Raising his chin at just the right angle, Edan’s cold gaze made Smith take a cautious step back.

Especially careful of the leg that had been hit last time.

“Did you forget this is a no-confession zone?”

Under the bright sunlight, Edan wasn’t just shining in my eyes.

Smith stared blankly at Edan’s shimmering golden hair for a moment before snapping out of it.

“So, being handsome makes it okay? Where in the world is there such a thing as a no-confession zone!”

“You’ve gotten pretty clever, haven’t you? Listen well, Smoothie. This is my land, and I am the law. And being handsome is everything.”

“Ugh.”

“Latieana likes my face, you know.”

As Edan brushed his hair back with a smirk, Smith’s face darkened like ash.

Smith slowly turned his stiff neck toward me.

“Is that true?”

Well, it’s kind of true. I glanced at Edan nervously.

He’d just been smiling, but now his eyes were icy, as if I’d cause a disaster with the wrong answer.

“It’s true that he’s handsome…”

“I hate you, Miss Latieana!”

Bam-!

Smith bolted out the castle gate with vigor.

“…”

Wow, seriously. What did I do wrong? Why are you mad at me? Smith, you don’t know this, but I saved you!

Having claimed victory, Edan patted my head lightly, as if praising me, clearly in a good mood.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a wedding invitation.”

“Are you going?”

I looked down at the invitation in my hand.

“I’d like to at least attend the eve celebration… but never mind.”

I wanted to see the townsfolk after so long and offer my congratulations.

But sadly, I didn’t have the energy for that right now.

I was busy planning to find the hidden space in this castle to uncover Ivy’s secret.

“Why not go?”

“Well, I’ve never been to one, so it feels a bit awkward to know how to act…”

“Awkward? It’s probably like a festival.”

“I’ve never been to a festival.”

I answered offhandedly as we entered the castle, but Edan spun me around.

“You’ve never been to a festival?”

“Nope.”

Is that such a big deal?

“Why not?”

“Just… never had the chance.”

“What have you even been doing with your life?”

Tch. That’s rich coming from you! I know all about how you’ve lived, buddy. You’ve barely enjoyed a festival yourself.

And, well, is it so strange not to have been to a wedding or a festival?

I was fine with it, but Edan seemed to look at me with a bit of pity.

“Great Wizard! You blasted old man!”

A few days later, I was roaring in my mind, imagining myself as a giant bear.

To find the hidden space, I planned to locate the castle’s blueprints, but no matter how much I searched, they were nowhere to be found.

Another dead end today.

Slumped over the desk in the study, I stared at the square wizard emblem.

“Looking back now, this really is a weirdo’s castle. Leaving traces here and there so slyly.”

Just as I reached for the square emblem, click. The library door opened.

“Lati.”

Edan, who’d been leaving me alone for days due to his busy schedule, approached.

“I’m going to the North tonight.”

Huh? You go there every day. Why report to me?

I tilted my head, puzzled.

“Have a safe trip…?”

“You’re coming too.”

…What? All of a sudden?

So, at a slightly early evening, as the sunset glowed, we passed through a portal to arrive in front of a northern castle where a chilly wind howled.

“Lati, this way.”

I was staring blankly at the castle’s sharp iron spire when Edan called me.

A carriage was parked nearby. Much larger and fancier than the one we took last time. A black carriage designed with ornate golden patterns, it was simple yet striking, with gold and red accents blending perfectly.

The understated yet grand colors matched Edan’s vibe.

Edan’s hair, standing by the carriage door and offering his hand, was tinged with the orange glow of the sunset.

The carriage headed not toward the castle but in the opposite direction.

Inside the spacious carriage, Edan was reviewing documents, which felt a bit unfamiliar.

I thought he only did physical work, but he’s diligently handling the Grand Duke’s duties too.

Not wanting to disturb him, I quietly gazed out the window.

Then, captivated by the scenery, I let out an involuntary gasp.

“Wow…!”

A painting—no, even the world’s greatest artist couldn’t capture this with such perfect angles.

Despite the chilly temperature, the clear, dust-free weather revealed the ice-capped mountains in the distance.

The empire’s final mountain range, blanketed in pure white snow.

Tall, jagged peaks stretched endlessly like a folding screen.

And below, faintly visible, were gray stone walls. The unbreakable walls.

Their sheer size was striking even from afar.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

“Edan, I’ve never seen such a beautiful sight.”

“You think the North is beautiful?”

“Yes! It’s really gorgeous! Don’t you think so?”

Edan glanced out the window briefly before returning to his documents.

“Well, I’ve never thought about it like that.”

His words made me pause.

Come to think of it, Edan came here because of magical beasts. He was practically exiled due to his mother and the empress’s political struggles.

He’s doing well as the Grand Duke, despite the sudden responsibility, but maybe he doesn’t have any attachment to the North…

Meanwhile, the carriage, which had been traveling down a quiet road, entered a village path lined with stones and lit with lights.

Only then did a basic question hit me.

“Where are we going?”

“A festival.”

Wait, did I hear that right?

“We’re going to a lantern festival by the river.”

Did he bring me because I said I’d never been to a festival?

But why is he dressed like that?

A bit late, I noticed something odd about Edan’s outfit.

He was in a pitch-black shirt, a harness belt slung diagonally, and even a black combat cloak, fully equipped.

He always dressed like this at night, but that was for going to the unbreakable walls. For a festival, you’d expect something casual.

Puzzled, I studied his attire, then glanced out the window and noticed knights lined up, dressed similarly to Edan.

A festival, with knights stationed like that? The situation grew more confusing, and unable to hold back my curiosity, I asked.

“Are those knights with special abilities?”

Edan, shifting his gaze from his documents to the window, nodded lightly and set the papers aside.

“It’s a festival, so why are they all gathered here?”

As I tilted my head, Edan flung open the curtain on the opposite carriage window.

In the now-darkened mountains, faint red lights were sporadically rising.

“I debated bringing you, but today’s the North’s once-a-year festival. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to show you.”

Pausing briefly, Edan nodded toward the mountains beyond the window.

“At the heart of the North flows a great river, formed from water cascading down the mountains. It’s called the Great River.”

I recalled the river I saw when I first visited the unbreakable walls. The river flowed from there.

Its beauty, reflecting the Milky Way under the night sky, serene and clear, was vivid in my memory. I was now in the plains where I’d gazed at it.

“The streams branching from the Great River, formed by melting ice, nourish crops and serve as drinking water. It’s a resource for the North.”

“Resource?”

“The ice water from the upper reaches of the river, just below the mountains, is so pure and precious that nobles buy it for their skin. The North is chilly even in summer, and winter brings harsh cold. So, they release lanterns to make wishes. That’s today—praying for the river not to freeze and for a safe winter.”

A lantern festival over that beautiful river? It sounded unbelievably amazing.

“But why the knights?”

“We set traps, but magical beasts, drawn to the dazzling lights, sometimes lose control and charge.”

“Then shouldn’t they guard the unbreakable walls more?”

“It’s not guaranteed they’ll appear. It’s just a precaution. And if they do show up, we need to handle them quickly to prevent harm.”

I see. The unbreakable walls are meant for subjugation, so they’re fine, but if a beast appears at the festival, it needs to be subdued fast. Here.

Edan, the strongest, is guarding what might be the most dangerous spot.

Now it made sense.

I gazed at the faint mountains in the distance. They were so far, almost unimaginable, yet magical beasts were truly monstrous.

“Scared?”

“A little.”

I recalled Edan and the knights fighting in the gaps of the unbreakable walls.

The knights, drenched in beast blood, burned with valor and determination.

“Don’t worry. My men are strong, and the North is my land. Just stay behind me and enjoy your first festival.”

His words tugged at my heart.

It was as if he was saying he’d bear all the world’s troubles himself—a gentle promise.

As we passed over a bumpy road, the carriage came to a stop.

Edan cracked the window and gestured with his hand.

A knock followed, and the carriage door opened. Edan stepped out first, offering his hand, and I took it to step down.