Kingdom of Freezing – Town Square – Tavern: Snow Slayer
The interior of the castle wasn’t as cold as I had expected. To be precise, I should call it the indoor area, but since the castle seems to completely envelop the town below, I refer to it all as the castle. Unlike the Kingdom of Avangarde, it isn’t very spacious. However, they seem to make effective use of the vertical space, with staircases winding in every direction. There are hardly any flat paths; instead, stone and wooden stairs twist and turn, with houses seemingly clinging to them. Kurinka remarked that it felt more like an apartment complex than a town.
Because of this layout, I had no idea where the tavern or inn was located, which was quite frustrating. I found myself going up and down, navigating the branching staircases repeatedly. At one point, I seriously considered unleashing Kurinka’s piggyback jump. I was advised against drawing too much attention since we had just arrived, so for now, I was walking.
“It seems like the fire is lit now… Did Rainis manage to cheer up?”
“Maybe someone pleaded with her… like the King.”
“With that timid King, even Rainis would be pushed around.”
It was pointless to deal with someone like that, so we decided to go directly to the King today. However, he was a completely different type from the Kings I had met before, bowing and scraping even to outsiders like us, always trying to gauge our moods.
“I request permission to enter the Great Garnis Glacier.”
“Of course! If it’s a capable Adventurer like you, then right away!”
“Oh, so you’re trying to curry favor with those country girls instead of me?”
It wasn’t a single word from the King that granted us permission; it was Rainis’s voice that quickly overshadowed the matter. I couldn’t help but wonder why she happened to be at the King’s side. Just moments ago, she had been at the entrance of the glacier. Later, I learned that she frequently lingered around the King, always demanding something. Whenever she did come to the town, she would indulge herself in free food and drink at the tavern, acting like a tyrant. There were rumors that some people had tried to take advantage of her drunken state, but the outcome was nothing short of tragic. After being stripped of their clothes and left naked in the snow, they never attempted such foolishness again. It was terrible.
“I’m here!”
With a forceful push, Rainis burst through the wooden door. The lively chatter of the tavern patrons fell silent, the warm atmosphere instantly replaced by an awkward tension. Perhaps irritated by the sudden shift, Rainis plopped down into a chair with a scowl.
“I’m so hungry. I want something to eat.”
This wasn’t a proper order; it was merely a complaint. Yet, the tavern master hurriedly began to grease a frying pan. Ignoring her would surely lead to her threatening to extinguish the fire again. So, everyone was desperately trying to keep her in a good mood.
“Oh… the fire went out…”
“Well, it’s just going to be butter-fried Freezing Potatoes again, right? Don’t you dare feed this delicate maiden nothing but potatoes, you fool. So, do it over!”
“U-uh… Rainis, please spare me. You weren’t like this before…”
“Shut up! If you defy me, I’ll make sure you never use fire again!”
I had never heard of Freezing Potatoes before, but I loved butter-fried potatoes. They were said to be a delicacy in this country, and I wanted to try them. More importantly, what did she mean by “you weren’t like this before”?
“Hurry up!”
“But the fire…”
“What, you want me to light it?”
“Please…”
“Alright, I lit it for you.”
The orange flames began to flicker in the stone oven. Everyone around held their breath, but the most surprised was Rainis. This meant that she hadn’t done it herself. As Kurinka twirled the Staff of Scorching Tales, the nearly extinguished lamp on the table reignited. The sight of flames lighting up one after another was like a small festival. With the dim tavern brightened, the patrons seemed to relax a bit.
“Wow! The fire is lit!”
“Please, give me the butter-fried potatoes! I want to eat them!”
“Y-yes… but…”
“Is the only thing lacking speed? Speed Force!”
“W-whoa?! The potato skins are flying off!”
The tavern master, under the influence of the speed-enhancing spell, deftly peeled the potatoes at high speed. In just a few seconds, the prep work was done, and it would take only a few more minutes to finish cooking. The savory aroma of butter wafted through the tavern, and my stomach began to growl. According to Kurinka, the unique cultivation methods in this country made their vegetables taste far superior. I wondered what the people from the Kingdom of Normitz and Konoka would think of this.
“Was that just a support spell? I see, there are such convenient uses for it!”
“Yes, and there are also healing spells with effects like this. Heal!”
“Wooah! The chronic back pain I’ve suffered for years has completely vanished!”
The tavern, once filled with a gloomy atmosphere due to Rainis, was now overflowing with joy. But how did she know that person was suffering from back pain?
“I saw you sitting quietly to avoid straining your back earlier.”
“You noticed that? What an observant child… Thank you!”
“Actually, I’ve been suffering from severe shoulder pain…”
“The other day, while organizing the warehouse, I fell and hit my back on the corner… It was so painful I could hardly breathe.”
“When I twist, it sends sharp pain through me. I even bled; could you take a look?”
In the midst of the chaos, an uncle began to say something strange and started to take off his pants, clearly drunk. Kurinka subtly pushed him aside with her incredible strength. Eventually, Kurinka’s Heal Center was opened for business. Although she wasn’t charging any money, I wondered if it was right to take advantage of these people, but this was all part of Kurinka’s plan.
“W-wait! This brat is just trying to get back at me!”
“What do you mean? If you think that, it means you realize you’ve been unjust all along, right?”
“Ugh…!”
Kurinka calmly countered Rainis’s frustrated expression without mocking her, and resumed her healing. The tavern was now filled with a blissful atmosphere, with everyone looking as if they might drift off to sleep.
“You all know what happens if you start to curry favor with a brat like her, right? Damn it, the flames won’t go out…”
Desperately trying to extinguish the light that Kurinka had lit, Rainis was exuding an aura of desperation. Everyone had already forgotten that Rainis was even there. No one paid her words any mind.
“Rainis, this is reality. What you’ve done by wielding your power is nothing more than this. At this point, no one will dare to bow down to you anymore. More than anything, I think you know this too. It’s better to be genuinely appreciated than to be suppressed from above. After all, that feels much better, doesn’t it?”
“W-are you preaching to me?!”
“I’ve been thinking about this myself lately. As I gain power, I unconsciously start to look down on others. Rua-chan understands this part too… But since we’re human, it’s unavoidable. However, if we don’t stop somewhere, we might end up like you, Rainis.”
Yes, Kurinka often pointed this out to me. I took pride in the battles I fought in the Abyss Cave, and when that pride was challenged, I would grow to despise the other person. When that little feeling of superiority swells, it can lead to this kind of situation. I didn’t think Rainis was necessarily like that, but given her demeanor, she might not be far off. Kurinka’s suggestion for me to take charge had a reason behind it. If she were truly beyond redemption, I would give up, but if not, there might still be room for her to change. Kurinka managed to do something I had never even thought of.
“Hey, Rainis, why don’t you let this girl heal you? It feels great!”
“Rainis, is it?! Who do you think you’re talking to…?”
“Come on, come on, let her do it! After all, you’ve been keeping the fire going this whole time, right? We can’t do anything, so we can’t think of any way to repay you!”
“Y-you all…”
She suddenly became much more subdued than before, fidgeting and shifting her gaze around.
“Shall I do it for you?”
“D-don’t joke with me!”
Rainis slammed into the door and nearly fell over as she stormed out of the tavern. I think if Kurinka hadn’t said that one thing, things might have gone smoothly. Alright, I may not be good at this kind of thing, but I understood one thing. I had grown.
“That girl is just not honest, is she?”
“Um, everyone, you don’t hold any grudges against her, do you?”
“I’ve been irritated countless times, but in reality, I’ve been helped by her. Besides, that girl used to be really nice. Just like you said, we spoiled her too much, and she got carried away. She’s still just a girl, so it’s not surprising. It’s just that we adults are lacking; we need to reflect on that.”
The uncle said this while downing a bottle of alcohol with a hearty laugh. He seemed quite robust. Indeed, it felt like there was no one here who would insult Rainis. Even I, during our first meeting, felt the urge to hit her, but this is what it means to be an adult. The people of this country are generally warm-hearted. They welcomed adventurers like us, including the King, with smiles. It’s a stark contrast to Azuma.
“When you live in such a frigid land, there are limits to what one person can do. That’s why in this country, we’ve helped each other out since ancient times, living peacefully with our neighbors without fighting. We don’t get worked up over trivial matters.”
It really is a world apart from Azuma. I learned that just a change of country can lead to such a difference. But perhaps it’s because of people like them that Rainis has become so arrogant. I don’t know how long she’s been here or how she achieved S-rank.
“More importantly, go after that girl. She’s not very straightforward, but if we apologize just a little, she’ll open her heart to us. She’s not a bad kid at all.”
“Understood. Lua-chan, let’s go.”
After thanking everyone, we set off in pursuit of Rainis. She often hangs around the castle, but it seems she has a favorite spot for when she wants to be alone. It’s impressive that they know her so well.
◆ Freezing Nation, Eastern Hill ◆
“Damn it, damn it, damn it! I’m so frustrated! That brat, what level is she? I bet it’s not even a hundred!”
I wasn’t angry about not being able to extinguish that girl’s flames. It wasn’t that I disliked the fact that those people needed someone other than me. That was definitely not the case.
“It’s not that I don’t want to admit it…”
I graduated from one of the prestigious magic academies in the Wizard Kingdom in less than a month. I can’t even remember its name since I hardly learned anything there, but being praised as Sage Hast’s successor felt good, to be honest. That old man is a bit creepy and I dislike him, though.
No one can match me anymore; there’s no point in staying here. That’s when I decided to embark on a journey. I wanted to test my strength in the outside world, not in a country like this. If I defeat monsters, they’ll be happy, and I’ll get paid. I desperately accumulated good deeds.
“Thank you, you saved me.” That phrase made me happy at first. But as I repeated it, I began to realize something. So what? What did I want to achieve by helping these people? That question gradually grew larger. I’m overwhelmingly superior; I should be able to take it easy. This time, those who only smile and thank me should give something back. After all, they can’t survive without me, so they should respect me.
Before I knew it, I was doing whatever I pleased. With just a word from me, they would shrink back and do anything I asked. They would indulge my every whim. It became incredibly amusing. Even though I understood deep down, I couldn’t stop myself. The slightest hint of rebellion would only increase my irritation, and I would lash out. Even if I felt a twinge of regret, I would forget it almost immediately.
“That brat…”
That girl, Kurinka, reminded me of something. A quiet child younger than me. Now that I’ve become someone who gets furious at the slightest defiance, I couldn’t possibly endure her words. But…
“Did I ever have a time when I was that happy…?”
I can’t remember the last time I sat here on this snowy hill, hugging my knees and lost in thought. That’s how long it’s been since I’ve had any real worries. I realize I’m wearing this leotard for such a trivial reason. Even in this snowy country, I can stand out without a care, just to show off the difference in status. It feels so empty when I think about it.
“…?!”
The townspeople surrounded me, stepping on the snow. There were only a few of them, but I recognized them all. They were the ones I had stripped and thrown into this snowy expanse not long ago. I can reflect now on how ridiculous that was.
But now that they’ve appeared like this, saying sorry probably wouldn’t suffice.
“…What do you want?”
“…”
Their faces were expressionless, devoid of emotion. I couldn’t sense anything from these people wrapped in thick coats. Were they here to get revenge? I couldn’t even tell. I should have noticed their approach; there’s no way I could lose to them. Yet, it felt eerie.
I tied my hair back into a ponytail and stood up. Unconsciously, I had finished preparing for battle. I did it because my hair would get in the way during a fight; it had nothing to do with fashion. It’s been so long since I last did this.
“Say something. If you come any closer…?!”
My body wouldn’t move. Even standing, I felt like not a single finger belonged to me. It wasn’t like being paralyzed in my sleep. No, it was as if my body…
“W-What… what’s happening…?”
It wasn’t just my body that had stopped moving. I couldn’t even use magic. I, who had been able to manipulate flames at will with just the intent to ignite them.
Those doll-like figures were stepping closer, and I couldn’t resist at all. The moment I fully recognized that, my heart raced. It was a feeling I hadn’t experienced in a long time—a true sense of life-threatening danger.
“N-No… don’t come any closer…”
I was restrained by several of them, left with no means to fight back. One of them, wearing gloves, approached me—
◆ Shin Report ◆
Potato butter, munch munch, so fluffy and satisfying.
If you say you dislike this,
It’s pointless to feed anything to that woman.
If we could just redirect the ingredients to this Shin,
The world would surely turn smoothly. Yes, that was a clever thought.
Somewhere, that Formas was a real piece of work,
But that woman is no different—she’s a piece of work too.
However, if she only flaunts her own power,
Then she’ll only earn my disdain.
By the way, where did Formas go?
Chasing after her is fine, but I thought I’d eat the potato butter first.
But then,
That gluttonous dragon had already devoured it.
It’s more accurate to say she’s been inhaling it.
That’s how I feel these days.