Chapter 40

The skies are clearer now, the snow no longer bitter but soft, like a gentle curtain of renewal. People fill the square—citizens, exiled nobles, soldiers released from Givre’s control—all gathered before the steps of the royal dais. Kalt XVIII stands at the top, clad in his new regalia, looking both proud and nervous.

Behind him are Lily, Astera, Celeste, and the rest of the Universal Guard captains, a quiet but unmistakable symbol of unity and power.

Kalt XVIII
(stepping forward, voice steady but laced with emotion)
People of Raureif…
I won’t lie to you. I never wanted to rule like this. I never wanted my father to vanish… or for a stranger to freeze your minds and twist your loyalty. I never wanted to become your king under a sky filled with fear.

He pauses, taking a breath, snowflakes drifting onto his eyelashes.

Kalt XVIII
But that is what happened. And I am here now. Not as a replacement for the past…
But as the bridge to the future.

A murmur runs through the crowd. His voice rises.

Kalt XVIII
I know I’m younger than most rulers—far younger than my father. And though I carry his name, I do not yet carry his experience. I still have much to learn.
Which is why I’ve asked the Universal Guard… to remain.

He gestures behind him. The audience gasps at the sight of Shizuku, Alto, Berwick, Asche, Eris, Celeste, and the rest, standing in solemn formation.

Kalt XVIII
These are not just legends—they are my allies. And they will stay until Raureif is truly ours again. Until every wall is rebuilt. Until every frostbitten spirit is warm once more.

A cheer breaks out—soft at first, then spreading like wildfire.

Crowd
HAIL TO KALT! LONG LIVE THE NORTH! LONG LIVE THE CROWN!

Astera
(quietly, to Lily)
He’s a natural.

Lily
(grinning)
Give him a year and he’ll be lecturing us.

Celeste
Only if I don’t give him a solo first.

From the back of the plaza, Universal Guard support teams begin deploying healing wards, distributing food, rebuilding bridges with sound-infused stone, and relaying reconstruction protocols. Spirit energy pulses gently through the snowy air. The ice is no longer cold—it’s alive again.

Kalt XVIII
(speaking directly now to the nobles among the crowd)
Those of you once loyal to my father… and even those who bowed to Givre…
You are still Raureif. I do not demand your apology.
I ask only for your hands. Help me raise our home once more.

The former nobles kneel—one by one. And as they do, the snow begins to shine faintly with spiritual warmth.

Kalt closes his eyes. In that moment, under the arching sky, the weight of kingship does not feel crushing. It feels earned.