The time shifted back slightly, to the palace aboveground.
The light and shadows filtering in from the corridor carried the faint scent of parting, while a delicate floral fragrance drifted through the air.
The little prince had changed into a soft black robe, its silver trim gleaming beneath the sunlight.
"Mother!" He looked at the tear-streaked queen in confusion.
Even in December, the palace was full of vibrant life and flourishing splendor, with Heavenly Fragrance Bells and Winter Chrysanthemums unique to the Northern Lands scattered throughout.
The queen wore a royal court gown, its exquisite patterns outlined in silver thread. At this moment, however, countless thoughts surged through her heart.
Though she had long prepared herself, though she had always felt she could let go, at this moment, the bond of blood still lingered around her.
This was the instinct of mother and son.
"Your Majesty, the portal cannot be maintained for long. Please give the order quickly!" Serei said with a Knight's salute. He was the leader of this party and the commander of the Royal Guard Corps.
The man was at least one meter eighty tall. A pair of sapphire-blue eyes sat deeply in their sockets, his gaze cold and calm. His cheekbones stood high, and his lips were pressed tightly together.
He wore a suit of Knight armor beneath a battle cloak. A faint silver gleam shone across the armor's surface. The double-layered pauldrons rose near his neck, forming a semicircle around the sides and back of it, preserving flexibility while protecting vulnerable areas.
The breastplate bore the emblems of the Ice and Snow God and the Royal House.
The queen rose to her feet. After standing silent for a moment, she bent down and told the little prince, "Then go. Remember what you must do!"
"Mother,