The Mansion in the Snow
This camping car had a small door installed so you could conveniently move straight from the living space in the back to the driver's seat up front. The driver's seat alone radiated something that screamed testosterone the moment you laid eyes on it. Sitting down and gripping the wheel made my chest swell with grandeur. I put Tirga in the passenger seat and let Lati rest on the bed. Whether it was from the grueling life at the camp or the bath, she looked utterly exhausted. No way I could put her to work like this. She wasn't some terminal patient on the verge of death, was she? If she had been, I'd have dragged Solaris over right then and there and bombed the camp into oblivion. Ah, right—my ironclad airship was busted. Still, I should be grateful it didn't crash and explode like the Hindenburg. For now, I just followed the road and drove the camper.
“Not a single soul in sight.”
“Master, where are we headed?”
“No idea. Figured if we just keep following the road, something might turn up.”
I'd blown almost all my money on gacha, but there was still enough left for gas. Besides, sitting still wasn't going to change anything, so moving was the better option. This vehicle was something else—it was plowing through the snowfield without the slightest trouble.
“Master, I see a house beyond that ridge.”
“No way, you're right.”
If it was visible from this far away, just how massive was the place? As we drew closer, a huge log mansion came into view. A building like this, way out here in the middle of nowhere? Was it a dungeon? Or was I hallucinating? I got out with Tirga and approached on foot. Hopefully it wasn't like that movie Monster House from when I was a kid, where the house itself attacks you.
“Tirga, anything feel off?”
“Hmm… It just looks like an ordinary, large house. Still, the craftsmanship is undeniably excellent.”
“Yeah, even I can tell. Feels like something a hardcore builder from an open-world game would make.”
“Even I wouldn't want to smash something like that… though if Master ordered it, I would.”
“No, just in case—keep your weapon ready.”
If the place had given off any creepy, haunted, or monstrous vibes, I would've had Tirga or another summon tear it apart already. But this massive mansion felt completely normal. Just a well-built house. I shouted loudly, asking if anyone was home. Instead of an answer from inside, a voice came from behind us.
“It seems we have guests in this harsh place, Ameri.”
“Hoeeng? Guests?”
For a split second, lightning crackled along my arm and I nearly attacked, but the other party showed no hostility. I must've gotten used to Tirga's lightning. Standing before me was a dwarf—same race as that unpleasant one I'd met before, but the opposite gender. The silk hat and thick winter coat gave off a very similar impression. Beside her stood a small, adorable young lady. Lati at least had an adult figure, but this girl was unmistakably a minor. The kind of visual that made you feel like you'd get handcuffed on the spot if you tried to pat her head just because she was cute. Her long two-tone hair—silver and black—reached her waist, and her appearance looked exactly like an American Shorthair cat turned into a person. I used that comparison because she was a beastman with cat ears and a tail. Beastmen must be fairly common in this world.
“Quite the intimidating guest. To think such a powerful individual would appear in these remote lands.”
“Uh… Nice to meet you. I'm Marquelon. This is my companion, Tirga.”
“My name is Admi. And as you just heard, this is Ameri. Ameri, we can't leave our guests out in this cold weather. Please prepare to receive them.”
“Okay, I'll do that. Wow, we have guests at our house!”
The little catgirl scurried off into the house. She really was adorable. The sight stirred some paternal instinct in me—the kind that made you want to do anything for a daughter like that.
“You came from another world, didn't you?”
“Another world? What do you mean…?”
“Are you going to play dumb? That camper is sitting right there in plain sight.”
How embarrassing. Now that she mentioned it, a vehicle like that obviously didn't exist in this world. Since I'd already been found out, I opened the door and stepped inside the camper. Lati was fast asleep on the bed, clearly exhausted. Even with the heater on, I couldn't leave her alone in the car in this freezing weather, so I carefully lifted her onto my back. She was lighter than I expected.
“You had another companion.”
“If it wouldn't be a bother, may I bring her inside as well?”
“Of course. Ameri might even enjoy the company. Let's go in and talk.”
The interior of the mansion was just as breathtaking as the exterior. Tirga was right—the work of a true master builder. At this level, it wasn't just a mansion; it could pass for a five-star vintage-style hotel. Following Ameri's guidance, I laid the sleeping Lati down in a bedroom. If this much commotion hadn't woken her, she must have been carrying a serious amount of accumulated fatigue. I'd brought her along hoping to use her as a porter, but it looked like I'd have to treat and let her recover first. If they didn't mind, staying here for a while might not be so bad.
“This beastman doesn't seem to be in very good condition.”
“She was in a camp, so that would explain it.”
“A camp? You mean that horrific place built by those fascist-brainwashed elves…?”
She knew the word “fascism”? This dwarf clearly knew far more than she should. A normal resident of this world wouldn't even have the concept. They'd probably just call it elven supremacy. Her monocle and intellectual, fastidious appearance practically screamed “I'm an intellectual and a scholar.” If this dwarf was a manager, then that cute little beastgirl was probably a fellow transmigrator like me. If I killed her, I'd get another special gacha ticket, right? No—however much of a scumbag I was, and no matter how bad things got, I wasn't rotten enough to kill a child.
“Marquelon, was it? I have a lot to tell you. Follow me.”
My guess had been correct. She led Tirga and me to the kitchen. There, dozens of Ameris were bustling about preparing food. I'd thought she was just a cute little beastgirl, but she could use clones like some kind of ninja. The real Ameri and her clones divided the tasks, cooking like professional fine-dining chefs. Out of basic courtesy, I didn't even offer to help—the skill gap was too obvious.
“Please, have a seat wherever you like.”
“Is it really okay to treat us so kindly? What if I tried to harm you or that cute Ameri?”
“I sense no killing intent from you. And with your power, you could have destroyed this house in an instant if you wanted to. You're the Summoner who drew the Chariot Arcana.”
“How did you—”
So she really was a manager. But why was a manager living with a transmigrator? I stood up from my chair without realizing it, while Admi continued the conversation as if nothing had happened.
“There's no need to be surprised. As a manager in charge of the Otherworld Survival Project, that much is easy to discern.”
“Then that little girl cooking over there is a project participant like me.”
“Correct.”
“But why would a manager be staying with a participant?”
“Officially, it's for surveillance and observation. But it's also because of a sense of guilt. I simply couldn't leave that small, powerless child alone. Do you remember the tarot card you drew before coming to this world?”
“Of course.”
“It's a divine tool that reflects the inner self of the one who draws it and grants immense power. It's only natural that ordinary modern people with no combat ability couldn't survive in a world filled with swords, magic, and monsters.”
She was right. Without my abilities, I'd have ended up as a slave to those Nazi elves. That's why transmigrators like me get cheats or unique powers when they come to another world. Otherwise, they'd either die or live a life no different from death.
“But this tool has one fatal flaw.”
“A flaw?”
“Indeed. As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility—there are severe side effects. For example, Ameri was turned from a man into a woman and now possesses the intelligence and innocence of a child.”
A forced gender-bender straight out of some trashy web novel. The thought of my penis and testicles disappearing, replaced by… something else, felt deeply unsettling even just imagining it. Forced sex change! Becoming a eunuch! Wait—side effects? So that's why I felt no guilt even when people died, and why I could feel excitement instead of remorse while having sex after seeing a burning village? It all made sense now. The power I'd gained had twisted my morals, ethics, and humanity.
“You must have lost something as well. Because of these side effects, countless transmigrators—project participants—have gone mad or lost control of their power and met disastrous ends.”
“That sounds absolutely horrifying.”
“If it were only individuals heading toward ruin, it wouldn't be a problem. But some of them have thrown this entire world into chaos. Haven't you found it strange? Elves supporting fascism, and here in the north, communists who believe in revolution and war.”
“It is pretty strange. Even if this medieval fantasy is really more of a pseudo-Renaissance or early modern setting.”
“And the masterminds behind it all—the leaders—are all participants who passed through my hands.”
Just as something important seemed about to be revealed, Ameri brought out a lavish spread of delicious-looking dishes. Well, as they say, even Mount Kumgang is best enjoyed after a meal. I decided to eat first. Tirga, who had been dozing off during the boring conversation, perked up the moment he saw the food, eyes sparkling and mouth watering.
“Eat before it gets cold. There's plenty, so don't hold back.”
“Thank you, Ameri.”
“I'll set some aside for your sleeping friend, so don't worry.”
After seeing nothing but crazy people, meeting someone this cute and kind—even if she was a beastman—put my mind at ease. Yeah, no matter how insane the world was, not everyone had to be bad or crazy. I was starting to understand why Admi stayed by that little girl's side. In this industry, they call it “nade nade”—patting and protecting. Ameri… I have to protect this kid.