NOVEL WEB Ch47 - Cause of the Great Tremor
Chapter 47: Cause of the Great Tremor
“Ah!”
I staggered from the tremor and instinctively clung to Fenrir’s fur. Fenrir growled while sharply surveying the surroundings, assuring me there was nothing suspicious nearby. I breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived.
<…No, something’s wrong with the space itself.> “The space?”
He was saying something strange. As I was thinking it over, I heard a thud as something fell into the snow. My shoulders twitched involuntarily.
“Huh?”
I looked toward the sound and saw a large mirror that had fallen. It reflected the surprised expressions of both Fenrir and me.
Another thud. This time, on the opposite side, a bookshelf had toppled over. Manga scattered across the floor, and the sudden appearance of such Japanese elements in the snowy field left me speechless.
Fenrir’s voice had a hint of bewilderment. He was probably feeling uneasy as well. He had previously mentioned that he didn’t know why things from another world would fall here.
“Lord Fenrir, there’s an unusual knife here. Could it be… one of those green…?” “…Wait, Grea, that’s a kitchen knife!” “A kitchen knife? Does that mean it’s from Lady El’s world?”
I interrupted Grea’s words out of concern for the dangerous object. When I pointed out that it had “Made in Japan” written on it, both of them exhaled white puffs of breath in relief. Their reaction seemed a bit odd… or was it just my imagination?
“It seems items from another world fall from considerable heights, so it’s fortunate none of this landed on anyone.”
That’s for sure. I felt a delayed chill. The idea of a mirror, bookshelf, or knife falling from above was terrifying. And they were all from my room… I should mention this later. But before that—
“Fenrir, could that tremor earlier have been an earthquake?”
Apparently, there were no earthquakes in this world. Since earthquakes are caused by shifts in oceanic plates, the geography here must be completely different. Fenrir, who had lived for 300 years, said this was the first time he’d experienced such shaking. Even the millennia-old Levi agreed, saying,
With so many objects from another world falling at once, it might have destabilized the world, causing the tremor. Although it was just a theory, we should contact the Kingdom of Felsnow to see if other countries were experiencing the same issue.
“You’re right…”
Grea nodded and sent a magical owl toward the kingdom.
Fenrir summoned a snow fairy to relay a message about the Fairy Spring. He asked them to patrol the area and report any abnormalities immediately.
“Lord Fenrir, it seems avalanches are happening all over the place.”
Grea twitched her beast ears. I tried listening as well, and… sure enough, I heard the distinct sound of snow sliding down in large chunks.
I see, they consider animals being buried in avalanches as part of the natural order. Fenrir’s restraint from intervening is probably important for maintaining balance in the wild.
But just like when animals failed to grow their winter coats, this time was a special situation, requiring exceptional measures. The two of them were now seriously pondering where to begin.
“An avalanche, huh… Could we get the snowmen to help?”
Fenrir howled. His howl transmitted the orders to the snowmen.
“Thank you,” he rubbed his face against mine. So cute—calm down, me.
“R-right. I should contact Orb and Tito as well.”
It suddenly hit me. Weren’t those two and the monster located farther down the hill…?
I focused magic into my fingertips, drawing a circle to form a communication magic circle.
“Orb! Tito!” <
<
I had no idea that could happen! Are they evolving independently or something? I never imbued them with such a wish. That fairy tale tree is too powerful!
(Nod and take the credit.)
Fenrir whispered to me, so with a dry laugh, I proudly took credit for the unknown favor bestowed upon the fairy kings.
<
I was curious about the monster’s condition, so I asked. They confirmed it hadn’t moved, which was a huge relief.
<
Just the thought of that monster vanishing somewhere was enough to send chills down my spine.
I puffed out my chest as much as I could. Fenrir, stifling a laugh, don’t you dare! I may be embarrassed, but I’m trying to play it cool here.
<
“Please, I’m counting on you. Orb and Tito are the most reliable in this matter. Keep me updated regularly.”
I praised them lavishly, asking for their help.
<
I simply gave a polite affirmation and ended the communication. Fenrir, Grea, and I nodded at each other.
Alright, mission accomplished.
＜El. Go back to the cave and quickly have a meal. I’ll stay here and meditate, sharpening my senses to ensure there’s no one harboring ill intent on the snowy mountain.＞ “Understood.”
It must be about the monsters… R-right, just in case. I believe there probably aren’t any.
With some reluctance, I parted ways with Fenrir and returned to the cave with Grea.
For breakfast, there was a plate with rabbit meat, seared on the surface, and winter fruits cut into bite-sized pieces. The meat had cooled a little. I guess they didn’t expect the discussion to take this long. I cracked open a pechka fruit and reheated the meat before eating it.
“…Fenrir’s meal preparation feels kind of like Prince Christopher’s, doesn’t it?” “Please don’t lump them together.”
Grea’s serious tone was terrifying. Sorry about that. I just remembered how, before, it was more wild—like tossing out a whole hunted prey!
“Fenrir-sama prepared it in a human style just to suit your tastes, El-sama. You’re truly fortunate, you know?”
Saying this, Grea handed me a dish with a hot spring egg.
“…Yeah. I really do feel lucky.”
I put my hands together and savored the flavors of the snowy country’s cuisine.
To protect this peaceful life, I’ll do whatever I can. I’ll do my best. With renewed resolve, I finished the larger-than-usual meal.
With my stomach full, I headed back to Fenrir.
＜Welcome back, El, Grea.＞ “Thank you for the meal, Fenrir!”
I cheerfully expressed my gratitude, and Fenrir’s tail wagged enthusiastically. How cute!! Grea and I both felt our hearts completely recharged.
＜…There’s a problem.＞
Fenrir’s gentle smile quickly shifted to a serious expression. We both straightened up. Fenrir glared into the distance.
＜I sense something off in various places… lost items have appeared, and there are those without the blessing of the snow country.＞ “The blessing of the snow country?” ＜Look at your nails, El. They’re dyed ice blue, aren’t they?＞
At his words, I looked at my fingertips. Sure enough, my nails were blue. They’d changed because of Fenrir’s magic.
Fenrir, too, shifted into his human form and showed me his blue nails.
“The kingdom of Felsnow and these snowy mountains are protected by Fenrir’s magic. The proof is in the ice-blue nails. It makes you more resistant to the cold. For those without the blessing, surviving winter is very difficult.” “So, that’s how it works.” “Even people from other countries will see their nails gradually turn ice-blue after living here for three years.” “Huh.”
Raising my gaze from my nails, I looked at Fenrir’s face.
His eyes were like blue flames, burning with what felt like anger. It gave me chills.
“There are those on the snowy mountain without that blessing. Why?” “—!”
I finally understood. I’m so slow. He’s talking about people from another country deliberately infiltrating the wintery kingdom of Felsnow. I’d been too naïve, thinking all was peaceful…
As my ears drooped, Fenrir patted my head.
“I didn’t mean to scare you… but I’ve got a pretty good idea of what’s causing this trouble. We should cooperate with the kingdom of Felsnow. Fortunately, thanks to you, El, we have powerful allies in the fairy kings, and it seems the intruders are stranded due to the unexpected arrival of winter.”
Fenrir gave a confident smirk. It made me feel lightheaded.
“Really? I was helpful?” “Of course. I’m glad you’re here.” “I see.”
To comfort me, Fenrir pulled me into a warm embrace, and my heart felt so warm and fuzzy inside.
For some reason, I also felt strangely flustered… like I was overheating, and for just a moment, I think I blacked out. I blinked several times.
“…Grea.” “Yes, Fenrir-sama. Let’s give the intruders disturbing this snowy mountain the punishment they deserve.”
Grea murmured in a voice that seemed to echo from the depths of hell. Any warm feelings vanished in an instant.
W-what was that? My animal ears perked up when I heard a tiny shriek: ＜Gya!?＞
From behind me. Still wrapped in Fenrir’s arms, I turned around cautiously, and saw Grea gripping some small creature.
“What’s that…? A fairy in green clothes?”
It was quite skinny, with dark skin, and its face looked rather scary. It glared at us with open hostility.
“A fairy from the green country.”
Fenrir’s face twisted in displeasure. It seemed like something not so good.
“Time to punish it for its mischief. Brace yourself.”
With a flick of Fenrir’s finger on the fairy’s forehead, it instantly froze. As the ice melted, it transformed into a snow fairy, one I’d grown familiar with.
Its skin was still dark, and its wings were like a butterfly’s, but… I stood there, frozen in place, as Fenrir instructed Grea to “let the fairy go now.”
The green fairy awkwardly approached us, placing one arm behind its back and the other over its heart, bowing in a rigid, formal manner quite unlike the fairies of the snow country.
“What’s your purpose here?” ＜…To bring back information on Fenrir-sama, and nothing more.＞ “That’s all?” ＜That’s all I was tasked with.＞
“They’re dividing the tasks… ensuring no one knows the full picture if captured. Quite meticulous. You’re going to show us where your companions are hiding.” ＜As you wish.＞
The green fairy spoke in halting, broken speech.
“Within Fenrir’s domain, those granted the blessing of ice are reborn as snow fairies. That’s just how it works with fairies. If they invade and get caught, they lose.”
I see. So, this fairy has fully become a part of the snow fairy clan now. I could sense a faint connection of magic between us, too.
And so, it was decided that today we’d go catch the other green fairies.
Fenrir shifted back into his beast form. I mounted Grea, and between my legs, I held the green fairy, who was too weak to run alongside Fenrir.
After extracting the location of the other green fairies, Fenrir had figured out their positions.
Together, we sprinted across the snowy plains.
…I’ll respond to the email tonight, after I’ve had time to think. All I sent was, “I’m really busy with something important, so please wait until night. Tell Mom that I love her more than anything.”