I Have Become The Snow Maiden I Created

Translator: Marctempest

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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Chapter 10: Rumors of the City-State (2)

“Are there any other issues?”

This was no time to dwell on regrets.

Lysithea let out a sigh and asked her lieutenant.

“There are two matters.”

Sorab, whose expression had remained steady since entering the room, continued his report.

“Recently, the monsters near Mount Tamansan have been acting strangely, and unpleasant rumors are spreading among the citizens.”

“Strange behavior from monsters…”

Lysithea nodded, sensing what he meant.

Though she, as the head of her house, had no reason to climb the mountain herself, she had heard plenty of reports from that area.

Judging by the information she had gathered, the forest and mountain monsters had been showing abnormal symptoms recently.

Their ferocity had increased to the point where they ventured into nearby areas they previously avoided, and their combat capabilities had improved.

In addition to that, there were unexplained phenomena causing damage to nature.

Deer, sparrows, and other animals vital to the ecosystem and food supply were dying off, creating serious difficulties.

While there were no eyewitness reports confirming that monsters were responsible, it seemed highly probable.

“Perhaps it’s also the influence of the Serpent God… How truly dreadful that deity is.”

The timing of the issues in the mountain coincided with the appearance of the Serpent God in the city.

Lysithea barely stifled another sigh as she opened her mouth to speak.

The abnormalities among the monsters were information she was roughly aware of. However, the second issue was something she was hearing for the first time.

“What is this unpleasant rumor?”

It was already enough to make her head ache, but now there was yet another problem? She felt the darkness closing in before her eyes, but Sorab’s tone remained calm and measured.

“They say the Serpent God is a servant of ‘Calamity,’ and that if people want to survive, they must follow Calamity and its followers.”

“…What?”

“There are those making such claims, it seems.”

Lysithea, staring at him as if she couldn’t make sense of his words, ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. Her jet-black hair cascaded down like flowing silk.

“What nonsense is this… No, haah…”

Sorab shared her sentiment, silently agreeing with her frustration.

This implied that tumor-like individuals had infiltrated the city without anyone noticing.

“The Dark Holy Society. It’s likely them.”

At his resolute statement, Lysithea gave a small nod.

Dark Holy Society

Throughout the continent, there were heretical groups active in opposition to the church states and orders that worshipped the Four Guardian Gods.

Among them, there was a particularly sinister group that fanatically worshipped “Calamity,” an entity more dreadful than any known evil deity: the Dark Holy Society.

More precisely, they were the only faction that had survived centuries of battles with the black magicians.

Among the traitors who turned their backs on humanity, they were especially malignant.

“Perhaps I was negligent in maintaining our vigilance. Truly, trouble never ceases.”

With her attention entirely focused on the Serpent God, the monitoring of comings and goings in the city had been lax.

She had failed to track who was infiltrating the city.

At first, she had thought Calamity was unrelated to her. Though she had heard much about that “worst existence on Earth”…

She hadn’t expected to become entangled in such a way.

Well, in comparison to Calamity, having remnants of the Dark Holy Society infiltrate the city might actually be preferable.

According to legend, Calamity was such a force that even the Serpent God dominating the city couldn’t contend with it.

“Are they only spreading propaganda? Or do you see any hints of other nefarious plans?”

Given their infamy across the continent, she asked with concern.

“We haven’t discovered anything yet. Also, the true members of the Dark Holy Society are very few. The rest are merely ordinary believers. Judging by the situation, it’s likely that only minor operatives have infiltrated the city.”

“That’s a relief, but…”

At least for now, that was reassuring.

Still, she didn’t have the energy to focus on that right now.

Leaving aside the Serpent God for the moment, she needed a way to stop the two rogue heads of houses from running amok.

As the leader of Krase, this was her responsibility.

As for the troublemakers, Sorab and his assassination team could handle them well enough.

“Sorab, I’m issuing an order. Eliminate them from the shadows.”

If left unchecked, the city’s unrest would only grow worse.

Hesitation had already allowed this situation to spiral out of control.

Lysithea gave her orders with a resolute gaze, determined not to falter any longer.

“Yes, My Lady.”

Sorab placed a hand over his heart and accepted the command, inwardly glad.

This was a matter that needed to be handled discreetly, away from the citizens’ eyes. Covert operations were his specialty.

However, as there hadn’t been much need for Krase’s secret blades to act recently, some preparation was required.

He headed to a weapons shop to equip himself and his assassination team.

*

Nothing was missing.

Of course, it was only natural since the items had been hidden in a place where no one should ever find them.

Still, the confirmation brought a sense of relief.

I glared at the fairly bulky tote bag with a mixture of affection and annoyance.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have packed so much and gone with a smaller, more efficient team.

At times like this, I missed the inventory system from the game.

A personal storage accessible anytime… What an enticing feature.

If whoever orchestrated this had to transfer me here, they could’ve at least given me such a power.

No sense of consideration, whoever they were.

“Well, they say the more, the better.”

Everything I brought would surely come in handy.

At the moment, it was my sole source of resources.

Hurrying to organize my belongings, I now stood in what could only be called the outskirts or back alleys of the city.

This was to avoid drawing attention, though now that I was here, it seemed perhaps I hadn’t needed to bother so much.

“The atmosphere is awful here.”

The people I glimpsed occasionally all had dark, gloomy expressions.

Despite it being broad daylight, the number of passersby was strangely low.

It felt as if most of the population had shut themselves indoors, avoiding the streets entirely.

Was there some specific reason for this? Or was this kind of scene just the norm in Yulistia a thousand years ago?

Trying to dredge up any information from my memory, I managed to recall one thing.

“Come to think of it… Wasn’t it said that during Artan’s rule, corruption ran rampant in Yulistia?”

That corruption hadn’t developed overnight, persisting until the “Great Hero” emerged and elevated the city-state to a full-fledged kingdom.

This was currently before Artan’s time, during Eoloman’s rule, but all evidence suggested that the corruption had been festering even then.

The perpetrators were naturally the ruling class—households and their heads.

Thus, the pervasive gloom in the city could be interpreted as the result of exploitation and oppression.

“Classic medieval fantasy… What a terrifying world.”

I felt sorry for the suffering citizens, but I had no intention of intervening.

I had no obligation to help them, and surviving on my own was difficult enough.

Besides, how could I, someone without any advantages, confront powerful house leaders with formidable forces?

Avoiding involvement and quietly slipping away was my best option.

“Alright, let’s stick to that. For now, I need to find a map.”

With sinister rumors and tyrannical heads of households, this place didn’t feel safe. Following my original plan to quickly obtain a map and head to the Empire seemed the wisest course of action.

If the Four Seasons War had been thoroughly prepared, there might have been some groundwork laid even in Yulistia, but it wouldn’t compare to what could be found in the Empire.

My immediate goal was to go there, where the most clues would be available, to grasp the world’s situation.

Only then would I know what stance I should take.

If the storyline mirrored the original closely enough to ensure my safety, I could dismiss both the Empire and Calamity as concerns. But until then, caution was essential.

“Is this the right place?”

With that conclusion in mind, I considered heading into a general store nearby, only to realize that maps were considered military supplies in this medieval setting.

Naturally, they were far more valuable and expensive than in modern times.

Of course, that didn’t mean they weren’t sold to civilians.

There would surely be some available, but general stores typically stocked common items.

Expensive and rare goods weren’t their specialty… So where should I go?

Just then, my eyes landed on a weapons shop.

Weapons shops, as the name suggested, usually sold swords and shields. But they also stocked auxiliary tools useful in battle, so they might have maps as well.

“Oh! A customer already! Welcome to…?”

When I opened the door, a middle-aged man who appeared to be the shopkeeper greeted me with a bright smile.

I wasn’t sure if business was slow or if he just had a naturally sunny disposition, but his expression shifted to confusion as he got a better look at me.

In his widened eyes, I saw my reflection.

Understanding his reaction perfectly, I felt inwardly pleased.

Well, this was only natural.

Quellière was a masterpiece, crafted with all the expertise of my customization skills.

Her beauty and aura were unparalleled. It wasn’t strange for someone meeting her for the first time to be mesmerized.

Of course, my pride was internal.

Outwardly, I maintained a cold demeanor.

“Do you have a map?”

I glanced around the display cases, but nothing caught my eye, so I asked directly.

The shopkeeper snapped out of his daze, flustered as he fumbled to respond.

“Ah, ahem, well… What kind of map are you looking for?”

“A map that shows the way to the Arundel Empire.”

The distance seemed significant, so a detailed map would likely be difficult to manage, while a broader, continent-wide view would make it challenging to pinpoint the destination.

Thus, a map with an adequate level of detail would be ideal, but the shopkeeper’s response was disappointing.

“Ah, we don’t sell such valuable items at our main store. Umm… there are only a few places in Yulistia where you might find maps like that.”

Why even ask about the map if you can’t sell it?

Hiding my displeasure, I continued questioning.

“Where are those places that sell it?”

“The closest would be ‘Maurice’s Shop’ behind the relay station. It’s a much bigger store than ours, so it should be easy to spot.”

“Maurice’s Shop? Relay station?”

These were terms I’d never heard before, and phrased like that, they were incomprehensible.

Whether it stood out or not, there were already plenty of tall buildings visible even with a quick glance around the city.

Was this guy mocking my efforts to find a map, watching me wander around?

Sensing my growing annoyance, the shopkeeper stammered nervously.

“Uh, Maurice’s Shop is behind the relay station…”

“I got it.”

“The relay station is straight out from our main store towards the street lined with moonlit trees. Then, circle around the stone wall and turn right at the bench under the paulownia tree, and—”

“……”

I could feel a chill settling into my gaze, even as I directed it at him.

I wondered how this appeared to others, as beads of sweat began forming on the shopkeeper’s brow.

“I’ll guide you.”

A deep, low voice came from within the shop.

Both I and the shopkeeper turned our attention toward the man who spoke.

Gray hair, brown eyes.

The man, whose appearance suggested a solid and firm impression, was looking in our direction as he polished the blade of a sharp dagger.

“Oh, oh! Sir Sorab! This is reassuring. Please, I entrust her to you.”

“Flattery is unnecessary. Instead, keep these for me. I’ll come to retrieve them later.”

“Of course! Someone who contributes to Yulistia’s prosperity is always welcome here. Visit any time.”

It felt like the conversation was proceeding without me.

Judging by the shopkeeper’s attitude toward the man called Sorab, he seemed to be someone of considerable importance.

But why would someone like him offer to guide me? Was it simply out of goodwill?

Sorab, with efficient movements, gathered his belongings and passed by my side. As he did, he didn’t forget to toss out a brief remark.

“Let’s go.”

Caught off guard by the sudden development, I hesitated briefly before deciding to follow him.

*

Sorab was as taciturn as his demeanor suggested.

He truly seemed intent only on guiding me, refraining from initiating any conversation.

Compared to someone like Petras, whom I had met previously, Sorab was a stark contrast.

Well, for me, this kind of silence was preferable.

At this point, I should have adapted to the setting I had created. Interactions with characters like Mishra, Petras, and even the shopkeeper had only served to highlight Quellière’s woeful lack of social skills.

On reflection, it was fortunate that no serious mishaps had occurred thus far.

“Isn’t that Sir Sorab? Where is he heading?”

“…He’s with some incredible woman.”

Even in this city that had lost its vibrancy, a few passersby still roamed the streets.

They whispered as they observed Sorab and me walking together.

I was already self-conscious about standing out and had been trying to move discreetly.

But now that I was with someone as conspicuous as Sorab, I felt even more eyes on us.

Well, I guess it doesn’t matter.

I’ll be leaving soon, anyway.

We passed a structure that appeared to be the relay station and walked a bit further until a large store came into view, far bigger than the previous one.

The sign read, “Maurice.”

Maurice was likely either the shopkeeper’s name or surname.

The confidence it took to plaster one’s name so prominently on the sign was evident.

“You’re not from Yulistia, are you?”

Having arrived at the shop, Sorab, apparently concluding his task, finally spoke up.

There was no reason to deny it, so I nodded.

As if he had expected this, he offered a piece of advice.

“If you don’t have urgent business here, you’d better leave soon.”

And with that, he turned away and walked off without another word.

I blinked as I watched his retreating figure.

What was that? Some kind of well-meaning advice?

His attitude made him seem suspicious, but it really did feel like a genuine warning.

What an odd fellow.

“Does it show that much that I’m an outsider?”

His immediate observation bothered me, prompting a moment of self-reflection.

Shaking it off, I strode confidently into the shop.

I’d been in this body long enough to grow accustomed, but there were certainly still aspects that made me stand out.

I should heed his advice and wrap up my business quickly.

Upon entering, I was greeted with the familiar sound of a welcoming phrase.

“Welcome!”

Behind the counter stood a man with a stylishly groomed beard, lounging in a slightly arrogant pose.

Judging by his demeanor, he was likely the shopkeeper, Maurice himself.

“…Oh ho! A beauty is always welcome here. Take your time looking around!”

The size of the store seemed to correlate with his experience; he was clearly more seasoned than the previous shopkeeper.

Though he flinched slightly at the sight of me, he quickly masked it with a smooth change of expression, offering a natural compliment.

Was his strategy to size up customers instantly and pinpoint the most flattering features to butter them up?

With a light touch and an easy flow of words, he aimed to win over the customer’s favor.

Once the mood is set, the wallet tends to open on its own. It wasn’t a bad tactic, I thought, as I cut straight to the point.

“Do you have a map? One that leads to the Empire.”

“…Uh, how old are you to speak so informally on our first meeting… Ah, never mind.”

Maurice muttered under his breath before giving his answer after some contemplation.

“A map… to the Empire? Of course, I have one. But it’s a rare item, so the price will be steep…”

With the wary eyes of a merchant assessing a customer’s finances, he studied me.

I smirked inwardly, thinking of all the troubles I’d gone through up to this point.

I reached into the tote bag I had carried throughout this journey, which, though cumbersome, I had never forgotten to bring.

I had no cash on hand, but this era still embraced bartering.

The key was whether my item held equivalent value.

This was the moment to prove the meticulous care I had taken in selecting my belongings.

“How about this?”

With confidence, I presented “it.”