Leonard handed me a well-fitted winter coat, a wool mittens, sturdy boots, and a hooded garment he'd once worn as a child.
Arwin, on the other hand, stood silently, eyes drooping as I eased him into a dark navy cloak trimmed with thick white fox fur. It was twice his size, swallowing his small frame whole.
With his round, rosy face, he looked like a porcelain doll displayed in a noble's boutique.
'Even so small and disheveled, Arwin still looked prim - as though a silkmaid carefully brushed and adjusted his navy cloak.'
When his head began to droop and he lifted his short arms, wordlessly asking to be carried, I couldn't help but smile. Who would have thought the stern Grand Duke could look this adorable?
"Let's go, Arwin."
I carried him once more and headed toward the main door, just as Leonard instructed. As I drew closer, the gigantic wooden doors carved with intricate sigils, groaned open, welcoming us with a rush of freezing air.
Beyond the threshold, everything was blanketed in white. Only the marble pathway stood out from the thick snow that covered the ground. I could see nothing else—only the endless sea of soft, milky clouds and the clear blue sky gleaming like a cut gem.
The place was vast—grand enough to rival a royal palace. It felt like standing in the middle of an empty field of snow.
"Where… am I?" I whispered.
The moment my boots touched the marble path, something stirred. A low hum thrummed beneath my feet as if an ancient mechanism had awakened.
Then, before my eyes, the world began to change. Dried, blackened vines twisted up from the pavement, creeping along the path until crimson buds unfurled at their tips, gleaming like roses carved from blood-red crystal. Towering stone pillars rose in unison, arching together to form a majestic gate. Beside it, a statue of a woman gently petting a dragon carved from stone emerged from the snow.
Farther ahead, a gazebo shimmered into view—surrounded by trees whose branches bloomed with fire and jewels, painting the white world with color and light.
And then—something far more bizarre caught my eye.
Towering above the palace was the colossal skeleton of a draconic behemoth, its massive wings stretched wide as though frozen mid-flight. The palace clung to its ribcage as though built within the dragon's remains. At the center of its chest, a lump of molten muscle burned with a steady crimson glow, pulsing with a faint 'thump... thump'... that echoed through the air—too rhythmic, too alive.
I froze. My breath hitched, a chill running down my spine. 'This isn't the same dragon... it's not.' I forced myself to breathe, clutching Arwin closer.
"It's not here," I whispered, more to myself than anyone. "Haah… I'm safe."
Even so, the air around us grew heavy, ancient, and sacred. The silence hummed with unseen power.
"A temple?" The word slipped from my lips before I could stop it.
"Amazed?"
My body jolted at the sudden voice. I turned—and froze.
Leonard stood before me, looking entirely different from the man I knew. His usually tousled golden hair was neatly brushed and parted to the side, glinting under the pale light. He wore a refined uniform draped with a long navy sash, his movements graceful as he adjusted his cuff while walking across the marble pavement. For a moment, he looked like a figure stepped out of a royal portrait.
Strangely, something about him felt familiar, yet incomplete—almost as if he was missing something. Then it struck me: a crown. With one, he'd look every bit like a king.
My brows furrowed. "Who are you?"
He scoffed, almost laughing. "It's me, your big brother," he said, continuing toward the gate. I followed, still eyeing him with disbelief.
"No, you look… mature. Proper."
That made him laugh out loud. Every time he did, it sounded like a melody—refined and warm, fitting for someone of noble blood.
"Hah! Your serious face is funny, little bro. Once in a while, I like to dress like this—so get used to my handsomeness." He winked playfully.
I raised my brow. "If you'd just keep your mouth shut, you'd pass for a true lord, Sir Leo."
He chuckled and reached out to pinch my nose. "Delightful! My usually detached little brother can make jokes now."
"I'm not kidding," I muttered, but Leonard only laughed harder, ruffling my hair.
I couldn't help but applaud how easily he laughed.
"Stop teasing. Where are we, Sir Leo?" I asked, trying to change the topic.
From where I stood, I could see we were far above the clouds—at the very peak of a steep mountain, its summit sliced flat to make space for the palace.
Near the human-sized statue, Leonard slowed his steps and straightened, coughing once before speaking in a composed tone.
"Ahem, welcome to the Sacred Palace of Friezz. My family's old home."
A cold gust swept through, making his cloak billow. A distant howl echoed from below, and his words carried an ominous weight through the wind.
"Sacred? A home?" I echoed softly.
He nodded. "Yes. This is where we, the Friezz brothers, were raised and grew up with the former Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of the North."
His tone softened, his gaze distant and heavy with melancholy. I understood without asking. Their parents must have long since become one of the stars above. I didn't pry any further.
Then, a faint sparkle caught my eye beneath the statue. Curious, I stepped closer, but as my hand reached for the stonework, a strange sensation tingled in my fingertips, a resonance with something deep within me. That's when Symbols etched into the stone began to glow—a web of runes stirring to life. I walked around the base, tracing the ancient words as I read aloud:
"By vow of Friezz, this palace standeth,
By flame eternal, God ZenRy abideth.
No mortal step may here intrude,
Save Friezz's blood, their kin, their brood.
Veiled art thou from prying eyes,
A fortress wrought 'neath hallowed skies.
Unseen, unbroken, by oath concealed,
By dragon's flame for aye annealed.
Till Friezz's line to dust descendeth,
This gate shall bar till all be endeth."
I paused, watching the glow fade. "It's an incantation," I murmured. "It means, 'In the Sacred Palace of Friezz, where the Great Dragon God ZenRy dwells eternal, none may cross its threshold save the blessed blood of Friezz, their mates, and kin. Hidden and unyielding shall this palace remain until the bloodline of Friezz runs dry.'"
Leonard's eyes widened. "Marvelous! You can see the ancient runes engraved on the statue—and even read and interpret them?" he exclaimed, his voice bright with excitement as he hurried toward me.
"It was only my big brother and younger brother who could read and interpret ancient runes. That's amazing," Leonard said, laughing as he clapped me on the back.
I suppose it was evident that Arwin and their younger brother were more inclined toward books than he was. But… ancient runes? Why did I see them as simple English letters? 'Why could I understand it all too easily?'
My gaze drifted back to the statue—the woman and the dragon carved beside her—and then to the massive skeleton intertwined with the palace walls. The passage, the glow, the symbols… . Could it be that Arwin and Leonard's ancestors were this woman and the great dragon? That they once formed a covenant—a promise that still endures to this day?
Perhaps that's why the Friezz bloodline bears those crimson eyes, and why their mana burns so fiercely.
I might be right. After all, these two brothers were far from ordinary humans.
"But if this place is meant only for the Friezz bloodline," I asked, my curiosity breaking through, "then how am I here, Sir Leo?"
Leonard froze for a moment after hearing me, but when his gaze drifted to Arwin, a faint smile softened his expression.
"Hm, what would be the right answer?" he mused, tapping his chin. "During the Nabishi Forest incident, when my brother carried you in his arms—unconscious and pale—I sensed something strange within you. Your mana." He tapped a finger against my chest.
"Your mana… it's unlike anything I've ever felt before," he said, his tone shifting with concern. "Something must have triggered it—something powerful enough to push your energy out of control and awaken what's been dormant within you. If it hadn't settled, it could've harmed you… or anyone nearby."
Leonard pinched Arwin's cheek, earning a low groan of protest. "That's why His Grace decided to return home," he added, a faint smile curving his lips as he ruffled my hair. "Somewhere quiet, where no one could disturb you, until that power finally calmed down. It took him quite an effort before you woke again."
'Power? Like Zarani's eyes—the way she can see distant things others can't?'
"What kind?" I asked, a flicker of curiosity rising within me. If it's something useful, perhaps I can finally grow stronger.
"Ask my brother when he wakes up," Leonard said lightly. "He'll have clearer answers for you. For now, let's head to the Lake of Crystal Vale. We can't miss such an event. And who knows? Watching the knights train might help you pick up a few skills—skills you'll need to protect yourself."
I blinked. Right, we were going to the knights' training ground. My heart quickened at the thought. I couldn't wait to see how they trained, how it differed from the estates back home. But as I glanced around, my excitement faltered.
"Wait… how are we getting there?" I asked. "I don't see a warp gate or any other transportation."
Leonard simply pointed upward with a sly look in his eyes. "Unlike my brother, I'm just a swordsman, not a mage. And since he's in no state to use magic…" His finger shifted downward, his grin turning almost wicked. "And since our only other way down is a very long walk... we're going to jump. My horse already waiting; wouldn't want to keep Thunder waiting all day!"
"What?!" The word ripped from my throat. My heart lurched painfully.
I nearly cursed him then and there. From what I'd seen earlier, we were above the clouds—high enough to make the earth itself might look like a painting far below. Who in their right mind would jump from such a height? It was suicide.
"Oh, you don't need to worry. The snow below is soft. You'll be safe—trust me," Leonard said with a confidence that made my stomach tighten. He strode toward the edge of the cliff and motioned for me to follow. "Besides," he added with a wink, "Thunder gets awfully impatient. No one else can handle him, you know."
I crept closer, peering down. My heart nearly stopped. The clouds were so thick I couldn't even see the ground.
"Is this really safe?" I asked, my voice trembling. I wasn't just worried for myself—Arwin was still unconscious in my arms, and a fall from this height could easily harm him.
Leonard nodded once. "If it weren't safe, the moment I even suggested it my brother would've woken up and opposed the idea."
"But Arwin is still asleep."
"Exactly. That's why—hehe."
Before I could react, Leonard moved like lightning. In one swift motion, he scooped me up and jumped.
I screamed his name with everything in me. My voice echoed wildly in the endless air.
"SIR LEEEEEEEEEOOOOO!"
Leonard only laughed at my reaction, his eyes watering from the rushing wind. The world blurred as we plummeted, air roaring past my ears. I clutched Arwin tighter, praying desperately for a safe landing. But even as we fell, one thought burned in my mind: 'Of all the ways out, he picks one as insane as this! And for a horse!'