The old tavern remained silent while the wind slammed against the frost-covered windows.

Nox was completely focused.

Audrey watched from one of the stools as the demon slowly emptied part of the bag they had prepared for escaping.

Coats.

Furs.

Heavy clothes.

Everything was being tossed onto a table.

And in their place...

Nox carefully arranged bottles of alcohol.

One by one.

As if they were his new treasures.

He picked up a dark bottle in his hands.

Sniffed it deeply.

And then gave the glass a quick kiss.

"...I missed you so much."

Audrey let out a small laugh.

"I’ve never seen someone this happy over finding alcohol."

Nox kept stuffing bottles into the bag.

"Audrey, you don’t understand."

He raised another bottle toward the light.

"This is culture."

"That looks more like an addiction."

"That too."

Claws watched the scene while lying near the counter, slowly wagging his tail.

Nox kept filling the bag with bottles until it was nearly packed full.

Then he looked at the coats he had left outside.

"Thanks for telling me to leave these behind."

Audrey raised an eyebrow.

"The coats?"

"Yeah."

Nox pointed at the bag.

"Now I can carry more alcohol."

Audrey laughed again.

"Either way, I don’t need that many clothes anymore."

She looked at her exposed arms.

"I really don’t feel cold."

Nox closed the bag with satisfaction.

"And I really needed to save these bottles."

Audrey rested both arms on the counter.

"Besides..."

Nox looked at her.

"...I have to admit I liked the alcohol a little."

Nox’s eyes lit up instantly.

"I KNEW IT!"

Audrey laughed again.

"Only a little."

Nox raised a finger solemnly.

"Don’t worry."

He pointed at his chest.

"I will guide you down the righteous path of alcohol."

"That doesn’t sound like a good thing."

"That’s because you haven’t reached enlightenment yet."

Then he turned toward Claws.

"And for you..."

He opened another small pocket in the bag. Inside were several white bottles.

"I also got milk."

Claws immediately lifted his head.

Nox smiled proudly.

"See? I think about you too, little buddy."

The bear let out a satisfied growl.

But just as Nox was about to continue checking more bottles...

CRRRK.

The tavern door slowly opened.

A freezing gust of wind entered the room.

And a fake cough echoed through the hall.

"Ahem."

Nox and Audrey immediately turned around.

A woman had just entered.

White hair. Long.

Her eyes were an extremely pale blue.

She wore a kind of black armor similar to a samurai’s.

And a sheathed katana hung at her waist.

But the strangest thing...

Was the floor.

The wood around her was slowly freezing.

Thin layers of ice formed beneath her steps.

The woman calmly looked around.

"Are you already closing?"

Nox narrowed his eyes slightly behind the mask.

Audrey glanced at him sideways.

As if waiting for him to decide what to do.

Then Nox spoke.

"Depends."

The woman slightly raised an eyebrow.

"On what?"

"Who’s asking."

A few seconds of silence passed.

Then the woman gave a faint smile.

"I want to keep things simple."

She slowly approached the counter.

"You don’t need to move."

She placed one hand near the hilt of her katana.

"I’m just going to grab something to drink."

The ice continued spreading slowly around her black boots.

"Just leave your belongings and weapons where I can see them."

Her eyes locked onto them.

"And don’t come near me."

Claws let out a low growl.

But Nox simply laughed.

"Well, if you just want a drink..."

He grabbed one of the whiskey bottles.

"I recommend this one."

And tossed it toward her.

The woman caught the bottle in the air with one hand.

Then she looked at the masked demon.

Nox gave her a thumbs up.

She observed the bottle for a few seconds.

Meanwhile...

Nox couldn’t stop thinking one thing.

’...Why are all the women in this world so beautiful?’

First Audrey and her absurdly tall sisters.

Then the pyromaniac inquisitor.

And now this icy samurai.

He was beginning to suspect the goddess was mocking him by putting him into a demon body right when he kept meeting attractive women.

Audrey slowly stepped forward.

Calmly.

"Maybe it’d be better if we introduced ourselves properly."

The white-haired woman didn’t answer immediately.

She simply kept watching them.

Then Nox spoke first.

"I’m Nox. Nice to meet you."

Audrey lightly pointed to herself.

"Audrey."

Then she looked at the bear.

"And he’s Claws."

The massive bear slightly moved one of his front paws.

The woman remained silent.

Then...

Her eyes stopped on Audrey.

"...Looks like you recently received a title."

Audrey’s eyes widened slightly.

"What?"

Nox also quickly turned toward her.

The woman faintly smiled.

And opened the whiskey bottle.

Audrey frowned.

"How do you know that?"

But before answering...

The woman raised the bottle.

And started drinking.

Nox watched.

Waited.

And kept waiting.

Because the woman wouldn’t stop.

GLUG.

GLUG.

GLUG.

GLUG.

Nox’s eyes slowly widened more and more.

’...No way, she’s drinking the whole thing.’

The woman kept drinking. Until she completely emptied the bottle.

The entire thing. In one gulp.

Nox froze completely.

’...At least share some, you damn alcoholic samurai.’

The woman finally lowered the empty bottle.

Then let it fall to the floor.

CRASH.

The glass shattered into pieces.

She lightly wiped her mouth with her fist.

And smiled.

"...That was an excellent recommendation."

Nox still looked completely stunned.

Audrey seemed just as surprised.

The woman looked back at Audrey.

"And regarding your question..."

A small freezing mist escaped from her body.

"A woman with a title can recognize another woman with a title."

Her blue eyes glowed slightly.

Then she placed one hand on the hilt of her katana.

And smiled calmly.

"My name is Dawn."

The ice around her feet continued spreading while a crown of ice slowly formed above her head.

"Dawn, The Ice Princess."