Childhood Friend of the Zenith

It didn’t take long for Yuri to regain consciousness after fainting.

At most, half a moment?

This was thanks to me controlling my strength.

I only hit her hard enough to knock her out briefly.

That way, she could wake up soon, and we could continue the conversation.

“I showed such an embarrassing side of myself...

”Those were the first words Yuri said upon waking.

Her hair was a mess, and there was a trace of drool at the corner of her lips.

It seemed like she had slept quite soundly.

“Ugh...

”Yuri rubbed her crown, likely feeling residual pain.

After stroking herself on the head a few more times, she turned her gaze to me.

There was an inexplicable resentment in her eyes.

“I never thought you’d actually hit me.

”Honestly, I hadn’t expected to hit her either.

“I’m sorry.

”Without hesitation, I apologized.

While it was true I’d struck her outright, it was still an excessive action.

“...

”Yuri twisted her lips, making a strange expression as she listened to my apology.

Considering I had laid hands on someone of the ruler’s bloodline from the Northern Sea, I would have expected her to make an issue out of it.

“…So, you’re going to overlook my escort’s mistake, right?

”Hearing her words, I couldn’t help but laugh internally.

"She’s more pragmatic than I thought.

"If she had chosen to hold my actions against me, I was ready to use the fact that her escort had drawn his sword against me.

But to think she’d react so nonchalantly.

“Princess…!

How can you say such a thing?

”Perhaps her words were the issue.

Ubeom, her escort, who was still covered in blood, began shouting in rage.

Even when Yuri fainted, his glare had been sharp, but now it was downright hostile.

Did I not beat him up enough?

Still, I had to admit, his brashness was impressive.

“The great bloodline of the Northern Sea has been humiliated!

”He roared, veins bulging in his neck.

When Yuri was unconscious, he only glared.

Now that she was awake, he had found his voice.

Should I just deal with him now?

I shouldn’t, but he was seriously testing my patience.

"I was planning to handle this quietly later.

" Why does he insist on provoking me?

For now, I decided to watch and see how far he would go.

“How can we simply let this slide—”“Ubeom.

”The one who stopped him wasn’t me.

It was Yuri.

Her hair was still messy, and she hadn’t wiped the drool from her lips, yet she smiled as she spoke.

“That’s enough.

”In that moment, the air in the room shifted ever so slightly.

“If you cross the line any further, you know what will happen, right?

”Her smile was bright, and her tone soft, but there was an indescribable weight behind her words.

“...

”Ubeom’s eyes wavered, more so than when he had been on the brink of death earlier.

“Ubeom, your response?

”When Yuri pressed him again, he hesitated before finally speaking.

“…I… I apologize.

”Ubeom muttered an apology after much internal struggle.

Hearing this, Yuri frowned and continued: ‘No, Ubeom.

I'm not the one you should be apologising to, am I?

’“…!

”Her pointed remark caused his face to contort slightly.

Yet Yuri remained firm.

“Go on.

”“...

”Reluctantly, Ubeom turned his gaze toward me.

His face was still marred with traces of blood, and his eyes carried a fierce glint.

“…I apologize.

”To my surprise, he actually managed to apologize.

I hadn’t expected this outcome.

Especially not...

"Under the princess’s command.

"To me, that was the most unexpected part.

"She seemed like a fool at first, but apparently not entirely.

"Watching Yuri’s composed demeanor, I couldn’t help but feel irritated.

From the first moment I met her, to this very conversation, she kept leaving a lingering impression in my mind.

Something about her felt off.

But I couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was, which only made it more annoying.

Clap!

Yuri suddenly clapped her hands.

“Now that everything’s settled, let’s get to the main topic!

”Who said things were settled?

But I chose not to argue further.

For now, I decided to observe.

"The main topic.

"With all the chaos, I had momentarily forgotten.

This matter was important to me as well, given its ties to the Northern Sea.

Especially…"What’s this about a feather?

"The rumor spreading about me in the Northern Sea was peculiar.

And why did it have to involve such an embarrassing nickname?

"Who the hell started it?

"If I found them, I’d fold them into a neat little star.

As I ground my teeth, Yuri’s gaze turned toward me.

“So, um...

you.

”Her eyes still carried disbelief.

“…You’re the Crimson Feather, aren’t you?

”“Don’t call me that.

”“Yes.

”When I spoke sharply, she nodded obediently.

“…But you are the one, aren’t you?

”“I don’t know who you’re referring to, but yes, I’m Gu Yangcheon.

”I wanted to deny it outright, but I restrained myself.

It was clear that denying it would only stall the conversation.

Even though I admitted it, her face remained full of doubt.

She seemed genuinely unwilling to believe it.

What kind of stories had she heard to make her react like this?

“…Understood.

”“You don’t seem convinced.

”“Well, wanting it to be untrue doesn’t make it so.

”“So, you do wish it weren’t true.

”“Mi Leader.

”“Yes, Princess?

”She completely ignored my teasing, brushing it off with ease.

From earlier, I’d suspected she had a strong personality.

"Though her tears after being hit had thrown me off.

"Seeing her manage the situation so adeptly after waking up, I realized she wasn’t just some naive fool.

"Is that why I feel this sense of dissonance?

" No, it felt like something else.

I studied Yuri closely, eager to identify and dispel the irritation she caused.

“Would you mind stepping out for a moment?

”Yuri spoke with a smile.

Madam Mi signaled to me with a glance.

Seeing this, I promptly instructed Tang So-yeol and Seong Yul, “Step outside for a bit.

”“Yes.

”After they left, Yuri turned her gaze toward Ubeom standing behind her.

Then...

A faint hum resonated in the room as energy radiated from Ubeom’s body, enveloping the space.

It was a proper energy barrier, signaling the start of a serious discussion.

As the atmosphere shifted, a brief silence passed.

“Allow me to introduce myself again.

”With graceful movements, Yuri turned and bowed politely toward us.

“I am Yuri, the Fourth Star of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.

”Though she said “us,” her gaze was fixed solely on me.

‘Well let's formally introduce ourselves.

That's what you want, isn't it?

’ - I thought.

“…I am Gu Yangcheon of the Gu family.

”“Click.

”“…?

”Did I mishear that?

Just now, I think I heard someone clicking their tongue.

“…So it was true?

”All of Yuri's last hopes seemed to have vanished after she heard my formal introduction.

Seeing her reaction, I asked, “Why exactly is my name being spread in the Northern Sea?

”A distant land.

How did a descendant of its ruling family even hear about me?

And why, of all things, am I being referred to by such an absurd name as ‘Crimson Feather’?

When I questioned her, Yuri hesitated before replying, “That’s… the White Fox…”“The White Fox?

”A fox?

What’s with the sudden mention of a fox?

As I frowned at the unexpected term, she quickly backtracked.

“…Never mind.

That’s not important, is it?

”“It feels important to me…”“If you truly are who they say you are… I have a question I want to ask first.

”Yuri skillfully redirected the conversation.

I didn’t push the matter further.

After all, rumors weren’t the main topic here; the real point was why people from the Northern Sea sought me out.

Looking directly at me, Yuri asked, “Are you truly the one who lifted Hee-ah’s curse?

”“…?

”The word ‘curse’ wasn’t unfamiliar—I assumed it referred to the illness she once had.

But what caught my attention was how Yuri addressed Moyong Hee-ah.

‘Hee-ah?

’The nickname sounded unusually familiar, so I glanced at Moyong Hee-ah.

She, looking flustered, quickly clarified, “…I didn’t drop formalities with her.

”“Hmm?

”Sighing, Moyong Hee-ah explained, and Yuri added to clarify, “Well, we’re cousins, and we’re the same age, so I thought we might as well speak casually… but she refused.

”“You’re the same age?

”“Yes.

”So not only do they look alike, but they’re also the same age.

Moreover…‘Cousins.

’Moyong Hee-ah’s mother was a princess of the Ice Palace, and Yuri was the current princess.

This meant the previous ruler of the Ice Palace had stepped down and been replaced.

‘If the Ice Emperor stepped down… who could it be?

’It must have been one of Moyong Hee-ah’s mother’s siblings.

But I couldn’t figure it out—after all, I didn’t know any figures from the Ice Palace.

‘That can wait.

’There was something much more important to address.

“By curse, are you referring to the blocked meridians syndrome?

”I asked, trying to clarify Yuri’s choice of words regarding Moyong Hee-ah’s condition.

“Oh, is that what you call it here?

”“Doesn’t it refer to the cold energy in her body?

”“Yes, we call it a curse.

”“That doesn’t make much sense to me.

”A curse, huh.

What did they call it?

The Curse of the Frozen Essence?

It sounded ominous, and it was indeed dangerous.

In her previous life, Moyong Hee-ah had even lost her life to that illness.

However…“Aren’t you people from the Northern Sea?

”Moyong Hee-ah’s condition stemmed from inheriting her mother’s constitution, which wasn’t suited for her body.

Her mixed lineage—half from Zhongyuan, bearing the blood of the Sword Master—meant her body couldn’t handle the Northern Sea’s cold.

So why would even the Northern Sea call it a curse?

When I asked this, Yuri tilted her head in confusion.

“What does that have to do with it?

”“Hmm?

”“If anything, it’s because we’re from the Northern Sea that it’s dangerous.

”“…What does that mean?

”“The curse… It’s something that afflicts anyone of the Ice Palace bloodline.

It’s the burden of those who guard the Frozen Essence.

”Yuri’s explanation left not just me, but also Moyong Hee-ah, wide-eyed.

“…You’re saying everyone in the bloodline has blocked meridians syndrome?

”A condition where cold energy consumes the body, freezing it to death—she was saying that all Ice Palace descendants were born with this affliction.

“But then, how—”How were they all alive, I was about to ask, when Yuri interrupted.

“On the contrary, it’s a vital resource.

It’s a constitution necessary to wield Ice Arts.

”Only then did her words begin to make sense to me.

‘So, rather than curing the constitution, they harness it with martial arts.

’Using specific techniques, they could control the cold within their bodies to prolong their lives.

Just as I was starting to understand, Moyong Hee-ah exclaimed, “That’s impossible!

”Her outburst was loud and firm.

“I never heard such a thing from my mother.

”Her reaction made me nod in agreement.

That was indeed a puzzling point.

‘If such a method exists, then why didn’t Moyong Hee-ah’s mother…’Why didn’t she pass on this way to survive to her daughter?

As a member of the bloodline, she must have known how to manage her condition.

“This power is only passed down to direct descendants.

It’s not something that can be left behind or shared freely,” Yuri explained.

Even so, Moyong Hee-ah seemed unable to accept it.

“And besides…”Yuri continued, looking at Moyong Hee-ah.

“There’s a reason we call it a curse.

”“That’s—!

”“Now.

”I cut her off before she could argue further.

This wasn’t the time for such debates.

When I intervened, Moyong Hee-ah looked at me with wide eyes.

Then, biting her lip, she bowed her head, seemingly struggling to suppress her emotions.

I turned my gaze from her back to Yuri.

“What does that have to do with this situation?

”I asked, wanting to understand the connection between Moyong Hee-ah’s blocked meridians—or the curse Yuri mentioned—and the matter at hand.

“As I said, it’s a curse.

Everyone in the bloodline has it, and no one can escape it.

”“And?

”“But… I heard you lifted it.

Is that true?

”Had I lifted the curse?

I hesitated briefly.

It was true I had managed to suppress the cold within Moyong Hee-ah’s body.

But I couldn’t say for certain that it was a complete cure.

Still…“Roughly, yes.

”At the very least, the cold energy that had once afflicted her was no longer present.

“...

”Yuri’s expression turned curious at my response.

She glanced at Moyong Hee-ah.

“…Indeed, even when I first saw her, there were no traces of the curse.

How did you do it?

”“Does it matter?

You said you have ways to control it yourselves anyway.

”Moyong Hee-ah hadn’t known.

And because of that, she nearly died.

In my past life, when I hadn’t treated her, she lost her life because of it.

But does that matter to Yuri?

If they have a way to control the cold, then it shouldn’t be an issue.

Hearing my words, Yuri bit her lip.

It was the same expression Moyong Hee-ah had made earlier.

“That’s...

”“And first...

”When Yuri began to speak, I cut her off and asked something else.

“How did you know I could treat it?

”“...

”At my question, Yuri pressed her lips together tightly.

The fact that I had treated Moyong Hee-ah was information known to only a handful of people.

The reason I had tried to treat her in secret was precisely to keep it hidden.

So how had the Ice Palace come to know?

When I voiced my doubts, Yuri avoided my gaze and finally answered.

“…We received information.

”So there’s a spy?

I suppose...

It wasn’t entirely surprising.

Though we weren’t in an adversarial relationship, we were still dealing with a foreign power.

And Moyong Hee-ah, though only half-blooded, was still part of their lineage.

It wasn’t unusual for them to know some details about her.

Still, knowing there’s someone close by leaking information...

That thought was infuriating.

I’ll deal with them later.

If I hadn’t known, that would have been one thing.

But now that I did, I had no intention of letting it slide.

For now, though, I set it aside.

“So, the reason you wanted to meet me was to ask for treatment?

”I needed to fully understand the Ice Palace’s intentions.

“Yes,” Yuri answered plainly.

“If you truly can lift our curse, we’d like to ask for your help.

”“Hmm.

”I stroked my chin, not giving her a direct answer.

The Curse of the Frozen Essence.

A peculiar term, referring to Moyong Hee-ah’s condition.

Now, someone from the Ice Palace had traveled far to request treatment for a family affliction.

The story made sense, on the surface.

But something felt...

off.

Yuri’s words.

Her demeanor.

Everything about this situation seemed strange.

Something about it nagged at me, like a half-formed thought lingering just out of reach.

I needed more information.

“You’ve come all this way to see me just to fix something you’ve learned to control?

”“Yes.

Even though it can be controlled, it’s still a curse of the bloodline.

We’d prefer to have it cured.

”Drip.

Hearing her response, I felt a single droplet ripple through my mind.

A small shock, setting off a wave of thoughts.

“Hmm.

”I shifted my gaze to Moyong Hee-ah.

Her face, which had been filled with emotion moments ago, was now cold and unreadable.

At a glance, it seemed as if she were merely listening.

But I could tell by looking at her.

You’re thinking the same thing as me, aren’t you?

That realization solidified my certainty.

My theory wasn’t just a hunch—it was correct.

“So…”“Your Ice Palace Lord.

”Yuri froze mid-sentence.

She faltered, just for a moment, but I didn’t miss it.

She quickly recovered, smiling as she spoke to me.

Her attempt at composure came too late.

“What are you suddenly talking about—?

”“The Ice Palace Lord must be in danger, isn’t that right?

”“...

”The smile vanished from her face.

Seeing her reaction, I finally understood the source of the unease I had felt.

“They must be in a lot of trouble, aren’t they?

”“...

”The air chilled.

Yuri stared at me, her previously playful and carefree demeanor completely gone.

She seemed like a completely different person.

Like a human-shaped embodiment of ice.

“You.

”Her tone and presence were utterly transformed.

Noticing this, I smiled.

Ah, so that’s it.

The reason she had been bothering me so much, the cause of my irritation—it all made sense now.

"The problem was her.

"The irritation I felt was from witnessing her hiding her true nature, pretending to be someone she wasn’t.

“What are you really?

”That was what I found so unbearable.