To chase an unknown monster towards Hadel. Even more surprising was that the knights were actually driving the monster towards Hadel as if they were used to it.

‘Are they all out of their minds?’

To me, it was an incomprehensible scene. Isn’t Hadel the person in this castle whose life should be protected at all costs?

‘Yet they’re putting Hadel in danger?’

But I gradually understood the reason as I watched their battle. When the monster was stabbed with a sword, instead, cold energy climbed up the blade, causing ice to form on the sword and frostbite on the wielder’s hand. No matter what weapon one held, it was useless against the ice monster.

‘So they’re doing this because fire is the only way to completely destroy the monster! That’s why they’re driving it towards Hadel, so he can breathe fire and burn the monster.’

In the end, only the flames Hadel could produce could counter this monster.

‘But what if Hadel gets hurt? Who will help him then?’

I, who treasured Hadel the most among them, stomped my feet anxiously.

‘Is this why he returned to the castle last time on the verge of mana overload?’

Hadel swung his sword alone against several ice monsters. Before the flames that slithered like snakes along his sword, the ice monsters shattered ridiculously easily. It was a situation where I could understand why they relied only on Hadel.

‘But Hadel is in the midst of mana overproduction.’

The more clumsily he used mana, the more his heart would be stimulated, clearly causing him more pain.

But even so, Hadel couldn’t use all his strength.

“Your Highness! It’s dangerous!”

“When you drive the monsters, you all retreat too!”

There were too many people around, so he couldn’t freely breathe out flames.

Still, the ice monsters weren’t strong, so even when Hadel just grazed them with his mana-infused sword, they shattered like breaking ice with a loud crash.

It was when the situation seemed to be somewhat under control.

“Ah! Your Highness! There are monsters over there too……”

The voice trying to alert Hadel about the appearance of ice monsters suddenly grew quieter.

The number of ice monsters that appeared inside the castle walls, breaking through the bushes, was uncountable. I opened my mouth in shock.

‘There are so many. Where on earth were all these monsters hiding?’

They say just touching a person freezes them. Even a brush causes frostbite?

If that’s the case, it doesn’t make sense that so many monsters were hiding. They couldn’t have been hidden even if they tried.

‘Unless someone deliberately hid them……’

My speculation couldn’t progress further from there. Because at that moment, Hadel gave this order.

“You all return to the castle and evacuate the people.”

“Your Highness!”

With the sudden change in the situation, despair clouded the faces of others. Yet no one tried to hold Hadel back.

Because Hadel was truly the only one who could stop those numerous monsters.

Hadel, as if reminding them of this fact, shouted again in a loud voice.

“While I hold them off, hurry!”

At Hadel’s command, the hesitating subordinates ran off to evacuate the people in the castle. It was gut-wrenching to think these were my subordinates, but it wasn’t an entirely bad situation.

‘Now that there are no people, you can breathe out flames freely!’

Objectively, while the cold of the ice monsters was intense, the monsters’ durability was terrible, and Hadel’s firepower was certain. With no obstacles, it would be possible to sweep away the monsters no matter how many there were.

‘Yes. Now there are no hindrances! You can rampage as you please!’

I cheered with both fists clenched. But it didn’t take long for the strength to drain from my sparkling eyes. I gaped in disbelief.

‘……Why is he moving so timidly?’

If he was careful before because people might get caught up, now he should be able to spew flames recklessly.

Yet Hadel kept wrapping flames around his sword and using his body directly to destroy the monsters. It was incomprehensible why he was reacting so passively, especially since ice is the exact opposite attribute of fire.

As I gaped in disbelief, this thought occurred to me.

‘Could it be he doesn’t know how to handle flames?’

It felt like being hit on the head with a hammer. Because I had learned to handle flames meticulously under a good mentor, I couldn’t imagine that Hadel wouldn’t know how to handle flames.

‘But he was ostracized from the kingdom just for having a fire attribute? Then it’s possible!’

If they would drive out Prince Hadel to the north, they probably didn’t treat other fire attribute ability users properly either.

In the end, Hadel was driven out without learning how to handle it, blindly condemned for hurting others.

‘Damn, what’s wrong with all of them.’

My heart ached thinking of how lonely and desperate Hadel must have been. But there was no time to dwell on sentiments. Even if Hadel was the only fire attribute magic swordsman in this world, there was a mentor to teach him.

Right here.

Wasn’t I, Marian, this country’s best fire attribute magic swordsman, here?

‘I’ll help you!’

“Kyu kyu!”

Having made up my mind, I leapt up on all fours with all my might. Since I had only retreated enough not to be stepped on by Hadel in the first place, it didn’t take long to get close to him.

Hadel, surrounded by monsters, spotted me and shouted in a strained voice.

“Marian!”

It was the first time I heard my name from his voice.

‘I thought you didn’t remember because you just let it slip by.’

You knew all along but called me Kyu Kyu instead of Marian. At times like this, he was unspeakably mischievous.

After fiercely melting an ice monster in wolf form trying to bite his arm, Hadel shouted to me with a desperate face.

“Why didn’t you run away!”

“Kyu!”

I’m not your subordinate, do I have to go just because you say so!

‘And in this situation, I’m the only one who can help you.’

As I was trying to climb onto Hadel’s body, an ice monster attacked me. I was just about to climb up his leg, so I couldn’t avoid the attack aiming to bite my side.

‘Ugh, if I get bitten in this state, it’ll be trouble!’

If my heart were fine, such crude monsters would be no match for me, but now my heart was in a broken state. The approaching cold was threatening. Just as I reflexively squeezed my eyes shut.

“Kyu Kyu! It’s dangerous!”

Hadel threw away even his sword and scooped me up with both hands. Warm mana rushed into my body.

Hadel stared at me with shaking eyes full of agitation. Before I could discern any emotion in that gaze, his forehead lowered as if collapsing, touching the top of my head. Unable to meet my eyes, he spoke in a heavily suppressed voice.

“If even you get hurt, I……”

Usually he doesn’t show emotional fluctuations to the point of being annoying, but why is he revealing his vulnerable side so generously today?

That appearance was quite cute, but now was not the time to comfort and pat him. I pressed my lips against his, who had come close to me.

‘Stop nagging and just press your lips!’

Our lips locked together so tightly that not even air could escape. Given the situation, there was no time to gently press lips and wait for his heart to be ready.

‘Ugh, really. Having such mana inside.’

The mana flowing into my body was hot like lava. It was incomprehensible that he was struggling against such ice monsters while possessing such high-purity fire.

His breath and mana tangled chaotically, and in an instant, my short limbs stretched out, and my soft soles touched the ground.

‘Ugh.’

Unable to balance my body momentarily, I staggered greatly. Hadel reflexively pulled me tight into his arms.

He probably did it out of consideration, but it was an excellent action for the fire attacks I was about to show.

“……That’s not how you use fire.”

I snapped my fingers in front of his eyes. Like sparks flying when lighting a campfire, small flames flickered like stars in front of our eyes.

‘I can do it now.’

Now that I’ve received mana from Hadel, and am still receiving it.

I carefully built up the sparks and then suddenly stretched out my hand.

“You gather and gather, then burst it all at once!”

At that moment, a massive flame poured out of my hand like a wave.

Using a sword is to more easily control the flames because they are so intense. But when there are so many enemies and no allies within range, what reason is there to wield flames so meticulously?

The biggest advantage of flames is in that explosive power.

‘Ah, refreshing.’

A sense of liberation I thought I’d never taste again shook my whole body. Smiling refreshingly, I turned to Hadel.

“Why are you suppressing yourself so much?”

“Marian.”

I nodded to Hadel. And this time, I embraced him from my side. The intelligent Hadel realized what I wanted him to do without me saying it.

‘If there’s no one to teach you, I’ll teach you.’

In the cold forest, when I opened my eyes with a broken heart, I had only miserable thoughts. I wondered if there was any meaning in living like this.

But by Hadel’s side, there were things I could do too. That was a very happy thing for me as well.

Hadel raised his hand. I could feel his awkwardness at raising flames without a sword for the first time. I cheered him on enthusiastically.

“Yes, like that. You’re doing well.”

Just explode all the mana in your heart at once as if scraping it out.

Boom!

With a tremendous sound, the ice monsters surrounding Hadel burst apart in an instant. I couldn’t help but laugh. I faced Hadel and asked.

“Refreshing, isn’t it?”