Encounter at Storm Wall
-One hour until scheduled arrival at the North Sea coast. Dear passengers...
"Finally woke up, huh? You'll have a hard time sleeping once we get there."
The scenery outside the train had changed. As pristine white snow and ice blanketed the view, Kasla and Harun stared out the window in wide-eyed wonder, unable to look away.
"Don't worry. Sleep hits me the second I lie down anyway. When else am I gonna see something like this?"
Like children mesmerized by a snow-covered world, they pressed against the windows from inside the train.
"You'll get sick of it soon enough. Don't come whining that you wanna sleep then."
"...Why?"
"You heard it when I was talking to Juwan earlier, right? That lab's called the White Night Lab. It's a unique phenomenon only in the North Sea."
"Unique phenomenon?"
"The sun doesn't set even at night—it's bright all the time."
Only the seasoned Heila kept her eyes closed, resting as she spoke.
"The sun's up at night?"
"No way, that's ridiculous."
"Heila, you've gotten better at jokes. Sounds like something straight out of a fairy tale."
From one end of the continent to the other, the desert and the North Sea had almost no contact. To desert folk like them, it was nothing short of an absurd myth.
"...It's real?"
Kasla looked at Heila and asked.
"Yes. I've never seen it myself, but I've heard rumors from passing merchants."
"I always thought the North Sea was just a frozen wasteland... but it has miracles like that? Wild."
"Get used to it. The North Sea's shrouded in mystery like that."
Adel thought of the Academy students he'd soon deliver to the lab and let out a low sigh.
"Exactly. And if we're lucky, we might even catch the aurora."
Perhaps sensing the sinking mood, Heila spoke up first.
"What's that?"
"A curtain of light. They say seeing it boosts your divine power... but that's straight out of a storybook."
She shrugged.
[Not exactly. Auroras definitely existed in ancient times.]
At Kalderet's words, everyone turned to him.
[And it's no surprise you can't see them now. Auroras are the blessing of Kyransha, the high god of winter. With her gone from the North Sea, so is the aurora.]
"An aurora isn't just legend—it's a god's blessing? Incredible."
[Well, the real shock is that Adel has one of Kyransha's treasures.]
"It's cracked now, though."
"Huh? That's..."
"Yeah. The one from the Archipelago King's report."
Kasla and Harun gasped at the mention of the 【North Sea Ice Crystal】.
"D-Does that mean you could contract with Kyransha, Adel?"
"Nah. To contract with her, you'd need to ignite the heavenly stone embedded in this ice crystal. But my divine power isn't enough right now."
"Too bad."
"Eh, this treasure alone should seal a solid contract with the Ice Palace Lord. I'm not after the winter god anyway..."
As he spoke, Adel glanced at Kalderet.
"But I'm not giving up on her."
[Ahem...]
With Kalderet's awkward cough, Adel closed his eyes.
Juwan's fuss had already wasted too much time. He needed at least a little sleep.
He hated endless nights. Just as Kalderet recalled Kyransha, Adel thought of one person.
* * *
The North Sea.
The common term for the continent's northernmost edge—a place where glaciers churned instead of waves, and biting winds howled year-round.
It seemed an impossible land for life, yet people saw it as a land of opportunity.
Countless souls challenged settlement, only to fail, leaving it forsaken.
For centuries.
Until one adventurer succeeded where all had failed.
'She was Kyransha's contractor, the first Ice Palace Lord, Keyran.'
Kyransha's blessing blanketed the North Sea, turning its harshness into a forge for stronger humans.
Time passed, and the Ice Palace became one of the continent's mightiest powers.
'But that blessing—the aurora—vanished, and the Ice Palace Lord's treasure, the ice crystal, fell into the Archipelago King's hands.'
It meant the Ice Palace was in dire straits.
'What happened there again...'
Adel racked his brain, but nothing specific came up.
Not surprising. In his previous life, he'd still been in the desert, and North Sea news rarely reached there.
But one thing was certain.
"Layla. Who's the current Ice Palace Lord in the North Sea?"
"Krishan Samakal."
Adel nodded in confirmation.
'The first time I met the Ice Palace Lord, Karon had already decimated half the Nine Kingdoms' forces and seized the advantage.'
Years from now.
That Palace Lord would be Karin Samakal.
Krishan Samakal's eldest daughter.
'The North Sea's master is different.'
"..."
Thinking of Karin, Adel's body shivered unbidden.
Even he, hunter of countless gods, acknowledged her skill.
'She was the greatest of the twenty who tried to kill me. And...'
Adel shook his head, pushing away the memory.
"Hmm... A change of lord in a few years..."
He murmured low at her answer, nodding.
Unless Krishan had some unknown illness, one event loomed in the North Sea.
'Internal strife.'
But it felt off.
'She's the first heir. The Ice Palace would fall to her naturally. Why stir rebellion?'
Adel sensed some untold story awaited him in the North Sea.
Hiss—
The train spewed steam, slowing to a stop.
The view outside was now a blanket of pure white snow.
"Ah, Adel!!"
As the train halted, Juwan came running as expected.
Adel had warned him not to bother until arrival, yet he'd paced the corridors the whole time.
"Come visit the Ivory Tower sometime. The Magic Society mages will freak out."
"Pass. What would the old tower fogeys think? A desert brute swinging a sword, eyeing magic? They'd wanna kill me on sight."
"No way. They always said sword and magic can't coexist."
"Enough with the first verse. I've heard it a million times."
"It's not tiring! You broke that rule, Adel. Sword and magic harmony... that's the dream realm."
"...Sigh. Exactly."
"Huh?"
Adel lightly patted Juwan's head as he stared up.
"Juwan. You're a magic genius, but you don't know the world yet. Remember my words. We'll talk after the lab."
"Yes, got it!"
The Magic Society students disembarked, and their guide Juwan kept turning back to wave at Adel.
"Haa..."
"Sword and magic harmony? Blissfully naive. As if the higher-ups would sit idle while their rice bowls get snatched."
Kasla said, watching Juwan go.
"But if a kid like that takes over the Society, things might get fun."
"Yeah. As long as his heart doesn't sour by then."
[That kid's a genius, sure, but a greenhouse flower. Might be too harsh on him.]
'Maybe.'
[Different cause, but this could breed the same disappointment in his master as last life.]
'I gave him a chance. Overcoming it is on him now.'
Knowing the future didn't mean spilling every detail—it would only weaken the living.
[And if he loses his humanity?]
'Whatever happens, only two ways to deal with him. Ally or enemy.'
[...Simple.]
Kalderet said bitterly.
"Let's go."
Adel pulled his cloak tighter against the frigid North Sea wind and stepped forward.
* * *
Storm Wall, the North Sea coastal border city.
Encircled by thick ice walls, it was the gateway all had to pass to reach the Ice Palace capital, Winter Castle.
"You're cleared."
After disembarking, Adel flashed his desert seal at the station, just as before, and passed through the gate.
"Has any other desert tribesman like me come through here?"
"Not that I know. It's so remote, few come looking... I'd remember seeing desert folk."
"Got it."
Confirming Bin hadn't arrived yet, Adel nodded and entered the fortress.
"We need transport to Winter Castle. I'll scout for reindeer rentals."
Heila's breath puffed white with every word. Unused to the cold after a lifetime in the desert, she shivered lightly.
"Ugh... Guess we need more heat stones."
Kasla and Harun fared no better, faces tense against the unfamiliar chill.
"Yeah. Book us an inn on the way. Stay the night, head out tomorrow."
"Got it."
"Alright."
They scattered, leaving Adel alone. He scanned the surroundings, a strange nostalgia washing over him.
"Hm?"
Then it happened.
This remote border town, expecting no drama, buzzed with unusual commotion.
"Clear the way!"
A shout from the gates sent the sparse citizens scrambling aside.
'Ice Palace knight?'
The lead man's armor bore a sharp spear and crescent moon emblem on the shoulder.
Behind him, a massive monster corpse was hauled on a transport sled.
The lead knight cut an imposing figure, like the order's captain, but Adel eyed the giant man behind after noting the emblem.
"The Little Palace Lord hunted another monster."
"She's incredible."
"No wonder they're calling her the next Palace Lord."
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
Atop a saddled giant reindeer sat a girl in silver armor and a tiara clear as ice.
"Karin Samakal..."
Adel murmured her name unwittingly.
'She was the greatest of the twenty who tried to kill me. And...'
The memory from the train flashed again.
'The only one who warned me of the assassination plot.'
"Hey."
Their eyes met.
'Damn...'
Adel couldn't hide his fluster under her gaze from the reindeer.
'Didn't expect Karin Samakal here at this time...'
"New face. Traveler?"
Her voice rang clear as rolling glass beads through the fortress, drawing all eyes to Adel.
A truly unexpected encounter.
'She doesn't know my face. North Sea news lags behind the rest... Plus, she's been out hunting awhile.'
The sled bore a mammoth—A-rank beast with thick fur and massive tusks, far tougher than sea serpents of its class. No quick hunt.
"Y-Yeah."
"Then move. You dare block Karin Samakal's path? Wanna die?"
The lead knight snapped.
Sun-baked skin gleamed under his helmet, sharp eyes flashing.
[Oh? Listen to this punk. Adel, tell 'em. If that's the Palace Lord's daughter, this side's got an ancient god contractor.]
Grrr—
"Wh-What?"
The black wolf baring teeth startled the lead knight.
"Jeo. You move."
Crack!
Karin smacked the man's head from behind.
"Don't block the road. This is a public highway. We're the ones sorry for the monster holdup."
"S-Sorry!!"
Jeo retreated hastily.
"Sorry if he soured your mood. Big guy's just pumped from a successful hunt."
"It's fine."
Karin dismounted and approached Adel.
"Where from?"
"...The desert."
Adel hesitated.
She couldn't know him, yet facing her felt awkward.
-Adel, Karon's killing you tonight.
Her past-life image overlapped, and Adel closed his eyes.
A memory he didn't want—but had to face.