Ch.138Snowfield

After being struck by a sudden bolt from the blue, she left the snowy plains. Sae-rin, who had been rushing mindlessly for revenge, slowly gazed upon her homeland that she was returning to after two years. As her emotions fluctuated, now fully restored to their optimal state, the surrounding winds changed direction frequently.

Next to the village where Sae-rin’s group was staying.

A short distance away, in a tranquil location, dozens of simply constructed graves stood in a row. It was quite different from how it had been before Sae-rin left. The deceased could now rest in a better place.

She could faintly hear Karnok’s voice, saying he would fulfill her request.

‘I’m sorry for visiting so late.’

Despite returning to her homeland, she hadn’t come here immediately. She had focused solely on recovering her body beneath the cold snow. Even though the graves were right beside her.

After staring for a long while, Sae-rin suddenly took a deep breath and exhaled a deep, cold breath.

“Hoooo…”

Extreme cold spread out in a white mist, covering the graves. A thin layer of ice surrounded the frost-covered graves. The sunlight shining from the sky made the frozen graves glisten.

The fact that they hadn’t been looted until now could be considered fortunate. So Sae-rin installed a small protective measure. Anyone who touched these graves without being able to protect their body with mana would freeze solid.

It wouldn’t last forever, but it would certainly last until she returned.

After gazing at the graves for a long time, Sae-rin quietly turned away.

Her torn cloak fluttered roughly in the blowing wind.

***

Sae-rin began crossing the snowy plains with her companions. Her homeland was a truly mysterious region. The frequent blizzards and animal cries carried on fierce winds disoriented one’s sense of direction.

Of course, this problem didn’t apply to Sae-rin. It was the snow plain’s way of challenging strangers who came to this land.

Long ago, it was said to be the remnant of a spell cast by the great shaman Hamon, who had settled in this land. Though the truth was never confirmed, all of Sae-rin’s tribespeople believed it.

The wind blew long. Despite the thick blizzard obscuring visibility, Sae-rin didn’t stop. No matter how fierce the wind, the moment it reached her, it transformed into a gentle breeze.

The elves watching this scene whispered among themselves. At first, they hadn’t noticed, but now they could sense that some of the elemental power she possessed was subtly flowing out.

-It seems she’s controlling the wind at will…

-Isn’t she closer to our kind than human? Looking at her appearance, it seems so…

-When I return, I’ll ask the current king if there was a bloodline that left our clan long ago.

-I don’t see any elemental spirits around. If no one is lending her power, it means it’s her own ability… Is that even possible? Handling elemental power with a human body…

It wasn’t just the elves. The mages also had many conversations among themselves. The main topic was, likewise, Sae-rin.

-Let’s formally invite her to the magic tower.

-Do you think she’ll accept? She’s a high-ranking knight of the Blue Wing. A knight who must observe the world wouldn’t leisurely visit a magic tower.

-That spell that transcended space… if we research it, we might be able to restore the lost teleportation magic…

-I want to propose to her.

-I’d like to examine all the swords the knight possesses… Would that be possible? Seeing so many enchanted swords, she must have knowledge of magic…

It was then. Sae-rin, who had been leading the group, stopped walking. The companions following her naturally came to a halt as well.

“What’s wrong?”

“Why suddenly… Is it an enemy?”

Sae-rin didn’t answer the questions. She just silently stared beyond the white blizzard.

Not long after, a group emerged from the blurry blizzard. Most were wrapped in thick fur, making them almost look like beasts at first glance.

“They’re Astrians.”

The inhabitants of the snowy plains.

Sae-rin stepped forward. They were carrying weapons like spears, swords, and blunt instruments, along with simple provisions. They appeared to be out hunting. Sae-rin could immediately recognize their origin.

‘The Frost Snowflake tribe…’

One of the few tribes that maintained an amicable relationship with Sae-rin’s White Frost tribe. As she approached them, Sae-rin tilted her head in confusion. This wasn’t the territory of the Frost Snowflake tribe as she knew it.

“Stop!”

The Frost Snowflake tribe was extremely wary of strangers approaching. They each drew their weapons and emanated fighting spirit. But Sae-rin didn’t stop. She had spotted a shaman chanting spells among the hunters.

Sae-rin’s instinct told her not to leave him be. Though she wasn’t sure exactly what he was doing, she immediately moved her hand. As her lightly extended palm pushed the air, a straight gust of wind shot out.

Whoosh-!

“Ugh…!”

The Frost Snowflake tribespeople caught in the wind hunched their bodies. The gentle breeze suddenly intensified, becoming part of a storm. The shaman, directly caught in the wind, was lifted up before being buried in the snow.

“S-stop! Outsider! This is not your land!”

Sae-rin stopped walking and frowned. Outsider. She never thought she would hear such words. Did she really appear that way now?

“Ah…”

After moving her lips a few times, Sae-rin continued. The homeland language she hadn’t used for a long time felt unfamiliar.

“I am Sae… Seiran of the White Frost tribe. What are you Frost Snowflake tribe doing here? Trespassing into our territory is not a matter to be taken lightly.”

“White Frost tribe… you…? That’s impossible. The White Frost tribe was destroyed.”

This was an unsettling statement. Just as Sae-rin was about to open her mouth to argue further, the shaman who had been buried in the snow suddenly stood up and shouted.

“Stop! Do not go against him!”

The shaman was an extremely old man. Looking as if he could barely walk, he rose from the snow and ran toward Sae-rin. Despite gasping for breath, he didn’t fall. Whenever his body staggered, a dark red energy flowed out, helping him maintain balance.

Sae-rin quietly watched the shaman approach. She didn’t sense any particular danger. The shaman, having approached, circled around Sae-rin for a moment with trembling eyes.

“Ah, aah… Great Shaman…”

“What are you saying…”

“Hamon…! Lord Hamon! Have you finally, finally returned to this land!”

The old shaman shouted in excitement, as if about to lose his breath. He prostrated himself on the ground, not hesitating to bow. Everyone was bewildered by this sight.

“W-what are you…”

“Be quiet and prostrate yourself like me! If you go against his will, your soul will never find peace and will writhe in endless agony!”

As the shaman’s thundering voice continued, the Frost Snowflake tribespeople who had been watching cautiously slowly knelt down.

Sae-rin was the most confused. It seemed the senile shaman had sensed the traces of her brother inside her body and mistaken it for the Great Shaman Hamon.

‘I should correct this misunderstanding…’

As she was about to clarify the misunderstanding, Sae-rin frowned. Was there really a need to do so? If she could use this situation to her advantage, that would be sufficient.

And perhaps, the shaman before her might know how to communicate with her brother inside her body.

Sae-rin immediately began acting. She raised her chin arrogantly and wrapped herself in the aura of an absolute being looking down on everything. She also released control of her mana, allowing it to naturally spread out.

Then, a white wind swirled around Sae-rin.

“Oh, ohhh…! Lord Hamon!”

“Ha-Hamon…?”

The shaman was half-crazed. The old shamans Sae-rin remembered were generally like this. Years of using various hallucinogenic herbs had damaged their brain functions.

Sae-rin spoke.

“Old shaman. I have something I want to ask you.”

“Oh, ohhh…! Please speak!”

“There is another soul within my body. Do you know how I can communicate with this soul?”

“Communicate with a soul…! U-uroogh…!”

The shaman, who had been shouting as if having a seizure, clutched his heart. Perhaps his extreme excitement was the problem. Opening his mouth wide and drooling, the shaman suddenly foamed at the mouth and collapsed.

He was no longer in a state to continue the conversation.

Sae-rin let out a deep sigh and said.

“This is the territory of the White Frost tribe. I’ll forgive your trespass just this once. Spread the word that other tribes should not approach.”

With those words, Sae-rin drew the Ice Dragon Sword from her waist and swung it widely. The slash that began at the tip of the sword spread out with a slow wind, drawing a circle and leaving a large mark on the ground. The circle that formed marked a specific territory.

Swaaaash-!

It was the territory that the White Frost tribe had once occupied.

Immediately after, Sae-rin, retrieving her sword, coldly commanded.

“Go.”

The prostrated Frost Snowflake hunters, as if they had been waiting for just those words, rose from their places and hurriedly ran away. They didn’t forget to take care of the collapsed shaman either.

“What just happened…?”

A mage who had been watching the situation cautiously approached and asked.

“We’ve acquired a caretaker for the graves,” Sae-rin replied.

***

Sae-rin, the elves, and the mages.

The journey of this strange group continued until they reached the Karma Empire. The period was about a month.

Sae-rin returned to the Blue Wing headquarters with the elves and mages.