Chapter 47: Raby 3

As we reached the end of Seolhanryeong, a gigantic ice canyon filled our vision.

It was an overwhelming sight that took our breath away.

An ice wall hundreds of meters high towered into the sky, and below, the ground covered in snow and ice continued endlessly.

‘This is Seolhanryeong…’

I swallowed.

The Seolhanryeong that I had only heard of in my grandfather’s stories was now unfolding before my eyes.

Even though I had become an A-class adventurer, my heart sank at the sight of this overwhelming sight for the first time.

“Is everyone ready?”

Ryandel asked in a calm voice.

“Yes.”

My voice and those of the other adventurers blended together.

He took out his crystal staff and drew a blue magic map in the air.

The complex terrain of Seolhanryeong was expressed in three dimensions, and a green line marked the path we would take.

“Let’s go this way. It’s the best route to avoid the Guardians’ territory.”

Ryandel’s map was very detailed.

The danger zones marked in red were particularly vivid, and the territories of the various guardians were distinguished by different shades of color.

“Hmm… This is really detailed,” said veteran adventurer Rodrick.

“The Magic Tower has been collecting information about the Seolhanryeong for decades. Of course, the exact habitats of the guardians change slightly each time, so we have updated them with the latest information.”

I gripped my bow tightly.

The ‘Moonlight Whisper’ that I had specially trimmed this morning seemed to tremble slightly in my hand.

It seemed that it too sensed the danger of the Seolhanryeong.

‘It’s okay, it’s okay…’

My heart was beating fast.

I took a deep breath to calm my trembling hands.

I had already experienced many situations where my life was in danger.

This time, we had a capable wizard like Ryandel and other skilled adventurers with us.

It would be fine.

“Let’s go.”

Following Ryandel’s command, we set foot on the Seolhanryeong.

Before we set off, we all drank a cold resistance potion.

As soon as the bitter taste went down my throat, a warm feeling spread through my body.

The Frost Drake cloak that Grandpa Ronin gave me also helped block the cold.

We carefully advanced along the narrow ice canyon.

The crunching sound of snow echoed with every step.

Strangely, this huge canyon was very quiet.

Only the occasional sound of falling snowflakes and the distant cracking of ice could be heard.

“Why is it so quiet?” I asked quietly.

“Most of the Snowy Mountains’ monsters minimize movement and sound to conserve body heat. However, when they sense prey, things change.”

After hearing that, I felt like my footsteps were louder.

The silence of the Snowy Mountains suddenly felt threatening.

It was as if everything was watching us.

We followed Ryandel’s lead and moved along the narrow passage between the canyons.

When we looked up, the sky beyond the ice walls gradually turned gray.

The ice and snow reflected the sky, turning the surroundings a cold blue.

As time passed, the terrain became more and more complicated.

We carefully walked between the ice pillars and the large and small ice walls.

Ryandel’s map was accurate.

Following the path he had given, we passed through Seolhanryeong relatively safely.

Occasionally, we could see small monsters on the snow-covered plains.

‘Ice Horn Rabbits’ that looked like snow rabbits and ‘Snow Foxies’ that looked like small white foxes quickly ran away when they saw us.

Once, we encountered a few chimera-like monsters called ‘Ice Crawlers’ covered in ice, but we easily defeated them with Ryandel’s simple fire magic.

“It’s strangely easy. I thought Seolhanryeong would be swarming with more dangerous monsters…” Elina said quietly.

“It may seem that way, but we are currently bypassing all the dangerous places.”

Ryandel answered with a light laugh.

“If we had crossed it the right way, there was a high possibility that we would have encountered the Guardians.”

As if to prove his point, we heard the howl of a frost werewolf at one point.

The sound came from far away, but the power contained in the howl itself sent shivers down everyone’s spines.

The sound, which seemed to be a mixture of human screams and wolf howls, lingered in our ears for a while.

“Look over there… I think that’s their territory,” Carl pointed out quietly.

A huge pack of wolves could be seen in the distance.

They were moving across the snow like white ghosts.

They must be the Frost Werewolves.

They were quite far away from us, but their imposing presence could be felt here.

“You don’t have to worry,” Ryandel said confidently.

“They don’t leave their territory. As long as we don’t enter their territory, we’re safe.”

True to his word, we never once trespassed on the Guardians’ territory, and thanks to that, we passed through the Seolhan Pass without any dangerous encounters.

This would not have been possible without Ryandel’s accurate map and extensive knowledge.

As the sun began to set, we came across a large ice cave.

Ryandel checked the map and nodded.

“It would be a good idea to rest here for the night. It will be a little warmer if we go inside the cave because the wind will be less strong.”

When we entered the cave, it was wider and cleaner than we thought.

On the ice wall, blue-colored moss-like things grew, emitting a soft glow.

Ryandel pointed to it and explained.

“This is a special type of moss called ‘luminous moss’. It has the property of glowing in the dark. It has magical properties, so it is studied by the Magic Tower.”

Thanks to the light, we were able to easily explore the cave.

Fortunately, there were no other traces of life in the cave.

Torben set up simple traps around the entrance to strengthen the security.

“Let’s take a rest now,” Rodrik said, putting down his backpack.

“It’s cold, so I think we should make a campfire.”

We worked together to gather firewood and make a campfire.

Ryandel’s fire magic was able to easily light the fire.

As the flames burned, the surroundings became warm, and our frozen hands and feet began to thaw slowly.

“I guess we need to replenish our magic a little.”

Ryandel carefully opened the bag and searched inside, pulling out a palm-sized golden sphere.

“What is that?” Carl asked curiously.

“It’s one of the treasures of the Golden Tower, the ‘Prinel Orb.’”

The orb engraved with a pure white magic circle floated into the air, emitting a brilliant light.

When Ryandel touched it with his fingertips, a soft beam of light emanated from the sphere and flowed into his body as if wrapping it.

“It’s a precious item that can’t be easily taken out even from the Magic Tower, but since this journey is important, I received special permission to bring it.”

His voice was more serious than usual.

“It’s like a magic potion?”

“It’s similar. However, unlike potions that increase magic recovery, this orb is a condensation of pure magic, making it much more useful. However, if you rely on it too much, it can actually disrupt the flow of mana.”

Ryandel absorbed enough of the orb’s magic power and carefully placed it deep into his bag.

Then he smiled and took out a beautiful bottle.

“Oh, by the way. Thank you for your hard work today, everyone.”

“This is the crystal berry wine that I brought from the Magic Tower. How about a glass each?”

“Oh, crystal berry? I heard it’s really expensive!” Carl said with shining eyes.

“Haha. It’s a privilege of the Golden Magic Tower.”

Everyone drank wine in small glasses.

I was young, so I decided to drink only tea.

My father always taught me to drink but never get drunk, but even that didn’t allow me, a young child.

So I drank the warm herbal tea I had prepared.

Our group, sitting around the fire, looked peaceful.

Like ordinary travelers. But there was a wariness in all of our eyes.

Rodrik’s hand was always next to his sword, and Elina’s fingers were moving slightly to prepare her magic.

Torben continued to look around.

I also kept my bow and quiver close.

“Good…” Carl said after taking a sip of wine.

“Senior Rodrik, can you tell me an interesting adventure story? On a night like this, adventure stories are the way to go!”

Rodrik was silent for a while.

A dark shadow fell over his face.

“I know you want to hear a fancy adventure story, but…”

He continued slowly.

“Most real adventures are filled with pain and loss.”

“Still, tell me.”

Carl asked with a serious look in his eyes.

“We’re just heading to Sia Kalt. Your experience could be of help to us.”

Rodrik took a deep breath and began to speak slowly.

“When I was your age, my hometown was attacked by monsters.”

His voice was low and heavy.

It felt like he was reopening an old wound.

“In one night, the village was reduced to ruins. My family, my friends, my neighbors… were all killed by the monsters. I and a few residents were the only ones who survived.”

Sparks flew and shadowed Rodrik’s face.

“After that day, I swore revenge. I would somehow become stronger and kill all of those monsters.”

He stroked his sword slowly.

“I became an adventurer for over ten years. When I was finally strong enough, I and my companions invaded the Demon Territory where those monsters lived.”

I held my breath and listened to the story.

The Demon Territory was a terrifying place I had only seen on maps.

“We… killed too many beasts. We killed everything we saw. We were consumed by vengeance.”

Rodrik’s eyes wavered.

“But our vengeance took its toll. We encountered a powerful demon… It killed three of our party members in an instant.”

“Only me and one other person survived. We barely escaped, but… a new desire for vengeance took root in my heart.”

He emptied his glass and continued slowly.

“Five years later, we went back there. This time with more companions and more thorough preparation. And we finally killed that demon.”

A heavy silence fell over the room.

“But my friends never came back. My family never came back. No matter how many beasts and demons I killed, the hole in my heart could not be filled.”

Rodrik muttered, looking into the flames.

“Revenge is sweet, but ultimately empty. That’s the lesson I learned.”

As his story ended, a heavy silence fell over the cave.

Only the sound of the campfire slowly burning broke the silence.

“Adventurers… always go with death.”

My voice trembled slightly.

My heart felt heavy.

Rodrick nodded with a bitter smile.

“Yes. But some deaths can be prevented, and some deaths can be made to be in vain.”

He looked at everyone’s faces, including mine, and continued.

“That’s why I’m telling you this story now. I hope you fight for protection, not revenge.”

His words were engraved deep in my heart.

The faces of my family came to mind.

My father’s strong figure, my mother’s warm smile, and Leah’s bright smile.

‘I must become strong to protect them. And…’

The face of the Third Prince flashed through my mind.

Golden hair and sky-blue eyes. That brief meeting that day changed the course of my life.

I am here now for a dream that may or may not be possible.

The adventurers spent the night lost in their own thoughts.

I couldn’t fall asleep easily even when I lay down.

I held my bow tightly and made a promise.

‘I will never lose someone precious to me and protect them with my own hands.’