Baby Prisoner of the Winter Castle Chapter 155

The place where Clarisse fell was in another forest. 

 

Suddenly thrown into a different environment, Clarisse was so bewildered that she looked around with wide eyes for a while.

 

“…Where is this?”

 

The first thing she saw was a huge tree covered in moss. There was a small stream of water flowing next to it, and there were several huge footprints on the receding mud. 

 

It was clear that it wasn’t from an ordinary animal. 

 

“It looks like I’m still beyond the northern wall.” 

 

Clarisse sighed and tried to stand up. 

 

It doesn’t seem like a good idea to be near the water where monsters roam.

 

“Ugh…” 

 

However, due to the lingering pain in her leg, she couldn’t move easily. Moreover, she still felt dizzy, perhaps due to the effects of the magic.

 

Because her legs were shaking, Clarisse leaned against a nearby tree. 

 

‘It’s not the time to stand around like this.’

 

Clarisse urged herself forward, but her body seemed unwilling to listen. 

 

‘Noah…’

 

Even though he knew that the place was a trap, he ran towards it and, unlike usual, was extremely emotional.

 

The red flame magic that bloomed as soon as he saw Clarisse probably didn’t go through a normal process.

 

What consequences could that rash impulse be bringing now? If Noah…

 

‘If Noah… is no longer here.’

 

Her heart grew cold. 

 

She had never thought of it this way.

 

Given Clarisse’s short life span, she always thought she would be the one to ‘leave first.’

 

As she got lost in these fearful thoughts, she somehow couldn’t even breathe properly. 

 

Clarisse only now knew why Noah called her ‘the world.’ That would have been a fact, not a metaphor. 

 

Doesn’t it make her feel so suffocated just thinking about a world where he doesn’t exist?

 

‘But I…’

 

Clarisse clutched her heart, which seemed to be distorted. The words she stubbornly said to Noah came to mind.

 

｢My future… belongs to Grezekaia.｣

 

｢With my life, I will completely end the history of a country.｣

 

How much… Did those words torment Noah? 

 

It was true that she had cherished the duty given to her as the princess of a fallen kingdom. There were times when she had proudly considered it something only she could accomplish. 

 

But if asked whether that duty came before her feelings for Noah…

 

‘I don’t have time to stay like this.’

 

She had to get back to where Noah was quickly.

 

Clarisse took out Mallang that was tightly stuck inside her clothes. 

 

After hiding in Clarisse’s clothes, the magical powers ran out and it returned to its original form. 

 

A little while ago, she couldn’t bring it up because Alstair was with her, but it was different here. 

 

Clarisse leaned her lips against the smooth stone. 

 

“Kuaaa!”

 

But before she could fully channel her magic, a roar loud enough to make the ground shake was heard.

 

As soon as the ringing stopped, the surroundings became quiet.

 

All living things in this area held their breath. Avoid being noticed by ruthless predators.

 

Sshhk, ssk.

 

The sound of footsteps coming across the floor was heard.

 

At the same time, a flock of birds hiding in the leaves flew into the sky.

 

Sshhk, ssk.

 

Another sound made the bushes around Clarisse flutter and shake. 

 

It seemed like a small creature, drawn by the scent of Clarisse’s blood or coming to drink water, was fleeing.

 

The sound of footsteps was getting closer and the speed was also increasing.

 

It now seemed clear that the monster’s target was Clarisse.

 

“…!” 

 

Soon, a monster appeared on top of a huge old tree that seemed to reach the sky.

 

She has seen the illustrations several times while looking at the monster encyclopedia at Sheridan, but the reality was even more terrifying. 

 

The monster had more than ten massive legs and had one large eye all over its head.

 

The creature’s eyes scanned the forest below. As it meticulously searched from left to right for its prey, its gaze suddenly locked with Clarisse’s.

 

Blink.

 

The large eyelids closed and opened.

 

Blink again.

 

“…!” 

 

Caught in its eerie gaze, Clarisse’s body tensed up completely. 

 

One of the monster’s legs began to reach towards her at high speed. 

 

Clarisse almost rolled over, ducking her body behind a huge stone. 

 

The grotesque leg narrowly brushed past her body, grabbing and uprooting a nearby large tree before retreating again. 

 

‘What should I do?’

 

The answer came to mind right away.

 

There was no way she could escape with legs like these.

 

That doesn’t mean she wants to die easily. 

 

Clarisse wanted to live. 

 

She really put all her heart into it, she truly thought so. 

 

This wish was never just about surviving against that monster. 

 

She wanted to live to experience not just the unimaginable nineteen but also the times beyond that. 

 

“…You were right, Mallang.” 

 

Clarisse bowed her head deeply and hugged Mallang preciously. 

 

“I always… wanted to live.” 

 

Admitting to a forbidden desire somehow made her suddenly feel a surge of fear.

 

‘But, still, I…’

 

Clarisse was just happy to be alive even now. 

 

She enjoyed shoveling snow with the people of Sheridan and waiting for a kind friend’s letter to arrive at any moment. 

 

She also liked the countless books she had read over and over again and the mineral friends she met by chance. 

 

And she liked Noah.

 

Clarisse pressed her lips against Mallang, conveying all her sincere feelings, unlike usual. 

 

“I don’t care if it’s not honorable. After all… I wasn’t a princess in Grezekaia.” 

 

However, there were many memories of being recognized simply as ‘Clarisse’. 

 

“If I ever die, I hope to face it… as Clarisse. So, Mallang.” 

 

She slowly parted her lips.

 

“Please, save me.”

 

The brown pebbles connected very slowly, unlike their usual pace.

 

Clarisse realized that Mallang’s words that it could become ‘any shape’ were true. 

 

She heard the sound of the monster moving again.

 

Despite its large eyes, the creature seemed to have poor eyesight, as it failed to notice Clarisse hiding behind the rock. 

 

After the sound of fast footsteps moving recklessly towards the smell of blood, those big eyes finally found Clarisse. 

 

The large eyes blinked again as if checking for prey. 

 

‘It will probably blink again. It did that just a moment ago..’

 

However, contrary to Clarisse’s prediction, the monster stretched its legs at a rapid pace. The sound of the wind splitting came closer and closer. 

 

Clarisse staggered backwards, but compared to the approaching speed, it was almost as if she didn’t move at all.

 

‘I’m going to get caught like this…!’

 

When she closes her eyes and thinks that. 

 

“Coh!”

 

A somewhat unfamiliar yet adorable and reassuring sound that had been by her side all her life now stood in her way. 

 

Clarisse slowly raised her head. 

 

A huge, beautiful stone was majestically blocking her path.

 

“It… was real.”

 

Clarisse looked up at the thick, sturdy legs and the massive torso. 

 

“It’s so cool.”

 

Plus, the particularly small head on it was even cute.

 

“I have never seen such perfect beauty anywhere.”

 

As she admired with pure heart.

 

The monster stretched its legs again. This time, two legs on both sides. 

 

But Clarisse was no longer afraid of that monster. She’s sure Mallang will fight together for Clarisse. 

 

“Cu, cuoo. (I, it’s gross…!)” 

 

“Mhm?”

 

Shaking its small head and shivering, Mallang immediately put Clarisse in his hand and started running through the forest.  

 

“…Mallang?”

 

“Cuo. (Dirty and smelly… I don’t like it because it seems like it’ll stick to me.)” 

 

“That, I don’t want you doing things you don’t like either.”

 

Clarisse felt like she was about to cry for some reason in Mallang’s cold hands.

 

With great anticipation, she had sent her magic, but the conclusion of it fleeing left her feeling somewhat disappointed and yet… amused.

 

Suddenly, the gap between them and the monster was widening.

 

The monster’s steps were slowing down, as if it was unable to use its strength away from the water.

 

Clarisse lifted her head high and looked at the monster all the while, then looked up again at Mallang that was holding her dearly. 

 

Clarisse had always been the one carried, so the roles being reversed now felt both fascinating and intriguing to her.

 

As the Golem Master realized that anything was truly possible with the stone, she even gained a vague courage that she wasn’t afraid of anything. 

 

“Mallang.”

 

“Cuoh?”

 

“Do you know the direction Noah is?”

 

“Coh.”

 

Mallang glanced around briefly, then nodded its head. It seemed to have received an answer from the nearby wind or rocks.

 

“Can you hurry it up a bit?”

 

“Coh.”

 

“Magic? Of course.”

 

As Clarisse stretched her hands high, Mallang lifted her up until it rested on its forehead. 

 

Clarisse held the huge rock in her arms and gently kissed its familiar surface.

 

“Coo!” 

 

“Kyaaa!”

 

Mallang could no longer run, so it started jumping as if it was going to fly high into the sky.

 

Every time it landed with a bang, white dust rose up, turning the area into a mess. 

 

‘Come to think of it, even when it was small, it could jump from the floor to the window sill all by itself…’

 

Just when Clarisse was thinking that. 

 

Somehow, Mallang, who felt like a god, soared skyward to the point where the earth seemed small.

 

For some reason, it seemed like she would reach Noah any time soon.

 

And when she met him…

 

‘There is so much that needs to be said. So please, please…!’

 

Clarisse prayed that he was okay and that she still had a chance to make things right for her.