We were now inside the castle, walking on our own legs. However, we were currently tied up and held pretty tightly by two Ice Elves, making it hard for us to try to escape. The grip they had on us was firm, their cold hands pressing into our skin, a constant reminder that freedom wasn’t an option just yet.
Obviously, I wasn’t planning on escaping, and if I really wanted to, I could probably get away without much difficulty.
But right now, that wasn’t my goal. I needed to convince the King of the Ice Elves—or whoever held power here—to help us find the Icy Lake. I had a strong feeling that Zero was after something incredibly specific from it, something that could make him even more dangerous if he succeeded.
It also meant that I needed to find him before he acquired this new power of his. After all, I had no idea how strong he truly was, and the thought of facing him at his peak was not exactly reassuring.
As we walked deeper into the grand hall, I took in the surroundings. There were rows of spectators in the stands on both my left and right. They were adorned in luxurious garments, each piece of fabric shimmering with a touch of elegance.
From a quick glance, it was clear that these elves belonged to a higher social status than the ones who had captured us. They were most likely nobles, and their eyes glittered with curiosity and judgment.
Standing at attention along the walls were guards, forming a path for us to follow. Each one stood as still as a statue, their icy blue armor catching the cold light filtering through the castle windows. They didn’t even glance in our direction, maintaining perfect discipline as they stared straight ahead.
But what truly captured my attention was the massive throne made entirely of ice at the far end of the hall. It was an impressive work of art, intricate carvings shimmering in the pale light, giving off an air of majesty and unyielding strength.
Sitting upon it was someone even more magnificent—a woman adorned with a crown made of ice, her long, luscious white hair cascading over her shoulders. Her piercing blue eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made me catch my breath.
She had an aura of absolute authority. There was no mistaking it: she was the Queen of the Ice Elves. As I scanned the area around her throne, I noticed the absence of any male figure at her side.
‘Is this kingdom matriarchal?’ I wondered silently. The thought lingered in the back of my mind as she appeared to be the sole ruler, waiting for us at the end of the hallway.
In silence, we continued forward until we were forced to kneel before the queen, a swift strike to the backs of our knees making Phoebe buckle. When the guard tried to force me down the same way, I didn’t budge.
“You know, you can just ask me to kneel,” I said with a smile, turning my head to face the Ice Elf behind me. His pale face flushed red with anger and embarrassment.
After making my point, I respectfully knelt on my own, bowing my head toward the Queen. ‘Let’s hope someone in this castle can speak our language,’ I thought. If not, convincing them would be a nightmare, and there was already too much room for misunderstandings, as we’d seen during our capture.
“You may raise your heads,” the Ice Queen said at last. To my relief, she spoke in our language, and with a perfect accent at that. She could understand us clearly, which was an excellent start.
Nevertheless, I remained cautious. The Queen’s power was undeniable, and one wrong word could make us enemies of her entire kingdom. I slowly lifted my head, meeting her gaze. We exchanged looks, measuring each other, but I held my tongue and waited for her to speak first.
“I heard from one of the guards that you were looking for a sacred territory of ours, the Icy Lake. For what reason do you seek it?” she asked, her voice calm but authoritative.
I smiled, relieved that she had been briefed. It saved me the trouble of explaining everything from scratch. From her demeanor, she didn’t seem particularly angry, which was a good sign. In fact, there was a hint of curiosity in her gaze, though the nobles in the stands didn’t share her sentiment. Their disdain was palpable; they looked at me as if I were a cockroach daring to crawl before their queen.
“We’re currently searching for a dangerous individual who has infiltrated the Snowy Mountains and made the Icy Lake his personal playground,” I began, keeping my tone serious. “He’s someone who must be captured or killed before he gains any more power.”
“Someone made the Icy Lake their personal playground? Such nonsense! This human is clearly lying. We should kill him right now!” shouted one noble, his voice echoing through the hall.
“That’s right! He invaded our territory without even asking for permission. He deserves death!” another noble chimed in, their voices rising in a chorus of condemnation.
The Queen raised her hand slowly, silencing the outbursts with a single gesture. “Quiet. Let him speak.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I said, offering a sincere smile. It felt like a small victory that she seemed willing to listen. “This individual has been reported to be an ally of the demons from the war. He must be stopped before he causes more damage to our world.”
“Demons?! The war ended months ago! Why does this human think he can lie to our queen so brazenly?” another noble scoffed, his voice full of disbelief.
I frowned slightly, noticing the tension in the room. Something wasn’t right. The nobles were far too eager to discredit me, as if they knew more than they were letting on. It was almost as if some of them were actively trying to cover up the truth. Was it possible that they were secretly allied with Zero? If so, I’d made a grave miscalculation—a potentially disastrous one.
“Silence!” the Ice Elf Queen commanded, her voice turning icy and harsh. “Let the human speak. If anyone dares interrupt again, they will face my wrath.”
The hall fell deathly silent, and all eyes turned back to me. The weight of the moment pressed down on my shoulders, but I forced myself to remain calm. There was something deeply wrong here, and I had to tread carefully. The Queen seemed unaware of many things happening in her own territory, and that could either work to my advantage—or spell our doom.
