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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Silverriver
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Every action has a consequence. Just like Adele winning the ranking matches.
She had utterly crushed Sophia, who had defeated Erina, with her overwhelming divine power, securing her victory. She wasn’t holding back like before. She must have gained something from her fight with Agnes.
I hadn’t seen the princess since the ball. She hadn’t sought me out, and I hadn’t sought her.
The ranking matches were over, and the break was fast approaching. Aside from the intermediate-level dungeon run with the club, I had no other plans.
‘What should I do?’
I hadn’t given it much thought. Perhaps I should focus on collecting elixirs. But elixirs weren’t a priority right now.
Honestly, it was better to give the 50-day elixirs to the other characters to help them grow stronger, rather than wasting them on myself.
As I walked, lost in thought, someone struck the back of my head.
-Thwack!
“Ugh.”
I turned around, startled. It was a light blow, but still… who would just hit me on the head?!
“Hey, Junior.”
Ah, it was my senior. I relaxed my tense posture and looked at Bell. She greeted me with a smile.
“What is it?”
“Have you thought about my offer?”
“Your… offer?”
“Winter Castle.”
“Oh.”
I had completely forgotten. I feigned a thoughtful expression, racking my brain. Winter Castle hadn’t been mentioned in the original story. Naturally, I didn’t know anything about it.
I had gathered some information from books, but I knew firsthand that the world depicted in text was often different from reality.
“My father would be thrilled if you came to Winter Castle.”
“Why?”
“He’d have another skilled worker.”
“…?”
I stared at Bell, dumbfounded. She tilted her head, as if puzzled by my reaction.
“People don’t usually call others ‘workers’ in front of their faces.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“What good is realizing that now?”
I sighed at her carefree smile. Her naivete was sometimes… astounding.
“Winter Castle…”
“It’s best to decide now. Winter Castle needs time to prepare for guests.”
“Winter Castle?”
Someone interrupted us. I turned to see a familiar face. Flowing silver hair, ocean-blue eyes, toned abdominal muscles, a slender waist, and legs so thin it was a wonder how she possessed such strength.
It was Agnes Bayern. Her eyes were slightly downcast as she approached me.
“Are you going to Winter Castle?”
“I haven’t decided…”
“May I accompany you?”
What? Why would she want to go? I looked at Bell, slightly flustered.
Bell’s expression…
“Of course, you can! Winter Castle welcomes skilled individuals like you!”
“Really?”
“Absolutely! I’ll send word ahead, so just prepare for the winter.”
“Thank you.”
Bell hugged Agnes, a bright smile on her face. Agnes still seemed a bit down. Her lack of reaction suggested that her loss to Adele had been a significant blow.
I had no choice.
“I’ll go as well.”
“Excellent choice.”
If Agnes was going, I needed to be there to guide her. And perhaps gain some combat experience myself.
And so, my Winter Castle adventure was decided.
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“Junior, you know how to ride a horse, right?”
Bell asked as we rode.
“I’ve had some lessons.”
Not that those lessons had been particularly helpful. For some reason, the horse had looked terrified the moment I approached.
Yet, it hadn’t refused to let me ride, which I found… strange.
“I apologize. It must be because of me.”
“Don’t worry about it. Riding is more comfortable anyway.”
“Enjoy that comfort while you can. You won’t feel it in Winter Castle.”
Agnes, not being a skilled rider, had taken the carriage. Though we couldn’t use a carriage to reach Winter Castle itself.
“We’re almost there.”
We had been traveling for almost a day. Bell pointed towards a massive mountain range in the distance.
The northern mountain range, its peaks and slopes covered in snow. Winter Castle lay within those mountains.
I swallowed hard. The scale of the natural landscape was even more awe-inspiring in person.
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A sharp wind howled, and snowflakes danced in the air. Each exhale formed a cloud of white mist. The moment we entered the mountain range, as if crossing an invisible barrier, the climate shifted dramatically.
It was spring, yet winter had descended upon us. It felt like this place would remain eternally frozen, even if the rest of the world was engulfed in summer.
It was that cold.
“It’s not that cold today.”
“Indeed. You arrived at a good time, My Lady.”
Bell chatted with the guide who had come to meet us. Northerners were truly something else. Casually conversing in the middle of a blizzard.
I was constantly consuming mana. It was difficult just walking in this blizzard, and the thick snow made each step an arduous effort.
I grimaced. If my body hadn’t improved, I would have been dead by now. The terrain was treacherous. I glanced behind me. Agnes was there, wearing a black shirt, white pants, and fur boots, Jeolyeong strapped to her waist.
Her white coat billowed in the wind.
She looked like a painting, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away. Even some of the guides were stealing glances at her.
Her beauty was captivating, even in this harsh environment.
“Agnes, are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
It wasn’t an empty platitude; she genuinely seemed fine. Perhaps due to her mana trait or Jeolyeong, the cold didn’t seem to bother her.
“You’re at the intermediate level now, right?”
“Yes.”
“What’s your color?”
I had already seen it. The sharp, white blade that had pierced Adele’s divine power.
“White.”
Agnes’s expression was filled with pride as she spoke of her mana color. She was always susceptible to praise and compliments.
She would celebrate her achievements with unrestrained enthusiasm.
“I heard there are many monsters to fight in Winter Castle.”
“Mostly orcs, though.”
“Still, it’s real combat experience.”
A spark of life returned to Agnes’s eyes. The prospect of battle seemed to excite her. We continued our journey. It had taken a day to reach the mountain range, but reaching Winter Castle from there took almost two.
The Cardia Mountains were that treacherous.
The weather was particularly volatile, the ever-shifting climate conjuring blizzard-like storms. Our belongings were scattered by the howling wind. We hadn’t brought much, but they were essential items.
“It can’t be helped. Our guides will retrieve them later.”
I nodded. There was nothing I could do against the forces of nature. The harsh winter chilled me to the bone. Even Agnes’s lips were trembling.
It was rare for a Magic Swordsman specializing in ice, wielding Lenox’s beloved sword, Jeolyeong, to be affected by the cold.
It was partly due to her relatively low level, but mostly because of the extreme cold of the Cardia Mountains. Even seasoned knights would struggle in this blizzard.
The snow was like quicksand, clinging to my ankles, pulling me down. I was reminded of an older friend’s words: snow is trash.
Even with my increased mana capacity, it was a struggle. Bell muttered, puzzled,
“This is strange. The storms aren’t usually this severe.”
“Is it because of… that?”
“That?”
Bell tilted her head. I listened intently to the conversation between her and the guide.
“You know… the White Dragon.”
“Ah, that legend?”
“The White Dragon that lives in the Cardia Mountains. The one that conjures blizzards when it’s displeased. You’ve heard it countless times, My Lady.”
“That’s just a legend.”
“I’m just saying it’s a possibility.”
“Damn it.”
A dragon. I pondered the concept of dragons. They were certainly capable of conjuring blizzards.
And legends didn’t appear out of thin air. There was always a reason, a purpose behind them.
I called out to Archxius.
‘You heard that, right?’
‘What do you think about that White Dragon?’
Archxius considered it for a moment, then replied,
‘Really?’
Archxius’s tone was dismissive. I almost brushed it off, but my heart pounded in my chest.
As if reacting to someone… or something.
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The raging blizzard abruptly ceased as we reached the gates of Winter Castle.
“We’re finally here.”
“The blizzard stops the moment we arrive? How convenient.”
I listened to Bell’s cheerful voice and the guide’s grumbling, then looked up. Calling this a castle didn’t do it justice. It was a fortress, a massive structure protected by the wall that had long defended the Empire’s northern border.
From atop the wall, the heart of the north looked down at us. The soldiers of Count Cardia.
A stench emanated from the walls. The unmistakable, and unforgettable, smell of blood. Judging by the green stains, it was orc blood.
The chilling aura sent shivers down my spine. This was the front line, a place of constant battle. Agnes trembled, a flicker of fear in her eyes.
That was a normal reaction. The refined killing intent of seasoned warriors was difficult to withstand. But I was different. My heart pounded with excitement.
The killing intent, the stench of blood, the soldiers’ gazes… I welcomed it all. The occasional whiff of blood invigorated me. Bell turned to Agnes and me, her expression now that of a member of Winter Castle, not a student.
“The northern bulwark of the Empire, its steadfast wall.”
Bell Cardia, daughter of the Count, welcomed us.
“Welcome to Winter Castle.”
I suppressed the excitement surging through me and grinned.
I had made the right choice coming here.
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