Chapter 120

5-7 minutes

“Yes,” Aden nodded. “And Rippo de Mille’s claim is credible.”

“That there’s an oracle among the Yesters?”

He nodded again.

“It’s hard to believe but,” she said, “it doesn’t seem like a wild claim anymore.”

Aden’s face sagged into a frown.

“The assassins who attacked us in the warm region spoke. They said the oracle told them when and where to attack.”

“An oracle…,” Ilyin mumbled softly.

“They also said they don’t know where that oracle is from,” he added.  Aden couldn’t bear to tell her what he had to do to get that answer.

“We don’t know where he is from!” she replied.

“And it seems like there is a connection with Blue North as well,” he added.

Ilyin nodded. Blue North did appear to have the most influence next to Delrose. She hadn’t needed anyone to point that out to her. It was Blue North that had reached out first when word came that the bride was coming from the warm region, and only maids from North had attended to her.

Even if it was tradition that Blue North brought the bride, the fact that Lidan, the elder of Blue North, was the first to speak to her showed that the other three families were not of equal stature.

Even if it was tradition that Blue North was to bring the bride, it was weird that only the maids from North were taking care of her. Lidan, the elder of Blue North, having the first chance to speak to her couldn’t have happened if the three families had similar power. And if Lidan was able to bring a clueless warm region bride into Delrose, wasn’t that a good chance for him to make the future mistress of Biflten their ally?

The other families, from what she had seen, couldn’t manage to pull themselves up to the level of Blue North. Of course, North had grown slow because Aden was occupied on battlefields, decreasing Delrose’s influence in the day-to-day and giving them an opening.

“Could the oracle that Lady of Mille and the assassins spoke of really be the same person?” she asked.

Their musings could go no further. They had plenty of suspicions, but no evidence to bring them further.

***

The nights she spent with Aden were always warm, warm enough to make her forget she was in the winter region. And whether he was there or not, he made sure she never felt lonely.

Except in her dreams. In those, like now, Ilyin was always alone.

She opened her eyes to the swirling movement around her. Ah, she thought, it’s a dream of foresight.

Deafening noise surrounded her. Yesters of the northern wind were on a rampage around her, flying with the cold. If she’d actually been standing where she was, she’d have frozen in an instant.

They were at the Wall of Light. Ilyin couldn’t bring herself to go near it.

Kyak!

Break it!

Crush it!

The sound of rampaging Yesters filled the air as Shining Elo’s knights looked on worriedly. The strength of the wall changed depending on that of the divine object. The cold made it become hard, and that meant it was weakened and needed time to recuperate.

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How long could it hold?

Kyak!

The Yesters’ force seemed quite a bit larger this time. The attacking monsters climbed upon each other and scratched the top of the wall.

Thankfully, the violet-eyed being was nowhere to be seen this time. Still, Ilyin was tense, hoping she would wake up from this dream quickly. Wake up before the Elo’s wall collapsed.

Thankfully it didn’t. Instead, Delrose knights led by Aden came suddenly over the top, falling on the monsters in a brutal battle. Ilyin watched fearfully until she awoke, with the wall, Aden and Delrose all still safe.

***

Aden was in the Delrose knight ground. It was hard for him to leave Ilyin while she was sleeping, but even though Ilyin took care of so much in the mansion, he still had duties as the Grandmaster. He intended to see to them quickly and return to bed. He may be almost invincible in the winter region as Duke of Winter, but he was still tired.

“Grandmaster, it’s urgent news!” Idith cried, knocking hurriedly at his office door.

“What is it?” he asked. When the north wind was blowing, urgent news was likely bad. Aden flicked a glance out the window. Even though he was applying his divine power, the view outside was still filled with rough wind and snow.

Idith burst through the door. His face was as white as the collected snow on his shoulders.

“The Yesters attacked Elo’s stronghold again!” he said.

“Their size?”

The attack was expected. What Idith said next wasn’t.

“It’s four times their number before.”

Aden’s eyes widened.

***

The Delrose knights moved quickly, even with such short notice. The larger force of the monsters meant they had much to prepare, yet it was completed swiftly. Aden, after seeing to his own preparations, went to Ilyin before he rejoined the knights.

He felt uneasy. His bride was sleeping soundly, but her face was distressed as though she was in a fearful dream. Perhaps it’s nothing, he thought, lightly touching her forehead with the back of his hand.

Ilyin opened her eyes, blinked a few times until their usual sparkle returned. As she registered the sight of him already prepared to leave, her eyes widened.

He wore a fur cape across his shoulders. As the Duke of Winter, he seldom needed a fur cape.

Unless he intended to go somewhere far colder and windier – the battle with the Yesters, the one she had just foreseen.

“You’re going to Elo again,” she said.

“Did you have a dream?” he asked.

He felt the warmth of her through his hand.

“What did you see?”

I don’t want to do something that makes you feel hurt, he thought.