Chapter 20

"Is it over? The pressure has decreased, and the constant 'beats' have stopped... Is this really the end or just another trap?"

Elizabeth hesitated. She didn't know how much time had passed or what the situation was like outside the dome; "An enemy that controls ice itself... Is it truly the mountain or something else entirely?"

More time passed, yet everything remained the same. The external pressure neither increased nor decreased in any way, no matter how much time had passed.

"It seems like it really is over..."

Elizabeth looked up as the dome of flames opened around her. Slowly, starting from the top, the walls of fire descended toward the ground, while the barrier of heat enveloped Elizabeth's body as it became exposed to the external environment.

A bright glow blurred her vision, causing her to close her eyes. Carefully, Elizabeth stood up as she rubbed both of her eyes.

"I really need to thank her when I return to the castle. If it weren't for her, I..."

Removing her hands from her face, her eyes slowly opened, allowing the sunlight to illuminate the landscape before her.

"So... the attacks stopped because the sun rose?"

Looking around, Elizabeth saw that the hole caused by the explosion of flames the previous night had been almost completely filled. However, there remained about a foot of height for it to be perfectly closed.

Walking was not an option. The small patch of land where she stood was the only firm thing in that place. Leaping, Elizabeth easily surpassed the peak of the Frozen Peaks, allowing her to see a simply beautiful sight.

On one side, in the distance, a vast field of ice stretched like a painted canvas before her eyes. The peaks of the mountains formed an imposing structure, resembling an unfinished dome of ice.

Their tips converged toward a single central point: a large blue lake resting in the heart of the ice field, resembling a gigantic forest made of crystal trees.

The crystal forest was crossed by four rivers flowing from the various peaks and from different directions, finally merging into the central lake. From the tips of these mountains, the blue liquid flowed gently, mingling with the vast volume of the lake. But that liquid, whose bluish color was too intense, even from a distance, seemed too thick and viscous to be just water.

Her eyes swept the surroundings, revealing a wide and clear image of the Great Forest. Its majestic trees held a secret she had never even imagined.

Not just leaves or branches, above those trees whose trunks stretched for hundreds of meters, some, kilometers, there were enormous nests made of something that appeared to be straw or hay.

From one of the nests, for a brief moment, Elizabeth saw something extremely terrifying emerge as it stretched at sunrise, beating its huge wings and opening its large beak as if it were performing a silent yawn.

The creature's black feathers seemed to absorb the light around it, and its red eyes, which Elizabeth felt watching her for a brief moment, filled her with such fear that, raising her hands, she immediately used explosions to descend more quickly toward the ground.

"Pant! Pant! Pant!..."

Her breathing quickened, and her heart raced as the image of that being remained intact in her mind. Elizabeth ran aimlessly through the mountain, without caring about the creatures or even where she was going.

With her bare hands, she killed yetis, wendigos, and giant wolves without using any magic. Her fists bathed in their blood, and what remained of her clothes changed color, shifting from white and gold to mostly red, as the mountain passed by her vision like a large white blur.

[Congratulations]

[You leveled up]

[Congratulations]

[You leveled up]

[Congratulations]

[You leveled up]

[Congratulations]

[You leveled up]

Caves were left behind, and cliffs were crossed with a single leap. As her mind became increasingly clouded, Elizabeth jumped toward a dark and icy precipice.

Covering her mouth and trying to contain her heavy and erratic breathing, she hid in the darkness while her body shivered uncontrollably. Not because of the penetrating cold of the place where she had thrown herself, but because of the fear she was experiencing.

The fear of being in the presence of a being infinitely more powerful than herself. Now, with senses so sharp, she could finally feel and understand it.

Her golden eyes widened in the shadows, fearing the moment when that red glow would come for her.

[Name: Elizabeth Berseba

Status

Level 194

Mana: 960

Strength: 752

Resistance: 749

Agility: 756]

***************

Faced with a situation that was simply inconceivable and unthinkable unfolding before their eyes, Aiden, Clovis, and Riley constantly averted their gazes, looking at random spots in the demonic castle's kitchen.

The arrangement of their chairs had been changed. Upon sensing Ethan's imminent arrival with the princess, they all quickly stood up and promptly moved their own seats to the opposite side where the two would sit.

Aiden was lucky, as he was already in a good location, only having to move back a bit and positioning himself between Clovis and Riley, as far away as possible from those two, but unfortunately, facing the princess.

However, now that wasn't a problem, and he knew it. As long as Ethan was in that room, she wouldn't do anything that could even remotely irritate him. After all, the last time that happened, she was "punished" for quite some time, unable to approach him.

"Are you sure you don't want to eat?" Ethan questioned, removing the spoon from his mouth and dipping it back into the oval container on the frozen table. "It might not look like it, but this is really good."

They all hesitated to respond; "How could we just eat from the same plate as the princess? Are you crazy?!" the three reproached Ethan internally.

"No... I already had a bit," Clovis said, hesitantly.

"Yeah, me too... Help yourself," Riley said, smiling.

"I..." preempting any problematic speech, Riley quickly interrupted Aiden and, smiling, he said, "We've all eaten already, don't worry."

"What?!" Aiden exclaimed internally. His eyes filled with fury as they were directed at Ethan, who continued to eat calmly, but they quickly changed direction when the princess turned around. "Damn it, Ethan! I really wanted to taste some... Damn! I should have eaten earlier..."

"I want some more, give it to me!" the princess exclaimed, smiling cheerfully.

"What?" Ethan looked at the princess with a puzzled look. "Then get a spoon for yourself."

"There are no more spoons here," the princess retorted. "I'd have to go get one from the other kitchen. Come on, it's nothing, just give me a bit using yours."

Ethan's eyes swept across the entire kitchen. The simple wooden countertops and the drawers; "I know this place was built in a hurry, but is there really no other spoon here?" he wondered.

Ethan stood up; "Where are you going?" the princess questioned, gently holding one of his arms.

"Huh? Don't you want to eat too? I'll get another spoon."

Upon hearing that, closing her eyes and, unwittingly, adding a bit of mana to her voice, the princess exclaimed, "No!" her voice filled the entire room and caused some of the furniture to tremble.

Looking around, at the surprised faces of Clovis, Riley, and Aiden, and especially at Ethan's confused expression, she quickly withdrew her hands from his arm as she said, "...I mean... it's okay... even if you don't want to give it to me..." her fingers constantly fidgeted with the soft fabric of her clothes as her eyes wandered around the room while she formulated her words.

"What?" Ethan, evidently, became even more confused. He was going to fetch a spoon just so she could eat at her own pace. So what did she mean by "Not wanting to give it to her"?

He looked at his three companions, but despite probably understanding the reason, none of them could answer his doubts.

Sighing, Ethan sat back down; "Here, take it," he said, raising his spoon to the princess's mouth.

With a beautiful and bright look, the young girl asked, "What...? Seriously?!" her eyes seemed to be starting to fill with tears as Ethan took his time to respond.

"Come on, hurry up and eat, I don't have all day."

"Oh, right! Thank you!"

With her mouth open, the princess engulfed the spoon with her soft lips as an obvious smile formed on them.

"Mmm... This is really good!"

The creamy texture spread throughout her mouth, bringing sweetness along with it. Indeed, this wasn't a bad dish, but it carried some noticeable dangers;

"Thank goodness I used magic before eating this... the inside of my body was almost frozen."

As soon as the substance touched her tongue, the princess felt it slowly freezing. This followed suit in her throat and ended in her stomach. If she hadn't activated her magic the moment she felt the first chill, even before putting it in her mouth, her body would surely have been consumed by that penetrating cold.

However, this raised a question in her mind; "How is Ethan eating this so calmly? He doesn't seem to be using magic... No, I don't think he even learned it."

The princess smiled brightly and tightened her clothes as her mind was filled with various thoughts. And despite the doubts, what actually stood out among her thoughts were just two things; "I not only touched him, but I also indirectly kissed him! An indirect kiss! I need to start frequenting this place more and more!"

While those two seemed to be having fun together, Clovis, Aiden, and Riley watched that situation completely nervous, some even discontented, while the three wondered, "What exactly are we doing here?"