‘What’s going on in the middle of the kingdom, where the weather’s mild all year round?’
I turned my head, puzzled.
“…Y-Your Majesty…”
His mouth fell open as he stuttered.
“B-But Aibin is definitely a poison affinity user…”
He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Yet King Argen’s triumphant attitude told him it was real.
“That’s right. But there’s a lot you can do with poison affinity. I can share this with my people.”
That confirmed what Tri was witnessing was genuine.
‘If that’s real… if His Majesty King Argen bestows that power on me too…’
Thud—
He dropped to his knees before Argen and cried out.
“Y-Your Majesty! I am completely Your Majesty’s man. P-Please grant me the same grace you gave that boy…”
“Hahaha!”
A satisfied laugh filled the basement at Tri’s submission.
From the recent incident with Duke Foss, Argen had learned something.
The reason the poison affinity user couldn’t survive as a ruler and died as a spy instead.
“Tri. On the day of the public duel, show all of this. Gather as many spectators as you can—commoners, nobles, everyone!”
“Yes!”
He had known only how to manipulate people, not how to rule them. That was why he died.
‘Treating people like machines won’t do, Duke Foss. You have to become a ruler who knows how to share what he possesses, like me.’
Argen watched with satisfaction as Tri scurried away like his tail was on fire, then dropped heavily into his chair.
He was really looking forward to the upcoming public duel with House Krost.
“Oh, Lady Aisha! F-Finally, our B-Bibi understands ‘attack’ and ‘stop’!”
Ever since Guide’s tearful reunion with Bibi, his training speed had shot up dramatically.
“B-Bibi. S-Stop!”
“Kyu! (This wet-behind-the-ears brat ordering this old lady around…)”
“B-Bibi. Attack the tree!”
“Kyuwoo! (I’m only listening because you look so pitiful shaking like that, you idiot Guide!)”
It wasn’t really thanks to Guide’s ability—Bibi was just grumbling but going along with it.
Guide, completely unaware of Bibi’s true feelings, kept grinning from ear to ear.
“Wow. Amazing! You’ve improved so much!”
I pretended not to understand, watching in awe as Bibi—following Guide’s commands—furiously scratched the tree with her sharp claws.
Anyway, it was a relief.
Because of this incident, people in House Krost’s castle had started to change their views on magical creatures, even if only by a grain.
Of course, staying vigilant and subduing dangerous ones was still important, but at least they no longer looked at Bibi with hostility.
Some knights even smiled and chuckled, finding it cute when Bibi toddled after Guide.
‘This way, when Guide becomes this world’s Kang Hyung-ok later, he’ll have people to help him.’
Proud, I puffed out my chest and folded my arms.
“Kyu! (Aisha! Come over here, this old lady wants to talk.)”
Suddenly Bibi called me.
“Huh? Why?”
“Kyu, kyukkyu! (I think I finally understand why only you, a human, can understand what I’m saying.)”
“…?”
My eyes widened at Bibi’s words.
“W-What do you mean?”
Startled, I glanced around and whispered to Bibi so no one else could hear.
To everyone else, Bibi probably just sounded like she was going “kyu kyu.”
If they saw me having a serious conversation with her, they’d think it was weird.
‘By the way, why can I understand Grandma Bibi?’
I crouched down and cautiously approached her—
“Kyu. Kyu, kyuwoo. (You smell like a magical creature.)”
The chilling answer that suddenly reached my ear froze my whole body.
“Kyu, kyuuk. (Back in the ice cave my sense of smell was numb so I didn’t notice, but now that I can smell you again, I get it. The scent of a magical creature is thick on you somewhere.)”
“…….”
I couldn’t react at all to Bibi’s words. It was completely unexpected.
Just then—
“Dandelion! They say we have to leave now!”
Lucas called me from far away.
The portal must be ready.
“G-Grandma, I-I’ll be back later!”
I’d been staring blankly at Bibi’s serious face, but I finally snapped out of it and dashed off.
Even as I ran toward the two people waiting for me, my mind was in chaos.
‘I smell like a magical creature?’
Why on earth?
In the original story, the character Aisha got kicked out of House Krost midway and left the novel, so I didn’t have exact information.
But one thing was certain—I had no reason to smell like a magical creature.
“What’s up? Just wake up?”
I’d run over in a panic and reached the portal when a huge hand suddenly waved in front of my face.
It was Calypse Krost.
I grabbed his still-waving hand and asked, “Dad, do I smell?”
“No.”
Calypse frowned and shook his head at my question.
“Smell me. Do I or don’t I?”
I swallowed hard and stubbornly refused to let go of his hand, just in case.
Calypse sniffed around my face theatrically, then shrugged.
“See? I smelled you and you don’t. Satisfied? We’re in a hurry, so get over here.”
“Eek.”
He scooped me up and plopped me onto the portal.
“Activating the portal!”
With the gatekeeper’s shout, my vision flashed white.
‘Stay alive a little longer.’
As the light filled my eyes, I thought I heard a familiar boy’s voice in my ear.
It was only for a split second.
But I felt that voice sounded like Kyle’s.
“…Kyle?”
By the time I looked back toward the now-invisible castle, I had arrived at the Kingdom of Frozen’s royal castle, where warm air swirled around.
It was the day of the public duel with the Frozen royal family.
The public duel between the Frozen royal family and House Krost had been prepared as grandly as if a festival were underway.
The spectator seats surrounding the huge circular arena were tiered so everyone could see the training grounds.
In the center, a raised platform set apart from the regular seats held the nobles’ section, already filled with early arrivals.
This time, commoners had been specially allowed in, so the tiered seats were packed.
“We’ll escort you to the nobles’ seats.”
At the arena entrance.
Unlike regular spectators who had to enter through the palace gates, we had come by portal, so we could use the back door.
The problem was that the arena was much bigger than I’d imagined.
“It’s Duke Krost!”
“Wow, first time seeing him in person, and there’s Young Master Lucas too.”
“Is that the blonde young lady the one from the rumors? She looks so cute in knight armor!”
As we followed the gatekeeper to the nobles’ seats, countless eyes followed us.
Hundreds—no, thousands of people, it seemed.
Nobles fanning themselves, commoners munching bread and shouting.
I’d heard it was a public duel, but I never expected this scale. I thought it’d just be some palace people invited as spectators!
Creak, creak.
I walked awkwardly, holding Dad’s and Lucas’s hands.
I plopped down on the highest chair in the nobles’ section—right after the royal family’s—and only then let out the breath I’d been holding.
“…Dad. Do public duels usually have this many spectators?”
I was so nervous my pigtails were practically standing on end like arrowheads.
Calypse clearly hadn’t expected this scale either; he let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.
“Looks like a storm’s blown in.”
Then the knight commander of House Krost, standing beside us, spoke up.
“I don’t know how things got this big. Up until now, public duels only had the opposing knights, His Majesty, and Her Majesty the Queen…”
Judging by their reactions, neither Dad nor the knight commander had known.
My body, stiff in the rigid knight uniform, went rigid.
I didn’t know what it was, but it was clear King Argen was planning to show something at this public duel.
Just then—
“Aisha. It’s okay to lose.”
Dad, sitting like a massive mountain, whispered.
“Just show the people that you can use ice affinity. That alone will stop them from touching you carelessly.”
His kind but calm words made me press my lips together and nod.
‘That’s right. The reason King Argen called us is to use me to humiliate Dad.’
So all I had to do was my part.
At that moment—
“His Majesty King Argen and Her Majesty Queen Grace are entering!”
At the gatekeeper’s announcement, the noisy crowd’s gazes all turned in one direction.
King Argen and Queen Grace entered through the massive doors.
