The Snow Queen Chapter 5

“Courtbique is dead.”

“Well, isn’t that a good thing? It was expected anyway. Turn this into an opportunity.”

“No, no. It’s troublesome. They’ve set a double trap. If we expose it, we’ll be hit with a nasty scandal. Those despicable fellows!”

“A double trap?”

“…Courtbique was with the queen. They attacked precisely at that moment. You didn’t catch that, did you? It’s unsettling.”

“Such errors aren’t uncommon. No need to be surprised. It’s likely the spontaneous plan of an assassin. Quite clever. I’ll have to read through it again. Have you shaken hands with Wolfscott?”

“Of course.”

“Check his hand. See if you can gather any clues.”

“Well? If possible, gather information on the assassin as well. The queen mentioned he was a young noble. She said his face was hidden behind a mask.”

“Wait and see.”

I focused my mind.

“Wolfscott says this incident is just a warning and is smiling. But… behind him… there’s a dark aura lurking. Perhaps that dark aura is the assassin. It’s not clear. The dark aura… feels sharp and cruel.”

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m seeing Wolfscott through the lens and through him, I see the dark aura. It’s difficult to grasp the exact intention of the dark aura. As you know well, this is a limitation. Even with third-level insight, if it’s so clear, it doesn’t seem like Wolfscott and I are close. Do you have any idea who it might be?”

“If Wolfscott, who’s so suspicious, keeps someone as close as a foot soldier, it must be his bodyguards. They’re the Guiger sergeants, not just one or two. Could it be his cronies? Seems unlikely. They’re just thugs who kidnap and beat up third-rate nobles and adventurers.”

Guiger sergeants…

I rubbed my forehead with a wooden branch, lost in thought. I had encountered them face to face a few weeks ago. As the leaders of Guiger, they were men shrouded in secrecy to the point of not knowing each other’s names. They were said to be called by nicknames derived from the names of beasts. They usually disguised themselves as ordinary soldiers and always wore death masks when appearing in public, so even their faces were unknown to ordinary people.

Occasionally, in Wolfscott’s thoughts, there were words about the sergeants. Phrases like “arrogant bastards” or “this time it was quite something” came up.

I put down the oak branch and unfolded my consultation notes.

“Is there any chance we could make contact with them?”

“It’s difficult. They’re trained professionals, no room for error. Just shaking hands with Wolfscott is daunting enough. Most nobles crumble at the slightest approach from him. It’s impressive how he moves surrounded by his guards. And they’re not the type to fake it either.”

“Is there anyone else we suspect?”

“Rob Starsoft, Harry Altonen. They’re recently rising stars. Young nobles seem to be rallying around them. There’s talk in the corridors about a generational shift. Well, it’s been thirty years since Wolfscott and I entered this game… Starsoft and Altonen have been meeting with Wolfscott frequently lately. They seem to have a cruel streak too. Anyway, these upstarts… hmm. This situation has become quite murky.”

“The dark aura lurking behind Wolfscott seems to complement him cleverly. It feels incredibly sharp. Even with third-level insight, someone like him is remarkable. Be cautious. Try to make contact with them first.”

“By when?”

“Sooner the better. Don’t worry. Courtbique’s death was probably expected anyway.”

“Haha.”

The client sighed deeply.

“Alright. It’s challenging to play the role of a party animal just for you, but what can I do. It’s all for the good of this country.”

“Stay strong.”

“Should we advance it?”

“Of course. Wolfscott expects us to falter after this incident. But Courtbique was meant to be sacrificed to him from the start. The future is what matters.”

“I have no one to trust but you. Is your body okay now? I’m busy at the moment, let’s talk in detail later. I should be going now.”

I hesitated whether to speak or not.

It seems like my days are numbered…

I abandoned the idea and concluded the consultation. I threw the consultation notes under the bed and stuck the oak branch into the vase.

I headed to the used bookstore. These days, the bookstore was more comfortable than home. I was constantly stationed at the bookstore counter day and night. In the long winters of the kingdom, reading was the most common pastime for people. Even young children could easily read three-volume novels. There was no better distraction from the cold and boring nights than reading. Although located in a remote village, the bookstore was doing decent business.

It was the second week since I opened the store. My illness hadn’t improved, but I hadn’t made any foolish attempts like rushing towards Snow White. I felt pathetic as I struggled to fend off the madness, entangled with nameless men who seemed determined to reach Snow White.

Yesterday, I bought bamboo and decorated the bookstore with it. The dull interior suddenly came to life as if by magic. I decided to quietly await the inevitable moment. The odds were low, but I hoped for peace as much as possible. Occasionally, if someone glanced through the glass door, they would inevitably see the oak tree. Despite the snowflakes swirling in the streets, its figure remained distinct.

I seemed to have dozed off while reading. I heard the tinkling sound of the bell on the entrance door.

Who could be here on such a night…

I didn’t bother to raise my head. Even if it was a thief, the only thing worth stealing was the used books, and there were only a few banknotes in the counter safe. I buried my face in my arms and lay down completely.

After a heavy footsteps echoed through the room, they gradually stopped inside. Then, footsteps approached this way with a steady pace. And then, silence.

It’s a thief.

I spoke with a voice mixed with drowsiness.

“If it’s money you want, it’s in the safe behind me. That’s all there is. Take it and leave.”

A moment later, a soft laugh erupted from the air.

“This is disappointing. Not even bothering to look and calling me a thief, it’s as if even the real thieves would be disappointed.”

Finally, I blinked and raised my head.

Who is it…

It took some time to pull the man out from the murky memory.

“Oh,” I nodded absentmindedly. It was ‘him’. Blond hair. Gray eyes. A faint smile on his lips.

The man smiled.

“It’s been a while. Do you work here?”

I awkwardly straightened up and said, “Yes.”

“I stopped by on my way to the bar. It’s impressive to see the bookstore lit up until this late. Is the reason you don’t visit Snow White these days because of work?”

“Well, it seems like it.”

I replied dryly while tidying up the counter. I felt uncomfortable.

I might have preferred if he were actually a thief.

Encountering someone here for a night’s affair was entirely unwelcome. The problem was that Snow White was nearby. Just a week ago, I was dragged away after spending two hours here by a pervert who happened to stop by and caused a scene.

“Hmm.”

The man stared at me intently as I tidied up the counter. It was an obvious gaze.

Even in the midst of tidying up, I could feel it distinctly. His gaze wandered over my cheeks and lips, then scanned down my body, fixating on my waist for a while. I always disliked being stared at. Even though I tried not to notice, it gave me shivers.

“Are you planning to finish up and go back?”

“Yes, I have to go home. For tomorrow.”

I replied curtly. I remembered the man was polite. I judged that if I responded firmly like this, he would understand that I had no intention of spending the night together and would withdraw.

Even as I put on my coat, the man didn’t look away. As I put on my hat and grabbed the shop keys,

“Your clothes have changed.”

The man suddenly remarked.

I looked down and said, “Yes?” The man grinned.

“That outfit. It’s not the black coat you always wore.”

“Ah, I sent it to the dry cleaner.”

“Is that so? But this one looks better. Bright colors suit you much more than black. This tweed fabric, rather than fur, really brings out your face.”

It sounded like a critique. I chuckled involuntarily.

“Do you work as a designer?”

“Even if I’m not a designer, anyone would think so. That outfit really didn’t suit you.”

“I’m not particularly interested in clothes. Anyway, I need to close up now.”

At my urging, the man smiled again. It was a cheerful and relaxed smile.

Silence passed slowly. A strange feeling began to build up.

The overnight partners in my memory remained as vague shapes, like sketches drawn hastily with charcoal on the fingertips of a painter. The man in front of me was just one of them. I stared at him silently. It was a rare behavior for someone like me who didn’t usually stare at others. As he slept and smiled, I suddenly realized he was a flawless beauty. His face was as neat and sharp as his impeccable manners.

But I knew about the dark hobby hidden behind that flawless face. I remembered that clearly. All the acts the man demanded came back to my mind. Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine. A sense of foreboding brushed past me.

Even as my gaze bore into him, the man continued to smile as if enjoying it.

After a while, impulsively, I spoke.

“Even if you’re not a designer, your clothes are impressive.”

“Me?”

The man glanced over his attire from top to bottom. I nodded.

“Yeah…. I had to. Today’s one of those days when I have to look my best. There are important meetings and unavoidable encounters.”

Suddenly, as if remembering something, the man chuckled. Then he looked at me directly. His gray eyes gleamed coldly.

“By the way, when it’s time tonight, spend it with me.”

“No, thank you.”

The man didn’t lose his smile. When he suddenly moved, it was a moment later. The sound of his footsteps echoed heavily under the sleek cut of his overcoat. He stood in front of me.

Looking down at me for a moment, he grinned.

“Disappointing.”

With that, he suddenly snatched the keys from my hand. His action was so fast that there was no time to react. But I wasn’t surprised. It was a vague intuition that the man might do something impulsive.

“I guess it won’t work out. I’m in a hurry today. It shouldn’t be too hard for you either. I have no friends with me today, just me.”

I realized that my disapproval wouldn’t sway him. Also, the fact that this guy, if determined, could be several times more dangerous than the pervert from a week ago. And now, it was too late at night to find a policeman to help. So, compromise was the only option left.

“Then let’s do it here for a moment and then leave. Nothing more than that.”

“Here for a moment? What do you mean?”

The man shook his head dismissively. As he did, he clumsily locked the door from inside. He casually tossed the keys up in the air, caught them, and slipped them into his pocket. It was a small gesture, but his movement was fierce and agile. I got angry for the first time.

“Give me the keys back.”

“Later.”

The man answered curtly, tilting his head.

“Let’s try it here for a moment, as you said. But is there a place to do it?”

The man looked around the room, filled with stacks of books. I sighed. I thought he was just polite, but now I realized he was arrogant. And not just any kind of arrogance, but top-notch arrogance.

“If we go over there, it won’t be visible from outside.”

I headed towards the innermost corner of the room. The man followed me, shaking his head again.

“It’s too cramped. What are we going to do in a place like this? Are you going to read me a book or something?”

“Sit here.”

I pointed to a stack of books, and the man sat down. His smile remained unchanged. As if he knew exactly what he was doing, he casually spread his legs. He unbuttoned his coat to make it easier for me to sit between his legs.

“Take off your hat.”

“Yes?”

I hesitated as I unzipped the man’s pants.

“Why should I take off my hat?”

“I want to touch your hair. Is that too much to ask?”

“…Do as you wish.”

The man took off my hat and ran his fingers through my hair.

“It’s very long… It seems like it’ll take a long time to cut your hair. Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

“It’s a matter of habit.”

I replied shortly and swallowed his aroused masculinity. It smelled sour.

“There’s no need to move your tongue. Just suck.”

The man wrapped me in his coat and pressed my head from behind to suck deeply. The sticky sound spread in the quiet room.

To perform oral, I had to hold his thighs with both hands. His thighs were as firm as rocks. If a customer who was mourning over the death of Count Vitkov witnessed this scene, they would faint in shock. It was unimaginable that the person one relied on was sucking Guy de Vere‘s manhood. However, as our contract did not include privacy, even if a customer knew about this situation, they had no right to interfere with me.

The man moaned softly. He lifted his waist and inserted his penis deep into my throat. The penis thrust in deeply, as if it were suffocating. It was so strong and rough that it seemed excessive. The penis, which was fiercely stirring my throat, paused for a moment. The man whispered softly.

“No need to be surprised. Just stay still.”

—

(TN: Guy De Vere is the grief-stricken fiancé of Lenore, a beautiful young woman who has recently died. The character is from Edgar Ellen Poe’s poem “Lenore)