Chapter 48: Heart of Snow 2
“Sorry….”
“Is that really all you have to say?” Snow’s voice was laced with annoyance as she raised one of her eyebrows at me.
“….”
Well… honestly, what more can I even say to her except for an apology?
The situation we were in right now was due to me trying to properly utilize the leveling system placed onto me.
Sure, I did forget about it midway, but still. It doesn’t change the fact that this entire awkward situation was caused by me. So, should I give her an apology she’d be satisfied with?
As someone who knows most, if not all, the things Snow likes, telling her a few things that would gain her interest would surely divert her attention from my rudeness of leaving her behind.
“Well, let’s just forget about it,” she suddenly said with a tired sigh. I guess not answering was also an option, huh?
Although she looked unsatisfied, she let go of the matter, probably not wanting to overcomplicate things.
Our relationship was already awkward enough; ‘straining it even more wouldn’t be beneficial.’
That’s probably what she’s thinking right now.
Considering her character, it only made sense. Even now, she’s probably making plans to make use of me in some way.
You really can’t be too complacent with an innocent-looking girl, huh?
But there was nothing I could do about it now. I had already garnered her attention way back when we met in the cafeteria.
Trying to avoid her attention would be impossible now.
Looking around, it was clear that Snow had done some serious damage to this area of the forest.
Almost everything was frozen down to its very core—from the ground to the trees and even the statuesque frozen monsters.
Did she use her Frost Domain, perhaps?
Frost Domain was a high-level ice magic spell capable of freezing everything within a 20-meter radius in an instant.
The fact that she had to use such a powerful spell only showed how much effort she put into this.
The sheer number of frozen monsters scattered around testified to the scale of her battle.
I glanced at Snow, who was now inspecting her handiwork with a critical eye.
She looked composed, but I could see the faint lines of fatigue on her face.
Her normally pristine attire was slightly rumpled, and there were traces of sweat on her forehead.
Despite her calm demeanor, she had clearly exerted herself significantly.
Walking closer to her as she continued to sit still on her throne made of ice, I noticed the slight trembles in her hands and the faint red blush on her cheeks and ears.
Combined with the restrained breaths she was trying to hide; I could tell that the amount of mana she used was probably more than usual.
Did the monsters really push her to her limits?
My eyes then darted to the frozen statue behind her.
The bear-like monster looked familiar.
Upon closer inspection, I realized what it was.
“Inferno Bear?” I couldn’t help but mumble softly as I stared at the gigantic frozen monster behind her, towering over 30 meters in height.
It was supposed to be a huge boss monster capable of spewing out mid to high-level fire magic.
Although it was just a B-rank boss, it was still impressive that she managed to defeat it in one go, especially with other monsters around her.
Snow glanced at the frozen beast and then back at me, her expression a mix of pride and fatigue. “Yes, it’s an Inferno Bear. Quite a troublesome one, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.”
“You worked hard” I said, offering a sincere compliment.
Despite her seemingly arrogant, calculating demeanor, Snow was probably one of the few Heroines who truly understood what hard work meant.
She hadn’t grown this strong purely by relying on her talents alone.
“This is nothing…” she retorted, trying to mask her ongoing pain.
But I could tell she was slightly pleased with the compliment.
Even though she didn’t need to look strong right now, as we were the only ones here, considering her past, opening up and being vulnerable in front of a technical stranger wasn’t something she could easily do.
Respecting her wishes, I didn’t ponder too much about it and instead focused on the things that were bound to happen in this exam.
With one boss down on the list of bosses I had to take down, and Lucas probably already defeating the boss he would surely encounter with Janica, the number of available bosses was now down to three.
[Tempest Wolf]
[Acid Viper]
[Bandit Tortoise]
Two A-ranks and one B-rank.
Things seemed to be going well. At this rate, my plans for farming this scenario were bound to end successfully—at least, until something unexpected happens that is.
I had already cleared most of the instant dungeons and the monster hordes in this area of the forest, so tomorrow I should venture deeper into the forest.
While doing so, I would try to find the Bandit Tortoise, as I had already prepared for its weakness beforehand.
Whether I would split up with Snow tomorrow would be decided based on the situation, but for now, we needed to set up camp.
The sun was nearly gone, and nocturnal monsters were bound to get more active by nightfall.
Setting up a boundary during times like this was a must.
“Let’s set up camp for the night,” I suggested, looking around for a suitable spot.
Snow nodded at my words and got up from her throne. The throne quickly dissipated into a white, cold mist as she stood upright, trying to maintain her balance.
“Ah!”
The moment she stepped forward, a cute yelp escaped her lips as she quickly tried to cover her mouth. Pain etched across her face as she fell, but before she hit the ground, I caught her.
“Are you alright?”
“I-I’m fine!” she said, slightly embarrassed. Seeing how serious her discomfort was, I realized just how badly everything must’ve gone for her.
In the original game, when she failed to get Lucas as her partner, her partner became Kagami, one of the few tank-supporting characters.
Together, they would clear through the monsters and beasts that came their way, ranking in the top two or three depending on where the player stood in the rankings.
But this time, she had neither Lucas nor Kagami.
She only had me. And I even left her to do her own thing.
I had been overly reliant on my knowledge of her character in the game and completely forgot there would be nuances in their strengths.
As powerful as she was, without a tank she was nothing more than a glass cannon.
‘I’m quite shitty, aren’t I?’ I thought to myself, feeling the weight of my guilt. Now, I felt extremely bad.
Gently helping her to sit down, I could see the exhaustion in her eyes. She tried to maintain her composure, but it was clear she was at her limit.
Yet, despite her obvious fatigue, she acted stubbornly and immediately tried to get back up.
Regaining her position, she attempted to move away from me, but I kept her in place, my hands locked onto her shoulders.
‘This won’t do’
“What?” she questioned, locking eyes with me.
Ignoring her words, I gently lifted her up in a princess carry. “Excuse me, princess,” I said.
She tried to resist, but she could do nothing about it.
The difference in our strength stats was just that vast.
The way she tried to push me away was honestly cute, as it felt like a little baby trying to push me as hard as they could.
“W-what are you doing, you imbecile? I’m a princess, you know. Touching me without permission is—”
“Necessary right now,” I interrupted. “You’re exhausted, and you need rest.”
Her struggles ceased as she realized the futility of resisting. Her cheeks were flushed, whether from embarrassment or exhaustion, I couldn’t tell. But I continued to carry her gently, making my way to a spot where we could set up camp.
“I can walk on my own,” she muttered, her voice lacking its usual confidence.
“Maybe, but you don’t have to” I replied, setting her down carefully on a soft patch of grass.
‘Don’t worry my dear princess I’ll take care of you for the time being.’
…..
‘Shameful, embarrassing, pathetic.’
Those were the words that echoed in Snow’s mind.
She had tried her best to mask the pain she was feeling, yet he saw right through it.
‘How humiliating….’
Snow’s cheeks flushed red as she recalled what happened a little earlier.
The firm yet gentle hands that had carried her like she was the most delicate baby, the face etched with concern for her despite not knowing each other well, and the subtle smile he gave when he complimented her… all of it felt surreal and new to Snow.
“Snow, always remember, you are the star that will soon become the sun of the empire.”
“Yes, your majesty….”
As someone who had lived her whole life being looked up to by others, it was the first time she felt this ongoing turmoil inside her—a feeling she couldn’t describe.
It was foreign and she didn’t like it one bit.
But despite all that, it felt strangely relaxing.
This was the first time someone had shown genuine concern for her, something she had never experienced in her sixteen years of living.
She had always been taught to be strong, to never show weakness, to be the shining example for others to follow.
But in that moment, when she was carried so effortlessly, she felt a sense of vulnerability that was both frightening and comforting.
Snow’s thoughts drifted back to the training she had endured, the countless hours of honing her magical skills, and the constant pressure to be perfect.
She was always expected to excel, to be the best.
There was no room for error, no space for weakness.
And yet, here she was, feeling a mix of embarrassment and relief because someone had seen past her façade and offered genuine help.
She glanced at him, sitting by the fire, keeping watch.
His face was calm, focused, and he seemed to be deep in thought.
She wondered what he was thinking about.
Did he see her as weak? Or did he understand the weight she carried, the expectations that came with being who she was?
“Snow?” his voice broke her thoughts.
She looked up, meeting his eyes.
There was no judgment there, only concern and a hint of something else she couldn’t quite place.
“Yes?”
“Are you feeling any better?”
Snow nodded slowly. “Yes, a bit. Thank you.”
“That’s good.”
As he continued along the fire, cooking what seemed to be an exotic type of meat alongside a variety of fruits and vegetables, Snow couldn’t help but wonder how she could make him hers.
Her father wished for her to secure alliances with those who represented the sun and moon by any means necessary.
“They say loyalty can only be earned by those who are truly genuine, something that I, who has lived my whole life taking advantage of people, can’t do,” Snow thought to herself.
Trying to impress him wouldn’t work.
He was leagues above her in strength, and there was also a chance that he was, in fact, a hidden master.
A confrontational approach probably wouldn’t work either.
Even if she genuinely pleaded for him to work for her, even if she told him her whole story… would he believe her? Would he even care?
Snow didn’t know, and she was too scared to even ask.
Her annoyance grew as she realized just how complicated and troublesome of a man Riley really was.
He was like the wind, always roaming free and something she couldn’t quite get ahold of.
Compared to the gullible Lucas who held his sense of duty and honor as a knight Riley had none of it.
“Will offering something be the only choice then?” she wondered, feeling a sense of frustration and helplessness wash over her.
Despite her efforts to appear composed and confident, deep down, she was uncertain about how to proceed.
But one thing was clear: she needed to find a way to make him see her as more than just a princess, to make him see her as an equal, as someone worth fighting for.
And if that meant offering something of value in return for his loyalty, then so be it.
…..
As night fell and they finished their meal, Snow made up her mind.
She crafted a small ice igloo, just big enough for two people.
‘It was now time for be’ she thought, and Snow intended to seize the opportunity.
She glanced at Riley, who was rising from the rock he had been perched on.
He appeared weary and drowsy, having shouldered most of the day’s tasks.
He had set up the majority of the barrier fields and alarm devices around them, as well as handling the cooking.
Essentially, he had become her personal chef, butler, and even knight during this time.
Wouldn’t a reward be appropriate?
Throughout the day, Snow had attempted to engage him in conversation, hoping to improve their relationship.
However, each time she initiated a discussion, he would typically respond with a simple yes or no, leading most conversations to fizzle out after just a few sentences.
Snow sensed he was doing this deliberately, and that needed to end now.
“Riley…”
“Yes?” Riley replied, turning to face her.
“I can’t get up. Will you help me?” Snow requested, nodding toward the igloo she had constructed.
If politeness wasn’t getting through to him, perhaps a more assertive approach would do the trick.
Snow smiled mischievously as she looked at the absurd look Riley was giving her.
