Chapter 82

After devouring the meat without leaving any scraps, Ian immediately took off his winter pants and the almost broken leg guards.

Although they were the best things he had, he had no choice but to discard them.

The wound across his thigh was already scabbing over and healing.

‘My recovery seems to be getting better and better.’

While Charlotte was cleaning up the leftover meat and the campsite,

Ian, who had changed into spare winter clothes and leg guards from his subspace, checked his body once more and picked up the Sword of Condemnation.

“I found it.”

Tesayia, who had been watching Ian, said.

“You did?”

“Yeah. It smelled like Ian, and there was something repulsive about that sword.”

“I couldn’t even pick it up. So I moved it.”

Charlotte, checking the reins, added.

Ian nodded calmly.

These guys, despite their bickering, were starting to get along. It was a good change. No matter what happened later, they needed to synchronize their movements, even if it was a bit awkward for now.

Whatever the wraith in that ice forest was, it wouldn’t be an easy opponent.

“I won’t be fighting for a while.”

Ian said as he got into the carriage.

Charlotte, who had almost finished her preparations, turned to look at him.

“I’ve used too much mana. It’s not something that can be recovered in a day or two.”

“…What if another monster like yesterday attacks?”

Tesayia, who had climbed up, asked.

Ian shrugged.

“A monster like that won’t appear again. I’ve proven my worth.”

“What kind of worth?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Ian added, looking at Charlotte.

“So for a while, you and Tesayia will have to fight. You’ll be the main one fighting.”

“I’m willing to do that.”

Charlotte, sitting in the driver’s seat, replied.

She even looked strangely pleased.

She added as she turned the carriage.

“Even if a strong monster like yesterday attacks, it’s fine. I want to see how strong it is.”

Ian, recalling her mutilating the giant warrior, smirked and then wiped the smile away.

“And don’t bring another monster’s head to my pillow, Charlotte.”

“……”

“Not even the body.”

The carriage moved forward, leaving the building. The snow-covered ruins passed by on the side.

As they headed toward the opposite exit they had entered, Charlotte cautiously added,

“…Then, bringing it to your feet? Is that also not allowed, Ian?”

“Are you seriously asking that?”

“Well….”

“Hah….”

With this pointless conversation, the carriage left the abandoned village.

A vast, endless white snowfield stretched out before them.

***

“It’s beautiful. Everything is white.”

Tesayia said, gazing at the surroundings.

The carriage moved through the snowfield without stopping. It wasn’t impossible to distinguish the path, but the snow was getting deeper as they headed north.

Fortunately, the wind wasn’t blowing much.

Ian mostly kept his eyes closed, not moving.

He was recovering his stamina and mana. Thanks to his high level of meditation, he could maintain a meditative state without deeply immersing himself.

Of course, Tesayia didn’t pay any attention to him and kept talking.

“I’m glad I followed Ian.”

“You’re lucky. It looks like you’re on a picnic.”

Charlotte sarcastically remarked.

Despite their bickering, she was the one who mostly responded to Tesayia’s comments.

“What do you know, kitty?”

Tesayia clicked her tongue.

“I’ve never properly enjoyed the scenery around me. I’ve never walked through a city in peace. I had to survive, you know. Do you understand what it’s like to survive alone in the middle of an unknown world?”

…I do.

Ian silently replied, while Charlotte’s snort continued.

“You’re being arrogant. You don’t know what it’s like to live as a half-breed on the continent.”

“What’s it like?”

“Every day is a struggle for survival. You saw it, didn’t you?”

“Is that because you look so scary, Charlotte?”

“I’m quite beautiful by half-breed standards. Plus, I’m exceptionally strong.”

“Yeah. Your fur is soft and shiny. I’d love to skin you and wear your pelt.”

Tesayia shook her robe.

“Like this one.”

“……”

Charlotte growled lowly.

Tesayia, smiling as if it was nothing, continued.

“I’ll see and feel more things. While following Ian. Eventually, I’ll be able to kill all those damn vampires.”

Her gaze swept over the snowfield and the trees that looked like blooming snowflakes.

“My true freedom will start then. I’ll travel all over the empire. I’ll go to the south where the elves live. Even if they don’t accept me, it’s just something I want to confirm. Who I once was.”

“……”

“I’ll hide in a safe border area. I’ll build my own hideout and live a peaceful life.”

Her tone was as clear as reading a fairy tale. She didn’t seem to truly believe it would happen.

It was just a wish.

Ian, who noticed this, didn’t bother to open his eyes.

He didn’t need to mention that if she continued with him, she might end up being the last survivor of the vampire clan.

Or that after being abandoned by the elves, she might suffer from eternal existential loneliness.

Or that the most likely outcome was that she would eventually die at his hands.

“You’re talking like a cursed demon.”

Charlotte scolded instead.

Tesayia frowned.

“I didn’t choose to be this way.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that you’re a demon, kitty. That’s just running away from reality.”

“…Great advice, Charlotte. Is that because your goal in life is to die fighting? You’re so realistic.”

Charlotte, who had picked up a piece of dried meat, turned to Tesayia.

“That’s the most beautiful and honorable ending. An old half-breed is the ugliest thing. They can’t fight or hunt, they’re just a burden.”

“So you spent your life cleaning up after that ugly human?”

“What…?”

“I’ve seen you with those black things, Charlotte. Sitting on a saddle, acting all high and mighty. That doesn’t seem like the life of a warrior you talk about.”

Tesayia snorted.

“You say you want to die fighting honorably, but you liked the gold, didn’t you?”

“Don’t spout nonsense when you don’t know anything. Kitty.”

Charlotte glared at her.

Tesayia smiled.

“You hit a nerve. Don’t be ashamed. Most humans I’ve seen prefer gold to life-threatening battles. The ones who captured me were excited about getting chests of gold for bringing me in.”

“I won’t deny the benefits I received from the caravan. But I fulfilled my responsibilities and duties. Gold means nothing to me.”

“Responsibilities? Duties?”

“Things you demons don’t know how to keep.”

Charlotte, who had paused, continued.

She probably thought it was fine to tell Ian and Tesayia.

“Warriors must go out into the world and earn money when they come of age. For the prosperity of the clan.”

“So, you didn’t earn money for me?”

“It’s a tradition started by your kind. But we half-breeds lost our homeland, not our roots. We built a new settlement. Land granted by His Majesty the Emperor. It’s small and humble for now.”

A line from the game, which Ian had seen in passing, came to mind.

There was a city of half-breeds somewhere deep in the southern outskirts.

At the same time, he recalled the exceptionally high fees of half-breed mercenaries.

It wasn’t just because they were rare.

“Most of the money I earned was for the clan. To buy land and expand our territory, to raise the next generation of warriors. My duties were almost over. After that, I would have left the caravan without regrets. I would have lived as a warrior, to meet a beautiful end.”

“So, is your clan starving now because you’re here?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not the only clan warrior out in the world. Many are fulfilling their duties and responsibilities. Even after they no longer need to bear the burden.”

“Aah….”

Tesayia nodded, smiling demonically.

“You must be disappointed. To become Ian’s pet cat before fulfilling your sacred duty.”

“…That would be a lie. But it’s common. Many warriors die before fulfilling their duties. Losing a tail is rare, though. I accepted that fate. Unlike you.”

Charlotte snorted.

“I will continue fighting with Ian, even if I die before getting my tail back. It would be honorable as a warrior.”

“Sure. You die a lot. I’ll survive for a long time.”

“Is that a blessing?”

Charlotte turned to Tesayia.

“You’ll have to live forever, changing faces between day and night, suffering from that cursed thirst and impulses.”

“……”

Tesayia hesitated for a moment.

She didn’t know how long eternity was.

“So, you’re saying I should live a decent life and then die?”

All she could do was scold.

Charlotte shrugged.

“I’m saying if you ever get tired of living, just say so. I’ll gladly give you a painful death.”

“I’ll give you that blessing first. Of course, after we’re done, Ian.”

“You’re just saying it in a long-winded way.”

“……!”

Tesayia gasped, not expecting Ian to respond.

“You were awake? I thought you were sleeping.”

“With all the noise, did you expect me to sleep soundly?”

Ian opened his eyes, smiling wryly.

“You two are one. Don’t forget that.”

“That crazy kitty keeps saying she wants to die fighting. What can I do about that, Ian?”

“Then you’ll have to die together.”

“Wh-what…?”

Tesayia’s eyes widened.

Ian calmly looked down at her.

“If you don’t want that, protect Charlotte. Don’t try to kill her.”

As Tesayia pouted, Ian turned to Charlotte.

“You should also stop talking about that honorable death. I don’t want to die either.”

“…I won’t.”

With that, Ian closed his eyes again.

He didn’t say that they had more in common than they thought, and that he was the same.

Ian resumed his meditation.

This time, he delved deeper into his inner self to shake off unnecessary emotions and distractions.

***

Contrary to the rumors about the White Magic Realm, the midnight attack was not as much of a threat as expected.

Surprisingly, it was thanks to the pattern on Ian’s palm.

After killing the guardian, it began to serve the opposite role.

When the pattern resonated, ancient giant kingdom wraiths invariably appeared nearby.

However, they didn’t approach like before; they just watched from a distance.

“…They’re annoying. Can I go and kill them all?”

“I agree with the kitty. They’re making me uncomfortable.”

Charlotte and Tesayia were annoyed, but Ian didn’t care.

There was no need to fight if they didn’t attack. Besides, most of them didn’t even give experience points.

“Conserve your strength. Just deal with the ones that approach the campsite.”

Of course, not all the creatures in the snowfield were remnants of the giant kingdom.

Mutated wild animals and native monsters like ogres appeared. Undead and wraiths unrelated to the giant kingdom also showed up.

Most were just practice dummies for Charlotte. The amorphous monsters she couldn’t handle were, conversely, beyond Tesayia’s capabilities.

Surprisingly, she could tear apart things that were almost impossible to physically damage, like wraiths, with her bare hands.

Her shadow familiars even devoured them.

“How do you grab wraiths with your bare hands?”

“I don’t know. It just works?”

There was no need to figure out the unknown reason.

Ian concluded it was just one of the demon’s abilities.

Anyway, wraiths were annoying to deal with, so having another way to handle them was significant.

A few days passed.

The mountain peaks, which had been visible like fingernails, were now close enough to see the tops by lifting one’s head.

The wind was as cold as a blade.

“Turn the carriage around, Charlotte.”

Ian suddenly turned to look at the desolate valley, with only snow, rocks, and bare trees.

“There’s no sign of human activity. No path.”

“So we’ve found the right place.”

“I agree.”

With this calm conversation, the carriage turned onto a slope, not knowing where it led.