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Chapter 1
The castle was quiet.
Everything was covered in black. Black curtains, black drapes, black dresses.
Beyond the heavy black veil, small whispers could be heard.
Nina muttered softly,
“Damn nonsense.”
Adrian, who had been reading a book by the window, lifted his head.
“Nina, are you going to keep talking like Jin?”
“But everyone is talking nonsense.”
Every time she spoke, her breath turned to white mist even though they were indoors. The room they were given was in a drafty corner, and no firewood had been provided.
Adrian smiled faintly.
“I’m a bastard. That’s just the truth.”
“There’s no need to keep repeating it like that. And is it really our fault that the woman’s son died?”
Nina grumbled. Her hair had been neatly trimmed by Adrian, but that was all.
It was cut just short of a bob, and she wore a loose uniform folded up, making her look like a poor boy knight.
They were attending a funeral. Or rather, “attending” was too generous a word.
They had been drifting at the edges the entire time. They hadn’t even been allowed into the family seating area.
The Duke of Luviene had three sons. Adrian, the illegitimate one; and Gerald and Jayden, born from the Duchess.
Even though Adrian was a bastard, he had been recognized by the Duke, so he did have a right of succession.
Of course, Gerald and Jayden were still ahead of him in line.
Today was Gerald’s funeral. The eldest son was dead. Nina could already guess what the Duchess would do next.
She was here to stop that.
Adrian, her childhood friend and captain of the knights, remained calm as always. That was both his strength and her worry.
“Is this how he’s going to survive this world?”
She had sent the others back—Jin, Kirill, and the vice-captain of the knights, Rui—saying they couldn’t leave the Violet Forest boundary unattended for long.
Adrian had tried to send Nina back too, but she had refused and stayed. In the end, Adrian had allowed it.
Knock knock.
“Come in.”
At Adrian’s voice, Nina moved and opened the door.
A servant had arrived. They had not been seen since the first day they arrived, forcing them to ask around and handle everything themselves.
Even Jin, a hot-tempered mercenary, had almost hit one of them.
And now they come here?
“The Duchess invites you to have tea with her.”
It was not a request that could be refused.
Nina let out a short scoff.
“So now they finally show up when it suits them.”
“I understand. We will prepare and—”
“Now. She says now.”
Nina’s eyes narrowed.
She looked ready to argue, but Adrian stood up, closing his book.
“If it’s urgent, we should go. Nina, stay here if—”
Nina’s expression hardened.
Adrian gave a small, bitter smile.
“Right. That won’t work.”
He nodded.
Nina followed closely behind him, but the servant said nothing.
As they walked deeper inside, the castle grew brighter. It had been a long time since Nina had been in the Silver Lake Castle, so she found the paths confusing.
Her breath no longer turned to mist. By the time they entered the Duchess’s tea room, it was even a little warm.
The Duchess did not rise to greet them.
She wore black mourning clothes and a black pearl necklace. Her skin was pale, but her expression was gentle in contrast.
“I greet you, Madam.”
Adrian bowed politely, his black hair falling softly.
“Sit.”
Adrian sat. The Duchess personally poured tea.
Nina stepped forward as usual, intending to test the drink.
“It’s fine, Nina.”
Adrian stopped her gently, his voice soft as a song, and took the cup.
The Duchess spoke.
“I’ve been thinking these past few days… about us. Gerald was a very smart and beautiful child.”
Nina didn’t hear her words clearly.
Her eyes were fixed on Adrian’s cup.
This is it.
This is it. No doubt.
Even if it wasn’t, it didn’t matter.
Nothing goes into Adrian’s mouth unless it passes through me.
The moment Adrian lifted the cup, Nina snatched it from his hand.
Hot tea splashed onto her skin.
Without hesitation, she drank it all.
A strange, bitter scent filled her nose.
“Nina!!”
Adrian stood up in shock. His chair fell back with a crash.
In that instant, it felt like fire exploded inside her stomach and throat.
Nina quickly covered her mouth.
She could not stand.
Blood spilled through her fingers.
“Ah…”
It felt like her insides were melting.
She collapsed.
“Nina! Nina!”
Even a beast dragged to slaughter would not scream like Adrian did now.
“Cough… hck…”
She spat out blood mixed with chunks.
And then she thought, almost absurdly,
How did Adrian survive this?
Adrian held her as she collapsed, looking around.
The servants stood neatly in place, as if nothing had happened.
One of them calmly placed a fresh cup on the table. The Duchess poured tea again with a relaxed expression.
“Now, leave that rude guard aside and have another cup.”
Soldiers grabbed Adrian’s shoulders roughly, trying to force him down.
Adrian ground his teeth, holding Nina tighter.
Her breathing was weakening.
Fear and rage he had never felt before rose inside him.
He stood up violently.
At the same time, shadows rose from the floor.
The soldiers screamed.
Darkness beneath his feet took shape and faced the enemies.
The gentle smiling man was gone.
“Get lost.”
His voice was not threatening. It was mercy.
But none of them understood.
Instead, they drew their swords.
Raising a blade against the recognized heir was treason. But no one cared.
Not even Adrian thought about it anymore.
He ran.
“Darkness, tear my enemies apart.”
The spirit of darkness obeyed perfectly.
Screams filled the room.
Steel could not cut what could not be wounded. The darkness felt no emotion, no mercy.
Adrian ran through the hall, down the stairs, and into the stables.
He forced a horse free and rode at full speed.
Holding Nina in his arms, growing colder by the second, he pleaded.
“Don’t do this to me… please. Please, Nina.”
Nina wanted to see his face, but she could not open her eyes.
She could not move even a finger.
Fire and ice fought inside her body.
Everything was slowing down, turning cold.
Her spirit beasts, North Wind and Frost, struggled desperately to slow the poison.
As if sinking slowly beneath a glacier, Nina saw something.
A memory from another world.
The moment she had first remembered it.
