Home/The Ice Age Came? And I Just Got Married?!/ch 84

Chapter 84.

By the time we arrived, Frank was already dead.

He'd suddenly taken his own life—no one knew why.

"Hah..."

I watched Graham, who sat on the hotel lobby sofa sighing repeatedly.

It seemed he knew the reason.

Surprisingly, Haywood and Orange Market—whom I'd expected to resume hostilities once cooperation ended—were instead busy boasting about their exploits to the Lowell survivors.

I gathered the Acorn Village group (Clare and Leon had somehow become part of our team) and moved to a quieter place.

"Eve."

Logan called me to a stop.

"Hold my hand."

He reached out. Out of the blue? Bewildered, I took his hand—and only then did he start walking.

I silently looked up at his profile. His jaw was tight—clearly angry.

"Are you mad?"

"How could I be mad at you?"

He paused, frowning.

"I'm just... really pissed off."

He emphasized "pissed" quite strongly.

I felt guilty and couldn't offer any excuse.

"Don't watch my face. You're doing this for me, after all."

"Huh?"

"Am I wrong?"

"N-No."

"Right. Then it's fine. Even if I'm pissed, what can I do? You're willing to risk your life for me."

Logan let out a dry laugh.

"I hate it—and I'm absolutely crazy about it."

I stared at him, mouth agape.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

My heart was racing again. It couldn't keep doing this.

Logan laughed wearily and covered his face with one hand. His neck was flushed.

"I feel like I'm going mad with joy because of you."

"Sorry."

Was my response too mechanical?

Logan glanced at me—with a deadly look.

"I like it—I like it a lot."

He shook his head, as if to say there was no point in talking further.

We reached our destination—the hotel's VIP lounge.

Walnut-paneled walls, gilded landscape paintings, and coat racks by the wall.

A long oval wooden table sat in the center.

Through the window, the ruined park was visible—the shattered carousel and tilted Ferris wheel stood desolately against the white snow.

We took our seats around the table: me in the center, Marcus and Clare on my left, Logan and Leon on my right, and Graham alone across from me.

Logan placed the White Veil-inscribed hide on the table.

A ripple of tension passed through the room.

I spoke first.

"I've heard of White Veil—any scholar interested in the ice age would know about that conspiracy theory."

Though I had no proof, I had a near-certain guess.

"Listen—this is just my speculation. A wild thought, really—about why Graham came to find the Lowell representative."

I shrugged and continued.

"Is Frank part of White Veil?"

"Yes."

The answer came so quickly and simply that everyone fell silent and stared at Graham.

He sighed faintly, adjusted his glasses, and spoke.

"I'm looking for White Veil. I wasn't studying abroad in Norsellan—I was imprisoned there."

I'd never known that.

"Maybe our missing parents and Julian are also being held by them."

Graham uncrossed his arms and gazed out the window. Snow drifted softly beyond the ruined park.

"If that's the case, they might still be alive."

"No—Julian is somewhere else."

At my quiet statement, everyone's eyes turned to me. Graham tilted his head in surprise.

"...How do you know that, Eve?"

It was hard to explain—I hesitated, choosing my words.

There was no reason to hide it anymore—I'd already revealed my powers.

"I saw it."

A brief silence followed.

On the table lay the White Veil hide, along with the black mana stones from the clown monkey and the Snow Titan—stones that resembled the Heart of Frost.

"The more Winterstones I absorb, the stronger my connection to their 'source'—the core that spawned them."

A faint chill spread from my fingertips.

"That's why I saw it—Julian was moving somewhere with that source."

Graham didn't immediately refute—he just looked at me quietly.

I smiled bitterly.

"Until this conversation, I kept telling myself it might have been a dream."

Since the ice age began, almost nothing I'd witnessed could be explained by common sense.

Perhaps I'd just wanted to believe it wasn't real.

"But I don't think it was."

Graham tapped the armrest slowly, as if pondering something.

Finally, he seemed to make a decision.

"Eve—is the place you're staying safe?"

I blinked at the unexpected question and nodded.

"Yes—at least for now."

"Then stay there. I'll do the searching."

His gaze was more resolute than when he'd faced the Snow Titan.

"Finding our family is important—but protecting you is just as crucial."

"...What do you mean?"

Graham looked at me—a complicated expression flickering in his eyes.

Like someone who could no longer hide a long-kept truth.

"I want to speak with you alone."

The room fell silent. Everyone glanced between Graham and me.

After a pause, Graham spoke quietly.

"Correction—"

His gaze slowly shifted to Logan.

"His Grace may stay. He's your husband."

Logan looked at me silently.

I gave a small nod.

"It's alright."

Marcus rose, seeming to understand.

"We'll wait outside."

Clare and Leon followed without question.

Click—

The door closed softly.

Now only I, Logan, and Graham remained.

For a long time, no one spoke. The faint howl of the blizzard outside filled the room.

Graham exhaled deeply and finally looked at me.

"...I planned to take this to my grave."

"What are you talking about?"

"You were adopted."

...What?

My mind went blank.

Adopted?

We were talking about my safety—why did he say that?

Throb.

A sharp pain pierced my temple.

Drip—

Warm liquid trickled down my nose—a nosebleed, as always.

Before the blood could stain the floor, a soft cloth pressed against my nose—Logan.

"I—I'm fine."

Graham had stepped closer in alarm.

"Please—keep talking. I want to hear more."

"...Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm fine—please continue."

Graham hesitated, as if ready to stop and call a doctor—but finally, he spoke reluctantly.

"Your birth secret is why you're in danger. White Veil is looking for you."

I unconsciously clenched my fist.

"What is my birth secret?"

"Even I don't know. Only Father knew the truth."

Questions swirled in my mind—why I was adopted, why White Veil wanted me, why only Father knew.

Logan gripped my hand tightly.

I'd grown up loved—and now, with the world already ended, what did it matter?

It didn't matter.

What mattered was what we did next.

What changes my birth secret would bring—and finding a solution.

That was all I needed to know.

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