Chapter 51
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 51. Breadcrumbs
"Umm… mnya."
Eris rolled on the soft bed and stretched.
Daily life without the Black Knight is like this.
Oversleep. Find a sunny spot and roll. If hungry purr, if need attention go next to Sister Lucia.
A few days since the Ice Wall of Lamentation Expedition left Frostgard.
That meant, the Black Knight did not exist.
Frostgard without the labor supervisor is truly the promised land flowing with milk and honey!
In other words, Paradise for Eris-nim!
'……Hope Black Knight never returns forever.'
No.
Then, who makes pudding?
Conclusion: Return slowly. Very very very very slowly. And make pudding and get lost again!
Eris reached such a rational conclusion and got up from bed.
The only flaw of this paradise is that labor didn't completely disappear…
Still, unlike that pitch-black bastard, Sister Lucia was a negotiable opponent.
Ten documents for one honey candy. Twenty documents for one piece of cake.
It is the law of equivalent exchange.
"Eri, here honey candy. Instead check this document?"
"Hmm~ Buying Eris-nim's labor force with mere candy. Sister knows it’s a gain right?"
"Yeah yeah, thanks today too. Here, so take this too."
Document pile pushed over.
Not ten sheets but fifteen.
"……Sister. This is five sheets more."
"Oh my, really?"
Lucia avoided gaze.
Eris mumbled sweet candy and processed documents quickly. Pointed out three cases where supply quantity didn't match, corrected two miswritten place names, and recalculated inefficient transport routes in 30 minutes.
Career of Thorn Society Ritual General Manager is not a scam. Documents naturally kneel before Eris.
End of satisfying morning.
Eris ate lunch and went for a walk.
Route crossing Frostgard square, turning alley leading to market, searching for snacks.
"Oh, pink kid walking?"
Brynjolf hands dried meat.
"Kid! Eris-nim, Eris-nim!"
Protest but accept meat.
Walking for a while like that…
"Huh?"
Snow was falling.
North so snow is natural.
Eris's body adapted to Northern life now too. Not surprised by snow level.
Cold.
Naturally cold. Since snow.
But.
Doesn't melt.
Snowflake landed on Eris's back of hand stayed intact without melting by body temperature.
These snowflakes were shining maintaining crystal structure.
Not snow.
Magic power.
Goosebumps rose all over Eris's body.
This touch. This density. This temperature.
Cannot forget. Body remembers. Instinct sends warning.
"This magic power…… Don't tell me."
Closing time of paradise came.
Seven giant shadows approaching through blizzard.
Each one white giant body over 5 meters.
Monster covered with white fur all over. Snowfield Yeti.
Giant fists dragged on ground, puddles dug where feet stepped. Inhaling sucks in blizzard, exhaling freezes air.
Monsters that would put a territory in emergency even if one appears, as many as seven lined up advancing.
And on top of lead Yeti's shoulder. Woman holding Yeti's reins.
Black hair flutters in snow wind. Red pupils look down at Frostgard. Skin terrifyingly pale, only lips vivid blood color.
Thorn Society Seven Fingers Rank 5.
Witch of Frost. Snow White.
Blue thorn vines stretched from her pale fingertips were wound tightly around seven Yetis' necks.
Yetis vomited breath in pain of reins digging in, but obeyed absolutely to Snow White's single gesture.
Snow White Witch and Seven Yetis.
"Hiek!"
Eris squatted behind railing immediately and curled body round.
"Why did that crazy woman come here!"
Existence exactly opposite to cute, kind, merciful beautiful girl witch like Eris-nim.
Because that side is nasty-tempered cruel old auntie witch!
Puuuuuuuu-!
Alarm horn sound echoes throughout Frostgard.
Winter Boar Brynjolf ran out.
"Do not retreat! Here is Heart of North!"
Brynjolf held war axe, stood in front of castle gate.
Remaining warriors gathered but numbers small.
Most elite troops fell out to expedition.
Left are warriors recovering from injury and 2nd line troops. Power halved.
Brynjolf charged at lead Yeti. War axe drew arc and stuck in Yeti's forearm.
Crunch-!
But simultaneously Yeti stuck opposite fist into Brynjolf's torso.
"Fist like fluff! This much is nothing!"
Winter Boar doesn't stop. Lifted axe again with arms bulging with veins about to burst.
Clenched teeth and charged again. Split Yeti's leg with axe making one kneel.
Moment Brynjolf tried to strike second axe into kneeling Yeti's crown.
"Ah, warm warmth. Disgusting."
Languid and slow voice.
Whoosh─!
"Wh, Wha…!"
Blue thorn vine stretched from Snow White's fingertip wrapped Brynjolf's right arm.
And twisted ruthlessly.
Crack.
Joint bent in reverse direction and terrible sound rang.
"Kuaaaaack!"
Aiming for that gap kneeling Yeti stuck fist.
Puck-!
Fist hit exactly Brynjolf's flank. Sound of bone shattering. Brynjolf's body flew through air and crashed into wall debris.
"Elder Brynjolf!"
In debris Brynjolf vomited blood and writhed. Tried to stand up but legs, waist, already broken beyond human limit.
Nevertheless he stuck axe in ground with unbroken left hand and tried to raise upper body forcibly.
"No…… Not yet…… If breached……."
But in front of ruthless violence mental strength was useless too.
"Ke, Kehek…!"
Another Yeti approached, kicked Brynjolf's torso with giant foot.
Eris saw that scene on the wall.
Brynjolf she knows. Old man handing dried meat saying 'Kid, eat meat'.
That Brynjolf is fallen on snowfield bleeding.
Winter Boar collapsed.
"Guys. Know right? I find the sight of living warmly together really disgusting and boring."
With that word as signal, seven Yetis started full-scale ravage.
Thump-!
Part of thick stone wall collapsed in single blow. Stone pile and ice fragments poured, two warriors patrolling on wall fell.
Warriors blocked desperately but weight class difference was overwhelming. Shield shattered in one punch. Even if axe stuck in leather Yeti only shook body as if annoyed.
Yetis entered inside castle.
"Run! Evacuate children first!" "Form formation! Block!"
Kwaaang!
Snow White looked down at Frostgard from top of Yeti.
Lips twisted. Unpleasant smile.
"Where did the Princess hide. Won't you come out quickly?"
Target is Princess Lucia.
Imperial bloodline. Sacrifice for Evil God resurrection ritual.
Snow White ordered Yetis to advance to castle center.
Eris's head rotated fast.
'What do? What do? What should do?'
Current situation. Power analysis. Available means.
'Why became so strong!'
Must have absorbed thick heavy magic power pooled beyond Ice Wall of Lamentation, Abyss of North.
Eris alone cannot win against Snow White.
Frostgard's remaining power cannot handle seven Yetis either.
Then answer?
None.
None so must run away.
'I am witch right? Villain right? Whether Frostgard breaks or not, trampled or not, what does it matter to Eris-nim.'
Eris stood up quietly from behind railing.
Go down below wall, escape through back door, run on snowfield.
Right. Let's run away.
To Eris Frostgard was just temporary residence. Just stayed briefly losing memory.
Didn't get attached at all.
Not a single bit. Not a drop. Really. Truly!
So running away doesn't weigh on conscience.
Doesn't weigh.
"If person you are looking for is me, no need to break more."
Lucia.
Scared, timid, specialty Hiek-ing, that Lucia losing soul at Black Knight's one word.
Was standing blocking Yetis before knew.
"These people are irrelevant people. If what you want is me take only me."
Slender back blocking in front of territory people.
Was trembling.
Stupid act sacrificing to protect others.
'Idiot Sister, what doing right now! Dying. Will die!'
Why holding out in such place for a coward.
That woman is not naive kidnapper like Black Knight!
If dragged obediently think that crazy woman will say 'Ah, achieved goal so withdraw'?
Rather obvious she will say 'Oh my, praiseworthy walking out on own feet. As reward will let you watch your people dying from 1st row'!
If dragged will be offered as sacrifice and really die!
'Ended. If Eris running away here is correct answer.'
Right. Because Eris is witch.
'Eris-nim doesn't jump into unwinnable fight.'
Right. Because Eris is genius.
'Doesn't matter if Frostgard ruined or not.'
But.
'Eri, here honey candy.''Eri, thanks today too.''Eri, let's sleep together.'
……Noisy. Noisy I say.
'Really. Why am I doing this.'
Ah, don't know!
Right, let's go.
Go and save that idiot-like Sister Lucia, and show Eris-nim's true power!
If Eris-nim decides, can tie up such old hag witch tightly with thorn vines and throw below cliff!
Pink thorn vines stretched riding wall.
"Stop! Take that hand off……!"
Eris appeared riding thorn vine. Landed in front of Lucia splitting wind.
"Eri…?"
Eris blocked Lucia's front.
Covered slender back with her more slender back.
"Sister Lucia was caught by me first!"
It was then.
Seven Yetis turned heads towards Eris.
Grrr…
Bared teeth.
"Uh… No, that… So…"
Snort-
One Yeti spewed nose breath.
Tremble tremble.
Legs shook. Thorn vines drooped limply.
Eris's courage evaporated immediately.
"Oh my."
Snow White's red pupils headed towards Eris.
"Isn't it our cute Eris? What doing here?"
"Ahaha! Hello, Aunt… No, Sister Snow White! Long time no see!"
Eris put hands on waist and puffed small chest confidently.
"Actually… that so… Hiyah!"
Pink vines wrapped Lucia's waist and limbs tightly.
"Kyaak! E, Eri……?"
Lucia looked up at Eris as if unbelievable.
Eris's conscience pricked poke poke with needle, but now was not time to care about such trivial pain.
"Ta-da~! I infiltrated in advance and secured Princess! Lo~ng before Sister dragged Yetis and invaded noisily! How is it? Specially may praise Eris!"
Snow White snorted.
"Hmm."
Didn't seem to believe completely.
But evidence was in front of eyes to doubt.
Princess Lucia wrapped tightly in pink vines. Where is more material evidence than that.
Important thing is fact that target is secured.
"Well…… Fine. Since obtained sacrifice. Eris, you join too. If you exist ritual will be faster right?"
"Uh… Yeah! Right! That was Eris-nim's plan."
"Then shall we trample the rest and return."
Yetis raised fists towards castle again.
People in square screamed.
Woman running holding child. Warrior unable to stand holding shield. Old man crushed under broken building debris.
"Wait, wait, wait wait wait!"
Eris waved hands urgently.
"Don't be annoying, Eris. Kill you?"
"Now is not the time! Must run away immediately!"
"Run? Why me?"
"That pitch-black bastard…… don't know when Black Knight returns!"
Black Knight. Rank 1. Thorn Society Strongest Martial Power.
Snow White's brow distorted noticeably.
"Black Knight…… is here?"
"Right! That guy is completely crazy! Betrayed Thorn Society! Blabbering nonsense like will violate Evil God-nim or whatever…… Ugh, disgusting even to say. How much I suffered monitoring that guy!"
Eris even squeezed out tears. Unfair tears.
Because suffered because of Black Knight is true. Because mobilized for civil engineering is true.
"Think about it! Breaking one territory can do later releasing Yetis as play, but if encounter Black Knight here and lose Princess? Ritual itself crosses water! Sister will take all responsibility?"
Moment experience negotiating to get one pudding shone.
Snow White fell in thought for a moment.
Pleasure trampling warm territory is good too, but taking sacrifice safely to altar is priority.
Above all variable called Black Knight is too big.
"Tch. Tried to feel some mood."
Yetis stopped destruction act and turned back.
Eris's gamble worked. With this blocked additional damage to Frostgard.
But couldn't block Lucia being dragged.
"You ride too, Eris. You take care of Princess."
Eris climbed onto Yeti's fur obediently with Lucia.
Lucia tied in thorn vines turned head looking at Eris.
"Eri……"
At Lucia's trembling call, Eris turned head.
"It’s Eris."
"From beginning, everything was lie?"
"……Of course! Everyone perfectly deceived by super genius beautiful girl Eris-nim! All was meticulous calculation!"
Lucia dropped head and bit lip.
Said nothing.
That silence hurt more than resentment.
Yetis started running across snowfield.
Frostgard becomes farther.
Wind blows. Blizzard covers vision.
Like that Eris betrayed everyone perfectly.
But, Genius Beautiful Girl Eris-nim didn't forget to take double insurance even while betraying.
'This is not for Sister. If Black Knight wins my position becomes difficult so doing this!'
Eris reached hand behind back secretly.
Condense magic power.
Very small. Very carefully.
Pink magic power crystal.
Breadcrumb size.
Drop. Drop. Drop.
Magic power clumped at Eris's fingertip rolled down at regular intervals.
Pink dotted line stamped on snowfield's white canvas.
So that someone can recognize clearly and chase.