Frost Wind (1)
Dante Aision and Rivera stepped off the train. Pale northern sunlight bathed the world in a bright glow.
"The weather's nice."
"Yes! It's incredibly sunny!"
A vast plain lay blanketed in light snow. The sky stretched overhead, piercingly blue. Dante had arrived at the Karmilton Duchy after finishing his train journey.
"Where shall we go now?"
"I need to meet the Grand Duke and Duchess first."
"Wow…"
Dante spoke as if it were nothing, yet Rivera suddenly realized just how extraordinary a noble he truly was. One could not simply meet the Northern Grand Duke with money alone. Only those with the proper status and reputation could even approach him. The way Dante casually declared he would meet the Grand Duke confirmed it—he was no ordinary noble.
"You're going to pay your respects, right?! I guess nobles have their own way of connecting with each other?"
"Let's just say that."
Dante strode toward Karmilton Castle without hesitation. Princess Esilia had already handled all the prior arrangements, so he only needed to show up.
"…"
—There had been a time when Dante thought the same.
"Their Excellencies are not in?"
"Yes. Signs of a monster wave have appeared, so the entire ducal family has gone to patrol the Ice Wall."
"I see…"
"If you wait, they should return soon."
The butler kindly offered Dante lodging, but he declined and stepped outside. He had not come for sightseeing. He had traveled far to investigate the north and uncover the Hand of Power's plans.
"Ah! Lord Dante!"
Rivera, who had been eating a chicken skewer on the street, waved her hand.
"You're already back?!"
"Rivera. We're moving."
"Huh…?"
"To the Ice Wall."
"???"
Rivera hurriedly swallowed her meat and scurried after him. Though she had only been serving her master for a few days, she still did not know exactly why Dante had come to the north. He had mentioned investigating something about bugs…
"Ah, the Ice Wall! Sounds good! My house is near there!"
"You lived in a harsh place."
"No! There are just a lot of soldiers and warriors. It's not a dangerous place!"
Well, it would be dangerous if monsters broke through~ Rivera laughed with a bright "hehe."
It did not seem like something to laugh about, but she was a woman with guts. Perhaps that was what came from being northern-born.
Dante quickly headed to the carriage rental station. Coachmen with nothing to do were smoking and playing cards. When Dante appeared, they looked up with hollow eyes.
Dante spoke to them.
"I need to hire a carriage. Destination is the Ice Wall."
"The Ice Wall?"
"Why there…?"
One coachman stood up.
"I don't know where you're from, young master, but you can't hire a carriage to the Ice Wall."
"Why not?"
"Because of the monster wave. My, my, you're not from the north, are you?"
A snickering laugh followed. Rivera cautiously tapped Dante's shoulder.
"Um… Wouldn't it be all right to visit the Ice Wall later…?"
"I want to see it now."
"But it might be hard to get a carriage…"
Dante shrugged. Hard to get a carriage? What in this world was truly difficult? If a person set their mind to it, they could do anything.
"How much is the fare to the neighboring village from here?"
"Well, to Trin? Just pay 5,000 celons."
"Then to the Ice Wall, it would normally be around 50,000 celons, I suppose."
"…"
The coachmen stared at Dante with expressions that said, "What kind of man is this?" Rivera, slightly startled, tried to call out to him. 50,000 celons? They did not charge that much! Even 30,000 to 40,000 would get you there!
As the coachmen's gazes bore into him, Dante continued without hesitation.
"I'll pay ten times that."
"!"
"!!"
"!!!"
"800,000 celons to the Ice Wall. Is anyone willing to accept?"
The coachmen looked at Dante with bewildered eyes. Of course, their gazes had changed. From "What kind of man is this?" to "What does this person do…?"
"No… 800,000 celons isn't exactly pocket change."
"I'll pay it in full."
"Even so… It's dangerous, you know? When the monster wave starts, monsters will pour out from every direction. Listen here, don't think the wall will keep you safe."
"So you can't take me?"
The coachmen glanced at one another. 800,000 celons was an enormous sum. Dante, the young master of a count's family who spent money like water, might not understand, but for northerners—relatively poorer than those in the empire—800,000 celons was enough to live on for several months of hard work.
Of course, to Dante it was merely the cost of a meal. The meals he had eaten on the train alone might already add up to that amount.
As the coachmen hesitated, Dante shrugged. He would have to add a bit more.
"Not enough? Then I'll pay 600,000 celons."
"Ah, no…! Wait a moment! Hold on!"
"700,000."
"Stop! Stop it!"
"800,000."
"This crazy bastard—! I'll go! I'll go! So stop raising the price—!!!"
Dante continued raising the price without batting an eye. The coachmen were dumbfounded. It was the first time they had seen the buyer raising the price instead of the seller. How much money did he have?!
In the end, the coachmen waved the white flag and shouted, "W-we'll go!"
Dante smiled faintly. See? Nothing was impossible. If a person set their mind to it, they could do anything.
…Of course, if they had a bit of money.
"Very well. I'll pay 800,000 celons upon arrival at the destination."
The coachmen looked at Dante with expressions as if their souls had been drained. Dante glanced at his watch and said,
"We depart in ten minutes. Finish your preparations by then."
"Y-yes! Understood!"
"Hey, damn it! Move quickly!"
"Harness the horses first!"
Chaos erupted. The coachmen completed their departure preparations at the fastest speed since opening their business. Watching them, Rivera could only marvel.
"I've never seen them work so diligently before."
"If someone seems lazy, you should consider whether their pay is too low."
"…But, can you really pay 800,000 celons…?"
Rivera looked at Dante worriedly. She had rarely seen him carrying cash. Naturally, it was a pointless worry.
Dante took out a piece of paper from his pocket.
"What's that…?"
"A payment order. Issued by the bank."
It resembled a check in appearance, but was actually more like a credit card. You spent the money first, and a bill for the amount used arrived later. Of course, the bill would go to the Aision Count's family. His father would pay.
Dante was nonchalant. After all, as the eldest son of the Aision family, who would complain about him spending a few coins?
Dante wrote 800,000 celons on the paper and handed it to the coachman.
"T-this is…?!"
"If you take it to the bank, they'll exchange it for the written amount. It has no effect yet since I haven't stamped the seal."
"Ah… Then the seal…"
"I'll stamp it upon arrival at the destination."
It would be done by stamping the Aision family seal ring on Dante's finger.
The coachmen stared at the payment order with curious eyes. It was something ordinary people never saw. Only wealthy nobles like Dante used such things.
"Since monsters might appear, let's move as quickly as possible."
"Yes! Understood!"
Once preparations were complete, the coachmen opened the door and bowed their heads. They had seen it somewhere and were imitating noble servants. It was a bit awkward, but Dante did not point it out. It was out of consideration for their sincerity.
Dante boarded the carriage through the door the coachmen had opened. Rivera quickly sat next to him.
"I never imagined you'd get a carriage like this! 800,000 celons seems quite expensive, though."
Dante chuckled and replied,
"If you don't pay a hefty price, who would want to go to a wall where monsters are appearing?"
"That's true, but…"
"And I don't think this is an expensive price. It's much cheaper than wasting time by being late."
"…"
Rivera realized anew. Dante Aision was… truly the young master of an incredibly wealthy family.
"Then we'll depart!"
The carriage headed north, beyond the snow-covered plain, toward the forested north. The weather grew colder, and rows of white, frozen trees began to appear.
"…"
The air was cold and the day was dark. Dante felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding. As they approached the Ice Wall, human presence grew scarce and the aura of the wild grew stronger.
'There are many monsters.'
Before long, the Ice Wall began to appear in the distance. The destination was right in front of them.
Dante called out to the coachman.
"I'll get off here."
"Huh? We still have further to go?"
"Rivera. Go ahead first and wait. Check if the Duchess is there, and if she is, tell her that Dante of Aision will be coming."
"Whaaat?! What about you, Lord Dante?!"
Dante quietly gazed at the frozen forest and said,
"I'll look around for a bit before going."
"Understood… You have to come back quickly?!"
After stamping the payment order with his seal ring, Dante jumped off the carriage. He wondered if he was being too hasty, but—
'…I smell blood.'
Dante was a mage. From his skin, he could feel the forest murmuring. The trees trembled as beasts hid in their burrows. The bugs sleeping within Dante's body also began to crawl beneath his skin, sensing some foreboding.
A red honeybee crawled out from his collar before startling and disappearing again.
[It's cooold~!]
'These guys are sensitive to the cold too.'
Well, they were bugs from the sweltering Bankatria. They were fine in hot, humid places but weak to the cold.
Just in case, Dante released a mana pulse from the bugs. Several bugs responded to Dante's call, but—
'There are almost no bugs I know.'
Familiar bugs like centipedes, spiders, and cockroaches gave no response. This was the northernmost part of the north. A land of extreme cold where snow and ice could be found anywhere. Given the bugs' preference for warm places, it was natural that their numbers were low.
'But there are bugs that live in places like this.'
Special bugs found only in the north. According to the Imperial Bug Guidebook gifted by the Tower Master, the most common bug in the north was a beetle called the Snowstorm Beetle. Uniquely, they were most active on days when cold snowstorms raged.
[Be careful—! Our hive!]
[Something's coming!]
The Noon Fairies urgently sent warnings. Dante quickly ducked his body.
At that moment—
A massive spear passed over his head! A giant of enormous build had thrust a spear at Dante!
Dante and the giant stared at each other for a moment.
"Who are you!"
"Where is His Grace the Grand Duke?"
"…Die!"
It was a very simple exchange, but sufficient to confirm each other's affiliation.
A spear enveloped in mana flew toward Dante. Dante skillfully deflected the spearhead with practiced ease. He was a noble who had grown up sparring with his knight father.
"Martial artist?"
The giant's eyes gleamed slightly. This annoyingly handsome young master had apparently trained primarily in hand-to-hand combat! But his level was not impressive. He might have been recognized in the empire, but… he was far from being able to boast in the north!
The giant spun his spear and tried to strike Dante. But right then—
When Dante extended his fist—
Dozens of red bugs burst out from beneath his skin!
"W-what?!"
The giant was startled. Bugs coming out of a person's fist? What kind of technique was this?!
But the rules of the battlefield were always ruthless. If you could not properly identify the enemy's identity when they suddenly appeared…
Sorry, but you had to die.
"Ku, kuaaaaaaaaak!"
The Noon Fairies swarmed the giant. Countless stings pierced his skin. The pain of veins burning!
"Poison…! This bastard…! Using poison…!"
The giant staggered as he glared at Dante. Of course—
Dante did not even spare him a glance. The moment the Noon Fairies stung, the fight was Dante's victory.
"Is that all your last words?"
"…What?"
Thud. The giant collapsed.
Dante shared mana with the honeybees and moved quickly.
'Over there.'
The place where the mana waves were most intense. Following his mage's intuition, Dante ran toward it.
As expected. A fierce battle was underway. Without hesitation, Dante threw himself into the battlefield.
"…!"
In that instant, the woman fighting widened her eyes and looked at Dante.
Light blue hair fluttered in the wind. Her cheeks were flushed red from the heat. White, slender limbs—and two swords that did not match them.
The moment Dante saw the woman, he realized. That woman alone had a completely different presence.
…If it were Dante, who had been rolling around as a noble in the romance fantasy world, he would know. That woman must be someone incredibly important…!
Dante shouted to the woman.
"Are you the princess?"
"Watch out—!"
A warrior charged while swinging a sword. Dante dodged the blade and drove his fist into the enemy's face. The warrior flew back from the impact. Dante quickly returned to his ready stance. Skilled and clean technique.
Dina Karmilton, the Princess of Karmilton, stared blankly at the sight.
"Who are you…?"
Dante said,
"I'm Dante of Aision. I've come to escort you home, Princess."
Dina smiled brightly and—
Immediately pressed her back against Dante's. The enemies approached, surrounding the two.
"Then I'll leave the escort to you! Dante!"