Chapter 271: The Frozen Spring (1)

“Congratulations.”

As Karyl called upon them, Lilliana, Patun of the Red Moon, and Kuntai of the Tiger Shield tribe bowed reverently.

“The principality is finally stabilizing.”

“The nation was overdue for a purge. Now, all that remains is the empire, correct?”

“Before that, we need to deal with the northern elders. Once we unite the strength of the northern immigrant tribes, the empire will be within reach...”

The three spoke with a tone that suggested they were already confident of victory. It was understandable, given that Karyl's display of power at the White Bunker had far exceeded what was considered humanly possible.

Karyl looked at them and let out a slight chuckle.

“That’s right. The reason I’ve called you here is to prepare for the north."

“At last...! You’re going to unite the north?” Not even Lilliana, usually composed, could hide the excitement in her voice.

“I have to. It’s the least I could do in order to honor Karliak, the leader and Great Warrior of the Black-Eyed tribe.”

“Hashir mentioned before, when he came to the imperial capital with the immigrants, that you had a deep connection with the tribes,” Lilliana recalled.

“That’s right. I have some old ties with the teacher of the north.”

“By teacher, you mean... Could it be...?” Lilliana’s eyes trembled slightly.

The north was home to many immigrant tribes, each establishing their own influence, whether large or small. Among them were the Black-Eyed tribe, Wolf-Fox, Jannabi, Red Moon, Tiger Shield, and many others, with countless children being born and raised as hunters and warriors.

Those children were trained by their tribe’s instructor, though no tribe ever called them “teacher.” That was because only one individual could bear the title of Teacher of the North, so no warrior or hunter, regardless of their status, ever called themselves a teacher.

“That’s right. It’s him.”

Everyone was stunned by Karyl’s words.

How is that even possible...?

It’s impressive, but he’s not even of age yet. Did he really meet the Teacher when he was even younger?

They thought the timeline didn’t make sense.

The Teacher disappeared five years ago. Does that mean he came to the north even before the Extermination Decree of Heresy?

Karyl noticed their confused expressions and chuckled.

“You’ll understand more when we get there. I’ve already informed Hashir.”

It was only then that the three became aware of Hashir’s absence from the meeting.

“What about you?”

“I’ll stay here. There are still things to be done,” Zigra’s voice came from the back of the room.

The three turned their attention to him.

It’s always impressive... the way he hides his presence so perfectly. The Wolf-Fox tribe is incredible, but they can’t compare to him.

With this level of skill, how did they fall to the empire? If they had hidden like the Wolf-Fox, they might never have been found...

They knew that it was Zigra who had crossed the walls of Moon Aether and held a blade to Tuli’s throat in the White Bunker.

In truth, when it came to skill, no one would argue against placing him second only to Karyl. Even Hashir had conceded a step upon seeing Zigra of the Black-Eyed tribe.

“...”

Indeed, their doubts were valid. How the Black-Eyed tribe had fallen to Kuwell during the Extermination Decree of Heresy was puzzling. After the first decree, Kuwell had led the Blue Knights on a second march north for the second decree.

The tribes that clashed head-on with the Blue Knights suffered heavy losses, but those like the Wolf-Fox and Jannabi, who were skilled in concealment, largely avoided major casualties.

It’s strange that the Black-Eyed tribe would have engaged the knights in a direct confrontation.

Whether Karyl was aware of their suspicions or not, he responded to Zigra’s report without hesitation, “Very well. But let me ask you one thing. How many are left in the Black-Eyed tribe?”

“Including myself, ten.”

“Hmm...” Karyl nodded, his expression remaining indifferent. However, his thoughts were anything but that.

The Black-Eyed tribe was the most powerful of the northern tribes, supposedly with over a thousand members. Of course, given the tribe’s secretive nature, that number was very uncertain.

“Ten... Only ten?”

“Are the imperial knights truly that strong...?”

The fact that there were only ten survivors was shocking even to the other tribes.

“Is there anyone from the Moonlit Night among the survivors?”

“Yes, all ten of us are from the Moonlit Night.”

At Zigra’s response, Karyl gave an ambiguous smile.

“Tell them to stay here with you. There will likely be much to do.”

“Yes, sir,” Zigra gave his answer and then vanished from sight.

“I didn’t expect anyone from the Moonlit Night to have survived. But then again... it would be strange if the survivors of the Black-Eyed tribe weren’t them.”

“Yes. When we heard the news of your return, we were just as surprised when they found us. None of us expected all of the Moonlit Night to have survived after Karliak’s death.”

Karyl nodded at Lilliana’s explanation. The Moonlit Night were the personal guard of the Black-Eyed tribe’s chief. And if the tribe itself was shrouded in secrecy, the Moonlit Night was a complete mystery.

The only known fact was that their numbers totaled ten. Had the Black-Eyed tribe not been nearly annihilated by the empire, Zigra might never have shown his face to the other tribes.

I never knew the Black-Eyed tribe had survivors in my previous life. That’s surprising, but I need to assess just how capable each member of the Moonlit Night truly is.

Although Karyl was a member of the Black-Eyed tribe, he had only lived among them during his childhood. Although he was Karliak’s son, Zigra was more of a swordsmanship instructor to him than a tribe leader. Thus, Kary knew almost nothing about the individual members of the Moonlit Night.

Zigra is strong enough to stand up to a Sword Master.

Perhaps he was even beyond that. With the abilities of an advanced Sword Expert, Zigra could likely hold his own against a Sword Master in a one-on-one fight. Realizing that, Karyl’s mind was racing with possibilities, wondering how to best utilize these ten new assets.

“Alright. I’ve instructed Anthem to handle the supplies, so once everything is ready, head north. I’ll be crossing the strait to get there.”

“Won’t you be going with us?”

“No. There’s something else I need to take care of first.”

“Then we’ll go with you.”

“We want to help you as well.”

The others quickly raised their voices to protest.

“You fools. There are only five tribes loyal to Karyl, and one is already in the north, while another has just ten people. The war with the empire will be a massive conflict involving hundreds of thousands. What do you think you can accomplish?” a sharp voice interjected.

“...What?”

The others turned their heads.

“If I were Karyl, I’d want you to focus on uniting the north as soon as possible, not follow me around like a bunch of dogs. You people are as inflexible as the ice in the north.”

Miliana was right there, leaning against the window. She seemed bored with waiting, clicking her tongue at the three, who hadn’t noticed her coming in.

“So you’re planning to deal with the situation in Heim?”

Given her knowledge of the incident with Randol in the south, Miliana seemed to have anticipated Karyl’s next move.

“That’s right.”

“Then it doesn’t concern you guys,” Miliana echoed Karyl’s words to the others, waving her hand dismissively. “I won’t explain. You’d just be in the way, so stop complaining and head north.”

“And you? Are you going with them?” Lilliana asked, clearly discontent with this.

“What does it matter to you?” Miliana strode over to Lilliana and twirled a strand of her fiery red hair around her finger as though she had been waiting for this confrontation all along.

“...What?”

“It’s not your business to be curious. I’ve heard you’re the operations chief of the Jannabi tribe. Here, you’re the only one who’s not a tribal leader. If we were in the south, you’d be on your knees right now.”

The others swallowed nervously, feeling the tension rise.

“I’m here as the representative of my tribe. There’s no reason for me to be treated differently. And if we’re talking experience, I outrank these people. They’ve only recently become leaders, anyway.”

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is rank, and only those of equal rank may speak to me.”

“Well, as you’ve just said, this isn’t the south. I don’t see why I should bow down to you here.”

Similar names, similar temperament...

Kuntai and Patun had the same impression, both holding their breath. Although they were imposing warriors themselves, the intense standoff between the two women left them feeling suffocated.

“True, this isn’t the south. But it’s not the north either, so you’d better watch your mouth. Don’t arrogantly question if I belong by Karyl’s side.”

Miliana released Lilliana’s hair and casually dusted off her shoulder as if brushing away lint.

“Unless you want to lose your head, that is.”

Crack...

She then gripped Lilliana’s collarbone, and it sounded almost like she had dislocated it.

“Ugh—!” Lilliana grimaced but quickly masked her pain with a blank expression.

Patun and Kuntai instinctively reached for their own shoulders as if they were the ones with broken bones.

“In any case, what brings

you

here? I only summoned them,” Karyl questioned Miliana.

“A guy came looking for you at the White Bunker. Thought you’d want to know.”

“Who?”

“He said his name was Karl Mack.”

At that, Karyl’s face lit up.

“Hoo... He’s managed to find me, huh?”

“You know him?”

“Of course. I suspect he’s brought news I’ve been waiting for. Miliana, you’ll need to prepare for the crossing. Can you handle that?”

“Sure.”

The contrast in her demeanor compared to how she had treated Lilliana earlier startled the others once again.

“What’s keeping you so busy, anyway? It better not take too long. Your problem is that you try to do everything yourself. If it’s not a big deal, delegate it to your subordinates.”

“Noted.”

Miliana shrugged at his response and then gave him a nod before leaving the room.

“Will everything... be alright?” Kuntai asked cautiously.

His question carried multiple layers of meaning. The others nodded in agreement, but Karyl only smiled faintly in response.

***

“It’s been a while.”

“It’s an honor to see you again, Master.”

Karyl nodded as he looked at the person who had come to the White Bunker.

“Wow... What a sight. Those must be the northern immigrant tribes.”

Karl Mack, who had grown significantly since the last time they met, bowed deeply before Karyl. Having traveled alone between the Wooden Cloud and the Gnome Kingdom, Karl seemed to have been through things.

He was finally showing a resemblance to Mack Meister, who had made a huge impact on the continent’s commerce in his previous life.

“I heard from Kamma that you managed to get in touch with Ledios of the Wooden Cloud and that you visited the Gnome Kingdom.”

“Yes. Initially, they tried to use our Ravat Guild, but as soon as they heard that you were joining the civil war, their stance completely changed.”

“You did well to make it out safely.”

“Meeting with Calypson in the Gnome Kingdom before you arrived in the principality was crucial. It allowed me to escape. Also, I’ve kept track of Ledios’ location.”

Karyl nodded at his report, satisfied.

So, he managed to keep tabs on the Wooden Cloud despite everything... Just as expected of Mack Meister, whose reputation as one of the empire’s Seven Masters was well-earned in my previous life.

“Good. Entrusting you with the principality was clearly the right decision.”

“It’s nothing compared to what you’ve accomplished, Master. Who would’ve thought you’d return as the ruler of the principality...”

“And what about the Wooden Cloud? Did they suspect anything about our connection with the Gnome Kingdom?”

“They shouldn’t know. When I first met Calypson, he immediately recognized your name and mentioned that you had helped him before. He insisted we keep our connection hidden from the Wooden Cloud.”

It was a wise move, and a chance to show the gnome’s experience from years of living among humans.

“You handled it wisely. He’s right. The Wooden Cloud has been keeping an eye on them, so it’s best to act as if we’ve never met. Where are they now?”

“They’re in an underground cave not far from the White Bunker. I can guide you there.”

Karl Mack pulled a small map from his coat and showed it to Karyl. Familiar with the terrain of the principality, Karyl quickly recognized the location of the Gnome Kingdom.

“Hmm... The surroundings don’t seem ideal. Why did they choose that spot?”

The gnomes were as skilled as the dwarves in understanding terrain and geography.

“Maybe they’re being cautious after the attacks?”

“Possibly, but what caught my attention was a large spring within the cave.”

“A spring?”

“Yes. I think that’s why they chose the place. Calypson mentioned that the water in the spring lets off a potent mana essence.”

“A mana spring...”

Karyl stroked his chin, trying to recall.

If the gnomes have settled there, it’s unlikely to be a dungeon. I didn’t know about that location in my previous life...

It was only natural, given that after the fall of the principality, Olivurn used most of the cities beyond the strait merely as fronts against the Tarak forces.

The key cities in the principality were only used as battlefields with the warning systems that Wingel Hart had created. There was no real development.

Karyl had assumed it was to minimize civilian casualties by concentrating the battlefields in one place. But considering the possibility of Olivurn being connected to the Wooden Cloud, everything seemed suspicious.

“Yes, and even though there’s no wind in the cave, the surface of the spring ripples like waves. At night, it completely freezes over.”

In that moment, Karyl’s eyes flashed.

Waves and ice... Ramine, if I’m right, there’s only one being that matches that power. Could it be that the Queen of Tides is slumbering there?

[Who knows? The box we found in the Gray Training Ground didn’t have any clues about the Queen of Tides, just a blue snake. Maybe you should ask it.]

[Just a snake? How dare you, for a Spirit King...]

As Ramine trailed off, the snake tattoo on Karyl’s other hand writhed slightly.

Both of you, just answer my questions. Stop causing a fuss when you’re just hitching a ride on my body.

As Karyl exerted his strength, the two forces within each of his arms seemed to flinch as if intimidated by his resolve.

[Even I don’t know where the Queen of Tides is sealed, but we do know that it was her power that sealed that scabbard at the bottom of the box. So, a freezing spring certainly raises suspicions.]

Right?

Karyl nodded in agreement with Mael’s response.

I should investigate it.

Even Mael didn’t know why Agnel’s scabbard had been in the box, but if Karyl could find the Queen of Tides, Ethereal, who had sealed the scabbard, the secret might be revealed.

Srrng—

Karyl drew Agnel from his coat. The scabbard, though old, was made of a special leather that emitted a strange sheen.

You both know what this means. The fact that this scabbard was sealed in a box indicates that it’s an artifact from the Mythical Era. And that means Agnel, passed down among the tribes, has existed for thousands of years.

Karyl smirked.

It also means that the Blader weapon I sought was with me all along.

He had kept this a secret, even from Allen. Only those who had seen the seal inside the box knew about this, and for one reason alone.

The Thousand-Year Ice Cave.

Inside it was a person sealed within an ice pillar—something that Kuwell MacGovern had revealed to him just before his death in his previous life, proving that the tribes were descendants of Blader.

[If the Queen of Tides was responsible for the seal on the scabbard, she might also be involved in his seal.]

Mael’s voice carried a tempting tone as he spoke to Karyl.

Indeed. Gaining her power would be a tremendous help in the north.

[...]

At that moment, the flames within the Ein Trigger on the back of Karyl’s hand flickered uneasily for some reason.

Perhaps I might even awaken a living witness from the Mythical Era.