Chapter 170: Secret (2) Part 1

Freyden, the northern border of winter, had once been an independent kingdom and the ninth nation of the continent.

However, the kingdom’s reign was short-lived, succumbing to the harsh climate of the Northern Region and the relentless expansion into unexplored regions. About three centuries ago, when the Crebaim Kingdom declared their land an Empire, Freyden was absorbed under the pretense of forming an allied union. As a result, Freyden became one of the Empire’s cornerstones.

“... Some assert that the Empire’s interference has weakened the Northern Region, while others contend that the Northern Region would have fallen long ago but for the Empire’s favor,” Zeit said, recounting the history of the Northern Region for his young audience.

Carlos and Leo listened with keen focus, their eyes alight with a spark of curiosity.

"The Northern Region has always been the Empire’s unwavering guardian. While the Empire waged its campaigns against rival kingdoms, the Northern Region fought fierce and unending battles against demonic beasts. This is a lesson you must never forget. Those in the central lands may not know it, but you cannot afford to ignore it...

“When I was your age, the demonic beasts were immense, looming over the sea like towering shadows. One in particular still haunts my memory—a whale called Behemoth. Bringing it down was a struggle I will never forget.”

The history of the Northern Region was a tapestry of unending war and ceaseless strife, a legacy so compelling that even the two children, typically uninterested in their studies, found themselves drawn in by its weight.

“... But where has your leader wandered off to?” Zeit asked suddenly, breaking the rhythm of his endless tales from his youth.

Leo replied, “Do you mean Ganesha?"

"Yes, the tomboy with the twin braids."

“But she’s not a boy...?

Umm

, I don’t really understand what you meant, but Ganesha stepped out for a little while!”

Zeit nodded and turned his head slightly, sensing the weight of their stares. Yulie, Sylvia, and Primien’s eyes bored into him.

“... Speak up if you’ve got questions. Don’t just sit there like a stone in the sand, will you?”

Yulie, as if she had been waiting for this moment, broke the silence and asked, “Why have you come all this way, Lord Zeit?”

“I came for reconnaissance, to see how Rekordak has fared since Deculaine took control. But more importantly...” Zeit replied, then gesturing toward Sylvia, he continued, “Why has the young lady of Iliade come to this place? Could it be that you are a spy?”

“I have my reasons,” Sylvia said, her tone calm, betraying not the slightest trace of hesitation.

Momentarily caught off guard, Zeit turned toward the public servant with the neatly tied ponytail, gesturing toward her and asked, “And you, officer from the central lands?”

“It is part of a mission. I am not authorized to share the details,” Primien said, revealing nothing more.

Zeit shook his head, a clear expression of dissatisfaction crossing his face, and muttered, "The people of the central lands always carry an air of secrecy."

“Does Freyden not have its fair share of secrets as well?” Primien replied.

In an instant, Zeit’s pupils flared wide, and the air in the Waystation turned as cold as ice. A crushing pressure descended, shattering a teacup into glittering fragments as turbulent currents spiraled in disarray. Beneath the suffocating weight of his aura, thick with hostile intent, Primien stood her ground and calmly drew out a single sheet of paper.

“Please, do not take offense. I, too, am of the origin of the Northern Region.”

Zeit narrowed his eyes as he examined the weathered, timeworn document.

Freyden Sponsorship Certificate

Iggyris von Creyle-Freyden

Recipient: Yurine, Commoner

The aforementioned commoner, having displayed exceptional talent and potential during Freyden’s evaluation, is hereby awarded a scholarship for academy admission and granted the new name, Lillia.

This sponsorship is guaranteed by Iggyris von Creyle-Freyden, Protector of the Northern Region, Grand Knight of the Order of Snowscar, and rightful heir of the Freyden family.

"... So, it was my father who granted you his sponsorship.”

“Yes, sir,” Primien replied.

Zeit’s lips twitched, then curled into a broad grin, his deep, resonant chuckle spilling forth as he clapped a heavy hand on Primien’s shoulder, laughing, “

Hahahaha

! You should’ve said so sooner—I almost took things the wrong way!”

Primien dangled visibly, like a paper doll caught in a breeze, and said, “If you continue, I’ll have grounds to press charges for assault. No, I’ll file the report—

ugh

, by tomorrow—no, before the day is through—”

“

Hahaha

! You’ve got quite the sense of humor. Well, it’s clear you’re a true Northerner. Holding onto this certificate all this time—it speaks of loyalty. So, how did my father come to notice you? He always had a keen eye for recognizing talent. Judging by how far you’ve risen in the central ranks, it seems he was right...

Zeit rambled on about this and that, while Yulie sighed quietly and turned toward the window, where the snowstorm still raged outside the glass.

“You must have met my father before. What kind of impression did he leave upon you?”

“Lord Zeit,” Yulie called, unable to contain herself any longer.

“... Yes?”

“Why have you come all this way?”

Zeit’s features tightened, and Sylvia and Primien glanced at him and Yulie, pretending indifference as they quietly became aware of the charged atmosphere.

“There is no need for you to know,” Zeit said, releasing a quiet breath.

Zeit had a private matter to discuss with Deculein, stirred by a theory he had heard from Josephine.

“... Yes,” Yulie replied.

Zeit offered a faint smirk and said, “You look a little upset.”

“I’m not upset. I’m not a child anymore.”

“Of course you are. I can still see the child you were in that face of yours.”

It was a face that carried him back to a memory from seventeen years ago—a time when, as her brother, he forced her to set aside her sword, her injury leaving him no other choice.

“... Please, leave me alone.”

“Alright,” Zeit replied, stepping away and leaving her alone as she requested.

This time, someone else caught his attention—a young girl named Ria, watching him quietly.

“You there, little one. Got something to say?”

“Could you... perhaps spare a moment to observe my techniques?!” Ria asked, her voice trembling slightly as she swallowed hard, gathering every ounce of courage she could.

The request was bold for one so young. Watching her, Yulie suddenly realized the wellspring of the unease she had felt earlier. It was the resemblance. The girl bore an uncanny likeness to the woman Deculein had loved—a face she had seen in a portrait from long ago.

“Your techniques?”

“Only if it’s not too much trouble, sir...!” Ria said.

However, despite her words, she had already taken on the traditional Northern posture of respect when addressing a master—kneeling with her legs folded back, arms outstretched, and hands pressed firmly to the ground.

Finding the child’s actions adorable, Zeit couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh and said, “

Hahahaha

. Very well, let me see what you’ve got. You don’t appear to be from the Northern Region—are your parents, by any chance, from here?”

“No, sir! I’m from the Archipelago!”

“

Hmm

, from the Archipelago? That’s quite unusual. Very well, I’ll assess all three of you once the storm clears.”

“

Wow

! Thank you, sir!”

Yulie watched Zeit and the children for a while, but her eyes remained fixed on Ria, unable to look away.

***

Night blanketed the Waystation, and Josephine, who had followed Zeit, rested on a tree branch. Through the window, she watched her younger sister, Yulie, lying on her bed. However, even in her sleep, Yulie’s face had been far from peaceful.

“... My poor little sister,” Josephine murmured, a storm of thoughts swirling within her mind. “I’ve heard some rumors spreading throughout the Imperial Palace at the moment...”

Lately, Josephine found herself overwhelmed by a mountain of worries. The rumors spreading throughout the Imperial Palace were tied to the failed poisoning of Empress Sophien, and at the heart of these rumors stood the former head of the Freyden family—their very own father.

“And that Deculein probably knows the truth...”

Or rather, he must have known it from the beginning. Every fragment of evidence, every thread of circumstance, led to that inescapable conclusion. Josephine had investigated with an obsessive intensity, deploying every resource at her command and mobilizing the Shadows to track down the truth.

As for Sophien’s public confrontation with Deculein before her entire officials, it was nothing out of the ordinary—perfectly in keeping with the image she had long cultivated, one defined by political precision and calculated strategy.

“However, it seems the brother-in-law wanted to protect you, out of love...

oops

,” Josephine caught herself, brushing her lips lightly with her fingertips.

Josephine decided it best to lower her voice. Though she could distinguish Yulie by the faintest breath, should her sister move within the Waystation, she saw no harm in taking extra care.

“... Anyway.”

Josephine opened her eyes and looked up at the heavens. Deculein, she thought, was a man with a heart far purer than one might expect from his grim countenance. He was someone she could trust—perhaps more than herself. And perhaps, he loved Yulie more than she ever could.

“But... until you fully recover, this should remain a secret,” Josephine whispered, folding her hands in silent prayer.

Josephine looked at Yulie inside the Waystation, her heart heavy with a silent plea for the cruel curse to lift. She wished for her sister’s recovery, for her to regain her strength, and, one day, to rise unburdened, soaring freely into a future brimming with happiness.