The Northern Miracle Returns
The heart of the North. The Frost family, protectors of the Empire's northern reaches and the very heart of the North itself. Inside the dining hall of the largest fortress in Frost Territory—built at the northern front lines—a heavy silence hung in the air today as well.
"...No information gained today either."
At the question from Breid Frost, the giant of the North and the Iron Heart, the conference room once again fell into silence. He was the moon of the Empire, not its sun.
"Damn it... It's already been several months."
"Erielle... where are you..."
"...Those black mages deserve to be torn apart and devoured."
".......Shit."
Alongside the family head Breid Frost sat Irina Frost, wife of the Northern Archduke and guardian of the North, along with their children Jake and Kyle. They sank into despair, thinking of their daughter—or sister—who had been abducted by black mages one day.
The first girl born to the Frost family, always curt and cold as a machine. After Erielle Frost's birth, the Frost household underwent a transformation. The two giants, who had entered into an engagement based purely on rational judgment, became true husband and wife thanks to a single miracle. Though they had never known emotion their entire lives, their frozen hearts melted at the sight of that small struggle and single laugh.
At least when they were with their daughter, the giants of the North set aside the weight of their responsibilities and became simply kind parents. Kyle and Jake, the brothers who had never known laughter from birth, had grown up as mere slaughter machines without understanding emotion. Thanks to the small miracle that came to them, they finally understood the feelings they had never grasped in their lives, and smiles appeared on their faces.
Though they had become quite curt after reaching adulthood and were no longer as adorable and lovable as before... she was still their precious daughter and younger sister. When the heart of the North began to radiate warmth, harmony filled the northern territory that was its body. Warmth settled over the cold streets, and residents smiled and conversed with one another.
Then one day, in the early dawn while everyone slept, Erielle was abducted by a black mage who had infiltrated as a butler. Because Erielle possessed exceptional magical talent, both the northern family and Erielle herself had let their guard down. They had not known about the magic-nullifying orbs the abductors possessed.
When morning came and Erielle did not appear for breakfast, Breid Frost felt something was amiss and went directly to his daughter's room.
"........"
The room that had always been neat was now in disarray, and from the window that had been thrown wide open—now broken—only a cold chill poured in, freezing the interior. Swish— Lifting the traces of dense dark mana left on the window frame, the giant of the North raged.
After that, without missing a single day, they tracked the vanished Erielle and the black mages. Countless black mages were discovered and executed. They hid among ordinary residents, or in the unnoticed outskirts of cities. Even within the trusted walls of the Northern Archduke's household, some were found. Yet not even the slightest trace of Erielle could be seen. Not a single clue could be obtained. Even when tortured and facing death, the black mages revealed no information about her.
They formed their own investigation team, commissioned mercenary groups, and even requested assistance from the imperial family to search for her. But after several months, even as the somewhat mild winter turned into true winter, they still could not find Erielle.
The driving force of their lives. The small miracle. The tiny spark that would melt their frozen hearts. Having lost all of it, the Northern Archduke's household froze over once again, just like in the old days. The couple who had once smiled kindly at Erielle with loving eyes became cold and emotionless once more, like the giants of the North. The brothers who had shown gentle smiles to their lovely younger sister lost their laughter and emotions, merely hunting down and slaughtering black mages.
""..............""
Even in this dining hall that had once been filled with harmony, now nothing could be felt except the cold chill and quiet silence.
Bang—!
"M-My lord...!"
Just as that atmosphere was chilling everyone's hearts once more, Everton, the head butler of the Northern Archduke's household, burst through the door and rushed in. The giants, their hearts already frozen, gazed at him quietly with cold, emotionless eyes. Overwhelmed by that gaze, the head butler broke into a cold sweat and took a deep breath. Ever since Erielle's disappearance, they had shown no emotion other than rage and despair.
"...What is it. We are in the middle of a meeting."
"W-Well, it's—!"
Murmur murmur— Bang—
Just as the head butler was about to answer his master's question, a loud murmuring could be heard from beyond the closed door, and then the door quietly opened.
""..............."
The moment they saw the figure that appeared beyond that door, it was as if time had stopped—no sound, no movement could be felt. Hair white as pure snow. And eyes of brilliant purple, the symbol of the Northern Archduke's household. Though blood was smeared across her body and needle marks were visible, it was unmistakably their Erielle. The small miracle of the North. The precious daughter more valuable than the stars in the night sky. And the beloved younger sister they would give their lives to protect.
"...I'm back."
"...Erielle—!"
At the sound of that hoarse yet still beautiful voice, Breid Frost ran toward the miracle without a second thought. Seeing this, the other giants ran as well, tears streaming down their faces or welling up in their eyes. The thought that she might already be dead had taken root in a corner of their minds and grown larger, yet they could not accept it. There was no way their everything could have vanished so meaninglessly. Erielle would definitely return. She would come back and work her miracle again, just like before. Though they had made such resolutions and avoided reality, after months with no progress, they had perhaps already given up. With frozen emotions, or drowning themselves in alcohol every day, they had merely moved in search of the lingering traces of that miracle.
"I'm so... so glad you're back... my daughter...!"
"Hic... Erielle...!"
"...I'm sorry... and thank you for staying alive...!"
".....Kuhk."
Thud—
Her eyes, which had once shone brighter than the stars in the night sky, had lost their vitality. Needle marks and hastily applied bandages covered her body, along with blood, but they felt only gratitude that the miracle—their everything—had returned.
"...I'm sorry."
When Erielle finally arrived in the embrace of the family she had so desperately longed for, her lifeless eyes began to sparkle faintly as quiet tears fell. For dozens of minutes afterward, sobbing continued. Those hot tears melted the giants' frozen hearts, and the spark that had been on the verge of vanishing grew once more. Thus, warmth began to fill the North that had been growing cold.
***
Grind—
"...Those black mages. I'll find every last one and snap their necks."
Shortly after, once everyone had calmed down and heard Erielle's explanation, Breid Frost clenched his fists and expressed his rage. Grind grind—
From Erielle's mouth, as she received treatment from the household's dedicated healer, came accounts of the torture she had endured. The experiments. And the sacrifices of others. Upon hearing all of it, the giants burned with fury. The hatred and rage in their eyes blazed as if to incinerate every beast wearing human skin.
"...And. The reason I was able to return... was thanks to someone's help."
".....I see. So he killed the black mages and rescued you."
The burning hearts cooled slightly with gratitude toward the man who had saved Erielle.
"Do you know that person's name."
Irina Frost asked Erielle, intending to repay the benefactor who had made their miracle's return possible.
"...Venice. He said his name was Venice. Someone with black hair like the night sky... and red eyes."
Erielle recalled Venice, who had believed in her without reason from their first meeting and saved her without expecting anything in return, and unconsciously wore a small smile. It was so faint that neither she nor her watching family noticed it.
***
"You made it just in time. The snowstorm today was quite severe."
"Haha... I was lucky."
"Well, thank you. Here's your reward."
After walking diligently, I managed to reach my destination before nightfall. It was a village I had only reached after walking for several hours even from that cave. Following the note, I arrived at the shop, delivered the basket, and received a small amount of silver coins.
'Frost Territory, was it? It's enormous...'
It was a city so vast it could be compared to Leria Village. The buildings were beautifully and harmoniously arranged, and especially the fortress atop the distant mountain peak felt majestic even from here. However, there was something strange...
There was no warmth to be felt in the village. I did not mean physical warmth. Whether due to magical devices installed throughout the streets, it was much warmer than outside the walls. 'It's as if they've lost their vitality.'
Despite the heat emanating from various places, the people seemed to have lost some emotion, hanging their heads listlessly.
"Well, every village has its own way."
It could be like that. Perhaps this was simply the nature of this village?
"Ugh. Let's head back quickly... At this rate, we'll be found as corpses."
Before complete darkness fell, I needed to hurry back to Snowfield Village. Though the sly tone that slipped out naturally was somewhat irritating... since there had already been one precedent, I decided not to pay it much mind.
"....Brr, it's cold!!"
The moment I stepped outside the walls, I shivered from the overwhelming cold while following the map drawn on the note, taking one step at a time back the way I came.