Chapter 88
Chapter 88
As the massive silver gate opened, the true face of the Winterbell main palace was revealed. This enormous structure, steeped in hundreds of years of history, was cold majesty itself.
The main palace, built from pure white marble and silver steel, looked as if it had been carved from ice.
The ceiling rose to a dizzying height, and chandeliers made of crystal emitted a soft glow. The pillars lining the corridors were each works of art. Carved with patterns of ice crystals, the pillars shimmered faintly as they caught the light, and between them hung portraits depicting the historical figures of the Winterbell family.
Rayven shrugged.
“Still cold.”
Inside the main palace, it was even colder than outside. This chill was not merely a matter of temperature, but the frigid dignity created by the Winterbell family that had continued for hundreds of years.
As they walked along the corridor, the sound of their footsteps echoed. The floor was made of marble faintly tinged with blue, and silver wolf-patterned tapestries hung along the walls. Through the windows, a landscape of endlessly falling snow could be seen.
The direction Arkan led them toward was the western wing of the main palace.
“This way.”
This was the Patriarch’s private domain and one of the most sacred places of the Winterbell family. Normally, entry here was strictly restricted to anyone other than the Patriarch.
With every step they took, the lamps hanging on the walls lit up one by one. Their light was a cold blue, yet it surprisingly emitted a warm energy.
The ice crystal patterns along the walls caught the light and looked as if they were alive.
At last, they arrived at Arkan’s private study. When the double doors opened, warm air flowed out from inside. Unlike the rest of the main palace, this place alone was filled with a cozy warmth.
After taking a seat, Rayven placed the liquor he had been holding in his arms onto the table. The Chancellor’s gaze remained fixed on the ‘Breath of the Sun’.
“Hahaha. Chancellor, do you want to drink it that badly?”
The Chancellor replied shamelessly.
“Was it that obvious?”
“How could it not be?”
Arkan Winterbell spoke in a cold tone.
“Because you brought that, now I have no choice but to bring out some liquor as well.”
“You’re going to serve alcohol? What kind?”
“Baekseolju (White Snow Wine).”
At Arkan’s words, Rayven’s eyes sparkled.
The Chancellor also flinched in surprise.
What kind of liquor was Baekseolju?
Baekseolju (White Snow Wine).
It was a legendary liquor that could only be produced by the Winterbell family.
Inside a clear crystal bottle, the faintly glowing blue liquor shimmered softly. It possessed a brilliance as if moonlight itself had been condensed.
If the bottle was shaken, it looked as though small snowflakes swirled inside. This was because the secret technique passed down through generations of the Winterbell family had been infused into the liquor.
The manufacturing process was kept in absolute secrecy. However, it was known that the main ingredient was perennial snow that had not melted for over a hundred years, gathered from the highest mountain in the Winterbell territory.
To this, the family’s secret technique was added, and the liquor was aged for decades. During this process, a special environment possessed only by the underground storage vault of the Winterbell family was required.
When one drank Baekseolju, at first an icy chill spread through the entire body, as if one were freezing solid. But soon after, a refreshing sensation poured through like a waterfall, and in the end an oddly warm heat remained.
It felt like standing alone in a snowy field in the middle of winter, only to suddenly feel warm sunlight shining down.
It was said that only about ten bottles were produced in a year, and even most of those were kept in the family’s underground storage. It was rarely taken outside, so it was said that even the Emperor of the Empire found it difficult to drink this liquor.
If the Helios Family had ‘Breath of the Sun’, then the Winterbell family had ‘Baekseolju’.
Precious liquors that could not be obtained no matter how much money one had were now gathered together in a single place.
The sound of the Chancellor swallowing echoed through the room. As the second most powerful figure in the Empire, he had tasted all kinds of rare liquors, but the Helios family’s pride, ‘Breath of the Sun’, he had only tried once, and the Winterbell family’s pride, ‘Baekseolju’, he had never tasted even once until now.
That was why the Chancellor’s heart was pounding fiercely at this moment. He was one of the most renowned lovers of alcohol in the Imperial Palace.
“…You truly intend to bring out something this precious?”
Arkan came out holding a crystal bottle tinted with a faint blue hue. A gentle glow spread from within the bottle.
“If you drink this liquor, you will understand what the winter of Winterbell truly is.”
Just as Arkan had said, Baekseolju was not merely alcohol; it would not be an exaggeration to call it a work of art containing the very essence of the Winterbell family. Both the Chancellor and the Patriarch of the Helios Family knew that well, and they smiled.
“You seem cold and stern, yet you’re secretly good at taking care of things like this.”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
The Chancellor smiled as he looked between the two men.
“I feel a little embarrassed since I didn’t prepare anything.”
Rayven laughed and said,
“Isn’t your specialty coming empty-handed and only drinking alcohol? Hahahaha.”
The Chancellor scratched his head awkwardly. For the second most powerful man in the Empire, it was an unusually humble gesture.
Although he could not compare to the two men in front of him, the Chancellor was also a martial artist who had reached the realm of the Seventh Star.
He simply had little need to use his martial power.
Arkan poured Baekseolju into finely carved crystal glasses.
The moment the liquor filled the glass—
The air inside the study changed ever so slightly.
A refreshing sensation spread through the room, like the moment the first snow of midwinter began to fall.
Rayven accepted the glass and said,
“Your liquor still tastes the same.”
A faint heat rose from his hand. As someone who handled the power of fire, his body temperature was always higher than that of ordinary people.
“It tastes exactly the same as when I drank it ten years ago.”
The Chancellor lifted the crystal glass and held it up to the light. As he gazed at the faintly glowing blue liquor inside the glass, he instinctively realized that this was not an ordinary drink.
Inside the crystal glass, small snowflakes swirled as if dancing, and a cold fragrance brushed past the tip of his nose.
“A refreshing aroma.”
“Drink comfortably.”
“Thank you.”
The first sip.
In an instant, a chill spread through his entire body as if he had frozen solid. It was a lonely yet sacred cold, like standing alone atop the snowy peaks of Winterbell in the middle of winter. The Chancellor’s eyes widened without him realizing it.
Then came a refreshing sensation that poured through like a waterfall. The flavor filling his mouth felt as if thousand-year-old perennial snow were melting. On the tip of his tongue, he felt a texture as though fine crystals were dissolving.
And finally, an unexpected warmth spread deep into his chest.
A warmth so gentle it made the initial chill seem meaningless.
It was like suddenly encountering sunlight while standing in a snowstorm on a midwinter field.
“So this… is the winter of Winterbell…”
The Chancellor’s voice trembled.
The sly smile he usually wore had completely disappeared, and pure emotion filled his face. It was the moment when the mask of the politician he normally wore was completely stripped away.
“Indeed… Now I understand why they say that those who have tasted Baekseolju come to understand the winter of Winterbell.”
His words carried a sense of reverence. For decades he had worked in politics and tasted rare liquors at countless banquets, but this was the first time he had experienced something like this. This was not merely alcohol, but a work of art containing the history, tradition, and pride of Winterbell inside a single bottle.
The Chancellor slowly drank the final sip as if savoring it.
As if he wished to remember this taste for a long time.
Watching his reaction, Rayven Helios drank Baekseolju again.
“Excellent. It hasn’t changed at all from when I drank it ten years ago.”
Arkan Winterbell shook his head.
“No. It has probably grown deeper.”
“……”
Arkan lifted his glass.
“This bottle was placed in the storage vault in the year I became the Patriarch.”
At Arkan’s words, the glasses in Rayven’s and the Chancellor’s hands trembled slightly.
“It’s been over fifty years……”
Rayven’s eyes widened. Surprise filled his golden eyes. On his face, which resembled the southern sun, tension passed for the first time. His gaze toward the glass completely changed. It was as if he had realized that he was holding not merely a fine liquor, but a fragment of history.
“As expected……”
The Chancellor’s admiration followed. His usual sly smile had completely vanished, leaving only an expression filled with reverence. The eyes of the politician now held pure emotion for the first time.
Fifty years.
It was not merely time.
From the moment Arkan became the Patriarch of Winterbell and began ruling the North, this liquor had remained deep within the family’s underground vault, sharing in their history.
While the Empire went through upheaval, while countless events unfolded, this single bottle of Baekseolju had quietly deepened over time.
The three glasses clinked together, producing a clear sound.
The moment they drank, the study fell into complete silence. Only the occasional crackling sound of firewood burning in the fireplace could be heard.
The first to speak was Rayven Helios.
“Arkan. Aren’t you curious about what result this friendly match will bring?”
“……”
When Arkan gave no particular answer, Rayven looked toward the Chancellor as if he were used to it.
“What do you think? Who do you think will win this friendly match?”
The Chancellor replied with a sly smile.
“Since there are so many outstanding talents, I cannot give a definite answer. Everyone in the Empire already knows the greatness of Winterbell and Helios.”
“There’s no need to pretend to be modest. It’s only us here, isn’t it? In the previous friendly match, Lux Winterbell was the champion.”
Arkan Winterbell silently savored the Baekseolju.
In his mind, the scene from the day Lux Winterbell won briefly flashed by.
Arkan rarely showed his emotions outwardly, but on that day he had been quite pleased.
It had not been an overwhelming victory, but it was a match that had sufficiently proven his worth.
Among his many children, Lux Winterbell was one of those who weighed heavily on his heart.
A child who possessed outstanding talent…
Yet one who could not believe in himself.
He was a sore spot in a different sense from Ran Winterbell.
Arkan Winterbell suddenly spoke.
“Was it Leon Helios? He has grown quite a bit.”
Rayven Helios smiled proudly.
“You noticed? His spar with your child stimulated him greatly. He takes after me and has a strong competitive spirit.”
Arkan Winterbell nodded with an expressionless face.
“He’s better than you. With a bit of enlightenment and enough time, he will soon overcome the wall.”
“I appreciate the praise, but you know as well as I do that even after crossing that wall, a greater mountain awaits.”
“…That’s true.”
The Chancellor found it difficult to follow their conversation. This was because it was not a discussion between ordinary martial artists, but something only those who had entered the realm of transcendence could understand and relate to.
At that moment, Arkan Winterbell spoke.
“However, it seems that this time as well, Winterbell will take the championship.”