The Rosenfeld carriage continued moving through the frozen northern roads beneath moonlit skies.
Outside—
Snow drifted endlessly across the wilderness while towering pine forests stretched through the darkness like ancient silent giants watching over the North.
The night had grown colder.
Much colder.
Even the horses' breaths emerged as thick white mist while armored knights rode steadily through the snow-covered road surrounding the carriage protectively.
Inside—
Warmth filled the enclosed carriage through layered enchantments embedded into the blackwood walls.
Soft lantern light illuminated the interior gently while the muffled rhythm of carriage wheels rolling across frozen roads created strangely calming sounds.
Meanwhile—
Aria slowly began losing her battle against exhaustion.
At first—
She tried remaining composed.
Her silver eyes stayed open while occasionally watching the snowy forests outside the window.
But gradually—
The long party…
The endless standing…
The noble conversations…
The high heels…
Everything finally began catching up to her.
Her eyelids slowly lowered.
Then lifted again.
Then lowered longer this time.
Meanwhile—
Kel sat opposite her quietly observing the moonlit road outside through partially opened curtains.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly laughed.
"She's falling asleep."
Kel internally replied calmly.
"She should sleep."
The spirit sounded amused.
"You sound like some exhausted parent."
Kel ignored her.
Then suddenly—
The carriage jolted slightly crossing uneven frozen ground.
Aria's head tilted sideways abruptly.
Thud.
Her forehead lightly struck the wooden side of the carriage.
"Ah—"
She instantly woke back up holding her forehead lightly with visible irritation.
Kel immediately looked toward her.
"…Are you alright?"
Aria frowned slightly.
"Yes…"
Then sighed afterward.
"I think."
Another pause followed while she rubbed her forehead again.
"…we should permanently keep pillows inside carriages."
Kel blinked once hearing that.
Then calmly asked:
"Do you want one now?"
Aria looked toward him blankly for a second.
"…Unless you can magically summon pillows."
Inside his mind—
Sairen immediately spoke.
"You technically can."
Kel ignored the spirit instantly.
Then after brief silence—
He quietly said:
"If you don't mind…"
Aria looked toward him again.
Kel calmly continued.
"…you can lean on my shoulder."
Silence filled the carriage briefly afterward.
The lantern light flickered softly between them.
Outside—
The northern wind howled faintly through distant forests.
Aria quietly stared toward Kel for several seconds.
Not because the offer sounded strange.
But because he said it so naturally.
No awkwardness.
No hidden intention.
Simply concern.
Then finally—
Without speaking further—
Aria slowly moved from her seat and sat beside him.
The carriage space itself wasn't narrow.
Yet once she settled beside Kel—
The warmth beside him became noticeable immediately.
She gently leaned against his shoulder afterward.
Her silver hair brushed lightly against his cloak while she adjusted herself carefully to avoid discomfort.
Kel remained still naturally.
Supporting her weight without reacting much.
Then slowly—
Aria closed her eyes.
And within minutes—
Her breathing softened into peaceful sleep.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly hummed.
"She trusts you deeply."
Kel internally answered quietly.
"…Maybe."
The spirit laughed faintly.
"There's that answer again."
Meanwhile—
The carriage continued cutting through frozen roads beneath moonlight peacefully.
For a while—
Only silence remained.
The steady rhythm of horse hooves.
The creaking of carriage wheels.
The distant sound of winter wind across northern forests.
Then suddenly—
The carriage stopped violently.
Aria instantly lost balance from the abrupt halt.
Her body tilted forward unexpectedly.
But before she could fall—
Kel caught her immediately.
One hand steadied her shoulder while the other supported her waist carefully.
Aria slowly opened her eyes afterward.
Visible irritation appeared across her expression immediately.
"…Again?"
Her voice carried sleepy frustration now.
This had already happened multiple times throughout the journey.
Meanwhile—
Outside—
The horses sounded restless.
The escort knights quietly shifted positions.
Kel calmly looked toward the carriage door afterward.
Then asked:
"What happened?"
Outside—
The lead knight's voice answered immediately.
"My lord."
A brief pause followed.
"There's a giant monster ahead."
The atmosphere inside the carriage subtly changed instantly.
Aria straightened slightly now fully awake again.
Meanwhile—
The lead knight continued speaking from outside.
"We should retreat quietly and avoid provoking it."
Kel calmly asked another question.
"How large?"
The knight hesitated briefly before answering.
"Very large."
Another pause.
"And powerful enough that ordinary knight squads would require at least a hundred men."
Inside his mind—
Sairen lazily spoke.
"That sounds annoying."
Kel internally answered:
"It's blocking the road."
Then calmly—
Kel released Aria carefully and stood afterward.
He opened the carriage door slowly.
Cold winter air immediately rushed inside.
Snow drifted across the dark forest road outside while the mounted knights maintained tense formation around the carriage.
Kel stepped down onto the snow-covered ground.
The lead knight approached immediately.
"My lord, it would be safer to reroute—"
Kel calmly interrupted.
"Stay here."
Then slowly—
He unsheathed his sword.
Moonlight reflected coldly against the blade.
The surrounding knights instinctively stiffened afterward.
Because despite serving House Rosenfeld—
Very few had actually seen Kel fight seriously.
Meanwhile—
Aria quietly watched from inside the carriage.
Her silver eyes followed Kel's figure disappearing gradually into the dark snow-covered forest ahead.
Then—
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Only distant wind echoed through the trees.
Several knights tightened grips around their weapons nervously.
Then suddenly—
A monstrous roar exploded from the darkness ahead.
The horses became restless instantly.
Several birds scattered violently from frozen trees.
Then came another sound.
Screams.
Not human screams.
A beast's scream.
Massive.
Agonized.
Then silence again.
Complete silence.
Moments later—
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Footsteps approached through snow-covered darkness calmly.
Then—
Kel emerged from the forest.
His black cloak carried traces of blood.
Fresh monster blood stained parts of his sleeve and sword.
In one hand—
He carried a glowing monster core roughly the size of a fist.
The surrounding knights visibly froze.
Because the entire encounter had ended absurdly quickly.
Meanwhile—
Kel calmly flicked the blood off his sword once before sheathing it.
Then—
Snap.
He lightly snapped his fingers afterward.
A thin wave of mana spread across his body instantly.
The blood stains vanished completely.
His clothes returned spotless within seconds.
Even the nearby snowflakes briefly froze beautifully in the air before dissolving.
Several escort knights unconsciously swallowed seeing the casual magic control.
Meanwhile—
Kel climbed back inside the carriage afterward.
Then quietly handed the glowing monster core toward Aria.
She blinked once.
Kel calmly said:
"Sorry."
Another pause.
"You were irritated earlier."
Aria stared toward him speechlessly.
Meanwhile—
Kel continued completely seriously.
"Consider this compensation for not providing a smooth journey."
Inside his mind—
Sairen burst into laughter.
"You killed a giant monster as apology compensation."
Kel internally replied:
"It seemed appropriate."
The spirit laughed even harder.
Aria meanwhile quietly looked between Kel and the monster core resting in her hands.
Then finally—
She softly sighed.
"…You're unbelievable."
Kel sat beside her again calmly.
Outside—
The escort formation resumed movement immediately.
The carriage continued forward beneath moonlit snowfall.
And after several more minutes—
Aria slowly leaned against Kel's shoulder once more.
This time without hesitation.
Her eyes gradually closed again while the glowing monster core rested quietly in her lap.
Meanwhile—
Kel silently watched the frozen northern wilderness outside the moving carriage.
Hours later—
They finally encountered a roadside inn.
Small.
Old.
Barely more than a wooden structure beside the snowy road.
The lead knight approached the carriage afterward.
"My lord."
"There's an inn available."
Kel stepped outside briefly to inspect it personally.
The building itself looked cramped.
Only a few rooms.
Minimal beds.
Poor insulation against winter cold.
And honestly—
Not remotely suitable for Aria.
Kel quietly looked toward the structure once.
Then calmly said:
"We continue riding."
The lead knight immediately bowed.
"As you command."
No complaints followed.
No hesitation.
The escort reformed once more.
And beneath the endless silver northern moon—
The Rosenfeld carriage continued traveling through the sleeping wilderness while snow silently covered the world around them