I Have Become The Snow Maiden I Created

Translator: Marctempest

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

—

Chapter 68: Invading the Lord’s House (3)

The first floor of the Snow Castle.

I was rhythmically tapping the table where a book was placed.

It was a habit that emerged when I felt uncomfortable, was deep in thought, or found myself in an awkward situation. Today, it was the latter.

Tap—click—

I savored the rhythm as I stared at the person sitting before me.

It was the Holy Knight Dewade, who had entered with my permission.

“······.”

He wasn’t causing a ruckus or acting foolishly, so I felt a little bad leaving him outside for too long.

He was waiting for me to speak.

For some reason, Nell, Mishra, and Frike, who seemed to have come just to spectate, were also watching intently.

“Dewade.”

I forced myself to ignore the situation and opened my mouth.

“What do you think about being inside the castle?”

“It’s a feeling beyond words. You not only personally ensured my meals but have now permitted me to stay in such a place······!”

Dewade’s eyes trembled with emotion.

His sincerity was palpable, but it only made my skin crawl.

“And the scenery of the castle! I, Dewade, have never seen such a perfect structure in my life. Truly, it is the work of an omnipotent being—”

“Enough. I didn’t call you here to hear that.”

I interrupted his tiresome praise.

I had only told him, “Come inside for now.”

The real reason I called him was for what I was about to say next.

I made a temporary decision after seeing him languishing outside. With a vague expression, I spoke the words.

“For now, you can stay as a guest.”

I wasn’t exactly sure why he came here, but he didn’t seem likely to do anything bad—at least according to some.

Dewade’s eyes widened at my declaration.

“······Such!”

Apparently, he hadn’t expected it, as he began trembling uncontrollably.

However, his next reaction was something even I hadn’t anticipated.

Thud—he dropped to his knees and bowed his head.

“?”

“I am eternally grateful for your grace!”

In the blink of an eye, his head hit the floor, and his posture became that of someone offering a full prostration.

“??”

“To think that I, a pitiful, ignorant man who failed to grasp the intentions of Lady Quellière, would be accepted as a guest in your residence······! I will work diligently and serve with all my heart!”

“······No.”

“In this harsh world, Lady Quellière’s kindness is as vast and radiant as the sun’s rays, and your grace is immeasurable—”

Suddenly, his emotions went into overdrive.

I was merely letting him stay temporarily because he seemed like he might die if left outside.

Surely, he didn’t interpret this as permission to stay forever?

His sobbing, full of despair and gratitude, was incomprehensible otherwise.

“From this day onward, please entrust everything to me! I will clean every corner of this castle, leaving not even a speck of dust—”

“That’s enough.”

My cold tone cut off his passionate monologue.

Dewade flinched.

“Yes?”

“Enough. Just step outside for now.”

“Uh······.”

He stared at me blankly for a moment before getting to his feet.

“Yes. Yes··· I will follow your orders. Uh, where should I······?”

“Why don’t you head toward the mountains? If you see any monsters, take care of them.”

At those words, the Holy Knight’s face lit up with enthusiasm, and his energy was instantly restored.

“Understood! This is my area of expertise. Leave it to me!”

“···Sure.”

Normally, wouldn’t someone run away if asked to hunt monsters?

But he seemed genuinely thrilled instead.

Anyway, Dewade stormed out like a whirlwind, and I resumed tapping the table.

Tap—tick—

This small, meaningless action brought me a bit of peace.

“······There aren’t actually any monsters, though.”

Monsters in the mountains didn’t venture into the Snowfield.

It was due to their habits, but I had sent him out simply to clear his head and get some fresh air.

At that moment, Mishra, who had been silent, spoke up.

“A surprisingly diligent one for a human.”

It was rare for her to acknowledge a creation.

I inwardly clicked my tongue.

“What part of him?”

“······Huh?”

Mishra flinched at my response.

She quickly changed her tone.

“Perhaps I was mistaken. As expected, he is a foolish human, dull and ignorant.”

“······?”

“Bound by the limits of his kind. Pitiful······ I must go and finish the igloo.”

Immediately after, Mishra escaped through the window.

It seemed she was deeply engrossed in her igloo project.

I stared blankly at the windowsill before turning to Nell, whose face was filled with confusion.

“You should go and help her.”

“Huh? Should I?”

“Yes.”

Nell, who had been rolling her eyes as if contemplating, asked me another question.

“What about you? What will you do?”

“This.”

I gestured at the book on the table with my eyes.

“Ahh,” she murmured before heading toward the windowsill and jumping over it.

“Have fun reading~ I won’t disturb you!”

“······.”

Why is everyone going through the window?

There’s a perfectly fine door.

I let out a shallow sigh and picked up the book.

“The Adventures of the Young Siren······.”

The title was blatantly about a species I recognized.

It’s oddly entertaining when similarities to Earth pop up. Feeling somewhat refreshed, I began flipping through the pages.

*

The Magical Domain is a land where harsh soil, frequent natural disasters, and colonies of powerful monsters combine to create an environment of unparalleled danger.

The Apostles of the Holy Society were attacked by monsters multiple times.

“Kieeeek──!”

Grotesquely distorted monsters appeared.

They ranged from insects like mantises and butterflies to animals like bears and tigers.

As monsters of the Ice Mountains, all of them were formidable creatures, but this time, they had encountered the wrong opponents.

“Groooaaaar──!”

“Raaaaarrr──!”

Hundreds of undead soldiers, who had traded their intellect for strength, unleashed their full power under the command of their leader.

“Ignore the cautious ones! Don’t chase the fleeing ones!”

Pshuuk!

Adein shouted as he pierced the forehead of a saber-toothed tiger with his hand.

With Jehak’s “Morale Boost” added, Adein’s voice imprinted his orders into the undead soldiers’ minds.

“We don’t have time to dawdle here!”

“Grrrrroooowl──!”

As if in response, the undead growled, biting, breaking, and pushing through the monsters in their path.

An ambush is only effective when unnoticed. Now that they had infiltrated the Magical Domain, it had become a race against time.

Pushing forward with unstoppable momentum, they soon reached a field of snow.

A pure white snowfield.

They had arrived at the final battleground.

“···We’ve arrived. So this is the Snowfield we’ve only heard about.”

“It feels like I’ll freeze to death. It’s a perfect match for that woman, Quellière.”

Adein agreed with Matren’s comment.

Quellière, a goddess as cold and merciless as ice.

Frowning, Adein surveyed the surroundings.

The thick snowstorm limited visibility.

“The goddess is somewhere in this place. Stay alert.”

“Of course.”

“Understood, sir!”

Matren, Behelak, and Jehak all nodded in agreement.

Adein returned their nod before stepping forward.

Saaaah─

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind swept away the snowstorm, clearing the obstructive snowflakes.

In the distance, a pure white castle appeared.

“Hm?”

It seemed to have been hidden behind the storm like a prop on a veiled stage.

It was an obviously suspicious, abnormal structure, but something else bothered him more.

In the middle of the gray snowstorm, a white suit of armor floated ominously.

“···That can’t be right.”

As expected, upon closer inspection, it was a figure standing still.

They seemed to have noticed Adein’s group as well and were quietly observing.

Adein raised his hand.

“Stop. There’s someone there.”

“Someone?”

“Well, I’m not sure if it’s a person······ but it doesn’t look like the goddess.”

Narrowing his eyes, Adein scrutinized the figure in armor.

Was it one of the goddess’s subordinates?

However, its appearance seemed completely out of place in this snowfield.

Of course, it didn’t matter either way.

After all, every living thing in this place was an enemy.

“Advance toward that castle! All units, attack─”

Just as he gave the attack order, the armored figure disappeared.

“!”

Startled, Adein quickly scanned the surroundings.

The sound of something shattering erupted nearby.

Thwack-!

An undead soldier collapsed with its head caved in.

Dewade glared at the intruders, exuding intense hostility.

“Undead······ and cultists. I won’t ask how you found this place.”

The mightiest Holy Knight gripped his mace, his rage simmering.

“···None of you will leave here alive.”

Having been granted the privilege of staying as a guest, Dewade’s mood had been soaring moments ago, which made him even more furious at these intruders.

The snowfield, sullied by their presence, shredded his patience.

“I’ll cut off every one of your filthy steps-!”

With a shout, Dewade charged into the horde of undead.

What looked like a suicidal act was disproven by his enhanced body and the holy power erupting from him.

This was their first hurdle.

Biting his lip, Adein summoned his magic.

“Matren!”

“I know··· I know!”

Adein’s whirlwind was amplified with the assistance of “Wind User Matren.”

The massive magic spell followed Adein’s lead and descended upon the Holy Knight.

“······!?”

Surrounded by undead, Dewade had no room to evade.

The direct hit left numerous cracks in his armor.

“There’s only one of him. Overwhelm him! Surround and eliminate!”

The formation, rebuilt by Adein of the Seven Apostles, efficiently closed in on the Holy Knight.

No matter how strong Dewade was as a former Paladin, it was impossible for him to face such a large number of elite foes.

“Urgh···! You filthy worms······!”

Just as Dewade gritted his teeth and resolved to fight to the bitter end, the ground began to tremble, and a deafening roar echoed.

─────!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A massive silhouette emerged from the snowstorm.

A stillness, like the calm before a storm, spread through the air.

When the full figure finally revealed itself, the Holy Knights’ eyes were filled with shock.

“That’s······!”

“Is that a giant?!”

The towering figure with pale skin evoked the image of a legendary grand monster.

A sharp, oppressive aura filled the area.

“···Don’t tell me even that is one of the goddess’s subordinates.”

As soon as Adein tensed, the giant began to charge as if in response.

Boom! Thud─ Boom!

Boom! Thud─ Boom!

The massive body’s strides sent shockwaves through the ground, and Adein shouted in a loud voice.

“The giant is coming! Maintain formation!”

Crack─!

The sound of something being smashed was heard.

It was the work of the Holy Knight battling the undead soldiers.

“···Trouble in both directions, huh.”

But there was nothing else they could do.

They had already prepared themselves for this to be a tough battle.

Gathering his magic, he collided head-on with the giant.

─────!

Each strike of the giant’s feet was lethal.

Knowing he couldn’t afford to become a ghoul yet, Adein fought with everything he had.

The strength Adein had accumulated over his long tenure as one of the Seven Apostles surpassed limits, allowing him to hold his own against the giant.

With Jehak’s morale boost, the battle unfolded with fear temporarily forgotten.

But the Apostles’ ordeal wasn’t over yet.

Step, step─

Two women arrived belatedly.

“······.”

Mishra, who had hurriedly found her way to the igloo, froze as she took in the scene.

Nell, following closely behind her, also stopped in her tracks as if frozen.

A moment of hesitation that felt like an eternity.

Then, both of their faces twisted in rage.

Nell ground her teeth first.

“These cockroaches······ They should’ve scattered after losing their leader. ······Do they even realize where they are?”

The intruders’ identity was as clear as day.

Her fierce, angry gaze swept over the area.

“Do you really want to die?”

“How dare you defile the master’s land······.”

Mishra trembled, clenching her fists tightly.

The overwhelming rage surpassing her limits seemed to grip and crush her from within.

“I was foolish. What use is a subordinate who cannot even fulfill their duties······.”

Perhaps she had grown complacent with the recent increase in their numbers.

She loathed herself.

As Nell ground her teeth and Mishra clenched her fists, a moment of tension passed before the two women joined the fray.

Without hesitation, Nell unleashed her blood magic while something soared above her.

Woooooooosh─!

The sight made the eyes of the Seven Apostles widen in disbelief.

The Dragon Lord, revealing her true form, sped across the sky at incredible speed before turning to unleash a vertical breath attack.

Kaboom──!

The target was the center of the Apostles.

The overwhelming force tore the undead apart like paper, and Adein screamed like a banshee.

“Nooo!”

The number of undead soldiers was rapidly dwindling.

They were being helplessly overrun before they could even attempt to fight back.

Adein’s expression twisted in dismay.

“No! This can’t be happening! We haven’t even laid eyes on the goddess yet—”

Thwack!

At that moment, an ominous sound was heard.

Turning his gaze, Adein saw Matren collapsing.

The cause of death was Dewade’s mace.

Whoooosh──!

Though she had died, she had not disappeared.

The flame of her life was extinguished, but in its place, a ‘Ghoul of Wind’ had risen.

The Seven Apostles’ forces were dwindling far too quickly. Blood seeped from Adein’s mouth as he clenched his teeth in frustration.

“···Damn it!”

At this rate, there was no hope.

They were doomed.

Despite meticulously preparing for this ambush, they were caught off guard and struck down by an unforeseen counterattack.

He couldn’t let it end like this, leaving nothing behind.

With a heart full of agony, he issued his command.

“Retreat! Fall back! Get out of the Snowfield!”

“Understood! Retreat. Retreat now!”

The goddess’s forces were far stronger than they had anticipated.

There was no guarantee they’d get another chance if they fled, but for now, survival was paramount.

They couldn’t afford to lose everything in a hopeless battle.

Patter, patter─!

The Apostles quickly fled the battlefield, retreating into the mountains.

There, they hoped to make use of the numerous monsters.

······But they didn’t realize.

Winter’s trials were only just beginning.

As the remnants of the Holy Society’s Apostles stepped onto the bluish-gray mountain range, a figure appeared beyond them.

“······Hmm?”

It was a man in black armor, contrasting sharply with the Holy Knight.

Scanning his surroundings, Chandrafail quietly drew his sword.

Grrrrrooooarrr!

If they had just passed by him, they might have lived.

But the unfortunate undead soldiers, unable to make a rational decision, charged toward the “living man” who had suddenly appeared.

“You resemble humans······ but you’re nothing more than monsters.”

The Black Knight muttered lowly before swinging his sword.

Phantom Blade Technique – Ghost Slash.

In an instant, the heads of over ten undead soldiers fell to the ground.

The remaining three Apostles gasped for breath.

“···! W-Wh-What is that?! What kind of monster is he······?”

“This is······ could it be······.”

Adein’s expression shifted drastically as Jehak’s disturbance fell on deaf ears.

Realization dawned on his face, immediately followed by panic.

It was a reaction he had never shown before—akin to a seizure of anxiety.

He gasped out a horrified exclamation.

“It’s the trap of the Supreme Goddess!”

“······A trap!?”

Behelak questioned in shock, and Adein shouted even louder.

“Yes! Quellière··· that woman predicted everything! She foresaw all of this!”

“······T-That can’t be!”

Behelak wore an expression full of disbelief—or rather, one that refused to believe.

Like a mathematician trembling at the sight of an impossible solution, Adein fixed his gaze on the Snow Castle in the distance.

Now utterly certain of his conjecture, he was consumed by fear.

“What kind of expression is the goddess······ making inside there?”

As she watched us.

Would she, as always, be looking down at us with her cold and indifferent face as we die?

There was no way to know now, nor did he have the courage to find out.

In a battlefield with no escape routes, only death awaited them at the end of their resistance.

“······This is nothing less than hell. Is this the price of defying a god?”

They were trapped between incomprehensible monsters, with no hope on either side.

Retreat was not an option.

If that was the case, they had to at least deliver even a minuscule blow.

Lifting his head, Adein looked at Behelak.

“Behelak! You’re going in!”

“What?!”

“Into that divine castle! Your ability should make it possible!”

“···That’s true.”

It was possible.

The robe he wore, etched with a complex pattern of interwoven circles, granted him the ability called “Spatial Movement.”

Entering that place itself wouldn’t be difficult.

The problem was that he could only move himself.

“It’s up to you! Plant our resistance—our will—into the goddess!”

“······Damn it. Fine!”

Behelak understood the situation they were in.

There were no other options, and he was the only one who could even attempt it. Accepting his fate, he activated his ability, leaving the collapsing battlefield behind.

Zzzziiiing─

Space collapsed, and his consciousness shifted as he teleported.

He became the first intruder to invade the Snow Castle.

*

Flip─

The sound of a page turning echoed quietly on the first floor of the Snow Castle.

Pale blue hair fluttered in the gentle breeze drifting in through the window.

It seemed she didn’t even care about it.

Quellière, with her usual calm expression, was engrossed in her reading.

“······.”

Her graceful figure caught the attention of the Frike. The dozens of spirits gathered there couldn’t take their eyes off her and, unusually, were completely silent.

Even the numerous Yetis standing at the periphery were the same.

Flip─

The sound of another page being turned.

Perhaps an interesting scene had come up?

A faint smile graced Quellière’s lips.

“······.”

The spirits didn’t care about the content of the book.

They simply cherished the rare sight, imprinting her expression onto their minds for as long as they could.

It was an afternoon that felt like a sanctuary of tranquility.

Then, in an instant, distorted space shattered the silence.

Shaaah─!

The Frike flinched, and Quellière’s eyes narrowed. The air shimmered.

Like ripples spreading across a lake, a distortion formed, and a man emerged from it.

It was Behelak, dressed in a black robe.

“The goddess! Where is the goddess······ huh?”

He frantically looked around and then froze.

The once-peaceful atmosphere of the room had already shifted.

A moment of stillness, sharp and tense, followed.

It was at that instant when sweat began to bead on his forehead.

-Who is this guy!?

-He’s hot! A hot guy just showed up!

-What’s going on!? Quelli’s getting cold again!

The Frike, each shouting in their own way, transformed into battle stances and charged at him. Before he knew it, Behelak was surrounded by dozens of silver wolves.

He let out a laugh filled with despair.

“Ha······ haha······.”

Laughing mechanically, he stared at Quellière.

She was looking at him with her usual cold expression.

That composed demeanor cemented a single certainty in his mind.

“To think she predicted even this······.”

From the very beginning, we never had a chance of winning.