I Have Become The Snow Maiden I Created

Translator: Marctempest

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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Chapter 49: Holy Land Chelmberd

Out of season, heavy snow blanketed the continent.

However, the White Silver Dragon King was unaware.

As always, yesterday and today, blizzards raged in this place.

“······.”

Amidst the ruins of the snowfield.

In front of the obelisk, Mishra was lost in thought.

Even as her long silver hair fluttered and brushed her cheeks, she remained in deep contemplation for a long time.

A recent event came to mind.

The fragments of disaster had lingered in the snowfield, tormenting her, and that day had been no exception.

-Disgusting thing. Have you come again?

The writhing black calamity spread its contamination.

No matter how many times she saw it, its grotesqueness was intolerable.

As usual, it mocked her, and the battle began.

─────!

But amidst the fierce battle, an unusual phenomenon occurred.

The fragment of the disaster twisted grotesquely and let out a cry of pain.

【How······!】

Its desperate scream was filled with deep confusion.

【Though I destroyed everything······ how can the Revelation of the Holy War still exist······!】

-···What nonsense is this?

Remaining vigilant, Mishra tilted her head in confusion.

It was behavior and speech she had never seen before.

【Wasn’t everything obliterated······ did some pity arise for a mere creation······ but how can my true name······.】

-What in the world.

What nonsense was it spouting?

Mishra glared at the rambling disaster.

When its next words spilled out, her eyes widened in shock.

【Your faith was not in vain! O white dragon of the Supreme God.】

-······!

She was not adept at wearing a mask.

Startled, her reaction was too obvious.

But how could it possibly know?

She had kept silent about her master’s return to the end.

The disaster spewed vile curses, reeking like a rotten sewer.

【But soon, all that hope will turn to despair. It is simple to break the wings of a fallen god······.】

-···Shut that mouth of yours.

The disaster, pouring out hatred as if to promise another meeting, vanished without a trace.

It disappeared like a mirage.

Mishra immediately realized whose work this phenomenon was.

“Master······.”

Quellière.

It was her master’s achievement.

She surmised that her master had likely encountered the disaster on the continent······ and claimed victory.

Mishra’s eyes sparkled.

“So there was indeed a reason for heading to the continent.”

It might have been to subjugate the enemy of the world.

Even from her master’s perspective, the disaster would be a detestable existence.

Furthermore, judging by its reaction, it seemed to have suffered a significant blow.

As expected, it was the power befitting her master.

While Mishra was wearing a broad smile, her expression soon dimmed slightly.

“Will you be all right···.”

If her assumption was correct, her master’s body would not be in perfect condition.

Above all, even if she had won, the opponent had been that formidable disaster.

Perhaps her master had been injured······.

“─This is no time to be standing idle!”

It was a critical moment as her master’s confidant to assist and protect her.

Preparing to fly immediately by releasing her polymorph, Mishra hesitated.

The command had not been updated.

Her duty was still to guard the snowfield.

Leaving arbitrarily now would mean disobeying her master’s orders.

“······.”

The thought sent chills down her spine, and she broke out in a cold sweat.

She stood rooted to the spot, agonizing for a long time.

Her master’s command and her loyalty to her.

Which should she prioritize?

Then, memories of the past surfaced.

She had spent millennia alone in this place.

The reason was that her master had left after giving her a command. And her master had left because she had failed to serve her properly.

“···That’s right.”

Even if she were to bear the sin of disobedience, it was her duty as a confidant to dedicate herself to her master.

Her complicated thoughts cleared in an instant.

“I must not repeat the same mistake.”

Finally, with a crackling sound, her entire body twisted as the White Silver Dragon King ascended into the sky.

A relic of the past, long since become legend and accessible only through records.

The Lord of the White Dragons departed for the continent.

* * *

The guest room in Striven.

Outside, snow fell incessantly, and the gloomy sky withheld sunlight.

Sitting in a corner, I hugged my knees in contemplation.

“···Hmm.”

I thought and thought again.

Yet no clear answer came to mind, and I muttered aloud.

“What does it mean for something to be precious?”

“Huh?”

Nell, who was busy polishing her vampire suit, blinked.

She paused her actions and asked back.

“Something precious?”

“Yeah.”

I recalled an item.

The Apocalypse of Disaster.

To wield this weapon, the only one capable of countering the disaster, something precious was required.

Though it had suffered considerable damage, the disaster was inherently malicious and cunning, and I couldn’t predict what tricks it might employ.

As the Snow Maiden, I lacked the power to confront the final boss.

Thus, securing a “sacrifice” was essential.

Nell tilted her head curiously.

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

“Just curious.”

However, nothing came to mind.

I had considered the Snow Castle, but that was ruled out.

The items in the storage or dressing room were abundant, but anything useful had already been utilized.

Day by day, I felt more and more anxious.

I was likely a marked target for the disaster at this point.

If it came for me in anger, that would be the end.

“If it’s something precious······ are you talking about an object? A concept? Or······.”

“···Huh?”

The voice that interrupted my thoughts came from close by.

At some point, Nell had come right up to me.

Her gaze, fixed on me, felt strangely warm.

“······A person?”

It seemed to carry a sense of expectation.

What was this?

I rolled my eyes and answered honestly.

“An object.”

“···Ah.”

She looked momentarily disappointed.

But as if it were my imagination, she quickly lifted her head again.

“Ah, an object. An object, huh······.”

She murmured seriously with a thoughtful look.

I had begun tilting my head, but her next words brought me upright again.

“To say something is precious means you like it··· and for an object to feel precious, it must be connected to something you want to do, don’t you think?”

“Something I want to do.”

It was a fresh perspective.

Repeating the phrase, I saw Nell shrug her shoulders.

“Blacksmiths must’ve started because they wanted to make their own weapons. Writers must’ve wanted to write their own books. There’s no way they’d hate the weapons or books they made. Everyone has something they desire.”

“···Something I desire.”

I gave it some thought.

There wasn’t anything I particularly wanted to do.

What I wanted most was to clear away my worries and live peacefully.

To eliminate the calamity, I must remove it.

But to do so, I need a precious item…

Caught in an endless cycle, I frowned.

“How frustrating.”

“Uh…”

I voiced my honest frustration.

It was merely an expression of suffocating helplessness.

But somehow, Nell, who had been hesitating, spoke as if she had made a mistake.

“…Well. It’s not like those kinds of professions would satisfy you.”

“Huh…?”

Suddenly, she started belittling perfectly fine professions.

That wasn’t my intention.

Whether she knew my thoughts or not, Nell clutched her head and grumbled.

“Then, there’s not much worth trying… Nothing around here, really. Disdel isn’t culturally advanced. It’s such a dull, outdated place.”

“……”

And then, she even started criticizing the city.

As I stood there, watching her silently, an idea seemed to strike her, and her head shot up.

“What about going to Chelmberd?”

She continued after that.

My eyes widened.

Right, Chelmberd.

That place existed.

“The holy site of Chelmberd is the heart of the Holy State, so it has everything—great temples, cathedrals, sanctuaries, halls, hot springs, and more… Plus, it’s close by.”

The more she spoke, the more exclamation marks seemed to pop up over my head.

I had overlooked something so simple.

“…Chelmberd.”

The most significant stronghold in Astar held many relics and sacred objects.

Though their divine nature varied, at their core, they were no different from artifacts.

A catalyst was also an artifact.

If so, couldn’t I find something compatible with me?

Obtaining it and turning it into a precious item was another question, but it was better than doing nothing.

“Well… I guess you wouldn’t want to, would you? You must have a reason for staying here. I was just making a suggestion. If you’re not interested, just forget─”

“That’s it.”

Ignoring Nell’s awkwardly trailing voice, I suddenly stood up.

Nell looked startled.

“Wh-what?! What is?”

As I grabbed my bag, I responded briefly.

“Chelmberd.”

“Huh?”

“I need to go there.”

It wasn’t just because of an artifact.

There were unsavory rumors circulating about the place.

I suspected they were connected to High Priestess Clavia’s schemes.

I had been mulling over how to respond, but if I needed to stop it anyway, it was better to get there in advance.

This was a strategy to kill two birds with one stone.

She looked flustered and stood up with me.

“Right now?! So suddenly?”

“I’ve made up my mind. Delaying is wasting time.”

“Well… That’s true, but still.”

Faced with my rapid decision-making, Nell fidgeted and clasped her hands.

I gazed out the window.

An opaque midday sky.

The weather being what it was, darkness would fall quickly.

Heading to the door, I spoke coldly.

“You don’t have to follow me. I’ll go alone.”

“……!”

It was a statement half-meant in earnest.

Now that the curse was resolved, she didn’t have to suffer alongside me anymore. She could live as she pleased.

If she didn’t want to go, I had no reason to drag her along.

But, startled, Nell hurriedly chased after me.

“I’ll come, I’ll come! It’s not that I don’t want to; I was just surprised.”

With that, she quickly packed her belongings and stood by my side.

Feeling a mix of relief and guilt, I nodded.

“…Alright.”

Had we grown closer during our travels together?

I didn’t mind it, so I left the inn with her in tow.

*

Not long after the two had departed, the door to Quellière’s room burst open.

“The adorable me has arrived!”

The intruder was Sigina, her braided hair swaying behind her.

Having grown quite close—at least in her own mind—Sigina had taken to visiting Quellière’s room daily.

For someone who loved money, Quellière, who always seemed to exude its scent, was irresistible, and Nell Sartilla was fascinating in her own right.

Now that the curse was resolved, and she had apologized for past events, she had no more qualms about showing up.

But there was no response.

“…Huh?”

Sigina blinked and looked around the room.

An empty space.

No sign of life.

“Did they go out?”

She tapped her lips with a finger, pondering.

The town was still abuzz with talk about Quellière.

A savior who had driven away a calamity—a saint, some even called her.

The feat was impressive, and the fervor it inspired wasn’t going to subside quickly.

Even her absence only added to her mystique.

Rumors swirled of her transcending the mundane and achieving enlightenment, elevating her to near-mythical status.

As such, she rarely went out, and if she did, she always wore a hood.

“Hmmm…”

Looking around, Sigina noted that even the robes were gone.

There was no sign of luggage either.

It seemed something important had come up.

After gazing out at the gray snow through the window, Sigina grinned.

And promptly sprawled out on the floor.

“I’ll just wait!”

After all, if she waited, they’d return.

It wasn’t her room, but she didn’t care.

They weren’t strangers, after all.

Humming to herself, she rolled around on the floor.

Her eyelids grew heavy, and she closed her eyes.

“I’ll wake up when they return!”

Until then, she decided to nap.

Her cheerful face gradually relaxed into serenity.

Perhaps due to accumulated fatigue, Sigina soon drifted off to sleep.

No one came to wake her until the day changed, and the sun rose.

* * *

Throughout the continent, the Arundel Empire stretched its reach.

The noble houses that were its roots held immense power.

Among them, one family was always mentioned when discussing the Empire’s great houses.

The Grypheon Duke’s estate in Roblok.

Lady Bulizé of the Grypheon family was meeting with a man in her room.

The golden-haired man spoke with resolute eyes.

“Can I enlist your brother’s help?”

The man, Artan FrikusFricas, the Empire’s crown prince and her fiancé, had grown hungry for progress after meeting a certain woman.

Bulizé’s brother referred to Harold Grypheon, the eldest son of the Grypheon family.

Also known as the Sword Master.

He was an ideal sparring partner.

Having listened to his request, Bulizé swept her long green hair and replied.

“Do you plan to appoint my brother as Grand Tutor?”

“That’s one way to put it.”

She leaned back in her chair, carefully weighing the pros and cons.

“…Hmm.”

The proposal wasn’t bad.

In fact, it was advantageous.

Being the Grand Tutor to the crown prince was an honor for the family, and it offered significant political leverage.

She knew that if she asked, Harold wouldn’t refuse.

However, one thing puzzled her.

“Why all of a sudden? You’ve seemed focused on training recently. Is this a continuation of that?”

Indeed, even for the crown prince, who was always disciplined, his recent efforts seemed excessive.

Rumors had reached her ears about him training almost bare-chested in the snow.

“······.”

Artan fell silent for a moment as if choosing his words carefully.

Looking at her with a serious gaze, he finally spoke.

“Yes. I’ve realized my shortcomings. I thought I couldn’t go on like this. I need training.”

“What made you feel lacking?”

“That’s······.”

When no clear answer came, Bulizé furrowed her brows.

A bad feeling began to creep in.

The thread of conversation that had been stretching suddenly snapped.

“It’s nothing serious. I was just disappointed in myself. I had a rough time sparring with the knights.”

“When was this sparring?”

“A few days ago.”

“Hmm.”

There was something more to this.

Her sharp intuition whispered it to her.

Still, whatever it was didn’t seem to matter too much.

The growth of the crown prince, along with the benefits it brought to her family, was welcome in her eyes.

Therefore, she agreed without much hesitation.

“All right. I’ll talk to my brother about it.”

“···Thank you.”

“Anything else?”

When she asked casually, Artan nodded and stood up.

“That’s all.”

He coolly turned his back, and Bulizé saw him off with a glance.

There was no need for lengthy conversations.

As childhood friends, their relationship didn’t require such formalities.

“Oh.”

Just before leaving, Artan stopped as if he had remembered something.

He slipped his hand into his inner pocket and retrieved a rustling object.

It was a single green rose wrapped in paper.

The conversation with Quellière resurfaced in his mind.

-Strengthen your foundation.

-···Foundation?

-I mean, take care of your surroundings. Instead of wasting time on trivial things.

Her words had been piercingly cold.

He thought that when Quellière mentioned “surroundings,” Bulizé was included.

Someone of her stature surely wouldn’t be unaware of their relationship.

“···All this time.”

He had kept his distance from Bulizé.

Having harbored feelings for an unattainable woman, he had unconsciously avoided her.

But there was no need to continue being so harsh.

Turning around, he handed the rose to his childhood friend.

“Take it.”

“···Huh?”

Bulizé’s eyes widened in surprise.

Her slightly parted lips reflected her astonishment.

It was understandable, as such a thing had never happened before.

“What is this? A gift···?”

“It’s a gesture. Please speak well to your brother for me.”

“Oh? Uh, okay.”

She accepted the flower.

It was a deep green rose, the exact color of her hair.

“Well then.”

Having completed what he came to do, Artan left.

Left alone, she stared blankly before mumbling.

“This is unexpected.”

The crown prince, of all people, giving a gift.

Though it was nothing but a common flower, and just one at that.

She twirled the radiant rose in her hand.

“They say when someone changes suddenly, they’re going to die.”

It was such a peculiar event that even she was spouting nonsense out of character.

Though, of course, he hadn’t given it out of pure goodwill.

Whatever the reason, it wasn’t a bad direction.

Even without love, he would one day become her husband, and it wouldn’t do for there to be a wall between them.

After examining it this way and that, she finally spun the rose one last time and placed it in a vase.

“It is pretty.”

Especially the color, which she particularly liked.