NOVEL WEB Ch. 10
Chapter 10: The Eyes of the Ice Mage
The sharp tip of the spear pointed toward someone beside the cart, on the road.
Click-
“Huff, huff, 4th Infantry Search Battalion! Private! Vincenzo! Thank you for your service!”
A crisp, disciplined voice.
It sounded like a rookie soldier full of military rigor.
“What’s this? One of our soldiers. Don’t privates know they’re not allowed beyond a 2km radius from their post?”
“Well, uh…”
Vincenzo hesitated before reporting clearly.
“About 30 minutes ago, Shukain issued a directive. She ordered, ‘Until I say otherwise, everyone in the fortress must evacuate beyond a 5km radius from the walls.’”
“…What?”
The sergeant’s confusion was mirrored by the hunter’s bewildered expression.
“Why?”
“I don’t know, ma’am. But it’s a direct order from Shukain, so everyone’s following it. I’m tasked with relaying this to those returning from their duties.”
Despite the sergeant’s probing questions, Vincenzo, looking troubled, could only say he didn’t understand.
Shukain’s domain, Galacru, in the northern part of the continent.
Horast, a fortress city in its northwest, was considered the best defensive stronghold in the north.
‘Yet Shukain ordered a full evacuation of Horast’s interior.’
Considering there was nothing outside but snow-covered plains and ferocious beasts, whatever happened inside the fortress must be more dangerous than the harsh external environment.
The sergeant, deep in thought with a grave expression, lowered her spear.
“…Understood. Get on.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”
The cart tilted.
Vincenzo found a spot among the animal carcasses and sat cross-legged, causing the cart to sway.
On the way to the fortress in the hunter’s cart.
The private reported everything he had seen and heard.
“Before Shukain’s order, there was a cracking sound from the inner citadel.”
“A cracking… sound? Are you sure?”
“Yes, everyone near the center of the fortress heard it. The ground shook, and it sounded like the ice walls were splitting.”
“Huh… Alright. Anything else?”
“After that, everyone focused on evacuating and maintaining order-”
“Got it. I’ll find out more when we reach the fortress. Return to your post and stand by.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“…”
An awkward silence followed, accompanied by a cold breeze.
‘Did something happen?’
I quietly lifted the hide, trying not to draw attention.
The sudden tense atmosphere made it hard to decide whether to emerge.
It felt like the sergeant might stab me with her spear if I came out now, suspecting me as an intruder. Timing was tricky.
‘Maybe I should wait until we reach the fortress and the cart stops, then act.’
Soon, the murmur of many voices grew louder.
“Sergeant Sharon!”
A hearty voice rang out nearby.
“Sergeant Brandon…”
The sergeant, called Sharon, stepped off the cart, muttering, while Vincenzo, the private, shouted his rank and name, hurriedly jumping off.
The cart felt lighter, and I lifted the elk hide again.
Bonfires dotted the white plains ahead.
Amid countless tents, fur-clad residents, wearing gloves, hurriedly carried mysterious boxes.
“Hey.”
Armored soldiers gathered in groups, chatting.
“Um…”
The hunter who had driven the cart with Sharon raised his voice toward the gathered sergeants.
“Is the food storage off-limits too?”
“Well…”
The sergeants exchanged glances at the hunter’s anxious question.
Even in cold weather, unprocessed meat would spoil quickly.
But with no set time for staying outside the fortress, they couldn’t give a clear answer.
“Did Shukain say not to enter the fortress under any circumstances?”
Sharon asked her colleagues on behalf of the hunter.
“Not exactly…”
“But defying Shukain’s orders won’t do us any good.”
“Yeah, we’d be the ones to suffer.”
Sharon, ignoring her colleagues’ grumbling, took off her helmet.
Her golden hair cascaded over her shoulders.
Her resolute eyes exuded a warrior’s spirit.
Her face, lit by the cold winter daylight, was remarkably calm.
“I’ll escort you to the food storage. It’s far from the inner citadel where Shukain is anyway.”
“Is that okay?”
Brandon, a burly sergeant, looked at her with concern.
“It’s just a matter of dropping off food. No need to report it.”
Her decisive words prompted nods from the other sergeants.
“Fair enough! It’s routine work, so there shouldn’t be an issue.”
“With Sharon escorting, what could go wrong?”
“If there’s trouble later, I’ll take responsibility.”
Sharon seemed highly trusted in the fortress, as the sergeants cleared a path for the hunter’s cart.
The residents, seeing the pile of game, seemed to understand, giving me insight into the north’s view on food.
“Let’s go.”
Sharon climbed back onto the cart.
“Thank you. I was worried, but now I can finish this job.”
“Of course. A job must be completed.”
Stern with subordinates but kind to locals, she smiled brightly.
Creak-
The fortress' grim iron gates opened, and the cart entered.
***
On the swaying cart.
The fortress city was vast and orderly.
A sprawling plaza with sharp black spires and a massive, dark mansion atop a hill.
Below, rows of residents’ houses.
Clop-clop- Clop-clop-
The cart passed quietly through the snowy village.
It was heading toward the hill opposite the citadel.
The cart climbed the steep hill, passing the dark mansion.
Boom-!
Suddenly, the mansion exploded.
“Hiii-!!!”
“Whoa, whoa!!!”
“Lady Shukain?!”
As the hunter calmed the horses, Sharon leaped off the cart.
Spear in hand, she fearlessly charged into the debris-falling danger zone.
Her swift, agile movements spoke of rigorous training.
Shwaaak-!!
At that moment, someone arced through the air from the smoky debris, landing in front of Sharon.
Thud, thud.
A silhouette rose from the billowing black smoke.
The hunter, undaunted, raised his rifle.
Until a blast of white frost from someone’s mouth dispersed the smoke.
“Phew-”
Asymmetrical silver hair gleamed.
A cold, sharp-featured woman emerged from the frosty smoke.
“Sergeant Sharon?”
Shukain immediately recognized her subordinate.
With a cold, detached gaze.
“Didn’t you receive my orders? Why are you here?”
A sudden burst of icy frost swirled, forming ice crystals around her.
Sharon, accustomed to this, calmly explained.
“It’s for food storage, Lady Shukain. It’s important, isn’t it?”
“Ah, yes… food.”
She maintained her frost, eyeing the carcasses on the cart.
Then, narrowing her eyes, she alternated her gaze between Sharon and the hunter.
A brief silence filled with unease and tension.
Whoosh-
Shukain quickly dispelled the frost, scratching her head.
“Food is unavoidable in the north. Fine! I’ll let it slide. The issue’s mostly resolved anyway.”
“Thank you.”
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Shukain’s cheerful smile melted the tension.
“But.”
“?”
“Take out what’s in there.”
“What?”
“The one under the deer hide. Leave it.”
Despite her clear explanation, Sharon and the hunter stood dumbfounded.
“What, you didn’t know?”
Shukain walked past them to the cart’s cargo.
“Hmm~ I doubt that swamp monster would hide under a deer hide…”
Her eyes widened, sensing something.
“What the hell is this? That guy…? No, it can’t be him.”
She muttered inaudibly, her expression one of confusion.
“Hey.”
“Yes, yes!”
“You were going to freeze these, right?”
“Yes, of course. We planned to store them and process the hides first…”
“Good.”
Shukain raised her hand elegantly, cutting off the hunter.
Shaaa-
A swirling vortex of frost gleamed white under her raised hand.
Crackle-!
The animal carcasses froze, frost spreading rapidly.
“You listening?”
A bone-chilling voice rang out.
“Come out, unless you want to freeze to death.”
The carcasses in the cart began to freeze solid.
***
Crackle-crackle-
A cold so intense it made the outside wind feel like a breeze.
Though the elk’s blood had cooled, its hide had provided some protection.
Now, it was meaningless.
“Argh!!!”
The cold was unbearable.
I leaped out from under the elk hide.
“...!”
Seeing a person emerge from the carcasses, Sharon and the hunter, shocked, raised their weapons.
Swish-
Shukain raised her hand again, stopping them.
And then.
“You…”
She grinned.
Her piercing gaze radiated certainty.
“You’re that guy’s son, aren’t you?”