“That’s only natural.”
Xuefei winked her left eye with a mischievous grin, and not a trace of malice tainted her playful smile. That was precisely why Nina let her guard down completely.
But the thought filled Xuefei with a swirl of complex emotions.
She had only meant to tease the girl a little, but now it was clear this wasn’t something to joke about.
She really shouldn’t be so wicked.
Xuefei cleared her throat and said, “For us Demons, pulling someone back from the brink of death is fairly straightforward, but well… Huh??”
While Xuefei was still talking, Nina lunged forward and hugged her leg!
Xuefei was just about to wriggle free like a kitten when she heard sobs and felt trembling.
“Please, save her. Save… Isabella. She doesn’t deserve to die—the one who should die is me. Punish me however you like, just please don’t…”
“Are you an idiot?” A vein throbbed faintly on Xuefei’s forehead, her expression one of utter exasperation.
After hearing Nina’s long, impassioned plea, Xuefei decisively scooped up the kneeling girl, stood, and held her at eye level, staring seriously at the queen.
But since Nina was just a touch taller, the position felt a bit awkward.
“Huh?”
Staring intently, Xuefei finally noticed that Nina’s eyes were red from crying.
In that moment, she wasn’t any queen—no cruel tyrant feared by the world—but a pitiful girl who had erred, begging forgiveness and baring her most vulnerable side.
Not to Xuefei, though.
For Isabella.
“Your mom’s still alive, so stop clinging to me, you idiot!” Xuefei bared her teeth in a mock snarl, hoping the fierce look would scare her off.
“Really?”
“Really. Why would I lie to you? I’m sorry to say she’s not an elf anymore. Retrieving her soul took a ton of effort and nearly got me chopped up by Orman for firewood! And jamming it back in without a scratch was no small feat for me either, so now she’s one of us Demons…”
In the span of mere seconds, Xuefei watched the girl’s face shift from anxiety to relief, and finally to gratitude.
This had been Xuefei’s first time manipulating a soul.
She had sensed Orman first and realized Isabella’s life hung by a thread.
Rather than rushing to aid Nina, Xuefei had used soul control to preserve Isabella’s life, “freezing” her death before initiating the Demon transformation.
Laer’s theoretical guidance, Leia’s instruction in soul manipulation, and the perfectly timed window had all been essential—one misstep, and Isabella would have been lost forever.
“That’s wonderful.”
“You’re not worried I might be lying?” Xuefei’s gaze turned skeptical.
Nina’s expression softened so completely that Xuefei couldn’t even picture the one who had attacked her with ice spikes. All she saw was a forlorn girl’s joy at reclaiming what she’d lost—a quiet delight blooming from the depths of her heart and lighting up her lovely features.
Just then, Xuefei felt the air around them warm ever so slightly. It was no longer quite so bitterly cold.
“I can feel it. You’re telling the truth.”
“Hey, don’t go trusting people so easily!”
Nina’s eyes went wide. She froze for a few seconds before bursting into laughter with a soft “pfft.”
“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have realized. This outfit…”
She ran her fingers over the thin nightgown draped on her body.
“We elves stop growing physically at forty, so Isabella and I will remain forever frozen in our most radiant prime. She wove this gown with her own hands, and it still carries her scent.”
“She’s already come to see you.”
Xuefei let out a breath of relief.
Nina didn’t seem to care about Isabella’s new identity at all. And the volatile Winter Queen—the unstable element—wouldn’t erupt again like she had during the clash with Orman.
People who had lived for centuries really were monsters through and through.
Xuefei settled back onto the sofa and gestured for Nina to join her, hoping to avoid any more awkward embraces. Her expression grew serious once more.
“Of course, don’t get too ahead of yourself. There are still some things we need to discuss.”
“The Elf Kingdom will be incorporated into Demon territory going forward. I’ve already cleared this with Isabella, but as the true queen—you, Nina—I need your confirmation too.”
Nina reached for the cup of tea she had frozen solid, forked off a chunk of the iced cheese, and popped it into her mouth.
“I stopped being queen long ago. If not for her, I would have…”
“You mustn’t belittle yourself like that. Anyway, speaking from a factual standpoint, plenty of Northern Border Elves are still willing to follow you. As for the other elven traitors, we’ll handle changing their minds our own way.”
“I understand,” Nina said with a nod. “I’ll take care of it properly.”
“You can rest here for a few days. We won’t restrict your movements, so aside from what I just mentioned, feel free to do whatever you like.”
“Mm… thank you.”
With that, the two of them lapsed into silence.
Xuefei closed her eyes, basking in the afternoon light. She was standing in for the resting Laer in her maid duties, so her time was pleasantly idle and free of any work-related concerns.
Nina’s gaze drifted to the garden beyond the window. In a quiet voice, she murmured:
“If it snowed here, would it still be as vibrant as it is now?”
“I doubt it,” Xuefei replied.
“I see.”
“I’ll do everything I can, but honestly, I’d rather put my faith in them. That way, no one has to exhaust themselves… So, would you like to see Isabella?”
“She…”
Nina gave a faint, bitter smile. Her eyes, brimming with gratitude, fixed on Xuefei’s face.
“I think I’ll pass.”
“It’s my fault Isabella died. I rejected her time and again, hurt her countless times. I don’t deserve to face her anymore.”
Just then, the door swung open.
An elven woman stepped into view. Her face was slightly gaunt, her shoulders delicate and frail. Lively eyes, framed by lovely lashes, lent her an air of gentle refinement. Her hair was styled—as expected—into several braids resembling ears of wheat, not unlike Nina’s own. Yet the Demon horns sprouting from her forehead lent her an exotic, demonic edge.
Her gaze locked onto Nina the moment she entered, and a beaming, childlike smile lit up her face.
“Nina!!!”
“Eh?”
The elven girl threw herself at the Winter Queen, like a child leaping into the arms of a mature woman. Xuefei knew, however, that their true ages were the polar opposite of their appearances.
“You… Isa… how did you get here?” Nina stammered, trembling as the girl nuzzled against her chest.
“Can’t I come?”
“You…”
“You can’t refuse me this time, can you, you naughty Nina!”
Isabella knelt astride Nina’s lap, playfully tracing the high bridge of Nina’s nose with her fingers, her face radiant with joy. Even though her eyes gleamed with the crimson hue unique to powerful Demons, Nina felt not the slightest unease.
“Mo… Mother…”
“Call me ‘Mommy,’ understand? Hmph, you bad girl—just wait until I spank that little bottom of yours.”
“Mm, Mommy.”
The girl blushed and bowed her head. Their fingers intertwined, and they touched noses tenderly.
In that moment, the room held only two elves. The seat Xuefei had occupied just a minute earlier was empty now, save for a trace of lingering warmth.
