How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game Chapter 657: Frozen Resolve 3

"Snow... if you are—"

"Please. Just do it... you’re the only person I know who is capable."

Seo became motionless.

For the first time since their initial meeting, Seo failed to give a prompt reply.

The request lingered in the air between them, feeling heavy and profoundly wrong.

Seo’s grip tightened on the handle of her blade as she observed Snow, searching her features for any sign that this was merely a tasteless prank.

She found nothing of the sort.

Snow’s gaze remained unwavering.

She was calm.

Disturbingly calm.

That composure made Seo uneasy.

"What exactly are you saying?" Seo questioned in a low voice. "Explain yourself."

Snow paused briefly, then inhaled a slow, deliberate breath. "I am being serious, Seo. I need you to follow through."

The usually stoic and expressionless mask on Seo’s face began to fracture.

Her eyebrows knit together as a flash of irritation and a sharper, darker emotion flickered in her eyes.

"Do you honestly believe I would just agree to such a thing?"

Observing that outburst, a peculiar sense of comfort washed over Snow.

Yes... this was precisely the reason it had to be Seo.

"I realize how insane it sounds," Snow admitted, her tone softening. "But there is nobody else I can turn to."

"That provides no explanation."

Snow moved closer, instinctively dropping her voice as if the very garden were eavesdropping. "Do not worry. I will not perish."

Seo’s eyes narrowed into slits. "You just asked me to take your life."

"Yes. And I meant every word," Snow answered truthfully. "But not in the sense you are imagining."

She raised a hand, delicately touching her own throat at the exact spot where a blade would strike. "I want your blow to land here. Do not hesitate. Do not hold anything back."

Seo looked from Snow’s hand to her face. "You aren't making this any better."

"I am aware." Snow allowed a faint, somewhat bitter smile to touch her lips. "But I must know something. I have to verify it using my own body and my own soul."

Seo did not offer an immediate reply.

She could sense that Snow was being honest.

There was no trace of fear in her tone, nor any hint of desperation.

Only absolute certainty.

That conviction was far more terrifying to Seo than any panic could ever be.

Snow met her stare without blinking.

"That is why it must be you."

If she had asked anyone else...

If it had been Riley, or any of the other girls—they wouldn't even have entertained the thought.

They would have intervened, restrained her, or locked her away for her own sake.

They would have labeled it as worry or protection.

However...

Seo was different.

She would actually listen...

.....

Seo felt a deep internal conflict.

She recognized there was a hidden motive behind Snow’s abrupt plea—something profound and obscured—but she couldn't grasp it no matter how hard she tried.

Requesting someone to strike her down like this, out of nowhere... it couldn't be without purpose.

Is this some kind of morbid joke?

The thought surfaced almost as a reflex.

Seo was well aware that she wasn't the most perceptive when it came to human emotions.

She was socially clumsy, struggled with words, and frequently overlooked nuances that others saw instantly.

But even she could perceive that this was no jest. Not by a long shot.

Snow was dead serious.

She was seeking a specific outcome.

She wanted to witness something.

But then... why choose her?

If Snow merely wished to test her own limits, she could have done so in solitude.

If she sought pain, there were a thousand ways to find it.

If she sought true peril, there were stronger and far more ruthless individuals she could have approached.

So why ask Seo?

Seo continued to study her, looking for any sign of doubt or terror in her expression.

Yet Snow simply held her gaze, firm and unwavering.

Seo gave a silent sigh.

Overthinking was useless.

She nearly walked away right then.

She almost decided this wasn't her concern.

But just as she shifted her stance to leave, she felt it.

This aura...

She had sensed it before, faint but undeniable.

Now that she focused on it, ignoring it was impossible.

Snow was radiating something entirely different.

It wasn't mana.

It wasn't pressure.

It wasn't killing intent.

It was a presence.

The sort that didn't physically crush you, yet made it impossible to avert your eyes.

The kind belonging to someone who had occupied a superior position for a very long time.

Someone accustomed to being followed, used to making choices that carried the weight of the world.

Snow still appeared the same—lovely, poised, and as kind as always.

The Snow that everyone leaned on.

But her eyes...

Those blue eyes seemed distant, yet intensely perceptive.

It was as if she were standing there, fully present, while simultaneously residing somewhere much higher.

Like a monarch upon a throne, looking down not with conceit—but with absolute authority.

Seo swallowed hard.

For the first time, it didn't feel like she was talking to a fellow student.

It felt as though she was standing in the shadow of a ruler.

That look demanded a response.

It wasn't born of rage or pride.

It was pure authority.

For a split second, Seo felt her hand twitch toward the scabbard at her hip before she regained her composure and shook her head.

"I think..." she spoke tentatively, forcing her voice to remain steady, "...that you are still in need of rest."

That was the only logical conclusion her straightforward mind could produce.

After all Snow had endured—the incident, the collapse, and the strange aftermath—this had to be some form of lingering trauma.

Perhaps not a physical wound. Perhaps something far worse.

"Seo..." Snow said in a soft voice. "Please have faith in me. Everything will be fine."

Seo balled her hands into fists.

"I know I am being difficult," Snow went on, her tone gentle yet resolute, "but you are the only person I trust to do this."

Seo finally met her eyes, her confusion plain to see.

"Why me?"

Snow didn't reply immediately. Instead, she took a step forward.

"Because you are the most gentle among us."

"...?"

Seo truly failed to see how being gentle had anything to do with a request for execution.

Before she could argue, Snow reached out.

Her fingers drifted through Seo’s hair with careful precision before coming to rest against her cheek.

The warmth of that contact made Seo go still.

Snow smiled. It wasn't playful or mocking.

It was entirely sincere.

She looked directly into Seo’s eyes and let out a soft, melodic laugh.

"Fufu... it seems I am truly imposing my selfishness on you this time. I apologize."

"Then—" Seo began, a glimmer of hope in her voice.

"But..." Snow cut her off gently, "...please. Do this for me. Will you?"

Snow moved back, putting a small gap between them. She turned slightly, closed her eyes, and stood perfectly still.

She waited.

The garden fell silent. It was too quiet.

Seo stood there, her heart torn.

Every instinct she possessed screamed that this was a mistake.

That she should seize Snow, shake some sense into her, and drag her to Riley or anyone else.

Yet, for some reason, she felt compelled to answer... a certain intuition gnawed at her from within, telling her... that everything truly would be alright...

Slowly, Seo’s hand moved toward the hilt at her waist.

Her fingers paused for a heartbeat before gripping the weapon.

She stepped back, her body settling into a posture forged through a thousand battles—silent, exact, and devoid of wasted energy.

Her breathing became rhythmic.

If this was a challenge... she would meet it with everything she had.

[Hidden Blade Technique]

[First Form]

[Blue Moon]

Bzzt—

A sharp vibration sliced through the air.

Swiiiishh!!!!

A burst of blue light erupted as Seo’s blade cleared its sheath, traveling in a flawless arc aimed directly at Snow’s neck.

The blow was incredibly fast—beyond the perception of most—yet it carried a gentle intent.

Seo had calculated every variable.

The timing.

The range.

The precise moment to halt the strike.

Her heightened senses made the world slow down around her.

In this dilated moment, she tracked heartbeats and measured angles, ready to stop the edge just before it bit into skin.

Even if a shockwave followed, she would suppress it.

She always did.

That was when she felt it.

Cold.

No—it wasn't merely cold.

It was frost.

A profound, stifling frost surged up the length of her blade, freezing it in place only centimeters from Snow’s throat.

The mana charged with lightning that coated the sword suddenly stiffened and crystallized, locked in place as if time itself had been halted.

Seo’s eyes widened in shock.

This was impossible.

Mana should not be able to freeze in this manner.

And before her mind could even comprehend the phenomenon—

FWOOOOSHHH!!!

A massive wave of frigid air exploded outward.

Instantly, Seo was frozen where she stood.

Her body was locked tight.

The air died in her lungs.

Her mana became silent and motionless, utterly suppressed.

She couldn't even attempt a reaction.

She didn't even feel pain.

The cold didn't just touch her—it claimed her entirely.

Everything became static.

And Snow remained standing there, completely unharmed.

Not a single mark on her. Not one hair out of place.

For a fleeting moment, silence reigned over the garden.

Snow slowly opened her eyes.

A combination of relief, sorrow, and quiet certainty filled her expression as she gazed at Seo.

Whatever lingering doubt she had held was now gone.

Then—

Snap.

With the sharp sound of her fingers snapping, the cold dissipated.

The frost spreading across the ground melted away.

The ice that had encased Seo’s body shattered into a fine mist and vanished into the breeze.

Even the piercing chill that had filled the air moments ago vanished as though it were a dream.

Seo’s legs finally failed her.

She collapsed weakly, her sword clattering to the ground as she fought to catch her breath.

Snow let out a soft exhale.

It seems my theory was correct...

She stepped forward, kneeling beside Seo without a second thought.

"I am truly sorry, Seo," Snow said softly. "I know I was being difficult... but you see? I am perfectly fine."

Seo tried to find her voice. She tried to answer. But before she could utter a word, tears began to stream down her cheeks.

Snow froze in surprise.

Seo looked up at her, her eyes trembling as the tears fell freely.

"You are cruel..." she whispered.

"E-Eh... w-wait—please don't cry. Look, I'm okay, haha..." Snow waved her hands frantically, trying to force a weak smile.

But the tears didn't stop.

Snow’s smile slowly faded away.

For the first time in a very long time—despite her years of imperial training, her lessons in etiquette, and her mastery of self-control—Snow had no idea how to react.