Yeriel opened her eyes to see white snow falling from the dark sky.0

Fluff... fluff...0

The snow gently touched her face as it fell. Yeriel closed her eyes, wiped away the dampness, and then opened them again. Everywhere she looked, there was snow. The sky, the earth, and the horizon were entirely blanketed in white. 0

Slowly, Yeriel stood and gazed into the distance, where a curtain of snow mist shifted. Amidst the white expanse stood an old mansion, its roof and window frames buried beneath the snow. Yeriel blinked, taking in the snowy landscape.0

“Where have the vassals gone?” Yeriel wondered, her first thought upon realizing that the four vassals who had accompanied her were nowhere to be seen.0

After a moment of hesitation, Yeriel approached the only place not covered in snow.0

Crunch, crunch...0

She stepped through the snow, leaving her footprints in the untouched whiteness.0

“… Everyone! Are you there?!” Yeriel called out as she reached the mansion’s door. No answer came, and the door remained locked when she tried the handle.0

“Oh.”0

Realizing something, Yeriel took the key from her pocket. She inserted it into the locked door without searching for a keyhole. The key slid in effortlessly, and with a twist, the door creaked open.0

“Is anybody… here?”0

The interior was ordinary, exactly what one would expect from an old mansion.0

Crackle— crackle—0

The sound of a crackling fire in the fireplace and the aroma of roasted tea greeted her. Drawn by the warmth, Yeriel walked toward it. She stopped abruptly as she entered the living room. Near the fireplace, a familiar figure sat in a rocking chair.0

“Deculein?”0

The man turned to look at her, holding a teacup in one...0