How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game Chapter 717: Frost Queen... 3

A hush descended upon the battlefield. Not because the conflict had concluded—but due to its deliberate cessation. Every individual's gaze was drawn to the central area.

Step... step...

The sound, subtle, almost imperceptible amidst the devastation, nevertheless carried with stark clarity through the now-still atmosphere. Each footfall resonated across the ravaged ground, measured and unhurried, as the form within the swirling frost began to materialize.

The mist gradually receded.

And with its parting—

The palpable pressure intensified.

It was more than mere coldness; it was an overwhelming weight. An absolute dominion.

A presence that required no announcement, for all surrounding it instinctively acknowledged its supremacy.

No one dared to move.

Not the assembled knights.

Not the powerful mages.

Not even the formidable Frost Giants.

Their bodies were rendered immobile, frozen by an primal instinct, a recognition far predating conscious thought. This was not simple fear, but a profound awareness, akin to prey understanding, too late, that a hunter had entered its territory.

Even the air seemed suspended.

Holding its breath.

Then—

Delicate white strands danced upon the wind, laced with frost.

Hair.

Like silk, pale and ethereal, it swayed gently as the figure emerged into clearer sight.

All eyes followed. Cold, stark blue—

Profound.

Limitless.

And within their depths, a subtle, icy shimmer, reminiscent of sunlight glinting off an unending expanse of snow.

There was no grand gesture, no ostentatious display of might—

Yet, her very essence emanated an untouchable aura.

A beauty pristine and untainted.

A presence so refined it naturally erected a boundary.

The fundamental difference between beings—

Was unmistakable.

It needed no verbal confirmation.

It was simply… understood.

As if one stood in the presence of something existing on an entirely higher plane.

For a significant moment, speech itself seemed impossible.

Then—

"...Princess Snow?"

The query emerged hesitantly.

Verging on disbelief.

From across the field—

"...Your Majesty...?"

Gallan's voice followed, notably subdued from its usual resonance. For the first time, a subtle tremor was perceptible within it. His immense stature—once unyielding and commanding—quivered almost imperceptibly, his primal instincts reacting with a speed that outpaced conscious thought.

Because he recognized her. Or rather—

What she had transformed into.

Simultaneously, Roverick’s form collapsed. The icy shackles that had imprisoned him disintegrated effortlessly, releasing him to fall to the ground with a heavy thud. His already compromised body barely withstood the impact. He did not rise promptly. He could not.

But his eyes—

They lifted.

Slowly.

With great effort.

Until they found her.

And in that precise instant—

Even through the veil of blood, the throbbing pain, and his ebbing vitality—

He understood.

Everything had shifted.

Irrevocably.

Snow’s gaze swept across the ravaged landscape, calm and deliberate, absorbing every detail—the fallen bodies, the fractured earth, the unnerving stillness in the very air. Then, her eyes focused on Gallan… and Roverick.

Then—

She was there.

No audible trace.

No preceding signal.

One moment she was distant, the next she stood beside them, the ambient frost coalescing around her profound aura.

"It appears I may have neglected my part of the agreement, Count..."

Roverick struggled to lift his head. His vision blurred, yet he could still discern her—Snow, standing above him, her expression serene, a stark contrast to the surrounding devastation.

"P-Princess... you are here... w-why?"

He already knew of her journey north. It was common knowledge. She had assumed responsibility for the dungeon—the very source of the relentless assaults upon their forces. That should have been the culmination of the matter. But those giants… they had originated from the same northern direction. In his precarious state, his thoughts struggled to coalesce. If she was here… then what transpired there?

For a fleeting moment, an icy sensation gripped his chest—not born of personal fear, but of the profound implications.

Snow regarded him, and for a brief instant, her gaze softened perceptibly.

"You appear to have numerous inquiries," she stated softly. "However, that is not the immediate concern."

She lowered herself slightly, just enough to meet his gaze without causing him further strain.

"Rest now, Count. The remainder is in my hands. You have fulfilled your duty."

"Y-Your Highness... they are perilous... you must not—"

"Have no concern."

She interrupted him gently, yet an underlying firmness resonated, brooking no argument.

"My sole intention is to honor my pledge..."

A brief, almost imperceptible pause.

"...and to rectify a minor oversight."

Her eyes then fixed upon Gallan. The instant their gazes met, the Frost Giant chieftain experienced a chilling sensation creep up his spine, more oppressive than any blizzard he had ever endured. His breath hitched, his body freezing instinctively before he could even comprehend the reason.

"You—You are not Her Majesty!"

For a fraction of a second, his perception faltered. What stood before him transcended mere the young woman. It shimmered, blurred… until he saw her. The Frost Queen. The same overwhelming, silent, absolute authority that required no vocalization.

A pressure bore down on him, unsettlingly familiar, causing his instincts to cry out in warning. Yet, it was not her. Gallan’s gaze sharpened as he compelled himself to look again, this time with proper focus. The silhouette, the facial features, the faint vestiges of humanity still clinging to it—this was not the Queen. It was the human. The one who had drawn her attention. The one she had ultimately selected. His thoughts began to falter. He hadn't been privy to the full story back then. The Queen never offered explanations. However, he had witnessed and heard enough to grasp a crucial detail: that human had been a contender. A potential vessel, destined to face her trial.

'...You can’t be serious...' His grip intensified. 'She *inherited* it?' It defied logic. It simply couldn't be. A mere human... wielding such power? Possessing even a sliver of the Queen's formidable authority? This went against every principle he understood, against the very fabric of what should have been possible. And yet— His body remained immobile. That fact alone was a profound confirmation. Gallan's expression hardened, though the deep-seated tension within him refused to dissipate. If anything, it intensified. Because regardless of whether she was the Queen or not... it changed nothing about the entity standing before him. They had committed a betrayal against her.

'EVERYONE—DISPERSE!!!' His command thundered across the battlefield, its sheer force vibrating the very air. Every giant below took heed. 'Fall back! Abandon the city!' The order was given without an iota of hesitation, devoid of any lingering pride needing defense. Survival took precedence. Even if she appeared human... she wielded the Frost Queen's undeniable authority. And that alone designated her as something infinitely more terrifying. At this moment, everything had unraveled. The meticulously crafted plan... was irrevocably finished. His grand vision—of conquering the northern territories, of forging a future where the Frost Giants would never again be forced into subservience—shattered in an instant. Utterly useless. But that was no longer relevant.

As long as even a single one of his people managed to escape— as long as his kin survived— Then his cherished dream could crumble into dust. Gallan’s hands clenched, the veins bulging beneath his pale blue skin as a layer of frost began to coalesce around his grip. The atmosphere crackled, condensing— And then, a colossal battle axe forged from pure ice materialized in his hands. Without a second’s pause, he elevated it high above his head, preparing to bring it crashing down.

SWOOOOSHHH—!!!

The swing carved through the air, imbued with a weight so immense it threatened to cleave the very earth. To any observer, it appeared excessive, an act of utter overkill. Snow seemed minuscule beneath his colossal form, a mere speck against his towering stature. Yet, Gallan's resolve remained unshaken. Because he understood. True size was utterly irrelevant.

Crackle—

BOOOOM!!!

The cataclysmic impact reverberated through the battlefield. The ground splintered outwards, forming jagged fissures that spread like a complex web beneath her feet. Despite the onslaught— 'Tsk.' Gallan let out a sharp click of his tongue. His formidable axe had been halted. Not by a weapon or a shield. But by a single, delicate finger. Snow stood there, utterly immobile, her hand raised slightly—a singular finger pressed against the formidable edge of his ice axe, effortlessly arresting its momentum as if it were weightless. The fractures beneath her feet widened, deep and violent. Yet, she remained unyielding.

'It appears you possess sound judgment, Chieftain of the Frost Giants...' she stated calmly. 'Then why make such a choice? One dictated solely by your own desires?' Gallan regarded her for a prolonged moment— Then, he erupted into laughter. A harsh, deeply bitter sound escaped him. 'You wouldn't comprehend.' His fingers tightened their hold on the axe. 'Our Queen did not comprehend... and neither do you, you accursed human!' Snow remained unfazed by his outburst. No anger flickered across her features, no hint of offense was taken. Only silence persisted. Her gaze drifted past him, observing the remaining giants and monstrous beings as they beat a hasty retreat from the city, scattering in every conceivable direction. She watched their flight for a brief interval... then turned her gaze back to him. 'It seems you have already determined the outcome of this encounter.'

'Gah—!' He bared his teeth, his breath misting visibly in the frigid air. 'If holding you here, even for a single second, is enough for them to escape... then I shall willingly perish for it.' 'I see...' Gallan already foresaw the inevitable conclusion. If she truly possessed the Frost Queen's latent power... then this encounter was never meant to be a contest. There was nothing within his arsenal capable of harming her. No weapon, no specialized technique, not even his own innate strength—a power he had relied upon his entire life—held any significance in her presence now. This implied— This was not about achieving victory. It was about buying time.

If he could manage to detain her... even for a few precious seconds longer... that would be sufficient. His jaw clenched with resolve. If the dominion over frost no longer rested with him— Then he would draw upon what was rightfully his. His very blood. His physical might. His birthright as a giant.

His guttural roar resonated through the air as ice surged around his arms, coalescing into massive gauntlets that encased his fists with formidable strength. Frost radiated upwards towards his shoulders, forming thick, jagged patterns, drawing upon the very last vestiges of his power. He advanced deliberately. His eyes locked onto hers, unwavering. That same unnerving calmness persisted. That same distant, almost indifferent gaze. It did not falter. It did not even acknowledge him as a discernible threat. Something within him fractured. His mana erupted. It surged outwards, unleashed and violent—so intensely concentrated that it became visibly apparent, distorting the very fabric of space surrounding him.

The very ground below cracked under the immense pressure, the atmosphere around them seeming to ripple as if on the verge of shattering.

He drew his arm back—

And unleashed his full might in a single, decisive punch.

But then—

Crackle...

[Low Level – Ice Magic]

[Frost Creation]

Voom—!

The event unfolded in the blink of an eye.

There was no sign of struggle.

No resistance offered.

The frost did not merely spread—

It was already omnipresent.

Gallan’s form was encased in solid ice, freezing him completely in place. The ice encased him entirely, consuming his entire being.

Even the surging Qi within him, caught mid-eruption, stilled instantly, held captive as if time itself had ceased to move.

A profound silence descended.

Then—

Crack...!

A hairline fracture appeared across the frozen surface.

Another followed.

And then, one more.

His body began to disintegrate, piece by piece, the fragments crumbling away and dissolving into a faint mist before they could even reach the ground.

In a mere breath, the Frost Giant Chieftain... vanished without a trace.

Snow stood still, unmoving.

For a fleeting moment, her gaze remained fixed on the spot where he had stood.

"...At least this much is done."

A soft utterance.

It was the sole act of mercy she could extend to one who had once served the same Queen she now harbored within.

Her attention then shifted upwards.

Towards the distant boundary of the world—where the fleeing silhouettes had dispersed.

"I’ll entrust the remaining stragglers to you, Anica..."

For a second, an eerie stillness prevailed.

Then—

ROOOAAARRRR!!!

A deafening roar tore through the heavens.

A sound of immense depth, vastness, and ancient power.

The voice of a dragon reverberated from high above.

....

Several hundred meters distant from the city—

Positioned safely, yet close enough to witness the entire spectacle—

A young man was seated upon a lazily drifting wisp of grey cloud.

Riley remained motionless.

His eyes did not even blink.

For the first time, the normally placid, detached expression on his face faltered, revealing a hint of surprise.

"...Wow."

The word escaped his lips in a barely audible whisper.

This outcome was not what he had anticipated.

He hadn't truly expected it.

He was aware of Snow's formidable strength. He knew the inheritance she had just received was no trivial matter. Yet, even so... such immense power typically came with a price. Instability, perhaps. A lack of control. Something akin to that.

He had presumed she would encounter at least some degree of difficulty.

But the display he had just witnessed—

That was not struggling.

That was sheer, unadulterated dominance.

His gaze lingered on the site of the battle for a moment longer before he slowly turned his head.

Floating beside him was a familiar presence—a disembodied cat's head, its fur slightly ruffled, its usual mischievous grin completely absent.

For once, Cheshire appeared genuinely unnerved.

"Don't you think you made her a little too overpowered!?"

Riley emitted a soft chuckle, leaning back slightly as if supported by nothing at all.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

His voice held no trace of apprehension.

Only a quiet sense of contentment.

A subtle hint of pride that he made no effort to conceal.

—

Meanwhile—

Far from their location, soaring high above the fleeing giants—

Anica moved with the ferocity of a tempest.

Her colossal wings sliced through the air, her fangs and claws relentlessly tearing through any who attempted to escape. One by one, the giants plummeted earthward—never getting the chance to regroup, never finding an opening to retaliate.

A swift slash—

A brutal tear—

A body plummeted.

Another swiftly followed.

She did not falter in her assault.

She could not afford to.

Because another presence was there.

Observing.

Listening.

Perceiving through her senses.

Anica’s body convulsed mid-flight, her movements faltering for a mere fraction of a second as a voice softly resonated within her mind.

[It seems my darling did something a bit unnecessary~ ...hnn... how troublesome~]

The tone was lighthearted.

Playful.

Almost disarmingly amused.

But

Anica sensed it.

The subtle undertone beneath the surface.

Cold.

Razor-sharp.

Infuriated.

Her primal instincts screamed a warning.

[To look at her like that... so openly... so proudly~]

The voice continued, now softer, as if a whisper coiling around her consciousness.

He’s never looked at me that way before...

Anica’s breath hitched involuntarily.

Her wings beat with increased vigor, almost an instinctive reaction, as she tore through another fleeing giant, rending it apart simply to regain her footing.

[But... since we’re sisters now... I suppose I can let it slide~]

"...!!"

Anica struggled to comprehend.

Not the words themselves. Not the intended meaning behind them.

Only the unsettling feeling.

The overwhelming sense that something was gravely amiss.

She swung her claw once more, cleanly severing the head from another giant. The headless body tumbled down, lifeless, disappearing into the snow-covered terrain below.

A constricting sensation gripped her chest.

Please...

The thought formed silently. Faint. Tinged with desperation.

Just leave...

She had no idea to whom she was directing this plea.

Only that she desperately wished for that intrusive presence—

that entity residing within her—

to depart.