< 136. Come, Spring (1) >
#136
“Welcome to Lodolan.”
Karaka, with a creepy smile on his face, entered the fortress. The group, looking at each other’s faces in turn, followed him into the room.
thud. The moment I closed the door, the warmth mixed with the sea breeze disappeared without leaving a trace. Every time I exhaled, pure white steam dissipated. Ronan cursed as the chill bit his skin.
“f*ck, I thought things got better.”
“You will feel better if you wear this.”
The cabinet next to the door was filled with coats worn by guards and interrogators. Karaka, who was searching through the cabinet, looked back at Asher and said.
“Hmm, I’m not sure if there are clothes that fit your physique.”
“Ah, ah, no lady…!”
Asher gritted his teeth and protested. Luckily she was able to find clothes that fit. Four people wearing fur hats and gloves took steps again.
“There are less people inside than I thought.”
“Because access is controlled and we can’t stand it. On average, I spent about three times as much time warming up as I did facing the witch. It would be a little better if you had prepared a separate defense plan, but it looks like you don’t have anything like that.”
“I see…damn, but isn’t this too thick?”
Ronan, who was going down the stairs, muttered angrily. Her clothes were so thick that it was difficult to see beneath her feet.
“I guarantee you that after a while you will think that even that is too thin. “Close your collar tightly.”
Karaka said with confidence. It seemed like the Winter Witch was amazing. He said that many changes have occurred since the witch was sent to Rodolan.
“It’s a bit annoying to have to make sure the prisoners don’t freeze to death, but it’s still not that bad. “A lot of new torture…no, interrogation methods have been created.”
“Which one is it?”
“It’s simple. They just strip them of all their clothes and throw them into a prison cell near the witch. “After just a few repetitions, even the most steadfast prisoner will break down in body and mind.”
Karaka described in detail what it felt like to cut frozen fingers and toes with scissors. Also the story of a prisoner who had his tongue stuck to the floor and had to be cut out.
“We call it ‘frozen.’ Haha, isn’t it fun?”
Karaka shook her shoulders and chuckled. So no one laughed. Only Ronan, who was now used to it, responded in a grave voice.
“How about we warm up the top and just take off the pants and throw them on? “Even if my leg breaks, I can still hear the answer.”
“Oh…you seem to have a talent for being an interrogator. “Didn’t I tell you this before?”
Erzebet and Asher looked at the two people as if they were devils from hell. They entered deep into Lodolan, listening to the screams of the prisoners.
As I went down the stairs, I felt the temperature drop rapidly. People with pale lips passed by them.
“Damn it…! “Go quickly!”
“It’s impossible to destroy that… Cursed, cursed witch…!”
As Karaka said, people were leaving to warm up. Footsteps echoed incessantly. After walking for about thirty minutes, they stopped in front of a huge gate.
“Now we are there. This is the deepest place in Rodolan, the Abyss Giudecca.”
It seemed as if it had reached the roots of the reef. Perhaps because it was under the sea outside, my ears were deaf. The all-black door seemed to block the entry of shapeless ghosts.
“Rodolan’s three-year budget was used to build this door. If you look at the corner over there, the names of the artisans who worked hard to keep the empire safe are engraved.”
Karaka, who was giving some minor information, put the key in the door hole. Rumbling…! The door opened with a sound like vomiting thunder. A chill that I had never experienced before hit the four of us.
“Hey!”
“This much…”
Asher screamed. Erzsebet’s face, which had maintained its composure, distorted for the first time. Ronan gasped as he pressed his fur hat harder on her.
“Damn it…!”
“Heh, heh. Isn’t it huge? Thanks to this, all the violent criminals imprisoned in the Giudecca had to be moved upstairs.”
Ronan gritted his teeth. As Karaka said, the coat has lost its meaning. It felt like the cold turned into a knife, tearing my skin and tearing through my internal organs.
It was a cold level similar to the one I felt when catching a witch in my past life. The group moved forward along the long hallway. A halo of blue light was flickering in front.
The rumbling sound was coming from there. Eventually, an open space appeared. The group’s eyes widened.
“here···.”
It wasn’t as wide as I thought. About fifteen people were gathered in groups of threes and threes and were milling around.
Most of them seemed very used to coming here. It was impressive that each person had prepared their own defenses to withstand the murderous cold a little longer.
“Damn, if I had known it would be like this, I would have brought something too…”
There was a woman holding a magic tool that produced heat, and an old man wearing the skin of an animal he had never seen before. They were looking at Ronan and the others, who were only wearing thick clothes, as if they were strange animals. Karaka said, extending his index finger and pointing to the back of the people.
“That’s the lady in question.”
A huge pillar of ice stood in the middle of Juteca. A bluish glow was seeping from the surface of the ice.
Although it had color, it was basically transparent, allowing the inside to be seen clearly. A wide-eyed Erzébet muttered as she touched the scar on her neck.
“Ibelin…”
Evelyn Droza, the Witch of Winter, was curled up like a fetus inside. She was an ordinary girl, a bit thin. I couldn’t see her face because she had her face buried in her knees.
The hair that had been floating in the air had hardened and turned white. A far cry from Iril’s beautiful white hair, it was an eerie white color, like dead coral.
“Damn it… it’s so cold, hurry up and get it over with!”
At that time, a knight wearing splendid armor and a man who appeared to be his squire walked out from among the gathered people. In the hand of the knight, as huge as a bear, was a battle hammer so ferocious that it could have been considered a streetlight. He shouted, looking around at the people around him.
“I am Baron Bunta, a knight of the Kingdom of Hmatu! “I will save the fallen empire by breaking the evil witch’s shell!”
It was a grandiose shout, as if threatening. The servant next to her clenched her fists and shouted.
“You can do it, Bunta! “You will become a hero who saves the empire!”
“Of course, haaaaap!”
The knight called Bunta raised his arms above his head. The hammer fell in a huge arc and hit the ice.
Kwaaaaang! A loud noise rang out and the hammer head exploded. Bunta, her face as hot as lava, fell down and hit her on the butt.
“Kwaaagh! “Hands, my hands…!”
The armor made of metal shattered. The hammer, with only a stick remaining, fell to the floor. There wasn’t even the slightest scratch on the ice that surrounded her witch. Bunta, who was trying to lift her body, let out a scream.
“Huh! So, my hand is stuck to the floor…!”
“Joe, just be patient! “I’ll take it off!”
The servant hurriedly ran towards me, but his hand did not move away. Bunta was eventually able to regain his freedom only after he sacrificed part of his palm skin to Lodolan. He fled through Juteca, hiding his hands, which had frozen and turned into gloves.
“It’s not a good country to call it Hmatu or anything. “A guy like that is a baron.”
Ronan laughed as if he was shocked. Seeing handprints like that left on the floor, it seemed like this wasn’t the first time an idiot like Bunta had been involved. Karaka, looking at his back, let out her sigh.
“These days, most people are idiots like that. “Wanting to be a hero.”
“Can I just go and try it?”
“Waiting for your turn comes first. “Everyone here has come to break out of their shell.”
Karaka looked around at the people and said. As expected, before the sound of Bunta’s sobbing disappeared, another person came out and stood in front of the ice.
The middle-aged woman was wearing a robe with the symbol of the Manwol Magic Tower engraved on it. She said in her hushed voice.
“This is Mage Urslo from the Full Moon Magic Tower. let’s begin.”
It seemed like it was customary to reveal one’s name and affiliation. A low chant flowed from her woman’s mouth. Ugh…! Nine huge magic circles were created surrounding the witch, and nine huge rock pillars were shot out as if they were rising.
Kwaaaaang! A sound about nine times louder than Bunta’s hammer rang out, but the ice pillar that was revealed as the dust settled was still intact. Pursing her lips, she turned her back.
“Excuse me.”
“It’s better that way.”
It wasn’t bad to see him calmly accepting failure. Even after Bunta and Uslo, attempts continued. People tried to break the ice in their own way, and they all failed.
Among the challengers, there were especially many wizards, and some of the magic they used was good even for Ronan, who was an outsider. Every time that happened, Asher and Erzebet’s eyes lit up and they appreciated the magic.
“You can’t believe I drew the mana circuit that way…! As expected, many outstanding talents are coming.”
“Yes. “I think it can be applied to other places as well.”
I couldn’t understand what was being said, but it certainly seemed like it was having a positive impact. As expected, it was a good idea to bring him. It was a car where I spent time thinking about various things. Ronan noticed that no one new was coming forward.
“Ah, it’s my turn.”
“Ro, Ronan…! cheer up!”
“I could.”
Asher said, clenching his fists. Erzsebet also sent simple encouragement. Ronan walked forward and stood in front of her ice pillar. The witch was still asleep with her body curled up.
‘also.’
Ronan, seeing the ice, twisted his lips. His vague reasoning was consistent to some extent. The shell surrounding his witch felt similar to the crystal that covered his body.
‘···A little different.’
But when I asked if it was exactly the same, it wasn’t. Although it seemed similar, it felt quite different.
Should I say it is the difference between a shield and a prison? If Ronan’s crystal was made to protect something, this one seemed to be made to trap it. I gently touched it with my finger, but the ice did not melt or crack.
‘I have no choice.’
Now I had no choice but to destroy it. Ronan pulled at the hilt of his sword. Slurp! La Mancha’s sword body, dyed red, appeared.
“This is Ronan from Phileon.”
He opened his mouth with his eyes fixed on the witch. He didn’t need to waste any time. Ronan took her stance and swung his sword. Kaaaaang! A belated collision sound rang out.
“It’s a surprise!”
“Well, what is it? “When did you swing it?”
People were startled and shrugged their shoulders. No one at the scene saw his sword strike. Ronan frowned, feeling his bones crack.
“…It’s solid.”
The ice was intact. Although about 30% of the blade was dug inward, it was far from the ‘complete destruction’ he was aiming for. The panicked people sighed.
“That’s right.”
“Wait a minute, isn’t that the blade inside the ice?”
“That can’t be possible. “You probably saw it wrong.”
They all reacted indifferently, probably because they had no expectations in the first place. Either way, Ronan had no intention of giving up.
‘If it is chipped away even little by little, it will eventually break.’
Even huge rocks are eventually chipped away by raindrops. He was just about to put away his sword to try again. Something strange caught my eye.
‘hmm?’
Ronan narrowed his eyes and examined the ice. Sharp scars were etched across her bluish surface. It was a faint trace that you couldn’t help but miss if you didn’t look really closely.
‘I saw this shape somewhere.’
Ronan tilted his head. Although it seemed like it was drawn haphazardly, there was a beauty of balance. She was too unnatural to have been born by chance. After thinking for a moment, Ronan switched his core.
‘perhaps···.’
From here on, it was purely an act of intuition. Ronan raised his hand and placed it on his pillar. And sparkling mana flowed onto the surface of the ice. Seaaaa… The flickering mana began to fill the scars like water flowing along a ditch.
“What are you doing?”
“Hey, if you’ve seen the ball, quickly get out of the way. “We have to destroy that dragon before it comes.”
People waiting for their turn began to grumble. It was inevitable because the sparkling mana was invisible to other people. The mana that had been spreading along her scars stopped expanding. Ronan’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.
“This···!”
It wasn’t a coincidence either. The shallow scratches in the ice painted a familiar picture. It was like I heard a voice in my head.
-【Funny sound. Do you think that the lives of my servants and those of you bugs have the same value?】
– At least it is to me.
The scenes I had seen during Haeju flashed before my eyes at a rapid pace. Ronan still remembered the world he saw through his eyes. Ronan stretched out his hand as if possessed and touched the shining scar.
‘What on earth… is your intention?’
I’ve only seen it a few times, but I’ve never forgotten it. It was the sword blade used by the savior, the progenitor of Nebula Clazier, who kicked up the sky and cut down the dragon.
