and he knew Ilyin would be unhappy to learn that. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asked Ilyin. His voice was soft, softer than anyone but her ever heard it. It was the tone he used when they were alone. To the other Delrose in the room, it was jarring, as though they were intruding on a private moment. ¡°Of course,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to worry you.¡± Chapter 150 Behind her smile, though, she was flustered. She wouldn¡¯t have believed she could be attacked in a dream. She looked at Aden for a long moment, as though trying to convince him with her smile, before turning back to Bertha. ¡°Grandmother,¡± she said. ¡°Yes, child?¡± Bertha said. She smiled warmly at her granddaughter, inviting her to speak. ¡°Have you . . .,¡± she hesitated, not sure how to phrase her question. ¡°Have you ever possibly met a person in a dream?¡± Not if she¡¯d seen someone in a dream. Of course she had, they both had. But met someone. Another dreamer. Aden perked up at the question. Bertha¡¯s assumption had been correct ¨C Ilyin had been attacked in a dream. ¡°Yes,¡± Bertha said solemnly. Ilyin adjusted herself on the pillow, wincing just a little at the movement. ¡°Is it . . . often?¡± Aden asked. It was an important tactical question. If it happened often, the chance of Ilyin being in danger increased. ¡°No,¡± Bertha answered, meeting his eyes. She looked back at Ilyin. ¡°Just once. The day you were born ¨C not with you, with my daughter.¡± Viscountess Arlen. Ilyin had never heard this story before. ¡°You . . . you talked with my mother in a dream?¡± she asked. This was new to her ¨C it meant Berth had been having dreams for decades. ¡°Yes,¡± Bertha replied. ¡°Both of us had seen that mobile in a dream. We even touched it together. It was amazing.¡± She stared at the mobile, drifting into her thoughts for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know everything,¡± she said finally, ¡°but your mother and I learned something twenty years ago ¨C that people with foresight can share the same dream.¡± Ilyin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Foreseeing the same thing . . .,¡± she breathed. She remembered meeting the gaze of the violet-eyed being she¡¯d seen in the dream of Delrose fighting the Mollys. She gingerly traced the bandages on her abdomen as she put herself back in that moment. Even in the warm room, Ilyin felt a chill as she remembered how it had looked at her. She had been so frightened she had tried to get away from it, shifting from hilltop to hilltop as she could do in dreams, only to have the creature pursue her with the same dream-speed. Because it was dreaming too, she thought. It had the same foresight. ¡°Because we were in a dream together,¡± she muttered, looking down at her wound. Aden placed his hand on her shoulder. Pulled from the memory by his touch, she looked up at him, smiling softly. She glanced about the room. Aden, Bertha with her foresight that had likely saved her life, Etra who had served her so closely and Idith, Aden¡¯s trusted aide. And over in the corner, there was Milo, whom Bertha had dragged out into the winter. The notion of being attacked in a dream sounded ridiculous, but not one of them treated it as anything but serious. Knowing that, she could speak freely. ¡°I was watching the Delrose attacking the Mollys at the Yesters¡¯ base,¡± she said. She could still see the red-scaled Mollys¡¯ formations collapsing in panic as the Yesters fled in a rout. ¡°I wanted to watch. I was worried about Delrose.¡± I thought the monsters couldn¡¯t see me in a dream. She shuddered a little. Aden¡¯s hand flexed, hugging her shoulder encouragingly. ¡°And in the midst of it all, I saw . . . him again,¡± she said. She called the thing him only because it resembled a human, though she knew more than ever that it wasn¡¯t. Pale skin like someone who¡¯d lived only in winter. Long, whitish, blonde hair. He looked a bit smaller than Aden, but larger than Ilyin. From the back, it could have been mistaken for a human aside from what it wore. ¡°He was dressed very lightly, even more so than Den,¡± she said, looking at the clothes of the assembled Delrose. ¡°Even someone from the winter region couldn¡¯t dress so lightly here.¡± ¡°I had seen him before in dreams, a few times,¡± she continued. ¡°I¡¯d looked him in the eyes before, but I always woke up instantly, like I¡¯d been kicked out of the dream.¡± Bertha listened intently. Aden had heard this story before, but he still leaned in attentively, as though some new, important scrap of information might fall out of it this time. ¡°I was trying to avoid him in this dream, afraid I would be kicked out again,¡± she said, ¡°but this time, he saw me first.¡± She could still seem those violet eyes now, as they had been in the dream ¨C when they¡¯d turned dark with murderous aggression. Chapter 151 ¡°Then all I wanted was to get away from him, but he followed me so swiftly, moved the way I could. I tried to get away, but . . .,¡± Ilyin¡¯s voice faltered, and she fell silent. She reached up to Aden¡¯s hand on her shoulder, covered it with her own. ¡°Have the knights been busy while I¡¯ve slept?¡± she asked finally. It was an indirect way to ask what she wanted ¨C is there trouble here? Aden caught her meaning at once. ¡°There¡¯s been no sign of intruders,¡± Aden said, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s what set us thinking of other possibilities.¡± That, and your grandmother coming here, he thought with a glance at Bertha. ¡°Thank goodness,¡± she said, visibly sighing in relief. ¡°I¡¯d been afraid there might be a misunderstanding . . .¡± She was speaking of the Lady Mille, they all knew. But the Rippo had accepted being locked in her rooms without complaint, and in any case without Setoze she could never make it to Ilyin¡¯s room a second time undetected. ¡°There was some suspicion of Lady Mille, for only a moment,¡± Etra commented, ¡°but she doesn¡¯t have those sorts of claws.¡± Ilyin chuckled in spite of herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you all,¡± she said. She reached out to grab Etra¡¯s hand. ¡°I heard you rode to the warm region.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t difficult,¡± Etra replied simply. ¡°Even in April?¡± Ilyin asked slyly. ¡°Darling, I have a great deal to say about that,¡± Bertha chimed in. Bundled up still, she looked as though she was about to ask Aden to use his divine power again. And as Aden seemed incapable of hardening his heart to Ilyin¡¯s family, he likely would indulge her, but she only smiled and continued her thought. ¡°It was beautiful seeing the warmth in winter,¡± she said. Ilyin blinked, not sure what she meant at first. Then she turned to Aden inquisitively. He gave a troubled look in response. ¡°Are you planning to keep dreaming?¡± he blurted out, changing the subject. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask her not to, though he dearly wanted to. Ilyin squeezed his hand. ¡°The cursed dreaming bloodline,¡± Bertha interrupted. ¡°Not everyone wants the foresight, but there are none who can avoid it.¡± ¡°I well know,¡± Ilyin said, nodding. If it were possible to avoid it, she would have chosen that path early on. She wouldn¡¯t have had a foresight since Sid¡¯s death. Aden nodded as well. He knew that Ilyin had seen her mother¡¯s death, just one of many dreams she¡¯d likely have rather not had. ¡°But if there were a way to stop it,¡± he asked her, ¡°would you?¡± Ilyin stared at him. It had only been a few days ago she had said she was happy dreaming for him. That she was happy to be able to see future dangers to help guide him and Delrose into safety, rather than be left simply hoping for the best. It wasn¡¯t long ago at all that she had said this. But now, with the still-healing wounds on her stomach, with this new knowledge of the dangers that lurked in her gift . . . he knew he was asking her opinion because he would never force her. He respected her too much. ¡°Are you asking if I¡¯m afraid?¡± she asked. That was his real question, and he said nothing else while she considered her answer. For a long moment, they sat in silence as though they were alone in the room. ¡°You said that you and mother were able to speak and touch each other, grandmother. Correct?¡± she asked. The question was clearly to Bertha, but she spoke it as though it were directed everywhere and nowhere. The violet-eyed being hadn¡¯t spoken to her, but she still bore the scars of his touch. He had clearly shared her dream, just as they had shared theirs. ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± she said softly after a moment. Her voice trembled with the words. ¡°I have no way to resist him, if I encounter him in the dream again.¡± She had no way to attack him, no claws of her own. If he shared a dream with her again, she would be just as vulnerable. Ilyin still didn¡¯t know who he was, or what. Nothing human, certainly. But he could walk in dreams, and if he could do that . . . ¡°He can foresee the future as well,¡± she muttered. From what Annie had said, he could be part of the Milton tribe that had supposedly disappeared 500 years ago. And judging by Biflten¡¯s relationship with the monsters now, there was no chance the two had been allies. She would be attacked again. There was no doubt. Chapter 152 ¡°I am afraid that I am in danger,¡± she stated, her voice firm with determination. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to stop dreaming.¡± She didn¡¯t say anymore, didn¡¯t say that she was more afraid to be alone in the world, more afraid to wait for him not knowing if he would return. Whatever the danger, she would rather know, would rather have the chance to help him always return. ¡°That is your choice, Ilyin,¡± Aden said. He squeezed her hand. ¡°And I will find a way for you to dream safely.¡± He thought about the red string he¡¯d taken from the Mollys. If there is a way, I will find it. I will bring you to that safe, kind world I promised you. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you at all costs,¡± he continued. ¡°And if I¡¯m correct, winter may hold the answer.¡± *** ¡°April is a difficult time to go around investigating,¡± Idith said. ¡°Then let¡¯s wait to proceed when it warms a bit,¡± Aden replied. Aden wasn¡¯t as stubborn as some might think. The other three houses operated in a very authoritarian way, but the Duke of Winter was often much more flexible in how he worked. ¡°Very well,¡± Idith said with a bow as he continued his report, ¡°we¡¯ve also done some preliminary research into Miltons, but what we could find so far isn¡¯t much different from what we already knew.¡± When the superiors of a house were busy, their aides became busy as well. Idith was living proof. While Aden was running three consecutive military campaigns, he had taken care of Delrose affairs and had even begun an investigation of the Miltons at Aden¡¯s request. He was a talented aide, no doubt ¨C and part of that talent lay in his connections, such as Milo. He¡¯d been a part of Idith¡¯s research, though he lacked the stamina of a knight. He was currently passed out in the carriage heading to the warm region. Idith thought about the document Milo had organized for him even as he¡¯d been drifting to sleep. ¡°As it is known,¡± he¡¯d said, ¡°the empty territory southeast of the mansion had been known to be their territory.¡± In the warm region, borders could move at any time. Titles changed, houses rose and fell and contested each other for this plot or that one. But in the winter region, things stayed more constant. The families and monsters that held territory here couldn¡¯t afford the effort of warring over land. The power balance between everyone was equal enough that to challenge anyone just made you weaker to everyone else. As a result, things tended to stay settled. ¡°I also looked into the foresight, as you asked,¡± Idith continued, ¡°but there were different methods for it.¡± ¡°Different methods?¡± Aden asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Idith said, nodding, ¡°There is little discussion of it that we could find, but there were a number of ways the Miltons could attempt to gain knowledge of the future.¡± ¡°Such as?¡± Aden asked. The news piqued his curiosity. ¡°Some used the stars to make predictions,¡± Idith replied, ¡°or there were various tools that were used for such things.¡± ¡°So, there could have been some among them that saw the future through dreams,¡± Aden mused. ¡°Yes,¡± Idith said with a nod, ¡°We¡¯re attempting to dig deeper into that, but we don¡¯t have anything certain yet. Then there could very well be a connection between the winter region and Ilyin¡¯s ability to see the future in dreams. Aden thought about the red string of the Mollys, and the Blue North¡¯s cloth, and the ten-colored mobile that had been passed down through Ilyin¡¯s mother¡¯s family. All of them seemed to be of the same fabric. Could Ilyin¡¯s family have some old connection to the Miltons? That could be problematic if true. Humans always feared and hated that which was different from themselves, and monsters in general were treated as less than humans. Even more so in the winter region, where the monsters that remained were so unlike men. Aden didn¡¯t care what might be in Ilyin¡¯s lineage, and neither would Delrose. But the other houses would be different. Even though the three elders had advocated for Ilyin and delivered her to him, they might change their feelings toward her if her family had some connection to monsters. A knock came, interrupting his thoughts, followed by Emil¡¯s voice from outside the door. ¡°Grand master, it¡¯s Emil.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to other reports later,¡± Aden said to Idith, dismissing him with a wave. Aden had been expecting someone, as Idith knew, so the aide nodded quietly and opened the door. Emil stood outside, and just behind him was the elder of Shining Elo. ¡°The weather has been unseasonably warm for April,¡± he said coyly. ¡°Is the Mistress well?¡± Chapter 153 The voice of the elder of Elo was soft as he gave his greeting, barely more than a whisper. And he already knew who Aden really was. The instant the door shut behind him, Aden could drop the pretense of being the Grandmaster. ¡°Thankfully, yes,¡± Aden replied. He leaned back slightly in his chair as he looked up at the elder. Despite his relaxed pose he still projected a stern arrogance, by design. ¡°I did wish to say I was sorry for what happened at Elo¡¯s territory.¡± That had been a disaster. The Yesters had jumped through the Wall of Light and ravaged the city¡¯s environs. When they had rampaged, nothing was left, not a single blade of grass. A disaster . . . if it had not been planned, that is. ¡°Thank you,¡± the elder replied with feigned politeness. ¡°We have not forgotten what Delrose did for us that day, nor any other day.¡± Hollow words, with no respect in them. ¡°Then perhaps you could answer me now,¡± Aden said, and his words carried a hard edge as he continued. ¡°Long ago, four houses settled in Biflten. The Red Delrose also took on the mantle of the Biflten mansion.¡± It was a story every child knew ¨C the origin of Biflten, why the other three houses stood below Delrose. Aden¡¯s gaze stayed fixed on the elder as he spoke. ¡°Biflten was a wasteland then as well, and the Duke of Biflten had a responsibility to protect his people. And there were the people that the three houses had brought with them from the warm region.¡± He tapped on the desk. ¡°The three houses each received a sword, vowing they would protect everyone, correct?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the elder said. His tone stayed civil, but suspicion was beginning to glint in his eyes. ¡°Is Elo still keeping that covenant?¡± Aden asked with a laugh. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the elder answered quickly, as though knowing where Aden would go next, ¡°this is a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°What is it that I am misunderstanding?¡± Aden said, leaning closer. ¡°The Yesters attacked Elo¡¯s territory. Explain to me how the Delrose knights from Biflten mansion could attack them faster than Elo¡¯s own swords.¡± The elder looked shaken for a second, then composed himself and replied. ¡°First,¡± he said, ¡°you know that the location of Elo¡¯s secret base is very well hidden. There is a good reason for it. It . . . it is because of our divine object.¡± Aden leaned back in his chair again. Was the elder about to share that secret? ¡°In truth,¡± the elder continued, ¡°Elo¡¯s divine object is composed of two parts, which act as a pair.¡± The bracelet? Aden¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly. He knew what Elo¡¯s divine object looked like ¨C or thought he knew, apparently. ¡°And you¡¯re telling me the other half is at Elo¡¯s secret base?¡± he said. He laughed again, and the elder visibly flinched. ¡°Thank you for sharing something interesting, but . . . a misunderstanding?¡± Aden¡¯s laughter stopped short. The room suddenly got cold. It wasn¡¯t just subjective ¨C when the Duke of Winter became angry, the temperature around him would bend to the divine power. The elder huddled in his clothes, but it didn¡¯t help. The cold seemed to seep right through them into his skin, as though the air meant to freeze him. ¡°Elo¡¯s Wall of Light doesn¡¯t allow their enemies to cross,¡± he said. ¡°Yes,¡± the elder stammered, ¡°but there was a problem with the other half- ¡° The elder¡¯s response felt prepared, so Aden put up a hand to stop it. ¡°I might have believed it,¡± he said, ¡°if I hadn¡¯t been there.¡± The memory was crystal clear in his mind. His own divine power made him sensitive to it. He could see the Wall of Light¡¯s actual state. The Wall had looked no different than any other day. But the Yesters had breached it like it didn¡¯t exist. He remembered how they¡¯d run at it ¨C not like they expected to hit a solid wall, not like they were preparing to launch themselves at it. No, they¡¯d run at it as though expecting to run through it like mist. ¡°Within that Wall of Light,¡± Aden said, smiling coldly, ¡°did you have someone ready to greet the Yesters as guests?¡± Chapter 154 The 7th floor found its usual composure after things had settled down. The Delrose maids were still lighthearted and Etra was again chatting often with Ilyin. But this morning, Ilyin¡¯s conversation was with someone else. ¡°What happened to the people of Elo?¡± The Lady of Mille asked. Odd, Ilyin thought, she seems more curious about what happened to Elo than the people of Elo in the mansion. ¡°There were many wounded,¡± Ilyin said simply, understanding the full breath of her understatement. The Yesters had flooded into the city, and had fallen upon the regular citizens as they fled. ¡°What about the Yesters?¡± Rippo asked, though she had some inkling. The Duke of Winter had returned safely. That could only mean the Yesters had fled or had died. Ilyin regarded Rippo quietly, this girl who¡¯d fled Green Mille to avoid being married off to the Yesters. That marriage now seemed to have been annulled, at least until the Yesters established another base, repopulated, and increased their influence again. Not that any of that meant Rippo could go back. The Green Mille was an ally of the Yesters, it seemed. There was no way they hadn¡¯t noticed that Rippo had disappeared, and no way they hadn¡¯t noticed that Setoze had disappeared with her. And since the Delrose knights had moved around the same time, they¡¯d surely know Rippo had spoken to Delrose. The girl had nowhere to go. But she had made no pleas for help from Delrose. ¡°Ilyin,¡± a familiar voice from the door interrupted her thoughts, ¡°it¡¯s Den.¡± Etra normally opened the door for Ilyin, but she was nowhere to be seen. Just in the next room, most likely, staying out of sight to let her and Rippo have time together without other ears in the room. ¡°Welcome, Den,¡± she called, and Aden stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. He looked more relaxed than the last time she saw him. There was a sliver of red cloth in his hand. ¡°That¡¯s . . .,¡± she asked. ¡°I found a . . . way,¡± Aden said, smiling as he showed her the cloth. He sat next to her. ¡°And that is?¡± she asked. She examined the cloth in his hand. It reflected the light oddly. She¡¯d seen other things made with this fabric. ¡°Ah,¡± she said. Her gaze jumped to the ceiling, to the mobile hanging over her bed. Etra had hung it for her there, and the fabric of its ornaments was a twin to the fabric she saw in Aden¡¯s hand now. ¡°Is this cloth used often in the winter region?¡± she asked, already knowing the answer. She was familiar with the fabric, of course ¨C she was Mistress of the mansion. She¡¯d seen all manner of fabric used here, especially in the winter months, but nothing like this with its strange light. ¡°No, not at all,¡± Aden answered. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anything like it other than the Blue Nos¡¯ cloth and . . .¡± His eyes shot up to the mobile for a second, then back down to the red cloth in his hand. ¡°The Mollys had this,¡± he added. ¡°The Mollys?¡± Ilyin asked. She hadn¡¯t seen all the monsters in the winter region, but she knew what Mollys looked like. They were the ones that attacked the carriage when she¡¯d first arrived in the winter region ¨C not something she would forget. She could still hear their claws scratching against the carriage, easily sharp enough to cut through a human body. That¡¯s why the thought of this fragile cloth in their possession was so strange. She grabbed the other end of the cloth to look at it again. It felt the same as the Blue Nos¡¯ cloth that she wore, so fine and sheer that it felt as though it would rip if anything with even a blunt edge touched it. She held it up near the mobile, and the light that shone through it and the ornaments left no doubt. They were made of the same fabric. ¡°How did the Mollys have this?¡± she asked. They couldn¡¯t have made it ¨C that they could even keep it with their sharp claws seemed impossible. ¡°If it¡¯s truly the same fabric as Blue Nos¡¯ cloth,¡± Aden said, ¡°then it won¡¯t rip easily. Also, I¡¯m cautious but . . . I believe it¡¯s a divine object.¡± Ilyin stopped short. ¡°Whose?¡± she asked. Only four divine objects were known in the winter region so far, one from each of the four families of Biflten. Then whose divine object could this be? From its color, it would seem to belong to Delrose, but then Aden would surely have known about it. But there was perhaps another possibility. ¡°Is it perhaps the Molly¡¯s divine object?¡± she asked. She covered her mouth as soon as she said it, as though she¡¯d blurted out a curse. But Aden looked thoughtful. ¡°It¡¯s a possibility,¡± he said. ¡°I eradicated the Mollys, but they were trying their best to get this away from the battlefield.¡± They¡¯d been very desperate to do so, he thought. He frowned. Chapter 155 ¡°Also, there¡¯s the box it was in,¡± Aden continued. ¡°It seems far too well kept to be something found among the Mollys. They had to have taken exceptional care of it.¡± Meaning they considered it to be precious . . . or sacred. ¡°So, it might actually be the Mollys¡¯ divine object,¡± Ilyin mused. Aden nodded in response. ¡°Throughout the history of the Winter Region,¡± he said, ¡°the territories of the different races never changed very much, or very quickly.¡± He was guarded about why, but the truth was that, even down to the reign of his father as Duke of Winter, none of his predecessors had been strong enough to do more than defend his people. None of them had the power to try to expand their reach across the Winter Region. None until him. He was the strongest Duke of all time and had grown stronger still since his coronation. That¡¯s why he could defeat the Mollys with such ease. That¡¯s why, with his generation, change was finally coming to the Winter Region. ¡°But now, for the first time since the Miltons, an entire race has been wiped out,¡± he continued. Though it seems the extinction of the Miltons may have been assumed too quickly, he thought. ¡°And in so doing, we find this. Given how little has changed in the territories over the centuries, it¡¯s unlikely that one race could take anything from another without eradicating them entirely. So, it seems we can¡¯t rule out the chance that the other monster tribes still have divine objects of their own.¡± Ilyin nodded her agreement. ¡°But most of all,¡± he said, looking at the strand of cloth in her hands, ¡°we must assume this is a divine object because there is divine power in it.¡± ¡°Divine Power?¡± Rippo interjected. The words conjured images of Delrose¡¯s Everlasting Fire, of Elo¡¯s Wall of Light. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t the Mollys use it?¡± It was a good question. Even if they hadn¡¯t known exactly what it did, it seemed strange that they wouldn¡¯t at least try to use its power as they were being wiped out. Aden considered. ¡°Perhaps its power isn¡¯t related to combat,¡± he said. He stopped himself from adding though that could depend on how you use it. ¡°When Idith and I both held this cloth,¡± he continued, ¡°he could use my divine power.¡± They¡¯d thought it coincidence the first time, but repeated trials had confirmed the effect. ¡°But . . . Idith isn¡¯t of Delrose¡¯s bloodline,¡± Ilyin said. Nor did he seem to be of the bloodline of any of the other houses, and according to Rippo, only those directly in the bloodline could use the divine power ¨C or those, like Ilyin, who married into the bloodline and were granted the ability through coronation. But neither of those applied to Idith. Which meant the cloth strand had the ability to transfer divine power to anyone. ¡°May I test it?¡± Ilyin asked. Aden hesitated. Idith had been exhausted the day after using the divine power ¨C and a life as a knight had gifted him with hearty stamina. What might it do to Ilyin? ¡°It might be . . .,¡± he started to say, ¡°too taxing,¡± but saw the look in her eyes. They were twinkling like a child¡¯s, full of curiosity. He was powerless to deny her when she was so eager. When Idith had used the divine power, he¡¯d heated the whole barracks. He¡¯d raised the temperature so high that snow had melted. He needed to keep Ilyin to a much smaller area. . . Am I compromising? ¡°Will you be alright? You must still be tired. This may hurt you, like when you used Delrose¡¯s divine power before.¡± ¡°I will be fine,¡± Ilyin said, smiling in a way that said it wasn¡¯t just an empty promise. ¡°I¡¯ve used divine objects before. More than one.¡± They were all different sorts of divine power, of course, but it was better than Idith who¡¯d never used one at all. ¡°And if I feel in danger,¡± she added, ¡°I will stop.¡± Or you will stop me by untying the cloth, she thought. She raised the hand with the cloth, and Aden relented. ¡°Promise you won¡¯t overdo it,¡± he said. ¡°Of course,¡± she replied lightly. Aden took hold of the cloth. He folded it in half and laid it across Ilyin¡¯s wrist. She wrapped it around and gave the end back to him. He didn¡¯t want to just hold the cloth, so he wrapped it around his own hand and interlaced his fingers with hers. He would cut the cloth if there was even the slightest sign she was in distress. The divine object meant nothing to him. All that mattered was what harmed Ilyin, and what didn¡¯t. Ilyin looked at the cloth. She smiled at him soothingly. Divine power, power that can control the temperature. On a large scale, it could bring summer into an April blizzard, but the power for that would be immense. Something much smaller . . . Perhaps I can warm this room a bit. But how to do it? Chapter 156 ¡°How. . .,¡± she started to ask. This didn¡¯t feel like using the divine objects she had touched before. Aden laughed. ¡°If you don¡¯t know, let me help,¡± he said. He loosened the cloth and took hold of her, lifting her like a doll. She gasped in surprise. ¡°Shhh,¡± he whispered. Trust me, I would never let you be hurt, he thought. Looking in his eyes, she relaxed as he carried her to the window. Setting her down, he opened it wide. Winter in April. His divine power kept it warmer here, but the chill still pushed its way in. The temperature in the room fell instantly. It¡¯s cold, she thought, and the blue light instantly flashed in her hand. The light was too bright for her, but Aden stared directly into it, curious. Even though Ilyin was using his own borrowed power, the feel of it was different from her hand. In him, the blue light was itself cold, even though it warmed his surroundings. But the light from Ilyin was warm, like the region from which she came. Prodded by the chill from the window, she had instinctively wanted warmth. And now that warmth spread through the room, a foreign sort of warmth to Biflten, like that of an afternoon in the warm region. ¡°Ah,¡± Aden said. He slammed the window shut out of instinct, to hold in the warmth from her before it was overcome by the wind, and she was driven to work harder. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked. The light from her hand was pulsing brilliantly. Ilyin nodded after the briefest pause, as though surprised. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not even tired.¡± She waved her free hand about, feeling the air. The room hadn¡¯t cooled at all. ¡°Oh,¡± she breathed. It felt so strange, this divine power. So, unlike the other times she¡¯d felt it. She simply hoped for a moment that the room would be warm, that it could feel like the warm region just for a moment, and it happened. Aden carried her quickly to the bed. ¡°Let me know immediately if you feel weak,¡± he said. He well understood how much power it took to raise the temperature so much, even in just a single room. He worried what it might do to Ilyin. He set her on the bed and buried her in blankets up to her neck, until only her face, flushed red, poked out. ¡°It didn¡¯t hurt much at all,¡± she whispered with a laugh, but the assurance did nothing for Aden¡¯s worry. Ilyin, on the other hand, was more worried about the cloth. It truly could transfer divine power to others. If the other families learned of it, there would be chaos in the Winter Region. And if this was the divine object of the Mollys, what sort of divine objects might the other monsters have that they knew nothing of? And would any of them be strong enough to challenge the power of Delrose? ¡°What of the other monsters¡­,¡± she mumbled. She started to raise her hand to Aden¡¯s face before she realized her hand was still tied to his. ¡°Ah, is it tied too strongly?¡± Aden asked in surprise. He fumbled to try and free her hand. That¡¯s not it, Aden. Her eyes smiled into his. ¡°I¡¯m okay, truly,¡± she said. Do I look that weak to him? As though I would break if he touched me. It was both endearing and a bit embarrassing that he treated her like a glass statue. She smiled again, and Aden couldn¡¯t resist. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. ¡°Rest well tomorrow,¡± he said. I¡¯ll ruin whoever disturbs you, he thought darkly. ¡°I will,¡± she sighed. It seemed the only way to calm him. She lifted herself up to kiss his nose, but couldn¡¯t quite bring herself all the way, so she simply let her breath caress him instead. The sensation pulled Aden in, his eyes closing as he kissed her so deeply, she felt she couldn¡¯t breathe. Her hand that still had the cloth wrapped around it grabbed his. ¡°You must rest,¡± he repeated, smiling. She smiled back, but shook her head slightly. ¡°I just woke up not that long ago,¡± she laughed. ¡°And I truly am alright.¡± And she was truthful. Using the cloth felt better than using the Everlasting Fire. She kissed him again, lightly, trying to show him he could relax. But Aden kept trying to tuck her in. She laughed again. ¡°I¡¯m not sleepy,¡± she protested. He tried to pull away, but then realized the cloth was still wrapped around both their wrists. She reached up with her other hand and wrapped her arm around his back, holding him in place. ¡°Oh, no,¡± he laughed. ¡°Ilyin¡­¡± His bride was never careful in these situations. He kept hoping she would see how dark-hearted he was and obey him. She never would. ¡°If you¡¯re really worried, help me sleep,¡± she whispered sweetly. She didn¡¯t release him but held on until he relented and climbed into her bed beside her.