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Chapter : 06
Meanwhile, a blizzard raged around the Indigentia Grand Duchy—completely out of season.
The duchy’s fortress was famous for its pitch-black outer walls.
But now, those jet-black walls had turned ghostly white beneath the relentless snowstorm.
And with spring on the horizon, there was only one person who could cause such extreme, unnatural weather.
The man known as the strongest in the world, the one who even broke the Emperor’s staff—
Cedric.
“Lord Cedric, please dispel the weather magic! We’ve received a formal warning from the Imperial Court!”
A red-haired, green-eyed man pleaded on his knees.
Cedric, however, didn’t even glance at him, continuing to read the report with a terrifyingly emotionless expression.
“If this continues, even the farmland outside the castle will suffer frost damage!”
“I’m managing that myself.”
“And the castle gates have been frozen shut for days! None of the retainers can leave!”
“That’s the point.”
Cedric’s voice was low and even, and he still didn’t look at his aide.
The aide, Edwin, was nearly pulling his hair out in frustration.
‘What if the retainers rebel after being locked in for so long?!’
Not that he thought Cedric would lose such a rebellion.
But still—why stir unnecessary trouble?
Whoooosh. The howling blizzard seeped in through the windows.
Weather magic wasn’t something you could cast just because you knew how.
It required immense magical power and mastery in application.
And Cedric had been doing it for days—without so much as blinking.
‘Should I be impressed by my master’s genius… or weep because he’s too much of a genius…?’
Edwin felt on the verge of tears.
Cedric had always been monstrously brilliant.
Adopted at age ten, he perfectly mastered gravity magic by thirteen under the strict tutelage of the Grand Duke himself.
By fifteen, he defeated the Grand Duke using that very magic.
And at eighteen, he revived weather magic—a skill so difficult it had vanished 120 years ago.
‘This spring snowstorm outside is exactly that magic.’
Edwin’s head throbbed.
‘It’s been ten days now. The retainers hound me daily about when they can leave. The gates are frozen, supplies are low, drinking water’s frozen…’
Though considered the safest fortress in the Empire, Indigentia was now suffering an unprecedented crisis.
Cedric finally spoke to Edwin, who was still groveling on the floor.
“So go find him.”
“…Pardon?”
“It’s been ten days since the young master went missing. With the retainers trapped, their aides are probably moving in their stead—desperate to retrieve their master.”
“Hmm…”
“Yet there’s been no progress. Edwin, doesn’t that strike you as strange?”
“Well…”
“This isn’t just any castle—it’s the Indigentia Grand Duchy. Second only to the Imperial Palace in terms of talent.”
You too, he seemed to imply.
Edwin held his breath as Cedric’s flat voice continued.
“Yet here we are. Ten days in, and not even a clue about the young master’s condition or whereabouts. Do you think that’s acceptable?”
“…I have no excuse.”
“You’re right. You shouldn’t. So go find him.”
“……”
“Bring Kalib back to me—alive and unharmed.”
Only then did Cedric look up from the report.
His eyes, the color of blue hydrangeas, bore into Edwin coldly.
“Until then, the snowstorm will not stop. I don’t care if the retainers starve to death.”
The message was clear: Get out.
Edwin dared not say a word and quickly exited the study.
After Edwin left, Cedric turned to the window and thought,
‘How dare they let Kalib come to harm, yet still expect to eat and rest in comfort?’
Yes, food supplies were low, and water was frozen.
But this was still Indigentia Fortress.
Even in a disaster, no one would die so easily.
‘Whining just because they’re getting the same soup every day?’
He didn’t even know where Kalib was or how he was doing!
Burying his rage, Cedric lightly flicked his hand.
The already violent blizzard grew even harsher.
Then he returned his gaze to the report.
It was the status update on Kalib’s disappearance from the external guilds.
He had contracted not just the top-ranking guilds, but even shady underground ones.
‘Still not a single trace. At this point, it’s like Kalib vanished on purpose.’
But of course, that couldn’t be.
Despite being the rightful heir, Kalib was treated like an outsider within the fortress. Cedric had worked tirelessly for his sake.
His tyranny toward the retainers, his early abandonment of the succession—everything had been for Kalib.
‘And Kalib knows that. He’s far too mature for a seven-year-old.’
He knew running away was always the worst option.
So at the very least, he wouldn’t be hiding of his own will.
‘Then where are you, Kalib? Where could you be that leaves not a single clue?’
Even the information guild used by the Empress had come up empty.
‘All that’s left now… is the darkest guilds.’
Cedric sighed softly and reached for the next report.
A week passed.
It had been 20 days since Kalib started living with me.
Time really flew.
It had only taken a week for Kalib to become more like a real child—now he was a full-fledged, mischievous seven-year-old.
Well, not in a bad way.
Instead of just replying “Okay,” like he used to, he’d now whine, “I don’t want to eat carrots.”
Which was cute. And honestly, expected.
By now, I knew all of Kalib’s tastes.
He preferred chamomile over apple mint, and lemon over peach.
He liked his potato soup with lots of pepper, and would happily eat potato potage if I blended onions into it.
He liked salmon, but said trout was too fishy. Loved drumsticks, but picked at dry meat.
He once told me a crazy etiquette tutor made him believe he had to eat everything, but his preferences were still clear.
I’d grown to enjoy mealtime just figuring out his picky little tastes.
“What do you want for lunch today?”
“That grilled salmon we had the other day. And the potato soup with tons of pepper.”
“And for dessert? Iced chamomile tea with lemon?”
Kalib nodded brightly.
“Great. Then could you go pick some lemons from the back?”
“You mean the ones you said would be ready to harvest today or tomorrow?”
He beamed and started heading out.
Until—
Bang!
A dark figure, dressed head to toe in black, burst through the door without warning.
“Kalib!”
The man reached straight for Kalib.
“Watch out!”
When I saw that huge hand grab Kalib’s shoulder, I swung the frying pan in reflex.
CLANG!
A massive crash echoed—
“Hyung!”
Kalib called out to the man I’d just smacked squarely with the pan.
…Wait. Hyung?!
“Hyung, hyung! Cedric-hyung, are you okay?!”
Oh no.
The man I just hit with a frying pan…
Was the very brother who triggers Kalib’s descent into darkness.
I stood there, jaw dropped in horror.
Thud. The man collapsed to the floor from the blow.
“Hyung! Cedric-hyung!”
Kalib cried out, bringing me back to my senses.
Panicking, I flung the frying pan away like I was disposing of evidence.
“L-let’s get him to the bed first!”
“H-huh?”
Kalib looked up at me, his tear-streaked face trembling.
“We can’t leave him on the floor. And he’ll be fine! It just made a loud sound, but he’s probably okay!”
Please let him be okay.
I had no intention of becoming the reason for Kalib’s future villain arc.
Quickly, I hoisted Cedric’s limp body.
Kalib, like a tiny kitten, helped with his small hands. Together, we groaned as we dragged the man to the bed.
“Whew.”
Wiping sweat from my forehead, I looked down at Cedric.
Even pale and unconscious, his good looks were undeniable.
“We should get this tightly wrapped robe off.”
Kalib began undoing Cedric’s dark robe.
“I’ll do it. Kalib, can you go out back to the spring and get water and a towel? I think he’s got a bump on his head.”
“Okay? Okay!”
Kalib wiped his tears and ran off.
I watched him go, then turned back to Cedric.
“Please don’t die. Or… maybe it’s okay if you lose your memory just a little…”
I muttered, starting to untie the robe at Cedric’s neck.
His shirt was buttoned all the way up too, so I reached to unbutton that—
Grab.
A hand clamped around my wrist.
“…What is the meaning of this.”
The man, who moments ago seemed dead to the world, opened his eyes.
Hydrangea blue eyes, cold and sharp.
I blinked, stunned, as he spoke with utter contempt.
“You pervert.”
“Per…?”
My jaw dropped.
Cedric, still holding his head where I’d hit him, slowly sat up.
“Mmm…”
His deep, groggy voice was surprisingly pleasant—but this was no time for that.
His eyes narrowed icily.
“So it’s you.”
“E-excuse me?”
“Not content with kidnapping Kalib… you did this to me too?”
He winced with each word, clearly in pain.
“And then assaulted me.”
His face was the picture of righteous fury.
I was speechless.
Still gripping his aching head, Cedric stood and surveyed the room.
He clicked his tongue.
“And you locked Kalib in a shabby shack like this?”
Excuse me? Locked up?
“You’ve got some nerve.”
With a cold glare, he slammed me to the floor with gravity magic.
Ah. So this is the famous spell.
Then, before I could react, he reached for the sword at his waist.
What the hell?! That’s a real sword!
I froze, horrified.
SPLASH!
Out of nowhere, Kalib returned and dumped a bucket of water over Cedric.
“What are you doing to Elia?!”
