"Miss Freya, there's a letter for you."
The maid's voice came from outside the door.
Freya froze mid-motion, just as she was rushing toward Vlad, and instinctively dove beneath the covers.
Seeing her panicked expression, Vlad whispered, "Calm down. It's alright."
He quickly dressed, moved to the door, and stepped aside to stay hidden.
Freya took a deep breath, slipped into a silky white nightgown that clung to her slender, graceful figure, then walked toward the door.
Squeak~
As the door creaked open, Freya reached out with deliberate calm and accepted the letter.
"Thank you. You may go now."
Ignoring the maid's curious glance that tried to peer into the room, Freya closed the door with a polite smile.
Huff~
Still visibly shaken, Freya was pulled into Vlad's embrace. He gently stroked her waist and murmured, "Were you scared?"
"Hmph, it's all your fault. Do you think they heard anything?" she asked anxiously.
"Don't worry. Even if they did, I can always take you away with me."
"Hmph, you wish." Freya wrinkled her beautiful nose.
Despite her tone, a trace of joy appeared on her face.
At that moment, Vlad glanced at the letter in her hand, his expression turning thoughtful.
When Freya opened it and read the contents, disbelief spread across her face.
Her delicate body, leaning against Vlad, began to tremble.
"How could this happen... How could this happen..." she muttered, dazed.
Vlad had also seen what was written, and a strange expression crossed his face.
As expected, things were unfolding along the original trajectory.
He understood that the letter was Ravenna's trap—using another's hand to commit murder.
By exploiting Freya's trust in her lover, Ravenna had lured her out, set fire to the tower, and aimed to destroy her child.
In truth, Ravenna had already placed a spell on Freya's lover.
This letter had been written under the influence of that dark magic.
Watching Freya fall into a daze, Vlad quietly said, "Do you regret it?"
His words made her shudder. She instinctively broke free from his arms and walked over to sit on the bed.
"Vlad, I need to be alone."
"I just feel... so confused right now."
Her trembling voice revealed the depth of her inner conflict.
Vlad looked at her, holding her head in pain, torn between choices.
He didn't tell her the truth—because only after experiencing a devastating blow would her ice powers awaken. And that same pain would wipe away the last traces of her doubt.
With a calm voice, Vlad said, "No matter what you decide, I support you." Then he turned and left the room.
Hearing his words of trust, Freya trembled again.
Watching him leave, the confusion and hesitation on her face slowly faded, replaced by determination.
And so, the story began to follow its destined path.
The next night, Freya went to the meeting spot she and Willis had agreed upon.
But this time, she was prepared to reject him.
After Vlad left, his words—full of trust and support—had calmed her chaotic thoughts and filled her heart with a strong sense of security.
That security gave her the strength to make a clear decision.
She had already chosen—and now there would be no more hesitation.
Let the past remain buried, she told herself.
Just as Freya was waiting, a pillar of fire suddenly shot into the sky.
"It's on fire! It's on fire~!!"
The shouting broke her from her thoughts.
When she realized it was her daughter's nursery in flames, her face changed instantly. Heart racing, she rushed to Elsa's room.
By the time the flames were put out and she entered, all that remained was a charred child's corpse.
Sobbing, she moved forward to touch it—only for Willis to appear from the shadows.
Stunned at first, a wave of hatred and rage surged within her.
"Ah~!!"
Overwhelmed by grief and fury, a terrifying cold burst from Freya's body.
In moments, white frost coated the room with a bone-chilling aura.
"Willis, you deserve to die!!"
Her fingers flared with icy magic, unleashing a blizzard of power.
A powerful blast of cold struck Willis.
In an instant, a lifelike ice sculpture took shape—then shattered violently.
In that moment, Freya's innate gift as an Ice Witch awakened.
Unable to fully control her powers, she collapsed to the floor unconscious.
Her once auburn hair turned silver, transformed by the surge of frost within her.
From the shadows, Ravenna slowly stepped out, her gaze cold and calculating as she surveyed the room.
Then she walked forward, picked up Freya, and silently carried her away.
Meanwhile, Vlad had arrived at Ravenna's secret chamber, guided by a magic mirror.
After several days of searching, he had finally discovered its hidden location.
He gazed at the intricate magic runes carved into the floor—runes he might never have noticed if Ravenna hadn't recently passed through.
In the center of the empty chamber, a large round mirror was mounted on the wall.
It gleamed faintly—neither gold nor copper, yet somehow both.
Mystical runes circled its edge, glowing softly.
Vlad stared into the mirror, then began chanting.
With each word, the golden mirror's surface began to ripple like liquid.
Moments later, a humanoid figure formed from golden fluid stepped forth from the mirror.
"Summoner, what do you seek?"
A powerful, distant voice echoed—it was the mirror's spirit.
Vlad examined the spirit, then asked, "What can you do?"
"Within a certain range, I can reveal anything you wish to know," it replied.
"And I have the power to glimpse possible futures."
"Summoner, state your request."
Vlad was silent for a moment. Then he said, "I have nothing to ask. You may return."
The spirit melted into golden liquid and flowed back into the mirror.
"Not bad. I'll just take it," Vlad muttered, licking the corner of his mouth as excitement flickered in his eyes.
He stepped forward, gripped the mirror's frame, and prepared to remove it.
But just as he did, the mirror flared with golden light—and Ravenna's cold, haughty face appeared on its surface.
Her gaze met Vlad's, a hint of pride in her eyes as she muttered an incantation.
Suddenly, a burst of golden light enveloped him.
When it faded, Vlad had vanished from the chamber without a trace.