Snow Country Princess Daisy

Zhou Yi was not just struck by her beauty when he saw her.

Though her features weren’t conventionally stunning, there was something inexplicably captivating about her.

Her face was as pale as jade, with long, slightly curled lashes framing a pair of deep, ocean-blue eyes.

When those eyes met his, they were so pure, so untainted, as if not a single speck of dust had ever touched them.

There was an indescribable allure about this girl.

Especially her gaze—locking eyes with her made one’s heart ache with tenderness.

She carried an air of melancholy, a fragile vulnerability that seemed ready to shatter at any moment.

Upon noticing Zhou Yi, she didn’t speak, only lowered her eyes slightly, furrowed her brows, and made to leave.

"Did I disturb you?"

Zhou Yi’s voice was gentle.

Daisy stood up and looked at him, but the moment their eyes met, she immediately tensed and lowered her head.

077: "She didn’t show even a hint of increased affection despite your looks. Seems she’s not one to be swayed by appearances."

Zhou Yi: "That’s why she’s an SSS-level target."

But Daisy wasn’t what Zhou Yi had imagined an SSS-level goddess would be like.

He had expected someone formidable, perhaps a woman of high status or unshakable dominance—even a queen wouldn’t have surprised him.

Yet the girl before him was nothing like that.

"No, this place is open to everyone. It doesn’t belong to me, sir."

Her voice was pleasant, still carrying the soft innocence of youth.

This was the first time Daisy had met a man like Zhou Yi.

Handsome, gentle, without a trace of lewdness or disdain in his gaze, nor any hint of predatory ambition.

He was unlike any man she had ever encountered.

"Then why leave? Do you want to swing? I can push you."

Daisy didn’t understand why Zhou Yi was standing there, talking to her, but out of politeness, she sat back down.

She seemed uneasy, like a young animal whose territory had been invaded, lost and helpless.

Zhou Yi stepped behind her and began gently pushing the swing.

Daisy remained silent the entire time.

After about two minutes, Zhou Yi spoke again:

"May I know your name?"

Daisy hesitated, then bit her lip and answered softly, "My name is Daisy."

Zhou Yi smiled. "That’s a beautiful name."

Even without seeing his face, Daisy could hear the warmth in his voice.

She felt a flicker of surprise. Did he not know who she was?

The man behind her continued, "I’m Zhou Yi. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Daisy."

Her hair brushed against Zhou Yi’s arm as the wind carried it. Suddenly, she turned her face slightly and said,

"Sir, I think it’s best if you keep your distance from me."

Zhou Yi stopped pushing. "Why? Have I done something to upset you?"

Daisy stood up from the swing and looked at him. She shook her head. "No, you’re a kind and handsome gentleman. I don’t dislike you. But if you stay too close to me... something unfortunate might happen. I should go now."

In her eyes, Zhou Yi saw something dark, suffocating—a lifelessness, as if she carried a heavy secret.

After Daisy left, Zhou Yi didn’t linger either. He returned to the lawn.

Soon, the guests would be ushered into the castle, where the real banquet would begin.

Back at Jones’ side, Flora was still chattering away.

What a nuisance.

The moment Jones saw Zhou Yi return, her eyes lit up. She quickly took his arm and led him toward the castle, eager to escape Flora’s company.

"You have no idea how insufferable Flora is. She wouldn’t stop insisting you perform at her estate," Jones grumbled as they walked.

Zhou Yi reassured her, "Don’t worry, I won’t go."

The woman exhaled in relief. "Good."

Zhou Yi then asked about Daisy. "Earlier, in the garden, I met a strange woman named Daisy. Do you know who she is?"

At the mention of the name, Jones’ expression turned sympathetic. She sighed. "Princess Daisy... She’s a tragic figure."

"Princess?"

"Yes. Daisy is the princess of a distant, small kingdom. Because it’s perpetually blanketed in snow, it’s often called the Land of Ice and Snow—or simply, the Snow Kingdom."

Through Jones’ explanation, Zhou Yi learned Daisy’s story.

She hailed from a remote, minor nation, known only for a few things.

First, due to its geographical location, the country was locked in eternal winter, earning it the nickname "the Snow Kingdom."

Second, the Snow Kingdom was constantly embroiled in wars—either invading smaller nations or being invaded by them.

Third, after a recent defeat, the kingdom had been forced to offer one of its princesses in marriage as part of a peace treaty. Daisy was that princess.

The terms of surrender included an exorbitant war indemnity.

If Daisy couldn’t find a man tonight willing to pay that staggering sum, she would be wedded to a nobleman in his sixties from the Kingdom of Y.

"Daisy came here with her brother. Tonight, he’ll choose a man for her... Nearly everyone here knows what’s really happening."

"Zhou, I should apologize. The upper echelons of society are often rotten. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought you here, exposing you to such ugliness."

Zhou Yi understood the unspoken implications in Jones’ words.

Tonight, Daisy was to be auctioned off by her brother—her virginity included.

No wonder so many noblemen and princes from various nations had gathered for this banquet.

"It’s alright, Jones. Whether I knew or not, these things would still exist. I’d rather stand by your side than let you face it alone."

"Thank you, Zhou. As a woman, my heart breaks for her. But I’m powerless to help—forced to watch from the sidelines."

Jones fell silent, her brows knitted in sorrow.

She was compassionate, still moved by such injustices.

Other women, like Flora, had long grown numb to it all.

To Flora, the world was a playground for the elite. Everyone and everything existed to serve the nobility. The lives of others meant nothing—especially not the life of a minor princess.

And Daisy, with her striking beauty? Flora despised her all the more for it.