—
anwhile—
60th Floor.
The boss floor of Moonlit Ice Extre, where the Ice Queen Kolodai resides. Clearing this floor signifies the completion of the entire dungeon.
According to adventurers who had climbed through all 60 floors to challenge her, Kolodai was described as a very “romantic” Ice Queen.
The 60th floor was adorned with beautiful, sprawling ice sculptures.
Even Kolodai’s attacks were executed through various ice-sculpted animals.
At tis, ice dragons soared through the air.
At tis, ice elephants leapt from her side.
At tis, she summoned ice warriors to swing their swords.
—It was a romantic challenge, almost like attending a grand ice sculpture exhibition. That is, if Kolodai’s creations didn’t hit so hard and weren’t so freezing cold.
But now…
The 60th floor could hardly be called “romantic.”
The only word to describe it was “chaotic.”
The ground was covered in puddles of lted ice, scattered everywhere. While the water was crystal clear, it lacked any sense of order or pattern.
“You’re strong… to have done this to all by yourself. And you’re not even soone specialized in fire magic, which would counter my abilities…”
Kolodai no longer carried the graceful air of a boss floating in the air.
She stood on the ground, her long ice-blue dress partially torn, exposing her midsection.
“You’re not bad yourself. I thought a summoner-type boss like you would be fragile… but not only can you deal damage, you’re surprisingly durable.”
Shuna rotated her wrist.
It was to be expected—this was the 60th-floor boss, far beyond the level of enemies that could be defeated in a single strike. Even with her thorough preparation, Kolodai had proven to be a formidable opponent.
Though it wasn’t a desperate struggle, Shuna’s arms and thighs bore several cuts from Kolodai’s ice shards.
Her stamina was also significantly drained.
“Hah… well then, ti for to go all out…”
Kolodai took a deep breath, her hand resting on her Ice Throne, as if preparing for one final attack.
But…
“Wait, wait, wait. No need to waste so much energy. I just wanted to show you that we’re capable of defeating you—so we can have a fair… chat?”
“?”
Kolodai’s half-charged ultimate attack ca to an abrupt halt.
Her small, doll-like face tilted to the side, her expression one of pure confusion.
“I just want to ask you about sothing.”
Shuna narrowed her eyes.
Kolodai could sense her urgency—otherwise, she would have waited for Kolodai to unleash her full arsenal.
Then…
Shuna tossed a small fragnt of stone toward her, no larger than a fingernail.
“This.”
Shuna crossed her arms.
“Have you seen it before? The marks on it—shouldn’t they have sothing to do with you?”
Kolodai caught the tiny fragnt mid-air, her movents as light as catching a snowflake in a flurry.
She opened her palm.
In the center of her hand was a small, pale green shard, its edges marked with white cut lines.
Kolodai didn’t speak. She quietly raised her head and glanced at Shuna, who stood across from her.
“What’s wrong? Don’t recognize it…” Shuna twirled the dagger in her hand, the blade slicing through the air with a sharp sound, “…or do you just not want to answer ?”
Kolodai shook her head.
“This is indeed one of my ‘carvings.’ Though I don’t know how you got it.”
Hearing this, Shuna knew she was on the right track.
“Alright, that’s good. So, tell —how did it co to be?”
“Hmm… I was just helping my sister, that’s all.”
Kolodai answered quickly.
But…
The speed of her response left Shuna montarily speechless.
“…Sister?”
The dagger spinning in Shuna’s hand ca to a halt.
She rarely interacted with the dungeon rulers. After all, most dungeon conquests ended with simply defeating them, leaving little room for conversation.
She even wondered if her lack of communication was why this was the first ti she had heard a dungeon ruler ntion a “sister.”
So dungeon rulers had “family relationships”? Or was “sister” rely a term of endearnt for soone older?
And then there was sothing that had been bothering Shuna since the Ironfire Bastion.
Back then, the dungeon ruler—an old man who loved telling bad jokes—had seriously described the state of the dungeons, even using phrases like “don’t want to be a pawn.”
What kind of atmosphere existed within the dungeons to make him say sothing like that?
So…
Could the “sister” Kolodai ntioned be another dungeon ruler aligned with the “don’t want to be a pawn” sentint?
“What do you an by ‘sister’? Is she another dungeon ruler?”
Shuna looked at the childlike Kolodai, adjusting her tone.
Kolodai didn’t seem to possess the maturity of an adult ruler. Despite her title as the “Ice Queen,” her deanor and behavior were more like that of a child.
With a sigh, Shuna softened her voice, speaking as if coaxing a child.
“Yes, that’s right. But… my sister told not to let anyone know about this.”
Kolodai suddenly clasped her hands together, crushing the shard in her palm into powder.
“So she’s—”
But Shuna’s question was interrupted—
“Still… why do you act like you don’t know anything? After all, the courier who delivered the uncarved raw stones… and the one who wants your captain… have the sa scent as a witch.”
Shuna furrowed her brow at this.
“A witch. Oh… that explains why I keep slling sothing unpleasant around here.”
“Hmm… so, do you still want to keep asking?”
Kolodai gave an innocent smile.
“If you don’t go save your captain, that witch might just break him beyond repair—”
—
“No need for subtlety—no need for roundabout words—no need for concealnt—no need for flowery language—no need for evasion…”
“I love you—”
Will could feel his heart pounding so hard it seed ready to burst from his chest.
He looked into Leah’s eyes, filled with pink heart-shaped pupils.
He listened to her voice, each word of her confession rising in pitch, brimming with passion and sincerity.
And he understood the second “why”—
Why did Leah love him?
Even before hearing Leah’s confession, Will had already guessed her feelings—it was obvious. If soone tied you to a chair and injected you with sothing, you’d probably figure out what they were thinking too.
“Hah… hah…”
But now Will truly understood.
Leah had infused him with her witch’s blood.
She had draped him in her robe, still scented with Blood-Red Mint Essential Oil.
And now… she lowered her head and pulled out bottle after bottle of Blood-Red Mint Essential Oil from a nearby suitcase.
The suitcase was a gift from Will.
The Blood-Red Mint Essential Oil had been refined by Will.
Even the bottles were ones Will had purchased himself.
It was all for…
For Leah to recreate every “heart-pounding” mont she had experienced…
And make him feel it all over again!
“Co now, Will~”
Leah bit the cork off a bottle of Blood-Red Mint Essential Oil.
The blood-red, slightly viscous liquid slowly poured onto the back of her hand.
And from her fingertips…
It began to drip, drop by drop.
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