["Remember, every step must be taken with caution. We still know very little about this world," Dan Heng reminded Stelle.]
["Relax! With the three of us here, what problem couldn't we solve?" March 7th said proudly, gesturing at Stelle beside her. "You've got a Stellaron inside you, I've got my one-of-a-kind Six-Phase Ice, and Dan Heng has… uh, some mysterious past we don't know about."]
[The moment Dan Heng's past was mentioned, Stelle's mouth formed a perfect "O," her face instantly morphing into a gossip-hungry expression.]
[Dan Heng, meanwhile, swiftly turned his head away, as if desperately trying to avoid the topic.]
["If anyone dares to cause trouble for us, they're in for bad luck!" March 7th clenched her fists and swung them around, putting on a fierce front—though her adorable demeanor made it look more like she was playfully sulking.]
[Stelle: "They're in for bad luck!"]
["?" March 7th put her hands on her hips. "How long has this echolalia been going on?"]
[Stelle responded with that same cheeky, smug look.]
[March 7th felt slightly exasperated. Before Stelle had boarded the Express, she'd assumed this quiet girl was shy and reserved. But now… was this her true nature?]
[As the trio made their way toward their destination, they encountered numerous monsters. According to Dan Heng, these were all Fragmentum creatures born from the Stellaron.]
[Aside from a few still-active monsters, most had already been frozen into ice sculptures amidst the endless blizzard.]
——
In the imperial capital, within the headquarters of the Jaegers, Esdeath stared somewhat absently at the images on the Celestial Screen.
Hailing from the northern borderlands as a member of the Bālto tribe, this snowy landscape was nothing unfamiliar to her.
Through Stelle's perspective, this land still bore traces of a previous civilization—though they were now extremely faint. Thick layers of accumulated snow covered rooftops, stone walls stood sturdier against the white backdrop, and an old gate was nearly buried under the snow, as if forgotten by time itself.
This desolate sight reminded her of her long-destroyed homeland over a decade ago—perhaps the now-empty Bālto territory looked just like this.
Lost in thought, Esdeath suddenly felt something nudge her foot.
Snapping back to reality, she saw a thinly clad man crouched at her feet, rubbing against her boot like a dog begging for a pat on the head.
The man's muscles were taut and well-defined, clearly honed through rigorous training. In any past military force, he might have been a formidable warrior capable of standing his ground—but before Esdeath, he knelt submissively, doing everything he could to please his master.
Instinctively, Esdeath tightened her grip on the chain in her hand. The other end was connected to the collar around his neck, forcing him to obey as he pressed himself against her feet.
He obediently licked her boot.
"How dull." Esdeath rolled her eyes and sighed. "Is this the mightiest warrior of the north?"
She raised her leg and suddenly stomped on the man's head. With a burst of force, his skull shattered like a smashed watermelon, blood and brain matter splattering everywhere.
The air instantly filled with a sickly-sweet metallic scent. Esdeath took a deep breath, the intoxicating aroma easing her previously suppressed mood.
She looked back up at the Celestial Screen—
Every time the image lingered on Dan Heng's face, a faint flush crept across Esdeath's pale, refined features.
As the Sadistic Queen, her interests weren't limited to just torturing and conquering ordinary people—she craved the challenge of dominating strikingly powerful young men.
And this young man named Dan Heng perfectly fit her criteria.
His spear techniques were likely unmatched across the entire empire. Especially when he wielded his lance to take lives, his handsome yet indifferent face showed no emotion, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
In a one-on-one fight… even she might not easily defeat him. But precisely because of that, such a challenging target reignited her long-dormant desire for conquest.
Esdeath picked up the bloodstained black collar from the ground, licking her lips with lingering satisfaction.
"If I were to fasten this around his neck… what kind of expression would he make?"
"I really want to see it…"
——
[After trekking through the snow for a while longer, March 7th suddenly noticed a snow pile moving in the distance.]
["Hey, did you see that? Something in that snow pile just moved…"]
["It's just an ordinary snow pile. Are you sure it wasn't your imagination?"]
["Definitely not! My eyesight's great! C'mon, let's get closer."]
[The three cautiously approached the snow pile, only to find a person hiding inside, shivering from the cold yet refusing to come out.]
["Hey, stop hiding! You're trembling all over," March 7th said, leaning in for a better look. "And staying quiet won't help either…"]
["Move aside, March."]
[Dan Heng stepped forward with a stern expression and, without hesitation, swept his spear to clear the snow covering the man's rear. The sudden force made the man lose his balance, stumbling face-first into the snow.]
["Oww!" A blue-haired man rubbed his backside as he staggered to his feet. "Hey, buddy, was that really necessary? Hiding in the snow isn't a crime—no need to poke me with a spear!"]
[No sooner had he voiced his complaint than he realized the trio before him didn't seem like pushovers. Dan Heng looked dead serious, March 7th frowned with her hands on her hips, and Stelle… wore a grin that screamed "I live for drama."]
[His expression instantly brightened, his attitude shifting so fast it was dizzying. Clapping his hands, he chuckled awkwardly.]
["Ah, but then again, it's not your fault! Haha, I was the one who popped up out of nowhere. Totally deserved that hit—how else would I get to meet such fine friends? Haha…"]
["So, uh… has Commander Gepard arrived yet? He and I go way back."]
[March 7th tilted her head. ["Who?"]
[Seeing her reaction, the man's eyes darted around as he quickly pieced together their identities. His tense expression immediately relaxed.]
["Oh, you're not Silvermane Guards? Should've said so earlier! No need for friendly fire, right?"]
["Name's Sampo Koski. Pleasure to meet ya."]