Chapter 95
Silver Fox’s Tricks (2)
“‘How’s your body.’”
“‘Huh? Uh… nothing’s really changed.’”
I asked about Winter’s condition while still inside the sleeping bag. Winter answered as if nothing had particularly changed.
Only after realizing that the talk of marriage had been Aro’s prank did Winter finally calm her restless feelings.
“‘Will Aro sunbae go with us like this?’”
“‘Hmm.’”
I had a lot to think about regarding that. Aro’s individual strength was fairly decent, but from a team perspective, she wasn’t all that useful.
In the [Difficult Dungeon], synergy between teammates was just as important as individual combat power.
“‘What do you want to do.’”
I asked Winter for her opinion, since our souls had beco unintentionally connected. In a way, she had been forced into this unwanted relationship because of .
Even if it ca with no downsides and only benefits, it could still be a burden for her.
“‘I think I’ll be fine.’”
Winter said that while gently stroking Aro, who was lying on top of her stomach. Her expression was sowhat wistful.
“‘When I had just co to my senses and was left alone… there was soone like a father who raised . Back then, he told not to ignore the bonds that co looking for you.’”
“‘Is that so.’”
I replied while staring at the dark ceiling. Soone Winter, who had lived alone, could call like a father.
Her past, which barely appeared even in the ga, was sothing I found deeply intriguing.
“‘I think it’ll be okay. It’s just a feeling, but… Canis too.’”
“‘If you say so.’”
The mont Canis was brought up, my trust dropped sharply, but since Winter was fine with it, I decided to let it slide.
If not this situation, Aro would’ve caused an even bigger headache sowhere else anyway. Just like with Canis.
“‘Rather… this might be better.’”
In other words, this situation was actually on the calr side.
It would’ve been nice to have a sturdy, muscular male character on the team, but with Davide’s reputation, recruiting soone like that was difficult.
“Ah. We’re screwed.”
The next morning, I woke up early and imdiately prepared to climb. Instead of Winter, who was rubbing her back from sleeping in an unfamiliar place, I prepared the soup.
After a simple breakfast, we left the shelter. That was after I had slung Aro over my shoulder so she wouldn’t cling to Winter like a burden.
“‘The path….’”
We climbed for quite a while like that. Following the map, we trudged along in search of the oddly shaped landmark it indicated.
And then we ran into our current situation. A terrain where hook-like rocks faced each other, forming the shape of a heart.
“‘There’s… no path.’”
According to the map, once we passed that formation, there should’ve been a section where the blizzard weakened.
But what lay beyond it was nothing but a massive pit. A wide, horizontal chasm that could easily be mistaken for a cliff.
“‘The map is right though.’”
Aro, who was tucked into the front of my thick jumper, tilted her head. Only her head and arms peeked out, and she was holding the map in her hands.
“‘Could it be a hallucination like in the desert?’”
I shook my head at Winter’s suggestion. As far as I knew, there weren’t any magical phenona that affected the mind like a mirage.
The only possibility I could think of was that the terrain had changed after the map was made. But for a change this big, the city below should’ve been completely destroyed.
“‘It’s an anomaly. Make a note of it for now. We should inform the people in the city below.’”
“‘Ah, okay.’”
Aro handed the map to Winter. Winter took out a writing tool and scribbled sothing onto it.
Leaving Winter behind, Aro and I slowly approached the pit.
“‘I can’t even see the bottom.’”
“‘Yeah… it’s deeper than I thought.’”
Going down wasn’t an option. Looking into that pitch-black abyss with no end in sight, I had no desire to try.
Though it resembled a cliff, it only stretched horizontally along the mountain range, and its width wasn’t that great.
“‘Hmm.’”
“‘…Jumping is absolutely impossible.’”
Aro quietly shot that down. As expected, it was impossible. I erased the thought of making it across with a running start and leap.
“‘Stop squirming.’”
“‘Absolutely impossible.’”
“‘Push yourself a little.’”
I warned Aro, who kept fidgeting inside my jumper. Cutting off her excuses imdiately, I scanned the surroundings.
“‘Sunbae? I think we should go another way.’”
“‘This is the fastest route.’”
It wasn’t just about saving an hour or two. The path after the heart-shaped rocks was a full two days faster than any other route.
It was practically a direct road to the Sanctuary. Knowing that well, Winter still seed to think safety was more important.
“‘Looks like you need my help.’”
Just as I was about to make up my mind to turn back, Aro confidently cut into the conversation.
Winter’s curiosity-filled gaze shifted toward Aro. Aro puffed herself up and clapped her hands.
“‘This width is more than enough.’”
Aro’s magic spread to the surroundings in an instant. From Winter’s body, who shared a soul with her, a pale yellow magic also began to seep out.
“‘Then we just make a bridge.’”
The intermittently raging blizzard began to carve a path. Snowflakes that had been carried by the wind gathered together and gradually transford into sothing solid.
“‘Wow.’”
Winter let out a pure exclamation at the unfamiliar and fascinating control of magic. I, too, watched Aro’s sorcery with interest.
If Canis’s magic felt like ‘creating,’ then Aro’s sorcery felt like ‘transforming.’
“‘This should be enough.’”
A snow bridge covering about half the width was ford. I stepped closer and tapped it lightly.
It made the sound of striking hard stone.
“‘…It’s only half, though.’”
Winter voiced her opinion toward Aro. If she was going to make one, why not make the whole thing?
“‘Mm. Absolutely impossible. I’d have to undo the transformation, and then… naked.’”
“‘Ah. I understand.’”
Winter nodded roughly. While the two of them bantered, I inspected the condition of the snow bridge.
“‘This should work.’”
“‘Huh?’”
It was sturdier than expected. Even when I pressed down with my foot, it barely wavered. This was enough.
“‘Get ready.’”
“‘Huh? Eh? For what?’”
I zipped up my jumper to secure Aro in place. At my words, Winter looked blank, but I lifted her like luggage.
I briefly considered carrying her like a princess, but the backpack got in the way, so I just picked her up however.
“‘Huh?’”
“‘Here we go.’”
Ignoring Winter, who hadn’t yet grasped her situation, I took off running.
I sprinted across the snow bridge. Each step I took made Winter let out strained noises.
“‘Uwaaaah!’”
As I reached the end of the snow bridge, I pushed off hard. I drove power into my thighs and leapt forward.
We cleared the chasm at high speed. Unable to withstand the recoil of my final push-off, the snow bridge shattered and fell into the abyss.
“‘That was thrilling.’”
“‘That’s because you didn’t do anything.’”
“‘The snow bridge! The snow bridge! I made that!’”
Aro, who had been lounging inside my jumper, exclaid briefly. At my words, she flared up and headbutted my chest.
“‘You okay?’”
“‘Just a mont.’”
When I set Winter down, she looked dazed. At my question, she asked for a mont.
Then she took out Silent Bell and shook it vigorously. Each chi that rang out brought a clear-headed feeling, steadying the mind.
“‘What’s that? I want it.’”
“‘It belongs to Winter.’”
Perhaps that strange resonance affected Aro as well, because she showed intense interest.
The effect of Silent Bell was certainly sothing to covet. Even Bereninche would especially like it.
“‘If I beco a priest too, can I get sothing like that?’”
“‘If you beco a priest like Winter, that is.’”
At my answer, Aro tilted her head, puzzled about what I ant by a priest like Winter.
“‘Winter. Your certifications.’”
“‘Faith History Level 1, Ideological Verification System Level 1, Faith Propagation Application Level 2, Divine Power Utilization Level 3, Heretic Judgnt, Interrogation Level 2.’”
“‘…?’”
I asked Winter, who had regained her composure faster than expected. She answered imdiately.
Aro looked even more confused at the sudden list of credentials.
“‘A priest with that level of dedication, that is.’”
“‘Mm. Absolutely impossible.’”
Aro shook her head right away. At that, Winter put on a proud expression.
“‘Interrogation is absolutely impossible. I have a weak stomach.’”
“‘Th-that’s not it! It’s… applying psychological pressure to obtain information!’”
Flustered by Aro’s words, Winter hurriedly defended herself. Normally, I would’ve taken her side, but what she was defending was interrogation.
“‘Absolutely impossible. Inflicting physical or ntal pain is a bit much. I’d rather just kill them in one go.’”
Winter, who had been about to speak again, shut her mouth tightly. Her expression turned sowhat ambiguous.
“‘Don’t tell … you can’t distinguish between interrogation and torture?’”
I asked just in case. Winter shook her head.
“‘No. I can distinguish them. Now.’”
“‘Now?’”
“‘I couldn’t before, so I took the certification course for it.’”
“‘Oh.’”
Leaving that heartbreaking secret behind, I stood up. There was still a long way to go. I just hoped a situation like this wouldn’t happen again.
“‘The shelter isn’t far now.’”
Aro, who had sohow beco in charge of the map, imdiately pointed out the route. She kept pointing in one direction with her small fingers, but I didn’t trust her.
To , Aro was nothing more than a map holder. If she read it wrong or gave the wrong direction, it would be a disaster.
“‘Looks right.’”
“‘…I don’t lie.’”
“‘That’s how Winter ended up becoming your wife, I suppose.’”
“‘I hid it. It wasn’t a lie.’”
At my lack of trust, Aro mumbled while bumping her head against my chest.
I simply scoffed at her shaless reply and continued walking in silence.
“‘Do you weigh about 7 kilograms?’”
“‘A woman’s weight is top secret.’”
“‘So I’m right. That’s a bit much to hand you over to Winter.’”
At my sudden question about her weight, Aro lightly smacked my cheek. I ignored it completely.
Her fur was much warr than I expected, so I had thought about handing her over to Winter, but 7 kilograms was quite a burden.
“‘I’ll bill you separately for the stretched clothes.’”
“‘…I hate you.’”
I ignored Aro’s complaints entirely. This was unnecessary hardship to begin with. Though, I was grateful she had given Winter a fairly decent passive skill.
“‘You’re holding up well today.’”
“‘Huh? Ah, yes. My body feels especially lively today.’”
When I glanced back, Winter wasn’t even breathing heavily. It was a stark contrast to yesterday, when she had been dragging herself toward the shelter.
Since Winter also used Divine Power, the lack in magic was a bit unfortunate, but this kind of boost was welco.
“‘The sun will set soon. You can go faster.’”
“‘Alright.’”
At Winter’s words, I picked up the pace. Since I had been intentionally matching her speed before, increasing it made our travel much faster.
I didn’t forget to check behind to make sure she was keeping up.
“‘Will the second shelter also be a cave?’”
“‘Ordinary buildings probably wouldn’t last long.’”
Winter asked cautiously, likely because she found the cave uncomfortable. She didn’t openly complain, but it was clear she wasn’t fond of it.
“‘Well, as long as it’s not cold, it’s fine.’”
Winter quickly accepted it and continued walking in silence. Before long, the second shelter ca into view.
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