Chapter 53
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 53. Princess Torture Time
Leona is a human who thinks fast and moves fast.
Virtue required of a Hero.
Hero slow in judgment is dead Hero. No one can save a dead Hero.
Hero of the Holy Sword Leona hid behind the altar's outer wall, watching the trajectory of the receding Frost Bear and dog sled.
Everything was as planned.
Truly ideal, exemplary, textbook agro.
Thousands of monster herd densely filling in front of the altar flocked chasing the Black Knight.
That man pouring out terrifying verbal abuse whenever he opens his mouth, whose every action is like a specimen of a villain, surprisingly possessed talent unrivalled by others at least in the role of bait.
'……Appearance dragging Freya away looks like nothing but a pervert kidnapper no matter how I look though.'
Knight of Cold whom daughter's tearful appeal didn't work on.
Such monster was enraged by Black Knight's one word making ice pillars soar.
Leona had no choice but to be dumbfounded by that cruelty.
Why does that guy shoot off his mouth to that extent.
Freya screamed and struggled, but Black Knight ran carrying her like luggage paying no heed.
'Should ask later but…… for now safest place is next to that guy probably.'
Let's admit honestly. Beside that Black Knight bastard is safe.
Leona shook off such contradictory feeling with effort and turned gaze to altar.
Most important thing now is Lucia.
Sentry monster guarding altar entrance.
Giant Turtle mutant with thorns on shell entered Leona's vision.
Fortunately because commander Knight of Cold left spot, showing strangely unstable movement.
Flash.
Silver flash flashed twice in darkness.
Just that much.
Turtle mutant's head fell and heart was pierced.
Stepping over crumbling monster corpse, Leona entered passage inside altar.
Moment stepping into passage, temperature dropped sharply.
Eerie chill piercing skin, making bones freeze, and eventually seeming to harden even soul coldly.
Abyss magic power clumped densely forming sticky air.
Leona re-gripped Holy Sword. Faint holy power spewing from Holy Sword wrapped Leona's body pushing away chill.
Red light blinked along dark stone passage. Examined arrangement of that geometric magic circle flowing along groove dug in floor.
Leona's head rotated fast.
Experience having stopped numerous pagan rituals as Hero analyzed identity of this magic circle.
'Flow is strange.'
Flow line of magic power.
Usually if summoning ritual calling something, magic power should gather swirling from outside to inside, towards center of altar.
Because process condensing power is needed to fix coordinates of existence in external dimension or far place and pull it here.
But magic circle of this altar right now was different.
Flow of magic power was soaring from bottom to top.
Reverse flow as if trying to drag something up from deep underground, immeasurable deep depth.
Red light spread from center of altar was stimulating earth vein.
'Awakening ritual?'
Ritual releasing restraint of something sleeping under ground and waking it forcibly.
North's severe cold, ash gray blizzard blowing ceaselessly from beyond Ice Wall of Lamentation.
If all this is not natural phenomenon?
Under this terrible frozen earth, what existence on earth is sleeping?
Zing-!
Holy Sword trembled thinly as if warning.
What sleeps under here is not existence a mere Hero can handle.
Remnant of Myth Age, or primordial fear existing since before that.
Cold sweat flowed down spine.
Rational judgment was shouting to turn back right now, assemble North's power, and further mobilize entire Empire's army.
But.
Leona's steps didn't stop.
'Lucia is inside there.'
Deep inside altar, felt faint but clear wave of Lucia.
That small and frail childhood friend who must be trembling in fear.
Cannot go back.
Even if maw of hell is open in front, if turn back leaving Lucia behind that is coward not even qualified to hold Holy Sword.
Leona touched wall surface to find gap in barrier.
Released Holy Sword's power minutely grasping structure of layered defensive magic, found most vulnerable joint and melted with holy power.
Avoiding traps, inducing malfunction, infiltrated towards heart of altar.
And in process of that secret infiltration Leona's thought naturally headed to one person.
That pink-haired kid. Eri.
Leona bit lip tight.
Honestly, very honestly completely deceived.
That small and round appearance. Cute pink twintails. That puppy-like behavior chasing Lucia calling 'Sister, Sister'. That harmless smile happy as if having whole world with one sweet honey candy.
Being cute is violence. Paralyzes brain's rational thinking circuit.
Camouflage substituting reasonable doubt with blind belief 'Such cute child can't be like that'.
'I am Hero. Shouldn't have succumbed to cuteness covering eyes.'
Looking back now signals were scattered everywhere.
Thorn vines. Amnesia. Having favor for Black Knight.
Besides abnormally fast adaptation ability too.
Eri not being some cockroach adapting to North in instant didn't make sense.
Even though all these signals, such blatant foreshadowings were fluttering right in front of nose.
'Covered up just for reason being cute? Can't stand being pathetic.'
It is Hero's duty to see through lies and deception.
Actually next to most precious Lucia, and at distance sharing breathing sound every night sharing same bed, evil witch was attached, but couldn't block that.
As thought reached there Leona's breath choked.
'Lucia.'
Pitiful Lucia. Just imagining what terrible thing that frail and kind child is suffering deep in that dark altar right now made blood rush backwards.
Cult's torture is notorious for cruelty exceeding imagination.
Carving body. Disassembling mind. Extracting soul.
Eventually using broken existence as medium to pull down existence of Abyss.
Pain sacrifice suffers in that process is──
'No. Can't tolerate such thing.'
Leona glared at giant obsidian door in front of eyes. Last barrier of boundary.
Holy Sword's holy power burned explosively riding blade.
Silver flash split obsidian door in cross.
Thump-
Door collapsed with heavy roar, opening path to altar's main hall.
'Endure a little more, Lucia.'
Leona threw body into darkness shouting.
'…Where is it, here.'
Lucia Von Astellia opened eyes.
First thing entered eyes was black ceiling.
Dark blue Abyss magic power filling vision.
Red light flickered regularly along groove dug in geometric form on floor.
Squeeze-
And feeling of pink vines wrapped around her both wrists.
Right.
Lucia was betrayed.
Eri was Eris.
Pink-haired girl who processed documents together, shared honey candy, chased calling 'Sister, Sister' was actually evil witch.
Child who slept next seat every night was deceiving herself from beginning she says.
All that daily life, all that bond was all lie?
'Everyone perfectly deceived by super genius beautiful girl Eris-nim! All was meticulous calculation!'
……
Lucia lifted head facing darkness of altar.
"Woke up."
Voice heard.
Cold voice.
Lucia turned head, one woman stood on altar.
Black hair like crow feather coming down to waist and white skin without a drop of blood.
Only lips holding vivid blood color drew arc slowly.
Witch of Frost, Snow White.
She was carving magic circles one by one on altar stone.
Every time finger touched floor pattern brightened one level.
Speed of red light filling up overlapping with heartbeat was strangely unpleasant.
Snow White glanced at Lucia even while working.
Sluggish gaze. Eyes of cat watching fish in fishbowl would be like that.
"Know why North is so cold?"
Snow White asked.
Voice not expecting answer.
Theatrical tone unique to person enjoying asking and answering self.
"Under this ground since very long ago, Demon of Snowfield is sleeping."
Content too heavy for words thrown lightly.
"North's blizzard. Glacier never melting eternally. Endless monsters… Thought all those are natural phenomena? Cute misunderstanding. All just breath of that Demon. Thing slept for thousands of years is tossing and turning under here now. Feel it? This trembling."
Lucia thought she was trembling at first, but wasn't.
Felt it. Minute vibration transmitted through floor.
Entire altar was trembling.
"If ritual completed Demon of Snowfield wakes up. And Legion of Cold rises."
Snow White continued words with languid and relaxed tone, as if reading fairy tale book.
"Monsters of Cold march through continent. South, East, West. Passing every city, every village, every house… stealing warmth of everyone."
Magic power in empty air swirled at one gesture.
"Warmth of people, warmth of earth, warmth of fire. And even you. Offering all as sacrifice resurrecting Evil God. Simple right?"
Not simple. Not simple at all.
Monster Legion? Continent Invasion? Evil God Resurrection?
Snow White was laughing.
"I also believed in warmth once. Someone being by side. Holding hand. Saying it’s okay."
Snow White's voice lowered one tone. Hand carving magic circle stopped for a moment.
Trailed off. Specific story didn't come out.
"But all was lie."
Who, when, how── swallowed such things.
"Warmth is bound to cool down eventually right? No deception as cruel as giving warmth then turning away coldly."
Snow White turned around. Red pupils looked straight at Lucia.
"So if freeze from beginning no such pain. Isn't it merciful?"
Twisted logic.
But inside that twist, Lucia sensed there is real pain.
So opened mouth.
"So, saying you will do same thing to other innocent people?"
Surprised herself too. Didn't think could open mouth in this situation.
Lucia knew too how reckless it is to raise objection in front of woman saying will destroy continent, while tied in vines.
Nevertheless couldn't stay still.
"That you were betrayed… is definitely terrible thing."
Voice trembled. But didn't stop.
"I know too. Such thing. I was betrayed by people I trusted too. No one was on my side in Imperial Palace, there were people who died instead of me when escaping. Faces of those people still……"
Throat locked. Swallowed. Opened mouth again.
"So saying warmth is lie, not that I don't understand."
Snow White's eyes shook minutely.
"But, still……"
Lucia recalled market of Frostgard.
Aunt selling fruits in Frostgard market. Northern warriors patrolling always laughing brightly. Kids falling while practicing sword on snowfield.
"Even so don't have right to steal warmth of other people."
They did nothing wrong to Snow White.
"Your action is not revenge. Just, spreading unhappiness experienced to others."
Snow White's expression changed minutely. Eyes half closed opened wide slowly.
"No matter how much steal others' warmth, empty place in heart is not filled!"
Air inside altar sank heavily.
Snow White's expression stiffened.
Lips twitched, stopped, twitched again, stopped again.
"You, dare, know what."
Blank where appropriate words don't come out immediately.
Lucia's words stabbed somewhere unexpected.
That blank was proof Lucia's words were not wrong.
Snow White walked towards Lucia.
One step, two steps.
Crackle-
Abyss magic power started condensing on lifted fingertip.
"You who grew up eating warm rice covering warm blanket in warm castle. Dare."
Snow White's hand approached. Dark blue light illuminated Lucia's face.
Lucia didn't close eyes.
Felt like losing if closed.
Don't know losing to what, but anyway.
"Ah, wait wait wait wait wait!"
Voice not matching tense scene at all intervened.
It was Eris.
Pink-haired girl was stuck between Snow White and Lucia.
"……Move, Eris."
"Won't move. Because this is Eris-nim's sacrifice!"
Eris didn't retreat one step. Instead puffed small chest and declared confidently.
"I infiltrated hard and caught her! Highest grade sacrifice I caught breaking bones while hit by dog sled! Troublesome if Sister gets swept by emotion and ruins here? Know ritual efficiency drops if sacrifice damaged!"
Eris beckoned finger pushing purely practical reason.
Cheeky attitude.
Snow White's hand stopped.
Eris stepped one step further.
"Eris-nim will take charge of education of this rude sacrifice. Anyway bullying and torturing people is my specialty right? Leave to me until ritual starts."
"……."
Snow White looked at Eris. Gaze measuring Eris's intention.
Lucia looked at Eris too.
Pink twintails. Magenta pupils. Small and cute physique.
What this child is doing right now, judgment didn't reach with Lucia's head.
Soon chuckle leaked from Snow White's mouth.
"……Right. Torturing people alive was your hobby."
Thorn Witch's bad hobby is famous within secret society too.
No reason to stop expert stepping forward.
"Okay. Do as much as you want. Instead just keep life attached so no hindrance to ritual."
Snow White turned as if interest cooled and headed to altar stone again.
Lucia lived.
For now.
As soon as those words fell Eris grabbed Lucia's arm.
"Now, let’s go. Eris-nim's special private lesson time."
Lucia was dragged.
Snow White's altar becoming farther, passing narrow passage, to darker place.
Eris took lead humming.
Lucia thought looking at that small back.
Not Eri but Eris. Evil witch. Person who handed herself over as sacrifice.
And now, taking self to torture.
Lucia didn't feel real.
Torture. What doing specifically.
Pulling nails? Dipping face in water? Or kind giving pain with magic?
Lucia wasn't on side strong against pain.
Honestly weak. Type closing eyes tight even when getting one shot.
Don't know what happens in future.
Don't know what happens to self. More scary because don't know.
At times like this, faces that come to mind.
First Leona.
Childhood friend always holding hand tight since young. Hero of Holy Sword who swore to protect by side always.
If her, must be looking for self without giving up even in this desperate situation.
And.
For some reason, silhouette of black armor overlapped behind that dazzling silver-haired knight.
Black Knight.
Scary. Overbearing.
'Become mine.''Will make puppy.''Will eat.'
Words coming out whenever open mouth are only spine-chilling threats like that.
Monster lacking thing called common sense.
But truly strangely, back appearance of that terrible monster remained as safest memory.
Man always blocking front first when self actually in danger.
Strangely domestic monster.
Eventually confinement room door opened.
Narrow room.
Wall and floor stone.
Only one torch burning faintly.
Eris pushed Lucia inside.
Door closed. Sound of iron clashing.
Two left.
Eris turned around. Sharpened cat-like sharp eyes one level sharper.
Atmosphere was terrifying.
Of course meant if only not Eris.
Twintails still cute, cheeks still chubby. Visual closer to angry hamster than scary.
But seriousness of situation didn't change.
Lucia's heart beat fast.
Moment fear-stricken Lucia squeezed eyes shut.
Whish!
Something flew and hit cheek immediately.
"Huh?"
Lucia opened eyes making dumb sound.
Slap.
Continuous hits struck Lucia's both cheeks and shoulders.
That touch soft and light… Hair?
Lucia blinked eyes.
"Dare talk back as sacrifice?"
Slap. Slap.
"Eris-nim will educate directly so be prepared! Useless begging for life!"
Every time Eris shook head left and right twintails hit Lucia's both cheeks.
Slap. Slap. Slap.
"Reflect! Reflect I say!"
"Uh… So, Eri?"
Naturally didn't hurt at all.
Bit ticklish degree?
Feeling not much different from hair fluttering in wind touching face.
This is torture?
This is Eris-nim's cruelty?
'Eri's hair is…… much softer than thought.'
Lucia's brain couldn't process situation.
Betrayed. Kidnapped. Dragged to confinement room.
And now being hit by hair.
Feeling last piece of puzzle not fitting somewhere.
Eris came one step closer.
And.
"……Scream a bit since listening outside."
Whisper.
"If can't act really hit with vine?"
What? What is it?
Vaguely got sense Eris is acting.
But judgment didn't reach whether that means Eris is ally, or has other purpose.
Lucia looked at Eris's face again.
No, don't tell me. Still perhaps?
Doubted self first. Might be seeing only what want to see too much.
Days with Eri too warm, wish that warmth not be hallucination might be blurring eyes.
Still one thing was clear.
That malice is not felt from that twintail.
Slap.
"Ack! Too painful! Save me! I was wrong!"
Lucia's acting was honestly speaking disastrous.
"…Sister really can't act."
Eris sighed deeply touching forehead.
Slap.
"Ouch!"
This one hurt slightly. Very slightly.