1 Bloody Snow White

There's the sound of wolves roaring in the distance through the thick winter snow. Elroy lifted his head from the pile of documents on his desk and walked over to his study window.

Outside you can see nothing but a white expanse like cotton.

"I'll be out for a bit," Elroy said to the knight, who was working on completing a pile of reports with him.

Elroy took his horse and rode it out of his castle. He walked towards the source of the wolf roar earlier, which seemed to be in the forest behind the castle.

Who was the madman who walked into the winter frontier forest like this? thought Elroy in surprise to himself.

It was common knowledge that the forests on the borders of the Lamamont Kingdom were full of wild beasts. So even though there have never been any problems with neighboring kingdoms, the border guard knights still have to work extra hard to keep away wild animals, especially in winter like this. Somehow the wolves and bears became very aggressive during this time.

Elroy stopped near where the roar had been heard. The snow was ankle-deep now. He wished in his heart not to find humans or wolves in this state―

until he finally found an unoccupied horse.

"Hey―hey, calm down," Elroy tried to calm the horse. "Where is your master?"

Elroy looked around, trying to find a clue. The ground around him was already covered in snow, but it was confirmed there was chaos there. Some branches and bushes were scattered on the ground, and also…

"Sapphire brooch?" muttered Elroy as he picked up the brooch only nobles could have.

He began to take steps forward, looking for something else. The further ahead, the more uncomfortable feeling.

And sure enough, Elroy soon found snow white covered in blood.

A woman with skin as pale as snow lay miserably there. Her brown hair lay in a mess, her winter robes partly torn and stained with blood. Her face could not be seen because it was covered by her long hair.

Even though it looked like the woman was dead, Elroy approached her swiftly. How shocked he was when he realized the coldness of the woman's skin. And when he brushed back her hair, Elroy was even more shocked.

"Viscountess Tierney!" Elroy called frantically.

Elroy immediately checked the woman's condition, but…

he couldn't find a pulse.

***

"Where's Viscountess Mariette?!"

Elroy, who heard the commotion, immediately came out of the infirmary room. He found a man entering the guarded castle with a pale face and panic.

"Sir Elroy!" the man called as soon as he saw Elroy. "Where's Viscountess Mariette?! I came right here as soon as I got your message."

"Master Emmanuele, calm down," said Elroy. "Come on, follow me. Her Ladyship is in the infirmary."

Elroy led the Tierney family's butler to the infirmary in the castle. There Mariette Tierney lay peacefully.

"Oh, My Lady," muttered Emmanuele. The middle-aged man immediately knelt beside Mariette and stroked her hair affectionately. Elroy himself just watched in silence.

Actually, earlier Elroy had thought that Mariette was dead.

Her skin was icy and very pale. The breath that came out of her nose was almost imperceptible. Then her pulse, her heartbeat…

Elroy couldn't find it on her. Elroy couldn't feel it even after he took off all of Mariette's clothes while treating her earlier.

The only thing that made Elroy sure Mariette was still alive was that her wounds weren't that deep. Even though her blood was splattered everywhere, it was all just a torn wound from the claws of a beast. In addition, the incisions are only around the hands and stomach without hitting vital parts. There was no visible impact on her head. An ordinary person could definitely survive such an injury.

"Thank you, Sir Elroy. Really, I don't know how to repay you," Emmanuele said.

"It's okay, Emmanuel. Viscountess Tierney's injuries weren't that bad. But I have to apologize because I was the one who changed clothes and treated her myself," explained Elroy.

Emmanuel shook his head. "The important thing is Her Ladyship is safe. Thank you."

"Her Ladyship should wake up soon enough. I can help you get her back to Tierney's estate."

"I really appreciate the help, Sir Elroy."

"No, no. It is my duty as a border guard knight."

Elroy took Emmanuele outside to warm up. The man had come with only a light robe through the winter.

Hot tea and light snacks were served, but Emmanuele was not in the least bit in the mood. It was obvious that he was still thinking about his mistress.

Of course, how could it not be? Mariette is currently the only Tierney left. Without a father and mother who had died long ago, without brothers or sisters, without an uncle who died only two years ago. Because of that, Mariette became a viscountess at a very young age.

"Viscountess Tierney will be fine," Elroy said reassuringly.

Emmanuele looked doubtful. "Forgive me, Sir Elroy. But considering you were helping and treating Her Ladyship…"

"Oh, about that…" Elroy scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "As you know, in this castle, there are no women. And it was also an emergency, so I had to―"

"No, it's not about that, Sir Elroy," Emmanuele interrupted. The man looked at him straight. "I'm sure you sensed something odd about Lady Mariette's body, didn't you?"

Elroy's brain suddenly jammed. He wondered why Mariette's skin was so pale and cold and her heartbeat…

was absent.

But that could just be because I can't feel it, right? Elroy thought.

"Actually, Her Ladyship is―"

"Sir Elroy! Viscountess Tierney has woken up!"