I Have Become The Snow Maiden I Created

Translator: Marctempest

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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Chapter 28: The Birth of Calamity (2)

The easternmost part of the continent, the Snowfield.

The land beyond the Ice Mountains, clad in pure white, was always shrouded in snow, but today’s weather was particularly harsh.

A blizzard accompanied by ominous winds blanketed the entire region, flaunting its identity as a demonic realm.

A frigid hell where most monsters couldn’t even approach.

Yet, there was a figure strolling freely through it.

Pankaj Mishra, the White Silver Dragon King.

Among the white dragons specialized in cold, she was the strongest, and the Snowfield felt as comfortable as home to her.

“…Can I just go in as I please?”

However, her expression wasn’t good, as though she was deep in thought.

She had stopped in front of the Snow Castle, boldly occupying the middle of the empty Snowfield.

“But I can’t just leave without checking…”

Today, she had a peculiar feeling.

Something incredibly unsettling and sticky.

To fulfill her duty, she had to ensure nothing had happened in the Snowfield.

From the divine relics to other regions, she had scouted every corner but found no anomalies.

The only place left was here, the Snow Castle.

But.

“…I should get permission first.”

For some reason, Quellière had been absent from the Snowfield for quite some time.

Normally, she would seek her permission.

It wouldn’t matter if it were just some insignificant creature, but she…

Although she hadn’t revealed it herself, Mishra was nearly certain.

“No… no, I don’t have to be overly cautious.”

Shaking her head vigorously, she decided to stride in confidently.

Come to think of it, she had even shared a table with her once.

As long as she didn’t wreck the place, this much would surely be allowed.

Swallowing nervously, she opened the door.

As soon as she stepped inside, a flurry of snowflakes rushed toward her.

-Quelli! …Huh?

-It’s Quelli! …Oh?

Mishra’s eyes widened in surprise.

The Frikes, staring blankly at her, soon narrowed their eyes and sighed.

-What? It’s not Quelli.

-It’s just some hot one!

-Aw… I was fooled… I’ll go cold now.

The snow spirits had been waiting ever since Quellière departed for the continent.

Mishra was newly amazed.

Spirits were inherently individualistic by nature. And yet, for them to follow one being so devotedly…

It was an impossible phenomenon, but considering her identity, it made sense.

“…Ah, it’s nice to meet you. Pardon my intrusion.”

These were the spirits of none other than her.

Cautiously greeting them, Mishra ventured further inside.

The disappointed Frikes trailed after her, pouting.

-Is Quelli not here? Only this hot one came?

-Worst day ever…

Though they grumbled, they seemed somewhat glad to see her after so long.

Mishra ignored their chatter and let her eyes shine.

“Her… no, Quellière’s quarters…”

She corrected herself after accidentally referring to her improperly.

Since Quellière hadn’t disclosed her true identity, Mishra couldn’t presume anything aloud.

An absolute existence.

Until she declared it herself, Mishra couldn’t act like she knew.

Ignoring the Frikes, who continued to mutter complaints while following her like ducklings, Mishra explored the castle with bated breath.

After thoroughly examining the interior, she found no suspicious areas.

“Was it just my imagination?”

Her doubts were largely dispelled.

When she turned around, the Frikes scrambled to an abrupt halt, almost tumbling over themselves.

-Waaaah!

“…”

With the ones swept away out of sight, only one remained.

Mishra asked it if it had noticed anything strange.

-Something strange… Something strange…?

The Frike stared blankly at her.

Mishra realized there would be no further clues.

Her business in the Snow Castle was concluded.

“I’ll be going. Make sure to guard this place well until she… until Quellière returns.”

Leaving the castle, she headed toward the obelisk once more.

If there were any issues, they would most likely arise there.

She needed to conduct a more thorough investigation.

One of the four supreme structures of the surface world.

After some examination, she found that it was also intact.

It seemed it had all been a false alarm.

“Well.”

Her recent state of mind had been tumultuous, so it wasn’t surprising she might have been mistaken.

She recalled the woman of winter who had once stood before her.

In truth, Mishra had been growing weary.

Even though she believed she would return, deep down, she had started to lose hope.

Even for a Dragon King, who lived for eons, endless waiting was grueling.

“But… she will return.”

Though it was too early to be certain since Quellière hadn’t openly declared it, Mishra was confident.

Otherwise, there were too many unexplained things.

She had regained her strength and resolved not to disappoint her this time.

“It seems safe to say there’s no problem.”

The Snowfield was her domain.

If it was a mistake, or if it wasn’t, the one causing the disturbance must be an entity beyond comprehension—but that was unlikely.

*

The reception room of the Krase family.

Lysithea was meeting privately with Quellière.

Even her minimal escort, Sorab, had been excluded as a gesture of respect and courtesy.

This was a decision made after much deliberation, though Quellière didn’t grasp such political subtleties.

She had no intention of harming her and wasn’t even aware that she was being regarded with wariness.

As the soft melody of an orchestrating music box swirled through the room, Lysithea spoke.

“Who are you?”

It was a question packed with layers of meaning.

A brilliant query, probing the core without leaving an opening for reproach.

Oblivious to her seriousness, Quellière answered nonchalantly.

“Quellière.”

Lysithea nodded as if she expected that.

Of course, she wouldn’t easily divulge anything.

A faint light flickered in Lysithea’s eyes—a power to discern the truth.

“I’ve never heard that name before.”

She murmured while meeting her gaze.

That was the greatest mystery.

Quellière’s attributes were all abnormal.

Her superhuman power, her unearthly beauty, and even her technology that transcended the limitations of the era…

The question wasn’t just what her identity was but how such a figure had gone entirely unnoticed.

Not even a trace in books or rumors.

Could she really be a reclusive hermit?

“Is that so?”

While Lysithea was lost in analysis, Quellière felt pressed.

Just one phrase, Sanirio Advancement, weighed on her with tremendous pressure.

She needed to act quickly, yet this serious private meeting had devolved into vague chatter.

In her haste, her tone naturally turned cold.

“Get to the point, child.”

“Child…”

Lysithea blinked in shock.

She was young, sure, but to be called a child?

She was a family head and had often been told she was mature for her age.

Slightly indignant, she gave Quellière a sharp once-over from head to toe.

“…”

She was speechless.

From her appearance to her demeanor, Quellière was far more adult-like in every aspect.

If the two of them stood side by side, anyone would think she was the child. Comparing herself would only hurt, so she conceded.

“First of all, I deeply thank you for defeating the vile Serpent God.”

“Think nothing of it.”

“You’re planning to leave the city, aren’t you?”

Quellière flinched at the pointed question.

How did she know?

Indeed, she intended to retreat to the Snowfield to avoid any variables.

There was no need to deny it.

“That’s correct.”

Lysithea gulped.

The snow revealed the truth.

“I’ll prepare a place for you. Can’t you help me?”

I expressed my true feelings as desired.

Although the Serpent God had disappeared, the fight remained.

It would be difficult.

If Quellière joined, it would feel like gaining a thousand troops.

Not only that, but it was beneficial for all of Euristia.

Even if there was no additional supply of the music box, she would know the essence of its technique.

The city-state’s development could also be pursued.

However, Quellière’s response was predictable in a certain sense.

“No, I’m leaving.”

It was the truth.

There wasn’t a hint of hesitation.

Indeed, she had no reason to stay in this small city. She would be welcomed anywhere she went.

Quellière knew that no country could stop the ripples of the scenario itself.

Because of this, no matter who proposed, she would have refused, but Lysithea did not know her inner thoughts.

She neatly gave up and moved on to the next matter.

“The corpse of the Serpent God… will you use it?”

It was a selfish thought as the head of a family.

The creature’s corpse still remained near the forest that had become a mess.

The main body, unlike its minions, would not disappear even after death.

Because of its massive size, they couldn’t dispose of it, but she had no intention of just discarding it.

Be it a false god or a petty deity, it was still a corpse of a monster that enormous.

It was an incredibly rare material that could never be found again.

Any powerful or influential figure would covet it.

However, if Quellière claimed ownership, she was prepared to give it up without a word.

After all, she had contributed nothing to that fierce battle.

But Quellière shook her head.

“I don’t need it.”

The truth.

Lysithea was quite surprised.

It was the corpse of the Serpent God.

Though Agnatz had labeled it a false god to differentiate it from a true deity, to the average person, it was still a god.

And yet, she discarded it without a hint of hesitation.

Well, that was understandable.

She glanced at the music box.

Roughly thinking that such an item was sufficient—Lysithea thought—but for Quellière, it was merely troublesome to deal with.

What would she do with something that big?

“Uh, Ms. Quellière, then—”

“Do as you please.”

Before Lysithea could even ask, Quellière preempted her.

Lysithea was taken aback but immediately brightened.

“Ah, uh, really? …Thank you.”

It was an uncharacteristic reaction for her, who always maintained a dignified demeanor under the weight of her title.

Since the one who killed the Serpent God gave permission, no one would object.

The melody in the room seemed to transition from day to night.

After briefly appreciating the dark tune, Quellière stood to leave.

“It’s over, right?”

The moment she turned around, Lysithea, who had been blankly staring, shouted.

“Wait a moment! Where are you going?”

“East.”

Quellière answered indifferently.

She walked steadily toward the exit.

“East…?”

What was in the east?

Lysithea pondered briefly, but nothing came to mind immediately.

More importantly, Quellière was about to leave.

There was a feeling that she might never see her again after today.

As the door handle moved, Lysithea suddenly stood up and asked.

“How did you kill a god?”

The question burst out, driven by her wavering determination.

That’s right. It was the question she had hesitated to ask all along.

She had clearly seen the ice pillar that pierced the Serpent God’s mouth.

However, the monstrous deity had dominated the city for quite some time.

Despite the efforts of countless soldiers and even the knights of the renowned ducal family, they had been helpless.

It was not within the realm of understanding, even if witnessed firsthand.

“Please tell me.”

Moreover, during her earlier conversation with Quellière, her reactions suggested she knew detailed information about the Serpent God.

The reason she initially refused but later accepted must have been because she knew the Serpent God would rampage and descend upon the city.

It was incomprehensible.

No one, not even the Agnatz, would have had information about the Serpent God’s nature.

“…A god?”

But had she been rash in approaching the unknown?

Quellière tilted her head slightly and finally uttered those chilling words.

“That’s no god.”

After she left, Lysithea couldn’t move for a long time.

*

Although it was supposed to be a tense one-on-one meeting, the conversation was trivial.

As she left Krase’s mansion, she reflected.

“Especially the last question.”

Calling such a petty deity a god.

The term “petty deity” wasn’t even a disparagement—it was an accurate title.

True gods didn’t die.

They only entered an eternal slumber, a concept akin to death.

Thus, if it died, it wasn’t a god.

“Too much, way too much.”

Back in my player days, it was just a named mob that I casually took down.

…Though now, I barely managed to kill it with the advantage of type compatibility and artifacts.

“Sigh.”

Of all things, why did I have to become Quellière?

If it were the character I played back when I was at my peak, that would’ve been nice.

Not even aiming that high—there were two second-tier characters in the same set as Quellière.

“…Forget it.”

It’s too late anyway.

At least, my business here is done.

There won’t be anything to do on the continent for a while.

Then, let’s head to the Snowfield.

In that safe place, I’ll carefully analyze the meaning of the system messages.

Leaving the city, I headed east in haste.

Perhaps due to the mental strain of my situation—

I failed to notice those pursuing me.