Behind the main estate of the Duchy of Crozier lay a vast tract of land, divided into separate areas for living, training, and recreation for the Leopard Fang Legion under the Duke's command.
On ordinary days, the grounds rang with booming training cries, the rapid thunder of horses' hooves, and the ceaseless clash of weapons. But today, the entire space had been lavishly decorated to welcome the Lunar Trial Festival.
Perched at the highest and most beautiful point on the estate, Frostfang Arena spread beneath the autumn sky, towering and majestic like a stone fortress rising from a sea of silver clouds.
The walls surrounding the arena were built from enormous blocks of solid white stone, towering and magnificent as a range of snowcapped mountains. Deeply carved into their surface were interwoven claw patterns and irises—the symbols of the Leopard Fang Legion and the glorious mark of House Crozier.
Most striking of all was the statue at the very center of the arena: the Moon Goddess, her expression gentle and merciful.
The statue had been carved from a rare, flawless block of Moonstone, rising so high that it seemed the Goddess's fingers could touch the ribbons of cloud suspended in the sky. A soft, tranquil halo radiated around her, yet the majesty in her eyes was still enough to make even the most arrogant bow their heads in submission.
At the statue's feet stood a special magical crystal as tall as a grown man. Gentle silver-white light shone from within it, spreading a thin, mistlike radiance across the entire arena floor. The crystal served as the resonating core of Frostfang Arena, used to test bloodline purity, amplify the contestants' spiritual power, and record the results of each round.
The stands were built in tiers encircling the arena. The front rows were reserved for representatives of the Royal Family and famous houses. The sections behind them gathered the elite of the nobility. The highest tiers were packed with commoners from every corner of the kingdom of Sneica.
Frostfang Arena rarely opened its doors to the public. As a result, thousands had accepted the crush of the stands, hoping only for the chance to witness firsthand the bearing and abilities of the elites from noble families across Sneica—those who would become the first line of defense in the kingdom's prolonged war against magical beasts.
Of everyone awaited today, three names in particular stirred the stands the most.
First was Grand Duke Thomas Amorni Valeris, bearer of the purest Golden Tiger Emperor bloodline, who stood first in the line of succession to King Kadesh III.
Next came the pair of siblings regarded as the perfect symbols of the Duchy of Crozier:
Rebecca, Crozier's only Duchess, possessor of a Snow Leopard bloodline seen only once in a century, and the woman hailed as the soul of Crozier. After enduring the torment of poison for so long, her return was seen as her family's pride and proof of a vitality that had never been subdued.
And Young Duke Johannes Voxis Crozier, heir to all of Crozier's glory, pride, and warrior tradition. He was one of the Leopard Fang's most outstanding warriors, as well as a young general who had led the Leopard Fang Legion into sealed-off regions time and again, tearing apart the massive, savage sweeps of magical beasts.
Unlike Rebecca, Johannes was not appearing solely as the protector standing at her side. He was also one of the contestants registered for the Trial, representing Crozier's absolute military strength.
People waited for Rebecca to see the light of the family.
They waited for Johannes to believe that light would be protected forever.
One was a proud symbol. The other was the sharpest sword and strongest shield of all.
And as for Grand Duke Thomas?
People called him Sneica's hope, torch, and perfect pillar for the future. They also believed that Thomas and Rebecca were truly well matched—a perfect couple blessed by the Moon Goddess's favor. If the two of them should one day shoulder Sneica's burdens together, the people would be able to sleep soundly without even locking their doors.
Those praises swept through the stands like surging waves.
Just as the long peal of a bell echoed through the air, Thomas suddenly turned his head toward the area reserved for House Crozier, right beside them. Almost at the same moment, Rebecca's eyes found him. The two looked at each other, then smiled faintly together.
Such a simple moment was enough to send the stands erupting in frenzied cheers, mingling with the ceremonial chant resounding throughout the arena.
Johannes stood beside Rebecca, remaining calm beneath thousands of watching eyes. But when the cheering reached its peak, his gaze drifted briefly toward a narrow passageway shrouded in darkness.
No one noticed.
Or perhaps no one wanted to notice.
Beneath Frostfang's magnificent white stone floor was a small chamber buried deep underground, completely cut off from the noise and excitement above by cold stone walls.
There were no stands there, no banners or flowers, no admiring gazes or honeyed praise.
There was only the cold silver tray Franziska had grown far too familiar with; four somber stone walls enclosing her frail body; the flickering candlelight helping her withstand the chill and the overpowering, acrid stench she could never grow accustomed to...
The uproar above shook the ground so violently that Franziska felt the stone walls around her trembling as well.
She approached the narrow, vertical slit of a window and closed her eyes as she drew a deep breath, taking in the faint scent of sunlight carried on the autumn wind through the cracks in the stone, mingling with the dense, clammy odor of the earth below. Franziska listened more closely to the lively sounds above, allowing herself, for one brief moment, to imagine that she too was standing among thousands of people beneath the sun.
Perhaps from there, she would see Rebecca in a magnificent ceremonial gown, proud and radiant beside Thomas—the light of Sneica's hope—along with Johannes, Sneica's sharpest claws and fangs.
Sadly, there had never been a place for Franziska in that lively song.