Volume 3, Chapter 35 – The Curtain Rises on Despair

The wide cave was almost devoid of light. The cold, damp smell mixed with the stench of beasts made one frown repeatedly. Coupled with the faint roars coming from within, it gave the feeling that once you stepped inside, you could never return.

This was a place of death.

Clementine held a torch and stood outside the cave, cautiously peering in.

“There’s a monster inside.”

The low beastly roars were proof enough. To figure out what kind of monster lived inside, Clementine crouched down, grabbed a handful of dirt, and sniffed it.

“There’s no smell of blood. Is it an inorganic monster living inside?”

Inorganic monsters usually referred to creatures like Stone Golems and Ice Fairies, which didn’t need to eat and could survive just by absorbing magical energy. Their characteristic was that they weren’t very intelligent, but their physical and magical resistance was astonishing.

Clementine fell into deep thought. Perhaps his group should mark this place and report back to Count Hermion. Rushing into the cave was an extremely unwise move. If an inorganic monster lived inside, the fact that it could reside in such an obvious and spacious cave was enough to prove that the monster within was of an extremely high level. With the people he had brought, they might all be wiped out.

As if sensing Clementine’s hesitation, a member of the Flame Conquerors stepped forward.

“Guild Leader, should we retreat? A cave this big must house a monster at least at the level of a Giant Ogre.”

“No… Our purpose for this trip is to investigate the Flame Giant. If there were the smell of blood in the dirt, I might have retreated. That would mean an ordinary monster lives inside, and even if we went in, we wouldn’t get any clues about the Flame Giant. But the problem is, there’s no smell of blood. If I don’t go in and investigate, this place will keep nagging at me.”

As he spoke, Clementine took the fiery red greatsword from his back.

“Besides, if that Blue Sea group finds this place and discovers a clue, I won’t just be regretting it afterward. I’m going to take a look. Two people who can run fast, follow me.”

“Please be careful.”

After relaying Clementine’s words, two warriors with longswords and shields immediately stepped out from the team.

Yisi followed them up.

“Hey, Clementine, you’re not planning on leaving me out, are you?”

“Uh… Miss Yisi, I have no intention of hogging the clue. It’s just that this trip is too dangerous. Hmm—how about this? Even if we find traces of the Flame Giant inside, we’ll still give you thirty percent of the bounty we get from the Count. That’s the proportion we agreed on beforehand.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Although she had tied up the Swamp Python in the cave, it was still a level 32 monster. The reason she suggested following was because she was worried about Clementine and the other two adventurers.

To convince Clementine, Yisi extended her hand into the cave.

“[Light].”

The cave, which had only been flickering with torchlight, was instantly filled with a golden glow. The dazzling light turned the darkness into day.

“Now you know what I mean, right, Clementine? It’s better to have a magic caster for illumination than to rely on torches.”

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“This light… Alright, please come in with us, Miss Yisi. But I must emphasize one thing: if we encounter danger, please don’t worry about us and turn back immediately.”

“Mm.”

After reaching an agreement with Clementine, the four of them walked into the cave. Out of habit, Yisi activated her Omniscient Map to check the nearby situation.

—And she made an unexpected discovery.

About two kilometers away from the Flame Conquerors, the Blue Sea adventurers were being chased by a large patch of red dots. Among them were flying monsters and a large number of monsters that only lived in the snow. There was even a powerful being called a Nightmare Winged Fish, whose level exceeded the level 30 danger line she had set yesterday.

I’m sure I cleared out all the monsters above level 30 nearby yesterday.

But for now, they’re no threat to us. The Blue Sea group brought this on themselves.

If they hadn’t rashly ventured into a dangerous area, it would be impossible for ordinary people to attract so many monsters. Plus, with that Nightmare Winged Fish that was over level 30, they probably used a magical item like ‘Demon Scent’ to attract monsters, but lost control and ended up burning themselves.

The only other thing to note was the unusual activity on the outskirts of Antonio City. A large number of dense light spots had appeared in what should have been a forest. Among them were The Fallen from the Empire and many lower-ranking demons from the demon race.

Although there was a considerable distance between the two groups, considering the timing of their appearance, it was likely a premeditated joint operation.

“First, the Empire’s Fallen in Celtic City, and now Antonio City? If their goal is to capture Antonio City, it would be impossible to defend it with the current forces without using the Tower of Hermion.”

Of course, this wasn’t something she needed to meddle in. Count Hermion, who had control of the Tower of Hermion, had his own considerations.

Closing the Omniscient Map, Yisi focused on the path at her feet. Although there was only one path in the cave, if she wasn’t careful on the uneven and slippery ground, she could easily fall.

The sound of footsteps and dripping water echoed in the cave. Clementine and the other two adventurers moved forward cautiously with solemn expressions. Their cautious movements, sticking close to the wall, made Yisi, who was walking with a swagger, feel a little awkward.

“Ahem, Clementine, why did you want to become an adventurer?”

“Shh—” Clementine stopped and made a hushing gesture to Yisi. “Miss Yisi, please be quiet.”

“Ah.”

Maybe I should have just left the Swamp Python out in the snow.

To Yisi’s surprise, although Clementine had told her to be quiet, he then took the initiative to answer her question.

“At first, it was to get stronger. Now, it’s for money. The former guild leader and the others all had their own families. After they were gone, it was naturally up to us to look after their children and parents. After this job is done, the bounty from the Count will be enough for our seniors’ families to live on for five years. I can also take this opportunity to go out and see the wider world. Only after I’ve gotten strong enough can I completely eradicate the Swamp Python and Blue Sea.”

It seems Clementine is self-aware. He knows he can’t defeat the Swamp Python at his current growth rate.

“HUUUUUUU—”

The low roars grew louder and louder, to the point where they could no longer be ignored. Clementine, who was at the front, stopped and signaled for the others not to make any rash moves.

“I’ll go in first.”

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Dragging his fiery red greatsword, Clementine disappeared around the corner of the cave.

◇

Even in early spring, the Hermion Snowy Mountains were exceptionally cold. Withered branches and the white earth were the only two colors in the world. The cold wind, mixed with snow pellets, slapped against people’s faces, and even the sunlight could not bring warmth.

Cupping her hands to her mouth and constantly breathing on them, Camilla looked up and surveyed the land from the top of the snowy mountain. It wasn’t that she hadn’t been to such a snowy mountain before; in fact, many places in the Pescia domain were covered in ice and snow, and the places where Camilla trained were often snowy fields. But this was the first time she had been able to stop and appreciate the scenery without worrying about orders.

The quiet, pure, white world that seemed to be able to purify everything was captivating. If there was a wooden cabin nearby where she could build a fire, she would probably love to live there. Of course, the prerequisite was that her sister—Yisi—was also there, the two of them sitting by the window, holding hot tea and enjoying the snow scene.

“It’s just too cold…”

Rubbing her hands together, Camilla once again breathed white air into her hands. If she stayed in this environment for a long time, her ears would definitely get frostbitten.

—That wouldn’t be pretty.

Thinking of this, Camilla looked around. The adventurers of the Flame Conquerors were orderly guarding the periphery of the cave, while her group was within the protected circle.

Since there’s no danger right now, I’ll find a place to hide from the cold wind.

With this thought, Camilla bent her knees and squatted at the entrance of the snow-free cave, covering her ears with her hands—that way, her ears wouldn’t get frostbitten.

The white mist from her breath slowly rose before her eyes.

Hmm, this is also the first time I’ve been able to quietly squat down and watch the white air I exhale. Things she had never experienced before were appearing one after another, and all of it felt new and fresh to Camilla. If it weren’t for her sister, she would definitely still be in that world without warmth.

The lighthearted mood made Camilla hum a tune she had heard somewhere. Then, a pair of steaming hands suddenly pressed against Camilla’s cheeks from both sides.

Camilla subconsciously turned her head.

It was Mary, dressed in thick winter clothes, and Tiffany, wearing only a priestess’s robe. Mary was holding Tiffany’s small, tender hands and pressing them against her own face.

Seemingly noticing Camilla’s confusion, Mary peeked out from behind Tiffany. Her pointed elven ears, combined with her chestnut-colored hair and cute features, gave her an innocent and energetic impression.

“Hehe, I saw that you looked cold, Miss Camilla, so I called Tiffany over. What do you think? Tiffany is warm, isn’t she?”

Although she really wanted to deny it, she surprisingly found herself unable to. Camilla pouted.

“It’s alright.”

“Tsundere.”

Tiffany said in a toneless voice that would have made Yisi spit out her water. Unfortunately, Camilla didn’t understand this foreign word and just took it as a compliment from Tiffany.

“Say whatever you want.”

Camilla let out a small sigh and then stood up. Squatting on the ground was not a ladylike posture, and Camilla didn’t want to be seen by others.

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“Miss Camilla is clearly cold, but she’s unwilling to say it. Ah, is this what they call an adult’s composure?”

Looking at Mary’s eyes, which were filled with a mixture of envy and admiration, Camilla had only one thought—this girl is definitely a fool.

“It’s tsundere.”

Tiffany emphasized again, but Camilla and Mary, who didn’t understand, both ignored her.

“It’s just not time to say it yet.”

“If you told Master, she would definitely go poof and make something that would warm you up, Miss Camilla.”

“That would cause trouble for Onee-sama. With her abilities, she could have moved freely across the continent. The fact that she’s willing to take us with her is already something we should be grateful for. How can we ask for more?”

“I-I’m sorry…” Mary first lowered her head to apologize, then hesitated and said, “But I think Master really likes having us with her. She always looks like she’s thinking about something, and her expression is usually cold, but whenever she talks to you, Miss Camilla, she has a smile on her face. If she didn’t like you, she definitely wouldn’t smile.”

“You say nice things sometimes.”

Camilla patted Mary on her chestnut-haired head. This affectionate gesture, which she had never shown before, made Mary feel overwhelmed with favor. With every pat, Mary’s shoulders would jump, and she would become restless.

“Bullying.”

Tiffany bravely stepped between Mary and Camilla and, like a mother hen protecting her chick, spread her arms to shield Mary behind her.

Camilla pouted.

“Tch, just a mere slime.”

“I’ll tell.”

“You should learn the human language completely before you talk about telling on people. Even if you told Onee-sama now, she wouldn’t understand. Besides, even if Onee-sama did understand, she would just take my side. Also, Mary, when are you going to take off those bandages?”

The last sentence was directed at Mary. Mary had been wearing bandages over her red left eye all this time. Camilla hadn’t thought much of it before, but today, seeing that Mary had said her sister liked her, she decided to show a little concern.

“I’m sorry…”

Apologizing again, Mary lowered her head as if in shame.

Using her height advantage, Camilla’s hand went over Tiffany and forcefully straightened Mary’s head.

“Why are you apologizing? It’s not like there are no people with different colored eyes on the continent.”

“When I accidentally use my ability… they call me a monster…”

“Those people are those people, and we are us. Forget it. For what you said just now, if anyone dares to call you a monster in the future, I’ll make them disappear from the world. Hmm, this is to protect Onee-sama’s property.”

“Huh? D-Disappear? Isn’t that a bit much…”

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“Agree.”

This time, Tiffany no longer stood on Mary’s side, but turned around and made Mary nod with a serious expression.

Under the coercion of the two, Mary reluctantly agreed.

“O-Okay…”

“Mm, good girl.”

Like an adult, even though she was shorter than Mary, Tiffany reached out and patted Mary’s chestnut-colored hair in satisfaction. Then, like a startled kitten, Tiffany’s movements suddenly stopped. She frowned and looked towards the south, to her left.

Noticing Tiffany’s unusual behavior, Camilla asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“Monsters.”

“Monsters?”

“Many.”

“Tsk.”

As a monster, Tiffany’s senses were sharper than a human’s. Camilla didn’t hesitate for a moment and ran straight into the cave.

“Mary, get the Flame Conquerors ready for battle! I’m going to get Onee-sama!”

“Okay!”

Just as Camilla ran into the cave, the Flame Conquerors also noticed something unusual—the ground began to tremble. Black dots appeared one after another on the snow-covered peaks in the distance. Then, the black dots gradually connected, forming a cone-shaped mass that rushed madly towards the Flame Conquerors.

“What is that?!”

One of the Flame Conquerors’ mouths fell open.

“From the flag, it looks like the Blue Sea group, but didn’t those bastards send out more than thirty people this time? From the looks of it, they only have a few stragglers left, and there are monsters behind them.”

WUUUUU—WUUUUU—

Like the blowing of a long horn, or the call of a whale, a long, drawn-out sound echoed through the valley. If the Flame Conquerors hadn’t already reached the flat ground in the mountains, an avalanche alone would have been enough to put the team in peril.

Everyone’s gaze turned to the end of the snowy peak. When a monster larger than an Earth Dragon, with the wings of a bird and the body of a whale, appeared in the sky, blocking out the entire sun and casting a shadow over the land, everyone swallowed involuntarily, and their voices began to tremble.

There was even a hint of despair.

“Nightmare… Winged Fish.”