[TKOSINM] ​​177 - Snow Tree’s Voice

At that moment, a miracle happened. The fog that had obscured the surroundings was sucked into the tree. At the unexpected moment, Irene, Louiselle, and the assassins watched the strange phenomenon with their eyes wide open.

The surrounding gradually became more distinct. She had never heard of fog being lifted in this way. But what was even more astonishing was...

“Irene!”

Beyond the lifted layer of mist, a familiar voice echoed from afar. It was a figure that her heart had been yearning for.

Noel recklessly threw himself off the galloping horse. In seconds, he managed to pierce through the heart of the assassin who was pointing his sword at her.

Belatedly, the assassins, mesmerised by the strange sight, came around. They attempted to counterattack, but they were helpless.

The situation was settled in an instant. The fog had completely cleared, and snow fell from the clear sky. It was a dreamy yet mysterious scene. But in that moment, only the image of a fearless Noel appeared in Irene’s view.

“Irene! You aren’t hurt anywhere, are you?”

After wiping out all the assassins, Noel rushed to Irene. Irene looked at him dazed and nodded a minute later.

“…Yes. I’m okay. Louiselle’s more severely injured than I am.”

“The mercenaries and knights will be here soon. I’m really glad that you didn’t get hurt. It was fortunate that the fog cleared. I could barely find you.”

“By the way, Noel, the blood…”

“It’s not my blood, don’t worry.”

Noel breathed out those horrifying words casually, as if nothing had happened. But despite that, he was able to let out a sigh of relief only after checking that there were no wounds on Irene’s body. It was then that he noticed the condition of Louiselle sitting next to her. His brows furrowed at the maid’s unsightly state. At first glance, it seemed like a serious injury.

“Good work, Louiselle.”

“I was just doing the right thing.”

“Your Grace! Madame!”

On time, the mercenaries and soldiers came running from afar. Thanks to the fog clearing, the two could be found without much effort.

“Huh, Louiselle?!”

The mercenary corps, who had been running towards them, ecstatic, were startled to see the wounded Louiselle.

“Go back to the castle with Louiselle.”

“…What about you, Your Grace? There may still be some remnants lurking somewhere, waiting in ambush.”

“I’m going with my wife, so the rest of you go back to the castle first and deliver the news. Gather all the workers. Close all the doors so that not even a single ant can escape.”

“Yes, sir! We understand!”

At Noel’s command, the mercenary corps checked to ensure that all the assassins were dead and then carried Louiselle onto the horse’s back.

When she looked back at Irene, Irene spoke gratefully.

“See you later, Louiselle.”

“...Okay.”

As the knights and mercenaries returned to the castle, Noel turned to Irene. There was still a hint of agitation in his eyes.

“What happened?”

To his question, Irene lowered her gaze.

“There were sleeping pills in the tea that was served to me,” she answered.

“…! So that was why you slept so much during the day.”

“I was not very certain, but I knew for sure, today. Therefore, I escaped the castle with Louiselle and ran to the place where you were. That was how I came here…”

She blurred at the end; Irene reached out to touch the odd-looking tree which seemed to be the cause of the spectacle a while ago.

“This tree, this is the Snow Tree, you were talking about, right?”

“Exactly.”

“I see.”

She had had a strange feeling ever since she first saw it. But there was something really bizarre about it.

Why was the fog sucked in, at the moment I touched it?

It was not an unfamiliar sight as she had experienced, a somewhat identical occurrence before.

Like Ascardo’s necklace...

It was at that moment...

[It hurts.]

Startled by the sound of a foreign voice in her head, Irene withdrew her hand and took a step back.

“Irene? What’s wrong?”

Noel asked, puzzled at Irene’s sudden expression of bewilderment.

“It’s just. That voice…Did you hear it?”

“What voice… you mean the one you mentioned last time?”

“Yes…but this time it sounded slightly different…”

No way.

Irene turned her head. Rough texture and dry twigs resulted from the tree’s being sick and dying.

The Snow Tree?

It was an absurd assumption, but Irene swallowed her saliva and placed her hand on the tree’s exterior again. And this time she spoke first.

Who are you?