Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Heading to the Northern Kingdom (1)
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The Northern Kingdom, Aintban.
Known as the Kingdom of Ice and Snow, it was an extremely insular nation, with very little information available about it.
'It's cold.'
The first sensation I felt upon stepping onto the northern lands where Aintban lay was an overwhelming chill.
The Talua Kingdom, and especially the Banheart territory, were in the south, where the temperatures were quite mild. As a result, I wasn't accustomed to the cold.
"From here on, this is Aintban territory."
I nodded quietly at Maria's words. It was too cold to open my mouth and reply.
"Well then, Count."
"Name."
"Ah, sorry. Clay..."
Maria seemed a bit flustered and averted her gaze as she mumbled. My current identity was merely a mercenary hired by the Timons Merchant Group.
If it came out that I was a noble from another country, things could get complicated.
[What are you going to do from now on?]
'I'll stick with Maria for the time being.'
Just as I'd heard on the way here, Maria planned to pursue her mother's traces from now on.
'According to the synopsis, traveling with Maria is the key.'
==
Episodes 122~127: 'The Northern Kingdom Covered in Nightmares'
Episodes 128~135: 'Boundary Sword Solaris'
Episodes 136~144: 'The Second Disaster'
==
Three episodes that updated the moment we arrived in Aintban.
These weren't from the distant future or past—they were solely connected to the second disaster, 'Phantasmal Disaster,' which was about to occur.
'The episodes where disasters appear usually involve one of the Seven Heavenly Swords as well, huh.'
Plague Disaster and Human Sword Genova.
And Phantasmal Disaster and Boundary Sword Solaris.
In the original timeline, both of these disasters featured one of the Seven Heavenly Swords.
There was no particular connection during the Dragon Calamity, but I suspected most disaster episodes involved the Seven Heavenly Swords.
It was probably to give the protagonist Fabian trials and the power to overcome them.
But since I would be the one facing those trials instead of Fabian...
Remembering that fact made a sigh escape my lips naturally.
"Hoo..."
"Why is it, Count... no, Clay?"
"It's nothing. More importantly, have you found the location?"
"Yes. It's a tavern in Nabez."
As I listened to Maria, I recalled the contents of the newly surfaced synopsis.
In the episodes that followed, there was a certain 'woman' who was repeatedly mentioned. She was the key figure in helping Fabian defeat the Phantasmal Disaster.
'That's why Fabian helped Maria.'
At first, I thought Fabian had simply helped Rabin and Maria out of his righteous nature, unable to pass by their plight.
But through this episode, I learned it wasn't just out of a sense of justice.
'Who would've thought Fabian knew Maria's mother.'
Maria's mother, Lutia Timons.
Learning that she had defeated the Phantasmal Disaster alongside Fabian brought one fact to mind.
'Phantasmal Disaster...'
Phantasmal.
Judging from the disaster's name, Lutia and Maria's succubus bloodline was undoubtedly the key to resolving this incident.
I had learned an important fact, but it didn't bring me any joy. Instead, I only felt displeasure and unease.
It was because of the ending written at the close of the synopsis.
"......"
I looked at the expressionless girl standing beside me.
A beautiful girl with pink hair and eyes.
Her appearance suited the bone-chilling cold of this place perfectly... but I knew.
She was just an ordinary girl hiding behind a cold mask.
'This is too cruel.'
Yet the fate of that fragile girl was far too harsh.
Maria's mother, Lutia Timons, would die at the end of this episode.
* * *
"It's really here, right?"
"I don't know."
"Damn it."
Two demons appeared in Nabez, the capital of the Aintban Kingdom. They trampled through the cold snow and gazed at the distant Aintban royal castle.
"But... the atmosphere feels off somehow."
"It's certainly a bit too quiet."
The adjutant spoke while looking up at the snow falling from the sky.
The moment he absentmindedly reached out to touch it, a thick hand grabbed his wrist.
"Don't touch it carelessly."
"Pardon?"
"It's still just a small amount, but ominous magic clings to the snowflakes. No need to touch it."
The adjutant nodded. His superior might seem sloppy in daily life, but his skills were the real deal.
One of the few titled demons.
He was a high-ranking demon, holding the rank of count.
"Looks like this time it's the real thing."
"That's the real one?"
"Yeah."
The red-haired demon grinned ferociously, like a beast.
"Now I can finally regain some face."
The seven swords said to have been bestowed by the Creator God.
Countless demons had mobilized at the Demon King's command, yet they'd only found a single one so far.
"Andil."
"Yes, Lord Margal."
"Send out the underlings."
"......Pardon?"
Andil looked up at him with puzzled eyes. It was hard to guess why he suddenly wanted to deploy the subordinates.
"The sword is in the ruins anyway, so do we really need to call in the others?"
"If the sword is in the ruins."
Margal slowly looked up at the sky.
Aintban's overcast sky, with snowflakes gently falling.
"The one currently holding the sword seems like quite a troublesome fellow."
The subtle malice contained in the snowflakes.
It hadn't fully awakened yet, but Margal could vaguely sense the power held within these tiny snow crystals.
If it fully bloomed as time passed, even he might not be able to handle it.
* * *
While the other members of the Timons Merchant Group who had come to Aintban gathered information separately, Maria and I slipped away from the group and moved on our own.
Naturally, our destination was the tavern where Maria's mother, Lutia, had worked.
"Lutia?"
When I asked about her whereabouts, the tavern owner eyed us warily.
"If it's that girl, she left this place a year ago."
"Do you know where she went after that?"
"Who knows? I wouldn't have a clue."
Maria tried her best to keep a calm expression, but disappointment was evident inwardly. She'd come all the way to Aintban chasing her mother's news, only to hear she'd been gone for a year already.
"But why are you looking for Lutia?"
The tavern owner hesitated before asking cautiously.
From his guarded attitude, it seemed he had quite a close relationship with Lutia.
Even so, the reason he answered our questions was thanks to Maria.
She resembled Lutia, and with the power of 'innate charm,' she naturally earned the tavern owner's favor.
His initial wary demeanor softened over time, and he now looked at Maria with quite friendly eyes.
"You look a lot like Lutia, miss. Are you family? A little sister or something...?"
"Yes, I'm Lutia's daughter."
Maria said flatly.
The tavern owner burst into loud laughter.
"Daughter? Hahaha! If that's a joke, it's a good one. Lutia couldn't possibly have a daughter your age!"
"Pardon?"
Perhaps reading Maria's bewildered expression, the tavern owner patted her shoulder and said,
"I didn't expect a joke like that from you, miss. Anyway, you look so similar, you must be her little sister. Just be careful who you joke like that with."
The tavern owner seemed relieved as he said that and turned away briskly.
"......"
Maria stood there speechless, eyes wide at his attitude.
I quietly approached her and asked,
"You okay?"
"Ah, yes."
Maria seemed lost in thought.
I could roughly guess what she was thinking.
"Your mother must have looked incredibly youthful."
"...I suppose so."
Since I'd noticed, the clever Maria would have realized it too.
The tavern owner 'absolutely' did not believe Lutia had a daughter.
"First off, Mother lied to the tavern owner about her age. And he fell for it hook, line, and sinker."
"Right. So even generously, your mother's appearance would be no older than her twenties."
We both fell silent after that.
After a brief silence, I spoke first.
"By any chance, did the former Merchant Leader Rabin ever say anything about your mother?"
"...Yes. All I heard was that she was a beautiful woman who suddenly left one day, saying she had something to do, abandoning me and Father."
"That's too bad for him. I heard his first wife passed from illness, and now the second one does the same."
As I spoke sympathetically, Maria looked a bit downcast and said,
"Clay, you don't need to change the subject."
"Ah, no, it's not that..."
"I didn't realize Father might have been a pedophile."
"...Mid-teens is still barely safe by our cultural standards."
Marriage ages have been rising lately, making it really borderline.
"Anyway, this is tricky. It won't be easy to trace Mother's footsteps for a while."
Maria looked clearly disappointed.
She'd finally gotten word and come to Aintban, only to learn she'd left a year ago.
"Don't worry."
"Pardon?"
I said to Maria as if it were no big deal.
"I have a feeling I know."
The synopsis mentioned traces of a woman presumed to be Lutia.
If I knew when Fabian first met her, pinpointing Lutia's location would be simple.
==
[Episodes 122~127, 'The Northern Kingdom Covered in Nightmares']
Summary: Upon arriving in Aintban's capital, Nabez, Fabian is shocked by the sight of the city turned to ruins.
Having experienced the Plague Disaster in the Empire, Fabian realizes the cause is a new disaster.
The disaster that engulfed Aintban is the 'Phantasmal Disaster.'
Humans who encounter snow falling from the sky fall into a deep sleep and indiscriminately attack those around them while asleep.
The people of Nabez called it the 'Devil's Somnambulism.'
While urgently searching Nabez for clues about the disaster, Fabian ends up saving a female mercenary in peril whom he encounters...
==
This was the content of the first episode.
The key point was the female mercenary who appeared at the end.
'...This mercenary has to be Maria's mother.'
I was certain.
Her dying words were the proof.