As the cold winds of the Icy Omniverse howled through the barren wasteland, the weight of Arfrotian’s declaration lingered in the frozen air. His words, firm and absolute, had reshaped the very essence of Glacialix’s existence.

  For the first time in her life, she felt something that truly mattered. Not a meaningless duty forced upon her by the wills of others, not the burden of guarding a cursed spear, nor the obligation to serve an entire Omniverse. No—her purpose was now singular, absolute, and undeniably personal.

  She belonged to Arfrotian.

  The realization struck her deeper than any past revelation. The comfort and solace she had long sought but never found—it had always been waiting for her in the form of this man. A slow, secret smile formed on her lips, something she hadn’t truly felt in eons. Ah, Master just said to me to be his solely… she thought to herself, almost giddy.

  In the past, she had devoted herself to the Eternal Frostheart, believing it was a sacred duty, only to learn that she had been nothing more than a pawn, a tool for those who sought to control her. But in the end, if that false purpose had led her to this—to him—then maybe it hadn’t been worthless after all.

  But there was no time to dwell on emotions, not when a greater purpose awaited them.

  Arfrotian exhaled, the cold mist of his breath merging with the frozen air. "Well, now that you’ve settled down, can we finally get moving to Rodentia Megaverse, my Ice Queen?" His voice held a teasing edge, his usual composed demeanor returning.

  Glacialix blinked, realizing she had been caught up in her own thoughts. Then, his words struck her like lightning.

  "We were traveling there when someone cried and shouted through existence and then fell down, I suppose?"

  Her face turned red as she realized he was referring to her. She had completely lost control of herself earlier, her emotions overwhelming her to the point of collapse. She laughed awkwardly, trying to shake the embarrassment away. "I-I guess, Master… We should go. Hop behind me—"

  Before she could finish, Arfrotian interrupted with a knowing smirk. "Hmm, so you’re still going to carry me in your human form, Glacialix? That means I should say, in your human form, your back is too soft… Like, totally addictive."

  Glacialix’s entire body froze—not from the cold, but from pure shock. Her mind replayed his words over and over, her face turning from a light blush to a deep crimson. Too soft? Addictive?

  Then, the realization struck her like a comet.

  She had been carrying him this entire time in her human form—not her phoenix form—which meant…

  Arfrotian had been pressing himself against her back, his arms wrapped around her neck, holding onto her as she flew.

  Glacialix’s brain short-circuited.

  Steam practically poured out of her ears as she stumbled back, her mind screaming in pure mortification. JUST HOW INTIMATE WAS THAT POSITION!?

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  Her heart pounded as she buried her face in her hands. "MASTER!!!" she shrieked, her voice echoing across the icy land. "WHY DIDN’T YOU LET ME KNOW THAT I HADN’T CHANGED INTO MY PHOENIX FORM?!?"

  Arfrotian couldn’t help himself—he laughed. A deep, rich chuckle that only flustered her further. "Well," he mused, "I guess it’s because you’re my Ice Queen. Should such a small act be counted as intimate?"

  SMALL ACT?!

  Glacialix’s mind exploded.

  WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN IT WAS A SMALL ACT, MASTER?!?

  WHAT MORE DID YOU WANT FROM ME?!?

  YOU JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND—IT WAS MY FIRST TIME GIVING ANYONE A RIDE ON MY BACK AND THEN—NOT ONLY WAS HE RIDING ME—BUT IN MY HUMAN FORM!!!

  She couldn’t take it. Her head was about to melt, despite being an ice phoenix.

  Arfrotian, completely enjoying the sight of his flustered and adorable Ice Queen, shook his head in amusement. Just moments ago, she had been lost in sorrow, broken beyond words. And now? Seeing her embarrassed, burning up like this—it reassured him that she was still the same Glacialix he knew.

  But time was slipping away. He exhaled, his tone shifting back to seriousness. "As much as I’d love to stand here and enjoy your cute reactions, we need to go, Glacialix."

  Glacialix peeked through her fingers, her face still burning, but she knew he was right. Slowly, she lowered her hands, still flustered but determined.

  Arfrotian took a step closer, his gaze locking onto hers. His voice was low but firm. "My Ice Queen, it’s high time we go there."

  As if his words were a divine command, Glacialix instinctively shifted into her phoenix form—this time making sure to do so—as Arfrotian leaped onto her back. Unlike before, now he had a proper seat—a soft, feathery cushion that made for an unexpectedly comfortable ride.

  As Glacialix soared through the sky, Arfrotian mused aloud, "You know, I never knew the back of a phoenix could be so soft. Like, honestly, this could be used as a bed…"

  Silence.

  "Glacialix?"

  Still, no response.

  Arfrotian glanced at her phoenix face, and even though it was covered with feathers, he could feel the heat radiating from her body.

  Her face was burning red.

  He smirked. So she’s still flustered… Cute.

  But his amusement didn’t last long. His mind shifted back to more serious matters.

  "Alright," he said, his tone darkening, "let’s get back to business. You remember how Zenian returned to the Ice Temple, trying to wield the Eternal Frostheart again? Even after failing once?"

  Glacialix, shaking off her embarrassment, focused. "Yes, Master. But how could he have come back? He had already been cast down. There’s no way he could have risen back to his former glory without help…"

  "Exactly," Arfrotian confirmed. "And who do you think helped him?"

  Glacialix’s brows furrowed. "...Someone from outside the Icy Omniverse?"

  "Not just someone," Arfrotian corrected. "An Omniversal Ruler."

  Glacialix’s breath hitched. "An Omniversal Ruler…? But why? What could they possibly gain from helping Zenian?"

  Arfrotian’s eyes gleamed coldly. "Think. What’s the only thing that an outsider couldn’t claim for themselves? The Eternal Frostheart."

  Glacialix’s mind raced. "Because… only an insider, the people of this Omniverse can wield it," she realized.

  Arfrotian nodded. "Precisely. Zenian may have been a failure, but at least the spear responded to him. And that’s what makes him valuable. But the real goal? It’s not the spear itself."

  Glacialix’s heart pounded. "...Then what is it?"

  Arfrotian’s voice was chilling. "Eterna."

  The name struck her like a dagger. "Eterna…? You mean…!"

  Arfrotian nodded grimly. "The Eternal Frostheart still holds a fragment of Eterna’s essence. That Omniversal Ruler—whoever they are—wants to use it to track her real body. To claim her."

  Glacialix’s stomach churned. "Disgusting."

  The thought of someone lusting after Eterna, treating her as an object of conquest, made her sick to her core. The sheer audacity, the arrogance—it was vile.

  Her wings flared, and her voice was filled with venom. "Master, if we find out who this bastard is, let me deal with them personally. I want to freeze them into oblivion."

  Arfrotian smirked. "Then let’s make it happen, my Ice Queen."

  And with that, they soared forward, their purpose now crystal clear.