At my kiss, Hadel’s eyes turned red. Hadel stepped back from me with a sulky expression.

“Stop teasing me for real.”

What did I do?

Anyway, Hadel was so eager to work seriously that he was getting impatient. I was really afraid he might go looking for a place to chop firewood with an axe at this rate.

‘It’s good to be enthusiastic, but there’s no need to waste energy on unnecessary things.’

I offered an appropriate compromise.

“How about asking the villagers to bring the firewood they’ve already prepared? It would be good to gather it in one place for practice. If we offer to exchange it for Hinari charcoal, they’ll bring a lot.”

“That’s a good idea too.”

Hadel quickly called the butler and gave instructions. I watched Hadel with a pleased smile.

‘Is this what it feels like to raise a disciple?’

If Espen hadn’t gone berserk on the battlefield and the war had ended like that, and if I had safely returned to the capital, I probably would have raised disciples like this.

‘If that had happened, Hadel would be learning from a good teacher by now.’

It was regrettable in many ways.

‘But if that had happened, I wouldn’t have met Hadel.’

While it’s unfortunate that I couldn’t prevent Espen’s mana outburst, thanks to being involved in that, I was able to meet Hadel transcending time and space. Thinking about it that way, it wasn’t all bad.

Hadel, who had finished giving instructions, turned to look at me.

“Marian, is there anything else to do? Like training to control flames until the firewood is gathered?”

He looks like a puppy again.

Just as I was feeling affectionate towards Hadel, I found myself smiling like a grandmother again as I faced him. Then I suddenly came to my senses and asked something I had forgotten.

“Hadel, did you try tracking the mail carriage?”

Hadel nodded.

“I followed their trail and confirmed that they met with others in a territory called Neris, not far from our domain.”

“Neris?”

I tilted my head.

‘The name sounds familiar, but also not.’

Hadel’s explanation continued.

“The people they met with were also ordinary mail exchangers working in the Neris territory. I investigated their backgrounds too, but there was nothing suspicious. They were ordinary people born and raised in Neris.”

“I see. Then it’s likely they’re just following Prince Saedel’s orders without realizing it’s a leak.”

“That’s how it seems.”

Though Hadel’s voice was gruff as he answered, I could detect the underlying relief in its depths.

‘Well, if someone close to him was a traitor, Hadel would be very troubled too.’

It’s fortunate that those people weren’t intending to betray Hadel when they submitted their reports. Hadel said he planned to summon them and give orders on how to coordinate future reports.

“If we do it right, we might be able to control Saedel’s intelligence from our side.”

If we cut it off completely, he might try to attach more covert observers. Hadel’s handling was reasonable.

I rubbed my chin.

‘I’ll have to look into the ice demons myself. They might run away wary if Hadel appears.’

No matter how I thought about it, the sudden appearance of so many ice demons was strange. If I search from places close to that location, I should find some answers.

Our conversation went round and round before coming back to Hinari charcoal. Hadel nodded and said,

“As it happens, Neris has proposed to discuss the distribution of Hinari charcoal. They get as much snow as we do.”

At those words, I jumped up and rejoiced sincerely.

“They’re already discussing distribution? That’s really great! If the territory’s income increases like this, the population will naturally grow and the domestic market will expand.”

“Since it’s the first distribution, I’m planning to go and hear the talks myself. It also seems like a good opportunity to meet the contact persons in question while visiting.”

“That’s true.”

In the end, the mail exchangers and Hinari charcoal were connected like this.

‘Hadel is handling things well on his own without me needing to step in.’

I felt proud of my child, but also a bit lonely that he didn’t need my help.

As I faced Hadel with mixed feelings, he suddenly made this suggestion to me.

“Marian, would you like to come with me?”

It was truly an eye-opening proposal. Without a second thought, I exclaimed,

“I’d love to!”

The road to Neris was better paved than expected. But since it was the snowy season, the carriage often slipped while driving, so we decided to just go on horseback.

“You’ve never ridden a horse before, right? Marian, ride with me.”

To be honest, I’m very good at horseback riding. How many years did I spend on the battlefield! Moreover, because of my strong fire attribute, I always had to stand in the front line.

‘I had to learn horsemanship in the process.’

Of course, I was good at riding even when I was a princess. But while it was just an accomplishment then, on the battlefield it was truly practical. I couldn’t afford to look undignified by tumbling off my horse while leading from the front.

‘And as the battle situations became more serious… towards the end, I could ride even while half asleep.’

But I couldn’t show that fact. Hadel thinks I’m a ferret, after all.

‘When would a ferret have ridden a horse?’

Imagining a white ferret sitting on a horse’s mane was cute, but Hadel obviously wouldn’t believe it.

So instead of asking for a separate horse, I sat demurely in front of Hadel.

‘Ah, it’s nice and warm.’

Leaning against his broad chest, fire mana flowed in and naturally warmed my body. At first I felt awkward, but soon I realized this was the best seat and became satisfied.

‘That’s right! This is the VIP seat to another territory!’

Since we couldn’t go just the two of us, three knights and two servants to help with chores, a total of five people, accompanied us.

“Then, have a safe trip.”

As the butler bid farewell, Hadel started the horse. At first I was intoxicated by Hadel’s warmth, but by the time the castle gates opened and unfamiliar scenery unfolded before my eyes, I couldn’t help but fidget and couldn’t stay leaning.

I exclaimed with flushed cheeks and excitement,

“We’re finally outside!”

I felt so good that I couldn’t even feel the cold I was vulnerable to. Somehow, even the air brushing my cheeks felt different.

“Don’t fall.”

Worried about me, Hadel firmly pressed my fidgeting waist against him. I tried to sit still, suppressing my excitement.

‘Ah, but I’m so excited. Really excited.’

Hadel’s gaze turned to my cheeks, which had turned as pink as peaches. He said with a chuckle,

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Of course!”

Compared to the forest where I had been crying alone, Hadel’s castle was already like heaven, but I still wanted to see the wide world. More precisely, the world that had changed after my death.

‘I might laugh out loud if I see statues of comrades who fought in the war together.’

Hadn’t I already laughed once in the study? When I saw that Yulnisia, the magic tool user who had seriously advised me to eat bugs, was recorded as a genius magic tool user of the century.

‘Just seeing a peaceful world will make me happy.’

And coming out like this, the sense of openness was different. Humming a tune, I looked around. Trees covered in snow stretched on.

“Since it’s winter, they say there’s a small festival. I thought it would be nice to see it together.”

Hadel’s voice, which had been explaining about Neris, gradually sank. Hadel continued in a somewhat dejected tone.

“You’ll see when we get there, but my territory is really insignificant. It’s just big, but barren. And monsters keep appearing.”

I couldn’t agree with those words. I shook my head.

“You came to rule that territory to protect people from ice demons, right? And compared to the forest I lived in, the Grand Duke’s castle is heaven.”

“……”

At my answer, Hadel closed his mouth.

‘Hadel seems to have been deep in thought for a while. He must be nervous?’

The proof was that he was saying things he didn’t usually say. After fidgeting with my fingers for a moment, I added one more word.

“Don’t worry too much because I’m by your side.”

“…Okay.”

Hadel’s answer was lukewarm. As I was pondering how to comfort Hadel more, I faced the wind again.

At first I was excited, but the excitement soon subsided. It was because similar scenery kept repeating. Plus the vibration of the clattering horse.

‘I’m sleepy.’

I yawned wide. When I stopped talking, Hadel increased the horse’s speed. We rode like that for quite a long time, but the forest still showed no end.

‘I must have been too excited at first. Come to think of it, it’s natural that it takes more than a day.’

At some point, my head was nodding forward. Hadel pulled me towards him as my body swayed precariously, about to bury my face in the horse’s mane.

“You can sleep.”

Hadel’s voice was lower than average, sounding just like a lullaby. And my back felt the warmth of Hadel’s body temperature…

‘This won’t do. I really need to sleep.’

As I let my guard down, darkness rushed in instantly.

The pink hair that had been swaying like writing with a large brush suddenly disappeared, leaving only limp clothes behind.

The companions moving together were all startled and slowed their horses.

“Oh my, the young lady?”

“So she really was a ferret!”

A kiss could turn her back into a human, but being a ferret was better for riding a horse.

Hadel stopped his horse and put the scattered clothes in a bag. Then all that was left was a white ferret deep in sleep, oblivious to the world.

“Kyu kyu.”

Marian, who usually trembled a lot, was especially squirming on the horse today.

‘Is she cold?’

Hadel, mounted on the horse, picked up Marian. Holding her in his hand, he felt her trembling even more strongly.

‘If I put her inside my clothes…’

He was about to do as he did when she was a ferret, but then he blushed.

‘Am I the only one conscious of it?’