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I.

The border zone between Roan and the Belluk territory.

Eredite, the captain of the guard here, sprinted through the tall spruce forest at terrifying speed.

She could feel the silence of the snow-covered zone vibrating with tension.

Pff. Pff.

White snow granules showered over her head along her running path, and the signals of scouts crisscrossed busily throughout the forest.

Immediately, two black shadows leisurely crossing a distant, gentle ridgeline caught her sight.

She spurred herself toward them, eyes narrowing.

These beings were different from the other races that frequently encroached on the territory.

Something fatally dangerous. Black shadows as if the world’s evil had condensed into a single point.

She’d known a day like this would come sooner or later—but such impudence, strolling across someone else’s territory!

The intruders were walking slowly up the ridgeline of the zone she was sworn to protect.

Even worse, the little demon brat leading the way was having the time of its life, shaking a branch laden with red cornelian cherry fruit, tapping snow off with little puffs—dancing. As if on a picnic.

And the tall figure languidly trailing behind…

‘The Demon King!’

Today of all days, she had to warn that Demon King for crossing Roan’s territory as if it were nothing.

Her warhorse began racing across the open snowfield.

As if he had heard it, he abruptly halted his lethargic stride and turned toward Eredite charging over the snow.

Once she closed within range, she drew blazing white mana up along her blade.

“Kiyaaaaah!”

She rose from the horse, kicked off its back, and leaped.

The galloping warhorse veered away from the demons on its own, and she, suspended in the air, swung her greatsword.

‘At the very least, I will not tarnish the honor of Roan!’

But in the next instant, Eredite’s body was sent flying with a dull whomp—no memory of blades even meeting.

The ground rushing closer as she fell limply entered her vision in slow motion.

Gray pupils, as cool as ice shards. Utterly indifferent, as if nothing had happened.

A vast, distant despair—that was the last emotion she felt.

Against the cold ash-gray sky, bare treetops came into view, a flock of crows perched upon them.

As they took flight into the sky, jewel-like grains of snow cascaded down.

At the same moment, her consciousness cut out.

* * *

When Eredite opened her eyes again, what entered her vision was a pair of blood-red pupils.

Jewel-like irises set within long eyes rolled this way and that, then the eyes folded into a fine, self-satisfied curve.

“Awake? As expected, you’re different.”

The boy, who had been giggling in a voice both bright and oddly androgynous, began observing her again. His fascinated expression was exactly like he’d just gotten a new toy.

Eredite stared blankly at the boy before her.

Even blinking her eyes a few times, nothing came to mind. Her head felt hazy, as if fogged over.

She only registered his objective features—black hair, snow-white skin, eyes red as garnet—but nothing interpreted itself.

Interpreted…? No, something flickered up in an instant.

‘Then this child is a person of the Belluk territory?’

Huh, how do I know that? Come to think of it, who am I? And where is this…?

What is my name?

Without hesitation, Eredite let the questions spill from her mouth.

“…Who am I? Where is this? I can’t remember anything!”

The boy watched her clutch her cheeks in worry and grinned nastily, eyes crinkling with delight.

It looked like there was a sly scheme hidden underneath, but she couldn’t tell.

The boy, Igor, rolled his eyes for a moment considering what to answer, then opened them just a sliver and asked.

“You don’t remember, Lucy?”

“What? Am I Lucy?”

“Yeah, you’re… mm… someone who’s lived here with me from the start… mm… my friend, let’s say? You do know I’m the Grand Duke of Belluk, right?”

Exuberant joy brimmed inside the boy’s shameless question. The joy of deceiving another.

“Grand Duchy… Belluk… I feel like I might know it…. But my name is Lucy…?”

“Yeah.”

She scratched at her hair as if trying to organize her head.

“But why… why can’t I remember anything right now?”

At the innocent question, the boy swallowed his laughter again and explained in a gentle, coaxing tone. His red lips stretched wide, utterly failing to hide his glee, twitching at the corners.

“You fell down the stairs. Lost all your memories then, but don’t worry. They’ll come back soon. You just have to have fun playing with me. Then it’ll be no different from before.”

As he laughed, a flash of pointed canines peeked from the corner of the boy’s mouth.

Eredite blinked her eyes, gazing at the young Grand Duke who was supposedly her friend.