“I almost died…”
In my hand was a large sky-blue orb.
Covered in blood, I let out a hollow laugh as I looked at the Winter Blizzard.
“I have to get back quickly.”
It was tough, but I managed it.
I broke through many Force Shamans and retrieved traces of the Winter Blizzard.
Thanks to my team, it was easy to escape from the cathedral, and now all that was left was to return.
Turning my head, I saw Ray, wrapped in bandages.
“Are you badly hurt?”
“…Don’t ask. I feel like my bones will twist with just a little movement.”
“You really are a tough guy. Are you going to go head-to-head with someone who can’t be saved? Do you think you’re the commander of the knights?”
“I thought I could.”
“Well, you didn’t, did you?”
“I did half of it, you know? I killed him.”
“If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even be able to move.”
When I found Ray, his arms and legs were broken, making it impossible for him to move.
He could have moved if he really wanted to, but if he had done so, he would have struggled to walk for six months.
“Who’s going to do the work while you’re gone? The talent pool is already shallow these days.”
“Talent can be nurtured. Just like you did, Commander.”
“I wish it were that easy.”
During the war, securing talent was quite simple.
Those who survived were the talent.
Ray and I were survivors from that era.
Just ten years ago, talent acquisition was automatic.
But once the war ended and I became one of the leaders, I realized how difficult it was to recruit talent.
After the war, the education process had to uphold a basic principle of non-lethal force, so the standards had dropped compared to the past, and the decent ones ran away to safer departments.
“Thinking back, there were moments in the past that were better.”
“Better? People were dying every day. Do you want to go back to that?”
“Of course, that’s just a joke. Even if I were given a chance to go back, I wouldn’t want to.”
I didn’t have confidence that I could do better than before.
More importantly, I had no faith in my ability to endure the continuous deaths of comrades and companions once again.
“By the way, when is the commander getting married to the princess? When is the engagement?”
“I don’t know. Even if it happens, it will be a political marriage influenced by the atmosphere. Why are you curious about a relationship without love?”
“Don’t you have feelings? Commander?”
“Why are you digging into that?”
“It doesn’t seem that way to me.”
“…Shut up.”
As we chatted about trivial matters, we were rescued by the team members who arrived just in time.
If they had been even a bit late in their search, they might have abandoned us.
Suddenly, I thought it was a good decision to bring the elite shamans.
Shamans are more useful than powerful in combat, making them well-suited for hit-and-run style operations.
Whether it was bait, escape, healing, or detection, they supported the Empire’s members in every aspect, allowing us to complete the mission.
“Let’s head back. The mages outside are reaching their limit.”
We each carried our team members.
With healing magic cast on ourselves, we should be able to walk in half a day.
For now, we had no choice but to be carried to shake off the pursuit.
“Detection magic is always active.”
“Thanks. How about considering employment in the Empire while we’re at it? I think you would fit in well with the special forces.”
“…”
It seems they had no interest.
I shouldn’t have brought it up.
*****
Whether they failed in pursuit or simply gave up, the Force Shamans seemed to have completely lost interest in us.
It was unsettling, but it allowed us to catch our breath, so we decided to rest in a cave we discovered nearby.
“I’ll take care of the Winter Blizzard. And stay away from me, it’s dangerous.”
I focused, bringing only a few shaman mages with me to seal the Winter Blizzard.
The Winter Blizzard itself carried an incredible chill.
Just exposing it caused the surroundings to freeze instantly, so I had to struggle to touch it.
Somehow, I managed to seal the chill, but it was only a temporary measure, so I had to go through a proper sealing process.
The sealing could be undone when we got back, but the frozen team members couldn’t be saved.
I took out the Demon Language Scroll from my pocket.
I had brought it just in case something like this happened.
The sealing would take a little time.
At least half a day.
It was a long time, but the chances of Evergreen tracking us down after losing us were slim.
Still, just in case, I set up multiple layers of barriers.
‘Alright then.’
Let’s begin.
As I used the Demon Language Scroll, the words of magic floated in the air.
I drew up mana and began to arrange each letter.
The process was similar to when I released Epherna’s shackles.
I arranged the magic words into paragraphs as I desired.
If I could arrange them accurately, the magic words would grant me everything I wished for.
Of course, I will take an ‘equivalent price’ for that, but as long as it does not go against providence, that price will not exceed the line of mana.
Sealing the chill emitted by the Winter Blizzard is something I can accomplish with about half of my mana!
Hoooolll—!!
My magic, which was unsteadily sealing the chill, was supplemented and strengthened by Mare’s miracle.
Beyond mere supplementation, beyond strengthening, it was creation.
Scroll’s power is as potent as the language that all mages aspire to.
So, sealing the chill should be simple…
Screech—!!
Is it not possible?
That can’t be right!
Sealing the cold chill shouldn’t go against providence.
The chill emanating from the Winter Blizzard grew stronger.
The arranged Demon Language words seemed to be doing their best to contain the chill, but soon enough…
“What is this…?”
It began to intermingle with the chill it was supposed to contain and was recreated into a new character.
The completed text commanded:
Let it swallow.
The Demon Language, now mixed with the chill, did not heed my control and instead overwhelmed me.
The chill, infused with scroll’s power, was something I could not handle with the power of a mere mortal.
All the barriers I had set up just in case shattered.
A massive amount of chill, absorbing centuries of cold from the North, invaded my body.
At that moment, a colossal explosion echoed from near my heart.
Boom—!
It sounded as if something had broken, and I clutched my chest.
“Damn…!!”
It felt like ice shards were pounding on all my insides.
Groaning in the dizzying pain, I slowly began to tune my energy.
I had the Summer Sun inscribed on Epherna’s seal and the Autumn Wind inscribed on Temur’s seal.
I had also used a bit of the Winter Blizzard from the Force Shamans.
Reviving the energy and experience I had left, I endured and put in the effort, and the raging Winter Blizzard began to settle down, finally remaining in one place.
That place was right at my heart.
It seemed the Winter Blizzard acknowledged me as its master.
*****
“The Winter Blizzard cannot be controlled. It hasn’t been without a master for hundreds of years for no reason.”
“Are you saying that even someone as strong as you, brother, physically, can’t handle it?”
“Being strong physically doesn’t mean you can do it. Being strong mentally doesn’t either. I am just holding on.”
…Is there no other choice?
Elius spoke calmly.
“Brother, let’s do this commit s*icide together.”
“Haha—!! I’m glad to see my little brother can even joke! I’m actually happy!”
“I’m relieved to hear that sounds like a joke. However, I’m a descendant of the royal family, responsible for the entire populace of the Empire. So let’s do it.”
“I would love to if it were possible.”
Gerard drew his sword from his waist as if to perform seppuku and aimed it at his own neck.
However, the sword, suspended in the air, did not move according to his will.
“My body is no longer just mine, so that’s impossible.”
“Hah.”
“And right now, I’m able to maintain my consciousness, so it’s relatively normal, but I don’t know what will happen once this thing left in my heart takes over my body.”
“There seems to be no answer.”
Elius sighed deeply.
“By the way, little brother, you look quite good.”
“…Are you talking about me?”
“Yes. Until now, I never thought of you as someone who smiles, but today, that thought has changed.”
“It must be a misunderstanding.”
Elius put down his empty teacup and continued.
“Let’s end our conversation here for today. There’s no more topic to discuss anyway.”
Elius, with Fiona’s help, put on his coat.
Winter had not completely passed yet, and the cold wind seeped into him when he stepped outside.
For his sake, Fiona had prepared the coat in advance, and Elius smiled warmly at her.
“…”
And the First Prince, Gerard.
No.
The Winter Blizzard, which had been watching Elius with its eyes, opened them wide and gazed at Fiona.
