In the chief's cabin, the Ice Lord was sitting with Volak, Rose, and Iris, sharing a meal.
"Lord of Ice, I thank you for defeating the demons and saving our village," said the chief. "And I apologize for the harsh words the villagers said to you."
"It's all right," replied the Ice Lord calmly. "I've already forgiven them. But truly, I should be the one to apologize for arriving late to save them."
"No, no. We're even now, aren't we?" the chief smiled.
"I suppose so," said the Ice Lord.
"I'm saying this as the village chief," the man continued, "but as for my daughter… I could never thank you enough, even with my own life."
"Please, there's no need for that," the Ice Lord said. "I don't deserve such gratitude."
"On the contrary, you deserve even more. You too, Volak and Iris — enough modesty."
Then the chief turned to his daughter. "Rose, are you feeling better now?"
Rose didn't reply.
"I'm talking to you, Rose," he said again.
Rose puffed out her cheeks and turned her head away.
"Forgive my sister's behavior," Volak said. "She's upset because you didn't include her in the team."
"I don't mind adding her," said the Ice Lord.
Rose's eyes sparkled with joy.
"But only when she grows older — at fifteen."
Rose's expression froze. "Fifteen?! That's unfair! Volak's only thirteen!"
"That's the commander's decision," the Ice Lord replied.
"This is injustice!"
He smiled faintly. "Then tell me, what have you done to earn a place on the team? Or do you have a special ability that would help us?"
Rose thought for a moment. "I haven't done anything heroic… but I do have an ability — healing!"
"Indeed, that's a useful gift in battle," the Ice Lord said. "Then train and improve it. When the time comes, we'll see."
"So you still won't let me join, huh?" she sighed.
He chuckled. "Be patient, little one. Your time will come."
"No, I have a plan — I'll eat a lot until I grow up!"
"Ha! That's a good plan," he laughed.
"Right?" she grinned.
"Yes," said Volak, "I agree. So take my share too."
"And mine," Iris added.
"Thanks! I'll eat it all!" Rose chirped. But after a few bites, she left the rest.
"I thought you said you'd eat everything," Volak teased.
"Anyway," Rose said, "Lord of Ice, what's your next mission?"
"You want to know?" he smiled. "Since we're a team, I suppose it's fair you should."
"Our task is to guard this village and the nearby ones. You'll go with Sora to check the surrounding areas."
"Sora? Is that someone from your team?"
"Yes, he's part of it."
"Can we meet him?"
"Of course. Let's go."
The Ice Lord, Volak, Iris, and Rose stepped outside. The Ice Lord whistled loudly. Suddenly, a massive creature with icy wings and claws appeared.
"Wow!" Volak gasped. "Sora's a giant eagle! Incredible!"
"Our first mission will be riding him," said the Ice Lord proudly.
"That's amazing!" Iris exclaimed.
"Since I'm the deputy leader—" Volak began, but Rose ran ahead to the eagle. The giant bird ignored them all and lowered its head toward her. Then, gently, it nudged her with its beak.
The Ice Lord stared in surprise.
"He refused us but went straight to Rose," Iris murmured.
The eagle lowered itself before her again.
"Do you want me to ride you?" Rose asked.
The eagle's eyes gleamed in silent agreement.
"Fine then," said the Ice Lord. "Take Rose with you."
"But, my lord, what if there are demons—"
"Don't worry. Sora doesn't just fly."
Volak sighed. "All right. Rose, you go in front. Let's go!"
Sora spread his wings and soared into the sky, leaving everyone speechless.
The Ice Lord crossed his arms. "Correction — Sora does fly. And you two had better keep up. It's an old rule of his."
Iris smiled. "I agree. Come on!"
"Wait—what?!" Volak shouted as she darted ahead.
As they disappeared into the distance, the Ice Lord looked up. "Look at them… Sora has ignored everyone until now. Why her?" he muttered to himself. "Tell me, you chose me as your master, but your power still puzzles me. I can't see the past or future through you until it happens. So why did you look at that girl that way? Why did you accept her so quickly?"
Meanwhile, deep beneath the ocean, a portal opened. A masked demon emerged, swimming toward a strange underwater cave.
"At last… I've found it. The resting place of one of the ancient legendary beasts. When it awakens, our desires will be fulfilled. We've waited for this moment for months — now the time has come."
He entered the cavern and saw a massive hole in the rock.
"Who would believe that such a colossal being could dwell in a space this small?" he muttered.
Back at the village, the Ice Lord awaited the team's return. Soon, he saw Sora descending from the sky — everyone was safe.
"My lord," Volak said, "we searched every area. No sign of any demons."
"Good," the Ice Lord nodded. "Did you enjoy the flight?"
"Yes! It was breathtaking!" Iris smiled.
"Are you joking? It was the best thing ever!" Rose beamed.
"Of course, you got too excited," Volak teased.
"Well, Sora trusts me now," Rose said proudly. "Doesn't that mean I should be part of the team?"
"See? That's exactly why you can't join yet," the Ice Lord replied. "You're too impulsive."
"That's unfair!" she protested.
"I'm saying this because you're still a child. You can't make sound decisions yet."
"I'm the chief's daughter!" she argued. "I was raised to lead."
"Oh really?" the Ice Lord said with a smile. "Then tell me — when your brother was fighting the demons, why didn't you join him instead of hiding with the other children in the cellar?"
"Because I wanted to help," she said earnestly. "I wanted to be their support."
"My mother was a healer," she continued softly. "She helped many people. I admired her so much… When she passed away, she left me this necklace — her legacy. I've tried to help the village as much as I can. When the demons attacked, I was terrified — no, terrified isn't even enough to describe it. But as the chief's daughter, I had to do something. All I could do was support and care for them. I tried… but I ended up being the one who needed saving. My brother almost died because of me."
Her voice trembled. "But when I saw you, Lord of Ice… I saw hope. Hope that maybe, one day, I could become a true hero."
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The readers — a new chapter is out, just like I promised!
So I'm asking for your support and encouragement