Chapter 1 The City of Qins顿

Qins顿 City, a city-state nestled high in the mountains, was perpetually shrouded in blizzards.

Icy winds raced across the steep ridges, howling and swirling with the rising snow.

The desolate snow-covered highlands stretched like a canvas, with pure white snowflakes dancing in the air, each seemingly alive as they gently spiraled down to settle on the endless snow plains.

Yet, amidst this snowy expanse, signs of life persisted.

Occasionally, animal tracks could be seen, gradually being covered by the wind and snow. At the end of those tracks, a moose stood quietly, gazing in one direction. Suddenly, as if sensing something, it darted away like an arrow released from a taut bowstring.

The blizzard continued to howl.

The undulations and textures of the sprawling snowfield gradually became clearer. In the distance, where the moose had fled, a small speck moved slowly against the wind and snow.

At first, it was barely noticeable, but as time passed, the figure's steps became increasingly frantic, stumbling and nearly falling on the snow.

Accompanied by heavy breathing, a young man in a thick overcoat finally dropped his suitcase, scattering his only presentable noble attire and his identification documents from the south.

His skin was as white as the surrounding snow. His eyes, large and bright, were filled with panic and anxiety. His flaxen hair, usually smooth like that of a young lady from a warm and prosperous southern city-state, was now tangled and disheveled by the wind and snow.

Behind him, four or five agile men were in hot pursuit.

Dressed in heavy hunting clothes and wearing beast-hide hats, their smiling expressions were sinister and cruel. Each step landed heavily on the snow, leaving a trail of deep footprints.

Clearly, they were strong individuals who had lived in this northern city-state for many years. The distance between them and the young man continued to shrink.

The young man's feet sank into the soft snow, each step threatening to swallow him whole.

His breath came in gasps, his cheeks were reddened by the biting wind, but he ran forward relentlessly.

The silence of the snow plains was shattered by the sounds of their pursuit, echoing across the boundless white landscape.

The distant, frozen forest was the young man's lifeline.

He knew that if he could reach the snow forest, there would be a glimmer of hope for escape.

Even if it was faint, it was better than running across this flat snow plain!

"Southern noble missy, come play with us!"

"Don't worry, we won't kill you right away."

Accompanied by the ear-splitting cries of the villainous revelers, arrows and blades flew toward the young man's back from time to time, but they all seemed to miss him by sheer chance, or were deflected by an invisible barrier.

"...!"

The young man gritted his teeth, not daring to look back. He could only judge the distance between himself and the bandits by their voices.

However, the distance was closing much faster than he had imagined.

He would likely be caught by these men long before reaching the snow forest, perhaps even when still quite a distance away!

In the wind and snow, the distance between the young man and his pursuers narrowed. Tension and danger filled the air, but the ruthless snow plains seemed to favor no one—it watched the life-and-death chase impassively, awaiting the outcome.

The law of the snowfield was simple: the strong eat the weak, and only the fittest survive.

Even those from the southern part of the empire had heard of the conditions in the empire's north.

Of course, the south wasn't so stable either.

The north was just even more chaotic due to external threats coupled with the empire's new laws and reforms this year.

After Qins顿 City, a few more cities lay before reaching the northern battlefront. The route from Box Hill Province to Qins顿 City alone was fraught with danger.

The young man's mind was in turmoil. He couldn't tell if his legs were gradually becoming numb from the cold snow, or if they were weak from fear. He was close to giving up.

Several unfortunate events had occurred.

His name was Xia Ya, the eldest son of the Candice Count family from the southern part of the Protoes Empire. His ancestors had performed illustrious military service for the Protoes Empire, but after two generations of prodigal sons, the family was now deeply in debt and struggling to make ends meet.

So now, he was being sent to the north for an arranged marriage.

In a sense, his family was selling him off, but essentially, it was a transaction where both sides benefited.

The Qins顿 family he was to marry into was not lacking.

The lord of Qins顿 City, Viscount Levin Qins顿, was a well-known merchant in the imperial capital in recent years. With his talent, the scale of the family's merchant guild accumulated over many years, and his outstanding martial prowess that allowed him to gain a foothold in the north, his family and this northern city-state were gradually rising to an unstoppable position.

But the only problem with the Qins顿 family, as a family of merchants, was that they were constantly ridiculed as inferior nobles who had bought their way into the aristocracy.

For this reason, Viscount Levin Qins顿 was not well-received by some of the great nobles whenever he went to the imperial capital. Perhaps they simply looked down on him, or perhaps they were jealous. Even in the north, many nobles were ostracizing him.

Xia Ya, even if he was useless in every other way, was still an authentic, ancient noble with indelible military achievements. He just so happened to possess that noble bloodline. His family had made a name for themselves in the history of the Protoes Empire long before the Holy War began.

This was precisely what the Qins顿 family valued.

It was said that his fiancée was a remarkably talented and proud person who had reached the third rank at the age of 17. She would be heading to the Protoes Royal Academy in the imperial capital as a first-year student at the beginning of this summer, becoming a promising noble student.

And his family couldn't even afford his tuition.

If he wanted to be admitted as a special student without paying any fees, he would need exceptional strength.

With his abilities, he would struggle even with the preparatory student exam. He had already failed once. He didn't want to fight others, nor did he want to hurt anyone. He also lacked the confidence to survive in that rigorous school.

The most promising way to get in was as an attendant to the Qins顿 family's miss, his fiancée, and be brought along with her.

But this felt a bit like being a kept man.

Her family had more than enough money to hire a powerful attendant for her.

He didn't even know if she would call off the engagement and send him back home.

Everything was uncertain. He didn't even know if his fiancée was pretty or what her personality was like. Despite the dangerous and strange rumors circulating in the north, he had traveled thousands of miles for a chance to change his fate.

Theoretically, if he could turn the tables in this desperate situation and restore his family's glory in his hands, he would not only have a seat in the Imperial Upper House, but also restore his family to the prominent position they once held in the Protoes Empire's noble circles.

But—

First, the railway was broken, and the bad weather made it difficult to repair. He could have safely traveled directly to Qins顿 City on a magic-powered train protected by the imperial army.

Now, to arrive on time, he had to brave the wind and snow to cross the wilderness and get to the city.

As a result, he had encountered bandits on the road.

(End of Chapter)