episode_0048

Life in Northern West, the border city between the North and West, was undeniably peaceful.

Occasionally, there were incidents where bandits from the West would attack the city, but most of them either met their end at the hands of the city’s defenders or retreated.

Despite the desire to settle down in this safe and peaceful place and live quietly, it was not a job to just sit idly by.

Through the events in the North and West, it was confirmed that no matter how one tried to avoid the main villains, they would inevitably come, not just once, but in an enhanced state as if applying some wicked buff.

After enduring this twice, it seemed better to strike first before those guys could unleash any tricks.

“One mistake is forgivable, but not two.”

Though I had been hit twice, I had no intention of allowing a third strike.

Whoever endured the same strategy three times?

If after going through all that trouble, they still came back for more, it was beyond being stubborn; it was masochistic and sadistic.

So, even though I really didn’t want to, I reluctantly started persuading my colleagues to head towards the northern edge.

Suppressing the desire to continue enjoying this peaceful life against their will.

The persuasion began smoothly among the seven members of our party, with only myself and the priestess disliking combat.

The other five were eager fighters, brimming with the spirit of challenge, striving to achieve their goals.

With almost unanimous agreement, we started packing on the day the topic was raised, and the next day, our party set off towards the northern edge.

“Homeless again… sniff…”

Reaching out towards the receding Northern West, Alain shed tears.

It seemed like living peacefully for over a week made leaving unbearable for her.

But what could be done?

She had already invested too much in the party.

Even if she left, the reality was that there was nowhere to go after engaging in battles with the empire.

I patted Alain’s back, offering words of comfort.

“You’ve been kidnapped.”

“…And you call that comforting?”

“Not amusing?”

“Not at all.”

Alain put on a sullen expression and stuck close to the orc gourmet, Cortas.

Observing her un-priestly behavior, I was approached by Bombma and Stroheim.

“I’m curious about something.”

Rather than a mad voice, it was a serious tone that filled the air, making me raise an eyebrow.

However, recalling that part of the Northern episode was related to Stroheim, I replied.

“What is it? Dwarf inspiration.”

What could he be curious about?

The metal hidden in the North? Or a way to enhance firepower?

Nervous about posing a difficult question, I was taken aback by the absurdity of his inquiry.

“Why are you heading to the northern edge? I agreed because it’s a good place to test firepower, but.”

“I explained everything, didn’t I? Did you hear it through your earlobes? Or has your hearing deteriorated with age?”

“You must have been pondering life’s mysteries so deeply that you didn’t listen properly. Sorry, but could you explain it again?

Unable to contain my laughter at the confident attitude of Dwarf Inspiration, fake coughs echoed around.

Glancing around, I noticed that everyone except Alain was avoiding my gaze.

…These guys must have followed along out of sheer boredom.

No wonder their responses lacked soul when explaining.

I let out a long sigh, as if urging everyone to listen, and began my explanation.

“In the north, there is a famous legend.”

[The winter’s fate defeated by the goddess and its lord will return someday, plunging the continent into chaos.]

[Before their return, an unprecedented cold will sweep in, stealing away everyone’s time.]

“When that time comes, everyone will come to fear ‘winter.’”

“Roughly this kind of story? In the villages, they simply dismiss it as nothing more than a myth, and say it’s a tale meant to instill fear, preventing entry into the eternal snowy mountain at the northern edge.”

Shifting my gaze to the priestess, Alain, I calmly continued.

“Those who know understand that this is an unavoidable tale. Isn’t that so?”

With a faint smile, Alain subtly spoke, causing her face to quickly stiffen.

Yes, even if others don’t know, you would know, being in a position like Lorian.

In the original work, the protagonist’s group encountered Lorian when an unprecedented cold struck the north, leading to Lorian being dispatched.

They were supposed to perform the ‘sealing,’ right? Anyway, due to a mistake, they ended up fighting the owner of the winter’s fate, Ark Riche.

Unlike the original, Lorian safely arrived in the west, leading to two possible paths for the episode.

Astronomically speaking, either Lorian defeats the Ark Riche she sealed.

Or Lorian defeats the slightly stronger Ark Riche, untouched by her actions compared to the original.

Well, regardless, the conclusion remains the same: ‘Defeat Ark Riche.’ So, I told the group.

“We are going to defeat the owner of the winter’s fate. If you ask, ‘Is it necessary to defeat them?’…”

Then, with a slight smirk, I explained why the group had no choice but to fight.

“If they break the seal and turn the north into chaos, we will have nowhere else to go.”

Although Central left a last resort.

It’s a deadly area, not to mention it’s where the Empire, closely tied to the Church, is located.

It’s an unsuitable place for the group considered enemies of the Empire.

Therefore, to leave at least one safe place, it was necessary to defeat Ark Riche.

Did the explanation end like that?

Among the silent group, the sharp fellow quietly raised his hand and pointed out the fundamental issue.

“But why do we have to do that exactly?”

Why should we deal with this troublesome and dangerous task?

Well…

“Because the thirsty one is the one digging the well.”

When the fire is about to reach your feet, you can’t just stand idly by, can you?

—–

Meanwhile, at the edge of the north.

On the city walls where traces of long struggles remained, a silver-haired woman wore a serious expression.

“The temperature… has dropped even further.”

Already a cold place being close to the Eternal Snowy Mountain, it was suspicious that the temperature dropped day by day.

This meant one thing.

“I thought the sealing was successful.”

She recalled two months ago when a candidate saint from the Empire had confidently gone to the Eternal Snowy Mountain.

She had promised to seal it, asking her to accompany her when she returned, hadn’t she?

Indeed, a few days after that, she returned completely broken, and the temperature that had been dropping returned to normal when she came back.

“Kyoguk was a den of liars after all.”

With eyes filled with hatred, she looked at the small shrine inside the territory, then shook her head.

“Now is not the time to blame others.”

It wasn’t the time to cause turmoil.

Uniting as one to fight, even in a situation where it’s uncertain if they can resist, depleting their own strength was truly a foolish act that could only be attributed to a fool.

“It’s never too late to blame once everything is settled. That’s all we can do until then.”

The price of deception must be paid.

Were there resolutions made and remade?

As she gazed at the eternal snow-capped mountain, a shadow approached her.

“You’re here.”

“What’s the matter? Do you have something to say?”

“I have many things to say, but it doesn’t seem like the right time for them now.”

“…You seem to feel it too.”

In response to the words of the silver-haired woman, the elderly man dressed in servant’s attire nodded his head.

“Winter… is approaching.”

“A dreadfully cold winter, isn’t it?”

“Yes. This winter seems to be particularly harsh.”

The kindly smiling old man then looked down at the silver-haired woman and jokingly remarked,

“After winter comes spring. I hope spring comes for you too, my lady.”

“Ugh… Are you still on about marriage? But I’ve told you, unless someone can surpass me, they don’t qualify to be my husband.”

“It’s always the same thing, but do you happen to prefer that side? The average age of those who reach enlightenment…”

“You know very well how disrespectful that is, don’t you?”

When the silver-haired woman shot him a sharp look, the old man sighed deeply and touched his forehead.

“I would like to see spring come to you before being buried underground.”

“…Didn’t I order you to stop making such remarks?”

“Did you? My memory is getting hazy with old age. It must mean I’ve lived long enough. If you wish, you can take this old man’s neck.”

“You troublesome old man.”

As the old man playfully pretended to wring his neck, the silver-haired woman touched her forehead and began to gaze at the eternal snow-capped mountain once again.

“Indeed, it feels a bit colder today.”

‘…When will the one who will become my prince charming arrive?’

Feeling the chilling sensation in her side, she pondered deeply.