That morning, the sun rose brilliantly over Iron Hearth. The sky was a clear, cloudless blue—a rare sight for the northern territories usually shrouded in mist. Yet, the chill remained biting. White plumes of breath escaped the mouths of everyone venturing outside, and the asphalt streets glistened with a layer of frost that had yet to melt.
Inside the Castle of Iron Hearth, the atmosphere was a stark departure from the usual.
The main courtyard was already adorned with Snow Chrysanthemums—hundreds of stalks meticulously arranged along the corridors, forming arches at the hall entrance and gracing every window. White and blue banners fluttered atop the stone battlements. The crystal lamps, usually dimmed, had been replaced with brighter ones, making the entire castle feel warm despite the sub-zero temperatures outside.
