The northernmost edge of the continent was a land abandoned by warmth.

An endless snowy field stretched beneath a sky of dull gray, surrounded by towering frozen mountains that formed a natural valley of ice and silence.

The wind howled endlessly, carrying sharp shards of frost that cut into exposed skin like knives.

At the very center of this frozen basin lay a field of deep blue ice crystals, jagged and uneven, as though the land itself had been shattered and refrozen countless times.

And standing there—

A massive portal.

It shimmered with a dark blue haze, its surface warping like liquid glass. Lightning and raw electricity danced around its frame, striking the frozen ground again and again with violent cracks that echoed throughout the valley.

From within the portal, monsters poured endlessly.

Creatures of ice and frost crawled out in grotesque forms—some massive, some twisted, some barely resembling anything living.

Their roars blended with the storm, creating a constant noise that made the place feel alive… and hostile.

Among them were humans.

Bloodied. Shackled. Dragged forward in chains.

Some were already dead, their bodies pulled along the ice without care.

Others were barely conscious, eyes dull, breaths shallow, their wills already broken.

Each step forward was forced, their resistance long since crushed.

Leading them was a towering frost troll, its breath steaming heavily in the air.

To their right marched an army of ice-born monsters—beings of unknown origin, their shapes constantly shifting as frost crawled over their bodies. From behind, something far worse followed.

A gigantic frost bear.

Its size rivaled that of a small mountain, each step shaking the frozen ground beneath it.

Its glowing eyes never left the chained humans, as though waiting for the moment it would be allowed to feast.

One glance at this place was enough to understand the truth.

There was no escape.

Deep within the portal—

Far beyond the reach of the storm and screams—

A being of pure crystalline beauty slowly opened her eyes.

They were a deep, cold blue, clear and sharp like polished ice.

Unlike the monsters she ruled over, she looked almost human.

Pale skin, flowing hair like frozen silk, and a presence so heavy it pressed down on reality itself.

The Frost Queen.

She rose slowly from her throne of crystal, her gaze lifting upward as though peering beyond the portal… beyond the world itself.

Her lips curved faintly.

It seems… a worthy heir has finally arrived.

For the first time in what felt like eternity, the burden she had carried alone could finally be passed on.

The authority.

The crown.

And the fate bound to the frozen throne.

...

"I heard you two won your matches quite easily this time as well. Congratulations, you two."

Riley's voice was warm, sincere.

He smiled as he spoke, eyes moving between the two girls seated across from him.

"Fufu, thank you, Riley," Snow replied softly, returning the smile with her usual grace.

Seo nodded as well. "Yes… thank you."

On the surface, everything seemed normal. Casual. Almost peaceful.

Yet there was a subtle heaviness hanging between Snow and Seo, thin but unmistakable.

Riley felt it the moment he sat down with them.

They were eating lunch together in the academy park, seated beneath the shade of a tall tree whose leaves swayed gently in the afternoon breeze.

Birds chirped overhead, students passed by laughing, and the atmosphere around them was lively—but at their table, something felt restrained.

Snow and Seo sat side by side, close as always, yet there was a strange distance between them. Snow ate calmly, posture perfect, movements elegant.

Seo, on the other hand, barely touched her food, poking at it absently as if her thoughts were somewhere else entirely.

They had all decided to meet up before Rose's match later in the afternoon.

Originally, Alice was supposed to be here as well—she had already been with Riley earlier that morning—but plans had changed suddenly.

Riley couldn't help but recall what happened.

"P-Please just follow me quietly, Miss Alice… t-the principal is begging you…!"

Professor Amelia's desperate tone still echoed in his head.

Whatever the principal wanted, it had to be serious if Amelia was reduced to pleading like that.

Riley had a few guesses—none of them good—but he pushed those thoughts aside for now.

What mattered more was what sat right in front of him.

The three of them were sharing the food Yui had prepared that morning.

Lunchboxes weren't exactly common in the academy.

Most students preferred grabbing food from the commercial district—quick, easy, and good enough.

But Yui's cooking was different.

Riley took a bite and smiled without realizing it. Familiar. Warm. Comforting.

Snow ate with small, neat bites, clearly enjoying it.

Seo hesitated, then finally took a mouthful as well, though her expression didn't change much.

Riley glanced between them again.

Something had happened.

He didn't know what. But he could feel it—especially from Seo.

Her usual quiet calm felt… unsettled.

And Snow, despite smiling as always, carried a faint air of distance, like she was carefully keeping something hidden behind her eyes.

Riley rested his chin on his hand, watching them quietly.

What happened?

Of all the girls Riley knew, these two were the last he expected to feel awkward together.

Snow and Seo had always gotten along naturally.

They didn't need constant words or reassurance.

They understood each other without trying, moving at the same pace, respecting each other's space.

If anything, they were probably the closest when it came to quiet understanding.

And yet now…

Something was clearly off.

Snow sat straight as ever, her posture flawless, her movements graceful, but there was a faint stiffness to her actions.

Seo, on the other hand, was unusually quiet, poking at her food more than actually eating it, her gaze drifting anywhere but Snow.

The air between them felt heavy.

Not hostile.

Just… strained.

Riley tried to think back. Had they argued?

That didn't make sense.

Snow wasn't the type to lash out, and Seo wasn't someone who could stay angry even if she tried.

A fight—whether physical or emotional—felt impossible to imagine.

He considered letting it go.

They weren't children. Whatever happened, they'd probably talk it out on their own.

That was usually how things went.

But still…

As their man, as the one standing between all of them, Riley couldn't ignore it.

Small cracks, if left alone, had a habit of turning into something worse.

Better to deal with it now than regret it later.

They continued eating quietly, the sound of rustling leaves and distant chatter filling the gap no one wanted to touch.

Riley swallowed his bite, hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

"Uhm… by the way," he said casually, trying not to sound too serious. "Did something happen between you two?"

The moment the words left his mouth, everything stopped.

Snow froze mid-motion.

Seo's hand stiffened around her chopsticks.

For a few seconds, no one said anything.

Snow glanced at Seo.

Seo glanced at Snow.

Then, almost at the same time, they both looked away in opposite directions.

The silence that followed was painfully obvious.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Riley let out a quiet sigh in his head.

…Yeah. Something definitely happened.

It was obvious now.

Whatever had happened between the two of them wasn't something either Snow or Seo felt comfortable saying out loud—at least not to him.

Riley let out a quiet breath before speaking again, his voice calm but firm.

"I know misunderstandings happen. People clash sometimes, even if they're close," he said. "I don't know what exactly went on between you two, but… I'm here. So let me help you sort it out."

He knew he was being a bit too direct. He always was when it came to things like this.

Still, he had a feeling—if he didn't step in now, the distance between them would only grow.

And he was right.

The moment he finished speaking, both girls paused.

Their movements stopped almost at the same time.

Slowly, they looked at him… then at each other… then away again.

The silence stretched.

Then—

"Riley," Seo said quietly, her voice flat. "Snow is cruel. And evil."

The words landed heavier than anyone expected.

"What—?" Snow stiffened. "N-no, I'm not, I was just—"

"She told me to try and kill her."

"…Excuse me?"

Riley's eyes widened as he turned to Seo, then back to Snow, trying to process what he had just heard.

"N-no, that was just—" Snow stopped herself and let out a long sigh. "Alright. I did say that. And I did… kind of force Seo to do it."

"…."

Seo didn't say anything. She just looked at Snow.

Her expression was calm, but Riley could tell—she was angry.

Not loud, not explosive.

The quiet kind that sat deep.

"Snow," Riley said slowly, his voice dropping. "What exactly does Seo mean?"

At that moment, Snow froze.

Not metaphorically.

Her shoulders stiffened, her fingers tightened around her chopsticks, and for the first time since they sat down together… she didn't know what to say.

Because Riley was looking at her differently now.

His gaze had turned cold.

Not furious. Not shouting.

Just cold.

And that hurt far more.

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