As Indienee settled into the chair, Falkmar’s expression remained cold and severe. He leaned forward, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

“Now, tell me the real reason why you’re here, and who exactly that girl is,” he demanded, his tone edged with hostility.

Indienee held his gaze, her mind racing. I can’t let Azevaria know her true origin, she thought, or they might kill her. Desperately, she searched for an answer that would shield the girl’s secret without betraying her purpose.

Seeing Indienee’s troubled silence, Falkmar spoke again, his tone unwavering. “I know this girl is something more than ordinary—a human, or perhaps something else entirely. I initially thought the Snaegulvars were attacking her, but they were actually protecting her... from an angel.”

"So the presence I sensed earlier was an angel after all, Indienee realized, her thoughts racing. But what happened to it? Why did its presence suddenly vanish? "As she stood there, piecing the fragments together, she couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling growing in her chest.

Falkmar’s eyes bore into Indienee as he leaned forward, pressing her with a grim intensity. “If you refuse to explain why you're here, or who she truly is, I’ll take her back to Almany for a full examination.”

Indienee felt the weight of his threat but forced herself to stay calm. After a tense pause, she spoke. “Can I ask you something first?”

Falkmar's expression didn't soften. “Depends on what you want to know.”

“What happened to the angel that was here earlier?” she asked, her tone steady.

Falkmar paused, weighing his words carefully. “If I want her trust and the answers I need, I’ll have to be honest.”

"I killed it," he replied without hesitation, his gaze unwavering.

Indienee’s eyes widened in shock, her mind racing with questions. Since when had the Almany forces turned against the angels? Was Falkmar acting on his own motives, or was this a larger betrayal? The alliance between them had always seemed unshakable—until now. Doubts and fears flooded her thoughts as she tried to piece together the implications of what she had just learned.

As if sensing her thoughts, Falkmar’s gaze grew even colder. “I know you’re not entirely human yourself,” he added, his voice like steel. “Which is why I’m giving you a choice—answer my questions, or face the same fate.”

"Fine, since you told me about killing an angel, I’ll tell you who she is…” Indienee began, her voice steady but cautious.

“There was an ancient kingdom called Esmeria, where many races lived together in harmony—humans and those beings you call monsters,” she explained.

“The Queen who ruled Esmeria believed peace would last forever. But one day, Yahweh, the emperor of Azevaria, took it down, destroying the kingdom and killing the queen,” Indienee added, keeping her tone measured.

Falkmar’s eyes narrowed. “This was never recorded in any history book. What proof do you have that this isn’t just a fairytale?”

After a tense silence, as if on cue, a soldier burst into the tent, his face pale with worry. “Sir, the girl’s temperature is dropping rapidly, and it looks like it’s still falling. She’s in danger of dying!”

“What?!” Falkmar shot up from his chair, his face hardening. “We’ll put this discussion on hold.” Without another word, he strode toward the medical tent, Indienee following closely behind.

Inside the tent, a strange chill seemed to linger despite the warmth from numerous lamps and a blazing campfire, which soldiers had gathered around the girl’s cot in a desperate attempt to warm her.

“What’s going on here?” Falkmar demanded, his sharp gaze moving from one medic to the next.

“Sir, we don’t know!” one of the medics replied, worry evident in his voice. “Not long after you left, her temperature began to plummet. We’ve tried everything—more blankets, more heat—but it just keeps dropping!”

Falkmar approached the unconscious girl, laying a hand on her forehead, then her wrist. His brow furrowed. “She’s ice cold,” he said in shock. “How can anyone survive with a temperature like this?”

“Ah… she is the one I’m looking for—the girl cursed by the ice elementals, just like the rumors say,” Indienee murmured, unbothered by Kelda’s frigid temperature.

“If anything, this should be normal for her,” she added calmly.

“Explain,” Falkmar demanded, his eyes narrowing.

Just then, the girl stirred, her eyelids fluttering open. She slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes before taking in her surroundings. Realizing she’d been saved, she smiled brightly. “Ah, thank you for saving me! Oh, where are my manners—my name is Kelda,” she said, bowing with gratitude.

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The soldiers exchanged bewildered glances. Her cheerful demeanor seemed completely at odds with her icy skin and extreme cold. Someone suffering from such frigid conditions should be barely conscious, let alone this animated.

“Are you alright?” Falkmar asked, still wary.

“Huh? Yeah, I feel fine. My headache’s gone, and everything’s so much clearer now—like a fog’s been lifted from my mind,” Kelda replied with a lighthearted shrug.

Falkmar quickly grabbed her hand, placing his other hand on her forehead.

“Eh? W-w-what are you doing?!” Kelda stammered, flustered as she tried to push his hand away.

“You’re still ice cold, yet somehow full of energy. This isn’t natural,” Falkmar replied, his brows furrowing in confusion.

“Oh… I thought he was going to confess to me or something,” Kelda thought, cheeks warming with embarrassment. She managed a small laugh, brushing it off. “I’ve always been this way. It seems like some rare illness or condition, but none of the doctors who’ve treated me could ever explain why.”

“You must be the girl rumored to be cursed by the ice elementals,” Indienee said, her gaze steady.

Looking closer at Indienee, Kelda found herself unable to contain her thoughts. “Wow… cu—” She halted abruptly, almost calling her cute.

“Ah, yeah, somehow that nickname stuck. Some people even avoid me like the plague, fearing it might be contagious,” she chuckled, a hint of self-deprecation in her tone.

Indienee then pulled out a piece of ragged cloth and held it out to Kelda. “Do you know who this belonged to?” she asked.

Kelda examined the fabric closely. “It looks like it’s from the clothes Elder Barbartos wears,” she replied, a flicker of recognition lighting up her eyes.

“Did you find Elder Barbartos?!” Kelda asked, hope rising in her voice.

Indienee shook her head slightly, noting the disappointment that washed over Kelda’s face.

“So you were protecting her all this time, huh, uncle Barbartos? You did not die in vain,” Kelda murmured, clutching the ragged cloth tightly to her chest.

“She will be fine; don’t worry about it. Let’s continue our discussion back in your tent,” Indienee said, addressing Falkmar.

“Rest here first,” Falkmar commanded firmly.

“Umm… okay…” Kelda replied, her voice trailing off as if she wanted to ask something but hesitated midway.

Back in the commander's tent, Falkmar and Indienee resumed their conversation.

“Picking up where I left off,” Indienee began, her voice steady but weighted with the story’s gravity. “The Queen was one of the greatest magic users of her time, mastering every elemental magic. But each mastery took its toll, destabilizing her soul bit by bit. To share this overwhelming burden, she created elemental wolves, hoping they could carry part of the weight. Yet, even they couldn’t stop her decline. In her weakened state, Esmeria fell quickly. After Yahweh struck her down, the spirit wolves managed to gather the fragmented pieces of her soul and fled.”

After piecing together the story and Kelda's unusual coldness, Falkmar’s expression shifted as realization dawned on him. "So, you’re saying that girl is one of the Queen’s reincarnations, bearing the Ice Soul?"

Indienee nodded solemnly.

Falkmar's gaze grew sharper. "And you’re also suggesting she was the one who summoned that wall of hailstorm?"

Indienee shook her head. "No, that wasn't her. I believe the one who summoned it was the demon known as Barbartos."

Falkmar’s eyes widened in recognition. "Barbatos... That name appears in the Book of Goetia, among the highest-ranking demons. I thought the resemblance was just a coincidence..."

Indienee’s voice softened. "He disappeared after Esmeria fell. I never thought he’d reappear here, guarding the Queen’s reincarnation…"

"I've told you the girl's true identity," Indienee said, her tone steely. "I can’t let you take her back to Almany. I trust you'll keep this secret—her life or death depends on it."

Her gaze sharpened, muscles tensed as she readied herself, braced for whatever Falkmar’s answer might bring.

After a brief pause, Falkmar spoke “She would be safer with us, whether you believe it or not.”

“I can’t trust you with this, not when Almany is well known to be one of the most cruel and brutal kingdom.” Indienee said as she was about to get into combat stance.

Falkmar removed his glove, revealing a faded mark etched into the back of his hand.

“That’s…” Indienee’s eyes widened as recognition set in.

He glanced down at the mark, his expression unreadable. "As you might know, this is the mark of a slave," he explained, his tone measured. "Our current Führer, Irmina Reltisa, is unlike those before her."

Indienee listened in silence as he continued. "She abolished the slavery system, and because of her, even someone like me—a former slave—could rise to a position of command in the Almany Kingdom."

“It doesn’t change the fact that Almany is under Azevaria’s control,” Indienee retorted, her gaze steady.

Falkmar met her eyes. “From one half-demon to a demon, I promise no harm will come to Kelda. You can accompany us, and if you judge her safety to be at risk, I’ll allow you to do what you must—to even kill me if needed and take her away.”

Indienee studied him with wary respect. “You actually survived in Almany despite not being fully human... Fine. I’ll follow you and see just what you’re up to.”

After wrapping up their discussion, Indienee and Falkmar stepped out of the tent, only to find Kelda laughing and hugging Jack Frost as if he were an old friend.

“Sheeee feeeels sooo gooood!” Jack Frost cooed happily when he saw Indienee approach, nestling closer to Kelda.

“This snowman is so cute~!” Kelda giggled, giving him a playful squeeze.

The scene was surreal. Any ordinary human would have frozen within seconds from such close contact. But with Kelda’s unusually low body temperature, Jack Frost seemed perfectly at ease—drawn to her chill as if it were warmth to him.

“Jack Frost, I need you to head back to Frosthorn Mountain,” Indienee said firmly, her voice resolute.

Jack Frost slumped, his frosty shoulders sagging in disappointment. “Whaaat? Whyyyy?”

Indienee softened her tone, though her stance remained steady. “Where I’m going is far too dangerous,” she explained gently. “You’d be at serious risk if you followed.”

Jack Frost let out a long, disheartened sigh, his icy form drooping further. “Ooooh… buuut I waaanted tooo staaay wiiith yoooouu…”

Seeing his disappointment, Indienee knelt to his level, looking him in the eye as she placed a comforting hand on his frosty head. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly, her voice full of sincerity. “I promise, I’ll make it up to you when I return. Okay?”

Jack Frost’s pout deepened as he mumbled a disappointed, “Awwwww…” His frosty gaze dropped to the ground, clearly unhappy but making an effort to accept her decision.

Just then, Kelda stepped forward, her eyes filled with urgency. “I need help to save Mutti and Vatti—they’re trapped in ice!” she exclaimed, turning to Falkmar with pleading eyes.

Falkmar gave a slow, steady nod. “I saw the villagers, frozen in place. But unfortunately, I don’t have the proper equipment to free them just yet. For now, they’re stable, and we’ll work to find a way to release them safely.”

Kelda’s shoulders slumped, disappointment clouding her face.

“But I promise,” Falkmar continued, his tone firm, “we will find a way to help them. For that, I need you to come with me to Almany.”

Kelda looked up, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. “Why do you need me to go with you?” she asked softly. “I can take care of myself here, and I’m feeling much better.”

“Look,” Falkmar replied calmly, meeting her gaze. “Staying here won’t help your parents. If you come with me, we’ll have access to resources—and a better chance to find a way to save them.”

Kelda hesitated, glancing back at the frozen village before nodding in agreement, a glimmer of hope softening her expression.

With the soldiers packed and ready, the group began their journey back to Almany. Indienee trailed close behind, her eyes watchful, her thoughts steady yet focused on the challenges awaiting them along the uncertain path ahead.