----------------------------------------------------------------- Translator: Ryuma Chapter: 136 Chapter Title: Spring, Come (1) ----------------------------------------------------------------- “Welcome to Rodolan.” Karaka flashed a sinister grin as he entered the fortress. The group, who had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠been glancing at each other's faces, followed him inside. Thud. The moment the door closed, the warmth mingled with the sea breeze vanished without a trace. Every breath released a puff of white vapor that shattered in the air. Ronan cursed under the bone-chilling cold that pierced his skin. “Fuck, I thought it had gotten a bit better.” “This should make it much more bearable.” The cabinet by the door was stuffed full of coats worn by the guards and interrogators. Karaka rummaged through it and turned to Asel. “Hmm, I wonder if there's anything that fits a young lady's build.” “N-No, I-I'm n-not a y-young l-lady...!” Asel's teeth chattered as she protested. Fortunately, they found clothes that fit. The four of them donned fur hats and gloves before resuming their steps. “There aren't as many people inside as I expected.” “Access is restricted, and most can't endure it. On average, they spend three times as long warming up as they do facing the witch. If you'd prepared some countermeasures, it might've been better, but I don't see any.” “I see... Damn, but isn't this coat too thick?” Ronan grumbled irritably as they descended the stairs. The coat was so bulky it was hard to see his feet. “I guarantee you'll soon think even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this is too thin. Bundle up your collar tight.” Karaka spoke with utter conviction. The Winter Witch must have been formidable indeed. He explained that many changes had occurred since she was transferred to Rodolan. “It's a hassle making sure the prisoners don't freeze to death, but it's not so bad. We've got a lot of new torture... er, interrogation methods now.” “Like what?” “Simple. Strip them naked and toss them into a cell near the witch. Repeat a few times, and even the toughest prisoner breaks body and soul.” Karaka described in vivid detail the sensation of snipping off frozen fingers and toes with shears. He even recounted the story of a prisoner whose tongue stuck to the floor and had to be cut off. “We call it 'frozen solid.' Haha, fun, isn't it?” Karaka chuckled, shoulders shaking. No one laughed along. Only Ronan, now accustomed to such talk, replied in a flat tone. “How about keeping the top warm but stripping just the pants and throwing them in? Even if their legs shatter, you can still get answers.” “Ho... You seem to have a talent for interrogation. Didn't I mention this before?” Erzsebet and Asel stared at the two as if they were demons risen from hell. Amid the prisoners' screams, they delved deeper into Rodolan. With each descending step, the temperature plummeted sharply. People with blue lips crossed paths with them, hurrying by. “D-Damn...! Hurry up!” “Can't break that thing... Cursed, that witch...!” As Karaka had said, they were rushing out to thaw their bodies. Footsteps echoed ceaselessly. After about thirty minutes, they stopped before a massive gate. “We're here. This is the deepest point in Rodolan: the Abyss Judeca.” It felt like they'd descended to the roots of the reef. Ears popped from the underwater pressure outside. The pitch-black door seemed capable of barring even formless ghosts. “It took three years' worth of Rodolan's budget to build this door. Look at the corner over there—the names of the artisans who sweated for the empire's security are engraved there.” After rattling off trivial details, Karaka inserted a key into the keyhole. Rumble...! The door parted with a thunderous retch. An unprecedented chill engulfed the four. “Hyaaak!” “Th-This much is... nothing.” Asel screamed. Even Erzsebet, who had maintained her composure, twisted her face for the first time. Ronan pressed his fur hat down harder and gasped. “Goddamn...!” “Heh, heh. Impressive, right? We had to move all the vicious criminals from Judeca to upper levels because of it.” Ronan gritted his teeth. As Karaka said, the coats were meaningless now. The cold, sharp as a blade, seemed to slice skin and churn entrails. It was a cold akin to what he'd felt in his previous life when capturing the witch. The group pressed forward down the long corridor. A blue glow shimmered ahead. The murmurs came from there. Soon, an open space appeared. The group's eyes widened. “This is...” It wasn't as vast as expected. About a dozen people gathered in small clusters, chatting. Most seemed very familiar with the place. Impressively, each had prepared their own countermeasures to endure the murderous chill even a bit longer. “Damn, if I'd known it'd be this bad, I would've brought something too...” One woman clutched a mana-heating artifact. An old man was wrapped in the hide of some unfamiliar beast. They eyed Ronan's group—who'd only layered thick clothes—like exotic animals. Karaka pointed past them with a finger. “That's the young lady in question.” A massive ice pillar stood in Judeca's center. A bluish glow seeped from its surface. Though colored, it was essentially transparent, allowing a clear view inside. Erzsebet, her axe-like eyes narrowed, touched the scar on her neck and murmured. “Evelin...” The Winter Witch, Evelin Drozer, was curled inside like a fetus. She was an ordinary girl, somewhat thin. Her face was buried in her knees, hidden from view. Her hair, frozen mid-flow in the air, was stark white. It was a ghastly white, far from Iril's beautiful silver—like dead coral. “Goddamn... Fucking cold, let's finish this quick!” Then, from the crowd, a knight in ornate armor and his squire-like attendant stepped forward. The bearish giant knight gripped a warhammer so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠brutish it could pass for a lantern. He bellowed, scanning the onlookers. “I am Baron Bunta of the Hmatu Kingdom! I shall save the empire from peril by shattering this wicked witch's shell!” It was a grandiose battle cry, full of bravado. His squire clenched a fist and shouted. “You can do it, Lord Bunta! You'll be the hero who saves the empire!” “Of course! Haaap!” The knight called Bunta raised both arms overhead. The hammer arced down massively, smashing the ice. Kaboom! The roar echoed as the hammerhead exploded. Bunta's face flushed lava-red as he fell on his ass. “Gaaah! My hand, my haand...!” His metal gauntlet shattered to pieces. The hammer's haft clattered to the ground. Not a scratch marred the witch's ice. As Bunta tried to rise, he screamed again. “Hngh! M-My hand's stuck to the floor...!” “J-Just hold on, milord! I'll get it off!” The squire rushed over, but the hand wouldn't budge. Bunta finally regained freedom only after donating some palm skin to Rodolan. Hiding his hand—now frozen solid like it wore a gauntlet—he fled Judeca like a whipped dog. “Poor Hmatu or whatever kingdom that is. A baron like that guy.” Ronan scoffed incredulously. Handprints littered the floor, suggesting Bunta wasn't the first fool. Watching his retreat, Karaka sighed. “These days, most challengers are idiots like him. Dreaming of heroism.” “Should I just go smash it then?” “Wait your turn first. Everyone here came to crack the shell.” Karaka glanced around. Sure enough, before Bunta's whimpers faded, another stepped up to the ice. The middle-aged woman wore a robe emblazoned with the Full Moon Tower's emblem. She spoke softly. “Uslo, mage of the Full Moon Tower. Beginning now.” Seemingly custom, she stated her name and affiliation. A low chant flowed from her lips. Hummm...! Nine massive magic circles formed around the witch, launching nine rock pillars skyward. Kaboom! The blast was nine times louder than Bunta's hammer, but when the dust settled, the ice pillar stood unscathed. She chewed her lip, then turned away. “My apologies.” “Better than that last one.” Her calm acceptance of failure wasn't bad. Attempts continued after Bunta and Uslo. Each tried their method to shatter the ice—and all failed. Mages were especially numerous among the challengers. Some spells impressed even Ronan, a layman. Asel and Erzsebet watched with shining eyes. “Drawing mana circuits like that...! As expected, top talents gather here.” “Y-Yeah. Could apply it elsewhere too.” Ronan didn't understand, but they were clearly inspired. Good call bringing them. As he pondered idly, he noticed no new challenger. “Ah, my turn.” “R-Ronan...! You got this!” “You can do it.” Asel clenched her fists. Erzsebet offered simple encouragement. Ronan strode forward and stood before the pillar. The witch remained curled asleep. 'As expected.' Ronan twisted his lips upon seeing the ice. His vague hunch aligned somewhat. The shell encasing the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠witch felt akin to the crystal that had once covered his body. '...