Chapter 127: To The Capital Of Ice And Death I & II
<To The Capital Of Ice And Death I>
「Go back!」
「No!」
Maria countered in response to my angry yell.
We had been repeating the same words some twenty times.
「It's really dangerous! What if something happens to you?!」
「I'll just escape! I can escape much faster than you, Souya! So there!」
So there, you say……what are you, a child?! Oh………she is a child. But the place we're going to is not the sort of place one brings a child, you know?
「I'm telling you, go back!」
「I'm telling you, no!」
「You little……」
「Why you……」
We started scuffling with each other.
I pinched her cheeks and stretched them to the limit. In retaliation, she kicked me in the shin.
「You two, haven't you had enough?」
When Barfuru-sama gave us an exasperated look, I snapped at him.
「You! Why did you bring Maria here?! No, in the first place, how did you―――――」
「Around the time I was lighting the fire, she teleported in behind you. Didn't you notice?」
「What?!」
I had been too taken by the dragon's grave marker to notice.
『She had been subtly trying to get you to notice her the entire time though』
「You should have said something」
Yukikaze's report was disheartening.
「Souya is a little careless about some things, so he's no good without me around」
Said Maria with a smug expression.
She's really so annoying.
It would be troublesome if she escaped, so I held her in my arms from behind.
「But Souya, the little lady will be able to escape any sort of trouble with that ability of hers, isn’t it?」
I was pissed off at how carefree Barfuru-sama was about this.
「Maria's ability is not something that can be used so many times in one day. To avoid lasting effects on her, three times a day is the limit. She's already used it once today, so she can only use it two more times. And she can only take one person with her at a time. Taking two people at the same time would drain her to the point of exhaustion, so I definitely don't want her doing that」
Ignoring my misgivings, Barfuru-sama replied coolly.
「Is that so? Then, sleep for today. You must be tired as well. I'll keep watch」
「That's not the issue here」
You bastard, I added in my head.
「I brought a sleeping bag」
Not caring one whit about how worried I was for her, Maria took out a folded-up sleeping bag from her waist bag and spread it open.
The tense mood of the day slipped away.
Perhaps the exhaustion from the carriage ride and the exploration of the catacombs had finally hit me.
「I've already taken a bath and brushed my teeth. I'm all set to sleep」
Now that she had mentioned it, Maria did smell like she had just taken a bath.
More and more, I felt exhausted.
「Souya, pillow」
「Oh jeez, what the heck」
The sleeping bag that Maria had snuggled into was what was known as a walkable sleeping bag[1].
It was touted as a sleeping bag that would allow the user to run away if they were attacked by a bear, and the leg portion was split in two so that the user could walk while still inside the bag. It made Maria look like some sort of bizarre creature.
「Come on, let's get some sleep!」
Although she sounded far too excited to sleep, Maria sat down on the ground.
Having no other choice, I took off my cloak and laid it on the ground. After taking out a blanket, I laid down using my backpack as a pillow. Maria begged for a pillow again, so I let her sleep on my arm.
Sleeping inside catacombs.....what kind of ridiculous joke is this?
「Barfuru-sama, when did you reach out to her?」
I wasn't quite done with chewing Barfuru-sama out yet.
「Shortly before you arrived, she showed up at Tyutyu's store. She demanded to know your itinerary so that she could lend you a hand. She's a kid with good intuition. You may have thought that you had kept it a secret from her, but she saw right through you」
「You're well aware of my circumstances, so you should have played along then」
This guy was right there when I was telling the king about what I wanted as the reward. I had specifically stated that my party would be kept in the dark, but he dragged Maria into it without a second thought.
If anything happens to Maria, I’ll never forgive you.
「In the event that something goes wrong, I can manage on my own, but you'll need a means of escape, right?」
「That’s true」
I do need it.
「You wish for this adventure to be over as quickly as possible. Even if the elimination of the vampires in Neomia goes well, it’ll still take you much time and energy to return to Lemuria. And you’ll still need to spend time recovering from the long trip back afterwards. Don't you want to go back to the home where your wife is waiting for you as soon as possible?」
「I………………do」
His argument is sound.
But there's nothing more infuriating than a sound argument that can't be refuted.
「Hey, Maria, you should――」
「zzz」
Maria was fast asleep.
I don't know how the heck you can sleep inside a tomb like this. In many ways, you don't understand the gravity of the situation. We're going to be fighting vampires, you know? You may die, you know? If things go badly, you may get infected, leaving me no choice but to kill you, you know? Or it could be the other way around, I suppose.
「zzz、zzz」
Her sleeping face pisses me off all the more because it's so cute.
「You darned brat」
My fists trembled.
Come to think of it, I haven't punished her yet for what she did that time with the dragon. Just so you know, it's all being saved up. It's building up the punishment gauge. You're absolutely going to cry later. I'll make you eat nothing but vegetables.
「You should get some sleep too. Don't worry, in the name of the Endguard, I'll protect the kid」
「I don't know how I'll ever thank you for that」
You can go to hell.
「To begin with, doesn't it go against the pride of the Endguard to get a child mixed up in this?」
「It doesn't」
It should, you damned Endguard.
What kind of organization is this?
「There are many different kinds of children. That kid possesses great power. It'll go against our pride to involve a powerless child, but showing those who are powerful and innocent the right path is the work of the Endguard………no, it's the job of adults, I suppose」
「………………」
That's a sound argument.
Maria needs to be shown the right path. One that leads from darkness to light. From the path of evil to the path of nobility. But……
「That's my job. Not yours」
「Well, you'd better work hard at it then」
He just brushed me off.
There are so many things I want to say, but there are too many for me to put into words
「Now, get some sleep. Everything will be fine. Even if we fail, it's just a matter of the right continent being overrun by vampires and another country perishing. In 500 years, all the current countries and people will have died anyway. Their time will have come sooner is all」
Maria reached out to hug me, so I hugged her back and covered her with the blanket.
………For now, I should sleep. Though I'm still not convinced, it's not too late to argue after I've regained my strength.
I didn't care for traveling with only guys, but that didn't mean that I wanted Maria to come.
Truly, things never go as I want them to.
「According to the great flame magician, everything in the world will eventually be consumed by fire and return to ashes. That's why the flame religion preaches living aesthetically」
Barfuru-sama spoke in a soft, quiet voice, as if he was talking to himself.
The subject being the impermanence of the world.
I couldn’t care less about it, so I drifted towards sleep.
The warmth emanating from Maria, who was in my arms, was comforting. Even though she was in a strange sleeping bag.
「In other words, regardless of what or how much people accomplish, it matters not as everything will end up destroyed」
The profile of Barfuru-sama's face that was illuminated by the flames……
「?」
……for a second, it looked like a human's.
No, that's probably no more than an apparition caught out of the corner of my eye.
It's just………………Zamonglass? It had looked like that guy I knew.
The face I saw wasn't as grizzled or aged as his though. Well, I'm in a tomb. There's nothing strange about seeing visions of dead people in here.
I'm probably just too tired.
I should get some sleep.
The fire crackled as the flames consumed the firewood. It made for a soothing BGM.
Maybe it's because I've been sleeping in a carriage for the past two days, but I feel like I'm being rocked even when I'm lying on this motionless ground.
It's almost as if I'm being rocked by waves.
Amid the darkness reminiscent of an abyss at the bottom of the ocean, I slept like the dead.
<To The Capital Of Ice And Death II>
A red dream.
I couldn't see anything. However, intense emotions were being seared into my brain.
Anger, resentment, sadness, fear. They were mixed together in a raging torrent of emotions.
I couldn't bear it.
I turned my eyes away.
No, I crushed them.
I blinded both of my eyes myself.
Oh, I see, the red that oozes out is my own――――――
「Hmm?」
It was dark even though I was awake. I could make out a little bit of light, but my vision was all fuzzy, making it hard to see.
I rubbed my eyes. A slimy liquid clung to my fingers like oil.
「Whose blood is this?」
「It's yours, Souya. Does it hurt anywhere?」
My vision gradually cleared, revealing that Maria was right in front of me.
「You were having a nightmare and blood was streaming from your eyes. You had me worried, you know?」
「Well, I'm sorry about that」
It seems that I was shedding tears of blood while dreaming.
Yet again, I can't remember anything about the contents of the dream. I somehow knew that it wasn't a good one though.
I accepted the water bottle from Maria and washed my eyes. My fuzzy vision cleared, allowing me to make out the light of the fire and the gloomy darkness. The fact that there was no pain actually scared me more.
『Team member Souya, please show Yukikaze the affected area and Yukikaze will examine it』
「I’m counting on you」
I had Yukikaze do a medical examination on my eyes.
『Beginning scan. Please look directly at this dot』
The arm of the mini-pod pulled out a sheet of memo paper with a black dot on it.
I did as I was told and stared at it.
『Scanning……………… No external injuries found. No abnormalities in pupillary response. Cause of bleeding………unknown. There is no evidence of any abnormalities in the functionality of the eyeballs. The stress of being in an unusual environment is suspected to be a possible cause』
「It's possible」
There's no telling what might happen when sleeping in a tomb after all.
「Souya, I won’t mind being your cane for life, you know?」[2]
「Don't say such inauspicious things. I'm alright」
I can't joke about losing my sight.
「You guys are so noisy when you wake up」
Barfuru-sama gave us an exasperated look.
「No, it's only because you dragged Maria into this, isn't it?」
This is a grudge that I will never forget.
Now, to continue where we left off last night.
「Alright. Maria, go back」
「I refuse!」
We argued as we got ready in the morning.
No progress was being made at all.
「If you want to leave me behind so badly, go ahead and do it. I'll just follow you on my own!」
「Why you little……」
What a stubborn kid.
You have no idea how much your guardians worry about you.
「And you're not one to speak, Souya. You're the one who's been making Rana and Ea worry by keeping them in the dark about what's really going on!」
「I kept it from them so that they wouldn't worry!」
「I figured it out though!」
I made breakfast while we argued.
Somehow, it felt like I was on the losing end of the entire fight, but that was probably just my imagination.
Today's breakfast was bean curry.
I added my sister's homemade curry powder, ketchup, and chopped dried meat into an old can of beans that came from the Seeker Brigade. I threw in some crumbled dried bread. And a dash of chocolate as a secret ingredient.
After heating it up over the fire, it was done.
Like the spam, there were a lot of canned beans to go through, so I just threw this dish together randomly, and it turned out to be reasonably tasty.
「Souya, if you don't mash the beans, I can’t eat them, remember?」
「Yes yes, my princess」
Ever since the time I made her eat beans by mashing them first, she wouldn't eat them unless they were mashed.
The can was hot, so I held it with my gloves on, then crushed Maria's share of the beans with the back of a spoon.
While I was doing that, I spoke to the beast-headed man.
「Barfuru-sama, are you sure you don't want something to eat?」
「I have this」
He pulled out a bottle of alcohol.
I stole a quick glimpse at his bags and saw many more of the same bottles.
「I looked in my things and found them there. Tyutyu must have snuck them in there」
No no no, when there's so much, you can't really call it "sneaking them in", can you?
After about five minutes of mashing the beans with the spoon, I was done. In addition, the temperature had dropped to a level that was just right for Maria, who couldn't handle hot food or drinks.
「Here」
「Mmm, let's eat」
Before that……
『Itadakimasu』
……the two of us put our palms together and said.
We ate the bean curry.
「It's not as good as Lanseal's pot-au-feu, but………it's good………………in its own way!」
Maria ate it with a satisfied look.
I took a bite too.
「Hmm」
The blandness of the beans is not noticeable thanks to the curry powder. The occasional bits of dried meat and dried bread add a nice texture. If I were to be nitpicky, I'd add potatoes or carrots. Pork or chicken thigh meat would be great as well. Caramelized onions would also be nice.
Oh, that's not right.
If I put that much more effort into it, I'd lose the rustic feel of outdoor cooking. I mean, it'd just be normal curry, wouldn’t it?
「It’s yummy」
Said Maria.
「It’s so-so」
I said.
Hmmm, it's curious. Canned beans taste really delicious when they're eaten while sitting around a fire. Maybe it tastes good because of the setting.
Well, we're in a tomb though.
Because of the darkness, it didn’t feel like I was having breakfast, but I finished the food then took a deep breath.
「Alright. Maria, go back」
「N・O」
We argued in circles.
「Well, shall we get going?」
Barfuru-sama picked up his bags and stood up.
「Hang on a minute, I'm still――」
For now, I gathered my things and got ready to leave.
「I'll follow you no matter what you do. Even if you say no, Souya, I'll still do as I wish」
Again, I held my head in my hands.
Even if I restrained her and left her behind, she’ll just escape as she can teleport. That means that I’ll need to persuade her to change her mind, but I really hate how bad I am at communicating with others.
「………Maria, promise me this. If you feel that you're in any danger, escape immediately. Even if it means abandoning me or Barfuru-sama」
「Kay~」
She gave me a half-hearted reply.
「This is important. I need you to make a solemn vow」
「………I swear. I'll escape if things get dangerous. ………………Without fail」
In response to my serious expression, she gave me an earnest look back.
I feel uneasy.
I don't feel reassured at all.
「Yukikaze, watch over Maria. If you sense any danger, order her to teleport」
『Understood, indeed』
I hooked the mini-pod to Maria's hip.
「Maria, you know what to do when Yukikaze gives the order, right?」
「I know~」
She replied as if she found it troublesome.
Is there anything else that I can do?
「You look like you're all set. I'm going to ring the great bell tower」
Without waiting for an answer, Barfuru-sama sprang into action.
He struck the bell that the dragon was hugging with his oversized sword. The bell rang out as loud as a thunderbolt.
「Urgh」
Maria and I covered our ears against the din.
When the large bell rang out, all the bells around it started ringing at the same time. The ringing spread outward like a wave, making all the bells on the floor ring.
The ringing of the bells caused the entire floor to shake.
The deafening racket and the ground shaking like there was an earthquake made it difficult for me to stay on my feet. I couldn't even keep my eyes open. My semicircular canals went numb and I felt like throwing up. My brain shook and my consciousness flickered.
I was unable to hold onto consciousness.
Into a darkness deeper than sleep, I fell.
Over the ringing of the bells, I heard Maria's tiny scream.
……I was seized by a painful chill.
As if to replace the ringing of the bells, white wind roared.
We were outdoors.
And in the middle of a huge snowstorm at that.
As I suspected, the great bell tower had a similar effect as a portal.
The ground around us was covered by a thick blanket of snow that was nearly up to my knees. Between gusts of wind, I could make out the mountains that ringed the area. The cold was not the only reason I was having difficulty breathing. Oxygen was thin as we were at an altitude different from what we were used to.
「Maria?!」
「Over here」
『Over here, indeed』
Maria and Yukikaze were right behind me.
「Ooh, looks like we made it in one piece」
Barfuru-sama was also there beside them.
「It's not safe here. We need to go a little further, but do you think you can make it?」
「Well, I suppose so」
My head was still spinning, but I could at least walk.
「Maria, are you okay?」
「I'm fine. Souya, you're worrying too much. This is nothing compared to the depths of winter on the left continent」
She puffed out her chest, looking unfazed.
「Yukikaze, any problems with your functionalities?」
『The temperature is currently minus 7 degrees Celsius. Power consumption has increased by 13%. Due to the snowstorm, enemy detection capabilities have been reduced to 5% of usual levels』
「That’s worrying」
If enemies were to attack us now, we wouldn't see them coming.
「Let’s go」
Barfuru-sama proceeded undeterred. He did at least make a path for us by stomping down the snow.
I let Maria go ahead of me and trailed behind her.
But it sure is cold.
It's so cold that it hurts.
On top of that, there's this fierce wind. It really saps my strength tremendously.
「Souya, do you want to borrow my scarf? It's really warm, you know?」
「It's fine. My cloak is made of the same material」
Maria looked back at me, worried about my slow progress.
How pathetic.
I'm wearing clothes that protect against the cold, and the cloak soaked with dragon blood generates heat. But they're no match for the wind and the cold. Or maybe I'm just too weak against the cold.
No no, it may be that Maria is simply too strong against the cold. As for Barfuru-sama, he doesn't look like the kind of creature that would freeze to death, I suppose.
「We're here」
We had walked for about five minutes, but I felt like I had been freezing for an hour.
A city lay before my eyes.
「This is Neomia. This must be the first time in 500 years that any living being has made it here alive」
The capital of ice and death sat on the edge of a sheer cliff.
The city was covered in white and frozen over. Strangely, the buildings had remained intact, but maybe it was because they had been frozen solid.
This city didn't have walls like those of Lemuria or Rossian. And I could see why. It was surrounded by precipices on all sides. At the bottom of the drop was a gaping darkness as deep as the deepest oceans.
The distinctive feature of the city was the huge castle at the far end of the city.
Despite being frozen over, it was black. It looked like one of those castles in picture books where wicked witches lived in.
「However, there's just one problem」
Barfuru-sama pointed to the path ahead with his sword.
There was only a single, narrow path that led to Neomia. It was less than six meters wide, and so narrow that I feared that it might collapse in this snowstorm. There was a simple handrail, but if we went over it, we would fall straight to the bottom.
Other than taking this path, to get to Neomia………we would probably have to be able to fly.
「Look closely」
Barfuru-sama swung his sword.
It glanced off an invisible wall.
「This is Lord White-Scale's barrier. It cannot be broken even with my strength」
The invisible wall stood directly before the narrow path.
I tried touching it, and found that it didn't feel cold. It seemed solid, but was soft and indistinct to the touch. I tried slashing it with Agathion, but it merely bounced off the wall.
「But the vampires crossed this barrier to get to Rossian, right? And there’s the bell from earlier too」
「That's right. There may be a breach in the barrier somewhere. But there's no way for us to find it. So……」
Barfuru-sama walked up to Maria.
「……this is where you come in, little lady」
「Oh, I get it~」
With a nod of understanding, Maria took Barfuru-sama’s hand.
There's a childish side to Maria that feels delighted whenever others ask for her help, which she always obliges readily. She must be happy to have a chance to show off her ability. She also likes to be praised.
「Hmm」
But I wonder why……I have a bad feeling about this.
Barfuru-sama had said that the vampires were using the great bell tower to travel to Rossian. However, there was nothing that looked like a bell at the place we had arrived at.
No, maybe it's inside Neomia………………inside?
Wait a minute.
This is strange.
How exactly was Barfuru-sama planning to get past this barrier in the first place?
「Maria, wait!」
I had been a moment too late to stop them.
The two of them teleported to the other side of the barrier.
「Maria, come back imme――――――」
Again, I was too late.
Barfuru squeezed Maria's neck with his fingers. That was all it took to render her unconscious.
My outstretched hands were blocked by the invisible wall.
「You bastard! What the hell do you think you're doing!」
After lifting Maria onto his shoulders, Barfuru replied without a trace of remorse.
「I've long searched for a way to get rid of this annoying barrier. To think that I would end up crossing it with such ease……………… Hmm, what can I say? Nothing special comes to mind though. My only thought is that it has been a long 500 years」
This guy, right from the start, he only ever intended to use me to get to Maria.
「Rest assured, Souya, I will definitely defeat the vampires. I only brought you here as bait, so fulfill your role proudly」
「Wait! Barfuru! Hey!」
Ignoring me, Barfuru continued on his way.
No matter how much I screamed, he paid me no mind. But then he turned around for a moment and said.
「Oh, that's right. Be careful, the Endguard should be here any second now」
「What?」
I heard a strong rush of wind behind me.
Following the impact, my vision turned upside down. The bones in my left leg snapped loudly.
「Gah」
My body became airborne.
A white beast had bitten down on my leg and lifted me up by it.
It was a huge white wolf.
It was two meters tall. Including its tail, it was at least six meters long.
It was easily bigger than any tiger or lion.
「You've got to be kidding me.」
From the snowstorm, they emerged in packs.
There must be at least thirty of them.
And they're different.
Unlike the old ones or the cats in Rossian, these white wolves aren't beasts that are capable of communication. Their eyes, as cold and emotionless as crocodiles', speak for themselves.
These are beasts that do only one thing, much like machines.
They do not possess even a flicker of emotion.
[1] Pic courtesy of trendhunter.com. I used this specific picture because beside it is the very sales pitch of being able to stand up and run when attacked by bears that Souya referred to XD There are also versions where the arms are also separate, though at that point, I don’t really think you can call them sleeping bags anymore...
[2] I left the literal translation there so that it’s easier to see the link between Souya being blind and her being the cane that helps the blind. Figuratively, she’s saying that she’s willing to support(take care of) him for life, and this kind of phrase is usually used with the implication of marriage. Which is the joke, given Maria’s weird position as Souya’s wife and daughter.
So, time for a hint, sorta. You may have noticed, but there have been many references to darkness so far, especially when Souya sleeps or loses consciousness. It’s a common enough imagery and seen in many novels, but...the author is slowly becoming more obvious with the hints as time goes on.
It’s finally here. The dominoes are finally falling. Actually, they’ve been falling for a while, but this is when things come out into the open. All those things about Barfuru that we just learned. What does it all mean? What’s the truth and who is he really?! I won’t say much as all will be revealed in the later chapters, so stay tuned!!!
「Go back!」
「No!」
Maria countered in response to my angry yell.
We had been repeating the same words some twenty times.
「It's really dangerous! What if something happens to you?!」
「I'll just escape! I can escape much faster than you, Souya! So there!」
So there, you say……what are you, a child?! Oh………she is a child. But the place we're going to is not the sort of place one brings a child, you know?
「I'm telling you, go back!」
「I'm telling you, no!」
「You little……」
「Why you……」
We started scuffling with each other.
I pinched her cheeks and stretched them to the limit. In retaliation, she kicked me in the shin.
「You two, haven't you had enough?」
When Barfuru-sama gave us an exasperated look, I snapped at him.
「You! Why did you bring Maria here?! No, in the first place, how did you―――――」
「Around the time I was lighting the fire, she teleported in behind you. Didn't you notice?」
「What?!」
I had been too taken by the dragon's grave marker to notice.
『She had been subtly trying to get you to notice her the entire time though』
「You should have said something」
Yukikaze's report was disheartening.
「Souya is a little careless about some things, so he's no good without me around」
Said Maria with a smug expression.
She's really so annoying.
It would be troublesome if she escaped, so I held her in my arms from behind.
「But Souya, the little lady will be able to escape any sort of trouble with that ability of hers, isn’t it?」
I was pissed off at how carefree Barfuru-sama was about this.
「Maria's ability is not something that can be used so many times in one day. To avoid lasting effects on her, three times a day is the limit. She's already used it once today, so she can only use it two more times. And she can only take one person with her at a time. Taking two people at the same time would drain her to the point of exhaustion, so I definitely don't want her doing that」
Ignoring my misgivings, Barfuru-sama replied coolly.
「Is that so? Then, sleep for today. You must be tired as well. I'll keep watch」
「That's not the issue here」
You bastard, I added in my head.
「I brought a sleeping bag」
Not caring one whit about how worried I was for her, Maria took out a folded-up sleeping bag from her waist bag and spread it open.
The tense mood of the day slipped away.
Perhaps the exhaustion from the carriage ride and the exploration of the catacombs had finally hit me.
「I've already taken a bath and brushed my teeth. I'm all set to sleep」
Now that she had mentioned it, Maria did smell like she had just taken a bath.
More and more, I felt exhausted.
「Souya, pillow」
「Oh jeez, what the heck」
The sleeping bag that Maria had snuggled into was what was known as a walkable sleeping bag[1].
It was touted as a sleeping bag that would allow the user to run away if they were attacked by a bear, and the leg portion was split in two so that the user could walk while still inside the bag. It made Maria look like some sort of bizarre creature.
「Come on, let's get some sleep!」
Although she sounded far too excited to sleep, Maria sat down on the ground.
Having no other choice, I took off my cloak and laid it on the ground. After taking out a blanket, I laid down using my backpack as a pillow. Maria begged for a pillow again, so I let her sleep on my arm.
Sleeping inside catacombs.....what kind of ridiculous joke is this?
「Barfuru-sama, when did you reach out to her?」
I wasn't quite done with chewing Barfuru-sama out yet.
「Shortly before you arrived, she showed up at Tyutyu's store. She demanded to know your itinerary so that she could lend you a hand. She's a kid with good intuition. You may have thought that you had kept it a secret from her, but she saw right through you」
「You're well aware of my circumstances, so you should have played along then」
This guy was right there when I was telling the king about what I wanted as the reward. I had specifically stated that my party would be kept in the dark, but he dragged Maria into it without a second thought.
If anything happens to Maria, I’ll never forgive you.
「In the event that something goes wrong, I can manage on my own, but you'll need a means of escape, right?」
「That’s true」
I do need it.
「You wish for this adventure to be over as quickly as possible. Even if the elimination of the vampires in Neomia goes well, it’ll still take you much time and energy to return to Lemuria. And you’ll still need to spend time recovering from the long trip back afterwards. Don't you want to go back to the home where your wife is waiting for you as soon as possible?」
「I………………do」
His argument is sound.
But there's nothing more infuriating than a sound argument that can't be refuted.
「Hey, Maria, you should――」
「zzz」
Maria was fast asleep.
I don't know how the heck you can sleep inside a tomb like this. In many ways, you don't understand the gravity of the situation. We're going to be fighting vampires, you know? You may die, you know? If things go badly, you may get infected, leaving me no choice but to kill you, you know? Or it could be the other way around, I suppose.
「zzz、zzz」
Her sleeping face pisses me off all the more because it's so cute.
「You darned brat」
My fists trembled.
Come to think of it, I haven't punished her yet for what she did that time with the dragon. Just so you know, it's all being saved up. It's building up the punishment gauge. You're absolutely going to cry later. I'll make you eat nothing but vegetables.
「You should get some sleep too. Don't worry, in the name of the Endguard, I'll protect the kid」
「I don't know how I'll ever thank you for that」
You can go to hell.
「To begin with, doesn't it go against the pride of the Endguard to get a child mixed up in this?」
「It doesn't」
It should, you damned Endguard.
What kind of organization is this?
「There are many different kinds of children. That kid possesses great power. It'll go against our pride to involve a powerless child, but showing those who are powerful and innocent the right path is the work of the Endguard………no, it's the job of adults, I suppose」
「………………」
That's a sound argument.
Maria needs to be shown the right path. One that leads from darkness to light. From the path of evil to the path of nobility. But……
「That's my job. Not yours」
「Well, you'd better work hard at it then」
He just brushed me off.
There are so many things I want to say, but there are too many for me to put into words
「Now, get some sleep. Everything will be fine. Even if we fail, it's just a matter of the right continent being overrun by vampires and another country perishing. In 500 years, all the current countries and people will have died anyway. Their time will have come sooner is all」
Maria reached out to hug me, so I hugged her back and covered her with the blanket.
………For now, I should sleep. Though I'm still not convinced, it's not too late to argue after I've regained my strength.
I didn't care for traveling with only guys, but that didn't mean that I wanted Maria to come.
Truly, things never go as I want them to.
「According to the great flame magician, everything in the world will eventually be consumed by fire and return to ashes. That's why the flame religion preaches living aesthetically」
Barfuru-sama spoke in a soft, quiet voice, as if he was talking to himself.
The subject being the impermanence of the world.
I couldn’t care less about it, so I drifted towards sleep.
The warmth emanating from Maria, who was in my arms, was comforting. Even though she was in a strange sleeping bag.
「In other words, regardless of what or how much people accomplish, it matters not as everything will end up destroyed」
The profile of Barfuru-sama's face that was illuminated by the flames……
「?」
……for a second, it looked like a human's.
No, that's probably no more than an apparition caught out of the corner of my eye.
It's just………………Zamonglass? It had looked like that guy I knew.
The face I saw wasn't as grizzled or aged as his though. Well, I'm in a tomb. There's nothing strange about seeing visions of dead people in here.
I'm probably just too tired.
I should get some sleep.
The fire crackled as the flames consumed the firewood. It made for a soothing BGM.
Maybe it's because I've been sleeping in a carriage for the past two days, but I feel like I'm being rocked even when I'm lying on this motionless ground.
It's almost as if I'm being rocked by waves.
Amid the darkness reminiscent of an abyss at the bottom of the ocean, I slept like the dead.
<To The Capital Of Ice And Death II>
A red dream.
I couldn't see anything. However, intense emotions were being seared into my brain.
Anger, resentment, sadness, fear. They were mixed together in a raging torrent of emotions.
I couldn't bear it.
I turned my eyes away.
No, I crushed them.
I blinded both of my eyes myself.
Oh, I see, the red that oozes out is my own――――――
「Hmm?」
It was dark even though I was awake. I could make out a little bit of light, but my vision was all fuzzy, making it hard to see.
I rubbed my eyes. A slimy liquid clung to my fingers like oil.
「Whose blood is this?」
「It's yours, Souya. Does it hurt anywhere?」
My vision gradually cleared, revealing that Maria was right in front of me.
「You were having a nightmare and blood was streaming from your eyes. You had me worried, you know?」
「Well, I'm sorry about that」
It seems that I was shedding tears of blood while dreaming.
Yet again, I can't remember anything about the contents of the dream. I somehow knew that it wasn't a good one though.
I accepted the water bottle from Maria and washed my eyes. My fuzzy vision cleared, allowing me to make out the light of the fire and the gloomy darkness. The fact that there was no pain actually scared me more.
『Team member Souya, please show Yukikaze the affected area and Yukikaze will examine it』
「I’m counting on you」
I had Yukikaze do a medical examination on my eyes.
『Beginning scan. Please look directly at this dot』
The arm of the mini-pod pulled out a sheet of memo paper with a black dot on it.
I did as I was told and stared at it.
『Scanning……………… No external injuries found. No abnormalities in pupillary response. Cause of bleeding………unknown. There is no evidence of any abnormalities in the functionality of the eyeballs. The stress of being in an unusual environment is suspected to be a possible cause』
「It's possible」
There's no telling what might happen when sleeping in a tomb after all.
「Souya, I won’t mind being your cane for life, you know?」[2]
「Don't say such inauspicious things. I'm alright」
I can't joke about losing my sight.
「You guys are so noisy when you wake up」
Barfuru-sama gave us an exasperated look.
「No, it's only because you dragged Maria into this, isn't it?」
This is a grudge that I will never forget.
Now, to continue where we left off last night.
「Alright. Maria, go back」
「I refuse!」
We argued as we got ready in the morning.
No progress was being made at all.
「If you want to leave me behind so badly, go ahead and do it. I'll just follow you on my own!」
「Why you little……」
What a stubborn kid.
You have no idea how much your guardians worry about you.
「And you're not one to speak, Souya. You're the one who's been making Rana and Ea worry by keeping them in the dark about what's really going on!」
「I kept it from them so that they wouldn't worry!」
「I figured it out though!」
I made breakfast while we argued.
Somehow, it felt like I was on the losing end of the entire fight, but that was probably just my imagination.
Today's breakfast was bean curry.
I added my sister's homemade curry powder, ketchup, and chopped dried meat into an old can of beans that came from the Seeker Brigade. I threw in some crumbled dried bread. And a dash of chocolate as a secret ingredient.
After heating it up over the fire, it was done.
Like the spam, there were a lot of canned beans to go through, so I just threw this dish together randomly, and it turned out to be reasonably tasty.
「Souya, if you don't mash the beans, I can’t eat them, remember?」
「Yes yes, my princess」
Ever since the time I made her eat beans by mashing them first, she wouldn't eat them unless they were mashed.
The can was hot, so I held it with my gloves on, then crushed Maria's share of the beans with the back of a spoon.
While I was doing that, I spoke to the beast-headed man.
「Barfuru-sama, are you sure you don't want something to eat?」
「I have this」
He pulled out a bottle of alcohol.
I stole a quick glimpse at his bags and saw many more of the same bottles.
「I looked in my things and found them there. Tyutyu must have snuck them in there」
No no no, when there's so much, you can't really call it "sneaking them in", can you?
After about five minutes of mashing the beans with the spoon, I was done. In addition, the temperature had dropped to a level that was just right for Maria, who couldn't handle hot food or drinks.
「Here」
「Mmm, let's eat」
Before that……
『Itadakimasu』
……the two of us put our palms together and said.
We ate the bean curry.
「It's not as good as Lanseal's pot-au-feu, but………it's good………………in its own way!」
Maria ate it with a satisfied look.
I took a bite too.
「Hmm」
The blandness of the beans is not noticeable thanks to the curry powder. The occasional bits of dried meat and dried bread add a nice texture. If I were to be nitpicky, I'd add potatoes or carrots. Pork or chicken thigh meat would be great as well. Caramelized onions would also be nice.
Oh, that's not right.
If I put that much more effort into it, I'd lose the rustic feel of outdoor cooking. I mean, it'd just be normal curry, wouldn’t it?
「It’s yummy」
Said Maria.
「It’s so-so」
I said.
Hmmm, it's curious. Canned beans taste really delicious when they're eaten while sitting around a fire. Maybe it tastes good because of the setting.
Well, we're in a tomb though.
Because of the darkness, it didn’t feel like I was having breakfast, but I finished the food then took a deep breath.
「Alright. Maria, go back」
「N・O」
We argued in circles.
「Well, shall we get going?」
Barfuru-sama picked up his bags and stood up.
「Hang on a minute, I'm still――」
For now, I gathered my things and got ready to leave.
「I'll follow you no matter what you do. Even if you say no, Souya, I'll still do as I wish」
Again, I held my head in my hands.
Even if I restrained her and left her behind, she’ll just escape as she can teleport. That means that I’ll need to persuade her to change her mind, but I really hate how bad I am at communicating with others.
「………Maria, promise me this. If you feel that you're in any danger, escape immediately. Even if it means abandoning me or Barfuru-sama」
「Kay~」
She gave me a half-hearted reply.
「This is important. I need you to make a solemn vow」
「………I swear. I'll escape if things get dangerous. ………………Without fail」
In response to my serious expression, she gave me an earnest look back.
I feel uneasy.
I don't feel reassured at all.
「Yukikaze, watch over Maria. If you sense any danger, order her to teleport」
『Understood, indeed』
I hooked the mini-pod to Maria's hip.
「Maria, you know what to do when Yukikaze gives the order, right?」
「I know~」
She replied as if she found it troublesome.
Is there anything else that I can do?
「You look like you're all set. I'm going to ring the great bell tower」
Without waiting for an answer, Barfuru-sama sprang into action.
He struck the bell that the dragon was hugging with his oversized sword. The bell rang out as loud as a thunderbolt.
「Urgh」
Maria and I covered our ears against the din.
When the large bell rang out, all the bells around it started ringing at the same time. The ringing spread outward like a wave, making all the bells on the floor ring.
The ringing of the bells caused the entire floor to shake.
The deafening racket and the ground shaking like there was an earthquake made it difficult for me to stay on my feet. I couldn't even keep my eyes open. My semicircular canals went numb and I felt like throwing up. My brain shook and my consciousness flickered.
I was unable to hold onto consciousness.
Into a darkness deeper than sleep, I fell.
Over the ringing of the bells, I heard Maria's tiny scream.
……I was seized by a painful chill.
As if to replace the ringing of the bells, white wind roared.
We were outdoors.
And in the middle of a huge snowstorm at that.
As I suspected, the great bell tower had a similar effect as a portal.
The ground around us was covered by a thick blanket of snow that was nearly up to my knees. Between gusts of wind, I could make out the mountains that ringed the area. The cold was not the only reason I was having difficulty breathing. Oxygen was thin as we were at an altitude different from what we were used to.
「Maria?!」
「Over here」
『Over here, indeed』
Maria and Yukikaze were right behind me.
「Ooh, looks like we made it in one piece」
Barfuru-sama was also there beside them.
「It's not safe here. We need to go a little further, but do you think you can make it?」
「Well, I suppose so」
My head was still spinning, but I could at least walk.
「Maria, are you okay?」
「I'm fine. Souya, you're worrying too much. This is nothing compared to the depths of winter on the left continent」
She puffed out her chest, looking unfazed.
「Yukikaze, any problems with your functionalities?」
『The temperature is currently minus 7 degrees Celsius. Power consumption has increased by 13%. Due to the snowstorm, enemy detection capabilities have been reduced to 5% of usual levels』
「That’s worrying」
If enemies were to attack us now, we wouldn't see them coming.
「Let’s go」
Barfuru-sama proceeded undeterred. He did at least make a path for us by stomping down the snow.
I let Maria go ahead of me and trailed behind her.
But it sure is cold.
It's so cold that it hurts.
On top of that, there's this fierce wind. It really saps my strength tremendously.
「Souya, do you want to borrow my scarf? It's really warm, you know?」
「It's fine. My cloak is made of the same material」
Maria looked back at me, worried about my slow progress.
How pathetic.
I'm wearing clothes that protect against the cold, and the cloak soaked with dragon blood generates heat. But they're no match for the wind and the cold. Or maybe I'm just too weak against the cold.
No no, it may be that Maria is simply too strong against the cold. As for Barfuru-sama, he doesn't look like the kind of creature that would freeze to death, I suppose.
「We're here」
We had walked for about five minutes, but I felt like I had been freezing for an hour.
A city lay before my eyes.
「This is Neomia. This must be the first time in 500 years that any living being has made it here alive」
The capital of ice and death sat on the edge of a sheer cliff.
The city was covered in white and frozen over. Strangely, the buildings had remained intact, but maybe it was because they had been frozen solid.
This city didn't have walls like those of Lemuria or Rossian. And I could see why. It was surrounded by precipices on all sides. At the bottom of the drop was a gaping darkness as deep as the deepest oceans.
The distinctive feature of the city was the huge castle at the far end of the city.
Despite being frozen over, it was black. It looked like one of those castles in picture books where wicked witches lived in.
「However, there's just one problem」
Barfuru-sama pointed to the path ahead with his sword.
There was only a single, narrow path that led to Neomia. It was less than six meters wide, and so narrow that I feared that it might collapse in this snowstorm. There was a simple handrail, but if we went over it, we would fall straight to the bottom.
Other than taking this path, to get to Neomia………we would probably have to be able to fly.
「Look closely」
Barfuru-sama swung his sword.
It glanced off an invisible wall.
「This is Lord White-Scale's barrier. It cannot be broken even with my strength」
The invisible wall stood directly before the narrow path.
I tried touching it, and found that it didn't feel cold. It seemed solid, but was soft and indistinct to the touch. I tried slashing it with Agathion, but it merely bounced off the wall.
「But the vampires crossed this barrier to get to Rossian, right? And there’s the bell from earlier too」
「That's right. There may be a breach in the barrier somewhere. But there's no way for us to find it. So……」
Barfuru-sama walked up to Maria.
「……this is where you come in, little lady」
「Oh, I get it~」
With a nod of understanding, Maria took Barfuru-sama’s hand.
There's a childish side to Maria that feels delighted whenever others ask for her help, which she always obliges readily. She must be happy to have a chance to show off her ability. She also likes to be praised.
「Hmm」
But I wonder why……I have a bad feeling about this.
Barfuru-sama had said that the vampires were using the great bell tower to travel to Rossian. However, there was nothing that looked like a bell at the place we had arrived at.
No, maybe it's inside Neomia………………inside?
Wait a minute.
This is strange.
How exactly was Barfuru-sama planning to get past this barrier in the first place?
「Maria, wait!」
I had been a moment too late to stop them.
The two of them teleported to the other side of the barrier.
「Maria, come back imme――――――」
Again, I was too late.
Barfuru squeezed Maria's neck with his fingers. That was all it took to render her unconscious.
My outstretched hands were blocked by the invisible wall.
「You bastard! What the hell do you think you're doing!」
After lifting Maria onto his shoulders, Barfuru replied without a trace of remorse.
「I've long searched for a way to get rid of this annoying barrier. To think that I would end up crossing it with such ease……………… Hmm, what can I say? Nothing special comes to mind though. My only thought is that it has been a long 500 years」
This guy, right from the start, he only ever intended to use me to get to Maria.
「Rest assured, Souya, I will definitely defeat the vampires. I only brought you here as bait, so fulfill your role proudly」
「Wait! Barfuru! Hey!」
Ignoring me, Barfuru continued on his way.
No matter how much I screamed, he paid me no mind. But then he turned around for a moment and said.
「Oh, that's right. Be careful, the Endguard should be here any second now」
「What?」
I heard a strong rush of wind behind me.
Following the impact, my vision turned upside down. The bones in my left leg snapped loudly.
「Gah」
My body became airborne.
A white beast had bitten down on my leg and lifted me up by it.
It was a huge white wolf.
It was two meters tall. Including its tail, it was at least six meters long.
It was easily bigger than any tiger or lion.
「You've got to be kidding me.」
From the snowstorm, they emerged in packs.
There must be at least thirty of them.
And they're different.
Unlike the old ones or the cats in Rossian, these white wolves aren't beasts that are capable of communication. Their eyes, as cold and emotionless as crocodiles', speak for themselves.
These are beasts that do only one thing, much like machines.
They do not possess even a flicker of emotion.
[1] Pic courtesy of trendhunter.com. I used this specific picture because beside it is the very sales pitch of being able to stand up and run when attacked by bears that Souya referred to XD There are also versions where the arms are also separate, though at that point, I don’t really think you can call them sleeping bags anymore...
[2] I left the literal translation there so that it’s easier to see the link between Souya being blind and her being the cane that helps the blind. Figuratively, she’s saying that she’s willing to support(take care of) him for life, and this kind of phrase is usually used with the implication of marriage. Which is the joke, given Maria’s weird position as Souya’s wife and daughter.
So, time for a hint, sorta. You may have noticed, but there have been many references to darkness so far, especially when Souya sleeps or loses consciousness. It’s a common enough imagery and seen in many novels, but...the author is slowly becoming more obvious with the hints as time goes on.
It’s finally here. The dominoes are finally falling. Actually, they’ve been falling for a while, but this is when things come out into the open. All those things about Barfuru that we just learned. What does it all mean? What’s the truth and who is he really?! I won’t say much as all will be revealed in the later chapters, so stay tuned!!!
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