I Have Become The Snow Maiden I Created

Translator: Marctempest

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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Chapter 63: The Pure White Paradise (2)

The meeting adjourned, and Artan exited the Grand Temple.

At the entrance, the Royal Guards, Hiloze, and Harold were waiting.

Harold approached and asked.

“How did it go?”

Both he and Hiloze seemed eager for a response.

Basking in the brilliant sunlight, Artan answered calmly.

“I received a favorable response.”

The Crown Prince reflected on the earlier meeting.

“I intend to conquer the Burial grounds.”

These resolute words were spoken after deep contemplation.

The declaration caused a great stir within the chamber.

“…!”

“The Burial grounds…”

One of the two worst regions considered among the accursed.

The Holy Kingdom’s perception of that landfill was complicated.

It was a hell to be despised, yet ultimately a monumental sin committed by humanity’s ancestors.

“Are you speaking in earnest?”

Even so, the current belief among the faithful was unanimous.

It was a taboo of humanity that should not exist.

Artan remained undeterred by Netah’s question.

“Yes, I am sincere.”

“Your Highness, do you perhaps not understand why that source of evil still exists?”

“No, I understand it well.”

Everyone wished for its eradication, but it persisted because it was impossible to eliminate.

“After the era of gods, many heroes and sovereigns marched westward to subdue that landfill. But time after time… no, they all failed.”

“You were aware of this and still made such a decision?”

“Yes, High Priest Netah.”

A grand endeavor that even legends of history had failed to accomplish.

His words could easily be dismissed as mere bravado.

However, the Crown Prince stood firm, and Netah’s expression stiffened.

“Do you see it as possible?”

“It will be difficult. Very difficult. But I do not think it is impossible.”

“Hmph…”

Artan confessed his genuine intentions.

To eliminate the calamity, the world’s enemy, the Burial Grounds had to vanish ultimately.

Its ceaseless grudge continually gave rise to malevolence.

“So I ask you this.”

Clearly, it was a daunting task beyond the Empire’s strength alone. At this point, Artan revealed his main point.

“If the Empire moves to the Burial Grounds, what will the Holy Kingdom do?”

The cooperation of the Holy Kingdom was indispensable in this campaign.

The divine power to purify the lingering grudge was necessary.

At last, the two High Priests realized Artan’s intent and groaned.

“To conquer the Burial Grounds…”

“It is akin to humanity’s long-cherished wish. If it can be achieved, there is nothing more to hope for, but…”

There were reasons why the Burial Grounds had never been subdued until now. Yet, it was undeniably an opportunity.

A long-neglected Burial Grounds.

Who in this era would show such fervor for its conquest?

Moreover, it was none other than the Empire’s Crown Prince.

After a brief discussion, the two reached a consensus.

“We will assist you.”

“Then—!”

Artan’s face lit up.

However, there was a condition.

“If this is not just Your Highness’s personal ambition but the united will of the entire Empire.”

“…!”

Their stance was resolute, leaving no room for retreat as rulers of their nation.

Recalling this, Artan looked Harold squarely in the eye.

“It is as you predicted.”

“As expected. Even so, it is a sufficient expression of intent.”

Indeed, Harold’s assessment was correct.

Artan nodded.

“Yes, it is a sufficient answer. Had they immediately leaped at the gamble, I would have refused.”

“An untrustworthy ally is more dangerous than an enemy. Though I understand the Holy Kingdom’s position.”

Shrugging his shoulders, Harold stared at the Crown Prince.

“Is your business here now concluded?”

“Yes. It is time to return to the Empire.”

With Quellière gone and the Grand Temple’s response received, there was no reason to linger.

The next agenda would begin once they returned to the Empire.

*

-Quelli! What’s this?!

“A ring.”

Although I hadn’t been to the Snow Castle in a while, I adapted quickly.

I placed the talisman and the Ring of Lost Origins on the desk in my upper-floor room.

Frike, who had followed me in, sparkled with curiosity.

-A ring! What is a ring?! Could it be…?

“It’s not something you eat.”

-Not… something to eat? Then what is it?

“You wear it on your finger. It’s an accessory.”

In this case, it would be better classified as an artifact.

Frike tilted its head and spread its tiny arms.

-Finger… Finger…?

Its arms were slender, and its fingers were too thin to wear a ring.

Not that a snowflake would ever wear a ring in the first place.

-I have fingers! I want to wear a ring!

“No. It’s mine.”

I rejected the idea flatly.

Even after being refused, Frike remained as lively as ever.

-It’s yours, Quelli! Got it!

“Stop gawking and leave. You’re making me dizzy.”

-Huh? Okay!

Their cheerful nature, undeterred by sadness, and their ability to recover quickly were their strengths.

Creak—Bang!

“Ah.”

The door creaked slightly, leaving a precarious gap.

Frike, who had dashed out excitedly, hadn’t bothered to check if it was properly closed.

“So inconvenient.”

These mentally childlike creatures had a knack for occasionally annoying me.

Too lazy to go and close it myself, I just left it as it was.

Ignoring it, I focused my attention on the two relics I had laid out.

“The talisman is a bit worn, but the Ring of Lost Origins looks brand new.”

Practically unused, the difference in their condition was clear. However, I hadn’t taken them out to assess their durability.

The point was singular.

Would they serve as offerings against calamity?

“Is this… a precious item?”

I posed the question to myself.

Precious, yes. At least more so than the miscellaneous junk in the storage room.

The costumes in the unused dressing room were similar in that regard.

As a player, I had painstakingly collected each item, but now, their meaning had faded.

“…Still.”

Certainly, they weren’t as significant as the Catalyst.

That had been my treasured possession.

A testament to ten years of accumulation, which was no small thing.

“If I were to face calamity again, what would happen…?”

That thing was gathering power with clear intent.

To confront it, I would also need weapons.

“It might work, but… how much damage would it really do?”

In their current state, they were far from lethal.

I had no choice but to keep using them and make them more significant over time.

“Alright.”

Resolving this, I nodded deeply.

Then, I picked up a handkerchief and began polishing the ring.

Swipe, swipe—scrub, scrub—

I did my best to clean it thoroughly.

After placing the ring back down, I picked up the talisman, gave it a few wipes, and returned to the other relic.

Rub, rub—rub, rub—

It felt like the mindset of a janitor determined to leave no speck of dust behind.

Simultaneously, I whispered to myself, reinforcing my resolve.

“It’s precious.”

Rub, rub—rub, rub—

“My precious. …Probably.”

…What am I even doing?

A sudden wave of self-doubt washed over me.

…

*

Meanwhile, Nell Sartilla, the temporary resident of the castle, was busy exploring its interiors.

“Hah… hah…”

More precisely, she had been swept along by the Frike on an involuntary tour and had just barely managed to escape.

“Nell, where are you?”

-Can’t see her! Let’s look!

In the distance, spirits were bustling about.

Nell, who had been watching them nervously, sighed in relief once she felt safe.

“…Phew. They’re not bad, but they’re way too energetic.”

In that brief time, she had grasped the Frikes’ characteristics. Now that she had escaped, she decided to wander around alone.

“Quellière said I could explore as much as I wanted, so…”

With permission granted, she moved without hesitation.

The interior walls of the castle seemed to be adorned with pure white, elegant tones, much like the exterior walls.

“It’s like snow itself.”

It suited Quellière perfectly.

Unlike the Snowfield, the castle’s interior was quite warm—though still not exactly livable for humans—allowing for reduced energy consumption.

Leisurely walking along the outskirts, Nell came across a large door.

“Huh?”

A huge, heavy door.

It was clearly an important place, so she curiously peeked inside.

Creak—

Even the sound of the solemn door opening carried a sense of weight.

Nell tensed slightly.

“Excuse me…?”

No response came, and she cautiously stepped forward. Soon, her eyes widened at what lay beyond the door.

She couldn’t help but be amazed.

“…A treasure vault?”

The sight of countless objects piled like towers reminded her of the Grand Temple’s treasure vault.

So many, countless in number, easily overwhelming the Grand Temple’s treasure vault.

Intense curiosity.

Nell Sartilla’s red fur bristled.

“Wow, what is this? What is this, what is this! Is it all treasure? Could this be a treasure vault? Or something like that…”

It wasn’t a treasure vault, just a storage room, but still.

Her brief excitement was just the beginning. After wandering for a bit, she was even more astonished than when she entered.

“!”

Everything was unfamiliar.

Among all these items, not a single one was recognizable.

“…Well, I haven’t looked at everything, but it’s not something I could even attempt in one go.”

It wasn’t a scale that could be tackled in a single day.

Even if it were just clutter, it wouldn’t be strange, but everything was unfamiliar.

Could it simply be due to her limited knowledge and experience?

That was possible, and it was certainly a plausible explanation, but… she gulped nervously.

“Could this be a divine storage room…?!”

She let out an exaggerated laugh, but her face stiffened immediately.

What she had meant as a joke to calm herself down only made her more uneasy because it felt plausible.

Nell quickly headed outside.

Creak—

She slipped out carefully and gently closed the door.

“I didn’t see anything~”

Chuckling nervously, she muttered as if making excuses to someone and climbed the stairs.

Then she discovered something else interesting.

“Oh.”

An external door on one side of the upper floor.

It looked different from the surrounding area and immediately caught her attention.

Unable to resist her curiosity, Nell opened the door to the dressing room.

“Excuse me~?”

Thankfully, there were no occupants.

What was this place?

As she scanned the interior, Nell blinked in surprise.

“There are so many clothes.”

Although the quantity was less than the treasure vault—or whatever that other place was—it was still substantial.

Considering this room exclusively held clothing, it was an impressive sight in its own right.

A cursory glance revealed that the designs were all extremely unique.

“Hmmm…”

She took a moment to carefully look around.

Since she wasn’t particularly interested in clothes, she wasn’t being too thorough. But then, something caught her eye.

Her eyebrow twitched at the sight of peculiar clothing.

Odd and suggestive outfits.

Her pupils trembled as she took them in.

“This… this is clothing?!”

Backless maid uniforms and outfits that exposed nearly the entire chest were… in a word, risqué.

Nell, unaccustomed to such things, panicked.

“Ah, haha. There are all kinds of clothes here. So fascinating~”

Forcing a laugh, she hurriedly turned away.

That was when a thought crossed her mind.

“…”

—This is Quellière’s castle, isn’t it?

Surely, she hadn’t collected all these clothes herself… or had she?

Unable to shake the thought, Nell hesitantly turned back.

She scrutinized the outfits again.

“…Hmm. Hmm.”

They were still… peculiar.

She couldn’t imagine ever wearing such things herself.

Suddenly, she pictured Quellière wearing them.

“Wow. Wow…”

An impossible image manifested in her mind.

Letting out an inexplicable gasp, Nell felt something rising and instinctively plugged her nose.

In that position, she hastily fled the room.

…This place is dangerous.

What she did afterward was a blur.

It felt like she wandered around in a daze. How much time had passed, she wasn’t sure, but eventually, she came to her senses.

By then, she was near Quellière’s room.

“…Ah. Quellière.”

What could she be doing?

Curious, Nell approached the room quietly.

By some coincidence, the door was open, and she peeked inside.

“…”

Quellière was seated at her desk.

Her radiant hair, gleaming like the sun and moon, cascaded over the back of the chair.

With a grace that seemed the epitome of elegance, she was polishing a ring.

Nell recognized it.

“That’s the relic.”

It was definitely the item she had mentioned as lost.

What was rare, though, was Quellière’s expression. It was very serious, almost tender, as if she were handling something precious.

“A relic… In a way, it’s something quite close to Quellière herself.”

Was it because of that?

Unable to fathom the depths of her thoughts, Nell could only stare blankly at Quellière’s face.

What could she be thinking right now?

It was something that a mere creature like herself, who hadn’t even lived a hundred years, could never understand.

“Nell.”

Suddenly, the clear voice shattered her thoughts.

Nell flinched in surprise.

“Ah! Oh?”

“What are you doing there?”

At some point, Quellière had turned to look at her.

Standing there idly, it seemed she had been caught.

Or perhaps Quellière had known all along.

“If you have something to say, come in.”

“Oh… Ah, okay!”

“Close the door.”

“Ah. Oh, right.”

Meeting Quellière’s crystal-clear eyes, Nell Sartilla hastily shut the door.

*

The streets of Chelmberd were lined with vendors.

Despite it being midday, a time when work should have been in full swing, many citizens were busy chatting.

“Did you hear the news? The Dark Holy Society’s strike force has turned tail and run!”

The topic of discussion varied by region and location, but in the street where Behelak was passing, the hot topic was a certain secret organization.

His steps came to a halt.

“Ah, you mean that? Of course, I heard about it.”

“Oh-ho. Then do you also know that some members of that cult have completely surrendered to the Holy Kingdom?”

A vile and heinous secret society devoted to calamity.

Though they spoke of an object of fear and dread, the two men’s faces were adorned with smiles.

“Surrendered? Those wicked fiends?”

“That’s right! Their leader’s been killed, so it’s only natural. What could those wretches possibly do now?”

Not long ago, such talk wouldn’t have occurred in broad daylight, especially in a bustling public street.

Back when the Dark Holy Society was still formidable, their infamy had been overwhelming.

“They were just outcasts isolated from society, weren’t they?”

“True enough. Though I never imagined that the Society’s master was that High Priestess Clavia… or rather, that woman.”

But with the situation changed, citizens spoke freely, releasing years of suppressed fear and frustration.

Their idle chatter continued without order through the afternoon.

“At any rate, it’s all thanks to the Goddess… ahem, Lady Quellière. I saw her for the first time at the Grand Temple, and her unbelievably noble figure… if I could see her again, I’d have no more wishes.”

“Agreed. I can only hope she visits the Holy Kingdom once more…”

These were trivial tales that anyone might hear and forget within moments.

But not to Behelak.

“Grr.”

He clenched his fists so tightly it seemed his hands might crumple.

For someone who had staked everything on the Dark Holy Society, the current situation was unbearable.

Grinding his teeth, Behelak spat out his words.

“So they think a tiger without fangs is no longer frightening…”

His fury surged, but letting it out here would be foolish.

Engraving his hatred deep within, Behelak trudged toward the assembly point.

“Wait and see. The Dark Holy Society has not fallen yet.”

Somehow, he vowed, he would repay this humiliation.