43. When Everything Froze (1)
The next day came.
The Adolevit royal family’s holiday procession was truly lavish and grand beyond words.
Dozens of anti-magic automatic carriages newly developed in cooperation with item technology formed a long procession, elite magic knights of 5-Class and above guarded the royals on every street, and the people waved and shouted toward the royal family.
“Long live Her Majesty the Queen!”
“Long live Queen Adolevit!!”
Even for something as simple as going on vacation, the people rushed into the streets and burst into cheers.
Was it genuine respect?
Well…
Perhaps the current queen, Hong Seryu, was actually close to being a tyrant. After all, she had forcibly dragged down the previous queen, known as the former king, through strength and political power, taken that seat for herself, and carried out a heavy-handed rule.
From one angle, she was a truly frightening figure.
I was allowed to join the holiday journey under the status of a palace servant attached to Hong Biyeon, but naturally, I could not dare ride in the same carriage as a princess.
Well, if anything, that was only natural.
“So you’re the Baek Yuseol I’ve heard rumors about?”
“I heard this kid is absurdly good at administrative work.”
Besides me, a number of lower nobles and commoner palace servants were accompanying the trip as well, and sadly enough, they said they were fated to continue working even at the Heavenly Flame Ice Palace on the coast of Leviang.
Then again, if the royals went on vacation and all the underlings got vacation too, there was no way the kingdom would keep running.
“Judging by your complexion, you don’t seem like you’re from around here. Have you thought about working for the royal household after graduation? For someone like you, social advancement might even be possible.”
Just as on Earth the distinction between Westerners and Easterners could be subtle, the same held true here.
If I carried a bit of an Eastern impression, then the people of Hong Biyeon’s Adolevit Kingdom had a somewhat stronger Western impression.
“Ah, Chief Markrook. Haven’t you heard?”
“Heard what?”
The young man named Pahan looked at me with a knowing expression and said:
“This fellow’s not the kind of talent who’d aim for a rise in status through mere administrative work.”
“Then what’s he good at? Ah, he’s a Stella student, so is he some brilliant mage?”
“No, no. Not that. Apparently this guy’s really good at charming women.”
Pfft!
I ended up spraying the drink I was sipping straight ahead.
Even with the drink splashed all over him, Pahan continued talking as if nothing had happened.
“This guy, you know, supposedly seduced the Third Princess.”
“Ah… I did hear that rumor. I assumed it was nonsense.”
“It absolutely isn’t. Can’t you tell just by how she comes to the library every single day?”
“The Third Princess has always had a deep interest in intellectual pursuits—”
“Oh, come on now, Chief Markrook. Are you seriously going to keep saying boring, obvious things? Can’t you tell just by looking? Do you really think the Third Princess went to the library just to read books?”
The young man shot me a sidelong glance and grinned smugly.
“So they say she goes there and instead of reading the books she’s supposed to, she spends the whole day just staring at this guy’s face. And there’s more than one witness—”
“That’s enough.”
I was genuinely starting to get annoyed, and the moment I frowned, Pahan finally coughed awkwardly and stopped talking.
He seemed like the type with absolutely no sense whatsoever. Otherwise, there was no way he’d spout nonsense like that right in front of the person involved.
Unless maybe he actually wanted to see whether the rumor was true by provoking a reaction out of me.
“That’s not what it is. The princess and I are just friends attending the same school.”
“Come on now! Friends become lovers, and then—”
“That’s enough, Pahan.”
Perhaps Chief Markrook saw my face and decided the joke had gone too far, because he cut Pahan off cleanly.
Other than his constant attempts to recruit me into palace service, he was quite a decent person.
“Hrmm… fine, then.”
Once Pahan shrank back into himself, the carriage quieted down again.
Thinking it was about time, I took out the coat I had prepared.
One might wonder what kind of nonsense it was to bring out a coat in the middle of summer, but considering we were headed toward the coast of Leviang, it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Hoooh… I’m looking forward to this.”
As the weather gradually grew colder, Pahan started up again.
Chief Markrook, who seemed to have a mountain of work to do even inside the carriage, did not even lift his eyes from the stack of documents as he said:
“Pahan. Is this your first time going to the Sea of Leviang?”
“Yes. It is.”
“Well… it’s not as if we’re going there to have fun, but enjoy what you can. It’s famous as a tourist spot. Your jaw will probably hit the floor.”
Listening to them talk, I pulled the coat out of my bag.
At a glance, it looked no different from a Stella coat with the academy emblem on it, but since I had asked Alterisha to enchant it with the highest-performance cold-resistance function possible, there was nothing ordinary about what it contained.
Maybe because she had even attached fur around the neck as decoration, it really looked like proper winter wear.
“Baek Yuseol. Have you ever been there before?”
“I haven’t.”
But in the Aiter World, it was a place I had visited dozens of times already.
Why had I gone there so many times?
Well, there’s always a reason gamers keep coming back to a place.
First, because it was good for grinding.
Second… because the difficulty was so absurd that the clear rate was miserable, so I had repeated reattempts endlessly.
Unfortunately, the reason I was so familiar with this place was the second one.
For the sake of those damned Twelve Divine Moons, just how many deaths had my character suffered trying to clear that episode?
So there was no helping the fact that I was worried, but it was fine.
Even without relying on the Bulbul Glasses, this was a place where I had enough experience on my own that I was confident I could lead us along the safest and most reliable route possible.
‘…Even so, we’ll still have to accept some risk.’
The procession of automatic carriages had already left the land behind and was racing along the sea road constructed over the water.
Then came the bitter cold.
Since I had already wrapped myself in the coat, I barely felt it, but Pahan, sitting across from me, had bundled himself tightly in padded clothing and was still shivering hard enough that his legs were already trembling.
“Ugh… i-it’s cold…”
“Instead of shivering like that, why not look at the view outside?”
“Y-yes…?”
Apparently deciding this was no longer the time for paperwork, Markrook also set down his documents and looked out the window.
I too, though I already knew what kind of spectacle would be spread outside, turned my gaze toward the window while trying to steady my racing heart.
…And in that instant, the sight that filled our vision overwhelmed us completely.
Out in the distant middle of the sea, there was a gigantic pirate ship.
Unfortunately, the pirate ship was being swallowed by a colossal whirlpool nearly one kilometer in diameter…
“No, wait. What is that…?”
To be more precise—
It wasn’t that the pirate ship was simply being dragged into the whirlpool.
It was being dragged into the whirlpool—
while frozen in place.
The waterspout linking sea and sky.
The whirlpool nearly a kilometer wide.
The enormous waves over one hundred meters high.
The pirate ship in the process of sinking.
Everything had frozen solid—
and stopped.
“…It’s a spectacle every time I see it.”
Markrook adjusted his glasses and spoke.
“You said this was your first time here, and yet you don’t look all that surprised. Usually this kind of reaction is the normal one.”
Pointing at Pahan, whose mouth had fallen open and who had frozen up completely, Markrook chuckled.
“It is my first time, but I’ve read about it a lot in books.”
In truth, I had seen it several times through graphics in the Aiter World, so I’d only been able to predict it to that extent.
Of course, the sight in reality was so vivid it couldn’t even be compared to game graphics, so honestly speaking, I too had lost myself in it for a moment, but I didn’t bother saying so.
“H-haha. I’d heard about it often, but seeing it in person is definitely a bit of a shock…”
That kind of reaction really was normal.
The others riding in the other carriages were probably reacting the same way.
The sight of the world frozen in place inspired a peculiar sense of awe in many ways.
“But what exactly is that ship…?”
“That is the Black Cross, the pirate ship of the Pirate King Black Belize, who ruled all the seas of the world a thousand years ago.”
“Ahhh…”
“It’s said that on that day, the largest waterspout in recorded history suddenly rose, and this monstrous whirlpool was created. But there was no need to worry. The Pirate King Black Belize possessed a very special trait called [Blessing of the Sea God].”
A most extraordinary blessing that ensured he would never lose his way on the sea, and that his ship would never sink, no matter what happened.
If it had truly been the legendary Pirate King Black Belize, then he likely could have escaped even that whirlpool.
“And then, everything froze.”
“Why…?”
“If anyone knew that, do you think it would still be like this?”
“R-right. I suppose not.”
“Anyway, because of that disaster, the port city of Lisbond on the coast of Leviang completely lost its function and ended up being treated like no more than a villa of the Adolevit royal family.”
When he finished speaking, I shifted my gaze the other way.
At the highest point on the coast of Leviang stood a huge castle shining blue.
‘Just a villa.’
There was no fool alive who would seriously build a fortress like that and call it a mere villa.
For generations, the House of Adolevit had been deadly serious about uncovering a certain “secret” buried within the coast of Leviang.
That enormous Heavenly Flame Ice Palace was the result of that obsession.
Why exactly the House of Adolevit was so fixated on the secret of Leviang’s coast—
I knew the reason all too well, and so I quietly closed my eyes.
I was a little worried, since I wouldn’t be able to see Hong Biyeon for the next few days…
‘Still, she’ll do well.’
I trusted her completely.
Leviang Coast, Heavenly Flame Ice Palace.
The grand welcoming ceremony, with hundreds of knights raising their wands in salute, stirred nothing in Hong Biyeon.
After all, every bit of that respect was directed not at her, but at Queen Hong Seryu.
“You have arrived, Your Majesty.”
The moment they entered the Heavenly Flame Ice Palace, a man emerged and knelt.
He was Black Matale, descendant of Black Belize, who had once ruled all the seas under heaven, and now the lord of the Heavenly Flame Ice Palace, sworn in loyalty to the House of Adolevit.
“Yes. It seems you have been well.”
“It is thanks to the grace of the Sun. You must be weary after traveling so far. I shall guide you inside at once.”
“No. That won’t be necessary. Before that, there is somewhere I must go with my daughters.”
At her signal, three women dressed in pure white priestly robes appeared from behind, carrying a large treasure chest.
At the sight of it, Matale’s eyes widened, and then he bit down hard on his lip.
“…I see. Understood.”
The emotion in his expression was unmistakably anger.
But he did not resist. He simply stepped back obediently.
‘Somewhere they have to go?’
Listening from behind, Hong Biyeon could not understand what in the world they were talking about.
But Hong Si-hwa, as if she had guessed what sort of situation this was, smiled brightly and lightly tapped Hong Biyeon on the shoulder.
“Oh my~ Little sister. This is your first time seeing it in person, isn’t it~?”
“Don’t speak to me.”
“Aww, why so stiff between sisters?”
The fact that there was something going on within the royal family that she knew nothing about irritated Hong Biyeon to the core.
But she had to endure it.
There was a chance she might obtain more important information through this opportunity.
“This way.”
As Black Matale took the lead, Queen Hong Seryu followed after him.
Hong Si-hwa trailed after them with the light steps of a swan, but strangely, none of the guard knights or servants followed.
Only the three priestesses remained close behind the queen.
‘…A place only royals may enter, then.’
Hong Biyeon followed after them at a slightly slower pace than Hong Si-hwa.
Beneath the Heavenly Flame Ice Palace lay a hidden place of unknown age.
The corridor was broad, but dark, and at best only enough was illuminated to barely see a foot in front of you.
“…We’ve arrived.”
After walking through the underground corridor for a long time, they reached a vast cavern.
At its center stood a towering altar, and the queen and the three priestesses climbed its steps without hesitation.
“Why are you standing there instead of following?”
Startled, Hong Biyeon realized she alone had been left behind.
Hong Si-hwa, who had gone on ahead, looked back and gave her a playful wink, which only made Hong Biyeon feel worse for some reason.
She hurried up the altar steps, where the three women had already surrounded the carefully carried chest in a triangular formation.
Then Hong Seryu lightly tapped the chest with her staff.
Srrr…
Whoosh!
The chest melted away completely, revealing what had been inside.
“Ah…!”
Hong Biyeon let out a gasp without meaning to.
What had been inside was none other than the Flame Spirit Flower.
The very royal heirloom she had once vowed she absolutely had to obtain in order to stop Baek Yuseol’s time limit from running out.
And yet…
Something was wrong.
‘Why… is it burning like that?’
According to legend, the Flame Spirit Flower was dormant, and so dim that it shone less brightly than the flame of a match.
But look at it.
The Flame Spirit Flower before her now… was shining as brilliantly as a sun on the verge of bursting apart.
“Second Princess, Hong Si-hwa.”
“Yes~”
“Third Princess, Hong Biyeon.”
“…Yes.”
The queen recited the names of her daughters.
“For the sake of the royal house, and for the sake of the kingdom, are you willing to do anything?”
Only then did Hong Biyeon realize the situation was turning in a very strange direction.
This trip to Leviang’s coast was not simply meant to exile Hong Biyeon.
‘Don’t tell me… they mean to use me like this…’
The moment Hong Biyeon understood that far, she was overcome by a hollow despair.
What could this feeling of falling into a bottomless abyss even be compared to?
“Of course~”
“Third Princess. Answer.”
Though Hong Si-hwa had already answered, the queen did not listen.
From the very beginning to the very end…
The queen had been staring only at Hong Biyeon.
‘Ah.’
In the end, Hong Biyeon squeezed her eyes shut and let out a laugh.
“Haha…”
But—
it was fine.
Even within this endless wave of despair crashing over her, Hong Biyeon felt hope.
‘Baek Yuseol. You knew this would happen too, didn’t you.’
She trusted him completely.
Because he was someone who knew everything, and someone who could accomplish anything.
He must have known in advance that this trial would come for her as well.
And…
Because he knew she could overcome it, he had let her come here in trust.
Hong Biyeon raised her ruby-red eyes and looked coldly at the queen and the second princess.
She no longer believed the two of them were even human beings like herself.
“Yes.”
And so Hong Biyeon put on a mask.
Just as Hong Seryu and Hong Si-hwa had.
In order to hide the emotion raging within her.
She still could not believe in herself.
“Of course.”
But…
because she believed in the version of “me” that he believed in, she was able to answer without the slightest hesitation.
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