SM Chapter 70

70. Now Is the Time

 

Baloch Castle had fallen into silence. The near-total absence of personnel, aside from the newly assigned attendants, played a role, but more than that, the lack of any news from the search parties was suffocating.

Yet, no one dared to voice their worries.

That was thanks to Bianca, who remained composed as she guarded Baloch’s main stronghold.

“This castle’s garden is larger than I thought. Perhaps we should cultivate the land instead?”

“The main castle’s garden belongs solely to the Duchess. You may do as you please.”

Bianca wasn’t just organizing documents; she was constantly considering the future management of the estate.

“The cost of purchasing emergency crops is no small matter. Maybe this is an opportunity to grow them ourselves.”

Silence fell over the office at her words.

It was an absurd idea to turn the garden into farmland. But they had to think carefully.

Baloch, located in the farthest northern reaches of the continent, had little arable land. Most of its territory was allocated to fortifications, making comparisons to other domains meaningless.

“Baloch is in a unique situation.”

“There are no supply issues,” the butler cautiously responded.

“For now. But how long can we rely on that?”

“That’s why we source from multiple regions.”

His words were vague, but everyone present understood what he meant. They couldn’t allow the imperial court to control them through food supplies.

“It wouldn’t hurt to consider the possibility that all our supply lines could be cut off.”

‘Would it really go that far?’ The butler’s gaze silently asked.

Bianca knew it sounded extreme. But preparation was necessary. The Emperor had always harbored jealousy toward Baloch—far deeper and more insidious than most realized.

She knew it better than anyone.

The Emperor had summoned her almost daily, using her as an outlet for his frustrations, as if his previous outbursts weren’t enough.

It was an obsessive, bone-chilling envy.

Wasn’t it clear enough from how he had recklessly get rid of Sylas Baloch without any plan?

People might think it was over, but Bianca knew better.

For now, the Emperor was restrained by public scrutiny and the ongoing Wave, but that wouldn’t last.

She, who was supposed to be dead, was still alive.

And the Emperor, humiliated by the collapse of his own palace, would not let things rest.

By spring, perhaps even earlier, something would happen.

And if he wanted to pressure Baloch efficiently, he would start by cutting off their supply lines.

This wasn’t just speculation; it was certain.

“Clear the land. It’s my personal domain, so I won’t listen to any objections.”

Bianca handed a document to the butler.

“If we prepare through winter, we can begin cultivation by spring.”

“What crops should we prioritize?”

“Find options that are both viable for the northern climate and suitable as food sources. I’ll decide from those.”

“Yes, my lady.”

As the butler pulled out his pocket watch, Hailey, as if waiting for this moment, asked,

“Where shall we prepare lunch?”

It was deliberate.

But instead of calling them out, Bianca pushed her paperwork aside and rose from her seat.

“We’ll eat in the third-floor drawing room.”

“I’ll make arrangements immediately.”

“After lunch, we’ll resume work. Everyone, be back here afterward.”

“Yes, my lady.”

For days now, early-morning meetings had stretched on without rest.

Bianca’s face was growing gaunt.

Yet no one suggested she take a break.

They all knew why she was pushing herself like this.

It had been a full week since Jillian disappeared.

What Bianca needed now wasn’t empty words of comfort but work, something to occupy her mind.

And so, they let her bury herself in it. Bianca was aware of this, too.

She felt a twinge of guilt for dragging everyone along in her relentless pace, but there was no other choice.

She repeated to herself who she was.

She was the other ruler of Baloch.

She couldn’t afford to break.

Until Jillian returned safely, she had to endure and protect Baloch.

She kept herself too busy to dwell on it, but the creeping anxiety never fully went away.

Whenever it surfaced, she clung to the memory of Jillian’s promise that night.

‘This time, I won’t be late.’

He said he’d come back if she waited.

So please…

Come back now.

Bianca closed her eyes. No matter how much she worked, the days still felt unbearably long.

 

***

 

‘She waited for me.’

Had she cried?

It felt like only moments ago that he had been buried beneath the collapsing fortress and lost consciousness.

But a whole week had passed.

Jillian felt lightheaded.

Now, he understood why the knights around him looked so exhausted.

“What’s the state of the ice wall?”

“There are no signs of further cracks yet.”

“With the amount it unleashed, it seems it’ll remain stable for now.”

Jillian nodded as Creta draped a cloak over his shoulders.

He wasn’t sure what had happened, but too much time had passed.

The Wave struck three times every winter, but its timing and scale were unpredictable.

At least, during the week he had been buried, the final Wave hadn’t occurred. That was a relief.

Still, he couldn’t shake off his frustration at the wasted time.

But time was one thing even he couldn’t control.

“…Good. But keep monitoring it regularly.”

‘She waited for me.’

The words echoed in his mind.

His focus wavered, but he forced himself not to say anything foolish.

“How are the knights?”

“They’ve suffered from the cold, but they’re not in critical condition.”

“For now, station only the minimal numbers of guards. Have everyone else focus on recovery.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And…”

Jillian trailed off, his gaze sweeping past the window.

Snow blanketed the ruins of the collapsed fortress, turning the landscape into a vast white mountain range. From this distance, the seventh fortress seemed like a mere mirage.

A whole week.

Even as he repeated it to himself, it still stung.

If only he had regained consciousness right after the Wave had ended. If only he had reacted quicker.

Now that he had confirmed the state of the monsters, the destruction of the fortress felt even more regrettable. But if they rushed the restoration, his knights might end up facing the next Wave completely exhausted.

Jillian closed his dry, aching eyes for a brief moment before issuing his orders in a calm voice.

“We won’t rebuild the fortress. But facing the Wave without any cover is too dangerous. Move the debris and stack it up as makeshift barriers.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And bring me a messenger bird.”

With the urgent matters settled, it was time to send word back to the castle—

“You need a horse, not a bird.”

At Creta’s unexpected response, Jillian’s face stiffened.

“A horse?”

His golden eyes flared, molten and intense.

Creta wasn’t joking in the slightest.

“You need to go back yourself. The search teams have pulled almost all personnel from the main stronghold.”

“…”

“If there’s any sign of danger, we’ll send a bird right away. But if we’re unlucky, you might have to turn back mid-journey…”

“Bring me a horse.”

Jillian cut him off and strode forward without hesitation.

None of the commanders around him stopped him.

“Rest as much as you can while the snow isn’t falling.”

No, they couldn’t stop him.

The urgency on Jillian’s face made it impossible to tell him to stay put and recover.

Ironically, the storm that had raged so fiercely had stopped not long after Jillian was found.

For the first time in a while, the sky was a clear, piercing blue.

 

**”

 

“How pitiful.”

Izar smirked as he watched Bianca, who stood in the garden with her chin lifted high.

It had been a full week since the Duke had gone missing.

With the massive number of knights deployed in the search, no one was unaware of this news.

The entire Baloch territory was on edge.

The exiled princess, who had once cast him aside so ruthlessly, showed no outward distress.

But that was just a mask.

She had realized that her position had crumbled beyond repair.

Every day, every hour, the life seemed to drain from her face.

Her pallid complexion, her ever-thinning frame… it all made her look utterly wretched.

And yet, even in that state, Bianca still shone. The paleness of her face only added to her tragic beauty.

Her fragile, almost breakable body exuded a delicate charm. And her stubborn refusal to crumble, despite her condition, made her irresistibly captivating.

If only she would break down. If only she would lash out.

But Bianca remained unchanged.

Just as she had always been—fading, yet upright.

And that made her all the more perilous.

Izar’s gaze deepened as he watched her.

This was enough.

She had proven her resolve. And he had waited long enough. They had both done their part.

“The snow has stopped… Shall we take her tonight?”

This barren, frigid land didn’t suit her.

That stubborn little thing would rather freeze to death here than reach out for help.

A delicate flower like her belonged in the South.

In Cartan, where wealth and warmth would allow her to bloom in full splendor.

He wouldn’t let her wither away, buried under the falling snow.

I won’t let you die.

The Duke was gone.

Most of the knights had been deployed.

The castle was nearly empty.

And now, the snowfall had ceased.

Now is the time.

It felt as if fate itself was urging him forward.

The thought of finally having her made his heart pound.

Izar took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

As he exhaled, his breath fogged the window—erasing Bianca’s image from view.

 

***

 

“When shall we retrieve her?”

“When the moon is at its peak.”

“I’ll make the preparations.”

A voice answered from behind as Izar, pulling back the curtain slightly, peered out at the night sky.

“What about the guards?”

“The repeated disturbances have left them exhausted. Their vigilance has weakened.”

For nights, mysterious noises had echoed through the castle. They were subtle enough to be dismissed as mere wind but just suspicious enough to keep them on edge.

The first had been right outside the princess’s window.

After that, they had occurred all over the castle, at random times.

Her guards had spent the past several nights chasing shadows, getting little to no rest.

“They must be utterly drained by now.”

“Let them sleep well tonight.”

At Izar’s command, a dark figure silently vanished into the night.

And when it reappeared, it was on the third floor of the ducal castle.

The shadow was moving without a sound as It advanced through the darkness, until it suddenly halted.

knights stood on watch in the corridor. One at each side of the door.

Unlike usual, exhaustion weighed heavily on their faces.

A week ago, when the Duke went missing, most of the main castle’s forces had been deployed as search teams.

There was no adequate replacement.

One of the knight’s eyelids drooped.

He struggled to keep his head from nodding forward.

“…Just rest for a bit. I’ll keep watch.”

The unexpected voice jolted him awake.

“Henry?”