“You’ve finally become a lady. I thought you still would be a brat” she smiled proudly while patting Catalinna’s head. She gazed at everyone before stopping at the shaggy-haired man with a tired expression but handsome nonetheless.

“You must be my daughter’s fiance” she smiled brightly as Lawrence smiled politely “Yes madam, I’m Lawrence von Aenir. I’m quite lucky to be Catalinna’s fiance” he smiled gently at Catalinna as Catalinna herself was shocked at how shameless he was despite kicking her in the arms without holding back. There was no sense of deception on his face as his face is full of love and happiness when staring at her with a slight blush on his face. It was like her body was thrown into a pit full of worms as her face contorted in disgust and repulsion. Still, she hid it from her mother. Her mother instead smiled widely as she was reminded of her deceased husband who was gazing at her like that when they first meet up.

“You’re also lucky to have him, Catalinna.” 

“Of…course mother” she sighed

After that, all of them were invited inside her castle as the inside was covered with black chandeliers as maids and butlers continued cleaning and the chefs are cooking a large feast. In the meantime, each person was assigned their own room except for Catalinna and Lawrence but they didn’t know it yet as Lawrence was in their room first while Catalinna was in her mother’s room. Inside the large room, he started jumping continuously as a light disk appeared before his feet before breaking into small particles of light. He continued doing this non-stop until a knock on the door can be heard. He opened the room to find Catalinna’s mother gazing at him coldly.

With no hesitation, he activated his pendant and vanishes before kicking the window but it started to freeze over as countless ice spikes exploded inside his room.

“I won’t kill you but I’ll only break your arms. The audacity to lie to me” she coldly said with a wave of her hand. Ice spikes emerged from below before exploding upwards but luckily his light disk activated and it didn’t break. A flash of happiness appeared on his face before a large ice crystal was hurled towards his light disk. He dodged the ice crystal by stepping in the light disk beside him that has already formed where his feet landed as the window was destroyed by the ice crystal. With only 10 seconds remaining in his invisibility, he jumped towards the broken window before creating a path made of a light disk in the air towards the forest. Lawrence’s escort was about to head towards his room only to be stopped by countless ice spikes floating in the air that is surrounding them. The Ice Monarch stared at them coldly.

“Don’t worry, I’m only testing the boy. I won’t kill him” she smiled but it didn’t convince his escorts but what can they do. Inside the forest, Catalinna can be seen crossing her arms and waiting for Lawrence to appear.

Yes, she told everything that happened to them, and she devise a plan to act as if she was just teaching him a lesson but she already planned to kill him inside this forest after grabbing the pendant. Lawrence dying wouldn’t affect the story in any way and it would give her the freedom that she wanted. Besides, he’s just an extra and a nobody. The effect of the invisibility waned and despite the fatigue and tiredness that he was feeling, he still has some mana left. As the last light disk appeared, it breaks when he steps on it as he falls to the ground. Luckily, it was not too far from the ground as he didn’t injure his legs. Still, he didn’t have a weapon and he was dead tired. If a monster appeared right now, he shakes his head to remove the thought as he tried sensing the surroundings if there was any sign of danger. He gulps as he just lived for a couple of days here only to die. ‘

It was the fate of the weak I suppose’, he chuckled before a lady with white hair appeared with a beautiful smile plastered on her face. He sighed

“If only you weren’t crazy I would have been happy to spend my time with you” he smiled as Catalinna’s smile twitched before gazing at him with disgust.

“Only crazy ones would spend her time with you” she snickered before revealing a claw of a monster that seems to resemble a bear.

“So you’re really planning on killing me?” Lawrence stared at Catalinna

“Yes” she said solemnly unlike before.

“What can I do for you to not kill me?” he asked

“Nothing” she said coldly.

“Hmm..that’s a problem because. I can’t die yet” he vanished once again before a light beam appeared and crashed towards her forehead, she tried turning her head away but a large wound appeared on her cheeks as she screamed in pain before another light beam appeared behind her, piercing her shoulder as she tried dodging it again. She waved her arms to the side as a fire wave appeared before rushing in that direction but there was no reaction. A finger suddenly appeared in front of her as Lawrence materialize with his finger touching her forehead. When Lawrence was about to fire a light beam, his body freezes from where he is standing. He bit his lips as he forcefully shot the light beam but it only hit the snow as Catalinna was scooped by her mother. She was too fast for him as he can only gaze to  the side to see the injured Catalinna being held by the Ice Monarch before being locked in ice. His cold stare remained the same as he really tried to kill her but his body isn’t listening anymore.

“I’m disappointed with the both of you” it was the last thing he heard before losing consciousness.

He woke up to find himself tied to the bed as he tried breaking out. The ice shackles were too tough for him to break but he didn’t give up.

“Stop that unnecessary movement. I’ll release you after the both of you are done answering me” a woman’s voice rang in the room.

“Forgive me madam but I’m trying my best to survive you see.” he continued on trying to break the shackles until he was too tired to even move. There’s movement beside him only to find out that it was Catalinna who is starting to wake up. Her arms and legs are also locked with ice shackles as she tried breaking the ice shackles and even activating her fist arts and fire affinity together. Still, there were still no signs of melting as a loud sigh interrupted her.

“Both of you are trying to kill each for what exactly?” the Ice Monarch asked

“Mom! he kicked me in my arms that it bruised. He’s abusive, I don’t want to marry him” she said while sobbing but the Ice Monarch stared at her silently before gazing at Lawrence.

“She wanted my necklace so she can offer it to Cain Falmos. To hopefully join his harem” Lawrence sighed as disappointment can be fully seen in the Ice Monarch’s face. “Harem? have you no respect for yourself? men and women should be equal in love and not share it with their other ladies. I’m extremely disappointed in you. I guess leaving you there was the wrong decision” the Ice Monarch sighed

“No, mom you’re wrong. He’s the hero who’s gonna save the world. It’s my fate to follow him in his adventures” she blurted out in panic.

“Then you have to wait for my death before you can join him. I’ll be taking off your enrollment from the academy and you will not leave the north” she said sternly as Catalinna can only cry in her predicament.

“And you young man, you didn’t even hesitate on killing her. She was your soon-to-be bride. If I wasn’t there, she would be a cold corpse right now and you would join my ice sculptures in the basement” The Ice monarch said as Lawrence grew silent before nodding.

‘Killing isn’t always the answer, I should have just run away but my anger got the best of me. Blinded by rage, my body was consumed with killing intent that I didn’t even realize the consequences.’

A sigh escaped from his mouth as he gazed at the sobbing mess that is Catalinna.

‘By now the Ice Monarch would have contacted father about what happened. I would not be surprised if my father decided to remove my enrollment in the academy. At least I won’t have to waste my time socializing with my fellow nobles and subjects that won’t help me. I can just focus on growing stronger here. My goal is to live freely without the shackles of society and power. So this bullshit won’t happen again.’

The annoying sound of crying is driving him insane as he shouted

“Shut up! if it weren’t for you I wouldn’t be stuck here. Besides, you have the audacity to kill me? you’re lucky your mother was there because you would not be laying in bed but in a casket” Lawrence yelled angrily as Catalinna’s eyes widened and she stopped crying, she just started staring at Lawrence.

“Tell me, why are you fixated on Cain? If it weren’t for his system, he would be a lowly peasant right now” Lawrence’s anger added with his original hatred of peasants started to gush out as he glared at the woman who tried to kill him.

“How-how do you know about his system? Don’t tell me” her eyes widened more as shock and disbelief is written on her face

“Yes, dumbass. I’m a reincarnated like you. You think the novel Lawrence would enter that foul-smelling prison just to have fun and check the place out?”

“Then you should know that every artifact is supposed to be his. He’s the hero who would save us. What chapter are you in the novel?” she grew serious as her previous emotions were thrown out the window.

“Chapter 521, the death of the Chaos One”

“You’re missing almost two hundred chapters. There is a third disaster after the chaos one and it’s the emerging of the hell dimension and heaven dimension.”

“What do you mean, are you telling me the story didn’t end there?!”

“I died before I finish writing it so I need to strengthen Cain and help him as I don’t know what will happen next”

“Writing? you’re the author?!” Lawrence’s mouth was agape before shaking his head. It wasn’t important now, the important thing is the author is more knowledgeable than him.

“Then we need to grow stronger”

“we? sorry to say this but Lawrence isn’t talented. I’d rather you give that necklace to someone who can use it and save the world” Catalinma sneered

“Him? save the world? tell me. How many people did he save, a single person cannot save this continent alone. Besides, in the novel. You followers of Cain were greatly shadowed by him that he never needed your help. I have things I want to protect, you’re free to stop me but you already know what’s gonna happen if you do. " Lawrence warned as Catalinna bit her lips in frustration.

“You’re selfish” she muttered

“You’re delusional” Lawrence scoffed before the both of them grow silent. They stayed there for hours without talking or creating a sound. Lawrence started training his light sky steps as he wanted to master them. He can feel the steadiness of the light disk but if he stomped his feet, it cracks and breaks. While Catalinna started burning the ice shackles with her fire fist. Both of them trained for hours without speaking a single word. Finally, after 5 hours stuck in ice shackles. The door opened to reveal the Ice Monarch sternly gazing at the both of them.

“As compensation for the damages you suffered, I’m willing to hear any of your requests as long as it isn’t outrageous” she stared at Lawrence waiting for his answer. “Give me the moonlight crystal flower and a shard from the bones of the ice dragon”

“It seems that you have found out about the death of the ice dragon.” her eyes widened before looking at him with suspicion

“I can only give you the moonlight crystal flower and a bone of a frozen wyvern.” she added as Lawrence nodded. With a wave of her fingers, the ice shackles vanish as Lawrence gazed at Catalinna.

“I’ll be monitoring this room and if the both of you still decided to fight then I’ll throw the both of you to my prison” she sternly reprimanded before leaving the room. An awkward silence emerged as the both of them tried to kill each other earlier. Lawrence gazed at the window before punching it only to find out he can’t break it. There wasn’t even a scratch.

‘She actually let me out as she knew I can’t break the window to leave the premises. I’m too weak, too weak’. He gazed at Catalinna who sat in the bed with her arms hugging her legs. Small droplets of tears can still be found falling on her cheeks but Lawrence didn’t care.

“You should look for the gauntlets of Ignis. Cain won’t use it anyway” Lawrence broke the silence and told Catalinna about the gauntlet. 

“It’s his and I won’t take it” she replied

“Then it’s your choice, I’ll take what I need. I don’t rely on others to survive” he scoffed before leaving the room. Only to find out that it was locked as it was cold to touch. Probably locked in ice on the outside. A sigh escaped from his mouth.