Home/The Ice Age Came? And I Just Got Married?!/ch 29

Chapter 29.

"It reminded me of the past."

Logan answered, staring quietly at the end of the corridor.

"I never knew the 'Ice Age Research Institute' was here back then."

In the past, as now, Logan's only goal was to protect me.

He'd never been interested in ending the ice age—he had his hands full just protecting me from other survivors.

So he'd never had reason to come to the naval base.

Logan's nine lives weren't described in detail. After all, he was the villain, not the protagonist—there wasn't enough page space to cover all nine lives.

Page space...

Come to think of it, where had I read that novel? I couldn't remember anything except the novel itself.

"Even back then, there were a lot of strange things."

Logan stroked his chin and looked around.

"It felt like someone was watching."

At Logan's last words, Marcus and Charlotte turned around.

"Hey—really? Someone was watching?"

"That doesn't make sense—it's not like we're using magic. There's clearly no one here."

They voiced their doubts one after another.

Then Charlotte tilted her head and looked back at Logan.

"Wait—did you come here in the past too? Why to the naval base? Ah, right—you served in the military after graduating from the academy, didn't you?"

The "past" wasn't that past, but Charlotte's misunderstanding was convenient.

Logan nodded and answered.

"Yeah—but I've been discharged now."

"Why did you discharge? Because of the dukedom?"

"No—to get married."

Without a second's hesitation. As if the dukedom was nothing compared to marriage.

"This lunatic."

At Marcus's muttering, I felt my face grow hot with embarrassment for some reason. It was flustering, but strangely, I didn't dislike it.

Marcus looked between Logan and me with a complicated expression, then sighed.

"Alright—enough of that. What did you mean by someone watching?"

"Exactly what I said. I keep feeling eyes on me."

Logan had good instincts—the sharp senses of someone who'd been through war.

"It's not human."

At those words, silence fell. A chill ran from my head to my toes.

Squeak?

Just then, Pipi, who had been sitting quietly on my head, stirred.

He fluttered his wings and flew off somewhere.

"Pipi?"

I met Logan's eyes and quietly followed Pipi down the corridor. Marcus and Charlotte followed behind, looking uneasy.

At that moment, I sensed a Winterstone's energy and looked up.

[Records Archive]

A sign marked the entrance of a firmly shut iron door. Pipi fluttered in front of the closed door and looked at me.

As I placed my hand on the doorknob, Logan covered my hand with his.

"I'll open it."

I had no reason to refuse.

I let Logan have this first.

Logan opened the door and went inside. The rest of us followed. Once inside, the Winterstone's energy grew stronger.

The records archive was filled with steel shelves and file boxes crammed between them.

Fleet operation logs, supply ledgers, officer personnel records, emergency reports—the room was thick with the smell of decades' worth of paper.

"There doesn't seem to be anything interesting here."

Marcus said with a disappointed face. Charlotte looked similarly let down.

"Wait."

I stopped them and moved deeper into the archive. Pipi had flown that way.

In the far corner, I spotted a locked file cabinet. Pipi landed on top of it.

I examined the lock. The key Marcus had didn't fit.

Where was this key meant to be used?

Logan stepped forward and reached out.

"I'll break it—"

CRUNCH—

But before he could, the lock shattered in my hand.

"..."

"..."

Logan and I both froze.

"Th-The power has a mind of its own."

Thanks to the Goldstone absorption, my strength had increased—but it was quite erratic.

For example, I couldn't lift Logan's greatsword with one hand, but I could break a lock.

Come to think of it, it's always bending or breaking things. Is it just that I can't lift heavy objects?

As I was pondering, Marcus marveled,

"Our junior isn't even human anymore."

"You're right, Senior. I'm a demon. Watch out."

At my answer, Charlotte laughed and said,

"I think I heard Logan say you're not a demon—you're a saint."

So she'd been pretending not to hear, but she was listening?

Creak—

The old hinges screamed as the cabinet lid opened.

Inside, instead of documents, there was a single black velvet pouch.

Inside the pouch were two Winterstones—one the size of a fist, the other about the size of a finger.

And in the box, a memo:

[Unidentified Mineral Investigation Record]

Record No.: 135227-B159

Author: Major Eldier, 3rd Reconnaissance Unit, Rosebrook Fleet Headquarters

Contents: July 10, 1917. Immediately after the disaster, first discovery of unidentified mineral. Silver-colored mineral of unknown origin found near Lighthouse No. 7 at Rosebrook Harbor.

Caution: Do not touch. It devours humans.

The memo seemed to have been written right after the ice age began.

The Winterstones glowed with a faint silver light, as if a blizzard was trapped inside—a pale white vortex swirling within.

Silverstone.

The rarest type of Winterstone.

It had the power to warp space.

With it, one could travel through space—but the side effects included the risk of being trapped in a void, unable to return to the original space.

It was a one-way trip, not a round-trip, so it couldn't really be called a side effect.

The biggest issue was the chance of being trapped in an intangible void.

"So the military found Winterstones too. But what does 'devours humans' mean?"

"Space travel. If someone saw a Silverstone for the first time and a person vanished, they might think the stone devoured them."

"Did our junior say she has clairvoyance?"

At Marcus's question, I nodded and reached for the Winterstone—then withdrew my hand. I turned to Logan and the others.

"Would it be alright if I absorbed this Silverstone?"

"Well—you found it, so I don't mind."

"I don't particularly want it either, so go ahead. You found it anyway."

Marcus and Charlotte answered in turn. Logan simply nodded, as if there was no need to respond.

Given my earlier assumptions, I was certain the Winterstones wouldn't harm me.

I quietly placed my hand over the Silverstone.

It emitted a soft glow.

The single ray of light instantly split into hundreds of silver threads, scattering into the air—

Like a shower of stars.

The silver threads climbed up my wrist like living things and swiftly burrowed into my skin.

FLASH—

With a blinding burst, all the light was pulled into my body.

At that moment, a sensation like something awakening deep in my heart swept through my entire being.

The Winterstones I'd absorbed so far totaled three types: Redstone, Goldstone, and now Silverstone.

Remarkably, I felt all their powers coexisting harmoniously within me.

I wiggled my fingers—I could feel silver energy gathering at my fingertips.

Just then, Logan grabbed my shoulder.

"Eve—don't use that power yet—!"

Before he could finish, his voice faded into the distance. Space warped, and the location shifted.

But I didn't use the power...

Damp air and a cool scent seeped deep into my lungs.

Drip—

At that moment, my nose bled. I quickly pulled out a handkerchief and pressed it to my nose.

I looked around, somewhat bewildered.

I'd been dropped off in an unfamiliar place—alone.

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