The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic-Chapter 184

Outside, tension simmered in the air like a storm about to break.

A group of masked men stood before the towering gates of the ice castle. Their presence was suffocating. Fully armed, they radiated deadly intent. Each of them wore thick, plated armor inscribed with strange black runes. Their movements were sharp and trained—military precision.

And leading them…

Mira stood tall and looked around fiercely.

Her fiery red hair whipped in the cold wind like a battle flag. The moment her boots touched the snowy steps of the palace, the air seemed to burn around her. She stood still, her gaze locked forward, filled with determination—and challenge.

Opposite them, a host of Ice Elves had formed a defensive formation. Their blue-white cloaks fluttered in the wind, and the aura they exuded was sharp—chilling, literally. Ice crackled along their blades and their breath was cold mist.

One of the Ice Elf commanders stepped forward, face calm but condescending, his eyes narrowed at Mira like she was an insect on glass.

"Human," he spat, "if trespassing wasn't enough, now you bring weapons to our sacred ground? The only reason we've held our hands is out of respect for the Queen. If this went to the Council of Elders—your head would already be rolling across our floor."

Mira met his sneer with silence at first. Then her brows furrowed.

Her eyes glinted with molten anger.

Without a word, a blazing aura ignited around her—fire coiling at her feet, pushing back the creeping frost that tried to bite at her skin.

"We aren't here to cause trouble," she said, her voice like embers under pressure, "We only came to confirm something. We'll leave as soon as we're done."

"Confirm?" the Elf hissed. "That gives you no right to storm in with an entire squad."

His eyes scanned the group behind Mira—men and women clad in dark combat gear. Most were ranked B and C, but one stood out.

A tall figure cloaked in shadow, silent, still—clearly an A-rank.

And every single one of them wore the Nightstar badge.

Killing one would spark war. An open declaration.

The Ice Elves gritted their teeth. Their fingers itched over their weapons, but they didn't strike. They couldn't—not yet.

The tension was unbearable. One wrong word, one twitch of the wrist, and blood would stain the snow.

Then—

A sharp, commanding voice rang through the air.

"Step back. Let me handle it."

All heads turned.

From within the palace, a woman emerged. Her presence demanded silence.

She walked slowly, gracefully—but every step was deliberate, heavy with unspoken weight.

A shimmering crown rested upon her silver-blue hair, and a sheer veil covered her face, allowing only a glimpse of her piercing violet eyes.

It was Alvera.

The Queen of the Ice Elves.

And right now—the final wall between peace and war.

As Alvera stepped through the grand arched gates of the palace, the very air seemed to freeze in her presence. The wind fell silent. The snow beneath her feet glowed faintly, almost as if the land itself was bowing before its queen.

The guards at the front, hardened warriors of the Iceblood Legion, immediately dropped to one knee, weapons pressed to the snowy ground in solemn respect. Their voices rang out in unison:

"All hail Her Highness, Alvera of the Frostblood Line,Queen of the Elder Throne!"

The surrounding Ice Elves followed without hesitation. Knees struck the ground like thunder. Their heads bowed low, eyes to the earth. Even the snowflakes seemed to hesitate in the air before touching her.

But one remained standing.

Mira.

She stood tall, unflinching, arms crossed beneath her long cloak. Her fiery red hair blazed defiantly against the snow. Her eyes locked onto Alvera's with unwavering defiance.

A low murmur passed through the ranks of the Ice Elves. One of the younger guards clenched his fists, eyes burning.

"Disrespectful wretch…" he muttered under his breath, barely restrained.

Another placed a hand on his shoulder, silently shaking his head. Not yet.

Alvera's expression remained composed—but her violet eyes narrowed as they settled on Mira. The faintest frown touched her lips.

She stepped forward, the wind following her command. Every footstep echoed with the weight of legacy and wrath.

She stopped just a few feet from Mira. Silence.

Then her voice rang out—icy, sharp, and royal.

"You stand in my land… on sacred ice. You bring weapons. You bring soldiers. You do not kneel." Her voice remained calm, but each word struck like a spear.

Her gaze deepened. "So tell me, human of Nightstar… under what power do you dare walk into our territory like a conqueror? Are you here to negotiate… or to provoke war?"

Mira didn't flinch. Her lips curled into a small, knowing smile.

"We came because there is no trust anymore." Her voice was firm.

There was no pretense nor reverence.

"You say this is sacred ice, but that means little when the blood of innocents freezes atop it. My squad is trained to protect my people. I didn't come here for diplomacy—I came here for answers."

Alvera's eyes narrowed further, a glint of frost glowing behind her veil. "And you brought soldiers to demand answers? That's not diplomacy, that's intimidation." She leaned in slightly. "You carry the badge of Nightstar, a known faction. Do you wish for your emblem to be known as the spark of another war? You tread dangerously close to treason."

The Ice Elf guards around them tensed. Magic stirred at their fingertips.

But Mira's next words silenced them.

"Last night…" she said, her tone suddenly heavier. Her eyes no longer glinted with arrogance, but with something deeper—pain.

"Last night… we were attacked."

The words dropped like thunder.

Even the wind froze.

Alvera's brows twitched.

Mira continued, her voice lower now. "Something broke into our headquarters. Killed many men. No signs. No trace. Just… vanished. Our barriers were active. This wasn't a rogue mage."

She raised her gaze, locking eyes with Alvera again.

"I'm not here to show off. I'm here because I think whoever did this… came from your side. Or worse—they passed through your territory without you knowing."

The tension shifted. The Ice Elves went silent. Alvera didn't move for a long moment.

But her expression changed.

Slightly.

And dangerously.

"Are you accusing the Ice Elves Court… of harboring murderers?" Her voice came softer this time. Almost a whisper. But it carried the weight of death.