LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 71
Translator: Marctempest
Editor/Proofreader: TempWane
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Chapter 71: Peace and Turbulence (2)
I closed the book and stood up.
I couldn’t leave a young girl alone in a strange land. Especially not someone I was already acquainted with.
Chandrafail looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Why are you doing that?”
His face showed no sign of understanding.
Though I thought he might have changed a bit, he was still the same emotionally oblivious Black Knight.
I spoke coldly.
“I need to meet Paile.”
“Hmm? Why that kid?”
His question carried a casual tone.
It reminded me of the story he had told me before.
About her beginnings in the underworld.
“You said you killed a monster when you were born and freed the children caught in the same path.”
“That’s correct.”
“And Paile followed you.”
“She did, ultimately. She was the only one left in the end.”
That was new information.
Although he didn’t know my intention, the Black Knight answered my questions honestly.
“There were a few others who tried to follow me too. But when I said one word, they turned back.”
“That’s expected.”
How could mere children withstand the intimidation of the Black Knight? Paile was the strange one.
It was odd from the start that Chandrafail bothered to take someone along.
It wouldn’t have been unusual to treat her as a burden.
So, Paile must have clung to him persistently to stay by his side.
Though I didn’t know why.
“What were you thinking, traveling with her?”
I asked with curiosity.
His answer was utterly indifferent and straightforward.
“I don’t know. She kept following me even when I told her to go, so I guess I just left her alone at some point.”
“······.”
So, he had no real thoughts about it from the beginning.
It was a quintessentially Black Knight response.
“Still, you could pay her some attention.”
“I did, in my own way. Made sure she didn’t die.”
Chandrafail tilted his head slightly as he spoke.
“And Paile was an orphan. I didn’t have parents either.”
“So?”
“That’s just how humans are. They stand on their own. I can’t deal with every threat for her.”
His words, spoken while gazing into the air, were calm and resolute.
That conviction was the Black Knight through and through, and it wasn’t entirely wrong.
Expecting consideration from someone who was practically a one-man army was probably asking too much.
“······Hah.”
I let out a small sigh.
What on earth made her want to follow someone like him?
“Fine. That’s just how you are.”
“Hm?”
“You were born like that, so live your life like that.”
“···?”
Throwing out a meaningless comment, I left the study.
Although I felt a strange gaze on my back, I didn’t bother sending him away since he wouldn’t understand anyway.
Besides, I needed to have a one-on-one conversation with Paile.
“······I won’t be able to bring her here, anyway.”
The snowfield was an insurmountable barrier for ordinary people, but I had a way.
It wouldn’t take long, so I could return soon.
Step by step—
I walked down the corridor to the first floor.
There, I spotted Mishra surrounded by Frikes.
“Mishra.”
“Huh?! Ah······ Quellière, is it? What’s the matter?”
The back of the Dragon Lord was a more reliable means of travel than anything else.
Once I experienced it, there was no way I would walk there.
*
Some time earlier, not long after Quellière’s declaration at the Grand Temple—
“You stay here.”
Chandrafail had followed her east.
In Glenver, the city closest to the Ice Mountains, there was a notorious cursed land nearby that Paile couldn’t enter.
“Stay here? All by myself?”
“That’s right. You can’t go into the magical domain.”
Though his eyes were hidden beneath his helmet, the girl believed he must have been concerned.
It made sense, so she accepted it.
But she couldn’t help feeling uneasy, and she spoke up.
“You’ll come back to get me, won’t you? When it’s all over.”
Chandrafail had come after Quellière with a somewhat changed demeanor. A very serious and radical development.
The girl had no idea what he was thinking.
In truth, she rarely did.
“…Fine.”
After a moment of silence, the Black Knight gave his answer.
And then, he left.
Neighhhh─!
Riding his black warhorse, his figure quickly grew distant.
That’s how Paile ended up alone in the unfamiliar land of Glenver.
─What should I do…
She had no connections and, naturally, couldn’t adapt.
The only advantage was that she had quite a bit of money.
The money Chandrafail had earned during his time as a Sword Demon wasn’t a small amount.
However, the girl lacked worldly experience in many ways.
Her inexperience meant she didn’t even know that having too much could sometimes be a disadvantage.
“Is this everything?”
A girl with no guardian to protect her wealth.
Word quickly spread about her staying in a luxurious inn, and she became a target for villains.
“Y-Yes! That’s all! It’s true!”
“I see… so that’s how it is…”
The men who had been tracking her movements managed to surround her.
They whispered among themselves as they opened her money pouch.
Their reactions showed their shock.
“Un… unbelievable!”
The amount was far beyond their expectations.
The men swallowed nervously.
“This is insane!”
“How does a little kid have this much money?”
Smirking with greed, they sneered wickedly.
Trash that only desired other people’s possessions.
If it were the Black Knight, he would have called them that and delivered divine retribution.
But Paile lacked the strength to resist.
“Ugh… ugh…”
Unlike Chandrafail, she was an ordinary girl.
All she could do was hold back her tears.
“There must be more hidden somewhere…!”
Just as Paile struggled to hold onto the hem of her skirt.
The men turned their gazes toward her simultaneously.
Human greed has no end; they always desire more.
“Little girl. Where’s the rest? Be honest. We’re not bad people.”
“There’s nothing else! That’s really all I have!”
“That can’t be true! Tell us the truth!”
For the first time, she faced harsh accusations.
Unable to bear it any longer, tears welled up in Paile’s eyes.
As she tried to hold back her sobs, a man came to mind.
“…”
He had always called himself weak.
No one knew better than her how true that was.
She wanted to become strong.
Strong like the Black Knight who had swept away dark paths effortlessly in the past.
“Really… I swear. There’s nothing more…”
But wanting to become strong doesn’t make you strong.
A turbulent mix of resentment and sadness surged within her.
The men didn’t care about her feelings.
They reached out toward Paile.
─It was at that moment.
A roar resounded.
Roaaarrrr─!
As screams erupted, a massive shadow loomed over the ground.
Everyone who looked up at the sky was struck with astonishment.
“…!”
There was a massive flying creature.
Its breath puffed out as it gazed down at the ground—an existence from legend.
A dragon.
Its mere appearance left the citizens in shock, but soon, their gazes shifted to a woman.
“…”
A stunning woman with icy eyes stared down at the ground.
Her mystical aura captivated the attention of all around her like a magnet.
Shock after shock.
While everyone stood frozen, Paile alone recognized her.
“Quellière… sister!”
The unforgettable figure who had defeated even the Black Calamity before her eyes.
Quellière alternated her gaze between the tearful girl and the awkward men before frowning.
At her gesture, the dragon descended.
─────!
The thunderous noise and the dragon’s wingbeats sent gusts of wind howling.
People covered their ears, including the villains.
“Ugh… what’s all this out of nowhere…?”
When they opened their eyes, Quellière was already standing before them.
Her icy blue crystal-like eyes stared coldly.
The men hesitated.
“Wh-what’s this? Who are yo—”
“Hand it over.”
Step by step, she walked gracefully toward them and spoke.
Her chilling gaze was fixed on the stolen money pouch.
“That.”
Her command was calm yet frigid, as though she had already grasped the situation.
The men, awestruck by her beauty, voice, and authority, were speechless.
After their momentary daze, they began to resist.
“Th-that’s nonsense! This is our property—”
“Liar.”
Quellière’s voice rippled sharply, like a finely honed blade.
She furrowed her brows and unleashed her magic.
“Don’t lie to me.”
Sssss─!
The breath she exhaled surged forward without hesitation.
The thugs froze in place, unable to respond as their legs turned to ice.
“Ah, ahhh!”
“W-what is this!”
“Hmph.”
This was all such scoundrels amounted to.
Quellière sneered and retrieved the stolen money pouch. As she turned away, she raised an additional ice barrier.
Boom─!
“Stay there and reflect.”
“Ah, ahhh…!”
The men, trapped instantly, pounded on the frozen wall.
Ignoring them, Quellière approached Paile. Standing at a distance, the girl blinked at the whirlwind-like series of events.
“Are you okay?”
Her cold voice didn’t match her words of concern.
Paile flinched, trembling as she cautiously looked up at Quellière.
“…Sister.”
Worried that Paile might be frightened, Quellière studied her face, but the girl’s expression showed no fear.
Instead, what flickered in her eyes was something peculiarly ticklish—admiration.
As Paile wiped her tears, she poured out her heartfelt thoughts.
“Sister, you’re so amazing…”
“…”
Quellière flinched.
This time, it was she who trembled.
*
Leaving the frozen thugs behind, I took Paile to the inn where she was staying.
I wanted to have a detailed conversation in a calm environment.
“Sister, sit on the bed!”
There was only one bed in the fairly luxurious room.
Its size was sufficient for more than one person, but Paile insisted on giving it up.
“I’m sitting. Come over here too.”
“Huh? Oh, no, I’m fine.”
“Just sit down.”
“Eek—”
I grabbed her hand and pulled her to sit beside me.
I wasn’t one to tolerate unnecessary refusals.
As she hesitated and adjusted her seat, my gaze fell on her wrist.
“You’re hurt.”
“Huh? Oh…”
A shallow wound, as if scraped, marred her delicate arm.
It seemed to be an injury inflicted by the thugs. What kind of scoundrels harm a child?
Clicking my tongue, I held Paile’s wrist.
“Wha-what are you doing—ah!”
Hwaaah─
Healing magic activated.
A white light seeped into the wound, restoring it to its original state.
Paile’s blinking eyes lit up brightly.
“Sister, you’re amazing! You can even do this?”
“Yeah. It’s nothing.”
Her pure praise felt burdensome, so I answered curtly.
It wasn’t a serious wound, so the magic’s energy cost was minimal. I let go of her arm and straightened my posture.
It was time to start the conversation.
“Chandrafail came to find me.”
“Huh? Oh! You met Mister?!”
“Yeah. For once, he was helpful.”
Paile murmured with a serious expression.
“I see…”
Her greatest concern at the moment was likely that man.
I had a guess about the reason, so I pressed further.
“Why do you follow Chandrafail?”
“Huh?”
“What are you thinking? If you’re okay with it, tell me in detail.”
I wanted to delve into her feelings.
Paile rolled her eyes briefly before nodding.
“You already know how I met Mister, right…?”
“Yeah.”
“Back then, I was too young and weak. I guess I just wanted to stay near someone strong…”
Her quiet recollection gave insight into her past. As she spoke, her pupils seemed to drift, as though staring off into the distance.
She hadn’t even reached adulthood, yet her past seemed weighty enough to reflect on.
“It wasn’t a bad decision, was it? I’ve managed to survive up to now, after all. Anyway, that was how I felt at first, but now… I’m not really sure…”
As her recollection came to an end, her expression turned ambiguous.
She truly looked like someone who didn’t know.
The emotions she couldn’t articulate could be affection—or even love.
“······.”
I felt a strange and curious emotion.
Regardless of what it was, it felt special that someone thought so much about the character I created.
It was a shame it was a one-way sentiment, though.
“That’s about it, if you’re asking about my thoughts.”
“I see.”
“Yes. Thank you for listening. But why did you ask? You didn’t have to know how I felt······.”
For some reason, Chandrafail expressed a desire to stay at the castle for a while.
Driving him out wouldn’t mean I’d have to care for him any more than I already did.
After a moment of deliberation, I made a decision.
“Do you want to come to my castle?”
“···A castle?”
“I have a castle in the snowfield.”
“W-What?!”
If it were the Black Knight, perhaps, but there was no threat he could pose.
Paile’s eyes lit up for a moment, only for her expression to fall as she lowered her head.
“Thank you so much for the offer, and I would love to visit, but······ I’m just an ordinary girl. While I have no biases, I don’t have the strength to live in the Magical Domain······.”
The Ice Mountain Range posed the greatest challenge—its harsh climate was the reason Chandrafail had to leave her behind.
Her response was predictable and entirely correct.
But that didn’t mean there wasn’t a way.
“It’s okay.”
I opened the handbag I had brought and pulled out an outfit.
A very adorable garment blended with a snowy white hue and a hazy tone like sleet.
“Snow Rabbit Coat.”
It was another costume I had packed just in case when bringing out the vampire suit.
I had forgotten about it until now, as I never thought I’d use it.
I remembered it when the Black Knight spoke of the Demon Realm.
“Wow! It’s so cute! What is this outfit?”
“A gift. It’s yours.”
“······Mine?”
Paile tilted her head innocently.
Though it was technically a precious item, it was utterly useless to me.
The Snow Rabbit Coat was a special costume embedded with unique abilities.
Its power was aptly named “Immunity to Cold.”
Since cold resistance was a basic ability of the Snow Maiden, it was redundant for me.
In truth, the setting I gave to the Snow Maiden herself was derived from this costume.
“If you wear this, you’ll be able to go to the snowfield.”
“W-What? Really?!”
The only condition for wearing it was “a heart as pure as snow.”
I might not qualify, but Paile could wear it without issue.
The girl stood there, her mouth agape in disbelief.
*
After somewhat forcefully convincing Paile, who politely declined with remarks like “it looks expensive” and “it’s okay,” I completed the gift.
We flew together on Mishra, who had been waiting at the entrance.
“Kyaaaah!”
From the moment she boarded, through the flight itself, Paile remained terrified and visibly flinched.
But after some time, she seemed to adapt, enjoying the cool breeze with a smile.
“Wow, it’s so high! And so refreshing!”
“Indeed.”
Her adorable reaction was leagues apart from the stoic crusader and the Black Knight.
I watched her with a faint smile.
The Dragon King crossed the mainland and eventually reached the Ice Mountain Range.
The mountain’s guardians sensed the intruder and became wary.
“Kyaaaa──!”
“Kieeeek──!”
Their loud, eerie cries echoed even in the high skies.
Paile shivered uncontrollably.
“Ugh······ I usually don’t have any biases, but this is······ U-Um, sister!”
“Hold on. We’re almost there.”
“···R-Really?”
Her trembling was due solely to fear.
The cold had no effect on her.
The costume seemed to be working properly.
With that, my last concern was resolved.
Mishra flew at full speed and quickly reached the snowfield of pure white.
“Wow······ Wowww!”
A paradise so beautiful it could be enjoyed without reserve.
Paile cheered enthusiastically, as if she’d never been frightened.
*
Meanwhile, at the opposite side of the snowfield in the Magical Domain—the Burial Grounds.
The Black Calamity Mahabharata was locked in a fierce battle with an obelisk.
“Gooooooo──!”
Terrifying cries and incomprehensible beams ceaselessly blanketed the gloomy world.
One sought to seize, the other to protect.
Their all-encompassing battle raged both methodically and ferociously.
──After what seemed like an eternity.
The outcome was decided.
It was a stalemate.
The calamity roared in fury and writhed uncontrollably.
“Kuaaaaa─!”
Though he managed to absorb divine power without perishing, his failure to subdue the obelisk left him unable to control his newfound strength.
The tangled divine power churned and surged within him, as if reversing course.
─────!
Leaving things as they were would be dangerous.
The Calamity swiftly made a decision and released half of the absorbed power.
This incomprehensible energy had surpassed the world’s limitations, reaching an unfathomable realm.
In an instant, the entire extreme western region began to overturn.
Rumble──!
The shockwave didn’t stop there.
The emanating pulse raced forward like an electric current, extending beyond the burial grounds.
From the southern desert region, through the empire-occupied central lands, to the northern theocracy—the entire continent was permeated by faint traces of divine power.
The unbridled force, stripped of its control, swayed erratically, corrupting the soil and the unfortunate living beings it touched.
Mutations naturally arose.
─────!
Animals, creatures, insects, and beasts underwent grotesque transformations.
If Quellière had seen them, she would have recognized their identities instantly.
Name-bearing monsters born from contact with divine power.
Lesser Gods.
─······!
The mass-produced entities established their individual selves, thinking with primitive intellect.
Behind us was something else.
An ancient monster wielding a force of an entirely different scale and dimension.
The Black Calamity.
Screeeeech──!
Driven by instinctive fear,
The abominations fled inland.
Thus began the onset of a great upheaval.