Free Web NovelChapter 9: Chapter 9: Frost Dominion
Chapter 9: Frost Dominion
The dining hall remained quiet except for the faint sound of silver utensils brushing against porcelain plates.
Warm sunlight streamed through the tall windows behind Evelyne, bathing the hall in pale gold. The servants stationed along the walls stood silently with lowered heads, trained never to interrupt unless directly addressed.
Andras slowly lifted his gaze toward Evelyne once more.
Until now, his thoughts had been occupied with the academy and the future events of the novel.
Because of that, he had almost forgotten something important.
He had never checked Evelyne Darkmoor’s status.
The realization caused his eyes to narrow slightly.
This woman was not merely the ruler of House Darkmoor.
She was one of the strongest mages in the entire kingdom.
A person whose existence alone could influence the outcome of wars.
Someone like that could never be underestimated.
Andras rested one hand against the armrest of his chair and spoke inwardly.
"System. Show me Evelyne Darkmoor’s status."
A faint metallic chime echoed through his mind.
[Ding!]
[Name - Evelyne Darkmoor]
[Race - Human]
[Age - 39]
[Class - Mage]
[Talent - Frost Dominion (S-Rank)]
[Realm - Peak Eighth Circle Mage]
Andras’s eyes lingered on the final line.
Peak Eighth Circle Mage.
A frightening level of strength.
Most mages spent their entire lives unable to even approach the Seventh Circle. Reaching the Eighth Circle alone was enough to place someone among the strongest individuals on the continent.
Yet Evelyne had already reached its peak.
Only a single step separated her from the Ninth Circle.
The realm where true monsters stood.
And with an S-Rank talent supporting her...
She possessed a genuine chance of reaching it one day.
A faint glimmer flashed across Andras’s eyes.
His attention shifted toward her talent.
Frost Dominion.
Even the name carried a sense of authority.
Elemental talents were already considered powerful in this world, especially those capable of controlling large-scale battlefields. Abilities bearing the word Dominion were almost always monstrous in nature.
Andras silently called upon the system once more.
"Show me the details of Frost Dominion."
[Ding!]
[Talent - Frost Dominion (S-Rank)]
[1. Allows the user to control ice and freezing mana on a massive scale.]
[2. Instantly freeze battlefields.]
[3. Slow enemy mana circulation.]
[4. Create ice constructs and weapons.]
[5. Lower surrounding temperatures enough to weaken opponents.]
[6. Temporarily freeze wounds to stop bleeding.]
The translucent blue window floated before his eyes.
Andras read every line carefully.
The longer he looked at it, the more dangerous the talent appeared.
Battlefield control.
Area suppression.
Mana interference.
Defensive utility.
Offensive power.
Support capabilities.
Frost Dominion possessed nearly everything a high-level talent could offer.
A talent like this could completely dominate large-scale warfare.
Ordinary armies would become helpless before someone capable of freezing entire battlefields. Even powerful mages would struggle once their mana circulation began slowing under extreme cold.
Andras had seen countless abilities throughout his previous life.
Anime.
Novels.
Manga.
Manhwa.
Even by those standards...
Frost Dominion was absurdly powerful.
The corner of his lips almost curled upward.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
His gaze slowly rose from the system window and settled on Evelyne herself.
Blonde hair.
Sharp blue eyes.
An elegant posture concealing overwhelming power beneath the surface.
A Peak Eighth Circle Mage carrying an S-Rank talent.
If she personally stepped onto a battlefield, entire armies would likely collapse beneath her magic alone.
For the first time, Andras truly understood why House Darkmoor was considered one of the kingdom’s most feared noble families.
With someone like Evelyne ruling the duchy, very few dared challenge them openly.
But what interested Andras most was not fear.
It was desire.
Not for Evelyne herself.
For her power.
His eyes narrowed slightly as the thought settled deeper within his mind.
I want that talent.
The realization came naturally.
Frost Dominion was simply too valuable to ignore.
A battlefield-control ability of this level would become terrifying when combined with his existing talents.
Echo Resonance already possessed immense growth potential.
Architect of the Eternal Continuum remained largely unknown, even to the system itself.
And False Ceiling Break could temporarily triple his power.
If Frost Dominion were added to that collection...
A quiet excitement stirred within him.
For a brief moment, Andras imagined entire battlefields freezing beneath his feet while enemies struggled through storms of ice and killing intent.
The image pleased him more than it should have.
Still, he quickly suppressed the thought.
He could not afford recklessness.
Evelyne Darkmoor was not Lyra.
She was a Peak Eighth Circle Mage with instincts sharp enough to notice even the slightest irregularity.
Trying anything careless around her would be suicide.
Not yet.
Andras dismissed the system window and returned his attention to the breakfast table.
Across from him, Evelyne suddenly spoke.
"You’ve been staring at me for quite a while."
A trace of amusement lingered beneath her calm voice.
Andras showed no visible reaction.
"I was thinking about something."
Evelyne rested her chin lightly against one hand while studying him.
"And what exactly were you thinking about?"
Silence hung between them for a moment.
Then Andras answered without hesitation.
"How beautiful you are."
One of Evelyne’s eyebrows rose slightly.
Then, unexpectedly, she laughed.
The sound was soft and elegant, yet carried an edge that was difficult to ignore.
"That may be the first honest thing you’ve said since entering this room."
Andras remained calm outwardly, though his mind stayed alert.
Every conversation with this woman felt dangerous.
Not because she threatened him directly.
But because Evelyne Darkmoor possessed the kind of intelligence that noticed things others overlooked.
People like her were difficult to deceive.
Still...
Andras found himself looking forward to the future.
Because sooner or later—
He intended to devour power far greater than Frost Dominion itself.
