CHAPTER 195: BENEATH THE BLIZZARD

Preparation for a possible attack.

What Gerhard Goldenheim had prepared wasn’t just Professor Rosalia Wienderk, nor just the Red Shell Knight Order, nor just holy water.

Wooden.

The ego golem created by incorporating the pinnacle of Goldenheim family technology was the ultimate weapon Gerhard Goldenheim had in mind.

Thump.

It wasn’t just powerful in terms of raw destructive force.

A spirit’s sensitivity and detection abilities were far superior to humans, and Wooden, enhanced by being a golem, was even more so.

Thanks to that, he found the evil one’s stealth and could draw the opponent into the desired situation.

After splitting the body with Wooden’s sword coated with holy water and aura, soaking it thoroughly with holy water, and finally setting it ablaze, the evil one’s body was perfectly annihilated.

It was a bit disappointing not to capture him alive, but once he saw Wooden, it was better to just annihilate him.

And anyway, Professor Rosalia Wienderk would capture a prisoner for him.

"Well done."

Thump thump!

Gerhard Goldenheim patted the head of Wooden, who had shrunk back down. Wooden’s eyes formed crescents, seemingly satisfied with growing to his original size after a long time.

"Still, from next time, consume mana a bit moderately. My mana heart is completely empty."

Creating an aura blade on a giant sword required that much mana. And the source of that mana was naturally Gerhard Goldenheim, the contractor.

Thump.

"Right, I’m the one who made the sword like that, so what can I say."

He briefly considered drinking a mana potion due to the overwhelming exhaustion, but soon abandoned the thought.

Since there wouldn’t be any immediate additional enemies anyway, there was no need to waste a potion.

"Now then, let’s see..."

He peeked his head out from the crack to look outside. Unlike the quiet underground, the surface had completely changed.

A pure white snowy mountain. Snow had softly piled up all over the world, and rough storms swept across the land.

Gerhard Goldenheim pulled his head back in as his body shivered.

"It would be better to stay here for a while."

Thump!

Gerhard Goldenheim sat in front of the cart and lit a fire. He boiled water and made coffee.

Thump thump?

"Too leisurely? It doesn’t seem like it’ll end quickly. And it’s not a situation where I should rashly interfere."

In the first place, it was difficult for Gerhard Goldenheim to do anything while Rosalia Wienderk was going all out. Such a gap existed between the two.

’Above all, it’s not like there’s no preparation for contingencies.’

When he had just checked, all the monsters had been dealt with. Nevertheless, Gerhard Goldenheim didn’t call the Red Shell knights to his side.

As already agreed, they would hide in the snow and prepare for any emergency.

If Rosalia Wienderk was in danger, they would save her.

If the evil one fled, they would block the path.

If Rosalia Wienderk safely subdued the evil one, they would become spectators and return.

’That would be best.’

Contingencies are best when they’re not used.

Thump thump, thuuump!

"Call the people outside too? No, they have work to do."

Thuuuup!

"Exploitative? Where did you learn such words?"

Gerhard Goldenheim snorted.

"Listen well, Wooden. Humanity in this world is divided into two types. Those who give money and those who receive money."

Thump?

"They’re receiving massive amounts of money from me to do that work. So there’s no need to pity them."

More precisely, it was Goldenheim giving it, but what did it matter? Eventually, Goldenheim would become him anyway.

Slurp-

The swirling blizzard visible above.

Perhaps because the scenery was nice, the coffee tasted particularly good today.

"You eat this too."

Thuump!

Wooden, receiving the World Tree bark chocolate, hugged it tightly.

He couldn’t eat chocolate, but he was absorbing the faint forest energy mixed in the chocolate.

’Mixing World Tree branches into the core seems to have been the best move.’

It was by chance that he realized Wooden loved forest energy beyond measure and could grow more from it.

More precisely, it was after Wooden had secretly devoured a box of World Tree bark chocolate prepared for Luina Berchef.

’The chocolate drained of energy became a tasteless lump of sugar.’

Still, since Wooden’s energy had grown even a little, he didn’t say anything particular. Since then, he just occasionally threw one.

’What would happen if I took him in front of a World Tree someday and let him absorb it all?’

Though it would be impossible.

Gerhard Goldenheim chuckled and patted the head of Wooden, who was absorbing the chocolate’s energy.

Thu!

Wooden shook his body happily, seemingly in a good mood.

==

"Captain."

"Wait."

Harten was buried in the suddenly blown snow, suppressing his presence.

The terrible cold was pushed back, unable to overcome the vest-type warming artifact.

It was something Gerhard Goldenheim had given to all members in preparation for the current situation.

"There are exactly two cases where we step forward. When Professor Rosalia Wienderk is in danger or when the evil one has fled. The young master ordered us never to step forward before then."

"Yes."

"By the way, a wizard mentioned as the next Arch Mage is truly different."

"Indeed."

The Red Shell Knight Order members admired.

———!

A clear, transparent ice wall blocked the magic and went on to strike the evil one.

A brilliant white flash struck the evil one breaking through the wall in an instant.

Hundreds of ice spears poured down on the half-frozen evil one, and the evil one who barely escaped by melting into shadows slipped on the snow covering the ground.

And the snowflakes gathered as they were and swallowed the evil one.

The destructive power was impressive, but even more amazing was the naturally flowing combination.

There were no gaps between magic and magic, utilizing magic and surroundings to the maximum to corner the opponent.

"Asen. How do you see that evil one’s level?"

"I can’t beat him. What about you, Captain?"

"Even match if I fight well. Otherwise, defeat."

"To that extent?"

"He’s strong."

He didn’t particularly feel defeated by that.

He roughly knew the value of the research called the mana stone composite. That evil ones were targeting it too.

Naturally, it was within expectations that high-level strong opponents would come.

He hadn’t lost motivation. It was just that now wasn’t the time yet, filled with the will to surpass them someday.

"Split in half and circle around to take the rear. Be careful not to be detected."

"Yes."

Harten carefully moved, leading half the group.

Meanwhile, the battle was racing toward its climax.

"Phew, really not easy...!"

The masked person deflected ice fragments flying toward his chest and threw his body backward.

"This is...!"

An ice wall was blocking his rear, erected when he didn’t know.

A moment’s hesitation, a blue beam struck him directly as if it had been waiting.

———!

When the white mist cleared, the masked person wasn’t there. Rosalia Wienderk had cast Blink.

A beat late, black aura split the air.

"How?"

"Pathetic."

Rosalia Wienderk wasn’t an idiot who would explain the reason to enemies, nor did she have such intention.

Conversation during battle was better when short. Long conversations were more efficient when shared after turning enemies into half-dead states.

Tap-

She lightly struck the ground with her staff. The ice the masked person was standing on changed into dozens of spikes and shot up.

His body floated into the air, and Rosalia Wienderk didn’t miss the good target.

She first sent hundreds of ice spears and formed hand seals simultaneously with the incantation.

In the sky directly above the masked person, a massive magic circle whose size couldn’t be easily guessed began to be drawn.

The masked person, who had been deflecting spears by sharpening magic, twitched his eyebrows at the ominous mana flowing over.

"This is a bit dangerous...!"

His figure disappeared in an instant. It wasn’t magic or anything else. He just stepped on the air with force and shot out like an arrow.

—!

A large crack appeared in the ground where Rosalia Wienderk had been just moments before. Shattered fragments scattered in all directions.

"There!"

—!

—!

He predicted Rosalia Wienderk’s blink location and shot magic. Rosalia Wienderk sometimes dodged, sometimes blocked with barriers and walls.

Even during this, incantations and techniques continued without cease.

The magic circle was finally completed.

"Th, this...!"

Massive mana writhed.

Magic manifested.

The world was dyed blue and swallowed the masked person’s screams.

When the light beam completely disappeared.

The masked person was there, completely frozen except for his head. His complexion was pale, and no magic could be felt.

"...The head remained?"

Quite skilled, was he.

Rosalia Wienderk walked over step by step.

"This doesn’t balance the books..."

"It would be so if there’s nothing in your head compared to my hardship."

"No, that’s not what I’m talking about. Hehehe, you know what? I’m actually bait."

The masked person laughed loudly.

"Bait?"

Rosalia Wienderk floated smoothly polished ice in the air.

Nowhere reflected through the mirrors was there a cart. Rather, only traces of fierce battle filled the area.

"My goal was you from the beginning. To hold you and drag out time. Honestly, I was confident I could win, but fighting directly, I understand. Rosalia Wienderk, you’re a complete monster. I understand why you’re mentioned as the next Arch Mage."

"I don’t know your name, but you know mine."

"Want to know my name?"

"Not particularly."

Because there was no reason or need to know a corpse’s name.

Toward Rosalia Wienderk speaking coldly with venom, the head-only masked person grinned.

"Calling someone who’s alive like this a corpse. How disappointing. Isn’t your heart racing? Your research has already been stolen. The invisible cart and Gerhard Goldenheim are proof of that."

"I originally don’t converse with enemies. But if there’s an exception, it’s captured enemies."

"Not wrong. Can’t move an inch."

"So let me correct your foolish thinking."

Rosalia Wienderk’s staff tapped the masked person’s head. Grim mana replenished the cold.

"Gerhard Goldenheim is a terrible human. He absolutely never lets his things be taken. No matter what means he uses, no matter what he does."

"What do you mean?"

"You’re bait that was pathetically devoured by a fish."

"You’re confident. Do you think Gerhard Goldenheim can stop that person?"

"Didn’t I say? Gerhard Goldenheim absolutely never lets his things be taken. If they’re taken, he extracts more than that, but since he wouldn’t deal with disgusting bastards like you, there’s only one result, isn’t there?"

Six years. A full six years.

"It was Gerhard Goldenheim’s first sponsorship, and the funds invested were enormous. It’s awkward to say this, but my research was a money-eating hippo."

Would Gerhard Goldenheim hand over something he barely saved after it was ruined by evil ones to you guys?

"Wake up, you fools. Such a thing would absolutely never..."

Rosalia Wienderk’s eyes widened. The masked person’s mouth was being stained with bright red blood.

"Hehehe, we’ll soon find out who’s right. For that, sorry, but I need to get out of here."

Crack, crack-

The masked person’s eyes became bloodshot red.

His entire body twisted grotesquely and became enormous, and magic exploded from his whole body as if going berserk.

Shattering the ice that had half-sealed him and growing more than twice his size, black magic scattered from his mouth like breath.

"...Ugh, killing me. Perfect for a beer."

Caressing the bulging muscles and blood vessels, he finished those words and began running away without hesitation, turning his back.

"Where do you think you’re going!"

Rosalia Wienderk’s magic struck his back.

"Damn, stop that bastard!"

"Get out of the way if you don’t want to die!"

The Red Shell Knight Order that had been waiting struck with swords, but he took it with his body and pushed through.

It was recklessly straight, and brutishly fast.

"...His legs."

It wasn’t wounds from Rosalia Wienderk’s magic or the knights’ aura.

Overload. His legs were being destroyed in real-time due to using muscles beyond their limits.

Still, his speed didn’t decrease. Because black magic was constantly replenishing his strength.

Catching him was difficult.

"...The foolish one was me."

She had chattered thinking it was a caught fish.

It wasn’t something she usually did, but she was angry because it was an evil one who had ruined her research and even prevented her presentation.

To make one excuse, she hadn’t considered that he would run away by making his power go berserk to the point of consuming his life force.

"...I made a mistake."

"Professor! Are you alright?"

"I’m fine. What about the other knights?"

"There are injured ones, but since he was only thinking of fleeing and rampaging, none have serious injuries."

"We took a hit. Oh right, where’s Gerhard Goldenheim?"

"The young master is below the crack. Don’t worry, the research will be safe."

"Crack?"

Rosalia Wienderk strode into the split ground.

And she could discover.

"...What are you doing right now?"

Gerhard Goldenheim calmly drinking coffee with a campfire lit.

"Drinking coffee."

"I hope you don’t think I’m asking because I don’t know that."

"I was replenishing my energy. You might not know, Professor, but I also had quite a bloody battle."

As if proving Gerhard Goldenheim’s words, traces of battle were here and there.

Rosalia Wienderk, who wanted to say something but couldn’t find appropriate words, let out a hollow laugh and sat beside him.

And extended her hand.

"What?"

"Cigarette."

"Didn’t I give you some?"

"I’m tired and don’t have mana to open subspace. You always stock them one pack at a time."

"Yes, at your service, customer. 100 gold per cigarette."

"Overpriced."

"Originally, prices fluctuate according to environment and situation."

Gerhard Goldenheim smiled slightly while taking out cigarettes from subspace. Then Rosalia Wienderk’s eyes narrowed.

"...For someone who fought a bloody battle, you have enough mana left to open subspace?"

"...It’s better to overlook trivial things. I’ll specially serve you at one-tenth the price."

Gerhard Goldenheim put a cigarette in Rosalia Wienderk’s hand. He lit a flame on his finger and lit it.

Inhale-

Rosalia Wienderk put the cigarette in her mouth and inhaled. As the mana stimulant brushed her lungs, her mind became a bit clearer.

"...Good."

As expected, the mana stone composite was fine.

Rosalia Wienderk was satisfied that things hadn’t flowed according to the evil one she had missed.

"You must have had a hard time, come have a drink."

"Thank you, young master."

The tea time with even the knight order members joining lasted 10 minutes.

"Oh right, I let the evil one escape."

"...Excuse me? I completely killed the one who came this way trusting only you, Professor."

"He ran away quite fast, throwing his whole body into it. The story would have been different if someone had helped instead of leisurely drinking coffee."

"..."

Until the blizzard completely stopped.