How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game Chapter 698: Frozen Trials 9.5

This location exceeds my expectations in size...

Riley was aware that the Ice Castle appeared enormous from the exterior.

Imposing towers, barriers etched from timeless ice, entrances seeming capable of repelling a legion.

However, the interior?

It proved to be another matter altogether.

The passageways extended much farther than reason would allow.

Stairs twisted skyward as if spanning whole urban districts.

Chambers diverged into sections that defied the building's outer confines.

He halted briefly and shut his eyes, feeling the surrounding area.

Bounded fields.

Multiple layers stacked upon one another.

The fortress wasn't merely constructed—it was bent upon itself.

Space was amplified via heavenly spells, with dimensions intertwined meticulously.

The sort of grand spatial alteration that could exhaust whole countries if done without care.

Maintaining so many steady layers...

That achievement was possible for only a select few entities across the globe.

Of course, Rose or Lavine might achieve this effortlessly.

The idea nearly brought a grin to his face.

While proceeding along the pathways, with ice crackling softly under his footwear, he observed another detail.

Monsters.

They wandered the fortress at will.

Ice-spawned species of various types—lofty crystal figures, pallid figures with subtle azure lines pulsing under their flesh, and even diminutive beings adorned with antlers and graceful robes.

The diversity was extensive.

Yet their looks didn't astonish him.

Rather, it was their conduct.

They showed no aggression.

No snarls. No attacks. No stares filled with murderous intent.

On the contrary... they seemed poised.

Some held tomes.

Others murmured in secluded spots.

A handful donned lavish attire and billowing gowns, as though at an unending feast.

One greeted him with a courteous incline of the head.

Riley reduced his pace a bit.

Monsters had seldom occurred to him as rational beings.

From his encounters, they operated on impulse. Ferocity. Appetite.

But in this realm—

They appeared nearly... sophisticated.

More polite than many people he'd encountered.

It felt otherworldly.

And strangely entertaining.

The Frost Queen's sway evidently surpassed mere might or command.

This rule stemmed from more than intimidation.

It embodied organization.

Tradition.

Discipline.

Though viewed as a monster—and fundamentally, she remained one—

She had originated as human.

Riley understood that fact.

Thus, in time, Riley ceased focusing on the peculiarity of everything.

The initial chambers had seemed off—monsters strolling courteously, discussions resounding through icy halls as if this were a grand manor rather than a northern stronghold.

Yet gradually, the unfamiliarity diminished.

He merely embraced it.

He remained the sole human within the fortress.

That was evident.

Even without detecting their stares, he sensed it—the fleeting glances, the minor hesitations as he went by.

He contrasted sharply, like a blot of heat in a domain forged from chill.

Nevertheless, none challenged him.

No animosity.

No derision.

Merely a look.

Afterward, they resumed their activities.

It bordered on... deferential.

To explain, his presence roaming the castle arose from the Frost Queen herself.

Upon verifying Snow's entry into the third trial, the Frost Queen had offhandedly noted that this challenge would last longer than the prior ones.

"Unlike the others," she had remarked.

And as Riley could do nothing to meddle regardless, she proposed he roam the fortress at leisure.

Any corridor.

Any room.

Provided he stayed inside the boundaries.

A generous offer.

Which struck him as peculiar.

For she still hadn't disclosed the reason for her open invitation to him initially.

That vagueness hadn't eluded him.

However, with time available—and no pressing peril—he chose not to squander the chance.

In these hours, he gained more insight into the Frost Queen than anticipated.

And it differed...

Greatly from the Frost Queen recalled from the game.

There, she existed remotely.

Cold.

Remote. Nearly robotic in her brutality.

A ultimate barrier.

A boss.

An entity with obscure intentions at most.

But this version?

She stayed serene, indeed.

Cold, absolutely.

Yet not without thought.

Even her words on Snow carried assessment, not scorn.

She shared little about herself outright.

However...

That sufficed.

It offered a basis to gauge her, at minimum.

As Riley advanced through the twisting icy stone passages, his steps gradually decelerated.

Then ceased.

For in front—past the entry of chiseled ice columns—he spotted an element he truly hadn't anticipated within this stronghold.

Green.

Not the wan, fading green of lichen gripping icy surfaces desperately.

Not a magical mirage.

But vibrant, thriving green.

Lush turf extended softly over a bed of deep, fertile earth.

Vines twisted organically beside modest crystal barriers.

Tiny blooms flourished in silent resistance to the ambient freeze—snowy lilies, subtle azure petals, even hints of gentle lavender.

Their hues stood out brilliantly amid the perpetual silvers and indigos of the Frost Queen's realm.

Warmth prevailed here.

Not intensely—but sufficiently.

A mild, regulated environment. Faint sorcery pulsing under the ground.

"A garden... huh," Riley whispered softly.

For a citadel hewn from perpetual ice, this spot felt almost... mortal.

He approached nearer, his boots sinking gently into sward that shouldn't thrive in such conditions.

The atmosphere carried a light sweetness—loamy, vital.

"I suppose she's not as icy as she portrays herself..."

A remnant she declined to fully obliterate.

A recollection, maybe.

Or remorse.

Or yearning.

Riley could speculate on motives—but his curiosity didn't extend to probing further.

Should she desire secrecy for this, he would act unaware of its significance.

Remaining amid serene vitality, his mind wandered inevitably to Snow.

The third ordeal.

Even during his gameplay sessions, that segment had proven challenging.

Multiple attempts were required to secure the desired result.

Differing from battle-oriented tests, this one avoided physical prowess.

It centered on choices.

Viewpoint.

Resolve.

The ordeal compelled Snow to face the implications of assuming the Absolute Essence of Frost.

Each response molded her outlook. Each selection swayed her spirit.

And upon conclusion, it would define the Queen she might evolve into.

Harsh despot?

Isolated protector?

Ruthless ruler?

Or another form altogether?

As the ordeal embodied frost's essence—clarity, tranquility, inescapability—Snow's traits would undoubtedly shift in parts.

Moreover, completing the third trial marked no true conclusion.

Beyond lay the Frost Staff.

The ultimate validation.

The genuine peril.

That challenge transcended mental strain.

It proved fatal.

Riley rested a hand on his jaw, his gaze sharpening in contemplation.

Thus far, events had unfolded without issue.

The Frost Queen had endorsed Snow's claim as successor.

She displayed no enmity. No opposition. No frenzy.

Almost like she had reconciled with her destiny.

Yet that implied not all others had.

He questioned whether her followers—the commanders, the primordial ice creatures, the aristocrats of this glacial domain—would readily submit upon Snow's success.

Transitions of authority invariably stirred waves.

And waves here escalated to tempests.

Ought he to neutralize possible dangers beforehand?

The notion arose instinctively.

He might handle it discreetly.

Eliminate the volatility prior to its emergence.

However...

Riley breathed out steadily.

Should he move now, the Frost Queen would surely step in.

And that would spark needless complications.

Riley lingered a bit more, digits still against his jaw while his musings circled silently.

Proactive measures?

Or restraint?

He considered the alternatives thoughtfully.

Then, with a soft exhale, he dropped his arm and shifted his sight marginally aside—toward a towering ice column bordering the garden.

"Anica... shouldn't you finally clarify why you've been trailing me?"

A short hush followed.

Then—

A slight startle.

From the column's shadow, a known silver-tressed form emerged gradually, dusting nonexistent specks from her garment as though she'd merely been present casually.

"Gugh... you spotted me?"

Her amber eyes flicked about uneasily.

"You weren't precisely concealing your purpose," Riley answered evenly.

Anica inflated her cheeks in objection. "But I'm certain I employed the utmost stealth—"

She halted abruptly, tutting gently.

"Tsk. Fine, forget it. If the great being takes interest in you, then this outcome seems inevitable..."

Riley's eyebrows quirked faintly.

'Great being...? Does she mean the Frost Queen?'

He kept the query unspoken.

Anica fidgeted from foot to foot.

For an ice dragon—one of the elite in this fortress—her manner now struck as... remarkably shy.

She evaded his eyes initially.

Then compelled herself to meet them squarely.

"Uhm... Lord Riley..."

"Lord?"

She stiffened at once, almost inclining in respect. "Please overlook my form of address! I-it's merely appropriate—!"

"Huh..."

He pondered when such a rank had formed.

Anica gulped, regaining poise with evident strain.

"Uhm... regardless, my lord... this humble dragon seeks a request."

That piqued his attention.

He examined her intently.

Previously, she had seemed witty. Arrogant. Assured of her power. Yet now? Uncertainty laced her tone.

"A request?"

"Yes." She affirmed swiftly. "Would you kindly pretend I'm not observing you?"

"..."

"..."

"...What?"

"I-I'll ensure I don't disturb you!"

she appended hastily.

"I won't meddle. I won't talk unless addressed. I won't even reveal my existence if feasible! So please—carry on as you wish and disregard me henceforth!"

Riley blinked.

"...Huh?"