I Have Become The Snow Maiden I Created

Translator: Marctempest

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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Chapter 64: The Pure White Paradise (3)

Somewhere in the Holy Kingdom.

In a dim underground chamber, where only a flickering lantern illuminated the surroundings, figures cloaked in black robes gathered.

Numbering at least in the hundreds, they stood motionless, as if they were mere puppets nailed in place.

On the platform of a temporary hideout.

The attendees of the executive meeting totaled four.

“Is everyone here?”

Adein of the Seven Apostles broke the silence to open the discussion.

A tone laced with lament and emptiness was met with responses from the other three remaining apostles.

“Yes.”

“Indeed.”

“That’s correct.”

Each reply came from Matren, Jehak, and Behelak.

These four comprised the remaining members of the Seven Apostles.

“Our leader has entered eternal rest.”

Adein’s grave statement resounded solemnly.

Some swallowed dryly, but the reactions were otherwise tepid.

It was no surprise; it was already known to all.

“If this continues, our Holy Society will walk only the path of downfall.”

“So, what do you propose? Do you have a plan?”

Matren grumbled, unable to hide her frustration.

Well-acquainted with her prickly temper, Adein spoke his mind without flinching.

“There is only one way. Death must be repaid with death.”

“What? You don’t mean—”

“We will kill a god.”

“······!”

A shocking declaration spread an air of astonishment throughout the hall.

Deicide. The weight and pressure of that term blanketed the eerie hideout.

Jehak, his eyes wide, spoke up again.

“Kill a god?!”

His words echoed the sentiment of everyone present.

Though many hoped for denial, Adein firmly nodded in agreement.

“Indeed. The Goddess of Winter, Quellière. We will kill her.”

“The Goddess? You mean to kill her?!”

“Ah, shut up for a moment.”

Matren stepped in, silencing Jehak.

“It’s not as if the thought hasn’t crossed our minds. But how? Even the leader couldn’t survive her.”

In Matren’s mind, Clavia’s image resurfaced.

A revered Elder Lich, slain by their foe, naturally incited a sense of dread.

It was a sentiment shared by all members.

“It’s impossible to do it as we are now.”

Adein understood this reality.

“That’s why we will give it our all.”

“···Our all?”

“The goddess is likely in the Far Eastern Magical Domain. If she governs winter among the four seasons, that must be her domain.”

“You’re not suggesting we go to the labyrinth, are you?”

Matren’s expression soured.

The Far Eastern Magical Domain, the icy mountain range and snowfield, was an infamously treacherous and scarcely explored region.

“How do you plan to deal with the extreme climate?! They say even breathing there freezes one’s lungs.”

“It’s not just the climate. How do you intend to overcome the goddess’s power and cunning, which even defeated the leader?”

“There’s more to it! She even commands a dragon as her subordinate!”

The Seven Apostles began to stir uneasily.

Their concerns were valid, and Adein was well aware of these issues.

“I already told you. We’ll give it our all.”

Nevertheless, his declaration was resolute.

“The extreme cold? We’ll mobilize the ‘Undead Army.’ Their survivability is unmatched, so they’ll endure somehow.”

“The Undead Army…? But didn’t they get wiped out during the great chaos because of the goddess?”

“We’ll create them again. This time, with better materials than the corpses of insignificant believers.”

“Better materials?”

“Look around. We have everything we need here.”

Adein surveyed the room.

Once again, astonishment rippled through the gathered assembly.

“······!”

But at the same time, a sense of understanding settled.

Indeed, if they used such methods, they would have sufficient forces. Those gathered here were loyal believers, unlikely to refuse.

“Producing the undead was the leader’s unique ability, but using all the relics she left behind, we should be able to create hundreds.”

“But… but what about the dragon?! That creature is undoubtedly the goddess’s trusted ally!”

“I don’t know.”

“What?!”

Jehak’s eyes widened in disbelief.

With a hardened expression, Adein continued.

“We don’t know what kind of being the dragon is, or the extent of the goddess’s power. But we must try. Without killing the goddess, we have no chance of revival.”

“······Then….”

“Conversely, if we kill the goddess, not only will we achieve our greatest wish, but we will also ascend to even greater heights.”

Thus, they would commit their all.

No retreat, no holding back, an all-out assault mobilizing the entirety of the Holy Society’s remaining resources.

The future now held only two possibilities.

Survival or annihilation.

“······.”

A heavy silence filled the underground chamber.

Amidst it, Adein, his eyes ablaze, reaffirmed his resolve.

*

A snowy field near the Snow Castle.

I stood amidst the refreshing breeze, conducting a small experiment.

“Hmm.”

One of the abilities of the Ring of Lost Origins, “Memorize.”

Simply put, it was a technique to store magic for later use.

“···It’s better to practice beforehand if I’m to use it in battle.”

I also needed to confirm its storage capacity. Without delay, I stretched out my hand and summoned my magic.

“Let’s start with something simple.”

A cold breath spell should do.

As the magic formed, I guided it inward instead of releasing it.

The condensed frost shimmered above my hand before being absorbed into the ring.

“Oh.”

The ring had three circular indicators—what I conveniently called “slots”—one of which now filled up.

“So, this is how it works.”

In simpler terms, I could store up to three spells. After grasping the concept, I extended my hand once more and released the stored magic.

Shooosh!

The frosty breath emerged from the ring, cutting through the air and forming a path of ice.

With that, I had a rough understanding of its mechanics.

“Not bad.”

It would require ongoing attention, but it seemed highly practical.

Just as I withdrew my hand, a soft voice called out.

“Quellière!”

Turning around, I saw Nell, her body dusted with snow, standing there.

She approached, her expression urgent.

“Are you finished?”

“Yes.”

“Then, help me out!”

She exclaimed energetically, pointing in one direction.

In that direction, the Yeti and the Frikes, who had followed me, were gathered, playing together, and nearby, there was what looked like a pile of snow shaped into a base.

“I’m trying to, well… build a house? Or something like that, but it’s not going the way I want!”

“What’s the problem?”

“It’s the wind! It’s all because of this wind!”

She waved her arms in the air, clearly frustrated.

For the record, she was one of those who had followed me outside to play.

“The weather here is just…! The snowstorm keeps raging, so I can’t do anything! Even the snowballs I manage to gather get blown away!”

“That makes sense.”

As expected in a magical domain, the weather in the snowfield today was as unpredictable as ever. When I nodded in understanding, Nell’s face brightened.

“Right, right. So, I was wondering, could you stop it for a bit?”

“···?”

I couldn’t help but tilt my head at her words.

I’m not a god—how could I stop a natural phenomenon? Was she joking?

“Let me take a look.”

In any case, if I could help her enjoy herself, I wanted to do so.

When I arrived at the mound that the wind had further swept through, I inspected the area. The gusts were stronger than I’d expected—so much so that I couldn’t even tell what she had been trying to build.

I turned my gaze toward Nell.

“You’re building a house?”

“Well, yeah… not like a fancy castle or anything. Just something simple, like a hut.”

She scratched her cheek awkwardly.

“How big?”

“Big enough for two people to fit inside.”

“Hmm.”

If that’s all, it shouldn’t be too difficult.

But I haven’t really done this kind of thing before, so I’m not sure if it’ll work. Still, I decided to give it a try and raised my hand, releasing a breath of cold air.

Hooaaah─!

The snow mixed with frost instantly hardened into a solid block.

“······Hmm.”

I picked it up lightly; the strength was sufficient, and if stacked well, it wouldn’t be blown away by the wind.

Placing it on the ground, I spoke.

“If you stack it like this, it should work. Like an igloo.”

“An igloo?”

“It’s a type of ice house.”

“Oh… I’ll give it a try!”

Nell clenched her tiny fists and began moving the ice blocks.

As I had expected, the blocks stacked neatly, and before long, she was fully engrossed in the task.

Creating something with your own hands is fun.

Despite my concerns, it seemed her life in the snowfield wasn’t so bad.

“······.”

Or perhaps she was just so used to being alone that she didn’t mind. But I couldn’t know her deeper thoughts.

As I continued creating materials for her, helping with the construction for a while, I heard a familiar roar echo across the sky.

Kwaaaah──!

I calmly looked up and, as expected, it was Mishra.

She soared through the air in one swift motion and landed gracefully alongside her polymorphed form.

I greeted her first.

“Hello, Mishra.”

“···Quillière. It’s good to see you. What is all this?”

For a moment, she hesitated and glanced around.

Her reaction was understandable.

All around, spirits were playing in their own ways.

In the distance, the silhouette of a Sasquatch was visible.

“We’re building a house.”

I explained casually.

“A house?”

“Yes, a house! You came at just the right time!”

Nell, who had been struggling, cut in at that moment.

She wiped her sweat-free forehead and placed her hands on her hips.

“You’re a dragon, right? Don’t dragons have that thing called a breath attack? Can you use that for us?”

“······What did you say?”

Mishra, who had been glancing at Nell, suddenly snapped.

“What nonsense are you talking about!”

“Didn’t you hear me? I said we’re building a house.”

“So what if you are! I’ve doubted your character before, but as expected, my predictions about you were correct! Why should I—why should I do your bidding······”

It seemed like the perfect time for her to vent her pent-up grievances.

Nell, on the other hand, listened nonchalantly before casually retorting.

“Well, Quillière is working hard, you know.”

“······What?”

Mishra froze in place.

“What do you mean by that?”

“That’s why I’m asking—can’t you help just a little? Is using your breath really that difficult······ Fine, forget it.”

“Wait. Hold on a moment.”

Nell deliberately flashed a mischievous smile.

It was clearly a joke, but the socially awkward Dragon Lord had no idea.

Ignoring Mishra, Nell turned to me and said.

“She doesn’t want to, so let’s just finish it ourselves. Can you help me a bit more?”

“Sure. No problem.”

It seemed fun, so I joined in.

We resumed the repetitive process.

As Mishra alternated her gaze between the two of us, she fidgeted before eventually shouting.

“W-wait a moment!”

“What?”

“I’ll do it! I’ll help you!”

“Oh? Then, from here to over there, please.”

“Got it! Just wait and see. All I have to do is harden the snow like stone, right?!”

With that, she took a deep breath like a martial artist gathering energy.

Once she had accumulated enough power, her cheeks puffed up, and—

A frosty breath swept across the area.

Kwa-da-da-da──!

The dragon’s breath surged forward in a straight line, bringing with it a fierce gust of wind.

-Kya-ha-ha-ha!

-I’m flying! I’m flying!

-It’s hot! Is this what hot feels like?!

The Frikes being blown away cried out in joy.

The area where the breath had passed was now filled with frozen materials.

Both Nell and I let out small exclamations.

“Oh.”

“This is more useful than I thought…”

“Haa, haa… Hey.”

At that moment, Mishra, catching her breath, asked.

“Do you need anything else?”

“No.”

I shook my head.

The components were sufficient, and what we needed now was manpower.

“The breath is enough. Go help out.”

“······.”

As always, the Snow Maiden’s straightforward nature came through.

At my curt words, Mishra blinked a few times before hurriedly moving to Nell’s side to assist.

“Understood! Leave it to me!”

“······Alright.”

She’s surprisingly obedient to my words.

Anyway, that day, we successfully completed a top-tier igloo.

*

The Grand Temple had seen no peace lately.

Not long after Quellière’s departure, the Crown Prince of the Empire had come and gone, which was already significant enough.

But as if that weren’t enough, yet another storm had arrived.

“What do you mean by this?!”

“Are you…! Are you serious?”

High Priestess Sariel and High Priest Netah glared at the man before them, repeatedly questioning him.

They were clearly in a state of shock.

In response, Paladin Dewade nodded resolutely.

“Yes. As of today, I, Dewade, officially resign from my position as Paladin.”

“······!”

His declaration was equally as shocking the second time it was spoken.

The resignation of a Paladin was no trivial matter to be announced without prior warning.

“What is the reason for this?”

A Paladin is the strongest warrior of the Holy Kingdom.

If he were to step down, the loss would be immeasurable, so the High Priests expressed their disapproval.

Dewade responded calmly.

“There is someone I must serve.”

“······Someone you must serve?”

His response only deepened their confusion.

The one a Paladin serves is the High Priest, and by extension, the entire Holy Kingdom.

Yet, he was declaring his resignation.

“Are you saying there is someone above Astar that you must serve?”

“That’s correct.”

“That’s absurd. You’re a Paladin. You’re a seeker of faith’s ultimate end. What on earth are you saying─”

“The one I seek to serve is the pinnacle.”

Sariel, who had been chastising him, blinked in surprise.

“The pinnacle?”

“Yes. Someone who exists above even the High Priests and the entire Holy Kingdom combined.”

“──!”

For a moment, the two High Priests couldn’t believe their ears.

It sounded like nonsense, but then a certain figure came to mind, and it all made sense.

After all, if there were anyone above the Holy Kingdom, it could only be her.

But realizing this only made the situation more shocking.

“Are you saying you want to serve Quellière?”

“Yes. Since my youth, I have trained and cultivated my faith. The Holy Kingdom is, of course, important, but if there is someone truly deserving of my devotion, there’s no need to consider priorities.”

“That may be true, but… Quellière has left. She doesn’t like us, or humans.”

Her extremely cold demeanor was enough to make anyone think so.

She had openly spoken on the terrace about humanity’s foolishness, so just how deep was her disdain?

······That was the concern of the High Priests.

They believed that avoiding unnecessary provocation would benefit both sides.

But Dewade thought differently.

“That is precisely why I must go.”

“But as a Paladin─”

“Because we are hated, we must show even greater sincerity and devotion. Perhaps then, she might change her mind.”

His firm tone showed no wavering.

From time immemorial, his mission and faith had been steadfast, so this was only natural.

Eventually, Dewade deeply bowed to the two before him.

“······Ah.”

“Ahem.”

It was a gesture of respect toward those he had served until now.

Sariel and Netah awkwardly averted their gazes and finally relented.

They each offered him a word as he prepared to leave.

“···I understand your intentions. We have no means, nor justification, to stop you. Instead, take care of her well.”

“Please ease her anger toward humanity. I beg of you.”

It was a difficult request.

Neither truly expected it to be fulfilled.

However, if he was resigning as Paladin with such conviction, there should at least be a certain level of sanctity in his decision.

“I will try my best.”

The Paladin—or rather, the now-former Paladin, Crusader Dewade—left the Grand Temple.

A clear blue sky welcomed him.

“The dragon definitely went east…”

What came to his mind was Quellière’s words.

It was a historic moment where he vowed to dedicate his life to her.

Considering her nature, it was obvious where she might have gone.

“······One cannot enter a crusade while holding onto worldly status.”

Having shed everything, he briskly moved forward.