Chapter 4. Snow

After the autumn banquet, Aria and Caelius found themselves in a period of aimless conflict. Aria wanted to uncover Caelius’s true self, but he had no intention of revealing it. The season had changed from fall to winter, and Aria was feeling tired.

Aria expressed her fatigue and contemplated being unnoticed. She claimed that people didn’t undergo significant changes. Aria leaned back on her bed, her thoughts lingering on the charming Caelius. Finally, she decided to accept the current state of affairs and let things stay as they were.

She saved as much money as possible because she saw no improvement in the circumstances. She believed that fleeing the country quickly would increase her chances of survival in the event of potential treason.

A sense of despair crept over Aria during this period. Suddenly, she noticed delicate snowflakes gently descending from the sky outside the window.

She exclaimed, ‘Oh, it’s snow!’

Aria leaped out of bed and opened the window. A snowflake landed in her palm and melted away. It marked the arrival of the tenth winter in this kingdom.

She wondered aloud, ‘What’s Caelius up to? He’s been unusually quiet lately.’

It had been three days since she last saw him. Aria sighed and got up from her seat. Despite her fatigue, she knew she had to cross paths with him.

‘I could use the first snowfall as an excuse to be friendly,’ she thought. ‘Maybe this act will eventually turn into real feelings.’

Aria left the room, and as she walked down the hallway, she suddenly stopped. The mansion felt different, lacking its usual liveliness, with fewer people around than usual. Although she knew it was unlikely, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

 Aria wondered aloud, ‘What’s happening?’ The few people moving around the mansion were all carrying shovels.

“Ah…!”

The realization struck her—they were shoveling snow.

After the fall banquet, a period of aimless time followed. Aria and Caelius were still in conflict. Aria wanted to reveal his true self, but Caelius had no intention of doing so.

Winter has arrived after the fall season. Aria is feeling tired and questioning the importance of being invisible.

She thinks to herself, ‘People don’t change.’ Aria looks out at the snow-covered landscape and the activities going on inside the mansion.

Aria applauded and looked out the window. She finally understood the activity around her. Everyone was shoveling snow to ensure it was cleared before it accumulated.

 Aria was surprised.

 She quickly dismissed the idea that the snow removal had anything to do with her. She felt confused but reassured herself that it was not related to her.

* * *

Upon arriving at Caelius’ room, they were greeted by his assistant, Goshen. Aria immediately recognized him from her previous readings as the only person who knew the true Caelius.

Aria sneered and used the title, ‘Mr. Assistant’ mockingly. Goshen’s expression became strange.

Aria innocently asked if her father was inside and if he could make a snowman with her, as it was snowing and her hair was disheveled.

“Princess, I’m sorry. His Majesty has given orders not to let anyone in today.”

However, Aria was unable to obtain the meeting with Caelius she had assumed she would be granted. which she

“Huh…? Why?”

“His Majesty is not feeling well today.”

‘A lie.’

Swordmasters infused with blade energy are even immune to common colds. Aria furrowed her brow as she considered this.

“Is Dad sick?”

“Yes. I think he should take it easy today.”

Aria asked Goshen what was wrong, but he showed no intention of sharing any details with her.

“It’s just a case of fatigue, princess, and I’m afraid he won’t be able to see you today.”

“Hmph.” Aria tossed it around, dismissively.

“Ah……!”

They’re shoveling snow!

She pouted deliberately, moistening her eyes and filling them with water. With a heavy heart, she pushed back the tears. She allowed a somber thought to aid in the effort.

“Alright, then I can play on my own. Just let Dad know we can have fun together once he’s feeling better.”

“Okay, okay.”

Aria left the mansion empty-handed. She observed as users actively cleared the snow. Afterward, she quietly made her way to the deserted back garden, which was still covered in a light layer of snow.

Although the surroundings were snowy, the cold wasn’t too strong. Aria’s footsteps created a satisfying crunching sound as she strolled. She squatted down and gathered the snow, shaping it into a solid circle.

“Let’s make a snowman.”

She pouted deliberately, moistening her eyes and filling them with water. With a heavy heart, she pushed back the tears. She allowed a somber thought to aid in the effort.

“Alright, then I will play on my own. Just let Dad know we can have fun together once he’s feeling better.”

“Okay, okay.”

Aria left the mansion empty-handed. She observed users actively engaged in clearing the snow as she wandered passively to the deserted back garden, which was still pristine with a thin layer of snow.

Although the surroundings were cold, the cold was manageable. Aria’s footsteps made a satisfying crunching sound as she walked. She squatted down and gathered the snow, forming it into a solid circle.

“Let’s make a snowman.”

Aria felt embarrassed as the man’s voice sounded familiar.

“I’ll make sure your snowman doesn’t melt,” he said calmly. He muttered something under his breath and cast an unknown spell on her perfectly-made snowman.

Aria recognized the intruder as Archduke Wittelsbach and asked, ‘Who are you and why are you here?’ She found it strange that someone so suspicious would be in that place.

The stranger finished his miraculous performance before Aria could finish her sentence. It was an incredible sight that left her surprised and momentarily lifeless.

Aria looked at where the man had disappeared. Then she turned her attention back to the snowman, which seemed untouched since she had first made it.

Three days later, the snowman still stood tall. Aria’s promise to preserve it seemed to have been fulfilled. It had not melted, despite the snow that had fallen during those days having melted away.

* * *

Aria beamed and gently pulled on Caelius’ arm, saying, ‘Dad, come this way.’ She was eager to reveal the snowman she had crafted now that the snowfall had ended and huffed and puffed as she led Caelius into the garden.

She seemed excited to show him something. Caelius smiled and followed her small hand.

The snow had disappeared completely, except for the snowman that Aria had made.

“Ta-da!”

Aria led him to an empty garden. She proudly revealed the snowman.

Caelius and Aria’s snowmen stood side by side in the garden. Aria anticipated Caelius’s response, which would likely be a forced smile and a thank-you. She smiled at the thought of his predictable reaction.

“When it snowed a few days ago, I made a snowman of you and me!” Aria joyfully exclaimed, sharing the details of her creative endeavor with Caelius.

“……”

“What do you think? It turned out great!” Aria said, jumping to her feet. Caelius’ reply, on the other hand, was unusual.

Normally, he would have praised his daughter with a pat on the back and some empty words. However, this time, there was no response.

When she looked at Caelius, she realized something was wrong.

“Dad?”

Caelius’ eyes flickered as he looked at the snowman. His normally smiling look had changed to an extremely cold one. Aria recognized Caelius’ true, unguarded expression the moment she spotted it.

Caelius remained still, his hands tightly clenched as if hiding something inside, his look fixed on the snowman with frightening intensity.

“What is going on? What a reaction!” Aria, caught aback by the unexpected reaction, looked up at him, unsure how to proceed.

“Dad, what’s wrong?” Caelius spoke after a prolonged silence, but his voice was too low to be heard. Aria grabbed the hem of his robe and called out to him once again.

“Daddy, Daddy…”

Caelius, on the other hand, would not even look in her direction.

He remained cold, his hands clenched, and his look unwavering. Aria had a feeling; she couldn’t put her finger on it, but she knew she had hit a nerve.

Caelius finally spoke, confirming her intuition. His voice was unusually husky, like a growl from a wild animal.

He said, “You’ve done nothing.”

His comments were accompanied by a terrifying bass undertone. Caelius immediately called out to Goshen, who quickly emerged from his hiding place.

“Take her.”

Caelius motioned with his chin, causing Goshen to quickly take up Aria.

“Princess, I think you should return to the mansion.”

“Dad is acting strange.” Aria expressed her concern, perplexed by the strange turn of events.

Terrified, she exclaimed. Aria turned her head to catch another glance at Caelius, who was staring at her from behind.

Caelius remained fixated on the snowman, his expression devoid of emotion.

“Oh, is something wrong with my dad? What’s wrong? What?” Goshen didn’t provide an answer.

“Princess.”

“Yeah.”

“Next time, don’t do this.”

Aria furrowed her brow, looking flustered. She asked, “What is this?”

The air was quiet. Goshen seemed to be contemplating something. When he finally spoke, he said, “Do not make eye contact with His Majesty.”

“Don’t look him in the eye,” Aria responded in a dumbfounded tone.

“Why?”

“His Majesty doesn’t like snow and winter. If you hadn’t been blonde and golden-eyed, you would have been slashed by His Highness’s sword and thrown on top of that snowman.”

Goshen stopped talking abruptly. Aria shook her head, not fully understanding his mysterious statement.

* * *

“Your Highness, are you all right?”

“I’m fine.”

Despite her reaction, Goshen, who had accompanied Aria to her room, could tell by Caelius’s expression that things were not going well.

“Someone must have put a spell on the snowman to keep it from melting.”

“I’ll look into it.”

“No, thanks,” Caelius interjected. “Because I think I know who it is.”

Caelius swallowed hard. “I’m guessing you wanted me to kill Aria in a fit of rage.” A sneer tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Not surprising for someone who wants Aria dead.”

The sound of his fingertips tapping on the desk echoed throughout the room. Aria’s life was saved by Caelius’s last shred of reason. He took a handful of tablets from the drawer, gulped them down, and stood up.

“I’ve got to get back to my daughter.”

“If you don’t mind.”

“I’m fine.”

Suddenly, his expression changed into that of his typical adoring father. Caelius brushed his brow against Aria’s and approached her chamber. He said things to her that he shouldn’t have, despite barely controlling his rage. This caused the carefully crafted mask of warmth to nearly unravel.

He knocked on the door, clicking his tongue. “Daughter, it’s Daddy.”

Aria has always been kind, so she may have been surprised and hurt when he called her useless for making a snowman. Caelius knocked again, hoping to calm her down.

“I need to talk to you. May I come in?”

After a long silence, Aria’s voice broke through the large oak doors.

“Come on in.”

He cautiously opened the door with permission. The door hissed open, revealing a thin and haggard Aria sitting on the bed. Caelius intended to apologize.

“I’m sorry.”

Aria, on the other hand, was faster. Though he expected her to shut herself in her room and cry herself to sleep if she were a little younger, she appeared remarkably steadfast.

“No, it’s okay; you don’t need to say sorry.”

Caelius was taken aback and narrowed his eyes in surprise, like a puppy watching its owner’s every action. He moved slowly toward Aria, then stooped to meet her eye level.

“Daughter.”

“Yes, Daddy”

Caelius gently squeezed Aria’s hand, sensing her vulnerability.

He apologized for his mistake, acknowledging the effort she put into building the snowman.

“No, no…… I just didn’t realize you didn’t like snow.” A sigh escaped her petite lips. Caelius looked up at her and cupped her cheek tenderly. The plumpness of her cheeks pleasantly tickled his hand.

“It’s not your fault, okay?”

She said, ‘I’m sorry, Dad,’ but if she was apologizing, it was because she feared a snowman would undo all her hard work.

Despite her fears, there wasn’t much of a connection between her and Caelius. He noticed her lack of enthusiasm, rolled his eyes, and appeared deep in thought.

“Do you want me to tell you why your dad hates snow?” Caelius suggested. Aria’s eyes widened at his words.

“You’re going to tell me why you hate snow…?”

For some reason, hearing this story felt like it would bring her one millimeter closer to him, so she nodded, and then he smiled.

Caelius paused, seemingly unsure of what to say. After a brief silence, he said it.

“I first went to war when I was 12 years old,” Caelius began. Aria’s eyes widened, as if hearing this for the first time, even if she didn’t know the details.

“It was my first war. To win the war against the North, one son from each family, noble or commoner, had to serve unconditionally.”

“……”

He questioned why only the nobles should sacrifice themselves for the country and why only their sons should be sent off to dangerous battlefields. Caelius expressed his concern about the nobility’s backlash. At the time, Caelius was twelve, and Azekrisis was six.

Aria swallowed hard.

It was not possible to send a six-year-old to war, so he had to go. However, it doesn’t mean that a father or mother can’t go to war themselves. Caelius laughed at the idea of an emperor and empress fighting. He had no choice but to participate in the war, even though he didn’t want to.”

Aria’s face tensed up, despite Caelius’s small smile. Hearing about a twelve-year-old boy being sent out to battle was not pleasant. Aria’s brow furrowed, even though she already knew some of the details.

Caelius continued.

“The northern part of the country, where we fought the war, was much colder and snowier than the capital. We walked ankle-deep in snow.”

He tightened his grip on her hand.

“I hate snow because of that.”

“…….”

“To me, a pure white field of snow is nothing but a battlefield. Red blood is always splattered on it. Princes who were talking to me in the ballroom just a few months ago have been stabbed with blades and left to lie in the snow. Their flesh hardens in the cold.”

There was a hint of madness in his dark eyes.

“Your eyes remind me of that.” Aria locked eyes with Caelius, dumbfounded.

She wondered if his words were true or false.

In the original story, it had been glossed over and ended with [Caelius participated in the war]. So she couldn’t tell if he was telling the truth or not just by looking at his expression, as if he were painstakingly pulling out his wounds.

One thing is for sure: this Caelius was a stranger. It was a far cry from his usual smirk and false laugh.

“I hate snow.” He smiled. His eyes narrowed slightly, and Aria bit her lip the moment she saw his crooked smile. It felt strange.

“Are sociopaths born or made? While psychopaths are believed to be born with their condition, sociopaths are thought to develop it over time. It’s interesting to consider what kind of person 12-year-old Caelius was when he was forced to go to war against his will.”

‘Was he the same sociopath who saw people as tools? Could he not be honest about his feelings?’Her mind raced.

After fighting many wars, he gained a reputation for brutality, when she thinks about it. Aria shook her head, thinking about how he was only twelve years old and in fifth grade in Korea.

Pity? Compassion?

A strange feeling bubbled up inside her. Her hands shook.

“My dad is…” Aria forced the words out.

“Weren’t you scared of…”

“Of what?”

“The war.” So many people must have died by his side. Aria couldn’t even imagine. Her voice quivered.

At her question, Caelius stared at her blankly. “Were you scared?”

More than 20 years had passed, and the memory had become hazy. He couldn’t recall the emotions of the day, but the image of the bodies piled on the snow and the scattered red blood was all he could think of.

Caelius squinted like an idiot.

“I don’t know. I don’t remember that.”

He stretched out his palm in a daze. When he thought about it, he couldn’t remember it; only the scars on his body bore the pain of that day like a medal.

Caelius did not choose the first war, but he chose to fight in the second, third, and fourth wars that followed.

He tilted his head and looked up at Aria. Her golden eyes, the same color as his own eyes once, looked at him with pity.

Caelius smiled with satisfaction as he read the emotion in her eyes. He inwardly mocked, ‘Who’s pitying whom?’ Caelius mocked inwardly. may or may not have been afraid of war in the past, but it hardly matters to him now.

The daughter in front of him began to feel sorry for him, just as he had planned. It was what he had hoped for all along.