The world that had been covered in snow and ice crumbled away.
And it revealed the eastern mountain.
Otto Han burst out laughing.
“You actually managed to consume the Snow Mountain King. Impressive.”
Elric’s expression darkened suddenly.
“So, it was a challenge even you couldn’t overcome, right?”
“Obviously.”
“…”
His outright affirmation left Elric at a loss for words.
“What would a newbie, who’s only recently started and hasn’t even been at it for a few years, know about facing someone like the Snow Mountain King? Despite his decline, he was still a renowned commander.”
Elric clenched his fist. He was burning with the desire to punch Otto Han’s face right then.
Always talking as if it were so easy…!
“I assumed it’d take at least half a year. Depending on your talent, it might take 2 to 3 years. And then, I thought, you’d be somewhat usable.”
Well, if he really had taken over a year, the legacy might have passed on to a talentless descendant.
But what Otto Han meant by ‘usable’ would certainly be a jaw-dropping pace of growth for the outside world.
“But overcoming this trial in just a month… Haha! I’m just glad that my long stay here wasn’t in vain.”
Otto Han nodded with satisfaction.
Seeing him like this was infuriating.
Elric muttered bitterly,
“It’s been two months.”
“Hmm…?”
“I mean, I spent another month here mastering the magic.”
“…What?”
Otto Han seemed to think he had misheard him.
But when Elric didn’t elaborate and just turned away, Otto Han’s realization was followed by sheer astonishment.
“Huh? Hahaha!”
And then he burst out laughing.
He was in sheer delight.
“How did she look in the end?”
“She was smiling.”
“Is that so? That’s a relief.”
Otto Han nodded with a faint smile.
However, Elric could sense profound loneliness in his demeanor.
While consuming the Snow Mountain King’s essence, Elric caught a glimpse of her life, but that didn’t mean he knew all the details.
What was certain was that the two arch-enemies at some point, harbored deep feelings for each other.
And because of their race and positions, those feelings couldn’t come to fruition.
‘Come to think of it. There were no descendants from Otto Han’s line in the family tree.’
Although the official reason might be to prepare for their family’s legacy.
In reality, perhaps he wanted to protect the Snow Mountain King’s tomb even in death.
“So, is the test finally over?”
Elric didn’t particularly ask about the earlier topic.
Everyone had their own stories, and he didn’t need to know all of them.
“Does it seem like it’s over?”
With a hint of a smile, as if acknowledging Elric’s tact, Otto Han replied.
“No, I think it’ll stay that way.”
“I see.”
“Just how much more do you plan to ponder on this…?”
“Until I get an answer about our founder.”
“…Wasn’t that just a family legend or something?”
In truth, as old as the Melvinger family’s history was, there were only ‘tales’ regarding the events of their family’s early days.
Because everything that had been passed down orally was filled with vague stories.
Especially the founder, whose name wasn’t even properly known, went without saying.
“Why did you think that way?”
“Well, stories about taming dragons head-on and having giants as guardians are all filled with such tales…”
Elric trailed off, glancing at Otto Han’s reaction.
It felt as if he was belittling the founder in front of his middle-generation ancestor.
But even that was a rather softened expression.
-When the founder performed his miracles, the sky filled with storm clouds, and the ground turned into a fiery hell. Two cities that doubted him were submerged.
-When the dragon that the founder cherished closed its eyes as its destiny was fulfilled, its scales became forests, its skin became land, and its blood became rivers. Its skeletal structure formed mountains, now known as the Dragon Mountain Range.
-The giants who devoted their loyalty to the founder were usually peaceful, but when they rose, the ground shook. Their charging momentum was akin to a wildfire, and nothing could stand against them.
-Many miracle makers flocked to the founder’s side. They were all principles and truths, becoming the Gods of today.
Being able to command the wind and weather at will and change the geographical features as one pleases?
To Elric’s knowledge, there was only one word to describe such beings.
God.
“Even my grandfather, who was supposedly the most powerful of all the heads in the family, was not that powerful.
This was the reason why Elric and the past head families treated the history of their founder and the early days of their family as mere legends.
‘Wait. Doesn’t this resemble the dream I had?’
Elric suddenly remembered a dream he had at the jewel dragon’s nest.
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But he was soon taken aback by Otto Han’s following words.
“You undervalue things.”
“Excuse me?”
“Merely because only that much was passed down.”
“…?”
What did he mean?
“Although your innate talent that you were born with is promising, up until now, it hasn’t fully bloomed. My young descendant, don’t dare judge him based on what you see and the standards you hold.”
“…”
“He achieved and left behind so much during his time on this land. We prepared all this to follow his path. You just need to walk that path diligently.”
For a moment, Elric felt like he couldn’t breathe.
Just who was this founder?
“For now, you should focus on what you can do.”
Elric realized Otto Han was about to tell him about a new mission, and his eyes brightened up.
On one hand, he was curious about the founder’s ‘path,’ which seemed to be more than just family legends.
“The path you’ve started on will feel cold and lonely. The mountains and fields will be covered in snow, and the branches shaken by the wind might even block your view.”
Otto Han’s eyes lowered deeply.
“You need to prepare your own way of survival there. Since you have one item, you should prepare another one, right?”
“Yes.”
“Find the God of Camellia.”
“You mean… the Camellia flower?”
“Yes.”
Elric was stunned for a moment.
The God of the Camellia flower? Was there a God with such a title?
“He will become your new guide.”
Elric silently nodded.
He didn’t specifically ask how to find the God of the Camellia.
Because so much time had passed, all the previous clues might have disappeared.
And perhaps finding it might also be a test from his ancestors.
‘Our lineage. Just because I’m a descendant doesn’t mean they will easily teach me.’
Fortunately, he somehow had a plan.
‘First, if I visit the Temple of the Flower, I might obtain some kind of clue. I’ll start there.’
It was time for him to leave.
“Thank you for everything.”
Elric politely bowed his head.
Apart from what he had been through, he had learned so much, all thanks to Otto Han.
In fact, for the first time here, Elric felt what he had never received before. It was the ‘care of an adult’.
“You make it sound like we are parting forever. Aren’t you coming back here once in a while?”
“True, but I won’t be able to visit often.”
Elric scratched his cheek with his index finger.
Otto Han seemed to understand, nodding.
“Makes sense. You have a big task ahead. Anyway, you did well, and I assume you’ll roll around even more in the future.”
“…Is that your idea of encouragement?”
Anyway, this damned place. Why did everyone here have such a personality?
Elric closed his eyes to leave the imaginary world.
Then, he slightly opened one eye and asked,
“So, how do I get out?”
“Ugh, this damned place! Nothing here pleases me!”
Elric exclaimed angrily and opened his eyes wide.
He was now in the library. It was the real world.
[Hahaha! It seems like you had a hard time with Otto.]
Why did Mephisto’s cheerful laughter seem so annoying?
Anger surged within him.
“What hard time? It was more like torment, not just a hard time!”
Mephisto almost said, ‘That’s not something for you to say,’ but he held back and asked,
[What did he do?]
“Damn it…!”
Elric seemed to remember the situation and became infuriated.
-Ah. Right. The way out. Hmm…
-…You just said, hmm?
-Haha. Of course not.
-You haven’t even thought of it, have you?
-Well, if there isn’t one, you make one.
He should’ve realized when Otto Han smirked suspiciously.
Then Elric found a very simple way to exit the imaginary world.
…By dying.
‘Who the hell punches someone to death just like that? Damn it!’
No matter how many times he had faced death, it was something one could never get used to.
Of course, he was bound to be extremely pissed.
‘Scolding a junior in a traditional way. Such a splendid lineage. Hehehe.’
Mephisto was having the time of his life. However,
“But… What am I supposed to do about this?”
Elric frowned slightly and spread his hands wide open.
Whoosh!
Above his hand, a white crystal emitting a cold light appeared.
-Oh, right, before you go, you should take this.
-What is this?
-Ice Crystal.
-Ice… Crystal?
-The God of Camellia… That friend has a unique personality, you see. You need to have this to even begin conversing with him.
-Hmm…?
-So when you find him, tell him this.
-I’ve come to complete the ‘winter’.
Alone in the garden, Otto Han gazed at the spot where Elric had departed. A mischievous smile was curling on his lips.
“A truly interesting descendant.”
Whether it was talent, willpower, or character, it was hard for someone to excel in everything. But Otto Han felt like the long wait had been worthwhile after seeing Elric’s capabilities.
At the same time, he missed the bustle of the past month.
“Speaking of which…”
Otto Han’s gaze drifted elsewhere.
“You, who couldn’t rest for so long, should finally get some peace.”
Where the Snow Mountain King used to stand…
“Do you think, with the grudge you’ve left behind… that task will properly take root in that child’s hands?”
The Snow Mountain King loved Otto Han all her life but also aspired to surpass him. Due to her inability to do so, she faced despair.
She fell into the Demons’ Possession because of that. Desperately seeking power, she recklessly touched the seal, causing a surge of energy within her.
And when she finally came to her senses, her kingdom had fallen into ruin. Her last wish was for her lover to end her life.
Hence, Otto Han chose to guard her tomb even in death.
To atone for her and ensure the continuation of her grudge and her duties.
“So, I hope in the afterlife…”
Otto Han closed his eyes peacefully.
The shadow of the Snow Mountain King that always occupied that place was nowhere to be seen.
However, it felt as if he could still see her.
“…I hope we both can meet more beautifully than before.”
A tear glistened at the corner of his wrinkled eyes.
