Chapter 10: The Ice-Hearted Man

The maid had not finished her sentence when Wang Xi’s eyes flickered. He deliberately controlled his facial expression, maintaining a look of vacant detachment.

“...Besides, I heard the priest say that Lord Gai’s ‘Ice Heart Curse’ has flared up.”

The maid who spoke lowered her voice.

“Whether he can regain consciousness depends on luck. Even if he does wake up, his health will only continue to decline, and his emotions will grow increasingly indifferent. I fear he doesn’t have much time left.”

“Ah?!”

The maid on the left paused, gasping softly.

“So Lord Gai is an ‘Ice-Hearted One’! No wonder he hasn’t won any more dueling championships in recent years, and Lord Barto has become increasingly disappointed.”

An Ice-Hearted One?

What was that?

A surge of doubt rose in Wang Xi’s heart.

“Then what about Miss Sera?”

The maid on the left remained silent for a few seconds before adding:

“Now that the Count’s territory has negotiated a peace with the Northerners and Lord Barto has returned, what about the marriage between Miss and Lord Gai...”

“That’s impossible now.” The maid on the right shook her head regretfully. “Lord Gai has been tainted by Wendy, and on top of his status as an ‘Ice-Hearted One,’ how could Lord Barto possibly let him become Miss Sera’s husband?”

“But I heard the marriage alliance won’t be called off; it’s just going to be someone else.”

“Someone else?”

“Yes, Miss Lena.”

“Ah?!”

The maid on the left looked shocked.

Wang Xi remained expressionless, though he cursed inwardly.

Lena Crawford...

Unlike Wendy, who was a distant cousin, she was Sera’s legitimate first cousin.

But for some reason, her genetics had gone wildly astray; Lena was the complete opposite of Sera. Wang Xi had the misfortune of seeing her once in the prison, and it was a scene he would never forget.

Four or five elite soldiers were struggling to escort a massive ball of flesh down the corridor, her pig-like shrieks deafening enough to nearly scare Wang Xi to death on the spot.

He had actually thought she was a subspecies of troll back then.

Only later did he learn that the obese girl being escorted was Sera’s cousin, Lena Crawford...

“The alliance between the two families is a Rundle tradition. Although the Farrell family is now in decline, with only Lord Gai left as the legitimate bloodline, they were, after all, the former masters of this land.”

The maid on the right sighed.

At this, Wang Xi understood perfectly.

From the very beginning, his only value was to serve as a stud for a marriage alliance with a woman of the Crawford family. This would help Count Barto maintain control over the territory.

The only reason he had been able to get engaged to Sera was because he was talented and possessed great aptitude for swordsmanship. Now that those halos had faded, he was naturally no longer worthy of the Count’s beloved daughter, Sera.

So, they settled for second best—repurposing the "waste" by arranging for him to marry Lena instead.

A genius turned into a failure, and an engagement effectively annulled at the start.

Well, this plot was certainly familiar...

Actually, that wasn't quite right; it wasn't an annulment, just a substitution.

‘But I’m not some reincarnated special forces legend; there’s no way I can pilot a tank like that!’

Wang Xi rolled his eyes internally.

No, he couldn't stay in this godforsaken place any longer.

He had to find a way to run away as soon as possible!

...

...

After the bath, the two maids carefully dressed Wang Xi in a set of luxurious garments.

White linen lining, black-and-gold silk robes.

They watched Lord Gai quietly. The young man was handsome with a noble air, yet his pale face was devoid of expression, his eyes hollow.

The maids exchanged a look, pity flashing across their faces.

Then, the two of them supported Wang Xi, one on each side, and escorted him to a room on the upper floor of the castle.

Thud.

The door closed, leaving Wang Xi alone on the bed.

He waited for a while, and after confirming no one was outside, he flipped up, no longer pretending to be dull and witless.

‘What exactly is an “Ice-Hearted One”?’

Wang Xi pondered.

He felt it was essential to figure this out, as this projection was his only capital for exploring this other world.

Looking around, he noticed some thick volumes resting on a simple bookshelf on one side of the room.

If even the maids knew about it, it meant it wasn't exactly a state secret; perhaps he could find the answer in the books.

He walked over to the shelf and began to browse.

The characters of this world were strange, but perhaps due to Chaos, Wang Xi could read them with ease.

However, after flipping through several books, he found no mention of "Ice-Hearted Ones" or any "curse."

Wang Xi’s brow furrowed deeper.

Time ticked by.

Suddenly, he heard a commotion from downstairs, followed by the heavy sound of horse hooves and carriage wheels.

‘The Count or Sera must have returned to the castle,’ Wang Xi thought to himself.

He immediately quickened his search.

Finally, he found the answer he was looking for in a church scripture titled *The Gospel of Iros*.

The information was hidden on the frontispiece of the bible:

“The Devil once possessed a mirror that could turn good men into villains, girls into hags, and heroes into cowards...”

“The Devil roamed the world with this mirror, turning everything into chaos. He was quite pleased with the turmoil he saw, and eventually decided to use the mirror on God, hoping to turn God into a ridiculous clown.”

“The Devil flew higher and higher, but was intercepted by the angel Angiel before the gates of Heaven, and the two fought a great battle.”

“The Devil was ultimately defeated, and the mirror in his hand was shattered by Angiel’s sword. Countless shards of the mirror rained down upon the world, freezing as they passed through the clouds. When they fell upon people, they froze their hearts.”

“Those poor souls struck by the shards find their bodies growing weaker and their personalities becoming increasingly cold, until they eventually perish.”

“Of course, there are a few ‘lucky ones’ who are temporarily parasited by the shards; it takes years or even decades before their hearts begin to freeze.”

“It is rumored that this is a test from God. Should they pass the test, they are deemed worthy to tread the pilgrimage path leading to Heaven.”

“...”

Wang Xi closed the bible.

The content on the frontispiece sounded more like a fairy tale allegory.

He silently pulled up his clothes and looked down at his chest. His pupils contracted.

There, where his heart was located, a faint azure light was flickering.

It seemed to pulse in sync with his heartbeat.

‘So, in a sense, this story is actually true?’

Wang Xi fell into deep thought.

He certainly hadn't forgotten that the name of this world was "Fairytale." Perhaps nothing was too absurd or outrageous here.

The mere thought that this projection’s life was numbered gave him a headache.

He had no idea if Chaos could create another projection if this one died, nor did he know if that meant he would lose his qualification to walk in this other world forever.

Facing a home world shrouded in natural disasters, he viewed this ability as his greatest asset and opportunity; he had to hold onto it tightly.

‘I must find a way to lift this curse!’

Wang Xi took a deep breath.

‘But the immediate priority is to get out of here.’

Just then, he heard footsteps outside the door, drawing closer.

Whoosh—

Wang Xi shoved the bible back onto the shelf and quickly lay back on the bed.

Within a single second, he had adjusted his state. Expressionless, eyes hollow.

Creak—

The door opened.

A beautiful figure walked in gracefully.

With her blonde hair tied up and wearing a blue velvet gown, Sera looked haggard as she walked straight to the bedside and sat down.

She watched the young man on the bed in silence, her expression complex.

Wang Xi caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye and felt shocked.

How did this Miss Sera have a Mangekyō Sharingan?

Upon closer inspection, it wasn't a Mangekyō at all, but eyes filled with three parts nostalgia, three parts pity, and three parts coldness!

And one part faint disgust!

“...Wendy loved you more than I did, Gai.”

Sera began to speak to the bed as if to herself.

“In the end, she couldn't bear to hurt you, even as she left with the Northerners, she warned my father to treat you well.”

“I don't know why, but after this nightmare of an experience, I don't seem to admire or adore you like I once did... Perhaps, as Father says, in times of chaos, if you lack the strength yourself, you must find someone powerful to protect you.”

“So, I have agreed to my father’s arrangement to marry the Duke of the North.”

Sera took a deep breath as she spoke.

She seemed to be finding closure, or perhaps she was firming up a certain conviction. Looking at the young man again, her eyes turned quite cold.

“Rest assured, although you have become a dull, useless man, you are still the heir to the Farrell family. After your marriage to cousin Lena, my father will ensure you spend the remainder of your life in comfort.”

With that, Sera stood up silently.

She turned and left without looking back.

“Sera.”

A hoarse call came from the bed.

The girl in the blue dress shuddered and stopped at the door.

She turned her head to see the young man struggling to sit up, his face filled with confusion.

“Where am I?” Wang Xi asked, his voice weak. “And my chest... it hurts so much...”

Sera remained silent for a few seconds before asking softly:

“You’re awake?”

“Yes. The moment I opened my eyes, I saw you. This isn't a dream, is it?”

Wang Xi forced a smile.

Sera examined him carefully for a moment and let out a sigh of relief.

“It is not a dream,” she said. “But your body is still very weak, you should lie down a while longer... Besides, someone will come later to explain what has happened.”

“I think my body is fine!”

Wang Xi quickly climbed out of bed but nearly stumbled.

Sera stepped forward and caught him.

Seeing the young man’s desperate attempt to prove himself, Sera somehow found him laughable and pathetic.

Gai was still the same as before—competitive and stubborn, like a child who would never grow up.

“I want to go down and walk around, Sera.”

Wang Xi smiled at the girl.

“Moving about will help me recover faster.”

“As you wish,” Sera said flatly. “But don’t wander too far, lest something happen.”

Wang Xi naturally agreed.

A moment later, he walked alone through the streets of the castle. The walls and some wooden fences were severely damaged, likely from the previous battle with the Northerners. Artisans, stable hands, and maids hurried about, looking very busy.

Wang Xi noticed that some armored guards chatting against the walls would occasionally cast glances in his direction.

And not far behind him, there were always a few people following.

His heart sank.

In these circumstances, leaving Rundle probably wouldn't be simple. Count Barto would certainly not let him leave easily.

‘How am I going to get away?’

Wang Xi narrowed his eyes, deep in thought, and soon, an idea formed.