Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 2. Plum Blossoms in the Severe Cold
“Is that something to be so shocked about?”
Elise ruminated on the sight of Adian collapsing in front of her eyes but tilted her head.
Is it to that extent?
Since she was a sickly noble lady who might die soon, she thought Adian would gladly accept the annulment.
Besides, Adian…. Isn’t he a wastrel?
Of course, shouldn’t he run out excitedly and shout with joy as soon as he received Elise’s annulment?
Why did he get shocked and faint on the spot?
“It’s strange….”
“Miss….”
“Why, Luna?”
Luna is looking at Elise worriedly from the side.
When Elise’s bright red eyes looked at Luna, she sighed.
Sigh—.
“Miss…. What do we do if you act like that towards Young Master Adian.”
“…Why?”
“Young Master Adian…. Even if he acts like a wastrel, he was always kind to you, Miss….”
Hmm. Was that so?
It seems like it was so.
Looking at the memories and emotions remaining in this body, Elise’s body, the feelings for Adian are quite affectionate.
‘Even so, I have to live first to do anything.’
Sorry, Adian.
Sorry, Elise.
But I have to live first to do something, don’t I?
So the annulment couldn’t be helped.
For a martial artist heading to the Northern Battlefield from now on, something like an engagement is just a luxury.
“Luna. Father?”
“He heard the news and is coming urgently from the capital right now. He will probably arrive soon….”
“…Really? Is he very angry?”
“Of course! I heard from the butler. The Duke said he would lock you in the castle for a while….”
Mm.
This is a big problem.
Then there is no way to resist.
Above all, I can’t head to the North.
In this novel called The Withered Flower Finds Its Own Light, the barbarians of the North are called barbaric but hold many mysterious stories.
Among them, there is perhaps a story that could extend the life of the terminally ill Elise.
‘The Five Darknesses stories handed down in the North. Among them, the Dragon of Eternity known to live forever. It is known that if you eat its heart, you gain a long life along with powerful strength.’
Elise’s eyes narrow.
‘I have to get that. The Heart of the Dragon of Eternity.’
Only then will Elise’s way of life be guaranteed even a little.
Even if I overcome the lifespan with martial arts, if there is a certain method, isn’t it right to obtain it?
Fortunately, there was also time.
Originally, it is the heart eaten by the Great Warrior of the northern barbarians, but I thought it would be fine if I quickly pushed through the North and caught the dragon.
‘There are still several years left. Enough. However….’
She frowned.
Even if time remained, I cannot rot in this Duchy.
“…Is running away from home the answer?”
“Miss?”
“Luna. I will ask you one thing.”
Elise smiled brightly and looked at Luna.
“M… Miss?”
“Does Luna like the family? If not that, do you like me?”
“Th… That is, you, Miss.”
“Then.”
Elise held Luna’s two hands.
“Help me a little.”
“…Yes?”
“I, plan to run away from home.”
“Yeeeeeaaaaah???”
Luna’s dumbfounded voice rang out filling this room.
Shortly after, that night.
The moment when Denar Blaze, the Head of the Blaze Ducal House, would arrive in a day.
Elise and Luna were secretly leaving the Ducal Castle.
“It’s a relief I persuaded Luna. You know the way to sneak out well?”
“M… Miss…. Even now, going back is….”
“It’s okay. Luna. Like this, we are going to the North. I even made all the passes in advance with the Ducal House seal.”
“Miss? Your preparations are too thorough…!”
“Please don’t ask about too many details.”
Like that, Elise and Luna fled.
In the meantime, befitting a Romance Fantasy web novel, the fact that the people of the Duchy couldn’t catch the escaping Duke’s daughter and maid was historical accuracy.
Along with that, Elise’s miscellaneous skills learned in the Murim also played a part, though.
***
“Haa….”
“We apologize! Your Grace!”
The next day, Duke Denar Blaze, who arrived at the Duchy, ended up sighing with his hand on his forehead.
The entire Ducal Knights were prostrating and begging for forgiveness, but such things did not enter the Duke’s eyes.
Only the fact that his youngest daughter ran away from home came as a shock.
“…Right. You said there was a letter in the room.”
“Yes! Your Grace!”
A knight approached and carefully handed the letter to the Duke.
The Duke, who sighed for a moment looking at the letter stamped with the family seal, soon tore open the letter and checked it.
“Going to where His Highness the Grand Duke of the North is…. Will try to cure the sickly body…?”
Ha.
Duke Denar laughed ‘Hahaha’ for a moment, then soon folded the letter nicely and put it in his bosom.
And spoke immediately to the knight.
“Bring her back. It seems our daughter is going through puberty.”
“Understood! Your Grace!”
“A sickly body should be cured by numerous priests and wizards in the capital. To cure it with legends recited by northern barbarians…. Our daughter is very weak.”
Duke Denar looked at the prostrating knights and family servants around him and spoke.
“What are you doing? Go and bring her back quickly.”
“Understood!”
The Blaze Ducal House, one of the 5 Great Ducal Houses of the Latensio Empire, began to move.
***
Meanwhile, the Northern part of the Latensio Empire.
Towards this North where freezing cold flows all year round, a carriage was moving for several days.
“Good. Luna. We will arrive soon.”
“M… Miss. It’s too cold here….”
“I guess it would be cold for you who only lived in the capital.”
Saying so, Elise takes off her outer coat and puts it on Luna.
At that appearance, Luna hurriedly shakes her head.
“N… No no no!!! Miss! Your body is sick too…!”
“It’s fine. For me, this is rather training.”
For her, the cold of this severe winter was rather training.
Because at the same time her body became cold, she utilized the Plum Blossom Clear Qi Art as Moving Meditation.
The achievement in martial arts she had accumulated in her previous life was enough to easily achieve this level of martial arts modification.
Internal energy was consumed to withstand this cold, naturally seeking an increase in achievement.
“Ah…. Miss. Even so, aren’t you very cold wearing just a single robe…?”
“Mm. Does it look like that?”
“Yes….”
Right now, Elise’s attire was too simple to be called a noble lady of a Ducal House.
Because she was wearing only a single robe with buttons running down the middle, not even a dress.
“I have to feel the cold a lot for the proficiency of internal energy to increase…. Luna? Help me a little.”
“Yes? Yes??? Miss! Why are you suddenly taking off your underwear!!!”
“There are bandages among the luggage we brought, right? Bring some of that and bind my chest a little.”
“But Miss! If you do that, Miss’s appearance…!”
“Luna.”
Elise put her hand on Luna’s shoulder and spoke.
“Luna. I have to live. For that, appearance doesn’t matter at all. This is a foundation for that.”
“Miss….”
“I’m begging you. It’s comfortable to move if I bind my chest with bandages.”
Luna had no choice but to nod at Elise’s words eventually.
***
“Fight back! Warriors of the North! Fight without shame to the name of His Highness the Grand Duke!”
The massive wall of the North.
The so-called Wall of Blood and Steel.
In the place readers of The Withered Flower Finds Its Own Light sometimes call the Iron-Blooded Wall, a fight with barbarians was taking place ceaselessly today as well.
The soldiers of the North kill the barbarians.
The barbarians kill the soldiers of the North.
In the spectacle of killing and being killed by each other ceaselessly like that, someone shouted a blood-stained cry.
“Everyone be careful! It’s the Seven Wild Monsters! Nagagor of the Seven Wild Monsters is…!”
Unfortunately, the man’s shout did not continue.
“Kuhahahahaha!!!”
Kwaaang————!!!
Because with someone’s rough shout, the man’s head was split intact by a giant axe.
At the moment when brain matter and blood flowed messily, Nagagor, one of the Seven Wild Monsters, revealed his yellow teeth fully and laughed thickly.
“Is there no warrior of the Empire to take on Nagagor of the Seven Wild Monsters!”
Holding giant twin axes, Nagagor looked around and sneered.
However, as if everyone here was surprised by his spirit, not a single person could easily attack.
“If you do not come, I will go!”
Nagagor gripped the giant twin axes tightly and jumped among the warriors of the North.
The spectacle that unfolded shortly after was a horrible sight that a subject of the Empire could not bear to express.
“Retreat! Retreat! Currently, there is no one to handle the Seven Wild Monsters!!!”
“Everyone fall back to the wall! Wait for reinforcements!”
Even while the proud warriors of the North were becoming chunks of meat and scattering, there was no one to stop Nagagor.
That was natural.
Currently, the barbarians do not have a Great Warrior to unite them.
Therefore, the warriors of the so-called Seven Wild Monsters were all knocking on the iron wall of the Empire’s North.
A situation where they are competing to see who achieves greater results and suits the seat of the Great Warrior.
To that extent, the name Seven Wild Monsters was no different from a synonym for fear to the warriors of the Empire’s North.
“Kuhahahaha! Is there no renowned warrior of the Empire! I’m asking if there is no one to take on this Nagagor!”
Nagagor, fully drunk on elation, spreads his two arms holding the twin axes.
At that provocative appearance, the warriors of the North gritted their teeth, but there was no way.
The notoriety of the Seven Wild Monsters pierced the sky to that extent.
It was then.
“You bastard! I will cut off your head and soothe the souls of the Northern warriors!”
“Hoh! Who are you!”
A woman with long white hair.
Her age is young, but the spirit contained in her body was greater than the officers and soldiers of the North present here.
Her name is.
“My name is Ravia Deltarch! The Iron Wall of the Empire and the Ruler of the North! The youngest daughter of Grand Duke Gayrad Deltarch!”
She was none other than the youngest daughter of Grand Duke Gayrad Deltarch, who rules this place, the Deltarch Grand Duchy.
The white hair, the trademark of the Deltarch family, flutters in the wind.
“Miss! It is reckless!!!”
“Miiiiiss!!! Please retreat quickly!!!”
“The Seven Wild Monsters are not warriors for you to deal with, Miss!!!”
The nearby Northern officers and soldiers all tried to stop Ravia, but she absolutely did not back down.
“Abandon me and retreat quickly! The blood of Deltarch, which takes charge of the Empire’s North, flows in me too! Am I! Supposed to watch the soldiers of the North dying!”
“Miiiiiiiiiiss!!!”
The pitiful voices of the Northern warriors rang out, but Ravia did not care.
“Come, Nagagor! I will cut your throat!”
“Ambitious! Daughter of the Iron Wall, Deltarch! I will cut your throat today and prove my courage and valor to the other Seven Wild Monsters!”
Nagagor did not hesitate.
His body moved as if stretching and approached right in front of Ravia in an instant.
Immediately, his two twin axes lunged at Ravia without hesitation.
Kang! Kang! Kang!
The ceaseless offense and defense that unfolded shortly after.
Ravia was fighting hard against Nagagor’s twin axes holding a greatsword, but it was perilous as if she would collapse at any moment.
“Damn it! Wolves! Call the wolves! Where did the wolves of the North go!”
“They are currently engaging other Seven Wild Monsters respectively in other regions! The Seven Wild Monsters bastards! It seems they decided to attack today!”
“This goddamn! Like this, the Miss might die!!!”
At that moment when everyone was agitated with despairing expressions.
Bang———!!!
“Damn it! Everyone charge! The Miss’s greatsword flew away!”
“Save the Miss somehow!!!”
Eventually, Ravia’s greatsword flew far away.
Ravia, who had lost her weapon before she knew it, looked at Nagagor with a venomous face.
“Even if you cut me, you cannot cut the heart of the North!”
“I will chew and swallow even that heart! Child of Deltarch!”
The moment Nagagor’s twin axes were about to split Ravia’s body in half as is.
The moment Ravia thought it was finally the end but opened her two eyes fully and faced Nagagor’s two eyes.
Kwaaaaaang—————!!!
A single blade revealed its presence along with a light flying from the snowy fields of the North.
“…You are!”
Nagagor looked alternately at his remaining left hand, from which the axe had flown away before he knew it, and the slender woman in front of his eyes and sneered.
“Who are you!”
At those words, the woman.
Elise, who appeared in this place now, muttered nonchalantly.
“Elise Blaze.”
A stream of plum blossom scent flowed from the sword held in her right hand.
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