229. Aksaras Labyrinth [1]

‘Appa’ (Father)? 'Oppa’ (Brother)?

I agonized for a long time over what exactly I should be called by Ellie, father or brother. It was a difficult question, and my thoughts grew deeper, but surprisingly, Eleanor quickly resolved it.

“Of course, it’s 'brother’! You’re not that old anyway, right?”

“Is that so…?”

I thought it made enough sense.

Besides, wasn’t Ellie the child she had graciously allowed me to raise?

It didn’t seem so bad to go along with her suggestion.

“By the way, the North really is far. And the Winter Bridge, no less… Are you sure it’s okay to bring Ellie along?”

It was a genuine concern. Ellie was still just a baby.

Barely a month old, with weak immunity.

Though Eleanor had taken care to prepare her, it was still worrisome.

“Of course. This little one is originally from the North, so Northern food suits her better. She’s a handful, but you won’t regret it.”

“Obviously. This is for our Ellie! A little danger is nothing.”

I declared confidently, but then an unexpected reaction slipped out.

“Our… Ellie?”

Kiing.

Ellie burrowed into my arms, making a slightly uncomfortable sound.

As I had done for the past few days, I naturally rolled up my sleeve and opened my coat for her. She wriggled inside, trying to find a comfortable position.

Not long after.

Ssshh… Ssshh…

Ellie fell asleep.

Was this happiness?

A sense of fulfillment I had never experienced before slowly bloomed within me. Especially when I stroked her fluffy tail and held her tight, or when her briefly scrunched-up face softened again, I had no doubt this would become a new kind of happiness for me.

As expected, cute animals truly are the best.

‘…Secretly, I was disappointed that Carl grew too big to carry around.’

Though, of course, horses naturally grow, and Carl, being a fine steed, shot up quickly. Watching him grow was rewarding, but I still missed the days when he would curl up in my arms, munching on carrots and sugar cubes.

Now, Ellie filled that void, doubling my happiness.

I couldn’t ask for more.

…Except, maybe, wiping out those damn demon bastards.

Damn it.

Come to think of it, the North had its own share of problems to worry about.

'For example, a group of Grand dukes set to appear in the final episode, Pandemonium. The information about the resurrection ritual of Baal, their leader, taking place in the West can actually be found here in the North.’

Additionally, in these Northern snowfields, I could meet an exceptional knight.

A warrior whose strength was unmatched across the continent.

Someone who could rival even the Three Sword Emperors.

Forming a connection with them at this point would make reaching the end of the episode much easier.

'Of course, the problem is that this person is also an eccentric…’

Either way, this trip would be full of opportunities. As a veteran player, this was practically my last chance to leverage my knowledge.

**********

A moment ago, Eleanor’s face had turned red.

Eleanor’s face burned red the moment she heard Nox’s words at the unexpected timing.

— Our… Ellie?“

She couldn’t help but repeat it under her breath.

No matter how much she tried to suppress it, she couldn’t help the flutter in her chest.

The timing had been completely unexpected.

'…Too much!’

Though Ellie had originally been her nickname, Nox acted as if he had completely forgotten that. It wasn’t his fault, but she couldn’t help feeling a little resentful.

Nox was, after all, an oblivious man.

Even when he knew someone’s feelings, he was terrible at handling them.

When it came to relationships, especially romance, Nox was the most clueless of all.

'He’s not doing it on purpose. That much is certain.’

One look at his carefree smile made it clear.

He was just smitten with Ellie.

Eleanor touched her burning cheeks and glanced at Nox, but he was as indifferent as ever. Strangely, that only made her more frustrated, but she forced herself to sigh.

'He’s like this with everyone…’

Nox was just that kind of person. She had no choice but to accept it.

As she listened to him freely using her nickname, Eleanor nearly let out a foolish smile, but then she caught herself and shot a wary glance at Zitri, his maid, who was riding in the carriage with them.

'Why are there so many women around him, anyway?’

Zitri, Nox’s maid, was objectively beautiful.

Her rare green hair cascaded with a glossy sheen, exuding a unique charm, and her porcelain-like skin was flawless. On top of that, she had recently reclaimed her noble family name.

Earning the prestigious "von” title, unlike Eleanor’s “de.”

What did that mean?

It meant that, publicly, there was a possibility that Nox and Zitri could end up together.

The forbidden love between master and maid, a tale often whispered among servants.

The chances of it becoming reality couldn’t be ignored.

'That can’t… happen!’

Eleanor was the type to claim what she wanted, no matter what.

Besides, hadn’t Nox saved her multiple times?

She had vowed to stay by his side and repay that debt for the rest of her life.

No matter what obstacles arose, she was determined to win his heart.

But…

There was one problem.

Nox was unbelievably oblivious.

No matter how many hints she dropped, he never seemed to notice. How cruel was that?

Unfortunately, Nox didn’t just ignore hints.

He was completely blind to them.

That was why she had prepared Ellie.

'If I give him a nickname from my childhood and keep making him say it… little by little, his heart might naturally lean toward me. The ancient Catalyu people believed words had power, after all.’

In that sense.

This plan was quite successful.

Except for one.

One small problem.

'Every time he says my name, it’s too… stimulating!’

Thanks to Nox constantly calling her by her nickname, Eleanor felt like she was being emotionally pummeled.

The effect was stronger than she had anticipated.

Either way.

After taking the first portal toward the North, Eleanor, along with Ellie, Zitri, and Nox, was nearing the Winter Bridge by carriage.

Despite her earlier worries, the steady speed of the carriage made the trip uneventful.

“We’ll be arriving soon.”

Fanning herself, Eleanor feigned calmness.

It wasn’t a great performance worthy of the title [Genius of Acting], but it was enough to fool Nox, who was famously dense.

Though Zitri’s suspicious gaze was another matter.

“Right. The temperature’s dropping. We can’t let Ellie catch a cold…”

“Euph….”

“What’s wrong, Eleanor?

"N, nothing.”

“Young Master, you should change and get out of the carriage. Ellie is one thing, but… you’re the most vulnerable of all.”

“Ah… right.”

Nox quickly complied.

The fact that he didn’t even argue showed he had fully accepted his condition.

The combination of his [Cold Limbs] trait and other negative effects left him prone to colds and coughing fits, making him even more fragile.

Neigh!

“Carl, aren’t you cold? Want a blanket?”

Nox fussed over everyone else just as carefully.

Stepping out of the carriage, he surveyed the surroundings, and his gaze was immediately drawn to a massive structure.

More precisely, it was the outer wall of a fortress, the gatehouse controlling the drawbridge that connected the Winter Bridge to the 'frozen river’ leading to the village.

Nox and the group, bundled in coats, approached the soldiers guarding the gate.

Eleanor stepped forward first.

“Eleanor de Rivalin. We have an appointment for today. Could you lower the drawbridge for us?”

“Ah, one moment. Let me check the list.”

The soldier briskly flipped through a worn parchment, scanning the day’s visitor log.

Meanwhile, Nox observed the surroundings.

'A battle happened here not long ago. We need to hurry.’

The faint metallic scent of blood lingered in the air. No matter how much magic was used to clean it, that stubborn stench never fully disappeared.

How peculiar.

Nox continued his thoughts.

The North. This Winter Bridge, was one of the worst wastelands in Inner Lunatic. Even among the most dangerous places, it stood out as particularly brutal.

Considering this was where Nox had first hunted Ice Trolls, it was clear just how perilous this journey was.

'A land teeming with Ice Trolls, Ents, and countless other monsters, always dangerous. Even during the Eastern war, the North remained largely unaffected.’

Simply put, it wasn’t land worth fighting over.

The soil was poor for farming, and livestock had no advantage here.

Originally a coalition of minority tribes, it had only nominally been absorbed into the Arkheim Empire. In truth, the Winter Bridge and its surroundings were Imperial territory in name only.

“Confirmed. You’re at the top of today’s visitor list.”

“Good. Please open the gate.”

“Open the gate!”

The soldiers began to swiftly pull the ropes connected to the drawbridge’s pulleys, raising the gate.

Nox watched silently until the gate was halfway open, then, with a chilling gust of wind, he finally spoke.

“Wait”

His mana-infused voice drew everyone’s attention.

A gesture for silence. As Nox and the group pressed a finger to their lips, a low growl echoed through the air.

Grrrrrl…

“Damn. So much for an easy trip.”

“Monsters. At least mid-tier. How many combat-ready troops do you have?”

Eleanor quickly asked, while Carl swiftly positioned himself to carry his master.

What appeared next was no ordinary beast, it was a high-tier Drake,

One that wielded ice.

[Trait 'Cold Limbs’ is in effect.]

[Player’s stats are reduced.]

'Damn. I can’t use Ignite while fighting here.’

Using [Genius’s Time] now would be a waste.

The North was full of eccentrics, and there were people Nox would need to persuade with force. In a place where even noble titles held little weight, the worst-case scenario was…

“Most of our troops are injured from the recent battle…”

There’s almost no one left to fight.

The moment Nox agonized.

When Nox considered unleashing Carl’s undead power.

Ssschk.

Along with cold, slicing sound. A single figure appeared.

As he met the figure’s pitch-black pupils.

Nox’s lips curled into a smirk

'I didn’t expect to find you this soon.’

The person Nox had been searching for.

A genius knight whose sword could rival the Three Sword Emperors.

Ru.

With Ru here, the battle was as good as over, even if Nox didn’t lift a finger.