A few hours before the feast started, House Icefall held a memorial service for those who died during the demon attack on Icefall City. While the focus was on those who died defending the city, the service also included the innocents who lost their lives.

It was a bright and beautiful morning, with nary a cloud in sight, allowing the sun's light to shine down on the land unimpeded. Summer had arrived and it was warm out. Well, warm by the Icefall region's standards. It would've been chilly for the rest of the Solarian Empire. Not that this bothered me, thanks to my contract with Aurora.

House Icefall held the memorial service in the center of the city, where they had erected a tall stone stele as a monument to everyone who lost their lives. The names of all those who died were carved into the stele.

A large crowd showed up. Everyone wore black, the color of mourning. Most wore somber expressions on their faces, while a few openly wept.

During the service, the scions of House Icefall stood in the center, right next to the stone stele. Aside from Lord Icefall and Cally, there was a woman who I had never seen before. She was tall and thin, with pale skin, long brown hair, and sharp features. However, her warm brown eyes gave me the impression of a kind and gentle woman.

Lady Nyla Icefall, Lord Icefall's wife and Cally's mother. I never had a reason to interact with her before, so this was my first time seeing her.

The members of Clan Frostheart stood near the scions of House Icefall: Clan Head Charity, Lorelei, and High Priest Allen. This might've seemed strange to those not in the know. However, as the rulers of Murim in the Icefall region, they had every right to be there.

Anna and Corrie stood nearby, along with the warriors from Clan Thorne.

I stood off the side with my parents and a small contingent of House Sturm retainers, with Leroy standing right behind me. My cousin, Andre, stood next to me with Richard by his side. Thanks to my mother, he relented and let a healer tend to his broken legs.

The two of them met yesterday at the local Church of the Sun, which proved entertaining. At first, Mother and Andre acted awkward and cold towards one another. However, as time passed, they grew closer towards each other. By the end, Mother became comfortable enough with Andre to call him a stubborn idiot.

She told him that as a member of Clan Leone's main family, he needed to set an example for his people. Moping about in bed wouldn't help anyone. Instead, he was better off lifting his peoples' spirits by showing them he was hale and hearty.

Andre put up some protest, but he relented in the end.

At the same time, Caitlyn met with Richard in private. I didn't know what they talked about. By the end, neither of them seemed angry nor did I hear any shouting, so I assumed it went well.

The memorial service started with a speech from Lord Icefall. It was short and to the point, but sincere. He lamented the loss of life, but thanked the fallen defenders for protecting Icefall City with their lives. At the end, he promised that as long as House Icefall stood strong, their sacrifice would never be forgotten. Many in the crowd burst into tears when they heard this.

Afterwards, High Priest Allen recited a prayer. First, he thanked the gods for protecting Icefall City. Then he asked the gods to bless the fallen, and to watch over them in the afterlife.

The memorial came to an end after that. Most of the crowd dispersed, but a few left flowers and other offerings at the base of the stele. I joined them. While for just a brief time, I fought alongside the fallen defenders in order to protect Icefall City, this made them my comrades in arms. The least I could do was offer a flower in their honor.

I wasn't the only one. Anna left a flower as well. Afterwards, she held my hand as the two of us stood there and studied the stone stele, each of us lost in our own thoughts. We didn't say a word to each other.

After some time, I turned to leave so I could get some rest before the feast. Anna gave my hand a brief squeeze, before she let me go.

My parents returned to the House Sturm airship with most of the House Sturm retainers. They weren't going to participate in the feast, so they saw no reason to stay. Rather than join them, Leroy and I decided to rest at Icefall Manor. We didn't see any point in heading to the airship, only to come back a few hours later.

When we parted ways, Mother looked like she wanted to say something to me. However, she kept quiet in the end. For some reason, this amused Father, though I didn't know why.

After that, Leroy and I headed towards Icefall Manor. We weren't the only ones. Andre and Richard joined us, along with Anna and Corrie, as well as the members of Clan Frostheart.

To my surprise, when we arrived, a servant approached me and said that Lord Icefall invited me to talk with him in his office. I found this odd, but saw no reason to decline. I followed the servant to the office. When I entered, I found Lord Icefall and Guildmaster Charity waiting for me inside.

Lord Icefall's office reminded me of Cally's: beautiful and elegant, with several art pieces decorating the space. Even the furniture looked like works of art. There was even a relaxing floral scent in the air. A row of bookshelves lined an entire wall, filled with books that covered a wide range of topics. Several large windows let in plenty of sunlight.

Lord Icefall sat behind a wooden desk, while Guildmaster Charity sat on the desk itself. Both of them looked tired, with dark circles underneath their eyes. It was clear that the past several days had taken their toll. I doubted either of them had gotten enough sleep.

"Lord Gabriel," Lord Icefall said, standing up, "thank you for coming." He gestured to a chair in front of his desk. "Please, sit down."

I glanced at Guildmaster Charity, who watched me with an inscrutable expression on her face, before sitting down.

"You must be wondering why I invited you here." Lord Icefall said.

I nodded.

"The thought crossed my mind, yes." I said.

Lord Icefall smiled at me.

"We wanted to thank you for your help." He said. "You played an instrumental part in defending Icefall City from the demonic incursion, so my cousin…" He gestured to Guildmaster Charity. "… and I wanted to show you our gratitude."

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"While I appreciate the sentiment," I said, "I'm hardly the only one who defended Icefall City, nor did I contribute all that much."

Guildmaster Charity snorted.

"There's no point in playing humble." She said. "Calla already told us about how you convinced the Seventh Star martial artist to ensure Icefall City's survival."

I frowned. She did? I expected her to keep it a secret. We never discussed it, but I thought it was implied. It appeared that I thought wrong.

"And you believed her?" I asked.

Lord Icefall nodded.

"It fits with what we already know." He said. "When we learned that all the demons and fiends died in one fell swoop, we were puzzled for the longest time. We didn't know who could've done it. Now, we have an answer. You saved Icefall City through your actions."

I shook my head.

"You give me too much credit." I said. "I got lucky."

"Don't discount luck." Guildmaster Charity said. "It plays a big role in one's life."

I wanted to refute that, but couldn't. Looking back on it, I had been pretty lucky. Transmigrating back to Lumina, for example. The odds of that happening were astronomical.

"Regardless of the how and why," Lord Icefall said, "you protected Icefall City, and for that we are thankful. So, to show our gratitude, you may ask my cousin and I for a boon. As long as it is within our power, we will grant it." He snorted. "Though, considering your status, there is little we can offer that you can't obtain on your own."

"Keep in mind that we're offering you a boon each." Guildmaster Charity pointed out.

A part of me felt like declining their offer, but the rest of me tied that part up and locked it in a closet. If they were offering, I saw no reason to refuse. I didn't want to rely on my parents for everything, so the more I earned through my own efforts the better.

"I want Ice elemental crystals from you, Lord Icefall." I said. "As many of them as you can give me."

Lord Icefall blinked at me in surprise.

"That's it?" He asked.

"Is that a problem?" I asked.

"No," Lord Icefall said, shaking his head, "we have plenty, due to our elemental affinity. In fact, we can even create them with ease. However, that seems like a poor way to repay you for saving Icefall City. Are you sure you don't want anything else?"

I smirked.

"I have a spirit to nurture." Though I was still worried since I hadn't heard from Aurora in a while. "I need all the Ice elemental crystals that I can get my hands on."

Lord Icefall hesitated before answering.

"Very well, Lord Gabriel." Lord Icefall said. "We'll give you everything we have on hand right now. Afterwards, we'll send a regular shipment to Sturm Manor every month. Does that satisfy you?"

Huh. I just wanted to get my hands on a large stockpile of Ice elemental crystals. I never expected House Icefall to send them to me on a regular basis. However, I wasn't going to dissuade him. This worked out better for me in the end.

"It does." I said.

"Now that you're done with Theobald," Guildmaster Charity said, "what do you want from me?"

I studied her for a moment.

"I have two requests." I said. "Feel free to accept or deny them after I've finished speaking." I held up a finger. "First, I would like any insights on Ice you have. Specifically, applying Ice to martial arts."

Guildmaster Charity narrowed her eye at me, before she took off her eye patch and revealed her icy blue left eye. Her hair turned white, like Lord Icefall's.

"You gained an affinity for Ice when you made a contract with the Frostheart's spirit." Clan Head Charity stated.

I nodded. While I gained an affinity for Ice some time ago, I put it aside for a while since I was busy with, well, everything. Now that I had some free time on my hands, I figured I might as well rectify that. I already had a few ideas on how I could use Ice with the Mist Sword and the Storm Cloud fighting styles.

For example, what if I used Ice with [Concealing Mist] and [Mist Sword]? There were so many interesting possibilities.

"That's doable." Clan Head Charity said. "If you want, I can even share my Clan's techniques with you."

However, it was clear that she wasn't happy about this. Not that I blamed her. A Clan's martial arts techniques were the foundation of their power. Sharing them with an outsider was always a risky proposition.

"Thank you," I said, "I much appreciate it."

Clan Head Charity made a dismissive gesture.

"And your second request?" she asked.

I paused for a moment before answering.

"Do you know how my spirit, Aurora, ended up in her current state?" I asked. "I know your Clan found the Frostheart here, but I'm hoping you know more about what happened to her."

Clan Head Charity's expression darkened. Lord Icefall gave her a concerned look.

"Is it something you can't tell me?" I asked.

Clan Head Charity took a moment before answering.

"More like it's something I don't want to tell you." She said. "No one likes to share their Clan's dirty secrets with an outsider." She sighed. "However, since you made a contract with the Frostheart's spirit, perhaps it's something you should know."

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I frowned. What did she mean by that?

"When my ancestors first arrived in the region," Clan Head Charity began, "they came across a wizard who lived in the area. At first they ignored him. However, after some time, the wizard came to my ancestors with an offer. He wanted them to capture monsters for him, exchanging each one for a hefty sum. While my ancestors found this strange, they saw nothing wrong with it, so they accepted the wizard's offer. However, when they found out the truth, they regretted their decision."

I felt a sense of foreboding.

"What happened?" I asked.

"It turned out that the wizard was a mad man." Clan Head Charity said, a disgusted expression on her face. "He was using the monsters to conduct vile and inhumane experiments, such as creating chimeras. Worst of all, he used human test subjects in his experiments."

I grimaced. Chimeras were artificial beings created by combining two or more monsters. Most of the time this failed, but sometimes it succeeded. Due to their artificial nature, chimeras were often violent and aggressive, more so than even fiends.

Creating chimeras occupied a gray area in Luminian society. While it wasn't illegal, it was certainly frowned upon. However, using humans to create chimeras was illegal.

"My ancestors destroyed the wizard's laboratory and drove him out of the region." Clan Head Charity said. "Afterwards, they destroyed all of his notes and experiments, to prevent anyone from emulating him in the future." She held up a finger. "Except for one thing."

"The Frostheart." I said.

Clan Head Charity nodded, looking guilty and ashamed.

"The Frostheart was too useful for our Clan's cultivation." She said. "My ancestors couldn't resist the temptation, despite its… Origins." She gave me a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "So, there you go. Now you know our Clan's dirty little secret, and why we keep the Frostheart's history hidden."

So, the Frostheart was a result of a mad man's experiment. I wondered if there was a way to reverse it and bring Aurora back to life. Unfortunately, Clan Head Charity's ancestors destroyed the wizard's notes. Otherwise, I could've perused them for clues. Then again, maybe this was for the best.

"Don't worry," I said, "I won't share this with anyone."

Clan Head Charity gave me a grateful look.

"Thank you." She said. "I know most people wouldn't care, since everything happened so long ago. However, my Clan considers this our greatest shame. We don't want to grow complacent and make the same mistake."

I nodded.

"I understand," I said, "and thank you for telling me. I appreciate it."

After that, I said my goodbyes to Lord Icefall and Clan Head Charity, before leaving the office. I headed to the room that Cally assigned to me and laid down to a rest. However, Clan Head Charity's story kept repeating in my head.

In the end, I put it aside. While interesting, there wasn't much I could do about it now. The mad wizard who turned Aurora into a spirit was likely long dead, so I couldn't get revenge on him. Still, if it was possible to turn a living being into a spirit, perhaps the reverse was true as well.

However, that was a problem for future Gabriel to deal with. I shook my head and cleared my mind, before closing my eyes to take a nap.

After all, I wanted to save my energy and enjoy the upcoming feast as much as possible.

To accommodate everyone, the feast took place outdoors. The servants of House Icefall had converted several plazas and squares into makeshift eating areas. It took them hours to set everything up. The one I attended was a plaza near the city center, close to Icefall Manor.

Dozens of long wooden tables occupied the plaza, each one laden with food and drink. So much so that I was surprised none of the tables collapsed from the sheer weight of it all. The smell of roasted meat and beer prevailed. Off to the side, a band played cheerful and lively music.

Hundreds of people sat at the tables, eating and drinking to their hearts' content. A cacophony of noise hovered in the air, filled with laughter and cheer. I recognized many of the people in attendance. Adventurers, warriors from Clan Thorne and Clan Leone, retainers from House Icefall, etc. There were a few guards around to keep the peace and keep things from getting out of hand.

This was unlike any high society event I had ever attended as Gabriel Sturm, not that I had attended many. There was none of the posturing and scheming here common to such events. Then again, this feast wasn't meant for high society. It was for the people of Icefall City, most of whom were commoners and minor nobles.

If I had to choose, I preferred this. When I attended a party, I wanted to enjoy myself. I didn't want to watch my every word and action in order to avoid offending someone or sending the wrong message.

It amazed me that House Icefall managed to put something like this together in such a short time. Buying and preparing all this food must have cost them a small fortune, and this was just for one plaza. There were several more scattered across Icefall City.

Taking all that into account, the price for this feast must have been strained House Icefall's coffers. They were wealthy, since trading in monster body parts was lucrative, but their wealth wasn't infinite.

Still, I understood why Lord Icefall threw a feast like this despite the cost. The Icefall region survived a major catastrophe. Throwing a feast like this allowed the people to blow off steam and celebrate the fact that they were still alive, while also reinforcing House Icefall's authority. Talk about killing two birds with one stone.

I stood at the edge of the plaza, looking around for a place to sit. To my dismay, every table looked full. I ended up taking a longer nap than expected, so I arrived at the feast late. What annoyed me most was that no one bothered to wake me up. Instead, they all left without me. Traitors.

The only one who remained behind was Leroy, who stood right next to me. However, I couldn't be too angry at him. While Andre let a healer tend to his legs, Leroy remained stubborn and insisted on letting his arm heal naturally. It remained in a cast.

As Leroy stated before, it was part of his penance for failing to protect me. No matter what I said, he refused to compromise.

"You should've woken me up sooner." I said, speaking louder because of the cacophony.

"Anna insisted that we let you sleep longer." Leroy said, his volume matching mine.

I gave him an annoyed look.

"Who do you serve?" I asked. "Me or Anna?"

Leroy gave me a guilty look.

"I apologize, Lord Gabriel." He said. "It's just that… You've been pushing yourself ever since the Incident. I thought you needed to rest and relax more."

He… Wasn't wrong. I have been busy ever since I returned to Lumina. Still, I would've rather woken up and arrived at the feast earlier.

"Gabriel!" A voice called out, interrupting my thoughts.

I looked over to find Anna at a nearby table, with Cally sitting next to her. The others were with them as well. Lorelei and Corrie, along with Andre and Richard. No one else sat at the table.

Ah, maybe that was why the others left without me. We had a table set aside just for us. Cally must've arranged it ahead of time. My annoyance faded away.

"Come on!" Anna said, waving me over. "We've been waiting for you!"

Leroy and I walked over to join them. I sat next to Anna, while Leroy sat next to Richard. The moment we settled down, the others placed mugs of beer in front of us.

"Drink!" Anna said, the smell of alcohol on her breath.

I chuckled.

"At least let me get some food in my stomach first." I said.

I grabbed a plate from a nearby stack and piled it high with all kinds of food. Afterwards, I started eating while taking occasional sips from the mug of beer. Anna reached over to wrap an arm around my waist while she held a mug in her other hand.

"This is the life!" Anna said, her face flushed red. "Feasting and merriment," She smirked at me. "With a beautiful man at my side! Who needs anything else?"

I rolled my eyes while the rest of the table laughed.

"You almost make me sound like a trophy husband." I said.

Anna laughed.

"Well, that wouldn't be so bad, would it?" She asked, leering at me.

Cally scowled.

"Why do you keep acting like a vulgar ruffian whenever you're around Gabriel?" She asked.

Anna snorted.

"You're just jealous that I have a man, while you don't."

Cally scoffed.

"What's there to be jealous of?" She asked. "Unlike you, I have taste and discernment."

"Hey!" I said. "I'm right here! No need to insult me to my face."

"And what a face it is." Anna said. "I mean, look at you. It should be a crime for a man to be this beautiful. If you dressed like a woman, I doubt anyone would be able to tell the difference."

The moment Anna finished speaking, her eyes lit up. A chill ran down my spine.

"No." I said.

"Why not? I think you'd look great in a dress."

I gave her a hard look.

"I said no. I am not dressing up like a woman."

Anna pouted in disappointment.

"Anna is right, Cousin," Andre said with a thoughtful look on his face. "If you disguised yourself as a woman, few people would be able to notice."

I gave him a betrayed look.

"Not you too!" I said.

Andre raised his hands in mock surrender, a smirk on his lips.

"I said disguise." He said. "If you ever needed to hide yourself, dressing up like a woman would be a good way to go about it."

I let out a groan, while the rest of the table laughed at my expense. For the next few hours, we ate, drank, and made merry. We often made jokes at each others' expense. While I was a popular target, I wasn't the only one. Everyone got hit at least once.

After a while, I noticed that the music took on a different tune. I looked over and saw that people had moved several of the tables, forming a dancing area in front of the band. I glanced at Anna, who was in the midst of bickering with Cally, and an idea popped into my head.

"Wanna dance?" I asked her.

Anna looked at me, and I nodded towards the dancing area. Her eyes lit up.

"Hell yeah!"

The two of us made our way over to the dancing area. Everyone was in the midst of some kind of rural folk dance, which I didn't know. All the dances I learned were for high society events. However, the movements were simple and easy to pick up. Plus, Anna and I were physically adept. It didn't take us long to learn the dance and join in.

For a while, everything was perfect. Cheerful music played, while I danced with a beautiful woman. The two of us moved in perfect rhythm with one another. My head swam, and I didn't know if it was because of all the alcohol I drank, or if it was because of Anna. I found everything about her intoxicating. The heat of her body, her vanilla scent mingled with her sweat, the hunger in her eyes as she looked at me.

A low fire burned deep within me, growing hotter with each passing second. Soon, it felt like my entire body was on fire. Acting on impulse, I grabbed Anna and pulled her away from the dance floor. She seemed surprised by this, but followed along with a smile on her face.

I brought us to an alley near the plaza, away from the noise and bustle of the feast. The moment we had some semblance of privacy, I pushed Anna against a wall and kissed her, as if trying to devour her. She kissed me back with just as much fervor. Our hands roamed each other's bodies. For a time, Anna filled my entire world. However, it wasn't enough. I wanted more.

When I pulled my lips away, Anna and I stared at each other, panting. Her eyes burned with a hunger that mirrored my own.

"Well," she said, smirking, "that was a surprise. I'm usually the one who initiates things."

"I couldn't hold myself back anymore." I said.

Anna let out a low chuckle. The sound sent a thrill down my spine.

"Good. I'm glad to know that you want me just as much as I want you."

I leaned over to nibble on her neck for a bit. Anna let out a quiet moan.

"Of course." I said after pulling away. "I wanted you from the moment I first saw you."

"And yet you tried so hard to fight it."

I wrapped my arms around her.

"That's because I was afraid." I said. "I still am." I took a deep breath. "What if things change after we leave the Icefall region? What if your feelings for me cool down?" I tightened my hold on her. "What if Lady Annabelle realizes she doesn't want me after all?"

Anna let out a sigh that was equal parts amusement and exasperation.

"You're a needy one, aren't you?" She asked. "Not that I mind. In fact, I rather like it. It means that you're wrapped around my finger, dancing to my tune. You're dependent on me. Isn't that right?"

I nodded without saying a word.

"Don't worry. Lady Annabelle is a smart woman. She wouldn't let go of such a fine treasure." She chuckled. "Besides, I doubt her feelings for you would ever cool down. If anything, time apart will only make them grow stronger."

Her words soothed and comforted the part of myself that remained insecure and fearful, the part that still craved approval and affection.

"Promise?" I asked.

"I promise." Anna said. "In fact, let me give you something."

I let go of her and stepped back. Anna pulled out a wide crimson ribbon with a gold clasp in the shape of a rose attached to it. She reached over to wrap the ribbon around my neck and clasped it in place. I stilled.

"Did… Did you just put a collar on me?" I asked.

An unknown emotion welled up inside me, powerful and overwhelming.

"I put a choker on you," Anna said, smirking. "Though I find it interesting that the first thing you thought of was a collar."

My entire face heated up, until even the tips of my ears burned.

"There." Anna said, running her finger along the choker. She wore a satisfied expression on her face. "This should let everyone know that you belong to me, yourself included. Does that reassure you?"

That's when I identified the emotion inside me: pure, unadulterated joy. A sense of rightness settled over my entire being, as if I had found my place in the world.

"Yes." I said, trying to convey everything I felt in that one word.

Anna's expression grew somber, and reached up to caress my cheek.

"You were lost and alone for so long, weren't you?" She asked.

I nodded, unable to say a word.

"Don't worry," Anna said, "everything is going to be alright."

The two of us stayed like that for a long while, long enough for my emotions to settle down.

"That's not fair." I said in a teasing tone. "I'm wearing something that lets everyone know I'm yours, but you're not wearing anything that lets people know you're mine."

Anna laughed.

"Well, about that…"

Anna pulled out another choker. This one was a wide blue ribbon, with a silver clasp in the shape of a dragon's claw. Anna wrapped it around her neck and clasped it in place. I stared at her in surprise.

"I prepared these a while ago." Anna said, amused by my reaction. "I planned on bringing them out after we became engaged. However, you were acting so pitiful and pathetic that I was afraid you might try something stupid. So, I brought them out now."

I crossed my arms and pouted.

"I'm not pitiful and pathetic." I said.

Anna chuckled.

"Yes, you are." She said. "However, that's alright, as long as I'm the only one who gets to see this side of yourself." She grasped my chin and forced me to look into her eyes. "I'm being serious. If you act this way in front of any other woman, I may just kill her. I will not tolerate infidelity."

I gave her a nod.

"I promise, you're the only one who will ever see this side of me."

"Good." A smile blossomed on her face. "Now, shall we continue where we left off?"

I nodded and walked back towards the feast, thinking that Anna wanted to continue dancing. However, she grabbed my arm and stopped me in my tracks.

"Where do you think you're going?" Anna asked.

I gave her a baffled look.

"The feast?" I asked. "I thought you wanted to keep dancing."

Anna gave me a look that was both patronizing and endearing.

"Oh, you sweet child," Anna said. "Don't worry. I'll be gentle."

My confusion deepened as she took my hand and led me away from the feast. After a moment, I realized we were heading towards Icefall Manor. Why were we-?

Oh.

Neither of us got any sleep that night.

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