I Have Become The Snow Maiden I Created

Translator: Marctempest

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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Chapter 76: To the Landfill (3)

After our conversation with the lord, we stepped out onto the main street.

Citizens, who had spotted us from all directions, swarmed around.

Unlike before, the lord’s knights formed a protective barrier, but there was no need for it.

“I’ve heard the rumors from the Church! Lady Quellière!”

“Thank you for finding Glenver!”

They did not approach us closely, merely expressing their gratitude.

Their heartfelt expressions clearly conveyed their thankfulness for saving the city.

The citizens hailed all of us as saviors.

“…This feels strange.”

Nell, who had been silent, muttered to herself.

I asked, curious.

“Why?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s just… it feels odd. Not long ago, we were called the Red Calamity, and now this. It’s fascinating.”

“Ah.”

I could tell from the look in her eyes.

Having lived a life of being hunted for so long, suddenly becoming a savior must have been surreal for her.

“The world truly is unpredictable. Meeting you, Quellière, was like that too.”

“True.”

But now that her curse was broken, she could become anything.

I casually agreed and then remarked nonchalantly.

“But who cares?”

“Huh?”

“Power is all about how you use it. If you use it recklessly, you become a slaughterer. But if you use it properly, like now…”

“…You become a savior?”

Nell finished my sentence.

She glanced around, her eyes wide with surprise, and I smirked.

“Not exactly, but close enough.”

I, too, had no desire for grandiose titles.

Leaving Nell to her thoughts, I stared into the sky.

“…South of the continent.”

Where Yulistia lay.

A place to visit before heading to the Empire.

I murmured our next destination.

Then, I glanced around cautiously.

My companions were looking at me, each with their own expression.

“Mishra.”

I called out one of their names, and she flinched.

Sensing something, her uneasy voice responded.

“You’re not going to… again, are you?”

“Yes.”

Her silvery hair fluttered like cicada wings.

I nodded, confirming her suspicions.

“We must leave quickly.”

“Um, well…”

“We don’t have time to waste.”

In short, I was asking her to be our means of transportation.

I felt a little bad, but the efficiency was undeniable.

As she hesitated, the others started chiming in.

“Hey, lizard! We don’t have time!”

“Comrade, hurry up and transform.”

“With a dragon nearby, it’s convenient for travel. Its speed even surpasses Urbos.”

They weren’t supporting Mishra so much as supporting me.

Surprisingly, none of them showed much concern for her.

“Um, Dragon Sister! You can do it! Please help us!”

“…”

Well, there was one gentle voice.

The pure-hearted girl, Paile, stood out among the rest.

Mishra, who had been glaring at them, turned her gaze to me.

“…Fine.”

Her voice was resigned, yet clear.

She lifted her head, and then—

Boom!

The White Silver Dragon King revealed her majestic form.

A massive figure befitting her title.

Even though they had seen it before, the knights and citizens gasped once again.

But we remained unfazed.

“Lower your body quickly. It’s hard to climb up.”

It was the indifference born from familiarity.

Mishra shot a sharp look at Nell, who had made the comment with characteristic bluntness.

[…Hmph.]

Her gaze carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

However, she soon let out a deep, dragon-like rumble and lowered herself.

*

City-State of Yulistia

The city, steeped in sorrow from being dominated by the Serpent God, had seen remarkable development over the past decade thanks to the efforts of the local rulers.

A formidable defense system had been built, strong enough to repel even another attack from the Serpent God with minimal damage.

—However.

No one had anticipated such a large number of invaders arriving all at once.

The torrent of rampaging monsters quickly surged into the southern regions.

“Aaaaaah!”

The citizens screamed and fled in terror.

Chasing after them, ironically enough, was the Serpent God.

“Rooooaaaar──!”

An irony woven by fate.

The city guards and Krase’s covert forces blocked the mutated lesser deities, now a medley of colors instead of the previous black monotone.

“Damn it… This is way too sudden. We’re completely unprepared.”

Sorab, the commander of the assassination squad, muttered bitterly as he fought.

His face, now showing signs of age, had become more resolute, and his eyes deeper.

His quick swordsmanship, honed solely for cutting the enemy’s life, had also evolved significantly.

Slash!

“Kiieeeeek──!”

“I won’t let you do as you please. You won’t lay a finger on the Patriarch.”

Sorab clashed head-on with the monsters.

The covert blades under his command had grown stronger and merged with several other units.

“Sigila!”

“Yes, Commander! Leave this side to us!”

One such unit was the Shadow Squad, led by Sigila.

Her performance was outstanding.

She responded vigorously and engaged the Serpent God in battle with her subordinates.

However, it was a losing battle.

The gap in strength was evident.

Crash──!

Buildings collapsed, roads were torn apart, and stores were obliterated.

Windows shattered, and tattered banners fluttered in the wind.

Darkness crept into the hearts of the people.

…One woman observed it all.

“…”

A few steps away, yet close enough to see everything clearly,

Lysithea Krase, a local lord, stood blankly.

The situation was too abrupt for her to analyze with her usual cold judgment.

“Ah…”

A soft groan escaped her lips unconsciously.

Her confused mind throbbed, and her vision blurred.

Why was this happening?

Everything had been fine just yesterday…

“…Ah. This happened before.”

She remembered voicing similar complaints once.

Over ten years ago, when the pitch-black Serpent God had invaded.

That thought suddenly came to her.

But, as then and now, no higher being was there to listen to her grievances.

What did she do in such moments?

“I focused on finding a way out. Devised strategies, gathered vassals, and met key figures…”

And, in the end, realized there was no solution and sank into despair.

Lysithea’s head drooped further and further.

The pattern was the same this time as well.

As an adult, she was no longer the powerless girl she once was.

Yet, there was still nothing she could do.

“…”

A calamity that disregarded human will was just that—a natural disaster.

What would happen now?

Even in her despair, she habitually continued her thoughts, trying to make sense of it all.

“If we can’t drive away the Serpent God, it’s over. Just like before.”

It was an irrefutable fact.

But how could they drive it away? There was no way, just as before.

“I thought we’d finally found some stability. Was I being complacent…?”

Since turning the Krase family into the rulers of Yulistia, she hadn’t rested for a moment.

She had worked so tirelessly, yet the result was merely this?

“Ugh…”

Unintentionally, she bit her lip.

As she was steeped in despair, a roar echoed.

“Whooooo──!”

Before she could even lift her head, an icy gale surged forward.

The Serpent God, tangled with Sorab and his squad, was swept away, howling in pain.

“!?”

A miraculous phenomenon.

Startled, Lysithea hurriedly looked up at the sky.

Her widened eyes soon reflected even greater astonishment.

“…!”

What she saw first was an unforgettable cascade of blue-white hair.

Next, her gaze caught a cold expression and an impeccably beautiful face.

She was there.

“That person is…!”

The mysterious woman who had appeared long ago and slain the Serpent God with ease.

Quellière, whom Lysithea suspected to be a goddess.

She gazed down at the ground with a face hardly changed from a decade ago.

“…”

Even her crystal-clear blue eyes were the same.

*

Mishra, who had initially shown reluctance, became completely immersed in the flight once we set off.

She soared through the skies with graceful movements, and strong winds brushed against our faces.

Yet, the smooth ride was enough to declare her the finest mount imaginable.

There was a reason I insisted on using her as transportation.

“Head to the south.”

Southern Yulistia.

It wasn’t a place devoid of ties, and it was one of the three nations central to the War of the Four Seasons.

I couldn’t simply allow it to collapse.

Mishra faithfully carried out my command.

Swishhhh─!

A sharp sound pierced the air.

I added another remark, this time aimed not only at Mishra but at everyone.

“We’ll eliminate any stray gods we encounter along the way.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Those creatures continue spreading miasma as long as they live. We can’t let them run rampant.”

The group quickly accepted the explanation.

And so, we traveled southward, exterminating the stray gods like pest controllers whenever we spotted them.

The sight that greeted us upon arriving in Yulistia was utterly devastating.

“…This is chaos.”

“Yeah, just as Kalein described.”

The scene unfolding before us matched the lord’s grim warnings perfectly.

It seemed the city had been struck directly by the monster flood.

Among the chaos, there were some familiar faces.

Black snakes flicking their wicked tongues.

I blinked at the curious sight.

“What are the chances?”

Of all things, it had to be the Serpent God again.

Did this city have some sort of cursed connection with snakes?

Regardless, it was time to act.

“Subdue them.”

A cold, concise command.

Short as it was, the responses were anything but.

“Got it!”

“Leave it to me! I, Dewade—”

“Shut up and get down there already.”

My allies enthusiastically sprang into action, striking poses as they deployed.

They attacked the bewildered Serpent Gods, who had been staring up at the sky. The battle unfolded much like it had in Glenver.

─────!

Mishra unleashed her breath attack, while Nell, Dewade, and Chandrafail fought ferociously on the ground.

Paile safely stayed close behind me.

My role here was to provide magical support.

“Hmm…”

I looked down, scanning for suitable targets, and soon found one.

I aimed for a weak spot.

Like playing an FPS game, I shot an ice spear that pierced the snake’s forehead.

Whoosh─

I added a radiant aura for dramatic effect.

If this simple display could improve my standing, there was no reason to hold back, even if it was a little excessive.

Perhaps I had learned from a previous experience.

The entire sequence of events unfolded as smoothly and naturally as flowing water.

“This feels good, doesn’t it?”

I asked, a hint of satisfaction in my voice.

The answer came from behind me.

“Yes? Y-Yes! I think so! It’s less scary than before, so that’s nice!”

“Good.”

Paile’s hand, clutching my sleeve, trembled faintly.

Much less than before.

I observed her for a moment, then shifted my gaze to survey the surroundings.

That’s when I noticed something.

“Huh.”

An individual wearing ornate clothing, as if to signify status.

A stunningly beautiful woman with jet-black hair flowing like ebony, looking up at me.

Her gaze was just as startled as everyone else’s.

I tilted my head in brief confusion but soon recognized her.

“…Lysithea.”

It had been a long time.

Seeing her made me acutely aware of how much time had passed.

The once immature little girl now stood as a grown woman by any measure.

“You’ve grown. Quite mature now.”

With that short observation, I averted my gaze.

I shifted my focus away from her and returned to providing firepower.

To me, she was no more than a fleeting impression.

Perhaps it was different for her.

As the situation neared resolution, Lysithea approached me when I descended to the ground.

“Um, L-Lady Quellière.”

I had intended to leave immediately after boarding the others, but for now, I turned my head.

She wore a cautious expression and bowed politely.

“Why?”

“…I’ve received your help once again. I bow my head in gratitude.”

A sincere display of respect.

Even in her humble gesture, elegance was evident.

My response was indifferent.

“Indeed.”

But still, “Lady Quellière” and the word “again”—does she remember me too well?

Does she have an unexpectedly good memory?

“I never thought I’d see you again.”

“…Neither did I. That day, you killed the Serpent God and left Yulistia.”

Lysithea’s pupils rippled as if recalling an old memory.

I decided to humor her.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“I thought you had gone to a land uninhabitable for humans…”

She looked at me as if seeking confirmation.

When I nodded, her voice became imbued with emotion.

“To appear again in a moment of crisis… Could it be that you planned to save us from the start—”

“No.”

I immediately cut her off before the conversation veered off course.

“I was just passing by.”

“…Passing by?”

“Yes. Don’t entertain strange notions.”

It was true that I had helped, but it was equally true that I had no particular intention behind it.

While I was at it, I continued speaking.

“I’m heading to the Empire.”

“The Empire… It’s in utter chaos right now.”

“That’s precisely why I’m going. I need to monitor the movements of the Empire’s forces advancing on the reclamation site.”

“…Ah!”

As a family patriarch, she wouldn’t be unaware of this.

I mentioned a few familiar matters, and, predictably, her eyes widened.

“…”

She then fell silent, seemingly deep in thought.

Though she seemed to have more to say, I had said enough to sate my own conversational appetite for now.

Before I knew it, everyone had gathered near Mishra.

“Take care.”

I casually threw the words over my shoulder and turned around.

Startled, Lysithea reached out her hand.

“Ah! Wait, Lady Quellière—”

Whoosh!

The fierce beating of wings drowned out her voice.

The journey ahead was long.

We sped away without looking back, mounted on my back.

*

Quellière departed for the Empire with her personal guards.

Thanks to her, the city was free from danger, but it would take time to stabilize, given the uproar that had already occurred.

However, having experienced a similar crisis before, Yulistia was expected to recover faster than other cities.

“Don’t dawdle! Get moving quickly!”

“Yes, Commander!”

As everyone worked together to transport the injured and clear debris, laying the groundwork for recovery,

Lysithea returned to her mansion’s office, lost in thought.

“Lady Quellière…”

The topic, of course, was the woman she had seen earlier that day.

Lysithea, impressed by Quellière’s words and deeds, had thoroughly investigated her.

Naturally, she had heard rumors of Quellière being a saint or a goddess.

She had been contemplating sending someone to contact her when today’s crisis erupted.

“She’s heading to the Empire…”

She sensed something.

It was a massive shift in the current of events.

Judging by rumors, it was easy to deduce that Quellière was in opposition to the world’s enemies.

The Black Calamity.

As she thought of that heinous existence, Lysithea opened a storage compartment.

“The Emperor’s missive.”

What she took out was an official letter.

It was handed over by an imperial envoy who recently visited the city, regarding a council decision and the reclamation conquest.

It contained a question posed to the entire continent: would she join this grand endeavor?

Until now, she had not given her answer.

Not until this very moment.

“A flood of monsters, no doubt the work of the Calamity… For you to head to the Empire at this point, your purpose must be the same.”

There was no way it wasn’t.

There was no other conceivable reason.

Carefully wrapping the missive, Lysithea sat down at her desk and picked up a quill.

“I can’t just receive help twice and do nothing.”

Having shed her old flaws, she felt she must lend a hand for both Quellière and the continent.

Lysithea’s pale wrist moved,

Scratch, scratch—

and the family seal was engraved on the missive.

*

The capital’s night remained bright despite the ceaseless turbulence and chaos, with certain places never extinguishing their lights.

One such place was the Agnatz Research Institute.

Regarding this phenomenon, some said, “Even during wartime, research continues…” and they were half correct.

Military personnel visited regularly to collect the magitech equipment that had been produced.

In any case, war brought advancement, and during such times, researchers held greater sway.

However, this wasn’t the complete truth.

Scratch, scratch—

Deep within the research institute, in a private laboratory.

The only sound that filled the silent space was the scratch of pen on paper.

“…”

The culprit was the theologian Agnatz.

He had spent several sleepless nights, his dark-circled eyes fixed on his records.

“Their appearance and exploits ten years ago… And now, ten years later. The events of recent days…”

He murmured incessantly like a madman, his hand moving without rest.

For over thirty minutes, his pen had not paused, the tension gripping his body unchanged.

“The first defeat of the calamity, the defense against the Undead Uprising, the hunting and eradication of Eldritch beings…”

Each accomplishment was an extraordinary feat that most could not achieve in a lifetime.

Agnatz stared at the paper recording these achievements with bloodshot eyes.

It was the story of a woman.

The deeds of Quellière came alive vividly on the pages.

“And not just her. The ancient being, a confidant of the goddess… Most likely the White Silver Dragon King, Pankaj Mishra.”

The goddess had delivered a sermon from the terrace of the Grand Temple.

A dragon had come to escort her away.

People referred to it simply as “the dragon,” but as a theologian, Agnatz had made a reasonable deduction.

“A figure recorded in ancient texts, the lord of the White Dragon Clan that once served the Winter Primordial God.

Is she still serving her master…?”

It was astonishing.

But the old scholar’s thoughts did not stop there; they raced ahead unimpeded.

He paid no heed to his ashen complexion.

“And now, the current situation. They call it a monster flood, but… these are false gods.”

They were failures he himself had once named long ago.

Mutations created when beings failed to absorb divine power—failed experiments.

Or, if one preferred, they could be called chimeras.

“The prevailing theory is that the Black Calamity has decided to wipe out the continent.

That fear has led to the swift approval of the absurd landfill expedition plan.”

The fear of annihilation had overcome years of entrenched terror.

However, Agnatz thought differently.

Not with fear-clouded, narrow-minded reasoning but with a broader perspective.

“The calamity is far from foolish. On the contrary, it is exceptionally cunning.

That’s how it has managed to spread countless disasters until now.”

But wasn’t the current situation rather strange?

The movements of the monsters, which had usually upended the continent, seemed aimless.

It didn’t feel like there was a clear directive or objective.

At least, that was his impression.

“They’re simply stirring up human settlements.”

This behavior was unlike the typically cunning calamity.

Based on this, Agnatz began piecing together a new hypothesis.

Scratch…

Suddenly, his frenzied hand movements stopped.

The pen, which had been dancing wildly, came to a halt.

A flash of inspiration struck his mind like lightning.

Yes, the current situation wasn’t based on a calculated scheme.

The dominant opinion was that it was retaliation for the Church’s actions, but this felt more like—

“…Desperation, doesn’t it?”

Not retaliation but desperation.

In short, the hypothesis was that the calamity feared the goddess.

It seemed highly plausible, and as he nodded in agreement with himself, suddenly—

Drip—drip—

Blood dripped.

Crimson streaks soaked his shirt.

A nosebleed.

“Ah… It seems I’ve pushed myself too far.”

He had indeed overdone it.

Acknowledging his body’s signals, Agnatz set down his pen.

He stood up and stretched his body.

Crack, crack—

Finally, he organized the documents and stored them in the most secure location.

Ensuring no one could steal them.