In the cold bitterness of the ever-snowing north, where the blizzard and snowstorm seemed ceaseless, life was a constant battle against the elements.


    Beasts, monsters, and people alike struggled to survive in this unforgivingndscape. It was a harsh reality governed by an unspoken rule: only the strong could endure.


    This principle was ingrained in the culture, passed down through generations as a testament to the resilience required to thrive in such harsh conditions.


    Thus, the inhabitants of the north were known for their exceptional strength and fortitude, surpassing even the mightiest knights of more temperatends.


    That was why therge empires and kingdoms down south never intended or even put in the notion of conquering the north it just wasn''t worth it.


    Queen Mavis, thest living high fairy, embodied this strength and resilience.


    Confident in her ability to withstand whatever challenges the north presented, she stood defiant against the relentless onught of the storm.


    "When will this storm end?"


    Mavis grumbled, her voice barely audible over the howling wind.


    She squinted through the flurry of snowkes, her vision obscured by the blinding whiteout that enveloped her surroundings.


    As the once ruler of the north, Queen Mavis had known the unforgiving nature of this ce better than anyone. Yet, this time felt different. It was as if someone or something was deliberately conjuring and controlling the never-ending snowstorm that surrounded her.


    Initially, she had thought herself fortunate when she was unexpectedly released from the clutches of the demons. However, as the relentless storm raged on, she found herself regretting her previous stroke of luck.


    Lost in the swirling tempest, she had lost all sense of time. Days blurred into nights, and she trudged on, her determination the only thing keeping her going.


    Her once pristine white hair flickered in the snowstorm, and her piercing blue eyes strained to pierce through the relentless veil of snow.


    Despite the swirling chaos around her, she could sense that there was nothing but the vast expanse of the frozen wastnd stretching endlessly before her.


    No trees, no viges, nothing to offer even a semnce of refuge.


    In her desperation, she had hoped to stumble upon some abandoned shelter, a ce where she could seek temporary respite from the merciless storm. But such hopes were quickly dashed as the barrenndscape offered no sce.


    Yet, amidst the despair, Queen Mavis found sce in one undeniable fact: she was not like the ordinary beings who would have perished in these harsh conditions.


    As a fairy, and a high fairy at that, her survival depended not on food or shelter, but on mana.


    With each passing moment, however, she could feel her reserves dwindling, depleted by the relentless onught of the storm.


    Though she was far from ordinary, even her extraordinary powers had limits. And as thest of her mana reserves dwindled, Queen Mavis knew that her time was running out.


    ''Is there really no way out of this but to use this?''


    Queen Mavis wondered aloud, her gaze fixed upon her tattered, transparent, and translucent silvery wings, reminiscent of a butterfly''s delicate beauty.


    Though broken and tormented by the demons, their ability to grant her flight remained intact.


    ''Perhaps, it wouldn''t hurt to take to the skies for a few hundred meters to search for a nearby settlement''


    The situation was already perilous, and using her damaged wings would require what little mana she had left. But faced with the choice between aimless wandering and the risk of flight, she knew she had to make a decision.


    ''It''s just for a few seconds at most…''


    She reasoned, steeling herself for whaty ahead. With a determined resolve, a translucent blue hue enveloped her wings, transforming them into a shimmering, iridescent beacon of hope. With a surge of energy, she soared into the air, her eyes focused intently on the horizon.


    As she ascended, a sense of exhration washed over her, mingling with the adrenaline-fueled rush of flight. For a brief moment, she felt weightless, liberated from the constraints of the earth below. And then, just as quickly as it had begun, her ascent leveled off, and she found herself soaring above the frozenndscape.


    "Is that smoke?" she wondered, squinting her eyes against the re of the sun reflecting off the snow. With a sinking feeling in her gut, Queen Mavis knew what she had to do.


    A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she spotted a dense forest in the distance. Hope, it seemed, had not abandoned her entirely.


    There were many things to take into ount as she approached the forest. She wasn''t sure what that smoke indicated.


    She hoped it was people, as she could ask for help, but if not, she was fully prepared to kill if necessary.


    Checking on herself, she still had enough strength to cast four 3rd-circle magic spells.


    Enough firepower to at least harm a B-rank monster.


    If they were demons then she was screwed….


    …..


    Deep within the forest, nestled within the protective confines of a temporary settlement, Princess Christine and her loyal knights, alongside the sword master Siena and her disciple Tristan, had established their base of operations.


    As they toiled to secure their encampment against the harsh elements, Tristan returned from a scouting mission, his weary form bearing the weight of his burdens.


    With dark blue hair cascading around his face like a veil of shadows, and features that seemed to embody the very essence of beauty, Tristan cut a striking figure as he made his way through the camp. In his hand, he carried a ck bag, its surface slick with a faint, viscous moisture that tainted the pristine snow with its dark hue.


    Though the other knights nearby were unaware of the significance of Tristan''s arrival, those who had faced the horrors of the demonic threat at the academy recognized the grim reality of whaty within the bag.


    Their faces contorted with a mixture of dread and apprehension as they realized the nature of Tristan''s burden.


    Without hesitation, Tristan made his way to thergest tent in the encampment, where Princess Christine awaited his return.


    Inside, the princess was engrossed in her duties, meticulously sorting through a pile of documents that had been magically transported to their location by the emperor himself.


    Despite her own exhaustion, Christine remained steadfast in hermitment to their cause.


    "Princess,"


    Tristan greeted her wearily as he entered the tent, his voice tinged with fatigue. Christine looked up from her work, concern etched upon her features as she took in the sight of her trusted knight.


    "You''re back," she remarked, noting the weariness evident in Tristan''s eyes and posture.


    Though she longed to express her own fatigue, she knew that their duties demanded their unwavering attention.


    With a shake of his head, Tristan answered her unspoken question before cing the ck bag before her. Christine''s gaze flickered to the bag, curiosity mingling with apprehension as she waited for Tristan to reveal its contents.


    "What is that?"


    Princess Christine inquired, her voice tinged with apprehension as she gestured toward the ck bag that Tristan had ced before her.


    "Demons…."


    "How many?"


    Christine pressed, her brow furrowing with concern.


    "Three"


    "And how far from here?"


    "Around 400 meters at most," Tristan replied, his voice measured but tinged with a hint of urgency.


    The princess sighed heavily, exhaustion evident in the lines etched upon her face as she rubbed her temples wearily.


    The relentless onught of monsters that besieged their camp had already proven to be a formidable challenge, and now, with the presence of demons looming ever closer, their situation had be exponentially more dire.


    At first, there had been only isted reports of demons in the vicinity, but now that their numbers had multiplied, Christine knew that they could no longer afford to remaincent.


    Demons possessed a sinister ability to swarm to locations where they detected the presence of their prey, and with their camp now exposed, they were at greater risk than ever before.


    The princess knew that their current course of action was no longer tenable. Despite their initial mission to investigate the disturbances in the north, it was clear that their resources were stretched thin, and their safety could no longer be guaranteed.


    "We should probably move now," Christine suggested wearily, her voice tinged with resignation.


    Though she harbored a desire to see their mission through to itspletion, she knew that their priorities had shifted. Their primary objective now was to ensure their own survival.


    "I believe so as well, Princess," Tristan concurred, his expression grave as he regarded her with solemn determination.


    "Master also suggested for us to leave this ce immediately, as the three heads inside my bag right now were all high-ranking demons."


    The princess''s eyes widened at Tristan''s revtion, her heart pounding in her chest as she struggled toprehend the gravity of his words.


    "S-say that again?" she stammered, her voice tinged with disbelief.


    "I believe we should leave this ce as w—"


    Tristan began, but Christine interrupted him, her tone urgent andmanding.


    "Thest part!!!" she insisted, her voice rising with a mixture of panic and frustration.


    Tristan hesitated for a moment before repeating his earlier statement.


    "The three heads in my bag are all high-ranking demons…?".


    "You should''ve started with that, idiot,"


    Christine admonished him sharply, her mind already racing with the implications of their discovery.


    Without wasting another moment, she rose from her chair and grasped her staff, her movements swift and decisive. There was no time for hesitation—they had to leave, and they had to leave now.


    If the creatures Tristan had in were merelymon mobs, it would have been one thing. But high-ranking demons? That changed everything. Christine knew all too well that demons of such stature were closely monitored by their superiors, and their presence here posed a grave threat to their safety.


    "Hailey!"


    Christine called out, her voice ringing with authority. Immediately, a knight d in armor entered the tent, bowing respectfully before his princess.


    "Your Highness," he greeted her, but Christine paid him no mind as she began to stride purposefully toward the tent''s entrance.


    "Alert everyone. It''s code red," shemanded, her voice leaving no room for argument.


    "C-code red?" Hailey echoed, confusion evident in his voice.


    "Yes," Christine affirmed, her tone resolute.


    "We''re leaving this ce once and for all."


    Though Christine''s heart ached at the thought of abandoning their mission, and the possibility of encountering Adrian, the hero she had hoped to aid, she knew that their prioritiesy elsewhere.


    The lives of the people in their care, and the knowledge they had gleaned from their investigation, were too precious to risk in the face of such danger.


    ….


    In the outskirts, beyond the border of the northern continent, two carriages rumbled forward, their wheels kicking up clouds of dust as they traversed the rugged terrain. Inside, the upants watched in awe as thendscape unfolded before them, revealing the untamed beauty of the northern countries.


    Louise, her eyes wide with wonder, gazed out of the carriage window with childlike delight. "Wow… So this is the northern countries?" she eximed, her voice filled with excitement.


    "It''s much more beautiful than expected, considering the savages who lived here," Aria remarked coolly, her gaze fixed on the scenery outside.


    Elena shot Aria a reproachful nce. "You know you shouldn''t say that, right Aria?" she chided gently.


    Aria''s expression softened, "Yeah… sorry"


    Though the girls spoke in hushed tones, they were all too aware of the grim reality thaty beyond the picturesque facade of the northern border.


    For weeks now, they had journeyed throughnds ravaged by demons and humans alike, witnessing firsthand the devastation wrought upon the once-thriving nations.


    As the carriages continued their journey, Adrian, a man with ck hair and deep, translucent ashen grey eyes, observed the scene outside with a small, enigmatic smile ying upon his lips.


    To the untrained eye, the northernnds appeared serene and tranquil, but Adrian knew better than to be deceived by appearances.


    Behind the veneer of calmnessy a world engulfed in chaos, a battleground where forces beyondprehension shed in a deadly struggle for supremacy. And as the curtains of uncertainty unfurled before him, Adrian couldn''t help but wonder how this intricate y would unfold, and what role he would ultimately y in shaping its oue.