5
Chapter 5
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Silvia Arnandis.
She was born as the only daughter of Count Arnandis.
A precious, beloved only child. Count Arnandis forbade her from leaving the house until she turned fourteen.
The reason was simple: he was terrified of losing her.
"Phew..."
A cast-iron pot she'd begged from a villager, filled with a simmering stew of chicken and market-bought carrots.
Silvia gazed at the roaring campfire, reminiscing about her life before being chosen as the Hero.
Her childhood seemed affluent on the surface. The House of Arnandis was incredibly wealthy.
The garden was overflowing with roses, the family emblem, and Silvia spent most of her early years there.
Her tutor was always kind and indulged her every whim. Her mother comforted her every day with sweet macarons.
But that was all. She couldn't go outside. All she could do was read books and admire the rose garden.
And occasionally, listen to stories of the outside world from visiting nobles.
"When will it be ready..."
She grew up lonely and sharp, like a beautiful rose carefully kept in a greenhouse.
But no one cared about the thorns growing on that rose. Then, on her fourteenth birthday...
"How did I end up being chosen as the Hero?"
Silvia Arnandis became the Hero. She could no longer remain trapped in the Count's estate.
Her father opposed it vehemently. It was an obsession masked as a desire not to lose his only daughter. Had the late King of Dirsia not been so adamant...
She likely would have remained trapped for life, eventually forced into an arranged marriage.
Afterward, she entered the Royal Academy and devoted herself to swordsmanship until she reached adulthood.
Bubble, bubble.
"It's almost done."
Silvia stirred the soup and took a cautious taste. Chicken stew. It was a dish she often ate during her training days.
She had it two or three times a week, as it was said to help restore her energy.
"Hehe."
Silvia popped a piece of chicken into her mouth. It tasted decent.
Chewing slowly, she stared into the distance. The cold air of The North swept through the skeletal trees like an echo.
"Why... did I become the Hero...?"
The training was grueling. Twelve hours of daily drills left her body aching and scarred.
But she had to endure it; that was the burden of being the chosen Hero.
In that way, the rose in the greenhouse grew larger, winding itself in thorny vines. And now...
She stood on the precipice of her red petals falling.
The Hero's party had disbanded, and Argo the mage had betrayed them.
Argo was someone she truly trusted. He was a Court Mage of exceptional skill, and above all, he had always indulged her whims.
To think that he had made a contract with the Demon King... she couldn't believe it. It was a total shock.
At the same time, she felt disappointed in Nerka the Saintess. To throw away her pride so easily... it was behavior hardly befitting a member of the Hero's party.
That was why she didn't want to see Nerka yet. Time would eventually heal the rift, but Silvia was still fuming.
"I've already eaten it all."
Silvia stared at the empty pot for a long while. She couldn't keep relying on Alec for food.
Alec likely wouldn't have provided it anyway, and her pride wouldn't allow her to accept food like some pitiful beggar.
"Alec Ragnar..."
Still, she couldn't stay like this forever. Silvia sank into deep thought.
How could she possibly soften Archduke Alec's heart?
Just then, the sleeping Frost Greatsword caught her eye.
"Was this thing sealed?"
When she reached adulthood, the Archduke of the North had been forced to hand the Frost Greatsword over to her.
It was because the Queen had commanded it so.
Having stayed by her side for over three years, the Frost Greatsword possessed its own sentience.
Though Alec Ragnar was the true owner, she had bonded with the blade over three years of slaying monsters and overcoming adversity.
That's when Silvia had an idea.
'I'll wake the Frost Greatsword. Then I'll go to him and offer a formal apology.'
She intended to prove herself. First, she would travel through the North and help the villagers.
Things like hunting monsters. Even with the Frost Greatsword dormant, her own strength was undeniable.
If she could build trust by helping the people and then unseal the Frost Greatsword on her own...
Perhaps Archduke Alec would view her in a positive light again. It was her best and only option.
"Alec Ragnar... just you wait. I'll show you."
Silvia stood up. First, she had to return the pot. And if possible, it would be best to pay for the favor.
"Phew... can I do this?"
Silvia raised her bow again. Even if it was Alec's private hunting ground, catching a single rabbit quietly should be fine.
After all, would the Archduke even care about something like that? Silvia wondered.
As long as Argo doesn't show up again... it'll be fine.
Right, Argo. He might appear at any moment to target the Frost Greatsword.
That's why she truly needed to earn the trust and support of the local people.
"I have to push through... I am the Hero, after all."
Silvia packed her pot and headed for a nearby village, completely unaware of what was happening there.
****
The Countship of Masburgh. Archduke Alec's second villa.
Saintess Nerka was working at the hospital attached to the Archduke's villa.
Frost Wolves had recently begun roaming the area, and there were many casualties from the attacks of those cunning packs.
"Aaaargh! Saintess, please be a bit more gentle!"
"Bear with it. That's how you heal faster."
Potent Holy Power seared the wounded area. The patient writhed in pain, but his body was firmly bound with ropes.
"Don't worry, I'll have you cured in a single day."
"I don't care if it doesn't heal in a day, just please! Gwaaaaah!"
Marc, the villa's elderly caretaker, could only stand by and watch the Saintess.
If he so much as uttered a word of complaint, Saintess Nerka might decide to 'examine' him and bind him up as well.
Of course, thanks to her, a mysterious stomach ache he'd suffered from for years was resolved... but Saintess Nerka was a terrifying woman.
"Saintess, I think that's enough treatment for today. Please come inside and eat."
"No. How can I possibly rest when there are so many patients?"
"Hmm... that is true. These Frost Wolves..."
For the past few days, the Frost Wolf population had surged, and they had been attacking people in packs.
The damage was especially severe in the remote mountain villages that lacked proper defenses.
Although it hadn't been reported to Archduke Alec yet, there was an incident where a small village was raided and half the residents were mauled to death.
"Baron Belverque, what are you writing so intently?"
"Ah, I'm drafting a report to send to His Highness Archduke Alec."
"Archduke Alec... does he visit this villa often?"
Belverque nodded at Nerka's question.
"He comes often in the autumn and winter. He visits to take a break after hunting, or sometimes just to enjoy the scenery. It's a winter villa, after all."
"Then there must be a summer villa too?"
"Yes, there is. He mainly stays there during the spring and summer."
"Is it as large and beautiful as this one?"
Belverque shook his head at her question.
"Nowhere has mountains as magnificent as the Masburgh estate. There's a reason His Highness the Archduke built his residence here."
"I see. Hmm... I'd love to visit the summer villa with Archduke Alec someday."
"Haha, is that so? The summer villa is more for military purposes. It's essentially a fortress."
While Belverque was chatting with Nerka, a carrier pigeon flew in hurriedly and fluttered in front of the window.
Baron Belverque immediately opened the window, took the letter tied to the pigeon's leg, and read it slowly.
"Hmm? Prepare for war?"
"What? Baron, what does that mean?"
"Good grief. The Dirsia Kingdom is making a move. The Queen's Army is marching toward the North."
"What on earth..."
"It seems to be because the Archduke declared a strike and kicked out the Hero's party. Though, Saintess Nerka is doing just fine here..."
"There's no way Her Majesty the Queen knows that..."
Nerka sensed that something was very wrong.
"That carrier pigeon. Where did it come from?"
"It came from the summer villa. They say Archduke Alec has gathered his forces there. It serves as the gateway to the North, after all."
"By any chance... how long would it take to get from here to the summer villa?"
At Nerka's question, Baron Belverque asked her to wait a moment and headed to the warehouse. Then, he brought out a sleigh.
"This sleigh is powered by magic. It's incredibly fast; if you take this, you can reach the summer villa in two days."
"Are you coming too, Baron?"
"Yes, I must go. However, I have to mobilize all the soldiers first. Walking from here would take about ten days..."
"I think I'll head out first. Would that be alright?"
"Yes, of course. I'll assign a guard to escort you."
"No, there's no need for that. If you have a flail, could you lend me one?"
Nerka said this with a mischievous smile directed at Baron Belverque.