The masked man's body crashed through a wall, the impact producing a loud cry of pain before silence claimed him. Saji approached cautiously, checked the man's pulse, and confirmed he was still alive—barely. With the immediate threat neutralized, Saji stepped outside, his sharp eyes landing on the boy still waiting in place.
"Hey, Rio. Please come here, it's safe now."
Rio hesitated, then moved closer, stepping into the house to witness the aftermath. His wide eyes scanned the dead bodies sprawled across the floor. Before either of them could speak, a muffled sound emerged from a large sack lying in the corner.
Saji approached the bag, with Rio close behind. He unfastened it and opened the top. Inside was a young girl, no older than seven or eight, with violet hair and eyes, pearl-white skin, and a gaze filled with warmth and innocence. He removed the gag from her mouth.
"Please... please help me escape," she begged. "Is there any way you both could take me to the castle?"
"The castle?" Rio echoed, confused.
"Please, good sirs," she pleaded. "If you take me to the castle, I promise you'll be rewarded!"
Before Saji could respond, her eyes fell upon the corpses. The horror hit her all at once, and she fainted in fright. Saji gently closed her eyes and turned to Rio.
"Pick her up. We're taking her to the castle—along with that bastard over there." He gestured to the unconscious masked man.
Rio obeyed, lifting the girl into his arms. Saji hoisted the masked man over his shoulder. Together, the two boys marched through the slums of Beltrum.
But their path was blocked.
"Stop. Not another step, you two!"
They turned to find one of the cloaked little girls from before. She stormed toward them and slapped Rio across the face.
"You lying little savage! Flora—speak to me!"
Another cloaked woman stepped forward. "Vanessa, help her, please."
"Yes." Vanessa took the girl from Rio and handed her over to the other cloaked girls. "See to Lady Flora immediately. She may be uninjured, but we must be sure."
Vanessa turned back to Saji. "Now. Explain what happened."
Saji dropped the masked man to the ground. "Allow me to explain. My name is Jon Snow. I was living in the forest outside Beltrum when I saw men kidnap the girl. I followed them to this place. But then this masked man showed up and killed the kidnappers. He was about to kill the girl when Rio and I intervened and saved her."
Vanessa studied him carefully. Her expression was unreadable. She turned to Rio.
"Rio. Is he telling the truth?"
"Yes," Rio said, nodding.
"Very well—"
Before she could say more, the little girl holding Flora turned and slapped Rio again. She raised her hand to strike Saji as well—
But a monstrous killing intent exploded from him.
It took the form of a horned demon behind him. Ice and snow engulfed the slums, plunging the temperature to a brutal -89.2°C (-128.6°F). A wave of frostbite swept through the people in the area. Vanessa, Celia, the cloaked girls, and even Rio dropped to their knees, shivering, some beginning to suffer severe frostbite. Saji, however, stood unaffected.
His left arm was marked with glowing runes. His left eye had become a golden slit like a serpent's, the sclera black. A single horn grew from his forehead, his aura radiating divine rage.
The little girl who struck Rio trembled violently, seeing the monster he was becoming. She stumbled back and hid behind Vanessa.
Saji's voice was cold. "Why did you hit him?"
The girl couldn't answer. She shook her head and wept.
Seeing the fear in her eyes, Saji sighed. He closed his eyes, and the demon vanished. His horn, markings, and golden eye faded. The cold died down.
He snapped his fingers. A surge of heat followed, melting the frost and snow and restoring warmth to the slums.
Vanessa stood up slowly, stunned.
"You there, boy… what's your name?" she asked, her voice shaking with a mix of awe and confusion.
"As I said, my name is Jon Snow."
"Where do you come from? I've never heard of anyone with the last name Snow."
"I come from another region. In my homeland, it's traditional for the acknowledged illegitimate children of nobles to be given the surname Snow."
"I see… Well, Jon Snow, you and Rio must accompany us to the castle. We must resolve this matter fully."
Saji gave a small nod, not in the mood for more conflict.
Rio hesitated, but Saji offered him a reassuring glance, one that said: Trust me.
And so, a commoner and a nobody began their journey to the royal castle of Beltrum—escorting a princess, a masked assassin, and a rising storm of secrets.