The White Silver Dragon King's Silent Vigil
I knew very little about her. By the time this story reached its current point, she was already a figure from the distant past, and she had never appeared directly. All I had done was read every single line of the developer’s settings, so I knew the basics: she lived in the Snowfield, she possessed a kind nature, and that was it.
In short, I knew nothing about the depth of her abilities. That was why I was now extremely tense.
*H-How… what is she doing?*
A moment ago, the Dragon King had been roaring in fury, trying to suppress me. Now she had suddenly stopped and was simply staring at me without a word. It looked like her expression had hardened, as if she were on guard. But that was impossible.
The opponent was a Dragon King who transcended all realms. There was no way a mere human would need to guard against her.
*So she’s given up on suppression!*
Perhaps my arbitrary resistance had only strengthened her anger. I hoped not, but alas, that was the most likely explanation. Then why was she standing there so rigidly…
*Is she going to use a finishing move?!*
It was impossible to believe, yet the possibility terrified me even more. My ignorance of Mishra’s detailed abilities only made it worse. I could not predict what magic or skill she might unleash.
Although my body was invisible, I was already deathly pale. What was I going to do? Even if I had not become the transparent Quillere, any skill she used would surely leave no corpse to recover.
I stood there in a daze when a lively commotion suddenly erupted somewhere. I turned instinctively and saw the familiar little ones huddled together.
*Hot guy is here! He’s bothering Quilly!*
*Waaah, it’s so cold! That ‘don’t even think about asking’ sensation is real!*
*What’s hot?*
“Uh…”
I had told them not to appear. Yet these childish spirits, with their low mental ages, were unlikely to obey a short warning. A colossal Dragon had suddenly appeared and torn the entire area apart; how could they possibly stay hidden?
When the Prike noticed my gaze and crept closer, they immediately transformed into silver wolves and surrounded me. They seemed to be shielding me.
*Do not disturb Quilly!*
The fervent oath they had just shouted warmed my heart and moved me deeply. Yet my face grew even paler.
*What in the world are you doing?!*
Why did you suddenly decide to fight? Silver wolves were their combat form when threatened or in battle. The way their fur bristled and their growls rose already told me they were ready for a real fight.
Did these spirits have no concept of physical disparity? Just by looking, the difference in combat power was obvious. How could they possibly think of battling something on that level?!
*I am grateful that you are helping me…*
That was one thing. This was another. Spirit rarity did not automatically equal strength. Moreover, Prike were only Lower-grade Spirits. In front of the White Silver Dragon King, who even High-grade Spirits could not defeat, they were nothing more than mere puppies.
It was like adding mice to an elephant-versus-tiger brawl. The anxiety that I might only be stirring up more trouble made me glance at Mishra. Her eyes were wide open, staring at the Prike with an expression of utter shock.
*Why such a look?*
After a moment of thought, I concluded it must be because of the Prike’s attitude. Most spirits were selfish, whimsical, and rarely followed anyone. Only those with the rare talent for Spirit Communion could befriend a handful of spirits, and even they would vanish if the caster stopped supplying mana.
In other words, they were extremely difficult to handle. And yet here were numerous spirits throwing themselves into my defense. It was only natural that anyone who understood spirits would be astonished.
*Well, in my case, there was a reason.*
The Prike’s behavior toward me was not what I expected from selfish spirits, but that was only natural. They had been born from my mana alone, and spirits were bodiless spirits of pure mana. It was only logical that they would center everything around me.
Mishra, who did not understand this, must have been shocked. I had managed to frighten the Dragon King of the world. That was truly an achievement…
*Wait, is this a chance?*
The thought flashed through my mind. This was the only moment when I might provoke Mishra. Only this fleeting instant when her Dragon King’s judgment clouded could offer a path.
My brain spun at unprecedented speed, eerily reminiscent of cramming during exam week. The brain that had survived the private education storm had quickly reached a conclusion.
*I must wrap it up before she snaps out of it!*
Escaping physically from the Dragon King’s pursuit was impossible. No matter how well I tried to defuse the situation, as long as I remained in the Snowfield, Mishra could come back anytime. Therefore, I had to receive her permission to stay here.
However, since I had unintentionally scratched her pride, she would not simply grant it. Persuading someone whose heart was already closed was extremely difficult. So I boldly abandoned persuasion and instead launched a free-form speech!
*I will create a situation where “the matter is already finished before she can say anything.”*
If I finished the matter before any damage was done, Mishra might grow even colder. And as a Dragon King, she possessed pride. She would never stir up an old wound when it was already over.
Perfect. No matter how flawed the plan was, it was the best choice at this moment. Still shaken, I stared straight at Mishra and pointed toward the castle.
“I will live here from now on.”
I turned and walked straight inside the castle. My tone was as cold as ever, and I could not even imagine what my expression must have looked like.
Of course, I did not forget to gather the Prike as well.
On the snowy field where snowflakes fell like the feathers of a heavenly horse, Mishra stood alone.
The fury that had paralyzed her mind had long since faded, yet her thoughts remained frozen. She was desperately trying to preserve the Dragon King’s wisdom to its fullest. Lost in recollection of the scene she had just witnessed, she pondered deeply.
Snow spirits, the Prike.
Former existences.
Even now, it was hard to believe. After all, spirits were remnants of the main gods, while monsters were remnants of evil gods. In the latter case, countless malevolent gods still roamed the continent as coalesced entities of resentment and Absolute Evil.
But the former was different.
Most creatures knew nothing of this, yet Mishra, as a Dragon King, knew that all the gods had long since disappeared. Many gods had fallen into eternal sleep or left this world. The causes were varied, but the two most significant events were the Heavenly Demon War that erupted during the Mythical Era of greatest divine prosperity, after which many gods vanished without a trace. The detailed secrets of that ancient time were unknown even to her, for she had not yet existed.
The second event was the moment when human disappointment in the gods reached its absolute peak. It was the instant when greed and jealousy had shaved humanity down to nothing. At that time, only a tiny handful of gods remained, yet it was this event that drove even them to abandon their hearts.
The Winter Goddess had disappeared around then as well.
After she, the last hope on the surface, left, humans finally began to seek the gods’ favor. They feared they could no longer receive help from an absolute being. Overcome by that selfishness, Mishra understood her master’s choice with a heart that had vomited blood.
It had been thousands of years since then. Over the long stretch of time, the number of spirits had plummeted sharply. The very existence that had created them and sustained their will had vanished. Had even one of the Four Great Gods remained, the extinction would have been minimized. But the supreme gods themselves had been the first to leave.
With Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter gods gone, the world’s balance had inevitably collapsed. As a result, the Snowfield had been empty for a long time.
*What exactly happened while I was asleep?*
The suddenly appeared Prike numbered in the dozens. They had all moved to protect one woman. It was not the selfish behavior of spirits.
Mishra had momentarily suspected they were Spirit Summoners, but she quickly discarded the idea. Even a Dragon Summoner who dominated an era could not form such a contract in one go. No matter how exceptional the talent, there was a limit to the nature of summoned creatures.
Moreover, the Prike, who had long vanished, had suddenly reappeared from nowhere. Spirits did not spontaneously generate.
She gazed quietly at the Snow Castle that exceeded her own height and continued her thoughts.
How had this castle been built? It could not have been a simple pile of snow. No shape, scale, or density could have arisen otherwise. It must have required enormous mana construction and precise mana control. Yet the construction time had not been excessively long.
If the commotion had been so great, she would have noticed even in a deep sleep.
Then… had she created such a structure in one breath?
*…That is impossible.*
Mishra shook her head forcefully, trying to reject the new hypothesis that kept rising. It was simply absurd.
*“I will live here from now on.”*
The woman’s final declaration came to mind again. The firm words she had spat while staring straight at me, as if declaring that any opposition would be rejected. Before the Dragon King who terrified all on the surface, her expression had not wavered even a fraction.
As if she herself could handle anything. Indifferent. Carefree. That previously arrogant and cold demeanor now felt entirely different.
And beyond the flesh, the image of snowstorms raging around her. Power that had created the castle in a single breath, dignity before a Dragon King. And finally, the scene of the snow spirits who had been thought lost receiving love from her.
[Coincidence.]
Even as I thought it could not be, I could not shake the suspicion. The image was…
[…Everything was a coincidence.]
The snowstorm had already weakened, and light snow was now drifting down. With legs buried in the fierce snowfall, Mishra stood motionless for a long time.
*“I will destroy you! Do not stop me!”*
*Waaaaah, let’s destroy!*
*Quilly has gotten cold again. It’s hot outside!*
“Quiet down.”
It was truly chaos. I had not taught them this way at all. Then whose example had they been following? I had returned to the castle and desperately blocked the Prike who were about to dash out.
I had used a Chaos Strategy during the moment of confusion, but I could not yet guarantee the result. I kept glancing at the Dragon King’s eyes, which only the tips of her wings appeared. My dry throat kept swallowing. I had rushed to escape, but what if my reckless behavior had only made her angrier?
After the time that should have brought sweat had passed, a reaction finally appeared. Thankfully, my worry had been unfounded.
*Kwaaaaa—*
The ground trembled as Mishra rose. She spread her wings and flew toward her lair on the opposite side of the Snowfield. A sigh of relief escaped me, believing I had survived.
*“Hah…”*
She might come back. For now, the crisis was over.