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Chapter 5
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THE small cabin was so narrow that the living room and kitchen were practically one space, separated only by a curtain. Just a few steps further and it would lead to the kitchen. At this time, Daisy would surely be making something in the kitchen. Pudding perked up her ears and could hear the bustling sounds coming from the kitchen.

Sure enough, the savory aroma of the stew Daisy was making began to fill the entire house.

Sniff, sniff.

Pudding’s small nose twitched. It was meat, unmistakably meat. The fragrant, savory, and delightful scent overwhelmed her, making her feel as if she was losing her senses.

“Woof! (I can’t resist the smell of meat!)”

Her stomach growled loudly. Pudding, unable to contain herself, lifted her small body and wagged her adorable white tail. She had a rich brown fur, but her belly, mouth area, and paws were white as if they were dusted with flour.

Pudding stuck her head under the curtain that separated the living room from the kitchen. Just then, Daisy, who had finished cooking, was tasting the stew with a ladle.

“Mmm, it’s perfect.”

She murmured as she turned her head. Daisy’s acting skills were also impeccable. Both Theo and Pudding were completely fooled. If she had been a lady-in-waiting serving Theo’s mother, the consort, Daisy would have been a noblewoman as well.

‘Sister Daisy, it would have been nice if you had told me in advance that Theo is a prince. I was really surprised.’

But she would have surely been instructed not to utter a word about it. It was to protect Theo from the Empress.

“Oh, Pudding, were you hungry?”

“Woof!”

Daisy, who had come closer unnoticed, poured the stew into Pudding’s bowl and said, “Eat well, Pudding.”

Pudding perked up her head. In that moment, Daisy looked like a savior, and she eagerly pressed her head into the bowl and started slurping up the stew.

‘All right, let’s fill my stomach first and then make a new plan.’

Swallowing the stew, Pudding couldn’t help but feel drowsy. She sat on the wooden floor beneath the dining table and tried to wipe away the sleepiness with her front paws, but her vision remained blurry, and she couldn’t regain her focus.

With a sudden thud, her head drooped down, and her body nearly collapsed. But then, a gentle touch brushed against her fur, and she lifted her head to see lips that were puckered like a duck.

Come to think of it, Theo hadn’t eaten yet.

“Pudding, while I was calling you, you pretended not to hear and fell asleep after eating?”

“….”

Pudding turned her head away.

“I wish you could at least tell me why you’re sulking. It’s frustrating. I… I like you.”

Theo’s expression, which seemed as if he could burst into tears at any moment, made Pudding’s black eyes moist as well.

‘This fool. I also enjoy playing with you… Ah, whatever. I don’t know.’

Pudding approached him, wagging her tail and placing her front paws on his leg.

“Woof!”

It was a sign of reconciliation.

With her fluffy caramel fur, she looked so tiny and adorable that it brought a smile to his face. Seeing Pudding’s black eyes, like blackberries, her round nose, and her smooth pink jelly-like paw pads… Theo wanted to bite them all.

Theo happily pulled Pudding into a tight hug, and Pudding lightly licked his finger.

‘Until I can run away, I can’t ignore him. Well, there’s still about two years left, so just a little longer. Just a little longer by his side should be fine.’

Pudding decided to enjoy a little more happiness.

“Pudding, shall we go outside?”

“Woof! (Okay!)”

The area outside the cabin always had a lush forest with a grassy field, perfect for running and playing. Although her short legs and small body had their limits when exploring the forest, Pudding often played with Theo, searching for squirrels and rolling a ball made of straw, before finally getting tired and curling up in Theo’s arms.

The sun happened to be shining brightly, and when Pudding looked directly at it, Theo covered her eyes with his hand.

“Pudding, you can see that properly? Isn’t it too bright for your eyes?”

“Woof! (It’s not blinding!)”

With that said, Pudding found a more comfortable spot, settled down on a smooth rock, and basked in the sunlight. Once again, drowsiness washed over her, and a golden light shimmered on her small body.

“Hey, what was that light just now?”

Theo looked at Pudding, who had already fallen asleep with her nose twitching. Lately, Pudding would often sleep outside.

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AT that time, Pudding had a very peculiar dream. This dream felt different from her usual ones. Even though she was aware that she was dreaming, she couldn’t see her own self.

Whoosh.

She saw a blue castle surrounded by sharp ice spires, reminiscent of freezing snowstorm. In that place, there were silver lions with shining manes living inside.

Then, a man carrying a basket managed to escape the watchful eyes of the lions and hurriedly fled from the castle. The man, who kept running, took a teleportation portal with a baby in his arms and traveled to a distant location.

Instead of snowstorm, he travelled to a warm place where gentle breezes blew. The climate was pleasant, and humans interacted actively. It seemed like a place where the baby could survive no matter where the baby was placed.

After all, it was a life-or-death situation, and as long as he could quickly move the baby, everything would be over. After that, the fate of the baby would be determined. It was a cruel fate, but it was better than dying.

‘When a child born under the sun appears, you must kill them.’

He didn’t know the reason behind it. It was an order from his master, but he couldn’t bring himself to kill the baby, so he decided to send it to a distant land. In the basket held by the man, there was a tiny newborn puppy sleeping soundly.

“You reminded me of my son, so I can’t kill you, nor can I keep you. I’ll leave you here. Make sure you survive.”

It seemed like he had a young child, as he left those words before disappearing. It hadn’t even been 30 minutes since the baby was left in the marketplace that a dog seller passing by quickly picked it up.

Pudding blinked her eyes and woke up from her sleep.

She found out how she ended up being sold in the marketplace, but there were still many questions swirling in her mind.

‘Did my parents order someone to abandon me? In my past life, I died without knowing my parents’ faces… I want to know who they are.’

Come to think of it, that wicked mage, Aquinas, had called her the ‘Child of the Sun’ before.

She didn’t know what it meant, but now, with her heart in his hands, she realized that it might be related to her.

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NORTHERN of Armas Continent, Silvercliff.

Whoosh.

A fierce snowstorm raged deep in the mountains. A winter had lasted for years, wearing people down with its cold. It was a time when everyone was exhausted. Silver Cliff was the Crovache Territory where clans who were known for their resilience to the cold gathered. But this winter was particularly difficult to endure.

The troops never stopped their patrols. Led by the Duke mounted on a black horse, no one dared to suggest going back. As they exchanged glances, the Duke’s frustrated aide spoke cautiously.

“Your Excellency, even though we’ve thoroughly searched the Lions’ Territory for over three years, we couldn’t find her…”

The Duke’s expression turned cold, and a chilling atmosphere spread around him.

“So, do you want to tell me that my lost daughter is dead?”

Whoosh.

An icy aura swept to their surroundings, making everything even colder. Including his aide, Jerus, everyone tensed up. Indeed, their lord was someone to be feared.

The strongest in the North.

The ruler of Silver Cliff.

The Snowfield Warlord.

The Lion King of Hell.

He was more accustomed to being called by such nicknames, a living legend who had built the Crovache family into an unstoppable force within the Cantium Empire, where humans, werebeasts, and demons coexisted.

With his intimidating presence alone, he could make his opponents tremble, and his mysterious violet eyes that were cold and solemn had become tired of the white world. He had subdued the giants and monsters beyond the snowy mountains, and now that the climate had become warmer in other regions, nearby families were also wary of the Crovache.

Khalid von Crovache.

Even in the Cantium Empire, a place where humans, beasts, and demons coexist, he was considered the strongest head in generations, and his bad mood could make Silver Cliff even colder, as the saying goes. He possessed absolute power.