Home/The Ice Age Came? And I Just Got Married?!/ch 63

Chapter 63.

Nathan, who had been listening quietly, suddenly bowed his head to me.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I presumed to judge whether you were fit to be Duchess."

Apologizing meant he acknowledged my qualifications—whether I cared or not.

It wasn't that important to me, but I still wanted to stay on good terms with Logan's aide—so I didn't mind.

"You were just being faithful to your role as aide."

I shrugged.

"Wouldn't generous forgiveness also be a quality of a good master?"

At my answer, Nathan bit his lip in embarrassment. His eyes reddened.

"I doubted the Duke's judgment—so I failed in my duty as aide. I'll reflect on that."

Hmm—that was also true.

But Logan's choices weren't always right.

I turned back to look inside the tent. Logan and Marcus were busy treating Vincent.

Night had fallen—the room had grown dark.

It was a night that made me think.

---

"Jack's good at first aid."

Marcus glanced at the groaning Vincent with some concern.

Then he shook his head.

"But that bastard's attitude toward our junior really rubbed me the wrong way—so honestly, I'm a little satisfied."

"Same here."

Nathan strongly agreed with Marcus.

Especially after our conversation, Nathan's favor toward me had grown visibly.

Anyway, we'd passed one hurdle.

The lack of food for four days was a problem—but with water, we could survive.

Taking advantage of Vincent's sleep, I decided to make drinking water using the Bluestone.

I'd only used it to fend off wolf attacks with the mammoths—this was my first time using it in everyday life.

The Bluestone could create ice, snow, and water—but there was a condition.

It couldn't create something from nothing. The Bluestone's power gathered and condensed moisture particles floating in the air to give them form.

But in this frozen hell of minus seventy degrees, even air moisture was scarce.

Going outside to scoop snow would let in lethal cold—and breaking a window would turn this room into a tomb in seconds.

I thought of the moisture trapped by the cloth covering our mouths.

"What are you doing?"

Logan, as if reading my mind, asked.

"Making drinking water."

Nathan's eyes went wide.

Marcus, knowing I'd absorbed the Bluestone at the naval base, wasn't surprised—but he looked at me curiously.

Humans produce more heat than you'd think. Normally it's wasted, but in a sealed space like this, it's different.

The breath of five people carried a considerable amount of water vapor.

Those particles, which would normally turn to frost on the walls and ruin insulation, were now my target.

I placed my hand over the kettle and began finely tuning the Bluestone's power.

As a cold energy pulsed within me, the room's air rippled subtly.

"My god—what is this?"

Nathan gasped.

The invisible water vapor scattered in the air was being drawn to the Bluestone's influence, gathering at the kettle's opening.

Like transparent threads weaving together, clear droplets formed in the empty space and fell—plink, plink—into the kettle.

"What in the world are Winterstones? To make something like this possible—it's like magic. Is this the mana they say existed in ancient times?"

Marcus muttered, full of questions.

But no one could answer him—none of us knew the truth.

Once the kettle was full, I placed it on the Redstones piled on the floor to keep the water warm.

Soon, white steam rose from the spout—lukewarm water, a lifeline born from the polar cold.

"The patient should get some water first."

Drip—

After speaking, I bled from my nose.

Strangely, as soon as the blood flowed, I felt dizzy.

Since absorbing Winterstones, nosebleeds had actually left me feeling refreshed—so why now?

Logan, pressing a handkerchief to my nose, wore an unreadable expression—but I could tell he was alarmed.

His hand was trembling faintly.

"Eve—you're okay."

He whispered to me.

Marcus and Nathan seemed to be shouting something, but I couldn't hear them clearly.

"It's nothing serious."

Logan kept soothing me.

"So don't look so surprised."

Only then did I realize—I had a startled expression on my face.

Something felt strange inside me too.

What's happening?

"It's okay, Eve."

But as he spoke, cracks were forming in Logan's expression.

Seeing him look more pained than I was—I finally blacked out.

---

Chapter 10. Logan and Eve

Charlotte gathered the wax drippings that had hardened on the floor and candlesticks.

She said she'd reuse them.

Aiden sat quietly, chin resting on his hand, watching her.

Come to think of it, the academy's top students are all gathered here.

The Grandon Royal Academy admitted and evaluated students solely on "ability."

So the top-ranking students were well-known—even to Crown Prince Aiden.

Brian and Marcus were valedictorian and salutatorian of the 16th class, while Logan, Eve, and Charlotte were first, second, and third of the 18th class.

Aiden thought the shelter's personnel were quite competitive.

Surely, they'd have a higher survival rate than ordinary people.

What's more, Eve had majored in Northern Snow and Ice Environmental Change Studies and had even written special columns about the First Ice Age in the newspaper.

Aiden had taken notice of her as an outstanding student, receiving periodic reports about her.

He felt a strong desire to recruit Eve into his survival base.

And no matter how he thought about it, Logan and Eve's marriage still didn't make sense.

"To be honest, I didn't even believe they'd set up a shelter in a village like this."

Brian muttered in a low voice.

"I'm still baffled that they got married—but now that I see them, they actually seem to suit each other."

In the dark house, lit only by candles, it felt like a confession.

"They're all alive, right—the two of them, Rutland, Mr. Holt, and Sir Rayburn?"

Silence fell over the living room.

It was the fourth day. That long since Eve's group had returned.

No matter how warm the Redstones kept the room, they couldn't warm the heart.

Charlotte fidgeted with the collected wax, while Jack stood by the window, constantly peering outside with binoculars.

But even when he lifted the leather covering the window, he could see nothing.

Aiden, sensing the gloom, finally spoke.

"They're alive."

"Huh?"

"At least if it's Cheshwind."

Aiden leaned back on the sofa and said calmly.

"You never saw what he was like on the battlefield—if you had, you wouldn't worry so much."

Of course, Aiden was just offering comfort. Even Logan's chances of surviving a direct hit from a blizzard at this temperature were slim.

But it was also true that Logan was a man who didn't die easily.

To be honest, he'd half given up—but Aiden decided to believe in that rude man's survival instinct.

Back   Next