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nThe luminescent screen was broadcasting a conversation between Seraphina and the Count of Stoneheart, cleverly…edited and adjusted.

nThe dialogue revealed a piece of information —

nHydral was publicly promoting his greatness while secretly sending people to make the nobles pay for the coal costs, gaining immense fame without any expenditure.

nThe source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

nThis scene even drew out the impoverished citizens who were hiding in their houses, their faces filled with disbelief as they stepped onto the cold streets, staring at the repeating images.

n“What… what is happening?”

n“This is fake! The nobles are slandering Lord Hydral!” freēwēbnovel.com

n“But, but that girl… isn’t she one of Lord Hydral’s most trusted subordinates?”

nA chilling silence, colder than the winter itself, spread across the white streets.

nSeraphina looked at the luminescent screen in absolute terror, her entire body, from skin to muscle, from muscle to meridians, from meridians to bones, every part, every cell, trembling in shock.

nShe had never, never felt such fear before.

n“Ha ha… ha ha ha ha!”

nA shrill, aged laughter echoed across the desolate snowfield. A pale-faced old man staggered out of his dilapidated wooden door and fell into the snow:

n“It’s all fake… all fake! From Lienner to Lunter, from Furbesent to Cantrell, and now Hydral… What has changed over the years? Nothing!”

nHe pointed at the young people who had come outside, trembling all over, staring at the screen in a daze, and laughed madly:

n“You actually believed the nobles’ lies! All these years, all these nobles, didn’t they all promise this and that at the beginning… So, now that Hydral has given you some sweeteners, you think he’s really a good person?”

n“They never care about us!”

nThe desperate cry of near-bloodshed echoed in the sky. The old man’s hands sank into the snow, tears streaming down his face:

n“Mel… my Mel, you actually believed that beastly noble would save us, it should be me who dies, it should be me… why…”

nHe held his head, sobbing pitifully.

nIt was like a dream.

nLiving, or rather, surviving in this impoverished area, spending their numb days without any hope, it was as if they had had a beautiful but short dream.

nThey believed so sincerely that the young noble, kind and gentle, yet not lacking in thunderous methods, would bring them a better future.

nThat day, that impassioned, inspiring speech was still vivid in their minds.

nHe clearly said that if fate wanted the Grim Reaper to take their lives, then he would make them survive in the cold wave.

nThe people at the scene, looking at this screen, one by one gradually collapsing, indeed survived.

nBut what about those who didn’t survive?

nThose who were moved by your promises and sincerity, who were inspired, who looked forward to the future, who praised you wholeheartedly?

nHow many people, in order to reduce the consumption of heat, were forced to step into the snow, to seek help, to embark on the road to death?

nWho would those ice sculptures be? Whose husband, whose wife, whose child, whose relative, whose friend?

nA dark tide began to engulf everything.

nSeraphina stood up. She couldn’t let this go on, this was clearly… this was clearly her fault! It had nothing to do with Hydral! It was her idea to make the nobles bear all the costs, not Ansel…

n…No, Ansel?

nIn a daze, Seraphina’s mind flashed with her sister’s furious expression, the unmerciful slap, and… Ansel’s smirk.

nWait, why…

nWhy didn’t Ansel and my sister stop me?

nThey knew, why… didn’t they stop me?

nWhen this extremely terrifying thought rose from Seraphina’s mind, threatening to destroy her remaining self, she suddenly felt a pain in the back of her head.

n“…It’s you.”

nThe girl, trembling all over, holding a long iron rod in her hand, bit her lip and roared, “It’s you! You killed my father, it’s you!”

nBang! Bang! Bang!

nThe frail and petite body, under the despair and rage, burst out with a strength she should not have had. The girl swung the iron rod and hit Seraphina’s back of the head hard.

n“Die… die! I actually saved you, I actually thought… you were like me… go to hell! Beast! Go to hell!”

nEven after experiencing merciless self-torture, this level of attack couldn’t really harm Seraphina, but the hysterical screams and unreserved blows left Seraphina with no will or strength to resist.

nThe weakness and collapse of her spirit made her lose the strength she was proud of.

nShe was so nice to me just now, and now… she wants to kill me.

nAh… isn’t this natural? It’s my own fault.

nAmong those who died, there was her father.

nSeraphina, whose consciousness was already chaotic, fell to the ground, thinking vaguely.

nIf only she could really kill me.

nThat way, she might feel a little better.

nThe battered wolf silently endured one blow after another. The little girl’s hands were worn out, the iron rod was bent, but it didn’t cause any real harm to her.

n“…Is she dead?”

nThe girl was panting heavily, looking at the girl who had collapsed on the ground and was motionless, and kicked her in the stomach viciously.

n“Spit!”

nShe spat a mouthful of sweet saliva on Seraphina’s face: “Just die outside… no, dying is too easy for you, there are disgusting guys in the outer city… I’m going to throw you out there, even if you die, let them ruin you!”

nThat intense, bone-chilling terror and malice made Seraphina’s heart start to convulse.

nShe didn’t dare to open her eyes to look at the little girl’s face, she was afraid that once she opened her eyes, what she would see would not be a person, but a demon.

nSeraphina felt her body being dragged bit by bit, but it seemed that the little girl, who had used too much force to hit Seraphina just now, had no strength to continue dragging after a couple of pulls.

n“It’s okay… huff… I can just call them… you have to pay the price, you… all… all of you!”

nThe little girl, panting, pushed the door and went out, leaving Seraphina lying on the ground in silence, curled up.

nWhy… is all this happening?

nThinking this, she heard the dense footsteps outside.

nBut they were not coming towards the house, but… crossing the street.

nIt seemed that many people, more and more people, were coming out of their houses, braving the trembling cold, and taking to the streets.

nSeraphina heard… their shouts:

n“Go find Hydral!”

n“Go find Hydral!”

n“Go find Hydral!”

nAngry, confused, fearful, lost, desperate… shouts.

nThe deceived, falling from hope into despair, the poor people, shouted like this, in this snowy world, forming a dark tide, surging out.

nWhat gave them the courage? No one knew. Maybe it was because Hydral had never hurt any civilians, maybe it was because they had never seen Hydral’s army and thugs, maybe… maybe it was just because of their shattered faith, and the reason that turned into dust.

nThe little girl didn’t bother with Seraphina anymore, maybe because she had also voluntarily thrown herself into this rolling black tide, to find an explanation from the culprit.

nAfter the shouting, everything returned to silence.

nAnd in this silence, Seraphina, who no longer wanted to think about anything, suddenly opened her eyes.

nShe propped herself up, staggered to her feet with great difficulty, under her dirty and disheveled hair, her dark red, lightless eyes, in her fragility… still retained the last bit of strength.

n“I can’t… die here, it can’t end like this.”

nThe wolf licked her wounds, spat out blood and bitterness, and gritted her teeth.

n“The answer… I need to find the answer from Ansel and my sister.”

n“And at least… at least…”

nShe dug her nails into her palm, letting the still hot blood stimulate her senses.

n“At least, Seraphina…”

nThat unyielding wildness, on the brink of her collapse, still shone with light.

n“You absolutely can’t escape like this, your responsibility.”

n“All this… must be borne by me!”

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