The surroundings were entirely white and pale blue. As the snowflakes began to swirl, even the boundary between the sky and the ground became indistinct.
Duke Kyle Blake advanced cautiously, keeping a vigilant eye on his surroundings. He was approaching a desolate area, one he had neither dared nor needed to enter before—even he, the ruler of the North, had chosen to stay away from this place.
The wizard who claimed to have come from the end of the world walked faster and faster. The frigid wind and the snowflakes clinging to his face seemed to invigorate him rather than hinder him, his steps light and unhesitant.
“Stand here.”
Now that there were no eyes watching, Nox naturally dropped his formal speech.
There was even a subtle hint of condescension in his tone, but Kyle paid it no mind. He simply cast a suspicious glance at the magic circle inside the cave that Nox had pointed to, then slowly stepped toward its center.
The blue light seeping from the teleportation magic circle carried a damp, eerie chill. It was a similar hue to the magic Shu used, yet it felt entirely different.
That was because the miraculous power Shu had wrapped around him—at the cost of his own lifespan—had always shone with a radiant, heartfelt light.
Kyle slipped a hand into his pocket. He felt a tiny, warm foot tapping lightly against his fingers, as if offering him comfort. A faint smile formed on his lips at the soft warmth.
Yes, it’s fine because we’re together. This time, things will be different. No matter what happens, I will protect Shu.
With my own hands, with everything I have.
This time, I will make sure of it.
“You seem quite determined.”
Nox glanced at Kyle’s expression and remarked.
“I am.”
“Is he really worth going this far for?”
Kyle answered without hesitation.
“Of course.”
“To me, it seems like the two of you don’t actually know much about each other.”
As the world around them was dyed in shades of blue, the only thing that remained vividly red was Kyle’s slightly narrowed eyes.
“Does that matter?”
“Hm?”
“Well, knowing each other well might allow for a more precise kind of love. But even if we don’t, that doesn’t mean we love each other any less.”
It didn’t matter. That was what Kyle believed.
He might never fully understand Shu, even if he spent his entire life trying. Half of Shu’s alienation and loneliness—born from being someone who came from another world—Kyle could only perceive, and the other half, he could only guess at.
But that was fine.
What mattered wasn’t how much he knew or didn’t know about his lover. What mattered was that they had chosen each other, that they wanted to be together.
For Kyle, that was the most natural and obvious choice. Just as Shu had risked his life for him, Kyle was prepared to do the same.
“Let’s go.”
“If Your Grace says so, then I won’t delay.”
As the magic activated, his vision wavered slightly.
But he didn’t so much as stumble. He was a man who could endure vomiting mouthfuls of blood and still hold his ground.
After what felt like an eternity compressed into a fleeting instant, he was pulled somewhere, his entire being drawn into a void.
“……”
The first thing to register was the change in his skin.
The cold seeping through his armor felt as sharp as a finely honed blade. Though he had grown accustomed to the North’s harsh winters, even he found this temperature brutal.
A literal, flesh-cutting cold—one that burrowed into his bones.
Kyle took in his surroundings.
The scene was blindingly white. The land, as if sculpted from pure snow, lay flat, its thick layer of ice so dense that the deep blue of the sea beneath remained hidden.
A tower, stark white and unlike anything ever seen before, stood isolated like a lone island. It loomed imposingly, as if a giant with an odd sense of humor had clumsily dropped it there, its presence both awkward and overwhelming.
A pale bluish-white iron fence, seemingly forged from frost itself, surrounded the area. It stood twice the height of a tall man, its countless spear-like projections forming an unbroken barrier without a single gap or entrance. It was as if the world had been deliberately shut out, sealing the tower away.
Kyle, concealing his tension, gently stroked his companion beast inside his pocket.
No matter how thick their coats were, the relentless cold remained unbearable. Shu had been shivering pitifully for some time now, to the point where Kyle began to worry that he might actually fall ill.
If only there were a way to warm him up.
But even Kyle’s hands, usually warm, were uncharacteristically cold. The most he could do was channel a bit of his magic to generate a faint heat.
“This is my first time bringing a guest.”
Nox stepped forward, extending both arms.
With an elegant yet leisurely motion, he gestured, and before them, a section of the iron fence began to slowly melt away, forming an opening.
Nox stepped through first, bowing deeply with an exaggerated courtly flourish.
“Welcome to the Frost Tower.”
Kyle hesitated briefly before following him inside.
With a heavy clank, the iron bars reformed behind them, sealing the entrance. Kyle caught a brief glimpse of the bars locking into place, as if the structure itself had come alive.
He had just walked headfirst into the den of beasts. From this point on, he would need to stay on high alert.
Just as he was thinking this, he moved his magic slightly, intending to warm his companion.
“…Shu?”
The small body in his pocket had suddenly stopped trembling.
Had he lost consciousness from the cold?
Kyle’s heart turned to ice.
***
‘Holy shit! I’m gonna freeze to death!’
I screamed internally, my entire body convulsing with violent shivers.
Sure, I had once sprinted barefoot through Blake Castle wearing nothing but a stolen shirt, but compared to this, that had felt like a breezy spring day.
The cold here was something else entirely—it gnawed at my flesh, slicing into me like invisible blades. I was moments away from freezing solid.
‘For fuck’s sake! I’m seriously gonna die! Is there no item that blocks the cold?!’
[Searching for an appropriate adjustment due to an improper level of interference.]
[Processing recalculations—this will take some time.]
The hell does that mean? So is it possible or not?!
Hurry up before I pass out!
[(︶^︶);;;;]
The system shuddered awkwardly before finally calculating my available miracle points, bringing up the familiar Nut Shop interface.
[You have arrived at the ‘Frost Tower.’]
[The original storyline is beginning to change significantly.]
[New character information added: ‘Nox.’]
[Current Miracle Points: 85.7%]
[Current Deviation Interference Rate: 10%]
[Adjusting…]
Just a little more, and I’d hit 90%. Damn, I’d really done a lot, huh? A strange sense of pride swelled in me.
NEW! [Soft & Warm Peanut Cream Bun | 2% Miracle Points | Guarantees deep sleep for approximately 3 hours. Highly recommended for sweet dreams!]
NEW! [Almond Cool Fever Taffy | 2% Miracle Points | Instantly lowers body temperature! Great for fevers!]
Compared to other items, these were pretty cheap.
Nice. I liked the affordability.
But if I fell asleep now, I’d probably end up with facial paralysis—or worse, freeze to death. And since I was already freezing, I definitely didn’t need something to cool me down even more.
‘What do I do…?’
I hesitated for a moment before rummaging through the LoveLove Corner section. As expected, a newly added item was gleaming as if it had been hastily inserted.
NEW! [Fluffy Hamster Ear Muffs | ❤ x500 ← Highly Recommended!]
[Slot Expansion Complete!]
[Current Balance | ❤ x1999]
‘…That’s a lot.’
Thanks to His Highness the Grand Duke’s overwhelming and passionate affection, I was able to purchase the hamster earmuffs without issue.
The pocket was too dark and cramped for me to get a proper look at them, but as long as they were warm, that was all that mattered.
I lowered my head slightly, stretched out my short arms with all my might, and snugly placed the soft, fur-lined earmuffs over my head.
Technically, since hamster ears are positioned a bit higher up, they weren’t exactly earmuffs, but… whatever.
— Squeak. (Whoa.)
Impressive. It must be a magical item.
The moment I put them on, the bone-piercing cold that had been assaulting me eased significantly.
The warmth from Kyle’s hand, faintly imbued with magic, made it just the right temperature.
I stopped shivering entirely and pressed myself snugly against his palm, savoring the newfound comfort. Without realizing it, a peaceful smile crept onto my face.
‘Ah, I can finally breathe.’
But apparently, this was only my perspective.
Kyle’s hand immediately stiffened. His fingers tensed, as if sensing something ominous, and he frantically fumbled around inside the pocket.
Wait—does he think I passed out?!
“What’s wrong?”
The infuriatingly perceptive mage butted in without missing a beat. His voice was laced with amusement, while Kyle responded stiffly.
“Nothing.”
“The little one is awfully quiet. There’s no problem, is there? I do have a duty to ensure everyone’s safety.”
I quickly snapped out of my daze and smacked Kyle’s fingertips a few times. Get it together, man.
“…He says it’s cold.”
“Well, given the brand, that’s understandable. Now, hand the little one over. As promised, I’ll remove the spell from his arm.”
I swiftly pulled out a pair of sunglasses from my inventory and put them on. The effect of Enhanced Insight’s Eye still had a little time left.
Nox extended his hand toward us, wearing a natural, easygoing smile. He had clearly figured out that I couldn’t step out of Kyle’s pocket.
Kyle took a step back and shook his head.
“Tomorrow. Show us to our quarters first.”
“No fun.”
Nox stared at me.
That shouldn’t be possible, yet somehow, even with the thick pocket fabric between us, I got the eerie sensation that our eyes had met.
Fortunately, Nox didn’t press further and turned away.
We climbed a long flight of semi-transparent ice-carved stairs. Strangely enough, the entrance to the tower wasn’t at the bottom but somewhere in the middle.
Beneath it, half of the tower seemed to be buried beneath an endless abyss of stairs, surrounded by jagged icebergs that gave the place a sharp, ominous aura.
Even after entering the tower, we continued ascending for what felt like an eternity. Only after countless spiral staircases did we finally reach a long, desolate corridor.
“The room on the left. It should be sufficient for two people. It’s a bit cold, though. If you’d like, I can provide another room…”
“No, this will do.”
For some reason, my face felt warm all of a sudden, but I had to agree with Kyle.
Separating in enemy territory wasn’t a smart idea.
“Are there any restrictions?”
Nox chuckled as he replied.
“Don’t go downstairs. It’s very cold. I’ll send some attendants soon—if you need anything, tell them.”
“…”
“I’ll come fetch you in the morning.”
The pale specter of a man turned his gaze toward me and added with a grin—
“Do stay safe.”
