Bodies poured down like a waterfall.
“Incredible.”
Yerina exclaimed.
Despite her age, she had the experience of a seasoned warrior, but she had never seen or heard of such a sight.
A snowball mixed with dirt and corpses rolled relentlessly to the edge of the terrain. Crushing even the last body…
—Kwaaaah!
Something collided and fell, split in half.
Yerina was momentarily silenced by the grand spectacle.
Unconsciously, she evaluated Ian.
‘What a guy.’
Yerina had observed him covertly during the sparring match.
Thanks to that, she held Ian’s magical talent in high regard.
Although Ian’s mana quantity was average, his clarity and purity of mana were overwhelming.
It meant he had pushed his fundamentals to the limit.
Therefore, there were no interruptions or resistance in his spellcasting.
That was why the boy could perform so admirably compared to his rank.
Having witnessed countless soldiers who died due to poorly mastered basics in wars, she couldn’t help but appreciate Ian’s skills.
‘And he has judgment and adaptability as well?’
Even now, that was true.
Dealing with adversaries who displayed movements surpassing those of expert mages was challenging. And their numbers were in the thousands.
The ability to find the enemy’s weaknesses, assess the surrounding environment, and maximize one’s strengths.
In practical combat, this talent was more important than fighting prowess.
Even for Yerina, who had reached 5-Star status, overcoming such a volume would have taken days.
‘He did it in just a few minutes.’
Yerina glanced back at Ian.
Despite accomplishing such a remarkable feat, his expression remained composed.
In battles, one needed as much mental fortitude as physical prowess. Greed flickered in Yerina’s eyes as she looked at Ian.
“You swept them away neatly.”
“It’s all thanks to Yerina’s contributions upfront.”
“Excessive modesty isn’t appealing either.”
Ian opened his mouth, momentarily closing it at Yerina’s jest.
“Yes. Actually, I did it all. So, how about acknowledging my status?”
“Hahaha!”
Yerina burst into laughter and sprang forward.
Heads of the remains were crushed into powder under the swinging club.
“…”
Ian let out a small sigh.
The look in Yerina’s eyes just now, it was like the gaze of professors recruiting research students.
‘I thought I was going to be eaten.’
Brrr.
Shivering, Ian’s body trembled slightly.
◆
There were still many bodies left unresolved besides those swept away by the snowball.
Of course, Yerina’s efforts were never lacking.
With every swing of her giant ice mace, bodies fell off cliffs. They crumbled with each strike.
However, occasionally, those avoiding her weapons posed a problem.
Unlike Yerina, who had fought on snow-covered terrains before, the ground was too slippery for Ian and his companions.
The tension and exhaustion were twice as much as usual due to the cliffs on both ends.
Somehow, they managed to reach the cave entrance.
“Huff… haaa…”
“Haah.”
Danya and Lina exhaled heavily, seeming exhausted.
Ian didn’t show it, but his muscles were tense all over.
At the end of the terrain in the shape of a leg, Yerina spoke at the cave entrance.
“There seems to be some kind of transparent barrier here.”
Every time she reached out at a certain point, faint ripples spread as if stones were thrown into calm waters.
“I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“Me neither, meow.”
After a moment of contemplation, Yerina swiftly stepped in.
“!”
Before anyone could say anything, she entered.
“It seems fine.”
Ian was amazed by her unmatched actions.
What kind of life had she lived?
‘She’s someone I’d like to have as a captain.’
Yerina chuckled at Ian’s astonished face.
“Don’t worry, come on in. This barrier must be preventing the corpses. It feels like it’s measuring the degree of life.”
“If that’s the case.”
Ian entered the barrier first, followed by Danya and Lina.
The cave was warm from the entrance.
Despite the chill seeping out, the absence of snow on the ground earned it high marks.
“Haah. Seems like we can walk a bit now.”
“Yeah, nyah.”
After walking for a few minutes from the entrance, a vast cavern unfolded.
Soft light filtering through layers of overlapping ceilings.
Yerina, after surveying the surroundings, took her place.
“Since everyone seems exhausted, it would be wise to establish a forward base here. Let’s take a break for now.”
Danya began to unpack various items from her magic backpack.
Well, calling it various would be an understatement.
From coins sized items to instantly expanding tents.
Campfire.
Sleeping bags…
“Did all this fit in there?”
“I only realized it after receiving the backpack – the Third Princess wasn’t just talking nonsense when she said, ‘With this, you can survive for a week in any crisis.'”
— Crack-Crack.
The campfire crackled, emitting a comforting sound.
A bit of warmth and a hint of red amidst the otherwise white world.
After eating emergency rations, Lina and Danya quickly fell asleep, sitting upright.
After wandering in the snow for quite some time, it was understandable they were exhausted.
Yerina spoke to Ian, who was lost in thought.
“I still can’t grasp where exactly this is. But you seem to have a clue at least.”
“I know the purpose.”
“Purpose?”
“It’s a kind of barrier created by some Bloodstone Cultists. To slowly absorb those trapped inside.”
“The entire snowy wilderness?”
“Yes.”
Yerina fell silent without further comment.
— Crack-Crack.
The sound of the campfire burning was heard for a moment.
Then she spoke again.
“So, those bodies just now.”
“Most likely, they’re people whose life force has been mostly drained.”
“And their reactions to magic?”
“Since their life force was absorbed first, they lost their senses, but their response to mana probably remained.”
Yerina bit her lip.
“…Everything seems to fit.”
Ian quietly waited for her next question.
“So, what’s the deal with this Bloodstone Cult? If they’re capable of such a thing, they must be formidable.”
Ian hesitated for a moment.
Would it be safe to say to a 5-Star with overwhelming destructive power, ‘Your father is one of those ruthless Bloodstone Cultists’? There wasn’t much difference from inviting disaster and saying the truth.
But Ian didn’t ponder long.
Even Yerina, who seemed capable of smashing everything, was still a Pierce. Cold determination ran through her veins, just like her father’s. She trusted that lineage.
“Richard Pierce. Grand Duke of the North.”
“My father… a Bloodstone Cultist?”
“Yes.”
Yerina’s narrow gaze sharpened at the firm answer.
“…If what you’re saying is true, then my father aimed not only for me but also for Herman.”
“Yes.”
“Ha!”
Yerina murmured to herself, covering her forehead with her long fingers.
“…Indeed. If a barrier of this scale is established, it’s likely that only a few individuals capable of absorbing humans exist. But. Isn’t he already the Grand Duke? What more does he aim for…”
Between her fingers, Yerina’s red pupils glinted ominously.
“You. You mentioned you were the Third Princess’s plaything.”
“Not a plaything, but something similar. And I’m only cooperating with her momentarily.”
“Could it be that the Bloodstone Cult is aiming for the throne?”
“I can’t be certain about that.”
“But the possibility exists.”
“Yes.”
“Hrrr!”
Yerina stared at the dwindling campfire for a moment.
To her, it felt like the flames were now engulfing the entire Empire.
“This is why you told you to look beyond. To take down the Northern Grand Duke.”
There was no need to hide it now.
Ian nodded.
“That’s correct.”
Suddenly.
At that moment, the force emanating from Yerina’s eyes pressed heavily on Ian.
It was the same gaze that charged into the bodies of thousands.
But Ian, relying solely on his mental strength, withstood the pressure completely.
“…”
Soon after, Yerina diverted her gaze.
“It’s hard to guess what you’re looking at.”
“I just want to solve the problems in front of me right now.”
“The issue of the Grand Duke being part of the Bloodstone Cult. How on earth did you plan to prove it?”
“Right now… our goal is to leave this place.”
“That goal aligns with mine.”
“Yes.”
Yerina let out a long sigh.
“Even if there is some reason, it’s hard to believe such shocking claims outright. I need time to make my judgment on this matter as well.”
“Yes.”
“But, getting out of here is the common goal. Let’s do our best.”
“Of course.”
Though disappointed, Ian nodded.
There wasn’t really any evidence to prove that Richard Pierce was a member of the Bloodstone Cult.
But the fact that Yerina didn’t doubt him was enough.
At that moment.
Yerina suddenly narrowed her eyes.
“Wait. So…”
“?”
“Could it be that what you confessed to me back then was a lie?”
“…”
Ian swallowed hard.
Several seconds, which felt like an eternity, passed.
In that moment.
— Thump!
The sound of footsteps echoed.
Yerina and Ian simultaneously turned their heads towards the sound.
Down a narrow corridor, the tips of blue hair disappeared.
“Did you see that?”
“Wake the kids up.”
“They’re awake.”
It hadn’t been long since they met, but their breathing synchronized seamlessly.
◆
Gathering only the essentials, they headed straight towards the corridor where they sensed activity.
The dark passage descended downward.
“Ifrit.”
Lina lit a faint flame, and they walked down following its dim light.
Danya pointed to a spot.
“There are marks scratched on the wall here.”
“Looks like marks made by a sword. Hold on.”
Yerina examined the marks closely, her eyes widening gradually.
“These… this isn’t the work of an ordinary practitioner. They were one of the top experts on the continent in their time.”
“An expert?”
“Yes. Their name alone is enough to be renowned among all martial artists. In this case… it’s as if the swordsmanship itself resembles a snowflake.”
“Why would these marks be here?”
“I’m not a swordsman myself, but some swordsmen claim they can learn a martial art just by reading the sword marks engraved on a wall like this.”
Finishing her statement, Yerina pulled her mace from her thigh.
“That means if this person turned into a moving corpse, they’re certainly not to be underestimated. Everyone, prepare yourselves. Rather than being caught off guard, let’s strike first.”
— Thump. Thump.
As they walked like that for a while, suddenly the surroundings brightened.
The warmth was enough to make them feel hot because of their winter gear.
But there was no time to doubt the sudden change in environment.
A cozy space, about the size of a classroom, came into view.
Standing there was a woman.
Long dark blue hair neatly tied into a single strand.
Her somewhat frail appearance, with pale white skin covered by a black robe, seemed delicate.
The woman’s warm breath gently swirled around, enveloping the surroundings.
In her presence, there was a sense of fragility, even though it was hard to tell why.
“Oh my. It’s been a while since I’ve had guests.”
Mature and dignified, she seemed warm like a mother figure, yet appeared youthful enough to not quite fit that role.
Ian suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.
The woman in front of him seemed familiar.
“…Sharon Pierce?”
At Lina’s murmuring, the woman’s somewhat pale face broke into a smile.
Her graceful smile was harmless enough to dissolve any sense of caution.
“Do you know Sharon?”
“Ah… yes.”
Glancing at Ian, Lina answered.
Was that taken as hesitation?
“Oh, look at my mind. She didn’t even introduce herself. I get called a lot for being rude.”
She opened her mouth like a woman making excuses.
“Oh my, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Sasha Asilia. I’m somewhat embarrassed to say this, but I’m also known as the Snowflake Swordmaster. And…”
Placing her hand on her chest, the somewhat shy woman bowed slightly.
“Sharon Pierce. I’m that child’s mother.”
There was someone there who definitely should have been dead.
