Chapter 38 – Flowers of the North Sea (10)

– Hi? Can you hear me? My name is Terra Ernesten. What is your name?
— Well, it’s not a translation problem, but it doesn’t come through. Are you okay. I expected this much. Don’t worry, I’ll give you a cooler name.
— It’s going to hurt a lot right now. I did everything as written in the imperial tome, but summoning from another real dimension rather than a virtual one basically means reorganizing the body. So, what is your condition now…
— Haha, it’s nice that you have a sense of humor. That’s right. It looks like a hamburger patty that has been left at room temperature for about two weeks.

What comes to mind is probably the first memory.

— So you mean? You were chosen to be a warrior. Against infinite, random odds that are absolutely incredible.
— Don’t say too much to me. I was against it until the end. Even if humanity perishes, grass will grow, right? But I guess the high-ranking people over there didn’t want to be trampled like weeds.
— The Pope and the King will come to visit in a little while. And he’ll say he’ll give you his daughter or something. If you’re interested in child marriage, it’s pretty tempting, right?

The first thing I saw was the blue ceiling. Blood pooled on the floor.
There were two people next to me. One of them kept talking to him so he wouldn’t lose consciousness, while the other was crying endlessly with his knees wet on the floor covered in a pool of blood.

— Oh, you mean him? She is a saint who was raised by a religious order, but I guess she is a bit inferior. I kept crying from the moment I saw you.
— Oh, are you moving now? The magic is just starting to take hold, but it’s fast. Oh, what about Lewis? It means ‘king of war’ in ancient language. It’s the perfect name for you. The outside world is now beyond turmoil and is on the verge of destruction.

I got up. And stretched out her nailless hand to the crying woman.
She cried even more bitterly when my hand touched her knee.
Maybe it’s because I was told not to cry.

– Louis. The strength you have as a hero will come from three things. It is based on the ‘Three Source Books’, which are the great principles of all magic and the source of this world. One has already been put down, another is coming here now, and you have to make the last one yourself.

Terra explained the three divine powers of the warrior.
An oracle given by Hela, the goddess of light.
The divine power that resides in the church’s holy sword and shield.
And–

— Think carefully before choosing. Because once you have decided on a belief, you cannot change it.

The belief in protecting someone.

—Numquam Obliviscatur Votum. Don’t forget your oath, Louis.
— If you lose that heart, your powerful spark will disappear like smoke.

Shake!!

“100 million… !!”

A sudden shock woke me up. It was a dark carriage heading to the North Sea.
It appears that the wheel got stuck on a rock due to the rough terrain.

“You woke up at exactly the right time. “I heard the coachman almost arrived a little while ago?”

The little girl across from me covered her mouth and giggled. There were only two people in the narrow carriage.

“I’m Lily. “What about you?”
“It’s not you, uncle.”
“Just looking at him, he looks like an old man. Why are you going to Addenbury?”
“Go ahead and crush that lord’s face.”
“Oh my god! Then you get arrested for lese majeste!”

Lily seemed to be tired of looking out her window alone, so she continued to tell her story whether I answered or not.

“My hometown is a small rural village down there. Didn’t a group of bandits attack the village a while ago? “I lost my house and all my money, so I’m going to Addenbury to find a job first.”
“That’s too bad.”
“Already this time, the Roshoard family put out an announcement that they were looking for a servant. “They say they’re recruiting for three days starting today, so I’m definitely going to join!”
“I don’t think they would hire a country bumpkin.”
“Oh really! “I haven’t even had an interview yet. Do you want to start already!?”

As the speed of the carriage gradually decreased, I stretched my legs and relaxed. In the distance, the sea and islands of the North Sea with huge waves began to appear.
On the large island in the very center, there was a huge castle rising sharply.

“Well, if possible, try applying on the last day.”
“Why?”

I handed the balance to the driver and smiled lightly at the little boy named Lily.

“Because there may be a lot of empty seats.”

***

What is the reason for Rochear’s existence?
It becomes a spear that protects humanity and destroys demons.
Ever since the original magic was created by the first Ice and Snow Duke, Rochear’s family motto has not wavered one bit.

Because they had always fought on the front lines of the Dawn, the people of the kingdom, especially the North, envied and worshiped Roshoar more than Terra Ernisten.
If we were to compare the level of magic, they may not be comparable, but as a nobleman and ruler, all of Rochear’s actions were solely for the benefit of humanity.

Many people died. More knights and brave warriors than anyone else sent the body into the cold waters of the North Sea.
Before and after the end of the Great War, there was no family in Fenheim that shed as much blood as Rochear.
These were things that could not be included in the medals given by the royal family.

“We have arrived, matriarch.”
“Bring it here.”

Esthelle Sylvester de Rochoire. The Empress of Polar Ice, who became the fear of the demons with a single spear, was an iron-blooded archduke who could stand strong even after bearing all the sacrifices of Rochear.
In fact, she didn’t care about the public’s evaluation. From the day she learned Rosh’ar’s unique magic, Esther has been fighting for humanity like her ancestral matriarch. Like all other ice and snow workers.

“…”

She looked at her own sister lying in her cold coffin.

The reason for pulling out Adela Sylvester’s heart was not to restore her past glory or to further solidify her power as the ruler of the North Sea.

Rochear is just that. An extremely cold and sharp spear that pierces the enemy’s heart.
Adela must be like that. Because she is also Rochear.

Esther placed her hand on her sister’s ear as she lay there. The day did not come when Adela, who had not run away, or rather had ceased running, would hang up the one remaining pair of her earrings.

She pretends to be an idiot and gets into her academy. Make your name known in the magic competition. Get invited to the salon. By making her social debut. Her lifelong attempts to break away from her family by marrying a count proved futile.

In that case, all you have to do is accept Roshuar’s unique magic.

Emitting a small pulsation.
A fragile heart that holds karma. Esther stretched out her cold hand towards that place.

That moment–

“Hey.”

A man’s voice was heard from the entrance of a huge hall in the innermost part of the castle, with its back to the bell tower.

“What if they kidnap that person so loudly? “Even if I had my grandmother trafficked organs, she would be more secretive than you.”
“Who are you?”
“Me?”

A somewhat light outfit not suitable for the North Sea.
A frivolous tone of voice and a bitter smile.

“Hey, he’s the owner of the Parencia Academy canteen. “I came to get compensation for the store you messed with.”
“Do you need money?”
“That’s all right, isn’t there a thief with three new criminal records lying next to you?”

The black-haired man who came with his bare hands and without a sword pointed to Adella next to Esther.

“I’ll just take him with me.”

***

I can’t hear the footsteps.
Esther realized that it was too quiet outside her.
She slowly made her way down the stairs, her slender arms stretched out to her sides.
Suddenly, a transparent window appeared out of thin air.

“You’re making presumptuous remarks without even knowing the fractions.”
“Fountain?”
“Did you say you were the store owner? “Even though you live in Fenheim, you do not know the weight of Rochear’s blood.”

It didn’t matter how strong he was that he was able to break through the guards and knights outside and get here.
From where Esther’s steps fell, her thin ice slowly climbed up the walls and floor.
A breathless, emotionless voice rang out in her frozen room.

“Last week, fifteen Knights of the Blue Rose died at Lake Senrir. “I remember all their names.”

The voice did not tremble at all, and calmly recited the names of the deceased: Beckel, Marcil, and Selita.

“Twenty two weeks ago. “Three more yesterday.”

Without resentment, emotion, or sadness.

“It’s all because I left the front to come here.”

He spoke as if he were talking about ice and snow.

“Do you know? In the North, Roshoar has made many sacrifices. It has been a strategic point on the front lines of Penheim since before the Great War. “He has performed that role calmly.”

As she continued speaking, the cold ice and snow piled up more and more. The windows froze, the ceiling turned white, and the sound of metal distorting filled the room.

“There were people whose entire bodies melted due to black magic, and there were people who were torn apart by the claws of magic beasts and died while picking up their internal organs. Nevertheless, we fought without taking a single step back.”

He froze his wounds to move forward and froze his enemies to build bridges.

“We advanced through the most dangerous valley of sulfur and fire in Helzeb, cliffs with screaming, and ditches of black night.”

Only for the annihilation of the demon race.

“Do you know, dear?”

Becoming the spear of Penheim.

“We have been living in hell.”

Ice Snowball’s spear pointed at her own frozen sister.

“If there are two wizards in the North who have mastered unique magic, the sacrifice will be reduced even further. Not only in Rochear, but also in the Ravier Mountains, Lake Senrir, and throughout Feheim, everyone who fights against demons will save their lives at least once in their lives.”

Conversely, if we don’t, more people will die.
That’s why——the ice and snowman was speaking.

“It is said to be the weight of Rochear’s blood. Do you understand now?”

I dare you. Is there justice to defeat this cause?

The snowstorm cleared and silence fell.
Esther’s transparent eyes did not take their gaze off of Louis.
As if dead. He was standing quietly with his eyes closed.

Then, at one point, a smile spread across his face.
The laughter that disappeared immediately was not intended to ridicule someone or to hold back a burst of laughter.
It was just a bitter, yet pitiful laugh at the same time.

“You’re young.”

After brushing off the snowballs on his head, his face took on a childlike innocence, but at the same time, it retained an immeasurable depth of darkness that made even Esther startle.

“You remember each person who died. “There were so many of them that I forgot them all.”

Except for a few really stupid people—. As she said, Lewis lifted her head and looked up at her.

“I know that? “It says exactly what you said in the history books, but people are misunderstanding something about Helzeb.”

The sun shining on the ice sculptures was setting. Esthel noticed that the snow around Luis was melting.
In her haste she lifted her spear and saw that her own hands were shaking. She couldn’t understand the feeling.

“What a land of lava, a forest stained with blood…” … Well, it suits them well, but even demons die when stabbed with a sword, so how can they live like that? Of course, it is not a place for people to live, but Helzeb is not that bad.”

There was still no magic weapon in her hand.
Nevertheless, the weight that Lewis carried, the terrible chill that emanated from that single word——

“You lived in hell?”

She made Ice Snow Ball feel the blood-curdling cold.

“I created that hell.”