LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 9 - Rumors of the City-State
Translator: Marctempest
Editor/Proofreader: TempWane
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Chapter 9: Rumors of the City-State
You never know until you experience it yourself.
Why Lego blocks are called landmines, why those with less cling harder, how it feels to suddenly turn into a woman, and so on.
The difference between the virtual and the real was one of those things.
“I got lost…”
A few days had passed since I crossed the Ice Mountain Range. I had grandly lost my way.
It felt like just yesterday that I was so confident, calling myself a seasoned veteran.
Now I wanted to crawl into a hole.
If this were a system-calibrated screen, I might have easily found my way, but… life was live-action, after all.
Even if I assumed my past experiences would make things easy, seeing it with my own eyes made it all feel overwhelming.
How could I possibly know what was where?
“…They should’ve at least let me possess a character in the original story.”
Why had they dropped me a thousand years back without any knowledge?
I let out deep sighs involuntarily.
Thankfully, the Snow Maiden didn’t need sleep or food.
Otherwise, I might have already starved to death.
Thanks to this trait, getting lost wasn’t that urgent of an issue, but even so, my patience was wearing thin.
“How is it possible not to encounter a single person?”
At first, it was understandable because I was near the Ice Mountain Range. But hadn’t I already left it a while ago? Was I just unlucky… or had I truly gone disastrously off course…?
“…No way.”
I forced myself to deny the tremor in my voice.
In any case, I had no choice but to change my approach.
My initial goal had been the Arundel Empire, and that remained unchanged. But I couldn’t assume I’d get there directly.
For now, I needed to find any village or city to gather information.
Of course, since I hadn’t seen even a shadow of such a place, catching a passing traveler to ask for directions or obtain a map seemed like a faster option…
While swallowing such an overwhelming sense of despair, I sensed a foreboding energy.
That was when I discovered it.
A monster exuding ominous vibes and… a person cornered by it.
“Huh.”
A person. A real human being.
Leaning against a cliff, their face was twisted in fear, but still—it was a human.
It was the first one I’d seen in what felt like a million years.
A mix of joy and the surreal feeling of encountering a rare creature bubbled up inside me.
The joy was stronger, so I considered greeting them, but it wasn’t the right situation.
I didn’t know the exact details, but it was clear they were cornered and might soon die if left alone.
My brain spun rapidly.
“That’s a Hellhound. Looks manageable.”
The so-called Hellhound.
A low-tier monster specialized in fire attributes.
It was a creature so skewed toward one attribute that its difficulty depended greatly on the build of its opponent.
Once my thoughts reached that point, I quickly made my decision.
It was better to help.
If it had been a dangerous opponent, I wouldn’t have interfered, but for me, a Hellhound was easier to handle than a bowl of cold porridge.
All of the Snow Maiden’s skills were critical hits against it.
And besides, I needed the person alive to ask for directions.
Who knew when I’d meet another human if I missed this chance?
“Let’s help.”
Once I resolved myself, I acted quickly.
The monster was already right in front of the traveler.
I immediately stirred up my mana.
All the effort I had put into magic training over the past year bore fruit.
Thanks to the pure mana, the training had been efficient, though I hadn’t become significantly more skilled because the techniques were inherently difficult.
Still, if it wasn’t a skill requiring high control like “Ice Spear,” I could handle simpler ones.
Among them was “Cold Breath,” which was easier to wield but had less destructive power.
The Snow Maiden’s unique skill, which I had personally created, unfolded at my fingertips.
Glittering ice crystals, like constellations, danced as they engulfed the fiery monster.
“What is this…?”
The Hellhound collapsed helplessly, like a fox swept away by an avalanche.
The man, his face frozen in shock, muttered in a trembling voice.
He didn’t inspire much confidence.
Would this person even know the terrain properly?
With that uneasiness, I trudged toward him, only for him to open his eyes wide and exclaim,
“Goddess…”
…Huh?
*
The man introduced himself as Petras, a researcher.
Apparently, he had been attacked while heading to a city, leaving him in this dire situation.
“Wow, that was truly dangerous. If it weren’t for you, uh… Goddess? No, Miss? Lady? Benefactor? Ma’am? Uh… Without your help, I’d surely be dead.”
His information was a rare stroke of luck.
Yulistia, one of the three nations representing the War of the Four Seasons, was nearby.
Learning this gave me strength.
Though it lacked the glory it held in the original story, at least it was a place I was familiar with.
If I went there, I could find something—anything.
Perhaps I could get a clearer sense of the geography that had become so hazy to me.
“Ha ha, this is awkward. Not knowing the name of my savior makes it hard to address you. So, might I ask for your name…?”
Petras was, how should I put it, an affable guy.
Considering how flustered he had been initially, I doubted his competence, but his personality seemed decent enough.
Still, I finally understood what women mean when they say, “He’s nice but…”
Other than asking for his name and inquiring about nearby villages, I had remained silent.
Yet Petras kept scratching his head and making endless attempts at conversation… acting just like a classic “Clueless Guy #1.”
Well, I understood.
It made sense since he’d just narrowly escaped death. It was natural to want to process his survival by chatting with the person who saved him.
But I couldn’t indulge him.
If I did, I’d inevitably pour cold water on his joy.
“Do you know the Arundel Empire?”
So I went straight to the point.
Petras, speechless for a moment, hesitated before asking,
“The Arundel Empire?”
“Yes.”
“Of course, I know it. Who wouldn’t? For a second, I was startled, wondering if there was another empire I didn’t know about…”
So, it’s Arundel.
Their status as the world’s strongest nation in the future was no coincidence.
Even far in the past, their prominence was this evident.
It wasn’t without reason that I aimed to go there.
Now that I was sure the Empire was thriving, I moved on to my next question.
“Do you also know who the Emperor is?”
I asked this to determine the exact period I was in. Having lived isolated in the Snowfield, I lacked too much knowledge.
Knowing the timeline was crucial for planning where to go and whom to meet.
It was also why I had decided to head to the most famous Empire first.
“Are you referring to the current Emperor? Of course, it is the noble and August Eoloman Fricas III. By any chance, are you from some remote place… Ah, no. Forget I said that.”
When I asked with that in mind, Petras answered with a curious look.
Was it such an odd question?
In any case, I got the information I needed. Eoloman Fricas… It was a name that vaguely came to mind.
I was sure I’d seen it in the “Imperial Annals” section of the settings list for the Four Seasons War.
If it was during Eoloman’s reign, then one figure naturally came to mind.
Crown Prince Artan Fricas.
He was the shining monarch heralding the start of the golden age of the Empire’s history, which would last for centuries.
A man who elevated the otherwise unimpressive Fricas dynasty to legendary status.
A prodigy with unparalleled talent in both governance and martial prowess.
“I used to wonder why they showed us such ancient records, but now I see there was a reason.”
It was all groundwork laid for the sequel to the Four Seasons War II.
By scattering these tales of the past, they were setting the stage to seamlessly introduce the prequel and its continuation.
Even if others didn’t, Crown Prince Artan was fairly well-known in the original narrative.
He must have been an extraordinary figure, but since he had no substantial role, I never paid much attention to him.
Perhaps they had intended to delve deeper into his story in the sequel, throwing players into that distant past.
Anyway, I felt like I was beginning to grasp the flow of this world. Undoubtedly, Artan would be one of the key figures driving this narrative.
“Have you resolved your curiosity? Then, um, if it’s alright, may I have your name…?”
“You said you were heading to the city, right?”
I interrupted my thoughts to ask.
I’d gathered the necessary information, so it seemed like a good idea to head to Yulistia for further investigation.
Come to think of it, my words had come out unusually civil this time.
Sure, my tone was abrupt, informal, and cold, but… compared to Quellière’s usual speech, this was practically saintly.
Was it because it had been so long since I’d interacted with people?
Perhaps it was due to Petras’ affable personality. Thinking that, I felt a slight sense of gratitude and opened my mouth to politely request guidance to the city.
It was a mistake to underestimate Snow Maiden Quellière.
“Lead the way.”
The words that came out of my mouth were cold and final, leaving no room for argument.
Petras looked dazed, as if he couldn’t believe his ears, but soon complied without protest.
I thought he would be startled by my rude behavior, but he turned out to be much kinder than I had expected.
This only made me feel more guilty.
*
As we walked toward the city, I fidgeted with my idle hands.
Before leaving the castle, I had hidden a tote bag filled with various items in a safe spot nearby.
I had packed everything I thought I might need, but it became too cumbersome to carry around.
Once I pinpointed the city’s location, I’d have to retrieve it.
“By the way, you’re wearing quite an unusual outfit. As someone from the Empire, I’ve never seen such attire. If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask where you’re from…?”
I couldn’t tell if Petras was just kind or simply oblivious, but he seemed to be a researcher as he claimed.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t keep throwing questions at me despite my cold responses.
“It seems we have the same destination. Why are you heading to Yulistia? Could it be because of the rumors? If so, it’s for the same reason as me.”
He didn’t mind whether I ignored him or not and kept trying to engage me by shifting topics.
I wanted to respond but was worried about accidentally hurting his feelings, so I stayed silent—until a certain word caught my ear.
“Rumors?”
What rumors were circulating?
Since I’d learned the timeline, it was clear the developers had ambitiously planned for Four Seasons War II.
It was necessary to understand what was happening in Yulistia, an important location in the game.
When I finally responded, Petras’ face lit up, though he blinked in surprise moments later.
“…Oh, you don’t know?”
“Tell me.”
My own words sounded arrogant to me, but Petras, now used to it, calmly crossed his arms in thought.
“They say there’s a god in the city.”
The next words he spoke were something that might have shocked anyone else.
“…What?”
“Yes, apparently… was it called the Black Serpent? It appeared out of nowhere and has taken over the city with its overwhelming power… Or so I’ve heard. Most dismiss it as baseless rumor, though.”
Petras didn’t look like he thought it was mere gossip.
If there was any evidence behind it, it might be worth investigating, but I already knew.
It was complete nonsense.
“That’s just a rumor.”
“…Haha, right? It does sound absurd.”
As a devoted fan of the Four Seasons War, I knew the truth.
All the gods were long gone.
Not a single one remained.
This was an absolute fact, whether it was a thousand years in the future or the past.
So, the rumor was false.
Perhaps someone had spread it deliberately, or something else had been mistaken for a god.
Either way, the rumor itself wasn’t necessarily bad.
After all, rumors often start that way.
It’s up to each person whether they believe them or not, but Petras struck me as pitiable.
Had he really come all this way, risking danger, just to chase such baseless rumors?
“Are you here to verify the rumor?”
“Uh… yes, something like that. I’m just a humble researcher, so I thought I’d investigate.”
Oh dear, this man.
If you’re a researcher, shouldn’t you be pursuing more credible leads?
“Why bother with such an investigation?”
The words came out with a hint of exasperation. Petras scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.
“I’m just a lowly researcher… No, that’s not it. It’s all because of performance. My mentor is a truly remarkable person, but they’re also quite strict. If I want to be acknowledged, I have to keep moving without rest.”
“Who’s this mentor of yours?”
If they were truly that exceptional, perhaps I had heard of them.
Thinking it might be useful, I paid close attention to Petras’ next words.
He seemed to puff up his shoulders slightly, speaking with great pride.
“Master Agnatz.”
I had no idea who that was.
“…Are you seriously saying you’ve never heard of Master Agnatz? Truly?”
“Nope.”
“I can’t believe it. Even if you don’t know the details, not recognizing the name… Unless you’ve been living completely isolated from the world…”
“……”
Petras appeared utterly stunned that I didn’t know his mentor.
I wondered if they were really that famous, but there was no helping it if I didn’t know.
I wasn’t particularly curious, either.
There were already much more famous figures, like Artan Fricas, so paying attention to someone less renowned felt like a waste of time.
More importantly, I could see the outline of the city coming into view.
Was this the first time I’d set foot in human society since arriving here?
My heart raced with anticipation.
After repeatedly confirming my honesty, Petras mumbled to himself and shook his head, seemingly realizing there was no point in pursuing the matter further.
Instead, he glanced around and spoke tentatively.
“We’re approaching the city. Yulistia is a bit small to be called a nation, but I hear it’s a well-established place. So… what are you planning to do, Benefactor?”
“I need a map.”
There was no need to hide it.
“I’m heading to the Empire.”
“Ah, so that’s why you asked about the Arundel Empire?”
“Yes. And you?”
He gazed into the distance before answering.
“I have someone to meet… I’ll investigate the rumors afterward.”
Someone to meet, huh.
It must be an important individual if he was willing to risk danger to come here alone.
“Is it someone close to you?”
I asked absentmindedly, without much thought.
“Close… I wish that were the case. It’s someone not easily met.”
Yet his response was strangely cryptic.
His serious expression as he stared into the distance made it clear there was more to the story.
Sensing that digging further would only lead to trouble, I decided not to press him.
We had only met today, and I had no obligation to meddle in his affairs.
Before long, we reached the city’s outskirts.
It was about time to part ways.
“Now that I think about it, I haven’t properly thanked you, my lifesaver. Once we get to the city, I’ll repay you properly…”
As he spoke, I tuned him out and activated my magic.
The technique of transformation enveloped my body, and in an instant, I turned into a misty cloud and drifted away.
Hovering briefly in the air, I glanced down below.
Petras was mumbling something to himself as he looked at the city, then froze when he turned and found me gone.
“…Huh? Where…?”
Anyone would be shocked to see someone who had been right beside them suddenly disappear.
I understood his bewilderment, but as someone once said, saving his life should be more than enough to let this slide.
I was aware of how conspicuous my presence could be.
And given my peculiar circumstances, the attention I drew could easily turn hostile.
It was best to tread carefully here.
After all, my home was the Snowfield, and Yulistia was just a temporary stop.
This brief encounter with the researcher wasn’t particularly significant.
“…Was it a mirage?”
Still, his remark, muttered like an afterthought, was slightly amusing.
To think he believed in such baseless rumors—what an odd fellow.
Regardless, now wasn’t the time to linger.
Transformation magic consumed a lot of mana, and with no environmental support here, I needed to move quickly.
The cloud lingering faintly in the sky began drifting away.
Thus, Quellière didn’t hear Petras’ final muttered words.
“Then again, such a woman couldn’t possibly exist…”
*
The city-state Yulistia was governed by three ruling families.
The ancient noble house of Krase, the newly established family of Vion, and the Griant family.
Upon hearing this, one might assume that Krase was the most prominent of the three, and such an assumption would be half correct.
Indeed, the Krase family had historically wielded the most power in the city.
However, in recent years, this hierarchy had been violently shaken.
The young head of the Krase family, Lysithea Krase, rested her face in her hand in her office.
It was a habit she displayed whenever she felt anxious.
“These lunatics…”
Uncharacteristically harsh words escaped her lips.
It was partly because she was alone, but also a reflection of the overwhelming anger consuming her.
A fury born of frustration, one that would not easily subside.
To be blunt, Vion and Griant were her enemies.
Of course, anyone from the three families would know that.
It was no surprise that they began baring their fangs when the Krase family, once unshakable, faltered after her father, the previous family head, Bert, succumbed to illness.
Her father had been, to put it kindly, a good man.
To put it less kindly, indecisive.
Even when he noticed the rising ambitions of the two other families, he failed to act decisively.
He was afraid.
Afraid of harming them when they were still growing, and afraid of warring against them once they had grown strong.
By the time he passed away, the seeds of ambition had fully bloomed into flowers.
This, too, could be seen as the flaw of hereditary power.
Having enjoyed authority without significant challenges, the Krase family had been unlucky enough to produce a leader lacking the necessary qualities.
Lysithea didn’t see it that way… but sometimes she couldn’t help but lament.
The mold her father had failed to clean now covered the entire house and had become her responsibility.
“…If only I had acted sooner.”
Unlike her father, she had the qualities of a leader.
The composure and decisiveness befitting her role… and the “Eye of the Snow,” a power that manifested only in certain members of the Krase lineage.
From a young age, she had cultivated her own forces.
When her father fell ill, she had already directed her focus toward the two rival families.
The informants she had carefully placed reported back to her in detail.
There had been opportunities.
Opportunities to eliminate at least one of the rival family heads.
But to remove a family head meant the entire situation would shift dramatically.
There is no longer any point in plotting schemes in the shadows or setting traps. All that remains is outright war. The fates of countless city residents and family members hung in the balance as a side effect.
Even though Lysithea had been intelligent since childhood and matured early due to the turbulent atmosphere around her, she was still too young to bear the responsibility of her clan.
She had never made a decision of such weight before.
Of course, the two family heads were not particularly clever, so perhaps she had a reprieve until she could make up her mind. However, fate was not on her side.
“If it weren’t for that serpent…”
Yes.
That “god” that appeared one day like a bolt from the blue had ruined everything.
Its overwhelming bulk was large enough to cast a shadow over an entire district of the city. Its immense power trampled Yulistia’s soldiers without effort.
As it proclaimed itself, and as the frightened citizens called it, the title of “god” was fitting for its majesty.
Who could have seen it and dared to oppose it?
As she recalled the terror of that day, there was a knock at the door. Lysithea lowered her hand and permitted entry.
“Family Head, bad news. They seem to have made another offering.”
The one who entered was Sorab, her deputy and the second-in-command of her family.
He was a promising talent from a southern desert village who had been noticed by Vert and served the family loyally for many years.
Thanks to his exceptional skills and deep loyalty to the family, he had risen to his current prestigious position.
Those who saw Sorab praised him as a devout man whose steadfast efforts were ultimately rewarded. However, his true abilities lay elsewhere.
By day, he was the deputy family head’s and chief steward, but in the shadows, he was the head of the assassination squad and its best assassin.
It was this fact that made Lysithea confident she could eliminate the family heads if the opportunity arose.
At his report, Lysithea furrowed her brow.
“…Are you certain?”
“Yes. Judging by the torn clothing found near the forest where the serpent coils and the heavy scent of blood lingering in the air, there is no doubt.”
When it came to the smell of blood, his nose was accurate.
He could distinguish between the blood of humans, beasts, or monsters with ease.
The nauseating thought made Lysithea click her tongue.
To keep a close watch on the situation, she had placed surveillance personnel in various locations.
However, incidents were now occurring at a rate incomparable to before.
Ordinary citizens were unaware, but with her broader perspective, Lysithea knew that the majority of these incidents were the work of the two family heads.
Not long ago, they had been cautious of the Krase family’s gaze and avoided conspicuous actions, but all that had changed because of the serpent god…
“They’ve truly lost their minds.”
When the serpent god first arrived in the city, it brazenly demanded offerings.
By “offerings,” it meant live human sacrifices.
In front of terrified citizens, the three family heads declared that they could not comply.
As rulers of the city, they also bore the duty of protecting it.
This was a natural stance.
Of course, Lysithea was the only one who truly acted out of such noble intentions.
The situation ended, at least temporarily, with the enraged serpent god seizing a few citizens and retreating.
Or so they had thought.
“…Family Head, please give the order.”
At the sound of Sorab’s stern voice, she raised her head.
Sorab was looking at her with his usual expressionless face. Lysithea read the intensity behind his gaze.
Unable to meet his eyes directly, she glanced away.
“…It’s already too late to act. You know this too, Sorab.”
“That’s why we must act now. If we let this continue, the situation will spiral even further out of control.”
It was a sound argument.
If neglect had led to this point, further inaction would be foolish.
They needed to punish those who had betrayed their duty, sacrificing citizens as offerings for their selfish gain.
Sorab or the assassination squad—whatever means necessary should be used to eliminate the family heads who had abandoned humanity.
However… she couldn’t do it.
After all…
“But… the opponent is a god, isn’t it?”
That was it.
Whether it was an evil god or a malevolent one, it was undeniably a creature deserving of the title of “god.”
This was no longer a struggle between humans. Even if the two family heads had won its favor by sacrificing offerings, and even if they acted as if they ruled the world with a god at their back…
The mere presence of this god made it impossible to act rashly.
Dealing with the family heads alone would not resolve anything.
Unless they found a way to drive out the serpent god, it was all futile.
Ironically, the only reason the city still functioned was because the two family heads kept providing offerings to the serpent god out of their base desires.
If the supply of sacrifices stopped, the serpent god would rampage through the city again.
A fundamental solution was needed.
If the family heads were removed while the serpent god remained… Lysithea would simply inherit their role as the provider of offerings.
“The arrival of the god must have been a blessing for them.”
To her, the malignant god was akin to a natural disaster. But to the two family heads, it might have seemed like a savior.
Their struggle against the Krase family had suddenly become much easier.
But even so, how could they think of using such an inhuman entity?
No, perhaps they had already begun to worship that insane god.
They had always been incomprehensible, so maybe it wasn’t surprising.
With no outlet for her frustration, Lysithea raised her hand again to cover her face.
“Have the gods truly abandoned us…”