Chapter 173

"I am s-sorry, T-teacher," I blurted out with difficulty.

The words didn't roll off properly. My tongue was numb. I was so embarrassed that I wanted to bite my tongue. But Kaichen patiently took off another layer of my robe and helped me sit down near the fire. He took out a blanket he had brought with him and wrapped it around me. It was soft and warm. I sniffled. Kaichen, being very patient and kind, was making me sentimental. I felt like if I shed a tear, my nose would run a lot.

"I feel like a fool," I mumbled. I expected him to nag at me.

"Shh," he whispered and wrapped the blanket tightly around me up to the tip of my nose.

Where the hell did you learn to be so kind? My heart was pounding. Did he do this intentionally to make my heart pound faster so the blood would circulate faster? No matter what he intended, my face burned with embarrassment. No... you weren't a character like that.

It wasn't just me who was astonished, Julius' mouth hung open looking at us. "The cold must be making me hallucinate," he said. It was strange to see such drastic change in his friend.

"Chushinik, do you know where we are now?" Julius turned to his escort.

"I think it may be the beginning of the Hoiore Estate."

Julius unfolded the entire map of the northern territory. Kaichen went out to explore the few remaining private households. I stayed by the fireplace. I felt depressed. I felt so incompetent and useless.

It couldn't be helped. If I wanted to be of use, I needed to be able to move my body. So, I waited patiently by the fireplace.

"What is the situation outside?"

"Nothing special."

"Even if there were any traces, they would all have disappeared in a snowstorm this severe."

"I think I might be able to find out why we can't use magic."

"Is it possible?"

"I don't know. I can only try."

Kaichen shook his head humbly. Since magic was out of operation, there was no way to find out quickly. When I felt my body did not have even the slightest bit of magical power, I felt dispirited, and when I could finally feel it, I felt crushed by something huge and couldn't budge. Kaichen said that if he could only figure out what the block was, he could try and activate the magic again. Perhaps Kaichen was affected more than me and Julius. He was after all an Archmage with monster-like magical abilities that he could no longer use.

There are no magic controls like those found in manga in this world. Maybe the cause is tied to that.

I tilted my head, put my thoughts behind me, and got up. I folded the blanket Kaichen had given me that kept me warm and rubbed my hands. I headed toward the kitchen. In the snowstorm, it was impossible to make a convenient trip anywhere for food. The only food we had was dry meat jerky. I had been eating like that for a long time, so I knew how it felt.

But I am different now.

It wasn't difficult to cook indoors since I felt warm now. I had brought along some ingredients and tools for cooking. It might not be possible to make fancy meals, but I could manage some simple, nutritious and warm meals. It was better than dry jerky after all. Just a bowl of stew would do wonders to the present situation.

"Your Highness, why do you need to deal with this personally?" I asked.

In no time, I had prepared warm stew, and everyone had filled their stomachs. I didn't feel useless anymore. I was drinking a glass of warm milk when suddenly the question appeared in my mind. It was a little strange for the Crown prince himself to embark on a dangerous journey like this with only one escort.

Julius could have withheld answering. But he spoke easily, as though he trusted me and didn't feel the need to keep a secret from me. "Where do I begin to explain? I heard about snowstorms in Hoiore three months ago."

"Really?" It was around the same time that Sheliak had lost contact with Viscount Hoiore. She had mentioned something about unusual snowstorms.

"Every year in the North, snowstorms cause considerable damage. Especially since Hoiore has its back to the icy mountains at the northern tip, there can even be avalanches on bad years."

It was the fate of the snowy city. Residents of Hoiore adapted to the disasters and lived there anyway.

"That's why we send relief supplies before winter every year so that they have resources. When the snowstorms start, no one can travel to Hoiore."

"Ahh."

"Three months ago, I got a call asking me why I didn't send relief supplies this time."

"You didn't send it?"

"I did. Hoiore is an important estate. I can't make that kind of a mistake."

"Then..."

Julius sighed. "Before I could have it investigated, snowstorms hit the north. Communication was cut off entirely."

Julius' face was full of worry. His heart went out to the people of Hoiore who might have had to endure the snowstorms without relief supplies. I took a sip of the warm milk.