It wasn't that the fake heart—the one that had sacrificed a white horse—had been seen through; in fact, Arcturus hadn't even spared the token a single glance.
Upon learning that the frost-walkers had returned to report their success, his first action was to head to the castle and request the Queen use the magic mirror once again.
This did not require racking his brains to persuade the Queen, for the Queen of Midwinter herself intended to do exactly that.
And so, at yet another meeting, while the assembly waited with bated breath, the Queen summoned the magic mirror from behind the curtain and asked:
"Magic mirror, magic mirror, tell me, who is the most beautiful in this land?"
"My Queen, you are the most beautiful in the Midwinter Kingdom; however, Snow White, who has gained the loyalty of the frost-walkers, is more beautiful than you!"
When the magic mirror's shrill voice rang out, the audience chamber immediately erupted into chaos.
"This is preposterous!"
"The frost-walkers... how could the frost-walkers..."
"Impossible!"
"..."
Some were shocked, some panicked, some looked as if they were mourning their own parents, and some were as pale as death.
In short, everyone felt as if the sky was falling.
That Snow White was not dead was not particularly surprising; if the dragon's curse were truly that easy to break, it would be a slight against the long centuries of suffering the Midwinter Kingdom had endured.
What the ministers truly could not accept was that Selena had not only survived but had somehow gone to the frost-walker base and reclaimed these "friendly neighbors" who had coexisted with the Midwinter people since ancient times.
What did the frost-walkers mean to the Midwinter Kingdom?
It was no exaggeration to say that the Midwinter Kingdom's current transcendent status was entirely brought about by the frost-walkers. This legacy gave the kingdom's antiquity an unshakable weight.
Without the military protection of the frost-walkers, where would the Midwinter Kingdom find the confidence to act as a suzerain to the surrounding kingdoms?
"The curse... has finally spread to the frost-walkers after all."
Arcturus sighed softly. Compared to his panicked colleagues, his attitude was much calmer, as if he had expected this situation long ago.
Although the first Princess of Midwinter was the unquestioned master of the frost-walkers, after the curse, the frost-walkers no longer fully recognized the entity on the throne as the original princess. Consequently, their attitude had always been delicate.
The frost-walkers would still protect this land and would dispatch some low-tier constructs to follow the royal family's orders.
It was a sort of quantum state of recognition—acknowledged but not fully—and the relationship had shifted from vassalage to alliance.
Previous queens had tried to reclaim the frost-walkers, but they had never succeeded. How did Selena manage it the moment she went there?
Was this generation's Snow White the most special? Special in what way, exactly?
Thinking it over, the only explanation that made sense was that the range of the dragon's curse had expanded.
It wasn't enough for Snow White's beauty to bewilder mortals of flesh and blood; was it now refusing to spare even bodies of metal?
"We have failed again."
The dark-green-haired prime minister stepped forward and spoke to the Queen behind the curtain.
"Your Majesty, there is no doubt that the kingdom is now plunged into a civil war. We must annihilate the frost-walkers to prevent the further spread of the curse."
"Destroy the frost-walkers?!"
"Lord Arcturus, what are you saying?"
"The frost-walkers are the kingdom's protection! Without them, how are we to defend against enemies?"
"..."
Even the prime minister's supporters couldn't help but be shocked by this proposal.
Facing his frantic colleagues, Arcturus frowned and shouted, "Is there any other way? Don't tell me you intend to just sit here and wait for the slaughter? This generation's Snow White has already influenced the frost-walkers. What about the next generation? The one after that?"
"Even if we surrender now, the future 【Snow White】 will eventually incite the frost-walkers to rebel."
"We must kill the Princess, and along with her, every ancient alchemical creation must be crushed!"
The prime minister's words rang out with powerful conviction, snapping those who still harbored delusions back to reality.
Previously, the Midwinter Kingdom had often erupted into civil wars, but no matter how fierce they were, they were just petty squabbles between humans. The frost-walkers would always emerge at the end to clean up the mess; whether it was restoring production or resisting foreign enemies, everything could be left to the constructs.
But if they also joined the civil war...
Boom! The Iron Rebellion has arrived.
"...Lord Arcturus, you are right. But how are we to fight them?"
No one could oppose the prime minister's proposal anymore, but another difficult problem lay before them.
"If it were ordinary frost-walkers, we might manage. But within the Mountain Father, there are Titan frost-walkers standing guard. The Midwinter Kingdom cannot afford the losses of a war against Titans!"
This question was so sharp that the hall fell into an immediate silence.
Just then, the Queen spoke.
"Lord Arcturus, you seem quite composed. Do you have some form of support?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. You have been in seclusion, so you may not know, but a few days ago, a visiting document reached the kingdom's border. A force wishes to enter the kingdom."
Arcturus raised his head and announced a name no one expected.
"It is the grail knights."
"The grail knights?!"
Arcturus continued, "To be precise, it is a force commissioned by the Lady of the Lake to help our country resolve the curse. Led by Lord Dathrohan of the grail knights, they will assist us in confronting the frost-walkers."
The Queen's face, hidden behind black gauze, could not be seen, but her voice was clearly trembling.
"Resolve... the curse?"
The prime minister confirmed, "Yes. This was spoken by the Lady of the Lake herself. The fundamental reason the Midwinter Kingdom has suffered from this curse for so long is that existences like the frost-walkers are... inherently blasphemous remnants from ancient times. Only by destroying them all can the curse be solved once and for all."
The dark-green-haired youth spread his arms and spoke to his colleagues in an infectious voice.
"Compatriots! Think about it. Have not all the disasters of the Midwinter Kingdom been due to the dragon's curse? If we can dispel the curse, even without our ancestors' legacy, we Midwinter people can still build this nation into a prosperous and flourishing one with our own two hands!"
"And the promise made personally by the Lady of the Lake, the assistance of the grail knights—there is no reason to distrust these things. If this is our only chance to dispel the curse, we must consider whether we can grasp it."
Arcturus finally knelt before the throne, touching his head to the floor, and said firmly, "Your Majesty, I will not overstep my bounds as a subject or use my life to coerce you. I have simply relayed the facts exactly as they are. Whatever decision is made rests entirely upon Your Majesty's decree! No matter the final outcome, my conscience is clear!"
The Queen of Midwinter did not look at the prime minister. From a moment ago, she had only been whispering a single word.
"The curse... the curse..."
After a long period of contemplation, the Queen, with her sorrowful yet enchanting aura, raised her hand and spoke.
"The assistance of the Lady of the Lake... there is no reason to refuse. If the curse can be eliminated in this generation... everything will be worth it."
"We obey your decree!"
Having received permission, the prime minister immediately rose and led the main ministers out of the audience chamber, issuing orders with swift efficiency.
"Open the borders. Allow Lord Dathrohan's forces into the country. Then, mobilize the kingdom's standing army to head for the Mountain Father."
"The objective: destroy all frost-walkers, and... kill Snow White."
Rate on N.U.
