Episode 21
“Can you give your life?”
Kilian’s chest rose and fell in heavy waves. His trembling breaths filled the room.
Suddenly, Kilian grabbed the blade that was pressed against the back of his neck—as if to show his resolve.
Devan raised an eyebrow.
“If I can’t find her, my life has no value.”
“‘If you can’t find her,’ huh. Find what?”
Kilian’s eyes widened.
“Your Highness. Please. I beg you.”
“So you want what?”
“Please return Evelyn to me.”
A mocking laugh burst from Devan’s lips.
“Ha, hahaha!”
Devan burst out in loud laughter.
He laughed so heartily that Kilian’s brow furrowed in discomfort.
Kilian released the blade and stepped back. Blood dripped steadily from his hand.
“Haha… Haa…”
Bending over in laughter, Devan suddenly raised his head.
He stabbed his sword vertically into the carpet.
The smile was gone from his face. His eyes gleamed sharply.
“Whatever it is you want, look for it. I’ll give you one week. Search my castle, my territory… go wherever you like.”
Even before Devan finished speaking, Kilian looked like he was about to bolt out of the room.
“And if you fail to find her, you’ll pay with that precious little life of yours.”
Devan’s voice was colder than the blade that had touched Kilian’s neck.
But Kilian didn’t waste a second. Without even bowing, he flung the door open and rushed out—as if all his desperate pleading had been a lie.
—The door slammed shut behind him, and the sound of frantic footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Left alone in the room, Devan once again unsheathed his sword.
At the tip, Kilian’s blood still clung.
He tossed the sword aside carelessly and picked up the yellow pendant.
A mysterious emotion filled his expression as he gazed at it.
“Evelyn…”
He recalled how Kilian never once referred to her formally. Not as “Lady Evelyn” or with any noble title.
Gripping the pendant tightly, Devan looked like he might crush it.
“It’s just like a knight rescuing his princess from the tower.”
If that’s the case, then Devan was the demon king holding the princess hostage.
Golden eyes, huh… How fitting. A bitter smile curled on Devan’s lips.
—
Everything around me was white—blindingly so.
I shut my eyes tightly and trudged through the unfamiliar streets.
Whenever my boots sank into the snow, they crunched pleasantly.
“Haa…”
A sigh escaped my lips in the form of a white puff. I rubbed my hands together to warm them up.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t even make it to the shop before they froze.
I had finally arrived in Elliun, a place even colder than I had imagined.
Someone had once said this was a land where snow fell all year round—but that wasn’t quite right.
Elliun wasn’t a place where snow fell, it was a place where snow piled up.
It didn’t melt. It just kept accumulating.
After walking for what felt like ages,
The knee-deep snow gave way to shallower paths, and finally, a bustling street appeared.
This too was a unique feature of Elliun.
Because of the heavy snowfall, everyone lived communally. At the center of their settlements were little marketplaces like this one.
“Hey! Lea!”
A familiar voice called out.
I looked around to see Heron, the fish shop owner, waving enthusiastically at me.
“Uncle Heron!”
I ran over to him.
He scooted his bonfire closer to me.
I squatted in front of it, warming my hands, and Heron handed me a brass cup.
“Here.”
“Thank you.”
The warmth spread through me instantly as I held it with both hands.
“Whew… now I feel alive.”
“Still haven’t learned to use a sled, huh?”
“I’ll get used to it soon.”
“Before you freeze to death, I hope?”
He chuckled, and I gave a sheepish smile.
In this country, sleds were used instead of horses or carriages.
I had tried several times but still hadn’t gotten used to it, so I always walked the long distance from my house to town.
“So, what’ll it be today?”
“What do you have?”
Heron went into his shop, and I heard him rummaging.
Because of the weather, most of the food here was preserved.
Among them, dried fish was the most reliable ingredient.
Maybe I’ll make a stew tonight?
I blew on my hands, still warming them.
A hot stew would be good—it would soften the tough fish and warm my body.
Come to think of it, I think I’m out of cooking oil too.
I reviewed the list of shops I’d need to stop at on the way home. Whenever I came out, I bought a lot at once, so I had many stops to make.
“Some good meat came in from the next town. I’ll sell it cheap. Want some?”
Heron called from inside.
The “next town” referred to the Empire—the very place I had escaped from.
“…No. Just give me something cheap.”
I called back, peeking inside.
If I could help it, I didn’t want to be associated with that place in any way—even through food.
With dried fish in one hand and firewood in the other, I made my way home.
The snow was still knee-deep.
There were two ways home: the long main road, or a shortcut through the forest.
Normally, I’d take the long way. But today, my arms were too full.
If I walked all the way, I’d probably collapse from exhaustion before I even ate dinner.
It’ll be fine, right?
With that careless thought, I turned toward the forest path.
The sun hadn’t set yet, and the beasts and monsters in this area were known to be docile.
But the moment I entered the forest, I regretted my decision.
Tall birch trees blocked the fading sun, plunging the path into shadow.
The wind that cut through the trees grew sharper, making eerie howling sounds.
I swallowed dryly and picked up my pace.
At least the trees blocked some of the snow.
The snow on the forest floor was shallower, which made it easier to move quickly.
“It’s not far.”
I said it in a cheery tone, hoping it would lift the oppressive mood.
But it didn’t help much.
Crunch.
The sudden sound beneath my feet startled me.
Just a broken twig. But I was too tense.
I finally admitted to myself why I always insisted on taking the main road.
When I crossed the border, I had nearly died more than once because of monsters.
“I’d forgotten that…”
I recalled their green, slimy skin, their unnaturally strong bodies—monsters from a year ago.
Of course, this forest didn’t have those kinds of monsters… probably.
“Let’s hurry.”
I broke into a jog.
Snow scattered around my boots with every step.
The darkness deepened, and the cold bit harder.
The strange howling of the wind didn’t stop, and my fear remained just as strong.
Then—
Thud!
A loud noise came from behind me. Something had landed.
Something very heavy.
A chill shot down my spine. My body froze.
A monstrous growl echoed behind me.
Maybe it was a wild animal. A bear, maybe. But would a bear be better?
Trying to distract myself with useless thoughts, I slowly turned around.
“Grrrr…”
I dropped the fish and firewood I was holding.
It was right in front of me, drooling yellow goo from its mouth.
Its entire body was covered in hard green scales, and it had two long, disgusting tails.
There was no need to think further.
It was a monster.
And it was clearly targeting me.
But why?
Elliun was known to be safe.
Too cold for dangerous creatures or monsters to survive.
Young men even used the forest as a hunting ground.
Yet here it was, appearing on the very day I chose to enter the forest for the first time?
Was this just horrible coincidence?
My jaw clenched.
“GRAAAAH!”
The monster leapt toward me.
“Uwaaah!”
I screamed and threw myself to the side.
My face slammed into the snow, but at least I wasn’t dead.
What do I do?
I peeked up to see the monster spinning around, looking for me.
I slowly got up and hid behind a tree.
Think.
I tried to remember the moment I escaped the Empire a year ago.
That strange, powerful force I had used—climbing walls, unlocking doors, breaking magical barriers.
I clenched my fists.
The problem was, I still didn’t know how I had done it.
“GRAAAAH!”
Crash!
The tree I was hiding behind flew to the side.
The monster had swung its tail and hit it.
I gasped sharply.
Its grotesque yellow eyes stared straight at me.
It knew.
It leapt again, without hesitation, acting purely on instinct.
Am I going to die?
After escaping torture, crossing the border, and finally settling down…
Am I going to die here?
The monster’s form blurred as it flew toward me, its scaly body vivid even in that moment.
And then—within that instant, I saw it.
Something white, flashing.
White?
Could it be…?
A chilling thought swept through my mind.
My whole body froze.
