Chapter 188: Essence of the Extreme

I stopped examining the frostroot because of Verren.

Yeah, his presence of distrubing me.

So, I stopped whatever I was doing and looked towards the little snow lion.

Verren tore into the meat like a beast possessed, growling softly with every bite as if warning me not to steal from him. Blood stained his snowy muzzle, dripping down in thin lines that would’ve looked menacing—if he weren’t still wagging his tail like an overeager pup.

“…You really are a contradiction,” I muttered, leaning back in my chair. “All ferocity when you eat, all fluff the moment you’re done.”

The pup’s ears flicked as though he’d caught my words, but he didn’t stop eating.

I reached out, idly scratching behind his ear. He froze for a second, then huffed before leaning into the touch. Typical. He’d put on airs, but at the end of the day, he was still a child craving affection.

“You know,” I said quietly, watching him gnaw on a bone, “if you keep growing at this rate, you’ll be bigger than me in no time. Then what? I’ll be the one fetching you meals, won’t I?”

Verren let out a sharp growl as if answering, then went right back to chewing.

I laughed under my breath. “Figures. Not even denying it.”

The truth was, I didn’t mind. His presence filled the quiet corners of the room, easing the stillness that sometimes pressed down on me too heavily.

Even if he was Alice’s.

Especially because he was Alice’s.

When the last of the meat was gone, Verren licked the bowl clean, then gave me a perfunctory glance—almost like a nod of acknowledgment—before turning his back.

“Ah. There it is. The betrayal.”

I watched him trot confidently toward the door, no doubt intending to return to Alice’s chambers as usual. His loyalty was unwavering, sharp as his fangs.

Still, as his paws clicked against the floor, he paused. Just once.

He turned his head and stared at me with his bright, icy-blue eyes.

For a brief second, it almost felt like he was saying thank you.

Then, with a flick of his tail, he was gone.

“…Tch. Ungrateful, my ass,” I muttered, but I couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips.

Silence settled once Verren’s pawsteps faded down the hall.

I leaned back in my chair, exhaling slowly, and turned my attention once more to the Frostroot lying in my palm. Its pale surface gleamed faintly in the lamplight, the cool sheen of frost never melting no matter how long I held it.

“…Right. Where was I?”

I rotated it between my fingers, studying the small ridges that spiraled around its body. The more I looked, the more certain I became—it wasn’t an ordinary herb. This thing carried weight.

Not just medicinal value, but something deeper. Something alive.

A faint chill seeped into my skin from where it touched me, traveling up my wrist like an echo of winter. It wasn’t unpleasant—just sharp enough to keep my mind alert, my body awake.

And then—

Ding.

A translucent panel shimmered into existence before my eyes, the letters etched in pale blue as though carved from ice.

[Item Acquired: Thousand-Year Frostroot]

[Category: Rare Elixir]

[Description: An ancient herb that has grown for over a millennium, steeped in the essence of snowfields. Its rarity lies not only in its age but in the fact that it survives only under extreme conditions, impossible to obtain without human hands.]

[Effect: Upon consumption, grants the unique ability Essence of the Extreme.]

“…A whole skill, just like that?”

I let out a low breath, my heart pounding. This wasn’t some ordinary stat boost, nor the kind of minor buff an average potion would grant.

A skill.

The kind of treasure people would kill for.

As expected of something I’d earned at the cost of my Master’s right arm and my own left—it wasn’t just valuable, it was priceless.

“There’s no reason to hesitate.”

Without giving myself time to overthink, I lifted the Frostroot to my mouth and bit down.

Crunch.

The outer shell broke apart with surprising ease, releasing a rush of cool juice across my tongue.

“…What the—”

I blinked, caught off guard. Instead of the acrid bitterness I had braced myself for, a crisp, refreshing flavor spread through my mouth. Like fresh mint mixed with the sweetness of spring water.

“…It’s… good?”

The chill that had once lingered on my fingertips now spread through my chest, curling into my veins like liquid frost. Every nerve in my body sang awake, sharp and clear, as though I’d swallowed winter itself.

The chill spread faster now, threading through my veins, coiling around my bones, pressing into the very core of my being. My breath fogged in the warm air of the room, each exhale a wisp of white.

Then—

Ding.

Another panel flickered into existence before my eyes, brighter than usual, its letters glowing like frost etched in fire.

[New Skill Unlocked: Essence of the Extreme]

[Grade: A]

[Description: The essence of the Thousand-Year Frostroot has taken root within your body. Mastery and control of this newfound power rest solely with the user.]

[Effect: Temporarily doubles your base Agility. Duration varies with proficiency. After use, a cooldown of 3 days is applied, along with a brief reduction in agility.]

I let out a low whistle.

“…So it wasn’t just an herb after all.”

For reference, the effect mirrored the temporary boost I’d gotten from that elixir back in the expedition. The difference was simple—this wasn’t a one-time trick.

This was mine now.

A skill. A proper one.

It was like being handed a permanent buff button.

“Boosting base stats is always the right choice,” I muttered with a grin, feeling the faint cold still swirling in my veins.

The root’s essence hadn’t just faded after consumption—it had carved itself into me, as if declaring its presence with every heartbeat.

This… was an advantage I couldn’t waste.

The glow of the system message lingered in the air before slowly dissolving, leaving only the faint chill clinging to my skin.

“…Essence of the Extreme,” I repeated under my breath.

It sounded almost too grand for me. Like it belonged to some legendary warrior or ancient hero, not to a servant who still struggled to keep his place in this household.

Yet my body hummed differently now. My limbs felt lighter, my breathing sharper, as though the air itself yielded to me. Even sitting still, I could feel an urge to move, to run, to test this new agility burning inside my bones.

I flexed my fingers. They trembled faintly, not from weakness, but from restrained energy.

“…If I test it here, I’ll just break something.”

I glanced around the room. The desk, the chair, the stack of neatly folded sheets Alice’s maids had left earlier… one wrong step, and it’d all be in pieces.

And if Alice found out I had destroyed furniture using some unknown ability?

Yeah, no thank you.

Still, the hunger to test my limits gnawed at me.

My hand drifted unconsciously to my chest, where the coldest thread of that power lingered. It wasn’t fading. Not like a potion’s fleeting effect. No, it felt as if something had been permanently etched into me—like a rune carved straight into the marrow of my bones.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the faint wisp of fog that curled from my breath. A thrill ran through me, a dangerous exhilaration I hadn’t felt in a long time.

The sound of claws scratching at the door startled me from my thoughts.

“…Verren?”

Sure enough, the snow lion pup’s head poked in, muzzle still wet from his earlier feast. He let out a short bark before padding toward me.

I raised an eyebrow. “What, already tired of Alice’s company?”

He sat down by my feet, tail thumping once, his bright blue eyes locked on me.

For a moment, I swore they glimmered knowingly—as if he’d seen something, sensed something, deep inside me.

“…Don’t look at me like that,” I muttered, though my hand instinctively reached down to ruffle the fur between his ears. He leaned into the touch with a low rumble of contentment.

The frost still lingered in my veins, humming quietly.

And somehow, I had the distinct feeling Verren could sense it too.

Verren pressed closer, curling against my leg as though he’d decided my room was good enough for the night.

“…So much for loyalty,” I said dryly, though I didn’t push him away. His warmth was a strange contrast to the chill still threading through my veins. The Frostroot’s essence hadn’t faded—it was alive, steady, like an unfamiliar heartbeat layered atop my own.

I exhaled slowly, watching another faint wisp of frost escape my lips.

—-

Author Note:

Thank you for reading the Chapter. I hope you continue to do read more in future.

It’s my second novel so if there’s any kind of mistakes you find in the novel related to grammar please tell me and I’ll edit it as soon as possible.

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