The lobby was lit by lanterns, their steady glow filling the room with a soft warmth. A heavy silence lingered after Grandpa's words. The children especially were stunned—it was their first time hearing such things.
To imagine that one day they might have to leave their home was already tormenting. Yet in that disaster, people had no choice. They had to abandon everything, whether it was their house, their country, or even their loved ones.
After taking a sip of tea , Grandpa's voice rose again, slow and steady.
"Later, we lived in Frostlake Village. It was hard in the beginning, but little by little, we grew used to it. Our food was enough, since there were no competitors. Just like that, time passed quietly. You all grew day by day, and three years went by. Then, something very good happened."
His lips curved faintly into a smile. "My youngest son was going to be a father. Yes, Neil, that was when you were born. You don't know how excited your father was—he ran everywhere, telling everyone he would soon be a father. It was a happy moment for all of us. Though we worried you might be born unhealthy in such a harsh land, we did everything we could to prepare. After all, you were the first child born in our village—the star of Frostlake Village."
Grandpa's eyes softened with memory. "And now, here you are, already ten years old. Time passes so fast. It feels like only yesterday I held you in my arms, and now you are the one holding this family together—building walls, raising a house, giving us light and warmth in this frozen land… Neil, I truly can't thank you enough."
Neil's heart tightened. To see his cheerful, unshakable Grandpa suddenly wear such sadness—it hurt him deeply. Quickly, he spoke, his voice firm.
"Grandpa, you don't have to feel sad. If not for you, we wouldn't have survived all these years. It's because of you that I grew up safe and happy."
Lyra nodded earnestly. "Yes, Grandpa, Neil is right. We are here because of you."
Orion and Caspian joined in together. "That's true, Grandpa. We want to become like you too."
Hearing those words, Grandpa's chest felt light. All the hardship, all the pain he had endured—every step was worth it if it led to this moment with his family.
From the side, Grandma's eyes glistened. She had watched her husband push himself again and again over the years, blaming himself for leaving the refugee shelter and dragging his family into hardship.
But now, seeing everyone smiling, hearing laughter that never seemed to end, she looked at Neil and whispered with trembling lips, "You really are the star of our Frostlake Village."
For a while, the warmth lingered, until Neil's brows furrowed as if something troubled him. Grandpa caught the change at once.
"What is it, Neil? Do you have something to ask?"
Neil hesitated, then gathered his courage. "Grandpa, you said we are safe in this snow-covered land, and now that we already have a home here, why are you worried about Orion turning eighteen? Where does he have to go—and for what reason?"
A low chuckle escaped Grandpa, though his eyes carried a weight far older than his years. "Ha… Neil, you're quick to notice." He leaned back slightly, the lantern glow tracing the lines of his weathered face.
"Well, that has its own story. Let me tell you. After the establishment of the refugee shelters, life slowly began to find its rhythm again. People's conditions improved, and hope returned, even if faintly.
That was the year the Duke of the Eastern Continent, along with the senior members of the camp, decided to form a search army—to look for survivors and other settlements that might have endured.
After a year of searching, they found many scattered groups who had survived."
Grandpa's tone grew heavier, his voice like a storyteller carrying ancient truths.
"It was also discovered that, just like the Duke of the East, the other Dukes and even the Royal Family had established shelters of their own.
After much struggle, they managed to create a method of communication using mana crystals.
For the first time since the disaster, all the Dukes and the King of the Solara Kingdom met together.
"In that council, it was decided that the scattered shelters must connect with one another.
Armies would be formed to clear the lands between them, drive back the dead monsters, and move step by step toward the Royal Shelter.
"You see, unlike the Dukes who were forced into harsh and unforgiving lands, the King and Royal Family had retreated to an island surrounded by sea. That sea became their natural protection from the dead, and they did not suffer from the extreme climates as we did.
"So the Dukes of the West, North, and South were ordered to gather together, as their shelters were closest. The Duke of the Eastern Continent, however, was tasked with the most difficult path—clearing the land between the Aethelgard Mountains and the sea, and then joining with the Royal Camp.
Though far from the other Dukes, we were closest to the Royal Family's island."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the children, as though weighing how much to reveal. Then he went on.
"It was also decided that anyone reaching the age of eighteen must enter the Arms Academy. There, they would be trained to fight monsters. At twenty, they would officially join the army. Though for men, it is mandatory. But for women, it depends entirely on their choice after graduation.
"Your parents and uncles also served their time there. The service lasts for five years. After that, you may choose whether to remain in the army or return to your life. But in times of great emergency… you may still be called back."
"But remember this—the army does not mean safety. In the army, you must always be prepared to fight the dead monsters at any time. Every time you go out, you face death, and you might not survive the next battle. Even after so many years, the mortality rate remains high. The batch that graduated with your father… nearly forty percent of them never came back."
His words lingered in the air like a heavy shadow. The younger children exchanged uneasy glances, and even Neil clenched his fists under the table. Though he tried to appear calm, his heart thudded with unease.
For the first time, the future seemed less like a promise and more like a storm waiting beyond the horizon.