Third Person’s POV

He had already made a decision, but he pretended to search a bit more by maintaining a serious and focused expression on his face.

After a few moments, he opened his eyes again, and a faint, satisfied expression appeared on his face as he pointed ahead and spoke confidently,

"This way, Princess."

Without questioning him, Arlene and the others followed immediately as they trusted in his guidance.

They moved through the uneven terrain, weaving between snow-covered mounds and resisting the push of the cold winds that brushed past them.

Yet not everyone of the four was entirely convinced by Uncle Caspian’s act.

The armored aura master, who had remained silent until now, felt a subtle unease stir within his mind the moment he observed the old man’s actions.

It was not something he could clearly define, as there were no visible flaws in the old man’s actions, but his instincts seemed to signal him otherwise.

A faint, persistent feeling that something did not align constantly pinged his mind, especially the way the correct path had been found almost too easily by this old tracker.

Even though he knew that this old man was a famous and experienced tracker, a suspicion that he had some sort of malicious intentions lingered in his mind, but since there was no proof and his feeling lacked substance, he could not act upon it.

In the end, he chose silence.

After all, he could not make accusations against a member of the royal family based solely on his intuition, especially one who belonged to a recognized branch lineage and was quite capable and famous in the Ice Emperor City.

And so, despite the quiet warning that continued to linger within his instincts, the armored aura master suppressed his doubts and moved onward with the rest of the group, unaware that the path they now followed might not lead them safely toward their destination at all.

The route ahead gradually became harsher and more treacherous than before as it rose and dipped in irregular slopes rather than flattening into a stable plain, while jagged ridges of ice and buried stone lay concealed beneath the fresh snow.

At the same time, the snowstorm thickened further.

The winds howled louder through the ancient trees and open ridges alike, driving curtains of white frost across their path in relentless waves.

The icy currents not only reduced their vision to a few dozen paces ahead but also interfered with their soul sense, making their perception feel strangely sluggish and blurred, as if an invisible shroud had been drawn over the senses of every person present.

Even sounds became distorted, and voices were swallowed by the wind, their footsteps faded too quickly, and the forest around them seemed more desolate than before.

Seeing the worsening terrain and feeling the directionless hostility of the storm, Arlene’s expression gradually tightened.

Her instincts, as well as the memory of previous routes she had crossed, told her that something was wrong.

The path no longer felt familiar.

The terrain had changed, the winds were harsher, and even the angle of the mountain wind striking her face felt off.

A growing suspicion rose within her heart that they had drifted away from the original route and were instead pressing deeper into some wild and unmarked region.

Unable to ignore that unease any longer, she quickened her pace slightly and called toward the old man walking a little ahead of her.

"Is this truly the right way, Uncle Caspian? I feel we may have already lost our route."

Her tone was controlled, but the doubt within it was unmistakable.

Hearing her question, Uncle Caspian did not immediately turn back.

He continued walking for a few more steps through the snow before replying in an even voice, speaking over his shoulder.

"No, Princess, we have not lost our way. This route is, in fact, a shortcut."

He lifted one gloved hand and pointed toward the dim white expanse ahead.

"If we had returned from that dead end and retraced our earlier trail, we would have lost several days of travel.

By taking this path, we will reduce that delay considerably and will reach the city much sooner."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"This passage is not known by many people, which is precisely why few use it.

The terrain is rough, the weather harsher, and ordinary travelers avoid it entirely.

But under our present circumstances, speed is more valuable than comfort, so I chose this route."

His explanation was reasonable and completely practical, but instead of easing Arlene’s concerns, it only caused anger to rise within her chest.

Her beautiful, cloudy eyes cooled noticeably.

What unsettled her was not merely the danger of the route, but the presumption behind it.

This old man had changed their course without informing her beforehand and without even considering that she was the leader of this expedition and the daughter of the Ice Emperor himself.

To make such a decision on his own authority and only explain it after being questioned made her feel less like the commander of this group and more like a child being quietly maneuvered by an elder who believed he knew better.

She felt as if she had been disregarded and played with.

At the same time, her paranoia became even stronger and made her feel that this old man had malicious intentions.

She was already preparing to rebuke him openly and order the group to turn back immediately toward the dead end they had abandoned, but it was at that moment that danger struck.

It happened with no warning.

The snow beside them suddenly exploded upward in a burst of white powder and shattered ice, while a savage roar tore through the storm from frighteningly close range.

As they moved forward, Arlene’s beautiful, cloudy blue eyes suddenly widened, and a sharp glint flashed through them as her instincts screamed at her.

Without even turning her head fully, she shouted urgently,

"Watch out, Claire!"

Her voice cut sharply through the howling wind, and in the same instant, her hand struck against her thigh as she unsheathed a gleaming blue short sword with a smooth, practiced motion.