Chapter 263: Coronation Ceremony (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 263: Coronation Ceremony (5)
"Are you really going to bring that up here?"
It was an embarrassing story, so I decided to withhold my answer.
"I don't particularly wish to discuss it right now."
"Forgive me. I spoke out of turn, Your Majesty."
"It’s fine."
Grand Regent Richard did not press the subject I was clearly avoiding. Alice seemed deflated by my response, her shoulders slumping as she lowered her gaze.
After that, Richard and the courtiers escorted me across the beautiful ice garden in front of the palace, discussing the upcoming schedule.
Since I had no intention of resting, I immediately met with key administrative officials and military leaders. That evening, we enjoyed a banquet at the great dining hall.
Dorothy was as enthusiastic as ever, no matter what she was doing, while Alice remained composed. In many ways, they were polar opposites.
As the sky gradually darkened, Richard and the courtiers eventually led me elsewhere.
"Where are we going?"
"There is something I must show Your Majesty."
We reached an annex located at the rear of the palace. At a nod from Richard, the following courtiers all came to a halt.
"Please, follow me."
I followed Richard into the building.
Inside, a flight of stairs led downward. As we descended, a powerful barrier came into view.
"What is this?"
"This barrier has sealed the cold within this cellar for a thousand years. Anyone who touches that chill would be frozen instantly, their life extinguished in a heartbeat."
"A thousand years?"
"The first lord commanded that when a new Ice Sovereign appeared, the contents of this cellar were to be passed on to them. Only Your Majesty can control the cold that fills this chamber."
"What exactly is in here?"
"The 'Radiant Snow Wolf of the Ice Heaven Valley'—a powerful ancient magic beast capable of turning an entire region into an ice field with a single footprint. The 'Cloak of the Radiant Wolf,' crafted after subduing that beast, is the ultimate magic armor and the symbol of the Ice Sovereign."
Magic armor referred to protective gear imbued with magical properties, much like magic weapons.
I knew the Primordial Ice Sovereign wore a cloak, but I hadn't realized it was called the Cloak of the Radiant Wolf. Even in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, such an item was unobtainable.
"This barrier can only be dispelled by the authority granted to me. If you wish, I will break it."
"...Break it."
"As you command."
A power boost in a place like this is an unexpected gain.
Richard extended his right arm, manipulating his mana to dismantle the barrier.
With a soft sound, the barrier melted away, and a bone-chilling sensation washed over my skin. The extreme cold surged out from the cellar, frost creeping across the walls until everything turned a stark, crystalline white.
The interior of the basement was blindingly bright, as if dozens of lamps had been installed. It was likely because something inside was emitting an immense amount of ice mana.
"Please, go ahead."
Richard bowed his head.
I descended the stairs and stepped into the cellar, which was thick with deadly cold.
I heard the heavy iron door close behind me. Grand Regent Richard had remained outside, sealing the door to prevent the cellar’s chill from escaping into the palace.
The cellar was filled with a lethal frost, yet it had no effect on me. It was likely because the power had been transferred to me as the new Ice Sovereign. This cold was undoubtedly linked to the power of the Blade of Frost Flowers.
In the center of the spacious cellar, a long, elegant cloak hung quietly on a silver stand.
It was a dark blue cloak adorned with a white fur collar. It radiated a pale blue chill, turning the cellar into a frozen void of death to protect itself.
I approached.
Whiiiing!
The cold reacted as if recognizing its master, beginning to swirl around me in a rhythmic vortex.
Is it welcoming me?
As I touched the fabric, the cold emanating from it intensified. I lifted the cloak and draped it over my shoulders. It fit perfectly, settling with a heavy, reassuring weight.
"Whew."
I fastened the clasp and took a deep breath.
Cloak of the Radiant Wolf...
Slowly, the cold that had filled the cellar began to seep into the cloak, as if it had finally found its master and regained its stability.
[You have acquired the ultimate armor: Cloak of the Radiant Wolf!]
The Cloak of the Radiant Wolf was now mine.
Whoooooooo.
As the swirling frost finally subsided, only a soft, desolate light remained in the cellar. The lamps on the walls glowed with mana stones that drew energy from the ambient ice mana. Thanks to the extreme cold released by the Cloak of the Radiant Wolf, these lamps hadn't lost their light even after a thousand years.
Oh.
The texture of the cloak was incredibly smooth. Even though over a millennium had passed, the extreme cold had preserved the garment perfectly. I could only find faint traces of wear left by the Primordial Ice Sovereign.
I would have to test its performance to fully understand its capabilities, but it was clearly an exceptional piece of equipment. I could immediately sense the high density of unique ice mana contained within the fabric. It was, without a doubt, a peerless treasure.
"Eh?"
I noticed a small box placed next to the stand. It was so inconspicuous that I hadn't seen it until now. I picked it up.
The box was frozen solid, likely due to the cloak's influence, but I was able to restore it to its original state using a thawing spell. The ice encrusting the box dissolved into a pale blue powder and faded away.
I opened the lid.
A note?
A single piece of paper. That was all it contained.
I took the note out of the box. There were two sentences written in the language of this world.
"..."
I gasped, forgetting to breathe. For a moment, I stood perfectly still, my mind frozen.
The one who sealed the Evil God will be helping you.
But if you want to live, trust nothing.
What does this mean?
This was a cellar filled with deadly cold. The only person who could have left something here alongside the Cloak of the Radiant Wolf...
It must have been the Primordial Ice Sovereign herself.
Suddenly, the words from Dorothy’s book in the first timeline flashed through my mind.
—While the specifics are unclear, there is someone in the most direct form assisting you. You must ensure that this person is never discovered by the Evil God. But do not blindly trust her.
"..."
I forced myself to calm down. I tucked the note and the box close to my chest. Now was not the time for confusion.
I left the cellar and climbed the stairs, the iron door opening effortlessly at my touch. As I stepped outside, Richard and his courtiers bowed low to greet me.
Suddenly, Richard looked as though he were on the verge of shedding tears of joy, though they didn't quite fall.
"Your Majesty...! I am overwhelmed with admiration at your majestic appearance! To see you grasping the extreme cold and donning the Cloak of the Radiant Wolf...!"
Richard, who had previously seemed intent on finding ways to slack off, was now fawning over me obsequiously the moment he saw me wearing the cloak.
I had mixed feelings about his sudden change in attitude, so I simply gave him a polite smile.
"...Let’s go."
"Yes, of course."
I took off the cloak, placed it in a magic pouch for valuables, and began to walk.
"Let me ask you something."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"How did the Primordial Ice Sovereign die?"
The Primordial Elemental Kings only appeared as simple silhouettes in the game's cutscenes or lore collections. Their detailed appearances and the circumstances of their deaths were unknown.
"That... we do not know."
You don't know?
"According to the ancient records, she set off on a very long journey and never returned."
"A journey?"
"Yes. She even established the position of Grand Regent, instructing that if she ever left this world, she should be honored in a pre-built tomb... It seems she left knowing she would not return."
She left with her mind made up?
"It has been so long that even with the power of [Eternal Youth], no human lifespan could endure it. We are certain she passed away in some unknown land. We are still diligently searching for her remains."
"..."
The tomb of the Primordial Ice Sovereign, Veronica Aslius, sat like a shrine at the edge of the Imperial Palace. It was called a tomb, but Veronica’s remains were not actually there.
She knew in advance that she would embark on her final journey...
"Did the Primordial Ice Sovereign leave any last words?"
"I’m not sure if it counts as a final message, but she did say something before she departed. The meaning of her words is still widely debated and remains unclear."
"What did she say?"
Richard spoke in a solemn, heavy voice.
"'I will follow the star. To cast aside falsehoods.'"
"..."
"Those were her words. No one knows which star she followed or what she meant by the 'falsehoods' she sought to cast away. Do you have any idea, Your Majesty?"
I recalled the chant of the 9-star ice elemental magic [Cocytus] and the story Hilde had told me about her former master.
It seemed the Primordial Ice Sovereign hadn't formed attachments to anyone in this world. She had said that finding no meaning in her life—merely existing in this lonely world—was like being in hell.
In the end, had she set out on her journey alone?
"...Not at all."
I couldn't know exactly what the Primordial Ice Sovereign had been thinking or what she was pursuing. I didn't know what falsehoods she sought to cast away, nor why she had left me a message telling me to trust nothing if I wanted to live.
Or why she had left a message to eliminate her without hesitation.
The clues to that truth would be found in the Icy Lake.