Cold.
Not the biting, endless cold of that world-ending frost… but something quieter. Lingering. Crawling under Shoda's skin like a memory that refused to die.
His eyes snapped open.
The cavern of the Axis Mundi tree shimmered faintly, its blue glow pulsing like a heartbeat. For a moment, he didn't move. His chest rose unevenly. Breath caught halfway, like his body hadn't fully accepted he was alive again.
I… came back.
Slowly—very slowly—he turned his head.
Elmira lay beside him.
Her body trembled.
Not violently. Not dramatically. Just… small, uneven shakes. Like someone trying to hold themselves together in their sleep.
A faint sound escaped her lips.
"…no… don't…"
Shoda froze.
That sound—fragile, broken—hit harder than anything the dragon had done.
He pushed himself up, his limbs heavy, and crawled closer.
"Elmira…"
No response.
Her fingers curled weakly against the ground, as if grasping for something that wasn't there.
"…please… stop…"
Shoda's throat tightened.
He reached out—hesitated—then gently shook her shoulder.
"Elmira. Wake up."
Nothing.
A bit more force this time.
"Elmira!"
Her eyes snapped open.
For a split second, they were wrong.
Too wide. Too empty. Like something inside her hadn't fully returned.
Then—
She broke.
Her hands shot forward, clutching his shirt as if he might disappear.
"Shoda—!"
Her voice cracked.
She buried her face into him, shoulders shaking, breath uneven, words collapsing into sobs she couldn't control.
Shoda didn't speak.
He just held her.
One hand rested on the back of her head, fingers brushing through her hair slowly, carefully… like he was afraid she might shatter.
"It's okay… I'm here."
His voice was quiet. Softer than usual.
"Nothing's going to happen. You're safe."
She didn't respond with words.
Only tightened her grip.
Minutes passed.
Not rushed.
Not skipped.
Just the quiet sound of someone trying to stop crying… and failing.
Eventually, her breathing slowed. Not steady—but less broken.
Shoda exhaled slowly.
Then his gaze shifted.
Her pendant.
The place where Lucky should be.
Empty.
His chest tightened.
In an instant—
ice spread across a world
laughter turned hollow
a voice called him a disappointment
and everything froze—
Shoda flinched.
His grip tightened slightly around her before he forced himself to relax.
Don't trust everyone…
Even the loyalest… smartest…
His eyes lowered.
Something was wrong.
Not just out there.
Here too.
He stood up slowly, helping Elmira onto his back.
"Hold on."
She didn't argue.
Didn't tease.
Didn't smile.
Her arms wrapped around him quietly.
Weakly.
He stepped forward, carrying her out of the tree.
Light greeted them.
And silence.
Dozens—no, hundreds—of eyes.
Waiting.
Watching.
Hoping.
Shoda stopped.
His steps… slowed.
Then… stopped completely.
He didn't say anything.
He just looked at them.
And then—
He looked away.
A small movement.
But it said everything.
A ripple spread through the crowd.
Murmurs.
Fear.
Understanding.
"No…"
"She failed…?"
"That means—"
Shun stepped forward, confusion written across his face.
"Hey… what's going on? Why's he looking like that?"
No answer.
Just silence.
Then—
A sharp voice cut through it.
"Tch. This is a problem."
Hector.
Calm. Controlled. Observing.
"Lady Elmira has failed the trial."
The words landed like a blade.
The crowd broke.
Not loudly.
Not violently.
Just… quietly unraveling.
Some covered their mouths.
Some turned away.
Some sank to their knees.
Hope didn't shatter all at once.
It just… disappeared.
Gatling stepped forward.
Slow. Heavy steps.
His expression twisted—not with fear.
With anger.
"What the hell happened in there?"
Shoda didn't respond.
Didn't look at him.
Gatling's voice hardened.
"I thought you said she could do it."
Still nothing.
Then—
"…don't call her a devil."
Shoda's voice was low.
Barely above a whisper.
But it carried.
Gatling's eyes narrowed.
Then he laughed.
Mocking. Sharp.
"Oh? You still have the nerve to talk back to me?"
He stepped closer.
"After failing? After putting this entire kingdom at risk?"
Shoda's fists clenched.
But he didn't raise his head.
Didn't argue.
Didn't fight back.
Guilt pressed down on him—heavy, suffocating.
Behind them—
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Slow. Amused.
Torion Aruz.
He leaned lazily against the massive form of the Black Death, his blindfold fluttering slightly in the wind.
"Well… this is disappointing."
A smile crept across his face.
"Looks like your little hope just died."
The dragon stirred.
Molten eyes opened.
A low, rumbling growl rolled through the air, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
Panic rippled instantly through the crowd.
Shoda stepped forward.
"Wait."
His voice cracked.
He swallowed.
"Please… just give us more time."
Aruz tilted his head.
"Oh?"
"How much?"
Shoda hesitated.
"…four days."
A pause.
Then—
Aruz laughed.
Loud. Sharp. Unhinged.
"I like you."
He pushed himself off the dragon.
"I really do."
A slow grin spread across his face.
"But I'm a diligent man."
He raised three fingers.
"You get three."
The fingers folded back down.
"I'll be waiting at the gem field."
He turned, climbing onto the Black Death's back.
"Don't keep me waiting."
With a single beat of its wings, the dragon rose into the sky—storms gathering beneath it as it disappeared into the distance.
Silence returned.
Heavier this time.
Outside the barrier—
Valerius stood before it, eyes narrowed.
A massive dome of energy shimmered over Anruin, distorting the air around it.
"…this isn't normal."
One of his soldiers stepped forward.
"Captain, how do we get through?"
Valerius didn't answer immediately.
His gaze remained fixed.
Calculating.
"Barrier-breaking spells?"
A few nodded.
They tried.
One after another.
Magic collided with the barrier—
—and vanished.
Not resisted.
Not deflected.
Just… erased.
"…damn."
Silence.
Then one soldier spoke.
"There's one option."
Valerius looked at him.
"A single-entry displacement spell."
A pause.
"It'll only send one person through."
Valerius didn't hesitate.
"I'll go."
Back in the palace—
Tension filled the room.
Thick. Suffocating.
Gatling paced.
"What happened in there?"
Elmira stayed silent.
Her gaze lowered.
Hector stepped forward.
"More importantly… Shoda."
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"How were you able to enter the trial?"
Before Shoda could answer—
Gatling scoffed.
"Who knows? Maybe he's one of them too."
His voice dripped with disdain.
"You Nordovia people are all the same."
Shun's expression darkened instantly.
"Watch your mouth."
He stepped forward.
"You don't know anything about him."
Gatling turned sharply.
"And you do?"
The air grew tense.
Lysa stepped in.
"That's enough."
Her voice cut through both of them.
"Fighting won't solve anything."
She turned to Shoda.
"You entered the trial. That means we still have a chance."
A pause.
"…did you pass?"
Shoda looked away.
That was answer enough.
Lysa exhaled quietly.
"I see."
Silence.
Then—
A soft chime.
Hector glanced down at the telecom glass in his hand.
Something flickered across its surface.
His eyes… changed.
Just slightly.
"Shoda."
His tone was calm.
"May I speak with you? Privately."
The room was small.
Bare.
A bed. A table. A chair.
Nothing more.
The door closed behind them.
Silence.
Hector stood still for a moment.
Then turned.
Slowly.
"What is it you want?" Shoda asked.
No response.
Instead—
Hector raised the telecom glass.
"Look."
Shoda stepped closer.
His eyes focused.
Then—
Everything stopped.
Charlotte.
Running.
Tomas—
terrified—
A woman chasing them.
Smiling.
Enjoying it.
Destruction followed her every step.
Shoda's breath hitched.
"What… is this?"
Hector said nothing.
Shoda grabbed his collar—slammed him against the ground.
"What is she doing there?!"
His voice shook.
"What did you do?!"
Then—
Daenerys's words returned.
Don't trust everyone…
Shoda's grip tightened.
"…you."
Silence.
Then—
A soft chuckle.
"Correct."
Hector didn't struggle.
Didn't panic.
Just… looked at him.
Calm.
Composed.
"I started it."
Shoda's eyes widened.
"You brought Aruz here."
"Yes."
"You activated the barrier."
"Yes."
Each answer came easily.
Like he wasn't confessing—
but explaining.
"Why?!"
Hector's gaze didn't waver.
"To remove obstacles."
A pause.
"To power."
Shoda's grip trembled.
"You're insane."
"No."
Hector's voice remained steady.
"I'm precise."
He gently pushed Shoda's hand away and stood up, adjusting his clothes.
"Nordovia is irrelevant."
His tone didn't change.
"Anruin is inefficient."
Another step toward the door.
"I'll fix both."
Shoda stared at him.
Rage.
Confusion.
Fear.
All mixing together.
"What is she doing there?"
A small smile formed on Hector's face.
Not wide.
Not exaggerated.
Just… enough.
"Creating entertainment."
The door opened.
He stepped out.
And left.
Shoda didn't move.
His mind raced.
Aruz.
The dragon.
The barrier.
Elmira.
The trial.
Charlotte.
Tomas.
Everything crashed together.
Too much.
Too fast.
"…dammit…"
His breathing grew uneven.
Pacing.
Back and forth.
Thinking.
Failing.
Then—
He stopped.
"…Nordovia."
The simplest answer.
Not the safest.
Not the smartest.
But the fastest.
He turned.
Burst through the door—
ignored the voices calling after him—
and ran.
Straight for the stables.
A horse.
No hesitation.
No explanation.
He mounted it—
and rode.
Full speed.
Toward Nordovia.