Chapter 28

Just as Lady Nis’s meaningful smile made me slightly tense, Master spoke with a resolute expression.

“Nil, may I have a word with you?”

“Oh, certainly.”

‘Hm.’

Master pointed towards the passage leading to the deepest level.

Lady Nis’s black dress swirled elegantly as she walked.

When the two of them disappeared, a strange silence descended.

“Uh… Did I make a mistake or something…?”

Verlez looked at me with a puzzled expression.

The young butterfly girl hovered around me, looking worried.

‘Could it be because of the story about Seraphina and Beatrice…?’

For some reason, I felt anxious about whether the Holy Maidens and the Hero might be regarded as enemies by Master, considering his apparent distaste towards humans.

Also…

Lady Nis’s final smile kept coming back to my mind.

The smile seemed sweet but dangerous, much like honey with poison.

Cecilia flew over and sat next to me, her warmth enveloping me.

‘Will everything be alright…?’

I tried to reassure myself, but I remained uneasy.

Verlez was uncharacteristically quiet as well.

‘Hey, did I talk too much?’

The butterfly girl shook her head, but her movement was slower than usual.

Then—

BOOM!!!

A vibration was felt from the depths, as if someone had struck a wall.

Everyone turned their heads simultaneously towards the deepest level.

Cecilia’s wings trembled, tense.

The small city of the Apron Kingdom, ‘The Inn of Rain,’ was busier than ever.

It was due to the adventurers gathering to escape the harsh winter.

“This is true! I saw it with my own eyes!”

A drunken adventurer sitting by the window spoke loudly. His face was flushed red with alcohol.

“The Holy Maiden’s divine power has completely changed. It was just light for healing before… but now…”

He paused for a moment and sighed deeply.

The surrounding adventurers looked at him curiously.

“Go on, what’s changed?”

A young adventurer with a sword asked impatiently.

“Destroying power… and a tremendous one! The light of peace has now become the light of judgment. There’s also a rumor that she split a mountain with divine power!”

“That’s ridiculous!”

“If that’s ridiculous, what about the Silver Hero? Haven’t you heard that she became even stronger after visiting the Shia Kalt Mountains?”

The inn grew quiet for a moment.

Everyone knew that the Silver Hero Beatrice had become much more powerful recently.

“That’s right… She’s using techniques that were unimaginable before.”

An elderly adventurer in the corner added. His armor bore the marks of numerous battles.

“I saw it when she fought the corrupted knights recently. The light emanating from the holy sword had changed.

“And how powerful it was… The corrupted knights’ armor tore apart like paper.”

The only sounds in the inn were the occasional clinking of cups.

“Is all this because of the Shia Kalt Mountains?”

“Yes, they say she obtained something there. Some mysterious flower…”

“Ha! You want us to go look for flowers in the Shia Kalt when we can’t even cross the Snowstorm Ridge?”

Laughter filled the inn.

But there was a secluded corner untouched by the laughter.

“This is an interesting story.”

Leaning back after consuming his last sip of alcohol, Rain muttered under his breath. A small current of electricity flowed between his fingers.

The alchemist Adrian sitting next to him smiled knowingly.

“How about it, Rain? Shall we…?”

“Are you crazy? You know how dangerous the Snowstorm Ridge and the Shia Kalt are.”

The archer Havin shook his head, his black bow that had already defeated hundreds of monsters lying in his hands.

But Rain had already made up his mind.

“Let’s go.”

“What?!”

The two of them shouted at the same time.

“Are you getting arrogant just because you’re now A-ranked?”

Adrian asked with a worried gaze. His white alchemist robe shone faintly in the candlelight.

Through the window, a snowstorm was raging. In the distance, the Shia Kalt Mountain Range gleamed coldly under the moonlight.

“It’s not arrogance. It’s an opportunity for us.”

A small current of electricity flowed from Rain’s sword. That’s what always happened when he got excited.

“Rain…”

Havin sighed.

“Listen. How long have we been preparing for this?”

Rain’s voice grew stronger. An old memory surfaced in his mind.

It was when he was ten.

The first time he realized the power of lightning on the hill behind the village.

Adrian held him back, startled, and Havin calmed him down.

At fifteen, when they first swore to become real adventurers.

Adrian began studying alchemy, and Havin started learning archery.

At twenty, when they embarked on their first expedition.

They were clumsy but safe because they trusted each other.

And now, finally, they had reached A-rank.

“We’ve been dreaming of this since we were kids, haven’t we? To become the greatest adventurers.”

Rain continued.

“You open the path with your lightning, survival with my alchemy…”

Adrian interrupted.

“And I’ll eliminate the enemies with my arrows.”

Havin added.

The three looked at each other for a moment, then burst out laughing.

“Haha… If you’re like this, there’s nothing I can do.”

Adrian chuckled. The potions in his pocket tinkled with a luminous glow.

“I’ve prepared a new potion this time. We won’t fail this time.”

“Yeah, let’s go. Anyway, we three can do anything, right?”

Havin said, fiddling with his bowstring. His quiver was filled with specially crafted silver arrows.

“Alright! Let’s go tomorrow morning. Let’s visit the Shia Kalt Mountains and…”

Rain paused, then smirked and said:

“Get the power the Hero possesses.”

The night deepened.

The distant snow mountain seen through the inn window gleamed white under the moonlight.

In the round conference room of the royal palace of the Kingdom of Genesis, the morning sunlight filtered through the turquoise columns.

“Your Majesty, there is something important to report.”

Duke Crosby stood up.

The experienced gleam in his eyes was evident.

“Speak, Duke.”

King Adelheid III nodded.

“Recently, there has been unusual rumor about the Shia Kalt Mountains. After the Silver Hero and the Holy Maiden visited the place…”

Crosby paused for a moment before continuing.

“They allegedly became incredibly powerful. Especially, the Holy Maiden’s divine power reportedly presents a completely new form…”

“An intriguing story, indeed.”

King Adelheid III stroked his beard.

“Indeed, Your Majesty,” Baron Walter stood up.“My knight witnessed it personally. The Holy Maiden fighting against the monsters… It was like the light of judgment.”

“Excuse me.”

Rahnhardt Duke stood up abruptly. Deep wrinkles lined his face.

“The Snowstorm Ridge was the graveyard of many knights. Have we forgotten the knights we have lost over the past 20 years?”

The room murmured in agreement.

“That’s true,” another noble chimed in.“Last year, we lost an entire knight regiment, didn’t we?”

Duke Crosby cut in coldly.

“So, are suggesting that we continue sitting by and doing nothing until the Heschet Empire makes a move?”

“Empire?”

The nobles gasped in surprise.

“That’s correct,” Crosby nodded.“Their movements are not ordinary. They have undoubtedly heard about these rumors too.”

The king rose from his throne.The room immediately fell silent.

“The court agrees with me as well.”

His voice carried authority.

“I myself will send out a contingent of knights.”

The nobles murmured upon the king’s declaration.

“Just as Duke Crosby has said, this is an important matter. If there truly is such power in the Shia Kalt Mountains…”

The king’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“Shouldn’t it belong to our kingdom first?”

At the Genesis Kingdom Knight Training Grounds, the cold winter wind whipped the flags in the training yard.

“Lord of the 2nd Knights Division.”

Prime Minister Valerius approached slowly. His black robes flapped in the wind.

“Prime Minister has come personally…”

Rowen bowed humbly, though his gaze was sharp.

‘Finally… The opportunity has come.’

“This is a direct order from His Majesty.”

Valerius glanced around before lowering his voice.

“To investigate the Shia Kalt Mountains.”

“The Shia Kal Mountains…”

A faint smile crept onto Rowen’s lips. He had reached this position not through ability but through dealing with the nobility. But if he succeeds this time…

“Don’t worry. Division 2 is more than enough.”

The prime minister took a step closer.

“There is something in particular you need to be mindful of. According to rumors, there’s a mysterious flower there. The reason for the Hero and the Holy Maiden’s strength…”

“Take the flower… is that the order?”

Rowen’s eyes gleamed with greed.

“That’s correct. If you discover the flower…”

“Certainly.” Rowen cut off Prime Minister Valerius.“If it has power…”

‘There will no longer be a need to please the upper nobles.’

“But there is one caution you need to heed.”

“Please advise me.”

“This is a highly classified mission. Even if you meet anyone else…”

“I understand. This is a secret for them too.”

As the prime minister left, Rowen stood up.

“Klaus.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Select 60 elite knights.”

At that moment, a knight stepped forward quickly.

“Sir.”

A cold voice echoed across the training grounds. Edgar, the youngest knight praised as a genius of the Haind Baron family, had come forward.

“If you permit me, I wish to lead the vanguard.”

Rowen looked at Edgar.

‘A genius? Just an arrogant youth.’

However, he needed such a proud knight. He would be a good tool for such a perilous mission.

“A knight like you is needed.”

Edgar’s lips curved into a confident smile. But his cold eyes wavered slightly.The Shia Kal Mountains…Seven years ago, the place where his most despised elder brother had left.

‘A disgrace to the family…’

Born to a noble family, yet his elder brother had abandoned it to become just a mere adventurer.He must have died unable to cross the Snowstorm Ridge.

From then on, Edgar trained himself harshly to become colder and more ruthless. He had to succeed, unlike his incompetent elder brother.

“Don’t worry.” The chill in Edgar’s voice deepened.“I… will not fail.”

‘Unlike my brother.’

It was the unspoken addition within his own heart.

Rowen smiled contentedly upon noticing the cold aura in Edgar’s eyes.

“Fine, I’ll assign you as the vanguard.”

A smiling ambition spread across the faces of the two.Rowen envisioned power; Edgar, glory.