Ch. 7: His Fury
Frost: “Don’t screw with me…”
After his close aide delivered the news that OO had been kidnapped, Frost slammed his fist against one of the pillars in the hallway.
Aide: “The deed was likely done by a group that was displeased with the close relationship that you were developing with the Princess of Traumere.”
Frost: “I had a feeling. I’ll make them regret ever standing before me…!”
…
……
Frost immediately rounded up all suspected nobles and confined them to the castle dungeon.
However, he grew irritated when they obstinately refused to speak on the matter, and proceeded to start the search efforts for OO, placing himself at the head of the army.
However…
Frost: “Did you find OO!?”
Soldier 1: “Not yet…”
Soldier 2: “We’ve searched all the residences and villas of the suspected lords, but…”
Frost: “…”
His expression furrowed in anguish, and one of the soldiers who saw him like that trembled.
Frost: “This is the first time I’ve tasted such humiliation! Everything’s just slipped out of my control since the Dream Eaters started their assault… Keep searching! Search every piece of land and building of the accused! Leave no stone unturned!”
Frost shouted to the soldiers, his crimson eyes burning with a raging inferno.
Ch. 8: Wanting to Meet Soon
Frost: “This is the first time I’ve tasted such humiliation! Everything’s just slipped out of my control since the Dream Eaters started their assault… Keep searching! Search every piece of land and building of the accused! Leave no stone unturned!”
At the same time, in the unpopulated outskirts of town…
…
OO: “I was somehow able to get out of that room, but…”
I had attempted many times to escape, and finally made it out of the room.
It seemed I had been kept in some sort of large shed on an estate.
However…
OO: “It’s no good, it won’t open.”
Though the lock on the shed had been broken, the lock held firm and the door that would have led outside wouldn’t open easily.
I looked around and noticed a window, high on the wall that was letting light in.
OO: “Someone! Is anyone out there-!?”
I frantically called out.
Then…
??: “Did you just hear a voice coming from around here?”
??: “We’ll search immediately! It could be the Princess of Traumere.”
OO: “…!”
(Help was already this close by…!?)
I mustered up all my remaining strength and continued to shout.
Eventually, the stuck door opened, and I was safely rescued.
OO: “So then I was kidnapped by some of the lords who acted out in opposing Frost?”
Soldier: “That’s right. You haven’t made a single error, Princess.”
OO: “Oh, I see…”
I was accompanied by the soldiers as we headed back towards the castle.
My frozen body was wrapped in countless overcoats as I watched my breath turn white in front of me.
OO: “I’m glad that I didn’t end up doing anything wrong.”
(Frost doesn’t hate me.)
I finally let out a sigh of relief, and possibly from the fact that all the fear I had been harboring vanished in an instant, I stumbled.
Soldier: “Princess! Are you alright?”
OO: “Yes. But I’m sure that I’ve caused trouble for Frost.”
As I spoke those words softly, the captain of the soldiers who had been walking ahead looked at me kindly.
Captain: “Lord Frost was exceedingly worried about you Princess. Please don’t blame yourself for anything.”
Soldier: “That’s right. This is the first time any of us have seen Lord Frost so worried over someone else…”
OO: “That’s…”
(The same Frost who is so magnificent and overflowing with confidence…?)
I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard, but those words warmed my heart.
Captain: “Now then, let’s hurry back to the castle. Lord Frost will be waiting impatiently.”
OO: “…right!”
(I want to see him soon…!)
I was so happy that I forgot my fears and hurried to the castle where he waited.
Ch. 9: Reunion
Having been rescued from the place where I’d been kidnapped, I returned to the castle in Snowphilia…-.
Captain: “We’ve safely rescued Lady OO!”
Upon arriving at the castle, the captain raised his voice in a shout.
Then…
Frost: “What… you found her!?”
OO: “…!”
There stood the person I had imagined during my time in captivity.
OO: “Frost…!”
His crimson eyes, which had been frightening at first, now flickered with confusion.
When I noticed, I threw off the overcoats I had been wearing without a care and ran.
Soldier: “Princess…! Your body isn’t recovered.”
I didn’t listen to the soldier who tried to stop me as I ran straight to Frost.
Then…
OO: “I’m so sorry for worrying you.”
Seeing him, I had completely forgotten my chilled fingers or the fact that I couldn’t feel anything through them.
Finally coming to stand in front of him, I saw Frost’s lip tremble.
Frost: “OO…”
Those very lips seemed to be looking for the words to speak.
But he didn’t reply any further than that.
OO: “Um… thank you for sending the soldiers out to find me. Really, everyone, thank you.”
I turned to look back at the soldiers behind me and bowed with a smile.
Then in that moment…
OO: “Eh…?”
I was grabbed from behind by a strong arm clad in white.
Ch. 10: A Mark of Awkward Love
Outside, the snow continued to fall gradually but heavier…-.
OO: “Frost…?”
Frost had suddenly grabbed me from behind and pulled me into an embrace, making my heart pound.
He held me tightly, not letting me move an inch.
Frost: “…worthless.”
OO: “Eh…?”
His voice was so quiet as he spoke next to my ear that I tried getting him to repeat it…-.
Frost: “I said I was worthless… I wanted to save you with my own two hands. Yet it was the soldiers I had dispatched who saved you…”
OO: “Frost…?”
Then Prince Frost continued to hold me…
Frost: “Good work all of you. You can withdraw now. I’ll look after the Princess of Traumere now.”
Soldier: “Yes…”
Frost: “Did you not hear me? Dismissed!”
The soldiers had been so surprised that they’d stood still, and Frost’s sharp voice pierced their reaction.
Soldiers: “Y-yessir!!”
The soldiers all left in a hurry, a faint smile on their faces.
Frost: “…”
Frost still didn’t seem to have any intention of letting me go.
My frozen body was warming up thanks to his heat.
OO: “…Frost?”
Wanting to know what he was thinking, I hesitantly called his name and…-.
OO: “…!”
A slight pain spread through my ear.
That pain was caused by the fact that Frost had gently nipped at my ear.
(Frost…!?)
I twisted around, the shear act of Frost doing that more surprising than the pain.
However…
OO: “Ah…”
Frost’s fingers spread open the collar of my blouse.
Then he placed an intimate kiss on the exposed skin of my neck.
OO: “…”
His cool yet heated breath crept across my neck, causing my entire body to quiver…-.
Frost: “This is the first time I’ve felt something like this… Princess of Traumere, I want you all to myself.”
OO: “Eh…?”
His fingers traced around my lips as he looked down at me through his long, white lashes.
Frost: “Even just you smiling at the soldiers just now made me jealous… listen, from now on, don’t smile so easily at anyone other than me. Not the staff, or the soldiers, or even my brothers.”
OO: “…”
At those sudden words, I could do nothing other than blink.
Then…-.
Frost: “Your answer is ‘yes’. I won’t accept anything other than that.”
As if to say he wouldn’t allow me to refuse or consent, the fingers that had been tracing my lips moved to my jaw.
OO: “Um…”
Frost: “…”
He closed his eyes, stealing himself, then Frost finally released me.
Frost: “…your answer.”
Frost had so quickly moved back and seemed so nonchalant now that it was hard to believe what had just happened.
Frost: “Since I met you, I’ve been tortured by these things I have no experience with, as if being made to drink boiling water. Even now, if I just think about if you were to disappear from my sight, I can feel myself seethe with anger.”
OO: “…Frost.”
Frost: “That’s why I won’t let you disappear from me so easily. Now, your answer.”
OO: “Yes…”
From that pressure as Frost spoke, fully composed with his arms crossed, there was nothing I could do but nod.
Then…
Frost: “…good.”
OO: “…!”
After he smiled in satisfaction, Frost once more embraced me, facing each other this time.
It wasn’t a crushing pressure like before, but instead gentle… as if he were holding something fragile.
(He’s hot…)
Feeling that heat, the words from the soldiers before crossed my mind.
————————
Soldier: “That’s right. This is the first time any of us have seen Lord Frost so worried over someone else…”
————————
(Am I the only one… able to see Frost like this?)
He pulled me in, as if to wrap me up inside his own coat.
OO: “Nn…”
From there, Frost placed his lips over my entire body.
Every single one was like a mark of his awkward love…
I quietly accepted all of his kisses.
END
Secret Story: A Surge of Jealousy
The snow continued to fall without interruption, creating a world of night dominated by white…-.
————————
Aide: “. …it seems that there is a possibility that the princess was taken captive by one of the local lords.”
Frost: “What did you say!?”
————————
A few hours after I had mobilized the soldiers to start the search for OO…
(…we still haven’t found her.)
Having taken command of a small platoon of soldiers at the city center, I continued the search for OO.
Ultimately, we had still been unable to find her and returned to the castle, where I heard the reports of the other squadrons.
(Where could you have gone, OO…)
I couldn’t hide my frustration at the fact that none of the information we had contained any clues.
Some time after I finished hearing the reports of the soldiers…
Frost: “…”
I stood from my chair in silence and headed for the door of the audience chamber.
Aide: “Lord Frost? Is there a problem?”
My aide who stood beside me, calm and reserved, spoke up.
Frost: “…I do not intend to just sit here and do nothing forever. I’m going to search for OO again.”
Aide: “Y-you can’t. Please wait. You’ve been searching this entire time until just a moment ago, so you should rest a little more…”
Frost: “Silence!!”
Aide: “Hii…!”
I shouted without thinking and pushed through the soldiers in frustration.
Frost: “…”
(How unsightly… They’re treating this as if… she’s just a simple woman.)
To suppress the turmoil in my heart, I whipped my cloak around.
Aide: “Lord Frost…”
Frost: “…I’m leaving matters here to you. As soon as you receive any information, set out on the fastest horse.”
Leaving the aide with that, I left the audience chamber.
As I was approaching the small platoon that was making preparations for departure near the castle entrance…-.
Commander: “We’ve safely rescued Lady OO!”
The heavy door at the entrance opened, and I heard the raised voice of the commander.
Frost: “What… you found her!?”
I shifted my attention to the entrance and…
OO: “…!”
There stood the woman I had been endlessly searching for.
(OO… …)
The sense of relief that threatened to crash over me like a wave drowned out my ability to speak.
(This is… just what on earth is this sensation… I have no idea. I’ve never experienced this in my lifetime…)
I stood there frozen by my own confusion, and…-.
OO: “Frost…!”
(…!)
As she called out my name, she rushed towards me.
Soldier: “Princess…! Your body isn’t recovered.”
She paid no attention to the soldier who tried to stop her or to the overcoats that fell to the floor. She only looked straight at me.
Then…
OO: “I’m so sorry for worrying you.”
Frost: “OO…”
(Ah, it’s happening again. Why can I not speak at such a crucial time…?)
I once more stood before OO, frozen awkwardly.
Perhaps guessing as to what was in my heart, OO spoke.
OO: “Um… thank you for sending the soldiers out to find me. Really, everyone, thank you.”
After she thanked me, she expressed her thanks to the soldiers behind her and bowed.
When she did that…-.
(Why…)
A dark emotion arose in my heart, so great I couldn’t contain it.
(Why… wasn’t I the one to find her?)
OO: “Eh…?”
As I realized it, I wrapped my arms around her delicate frame.
OO: “Frost…?”
OO said my name in confusion, but I didn’t pay it any mind as I tightened my hold on her.
Frost: “…worthless.”
OO: “Eh…?”
Frost: “I said I was worthless… I wanted to save you with my own two hands. Yet it was the soldiers I had dispatched who saved you…”
OO: “Frost…?”
I was relieved that she was safe, yet it was blotted out by the jealousy I felt towards the soldiers.
(…I can’t believe that I of all people… a proud member of the Snowphilia Royal Family would behave like this. For her to have been saved by mere soldiers… … …)
As I recalled my unbridled frustration, I held on to her.
Then after a short amount of time…-.
Frost: “Good work all of you. You can withdraw now. I’ll look after the Princess of Traumere now.”
Soldier: “Yes…”
Frost: “Did you not hear me? Dismissed!”
The soldiers had been taken aback and remained frozen in place.
I gave my command in a growl, as if my voice was being buffeted by the swirling feelings of jealousy within my heart.
END