Calix chose a route that curved around Lumos Gorge, rather than cutting straight through it. The climb was steep — perhaps even more perilous than the narrow gorge road — but it was the safest option in case there were any traps ahead.

Already exhausted from the arduous climb, Selina could barely keep moving. She clung to Calix, almost hanging from him as he supported her weight.

“We’re here,” he said softly, lifting a flask to her lips.

When she finally opened her eyes, she saw a scene that seemed like something from a dream — one that she had never witnessed before. Wisps of cloud drifted so close that they seemed almost within reach, and the stables where they had left the horses were no more than tiny specks far below.

Perhaps because the air had grown so cold so suddenly, patches of untouched, unmelting snow still clung to the mountainside.

She raised her head and saw delicate white flakes beginning to fall from the sky.

“This is….”

She carefully extended her hand and caught one in her palm. Something cold touched her skin and melted away almost instantly. She stared blankly as the snow disappeared.

“I thought the first time you and I saw snow together would be in winter.”

Calix pressed a kiss onto her forehead.

Winter.

Selina rolled the word around in her mouth. Although it came every year without fail, it felt strangely unfamiliar.

‘I probably won’t be able to welcome the coming winter with Calix. If things were as they were meant to be, I wouldn’t have seen snow with him at all.’

“…That’s true. I’m happy we get to see it together.”

‘So, I will be grateful for this moment. Even if this is just a late-summer whim and I don’t survive until winter, I will still remember Calix. Whatever the gods intended, I will accept this as a gift.’

‘So just a little… just a little longer, I’ll allow myself to be selfish.’

Selina quietly clasped her hands together, hoping that her prayer might be heard if there truly was a God here.

Soon, Calix stepped onto a barren stretch of land where not a single blade of grass grew, his boots grinding into the dry earth. Immediately, a faint pattern emerged from the ground, which had previously seemed empty.

‘I’ve seen that symbol before—in the Moonlight Palace.’

Selina recalled the strange markings carved around the moon-shaped stones. Initially, she had dismissed them as the crest of Thalia’s ducal house, but she now realized that the symbol had a much deeper meaning.

When Calix placed his hand over the faint pattern, it began to glow red, as if recognizing its rightful owner. As he rose and wrapped an arm around Selina’s waist—

Rumble—.

A low sound, like a beast growling, echoed through the ground, followed by a small tremor. It happened so suddenly that Selina nearly lost her footing—if Calix had not been holding her.

“Th-thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Calix lowered his head, a playful smile curving his lips. Where the pattern had once been, there was now a gap large enough for one person to squeeze through. Beneath it, a staircase stretched into the darkness below.

“This is….”

“The path to the Heart of the Sun.”

“It doesn’t really match the name, does it?”

He muttered, taking Selina’s hand. The passageway was too narrow for them to walk side by side, so Calix went first, with Selina close behind. The moment they stepped onto the stairs, another tremor shook the ground, sealing the entrance shut behind them.

“It’s dark, so be careful.”

In the suffocating darkness, Selina relied entirely on Calix’s hand to guide her down.

Had it been ten minutes? It felt as though they had been descending for much longer, yet still nothing came into view. Just as she began to wonder if they were experiencing some kind of illusion,

— a faint light appeared in the distance.

As they stepped into its light, they were greeted by a sight reminiscent of an ancient fortress, its walls formed of solid stone and densely packed earth. The oppressive darkness that had slowed their steps moments earlier vanished at once, replaced by a radiance as bright as midday.

There was no visible source of the light. And yet the space was flooded with brilliance, as though there were a sun within it.

“It’s amazing.”

Selina stepped inside, unable to conceal her awe.

The Heart of the Sun was far larger than she had imagined, containing everything necessary for life to be sustained. Above all, she was stunned by the gentle warmth that filled the space.

Moments earlier, she had felt the biting cold clinging to her skin, but now a soothing heat surrounded her, melting the chill away completely.

Green vines cascaded through the space like lace curtains around a bed, carrying with them a soft, sweet fragrance. When she slipped her hand between the leaves, her fingers brushed against clusters of red fruit, hanging thickly like wild raspberries.

“It feels like we’ve stepped into a place completely removed from reality.”

Suddenly, Selina was struck by a vivid memory of the fairy tales she had loved as a child.

It was the story of a knight who came to rescue a princess imprisoned in a tower. The land in which the knight lived was said to have rivers of honey instead of water, and forests full of ripe fruit all year round. Even as a child, Selina knew this was an exaggeration born of fantasy.

And yet, here it was, unfolding before her very eyes.

Calix let out a soft, amused laugh and drew Selina gently into his arms.

“For me, it’s not such a breathtaking sight. I had to spend time in this stifling place every year.”

There was a strange sense of mutual understanding in the way he talked about being trapped in such a place. After all, Selina had led a similar life.

She slowly lifted her hand and ran her fingers through Calix’s hair.

“You’ve endured so much.”

Her golden hair was as soft as spun sugar and curled around her fingertips. It felt so good that she could have touched it forever and still not wanted to let go.

As Selina continued to stroke his hair, Calix tilted his head slightly and whispered in her ear.

“But today feels different. I’m almost grateful to the god who allowed me to stay here for half a month.”

“What do you—ah.”

Selina’s question was swallowed when Calix suddenly pressed his lips to hers. His solid chest began to push her slender body backward.

“W-wait…”

As a sweet, fruity flavor spread across her tongue, Selina instinctively brushed her lips against Calix’s, tasting the warmth of his breath. A low, restrained sound escaped from Calix’s throat.

Hearing him speak like that had always left her flustered before, but this time it was different.

The faint redness around his eyes looked unbearably beautiful. The knowledge that she might never see him again made every detail of him feel achingly precious and painfully dear.

‘Carve this into your heart. So that even if you face death alone, you won’t forget this moment.’

“For some reason, you’re not avoiding my gaze today.”

Noticing the change as well, Calix lifted the corner of his mouth in a teasing smile.

“I—I want to remember.”

“Remember this moment?”

“Yes…”

As Selina nodded shyly, a mischievous smile bloomed across his lips.

“Then I suppose I should help make it linger more vividly.”

“…What?”

Whenever a smile formed at the corners of Calix’s lips, it was always an ominous sign. Whenever he wore one, he would find ways to fluster her beyond anything she could have imagined.

“Ah….”

Selina twisted instinctively. The touch of his teeth against her sensitive skin felt far more provocative than usual.

“Lift your head.”

Calix began to leave his mark on every inch of her body, as though etching his presence into her flesh would bind her to him forever.

A sound like a m*an escaped Selina’s lips. Now covered in marks the same color as his eyes, she felt as though her entire body had been completely claimed by Calix.

“Calix, please….”

Until now, her voice had been tearful and pleading for him to stop, but it shifted ever so slightly. Heat bloomed in her violet eyes, which had looked on the verge of spilling over with tears just moments before.

As if he had been waiting for this moment, Calix undid his shirt buttons and shrugged off his clothes. When he pulled her into a desperate embrace, a low groan escaped his lips.

“Haah….”

The moment his solid chest touched her skin, her heart began to race wildly. His body was smooth and unblemished, firm and lean with not an ounce of excess — so solid it felt almost unreal.

Selina reached out and wrapped her arms around him. Feeling the muscles of his back beneath her fingers made her heart tremble once more.

“Just a little….”

Although she knew better than anyone that they couldn’t possibly be any closer, she wanted to be just a little bit closer to Calix.

***

Selina, who had collapsed onto the bed as if she had fainted, slowly opened her eyes.

As soon as she woke up, she felt a dull ache below her waist. Come to think of it, she couldn’t remember how many times she had let Calix inside her before she fell asleep.

‘Calix is….’

She carefully lifted her head and looked at the man lying beside her. Calix was asleep, his face utterly peaceful and free of wrinkles.

The same thought crossed her mind again: how could anyone possibly be this handsome? Despite his angelic face, it was hard to believe that he had tormented her time and time again.

“…You’re terrible.”

Selina playfully pinched his cheek. Of course, it was hardly fair to blame him alone — she had wanted him just as much.

She gently brushed his hair back.

“…Huh?”

She paused, pulling her hand away in confusion. Thinking it might be her imagination, she put her hand on his forehead instead, but the sensation was the same as before.

‘Why is his forehead so hot?’

It was burning, as though he were running a fever. On closer inspection, she noticed cold sweat trickling down both sides of his face, and his complexion was pale and drained of color. Could he have caught a fever from forcing himself up that brutal mountain path?

‘What do I do…?’

To make matters worse, they were trapped in an enclosed space with no doctor or medicine. There were no herbs to gather here either, so there was no way to treat him. Her face turning ashen, Selina pushed herself upright and began searching the area for any emergency medical supplies.

Just then, Calix caught her hand.

“I’m fine.”

“H-how can you say that? Your forehead is burning. I’ll check—maybe there’s some medicine inside—”

“It’s a symptom… that appears at this time.”

He shook his head faintly. His voice was barely audible, sounding completely drained of strength. He looked as though he didn’t have the energy to speak, so how could he possibly be ‘fine’?

Alarmed by this sudden change, Selina carefully brushed his hair back. She desperately hoped that the coolness of her hand might ease his discomfort, even if only a little.

At that moment, something Calix had said earlier flashed through her mind.

“A symptom that appears at this time.”

She didn’t know how long they had been in the place, but if it had been longer than she realized, it might already be after midnight.

If it was past midnight—

‘That would mean the Day of the North Wind has begun….’

The Marquis spoke as though the Day of the North Wind were tied to Calix’s weakness. Calix himself said that he could not return to Thalia during this period and had to remain here for half a month.

‘Don’t tell me…’

She recalled the day she had first seen Calix, years ago. She could not remember the exact date, but if she remembered correctly, it had also been at the end of summer.

‘If that day was also the Day of the North Wind…’

Then Calix had not lost consciousness because he was struck by an arrow.

It had been because it was the Day of the North Wind—just like now.

‘…So this was your weakness.’

With trembling fingers, Selina gently caressed his cheek.

By revealing a secret he had kept to himself, Calix had exposed his vulnerability and Selina had discovered a weakness she wished she had never learned about.

She was overwhelmed with gratitude towards him for entrusting her with his most dangerous secret.

Yet at the same time, she felt a crushing pressure on her chest, as though a massive stone were pressing against it.

‘If you knew that I’ve been deceiving you all this time… what would you do?’

‘…When I now know even your greatest weakness.’