I Became the Snow Woman I Made

33 – The Red Calamity

The carriage ran at high speed.

Nevertheless, the ride was comfortable. Are you really paying a high price?

I heard Cigna’s admiration from the side.

“As expected, expensive is the best! Money is the best!”

Although the point of admiration is a bit subtle.

I tilted her head and stared at her.

“Then let’s listen to the information.”

I’ll have to see if the ride is worth it.

At that trivial act, Cigna remained silent, and then she trembled.

“···Wow! I can draw a picture like that! As expected, I like the original version… It’s cool. I’m envious! God is not fair…”

Laughing lively, then withering away at the end.

How many words come back with one word? It was a tired opponent.

“Don’t flatter me.”

“Yes? Seriously, not flattery—”

“Do you want to get off?”

I cut off and brought out the magic word.

Cigna groaned and waved his hand wildly.

“Wait! Wait! Let me tell you.”

“Tell me.”

I gently rested my chin while leaning against the spear.

She looked at me blankly and then rolled her eyes.

I was looking forward to hearing what kind of information you would like to hear. Cigna scratched the back of her neck and laughed awkwardly.

“I don’t know what to say when I’m asked to speak…? I need a request!”

“·······.”

Ask questions about what you need to know.

I lived away from the world for ten years.

You rehash the magic word.

“Get down.”

“Wow, wow…!”

The moment Cigna stumbled upon her cold command, an exclamation mark flashed in his eyes.

That’s what it felt like.

“Agnatz!”

“What?”

“… Your latest invention! You know?!”

It was Agnatsu again. It still looks famous.

At this point, I had no choice but to admit that I was not an easygoing person.

I shook my head.

“Hasn’t he spent a lot of time researching the elemental ruins? It’s finally come to fruition!”

“… Um.”

Where should I start?

She made a face like ‘It’s not like that’ as if she had seen a sullen expression.

“Oh, this isn’t it…”

He is a very easy-going person.

“Spirit Ruins, Description.”

“Yes?”

Cigna was surprised when he pointed out the question.

She put her hand on her waist and said with a pout.

“Hey, no matter how much I’m new to you, you can’t treat people like servants! Isn’t it? Even me like this is a precious child in my family…”

“Get down.”

“···Hee!”

Cigna shuddered as she poured magic power into her retinas.

She leaned her upper body back to avoid the ‘Winter Watch’ as much as possible.

“Don’t make that scary face! I’ll tell you!”

Frightened, she resumed her explanation, and I perked up my ears.

After hearing it, I was a bit curious.

“Ruins of Lobrok…”

The elemental ruins meant the elemental ruins I conquered ten years ago.

The relics and the abnormal climate disappeared because of me, but the remains of the spirits seem to have remained.

“Isn’t spirits very rare? If even fluids are gathered that much, it’s a great discovery! It’s an achievement of His Highness the Crown Prince!”

Artan, whom I helped that day, must have been to the ruins as planned. And I would have checked

That was it. However, since he was the crown prince, it was natural for rumors to inflate.

“After the great discovery, research was carried out in a natural way! Researchers from all over the world gathered.”

Ruins with a large amount of fluid suddenly became a hot issue. Since it was an autonomous territory of the Hana Empire, control was given.

Currently, it is said that only affiliated research institutes of influential scholars, including Agnatsu, have been installed.

And only Agnatsu was the one who had a proper result.

“Even if all of them are great scholars, they are new blood compared to Agnatsu-sama. Truly the best scholar on the continent!”

Since spirits are such a difficult field, it was understandable.

The author of Agnatsu is strange.

I know you respect him, but the point was important.

“So what’s that invention?”

What did you create by analyzing the alternative spirits?

When I asked with curiosity, Cigna exclaimed brightly.

“I don’t know! It’s not open to the public yet. Maybe it’s an elemental item?”

“······Content.”

No.

I think I’ll kick them out. I seriously thought about it.

She must have felt that feeling, and she became serious.

“Did you think it was dangerous? Mainly towards me.”

“Yes.”

“Wait! Stop! Give me one more chance!”

She muttered as she nervously touched her hair in her pigtails.

“Ummm… If it’s a topic right now… You probably know about the World Exhibition…”

“…?”

Ears responded to the new keyword.

After catching him, Cigna opened his mouth wide.

“Where on earth did you live! You’re a master of jazz… What is that?!”

“Tell me.”

“Uh, uhm… The World Exhibition is a meeting of influential people hosted by the imperial family? It’s similar…”

The explanation continued.

It was a very insignificant story. I was about to let it flow in moderation, but a word that touched my ears came out.

“I heard that all the high-ranking people gathered. His Highness the Crown Prince and the princess also came to visit.”

“The Crown Prince?”

He was the only person I knew.

After I rescued him that day, he went to the ruins and seems to be living well until now… How did he grow up?

Now that the scenario has been twisted, his growth has been important.

“I haven’t seen it myself, but I heard that both of them are dignified and dignified. They say people meet each other…”

“Let’s meet?”

“Ehhhhh? You don’t even know that you two are engaged? It’s something even single parents in the back room should know!”

“!”

My eyes widened.

However, I was soon convinced.

It was said that the Empress of Holy Prince Artan Pricus was also an outstanding person.

I don’t know if the empress and her current fiancee are the same person, but from Cigna’s words, she seems to be a nice woman on the outside.

“I see.”

It was a beneficial phenomenon.

Two outstanding men and women will grow their empire by caring for each other. Judging from the fact that there are no impure rumors, it seems that Artando is advancing.

I hope you continue to grow like this and protect the continent well.

“Next.”

“Yes, yes? Already? This one was barely squeezed out…”

“Get down.”

“Wait a minute…! I’ll try!”

I heard some more personal stories.

There was a lot of new content, but most of it was useless. Rather, Cigna’s struggle to survive was more fun.

“… Hmm.”

I listened casually and looked out the window.

Excluding the worldly desires, Chebran really deserves to be called a coachman. She was holding both speed and ride quality.

Then, I suddenly remembered the purpose of coming to the continent.

“Ah.”

Red Calamity.

Am I stupid?

You didn’t ask the most important thing.

“Over there.”

“Hueh…”

When I hurriedly turned around, Cigna was dozing off. His carriage rocked and the pigtails slapped him in the face.

But it didn’t happen.

“·······.”

You must have been very tired.

Because he talked quite a bit.

I watched her quietly.

“Huhhhhh.”

I was sleeping.

The act of sleeping. It was long forgotten.

No, it’s been a very long time since I saw someone sleeping. The feeling was innumerable.

“… I’ll ask you next time.”

There was no need to wake him up.

Only the clattering of the wagons resounded.

Led Disdel.

Among the five satellite cities of La Pernia, the holy land of religious nations, the capital city was famous for its integrity and good conduct. Apart from that, the epicenter of the news of the Red Disaster was right here.

“Look, you don’t see any beggars or homeless people, right? It’s the influence of the selection!”

“Yes.”

For reference, Cigna Bal said that Disdel is famous for its integrity and good conduct.

As she said, there were no beggars on the streets. It was rare in this era.

“I heard that it wasn’t like this originally, but it is said that it was the great teacher’s grace.”

After parting ways with Chebran at the post station, I was walking with Cigna.

There is some information that I haven’t gotten yet.

She seemed to have a lot of knowledge about the religion.

Seeing as she came running to the place with urgent business, she didn’t even know she was a person who settled here.

“A great cult?”

“Clavia-sama!”

La Pernia and its neighboring cities are said to be governed by Archbishop Clavia.

It was a name I couldn’t remember. It seemed there was no need to know.

“You seem like a nice person.”

I thought so and walked around looking around.

It should be called Gyoguk, but it was different from the buildings I’ve seen so far in terms of style.

Rather than brilliant gold, silver and white colors, which look divine, were mainly used, and a temple was also located on the other side.

There was an adventurer’s guild closer than that. I headed there, and Cigna followed alongside me.

“Red plague, you know?”

Only then did I ask an unanswered question.

Then Cigna blinked her eyes in surprise.

“Oh, you know that again?”

“You know what?”

“I don’t know either. But those who know well do.”

“Who knows?”

She smiled.

“My younger brother! I came all the way to Kyoguk because of him.”

“Brother…”

It was a very friendly look.

But your younger brother knows about the red plague and came all the way to Kyoguk because of it?

“I wonder if it’s an urgent matter…”

“Are you curious? Then follow me for a moment! I also need to hear the details, so listen with me.”

I was about to ask if it was related to the disaster, but she smiled and said everything.

That was a good suggestion.

I nodded and asked again.

“Where are you going?”

Cigna didn’t answer at that and just smiled.

Then, he kicked the front door of the Adventurer’s Guild and shouted.

“It’s arrived!”

Quaang-!

The hard-swept door made a loud noise.

Internal attention was concentrated.

“What happened?!”

“What a conceptless bastard…!”

The human groups of the guild were diverse.

The receptionist at the counter, the people who served alcohol in broad daylight, the person who looked at the request board, and so on.

All armed, they were surprised to see Cigna.

“Cheonrii’s Cigna!”

“You’re an adventurer with a gold plate! When did you come back?!”

“Huh.”

Cigna shrugged proudly.

Were you famous? She looked a little different.

I thought she was just a fool.

“I came with Cigna… Huh Eok!”

“Well, who is that woman…?”

“…?”

The uproar soon subsided.

I glanced away in wonder, and the gaze of the chief was focused on me. When I tilted my head, Cigna smiled brightly.

“As expected! It’s nice that it’s comfortable. I’ll bring it to you, so wait a moment.”

“Bring me…?”

Before I could answer her question, she disappeared upstairs in her hallowed hall.

She was left alone in an unfamiliar land at once.

The lingering silence. Soon, as if there was a ripple, there were whispering voices.

“…Who the hell is this? Do you happen to know?”

“If you were with that Cigna… Would you be an adventurer with a gold plate?”

It bothered me to gossip in front of people. Cold words came out of nowhere.

“What are you looking at?”

“·······.”

The silence came again.

Received the quiet stare, I trudged along. As I approached the bulletin board, the kids who were watching all moved away.

Suddenly, there was a special notice.

It was the same content as the one delivered outside. It was obviously a hot potato.

As I looked at the huge bounty set on it, I heard the sound of someone descending.

Tadadak!

“Sorry! I waited.”

The woman who ran fast was Cigna.

After that, a man with brown hair like her followed.

Introduced by Cigna.

“This is my sister Kelly.”

“Hello.”

I implied a greeting.

Taking care not to spoil the first impression. Kelly was startled to see me, then stuttered back.

“Oh no… Hello…”

He didn’t seem very confident.

She had a personality that contrasted with my older sister. I glanced at Cigna, and she nodded, placing her hand in her arms.

A letter came out.

“Could you elaborate on this?”

“Uh… Yes.”

We moved to a remote corner.

A voice resounded far away from the surrounding noise.

“The Red Calamity… Is not a formal adventurer, but it is said that he did something similar to an adventurer.”

The beginning was the introduction.

I had to find out what it really was, so I opened my ears wide.

Signa also had rare sunken eyes.

“It seems like it’s been a while, but I actually saw it a week ago.”

“A week?”

“Yes. During the flood of monsters, the adventurers mobilized in the outpost were helplessly being pushed back… This guy appeared.”

Inundation of monsters.

Unexpected mass occurrence of monsters. Inexpensive adventurers were the first priority for manpower.

It must have been quite a strong flood.

“···Red hair and red eyes. Like blood sprays, she used scarlet magic or magic techniques····· Specially, it was particularly ominous and unclean···.”

“Is it ominous?”

I tilted my head.

Why are you so ominous before you do anything? Kelly nodded, perhaps noticing my question.

“It was just ominous. It was strange, right? I thought it was strange too… If it was a catastrophe, it would be natural.”

“So?”

“… The Red Calamity solved the flooding alone. It was truly a great power.”

It didn’t look like a normal monster.

It’s all red, and it’s an existence that creates an ominous feeling… I suddenly felt uncomfortable.

Before realizing its identity, Cigna intervened.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if you solved the flooding?”

That was a valid point.

There was no reason to call it a disaster after hearing this far. It was Yang Joo-eok that Kelly understood.

“I thought that too at first. There were quite a few people in danger at that time. Even though I hated them, I was grateful… Looking back, I don’t think I had any intention of saving them.”

What do you mean?

Kelly’s words were full of conviction.

“It must have been simply the reward money. I almost got tricked. If I hadn’t seen that scene, I might have even said thank you…”

“That scene?”

I asked a little impatiently.

His complexion darkened as if he remembered something.

“···It was about a full day after the flooding ended. That day, I happened to see it… It shouldn’t have been, but I followed it out of curiosity.

“And.”

The story was reaching its climax.

I felt my heart beating fast.

“The place he headed was a back alley. There, I saw a shocking scene. The red plague, which used great force during the flood, drove its fangs into a woman’s neck—”

“…Wait.”

What?

Before he could even dry it, Kelly shouted as if screaming.

“It was sucking blood! Humans drank human blood! It’s a monster!”

“······!”

Kungkung-!

I was so surprised that I wondered if this had ever happened.

My heart was beating wildly and my forehead was throbbing.

An excited Kelly eloped.

“Perhaps that’s how they get their strength! That strength is probably obtained by stealing the blood of others! I was lucky enough to escape safely… But it was no coincidence that it was given the name ‘red calamity’ the very next day. Probably not. There must be a reason why the Holy Knights sortied…”

His words were blurry, as if they were fragmented.

I rolled my head in a dizzying headache.

It can’t be.

But if it wasn’t that, I couldn’t figure out anything.

What happened?

There is no sub-species in this world that suck blood. If there is…

“Is that why you sent me a letter?”

“Yeah. The official notice from the temple was also dropped in the guild. There were a lot of adventurers aiming for the bounty, but I was scared. I wonder if they’ll keep silent after seeing it…”

A round table shimmering like a haze and two siblings.

I left my seat and went outside.

“Mr. Quilière?”

Cigna’s voice came from behind, but I ignored it. There was nothing more to hear.

More than that, the issue was the issue.

“Alternative…”

What happened?

Why is she here? No, the existence itself was a question. Was questionable.

I don’t know why it’s being treated as a disaster, but I couldn’t leave it like this.

In a way, it is more important to me than the scenario.

“…Back alley.”

Now I can protect at least one part of my body.

As if possessed, I headed to a place where there were few people. I wandered the streets recklessly.

Before I knew it, I had come to a remote outskirts.

In the meantime, I’ve regained my composure a little.

He let out a breath as if blaming himself.

“…There’s no way we can meet like this.”

It must be a situation where you are being chased, but you can’t go around.

I was too hasty.

You have to make a plan and then move on. When I turned my back, I heard footsteps.

Trudging—

Noise that pierces the ears.

Looking back without much thought, I was stunned.

“···!”

A staggering woman was approaching.

Her bloody redemption flew around.

The woman who was staggering as if she couldn’t control her body looked straight at me for an instant.

Red eyes that look like they’re being sucked in.

A person in my memory from head to toe.

······It was Nel Sartilla, the true ancestor.