IRER 89

Chapter 89

 Ice Bath

“Really? Are you sure you’re okay?”

Brody’s eyes widened at Aidan’s request, asking if she could accompany him to the ice valley because he wanted to wash.

Seeing her serious expression, Aidan chuckled softly.

“Someone blessed by the Ice Spirit won’t freeze to death, right?”

Brody still didn’t fully understand but nodded.

Aidan was someone who rarely asked for anything for himself, and thinking of how his mind had been tormented all day, there was no reason not to accompany him. Besides, the reason Aidan couldn’t act alone safely was partly because of Brody.

Aidan dressed Brody in extra layers, ensuring she was well-prepared for the cold, and together they headed to the ice valley.

Though darkness surrounded them, whether it was Aidan’s sharp night vision or Kaise’s, they could enter the valley without getting lost. Fortunately, the bright, serene moonlight subtly lit their path.

Hoo-hoo-hoo… hoo-hoo-hoo… The owls calling through the night accompanied them in quiet companionship.

Finally, they arrived at the ice valley.

Aidan first lit a campfire to provide Brody with a place to rest, then asked,

“Would you also…?”

Before he could finish, Brody shook her head at lightning speed—a strong declaration that no matter what, she could never voluntarily enter ice water to bathe.

“Then wait here for a little while.”

“Yes. Take your time.”

Brody adjusted her cloak and replied.

Soon, over Brody’s shoulder, she heard rustling and splashing.

‘Wow, he’s really going in straight away. Incredible. Shouldn’t there be some warm-up first?’

While Brody shook her head, the sound of walking through the water was followed by splashing. It seemed he had found a suitable spot and started washing.

Assuming he had gone in, Brody casually turned her gaze elsewhere.

Through the small bushes, she could see the tips of Aidan’s hair peeking out.

As expected, he hadn’t gone far from her—typical of him.

Brody watched the flickering campfire, curling up as she waited.

‘I hope this helps him relax a little…’

Lately, he had been giving her faint smiles whenever their eyes met. Probably to avoid worrying her.

But Brody could see it clearly: he was forcing himself to smile despite the pain of his headaches.

❖ ❖ ❖

Immersed in the cold water, Aidan felt the heat that had accumulated in his body dissipate, letting out a deep sigh.

Just as an ice spirit feels comfort when meeting ice, the cold brought him calm.

His warm breath froze into frost as it fell.

As he washed from head to toe in the piercingly cold water, Aidan suddenly stopped moving.

Drip. A water droplet from the tip of his hair tried to return to its source, eventually falling successfully and producing a crisp, refreshing sound.

Aidan covered his forehead with his large hand, then slid it down to wipe his face.

Where his hand passed, sparkling ice-like droplets remained on the skin near his eyes.

In truth, Aidan hadn’t wanted to bathe. He just needed time away from Brody’s sight.

A panorama of events played in his mind, scraping through his thoughts.

The droplets falling from his hair and from his chin began to equalize in volume.

At the constant dripping sound, Aidan buried his face in his hands.

A sharp, overwhelming pain struck his head like a hammer pressing against it.

He gritted his teeth to stifle a moan.

And as always, hoping that enduring it would make it pass, he waited. And waited again.

❖ ❖ ❖

Crackling from the fire, Brody sat idly waiting for Aidan to finish, thinking, “This isn’t a good use of time. I might as well work a little while I wait,” and began jotting down a rough plan on a small piece of paper using the firelight.

Before she realized it, exhaustion took over, and she nodded off.

How much time had passed?

“Ah! I shouldn’t fall asleep in front of the fire!” she thought, suddenly sitting up and blinking her heavy eyelids, only to realize Aidan still hadn’t come out.

“Did I only nod off a little?”

She lifted her head and glanced at the moon to estimate the time.

“Hmm? It seems like quite a while has passed.”

The surroundings were silent. She could hear the owls, leaves rustling in the wind, and water lapping against the ground, but no human-made sounds.

Was he done washing and just staying in the water? No, it wasn’t a hot spring… Could that even be enjoyable in ice water?

Brody looked around in puzzlement.

Through the bushes, she realized Aidan’s head was no longer visible.

“Huh? Where did he go?”

He wasn’t the type to leave without notice.

Her curiosity quickly turned into worry.

Instinctively, Brody rose. A branch snapped under her foot, and her shoulders shook slightly.

“Your… Highness?”

She murmured, her white breath spreading ghost-like in the cold air.

Cautiously, she stepped forward, lifting her head.

“Ah.”

Through the familiar bushes, she faintly saw Aidan’s silhouette.

If he had been standing earlier, he was now sitting. Sitting in the ice water as if enjoying a hot spring.

She couldn’t help but marvel, yet seeing him put her mind at ease.

But Brody’s relief quickly shifted—something felt off.

He should have noticed her presence and at least responded to reassure her, but he didn’t.

She watched him closely.

His body was shivering, curled up with his head in his hands.

Brody had seen this before—when the captive women had nearly died, Aidan had suffered a headache-induced seizure.

If anything, this was worse, not better.

“Your Highness!”

She called, but he didn’t respond. Kaise whinnied, sensing her anxiety, but he seemed to hear nothing.

Splash.

“Your Highness!”

Brody hurried forward, calling desperately.

The icy water quickly rose to her waist.

She didn’t even notice her teeth chattering.

Soon, Brody reached Aidan.

“Your Highness, Your Highness!”

She grabbed his shoulders trembling with convulsions, his head buried in his hands.

Aidan’s usually warm body was like ice. His body rocked under her touch but wouldn’t calm.

After several tries, she finally held his face.

His face was as cold as his body, but the water trail on his cheeks warmed her hands slightly.

“Why… why did you endure this so long?”

Hot tears welled in Brody’s eyes.

She firmly lifted his cheek and pressed her lips to his in a desperate kiss.

Her warm breath touched his cold lips repeatedly.

Finally, the tension in his jaw released.

Brody gently kissed him, soothing him.

His body was freezing, but she didn’t mind—she couldn’t.

The warmth of their shared breath seemed to fill the space between them.

Gradually, his shivering subsided.

His unfocused pupils regained clarity.

He looked up at her, the woman before him.

Her green eyes, backlit by moonlight, held kindness and passion.

Her hair shimmered like golden silk, heartbreakingly beautiful.

“Brody…”

Her faintly husky voice made him blink in response.

“Why are you crying, Brody?”

She furrowed her brows and gently wiped his cheek.

“Because Your Highness was crying.”

Brody could no longer hold back.

She clung to him, burying her face in his shoulder.

Lowering her body, her cloak became fully soaked.

“Please, don’t suffer alone. Please.”

She hugged him tighter.

“Just as Your Highness helps me, I’m here to help you. So… so…”

Her trembling voice made Aidan shiver again, but this time not from pain.

He felt a thrill.

Brody had pulled him out of the mud—but she had jumped in with him.

The conflicting emotions overwhelmed him.

No matter how he looked at it, she was endearing, admirable, and precious.

He wanted to hold her so tightly they became one, to possess all her joys, sorrows, breath, and even life.

Why must they part just to meet eyes? He reluctantly let her go slightly, then kissed her again, unable to bear not feeling her breath.

“…!”

At that moment, reality hit.

Brody’s teeth chattered violently against his lips.

“Ah! Brody!”

He jumped up, lifting her.

Her face was pale in the moonlight, lips blue.

As his awareness returned, so did hers.

Her skin felt like it would crack, her bones stiff as ice.

Trembling like a wind-up doll, Aidan carried her ashore in one swift motion.

“How dare you… think of entering this ice water!”

“Th-th-th-the words…”

Brody couldn’t even form words, but her thoughts trembled as her body did.

Removing the water quickly was critical. She couldn’t move properly due to shivering, so Aidan laid her down, stripped off the wet clothes, and dried her with a towel.

He dressed her in all the clothes she had removed before entering the water.

Even so, the clothes had been stripped for long enough that they were cold and damp. They weren’t enough to warm her fully.

Even Aidan, normally warm-blooded, had become damp and cold like a salamander.

Restlessly pacing, he waited for water to heat, finally creating a warm pouch and holding it to her.

Gradually, color returned to Brody’s face.

Once she could move her lips, she spoke in a trembling voice.

“Yes… say anything. Ask for anything.”

Aidan urged her anxiously. Her frail voice trembled like a goat’s bleat.

“Your… Highness… please, put on your… clothes… I’m… so cold…”