Chapter 5
The youngest daughter of the rulers of the Hadenhartz family in the North.
Bianca Hadenhartz.
Renowned for having the coldest face in the North, she was famous for her expressionless demeanor, earning her the nickname “Snow Woman.”
Yet, despite her looks, rumors spread that she would eventually become an extraordinary beauty.
So, why was she engaged to him?
The reason was incredibly simple.
‘Because it’s perfect for a political marriage.’
The Hadenhartz family had a strong connection with the Balheim family, and Balheim found it useful to have a worthless half-wit like her on their side.
In any case, both were individuals to be used for a political marriage.
‘Well, it’s just a political marriage anyway.’
From the beginning, Bianca disliked him.
And this time would likely be no different.
But her real problem lay elsewhere.
Because she was one of those who had emerged from the curse of world erosion.
The person responsible for teaming up with the World Eroders to try to destroy the world.
The White Phantom.
That was the title she obtained by killing one of the infamous ten greats in the past world.
“Let her in,” he said.
Having traveled far to meet her fiancé, it wouldn’t do to just send her away.
Above all, it was a situation where Kraush needed her at this moment.
“Yes, understood.”
Upon hearing Kraush’s command, Aliod hurried off.
Kraush looked at himself in the mirror provided in the study.
Not great.
It seemed he should at least change his clothes.
Thinking so, Kraush set off to welcome the guest.
＊ ＊ ＊
Bianca Hadenhartz.
The youngest daughter of the rulers of the Hadenhartz family in the North, she had very white bobbed hair.
True to her nickname “Snow Woman,” her skin was almost as pale as ivory, and with eyes resembling the blue moonlight, she looked at the tips of her fingers.
Curiously, there were patterns resembling snowflakes etched at the tips of her nails.
That was none other than the symbol of a curse.
Before she was born, her mother had been caught in the chaos of world erosion.
In the process, she was cursed, and ultimately, the curse passed down to the baby in her womb.
It was a curse that rendered her unable to feel any emotions, turning her into a doll of ice.
Being born with this curse seemed to have bound her soul, as even the best healers couldn’t lift it.
By the time she turned twelve, she had lived without a single tear, let alone a smile.
With her skin tone and hair, her face seemed even colder, and if not for that expressionless demeanor, she actually had quite a promising face.
However, such looks meant little.
Because the body tainted by the curse of world erosion meant that no gods would come to contract with her.
Thus, she lived a life of neglect in Hadenhartz.
Unable to mingle with others due to her lack of emotions, her siblings looked down on her, the cursed child born after they killed their mother.
And on top of that, she was a child who couldn’t even make a contract with a god.
She was utterly valueless within the family.
So, she was easily sent off for a political marriage.
Today, the reason she visited Green Pine Hall was to meet her fiancé, Kraush Balheim.
The Balheim family, famous for their prowess within the Starlon Kingdom.
Their mere existence was enough to deter even the Empire from meddling with the Kingdom.
The fact that she was engaged to the youngest member of such a family was an enormous opportunity for Hadenhartz.
No matter how much of a ruler she was in the North, the reality was that she would eventually be pushed aside in the center.
Today was her second meeting with her fiancé.
Yet she felt no excitement whatsoever.
Because the Kraush she remembered was nothing more than a loser who had given up on everything.
“Get lost. Don’t pretend to be my fiancé, when you’re only interested in the Balheim power.”
If anything, Kraush was definitely someone she disliked.
He had a foul mouth and a pessimistic view of everything.
Though lacking emotions was fine, Bianca still had some preferences.
Thus, she felt rather unwilling about this meeting as well.
Because Kraush would surely criticize her again.
Thud, thud…
Just then, footsteps could be heard from outside.
Realizing that the owner of those footsteps was Kraush, Bianca straightened her clothes.
Perhaps because of her lack of emotions, she had matured far too quickly at age twelve, grasping the harsh realities of her situation.
Ultimately, she had to lower herself in this place.
Creeeak…
As the sound of the door opening echoed, Bianca turned her head to the side.
There stood Kraush.
With hair mixed in blue and black and eyes of the same hue as hers, he looked like a proper thirteen-year-old boy, save for a rather fierce glint in his eyes that slightly marred his appearance.
“Bianca.”
“You’ve come.”
Immediately responding formally, Kraush paused for a moment as he observed Bianca before taking a seat in front of her.
He glanced at the untouched teacup and said, “Our maid seems to lack sense. Giving hot tea to a cat’s tongue.”
Seeing Kraush smile bitterly, Bianca froze for a moment.
How did he learn that she couldn’t handle hot things?
But beyond that, she felt there was something different about Kraush this time.
How should she put it? He felt more put-together.
“I’ll inform the maid about this.”
Saying that, Kraush opened a tin filled with cookies.
Then, as if it were natural, he placed macadamia cookies onto Bianca’s plate.
Macadamia cookies were Bianca’s favorite flavor.
As she slightly dazedly watched his flowing actions, Kraush placed a chocolate chip cookie in front of himself and said, “Thanks for coming such a long way.”
“I’m your fiancé. It’s only right to familiarize myself with your face.”
“Really? That sounds less like a fiancé and more like how one would address a subordinate, don’t you think?”
Kraush offered a faint smile.
Thanks to that, his once fierce expression softened a bit.
Bianca tilted her head slightly at the sight.
“Kraush, may I ask you something?”
Watching Bianca speak with a tone unbefitting a twelve-year-old, Kraush nodded.
“Were you perhaps going through something?”
Just five months ago.
Kraush had seemingly been disgusted by his own face, but he was so different now.
He was not this kind and considerate person before.
Had he perhaps experienced a change in heart during those five months?
It was a question that could have made Kraush angry.
Kraush lifted the teacup.
“Am I very different from before?”
At that moment, Bianca suddenly felt a pang of realization.
After all, he had extended kindness to her, and she would dare to question it.
“…I’m sorry. That was a slip of the tongue.”
Seeing her correct herself immediately, Kraush took a sip of his tea.
To be honest, Kraush didn’t even remember how he had treated Bianca back then.
He could barely recall his mid-to-late teenage years, let alone his early teens.
Unless it was something special like with Aliod, he had no reason to remember that time.
And the same went for his first meeting with Bianca.
He vaguely remembered having a childish attitude, having thrown around words carelessly.
It was the peak of his despair and frustration at the world.
In a way, it was also the time when he hadn’t fully given up yet.
Once you give up, there’s no more despair or frustration.
“…You really haven’t changed.”
One thing was for sure: Bianca remained the same as always.
Even on the day when she faced her end in front of the blazing North Sea Ice Hall, she wore an expression just like today’s.
And that scene remained etched in Kraush’s memory.
“What?”
When Bianca questioned his murmuring, Kraush waved his hand dismissively.
Then he set down his teacup and clasped his hands on his lap.
“Bianca, I want to propose something to you today.”
“A proposal?”
Bianca’s large blue eyes blinked in surprise.
Could it be that Kraush, born into the most prominent family of Balheim, had something to propose to her?
“Is it perhaps a cancellation of the engagement?”
The first thing that came to Bianca’s mind was a cancellation of the engagement.
But Kraush simply looked bewildered.
“Do you think we, as the youngest members of our respective families, could just disregard what our families have decided?”
That was true.
It wouldn’t be possible for just the youngest members of the families to annul something arranged by their families.
“Maybe in the future.”
But based on how he continued speaking, it sounded like Kraush was looking far ahead.
“Well, truth be told, you’d probably rather break off the engagement with someone like me sooner rather than later.”
Kraush muttered self-deprecatingly.
Bianca gazed at him silently.
She was well aware of his circumstances.
She had studied him not wanting to offend her fiancé.
Therefore, she knew very well that he was referred to as the disgrace of Balheim.
“But even so, he’s still from Balheim.”
Although he was born into a position that many would envy for a lifetime, he had remarkably low self-esteem.
“I’m your fiancé.”
And he was her fiancé.
The one who would remain her fiancé for a long time to come.
“That won’t change in the future.”
Unless their families disappeared, this wouldn’t change.
So when she voiced that thought, Kraush let out a hollow laugh.
Because she, who valued family more than anything, had spoken those words without a hint of personal sentiment.
For her, emotions were something that couldn’t be manufactured.
But even so, at the very least, he liked those words more than hollow pleasantries.
“Anyway, it’s not a cancellation of the engagement. I want to propose something else to you.”
With that, Kraush smiled faintly.
“I recently made a contract with a deity.”
Bianca was momentarily taken aback.
Typically, the average age for making a contract with a deity was fifteen.
But he was from Balheim.
Most direct descendants who caught the attention of the gods completed their contracts before the age of ten.
Because of that, Kraush was, in fact, quite late.
But a reason to celebrate was still a reason to celebrate.
“Congratulations.”
As Bianca congratulated him, Kraush nodded without enthusiasm.
“And I want to receive your curse through the ability awakened by that god.”
“Excuse me?”
But what he said completely caught her off-guard.
Bianca blinked in confusion at his unexpected request.
“You’re asking for my curse?”
That was beyond bizarre.
“Well, I have some use for it.”
“My curse?”
“Yeah. If you grant me that curse, I’ll allow you to request something in return. Of course, if you want, we can cancel the engagement.”
Bianca fell silent for a moment.
She couldn’t comprehend it at all.
‘You want my curse?’
Her curse made her lose her emotions.
Why would anyone want that?
“Are you planning to carve the curse on yourself?”
Although Bianca had been accustomed to lacking emotions, it was a different story for someone who already knew feelings to go through with such a thing.
Thus, when she questioned him, Kraush simply nodded.
‘Even the most skilled healers in the world couldn’t lift that curse.’
Looking at Kraush’s reaction, it seemed he believed that obtaining the curse was a given.
‘Did he really make a contract with such a deity?’
Even if they could somehow obtain the curse, Kraush must have had other intentions behind erasing his emotions.
Bianca thought carefully, recalling information about Kraush.
The disgrace of Balheim, treated as a mere pawn in a political marriage.
He had disgustingly poor relationships with his family and had utterly given up on himself.
Such a person wanted to erase his emotions?
‘He must be utterly exhausted.’
The moment all those details lined up, Bianca realized something.
Kraush had grown tired.
Having poured out too many emotions, he no longer wanted to feel and had resorted to the curse.
And Bianca knew well what became of a person pushed to the edge like that.
‘Depression, was it?’
Her uncle, a Northern mentalist, often shared stories about mental health, which was reminiscent of Kraush’s current state.
“He said that when a person suddenly changes and is kinder to those around them, it usually means they’re saying goodbye to those people.”
Looking up, Bianca studied Kraush’s face more closely.
Noticing various scars and rough patches on his skin, she realized.
Self-harm.
It dawned on her that Kraush was inflicting these wounds on himself.
Even she, who had long been numb to emotions, could feel a twinge of sympathy towards Kraush, who seemed so burdened.
In reality, it was just the result of diligently training with techniques from the magic books.
‘I’m his fiancé.’
Completely misunderstanding him, Bianca placed her hand over his.
“Kraush, it’s okay. You can overcome this.”
“Uh, really?”
Now it was Kraush who had questions.
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