"What was that sound?" Wein immediately woke up from his bed, instinctively rushing to the window as he parted the curtain.
He realized the window wasn't shut—perhaps it was the wind, but the sound clearly came from below. Since the fog was still thick, Wein quickly closed the window before the strong wind could bring it into his room.
The sound, which repeatedly seemed to be calling something, kept drawing his attention. He wanted to find out what it was, but the conditions outside were far from ideal.
Wein grabbed his pocket watch and raised it to eye level to clearly see the short hand. After checking the time, he tucked it back into his left pocket.
He didn't forget to take his revolver, placing it in his right pocket. Then, he opened the door, but not before cautiously peeking his head out several times to check his surroundings.
---
I'm so tired… Loraine sighed, but it only lasted a moment as she woke again from her sleep.
She looked straight at the wall clock, which read [00:31]—meaning she had only slept for thirty minutes since Wein had escorted her back.
The glowing bulb on her study desk was still on, occasionally dimming before returning to its beautiful yellow hue.
The room reflected a soft blue glow, unlike the red hue it had yesterday. Though the blood moon had risen earlier, the sky had now changed color.
This marked the transition between moons, signaling the arrival of a bitter winter on this floating island, Aetheris.
The higher a place is above sea level, the thinner the air becomes, and here, snowfall could reach temperatures between minus ten and minus seventy degrees at night.
That's why winter was often a challenging season for everyone living here—at least, that was the case before an innovative scientist invented the heating generator.
Winter… has it already been almost a year since I came to this Academy? Time really flies, Loraine murmured. Soon after, she rose from her bed.
She sat on the edge first before standing, scanning the room. The white walls reflected the soft blue light beautifully.
The flickering bulb seemed to call out to her. Loraine rose from her bed and walked slowly to the desk.
Her hand reached out for her watch, but suddenly, from beneath the moonlight and darkness outside, a faint and incomplete howl broke the silence.
Loraine instinctively turned to the window, her face filled with panic—then curiosity.
"That sounded like a puppy," Loraine whispered. From deep within her heart, she felt sympathy for the little creature lost in the fog.
But it was far too late and clearly dangerous to go outside now. Still, she looked at the window once more and firmly held onto her resolve.
Unknowingly, her hand clenched into a fist, her nails pressing deep into her palm. She forced herself to move.
Her hand reached for the doorknob, and she quietly exited her room. The empty corridor gave her chills down her spine for a few seconds.
---
Wein carefully walked on the tips of his toes, trying to minimize the sound of his steps in case someone was listening.
Though unnecessary, it was habitual—especially since Aria, who was often reading late, had hearing as sharp as a predator.
At the very least, she...
"Wein?" A surprised and disbelieving voice called out. Wein quickly straightened up and looked in Aria Everdisch's direction.
"What are you doing out at this hour?" she asked. Wein was now in the middle of crafting a believable lie.
Several options came to mind, but none sounded logical—especially to someone like Aria, who always thought analytically.
"Oh… I just wanted to grab some books to study a few things… though it is a bit late to be down here," he mumbled, awkwardly scratching the back of his head in a telltale sign of his fib.
Yet, as usual, he didn't avoid her gaze. In fact, he peeked past her and noticed Glen fast asleep at the table.
Aria stared at Wein sharply. She believed him—Wein had no hatred for books, and she had often seen him carrying them.
"Oh… What kind of book are you looking for? I can—" Before she could finish, Wein cut her off.
"No need, I can find it myself. You should rest. Tomorrow will be a long day." He deflected.
"Oh… right. It's already quite late. I should sleep." Aria slowly stepped back, flashing one last smile before grabbing the doorknob and yelling behind her, "GOOD NIGHT!"
Her voice pierced through the wooden door.
Wein sighed in relief. He didn't expect his excuse to work that easily. Taking a deep breath, he continued toward the outer door.
As he approached, he recited incantations taught by Director Claudia. The barrier enchantment would repel fog and harmful gases, letting only breathable air through.
He implemented the magic, forming an imperfect oval shield from head to toe. Still, he remained skeptical of its efficacy.
Slowly, he pulled the massive door open. He had prepared for a loud creak, but it made no sound—almost as if the door cooperated to remain silent.
Yes, I'm really lucky tonight, Wein thought. He stepped out and gently closed the door behind him, again hearing no sound.
Outside, he was instantly hit by the freezing wind. Confused for a moment, he quickly realized winter was approaching.
It would get colder as the clock neared 2 a.m., so he had to hurry. Though the howling grew clearer, its volume weakened.
I have to hurry. The temperature will drop to four degrees in the next fifteen minutes, Wein thought as he headed toward the bushes.
To the right of the dormitory terrace, he passed through a fence—he believed the sound had come from that direction. He moved hastily, though still trying to remain quiet.
This part wasn't dense; beside the dorm was only a small decorative garden with some flowers and a stone path.
Wein stepped through square-shaped shrubs to stay hidden and keep his footsteps soft.
A few meters ahead lay the back of Drakvaris dormitory, the edge of the academy grounds. Beyond it, an untouched nature reserve no student dared explore due to their focus on studies.
He kept going until he reached a boundary fence, hidden by the shrubbery, marking the transition to the forest.
"I never realized there was a fence here," he murmured, the thick fog obscuring his view. He used mana to slightly enhance his vision.
Grabbing the fence, he pushed off with his feet to climb over. Before crossing, he grabbed the lower edge and pushed off once more until he landed on the other side.
Once again, he looked ahead, tilting slightly to the left as he heard the painful whimpering and coughs of the little creature.
Before him stood over ten trees, but only six were visible through the fog. Carefully, he approached the source of the sound.
Wein was pleased that the terrain was clear—no thick bushes or exposed roots—allowing him to move silently and swiftly.
After thirty minutes of searching, he finally reached an old tree with protruding roots forming a small hollow beneath it.
Its branches stretched high, most leaves already fallen, and within hours, the tree would likely be bare—winter had indeed arrived.
To be sure, he stopped, trying to listen closely. And yes—he heard scratching, footsteps in the mud, and faint howls.
It came from the large tree ahead. Wein stepped cautiously, his mind imagining the creature's shape—but not its true form.
This could very well be a trap laid by wild beasts.
He stopped when he could almost clearly see into the hollow, his reason finally taking over. Something felt off.
Why had he come here so recklessly? What if it was a trap?
Why was he so easily drawn in without second thought? He felt like his mind had been hijacked. But now that he was here, he had to see it through.
Wein was the type who, once involved, would see things to the end—he was driven not by empathy but by a compelling force in his mind.
In the darkness of the eerie tree—like something out of a child's nightmare—the hollow began to reveal its contents: a small tail, belonging to a puppy… or a kitten?
He climbed the small hill until the moonlight reached the creature, illuminating it in full.
First the tail, then the white hind legs, muddy and stained, dulling its pure color. Finally, the full figure came into view.
It looked like a puppy, but its howls sounded more like a wolf pup. Wein instinctively felt it was an innocent soul breathing in this bitter air.
He moved carefully, placing his feet over exposed roots for balance.
Now very close to the hollow, he bent down. Slowly, his hand reached in and gently lifted the first pup—it was white.
Then, to his surprise, he realized there were two. He hadn't expected to find a second wolf pup, with a slightly darker coat.
His hand hesitated before reaching for the second, who had retreated deep inside. He had to lean in further, grabbing the back of its neck gently and pulling it out.
Finally standing straight, he cradled both pups in his arms. They weren't newborns but still struggled to walk—they had likely been born weeks ago.
Wein carefully pressed them to his chest, supporting them with his left forearm, keeping them safe.
But something felt off. Why was it this easy?
Moments after deciding to return, he felt a fluctuation of mana directed at him.
Instinctively, in dangerous moments like this, someone not native to this world would reach for a revolver rather than draw a sword from a realm storage.
Someone had appeared—from behind the fog.
The overwhelming presence signaled great power. Wein immediately drew his revolver, cocked the hammer, and aimed.
A green glow appeared—eyes, the only thing visible—before a silhouette stepped forth, revealing a sword's deadly point aimed straight at Wein's throat.
The blade's tip lightly pierced his skin like a needle, drawing a thin line of blood.
Wein kept his revolver aimed, refusing to shoot. Both of them, weapons raised, stood locked—one movement from either would mean the end…
A few seconds before the moon shifted its course, they were still frozen in place, aiming their weapons at each other—until finally, the silhouette became real, slowly revealing itself, starting with long, metallic white hair that gradually emerged.
Then her eyes came into view, glowing beautifully. Every contour of her face appeared breathtaking, and this time, Wein lowered his finger from the trigger, mesmerized.
Just moments before her face was fully revealed, it became clear—it was Loraine Eleanoir. Realizing that the one she had struck was her own king, her face filled with shocked disbelief as she carefully withdrew her sword.
Both of them were speechless in that moment, until Wein finally lowered the revolver that had been aimed straight at Loraine Eleanoir's head.
[Oh, how romantic…] Persephone teased.