Vivia stared at him, stunned. “Adopted?”

“Yes.”

“My lord!” Lucian furrowed his brows in frustration. “Why would you reveal that to the Princess?”

“It’s fine, Lucian,” Zerath said calmly.

“It’s not. At the end of the day, Princess Clairette is a human and should not be privy to the royal family’s internal matters.”

“Everybody in our realm already knows.”

“Yes, our realm. It’s a different matter with humans,” Lucian narrowed his eyes.

A nervous jolt erupted within Vivia by his sharp gaze and unease filled her.

Zerath sighed at his sour expression. “I know you’re concerned, but I trust Princess Clairette.”

Warmth tickled Vivia’s chest. She glanced at Zerath, her curiosity deepening, but as a human, she knew better than to pry further into the royal family’s affairs.

“You continue your search with the knights. Princess and I’ll head over to the hill for our own investigation.”

Lucian’s stern countenance didn't budge. “As you wish, my lord. Shall I send some knights to your side?”

“We’ll be fine.”

Zerath turned to her with a smile. “Shall we?”

—

The hill’s steep terrain was difficult to navigate, covered with a thick blanket of snow that made every step a struggle. Vivia's feet felt numb from the biting chill.

“Shall we rest for some time?”

“No, I'm fine. This much snow is nothing.”

“I can carry you too if you want,” Zerath offered with a playful smile.

Vivia imagined herself in his arms, her hands wrapped around his neck and their faces in too close proximity for her heart’s comfort.

“I'm really fine. As a dancer, my legs are trained to hold on for a long time,” she coughed.

He chuckled. “As my lady says so.”

Biting her lower lip, she softly said, “I’d like to apologize to you.”

Surprised, he asked, “For what?”

“The conversation drifted in that direction because I asked about Sir Astaroth. I feel like it must be a sensitive subject for you, so…”

“No, it’s not. You didn’t do anything wrong. I told you because I chose to. I didn’t feel forced or hurt. So rest assured, Vivia.”

His tender, golden gaze spiked a soft flutter in her heart. “O-okay…”

They continued walking until the tall canopies parted, revealing the frozen lake. Vivia gasped in wonder.

The vast lake shimmered beneath the shower of the pure snow. The frozen sheet of ice reflected an ethereal blue glow. Surrounding the shore were towering trees, their leaves and branches draped with frost as if they were sculptures of crystalline art. A soft melancholy hung in the air. It was mesmerizing, yet heartachingly sorrowful at the same time.

Vivia knelt at the edge of the lake and rapped her knuckles against its surface.

“The sound is deep. I thought it was only the surface, but the entire lake is frozen solid.”

Zerath nodded.

She looked around and whispered, “It must have been such a beautiful forest.”

“Indeed. This is one of the finest forests in the Demon Realm. But everything is simply ice now,” he softly exhaled. “The mages say that we won't find anything here.”

“Why not?”

“Because comparatively, the storms and blizzards in the town are deadlier than here. The mages concluded that this forest cannot be the source because they believe that this eternal winter is a curse, and a curse is the strongest and fiercest at its origin. Eventually, they gave up on the hill side and redirected their focus to the town.”

“I see,” she nodded thoughtfully. “But you still came here.”

“Others say that it's a waste of time, but I won't overlook anything. Clues can be found sometimes at very unexpected places.”

“I agree,” she replied with a new determination. “So let us continue our journey! We shall not lose hope!”

With a dramatic flourish, she marched ahead. Zerath chuckled and followed. They ventured deeper into the snow-covered woods, eyes scanning for anything out of place but found nothing.

Well, it wasn't going to be so easy. The demons have been scouring this place for two decades, after all…Vivia sighed.

Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly lost her footing and stumbled forward. She would have fallen face-first had Zerath not caught her in time, pulling her to safety.

“Are you alright?” his eyes widened with concern.

“Y-Yes…”

“What happened?”

“I don't know. The ground suddenly felt hollow.”

They both looked down and saw a snowy patch she had stumbled upon, but it didn't look any different from the rest of the forest. Zerath knelt and pressed his gloved palm against the ground. His eyes squinted.

“It does feel hollow…as if there is an opening beneath.”

Their eyes met.

Vivia swiftly dropped to her knees beside him and began digging furiously. Snow tumbled away with each sweep of their hands. The faint echo of the falling snow confirmed their suspicions.

After a while, the top layer of snow-clad branches collapsed with a muffled crack, revealing a gaping mouth in the earth. Vivia shuddered, unsure if it was the winter’s chill or the invitation of an ominous abyss.

“Is this some underground pathway?” Vivia wondered.

“Only one way to find out.”

Without hesitation, Zerath jumped down first. The fall was shallow as he had expected. He extended his hand and helped Vivia down.

Darkness engulfed them immediately, broken only by the faint shaft of light spilling from above. It was through that meek glow that they noticed an outline of something small huddled far inside the cave.

Zerath’s eyes narrowed. Taking slow steps toward the strange figure, he cautioned Vivia while he half drew out his sword.

“Who’s there?” His question echoed across the cavern’s walls.

He got no response.

Vivia braced herself for the threat, her fingers tightening around the hilt of the hidden dagger, one she had somehow convinced Zerath to acquire for her. She had always carried a blade with her. It was a habit rooted in her instinct for both defense and survival.

They walked with feathery steps, inching closer and deeper. Despite their guard, what greeted them as they neared the shrouded figure took them by utter disbelief.

It wasn't any cursed object.

It wasn't any hideous monster lurking in the dark.

It was a figure of a small child curled up in the darkness, staring unblinkingly at them with his ice-silver eyes.