Chapter 99 – Ice Snowball’s Way of Loving? (2)

To the academy students, and indeed to all wizards on the continent, Esthel Sylvester de Rochear was nothing short of an idol.
What’s funny is that when I first heard the name of Ice and Snowball, the person who was also mentioned was Terra.
Of course, if you were to ask me who is stronger between Terra and Esther, I would choose the former without any hesitation.
But even putting aside such personal evaluations, Esther’s achievements and the glory of the Rochear family were enough to bring a small sensation to Parenzia as the vacation was almost over.

— I saw Ice Snowball sitting by the lake this morning!!
— Haven’t many people come from the royal family these days? Are you planning to take office as a professor?
— Or maybe it’s because of the Ruhilen merchant’s deal. There is still little trade in the North Sea.
— I heard that the villas on the mountain behind Bayou Pavilion were booked up in an instant? I should have come sooner…

Even though the semester had not started, the academy was bustling with activity.
It was all thanks to the students who returned from their homes to see Esther.
Naturally, the concession stand was also experiencing a small boom, so without realizing it, my eyes kept turning to other business items.

‘Should we just sell Ice and Snow Sisters goods?’

The ice crystals created by Adela’s tears are sold in lucky bottles.
Or even try to tear off a bit of Esther’s hair.
In an afternoon filled with trivial thoughts, I suddenly heard a familiar crying sound from somewhere.

— Pi-.
— Crumbling… !

I stopped the iron dogs from showing their teeth and greeted the polar-colored bird and its owner who came to the stall.
It was Erzsebet, a princess whom I had not seen in a long time.

“Is there a problem?”
“Ha… “Excuse me for a moment, Louis.”

He looks quite nervous and tired.
When she gestured, Piyi took a large circle around the cafeteria.

“Did you have a good vacation? Were you in Thessalon?”
“No? “I couldn’t even step foot in the academy.”
“Why?”
“Whoa… Rather, Louis. “Have you had any incidents at the Academy recently or in the future?”

A sudden question.
I glanced at the iron dogs that had lost their owners and nodded solemnly.

“Not at all.”
“It’s good. I hope you continue to maintain that mindset. I have to go talk to the chairman as well, so…”

Erzhebet walked away with Pyi, her face deep in sorrow.

“What, all of a sudden?”

I soon lost interest and began diligently cleaning the freezer, which was ready for its new owner.

***

A small bench next to the lakeside.
Esther sat down where she had received two kisses from Louis and looked around.
The students couldn’t come close to her and were buzzing in the distance.
It seems like attention is slowly coming to focus.

In a way, it was natural.
Since last night until now, I have been lost in thought on the bench in an immobile position.
The slender fingers pressed firmly against her lips and did not move at all.
Just like water flowing leisurely, my thoughts about Lewis continued endlessly.

Lewis’s values.
Evaluation of him.

‘It is definitely worthwhile to bring Louis into the family. Arranged marriages that can gain political advantage are not necessary for Sangvised Roshoar. Rather, his ability and the quality of his successor can be said to be more suitable for increasing the power of the family.’

‘Like Bahran’s stone bamboo tree, which constantly exploits moisture from the ground, he craves leadership even though he has laid me down once. Adela’s long-cherished desire is also explained by the combination of her lust for victory and sexual desire, with her flashy appearance and a hint of consideration.’

With rational thinking.

‘But will she be able to fully entrust Louise to her sister? Already Adela has no intention of taking her leading position in a relationship with him. She might even sacrifice the entire Rosh Ar like that. She must stop that much.’

Reasonable conclusion.

‘In the end, I have no choice but to step forward. For the family. For my long-cherished wish. Even if you look more disorganized, you must regain the initiative. It definitely worked yesterday, so if you really overlap your body just a little bit more…’

That is absolutely not the case.
Esther knew well.

Pap-duk!

“What on earth am I worrying about?”

Blood came out from her bitten finger.
Freezing her wound to stop her bleeding, she gritted her teeth as she realized that all of her mishaps ended up being nothing more than an excuse to get closer to her Lewis.

There is still no heartbeat reaching her hand placed on her chest.
But if this is not love, then what on earth made you change yourself like this?

“Whoa…”

Finally, after a long, long night, she made a decision.

“I don’t know.”

It may truly be an action for Roshoir.
Maybe it was just speculation she had towards her younger brother.

“Not a clue.”

It could be the insight of a master who saw his value accurately.
It could be the happy sigh of a woman addicted to dizzying pleasure.

“But I won’t run away.”

Because that’s what Rochear is.
Because Esther Sylvester is that kind of woman.

“Because winter will always be cold.”

The ice and snowman froze the lake again today.

***

As always, when I arrived at the meeting place where the villas were lined up, people had already gathered like a cloud.
All eyes were focused on one place, as if they were watching the launch of some kind of spaceship.
I, too, who made my way through the crowds, was surprised to see the calm surface of the water that had been a lake until yesterday.
A huge ice castle was built on the lake.

Damn it!

As I stood in front of the gate, the ice split and the gate opened.
Biting cold enveloped my entire body.
Thud! I walked into the castle, leaving behind the door that closed loudly.
Not long after, Esther came down from the transparent circular staircase in a hall reminiscent of a ballroom.

The sound of stepping on the ice was as clear as her eyes.
As if it wasn’t too cold, I wore a thin dress today as well.
However, ice crystals were scattered here and there, giving it an even more dress-like beauty.

“What about Adela?”

I definitely left in the morning.

She said, “I’m sleeping in my room. “Soon she will wake up.”
“Well, yesterday was…”
“Done. “I’m not that clueless either.”
“Okay… Uh? Did you hurt your hand? “What happened?”
“…”

When asked while looking at her bruised fingers, Esther muttered as she cupped her hand.

“You know that such tactics are useless to me…”
“Creation?”
“It is nothing. “Follow me.”

Esther quietly turned her body halfway and walked in front of me.
As she walked around her large castle, she noticed familiar structures.

“It’s Rochear’s castle. In Edanbury.”
“You seem to remember. It is reproduced as 〈 Ice Citadel 〉. “For your information, I’ve already fixed all the parts you broke.”
“Where are you going?”
“Follow me quietly. “Because I have an important story to tell.”

The place we arrived with Esther was a space we had seen before.
Not exactly when she visited the North Sea, but from Adela’s past memories.
A huge dining room with portraits of past family heads hanging.
The cold table where Adela was sitting blankly was now made of real ice.

Esther said, running her fingers across the smooth, dust-free table.

“What remains now is the most important step in awakening the inherent magic. “There are countless magics under one magic spell, but each of us has our own unique magic created by our own wishes.”

Esther pointed to the largest portrait hanging in the middle of the wall.

“Anna Borte de Rochoire. The first ice and snowman froze time.”

Come to think of it, she also heard it from Lehel.
There was an ice-snowball who used a unique magic spell that froze time.

“What magic do you use?”
“It wasn’t one of the things you got hit with, so don’t think about it. “The magic I am proud of is only used by demons.”
“… “So Adela needs to learn that too?”
“It’s not about learning, it’s about realizing. “Preparations are already made.”
“Preparation?”

Crash.

After passing the dining room and walking down a short corridor, we arrived at a small room.
When I went inside, the door locked itself.
What lies in front of you is an ice bed that looks so fucking cold.
At the same time, a loud roar sounded from the front door.

“It looks like you saw the note.”
“What did I write?”
“I wrote that if you don’t destroy my fortress, I will take your body and mind here, Lewis.”
“Body and mind… What?”

Kuuk.

With a soft touch that awakened the nerve cells of her entire body, Esther’s pure and beautiful face came right in front of her nose.
Despite the cold space, all the blood in her body rushed to one place.
The voice is still dry, but somewhat irritated.

“You brought it all on yourself.”
“I?”
“You must have hugged her sister last night. “Didn’t you know that the moment Adella felt superior to me, even though I told her so much about the awakening of her inherent magic becoming distant?”
“That…”

There was a situation.
Adela’s unique magic can only be used when the karma in her body is 0, that is, when only pure mana remains.
If you don’t periodically use 〈Evil Transfer〉 to drain her karma, the training and everything else will be useless.

“You should have stayed close to me like this instead of throwing me out on the spot, Louis.”
“…”

But what is the reason for showing it in action?
Are you upset that I didn’t take your side?

“Don’t stand so stiffly and put her hand up.”
“Where?”
“… Wherever you want. “You idiot.”

Or are you seducing them without even realizing it?

“I’ll say it again, you brought it all on yourself.”

As I wrapped my arms around Esther’s waist and held her, she lowered her gaze and said with a small snort, “You’ll be like that a long time ago.”

“There’s only one way left to inflame her sister’s jealousy even more than what happened to me yesterday.”
“Kiss?”
“Touch it. “As you wish.”

Caressing my cheek with his cold hand.

“I am not your lover, but I will only allow you until that gate is breached.”

It’s okay to touch your body however you want.