The icy proposition

Kyle landed quietly not far from the eastern entrance to the city. He bent his knees slightly upon landing, straightened up, then decided to explore the last few streets on foot. It would give him a breather.

The worn cobblestones echoed beneath his feet as he walked through the familiar streets of this medieval city, the likes of which were found in almost every isekai world. Merchants shouted their prices, blacksmiths banged on anvils, and adventurers passed by, sniggering, weapons slung over their backs. Kyle paid little attention. He moved forward mechanically.

A few minutes later, he pushed open the guild doors without stopping.

The room was bustling, but Kyle didn't dwell on the atmosphere. He went straight to the counter, where Eris was deep in conversation with another adventurer. She looked up as he approached.

"Oh, Kyle. Are you finished yet?"

"Affirmative," he said simply.

"Good. Wait a few minutes, I'll prepare your reward."

"Take your time," he replied calmly, almost casually.

A brief silence, then he asked,

"And the Dawn Shard?" Where are they?

"They left on a mission this morning," Eris replied, a little surprised. "Funny... I thought they'd be waiting for you."

Kyle shrugged slightly.

"My entry into their group was temporary, anyway." 

"That's what Tristan told me too, when I asked."

He didn't answer. He turned on his heel and went to sit at an empty table, a little to one side.

He had no idea what he was going to do next.

Go back on a mission, wait for his old teammates to return, or maybe... leave for good?

But leaving without speaking to them would be wrong.

After all... they could be called friends, right?

He sank back a little in his seat, arms crossed, his expression thoughtful.

Suddenly, the guild doors opened wide with a sharp bang.

The surrounding hubbub quieted, and a draft of cold air rushed into the room.

A female figure stepped forward, straight and icy. A striking beauty with an almost unreal aura. Her long white hair billowed behind her, her winter-blue dress releasing light ice crystals with each step she took.

Freya. The Ice Empress. Member of the Pentagram.

A dozen young adventurers gathered around her—handsome, valiant, and above all, fascinated. A veritable harem in armor. But she didn't spare them even a fraction of a glance. With a haughty bearing, she climbed the steps leading to the upper floor, sovereign and distant. As she passed, the air stiffened, as if the very coldness bent to her will.

As soon as she disappeared upstairs, her entourage dispersed throughout the room, gradually returning to a more ordinary atmosphere.

Kyle, however, hadn't moved.

He had simply observed the scene with a distant gaze. Then he rested his head against the back of his chair.

He waited.

But what, exactly?

Upstairs in the guild, behind a heavy carved wooden door, the master's office reigned in studious calm. A dim light filtered through the stained-glass windows bathed the room in a subdued glow. Sitting behind a large desk cluttered with piles of documents, Richard, the guild master, was leafing through the adventurer reports with quiet concentration.

The door burst open, without anyone even bothering to knock. Richard didn't even raise an eyebrow.

"You're finally back," he said simply, his eyes still on his papers.

Freya entered, straight and impassive, her long, icy cloak trailing slightly behind her. She didn't answer right away, walking slowly to the chair opposite the desk, where she sat down with a perfectly controlled, almost regal movement. Then, only after she'd settled in:

"Yes."

Richard finally looked up, a brief smile on his face.

"How did it go?"

"Nothing complicated," she replied neutrally. "Just a little hydra."

She brushed a silver lock of hair from her forehead before asking,

"Are Elias and Astrid back?"

"Yes. They're at the lair, resting."

Freya frowned slightly.

"That's not fair. When I came back from a mission last time, I had to leave immediately."

Richard shrugged, amused.

"You didn't come back straight away. You took the opportunity to... catch your breath, let's say. And they had to deal with a monarch. No less."

Freya crossed her arms and looked away slightly, pouting.

"That's no excuse. So for the trouble, I'll stay in town as long as possible."

"Have it your way," Richard replied, shrugging his hands slightly, conciliatory. "Anyway, I don't have any missions planned for you."

"You'd better."

She stood up slowly, with cold grace, and headed for the door. But as she passed a corner of the office, an open file caught her eye. She paused, her gaze resting briefly on the file. A subtle, almost imperceptible glint passed through her eyes.

Without saying a word, she changed direction and left the room, her heels softly tapping against the wooden floor, heading towards the main guild hall.

Freya slowly descended the stairs to the upper floor, one by one, without the slightest rush. Each step echoed faintly against the stone slabs, rhythmic and assured. Her long, midnight-blue cloak billowed lightly behind her, caressed by a current of icy air that seemed to follow her like a shadow. Her silver hair, almost unreal in the light of the magical chandeliers, fell over her shoulders with natural elegance.

As soon as she stepped into the main guild hall, silence gradually fell, like a wave spreading across the room. Conversations died down, eyes turned. Everyone was looking at her.

 And Kyle was no exception.

Sitting alone at his table, his elbows resting on the worn wood, he absentmindedly observed the movements of the room. He had nothing better to do. But when he spotted Freya, his gaze lingered a little longer than usual. Not out of romantic interest, no… out of self-preservation. This woman exuded an aura too icy to ignore.

He saw that she was heading not toward the exit, as was her habit, but… toward the reception desk. It was strange, even unusual.

Behind the counter, Eris, the receptionist, looked up as Freya approached. Her face froze.

"Is she coming… here?"

Her hands trembled slightly as she hurriedly put away some forms.

Freya stopped dead in front of her. She wasn't smiling. Nor was she frowning. Her face was neutral, almost frozen, as if sculpted from marble.

"Are you... the one taking care of the elemental mage?" she asked, her voice clear and low, but strangely sharp.

Eris swallowed.

"Yes! It's me," she replied quickly, her back straight, tense as a bow.

"Good. If he ever comes back... tell him I want to speak to him."

Eris opened her mouth, closed it, then pointed to a table in the room.

"He... he's already here. Right over there, at the back."

Freya turned her head in the direction indicated. Her icy eyes settled on Kyle.

Wordlessly, she left the counter and walked straight toward him, her boots echoing softly on the stone floor. The space around her emptied as she advanced, as if the air itself were receding as she passed.

Kyle frowned. She was coming in his direction. He stared at her without blinking, as if waiting for a change in direction, a sign that he was mistaken.

But no.

'Is she coming towards me?' he thought incredulously. He glanced behind him. No one. No doubt about it. It was definitely him she was aiming at.

A mixture of adrenaline and mental fog made him jump. Almost mechanically, he leapt upright, too fast, too abrupt. His first instinct was to move away—to disappear before the situation became too much to bear. But as he stepped back, something blocked his movement. Resistance froze him. Hesitant, he looked down, unable to ignore what was holding him back any longer.

 His feet were buried in a thin layer of snow… impossible snow, coming from nowhere, covering the ground around his chair as if winter had invaded himself right under his boots.

"What the…?" he whispered.

He didn't have time to comprehend. Freya was already there.

Standing in front of him, she looked at him without any apparent emotion. Her icy blue eyes stared at him with an unsettling intensity, as if she could read right through him.

"Can I sit?" she asked simply.

Kyle blinked, taken aback.

"Yes, of course… I was just getting ready to leave," he added reflexively, his voice a little hesitant.

Freya inclined her head slightly.

"Could you… keep me company for a moment?"

Kyle hesitated. His first instinct was a curt no:

"Not really..."

But no sooner had the word been spoken than a cold breath blew through the room. The candles flickered. Kyle shivered.

He sighed inwardly.

"...Well, why not?"

He sat back down, his movements a little clumsy. Freya followed his gaze, then took a seat opposite him, slowly and carefully. Her dress brushed the floor with a muffled rustle.

"That's very kind of you," she said in a neutral, almost sincere tone.

Kyle and Freya sat side by side, the table the center of attention for the entire guild. Freya stared at Kyle intensely, her piercing eyes almost hypnotic, while he, embarrassed, avoided her gaze, sometimes lowering his head as if to disappear beneath the weight of the curious and sometimes envious stares of the other adventurers. Her hands, placed on the table, betrayed a slight nervousness: her fingers discreetly tapped the worn wood, searching for a rhythm to calm her inner turmoil.

Freya, impassive, didn't seem concerned by this ambient discomfort. She spoke in a calm and firm voice:

"I'll be brief. Tell me, do I want you?" Her deliberately ambiguous sentence left Kyle perplexed. He frowned slightly, his thoughts beginning to drift toward less innocent scenarios—understandable for a young man with little experience, faced with such a close and dominant woman.

Suddenly, Freya slowly stood up and came to sit in the next chair. The distance between them melted, reduced to just a few centimeters. Too close. Far too close.

Kyle's body tensed instinctively, frozen like a statue. His breath hesitated, cut short, before returning too quickly, too unevenly. His fingers, previously motionless, tightened on the edge of the table, etching into the wood a tension he couldn't contain. Heat rose in his cheeks, not from complacency but from embarrassment, from overburdening himself.

And all around him, he felt the gazes turning. Those masculine eyes, heavy with jealousy and resentment, had turned into hostile arrows. The air itself seemed to thicken, crushing him between Freya, who was too close, and the hostility of the rest of the room.

Realizing that his message wasn't clear, Freya leaned toward him, her voice low, almost a whisper: "I mean, I want you to be my student."

Kyle replied, a touch disappointed: "That's it..." His voice betrayed a mixture of skepticism and resignation.

Freya then smiled, a smile both mischievous and serious, and moved a little closer, almost touching his face:

"And if you accept, we can have private lessons..." Her proposition, heavy with innuendo, made the atmosphere vibrate with a new tension.

At the same time, the guild door burst open with a bang, attracting everyone's attention. The group from the Dawnburst—Tristan, Iris, Anne, and Lys—entered, visibly refreshed and satisfied to have accomplished their mission. Lys's first glance was at this unexpected scene: Freya and Kyle so close, in an ambiguous posture that didn't fail to touch her, although she tried to hide her confusion.

 Kyle, even though he was no longer officially part of the group, seized the opportunity. He stood up, with a mixture of determination and urgency, clearly demonstrating his desire to reunite with his old comrades. But he had barely begun to move when Freya's hand firmly placed on his, forcing him to remain seated. Her gaze was calm but unyielding, like a silent reminder that the game wasn't over.

For their part, the members of Dawn's Shard, respectful of the rules, approached the reception area, aware that they would have to go through Eris before they could speak to Kyle. The murmur of conversation resumed in the room, while all eyes remained between Freya and Kyle, and the arrival of the group, as if suspended in a delicate balance.

The guild members filed past Kyle one by one, most completely ignoring him, passing him without even a glance. He stood there, frozen, as if planted in the ground, watching his escape slowly disappear before him, swallowed by the banality of the guild's habits.

Then, resigned, he turned his gaze back to Freya. He had no more viable options. He had to play along.

"Why me, exactly?" he asked, wearily mixed with suspicion.

Freya shrugged, as if the answer were obvious.

"You don't interest me that much. But you're the only elemental mage I have on hand," she replied neutrally.

Kyle frowned.

"It's not that rare a class, though."

"No," Freya confirmed. "But those who have it avoid the adventuring profession. Most end up serving nobles, or becoming teachers in academies." It's safer. And much more profitable."

Kyle scratched the back of his head thoughtfully.

"It's true... besides you and me, I've never heard of another adventuring elemental mage."

"You see, you catch on quickly," Freya smiled. "So you accept?"

"I didn't say anything like that."

The atmosphere seemed to thicken. The air around them grew colder, as if tension were building.

"You don't really have a choice, Kyle."

Meanwhile, at the reception desk, Tristan exchanged a few words with Eris, his gaze briefly caught by the scene playing out across the room.

"We've already finished the mission," he said, leaning toward her.

Eris, whose gaze was also fixed on the table where Kyle and Freya were sitting, straightened up and resumed her professional tone.

"Very well."

Iris, more impatient, quickly approached.

"Do you know what's going on?"

"No idea. Lady Freya just asked me to call her," replied Eris. "I only relayed it."

"Then it must be important," Tristan surmised.

"They seem... close, don't they?" added Anne with a small smile.

"Too close, in my opinion," interjected Lys, her arms crossed.

"Just ask Kyle," said Elena simply.

"She's right," agreed Tristan.

Eris then turned to Lys.

"For your request, all that's missing is the guild master's approval. After that, it'll be official." 

Thank you very much, replied Lys with a polite smile.

"It's my job," said Eris simply.

"Speaking of which... have you spoken to Kyle about this?" Iris asked Lys.

"Not yet..."

"You should do it as soon as possible," advised Elena.

Then, Eris turned to Tristan.

"Can you do me a small favor?"

"Of course."

"Go tell Kyle he has to come and collect his mission reward."

Tristan sighed, already regretting his hasty yes.

"Okay..."

"And take the opportunity to find out what's really going on," said Iris with a wink.

Tristan straightened, mustering a semblance of courage, then walked over to the table where Kyle was still facing Freya.

The latter was still staring at him, determined. Kyle seemed at his wit's end, almost cornered. But suddenly, he saw Tristan approaching. Like a light in the fog.

"I have to go," Kyle said quickly. "Looks like my friend needs me."

He stood up immediately, moving away from Freya before she could even say a word.

"Thanks," Tristan said when he saw him coming.

"No, I'm the one who thanks you," Kyle replied, a grateful look on his face.

"Uh... okay," Tristan said, a little confused. "Eris wants you to come and collect your reward for the mission."

"With everything that just happened, I almost forgot," Kyle sighed, relieved.

The two young men walked back down the corridor in silence, their footsteps echoing faintly on the stone slabs. Once they reached the reception desk, it was already bustling with activity: the entire group was there, with Eris standing stiffly behind the counter, arms crossed.

They had barely crossed the threshold when Eris looked up.

"You've come at the right time, Kyle," she said without even greeting, holding a leather bag in her hand. "Here's your reward for this morning's mission."

Kyle grabbed the purse without even looking inside. He then raised his hand as if to sweep the entire room in a single gesture.

"Hi, everyone."

A good third of the group stared at him without responding, the others responded with a barely perceptible nod.

"So," Iris finally said, crossing her arms. "What's the story, Kyle? Are you going to explain what's going on?" »

"Honestly? I'd like to hear that too."

Elena narrowed her eyes, her tone more serious.

"Elaborate a little, will you?"

Kyle shrugged, as if this only vaguely concerned him.

"The Ice Empress offered me the chance to become her apprentice."

A slight silence fell over the room.

"Well, that's great news, isn't it?" Tristan said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Are you going to accept?" Anne asked, intrigued.

"Honestly? I don't think I have any say in the matter. She doesn't really give me a choice."

Lys took a step toward him, clasping her hands.

"So... what are you going to do?"

Kyle placed his purse on the counter and said lightly,

"It's very simple." I'm going to run."

A freezing whiteout fell. Even Eris raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, what?!" Elena said.

"If I run fast enough, I think I can get through the guild gates before anyone catches me."

"Isn't that a bit of an extreme plan?" Iris asked skeptically.

"No. It's the most logical solution."

Before anyone could respond, Eris spoke again, her professional tone breaking the mood.

"You can't just leave like that, Kyle. You need to submit a formal leave request. It will be reviewed by the guild. We need to know your reasons for leaving. Then the guild master will make a decision."

As she spoke, she briefly turned her head toward Lys, watching her out of the corner of her eye. Kyle, however, was still staring at the exit.

 "More administrative stuff..." he muttered. How long does all this take?

"Four to five hours," Eris replied, handing him the reward.

"Go ahead, start the process."

"You're not serious, Kyle!" Lys snapped, her voice trembling. "You're not going to leave just for this, are you?"

"I was already planning on leaving, right," he replied flatly.

"What about us? What about the team?"

A tense silence. Kyle jerked his chin at Tristan.

"Hasn't he told you yet? I'm not officially part of the group anymore."

Tristan sighed.

"I was waiting until everyone was here to talk about it."

"That's very selfish of you!" Lys exclaimed.

"Yes," Kyle admitted. "That's true." But... what can I do about it?"

"You can't say that!" Elena replied, shocked.

"And yet... that's how I've always operated."

Tensions were rising. Anne looked down, silent. Tristan finally raised his hand.

"That's enough. He's right. His entry into the group was only temporary. He's free to leave."

"Do you agree with his decision?" Anne asked without looking at him.

"No. But he has the right to."

A moment of silence, then Iris stepped forward.

"If you're leaving... it's to learn more about our world, is that right?"

"Affirmative," Kyle replied.

"So... becoming the student of a legendary adventurer, doesn't that get you a little closer to your goal?"

"I admit... It's an exciting proposition."

"Especially since, if you become the student of a member of the Pentagram, we'll finally have something in common," Tristan added with a wry smile.

Kyle nodded, the hint of a smile on his lips.

"It's true, it wouldn't be a bad situation."

Lys took a hesitant step toward him.

"So... you're going to stay?"

Kyle raised his head, his gaze becoming more serious.

"Maybe. But..."

"But?" Anne repeated, intrigued.

He looked away, almost in a low voice:

"This kind of thing... that's not me."

A brief silence hung after the heated exchange. Then, Iris's voice rose, soft but firm, with a timbre that betrayed a hint of restrained hope:

"So... it doesn't matter what we say. It doesn't matter what we do. You're still going to leave?"

Kyle didn't answer right away. He scanned the group, his gray eyes lingering for a moment on each of them, as if to make sure they really existed, that he wasn't just dreaming this whole thing.

"Yeah. That's my style," he murmured, smiling, almost apologetically.

"I'm one of those players who makes the most of open worlds."

Tristan shrugged slightly, resigned.

"So if that's what you want, we can only encourage you."

But Kyle burst out with a dry chuckle.

"That's all? Seriously? You're giving up too quickly. I was hoping for a minimum of opposition! A memorable scene! I don't know, blood, tears, something to prove it touches you at least a little!"

Tristan blinked, genuinely lost.

"I... can't follow you." 

"It's okay, forget it," Kyle said, running a hand through his hair.

He lowered his eyes slightly, calmer.

"I don't always know myself either. I guess I just get lost sometimes."

He raised his head, determined.

"Now there's only one thing left for me to do: refuse Freya's offer... and then fold my arms and hope I survive the aftermath."

Iris shook her head in disbelief.

"Don't you think you're being a little dramatic?"

A mischievous glint crossed Kyle's eyes.

"Maybe... but hey, we'll see. The future always has more imagination than me."

He turned away. His step became heavier, more pronounced. The guild floor suddenly seemed larger, as if he were walking alone into a theater after the last line. The atmosphere behind him was frozen, eyes fixed on his retreating figure.

Kyle walked straight to the table where Freya was still waiting for him. She stood there, impassive, sitting upright in her chair, her fingers clasped under her chin. Her steely eyes never left his face.

There was no more detour. No more sarcasm to hide behind. Kyle stopped in front of her. His gaze locked with hers.

And the real fight could begin.