Home/The Ice Age Came? And I Just Got Married?!/ch 96

Chapter 96.

The shock of the roof collapse had barely subsided.

I braced myself and slowly sat up.

It was dark all around.

Splintered wooden beams and broken furniture lay scattered, and the collapsed ceiling above was packed solid with snow.

The hole we'd fallen through was already sealed by snow, leaving no trace.

"We're completely trapped."

Aiden muttered lowly as I looked around—we were in a mansion's sitting room.

A fireplace, an old sofa, an overturned table—frozen in time.

But where the door should have been, a wall of snow towered over us.

I tried the handle.

Creak—

The door wouldn't budge—the snow pressed against it had frozen solid, sealing us in.

"So this is why people use second-story windows."

I nodded at Aiden's words and looked back at him.

Only then did I notice a red stain on the floor—Aiden's blood.

I approached quickly.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"You're bleeding."

"Ah."

He nodded dismissively and sighed.

"It's nothing."

He must have hit something on the way down.

Squeak—

Pipi poked his head out of my pocket—drawn by the scent of blood.

He fluttered up and circled Aiden.

"Let's sit for a moment."

I melted the frozen sofa with the Redstone's warmth and dried it completely.

Aiden stared at me in disbelief—he'd never seen me use Winterstone power directly.

"Your Grace—how did you do that?"

"Can we treat your wound first?"

I set down my bag and pulled out several Redstones—spares I carried. I scattered them around the sofa to warm the space.

"Could you take off your coat?"

Startled, Aiden looked up, his face reddening.

"Just the injured part—don't misunderstand."

He averted his gaze and obediently removed his coat.

It fell to the floor with a dull thud, covered in snow and dust.

He unbuttoned his shirt to reveal a wound far deeper than expected—blood trickling down his arm.

"And you call this nothing?"

"It doesn't hinder movement."

"By your standards."

I pulled clean cloth from my bag and pressed it to the wound.

Pipi hovered anxiously, then settled on his shoulder.

With each flap of Pipi's wings, the wound faded slightly.

I finished treating what Pipi couldn't.

Not because Aiden was handsome—but because leaving him untreated would hinder us.

But Aiden's perception was different.

"Honestly—I didn't understand why the Duke married you at first."

I looked up at his low voice.

"You're a fascinating woman."

He smiled.

"The more I'm with you, the more I'm drawn in."

His quiet voice filled the silent room, commanding attention.

It was unexpected—I never thought I'd hear a Crown Prince, and the protagonist, call me fascinating.

I didn't expect things to get this entangled.

Aiden stood up.

"I'd like to repay your help."

He rotated his healed shoulder in wonder, then gathered the Redstones and handed them back.

From his pocket, he pulled out a Goldstone.

"As repayment."

"Are you sure? I don't usually let go of what I get."

I paused, then added,

"Ah—if you shed a tear, I might reconsider. A beauty's tears would break my heart."

Aiden's eyes widened in surprise—then he burst out laughing.

"Ah—you really are charming. I want you badly."

To be coveted by the protagonist—what an honor.

I accepted the Goldstone quietly.

Though Aiden had seen me use Winterstone power, he didn't press for details—a consideration on his part.

Instead of probing, he'd likely try to recruit me.

In moments like this, I understood why people in the novel trusted and followed Aiden—though that didn't apply to me.

He couldn't compare to Logan.

Is Logan alright?

If it were before his memory loss, I'd worry he might fall apart—but the current Logan...

Honestly, I wasn't sure—maybe he was fine.

I looked up at the ceiling—layers of marble debris hung just above us.

It was a miracle we weren't crushed.

Given the building was four stories tall, even Logan would struggle to clear the rubble alone.

"We need to find another exit."

Aiden nodded.

He dressed and gathered his things.

"Just follow me—I'll handle the heavy work."

"You saw I have power too—"

He cut me off with a shake of his head.

"Save it for when it's truly needed."

He spoke politely but firmly. Before being a crown prince, he was the protagonist of Ice Age Survival—a man with power rivaling Logan's.

He also used a sword, like Logan.

While Logan overwhelmed with brute force, Aiden's style was precise and elegant—striking vitals without missing a beat.

If Logan's sword was a storm, Aiden's was a needle.

I didn't argue—he had the strength.

We set out to find a way out.

Aiden had given me a Goldstone, but he kept other Winterstones for himself—he needed to survive too.

Using the Redstone, he melted the snow blocking the salon's entrance.

The snow, accumulated over time, was solid—it didn't collapse even as it melted.

The sun must have set.

Outside temperatures would be minus sixty degrees.

Even with the Redstone's warmth, it couldn't restore stamina.

Searching would become more dangerous as night deepened—and Logan would surely keep searching.

We needed to reunite with them as soon as possible.

Aiden melted the snow to make a path, and I followed.

The snow underfoot was thick—I nearly tripped several times. Each time, Aiden caught my hand.

Our eyes met again.

An awkward silence passed.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

He just smiled and turned away.

We were from the same academy—yet we'd never crossed paths.

Then again, I'd been a fool who only saw Logan—I never paid attention to anyone else.

That felt like a small regret now—as if I'd never truly enjoyed my academy days.

I wish the ice age would end.

I want to return to ordinary life—and date Logan.

That longing surfaced again.

SCREAM—!

A shriek echoed from somewhere.

---

Brian was sweating coldly.

Graham and Logan walked ahead, scanning their surroundings carefully—as if not to miss a single clue.

The atmosphere was tense.

Graham had lost his precious sister, and Logan had lost his beloved partner right before his eyes.

Walking in that suffocating air, Brian looked at Graham as he stopped.

"We need to find another entrance to this building—but I don't see one. We'll have to try something else."

Logan also stopped and scanned the area.

Both Graham and Logan's eyes seemed slightly unhinged.

The situation was explosive.

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