(The massive Ice Gate opens, revealing Emperor Ronald standing firmly in place, radiating icy calm and unmatched power. Beside him stands Princess Selina, wearing sleek black armor. Her sharp gaze mirrors her father's, yet there is something different about her—a trace of rebellion.)
Ronald (in a deep voice):
Welcome to the Ice Empire.
(The guards bow respectfully, while Ronald remains perfectly still. Selina, however, scans the group briefly and steps forward with steady confidence.)
Selina (coldly):
Which one of you is Princess Agnes?
(Agnes pauses for a moment, then steps forward.)
Agnes (calm and confident):
That would be me.
(Selina studies her with a piercing gaze before giving a slight nod, as if evaluating her.)
Diana (whispering to Tarkan):
Is she always like this? She looks like she walked straight out of a war novel.
Tarkan (smiling faintly):
Seems the ice doesn't freeze only the walls here.
(Selina turns sharply, as if she heard them. Diana pretends not to care, increasing the tension.)
Ronald (seriously):
You will rest in the palace tonight. Training begins tomorrow. Be prepared—this empire is unlike any place you've visited before.
Diana (sighing, muttering):
That's exactly what we were told.
(Selina ignores her completely and turns to her father.)
Selina (coolly):
I will oversee their training myself.
(Ronald looks at her for a moment—an unspoken conversation passing between them—then nods in approval.)
<------❀------>
[The Ice Palace]
(The palace is made entirely of transparent ice, reflecting light at every angle and creating a cold yet mesmerizing atmosphere. Inside, servants escort them to their rooms. As usual, Diana can't resist a sarcastic comment.)
Diana (cheerfully):
Is this whole palace basically a freezer? How do you live here without freezing solid?
Selina (flatly):
We live because we're strong enough not to care about warmth.
Tarkan (smiling calmly):
Looks like we're going to learn a lot here, don't you think, Agnes?
Agnes (nodding):
Yes… this place feels different. Like it holds something new—perhaps a new challenge.
<----------❀---------->
[First Day of Training]
(Everyone gathers in the icy training courtyard. Selina stands before them, dressed in her black armor, her sword resting at her waist. Her voice is sharp and commanding.)
Selina:
In the Ice Empire, strength is everything. If you are weak, you will not survive. Today, I will test all of you and see whether you are worth my time.
Diana (low voice to Agnes):
I think she wants to kill us, not train us.
(The training begins with brutal challenges, including combat dummies animated by ice magic. Selina watches in silence, occasionally delivering harsh remarks.)
Selina (coldly as Diana falls to the ground):
If you are here to waste my time, you can return to wherever you came from.
Diana (struggling to her feet, glaring):
Don't worry. I'll show you who's wasting whose time.
(As training continues, Agnes gradually begins to display her abilities, drawing from her previous training. Selina notices, watching her in silence.)
Selina (thinking):
Perhaps… she isn't as weak as I thought.
(A faint sense of respect begins to form between Agnes and Selina, while the tension between Selina and Diana remains unmistakable.)