Chapter 46
What Are You Talking About
He knew the princess had said it just to rattle him.
But still… there wasn’t a single part of what she said that felt entirely wrong.
“Are you planning to repeat the mistakes of 800 years ago?!”
The mistake from 800 years ago…
Along with her words, the bard’s song, which recounted the ancient legend, swirled through his mind.
His cold breath ultimately froze her soft heart.
The ice spirit wept, but even her sons forbade him from crying.
He never should’ve desired her in the first place.
The reindeer shook its barren antlers in sorrow, singing in a low voice.
Thus ended the era of spring, and winter came.
The spring that would never return, replaced by eternal winter.
“Your Highness? What’s wrong, Your Highness?”
He looked at Brody, who had spoken to him.
Suddenly, Brody—standing right before his eyes—started to freeze.
Her soft skin stiffened, and her warm hands began to turn cold and rigid.
“The frost will freeze her entire body… to the point of death,”
the priest’s prophecy echoed in his mind again.
She had said she was fine—but was she really?
How could he have injected the spirit energy of ice so violently, believing without certainty that she wouldn’t die?
When they entered the fortress gates and he finally looked at her in his arms, Brody had looked practically like a corpse.
He never should’ve desired her in the first place.
“Brody… I… I…”
“Yes? Your Highness? What did you say?”
Aidan mumbled too quietly, so Brody leaned in and brought her ear close to his lips.
Only then could she understand what he was saying.
“You’ve grown too cold… because of me…”
“What? Your Highness… What are you… ah!”
But Brody couldn’t finish her thought.
Aidan suddenly shoved her away.
Her slender body flung like a sheet of paper.
Thankfully, there was a bed behind her; otherwise, she would’ve landed hard on her backside.
What’s going on? Is this a panic attack? Like before—when he had that headache?
Brody recalled the time Aidan had convulsed from headaches back in the barracks.
He can’t drink tea now. Should I… kiss him again?
Feeling helpless and flustered, she barely managed to push herself off the bed and approached Aidan again.
She bent under his upper body, reaching for his lips, placing her hands on his arms.
“Don’t touch me!”
But Aidan pushed her away again.
Smack.
With just a light wave of his arm, Brody’s hand was knocked aside.
“……”
Once might’ve been a fluke.
But twice?
That was a clear rejection. He didn’t want her near him.
Brody took a couple of steps back, clutching her trembling hands together.
For some reason, her nose stung, and she bit down on her lower lip.
It was then—
Suddenly, knock knock, a knock echoed at the door.
Who is it? Lady Murphy? W-What do I do?
Brody hesitated—should she calm Aidan down first? Or respond to the person waiting outside?
And even if she tried to calm him, would it even work?
While she stood frozen, unsure what to do, Aidan raised one hand toward her.
Then he wiped his face once with the other.
And just like that, he returned to his expressionless, frozen-faced self—the perfect Ice Wall Grand Duke.
Wait, so it wasn’t a panic attack from the headache? Then why…?
While Brody wondered, Aidan steadied his breathing once or twice and spoke toward the door.
“What is it?”
“Ah, yes! I heard the lady had awakened, so I came to see her!”
A cheerful voice responded from outside.
Brody perked up. She recognized that voice—she’d heard it before. But who…?
“Come in.”
At Aidan’s permission, the door creaked open, and one, two, three people stepped inside.
Brody gasped softly when she recognized them.
“Oh… look who it is.”
One of them was someone she knew well.
The other two? She knew of them but couldn’t quite call them familiar.
The one she knew well was the friendly young man with light brown hair—Teddy.
As for the other two—
The dark-skinned Latua and the pale Adonia.
The two priests from the Adair Gratia Church, whom she had met on the ship from Tarno to Tilden.
“Lady! Are you alright?!”
Teddy rushed toward Brody, nearly crying, but stopped when Aidan’s sharp gaze halted him. Clasping his hands tightly, he asked again.
Real tears welled up in his eyes.
“Oh, Teddy, of course I’m fine. Don’t tell me… you’re about to cry?”
Brody took a mental step back, overwhelmed by his emotional expression.
He wiped his eyes and grinned.
“Well, I left you and the Grand Duke behind and ran—well, it wasn’t running, it was per His Highness’ orders—but still, I couldn’t help feeling guilty. If anything had happened to either of you, I would’ve hung myself from the fortress wall.”
Wh—what a terrifying thing to say.
But Brody still couldn’t tell if people in this era said those things jokingly or seriously.
So she just smiled awkwardly.
“Oh! Creambroni! What about Creambroni?”
Suddenly remembering the horse she had forgotten, she blurted it out.
She felt terribly guilty—how could she forget her injured horse?
Thankfully, Teddy’s bright smile reassured her.
“Safe and sound! A complete miracle! Thanks to these two, he’s perfectly fine, no aftereffects at all!”
At Teddy’s words, the two priests bowed their heads and finally greeted her.
“It’s a relief to see you well, my lady.”
“Oh, did you two help Creambroni? Thank you so much.”
Before the priests could answer, Teddy butted in excitedly.
“Not just Creambroni! My lady too… Oh, thank the gods. I swear I’ll be a better person from now on!”
Adonia giggled, while Latua looked awkwardly embarrassed.
Listening to the conversation, Brody began piecing things together.
No wonder she felt better than last time—these priests must’ve healed her.
She offered her thanks for the healing and then asked,
“But why are you two here?”
“We were heading north. To Iter Hiel Castle, to meet His Highness the Grand Duke.”
“To meet him?”
Brody rolled her eyes, trying to make sense of the situation.
Judging by the atmosphere, they already knew who Aidan was.
“If we’d known sooner, it would’ve been better. Actually, no—it’s good we didn’t. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have met you here at the fortress. The ways of the gods are truly mysterious.”
Adonia raised a hand to his forehead and then lifted it skyward, as if offering glory to the gods. It reminded Brody of the Catholic sign of the cross.
At that motion, Teddy, Latua, and even Aidan clasped their hands in prayer.
Was this their version of a “like” button?
Brody, caught up in the moment, awkwardly clasped her own hands too.
Latua explained their original purpose: since the North would now become independent from the empire, they were sent to ask the Grand Duke—Aidan—about matters concerning priests and the church.
But since they had already met Aidan before even reaching the castle, they would just return and relay his intentions.
There was no rush, so they had waited until Brody woke up.
When the explanation ended, Aidan requested,
“Would you examine her once more?”
Adonia smiled brightly.
“Of course. Anytime. Ah, and the other matter you requested is also going well.”
While speaking, Adonia took Brody’s hand and guided her to a chair. He sat her down gently, took her hands in his, and closed his eyes.
Brody was curious what “matter” Aidan had asked for, but Adonia’s healing aura had already begun to envelop her. Not wanting to interrupt, she waited quietly.
Meanwhile, Latua brought up the earlier topic again.
“Well, we’re preparing, but… are we really qualified to do this, being just young priests?”
He addressed Aidan directly, and Aidan replied,
“You’ve already been granted approval. That’s sufficient.”
“But… the two of them… they’re not ordinary people.”
“I know it’s a difficult request. But given the circumstances, I hope you’ll be understanding.”
Latua sighed deeply and then nodded again.
He couldn’t argue further when Aidan himself said it was okay.
Just then, Adonia opened his eyes and beamed.
“Yes, all done, my lady. You look much better.”
How can someone look so clear and pure? Brody felt lifted by his smile and smiled back.
“Thank you. I would’ve been in a tough spot if I’d stayed sick any longer.”
“Of course! It’s an important time. Since you’re awake now, shall we pick the date?”
“……?”
Wait, “important time”?
Brody got the feeling what she thought was “important” was not the same as what they meant.
She’d been meaning to ask, and now that she wasn’t in Adonia’s grip, she took the chance.
“Um… important time? Preparations? Setting a date? What are you all talking about?”
Her question left the others—Teddy, Latua, and Adonia—confused.
It wasn’t a question she was supposed to ask.
Then Adonia suddenly clapped his hands in realization.
“Ah, it must be because of her illness! She can’t remember.”
Teddy immediately jumped in, concerned.
“She forgot that? How sick was she?! Priest, are you sure she’s really okay?”
Brody blinked rapidly.
What the heck? Is this some prank show again? Or did I really forget something while sick?
As she frantically searched her memory, Aidan spoke.
“Would you all give us the room?”
No flowery words. No explanation. Just the cold, blunt tone of the Ice Wall Grand Duke.
Still, no one dared to argue and nodded quietly.
“Ah, Your Highness, the date—when should we set it?”
But Adonia, ever cheerful, broke the tension as he was leaving.
Aidan calmly replied,
“Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?!”
“Tomorrow?!”
“Tomorrow?!”
All three gasped in unison, clearly caught off guard.
But Aidan didn’t flinch. He nodded to confirm his words and closed the door after them.
Click.
Once the murmurs outside faded, Aidan slowly pulled up a chair and sat across from her.
Brody looked serious as she asked,
“I can’t remember? Your Highness… is something wrong with me? Please tell me honestly.”
Aidan scratched his head, clearly troubled.
His black hair tousled naturally, strands falling over his brow.
“No, it’s not that. I, uh… asked you to marry me.”
“……?!!”
