Ch.116To North (1)

“Ah! I’m ruined!”

“Rumil, how about staying at my house this vacation?”

“D-don’t lie. This is really my grade?”

“Anyone want to go to Dellin’s Lake? I heard the water is so warm there.”

First-year Magic Department students.

The children who received their report cards had various reactions.

Some students were pleased with their grades, while others were not.

But what they had in common was their joy about the upcoming vacation—their first one.

For some, it would be time to improve their lacking skills.

For others, it would be precious time to meet family members they’d been missing.

The four-month period—neither too long nor too short—was sufficient time to fulfill all those needs.

Meanwhile…

“The North.”

“Honestly, I was dissatisfied, but now that the moment has come, I’m kind of excited.”

“It’s not a place you can just casually visit.”

“I wonder what the magical beasts look like?”

“They probably look like you.”

A small number of students weren’t thinking about rest at all, but instead were preparing for the upcoming test.

The Northern First Defense Line expedition.

The students had been practicing to death under Damon’s guidance.

It was such a difficult and challenging time that one might wonder if the “Student Council” was created to torment “students.”

But they were able to endure because of their sense of shame.

At the Academy, everyone is given the same time and opportunities.

Even excluding Damon, who is a prince, and Hersy, who is from high nobility—

The Swordsmanship Department was greatly inspired by Gilbert.

The Magic Department was greatly inspired by Asha.

“…We must have gotten stronger by now.”

“If we train in the North, we can become even stronger.”

“I can feel it these days. We’re growing day by day.”

“I plan to work hard. If you’re thinking of getting in my way, get lost now.”

‘Well… I guess it’s a natural result given Damon’s skills.’

Ruide, who was secretly watching with invisibility magic, nodded.

The students who had been unbearably weak were now somewhat tolerable weaklings.

He also liked how their mindset had changed positively.

This should be enough.

After all, the purpose of this Northern expedition was for them to appreciate “Windsor’s efforts.”

“We’ll move to the North as planned. Students who can ride horses will ride horses, and those who can’t will take carriages. It will likely be a tough march, so prepare yourselves.”

“Yes!”

The Academy’s vacation began.

Most students returned to their respective residences.

However, the students taking “Magic Useful Against Magical Beasts” led by Ruide headed to the North.

Ruide could assert with confidence that the students following him would become excellent, regardless of which direction they took.

**

‘Finally going home. I wonder if Victoria is doing well?’

As they were about to reach the North, Ruide couldn’t hide his excitement.

How long had he been looking forward to this moment?

Several times a day, he had thought, ‘Should I just quit everything and return to the North?’

That’s how much Ruide loved the North.

“From here on is the North.”

Ruide dismounted from Miho’s back.

Miho immediately shrank and climbed onto Ruide’s shoulder.

Hersy got off her horse with a dazed expression.

“This is…”

“The boundary line separating the Empire and the North. That’s why it’s called the boundary line.”

A white snowfield and green plains existed in the same space.

Where Ruide stood was on the plains, and one step forward would be the snowfield.

The cause of this mysterious phenomenon was simple.

‘This world is Dellin’s no matter where you go, huh.’

It’s Dellin’s magic.

The powerful cold air flowing from the North was blocked by magic.

“Is this a curse or a blessing?”

Irene suddenly spoke in a low voice.

“Ah, I’ve heard that. It’s the phrase inscribed on the First Emperor’s tomb, right?”

“That’s right.”

The First Emperor’s tomb is located “somewhere” in the North.

Both the inscription on the tombstone and the fact that he made his home in the North were the First Emperor’s will.

Only the “Duke of Windsor” knows its location, and even Ruide doesn’t know.

However, what is commonly known to everyone is that the First Emperor left the words “Is this a curse or a blessing?” on his tombstone.

It’s also known as the last words of the vast collection of “the First Emperor’s will.”

Irene stroked Hersy’s head as if she found her admirable.

“You’re a smart child.”

‘C-could I have scored points?’

Hersy’s face turned red.

She thought she had taken one step closer to her goal of marriage.

However, Hersy’s expectations were shattered by Irene’s next words.

“After about 10 reincarnations, you might be a suitable marriage candidate for Rui.”

“…Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. It’s just a ‘marriage candidate’ after all. The minimum requirement to marry Rui is to defeat me.”

‘…I guess I won’t be able to get married.’

Ruide belatedly realized.

Of course, the only person who could defeat Irene would be Victoria.

…Honestly, he wasn’t even sure if Victoria could win.

Ruide had never seen Victoria fight.

‘Right. Let’s all not get married.’

Ruide arbitrarily decided.

“I-I’ll go in first.”

Amelia hastily stepped beyond the barrier as if she couldn’t stand it anymore.

Irene quietly smiled.

“She’s in a hurry.”

Irene extended her hand to Ruide.

“Let’s go too.”

“Yes.”

Ruide entered beyond the barrier.

A cold chill penetrated to his bones.

“!”

Ruide shivered.

The unique refreshing feeling when humidity is low.

If it felt like a water-soaked cotton ball until just now, now that he had set foot in the North, it was like…

‘It’s cool!’

It felt like entering an air-conditioned store on a hot summer day.

It was completely different from temperature control magic. This feeling could never be replicated by magic.

Crunch, crunch.

Walking on the accumulated snow made him feel incredibly good. This feeling, this sensation.

He had forgotten it for a long time due to his extended stay in the mainland.

‘Yes, this is the world where people should live. This is the North.’

Even though he hadn’t yet seen the people he liked, Windsor Castle, or Victoria—

He already felt healed.

“Now I can finally live. The mainland really doesn’t suit me.”

Looking at Amelia’s expression, she seemed to be in paradise already.

She trembled her hand on her armor, and it was easy to guess that if it weren’t for her dignity, she would have thrown it off and rolled around right away.

“You all come in too.”

The students looked a bit fearful.

That’s understandable.

Because Dellin’s magic trapped the cold air of the North, the mainland is always warm.

It doesn’t even snow there.

For most students, the North would be an unfamiliar place.

“Hmm, so this is the North I’ve only heard about.”

Only Damon walked steadily forward.

Damon crossed the barrier without any hesitation.

And—

His face turned pale.

“I-it’s nothing.”

It was the most flustered look on Damon’s face that Ruide had seen so far.

“Woman. You come quickly too.”

“…Please stop calling me ‘woman’.”

Hersy sighed and crossed the barrier. Ella and Asha followed.

“A-a-achoo!”

Hersy’s face immediately turned pale.

She retreated halfway as if escaping.

“W-what is this?”

‘This isn’t cold that humans can endure…!’

The chill enveloping her flesh was beyond anything she could have imagined.

There was no way humans could endure this.

‘Using magic.’

Hersy took another deep breath.

This time, she surrounded herself with wind magic to suppress the cold invading her body.

However—

Shiver, shiver.

Her body trembled mercilessly.

It was more bearable than before, but it was still cold nonetheless.

“How cold is it…”

“Let’s go in too.”

Gulp.

The Academy students belatedly entered.

And every single one of them returned to where they were, startled as if they had entered ice water.

What was unexpected…

“Um… I seem to be fine.”

Ella appeared to be able to endure it.

‘Come to think of it, Ella usually sweats a lot. Did she also find the mainland too hot?’

“…This is beyond imagination. Why didn’t you tell us? To prepare magic in advance.”

Damon, who was embarrassed, needlessly criticized Ruide.

Amelia spoke with a puzzled expression.

“Magic? Is that necessary? Of course, the North is a bit cold for those not from the Windsor family, but I don’t think it’s that bad.”

“…?”

She genuinely seemed not to understand.

Ruide decided to explain.

“It’s the opposite, Damon. Magic is needed when going to the mainland. Because the mainland is too hot.”

“…!”

‘It can’t be helped. The Windsor family inherently possesses cold magic power.’

It was a simple physical characteristic.

Windsor was born with cold magic power, so their body temperature is low.

Therefore, the mainland feels like a sauna in comparison.

In other words, it’s only when they set foot on Northern land that they no longer need temperature control magic.

“…Are all Northerners like that?”

“Look at Charlotte.”

Achoo.

Charlotte was sniffling and sneezing.

She looked over and smiled awkwardly.

“Hehe… it’s a bit cold coming from a warm place.”

Still, as the vice-captain of the Windsor Knights, she seemed a bit embarrassed to be shivering from the cold.

Irene watched their reactions and touched her lips.

“Hmm… if they’re like this at the entrance, they won’t be able to reach the defense line.”

The North is incredibly vast.

It says a lot that there are more “undeveloped regions” that have never been visited than areas governed by the Windsor Duchy.

To begin with, even the discovered regions alone account for 1/3 of the Empire’s total area.

…Of course, most of it is uninhabitable, so the space utilization is hopeless.

But the basic fact that it’s vast remains unchanged.

“Should I cast a spell on them?”

“If they can’t even do that much on their own.”

Irene didn’t finish her next words and just smiled.

Ruide knew that Irene tried to avoid cruel words in front of him.

‘…What was she thinking?’

Anyway, while he was pondering what to do with those little ones…

“Welcome.”

“Young master, young ladies.”

Two female voices alternated.

When he turned his gaze, two familiar maids were standing not far away.

They simultaneously bowed and spoke in unison.

“The head of the family is waiting for you.”