Chapter 126: The First Main Event
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 126: The First Main Event
“This should be enough to keep us from freezing to death.”
After several days of work, Thorvar had finished preparing the room, making it possible for me to sleep in the same space as Azyeth without being exposed to the biting cold.
First, he’d wrapped the walls and floor with insulation, then installed thermostatic stones in every corner that would emit heat whenever they detected a chill. On top of that, he’d even crafted a special sleeping bag.
Only then was it possible to block out the cold. It wasn’t perfect, of course. A faint chill still seeped in, much like what you’d feel sleeping in a tent with a sleeping bag in the dead of winter.
“Thank you. I think I’ll be able to sleep now.”
“Do you really want to sleep with her that badly?”
“What a silly question.”
A sentimental late-night chat in the same room is the best way to raise intimacy levels.
“But why are you looking at me like that?”
“To think that someone like her is a slave to a guy like you. There is no god in this world.”
Hey, that hurts. I’m incredibly dedicated to my slaves. Whatever you say, I’m the one who saved your daughter’s life.
As if realizing this a moment too late, Thorvar awkwardly changed the subject.
“More importantly, she can’t live like this forever. It’s impossible for her to lead a normal life.”
“That’s true.”
“So, I’ve been thinking about something…”
My ears perked up.
If Thorvar was making a suggestion for Azyeth at this point in time, I knew it could only be one thing.
“I was thinking of making a magic tool to control her cold aura. What do you think?”
I knew it.
This was it: the crafting of the magic tool, the first main event in Azyeth’s liberation quest.
It was an event that triggered after raising the affinity of Thorvar, who specialized in making accessories. Missing this opportunity would mean giving up on Azyeth’s complete liberation.
However, there was a condition, and I couldn’t be the one to bring it up first. I feigned ignorance and said, “Of course, I’d welcome it. If you had something like that in mind, why didn’t you make it sooner?”
“You insolent brat. I was just wondering if there was a way when it suddenly came to me. Besides, I can’t make it right away. I’m missing a crucial material.”
“What material is that?”
“Lazurite. It’s a jewel that holds the cold of the frozen tundra.”
Lazurite, the jewel that holds the cold of the frozen tundra. Just like the saying ‘fight fire with fire,’ an accessory crafted with Lazurite could suppress Azyeth’s cold aura.
If we had that, we wouldn’t have to put on this whole show just to stay warm.
“However, it is an extremely rare jewel. Its whereabouts are a mystery, making it impossible to find.”
In the original story, you had to ask around and track down the jewel, but I didn’t need to do that. I already knew where the Lazurite was.
“Lazurite… I think I’ve heard of it. I believe the Northguard of Eisengar have some.”
“How do you know that in such detail?”
“I’m a merchant. To survive in this business, you have to come equipped with this level of information.”
Thorvar gave me a look of disbelief, but it didn’t last long. Since he had no information on Lazurite himself, he had no choice but to trust me.
“Then this will be quick. Go to Eisengar and bring back the Lazurite. Then I’ll see what I can do to control the princess’s cold.”
“Sounds good.”
“When will you leave?”
“Right away.”
Was there any reason to hesitate?
The sooner, the better.
“I don’t recommend you two go alone. The northerners, especially the Northguard, are fierce by nature and hostile to outsiders. You’d be better off taking a dwarf with you. They’ll be quite reassuring.”
“As it happens, I was thinking the same thing.”
Azyeth alone was more than enough in terms of raw power, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a dependable ally on our side.
In the game, I’d gone with one Meister and a few of his dwarf subordinates. I could take Roxar, since I’d won the drinking contest just yesterday, but it felt like a waste to use my wish now.
“I don’t have anyone suitable to take…”
“Me! I’ll go with you!”
Perka, who must have been eavesdropping, rushed forward excitedly.
“Everyone else is busy, aren’t they? So I’ll volunteer! I can provide perfect support for you and my sister, Karami!”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Perka. Who do you think you are to go to a place like that?”
“What’s wrong with it? I can take care of myself, can’t I?”
“Do you want to show the northerners the shame of the dwarves? Stop talking nonsense and just stay home and guard the house. I’ll find someone suitable to go.”
Thorvar dismissed Perka without a second thought. She scowled, her clenched fists trembling.
“You’re always like this, Father! Whenever I try to do anything, you tell me to just stay home! You won’t let me do anything! I’m a person, not one of the accessories you made!”
“How dare you raise your voice to me…!”
Her eyes narrowed fiercely. Perka shoved Thorvar aside and stormed off. The door slammed shut with a bang as she fled the house.
“Hah, who on earth does she take after?”
Watching her leave, Thorvar sighed in frustration and shook his head. Azyeth, unused to such raised voices, tilted her head as she looked at me.
“It’s what you call a normal father-daughter relationship.”
Of course, their family was a bit unusual. I knew the full story, but for now, Azyeth was the priority.
Besides, Perka was no longer my slave, so I had no particular reason to solve her problems.
They’d figure it out on their own.
A few days later, Thorvar introduced the person who would accompany us to Eisengar.
“Hey, twig! I hear you’re going to Eisengar again?”
It was Hargran, the Berserker’s Hammer.
This guy again.
“Of all the people, why is it you again?”
“It’s a job involving those Northguard bastards, right? Then there’s no one more suitable than me. I know those guys very well.”
Why are these dwarves so long-winded?
The same guy who said he’d rather die than go find Azyeth was now volunteering to go. The reason was obvious.
Hargran’s gaze shifted to Azyeth. As if he were her knight, he knelt and bowed respectfully.
“Princess. You can trust me. I, Hargran, will not let anyone lay a single finger on you.”
With that, Hargran tried to kiss the back of Azyeth’s hand. But as his hand gently reached for hers, it instantly froze over with a crackle.
“Whoa!”
Hargran snatched his hand back in surprise.
He rubbed his hands together vigorously, generating heat to melt the ice.
“Ha, hahaha… Princess, your hands are quite cold.”
What a joke.
And who was protecting whom?
She was probably several times stronger than him.
Still, to be honest, Hargran was the optimal choice. It wouldn’t hurt to have a boisterous person on our side.
Unreasonable people like him were a headache on the opposing team, but they were reassuring allies.
And so, with Hargran and a small group of dwarves, we set off for Eisengar.
*
Our destination was Eisengar.
Specifically, a canyon called Lake Fortress, where the Northguard had made their home.
The North was teeming with hordes of vicious demonic beasts, which was why they had settled in the canyon, also known as a natural fortress.
We were currently crossing the snowfields on frost wolves—magical beasts that were a mix of wolf and horse—with our luggage loaded onto sleds.
I had ridden one briefly when I went to find Azyeth. An ordinary horse would have been swept away by the unnatural blizzard, unable to move forward, but the frost wolves were magical beasts.
Possessing mana, their power was on a completely different level from that of ordinary horses.
Of course, last time, the frost wolves had gotten scared as we neared the dragon’s lair and we had to walk the rest of the way, but that wasn’t the case this time.
There was no need to dismount. This made our travel much faster, but the problem, unsurprisingly, was that it was fucking cold.
Racing against the blizzard meant a wind several times colder slammed into my entire body.
“Ugh…”
“Whining again?” Hargran chided.
Whining? At this rate, I was going to become a human popsicle before we even arrived.
Just like when I went to get Azyeth, I was bundled up like a bear, but it was still insanely cold.
The dwarves, who naturally generated body heat, were fine with just one thick layer of clothing. Azyeth, being the embodiment of cold itself, was unfazed despite wearing a shorts-dress that left her legs exposed.
I was the only one shivering in the brutal cold. I clutched a thermostatic stone tightly in my hands, but it didn't do much.
Azyeth tilted her head as she looked at me.
“Cold…?”
“Ha, haha… The wind makes it a little chilly. Ah, it’s definitely not because of you, Azyeth, so you don’t have to blame yourself.”
“The wind…”
Azyeth gazed up at the sky.
For a moment, she watched her pale blue hair whip violently in the cutting wind.
Then, her hand rose gently.
As slowly as winter holding its breath in the silence.
The white snowfield seemed to stop breathing, following her elegant gesture.
Crack, crackle, crackle.
Transparent ice walls rose up on either side of us.
The blizzard screamed as it was pushed outside the walls.
“What is this?!”
The rising ice walls joined together, forming an arch over our heads. An ice tunnel, seemingly sculpted by the breath of winter itself, had been created.
Outside the tunnel, the fierce wind still raged.
It was nothing short of a battlefield of biting snowflakes.
But within the ice walls, there was only stillness.
The inside of the tunnel was eerily silent.
“What… what in the world is this…”
The bewildered dwarves looked around before their eyes landed on Azyeth. Having just constructed a massive ice tunnel in the middle of the snowfield, she remained expressionless.
“The wind… is gone now,” Azyeth stated nonchalantly.
Wow~ I can’t believe Azyeth made an ice tunnel just for me.
A wave of emotion washed over me.
This makes being a master worthwhile.
This is why you raise slaves.
*
Back at the house Karami and Azyeth had left.
From the moment they departed, Perka had also locked herself in her room and refused to come out.
She must have been very upset, because this protest was a long one.
But no matter how displeased he was, what kind of father would let his daughter starve? Thorvar knocked on Perka’s door.
“Come out and eat. How long are you going to stay cooped up in there like a fool?”
“…”
“Perka.”
No response.
She was the type who never skipped a meal, no matter what.
Suddenly, an ominous thought flashed through Thorvar’s mind.
“I’m coming in.”
With a slight exertion of force, the lock broke and the door swung open easily.
Perka was not in the room.
There was only a mess, as if she had packed her things in a hurry.
And on the desk lay a single sheet of paper.
-Be back.
Thorvar clutched the back of his neck.