Chapter 49
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Ice Flower
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I-I had no idea there was a place like this in the underground of the mansion.
Wendy gaped in admiration.
As we descended the narrow staircase, a hall as vast as the central foyer appeared.
I had imagined something dark and musty since it was underground, but it was as bright as broad daylight.
Even more astonishing was the fact that there were no lamps anywhere.
Vanessa muttered upon seeing it.
This could it be a mana lamp?
Correct.
Unlike electric lamps that use electricity, mana lamps illuminate space using mana.
Unlike regular lamps that only light up the surroundings, mana lamps brighten the space itself, creating a far more natural feel.
However, despite these advantages, they werent widely used because they required a steady supply of mana.
That made Vanessas question quite apt.
It mustnt have been easy to light up a space this large Whos been supplying the mana on a regular basis?
An automatic mana device, perhaps.
It was Alberts voice that answered Vanessas question.
Grandfather, do you know what this is?
Among the inventions I made, there was something like that. Am I right, Count?
I silently nodded.
The automatic mana device Albert created worked on principles similar to the ancient magic known as Moon Magic.
Like Moon Magic, the automatic mana device absorbed ambient mana and supplied it steadily.
Albert looked around and spotted a large mana stone embedded in the wall.
That figures. There it is. This is the vessel that holds the mana.
Me too! I want to see!
The spot he pointed to was covered in densely inscribed spell formulas.
Vanessa hurried over to examine them.
It didnt take long for her face to turn serious.
This is insane Is this really possible? No, could spell formulas like this even exist? Even so, this is just
Indeed. This is the greatest masterpiece of this old mans life.
Albert, lost in brief reminiscence, soon caressed the formulas with a bitter expression.
Its a truly convenient formula. With a suitable medium, its possibilities are endless and can be applied anywhere.
Totally agree. This formula is a revolution. Ahh, its been a while since the craftsmans blood has boiled! Grandpas always called a relic, but hes a real genius!
Vanessa kept exclaiming in awe as she inspected the formulas on the wall.
Albert watched her with a complicated expression. Then he asked me.
I couldnt understand why you suddenly wanted to show us the treasure vault Was it to show me this?
In effect, yes. But no. This isnt what I wanted to show you.
Then?
Just as Albert opened his mouth, Vanessa cut in.
Grandfather! But why didnt you ever mention it? You made something this amazing.
Youll see why.
Huh?
I answered Vanessa instead of Albert.
And it was also the answer to Alberts question.
I left them with their question marks hanging and approached the door of the treasure vault.
As I drew near, the mana stone in front of the massive door floated gently into the air.
This treasure vault is designed so you can retrieve the desired item at once.
The spell formula on the mana stone shifted.
Soon, it transformed into a familiar language for me, along with a number pad, appearing on the mana stone.
There are a total of 3205 treasures in storage.
Please enter the number of the treasure you seek.
Probably, inputting a number would open the location of the corresponding treasure.
I slowly pressed the number pad.
0000
The mana stone trembled faintly for a moment.
Then it spat out new text.
Access to this treasure requires identity verification.
I drew a pre-prepared knife from my pocket.
Without hesitation, I slashed the back of my hand.
C-Count?!
Wendy screamed.
Blood trickled down my wrist.
I let it drip onto the mana stone.
The text seemed stained with blood at first, then absorbed it.
As it did, the letters grew sharper and more defined.
Soon, a new message appeared on the mana stone.
User Tristan Ruelverta verified. Identity confirmation complete.
Opening 0000.
At the same time, the massive sealed door slowly began to open.
Albert, Vanessa, and Wendy all looked up at it.
Though the huge door was opening, not a sound could be heard.
It simply parted at a steady pace, as if unveiling a solemn space.
That was why my voice reached them clearly.
Look closely.
This was the most secret place where Tristan had hidden something away.
A space that had never appeared in the original story now revealed itself before us.
Vanessa was the first to speak amid the sight.
What? Its not a warehouse?
As she said, it was no place you could call a warehouse.
Filling our view was pure white snow.
A chilling landscape, as if winter itself had been captured here.
A breeze blew from within.
Snowflakes drifted toward us.
A snowflake landed on Wendys nose as she stared blankly at the scene.
When she picked it up with her fingers, its true nature was revealed.
A petal?
This is
An ice flower.
Albert muttered as he examined the petal in his hand. Even he looked incredulous after saying it.
Vanessa flinched and asked.
Ice flower? The one from the fairy tale? That actually exists?
Yes. The ice flower was real. This old man only saw it once, in my youth.
Albert couldnt tear his eyes from the translucent petal.
Id heard it couldnt be found anywhere anymore To think some still remained here
Just as Albert moved closer to the blooming ice flowers for a better look,
I grabbed his shoulder.
Dont step foot in there.
What?
They might wake.
What do you?
Albert stared at me, uncomprehending.
The breeze rustled the ice flowers.
As the petals parted slowly, what lay within came into view.
?!
Everyone had to swallow hard.
At first, it looked like people standing there.
But it was glass tubes as transparent as the ice flowers themselves.
Three glass tubes stood amid the flowers.
Inside them, three women slept with eyes closed.
And Wendy realized the clothes they wore were almost identical to her own.
Maids?
Once known as the Annihilation Maids, they had protected Millium Ruelverta.
Though time had passed, they slumbered here in the exact forms Id seen in Tristans memories.
The difference was that their bodies, brutalized by assassins, were now whole, and their expressions peaceful, as if merely asleep.
Is this their tomb?
I couldnt answer Vanessas question.
Truthfully, I couldnt say for sure if this was a tomb or not.
After Milliums death, Tristan had secretly sealed them here.
I didnt know why.
Tristan never retrieved them afterward and never returned here.
From Tristans memories, though, perhaps this place was a space of remembrance and penance for him.
This cant be
Grandfather?
At the anguished voice, Vanessa turned to see Albert standing there like a man whose soul had fled.
I remember these formulas
Albert stared at the formulas on the maids chests.
The last formulas I made before I quit. They compensated for the flaws of the automatic mana device, making it usable indefinitely But to use this on people.
Albert sank to his knees right there.
He clutched his face and wailed.
This! This is the work of devils! Millium! You went and did even this! What the hell are humans to you?!
Grandfather.
Look, Vanessa! This is the end result of the device I made!
W-what are you talking about.
To the bewildered Vanessa, Albert revealed the truth.
Dont you remember? I said earlier that the automatic mana device needs a medium.
Oh? Yeah, you did.
To serve as a medium, it must be able to hold mana. Thats why we use mana stones that can circulate it. But mana stones are expensive, and their capacity is limited. So he used a better medium.
A better medium?
Albert thumped his chest in frustration.
Still dont get it? Theres another medium that can hold vast amounts of mana and even generate it on its own, isnt there?
You dont mean?!
Vanessas face drained of color as the horrifying possibility dawned on her.
Yes! That devil of a man used humans as the medium.