The cold of Icevern was not just a seasonal phenomenon but a part of its essence. The grand mansion of the dukedom stood like a fortress of frost, its towering walls draped in ice, glistening under the dim northern sun. The chill outside mirrored the unyielding coldness that had settled in the heart of its inhabitants—especially Sophie von Icevern.
Inside the grand hall, Sophie knelt on one knee before her older brother, Duke Lancefroz von Icevern, the unbeatable knight of winter. His reputation was not just a local legend. He was a living myth—a warrior who could command the snow itself, a knight feared across Regaria and beyond. The air was thick with an unspoken tension, and yet, the only sound was the soft crackling of the fire in the hearth, as though even the flames dared not interrupt the silence.
