HSMW 08

Chapter 08

Ilyin quickly stepped back.

The blue cloth slipped from her head and fell onto the snow.

What was that?

Fear made her entire body tremble.

Then—

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a black uniform decorated with red tassels.

A man stood there.

His voice was low and clear, almost like the growl of a beast.

Unlike the others, he wore nothing covering his face despite the freezing storm.

His eyes were a cold blue.

His jawline was sharp.

For a brief moment—

Their eyes met.

Ilyin flinched instinctively.

But strangely, she soon calmed down again.

For a second, she thought—

“Aden de Biflten…”

But she immediately realized the man was not the Duke.

The man stood motionless while his jet-black hair whipped wildly in the snowstorm.

“A woman?”

At that moment, the monster chasing Ilyin leapt toward her from behind.

Hot breath touched the back of her neck.

The disgusting smell of the creature made her feel sick.

The man instantly drew his sword.

Ilyin tightly shut her eyes in terror.

Caught between the monster and the swordsman, she could not move at all.

“This is the end.”

Then—

A scream rang out beside her.

Before she could react, the man grabbed her and pulled her away roughly, as though she were simply an obstacle in his path.

His large hand covered part of her face.

But unlike the icy storm—

His hand was warm.

Slowly, Ilyin opened her eyes.

The monster collapsed onto the snow-covered ground.

Dead.

The man stabbed his sword into the ground and looked down at her.

Then he narrowed his eyes slightly and bent closer.

The cold wind brushed against Ilyin’s cheeks, making her shiver.

“If you don’t want to freeze, keep this on.”

With a gloved hand, he picked up the fallen blue cloth and draped it over her head again.

Warmth immediately spread through her body.

The world turned faintly blue once more.

Ilyin quietly held the cloth.

She was grateful he had picked it up for her.

“Your Highness!”

At those words, Ilyin stiffened.

There was only one person here who could be called that.

Aden de Biflten

Ilyin tightly closed her eyes, preparing herself to finally meet the Duke of Biflten.

But—

The man beside her had already disappeared.

The cold wind still screamed through the snowstorm while the fighting gradually came to an end.

One of the knights who saw her flee from the carriage escorted her toward Biflten Castle.

A blanket was wrapped around her shoulders.

Yet she still felt freezing cold.

Only the blue cloth gave her warmth.

“I never even thanked him.”

All she could remember now were those crystal-blue eyes.

The mysterious man was already gone.

The knights cleaned up the battlefield efficiently.

But they barely paid attention to Ilyin.

After escorting her inside, they simply left her near the carriage.

“Please wait here.”

They clearly knew who she was.

Still, she was left alone for a long time.

Fortunately—

It was still better than being treated with hostility.

“Welcome!”

An old man suddenly approached her.

He wore strange clothing.

A wide cloth covered his body, while formal clothes could still be seen underneath.

Unlike Ilyin’s blue cloth, his was different.

“How could you leave her standing here like this?!”

The old man shouted angrily at a maid nearby.

The blue tassels attached to his clothes shook as he raised his voice.

“Please come this way.”

A maid with a red accessory in her black hair gently guided Ilyin inside.

The old man followed behind them into a room before bowing deeply.

“You will stay here and rest for one week.”

“One week?”

Ilyin looked at him in confusion.

“And after that?”

“Has nobody explained it to you yet?”

Ilyin shook her head.

The horseman had explained nothing.

Then she had immediately been attacked by monsters upon arrival.

No one else had told her anything either.

“I haven’t heard anything.”

The old man muttered under his breath while shaking his head.

Ilyin faintly heard him cursing someone called the Delrose family.

Who were they?

“I apologize for introducing myself late.”

The old man straightened himself politely.

“I am Lidan of the Blue North.”

“Blue North?”

Even though Ilyin knew little about swords, she could easily tell who trained as a warrior and who did not.

Lidan carried no sword.

Nor did he possess the build of a knight.

“I heard there was trouble outside the castle.”

Lidan smiled kindly.

“I will have someone explain everything about Biflten to you.”

Despite his gentle attitude, however—

He carefully avoided revealing too much.