Chapter 42 : If your head is foolish, your body will suffer

With Snowite just ahead of us, even setting up a tent wasn’t an easy task.

The soldiers alone were struggling, so even I and Madam Linz had to help.

But despite this, Princess Rosiria, who hadn’t done anything, just looked around the inside and said,”It doesn’t feel very cozy. I understand, but I’m not thrilled about it.”

Her soldiers were working in the blizzard, prepared to risk frostbite, and yet the only thing she had to say was that.

I haven’t learned mind reading, but I can tell her subordinates want to slap her face.

“Anyway, let’s start the discussion.”

Maybe it’s because she has a thick skin or lacks a conscience.

Princess Rosiria, unfazed, placed her hand on the map spread out on the table and said,”We are currently located around here.”

The map showed a drawing of a mountain, which was presumed to be Snowite.

Princess Rosiria pointed to the lower part of the mountain.

“Is this map correct? The path doesn’t seem visible at all.”

Madam Linz brought up something I was concerned about.

The map didn’t show any of the roads we needed to take.

It was just a drawing, and they expected us to figure it out?

“It’s unavoidable. As you can see, the snow in Snowite makes it impossible to create any paths.”

“So you’re asking us to find Endrago without knowing the direction?”

“That’s why we brought so many mages, right?”

Indeed, there were at least thirty mages here with us.

But they should know that the blizzard in Snowite consumes mana, and yet they were talking so calmly.

What were they relying on to think like this, if not some superiority complex about magic?

I don’t understand why the king put such a woman in charge.

Was it to save face for his daughter?

“But the blizzard…”

“Yes, I know. That’s why we’ve prepared plenty of mana potions, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

“Sorry, but the real issue isn’t mana, is it?”

Since Madam Linz couldn’t convince Princess Rosiria alone, I decided to step in as well.

Maybe because another person interrupted, her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“Just throwing people into an unknown place without a plan won’t help. Do you have any countermeasures for that?”

“…Of course. Thank you for thinking of that.”

Her words and expression were completely disconnected.

“First, our schedule for finding Endrago is three days in total. It’s a short period, but it’s a carefully considered decision, so there won’t be any changes to it.”

I decided to listen and see what she would say next, and Madam Linz calmed down to listen as well.

“We will divide the people here into three groups and start the search.”

But I lost my words when I heard what came next.

“We will each take different routes and explore as much as we can. Then we’ll return and repeat the process the next day.”

“…What?”

This place was completely obscured by the blizzard, and we couldn’t see a step ahead.

And she wanted to divide the people into groups?

This woman must be either crazy or utterly foolish.

If we followed her plan, it was clear that casualties were inevitable, so I had to object.

But Princess Rosiria, unfazed, opened her fan and covered her mouth, then said,”By the way, I won’t accept any other suggestions besides this one.”

“What did you say? So you’re telling us to just shut up and follow your orders? In such an ill-thought-out plan?!”

The lives of people were at stake, so I couldn’t help raising my voice.

I should be praised just for not overturning the table and quitting right then and there.

But her eyes, filled with absolute confidence that there was no mistake in her plan, stared at me intently.

“Count, it’s good to voice your opinion, but there’s a time and place for everything. How about showing some restraint?”

“…Hah.”

I couldn’t hold back and ended up overturning the table.

There’s a limit to how stupid one can be, seriously.

*

Normally, I should have just hit her. 

But I desperately needed Endrago, so I had no choice but to endure.

Why did I act this way with Princess Rosiria, you ask? 

If you were in my shoes, moving according to her stupid plan, you’d understand. 

How can I tolerate the anger?

‘My feet are really sinking in.’

After a brief commotion, we are now climbing up Snowite. 

The snow is so thick that with every step, my feet sink deep into it. 

I had made sure to seal the gaps in my boots, but even so, the cold chills seeped into my feet.

It wasn’t just me; everyone accompanying me reacted the same way.

“I feel like I’m losing all feeling in my feet…”

“How could this blizzard be so bad that even with magic warming us, it’s still so cold?”

At least the soldiers who had trained their bodies endured silently, but the mages seemed to have no resistance to this sort of cold. 

Complaints like “I think I’m getting frostbite” were understandable.

Still, since there were others suffering with me, I wished they would show a little more patience. 

From my side, it was quite annoying.

However, thanks to their magical barrier, we were able to avoid some of the cold, so I didn’t say anything.

“Ha, ha…”

Linz’s breathing behind me grew heavier. 

She wasn’t accustomed to physical labor… Ah, I forgot for a moment, she was much older than me.

“Are you okay? You seem to be struggling a lot.”

“I’m fine. This is the first time I’ve experienced such a difficult mountain path, so I’m out of breath.”

That’s usually what you’d call difficult.

Since there was no place to rest along the way, she had no choice but to endure and keep climbing.

But still, the visibility was poor, and if we used magic to find the path, our mana would deplete quickly, which was a problem.

What was it again?

To split into three groups for the search?

‘That princess… by now, she’s probably warming her hands in front of a torch.’

Imagining that made my anger flare up, so I stopped thinking about it.

By the way, when should I slip away from these people? 

Even if I find the location of Endrago, there are eyes on me, so I can’t just sneak off.

I need to leave without them noticing.

‘Let me just find the location first.’

If I have enough mana for a skill, I’ll just learn where Endrago is located.

So, I tried to check, and after a loading message, the results appeared.

Damn. 

It’s quite far from here.

The one piece of good news is that the location isn’t too far off the path we’re taking, but the distance is still a concern.

What should I do? 

Should I guide these people towards the direction of Endrago?

“Hey, Count Christian!”

“Yes?”

Suddenly, someone called me from the front, and I rushed over, wondering what was going on.

“What’s happening? Is there a problem?”

“What problem? Aren’t you supposed to be a famous great mage?! Then do something about this damn blizzard!”

“Well, even if you tell me that…”

I’m currently maintaining the magical barrier that protects everyone. 

But no matter how hard it is, what more am I supposed to do?

However, the man, who should have been the most rational and in charge, instead yelled out.

“You guys came here to help with this, right? Then show some use!”

Even if I had other intentions for volunteering for this, he still shouldn’t speak to someone who came to help them like that.

I was so frustrated that I almost forgot about the cold creeping into my feet and was about to say something in response.

At that moment.

Boom-!

A loud explosion-like sound came from above our heads. 

It might have been some kind of roar.

“Huh?”

At the sound, everyone turned in unison to look in the direction it came from. 

It definitely came from the mountain above…

“Uh, uh-oh?”

In the blizzard that had turned everything white, something vaguely appeared to be approaching. 

It wasn’t a pack of beasts or anything like that. 

After all, no living creatures could survive in Snowite.

“Damn it…!”

But honestly, that might have been the better outcome. 

A snowstorm coming at us like a huge wave would have been less dangerous than what was actually coming.

“Shield! Mages, cast the shield!”

The man who had been arguing with me screamed in panic, and the mages quickly began to cast their spells.

However, due to the sudden threat, it seemed like they had lost their composure, as their incantations were being uttered much slower than usual.

Fortunately, the mages who, like Linz and I, managed to stay calm were able to cast the shields, but the approaching avalanche was of such a size that it could swallow even the shields.

This is bad.

I thought to myself, “There’s no way we’ll die,” but maybe that was just a momentary lapse in judgment born out of desperation.

Whether that was arrogance or confidence, I’d only find out after being swallowed up by the avalanche.

As it opened its mouth right in front of us, I squeezed my eyes shut with all my might.