Ch.144144. Snow in Midsummer (1)

The comet, shining with hundreds of colors, crossed paths with the silver-white sword trail.

The sword trail cut through the comet and continued forward. The moment the comet touched that line, it met its end, its death. The sword trail devoured the comet, leaving a deep wound in space. The distorted space was screaming silently. Ilroy returned his sword to its scabbard. The comet silently split into four pieces.

“You did it.”

Daphne Ephiphone murmured in disbelief. The chunks of ice seemed to split and shatter on their own. Ice as large as mountain ranges broke into multiple mountains, mountains crumbled into numerous boulders, and boulders collapsed into stones. It was as if it couldn’t bear its own mass and was collapsing by itself. The comet lost its light. The only thing shining in that place was the hero. Ilroy’s wings trembled. He stood still, gazing at the debris for a long time.

He was distant. Daphne reached out to try to catch Ilroy. Even if she could touch the light, she couldn’t grasp it. Ilroy couldn’t be caught. The hero never looks back. That’s why she wanted to stand beside him. Daphne clenched her fist and bit her lip. To do that…

“Retrieve.”

Daphne severed her connection to the barrier. The golden crown embedded in her heart melted away. With pain like thawing frozen flesh, her magical senses returned to normal. Daphne closed her eyes and felt the seven rings in her heart. The rings hadn’t been destroyed but had become stronger.

Barely this much with seven.

Whether it’s eight or nine. I’ll build them up. For the hero, I must surpass the hero.

“…Good.”

Her goal became clear. Daphne clenched her fist and made a resolution. Ilroy spread his wings. And in the blink of an eye, Ilroy appeared before Daphne again.

“When the barrier is released, it’s going to snow quite a bit.”

Ilroy gestured with his chin toward the comet’s debris. The fragments were still breaking into pieces. Daphne blinked as she watched the scene. The finely disintegrating ice pieces were like fireworks. Ice powder scattered like sparks.

“I wonder if it will snow in midsummer. If snow accumulates, it would be an incredible sight.”

“Indeed. A massive chunk of ice like that could blanket the entire kingdom in snow and still have some left over.”

Ilroy narrowed his eyes. There was a hint of fatigue in his voice. Daphne turned her gaze toward Ilroy’s face. Was it because of the light? He didn’t look well. His breathing seemed uneven. Right now, Ilroy was pretending to be fine. Daphne gently took his hand.

“You pushed yourself too hard.”

Ilroy smiled bitterly. As if realizing there was no use denying it. Daphne could feel Ilroy’s faint pulse at her fingertips. Ilroy shrugged.

“It was a calamity that couldn’t be stopped without pushing myself. You were ready to throw your life away to maintain the barrier, so you’re not in a position to lecture me about overdoing it, are you?”

Daphne’s face turned red. Ilroy patted her bowed head.

“Well… that’s true. But still, you pushed yourself too hard.”

Ilroy chuckled. Daphne frowned at his laughter and moved closer to him. One hand holding his, the other around his waist, she buried her face against him. Usually, Daphne was composed and dependable. Ilroy smiled as if pleased by her show of neediness.

“By the way, what were you thinking jumping into this barrier?”

Daphne’s words were muffled against Ilroy’s armor.

“Three years.”

Daphne said with a sigh in her voice. Ilroy didn’t respond. Daphne raised her head and said with furrowed brows, as if complaining:

“The time we’d have to be trapped in the barrier. Three years. The entrance to the barrier is completely closed, so the only way to get out is to wait for the barrier to collapse…”

Daphne was clutching Ilroy’s clothes as she spoke, then abruptly closed her mouth. Those words meant that she could be alone with Ilroy in this world for three years.

“Well… we’ll have to wait! Three years! We’ll have to wait. No choice. Since the barrier is closed.”

“We can get out.”

Ilroy looked at Daphne as he spoke. A look that seemed to ask, ‘What are you talking about?’ A gaze that made one feel guilty. Daphne shamelessly stared back at Ilroy, unfazed. Ilroy also stared back at Daphne blankly.

“…How?”

“Like this.”

Ilroy casually drew the Holy Sword and raised his arm. Daphne suddenly realized what Ilroy meant by a way out. She hurriedly flapped her arms and approached Ilroy. As if trying to make excuses for her behavior, she twirled her fingers.

“W-wait a moment. Wouldn’t it be better to release it a little later?”

Daphne clearly witnessed Ilroy’s playful smile. Her cheeks puffed up like balloons. Ilroy laughed as he returned his sword to its scabbard.

“Come to think of it, I wanted to rest for about two days before going back too.”

“…You’re really mean.”

Daphne muttered as she took Ilroy’s hand. She gently intertwined her fingers with his. To not let go, Daphne interlocked their fingers and squeezed tightly.

“Then just two days.”

Daphne said as she slightly pulled Ilroy closer.

“We need to clean up and think about the next calamity, so just two days.”

Daphne looked at Ilroy. It was she who was by his side now. Daphne closed her eyes and embraced Ilroy. The armor was hard. To transmit her warmth through that armor, Daphne tightened her arms around Ilroy’s waist.

==

Night fell, and lights began to glow throughout the royal capital. It was time for post-battle cleanup. A time for families to confirm each other’s safety, and for the injured to receive proper treatment. In regions prone to conflict, post-battle cleanup would be bustling, but the atmosphere in the royal capital, which had never experienced an air raid before, was not bright. The torches provided not light but deep shadows.

“Move it this way! Be careful not to bump into anything!”

“Gather them in one corner. We’ll burn them later!”

Commands could be heard from people. Nella Tarr sat at the top of the magic tower, looking down. People were moving. Along the castle walls, from inside to outside. Nella sighed as she watched them. It wasn’t over yet. People had grown tired of waiting and started moving, but Nella couldn’t relax or give up in exhaustion. The stars twinkled. Nella looked up.

“Damn that hero. How could you make people wait like this.”

Nella said resentfully. Her unanswered cry scattered in the sky. The wind was cold. Nella took a long breath. The night air was damp. Was it going to cloud over?

“…Make sure you save her properly.”

Nella heard someone climbing up to the top of the magic tower with heavy footsteps, and she blocked the entrance. The mages had seemed intent on breaking down the door and coming up until an hour ago, but they had quieted down after hearing Nella shout. She wanted to be alone. She didn’t want anyone to see her sitting quietly in waiting. Nella pouted as she tapped the floor.

“Waiting isn’t my strong suit.”

Still, this time she decided to wait with faith. Faith that Ilroy would save Daphne, defeat the comet, and return. Nella looked at the sky where Ilroy had disappeared.

“Fine, I’ll wait for you.”

Sitting on the hard floor, Nella blinked. She wouldn’t fall asleep. He would be back soon. She wouldn’t leave her spot until he returned. Nella clenched her fist.

Stars passed by, and the commotion from below the magic tower gradually subsided. The lights were still on, and people moved around sluggishly. Some collapsed from fatigue, while others refused to put down their weapons, determined to remain vigilant until the end.

“…Everyone’s working hard.”

She didn’t feel like going to help. That was Nella. Once her job was done, she turned a blind eye to the rest. Right now, Nella’s mind was completely filled with thoughts of the vanished barrier and the hero.

“Let’s see how long it takes.”

One by one, the stars disappeared behind the veil of night, and the night began to change its face, turning blue. Light began to penetrate from the east, showing the blue of dawn. When the faintly visible sun began to peek from afar with a reddish glow, half the sky instantly became a burning flame, rippling intensely.

The flame spreads. Above the head, beyond the head. It spreads, fading and widening. A hemisphere forms in the color of the sky we know, and clouds drift by. People become busy again, and sounds can be heard. Nella waited. Even when the sky that smelled damp yesterday gathered and poured down a shower, even when the sun that pushed aside the shower gradually set in the west, even when the golden sunlight caressed Nella’s cheek, even when the embers of sunset covered the sky again and mixed with the blue to turn purple. And even when the stars began to peek out again, Nella waited without moving.

Dawn came.

The sun rises.

Nella looked at the sky and waited.

Crack.

The sound of something splitting was heard. Frowning, she saw a small crack in the air. The crack gradually grew larger, then split open with a crack, turning into a pitch-black void. Was it the comet? Had Ilroy failed to destroy the comet, and was it now breaking through the barrier to crash into the world?

No.

Nella knew that wasn’t the case. As much as she disliked it, the hero was someone who always kept his promises.

“…Why are you so late?”

Nella said as she saw Ilroy emerge from the void. Behind Ilroy, Daphne was slowly following. Ilroy smiled awkwardly and shrugged.

“I saved her.”

“So what?”

Nella responded in her usual sharp tone, but a smile kept appearing at the corners of her mouth. She didn’t want to smile at this guy, didn’t want to show a reaction that would make him feel proud. Nella tried to hold back her rising lips, but her expression ended up distorted.

“Why are you turning your head away?”

“Shut up.”

After barely managing to return her face to a neutral expression, Nella shifted her gaze behind Ilroy. Her colleague, who had entered the barrier with such determination as if ready to throw her life away, had returned with a shameless expression. Moreover, she seemed somewhat accustomed to her newly attained level.

“How come you’re back so confidently?”

“My, it seems you’re upset that I’m alive. After waiting anxiously in the same spot.”

“Shut up. I wasn’t waiting for you.”

When Nella frowned and spoke, Daphne gave a subtle smile.

“Then were you waiting for Ilroy?”

“I wasn’t waiting for either of you!”

Daphne’s retort was relaxed. It didn’t seem much different from usual, but Nella was somehow irritated by that attitude. Had there been some change in Daphne?

“Then what were you waiting for?”

At Daphne’s question, Nella’s face turned red as she turned to Ilroy.

“The comet. What happened to the comet? You didn’t just trap it in that space and escape by yourselves, did you? That didn’t happen, right?”

At Nella’s interrogation, Ilroy burst into laughter. Sensing the meaning behind that laughter, Nella pressed her lips together and suppressed her anger.

“About the comet.”

“…Yes, the comet.”

Ilroy pointed to the void he had torn open. The void was shaking and gradually growing larger. When Nella frowned deeply, Ilroy changed his laughter to a gentle smile.

“It became like that.”

The void opened. Nella stared with round eyes at the shining particles that suddenly began to pour down on the royal capital. The sound of commotion could be heard again from below the magic tower.

“The sixth calamity. Elimination complete.”

In a summer in the royal capital, heavy snow began to fall.

Nella looked at the snowflake that landed on her hand and laughed in disbelief.

“What is this?”

And then, falling back with a thud, she laughed louder with a sense of relief.

The crack in the sky scattered pieces of the comet like a snow cloud.