LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 30 - 10 Years
Translator: Marctempest
Editor/Proofreader: TempWane
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Chapter 30: 10 Years
The year was 582 of the Imperial Calendar.
As the season of abundant harvest gave way to the frost of winter, snow blanketed the mountain ridges.
In the capital city of Roblock, an exhibition was in full swing at the art museum.
The Royal Family hosted the International Exhibition, inviting notable figures from across the continent.
“It’s getting chilly.”
Lysithea was one of those attendees.
Having reached adulthood, she now exuded a newfound grace and composure.
She gazed at the white mist of her breath, then handed the item in her hand to the person beside her.
“Please, go inside quickly.”
Sorab, who accepted the silk-wrapped item, responded courteously.
He was supporting a rectangular frame wrapped in protective cloth with one hand.
Acknowledging him with a nod, Lysithea strode forward with confidence.
“Welcome!”
The sound of her high heels echoed on the marble floor, accompanied by a cheerful voice.
It was one of the exhibition’s assistants.
“My, what impeccable style you have! Such youthful beauty combined with effortless elegance… May I ask your name?”
The assistant, after complimenting her appearance, casually inquired about her identity.
Although an assistant, she was no mere servant or attendant.
If she served as a helper for the International Exhibition, she was likely of noble lineage herself.
As the child of a noble family, she would have sharp eyes to distinguish between social ranks.
Despite this, Lysithea offered a faint smile and introduced herself.
“I am Lysithea Krase, Marquess of Yulistia.”
“Oh… ah!”
The assistant hesitated briefly before expressing astonishment.
Her reaction was sincere.
“So you are the head of House Krase! I saw your name on the guest list. That item you’re carrying… could it be?”
The assistant’s gaze shifted to the silk-wrapped item held by Sorab.
When Lysithea nodded in affirmation, the assistant brightened and began chattering excitedly.
“Is that so! I heard it was on loan, and I’ve been dying to see it!”
“Really? Thank you. Could you show us the way?”
Lysithea smiled gently, subtly urging her to proceed.
The assistant, who had momentarily let her personal interest show, quickly regained her composure.
“Y-yes! Please follow me!”
The hem of Lysithea’s ornate dress swayed as the sound of her heels resonated.
Maintaining her smile, she walked with poise.
…Not long after the Serpent God disappeared, a war had begun.
The struggle for dominance among the city-states was vile and sordid.
Both sides resorted to any means necessary.
They faced dire circumstances and moments of crisis.
Yet, in such times, there was a woman who became their guiding light.
A strong and noble flower, unyielding even to the harshest cold.
Bearing that image in mind, she endured.
And now, she stood here.
Lysithea emerged as the ultimate victor, and the world remembered her alone.
“It feels as though my artistic senses are awakening. Don’t you think so, Sorab?”
“I am ignorant when it comes to art.”
Various paintings adorned the inner walls.
Each piece was of remarkable quality.
As the pair strolled through, the other guests began whispering.
“Who is that? Does anyone know?”
“Could they be lovers? But the man seems a bit older…”
“I’ve never seen such faces in the Empire before.”
Most of the murmurs came from gossip-loving noblewomen.
The two of them were striking enough to attract attention.
The woman was young and beautiful, while the man exuded a steadfast and taciturn demeanor.
“I wish I could meet that gentleman…”
While most noblewomen were drawn to Sorab, neither he nor Lysithea paid any mind to their chatter.
Soon, the assistant cheerfully announced their arrival.
“We’ve reached the inner chamber!”
When the doors closed, Lysithea glanced around.
Her eyes widened.
The sight before her was magnificent.
The spacious and lofty chamber, with its unparalleled splendor, was almost divine.
“May I have the item, please?”
“…Yes.”
The assistant carefully accepted the silk-wrapped item and untied the strings with caution.
Her eyes sparkled as the contents were revealed.
It was a music box.
“So this is the ‘automatic music player’…”
This rare artifact had been introduced by a single woman.
Lysithea had actively utilized it, and it had since gained considerable fame.
When the device was activated, a melody began to play.
“That machine is truly…!”
“What a beautiful sound…”
The guests, who had been admiring the paintings, turned their attention to the music box.
The artifact was to be displayed in the inner chamber for the VIPs.
It had been loaned to the Empire under a contract.
“The loan period lasts until the exhibition concludes.”
“I understand! Now that we’ve received the artifact, feel free to look around as you please. If you have any questions, just let us know.”
“I will.”
After a moment of thought, Lysithea glanced at the artwork nearby.
It was a painting of a man riding a golden carriage, wearing a strangely servile expression.
Sensing her curiosity, the assistant provided an explanation.
“This is the work of Lady Bulizé of House Grypheon, one of their finest flowers.
The title is ‘The Servile Bureaucrat on a Golden Carriage.'”
Her tone was lively as she elaborated.
“It’s an exceptional piece! The satirical combination of a golden carriage and a servile bureaucrat is brilliant.
The man’s groveling expression adds layers of interpretation…”
Such was her enthusiastic account.
But Lysithea wasn’t particularly interested.
She gave a noncommittal response and began walking again.
As she scanned the wall, she suddenly stopped at one particular point.
“… …”
For a moment, she held her breath.
A large frame, more prominent than the others, hung in the center as if to signify its importance.
The title came into view first.
‘The Scene of Despair’
A poignant title.
It didn’t evoke much at first glance.
The revelation came when her gaze moved upward.
“This is…”
A shattered carriage.
A woman surrounded by figures dressed in black.
The painting’s exquisite brushstrokes stood out, but only one element seized her attention.
The woman with hair as white as snow…
She was unmistakably familiar.
While the assistant interpreted her expression differently,
“Isn’t it remarkable? This piece was created by His Highness Artan Fricas, the Crown Prince!”
Lysithea only half-heard the words as she stared blankly at the painting.
It was undoubtedly her.
Even after ten years, her memory hadn’t faded.
Lysithea was deeply taken aback.
That day, the day the evil god was slain, she had left.
She had said she was heading east.
Though curious, the subsequent war had consumed all of Lysithea’s attention.
Her interest had only resurfaced years later, during the postwar period of stability.
“The broken carriage symbolizes trials. The central figure is believed to represent the Winter Goddess or a spirit of snow, though its true meaning is unclear. Still, her cold and noble demeanor, combined with her poised composure in crisis…”
Lysithea had sent people to search for her.
Agents traveled to various places, collecting rumors and seeking out storytellers.
But nothing was found.
Days turned to weeks, and years passed with no trace.
Quellière had vanished as if she’d evaporated.
Lysithea couldn’t understand.
To her, Quellière wasn’t the kind of person who could simply disappear.
She was like a constellation.
A presence that shone wherever she went, declaring her existence.
“The black figures are thought to represent corruption, and tying them to a popular supreme being… the interpretation is fascinating.”
Over the past decade, no evidence of Quellière’s whereabouts had surfaced.
But then, what was this painting?
Lysithea’s gaze narrowed as if analyzing.
The transcendent beauty, her signature white robe, and the wide-brimmed fedora on her head.
Only someone who had seen her could depict her in such detail.
Crown Prince Artan Fricas.
Lysithea was certain that he had seen Quellière.
She might need to meet him.
“Judging by the title, many believe this piece reflects the Crown Prince’s youthful experiences.
Though His Highness is incredibly bright, he too must have had a boyhood…”
“It’s a stunning work. Truly befitting His Highness.”
Offering light praise, Lysithea gestured to Sorab.
He removed the covering from the frame he was holding and handed it to the assistant.
“Could you accept my painting as well?”
Lysithea smiled.
The assistant glanced at the painting and let out an exclamation of admiration.
“Wow… The intricate details and grand scale are incredible! This depicts an incident in Yulistia from long ago, doesn’t it?”
“I’m glad you recognized it.”
The painting’s backdrop was truly majestic.
A massive black serpent’s onslaught, a city in chaos.
A lone woman standing firm as snowstorms raged above.
“What’s the title?”
As she pondered, the memory of that fateful day and Quellière came rushing back.
Where could she be now?
Lysithea, still reflecting on her theory—Quellière might be a being of higher existence—replied brightly.
“‘The Fallen God.'”
*
The bitterly cold snowfield.
A gray snowstorm blurred the world more than ever before.
Even the pure white Snow Castle was shrouded in a gray hue.
However, the abandoned divine ruins were starkly different.
Instead of gray, a dark aura surged and writhed.
Kroooarrr—!
With a roar that shook the heavens, a massive presence approached.
A living being that looked like an art piece, a blend of white and silver.
When Mishra landed, the dark auras wriggled and gathered into one spot.
It reshaped itself as though kneading a body, forming a new figure.
[…….]
It was a “giant lizard,” flaunting sharp claws.
The Dragon King took it as a sign of mockery.
─────!
The battle began.
The white-silver breath surged forward, but the mass of resentment dodged skillfully, attempting to corrode everything it touched.
[Impure creature…!]
Mishra also countered with seasoned agility.
Yet, her brow furrowed.
Even her aura and the Dragon King’s barrier were ineffective against this formidable foe.
It didn’t matter.
The creature was only a fraction of the whole.
As she tried to handle it “as always,” she frowned again.
Ssssssshhhhh—!
More energy flowed in through the ground.
The lizard’s size swelled.
Mishra was drenched in a wave of dismay.
[Again… are you not tired of this?]
She knew what it was.
The Black Calamity.
Its true name was unknown, but it was a universal enemy that everyone in the world recognized.
Throughout history, it had spread countless disasters in various places.
Recently, its movements had been mysteriously absent.
For some reason, it had reappeared and was rampaging again.
In the past decade, the creature had made its presence felt on the continent.
[No matter how many times you come, you won’t have your way!]
The snowfield was one of its targets.
The Calamity had lingered in the snowfield ever since Quellière returned.
Initially, it was so weak that it couldn’t even stand against the Dragon King’s power.
Yet, each time it appeared, it grew stronger, as though breaking free from a sealed power.
If one were to guess its objective, two possibilities came to mind.
One was the divine ruins.
It was evident that the obelisk was one of the Calamity’s top priorities.
Given its current location, this seemed highly likely.
It couldn’t be allowed.
The eastern ruins belonged to the “master.” Mishra had been commanded to protect the snowfield.
This was still better than the second hypothesis.
Because the second possibility was…
[─Vanish immediately!]
The Calamity had been dormant for at least a hundred years.
It resumed its activities a decade ago, coinciding with Quellière’s departure from the continent.
Was this truly a coincidence?
─────!
The nimble lizard swung its claws, its blades steeped in corrosion.
Mishra lunged forward, bracing for the blow.
[I’ll kill you as many times as it takes!]
If her suspicion was correct, this couldn’t be allowed to continue.
Gods had no fixed form.
Even Mishra hadn’t seen her master’s true appearance.
Currently, the master had manifested on earth in human form.
She didn’t dare to ask, but something seemed off about the master’s being.
Perhaps her return was due to the injury…
Crunch—Crash!
【……!】
Mishra bit down on the cocky lizard, shattering it.
As the resentment dissipated and the black aura scattered, she muttered under her breath, feeling the sting of corrosion on her cheek.
[…I won’t let anyone touch it.]
Countless battles against the Calamity had already unfolded.
Mishra hadn’t reported this to Quellière. She assumed the master was already aware.
Quellière must have recognized the presence of something threatening her. Yet, she hadn’t mentioned it and remained composed.
Mishra interpreted this as a sign of trust.
[To protect the snowfield… and her… is my duty…]
It was a mission she had upheld since time immemorial.
No one, and nothing, could interfere. That was still true, for now.
However, the Calamity would only grow stronger.
Unlike her, who had already reached her peak, it continued to evolve.
How long she could hold it off was uncertain.
[…No, that’s not true.]
She shook her head to dispel her unsettling doubts.
Squinting, she focused her gaze on the distant horizon.
The gray snow battered the Dragon King’s entire body.
*
In the middle of the snowfield stood the Snow Castle.
I was in my room on the top floor.
“Hmm…”
The room was a spectacle, furnished with a bed, a dresser, a desk, a wardrobe, and various other items like my old room.
I didn’t sleep, and my clothes were in the dressing room.
Everything was pointless.
Still, I set it up for one reason—because I was bored.
That was all.
Amazingly, humans could engage in utterly meaningless tasks for the sake of killing time.
“…Sigh.”
Propping my chin on my hand, I stared out the window absentmindedly.
The blurred view was murky from the overcast snow.
“I wish the weather were better.”
Wet and dreary days messed with a person’s mood.
Of course, that wasn’t the reason for my sentiment.
My concern was far more practical.
…Soon, I’d have to go outside.
At that moment, the door burst open.
-Quelli!
“Knock.”
The word escaped me reflexively.
Frike realized her mistake, stepped back out, and knocked before entering again.
-Quelli!
“…What is it?”
I swallowed a sigh and tried to stay composed.
This scene had played out countless times before.
No matter how oblivious Frike seemed, even she wasn’t incapable of learning.
The issue was that each time, a different one of them came.
-Everyone’s making snowmen! It’s fun! The snow is the same color as the wolves!
“That’s silver. The snow falling now is gray.”
A sigh slipped out despite myself.
Frikes, who could transform into Silver Wolves, had likely only ever seen wolves of that color.
They hadn’t ventured beyond the snowfield, and they weren’t allowed to, either.
Frike continued cheerfully.
-The Yetis are having a snowball fight! I joined, but I kept getting hit!
“Oh, really?”
-Yeah! And… Sasquatch built a fort, but when I went inside, it collapsed! He worked so hard on it!
Well, that was inevitable.
Given his size, no ordinary fort could accommodate him.
But that wasn’t the point.
“Get to the point.”
-And then… huh?
“What do you want to say?”
As expected, her answer was predictable. I asked out of courtesy.
Her smiling response was exactly what I anticipated.
-Quelli, come play with us!
“Get out.”
-Wahhh…!
Using my breath, I pushed her outside.
For the ice-attribute-immune Frike, it was just a strong gust of wind.
“How many times do I have to say it?”
No joke, I’d heard the same thing countless times just today.
Normally, I might not have minded, but today, I felt uneasy.
-Fiiine…
“Close the door on your way out.”
-Okay.
See? She was obedient in her own way.
Maybe this was how parents of twins felt.
Though, in my case, twins didn’t even begin to cover it.
“…Sigh.”
I kept sighing.
They said sighing made you age faster.
Well… considering I hadn’t aged in a decade, I supposed it didn’t matter.
Closing the window, I moved to my desk.
Fearing the world’s changes, I had fled, but I hadn’t spent all my time in the castle.
To investigate, gathering information was essential.
Occasionally, I visited nearby villages—places close enough to the Ice Mountains for a quick escape if needed.
It was during one of these outings that I obtained this “unsettling information.”
Filled with questions and a hint of irritation, I opened the special bulletin on my desk.
Though I’d read it dozens of times, it still bothered me.
〈Breaking News! The Birth of Calamity!〉
What in the world was this supposed to mean…?