TRVLT 36

The dragon gently brushed Ariletti’s bangs aside and straightened its back.

The long-haired woman raised a mysterious snowstorm, then slowly dissolved into the air and vanished.

When Ariletti blinked, the massive body of the ice dragon was already gliding gracefully through the clear sky, moving farther away.

“I think… the time has come.”

Her mind felt hazy. Her body would not move the way she wanted. It seemed this was as far as she could go.

— Ha. You really… When you wake up, I’m going to deal with you.

The needles stuck deep into the rabbit lying in the snow began moving quickly.

Ariletti was left alone, half-buried in the snowfield.

Still, I succeeded.

Now the people of Hezeite would not suffer from snowstorms anymore.
They would not waste half their lives.
They would be able to grab bundles of money with their own hands…

Someday, flowers would bloom here.
New sprouts would grow.

Everyone would live happily.

It hurts.

Terrible pain tore through her small body.

Her heavy head dropped forward and hit something hard.

It took her a moment to realize it was someone’s broad chest.

“Hey! Kid!”

Ruso Hezeite had somehow run all the way up here. He grabbed Ariletti under her arms and lifted her.

Ah—she coughed.

With her ragged breathing, a lump of blood that had risen from her throat spilled out.

Somewhere nearby, Glen was shouting. But the sound was soon swallowed by a ringing in her ears.

Beeee—

So this is really the end.

Death was right in front of her.

At the very end, things like the throne and revenge no longer seemed important.

She just hoped these warm-hearted people would be happy.

That they would not get dragged into a filthy and ugly fight for the throne.

That they would live simply here and die after a full life.

Like an echo from the last day of March—now gone—Glen’s desperate cry rang in her ears.

“Father, Father…! Damn it, what am I supposed to do…?!”

Don’t make that hopeless face anymore, Young Lord.

If only she had a little more time.

She would have ridden on Uncle Dunken’s shoulders again,
run across the snowfield with the head of the family,
heard the Young Lord call her “teacher” a few more times…

She could have left like that.

That was her only small regret.

Just a little regret… but my eyes hurt. They’re hot.

A faint realization came to her.

Ah… I think I wanted to live here too.

That’s why I worked so hard to rebuild this land.

More than revenge…
I just wanted to grow up here.

In this place filled with warmth and affection, even in the extreme cold.

I wanted to live.

Only when she was about to die did she realize she wanted to live.

What a pitiful contradiction.

Ariletti’s repayment of kindness ended here.

Ah, right…

She must not forget this.

With great effort, Ariletti pulled the count closer.

The count lowered his head, his face twisted with pain.

With the last thread of her strength, she whispered:

“…For lung fever, use mandrake.”

The ones growing thick beneath the ice cliff—
they’re expensive. Pull a lot and sell them.

Make lots of money… become rich…

With those words, Ariletti’s consciousness snapped and faded away.

* * *

[To think you would end up acting as a guardian of humans, White Forest.]

The dragon’s ancient speech, unheard by lesser creatures, spread through heaven and earth.

From the frozen clock hands suspended in the air came another sound humans could not hear.

— Guardian? Don’t be ridiculous. I’m just cleaning up after that foolish human child. What kind of guardian is that?

[Then are you her lackey?]

— Lack—what nonsense. I’m helping her because she behaves so stupidly that I can’t help but step in.

As the needle grumbled, Ellardio laughed silently.

[I wonder, Forest. Have you ever stepped forward so openly for a human before? And what is with that ridiculous appearance?]

— Hmm.

[To begin with, I cannot understand why you turned a mere human into power itself.]

The needle fell silent.

It was true that Ariletti Cadis was no ordinary human.

Chosen by the White Forest, she had performed miracles no sage had ever achieved.

Her natural talent as a time mage was important, of course—but even more than that, the White Forest had been unusually generous toward her.

The dragon of the snowy mountains clicked its tongue.

[No matter how much the forest overlooks it, she is still a human who abused the power that built this world. Naturally, she must pay the price of nature and its laws. You do not intend to stop even that, do you?]

— Of course not. But there is no need for me to step in and take her life myself.

[Why not?]

— Because the child will accept the price herself. She desperately wishes to.

The needle glanced down into the valley.

Part of the group led by Count Hezeite was racing down the mountain.

In the border lord’s arms hung a small child, limp and weak. Her life force was visibly draining.

The rest of the group was approaching the ice dragon’s nest, likely to gather the rare medicinal herbs growing beneath it.

Even though one of the dragon’s feet still rested on the nest, they rushed forward without hesitation. The herbs must be urgent.

Well, a five-year-old child was on the brink of death. There was no time to think of consequences.

Among them was Glen, the Young Lord of Hezeite.

The needle pretended not to look as it peeked down.

— There, there. Yes, that one. Pull that… good.

A three-hundred-year-old mandrake was uprooted with a scream that could tear apart eardrums.

Mandrakes that grow only in lands filled with sacred energy are not only powerful antidotes—they are universal healing herbs.

— Boil five or six roots and feed them to her. That should at least hold her lifespan in place for now—hm. Ahem.

The ice dragon’s white eyebrows tilted sharply.

The needle cleared its throat.

— Well, I mean… we can’t exactly stop the humans from trying to save her, can we?

[From the looks of it, even if they fill a chest with mandrakes and make her eat them, she won’t live long.]

— Yes. Exactly.

The great natural will known as the White Forest—now existing as a needle alongside Ariletti—let out a soft sigh.

— Even if I do not personally punish her, the child will one day surely pay the price. There is no need to worry too much.

[…Very well. I would not wish for my contractor to meet a pitiful death either…]

— Right? Our child is rather cute, isn’t she?

[Hmm…]

— So move your foot, Dragon. Please? Quickly! You’re standing right in the middle of the mandrake field with your left foot!