---

After spending some time wiping out thieves, the promised date finally approached. I headed to the blacksmith’s shop with a slight sense of expectation.

“Oh, you’ve come.”

As I entered the shop, the blacksmith welcomed me, as if he had just finished working and was waiting for me. On the counter lay a small set of gauntlets and boots.

When I glanced at them, the blacksmith nodded.

“Those are yours. Want to try them on?”

I nodded and checked the boots and gauntlets. He had mentioned that he didn’t particularly care about the design, and indeed, they were very basic in appearance.

The first thing I tried on was the boots. I slipped into the long leather boots and tightened the laces. Afterwards, I added a specially designed protective layer made of chromadium and fastened it securely.

“How do they feel?”

“Oh—”

I let out a brief exclamation as I stomped my feet on the floor. The interior was well-finished and felt comfortable, and the strong pressure held my ankles securely in place.

“Adventurers often have to travel long distances, so good footwear is essential. I put a lot of effort into these.”

“They’re great.”

Next, I moved on to the gauntlets. With the blacksmith’s skill, the fit was pretty good. The balanced weight allowed me to draw my sword and swing it a few times without feeling any discomfort.

When fighting against human swordsmen, my wrists and fingers were always at risk. But with these gauntlets on, I could avoid that danger.

I moved my wrists around, nodding in approval.

“These are good items.”

“Of course. Do you think I run the largest blacksmith shop here for nothing?”

The blacksmith beamed at my compliment.

*

As usual, I visited the Adventurer’s Guild to look for some suitable quests, and I noticed more adventurers than usual wandering around the guild.

The types of requests posted on the bulletin board hadn’t returned to normal, so why were adventurers coming back here?

As I watched the adventurers, a familiar voice called out from behind me.

“Looking for a quest or something?”

“Oh, receptionist!”

It was the receptionist, as always, organizing the bulletin board while holding a thick bundle of request forms.

“No, I’m not specifically looking for anything. I’m just a bit curious.”

He turned to glance around the guild at my response. He seemed to remember something and opened his mouth.

“Oh, it’s nothing much. Just…”

“Just?”

“It’s probably because of the rumor that Kashpa is dead.”

“Kashpa… the dragon?”

“Yeah. The dragon that brought endless winter.”

I tilted my head at the receptionist’s words. Winter hadn’t even ended yet; what basis was there for the rumor about Kashpa’s death?

“You haven’t heard the rumor?”

The receptionist rarely smiled, but now he was explaining to me.

The rumor about Kashpa’s death supposedly began from someone’s question.

Why hadn’t Kashpa moved directly? If it had chosen to appear in person, it could have destroyed everything without needing to take complicated steps.

A man supposedly climbed the snowy mountains to solve that curiosity.

“So that man came back alive?”

“Yeah. Because that person returned alive, this rumor started circulating.”

“Did he see Kashpa’s dead body?”

“No, he reportedly saw nothing. Not its massive wings stretching across the white blizzard, nor its eyes gleaming in the darkness.”

“So it just seems to have been absent…”

“Well, that’s what I think too, but rumors tend to get distorted, right? It doesn’t really matter if Kashpa is alive or dead. Most of the adventurers gathered here probably don’t believe that rumor.”

“Really?”

“For them, what’s important is the treasure that should be in Kashpa’s lair. If Kashpa is absent now…? Everyone is gathering here thinking along those lines.”

“Then wouldn’t the first one to set out get all the treasure? Why are they all gathering here instead of leaving right away?”

“They’re feeling each other out. They gathered because of the rumors, but they know those rumors are baseless. Plus, it’s nearly impossible to climb the mountain alone due to the monsters residing there.”

“Well…”

“What do you think? If you’re interested, I could help you find a suitable party? A silver-grade swordsman would be welcome anywhere.”

“No, I’m fine.”

“If you change your mind, just come find me anytime.”

With that, the receptionist began posting new requests on the board. Most of the requests he posted were ads looking for party members.

*

As time passed, the weather gradually began to warm up. The biting wind started to carry a bit of warmth. The icicles hanging from the roofs of the buildings melted, dripping water, signaling the end of winter.

Smiles began to return to the faces of the residents. While those happy that the endless winter was finally retreating were rejoicing, foreign merchants who came here to sell winter goods were wearing grim expressions.

It was at this point that adventurers started to move in earnest. The fact that winter was ending gave weight to the absurd rumor of Kashpa’s death.

As parties prepared to leave at any moment, the remaining adventurers hurried as if they were about to run out of time.

Pududuk—

“Shall we go too?”

At my question, the nightmare stomped its front hooves on the ground, as if ready to depart at any moment.

Turning over a dragon’s lair, what other exhilarating adventure could there possibly be?

Living the wandering life of an adventurer, sometimes going with the flow of others doesn’t seem too bad.

I checked my bulging bag and pulled on the reins of the nightmare.

Pududuk— Pududuk— Pududuk—

The nightmare’s crystal stone hooves smashed through the melting ice on the road without mercy. The white ice shattered, scattering like snow.

The line of adventurers stretched long, each following the other. Those riding horses or carriages zipped ahead, while those on foot fell behind.

Jealousy, envy, and various gazes followed behind me. Some adventurers waved as if they recognized me while running.

The long line wasn’t made up of adventurers alone. Traders, seemingly intent on selling their goods to them, followed behind with large carts and wagons, accompanied by escorts.

While making swift progress, I spotted the leading group of adventurers who had ridden out on horseback.

Upon hearing the sound of the nightmare’s hooves from behind, their surprised expressions turned to face me.

Five adventurers exchanged complicated looks. Then, as if making a decision, they nodded and began moving as a group alongside the long line.

It appeared they intended to keep us from advancing too quickly.

With hundreds of adventurers running toward the same goal, everyone here could be considered a competitor. Thus, their effort to hold us back was perfectly natural.

If the horse I was riding had been ordinary, I would have joined them or waited for a wider path, but the nightmare was no ordinary horse.

Pududuk-!

The nightmare took off, as if finding it outrageous that some ordinary horses were blocking its path. With every stomp of its powerful legs, the frozen ground shattered under its force.

As the distance closed in, the nightmare kicked off the ground with even stronger force and soared into the sky.

The adventurers who had been eyeing me glanced in shock. As their astonished faces passed beneath us, the nightmare created a white platform in mid-air, which it stepped on to leap even higher.

Ta-dak-!

The crystal platform fulfilled its purpose, crumbling into fine pieces. As the nightmare soared through the air and came back down, I caught the bewildered gazes of the five adventurers behind me.

The nightmare didn’t slow down. In fact, it sped up even more, erasing the five adventurers it had jumped over from my sight.

*

“Master!!! There are Orcs!!!”

Lein called out to her master while looking around. Having lived her entire life in the Mage Tower, it was her first encounter with the Orc race.

Everything in this place fascinated Lein. The appearance of the orcs, their culture, and even the small statue of a girl that was sold at the souvenir shop.

“Huh…?”

“What are you staring at?”

Lein was intently gazing at a small girl statue.

“Seris…?”

The statue on sale at the souvenir shop resembled Seris. Although it wasn’t painted, the finely carved figure captured Seris’s features so well that anyone who knew her could instantly tell who it was modeled after.

“Do you know the Great Warrior?”

“The, the Great Warrior?”

“The statue I’m talking about.”

Lein looked up at the voice that spoke from the front. An orc, wearing an apron that seemed out of place, stood beside a half-orc man.

“Isn’t that Seris?”

“The Great Warrior… does that mean the girl has been given the title of Great Warrior?”

The old wizard gestured toward the small statue. The girl statue on display flew into his hand.

“I’d like to hear more.”

“It’s one gold.”

The old wizard stared at the half-orc man.

“Lein.”

“Ah, yes!”

At her master’s command, Lein took out a gold coin from her pocket and handed it to the man. Although it was an exorbitant price for a small statue, neither Lein nor the old wizard seemed concerned about the money.

“Can you tell me now?”

The half-orc, Agul, nodded and slowly opened his mouth. His balding head shimmered with a strange light.

 

---