READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 168
The information the Saint had shared was pretty important, so I rushed to relay it to the Knight Commander.
Though it wasn’t completely certain, it was still information worth noting.
I detailed the route we had initially planned with the Divine Race, and the Knight Commander nodded in understanding.
“Rondan’s Knights will assist you in your journey. While we draw attention, you’ll get close to the Giant of the Snow Mountain.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Simple and straightforward. Well, honestly, that’s all you really need to do.”
The Knight Commander stroked her chin, seemingly lost in thought.
“By the way, those falling snowflakes are all fragments of the Giant of the Snow Mountain’s Outcast God. Naturally, since they fall from the sky, it never crossed my mind.”
She spoke with a hint of self-deprecation, but history often shows that such simple things can lead to much bigger problems.
Some inventions fail to work just because a single screw wasn’t tightened properly, and yet sometimes just turning the screw another notch can fix everything.
It’s not that they’re incompetent; they simply didn’t realize it.
“Isn’t it important to know the solution? I think it’s crucial to commemorate those who were sacrificed in the past and continue their legacy.”
Did my words bring her some comfort?
After nodding a few times, she smiled and lifted her head.
“Thank you for the good words. Yes, shackling ourselves to the past isn’t the wisest choice.”
After a brief chat with the Knight Commander, I stepped out of the Knights Headquarters.
#
“Those snow chunks were fragments? No wonder we wouldn’t have known.”
“The fragments from some incompetent fool won’t have much energy. To humans, they’d feel like ordinary snowballs.”
As Paura expressed her surprise, Fiore chimed in, seemingly understanding our predicament.
If it weren’t for that cosmic flow nonsense, we could have solved this a long time ago.
Since it’s the Divine Race that orchestrates everything anyway, couldn’t they just manipulate things to their liking?
If they’re worried about humanity’s extinction, they could simply protect all of mankind.
“A life that loses its autonomy will inevitably face destruction.”
Apta spoke up.
“To maintain existence, one must remain true to the instinct to evolve and survive. That’s how humanity managed to endure even in extreme circumstances.”
It was a valid point.
Without prior preparation, humanity would have likely crumbled and perished under such shocks.
And if humanity had perished, other ecosystems would have faced extinction as well.
…But then again, one could argue that our survival is thanks to the Princess, which should be attributed to the Outsider’s influence, right?
“Well, let’s overlook that fool.”
Fiore commented as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
With this much power, isn’t it possible to just change the cosmic flow however they want?
Sometimes it’s a vessel, other times it’s a weapon, and sometimes it’s just a farming tool.
All these thoughts had me feeling dizzy, which is why I had avoided studying them altogether.
Back then, it wasn’t an issue for me not to know since we coexisted anyway.
“Anyway, now that the plan is laid out, where are we off to next?”
Zumiya’s question brought a somewhat sad smile to my face.
While I had many wonderful people around, who could support me as steadfastly as family?
That’s why I planned to recharge myself before diving into significant endeavors.
#
I headed to where my Grandfather was.
I had expected there to be nobody, but perhaps the news of our mission to stop the second Princess had spread among the people here.
Quite a few were gathered.
Grandfather stood before them, his hands raised above his head.
The man who had seemed somewhat lackadaisical now appeared as a proper bishop of a religion.
“The Watcher gazes upon us today. It’s only because of the Watcher’s interest that we can survive once more. Let us pray.”
There weren’t any specific prayer words.
We simply clasped our hands together and bowed our heads in silence.
Hmm.
Even though they’re family, disrupting this moment seems a bit inappropriate.
Having entered, I quietly joined them in prayer.
Hmm.
What should I pray for?
Ah, Oko.
Please, I beg you, after all this is over, bring me peace!
…But honestly, what can Oko do?
Or rather, considering Oko’s personality, she might just jump in and cause chaos.
Sigh.
Such a headache.
I don’t know how long I was there.
Before long, I started to hear the sound of people lifting their heads.
It meant they were beginning to look up.
I followed suit and lifted my head.
Grandfather, still bowing his head, slowly raised it and smiled at his congregation.
“I sincerely hope all the prayers offered to the Watcher will be fulfilled. Oh, Watcher, may our prayers reach you.”
“May it be so.”
Hmm.
Even with my Grandfather as the leader, this scene feels rather cult-like.
Well, knowing Oko exists means it’s not a cult after all.
With Grandfather’s words, the worship session came to an end, and people rose with seemingly lighter expressions and left the building.
Staying behind, I was finally met with Grandfather’s gaze.
Recognizing me, he approached with a warm smile.
“…You’ve come, Tanton.”
#
I entered Grandfather’s private room and bit into the bread he offered.
Grandfather, who had brought a drink, soon joined me at the table.
He looked at me with a warm smile, but then it turned into a sad one.
“I heard you’re joining the expedition to the Snow Mountain.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I believe you hold the Watcher’s blessing, so you should be alright, yet… I can’t help but worry.”
“Grandfather.”
Here’s a man who lives for his faith, yet he’s showing such weakness?
I decided to offer him some words of strength.
“Oko is alive.”
“I know.”
“And I’ve found a way to bring Oko back to this world.”
“…!”
Grandfather’s eyes widened.
“But that can’t happen just yet. I need to be part of the expedition to the Snow Mountain for Oko to return.”
“…Are you saying your sacrifice could follow from this?”
“It’s unlikely. As long as things go according to plan, no one should die.”
While my reassurance was intended to ease his worries, Grandfather continued to look at me with concern.
He silently regarded me and gently held my hand.
“The Watcher’s existence is important to me. However, losing you in the process would render it all futile.”
Despite his trembling hands, his gaze bore a resolve as he looked at me.
“Survive. Make sure you survive, and save this world alongside the Watcher.”
To save the world, huh?
My capacity isn’t grand enough to achieve something like that.
Yet, perhaps if I can just revert the world to how it once was with everyone’s help, it might be possible.
So, instead of answering, I simply maintained a serious expression and met Grandfather’s gaze.
#
D – 30
The Knights began training to prepare for the second Princess.
The training focused heavily on dealing with the cold, aiming to build the mental fortitude to advance forward even if frozen by her powers.
D – 15
I was beaten by the White Mask like a dog on a hot day.
I felt like I might actually be stronger than White Mask if I pulled out all the stops, but I still couldn’t keep up with her pure swordsmanship.
Considering I had been an ace even in my days in Lintpia, isn’t it embarrassing not to even put up a fight?
Lost in such thoughts, I got hit again by White Mask.
That day, I leaned on Paura yet again, relying on her support.
D – 7
The Princess rashly grabbed weapons from the Armory.
Generally, these were protective gear.
And all of that gear had high resistances to cold.
It seemed that the Princess had infused her energy into this highly defensive equipment.
As soon as the Knights put them on, they were so warm that they seemed to be training to counteract heat damage rather than withstand the cold.
That day, we witnessed the Deputy Director getting extremely angry for the first time from a distance, which was quite an entertaining sight.
D – 1
“Are you ready?”
“I’m ready.”
“So am I.”
The Hunter and Asti replied with enthusiasm in their voices.
Perhaps the hope of finally escaping this tiresome routine stirred something in us.
After this mission, the Hunter might be able to live as a normal woman instead of a vengeful spirit.
And Asti would finally get to choose her own path.
I handed over the protective equipment from the Armory that I had received to the Hunter.
Those who are not Knights cannot receive the Armory’s protection.
But since I was giving it to her, it was a different story.
The moment the Hunter donned the outfit, her frozen expression transformed into an adorably clumsy look that made me want to laugh uncontrollably.
“What’s with that?”
“Nothing, it’s just… cute.”
It was a teasing comment meant for the tired Hunter, but for some reason, she turned her gaze elsewhere and scratched her cheek with her finger.
No.
What’s with that reaction?
Feeling a weird chill from the Hunter’s actions, I decided to ignore it.
“Let’s head out. The Knights are probably waiting for us.”
So we stepped out and saw many Knights gathered, ready to depart for the Snow Mountain expedition.
I felt overwhelmed by their numbers, yet there was hope that we might truly be reaching the end.
“Hmm. Looks like everyone’s gathered.”
As the Knight Commander checked the numbers, something big emerged from the entrance of Rondan.
I looked closer and saw familiar Knights approaching.
It was the Knights of the Duchy.
A man who appeared to be their Knight Commander approached ours, bowing respectfully before rising again.
“It would be ridiculous for us to stand by while the Empire’s hope moves forward. May we accompany you?”
But it wasn’t just them.
The Knights of Lintpia.
And many Knights from countless Domains I hadn’t visited.
A massive number of Knights stood before Rondan, their spears raised high.
“For the glorious future of the Empire!”
“Clear a path for Muji Absoluta!”
Humanity, which had been cowering, was finally starting to rise up.
At the center of it all were a thief, a Hunter, and a lunatic working together.