[T.L: punisher87]
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Eastern five region, Kaldran Snowfield.
During this time, it was common for experienced adventurers or trained martial artists to get lost and freeze to death in the Kaldran snowfield.
Of course, it's not apply to Jin's party who came to the snowfield, but finding the way with only the map that Ronil gave them was a daunting task.
If it weren't for Shuri, it would have been even harder. Shuri was doing a great job as the party's guide once again.
"Kyahaha! Come on, Shuri. Give this sister a kiss. How is Shuri so smart? Is it because she takes after her owner?"
[Myaa.]
When Shuri gently pushed Sandra away, Zephyrin snickered.
"Sister? You're saying something funny, Miss living golem. The Ruby cat of Jin Runcandel is a creature that is at least a thousand years old."
"Oh my, why are you picking a fight over something like this?"
"What do you mean, picking a fight? I just found you funny."
"Hedo, tear off her mouth crosswise."
"Since earlier, you've been saying ridiculous things because you trust the physical beauty butler. You should know that there are more monsters in this world than you think."
"Hmph, if you're so sure, why don't you hit me first? I guarantee that as soon as you lay a hand on me, Hedo will definitely draw his sword. Then we'll fight until there's a winner, and I have a feeling who will win."
"Ugh, really. How did I end up being treated like this? If it wasn't for my master's orders...."
"In the Sota Desert, you didn't attack because of the things Jin stole, and this time it was because of the master's order. Being a Grand Duchess of the Demon world is a decent position. There's a lot of excuses even if you always lose."
"Ha, okay. Then you hit me first, living golem. I will definitely kill you."
Unlike Zephyrin, Sandra tried to swing her fist at once, but Hedo pulled her back before she could reach Zephyrin.
Hedo sighed deeply as he watched the wriggling Sandra in his grasp. Since the journey began, Sandra and Zephyrin had been constantly engaging in a verbal war.
Looking back, the atmosphere was not very good when they first met in Sota Desert.
"Don't you think there's already enough tension as we are in enemy territory?" Jin said.
"But Jin, she keeps getting on my nerves. Did you see just now? She started the fight first."
"Is it a secret from Sir Jin that you deliberately stepped on my heels the whole time when walking?"
"If both of you do it one more time, I'll leave you somewhere and go alone. Everyone will not be able to retreat from the Kaldran snowfield without me, right?"
Sandra and Zephyrin shut their mouths at the same time.
'Great composure!'
'Damn it, if I told my master that I was kicked out because of fighting with a living golem, I'd be treated worse than this....'
Sandra took Jin's words at face value, and Zephyrin knew it wasn't an empty promise.
As the two became quiet in an instant, Hedo felt resentful of Jin for finally intervening.
The party quietly moved forward. It was a very slow pace. Since Ronil's last visit to the snowfield, knights stained with chaos had been encamped here.
The moment they are discovered, the Garden of Swords will send the main force. In the worst case scenario, Rosa may come in person.
It would take a considerable amount of time for her to directly come from the Garden of Swords to the Kaldran Snowfield, but if she used something like the cave of the Prophet they had used in Sota Desert or the Chaos Dragon, it was hard to predict.
'If Lord Owal were here, we could have moved much faster than this, it's frustrating.'
Owal was currently unable to assist Jin as he was tracking down Yona's whereabouts.
For the past three years since the subjugation of Glyek, Yona's rampage cycle has been getting shorter and shorter.
Jin's heart ached when he thought about Yona.
'I have to use the purifier on my sister too... we must find her before the encroachment is complete.'
According to the news Owal had sent to Tikan a few days ago, Yona had not yet reached full encroachment. The Vamel Alliance couldn't find Yona better than Nameless.
Jin felt a little bittersweet realizing that even with such great power, he was still lacking in protecting his family and his clan.
So he felt like he could understand his father, Chiron, a little better.
They spent three days wiping out their tracks. Luckily, the group was able to pass through the snow-covered rocky mountains without being detected by the scouting knights.
But they could not obtain any additional information about Valeria during their journey. All they saw was the pale and dark sky, with snow and rocks, without any difference between day and night.
"... looks like we are almost there."
In the distance, a dead-end cliff separating the heart of the snowy mountains was visible.
Shuri pointed with her front paw to one side of the cliff, which was the location of the cave, though the party could not see it yet.
Jin sent Shuri back to the ruby.
It was because Jin felt the energy of chaos. It had been like that for the past three days, but it was especially dense near the cave.
"Hmm, I expected this. Although it's difficult to monitor the entire snowfield, they are definitely guarding the area around the cave where Hister disappeared."
"If you intend to enter the cave, it seems that we can't avoid a battle from here on. 12th flagbearer."
Zephyrin and Hedo said.
"Since it's an expected problem, we will go in."
"Do you understand that there are a lot of variables from here on out? Honestly, I don't really know. I wonder if the risk of saving the Hister survivor is worth it."
"That's not something you need to decide, Zephyrin."
"There is no such thing as a tyrant. Of course, there's no need to worry about the danger if Hister is in that cave, but do you really think there's a chance of that happening?"
"Hey! Our companion is missing over there. Whether there's a possibility or not, isn't it reasonable to check it out? Do demons have no sense of camaraderie?"
"I hear barking from somewhere. Sir Jin, my point is to look somewhere else other than the snowfield. Sir Ronil has missed, and as far as I can see Runcandel too. If they had caught her, they would have tried to negotiate or threaten by now."
As Zephyrin said, there was no chance that Valeria was still in that cave.
However, Temar's tomb was always composed of 'subspace'. In Baolai of the Great Plains of Anz, on the coast of Schutzeron Kingdom, in subspace of felinoids, and in Wantaramo Forest.
Ronil said that Valeria disappeared without a trace in that cave.
'If there is a subspace that leads to Temar's tomb in that cave...'
It would mean that Valeria had reached the fifth tomb of Temar and had taken refuge there.
Or it could be that she was forcibly moved due to some condition being met.
"There may be a subspace, Zephyrin. That's how all the Temar's tombs I've encountered have been."
"You mean Hister's survivor could have gone in there? Now I understand why you haven't given up hope."
"I can't believe we can go on a subspace date after a snowfield date! Romance, more romance!"
"And there's something that I didn't understand from the beginning. Why did you bring this living golem? It's not that she is powerful, she always says stupid things like this."
Zephyrin was asking Hedo, not Jin. Hedo didn't answer and wiped the frost off his glasses.
"... 12th flagbearer, then it has been decided that we are entering. How do we proceed?"
"I think Zephyrin should take care of all the knights first."
Although there is strong energy of chaos, Jin thought that Zephyrin could overwhelm all the knights near the cave. Even though she had always been defeated or beaten by Jin in some way, she was undoubtedly one of the strongest in the world.
"Then the next step is obvious. Keep their attention until the reinforcements arrive, right?"
"It's too simplistic."
"Well, there's no other way. We can't assassinate all those people without leaving any traces."
"So, what is my job?"
"Please cover me while I search for traces of subspace inside the cave."
"Well, that's fine with me. I needed someone to vent my frustrations on some kind of living golem anyway."
"Zephyrin."
"Yes?"
"I have a request."
Jin met Zephyrin's eyes and said.
Zephyrin almost showed a look of bewilderment in her eyes. It was the first time she had ever seen this devil speak to her in such a respectful manner.
"...A request?"
"If possible, I want you to kill the knights without causing them too much pain."
-Does that mean that most of the remaining knights in the Garden of Swords did not revolt because they were engulfed in chaos rather than by their own will?
-There might still be some who do it willingly, but as you said, most of them would be like that. What crazy knight would want to fight under that monster? No matter how strong it is. The knights who make up Runcandel are especially proud.
Jin was recalling the conversation he had with Jorden while receiving the clan's sword techniques.
Most of the knights in the Kaldran Snowfield were forced to become monsters of chaos. It was impossible to purify them all. Judging by the size of the chaos, they were almost completely engulfed in chaos.
Just as Zephyrin was about to respond, Jin lowered her head.
Zephyrn shrugged her shoulders as if she had no choice.
"... I'll do that. I'm not doing this for you, but I guess it's more dignified that way."
"Thank you. I'll make sure to repay the debt."
"Shall we start right away?"
"Yes."
"I'll give you a signal if something unexpected happens. When I roar three times in a row, get out of the cave immediately and prepare to escape."
"Go and die. No! You can't die. You must live until we all get out of here, demon dragon! Keep your promise with Jin. Got it?"
Zephyrin snorted at Sandra as she changed into her true form.
[Make sure you have a good time on your own gloomy date, living golem. From my long experience, it seems the Hister survivor, that Sir Jin is trying to save, is more than just a companion...… oops.]
"What, what did you say!"
The knights in the snowfield who sensed Zephyrin began to emit chaos energy in earnest.
Sandra was swearing at Zephyrin's back as she flew up.
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