Chapter 32 - True Winter (3)
Translator: Elisia
Editor/Proofreader: TempWane
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By Delkis standards, my body—which was comparably frail—is largely unhelpful in combat..
The people of Delkis often described the northern barbarians as “stubby,” which was undoubtedly a term unique to Delkis way of putting things..
If we were to compare, the barbarians were indeed shorter than the average adult male. Their height was roughly 150 centimeters. They sported thick beards that covered their faces and wore iron helmets shaped like cones protruding upward. I couldn’t quite figure out why their helmets were shaped that way. Was it to make them appear taller?
Despite being labeled ‘barbarians’, they have reached the iron age in terms of civilization. Their swords and shields were made of iron, and the armor they wore was crafted from small iron plates sewn onto leather garments.
While the adults around here don’t mind children approaching animal carcasses, they strictly prevent anyone from getting near the bodies of fallen barbarians. Because of this, I’ve never seen what they look like without their helmets.
It was said that they weren’t ‘originally from here’. According to records, they first appeared about 200 years ago. Interestingly, this timing coincided almost perfectly with the map that was at least 200 years old.
Clearly, something had occurred 200 years ago.
Could it be related to the giants, who have now disappeared?
Of course, records of giants existed even before those 200 years, and the people of Delkis had been here far earlier than that. Perhaps periodic changes in the world, occurring every few centuries, continued to ripple through the present day.
…Not that I could uncover the truth by just speculating by mysel.
Despite the onset of winter, the barbarians didn’t descend recklessly. They knew they’d gain nothing by clashing with the Delkis people, who received robust support from the Grand Ducal House.
The barbarians usually make their move when the beasts in the northern territories begin to vanish. Normally, these beasts thrive in sparsely populated northern areas, but as the weather grows harsher, they migrate south, much like birds.
And those barbarians were no exception to this phenomenon. Those who couldn’t prepare properly for winter resorted to raiding nearby barbarian settlements. If even that failed, they took the last desperate measure of moving south.
Most of them, however, were spotted and shot down by hunting parties before they ever reached the walls of Delkis.
*
Today was one of those rare days when even the hunters stayed indoors.
During the polar night, there were times when the moon wouldn’t rise. On such dark days, with clouds obscuring even the starlight, hunters refrained from venturing out.
It was extremely dangerous to go outside before the sun rose close enough to the horizon to cast even the faintest twilight. With no stars to guide them, distinguishing directions was nearly impossible, and they had to rely solely on the light they carried. But carrying a light made them an obvious target to their enemies.
Besides, overcast skies often meant imminent snowfall.
While watchtowers manned by sentries dotted the forest, everyone else stayed indoors, both the sentinels in the towers and the people within the castle, quietly passing the time.
“……”
“……”
That included Amelia and me.
We were sharing the same room now.
It was better for me, a Delkis native, to stay with her rather than to have her deal with emergencies alone.
We placed two chairs in front of the blazing fireplace and sat side by side.
“Honestly, no matter how many times I go through this, I can never get used to the polar night.”
Amelia grumbled.
This world does have mechanical clocks—large and expensive ones that are centrally installed in key areas of the fortress. They’re too cumbersome to carry around, but at least they allow us to know the time.
Thanks to them, we knew it was evening.
The sky had already turned pitch black, blanketed by clouds that hid even the faintest starlight.
The wooden windows were firmly shut. If they’d been left open, it would’ve been freezing in the room despite the fire.
But such cold wasn’t unusual for anyone in the Alwen Kingdom. For people in Grattanmount, it was practically common sense.
Because of that, neither Amelia nor I found the polar night particularly terrifying.
“On nights like this, the barbarians could come down, right?”
The maid who had accompanied Amelia shivered as she spoke.
Technically, this was my room, but since Amelia was staying with me, her maid naturally followed.
While Amelia sometimes visited me alone, having her live here full-time meant her maid’s presence was inevitable.
It also reflected my father’s precautionary measure—ensuring that a Delkis person was always nearby whenever Amelia was present.
“Even if they do come down, there’s no need to worry too much. Our family is here. This room is at the heart of the castle, so even if the barbarians descend, we won’t encounter them.”
Though I was being cautious because of Amelia’s warning.
“I heard barbarians all have monstrous, twisted faces, hunched backs, and sharp fangs. Is that true?” the maid asked innocently.
That sounded more like a werewolf than a barbarian.
“I haven’t seen them up close, but from what I’ve observed, they look human enough.”
“But they’re shorter than us, right?”
The maid was likely taller than most barbarians.
“They’re probably taller than Your Highness and me, though.”
“Do they really fight with claws and teeth?”
Her naivety made me chuckle softly.
“If they lose their weapons, they might.”
“How terrifying.”
Taking my words literally, the maid shivered.
“Are the barbarians human?”
Amelia, who had been silently listening, suddenly asked.
“Well, I wouldn’t know. I’ve only ever seen their long beards.”
“Oh, my lady, don’t be silly! If they were human, why would they constantly covet our lands and threaten us from the north?”
“Isn’t that exactly what humans do? Coveting others’ lands?”
Amelia’s pointed remark left the maid momentarily speechless.
“After battles, the adults who retrieved the corpses and buried them wouldn’t let us go near. That’s all I remember.”
Recalling an incident from a few years back, I murmured.
“See? They must look monstrous or grotesque—probably not human at all. Why else wouldn’t they let children see?”
“Perhaps they didn’t want us to see mangled bodies, regardless of whether they were human or not. Such sights are always unpleasant.”
Of course, the adults hadn’t minded letting us near animal carcasses.
Unless, of course, the body was overly decomposed.
“Whether they’re human or not, they’re here to take what’s ours. We fight to protect what’s ours. The nature of the enemy doesn’t change that.”
“……”
“……”
Both Amelia and the maid fell silent at my words.
If the barbarians had approached us peacefully from the start, we might not have fought so fiercely. But they drew their swords on the land we’d lived on for centuries.
Though I doubted they would’ve understood us even if we’d tried to talk.
“……”
The maid remained quiet, and Amelia stared at the roaring fire, lost in thought.
Was she thinking about the original story she knew?
Amelia had mentioned that the barbarians would eventually invade the castle. But I didn’t know when or how large their numbers would be.
Was she withholding specifics to hide her identity as a transmigrator?
Or did she genuinely not know the details, hence her vague warnings?
One thing was certain: Amelia had risked revealing herself as a reincarnator to give such warnings.
…Should I just tell her? That I was a transmigrator too?
But that would mean admitting, “To me, you’re also just a character in a novel.” Unless I pretend to be one of the characters in the romance novel or something.
For now, I’d gather more information. Piece by piece, like the details Amelia occasionally let slip—
Just as I sank deeper into thought,
Awooo—
A wolf’s howl pierced the silence.
It didn’t sound too far away.