Why the Northern Duke Wanders the Snowfields - Chapter 19

The man left.

Until the sun rose, Aubrianna sat in front of the fireplace, listening to the desolate sound of the wind around the cabin.

These days, after the sun came up, it wasn’t that cold even without adding more firewood.

The sound of the baby stirring as if about to wake reached her ears sharply.

“When Kaeloc returns to the ducal castle….”

Aubrianna muttered as she quietly stared at the dying embers.

“There will be a ball, and unusually, the queen will visit the north.”

The ducal castle, citing the queen’s safety, rounded up all those of mixed Carnu blood within the ducal territory and imprisoned them.

Public sentiment grew vicious, and crime surged. The underground prison where she had been grew more and more crowded with people.

‘It wasn’t a prison. It was hell.’

Aubrianna’s eyes turned blank.

While the lives of the residents were falling into ruin, Cedric, the acting head, continued his tyranny.

He extorted taxes and took bribes. Those who spoke honestly disappeared, and riffraff like Cedric, who indulged in women and drink, took over the ducal castle.

“What I don’t understand is why Kaeloc didn’t become the head again at that time.”

It was clearly a return ball for Kaeloc, yet Cedric did not step down from the position of acting head.

Something must have happened.

‘It’s true Kay lost his memory, but he still could’ve fulfilled the role of duke….’

If anything, the current Kay, being more emotional than the past Kaeloc, wouldn’t have stayed still after seeing the state of the territory.

Did something unavoidable happen?

For example, a scheme by the duchess….

Aubrianna rose to her feet.

When she opened her eyes again in the snowfields, there was only one thing she had to do.

To survive in this world with the baby in her arms.

She was prepared to do anything to achieve that.

‘Only if Kay rises back to the position of duke can Theo and I be safe.’

She lifted her son, who was growing heavier by the day, and coaxed him.

“Peekaboo.”

“Abubu, abu.”

Drool dribbled from his plump little lips.

“Daddy went to the market today instead of hunting.”

“Abu, bba.”

“That’s right. He’ll come back safely.”

Let’s bury the fear of what if Kay doesn’t come back.

Seeing how different she had become from her previous life, Aubrianna felt confidence.

“We’ll be fine. Right?”

“Abuba, buu.”

“That’s right. We’ll be okay. Mommy thinks so too.”

Aubrianna held the warm, soft body of the baby tightly.

***

“The Carnu tribe’s winter furs really are remarkable. To endure this snowstorm for a whole week.”

The snowfields were vast, and the weather varied everywhere.

Sion and his party, who had entered the snowfields as a search team, had been trapped in a fierce snowstorm for a week, unable to move forward or back.

“I heard these are getting hard to obtain now. People recoil from anything related to the Carnu tribe.”

The soft white fur, pleasant just to look at, was made from the pelt of a snow bear said to live only in the snowfields. Leather treated with the Carnu tribe’s special method was inserted between the layers of fur, making the pelts resistant to heavy snowstorms without getting wet or damaged, so they were considered the finest furs in the north.

“At least there were a few left in the ducal warehouse.”

They were so luxurious that only the duke and high-ranking nobles used them, but for this search party, Sion had them specially brought out.

“So what is it?”

Sion looked at his adjutant, Razen, who had been loitering inside the tent for a while.

“Don’t tell me it’s that story again….”

“Come on, it’s worth a shot anyway.”

“No matter what you say, I don’t want to hear about that kid anymore.”

“I really did hear it. It’s a credible story.”

Sion let out a sigh and slammed the documents down on the desk.

When he shot a sharp glare with his black eyes, Razen Karven flinched and hunched his shoulders.

Seeing him like that with a bear-like build only made Sion feel exasperated and irritated.

“I have no interest in those ridiculous rumors.”

“Seriously, Sir Sion. We’ve been stranded for a week now. Right? There’s a weather fairy among us, and you’re telling me we’re not going to use that?”

Sion crossed his arms and stiffened, but Razen showed no hesitation.

“Even if you don’t believe it, I’ll go check it out myself.”

“I really don’t understand why the duke chose you as his adjutant when you’re this absurd.”

Shaking his head, Sion refused to respond any further.

“Then I’ll do as I please.”

“Freeze to death or not, do whatever you want.”

With an irritated flick of his hand, Sion picked up the papers from the makeshift desk again. The numbers in the documents from the steward kept not adding up, and it was driving him mad.

“You’re this irritable because you’re doing all the duke’s work. Just leave it and dump it all on him when he comes back.”

“Get out.”

When the headache grew worse and Sion pressed his forehead with both hands, Razen finally seemed to read the room. Despite his bulky frame, he moved quickly toward the exit and spoke again to confirm.

“Then I’ll head out with the weather fairy for about three hours. Right? No taking it back later.”

As Razen pushed aside the thick fur and disappeared, the tent fell silent.

“Someone please just carry that idiot off….”

Yet his vitality was so tenacious that in the battle where the duke went missing, Razen had managed to return with all the wounded soldiers in tow.

‘And still lost the most important person.’

No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t make sense. No matter how fierce the battle was, how could a Sword Lord with such overwhelming strength vanish as if he had evaporated….

‘They said he was at the front, cutting down enemies when the battle began….’

In truth, the autumn battles that occurred every year weren’t that intense. Since exchanges had been cut off thirty years ago, the Carnu tribe, unable to prepare food for winter, would raid border villages in late autumn, but when troops were sent to threaten them, they usually retreated back to their territory.

Because they were a people who lived on snow and ice, they were weak in open-field battles.

The battles became difficult only when the north itself lacked food. When there was nothing left to lose, the northerners would also fight desperately.

‘But there hasn’t been a shortage of food in recent years.’

Ever since Kaeloc became the duke, it had been enough to threaten the Carnu tribe and drive them back to their lands. Even if some food was taken, there was still plenty left, so there was no need to chase the enemy.

Yet unlike the Carnu tribe, who usually only stole food and animals, they killed people and didn’t flee at the sight of the army, instead choosing to fight head-on?

Something was off. And for some reason, the Carnu tribe, who had charged in so boldly, retreated in less than half a day.

At first, he thought the Carnu tribe had taken the duke hostage. But they had made no statement of any kind.

Until now.

It had been nearly five months since Kaeloc went missing.

‘He’s a tenacious man. He must be alive somewhere.’

He had admired him since the moment they first met at the academy.

Among the many ordinary boys, Sion spotted Kaeloc shining beautifully and his eyes lit up.

He recognized at a glance that he was someone noble.

And when he heard that Kaeloc was the heir of the Tennant family he would serve in the future, he felt a thrill.

He followed him around relentlessly. Kaeloc rarely let him get close, but he never drove him away either. He was intelligent enough to never lose the top position, and there was no one who could match his strength.

Moreover, when boys reached adulthood at eighteen, many fell into indulgence with wine and women, but Kaeloc despised such people and aspired to become a righteous leader.

‘You are my ideal.’

Sion shut his eyes tightly.

‘Please return safely.’

Thinking of the ruined ducal castle, Sion clasped his hands together and prayed earnestly.

***

“Alright! Kid. Stand here.”

“H-here?”

Hardin looked at Razen.

He didn’t understand why he had been dragged out into this cold and told to stand in a place like this.

He had followed him up a snow-covered mountain for about an hour.

When he looked down, an endless snowfield stretched out below, and far in the distance he could see the dark shape of the search party camp where they were staying.

“Now listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”

“Yes.”

Hardin answered obediently. Having been born as mixed Carnu blood, he had always lived watching others carefully, so he knew this man wasn’t a bad person.

Razen was the man who had winked at him while he was helping prepare and serve meals for the search party, slipped him a cookie, and even gave him a fur vest because he looked cold.

“Spread your arms.”

Holding a worn piece of paper he had taken from his chest, Razen muttered.

“And what was it again. Ah, what does this even say?”

Grumbling, Razen showed the paper to Hardin.

“Kid. Try reading this.”

“Pardon? I don’t know how to read.”

As always, Haedin lied naturally, as if it were something he had memorized.

But the moment he saw the familiar letters before his eyes, his expression stiffened.

It was Carnu script.

“Kid. I’ve known for a while that you’re of mixed Carnu blood, and there are a few others who’ve noticed too. Don’t worry. No one in our knight order will harm you.”

In the north, there were quite a few people of mixed Carnu blood, but since they couldn’t receive proper education, they mostly did rough work.

Especially since relations had worsened thirty years ago, they had to hide their identity and could never work in the ducal castle.

If it’s revealed that I’m mixed blood, I’ll be kicked out of the castle immediately.

‘Then Isaren….’

Hardin’s face turned pale. He had to keep working at the ducal castle, where the pay was good, for the sake of his sick younger sister.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Hardin’s lips trembled as he lied again.

“Kid. I like children, but I never forgive lies.”

Razen stroked Hardin’s head with his thick hand as he continued, “You know the duke is missing, right? We came here to find him, and we’ve been stuck in this damned snow for a week now, haven’t we?”