30 – The Heart of the North
Guardians of the northern empire, the heart of the north. House Frost.
Inside the grand fortress, the largest stronghold in the Frost Territory constructed on the northern front, heavy silence lingered even today.
“….No information obtained today either.”
The giant of the north, the heart of steel. Not the sun representing the imperial, but the moon of the empire.
In response to Lord Breeed Frost’s question, the meeting room was once again engulfed in silence.
“Geyral… It’s been several months already.”
“Erielle… Where are you..”
“…Damn sons of witches, never enough even if chewed up.”
“…….Damn it.”
Along with Lord Breeed Frost, the Lady of the North, Irina Frost, who guards the north, and their children Jake and Kyle, slumber thinking about their kidnapped daughter or sister by a dark sorcerer one day.
Since the birth of Erielle Frost, the first girl in the Frost family that had always been rugged and as cold as machines, there was a change.
The two giants, who had proceeded with a marriage based on rational judgment, became true spouses through one miracle.
Even though they had never known emotions throughout their lives, their frozen hearts melted at the small squirms and laughter.
When the giants of the North were with their daughters, they put down the weight of responsibility and became kind parents.
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Kyle and Jake, brothers who had never known laughter since birth. They grew up as killing machines, unable to understand emotions.
But by a small miracle that came to them, they discovered emotions they had never realized in their lifetime, and they began to smile.
Since becoming adults, they became very blunt and no longer cute and lovely like before… But still, they were their adorable daughter or sister.
As the heart of the North warmed up, the northern territory, their bodies, became filled with harmony. Warmth settled on the cold streets, and the residents smiled and conversed with each other.
Then one day, in the early morning when everyone was asleep, Ariel was kidnapped by the sorcerer who had infiltrated as a butler.
Because Ariel had exceptional magical talent, both the Northern family and Ariel herself were complacent. It was because they didn’t know about the anti-magic sphere they possessed.
As the day brightened and Ariel didn’t show up for breakfast, Breed Frost, feeling suspicious, went to his daughter’s room himself.
“………..”
The always neat room was messy, and the broken window couldn’t open wide, only emitting a cold chill that chilled the room.
Swoosh-
The giant of the North became angry, lifting up the remnants of dark magic embedded in the window frame.
Since then, without missing a single day, the giant of the North tracked down the disappeared Ariel and the sorcerers. Many sorcerers were exposed and executed.
The sorcerers were found among ordinary residents, or in inconspicuous outskirts of the city. They were even found within the trusted Northern Duke’s household.
However, there was no sign of Ariel. They couldn’t even find a clue. The sorcerers were tortured, faced with death, but they didn’t utter a word about her.
They formed their own investigation team, commissioned mercenaries, and even requested help from the Imperial Palace for the search.
Months passed, and until the moment when the once warm winter turned into a true winter, they still couldn’t find Ariel.
The driving force of life. A small miracle. A spark that would melt a frozen heart.
The Northern Duke’s family, who had lost everything, froze again like in the old days.
The couple who used to show loving gazes and make kind laughter for Ariel, became cold and emotionless like the giants of the North once again.
The elder brother, who feigned a gentle smile towards his lovely younger sibling, was now merely intent on identifying and exterminating dark sorcerers, devoid of laughter and emotion.
“”…………..””
Even in this restaurant where harmony always resided, now, nothing could be felt except for cold air and silent stillness.
Clang-!
“My… My Lord…!”
At that moment when the atmosphere chilled everyone’s hearts once more, Everton, the steward of the Northern Duchy, burst in through the door with a clang.
The giant hearts, already frozen, gazed quietly with cold, emotionless eyes at his appearance.
Overwhelmed by their gaze, the steward wiped cold sweat and took a deep breath. Ever since Eriel disappeared, apart from anger and despair, not a hint of emotion could be sensed from them.
“What’s the matter? Aren’t we in the midst of a meeting?”
“T-That!”
Rumble-rumble-
Clang-
Just as the steward was about to answer his master’s inquiry, a loud rumble echoed continuously from behind the closed door, then it quietly opened.
“”……………””
Upon beholding the figure that appeared beyond the door, it seemed as if time had frozen, no sound, no movement felt.
Hair as pure as innocent eyes. And violet irises symbolizing the Northern Duchy.
Though blood stained every inch of her body, traces of bruises were evident.
She was undoubtedly their Eriel. The small miracle of the North. The precious daughter who wouldn’t hurt a fly. And the cherished sister they would protect at all costs, even at the expense of their lives.
“….I. I’ve returned.”
“….Eriel-!”
As if her throat were parched and split, but still, her delicate voice resonated. Breed Frost dashed towards the miracle without a single thought.
Witnessing her determination, even other giants ran alongside her. Some shedding tears, or with eyes welled up as if about to shed tears.
The thought that she might be dead now lingered in a corner of her mind, gradually growing, yet she couldn’t admit it.
To think that their everything vanished so emptily. Ariel must return. She would return and bring back miracles as she did in the past.
With such determination, and no progress in months of evasion, they might have already given up.
Frozen in emotion, or living each day with alcohol in hand. They merely moved to seek remnants of miracles.
“I… I’m back… my daughter…!”
“Sob… Ariel…!”
“…I’m sorry… and thank you for letting me live…!”
“…Sob.”
Clink-
Her eyes, which once shone brighter than the stars in the night sky, lost their luster, covered in bandages with patches of blood visible.
Just the return of their everything, the miracle, made them feel grateful.
“…I’m sorry.”
As Ariel, too, finally arrived in the embrace of her family she so desperately wished for, her lifeless eyes began to faintly gleam, and she silently shed tears.
Afterward, for tens of minutes, sobbing continued.
The warm tears melted the frozen hearts of giants, and the ember that was about to vanish grew again.
Thus, warmth began to return to the once chilling North.
***
“Those damned dark sorcerers. I’ll find every one of them and twist their guts.”
After a while, following a moment of collective calm, Breet Frost, having heard Ariel’s explanation, clenched his fists, expressing his anger.
Kadddduk-
From Ariel, who had been receiving treatment from the royal court’s dedicated healer, came tales of torture. Incidents of experimentation. And the sacrifices of others.
The giants who now learned of all these facts were furious. The hatred and rage in their eyes burned like a fire that could consume beasts stripped of their human disguises.
“And… the reason I could come back is… thanks to someone’s help.”
“Yeah. They said he killed the dark sorcerer and rescued you from captivity.”
The blazing heart, filled with gratitude towards the man who rescued Ariel, subsided a bit.
“Do you know that person’s name?”
Irina Frost asked Ariel in order to repay the benefactor who made their miracle possible.
“….Venice. That’s what he said. A person with black hair like the night sky and red eyes.”
Ariel thought of Venice, who believed in her for no reason, saved her without any expectations, and unknowingly smiled a small smile.
It was a smile so small that neither Ariel herself nor the observing family could ever notice.
***
“You’re not late either. Today… the snowstorm was quite severe.”
“hahahaha… I was lucky.”
“Well, thank you. Please take the reward here.”
After tirelessly walking, they managed to reach their destination before nightfall. The village that took hours to reach even from the cave.
Following the note to the shop, they handed over the basket and received some silver coins.
“Frost Territory, was it? It’s incredibly vast…”
It was a city so immense, it could almost be compared to Leria Village. The buildings were beautifully and harmoniously placed, and especially, the castle atop the distant mountain felt majestic even from here.
But, if there was something strange… the village did not exude warmth.
I’m not talking about physical warmth. Whether it was because of the magical devices installed everywhere, it was much warmer than outside the city walls.
‘It’s as if it has lost its vitality.’
Contrary to the heat emanating from everywhere, the people seemed deflated, as if they had lost some emotion.
“Well, there are towns like this too, I guess.”
It could be. Maybe this is just a characteristic of this village?
“Ugh. Let’s go back… If we stay here longer, we might be found as corpses.”
Before the darkness fully sets in, I should hurry back to a place called Snowfield Village.
I was slightly annoyed by the involuntary snarky tone that came out, but… since there was a precedent, I decided not to worry about it too much.
“….Brrr, it’s cold!!”
Stepping outside the city walls, I shivered in the overwhelming cold but followed the map drawn on the note, taking steps back.