Seraphina and her companions ultimately failed to find the treasure in the Darkwater Forest and were on their way back to the village. "Rhiannon, are you serious?" A tall, slightly robust young man expressed his dissatisfaction. "We ventured into the depths that even my dad forbade, yet we found nothing."
"Well, Kavan, why don't you tell us why strange things happened in the Darkwater Forest, but the people from the city said there was no particular reason?" Rhiannon retorted. "It doesn't make sense. Perhaps the treasure has already been taken."
"Then our journey was in vain! Boring! It's so cold, it would be much better to stay at ho where it's warm."
"Idiot! Is adventuring with everyone boring? You've been so slow-witted since childhood, utterly foolish!"
"What! You rascal, say that again!"
The plump dog nad Wil barked around Seraphina, and the girl at the center of attention covered her forehead, speechless: "You two might as well fight it out, you're so noisy."
Rhiannon stuck her tongue out at Kavan and then hid behind Seraphina: "Did you hear that? Be careful, or I'll have Seraphina beat you up!"
Kavan's face was filled with resentnt, but seeing Seraphina's sidelong glance, he decisively chose not to argue with a woman.
Seraphina took in all of this, listening to her friends' conversations and playful banter, and the lingering shadows in her heart faded considerably.
If adding "Hydra's" to her na could make everything so much better, Seraphina could accept it — provided, of course, that she would have no further contact with Ansel and would never help him again.
Although that man was sinister and cunning, he was undeniably generous, and with Marlina working for her, the village would not suffer even if she left Hydral.
Living like this until the end seed not too bad, Seraphina thought.
"Oh! We've finally reached the village," Kavan cheered. "I can't take it anymore! I'm going to enjoy the warmth!"
"Hey! We still have to have a snowball fight... Kavan! Co back!"
Rhiannon angrily shouted at the fleeing young man, stomping her foot in frustration.
"That guy is so annoying... Don't you think so, Seri... Seraphina?"
The girl noticed her best friend was staring blankly at a corner near the village entrance, so she followed her gaze.
There was a man, so tall and robust that he was intimidating, carrying lumber.
"Who is… that guy?" Seraphina stared at the muscular man, who resembled a wild beast, and whispered, "Why haven't I seen him these past few days? There's no one like him in the village, right?"
"Oh, you an the Snowbeast?"
Rhiannon, who was also looking at the tall man, nodded knowingly: "He's been cutting wood whenever he had free ti these past few days, so of course you wouldn't see him."
The wolf gazed at the man carrying the massive lumber, her eyes narrowing slightly: "Is he a new mber of the village? He doesn't look like an ordinary person."
"Um, sort of. I rember it was... two weeks ago, or earlier? I forgot, but anyway, the Snowbeast, this giant, collapsed at our village entrance, nearly starving to death. Old man Wonka couldn't bear it and took him in for a al."
"Weren't you afraid of bringing a bad person into the village?" Seraphina turned to look at Rhiannon, and the brief flash of ferocity in her dark red eyes made the girl take a half-step back.
"Because, because you're Lord Hydral's person, who would dare..."
Seraphina's forehead bulged with two blue veins, and she took a deep breath before closing her eyes and saying, "I'm fine, go on."
Seeing that Seraphina's mood had improved, Rhiannon continued with a slightly less cautious tone: "Then the Snowbeast woke up and told us that he had escaped from the border of the Red Frost territory, from a place called… uh, Sparklens territory. His family had been killed by a noble sorcerer, who had toyed with him and forced him to drink so strange potion, turning him into this terrifying form."
Rhiannon gestured at the Snowbeast's muscular body: "He's strong, but he said he doesn't have much ti left. The villagers took pity on him and took him in temporarily. After all, Seri, you are—"
"I'm a person of Hydral, I know!" Seraphina interrupted Rhiannon, trying to maintain a "normal dissatisfaction" expression. "But this is too dangerous. The village is so prosperous now; what if he's a bad person?"
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. People from Darkwater City co every few days, either soldiers or sorcerers, bringing us lots of things. Of course, the village chief is cautious and had a sorcerer examine the Snowbeast. He's indeed a pitiful person; I heard his internal organs are deford, it's terrifying!"
Rhiannon waved her hand nonchalantly: "That noble from Darkwater City is trying every possible way to please us. Now that you're here, Seraphina, I think as long as you have any requests, that guy will definitely co running!"
Seraphina's attention was focused on the "Snowbeast." She only relaxed slightly after hearing that he had been examined: "So, what's his situation now? Cutting wood to earn money?"
"Yes, he's temporarily staying at Old Man Wonka's house, cutting wood to pay for his food and lodging. Although Wonka doesn't care, and neither do we, since he's also a pitiful person oppressed by nobles and doesn't have much ti left, it doesn't hurt to take him in."
Rhiannon crossed her arms and spoke indifferently: "After all, no one in the village cares about that little money."
Seraphina watched the "Snowbeast" leave with the lumber, and although her doubts had sowhat dissipated, a lingering cloud remained in her heart.
After all, the shadow Ansel's words had cast on her was too great.
The feeling of powerlessness and despair that everything she thought, did, and experienced was under his control made Seraphina overly sensitive and afraid to think deeply.
Because she feared that the happiness and joy she had now were all false.
"Ah, never mind, I've had enough fun. Let's go ho and rest; I'm feeling a bit cold too."
Rhiannon stomped her foot and hugged Seraphina: "I'll co to your house for dinner tonight. Rember to ask Aunt Yolanda to cook my favorite rabbit leg at!"
Seraphina, who had returned to her senses, hugged Rhiannon back and laughed: "Alright, you're so demanding."
The ordinary village girl giggled and happily trotted back to her ho.
Seraphina, on the other hand, cast one last glance at the muscular "Snowbeast" and, while remaining vigilant in her heart, headed towards her ho.
"Ah, Seri!" A woman who was sunbathing and weaving in the village square stood up excitedly and waved to Seraphina. "Co over here and see how this scarf looks on you... It's so beautiful! Seri, you've grown into such a pretty girl!"
The girl, who had been forcibly wrapped in a scarf, smiled shyly: "Thank you, Aunt Catherine!"
"What are you thanking for? I haven't even thanked you yet, child. Co to my house for dinner tomorrow; you can't say you're busy again. It's my turn, isn't it?"
The woman pinched the girl's cheek: "You used to make a ss at my house all the ti when you were little, and now you're not even close to ."
"I'm not… I'll definitely co tomorrow," the girl mumbled.
Along the way, everyone who saw Seraphina greeted her, gave her gifts, or invited her to their hos. What truly made Seraphina feel happy and comforted was that this warmth and kindness were not born of self-interest but genuine joy and pride.
If it weren't for this, how could Seraphina's character beco "protective and accepting of her own kind" in Ansel's words, and how could she be so imrsed in happiness and pain?
In ti, the wolf, who had been licking her wounds alone, would eventually let go of all that and live peacefully with her family and friends.
At long last, Seraphina, laden with a multitude of gifts, stood at the threshold of her ho. Rubbing her hands together in anticipation, she excitedly pushed open the door, "Mom, Dad, I have returned—Huh?!" The familiar warmth she had grown accustod to over the past three days was absent. Within the elegant villa, only a chilling wind that sent shivers down one's spine was present.
"... Seri?" The gentle and virtuous Yolanda peeked out from the kitchen, a wry smile on her face, "It seems the magic crystal that has been maintaining the heat this week has been exhausted. Are you cold?"
"I'm fine... Mom, are you cold—Ah, your hands are so red!" Seraphina walked into the kitchen, and upon seeing her mother's hands, red from the cold, she imdiately took them into her own, her heart aching.
Seraphina firmly led her mother to sit in the living room, then went to the storage room to find coal. As she searched, she asked, "That magic crystal, is it always supplied by soone?"
"I thought I could endure it, but it seems I can't. I haven't been this cold in days, even when I go out, I wear gloves. I can't bear it anymore." The woman sighed sowhat helplessly, "I wanted to make sothing delicious for you, so you would have sothing to eat when you returned... but now even the soup has cooled."
"Forget about the soup... Where's the coal? Let's go warm up by the fireplace first." Seraphina firmly led her mother to sit in the living room, then went to the storage room to find coal. As she searched, she asked, "That magic crystal, is it always supplied by soone?"
"Mm, the Baron of Darkwater sends it to the village every week." Is that true... Seraphina muttered to herself, she rembered that the magic crystal was quite valuable, and the Baron was willing to supply the village for so long?
"Didn't he send it this week?" Seraphina asked.
"He usually sends it very early in the morning." Yolanda replied, "I don't know why, but it hasn't arrived today. Maybe sothing happened."
Seraphina's movents faltered as she searched for coal. She picked up the pieces of coal and put them into the basket, forcing a smile, "It should... be alright. Before the magic crystal arrives, let's warm up by the fire."
As the coal was ignited, the fireplace blazed, gradually dispelling the chill left by the severe cold wave. Orin had gone to the city to buy supplies, and only the mother and daughter were at ho.
Yolanda held Seraphina in her arms, and the two of them, covered with a blanket, sat in front of the fireplace, chatting and laughing in peace and warmth.
This simple warmth enveloped Seraphina, dispelling the increasingly thick clouds in her heart.
No matter how cruel the world was to her, it still left a place for her soul to rest.
Here, Seraphina could not fulfill her ambitions, could not indulge her wild nature, but after experiencing so much pain in just over a month, she seed to have given up those once within reach dreams. The beast in her soul also quieted down, no longer roaring.
Perhaps, this was the end of Seraphina Marlowe, a mundane place composed of family, friends, and everyone who loved her deeply. A remote village without any passion, without any fervor.
But that was fine, far away from all the noise and suffering, far away from the city that brought her despair, far away from the devil who gave her everything and then took it all away.
If this village was to be her grave, then Seraphina would be content.
Because in this world, there is no happier ending than to die surrounded by those who love you and whom you love.
But Seraphina did not expect that her happiness... would be so short-lived, fleeting as the sun sinking into the mountains.
The sun will rise again.
But the small happiness she cherished now seed to be gone forever.
Because this village, not only did not wait for the things they needed, but also waited for a... piece of news that no one could accept.
Seraphina's return to her hotown was not a warrior's reward, a return with recognition and blessings.
It was a self-exile of a sinner.
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