Chapter 119: Feast Beneath the Snow (2/2)
by fnovelpia
I picked them up and channeled magic into them.
The magic circles inside resonated with my power, and the boxes began to tremble.
I threw them onto the ground I had prepared earlier.
The boxes absorbed the magic and instantly expanded in size as they settled onto the ground.
Opening the larger of the two, I checked inside.
A refreshing wave of magic flowed out.
The interior was an exact replica of the professor’s room.
Confirming that everything was in order, I nodded.
There were no issues.
I had prepared it specifically for the professor before we set out on this journey.
The smaller room beside it was for us.
When I returned to the professor, she gestured lightly toward the seat in front of her.
It was an invitation to sit.
I bowed my head slightly in response and took my seat.
The professor quietly sipped her tea, and I stared at her.
Mira did the same.
Noticing our gazes, the professor glanced at us before letting out a soft sigh.
“I should’ve just flown here quickly. This is comfortable too, but you two are making it feel weirdly burdensome…”
I blinked at her words.
‘Burdensome?’ Once she got used to it, she would surely change her mind.
More importantly, her words gave me an opportunity to ask something I had been curious about.
Carefully, I opened my mouth to speak.
“Now that I think about it, why are we traveling like this? There doesn’t seem to be a reason to ride a turtle.”
It had been bothering me for a while.
The letter we received had no specific date or duration mentioned.
It simply said we could visit anytime.
Yet, the professor had chosen to set out now.
And she wasn’t flying herself, either.
Having flown with her before, I knew—at her speed, she could reach the far end of the continent in less than a day.
There was no need to travel at this pace.
At this rate, it would take several more days to reach our destination.
Of course, from my perspective, I was simply grateful for the opportunity to spend more time with her.
Hearing my question, the professor clicked her tongue and put down her teacup with a slightly displeased expression.
“When’s my next lecture?”
“In a week.”
That was my concern as well.
***
I had left Zero and Hari in charge of the tower, but it would be difficult for them to conduct a lecture.
The professor chuckled at my worried look.
“If I get there too quickly, things will get messy. I’m going to drag this out as long as possible, just drop by for a brief moment, and use the lecture as an excuse to escape. That way, he won’t be able to say anything. And since you’re with me, it’ll work out fine.”
Saying so, she glanced at me.
It seemed she had a clear plan in mind.
All I had to do was trust and follow her.
Of course, hearing her words only made me more curious about the headmaster.
To think there was someone the professor found difficult to deal with.
Someone she wanted to avoid so badly that she was preparing an excuse in advance.
A being that even the dragon professor approached with caution—’what kind of person could that be? I couldn’t even begin to imagine.’
“Anyway, that’s enough talk about him. You might actually like this trip.”
She shifted her gaze toward the turtle.
The creature met her eyes and let out a loud Mehhng in response.
And so, the night deepened.
***
The next morning, the turtle cried out once again.
It moved its massive, mountain-like body forward with remarkable speed.
Glancing back, I saw the trail we had left behind.
The turtle’s path was etched clearly in the snow.
Anything that had stood in its way had been crushed, and the echoes of destruction rang through the early morning air.
Perhaps drawn by the sound, faint movements began to stir in the distance.
Monsters.
They were strong enough that I could sense their magic from here.
As we moved closer to the edge of the continent, stronger and stronger monsters appeared.
Compared to them, the creatures I had encountered with Cassian on the way to the canyon city seemed almost laughable.
Even the Iceflesh Bear we had eaten last night was an upper-ranked monster.
There was no sign of human activity in this area.
That meant we were approaching the continent’s outermost region.
Normally, a turtle would have no chance of escaping from these monsters.
But it moved forward boldly.
Rather, the monsters retreated.
They burrowed into the ground, disappearing from sight.
It was obvious why.
I glanced at the professor as she gazed out the window.
Powerful magic surged around her.
Anyone who could sense it would flee, just like those monsters.
I smiled in satisfaction.
That overwhelming presence—it was the dignity of a dragon.
She let out a small yawn, even that simple gesture carrying an air of elegance.
“Alright, let’s prepare breakfast. Please wait a moment. I’ll make a simple stew using last night’s leftovers.”
Saying so, I drew my golden blade.
Magic from the blade lightly flowed into my hands.
The professor’s eyes sparkled with interest.
Mira, sitting beside her, looked at her with an affectionate expression.
***
Days passed.
The professor was satisfied.
I was satisfied.
Mira was satisfied.
‘It was a journey where everyone was happy. If only there would be another opportunity like this in the future.’
That thought crossed my mind as I stepped off the turtle’s back.
The journey had come to an end.
We had finally arrived at the farthest edge of the continent, the land filled with towering mountains—this vast university.
I blinked slowly.
And then, I stared blankly at the horizon stretching before me.
Mira followed my lead, stepping down from the turtle’s back.
We stood on the edge of a high cliff.
Peering over the edge, we saw the waves rippling gently below.
Mira linked her arm with mine and rested her head against my shoulder.
“Oh my, so this is the ocean? How fascinating.”
“This isn’t the ocean I remember.”
I muttered under my breath, stroking my chin.
I was born on an island.
I had grown up on a landmass surrounded entirely by the sea, so I knew the ocean well.
That dark, writhing sea.
The ocean was a place that could not be approached carelessly.
Even coming near it meant feeling the gaze of bizarre creatures lurking in the depths.
Magic users, too, had no control over what lay within those unfathomable waters.
Yes, the ocean was nothing but a treacherous, perilous place.
If not for an airship, I would never have escaped that island.
Even aboard an airship, high above the waves, I could still catch the scent of the rotting sea below.
But the sea before me now was different.
I watched the waves glimmering in the sunlight.
A faintly salty breeze drifted through the air.
The ocean gleamed with a brilliant blue.
The magic flowing within it was deep and pure.
I had heard rumors before that the university’s ocean was unlike the outside world’s.
I hadn’t expected it to be this different.
Just then, something shot up from the water at incredible speed.
‘An attack?’
I flinched and instinctively stepped back.
At the same time, I constructed a magic circuit and cast a defensive spell.
It was a reflex ingrained in me from my time on the island.
“Fufu, how adorable.”
Mira chuckled, watching me with amusement.
I let out a sheepish laugh and scratched the back of my head.
Then, I slowly dispelled the magic encircling me.
What had jumped from the water was nothing more than a small fish.
It held a faint trace of magic but was otherwise just an ordinary creature.
Even such small beings could survive in this sea?
How remarkable.
“If you’re done sightseeing, come inside. We need to head to his place now.”
The professor tapped the turtle’s shell lightly.
As she said, it was time to move.
We climbed back onto the turtle and entered the cabin.
Then, I let my will flow toward the turtle.
Sensing it, the creature responded naturally, beginning to descend the cliff.
The professor had mentioned before that the headmaster’s residence was unlike others.
Rather than a mountain, he lived beneath the sea.
That was why we had traveled here.
The turtle dipped its massive limbs into the blue water.
With a deep Mehhng, it let out a pleased cry.
A wave of joy from the creature traveled through our shared connection, reaching me.
And so, the turtle slowly began to submerge itself into the vast, azure sea.
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