🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 19
No one else could pull off such an outrageous feat—crossing the continent using a mana-constructed bird.
With it, Winter contacted the Zenima Trading Company in the capital and sent letters and gifts for Medilliane.
Yet, for some reason, Medilliane hadn’t sent a single reply.
Perhaps she had been too ill and heartbroken while bedridden.
Or maybe it was just her flawed personality showing itself toward Winter as well.
Winter tried to soothe herself, refusing to be disheartened.
“Grow up well… really grow up, and I’ll come see you, Miss. Got it?”
As a child, she had been a kind girl. Thinking too much about her now only brought Winter to the verge of tears.
“Did she really grow up well?”
She imagined Medilliane around this age in the original story. A faint smile appeared on Winter’s lips as she pictured her fully grown.
“Really, you’re saying you’re not in a relationship?”
Riat muttered, half teasing, half exasperated, at Winter’s unusually relaxed and cheerful expression.
Winter, however, quickly straightened up and spoke clearly.
“I’m not in a relationship. She’s just someone I support. By the way, why are you grumbling so much today?”
“Me? Grumbling? I’m always a loyal sunflower, devoted to you alone, Danju. It’s because you don’t care about anyone but your lover, right?”
Winter laughed at the rapid-fire complaint. Though Riat was half-serious, she assumed it was all a joke.
“Don’t worry too much. You’ll meet her soon enough.”
Not just meet her—Winter planned to hand all of Calista over to Medilliane.
Medilliane would need information, as well as a shadow to handle the dirty work behind the scenes, to become emperor.
Even if Winter herself died, she and the people of Zenima Trading Company would remain Medilliane’s strong support.
“Do you really think she can achieve what we want?”
Riat’s joking expression vanished as he asked seriously.
Beastfolk were rare across the continent. Humans either revered or rejected those who looked different. Sadly, beastfolk had a long history of discrimination.
Riat herself had been cornered on this small island, forced to live in isolation.
“We’ll make it happen.”
In the original story, Medilliane had several beastfolk subordinates. To oppose the first prince, whose base was the nobles, she needed completely opposite factions.
But this time, Winter intended to bring not just noble forces, but also opposing factions to Medilliane.
That way, no one would dare betray her, and she would never fight for the throne alone.
“Double the personnel stationed in the capital,” Winter said after reviewing the documents. Riat raised an eyebrow.
“That many?”
“Yes. There will probably be more than a few factions to watch.”
“Understood. But it’ll take some time.”
“That’s fine. Take your time.”
Winter nodded, stood up, and followed by Riat.
“Where are you going?”
“To buy gifts.”
“You’re buying one for me too, right, honey?”
“Buy your own,” Winter replied lightly, brushing off Riat’s joke.
“Want me to come with you?”
Riat chuckled slyly, but Winter shook her head.
“No, I’ll go alone. Take care of the guild while I’m gone. Contact me if anything happens.”
With that simple farewell, Winter left the Calista headquarters and quickly blended into the crowd.
She had to move fast to buy everything on time. Her hands were laden with heavy packages as she scoured the market.
She had chosen all sorts of specialty goods and unique decorations for the people of the dukedom she hadn’t seen in eight years.
“…Hmph.”
Winter’s eyes turned cold for a moment as she purchased a pristine white dagger that had caught her eye.
The street was crowded, yet she sensed someone following her. She smiled subtly and continued walking.
Soon, she reached a narrow, dead-end alley. Being familiar with Manutra Island, she hadn’t arrived here by accident.
“Hey, little lady. Stop and talk with us for a moment, yeah?”
Why did trouble always show up wherever she went? She had thought she’d cleared Manutra Island since becoming Calista’s guild leader.
A group of five or six men blocked the entrance to the alley, laughing.
“This hasn’t happened in a while,” Winter muttered, carefully setting her packages aside.
Her golden eyes gleamed intensely.
“Have you not heard the rumor to beware of black-haired women in Manutra?”
“What? Hahaha! You mean… we should beware of you?”
They laughed, unaware that Winter had deliberately lured them here.
But their laughter abruptly stopped as they slowly closed in on her, thinking of the rich packages and full purse she carried.
Though outnumbered, Winter showed no fear. Calmly, she began unbuttoning her shirt sleeves.
“Anyone foolish enough to attack me might lose a wrist…”
Then, a man appeared silently at the end of the alley. Winter froze, her eyes widening.
He had blonde hair, a muscular yet balanced build, and a golden gaze under a rabbit mask that reflected the light.
“…Wow.”
The tension radiating from him was different from the street thugs—they felt like a spear poised to pierce her at any second.
Could he be part of the gang?
“Hey, you there! Don’t interfere and leave quietly!”
A thug barked at him, but he didn’t move. The rest turned their attention to him.
“Look at this guy…”
“Your ridiculous mask…” Snap! The thug who reached for him had his wrist grabbed and twisted behind him by the rabbit-masked man.
Silence fell. The sound of cracking bones echoed.
The remaining thugs paled, and one thug collapsed unconscious, frothing at the mouth.
“Monster… it’s a monster!”
The others fled in panic.
The rabbit-masked man didn’t pursue them, only keeping his gaze fixed on Winter.
“Oh… haha.”
Winter smiled awkwardly. She hesitated, unsure if she should fight him, but something about his presence didn’t feel hostile.
It was as if she were facing a tamed beast, submissive only to her.
Winter drew the dagger from her waist.
“Here. Consider it a token of thanks.”
It was the dagger she had spent 800,000 Jenin on—but life was more important.
“….”
The man silently accepted the dagger.
Winter had been debating whether to attack him or flee, but he accepted her gift without conflict.
“Thanks. I’ll use it well.”
Even his brief reply, a low, calm voice, sent shivers down her spine.
“Haha, well, I’ll be off then.”
Winter quickly passed him and left the alley.
After walking a while, she suddenly stopped.
“Oh, my gifts…!”
In her haste, she had left all the packages she had bought for the dukedom in that alley.
Winter groaned, realizing she had forgotten them.
“By now, that rabbit-masked guy is probably gone too…”
“Uh… here.”
“Eh? …Huh!”
Winter flinched as the rabbit-masked man suddenly appeared behind her, holding all the packages she had left behind.
“Did he come back just to return them?”
Winter realized she had misjudged him. He had never tried to harm her—in fact, he had helped.
Her fear lessened slightly, and she began to think he might actually be a kind person.
