"How much do you know about the snow goblin's hideout?" Ethan asked, turning to Sean, the seasoned commander of the expedition units.
"We don't know, my lord," Sean answered truthfully, his voice steady despite the howling wind. "Snow goblins are cunning creatures.
They move in complete secrecy. Pinning down the exact location of their hideouts has always proven extremely difficult, especially with this constant blizzard that swallows visibility whole."
"Perhaps you didn't search deeply enough," Ethan replied calmly.
"Let's go. It's time to deal with the goblins once and for all," Ethan informed the group. He broke into a determined run, taking the lead through the deep snow.
"My lord. Your carriage is ready," Nicholas said worriedly, hurrying after him.
"Using a carriage while launching an attack? That would announce our presence long before we arrive," Ethan replied without slowing down.
"Just follow me. I might be slow, but we have time on our side." He continued pushing forward, his boots crunching through the thick blanket of snow.
"My lord, you can rest within the castle walls. We will carry out the expedition ourselves," Sean advised, matching Ethan's pace from behind.
He didn't want to say it out loud, but everyone was aware of the truth.
They all saw Ethan as dead weight. A fragile burden that would only complicate their dangerous mission.
"Sean," Ethan said firmly, "do you truly think I am the kind of lord who would hide behind castle walls while my men risk their lives? I am a Frost. We lead from the forefront. We do not cower in the rear."
He paused for a breath, the cold air stinging his lungs. "Besides, you don't even know where the hideout is located. But I do."
"My lord... You know where the hideout is?" one of the expedition team members blurted out, his voice thick with disbelief.
"You all must have heard the rumors," Ethan explained, his tone steady. "I have a frail body. Since my physical form fails me so often, my mind must not. Knowledge, when placed in the right hands, becomes true power."
He shrugged off his heavy robe coat, letting the biting chill of the blizzard strike his body directly.
The icy wind cut through his thin garments like invisible blades.
Nicholas stared after Ethan in silent confusion. He wondered if his young prince was simply finding new ways to court death in this frozen wasteland.
Yet, after all the time he had spent by Ethan's side, Nicholas knew better. Ethan was not someone who would give up so easily.
Ethan's actions seemed confusing and reckless to the others. But to Ethan himself, they made perfect sense.
The moment he had started walking through the harsh snow, a series of familiar notifications had begun flooding his vision.
[Congratulations! You continue to strain your body.]
[Your lower calf muscles have increased in strength.]
[The deep chill of the surrounding environment enters your body.]
[Your resistance to cold has increased.]
Ethan couldn't help but smile, a quiet spark of satisfaction warming him from within despite the freezing temperature.
Gaining rewards from suffering? He was more than willing to sign up for that.
After all, he had lived his entire life enduring daily pain and hardship without ever receiving so much as a single word of encouragement or a pat on the back.
Knowing he could gain real rewards from suffering filled Ethan with deep satisfaction.
A quiet warmth spread through his chest despite the freezing air around him.
Together, the group traveled for several long hours.
Their pace remained slow because of Ethan's frail condition.
Yet none of the men complained openly. Ethan continued to lead them with calm confidence, never once hesitating or showing doubt.
No one was more shocked by this than Sean.
The way Ethan guided them through the blinding snow and twisting paths made it clear he truly knew what he was doing.
It was hard for the commander to wrap his head around the sight.
Thinking back to Ethan's earlier claim about reading maps only confused Sean even more.
The official maps of the Crimson Castle's surrounding environment were never detailed enough for anyone to navigate with such precision.
Then again, Ethan was royalty. He likely had access to far more accurate and secret maps than any common soldier like Sean would ever see.
The next person surprised by Ethan's performance was Nicholas.
It was subtle at first, but from time to time, Nicholas noticed Ethan's pace increasing slightly.
The young prince seemed to be growing stronger with every step he took through the harsh snow.
The group pressed on steadily until Ethan suddenly raised his hand and gave the signal.
"Stop," Ethan said quietly. "Any further movement and we might be found out."
He pointed ahead through the swirling blizzard. "That cave over there is the hideout of the snow goblins."
"How do you know that?" John replied, clear lack of trust visible in his narrowed eyes. "It might just be any ordinary cave."
To the skeptical question, Ethan simply offered a small, knowing smile.
"You see those scratches on the rock above the entrance?" Ethan explained patiently.
"Those marks were made with crude tools. My bet is they belong to snow goblins. Secondly, the snow piled around the mouth of the cave is noticeably more elevated than anywhere else nearby. I suspect there are hidden traps buried beneath that fresh powder. Again, typical work of snow goblins."
His calm and detailed words cleared away the doubt lingering in everyone's minds.
"You. What's your name?" Ethan asked, turning to the doubtful man.
"I'm John," the soldier replied curtly.
"John, huh. Come with me," Ethan said. "We will scout the cave together. Gather more information and then return to inform the strike team."
"My lord, it's too dangerous," Sean quickly tried to dissuade him.
"I can handle the scouting myself."
A royal dying during an expedition would bring severe consequences.
If word got out, the punishment handed to every member of the expedition unit might be beyond severe.
Sure, Sean had already made up his mind to eliminate Ethan eventually, but that was supposed to happen after careful planning, not like this.
"It's alright. I will be fine," Ethan replied calmly. "Let's go." He began moving silently toward the cave entrance.
John nodded his head, barely able to contain the surge of dark joy rising inside him.
He had not expected to receive such a perfect opportunity without even trying.