Outside the window, snowflakes danced as icy winds howled; the Northern Territory had fully entered the coldest time of the year.

Snow and wind swirled around the high windows of the Red Tide Earth Tower, forming layers of white frost.

The streets were deserted, with only knights draped in crimson cloaks patrolling through the wind and snow, their fighting energy surging into a cold-defying red glow.

In the distance, a Fire-backed Turtle was held in place while sleeping, its shell's furnace spewing steam, struggling to carve out a pocket of warmth amidst the blizzard.

This was winter in the Northern Territory, colder than enemies, more ruthless than battlefields.

Yet inside Red Tide Castle's inner hall, the temperature was akin to spring.

Within the thick stone walls, geothermal pipes installed years ago were still operational.

The warmth flowed across the castle floor; insulating fabrics hung on the walls, and the grey-red furnace copper emitted a faint glow.

The teapot on the conference table exuded hot mist, the tea's aroma mixed with the subtle bitterness of frost leaf herbs.

In the center of the room, Louis was silently seated at the head position, draped in a regulation black cloak, with his elbows on the table, staring intently at a stack of densely packed reports, his brow furrowed.

Medical casualty statistics, frostbite conditions among refugees, hot soup station operating records, frost leaf herb inventory balance...

His expression was heavy, without a word spoken.

As he contemplated the medical report, a sudden quick patter of footsteps came from outside the door.

Emily entered swiftly, wrapped in a thick cloak, a rare uncontrollable smile on her face, and a rare glint of winter light in her eyes.

"Louis!" she said quickly while removing her gloves, "Good news! Just arrived, Lady Irina has given birth safely! I have a new brother!"

She stood in front of the table, white breath puffing out, eyes filled with joy.

Louis lifted his head, his gaze paused slightly, yet there wasn't much surprise.

Given Ailina's constitution and the scale of physicians at Frost Halberd City, a smooth delivery was only a matter of time.

But he didn't dampen Emily's mood.

"Is that so?" He smiled lightly and nodded, "Then you must congratulate your father."

After speaking, he set down the report in his hand, his tone softening, "Once winter is over, we can go visit them."

Emily's eyes filled with even more laughter, like a warm lamp lighting up a snowy night.

"I knew you'd say that." She sat next to him quickly, her eyes skimming over the dense files on the table, her smile receding slightly, "But looking at your expression... are you shouldering troubles again without telling me?"

Louis didn't immediately answer, merely picking up his teacup, blowing away the foam, and taking a sip of the slightly bitter warm tea.

"Just a little winter trouble." He replied softly, his tone calm.

Emily randomly picked up a folded paper from the table, quickly leafing through it, her fingers moving between paragraphs.

The warm look on her face quickly faded.

"... Frostbite patients have exceeded three thousand, varying severity; influenza is spreading, with four hundred thirty-two suspected pneumonia cases, sixty-two confirmed; death toll... yesterday's count was one hundred and seven."

She quietly closed the paper.

The cold wind outside brushed past, causing the windows to tremble slightly.

Emily didn't utter words of consolation like "It's already very good."

She, of course, knew that for the Northern Territory, these figures were almost miraculous.

In other territories, where resources were scarce, lords abandoned their posts, and subjects were left to fend for themselves, tens of thousands dying were often not even recorded.

She had seen firsthand in other places, refugees frozen to death by the roadside, their bodies unburied, piled in the snow, subject to the mercy of wind and rain.

But she knew better that Louis was not comparing himself to others.

What he cared about was never "doing better than others," but "why can't I save more people."

After a moment of silence, Emily moved by his side, gently closing the report, her voice soft yet firm: "Since it's a little trouble, we'll solve it together."

Louis turned to look at her, a layer of heaviness in his eyes seemed to lift slightly.

He didn't say thank you, nor did he exchange pleasantries, just nodded, a faint yet genuine smile appearing on his lips.

"Hmm." He responded.

He liked this about Emily, no nonsense, no pretense, no sweet talk, nor afraid to face the harshness of reality.

The two stood side by side in front of the conference table, facing the map and the lists, reorganizing a response directive for the winter crisis.

...

This winter arrived earlier, fiercer, and more unreasonable than in previous years.

Outside the Red Tide Territory, snow and wind cascaded from the sky like a raging tide, incessantly day and night.

In the refugee area outside the residential zone, the temperature had plummeted below minus twenty degrees, permafrost cracking into ice patterns, even horse hooves emitted crisp sounds upon impact.

Though no longer were there crude tents exposed, the communal half-underground shelters still appeared oppressive and heavy.

These were winter shelters hurriedly constructed by the craftsmen of the Red Tide Territory before the initial snowfall.

Built with compacted permafrost and stones to form sunken walls, roofs covered with charcoal ash and grass mats, ensuring a certain temperature.

They weren't cozy homes, but in this snow-devoured Northern Territory, they were already a miracle.

People relied on geothermal heat, sleeping pressed together, sharing blankets, exchanging body warmth and the hope to survive.

The interiors were crowded, often mixed with the scent of sweat, but it was better than freezing to death in the wind.

Yet even so, when the cold truly descended, all preparations seemed insignificant.

On the coldest few nights, temperatures plummeted to below minus twenty degrees, wind and snow seeped through the exhaust gaps, condensing frost and the cold penetrating to the bone.

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