Chapter 5

Three Hours Before the Disaster

Rosebrook, the Port City.

Marcus Winston Rutland arrived early in the morning at the Rosebrook branch of the Rutland Railway Company.

There was a problem with the freight trains.

The trains carrying food and supplies to the northeastern region of the Granden Kingdom had been delayed.

It was unusual.

“Close the port before it’s too late!”

“The dying sea is warning us! The fog is a sign of disaster!”

“Stop sending people out to sea!”

“Protect the fishermen’s livelihoods!”

“Protect them! Protect them!”

Recently, thick sea fog had covered the harbor almost every day.

People had gone missing because of it.

At first, everyone thought it was just bad luck.

But after it happened again and again, people started calling it a sign of disaster.

Now even environmental groups and local fishermen were protesting in the streets.

Come to think of it…

The harbor really has been covered in fog a lot lately.

That was rare in the warm southern continent, where the weather was usually clear all year.

In the early mornings, thin layers of ice had started forming on puddles.

Dry, cold winds had also begun blowing.

Even the sea temperature was lower than normal.

Because of that, fish catches had dropped, and sea creatures had started behaving strangely.

The fishermen were having a hard time making a living.

“It really is strange.”

That was all Marcus thought.

It was strange.

Nothing more.

“If they’re bothering you, should I hire some people to clear them out?”

“Money can solve anything.”

“We’re Rutland.”

Marcus turned toward the speaker.

A young man with freckles smiled calmly at him.

His thin face and sharp eyes gave him a nervous look.

It was Marcus’s assistant,

Jack Harper.

“No.”

“Don’t do something so tasteless.”

Marcus clicked his tongue and walked onto the train platform.

Jack hurried after him.

Marcus liked acting like a noble.

He listened to noble music.

He copied the way nobles spoke.

He even learned noble manners.

Simply becoming the adopted son of Count Rutland wasn’t enough for him.

He wanted to become a real noble.

And the best way to do that…

Was marrying one.

There was one noble lady who perfectly matched his plans.

Eve Rania Everheart.

She had always been sickly.

Because of her weak health, she wasn’t popular as a marriage partner.

Marcus saw that as an opportunity.

He spent a lot of effort trying to get close to her.

But there was always someone standing in his way.

Logan.

Even though Logan had barely spoken to Eve…

He silently protected her from the shadows.

Because of him, almost no male students dared approach her.

Even after graduating from the Academy…

Marcus kept pretending to be close to Eve.

Then one day…

She suddenly took a leave from school.

Soon after, she officially withdrew from the Academy.

A week later…

The news spread that she had married Logan.

Even Marcus, who prided himself on always knowing everything first, had never seen that coming.

Jack still remembered how shocked he had looked.

Even though beautiful women lined up around him…

He only cared about the wrong one.

Jack quietly shook his head.

Just then, the station master and several railway officials spotted Marcus.

Their faces immediately turned pale.

They hurried toward him.

“P-President!”

“We didn’t expect you to come in person!”

“It’s an honor!”

Everyone stuttered nervously.

Marcus had earned his position through his own ability at a young age.

He was famous for being cold and demanding.

People often called him…

A man with a heart of ice.

They said he had been playful and easygoing during his Academy days.

Looking at him now…

That was hard to believe.

“The trains were delayed because frost formed on the tracks early this morning?”

“Does that even make sense?”

“This is the south, not the north.”

Marcus sounded annoyed.

Jack answered immediately.

“I thought it was strange too.”

“But even the engines froze.”

“The engineers had to thaw them before they could start.”

Marcus silently looked toward the station office.

A thin layer of frost covered one of the windows.

He raised his gloved hand and wiped it away.

The frost disappeared.

He frowned.

Then he took out his watch.

It was ten in the morning.

Normally…

Morning frost melted after sunrise.

So why was it still there?

Jack spoke again.

“They say the temperature keeps dropping every day.”

“It could be temporary.”

“But maybe we should inspect all of the company’s equipment before it gets worse.”

Marcus stayed silent.

After a long pause…

He nodded.

“Fine.”

“Start preparing.”

“Understood.”

Jack quickly passed the orders to the station master and the railway employees.

Marcus checked the time once more.

“That’s enough for today.”

Leaving the station, Marcus returned to his hotel.

He planned to rest until his evening meeting.

Quietly…

He took a photograph out of his jacket.

Actually…

It was a newspaper picture he had cut out.

In it…

Eve Rania Everheart…

No.

Eve Rania Cheswind…

Was smiling brightly beside Logan.

She’s just as beautiful as ever.

Maybe even more.

Marcus sighed.

Then carefully folded the picture and put it back inside his jacket.

People believed he wanted Eve because he wanted to enter noble society completely.

None of them knew how much deeper his feelings really were.

Just then…

Loud noises came from outside his room.

The hotel had become noisy.

So had the streets.

Marcus looked out the window.

His eyes widened.

The entire city had turned white.

“…?”

What?

Snow?

How?

He rubbed his eyes.

But nothing changed.

The city was completely buried beneath snow.

Marcus hurried outside.

“Help!”

“The stable roof collapsed under the snow!”

“My husband broke his leg!”

“My child is buried under the snow!”

“A train has derailed because of the blizzard!”

“A carriage accident has left at least thirty people injured!”

Marcus stood in the middle of the chaotic hotel lobby.

He rubbed his temples.

“Damn it…”

“What is happening?”

The end of the world had arrived.

Without any warning.

Neither of us slept at all inside the tunnel.

Even after that awkward moment…

We kept talking and joking to stay awake.

“So…”

“We first met when we were fifteen, right?”

Logan surprised me with his answer.

“No.”

“It was when we were ten.”

“…Huh?”

We met when we were ten?

I lifted my head from his shoulder.

Our eyes met.

His red eyes were only inches away.

Feeling embarrassed, I quickly looked down again.

“I first saw you at Norton Amusement Park.”

“It left quite an impression.”

“I still remember it.”

Logan spoke calmly as he remembered the past.

“You were having your hair pulled by a monkey.”

…

Why did he say that like it was some beautiful childhood memory?

“I thought it was going to pull your scalp off.”

“But then…”

“You bit the monkey’s arm.”

“…”

THIS IS THE END OF CHAPTER 5