I walked into our small library. The moment the wooden door closed behind me—the noise from outside faded away.
All that remained was the ticking of the clock and the scent of old books.
(creak... thud...)
I set the chest down on the large table, then pulled several books from the shelves—books about monster anatomy, magic essence, and mana storage theories.
"Monsters of Frost… hmm…"
I muttered while flipping through page after page.
The old writings described various ice-element creatures that once existed in this world—
Frost Drakes, Ice Wraiths, Frozen Titans…
Yet among them, only one matched the object before me.
"...'Frostheart Beast'."
I whispered, eyes widening at the description.
'Frost Dragons are high-tier monsters that inhabit the frozen northern regions. Their hearts are said to contain pure ice essence—and every part of a Frost Dragon is extremely valuable to mages, especially the Frost Dragon Heart, which can purify mana and increase its quantity.'
I swallowed hard.
"So… this thing is a Frost Dragon Heart…?"
Below that, more text followed:
'However, the overwhelming energy stored within a Frost Dragon Heart is lethal to those who touch it. Even alchemists abandoned attempts to handle it. The heart is so rare that only a few know its true appearance… Yet those who manage to absorb a Frost Dragon Heart are guaranteed to become highly gifted mages.'
After reading all that, I began preparing theories, experiments, and methods—
Anything to make this Ice Dragon Heart absorbable even for a normal human.
Days passed since that night.
Since I brought home the frozen dragon heart and began my research and experiments.
(tick… tock… tick… tock…)
The clock on the wall became the only sound inside the small library.
Books piled like a small mountain on the table.
Notes, magic formulas, dragon anatomy diagrams, mana-flow theories—messy, but meaningful to me.
"Frost Dragon Heart… the core of the highest ice dragon.
Contains pure mana essence and a natural 'Frost Core'...
But how can a human absorb this immense energy without being destroyed?"
I muttered while flipping through a fragile, ancient tome.
Day 21 of Research
"Mana storage using a magic medium… failed."
I wrote in my notebook.
(crackle…)
The magic crystal I used as a conduit cracked, then shattered into frost dust.
"Too strong… even a mid-grade crystal can't withstand the flow."
I stared at the dragon heart—still pulsing faintly inside its crystal chest.
(thump… thump…)
As if it were alive. As if it were staring back.
Day 34 of Research
"Low-tier mage blood-binding experiment… total failure."
I glanced at my wrist, wrapped in bandages. A small scar remained.
"It rejected it… even basic contract magic doesn't work. Do I need to match its mana frequency…?"
I looked at the thick book before me. It read:
'Only those with natural ice affinity and bodies resistant to subzero temperatures can interact with a dragon's core.'
"I don't have an ice affinity… but…"
I muttered softly, staring at the heart again.
"Didn't I start with zero mana too? And I still managed to learn magic theory."
My eyes were growing tired.
(flip… flip…)
I kept reading until the candle melted away completely.
Day 52 of Research
The room felt colder.
Even without opening the chest, the heart now radiated freezing air throughout the room.
Bookshelves near the table were coated in a thin layer of frost.
"Mana reaction increased around day fifty… meaning this core is responding to my presence."
I scribbled quickly in my notes.
"Possibly… my body is starting to adapt to the frost energy from the heart. This might be the key to merging."
(whooom…)
When I brought my hand closer to the chest, a soft blue aura formed at my fingertips.
It felt like something inside was trying to reach out to me.
Day 60 — Midnight
Cold night air seeped through the library window.
I sat on my wooden chair—hair messy, eyes droopy, hands trembling.
On the table, the dragon heart glowed brighter than ever.
"If I fail this time… I might actually freeze to death."
I whispered weakly.
I looked at my final note:
'To absorb a dragon core, the mage must allow foreign mana to flow directly into their inner core. The body will reject it, but if successful… it will form a new mana core—Frost Core.'
I closed the book and took a deep breath.
"Alright. Let's see… which of us is stronger—me or this dragon heart."
(whooooom—)
I released the crystal seal and slowly opened the chest.
Cold air burst out instantly, freezing the tips of my hair.
The heart pulsed—alive—and shone with blinding blue light.
"Now or never!"
I placed both palms on it.
Icy pain pierced through my skin into my bones.
(ssshhhkkk…)
Snow began forming across the library floor.
"A… Aahhh—!!"
Agonizing pain shot from my fingertips to my own heart.
My eyes widened—my pupils reflecting shattered ice-blue light.
And amidst the agony…
I suddenly stood in a vast, freezing snowfield—
The subconscious realm of the Frost Dragon Heart.
I walked, desperately searching for shelter. Just when my limbs were stiffening and I felt I would freeze completely, I found a cave and entered without hesitation.
Inside, the air was surprisingly warm.
After a while, the true form of the Frost Dragon Heart appeared inside the cave—sleeping.
As if sensing someone trying to absorb it, it woke up and rose before me—
A magnificent blue dragon with an elegant, radiant body.
"Hmm… how long has it been since I last had a visitor? One year? Two? Ten? A hundred? Ah, I stopped counting after the first hundred years since my death."
The dragon murmured.
"Huh?… How can an ordinary human enter my subconscious realm?"
the dragon asked in surprise.
"I—I've been studying your heart to find a way to absorb it… to help me overcome the barrier to forming a mana core," I explained nervously.
Hahahaha… It has been so long since I met such an interesting human.
Using the Heart of the highest species—the Dragon Race—for something so trivial… Very well.
May the Dragon Gods bless you, intriguing human,"
the dragon said before dissolving into mist.
(BOOOM!)
A blast of frost exploded through the entire room.
When I regained consciousness, the library had turned into a miniature snowfield.
Books, tables, and walls were all coated in a thin layer of ice.
My hands were partially frozen… but strangely, I was alive.
And when I checked my body—
I realized I had formed a mana core.
"My… I finally… I finally did it."
I cried loudly—relieved, overwhelmed, and proud.
All my effort paid off.
And more than that—I now possessed the Ice Attribute, one of the rarest elements.
I rushed out of the library, straight to my mother, telling her everything before I eventually fell asleep peacefully for the first time.
"I'm happy if you're happy too, Alicia,"
my mother whispered, always putting her daughter first.
And so, the days passed—
The air in the house now permanently cold due to Alicia's unstable new energy.