The Seeker Of The Flames

"How..."

Adin stared at the frozen figure before him, trying to find a way to break the protection and bring her out of that crystal layer. But the problem was:

"How?"

"I don't know," Angelo remarked, "I tried my best to break it but it's impossible. The difference in this magic's level and mine is just so much. I can't even put a scratch on it."

—If it's just something with a difference in magical power, I should be able to destroy it. But should I really do it? No, it's too risky. I should find a safer way.

He could use his legendary power since he was Demon King, but would it actually work? Adin had seen a lot of problems in his infinite life, and there were some issues that he couldn't solve by pure force. If it were one of those cases, then he had to use his mind, rather than going and destroying the whole place by his powers. Even if it got solved by force, would the woman inside it stay alive afterward?

Besides, he couldn't show his true power since Angelo was beside him. Putting all of these reasons together, Adin concluded that it's not a good decision to risk in such a situation. He had to find a way to break the crystal without force.

But was there actually a way like that? He didn't know. Recalling Angelo's story about Zeus, no details were mentioned. It just said that the White Flame would protect the Thunder Key. Nothing else was there as a guide.

"Seriously," Adin thought, "just how are we supposed to break it?"

As he focused more on finding a way to break the crystal, he gave more attention to the figure's details. Her body looked slender in shape, albeit well-fit. Her b.r.e.a.s.ts, however, were unusually bigger than an average female. She had long casual hair, reaching down her c.h.e.s.t, appearing entirely frozen in blue crystal. Her eyes remained shut like her lips under the blue layer.

Hands put on her c.h.e.s.t, she had her left leg bent to the left on her right t.h.i.g.h, laying down straight on sands.

"Have you ever heard the story of Frozen Princess?" Angelo suddenly asked, folding his arms together, his left hand supporting his chin.

"Frozen Princess?" Adin responded, trying to realize the meaning behind Angelo's words. "Oh... do you mean that..."

"If you've not, then I can tell you about it if you're interested—"

"No, no... no... no... no... nononononononoonmonononoNONONONO! Absolutely, definitely, obviously, literally, and without doubt NOOO! I know it! I know it! No need to start storytelling again! All right?"

Angelo tut-tutted at Adin's disinterest, directing his eyes away from him. "Tsk... OK..."

There was ancient folklore about the frozen princess in a wasteland, waiting to be saved by a brave man as legends had described. But how would that myth be related to White Flame, Thunder Key and Zeus?

"You see," Angelo started talking again, "they say that the frozen princess is cursed. Like almost every other story in ancient times, they say she can only be saved by the true love's kiss. So..."

Adin knew that, and it sounded so boring to him. The true love's kiss would be well-known as the solution to break a curse. For some reason, human authors in history had an endless interest in that legend, and they would repeat it in all of their works. Adin had become so tired of it that he stopped reading stories after that. And therefore the true love's kiss entered Adin's list of topmost boring things in the world.

Yet He couldn't deny it; if breaking the protective layer is not possible by sheer force, then it must be some curse or other similar spells, so True Love's Kiss might actually be effective.

"Hey.. you don't want to say we should kiss her, do you?"

"Well, it's free to try. Why not give it a go? Go ahead my savior, kiss those lips. If that's not going to work, then I don't know how to break that crystal. It's the only thing that comes to my mind. If yours didn't work, then I can kiss her too."

He had a bad feeling about it. That was why he showed a lot of hesitation after hearing Angelo's suggestion. Adin himself knew that he should consider the kiss as an option, but his instincts warned him about it.

—Damn... why do I feel so bad. Kissing might actually fix the problems and break the protection, but I don't know... there's something inside me burning and ravaging and fighting, warning me about this woman. Oh wait a second, if White Flame is related to those four flames, then obviously it means she can help me to die. So maybe that's why my instincts are warning me? Because of my boring life? Yeah, yeah that should be it. Clearly, nothing annoying's going to happen. Yes, yes, that's it. Let's go Adin! Just a quick kiss and it's done!

Adin bent over, reaching the figure's mouth. He finally brushed his lips against hers, closing his eyes while kissing her.

As expected, the blurs of crystals all over her body started to disappear in the air. Since the blue layer on her body was gone by then, her pure white bridal gown and her long scarlet hair could be seen clearly.

"It seems it worked," Adin thought. "All right then—"

When he tried to pull back his head and stand up, he felt a soft touch behind her head preventing him from moving his lips away, pushing him down. It was then that he noticed two gleaming red eyes before him.

The frozen woman had opened her eyes. Her hands no longer rested on her c.h.e.s.t, as they kept Adin's face stuck to hers, forcing him to stay kissing her.

Adin answered her gleaming looks with a confused stare. "Mmmhph? Mmhmhmph? Muwh muwh..."

Struggling to get free from her hands, Adin pushed her away and fell aside. "Hey! It's enough!"

The woman in bridal gown stood up before him, smiling and tilting her head while closing her eyes. She then started talking in a tender voice.

"My dear husband! I'm now officially your wife! Please have me to your heart's content!"

—H-huh?