Chapter 582

Louise von Schwarzk received a vacation that she never imagined during the winter. She received an order from the only person above her, the king and her father, to rest. The command of the army during the winter was to be taken over by the king of Kernstatt. However, she had to spend quite some time conveying the status and important matters of the Kernstatt army before completing the minimum handover. So, after completing all the handovers and delegating power to the king, she was able to arrive at Huangdo through the warp spot of the Allied Forces late at night. Therefore, now Louise felt dizzy and confused about the situation. The streets of Huangdo were unfamiliar, it was late at night, and it was snowing heavily. She had never been allowed to go to the temple, although she had not completely avoided going to the palace. So, she couldn't properly distinguish where she was due to the snowy night streets of Huangdo that she was not familiar with. And now, Louise was emotionally as confused as she was excited about the situation. She suddenly came to the temple in Huangdo and came alone, only hearing the word "rest". Louise felt like a child again for the first time in a long time. Moreover, strictly speaking, she was not very good at finding her way. She was not easy to be considered good at finding her way, but it was a good environment to get lost in. She even arrived at the palace where there was nothing to see while trying to find the temple. In the end, she asked the palace guards where the temple was because she was at the point where she would either greet the sunrise on the street or become a snowman in a blizzard. "Here is the north of Daeha, and the temple is in the south of Daeha." It was believable even if she deliberately came in the opposite direction, not just getting lost. In the end, Louise walked towards Daeha with a muddled mind. She had to cross the river to find the temple. The famous pride of Huangdo, the magic train, could not be ridden because it had long since stopped running. "No... if it was running, I might have been more lost..." Louise had never ridden the magic train, she had only heard about it. When she arrived in Huangdo, she had only seen it moving with a strange sound from a distance. Anyway, Louise was experiencing the feeling of finding her way alone for the first time in her life. If she could only find the direction, she could find her way even in a blizzard. The problem was that there were about ten large bridges connecting the north and south of Huangdo, and she had to take one of them to go south. However, she couldn't see anything due to the snow, so she ended up walking along the Iline River promenade. She eventually crossed the frozen river and made her way to the southern streets of Huangdo. She asked for directions to the temple, but the heavy snow made it difficult to find. Despite feeling lost and like a child again, she was determined to find her way and eventually reached the temple, feeling excited at the prospect of seeing the place where her son grew up. However, even though Huangdo was a magnificent city, the atmosphere was filled with despair and the presence of death. Summary of previous part of chapter only for context: In this chapter, the protagonist, who is searching for her son, faces a difficult journey through the snow-covered city of Huangdo. She must cross a frozen river and navigate through the southern streets to find the temple where her son grew up. Despite feeling lost and overwhelmed, she perseveres and eventually reaches the temple. However, the city itself is filled with a sense of despair and death, which adds to the protagonist's already heavy emotions. The chapter highlights the challenges and obstacles the protagonist must overcome in her search for her son, as well as the bleak atmosphere of the city she finds herself in.

Translation:

If one had come to Huangdo in better times, they might have felt jealous, but now Huangdo Gradium was a city of death. Rare pedestrians walked the streets huddled up, and the accumulating snow seemed to slowly suffocate the city. The capital of Kernstadt was not in a much different situation. In a reality where the environment was undoubtedly worse than Huangdo, Huangdo might have been a great city just by maintaining its appearance. And then, Louise suddenly heard the sound of footsteps coming from beyond. Louise stepped aside in fear, and the group of people passed by. "....What?" Louise could only instinctively recognize them from their footsteps and actions. Those who received combat training were different from the sound of footsteps, let alone their intuition. They disappeared somewhere without even looking at Louise. She couldn't ask them where they were going, as it was too scary. What could be so urgent for those who received combat training to move with such a serious expression in the middle of the night? Louise snapped out of her thoughts. Finding the temple was a priority now. She was on the verge of becoming a real snowman if she stayed still. * * * As Louise walked in the direction of the temple, the night grew deeper, and the snow piled up even more. So inevitably, a problem arose. "Where the hell... am I?" It was inevitable that Louise would become lost. She knew the temple was close, but there was no one to ask for directions. "But I know it's nearby..." Louise walked aimlessly, in the direction she heard the temple was. How long did she walk like that? Louise finally saw something through the pouring snow. "A light?" A blue flame-like thing flickered. "What is it?" She would end up lost and wandering in the same place no matter what it was. Louise soon realized what that approaching blue light was. It was a person. And that person had enhanced their magic power. Someone wrapped in a blue flame of mana that strengthens the body was approaching. And they weren't alone; they were pulling something. The approaching person was pulling something like a cart. "Is this the place?" "Oh, thank you. We made it. Put it in here." In the darkness, that person pulled the cart into what looked like a warehouse. "If it weren't for you, we would have been in big trouble." "No, I was on my way too. And be careful with your back." Louise watched them from a distance. A young man pulling a cart and an old man. She could tell that the young man was helping the old man. But in that scene, Louise couldn't help but notice something else, aside from the fact that the young man could enhance his magic power. "A young man who seemed to be in poor health has been through a lot. I want to repay him somehow...” The old man tries to repay the young man, but he refuses. Louise watches their exchange until the old man goes home and the young man turns to face her. Louise, unknowingly wearing a sympathetic expression, asks him if he knows the way to the temple where her son grew up. The young man agrees to show her the way and they arrive at the temple with the help of another student who can enhance his magic power. The temple is vast and Louise is unsure of where to go, but the young man offers to guide her to her destination, which happens to be the Royal Class dormitory. Louise can't help but notice the young man's empty right sleeve." Louise knew about what happened to her son's friends. The dead classmate and the injured ones. "Is your name... Ludwig?" she asked the young man. He was her son's friend. Ludwig was excited to meet her, knowing she was the military commander of Kernstadt. Louise noticed Ludwig's empty right sleeve and remembered how she couldn't witness her son's growth. She only knew about his life through reports, including Ludwig, who was in the Royal Class. Ludwig had a unique talent for enhancing his magic power, but the war took his arm. Louise could see the despair in his eyes. She asked about the old man's cart, and Ludwig explained that he helped him because he seemed injured. Louise smiled at Ludwig's awkward smile. Translation:

It's natural for anyone to feel better when they see people with good intentions. Especially if you're in a position where you've received help from those good intentions. That's why Louise felt even more sorry and regretful when she saw Ludwig's empty right sleeve. Ludwig couldn't ignore the old man groaning and falling over, so he used his time and strength to pull the old man's cart all the way to his house. Louise didn't know the exact details of how Ludwig lost his arm, but she knew to some extent that he lost it while trying to save a friend in danger. In the end, his kind heart that couldn't ignore someone in need became his weakness in the cruel times and took his arm. Looking at Ludwig's empty sleeve, Louise couldn't help but feel the harsh truth that in these times, having a heart for others can become a weakness. "It's a sad time," Louise said suddenly, and Ludwig stared at her quietly. "Yes, it is," he replied. "But even in these times..." Louise exhaled a white breath from her lowered eyes. "Let's try to stay strong and live on." "..." "Let's stay strong and survive." Even in a world where things are taken away, we can't take it for granted. Ludwig smiled, and Louise smiled back at his awkwardness. * * * Who is this lady? Why is she here? "Milady?" Heinrich stood up from his seat with a surprised expression, and Ellen also got up from the window seat where she was stroking me. Louise von Schwarzkopf. Someone who shouldn't be here suddenly appeared. "I'm also planning to rest at the temple during the winter." "You too...?" Louise just said that to Heinrich with her usual stiff expression. No, can you explain a little more? Whether Nana was surprised or not, Louise looked at Ellen. "It's not the first time we've met, but it feels like the first time we've seen each other like this..." "Hello." Ellen bowed her head in a way that was more like how she treated her older sister than a princess and military commander of Kernstadt. Louise then looked at me sitting quietly on the windowsill. "Is this the cat?" Does even the cat that appeared at the Royal Class base know who I am? Louise wasn't particularly surprised or shocked to see the black cat. "Yes." Ellen held me up to Louise as if to say, "Touch him." What is this? Are you treating me as a means of communication with someone you don't know anymore? Oh. That's actually convenient. After staring at the cat (me) that was held out to her a few times, Louise gently stroked my head. As a courtesy. "..." "..." As Louise petted the cat a few times, Ellen looked at Louise. Not just looking, but staring. How is it? How's our kid? Tell me quickly. Say it's cute. Such desire was clearly visible in her eyes.

Louise felt slightly flustered by Ellen's gaze.

"That... it's cute..."

"That's right."

Ellen, who was forcing a smile, ruffled my hair.

Louise's expression as she looked at Ellen was quite strange.

Although they had seen each other's faces before, they had never had a conversation, so Louise had no idea what kind of person Ellen was.

But a hero who boasts about a cat?

Did she feel disappointed or did she think it was humane?

But regardless of what Ellen was doing, Heinrich was still in a semi-panic state.

"Milady... what happened here...?"

"They said to stay in room A-1. Where is that?"

By the way, why did this person come here?

The temple is not a place where anyone can enter now, and Louise von Schwarzkopf is definitely not someone who belongs to anyone.

It was surely Bertholdt who gave permission to enter.

But what does it mean that Louise was allowed into the temple?

Louise was allowed to stay in room A-1 of the second-year dormitory.

Unfortunately, that room was the one the emperor used when he was studying at the temple.

During the winter, the military command was entrusted to the King of Kerunstadt, and Louise took a long vacation at the temple.

Heinrich was frozen in this unexpected situation, and Louise wandered around as if she was amazed.

"This is the temple..."

Whether she was comparing it to the academy in Kerunstadt or feeling a completely different impression, Louise was excited enough to feel it even with her firm expression.

Heinrich took Louise somewhere to guide her to the Royal Class dormitory, and Ellen was staring at the falling snow by the window.