CHAPTER 170: THE MELTING ICE QUEEN?

The sun dipped lower, its golden rays spilling across the tennis court, turning the lines and grass into streaks of amber fire. Cicadas droned faintly in the distance, and the gentle evening breeze carried with it the scent of the villa’s garden. Blake was still nowhere to be seen—undoubtedly buried beneath pillows in his room, determined to sleep through the entire afternoon. For the other three, though, the day already felt full. Training, sparring, eating, laughing, even the clumsy game of tennis—they had lived the day to its fullest.

Nero leaned back against the bench, phone in hand, and after a pause he began to type.

[That’s how our day went.]

He sent it off to Khione, recounting everything in brief.

A few moments later her reply came.

[I see. I guess you did have a bit of fun.] (Khione)

A faint smile touched Nero’s lips. His fingers moved again.

[Yes, it was fun. It’s scheduled that we’ll meet tomorrow and move to the main villa.]

Her answer arrived quickly, sharper, almost challenging.

[I see. Let’s meet tomorrow and have a competition. I’ll let you decide what kind of competition we will have.] (Khione)

Nero paused, her words tugging at his memory. The promise they had made back in the pocket world, when they started their little rivalry, ending their first match in a draw... She hadn’t forgotten.

"It seems she’s still holding onto that," he murmured to himself before typing back.

[Sure. I’ll come up with something fun. Have a nice night.]

The dots blinked for a moment before her final reply came.

[You too.] (Khione)

•••

Khione set her phone down, but her fingers lingered on the screen. Her gaze wandered, thoughtful, before she picked it back up again, hesitating as though she wanted to hear his voice one more time. She scrolled to the short voice message he had sent earlier when explaining his day, her thumb hovering above the play button.

She shook her head, cheeks faintly warm.

"What am I doing?" she whispered, almost scolding herself.

Setting the phone aside, she let her body sink into the bed, but the corners of her lips betrayed her—curved in the faintest, most uncharacteristic smile. Chatting with him had been unexpectedly pleasant. It was worth waiting for him to reach out first, just like the book had advised.

"Yes," she thought, closing her eyes, the smile still lingering. "That author is definitely a genius."

The Ice Queen drifted into the quiet of the evening, her heart lighter than it had been in a long time. Yet, despite the calm, rest refused to claim her. For someone who so rarely allowed her emotions to surface, the faint warmth she felt now was unsettling—restless, almost demanding. She felt as if she needed to move, to do something before sleep could find her.

Rising from her bed, Khione changed swiftly, slipping into a sleek swimsuit. The cool fabric clung to her pale skin as she tied her hair back with practiced ease. Without hesitation, she stepped out of her room and made her way toward the back of the villa.

There, the vast pool awaited—its waters shimmering under the glow of carefully placed lights, reflecting like liquid crystal beneath the night sky. The gentle sound of cascading fountains around it added to the serene atmosphere, inviting her in.

As for Elreth, the fiery princess was nowhere near the pool. She and Azalea had locked themselves inside the entertainment room, fully absorbed in a newly imported game console—a product born from a fusion of dwarven machinery and human magic. Their laughter and exclamations occasionally spilled out into the hallway, accompanied by the electronic sounds of punches landing. The two were far too engrossed in their virtual boxing match to notice or care about Khione’s departure.

Alone by the water, Khione inhaled the cool night air, her ice blue eyes glinting faintly. Without a word, she stepped closer to the pool’s edge.

She approached the pool with her usual measured steps, the moonlight scattering faint silver across the water’s smooth surface. It was quiet here, far removed from the faint sounds of Elreth and Azalea’s competitive shouting echoing through the villa’s halls as she didn’t close the glass doors. For once, she was free of their voices, free of the need to speak or defend herself. Only the hush of water and the whisper of night wind filled her world.

She knelt gracefully at the pool’s edge, dipping one pale hand into the water. The surface rippled at her touch, glowing under the soft reflection of nearby lanterns. Warm. Too warm for her liking. Closing her eyes, she exhaled lightly—and a faint shimmer of frost spread outward from her fingertips, sending a cool current through the water. Only then did she allow herself the faintest of smiles. She discover that recently she had begun smiling more, at least she didn’t have too much trouble doing it.

Without another thought, she slipped inside.

The water embraced her, sliding against her skin like liquid silk. Her body cut through it effortlessly as she began to swim slow, measured laps. There was nothing hurried in her movements, no competition here. Each stroke was controlled, deliberate. Her hair, usually loose like a pale curtain, trailed behind her in a damp, silvery wave.

Halfway across the pool, she let herself sink. Deeper, until the surface shimmered above like glass. Eyes closed, she allowed herself to drift in the silence, her heartbeat echoing in her chest. The cool water enveloped her like a cocoon, muffling the world. For a brief moment, she could almost pretend she was floating in her own domain, a sea of ice untouched by anyone else.

When her lungs began to ache, she broke the surface, gasping softly, droplets rolling down her porcelain face. She swept her wet hair back and leaned against the pool’s edge, eyes drawn upward. The night sky stretched wide and endless, dotted with countless stars. It was beautiful, and yet her mind was not wholly there.