novelzi Chapter 133: Snow Globe (1)
Chapter 133: Snow Globe (1)
Chapter 133: Snow Globe (1)
I shaped a chair from the mix of soil and snow, then put together a modern-looking shelter in no time. It was a perfect blend of Ductility and Aesthetic Sense. All the while, Sophien quietly enjoyed her ice cream, not a drop out of place. She had a kind of elegance that made it clear she was an Empress.
"Let me make this clear," Sophien said, setting her spoon aside. I turned to face her. "Inside my bedchamber, time flowed as usual. The moment you shook the snow globe, I possessed the cat and stopped your actions. However, beyond the bedchamber, a time difference occurred."
I nodded and replied, "Yes, if that's the case—"
"It seems this snow globe created an energy barrier around my bedchamber," Sophien continued. "Not just inside, but extending beyond it. It’s likely some kind of built-in defense mechanism of the snow globe."
"Yes. And also—"
"The time difference might keep increasing, or it could stay as it is," Sophien said, briefly closing her eyes as she possessed the red-furred munchkin cat.
Tick, tock— Tick, tock—
The second hand on my watch ticked forward.
When the Empress opened her eyes, she glanced at my wrist and said, "The time difference is growing. Four days here now pass for just one day outside."
"I understand," I replied.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
It was only the Empress's speculation. Sophien rested her chin on her hand and remarked, "You’re not questioning any of this?"
"You are never wrong, are you, Your Majesty?" I echoed her own words back to her.
Sophien smirked, then went back to scooping up her ice cream.
"... Even so, it's strange," I muttered.
I checked my blood flow, assessed the density of mana outside the snow globe, and tracked its recovery rate. Despite spending 5,000 mana on the Midas Touch and the globe's Comprehension, two hundred mana had already regenerated.
“There’s no noticeable difference from the outside world. If anything, the density of mana here is even greater. It’s an excellent place for training or study," I said, glancing at Sophien, who tilted her head slightly, like a stubborn child avoiding her lessons.
"Your Majesty?"
"... Just go train on your own. I burned through most of my mana training in wordcraft and swordsmanship while waiting for you. I’m completely exhausted."
"Is that so? Then, a question, Sir Keiron," I said, shifting my focus to where he stood, firm and silent behind Sophien.
"Sir Keiron," I called out once more.
There was no response.
"Sir Keiron?"
"That one's just a statue," Sophien remarked.
I tapped Keiron's body, and a hollow, metallic echo followed.
"Keiron left this statue behind and went off to explore, to determine the extent and nature of this world."
I held my silence.
"It will be some time before he returns. Fools always learn the hard way."
I gave a slight nod.
Sophien raised an eyebrow, amusement gleaming in her eyes, and asked, "What's the matter? Don’t tell me you’re feeling shy now that it’s just the two of us."
"It is my greatest honor to remain by Your Majesty's side."
She looked over my face, taking in every line and crease, until her expression shifted oddly.
“You’re telling the truth,” Sophien observed.
"Of course, Your Majesty."
Sophien could read human emotions effortlessly. With enough time and focus, no one could hide from her.
Whooosh—
A sharp gust of wind swept past, and Sophien tightened the collar of her cape.
"Are you feeling cold, Your Majesty?" I inquired.
"... I've spent most of my days in the palace. Having ice cream in this weather certainly hasn’t helped with the cold."
I removed my coat, and Sophien glanced at me, a hint of surprise in her eyes. Offering it to her, I said, "This coat is nearly an artifact. It regulates temperature and should keep you warm, Your Majesty."
Sophien silently draped my coat over her shoulders. With the Midas Touch enhanced to its fourth level, it was sure to keep her warm.
"It is quite warm," Sophien remarked.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"However... Deculein."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Were you aware?" Sophien asked, her voice turning cold as her expression hardened. "The Freydens were involved in my poisoning. I’m speaking of your fiancée’s family."
The air grew still, as if time itself had stopped. In this frozen snow globe, I turned my eyes to Sophien.
"It wasn't just the Freydens. Other houses were involved as well, including the Yuklines," Sophien said, taking another spoonful of ice cream. "Nearly every noble family on the continent turned against me, with the Freydens at the forefront."
I remained silent.
"Even now, I can’t help but wonder... what could have driven them to such extremes?" Sophien asked, raising her head, her expression icy and distant. "Of course, I don’t hold you responsible now. It was your predecessors who made that choice."
"Do you seek revenge?" I asked.
"Those creatures know exactly how to tear someone down~ So they showed me my death. Whether it was a future I couldn’t change, one I could, or one I desperately tried to alter but never did... they’ve turned it into a nightmare I have to relive every single day," Ganesha said with a sigh, a faint smile on her lips as her twin-tails swayed sadly.
"All demons really want is to watch humans fall apart. Some might crave more, but in the end, they’re all the same," Ganesha added.
“I see...” Epherene muttered, lost in thought, a quiet chuckle slipping out.
Ganesha tilted her head and asked, "Something on your mind?"
"It made me think of the professor."
Epherene thought of Deculein. The demons, who fed on human fear and suffering, could never fool him—the one person immune to their tricks.
"If demons thrive on human corruption, then..." Epherene went on. "You know, the professor would..."
"You are right. The professor would never give in to a demon's will. Even demons are afraid of Deculein of Yukline~"
Clap, clap, clap—
Ganesha applauded, praising Ria, Leo, and Carlos for their hard work, and said, "Great job, everyone! Now, let's process the corpses and gather the materials!"
"Yes, Captain!"
After assigning tasks to the three kids, Ganesha turned back to the conversation and continued, "So, I still haven’t heard why you’re digging into the professor’s past. What did your future self tell you~?"
Epherene's lips curved into a faint smile. When she spoke, her voice was soft, almost content.
"... She told me to try not to hate him too much. And Mage Gindalf said something odd to me as well."
"What did she tell you?"
"It's even stranger... that the professor values me and carries a pendant with a photo of me as a child or something like that..."
"Oh, really?" Ganesha said, her eyes widening in surprise.
Epherene shook her head, struggling to make sense of his motives.
"That's interesting. If that's the case, it could be true."
“There’s no way...”
"No, there must be a reason why Professor Deculein values or despises you. It’s probably something tied to your family... don’t you think?"
Chop, chop—
The sharp crack of Ria's blade slicing through the beast's hide filled the air. Epherene flinched, glanced over, then quickly looked back to Ganesha.
"Besides, Decalane is still alive," Ganesha added.
“What?!” Epherene gasped, her face turning pale as she glanced around in a daze.
Ganesha nodded with a serious expression and said, "If he’s appearing in your dreams, it means Decalane is after you."
Epherene gripped the edge of her robe, her fingers trembling.
"Just don't stress over it. With your talent, I’m sure you can handle Decalane."
Epherene kept her silence.
"And Professor Deculein won’t let things go the way Decalane plans. You can count on him to protect you!"
... Deculein will protect me, Epherene thought, her heart racing.
Reflecting on it, he had always been there for her—at the Disciplinary Committee at the start of the semester, when she was nearly expelled, when she recklessly ventured into the Mountain of Darkness and almost fell prey to a demon, and even at the formal hearing where she stood as a witness against him...
Despite knowing the truth, she kept looking for reasons to despise him. Epherene gritted her teeth, bitterness swelling inside her. Tears clouded her eyes, stirred by an emotion she couldn't quite grasp.
"All I can do is repeat what your future self already said."
Epherene turned to Ganesha, who offered her a wet towel and said gently, "Try not to hate the professor too much."
Epherene couldn't hold back anymore, and a tear rolled down her cheek.
***
Thud—!
My body slammed into the ground. For a moment, it felt like I’d been lying there forever, only now drifting back to consciousness. Darkness closed in from all around, leaving me disoriented. Pain throbbed through my entire body. Time blurred. But more than anything, an icy cold sank into my bones, worse than anything I had imagined.
At first, it didn’t seem entirely bad. My Iron Man body thrived in extreme conditions, and this was the perfect opportunity to push myself. Accepting Carla’s Authority would force the Iron Man attribute to adapt. It was time to push my limits and strengthen my foundation for true self-mastery.
... But it was cold—No, it was much worse—I was freezing. I tried to speak, but no sound came out. It took every ounce of my superhuman strength just to stay conscious. A bitter laugh escaped me. Even an Iron Man’s body struggled against this relentless cold. Absolute zero? Not even close.
I gathered the last of my mana and tried to cast a flame. But the magic circle froze in mid-air, turning white with frost. The mana itself had crystallized from the intense cold—something that should have been theoretically impossible. I was at a loss for words.
In the freezing darkness, I forced myself to stand. My vision blurred, my mind on the verge of breaking. Still, I pushed my legs to move. I lost count of the steps, unsure of how far I had gone. Then, out of nowhere, my body buckled, tilting to the side.
Am I holding on, or am I dying? Is my unyielding self, the one that never bends or breaks, finally beginning to crack? My eyes grow heavy, slowly shutting... Damn it.
I clenched my teeth and forced my eyes open again. In that brief moment, my eyelids had frozen shut, tearing the skin as they ripped apart. But I refused to let this unforgiving cold break me. I straightened up, driving blood through my frozen organs, forcing my mana to flow.
At that moment, as I struggled frantically...
[Action Quest Complete: Withstood the Unbearable Magical Coldness.]
◆ Authority awakened in Iron Man.
: Cold Adaptation acquired.
◆ Iron Man versatility expanded.
I finished the action quest without even realizing it.