8 – An Invasion of Warmth

The South was warm, unlike the North.

Warmth permeated the air, even without my intervention, and bountiful crops thrived throughout.

After journeying from a place so barren and desolate, where snow was all one ever saw, arriving here felt peculiar, I mused.

The carriage came to a halt, and the coachman hurriedly stepped forward, knocking politely on the door.

“Master Damian, we have arrived.”

And so, after several days of travel, we had reached the Karsaril estate.

* * *

“Damiaaan!”

The first to greet me as we approached the mansion was a woman in a lavish dress.

To be honest, I didn’t recognize her.

Novels, when describing antagonists, vaguely mentioned their connections, but they never provided detailed character relationship charts as illustrations.

‘However, considering she’s speaking informally, seems a bit older than Damian, and appears very close…’

I suspected she was Damian’s sister, often mentioned in his letters.

I was bewildered by the sensation of being hugged and showered with affection, it was so unfamiliar, when someone beside her chuckled and began to calm Damian’s sister down.

“Sister, you’re going to suffocate Damian.”

“But how can I help it when my baby brother has returned!”

“Please, try to calm down.”

The moment she released me from her embrace, a man, presumably a brother, gently embraced me and said,

“Welcome back. Do you know how disappointed we were when you just left after announcing your engagement?”

“…Sorry.”

Not knowing how else to respond, I offered an apology, which caused the two individuals I assumed to be my brother and sister to stare at me in shock.

Then, they began to rub my face with their palms, checking my condition while exchanging words with each other.

“Come to think of it, his face does seem thinner.”

“I heard, for certain, that the cold of the North is something no person can truly bear.”

“Or perhaps her heart is simply shattered by the broken engagement?”

“Undoubtedly, that must be it.”

While I was thinking that the way they were squishing my face, like *chapssaltteok*, wasn’t entirely unpleasant,

this time, Damian’s mother, or so I presumed, approached from within, calling out to me.

“Damian. You’ve suffered much, come inside now.”

She came to me, gently patting my back, examining me carefully.

Then, with a considerably pitiful expression, she said to me,

“There’s nothing to worry about. Even if they are Wintreaven, they cannot possibly harm the Carsaril family.”

“…Yes.”

“Now, let’s go eat.”

Such an ideal family structure, to the point where I couldn’t fathom why Damian went astray.

And within that structure, I felt warmth from another for the first time since coming into this world, and nodded.

*

A corridor adorned with a refined opulence that defied description beyond “antique.”

I walked forward, noticing the maids and butlers bowing deeply as we passed.

Each time I followed the family onward, I could see fear and bewilderment spreading across their faces.

I couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason for those expressions, but

considering Damian’s reputation as a scoundrel, I could surmise that he’d gotten into quite a bit of trouble before going to the North.

‘Just what did he do to provoke such a reaction?’

Compared to those in the North, these were clearly highly trained servants, but

the fact that even they couldn’t maintain their composure suggested Damian had done something truly bizarre.

‘I should ask Lorraine about it later.’

A cup of tea, and she’d likely spill everything.

Resolved to do that, I arrived at the dining hall.

I let out a small gasp of wonder, gazing at the countless dishes piled high on the table.

Due to the harsh environment, the North’s food culture hadn’t developed much, and the variety was limited.

Here, however, an assortment of dishes was displayed that was incomparable to the North.

“Your father will arrive shortly, so take a seat in the meantime.”

I nodded, gauged the atmosphere, and sat down.

The moment I sat, those I presumed to be my elder sister and brother showered me with questions.

“Our youngest, how was the North? Was it bearable?”

“Come to think of it, your physique has changed quite a bit. Did you train hard there?”

It was attention, a manifestation of goodwill-based interest.

Having never received such attention in the North, save from Lorraine, I offered an awkward smile and opened my mouth.

“Yes, it was alright. I trained quite a bit.”

I didn’t know how Damian had treated his family.

But based on the letters we occasionally exchanged, it seemed Damian had also been good to his family.

So, drawing on that, I replied with appropriate familiarity.

“Our youngest… is actually answering? Good heavens.”

“You’ve matured so much.”

A completely unexpected response.

‘Just what *did* he do?’

Lorraine once described the young master as ‘a bit’ of a scoundrel.

Judging by the reactions of my family and the servants, it was more than just a bit.

I couldn’t even begin to fathom what kind of things he had been up to, and just then, the dining room doors slowly opened.

‘…A monster?’

As if he had been on the battlefield for ages, a soldier’s distinct refinement was ingrained in his very being.

He had honed his aura so sharply that one questioned if he was even human; the moment I laid eyes on him, I understood what it meant to be overwhelmed.

Though he said nothing, I immediately knew this man was Dominik Carsaril, the head of the Carsaril family, and as I looked at him,

Dominik Carsaril, with a placid gaze, spoke briefly to me.

“You’ve changed a great deal.”

At those words, my mother, sister, and the person I presumed to be my brother stared at the family head in astonishment.

“W-what did you just say?”

“What now… Father actually complimented the youngest, right?”

“Y-yes? Yes, he did.”

Utterly unable to grasp the situation,

I feigned a happy-yet-slightly-embarrassed expression so as not to betray my confusion, scratching my cheek with an awkward smile.

The family head sat down and continued speaking.

“Barely managing to endure a little over a year before returning, I’d assumed things were as they once were. But judging by his demeanor, he’d shed his arrogant and presumptuous past and clearly put in a considerable effort. He suffered much during that time.”

In the North, recognition—save for Lorraine—had never come. To receive it now, from such an unexpected figure, felt…strange.

A touch comical, yet realizing my efforts weren’t entirely in vain, I offered my heartfelt gratitude.

“Thank you.”

“There’s no need for thanks. I merely appraised your efforts as they deserved.”

Hearing those words, a peculiar ache resonated within a corner of my heart.

It was an unfamiliar sensation, yet not entirely unpleasant. I simply bowed my head deeply and nodded.

*

After finishing the meal, I found myself in conversation with Damian’s mother.

“I’ve dispatched an envoy to the North. Soon, the terms of the annulment will arrive, so don’t worry too much.”

“Yes.”

Apparently, a formal annulment required a certain procedure.

It wasn’t like breaking off an engagement between some minor noble houses; these were two prominent families.

For the sake of political reputation and maintaining amicable relations, severing the connection smoothly was deemed best.

With those words, Damian’s mother embraced me once more, patting my back several times before continuing.

“You’ve suffered greatly.”

“……”

A warmth not of my own making, but created by another.

Knowing that warmth was meant for Damian, and not me, I nonetheless felt the weariness etched within me begin to fade.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, I offered a gentle smile. She repeated how grown-up I’d become, then, as if struck by a sudden thought, her expression hardened and she broached a concern.

“There is, however, some less pleasant news. To formally annul the betrothal, you may have to meet with those people again. Would you be alright with that?”

“Yes.”

Perhaps it was because we had become less than strangers.

I thought I felt no emotional resonance any longer. Nodding, she stroked my hair and rose from her seat.

“Then go back to your room and rest well. If you still have the energy, perhaps you could play with your sister and brother, who are likely eavesdropping outside.”

At those words, I offered an awkward smile. Opening the door, I saw my siblings, ears pressed against the wood.

Thinking of them as quite the amusing family, I gave them a strained smile.

* * *

After lightly recounting the events in the North, I briefly laid down on the bed, and it was morning.

As much as I wished to sleep in longer…

The habit of waking early and heading to the training grounds from my time in the North clung to me, and before I knew it, my feet were carrying me there.

The manor was vast, so I did get a little lost.

But focusing my search on the outer edges of the estate, it wasn’t too difficult to find the training grounds.

“Little Master?”

Stepping inside, Lorraine was waving at me.

I’d heard that thanks to the tea I gave him, he’d felt a surge of inspiration, a sense that he was about to reach a new height – Sword Master, they called it – and so he was training diligently alongside me.

“Are we sparring again today?”

“Of course.”

“I figured as much, so I prepared the equipment in advance. Please prepare the tea, Little Master.”

Now that I think about it, I wonder where the kitchen is around here.

It was likely near the dining hall, so I was about to head that way when I ran into Damian’s brother at the entrance of the training grounds.

“You’re here to train so early? Impressive.”

He spoke to me with the most tender expression.

I nodded, offering an awkward smile, and he patted my back, beaming.

“Let’s both work hard. Oh, and if you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask. Your brother will help you.”

Feeling the warmth on my shoulder, I massaged it wordlessly, wanting to hold onto this gentle sensation as I walked back down the corridor.

Damian’s sister came into view, practicing swordsmanship in the garden.

I stood there for a moment, mesmerized by her beautiful and elaborate technique, when a memory, momentarily forgotten due to the engagement annulment, resurfaced.

[Damian truly began to break down after his sister was assassinated.]