The Whispering City
I didn't know what I was in for until I actually went through it all.
Why the blocks in the game were called landmines, why some people rushed around so desperately when there was nothing to grab, or what it felt like to suddenly become a woman... The gap between the virtual and the real was one of those things.
"I got separated..."
It had been several days since I passed the Ice Mountains. I had stumbled onto a path I never should have taken.
I had been so confident before, thinking my experience in the game would make everything smooth. But now, being swallowed by a mouse hole, I wanted to crawl back into the game and never come out again. Of course, if I had been on the screen with all the system corrections, it would have been easy to find my way. But this was real life.
Even after relying on my past experience and thinking I could handle it easily, seeing it with my own eyes left me completely lost. How was I supposed to know where anything was?
"...If this is how it's going to be, I should have just been possessed into the original story."
Why had they dropped me off a thousand years in the future like that? A long sigh escaped my lips.
Fortunately, the Snow Woman race didn't need sleep or food, or I might have starved to death by now. My traits made the path-loss less urgent, but I was still pushing my limits.
"How is it possible not to run into a single person?"
At first I understood, since I was still around the Ice Mountains, but I had already passed that barrier. Was I just unlucky? Or had I taken a really wrong turn?
"...No way."
I hid my trembling lips and forced myself to deny it.
In any case, I had no choice but to change my plans. My original goal had been the Arundel Empire, and that still stood, but I couldn't just believe I would arrive right away.
First, I had to find some village or city to get information. I had gone days without seeing a single person, so tailing a traveler to ask for directions or steal a map would have been faster, but...
While I was swallowing my frustration.
It was then that I sensed something ominous and discovered what lay ahead.
A monstrous figure spewing out unsettling waves of energy and... a person trapped in desperation.
"Oh?"
A person. A real, living person.
Leaning against a cliff with a face soaked in fear, but judging by my body, it had been a million years since I last saw one. Both joy and the strange feeling of encountering something so rare hit me at the same time.
Still, my joy was stronger, so I almost greeted him, but the situation wasn't right for that. I didn't know the exact details, but if I left someone obviously in trouble like this, he would soon die.
My brain spun quickly.
"Those are Hellhounds. They're manageable."
The so-called hell dogs.
A lower-grade monster specialized in fire attributes. A beast with an extreme bias toward one element, so its difficulty varied greatly depending on the build.
Once I reached that conclusion, it was quick.
It would be better to help.
If they were dangerous, there was no reason to intervene, but Hellhounds were no more than a warm-up for me. All my Snow Woman skills would be fatal to them.
And I needed to stay alive to ask for directions. I couldn't miss this chance of running into people again.
"Let's help."
Once I decided, action followed.
Not that there was any choice, because the monsters were already right in front of the pedestrian.
I immediately gathered my mana.
A year of training had made my mana control efficient thanks to pure mana, but even so, I hadn't become truly skilled at high-control skills. If I wasn't using something like Ice Spike that required absolute precision, the one I could handle with relative ease was Cold Breath.
The Snow Woman skill I had personally created manifested at my fingertips. Sparkling ice crystals danced like stars, enveloping the fire monsters.
"What... is this..."
Like a fox swept away in a snowstorm, the Hellhound collapsed helplessly. The man with a blank face muttered in a trembling voice.
His expression wasn't reassuring at all.
Would this person even know geography properly? With that doubt, I approached slowly, and he suddenly glared at me with wide eyes.
"Y-You... a goddess..."
Huh...?
The man was Fett, a researcher.
He had been ambushed on his way to the city and was in dire straits.
"Wow, it was really dangerous. Th-Thank you, goddess... I mean, young lady? Madam? Sir? ......If it weren't for your help, I would have been dead without moving a muscle."
His information was the best news I had heard in a while.
Uristia, one of the three nations that represented the Sa-gye War. Knowing there was a place nearby gave me strength. Even if it wasn't the glory of the original story, at least it was a place I knew.
If I went there, I might get something.
Even the vague geography would start to take shape.
"Haha, what a surprise. Since I don't know your name, calling you a savior of life is a bit hard. So, what's your name...?"
Fett was... what? A smooth-talking man.
Thinking back to how he had been babbling at first, I doubted his abilities, but his personality seemed decent.
But today I finally understood what women meant when they said 'he's a good person.'
I answered him only when he asked my name and if there were any villages around, otherwise staying silent.
When he kept trying to keep the conversation going, flipping his hair and talking nonstop... he was the classic 'oblivious man.'
Well, I understood.
After all, he had just faced death. So it made sense he wanted to savor the feeling of having been saved by someone.
But I couldn't accept that feeling.
If I did, I would probably pour cold water on his joy of survival.
"Arundel Empire? You know that?"
So I cut straight to the point.
Fett, who had been cut off mid-sentence, stared blankly at me for a moment before asking hesitantly.
"The Arundel Empire?"
"Yes."
"Obviously. How could anyone not know? I was momentarily shocked by your question. It can't be that you don't know about another empire..."
It was the Arundel Empire after all.
Even back when it was far in the past, it held such a status. It was never a fluke that it would one day become the strongest nation on the continent.
Even now, at that level.
I hadn't bothered going there just because. Since I knew the empire was solid, I could ask the next question.
"Then do you know who the emperor of the empire is?"
I asked because I needed to know the current time accurately. I had lived in the Snowfield where information like rumors couldn't reach, so my knowledge was lacking.
I needed to know roughly when it was, so I could plan where to go and who to meet. Since I had no knowledge of that side, I had decided to head to the most famous empire first.
"Your Majesty the current emperor? Of course, it's the noble and dignified Emperor Ioloman Prickus the Third. If you didn't come from... Oh, wait, no. I mean, sorry."
Fett answered with a strange look when I asked with such an odd question. Was my question really that strange?
Anyway, I had received the necessary information. Ioloman Prickus... A name that vaguely rang a bell. It was from the 'Imperial Chronicles' entry in the Sa-gye War settings.
If it was during Ioloman's reign, a certain person would soon appear.
Crown Prince Artan Prickus.
The legendary emperor who would usher in the golden age of empire history lasting hundreds of years...
A maverick who raised the mediocre Prickus imperial family to the realm of legend.
A prodigy with talent in both civil and military affairs.
'Why did the original story show those past records? Everything had a reason.'
It had been groundwork for Sa-gye War II. By scattering old stories both inside and outside the game, it planned to naturally accept the prequel and sequel.
Even though I didn't care about others, Crown Prince Artan was famous even in the original timeline. I had thought he was a great man and overlooked him because of his lack of actual importance.
Probably, the detailed story would be fully revealed in the next game, after tossing players into that distant past.
At any rate, I could roughly see the flow of this world. Artan was likely one of the main figures steering this board.
"Has your question been answered? Then, if it's alright, could you tell me your name...?"
"I was heading to the city, right?"
I asked after escaping the danger.
I had gotten the necessary information, so now I could head to Uristia for further investigation.
Thinking about it, the conversation had gone unusually smoothly. Of course, the tone was blunt, I used informal speech, and it was cold... but compared to Quillere's usual tone, this was almost gentle.
It was probably because it had been too long since I last talked to a person.
Maybe it was because Fett's personality was friendly. Thinking that, I opened my mouth to politely ask for guidance to the city as a small thanks.
I had unconsciously committed the sin of underestimating the Snow Woman Quillere.
"Lead the way."
The words that came out were coldly blunt, like she wouldn't listen to any objection.
Fett looked at me with a dazed expression, as if doubting his ears, but soon he led without a word.
He must have expected me to panic at my rudeness, but he turned out to be even more kind than I expected.
It just made me feel even worse.
On the way to the city, my convenient two hands fidgeted restlessly. The tote bag with items I had taken before leaving the city was hidden in a safe spot nearby.
I had packed too many unnecessary things, making it burdensome to carry. I should find the city's location first, then retrieve it.
"By the way, you're wearing extremely unusual clothes. As someone from the empire, this is a fashion I haven't even seen before. If it's not a secret, could I ask your origin...?"
Whether Fett was kind or just thoughtless, he was a researcher as he introduced himself.
If it weren't, he wouldn't keep asking questions while watching my cold response.
"Since our destinations seem similar, why did you come to Uristia? Did you hear the rumors? Then it's the same reason."
He changed topics without caring whether I ignored him or not, trying to communicate.
I would have liked to respond, but I stayed silent to avoid hurting him further, until the word 'rumors' caught my ear.
"Rumors?"
What rumors were circulating?
I had learned from Fett that the developers were preparing Sa-gye War II with great enthusiasm, so I needed to know the situation in Uristia, which held an important position in the game.
When I finally replied, Fett's face lit up. But immediately after, his eyes blinked.
"...Oh? You don't know?"
"Tell me."
Even I thought my tone was arrogant, but he didn't flinch and crossed his arms, as if thinking deeply.
"There are gods in the city."
The words that followed were something anyone else would have taken as a big shock.
"...What?"
"It seems... they heard there was a black snake. It suddenly appeared and took control of the city with its terrifying power... They say so. Well, most people dismiss it as baseless gossip, though."
Fett didn't seem to consider it mere rumor at all.
I had thought there might be some basis for the claim, but I knew.
It was completely baseless.
"...Haha, that's right. It's indeed wild talk."
As a core fan of Sa-gye War, I knew.
All the gods had already disappeared long ago.
Currently, not a single god remained.
This was an absolute rule that didn't change with time or space.
So this rumor was fake.
Someone had probably deliberately spread it, or mistaken something else for a god. Well, in that case, the rumor itself wasn't bad.
After all, rumors always started like that. Whether to believe them or not was up to the person, but this Fett man was a bit pitiful.
Had he come all the way to the city believing such nonsense, even fighting monsters?
"Are you here to verify the rumors?"
"Uh... yeah, that's right. Since I'm a bit of a researcher... I thought I'd investigate."
Ah, this guy.
If he was a researcher, he should have gone looking for more credible rumors.
"Why are you even doing such an investigation?"
The way I said it carried the implication of why do something pointless. Fett scratched his head and laughed.
"I'm not just a researcher. It's for results. My master is such a great person, and he's also strict, so to get recognized, I have to move without rest."
"Who is that master?"
If he was that great, maybe I had heard of him.
Thinking it might contain useful information, I listened to Fett's next words.
He raised his shoulders slightly, as if very proud, and spat it out.
"Master Agnatz."
A complete stranger.
"...You're saying you don't know Master Agnatz at all? Really?"
"I don't know."
"I can't believe it. Even if you don't know the details, not even hearing the name... If you hadn't lived in a place far from the world..."
"..."
His shocked reaction at hearing about my master made me wonder.
He must have been that famous, but I didn't know him. It wasn't that I was curious.
There was a much more famous person, Artan Prickus. It would be a waste of time to consider someone that famous.
The city outline was starting to come into view. Was this the first time stepping foot in human society since coming here?
My heart pounded with anticipation.
Fett, realizing I was only telling the truth, muttered to himself and shook his head, deciding it was pointless.
Instead, he looked around and said casually.
"We're here. Uristia is a narrow place to call a country, but I heard it has real substance. What... do you plan to do in the city?"
"I need a map."
It was a statement that didn't need hiding.
"I'm going to the empire."
"Ah, so that's why you asked if I know the Arundel Empire?"
"Yes. What about you?"
He answered while looking at the empty air.
"I have someone I need to meet. ......I'll investigate the rumors after that."
Someone I needed to meet.
Since he had come all this way alone despite the danger, it seemed like a very important person.
"Close friend?"
I asked without thinking, as the conversation flowed.
"Close... I hope so. It's not easy to meet people."
But he said something odd.
Looking at him intently as if serious, it seemed there was some truth behind it.
I decided to drop it, since digging deeper would only annoy me.
Since I had only just met him, I had no obligation, and he would handle it himself.
Before long, we had reached the outskirts of the city.
It was time to part ways.
"By the way, you're the savior of my life, and I couldn't repay you properly. When I get to the city, I'll properly repay you..."
While ignoring his words, I activated my mana. The mystery of transformation wrapped my body, and in an instant it became a cloud of mist and I moved away.
Standing still in the air for a moment, I looked down.
Fett was muttering while looking at the city, and the moment he turned his gaze, he froze.
"...Eh? Where...?"
Anyone would be surprised to see someone who had been right next to them moments ago suddenly disappear.
I understood that feeling well, but I hoped he would overlook the fact that I had saved his life.
I was aware that my appearance stood out quite a bit. Moreover, because of my settings, those gazes could turn into hostility at any moment, so it was best to be careful here.
After all, my territory was the Snowfield, and Uristia was just a brief stop.
The connection with the researcher wasn't important.
"...Did you see a mirage?"
Still, his muttered words carried a hint of laughter. He was a man who believed wild rumors and had an unusual way of thinking.
Anyway, it wasn't the time to watch him anymore.
Originally, transformation drained a lot of mana, and I couldn't receive environmental corrections anymore, so I had to move quickly.
The cloud of mist floating in the sky eventually drifted somewhere.
That's why Quillere didn't hear the words Fett muttered next.
"Well, such a woman can't exist..."
The city-state Uristia was governed by three influential families.
The ancient noble Crase family and the emerging families Bion and Griant. Hearing this, one might guess that the Crase family was the most powerful among the three, and the guess was half right.
The real power in the city had always belonged to the Crase family. But recently, their influence had been violently shaken.
The young head of the Crase family, Lacitea Crase, was resting her face in one hand in her office.
It was her habit when she felt uneasy.
"You idiots..."
The harsh words that came out of her mouth weren't like her at all.
It wasn't just because she was alone, but because she was enveloped in such immense anger.
The anger of a person with an unsolvable problem didn't fade easily.
Simply put, Bion and Griant were her enemies. Of course, no one in the three families would deny that.
They had been currying favor with the Crase family when it was strong, but when the young master and former head, Bert, fell suddenly to a sudden illness, their fangs began to show.
His father had been a kind man, or to put it bluntly, indecisive.
Even after sensing that the two emerging families were plotting against him, he hadn't made a decisive decision quickly enough.
He was afraid.
When the emerging families were still growing, harming people meant nothing, but once they gained enough power, they would have to fight them.
In the end, when he passed away from illness, the yellow shoots had already bloomed into flowers.
Was that also the sin of succession?
The Crase family had enjoyed power without crisis, so an unfortunate person without the right qualities had been born.
Of course, Lacitea didn't think that way... but sometimes she couldn't help but lament it.
The mold Bert hadn't cleaned up now covered the entire household, and it was her responsibility.
"...If I had been faster..."
She had the qualities unlike her father. The coldness and decisiveness suitable for a leader... and the 'Eye Power' that had been inherited only by some members of the Crase bloodline since ancient times.
She had been building up her forces since she was younger than now, and when Bert fell, she had set her senses toward the two families. Her meticulously planted eyes and ears had reported the situation.
There had clearly been a chance.
A chance to kill at least one of the two rival heads. But killing a head meant the situation would completely change.
Then, no more schemes in the shadows or traps would have meaning, and only open battle would remain. It would also cost the lives of many citizens and family members.
Lacitea had been clever since childhood and had matured early because of the unstable atmosphere around her, but she was still too young to take responsibility for the bloodline.
She hadn't had the experience of making such a major decision.
Of course, the two heads weren't particularly smart, so there might have been time to delay the decision until it was made. But heaven wasn't on her side.
"If only that snake hadn't appeared..."
Yes.
One day, a 'god' had appeared out of the blue in a clear sky and ruined everything.
An overwhelming presence that had turned a corner of the city into shadow. A tremendous power that had trampled the city's soldiers without care.
Just as it had called itself, and just as the terrified citizens had called it, the title 'god' fit it perfectly.
Who could have fought against it that day?
While recalling the terror of that day, a knock sounded. Lacitea lowered her hand and allowed entry.
"Head, bad news. They seem to have offered sacrifices again."
The one who entered was her lieutenant and the family's second-in-command, Sorap.
He was a product of the southern desert village who had served the Crase family under Bert's eyes for a long time.
He was capable and had deep loyalty to the family, which was why he held such a prominent position now.
People looked at Sorap and praised him as a very pious man who had been rewarded after hard work, but his true ability was elsewhere.
Publicly, he was the head of the family, but in the shadows, he was the leader of the assassination unit and the best assassin.
It was also the reason Lacitea was certain she could kill the heads if she got the chance.
After Sorap's report, Lacitea frowned.
"...Are you sure?"
"Yes, the torn clothes found near the forest where the snake coiled and the thick blood scent remaining in the air clearly indicate it's the same."
His nose was accurate only for blood scent.
He could distinguish the blood of humans, animals, monsters, and what exactly.
Faced with the surging disgust, Lacitea clicked her tongue.
She had scattered surveillance personnel everywhere to quickly grasp the situation.
But the incidents and accidents were not comparable to before.
Ordinary citizens didn't know, but with her wider perspective, she knew most of them were the work of the two heads.
Still, until recently they had been careful not to stand out while watching the Crase family, but all this was because of that snake god...
"...I'm really not thinking straight."
The snake god that first arrived in the city had demanded sacrifices boldly. Here, sacrifice meant offering humans alive.
In front of the terrified citizens, the three heads declared they could not do such a thing. It was a natural action for heads who ruled the city while having the duty to protect it.
Of course, she was the only one who had taken such a compassionate approach.
In the end, the situation was settled as the angry snake god had carried off a few citizens at will.
No, that was what she had thought.
"...Head, give the order."
Her sharp voice made her raise her head.
Sorap looked at her with his usual expressionless face. Lacitea read the heat in his eyes.
She couldn't meet his gaze directly and glanced away.
"...It's already too late to act. Sorap, you know that."
"So we have to move. If we leave it, the situation will grow even more out of control."
That was logic.
If leaving it had caused delay, leaving it even more would be foolish.
They had been blinded by selfishness, abandoned their duties, and offered citizens as sacrifices at will... They had to be punished.
Whether it was Sorap or the assassination unit, they should send people and do whatever was necessary to eliminate the heads who had betrayed humanity.
But... but.
She couldn't.
After all, it was...
"But... the opponent is a god, right?"
Yes.
Whether it was a malevolent or evil god, it was clearly a monster worthy of the title.
It was no longer a matter of human versus human. Even if the two heads had given sacrifices to the god through flattery and earned its favor, or even if they had been riding on the god's back and acting as if they owned the world, they couldn't move lightly.
Now the situation wouldn't end with assassinating the heads.
If they couldn't find a way to drive out the god no matter what, it would be pointless.
Conversely, the fact that the city's functions were still maintained was also because the two heads had been offering sacrifices out of their low desires.
When the supply of sacrifices stopped, the snake god would tear up the city again. In the end, a fundamental solution was needed.
If they removed the two heads while keeping the snake god... then their role would only be to calm it and supply its food.
"For the heads, the god's appearance might have been a blessing."
To her, it was a divine punishment, but to the two heads it must have looked like a savior. The difficult fight with the Crase family had become very easy.
But even so, how could they think of using such an existence that was not human?
Or perhaps they had already come to worship that mad god.
It was the same; people who couldn't understand couldn't be helped. Since she had no outlet for her frustration, Lacitea covered her face with her hands again.
"Has the god really abandoned us...?"