Most of the Ruhr Kingdomâs territory was snowfields covered in blizzards, but if one considered it simply in terms of land mass, it was large enough to be comparable to the Kiehl Empire.
But since most of the kingdomâs population lived in the cities, the vast snowfields were the home of the natives who refused to mix into the cities. They werenât as savage as the natives of the Samar Rainforest, but Eugene had heard that they were eccentric enough to reject civilization and insist on surviving out in the harsh snowfields.
The snowfields were an even harsher locale than the Rainforest. In the first place, it wasnât easy to forage for food, and if you were to fall into a crevasse while walking carelessly, a pointless death was a real possibility. There were also the blizzards that swirled up from time to time, and one needed to be careful of avalanches in the mountainous areas. In the Rainforest, all one needed to worry about were things like attacks from the savage natives or monsters, but in the snowfields, one needed to be more cautious of the immensity of nature.
There were fields of white snow everywhere you looked, so losing your sense of direction was easy. Even if you used a map, a compass, or an enchanted guidebook, it was still easy to lose your way in the snowfields. That was why people who wanted to cross the snowfields often hired the natives living in those lands as guides.
But thanks to the King of Ruhrâs consideration, there was no longer any need for them to hire a guide.
âWoof-woof.â
Having emerged from the cloak, Mer approached Abel with her eyes shining brightly.
âWoof-woof.â
Mer tried to imitate a dogâs bark once more, but Abel just stared at Mer, lazily blinking his golden eyes. Unable to get him to show the reaction she had hoped for, Mer pouted her lips and crept closer to Abel.
âHand,â Mer instructed when she finally stood in front of the large wolf and stretched out her own hand.
And as expected, Abel proved to be just as smart as Aman had said. Mer smiled broadly as she looked down to see Abelâs large front paw draped lightly over her tiny hand.
âItâs okay if I ride on his back, right?â Mer pleaded.
Eugene pointed out, âWouldnât it be more comfortable to travel inside my cloak than on the back of a wolfââ
âEither way, itâs more comfortable than walking on my own. Also, itâs no fun to be stuck inside your cloak, Sir Eugene, and Iâve gotten sick of it after standing inside there for so long,â Mer complained as she quickly climbed onto Abelâs back.
Mer might have been a young girl, but she was also a familiar, so she didnât actually weigh much. On top of that, perhaps because of Abelâs huge size and excellent strength, he showed no signs of difficulty at having Mer ride on his back as he looked to Eugene for instruction.
Eugene considered Mer silently.
Itâs no fun, and she was bored of it â Mer may have said those words without giving them much thought, but Eugene felt a little sullen because of it. However, if he acknowledged and expressed this feeling, he felt like he would be admitting that he had lost to this mutt, so Eugene kept his mouth shut.
Anise suddenly remarked, âAs Molonâs descendant, he really does resemble Molon.â
âBut he doesnât look like the same sort of fool that Molon was. Though it makes sense, thereâs no way that a fool would become a king,â Eugene responded.
âMolon was also a fool, but he was actually pretty good at handling state affairs,â Anise revealed.
Eugene scoffed, âThatâs just because Molon was strong. Three hundred years ago, during all that mess, didnât he manage to build a kingdom through strength alone? When a strong man like him said he would be king of this polar region where itâs always snowing heavily, who would dare to say anything against that?â
Anise argued, âAlthough itâs true that Molonâs strength was helpful in the founding of the Ruhr Kingdom, the kingdom wasnât established and governed solely by force. Hamel, you should know this as well, right? Molon may have been a fool, but he was also kind, and despite being a fool, he did have a wise side to him. Now that three hundred years have passed, he is still called by and praised with the prestigious title of the Bold King because Molon was more of a proper king than the one who ruled your hometown.â
âFine, I admit it. Molon is great. And Iâm worthless. I fucking died first for no reason, and because of that, I keep getting called weaker than MolonâŚ.â
As Eugene trailed off into grumbles and repeatedly sighed, Anise, who was still borrowing Kristinaâs body, laughed mockingly.
âIsnât it just a fact that you were weaker than Molon? You also had a weaker body than he did. Hamel, no one else might be able to tell, but boasting like you were stronger and tougher than Molon in front of me isâŚ. Hehe. It feels a little cute of you,â Anise said with a smirk.
âWhat did you just say?â Eugene growled.
âWasnât it just like I said it was? Whenever a battle was over, you always had more injuries than Molon. And who was the one who had to heal those wounds?â Anise asked rhetorically.
âSienna,â Eugene answered sarcastically.
âNope, it was me,â Anise insisted. âPlease donât try to act cute with that useless pride of yours. Without me, Hamel, all your limbs would have been cut off at the roots, and you would have been left with only your torso, forced to roll around like a ball.â
Eugene coughed guiltily, âAhemâŚ. But itâs not like I was the only one whose limbs were cut off. Molon also lost his legsâŚ.â
âThatâs because Molon always stupidly ran off like a colt with its tail on fire.â Anise snorted, then continued, âThough indeed, you were the same in that regard.â
Eugene couldnât bear to refute Aniseâs ridicule. If it hadnât been for Aniseâs miracles, even if all his limbs hadnât been amputated, he felt like he would have at least lost an arm or a leg.
A voice suddenly intruded, âJust what are you two talking about so secretly?â
The ongoing conversation between Eugene and Anise couldnât be heard by anyone else. This was because Eugene had concealed each of their voices using magic in order to talk about Molon.
The sight of this was very, very, very annoying to Ciel.
As Ciel approached them with her eyes staring piercingly, Eugene replied with a calm expression, âWeâre talking about the Signature that I came up with in Aroth.â
âWhy talk about that in secret?â Ciel argued. âIâm also curious about your Signature.â
âUm⌠something like this needs to be seen as a surprise to look cooler and more shocking,â Eugene said as an excuse.
âSo youâre keeping it a secret because you want to show it off to me?â Ciel asked happily.
âWell, something like that,â Eugene agreed vaguely.
Although Ciel didnât like this situation, Eugeneâs response made her very happy. She withdrew once more with a look that said it couldnât be helped.
Eugene turned to Anise, âSo, Lehainjar, what do you think about it?â
âMolonâs descendant didnât explain anything properly, but wasnât he quite explicit in suggesting you go there? No way, Hamel. Do you actually think he might have set a trap for you?â Anise asked in disbelief.
âIsnât that still a possibility?â
âHow could a descendant of Molon use such petty tricks as laying a trapââ
âEven among Vermouthâs descendants, there are idiots,â Eugene pointed out.
Anise conceded the point, âThat might be the case, but if we really fall into a trap set by a descendant of Molon⌠Iâd be so ashamed that I would never be able to ascend to the heavens and instead become an evil spirit.â
Eugene also readily agreed, âIâd also be just as ashamed, enough to kill myself by burying my nose in a saucer of water.â
For now, they would just keep their guard up, but what reason would the Beast King have for laying such a trap? As far as Eugene was aware, the Lionhearts and the Royal Family of Ruhr had quite an amicable relationship.
Since the war ended three hundred years ago, Vermouth had strangely distanced himself from his former comrades. Molon was no exception to this. But after Molon had abdicated the throne and a funeral had officially been held for Vermouth, the kings who succeeded the throne of Ruhr sought to establish a good relationship with the Lionheart clan, even if they still werenât that close.
Every year, on the Patriarchâs birthday, letters and gifts would be sent from Ruhr, and currently, there were even talks about marrying the next Patriarch, Cyan, to the Princess of Ruhr.
âPerhaps Molon might have gone into seclusion in that place called the Great Hammer Canyon?â Anise proposed.
Anise was also well aware of why it had been decided that the Knight March would be held in the Kingdom of Ruhr. It was all because of the Brave Molon, who had gone into seclusion one hundred years ago. By holding it here, they hoped to rouse him from his solitude.
âHamel, you⌠hehe. Though it seems that you donât really like to be called as such, at least for now, arenât you called the Second Coming of Vermouth? Also, Kristina happens to look exactly like I did,â Anise pointed out with a giggle.
Eugene couldnât respond to this.
âItâs unknown whether Molon is still secretly in contact with the Royal Family of Ruhr even after going into seclusion. And if he really did go to the Great Hammer Canyon for his seclusion⌠he should be able to notice us once we arrive there, even if heâs far away,â Anise speculated.
Eugene snorted, âThat fool will probably be surprised and come over running like crazy.â
If it was Molon, that definitely felt like what he would do; as Eugene grinned while imagining such a sight, Anise also nodded slightly on the side.
However, her smile wasnât as cheerful as Eugeneâs.
âThatâs if Molon hasnât changed from how we remember him to be,â Anise brought up cautiously.
Eugene didnât respond to those words right away. Instead, he stared at Anise with a calm, assessing gaze. That face might still be Kristinaâs, but even so, Eugene could sense Aniseâs sorrowful melancholy.
There was a slight pause before Eugene responded.
He couldnât be entirely sure of what he was saying, but Eugene still tried to project confidence when he assured her, âThat fool wonât have changed even a tiny bit.â
They once again made use of the warp-gate in Hamelon, the Capital of Ruhr, and arrived at the city of Rosrok, which was in the north of Ruhr. Unfortunately, from this point on, they wouldnât be able to use a warp-gate to travel any further and would instead have to traverse the endlessly sprawling snowfields all by themselves.
âYouâre going all the way to Lehainjar by foot? Youâre crazy.â
Every merchant they met while purchasing supplies for the journey had said the same thing while shaking their heads and clicking their tongues in sympathy. However, even though they called it reckless and foolish, they didnât try to stop Eugene and the others.
This was because of the Lionheart sigil embroidered on the chests of the Lionheart trio â Eugene, Ciel, and Cyan.
âIâve heard something about that. Apparently, a festival called the Knight March is being held at the distant Lehainâs training grounds, right?â a merchant inquired.
âI donât know if it can really be called a festival, but yes,â Eugene confirmed.
âA bunch of people from all over the world are gathering to enjoy some loud and boisterous fun, so what else can it be called other than a festival?â the merchant pointed out. âIn any case, thanks to you lot, we merchants are also enjoying ourselves due to this event.â
Eugene pricked his ears, âIt seems quite a few people have passed through here already?â
âIsnât it obvious[1]? Three knightly orders and four mercenary companies have already passed through here, and thatâs just Rosrok alone.â
The path through Rosrok wasnât the only way to reach Lehain. If you included the troops departing from other cities, the number of troops that would soon be arriving in Lehain would be staggering.
The merchant generously offered, âSince youâve bought a lot of goods, Iâll tell you this for free. Two of the knightly orders were just from small countries belonging to the Anti-Demon Alliance, but the last one was a very famous knightly order, Shimuinâs Knights of the Violent Tide. As the young master of the Lionheart clan, you should naturally know of them, right?â
Of course, Eugene knew. Theirs was a name that was always brought up whenever the topic of the best knightly orders on the continent was discussed. As Shimuin was a country that claimed to be a Land of Knights, there were several knightly orders that were sworn to the royal family.
Among these knightly orders, the Violent Tide Knights were made up of the elites who were carefully selected from only the most exceptional knights. The Commander of their knightly order was the First Knight of Shimuinâs Twelve Finest[2]. Just like the Knights of the Violent Tide, his name was always brought up whenever someone discussed picking the best knights of the entire continent.
âHow should I describe the First KnightâŚ? Heâs a man so sharp that you can almost feel a ghostly aura coming from him. As such, he looked like even more of a contrast when standing next to the Princess Knight. As for her, she looked as clean and pure as a solitary flowerâŚ,â the merchant trailed off in reminiscence.
Cyan gave a low cough as the merchant continued muttering.
His attention had been drawn to the mention of Shimuinâs Princess Knight. Among all of the children of the King of Shimuin, Princess Scalia was said to be uniquely gifted with the sword.
âSneaky bastard,â Eugene scoffed at Cyanâs obvious interest in her gossip.
Cyan stammered in protest, âWh-what?!â
Along with Princess Ayla of Ruhr, Princess Scalia had also been brought up as one of Cyanâs potential fiancees.
The merchant continued, âAs for the mercenary companies, well⌠they were all fairly large companies, butâŚ. Hah. Although I hope nothing dangerous happens, you never know what people might get up to, so allow me to give you a warning.â
âA warning?â Eugene repeated.
âAmong the mercenary companies that passed through Rosrok a few days ago, there was one group called the Black Dog Mercenaries. Though they call themselves a mercenary company, theyâre dragging around merchant caravans from other snowfields and extorting them under the pretext of escorting them. Theyâre just robbers wearing the mask of a mercenary company,â the merchant sniffed.
This news didnât come as a surprise to Eugene, who used to work as a mercenary three hundred years ago. Merchant caravans were a common customer of mercenaries. As long as a mercenary company had both a lack of conscience and enough ability, after killing or crippling the original escort warriors hired by the merchant caravans, they could force the merchants to sign an unfair contract while claiming to be the ones who would escort them from now on. Naturally, the contracts that were signed like this werenât anything like proper contracts, and most of them made the merchant caravans pay an additional fee for the amount of time they were dragged around by the mercenary company.
âThose Black Dogs probably wonât dare to play tricks on the young masters from the Lionheart clan, but⌠the snowfields are wide, and you never know what might happen,â the merchant earnestly cautioned them. âThe best solution would be to avoid getting entangled with them in the first place. If you see the flag of the Black Dogs from a distance, donât needlessly try to confront them and just go your own way.â
Eugene accepted the warning, âThank you for your advice.â
âBy the way, have you considered borrowing a few more wolves?â the merchant recommended. âIt seems that there arenât too many of you, and if itâs a group of about five people, it would be better to use a wolf sledâŚ.â
âItâs fine,â Eugene assured him.
He actually had thought about hiring a sleigh to ride, but after considering it several times, he realized that they didnât really have a need for it.
âAfter all, wouldnât it be more convenient just to use magic?â Eugene said mostly to himself.
âWell, it should be easier for you,â the merchant agreed.
The spell that was used to keep oneâs feet from sliding in the snow wasnât a very advanced spell, and while lasting for a long time, it didnât even consume much mana. However, Eugene had no intention of allowing the use of such a convenient spell.
Eugene turned to Ciel and Cyan, âYou two, your White Flame Formulas are still on the Fourth Star, right?â
âAt our age, the Fourth Star is still very high,â Cyan insisted sulkily.
Eugene argued back, âBut even though Iâm the same age as you, Iâm already on the Sixth Star, no?â
âThatâs because you're a monster, you bastard,â Cyan growled, his brow furrowing as he tried to hold back his hurt pride.
Eugene got to the point, âYou werenât waiting for me to go with you just because you thought that would make the trip easier and pain-free, right?â
Cyan knew that he wasnât as talented as Eugene. As a result, he probably wouldnât be able to surpass Eugene for the rest of his life. Cyan had become painfully aware of this fact early on, and he was well aware that no matter how jealous he became, it wouldnât be able to change the reality of this situation.
Ancilla was the one who taught Cyan how to use his brother, Eugene, from an early age.
Cyan could be jealous, but he shouldnât be envious. Even though Cyan knew that he wouldnât be able to surpass Eugene, he should still strive to do so. Even if they werenât real brothers, Cyan should treat him like a real brother and learn to depend on each other. He needed to build up such a friendship between them so that Cyan would never need to betray him or be betrayed.
âWill this really help?â Cyan reluctantly asked.
âHave I ever made you do anything that wouldnât be helpful to you?â Eugene said with a grin as he patted Cyan on the shoulder.
This was the truth. Cyanâs White Flame Formula had been able to rise up to the Fourth Star in the first place because he had received various bits of advice from Eugene about how to train in the White Flame Formula. That advice had also been applied equally to Ciel.
âFine,â Cyan huffed as he made up his mind and immediately took off his shoes.
As this left him standing barefoot in the snow, the icy chill sent shocks up and down his spine. While precisely operating the White Flame Formula, Cyan warmed himself up with a minimal amount of mana. With that, he slowly began to walk, taking careful steps forwards.
For the purpose of this training, Cyan wasnât allowed to sink into the snow. There shouldnât even be any footprints left. It seemed simple at first glance, but this actually required meticulous and continuous manipulation of his mana.
Excessively outputting their mana would be meaningless. So what Eugene had asked Ciel and Cyan to do was to walk on the snow while using the minimal amount of mana so that their White Flame Formula wouldnât release any sparks.
âUghâŚ,â Ciel was disgusted by the need to be barefoot, but she still listened to Eugeneâs instructions.
Carefully cradling her boots, she walked over the snow cautiously. When Eugene casually approached her to try and hold on to her boots, Ciel leaped back away from Eugene in fright.
âWh-what are you doing?â Ciel yelped.
âNo⌠it seemed that it would be inconvenient for you to carry your shoes with you⌠so I was just going to put them in my cloak,â Eugene said hesitantly.
Ciel firmly rejected this offer, âNo way, thereâs no way that Iâm letting you do that. Iâll take care of my boots on my own, so donât even think about it.â
Eugene cocked an eyebrow, âAre you worried theyâll smell?â
Ciel's face turned pale at Eugeneâs question.
Eugene sighed, âYouâve been like that since you were young. Iâve never once thought there was a weird smell coming from your body, but a few years ago, you refused to even do any training outside because you didnât want to give off the smell of sweat.â
âWhy are you bringing up something from the distant past?!â Ciel shrieked.
Eugene just grumbled, âIt wasnât even that long ago⌠maybe four years or soâŚ? In any case, you wonât give off any strange odors, so donât pointlessly hold on to those shoes and give them to me.â
â...You⌠you son of a bitch. I knew you were lacking in consideration, but this is going too far. Do you really think I truly believed that some kind of strange smell was coming from my body? Itâs just that I was too shy and embarrassed! Get lost!â Ciel screeched like a banshee as she swung her boots threateningly.
Due to her strong resistance, Eugene couldnât keep persuading her and had to back off.
âSir Eugene, you are the one in the wrong,â Kristina muttered from deep within the thick fur coat that she was wearing.
At these words, Eugene turned his gaze towards her with a look that spoke of his feelings of unjust, âJust what did I do wrong?â
âYouâre lacking in consideration for a girlâs heart,â Kristina said as she clicked her tongue and shook her head.
Mer also stared at Eugene with narrowed eyes as she accompanied Kristina in clicking her tongue. Mer seemed to be quite happy sitting on Abelâs back, so they had even bought a saddle she could sit on while riding him.
A young girl wearing a fluffy-looking hat was sitting on the back of a wolf as big as an ox. That wolf was also responsible for determining their partyâs direction and leading them. The twin siblings were following behind the wolf on bare feet, and a man wearing an oversized cloak was watching over the siblings with a stern look in his eye. A woman wearing a coat was also sticking to that manâs side.
Several parties were leaving the gates of Rosrok at the same time, but none were as unique as Eugeneâs. Cielâs face flushed red as she felt the gazes staring at her as if enjoying the show.
âIf you keep mincing along like that, just when do you think weâll get there? Run!â Eugene roared.
âHaoyay!â Mer also shouted as she patted Abelâs nape.
Abel started running across the snowfield. As a result, Cyan and Ciel had no choice but to begin running diligently while barefoot.
âThereâs⌠thereâs no need for us to run like this!â Ciel gasped.
âYou need to run if we plan on arriving quickly,â Eugene argued.
âBut I bet you didnât run like this in Samar!â Ciel cried out in a sorrowful voice.
Just why had Ciel decided to split off from the Lionheart clanâs main force to wait for Eugene? It was because she didnât want Kristina and Eugene to travel alone together, all buddy-buddy like they had in Samar! It was all because Ciel couldnât bear the thought of allowing them to just leisurely make their way to Lehain on their own. Because there had been an increase in their training ahead of the Knight March, Ciel hadnât been able to follow Eugene to Aroth, but this time, she would finally be able to travel together with him.
But just what was going on now? They should be riding around in a large, rented sleigh while using magic to circulate warm air around themâŚ. Ciel had been hoping for a chance to chat with each other while they built a bonfire at night and made memories while looking at the stars! So why was she currently barefoot, chasing that huge wolfâs ass?
âDidnât I run around a lot in Samar?â Eugene asked as he tilted his head, unable to understand what Ciel meant by her miserable cry.
âSir Eugene did run while I flew behind him,â Kristina affirmed before spreading her own wings in a demonstration.
Of course, she hadnât unfurled all eight of her wings. It was the divine spell that she had used while they were traveling through Samar, the Wings of Light. But with Kristinaâs current strength, even if she flew for several days while using the Wings of Light, she wouldnât run out of divine power.
âLady Ciel, it seems that you misunderstand something. Sir Eugene and I faithfully carried out our mission while we were in Samar. Every day, we were busy traveling while also being on guard for surprise attacks. Iâm actually more relaxed now than I was back then,â Kristina whispered softly as she flew over to Ciel at a low height.
However, Ciel couldnât afford to respond to her. Although she hadnât had any problems while walking slowly, she was currently limiting the output of the White Flame Formula, protecting her feet from getting frostbite, and manipulating her mana so that she didnât sink into the snow, all while running. So while Ciel had to keep focused on just maintaining her breathing, all she could do was glare at Kristina.
Of course, Kristina wasnât as burdened or as busy as Ciel. She fluttered her wings proudly as she lay down in mid-air. The wind and the flurries of snow which came flying toward her were irritating, but she could cover her eyes with a leisurely wave of her hands.
âAlthough, Lady Ciel, it seems that you arenât having as easy of a time as I am,â Kristina calmly observed.
While swallowing the swear words that threatened to erupt, Ciel resumed glaring ahead of her.
The sight of Mer, who was giggling away while sitting on the wolfâs back, was the most annoying thing of all.
* * *
Above Rosrok, a man who looked so beautiful that it was hard to believe that he was a man was holding his coat closed. While staring in the direction of Eugeneâs back, which had at some point receded into the distance, the man licked his lips.
âYour Majesty,â the man muttered.
This whisper wasnât directed at anyone here but instead to the territory of his Queen far away from here.
âEugene Lionheart has departed from here,â he reported.
In the Devildom of Helmuth, the Black Shadow Forest, which just until a year ago, had been the territory of the Rakshasa Prince and home to the dark elves who followed her. It was a gigantic forest that had retained its primordial appearance.
However, almost nothing remained of the appearance that the Black Shadow Forest had at that time. Trees had been cut down in swathes, and neat roads had been laid down on top of the soil. Buildings that might be seen in the capital city of Pandemonium were being erected in ones and twos by the undead, human, and demonfolk workers that had been hired by the Dreaming Construction Company.
In the middle of all this, a statue of Noir Giabella that reproduced her alluring figure had been completed.
âAhahaha.â
Noir Giabella, who had been sitting on top of her own giant statueâs head, bared her teeth in laughter.
1. The literal translation of the original Korean phrase used here is, donât even say anything. Itâs used when someone is asking about something that should be obvious. â
2. A reminder that the âTwelve Finestâ is a group of the strongest knights in Shimuin. Eugene killed one of their members in the Samar Rainforest. â