CHAPTER 130
The Ice Lord. Iox Lexar.
He had lived his entire life longing for someone.
The person he missed was Vanessa Asteria, a daughter of the Asteria Barony.
In the past, when the world was embroiled in war.
The Asteria Barony was going through incredibly busy days.
The Asterias were merchants of rare genius who, before the war, had amassed enough capital to purchase a barony title.
In this war, too, they had an uncanny nose for the scent of money.
For some, war meant bankruptcy, but for others, it was an opportunity to make a fortune.
By actively utilizing their stockpiled food and war supplies, they raked in money even amidst the chaos of war.
And in the process, they performed their own share of good deeds.
Among them, it was Vanessa, the baron’s daughter, who was most active in rescuing half-bloods.
Other races were protected by their respective tribes.
Half-bloods, on the other hand, belonged to no single tribe and had long been treated as slaves.
Vanessa advocated for the abolition of such evil customs and saved numerous half-bloods in the process.
Iox was one of the half-bloods saved by Vanessa’s charity.
His life saved by Vanessa, he swore to protect her for the rest of his days.
And indeed, he was the one who stayed by Vanessa’s side the longest.
On that day, when Vanessa saved the half-bloods under her protection from a Black Dawn terror attack but failed to return herself.
Iox cursed the world, wailed, and joined the war, freezing countless foes.
Afterward, Iox came to be called the Ice Lord and became an idol for many half-bloods.
But to Iox, it was all meaningless.
The only thing he had ever wanted was Vanessa’s happiness.
For him, who had lived so desperately just to see that happiness, there was nothing left but emptiness.
That was why he lived a life detached from the world.
He regularly visited the Asteria Barony, helping them and visiting Vanessa’s grave.
He could not repay his debt to Vanessa, but he sought to at least repay the Asteria Barony.
He thought he was merely living out a meaningless existence.
That is, until today, when he heard something he couldn't believe with his own ears.
Iox’s hidden white tail shot out from under his clothes and stood on end.
His face was a mask of confusion, as if he couldn't process what he had just been told.
“...An Ability that can bring people back to life?”
Iox was out of touch with the outside world.
Living far from society, he knew nothing of the Saint.
Therefore, he was bewildered by the words of Babiyen standing before him.
Babiyen, who looked so much like Vanessa.
He simply could not believe the Ability possessed by the boy she had introduced.
“Yes, it’s true. You’ll hear stories about Harua as soon as you step out of this village.”
“Hmph. Ice Lord, I will vouch for him.”
Moreover, the Divine Lord, Aigis herself, had personally attested to it.
There was no room for doubt.
“To think such an Ability existed.”
If such an Ability had existed back then, Vanessa could have been saved.
As that thought crossed his mind, Iox froze and slowly lifted his head.
He had belatedly realized why they were telling him this now.
“Lady Babiyen, surely you don’t mean…”
“Yes.”
Babiyen wore a disbelieving expression herself, but she let out a breath and looked back at Harua.
“Harua said he might be able to bring my Great-Aunt Vanessa back to life.”
Iox’s lips moved, but no sound came out.
It was something he had never imagined, and his mind couldn't function properly.
But Babiyen’s face showed she was not lying.
For Iox, who had grown disillusioned with the world after Vanessa’s death.
This news was like the world suddenly opening up to him.
“I…”
Iox spoke, unable to hide the desperation in his voice.
“What must I do?”
He would sell his soul if it meant he could see Vanessa again.
His life had begun the day he met Vanessa.
She was not a person who should have died like that.
She was a person who should have lived for her own happiness.
Faced with Iox’s desperation, Harua gave a slight smile.
It was the smile of a true merchant, one who bartered even with life itself.
“From this point on, I would like you to listen carefully to our story.”
After all, it was going to be a long one.

The Asteria Barony.
Vasia Asteria, a daughter of the house.
After spending the last few days at the Holy Church, begging and not even eating, she boarded the carriage with a hollow expression.
The Holy Church had remained silent, no matter how much money the Asteria Barony poured in.

They said the Saint was extremely busy and, regrettably, could not help.
“...It’s my fault.”
Vasia’s chapped lips parted as she stared out the carriage window.
“It’s all my fault.”
If only she, as the older sister, had understood Babiyen’s feelings even a little, this wouldn't have happened.
What was so important about the family’s honor that she had neglected her own sister?
Belated regret no longer brought tears to her eyes. She had already shed too many tears of regret to have any left.
“Just one more time.”
If she had just one more chance, she would live for Babiyen.
She clasped her hands together in desperation.
She wanted to cling to any god, even ones she didn't normally believe in.
“Lady Vasia, we have arrived.”
At the servant’s words, she stumbled to her feet.
Today was the day she returned to the Asteria estate.
Having not eaten properly for days, she stepped out of the carriage looking lifeless, a shadow of her former self.
As she did, the sound of urgent footsteps reached her ears.
“Vasia!”
“...Mother?”
Vasia looked up in confusion at her mother’s frantic appearance.
Since Babiyen’s death, her mother had been fixated on the Saint.
But today, she was overflowing with a different kind of energy.
“Harua!”
“Pardon?”
“The Holy Mage who was traveling with Babiyen, Harua! He was the Saint!”
“What?”
Vasia asked again, unthinking.
What did that mean?
Harua?
That boy who had come looking for Babiyen that day was the Saint?
Information about the Saint was incredibly scattered.
Perhaps it was because so many of the Saint’s deeds were on such a grand scale.
Even the Asteria Barony was struggling to grasp the correct information.
But her mother, with the sole focus of saving her daughter, had clung tenaciously to every scrap of information and had finally reached the end of the trail.
Harua.
The boy who traveled with Babiyen was, in fact, the Saint.
“What is the meaning of…”
Vasia was bewildered.
If that person was the Saint, why hadn't he saved Babiyen?
The question flashed through her mind.
After all, Harua had seemed quite close with Babiyen.
But her mother had never met Harua in person.
So, even with this information, she didn't question it, but instead clasped her hands and prayed.
“Thank goodness. Thank goodness. Since he knows Babiyen, if we meet him and ask, he’ll surely save her. Oh, thank the gods.”
Vasia was stunned, but she shook her head to clear the confusion.
It was possible he hadn't heard about Babiyen's death.
He had become the Saint in an instant.
It was highly likely he had been too busy to pay attention to the affairs of a minor barony.
“Yes, then we must meet the Saint at once.”
Meet Harua and ask for Babiyen’s resurrection.
Just as Vasia solidified her resolve.
“My Lady, Lady Vasia!”
The butler came running urgently from the main gate.
When the two women turned to him in surprise, the butler gasped for breath and shouted.
“The, the Saint! The Saint has come to visit!”
The moment she heard those words, Vasia bolted outside.
She ran with frantic steps, and soon saw a carriage passing through the main gate.
A carriage bearing the crest of the Holy Church.
The carriage stopped in front of the mansion.
Screech—
A moment later, the door opened and a young man stepped out.
His face was familiar.
Iox Lexar.
The Ice Lord disembarked from the carriage.
As Vasia stood there, unable to comprehend the situation, another young man stepped out.
Black hair and black eyes.
A boy with a pure white holy mage’s robe draped over his back.
Harua.
He got out of the carriage.
Their eyes met, and he looked down at her coldly.
“It’s been a while, Lady Vasia Asteria.”
“S-Saint-nim.”
Vasia instantly understood why he was looking at her that way.
Babiyen had taken her own life.
And it was the Asteria Barony’s fault.
“Back then, you said that for Babiyen, happiness was serving the Asteria Barony. Is this the result you've welcomed?”
The words Vasia had uttered in front of Harua.
Every single one of them came back to her like a dagger.
Vasia’s body trembled.
She couldn't bring herself to open her mouth.

But before she knew it, she was on her knees.
The maids and butler behind her were shocked and tried to help her up, but there was no stopping her.
“I’m sorry. I’ll do anything, anything from now on. I’ll persuade my father, I’ll do whatever it takes, so please, please save Babiyen.”
“You’ll do anything, you say.”
“Yes, I’ll truly do anything! So please!”
“In that case, I have two conditions in exchange for saving Babiyen.”

Harua stepped out of the carriage and walked leisurely forward.
“First, you will no longer treat Babiyen as a pawn of the Asteria Barony. And second, you will give your full and unconditional support to whatever she chooses to do.”
He wasn't asking for any personal reward.
It was all for Babiyen.
Vasia gasped, realizing these were things she had never once done for Babiyen.
“I, I swear it too. Please, I beg you, save my daughter.”
Babiyen’s mother ran up and clung to Harua as well.
Harua looked at the two women’s desperate cries, then lifted his head.
“I am entrusting these two requests to you both. I trust you will persuade Baron Asteria. Ah, and of course.”
Harua’s gaze shifted toward the interior of the mansion.
It was a look directed at Baron Asteria, who hadn't come out but was surely watching from inside.
“If you don't keep your promise, I'll use my reputation to cause a bit of a ruckus. I've been speaking closely with the 2nd Prince recently, you see.”
The 2nd Prince.
The moment that name was mentioned, the sound of a door opening could be heard from somewhere.
Rushing out was none other than Baron Asteria.
Beads of sweat dotted his forehead.
Forging a close relationship with the Imperial Family had been a long-standing goal of the Asteria Barony.
And now, hearing that the Saint, an acquaintance of Babiyen, had a connection to the Imperial Family, he had come running.
“A pleasure to meet you, Baron Asteria.”
“...Th-this is an honor, to meet the renowned Saint-nim.”
“Yes, I heard about you from the Ice Lord.”
Baron Asteria glanced at Iox.
He was wondering why Iox was here with Harua.
“The Ice Lord has recently been appointed as the Captain of the Royal Mages. The 2nd Prince was concerned for my safety, and since Lord Iox also has deep ties to the Asteria Barony, we came together.”
“C-Captain of the Royal Mages?”
“Yes, and Lord Iox has also expressed a desire to take Lady Babiyen as his disciple.”
A look of bewilderment spread across Baron Asteria’s face.
It was only natural, as a series of unexpected events unfolded before him.
“The requests I just made to these two ladies. I trust you will remember them and carry them out.”
When Harua smiled pleasantly, the members of the Asteria Barony forced a smile, sweat trickling down their backs.
“O-of course. We absolutely must.”
The promise was secured.
In any case, it wasn't a bad deal for Baron Asteria.
If Babiyen became the disciple of the Captain of the Royal Mages, appointed by the 2nd Prince, it would create a tremendous connection.
Of course, while he wouldn't be able to directly interfere with Babiyen, he would still enjoy the indirect benefits.
With this, there was no one left in the Asteria Barony who could touch Babiyen. From now on, they were bound to do nothing but endlessly invest in her.

With that, Harua leisurely turned away.
That he didn't realize what his actions meant to Babiyen…
...was, in many ways, a shame for someone so clueless about a woman’s heart.