Chapter 34: 《Ice and Fire》- (1)
(I)
“You are….”
A voice echoed through the silence of the prison, drawing Judith Evergrit’s swollen eyes upward toward the iron bars.
“…You look terrible.”
Standing outside the cell was an old man she recognized. He was hunched over, draped in a black robe as if trying to conceal his identity, but Judith knew who he was at once from his voice and the faint outline of his features, barely illuminated by the flickering lantern.
“Roderick Whitefin….”
Indeed, the man was Roderick Whitefin, the secretary to the Prime minister, Lilianel Greenfield.
As the top scholarship student at the Royal Capital Knight Academy, Judith had crossed paths with him several times during her time in the capital.
That’s how she recognized him, though her mind was still swirling with questions and confusion. Why was Roderick Whitefin, of all people, here?
“You… why are you here?”
Roderick had no reason to visit this deep underground prison of Nevirthol, and certainly not to meet someone like her, accused of conspiring against the Hero. Meeting with her could be dangerous for someone in his position, a secretary to the Prime minister. So why had he come? Why risk so much?
And his black robe, the cautious way he moved… It didn’t seem like he had come here through any official process.
“…I’m sure you have many questions, but there’s no time.”
Roderick dismissed Judith’s confusion with a raised finger to his lips, signaling for silence. Then, with keys he must have somehow obtained, he began to unlock the cell that had held Judith alone for so long.
Clank.
The iron bars creaked open, and the lantern light stabbed at Judith’s eyes, too long accustomed to the dark.
Roderick extended his old, weathered hand to her.
“I’ll explain everything as we leave.”
Judith could see a faint smile forming on his face from under the hood of his robe.
“…I’m on your side, Judith Evergrit. Well, I suppose it’s more accurate to say that our goals align.”
“S-Side?”
Judith stammered, still struggling to grasp the situation.
Roderick’s voice softened as he gave her just one clue.
“…It’s about the relationship between the Hero and the Prime minister.”
***
(II)
“We’re here.”
Though still shrouded in the faint mist of early dawn, the silhouette of Lavaheart finally appeared in the distance.
“This place looks brutal…”
As expected, the scenery of Lavaheart was unlike that of any ordinary city. Instead of a lively place where laughter bloomed, it looked more like a den of villains, teeming with miscreants.
A gigantic sinkhole carved into a barren wasteland.
And floating in the middle of it was a massive city.
Surrounding the deepest part of the sinkhole and the city’s periphery were boiling rivers of lava, threatening to melt anything they touched.
…Rather than a ‘mining city,’ the title ‘volcanic city’ seemed more fitting.
“I understand why Mizael said that…”
Moreover, it became clear why Mizael had suspected Lilianel Greenfield would flee to Lavaheart.
If most territories had moats filled with water, Lavaheart had a moat filled with lava.
There was lava in front, and above rained down a barrage of arrows. Even if one somehow managed to cross that deadly lava moat, entering the city, which floated atop the sinkhole, wouldn’t be easy.
It was a natural fortress, utilizing its surrounding environment to the fullest.
— Clatter, clatter.
“Hm?”
At that moment, something approached my side quickly, like a shadow. I turned my head to the figures creeping up close to the left of my ghostly steed.
“You are…”
Three figures knelt on one knee as if they were servants of a king. However, they were not living beings. The glimpse of white bones peeking out from the black cloaks that covered their bodies indicated they had already once departed this world.
…They were undoubtedly the skeleton scouts I had sent ahead to scout Lavaheart earlier.
“You’ve arrived.”
I welcomed them warmly, knowing they brought information about Lavaheart that I did not possess. At my greeting, they bowed even lower, their joints making unsettling cracking sounds.
“So, what did you find?”
— Clatter, clatter.
In response to my question, one of the skeletons stepped forward and began gesturing. The only sound it could make was the clacking of its jaw, but since I had summoned it, I could clearly understand its intentions through telepathy.
“All soldiers are heavily armored, and the security is tight, huh?”
Usually, large territories like this tend to get complacent, allowing their guards to slack off, but it seemed the lord of Lavaheart was not that kind of fool. They maintained strict vigilance over their domain.
— Clatter, clatter.
“A drawbridge design for the bridges leading to the main city?”
There was another piece of vital information.
The main city of Lavaheart floated like a sky island in the center of the sinkhole, and four bridges connected it to the ground—north, south, east, and west. These bridges operated as drawbridges.
“So, they can cut off access completely, huh…”
This meant that they could raise the bridges at any time, completely isolating Lavaheart from the outside world.
Even if one were to cross the lava-filled moat and the first line of defenses, they could simply raise the bridges, preventing any access to the city. It would undoubtedly be a difficult stronghold to conquer.
Without an air force capable of bypassing the drawbridges, ordinary armies would, as Mizael had said, never be able to bring down Lavaheart.
…That is, ordinary armies.
“Amusing.”
The thought of the enemies growing overconfident in their flawless defense systems made me laugh.
“How should I go about this…”
I lightly scratched the crown of my ghostly steed’s head, pondering how to attack Lavaheart.
Being the master of an undead army with limitless utility, several strategies immediately came to mind.
“A siege…”
If they chose to raise their drawbridges and isolate themselves, we could simply surround Lavaheart with an overwhelming number of troops, ensuring that no one could escape.
The city’s resources are not infinite, so eventually, they would cry to be let out when they run out of food or other supplies.
But I didn’t have the time to wait until they exhausted all their resources. With Lillianel’s whereabouts still unknown, there was no time to linger in one place for long.
I needed a faster method, something like a storm that would sweep through the city.
“Hmm…”
I could order the Skeleton Soldiers to become a living bridge, but that lacked elegance.
…As I pondered another method, I reached out a hand while sitting on my Spectral Steed*, summoning yet another Undead.
*(Spectral speed: the skeleton horse summoned by Elzerba to ride)
“…Necromantic Summon.”
This time, a blue summoning circle unfolded on the ground.
The small hexagram gradually began to emit an intense blue glow. Instead of the eerie aura that usually accompanied a summoning circle, what filled the air was a biting cold that chilled my skin.
And soon, it began to appear from the circle.
Short, snow-white hair.
Crimson eyes.
Pale, porcelain-like skin.
An immaculate white burial dress.
Breath that exhaled cold air.
“…Isera.”
It was Isera, the Snow Woman, a hidden gacha reward from ‘Avalon’s Tower’ for necromancers.
While she wasn’t as customizable as the named undead like Tina, Alfred, or Kelrathus; Isera was no less powerful.
However, her stats were absurdly skewed toward ice magic, making her vulnerable to certain matchups, so I rarely summoned her.
Her skills had abnormally short durations and long cooldowns, which was another drawback.
While she had clear strengths, her weaknesses were equally glaring, which is why I hadn’t summoned her even after possessing Elzerba.
—”…I have responded to the Lady’s call.”
I felt a little guilty for not summoning her earlier, but Isera gave me a gentle smile, unbothered, and politely greeted me.
I returned her smile.
“Nice to see you. I summoned you because I need your help.”
“Order me anything.”
Isera bowed her head.
Now was the perfect time to use her abilities.
Burning lava? It could be frozen over.
The missing bridge? She could create a new one with her powers.
I smiled as I gave Isera her first command.
“Isera.”
“Yes, my Lady.”
“Freeze everything.”
“…Understood.”
Upon receiving my command, Isera nodded once, turned toward Lavaheart, and stretched out her hand, quietly chanting.
—”Cryogenesis.”
What followed was a fierce snowstorm.
…A chilling wave of ice extending toward the human abyss, freezing everything in its path.
—
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