Poor Noble Nord’s Adventure

20.1. Inspiration

(What should I do…)

It had been a week since his mother, Maria, summoned him.

Now, Nord was in the snow.

More precisely, he was trudging through the winter mountains, pushing aside the snow.

[Winter’s cold is scarier than monsters.]

Believing the words often spoken by adventurers at the tavern, Nord sought advice from veteran adventurers.

As usual, the price for their advice was a mug of ale.

Following their advice, Nord switched his equipment back from scale armor to leather armor. However, this leather armor was different from the usual kind.

When he made the scale armor, Nord had planned to trade in the leather armor, but the shopkeeper told him curtly, “Keep it as a spare.”

Armor requires maintenance. If it becomes seriously damaged, it’s wise to have a backup.

Nord found the advice reasonable, so he decided not to trade it in and instead stored it in his room.

Now, that leather armor had been transformed into winter gear with thick fur lining beneath it.

The fluffy fur inside the armor trapped air, keeping Nord’s body warm.

The same design was applied to his gloves and boots, with an outer layer of fur that could be covered by a coat.

Though modifying the armor cost a fair amount of money, it was essential for surviving the harsh winter environment.

Wearing his winter armor, Nord slowly but steadily pushed through the snow, ensuring he didn’t sweat, and eventually found what he was looking for.

On the side of a steep cliff covered in snow, something peeked out from beneath the white layer.

It reflected the faint sunlight that broke through the overcast sky, gleaming mysteriously.

Nord gathered the crystals—a type of rare magical stone called Ice Spirit Stone, obtainable only in winter.

He loaded the stones into his pack, slung it over his back, and also carried bags filled with the stones in both hands.

The weight pressed down on his shoulders through the armor, and his feet threatened to sink into the snow.

He quickly shifted his weight onto two trekking poles designed for snowy mountains.

After adjusting his stance, he reattached the snowshoes he had removed earlier for harvesting and resumed walking on the snow.

Looking down, he saw his trail stretching all the way back to the base of the mountain.

§

He walked on the snow.

—How much will I get for these Ice Spirit Stones?

Recalling the estimated price from the job listing, he did a quick calculation in his head.

—Well, I guess that’s about right.

He walked on the snow.

—It’s still not enough.

He walked on the snow.

The winter mountains were eerily quiet.

When the wind blew and snow swirled around, it was hard to tell, but when the wind ceased, the silence became even more profound.

From the peaks of distant mountains, snow spirits danced, continuing to cover the summits in white.

But the mountain where Nord stood was calm.

Only the sound of snow compressing under his boots echoed in the stillness.

Occasionally, the wind would stir again, brushing the surface of the snow and sending it swirling into the air.

Suddenly, Nord heard a sound like tiny crystals rubbing together, a delicate, shimmering noise.

The source was some distance away from where he stood.

(…An ice spirit?)

He saw a pale blue figure dancing over the snowfield.

It looked like a girl twirling in a dance—a vision of the ice spirits that appeared only in winter.

(…I better avoid drawing its attention.)

Relieved that it wasn’t a dangerous creature, Nord exhaled deeply.

A white puff of breath escaped through the woolen half-mask covering his mouth, crystallizing in the cold air.

Not just ice spirits—all spirits were mischievous by nature, often playing pranks on humans.

Though they meant no harm, their power was immense, and sometimes their pranks caused serious damage.

The last thing Nord wanted was to trip and fall while carrying heavy Ice Spirit Stones.

At best, he’d struggle, buried in the snow; at worst, he could skid down the slope at high speed and crash into a wall—or worse, plummet off a cliff.

And, needless to say, such accidents could result in being reduced to nothing more than minced meat.

Fortunately, the spirits seemed too absorbed in their play to notice him.

From this distance, it seemed unlikely they’d bother him.

With that in mind, Nord continued his descent across the silent, snow-covered plain.

§

Just when he was about to reach the foot of the mountain, disaster struck.

“Gyyaaaaooooo—!”

The roar echoed across the snowy mountain.

Instinctively, Nord threw himself to the ground.

He pressed himself into the snow to avoid sliding, lying perfectly still.

With a soft whump, powdery snow flew up and settled around him, camouflaging him in the white landscape.

His armor might stand out, but his cloak and pack were pure white, blending into the snow.

Without moving a muscle, Nord lay buried in the snow, his vision filled with nothing but whiteness.

The cold stung the exposed parts of his face.

Yet, despite the chill, his heart pounded loudly, and cold sweat trickled down his back—not from exertion, but from fear.

A sudden gust of wind swept across the snowfield.

Only then did Nord cautiously raise his head.

The air was filled with swirling snow, as if someone had overturned a dusty warehouse.

It wasn’t snowfall but snow stirred up by a powerful gust—and something far more menacing.

The shadow that had raced across the snowy plain was now high in the sky, flying off into the distance.

“…It’s gone.”

Nord muttered as he watched the figure disappear from sight.

He stood up, brushing off the snow that clung to him.

Then, he picked up the bag of Ice Spirit Stones he had dropped in his haste and slung it over his shoulder again.

“A wyvern…”

He whispered the identity of the creature that had passed overhead.

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