The Winter Kingdom.
It is one of the most powerful spirit kingdoms, holding power equal to that of the Council of the Universe. It is located on the central island of the spirit world's planet, surrounded by the islands of other spirit kingdoms.
This kingdom is deeply secluded, as their ancestors were betrayed by outsiders long ago, leading them to make the decision to isolate themselves entirely.
The race of the Winter region are dimensional spirit beings — in appearance they resemble humans, but with hair as white as snow. With the power to control dimensions, they were created to watch over the dimensional fabric and prevent it from cracking or breaking apart.
Long ago...
The second prince, Ichigo Winter, had red eyes and white hair — just like the mother of the first Winter, Yuki White. He did not cry. His expression was completely blank.
He also carried a death curse — meaning that if anyone other than his mother touched him during nursing, that person would experience unbearable pain. And if anyone held him directly, that person would die and crumble into ash.
Whether he wished it or not, the second prince was forced to live in complete solitude — without emotion and without physical contact — after he stopped nursing. Until, some time later...
The first prince, Eternal Winter, vanished into an enormous time rift while on an expedition outside the kingdom. This forced his younger brother, Ichigo Winter — who had no desire to become king — to undergo training for the throne.
"And to think I never wanted all those responsibilities." Said Ichigo, dragging a stick across the ground with a blank expression.
One week later, Ichigo reached the age of seven.
He was now lost in the forest.
Due to a royal curse, any royal child who had not yet received the kingdom's blessing would constantly lose their sense of direction. This all stemmed from the inbreeding of the first Winter and his own twin sibling. That is why royal children who had not yet received the blessing were always escorted to prevent them from getting lost, and could be teleported using the power of their escorts.
"Well, it seems I'm lost." Said Ichigo with a blank face.
After three hours of walking, Ichigo suddenly heard a loud explosion. Birds flew away from the source of the sound, and screams echoed across the entire island. Ichigo made his way toward the noise — and it turned out the sound was coming from his own palace.
A woman with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes, dressed in a black military uniform, was standing with her foot on the head of a mutilated corpse.
Blood pooled throughout the entire Winter Kingdom. The stench of iron spread everywhere. Blood from the severed bodies of citizens and nobles who had isolated themselves poured out endlessly and without pause. From behind a tree, Ichigo watched the scene directly and was unable to move. Yet with the curse he had carried since birth, he simply stood there, feeling nothing at all.
"Hmm?!!" Someone covered Ichigo's mouth and pulled him to safety. The person who had brought Ichigo away turned out to be his friend, who looked remarkably like him — his name was Night Snow, from the Duke Snow family, who played a major role in the kingdom's security.
"Hey, Ichigo! Since I can't hold your hand to pull you along, I suggest using this rope — so we don't get separated on the way." Said Night with a smile.
"But what if you are attacked by them? Wouldn't it be better for you to leave me behind and save yourself?" Ichigo asked.
"Well, I'm not the kind of person who betrays his friends. But if I die, please leave my body behind and go — take the rope I gave you." Said Night with a smile.
"Don't say things like that!" Ichigo scolded Night.
"Yeah, yeah, alright. Let's hurry — they'll be coming to chase you soon." Night urged.
"Mm!" Ichigo agreed.
They ran toward the outer edge of the island, where the waters they needed to cross were the habitat of ice sharks and ice merfolk.
Midway through their journey, Night was climbing a tree to pick fruit when his leg was suddenly struck by a poisoned arrow. Ichigo could do nothing — there was no medicine to treat the poison. He could only bandage the wound and keep moving.
Five days passed.
When they were almost within reach of the waters, it became clear that the poison from the arrow had already spread throughout Night's body, and there was no longer any way to save him.
"What is it?" Ichigo asked.
"My time has probably come. Your Highness, please go quickly. Remember my last wish — please carry this rope for me. Alright? Farewell." Said Night in his final moments, his eyes half-closed and his skin pale.
"Alright. I ask that you rest in peace. Thank you for everything you did for me." Ichigo let his friend go.
Suddenly, a card emerged from Night's body — a card bearing the Snow family crest on the front, and a winged shield emblem on the back.
Ichigo was startled and reached for the card. A light poured out from it, and the light took the shape of Night's figure.
Ichigo's pupils transformed into a gem-like pattern, replacing the tears that should have been there. At the same moment, the forces of the woman who had slaughtered his family and his people closed in. It turned out the woman was a member of the Council of the Universe — the type governing warfare and armaments.
The Armament Council member pointed her sword at Ichigo.
"Surrender! You who are the reincarnation of the Miss."
The soldiers shouted to force Ichigo to give up and come with them. But because of everything he had witnessed, Ichigo knew that what the Warfare Council had done was wrong. He turned and ran, leaving Night's body behind — just as Night had asked of him.
Cold and exhausted, Ichigo was now cornered. Behind him was only the icy water — habitat of ice sharks and ice merfolk — and not a single boat in sight. Ichigo's original plan had been to craft a boat using Night's magic, since Ichigo had not yet learned it himself.
In front of him, enemy soldiers waited. In resignation, Ichigo submerged himself in the water, hoping that the ice sharks would devour him without pain.
The sharks swarmed around him — but from within that swarm, an ice mermaid came forward.
She smiled, cupped his cheek, and stroked Ichigo's hair, then carried the unconscious Ichigo to the shore of the island on the other side.
Ichigo woke up, deeply confused — for he was the only one who had made it out alive. He continued on his journey. Fortunately, the ice mermaid had quietly recovered the remaining treasures from the Winter Kingdom and stored them in a wallet containing a storage portal inside, so that Ichigo would not struggle to provide for his needs.
Two months passed since that day. Ichigo was still on the island across from the Winter Kingdom, standing near a ravine, when he slipped — startled by the sound of a bird he had never seen before.
Before he could fall completely, he grabbed onto a small tree root with every ounce of strength he had.
But the root was not strong enough to hold him. It snapped, and he fell.
At the bottom of the ravine were extremely sharp rocks. Ichigo's head was pierced by one of them, and his body was impaled by the cacti on the ground.
Ichigo felt that death was drawing near. Then, two minutes later, he opened his eyes and saw his own body — pierced all over, bleeding heavily, organs scattered in every direction.
"What happened? Is that my body? Am I dead? What is going on?" Said Ichigo, breathless, shocked, and terrified.
"Impossible. Am I... immortal?" Said Ichigo in complete bewilderment.
Ichigo then began to harm himself, and then ended his own life.
He started to walk again — his steps heavy and drained of energy, his mind confused by what had just happened, unsettled by what lay ahead.
He took that first step, and made a resolution — to unravel every secret that had been hidden from him.
To Be Continued
Author = Nexus Venus Illustrations = Nexus Venus