After that lunch, the news spread across Central Town. Some were shocked, some were in disbelief, and some had doubts.
Soldiers who were on duty during lunch, and those who'd been off-duty, were given a bowl each by Merlin and Helen to taste. Even after hearing it was monster meat, they still ate it—and were taken aback by how good it tasted.
「COMMON STUDY」
"That was so smart, Lia!" Rhys said from his seat, playing with the blueprint on his hologram window.
"I'd have to say, it will indeed save us a lot. But I think the citizens should have to buy it," Marcus said. "We just charge them a small amount. After all, you'll be doing the work of purifying it."
"I agree with Marcus," Rhys said.
"Really? After you snapped at me earlier?" Lia said from her chair.
"You made us eat monster meat. How do you expect us to react?" Rhys shot back.
Then Kaelen entered with a grin on his face.
"What did you do this time?" Marcus asked.
"Nothing. I just let Roux rest for the rest of the day," he said, sitting beside Lia.
"You seem pretty cozy with that kid now," Rhys said, giving him a side-eye.
"Nah. That kid is here to stir shit. Not to mention he stands out," Kaelen said.
"That's right. We were watching earlier through the window. The Northerners' pale skin feels like it's being warmed by Roux's tan," Rhys said.
"Not to mention his red hair and beautiful eyes," Lia added. "Does the Duke look like him? I can vaguely remember his face… what the hell is wrong with me?"
The brothers exchanged looks. Kaelen draped his arm over Lia's shoulders and gently flicked her forehead.
"That jerk—I mean, 'Duke'—is distinctly far from Roux. Roux has red hair and amethyst eyes, which he got from the former Duchess. His older brother inherited the Wykenight bloodline: silver hair, golden eyes. And Westerners usually have tan skin because the sun is always bright there," he explained.
"And he's a pretty boy," Rhys said. "Not handsome. But pretty. I think it's because of his long hair and long lashes."
"It's because he's a wuss," Marcus murmured.
Rhys widened his eyes at Kaelen and mimed the words "he's right," and Kaelen just scoffed.
Then a moment later, in unison, a blue hologram window popped up in front of each of them.
[SYSTEM: [REWARD: ???] COUNTDOWN TIMER EXPIRED]
[SYSTEM: EXCLUSIVE REWARDS GRANTED BY THE MOON GOD, LUAN]
"Oh? What could it be?" Rhys said, closing the blueprint window he'd been reading.
"This is new. I only knew Solaria as the Great Sun, but a Moon God?" Marcus said, adjusting his glasses.
A second later, another window popped up for each of them.
Eliana's Window:
[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE THE NORTH'S HEART, BUILDER, AND PROVIDER.]
[REWARD: EXCLUSIVE SHOP: PARADISE LEGACY & OLD WORLD'S ARCHIVES]
[PARADISE LEGACY & OLD WORLD'S ARCHIVES UNLOCKED. ACCESSING… Z.J'S PERSONAL VAULT.]
[SEEDS OF THE FIRST DAWN: ALL CROPS THAT CEASED TO EXIST AFTER VOID INFESTATION.
SPECIAL TRAITS:
SEASON ADAPTIVEVOID RESISTANTMAGICALLY NUTRITIOUSSACRED FLORA]
[OLD WORLD'S ARCHIVE: PRINCIPLES AND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM]
[COST: EXP]
[ADVICE: UNTASKED EXPEDITIONS STILL BEING REWARDED.]
[INSIDE NOTE: AS THE NORTH'S ULTIMATE RULER, YOU MUST FIND WHAT IS MISSING TO BE AWAKENED.]
Rhys's Window:
[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE THE ARCHITECT OF THE NORTH!]
[REWARD: ARCHITECT'S BYPASS]
[A PERMANENT SKILL: WHEN YOU LOOK AT MAGIC, A SPELL, OR MAGITECH, YOU CAN SEE ITS SPELL CODE, ITS STRESS POINTS, AND CORE PRINCIPLES.]
[USES:]
COUNTER-ENGINEERING: YOU CAN REVERSE ANY SPELL OR MAGITECH.SIEGEBREAKER: YOU CAN BYPASS ANY "IMPENETRABLE" SPELL.ULTIMATE ARTIFICER: ALLOWS YOU TO FUSE ANY SPELL OR MAGITECH IN THE SYSTEM ON A DEEPER LEVEL.]
[COST: MASSIVE MANA CONSUMPTION]
[ADVICE: LEVEL UP MP]
Kaelen's Window:
[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE THE NORTH'S GREAT WALL!]
[REWARD: UNBREAKABLE VOW]
[USES:]
ALLOWS YOU TO TETHER YOUR LIFE FORCE TO A PERSON OR PLACE YOU DESIGNATE UNDER YOUR BULWARK.ACTIVE PHASE: WHILE ACTIVE, DAMAGE MEANT FOR YOUR WARD(S) IS PARTIALLY TRANSFERRED TO YOU. YOU BECOME A LIVING BULWARK. YOU CAN FEEL ATTACKS COMING THROUGH THE LINK.PASSIVE BENEFIT: THOSE UNDER YOUR "VOW" RECEIVE A SIGNIFICANT BOOST TO ENDURANCE AND MORALE WHEN NEAR YOU.]
[COST: THE DAMAGE TRANSFER ISN'T MITIGATED. IF YOU GUARD TOO MUCH OR TAKE TOO BIG A HIT, IT CAN KILL YOU.]
[ADVICE: BE CAREFUL. OR ELSE, IT'S SUICIDE.]
Marcus's Window:
[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE THE MIND OF THE NORTH!]
[REWARD: FARSIGHT OF THE STRATEGIST]
[USES:]
THIS REWARD ELEVATES YOUR PRECOGNITION FROM A 5-SECOND COMBAT TRICK TO A STRATEGIC-LEVEL ASSET.HOW IT WORKS: YOU INPUT PARAMETERS. THE SYSTEM THEN SIMULATES THE MOST PROBABLE OUTCOMES (NOT A GUARANTEED FUTURE, BUT A CALCULATED FORECAST), PRESENTING THEM AS BRANCHING HOLOGRAPHIC PATHS OR A DETAILED REPORT.LIMITATIONS: IT'S EXHAUSTING. IT ONLY SHOWS PROBABILITIES BASED ON CURRENT DATA—UNFORESEEN VARIABLES CAN CHANGE THINGS. IT CAN'T SEE PAST A CERTAIN TIME HORIZON (E.G., ONE MONTH).]
[USES:]WAR PLANNINGPOLITICAL MANEUVERINGUNCOVERING SECRETS]
[COST: MASSIVE MANA CONSUMPTION]
[ADVICE: LEVEL UP MP]
After reading their exclusive rewards, they all fell silent.
[ADMIN A: WHOA… MOON GOD? THIS IS A FIRST…]
[ADMIN B: ALL HAIL LUAN! HE IS SO GENEROUS!]
"Whoa… now I feel like I'm playing a video game!" Lia said. "And Z.J's? Who's that?"
"I was complaining about what I got, but look! It just got cooler!" Kaelen grinned.
"Not as cool as mine! Bypass any spell, magic, and magitech? Dude, this is literally a hacking game!" Rhys crowed.
"Oh please… amateurs," Marcus said.
"Can you shut up, nerd?" Rhys snapped.
"Yeah, yeah, we know yours is also an improvement of your previous skill," Kaelen said, getting up. "I better work out more. This reward is useless if I'm frail. I am, after all, the Great Wall of the North." He then laughed like a nutjob while walking away.
"I wonder how traumatized he was from all the wars he was sent to back on Earth," Lia murmured.
"How are we supposed to level up our mana, anyway?" Marcus asked.
"Let's not think about that yet! Marcus, please, we've got to hunt those missing materials for my project! Please, please," Rhys pleaded like a puppy.
Marcus rolled his eyes and took off his glasses. "Fine. But after everything is settled with Count Geselle."
"Yes!" Rhys said, doing a fist-pump.
They turned to Lia, who was in deep thought, staring into the air. She'd made her windows private.
Find what is missing to be awakened?
[ADMIN A: I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA EITHER.]
Who is Luan, anyway?
[ADMIN A: HE IS A GOD, OF COURSE. FURTHER QUESTIONS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE ANSWERED. WE HAVE CERTAIN RULES WE HAVE TO FOLLOW. OR ELSE, WE WILL GET REPRIMANDED.]
Whatever.
"Lia," Marcus called, pulling her attention back to them.
"Pardon?" Lia said.
"I was saying to let Cris handle the monster meat matter," Marcus repeated.
"Monster meat is kind of disturbing. Should we change its name?" Lia asked.
"I agree. What about 'Monstre'?" Rhys suggested.
"Can you shut up for a moment?" Lia snapped, making Rhys pout.
"What about 'Kaiju'? It's Japanese," Marcus offered.
"Oh… Kaiju meat. That sounds fancy," Lia said with a playful tone.
"I agree. It's settled, then. Kaiju—let's just pretend it's Wagyu," Rhys said.
"I'll let Cris know," Marcus said, purposely ignoring his little brother.
—THE NEXT MORNING…
As planned, Marcus let Cris handle the 'Kaiju Meat' distribution in Central Town. The siblings had passed on the explanation, and with the night having passed, those who ate the meat remained healthy… and more alive.
Tomas was on guard at the east construction site. Gareth was doing inventory of available weapons. Varric was leading a group of silver warriors on patrol outside the east wall.
Now, the siblings were on their own projects.
Marcus was alone in the study, trying to test his new skill. Kaelen was with Roux in the barracks, finally getting ready as the rookies arrived. Rhys was in the dark corner of an unused corridor, trying to turn it into his lab.
And now, Eliana was out in the empty, safe zone of Central Town—the one that had been abandoned by the townsfolk for decades. She was with Havec.
"So, Liana. What are you going to do with this white ground?" Havec asked. Lia had just hopped off his back.
"First, thank you for coming with me. And second, I was thinking of moving the townsfolk here," Lia said.
"It's really wide. And empty. Not even a trace of the houses that used to stand here," she observed.
"Why remove them from the central area?" Havec asked.
"Central Town should be a town of markets. Not squatters," Lia said.
"Hmm… I support whatever your decision is," Havec said. "How far does the domain of the North stretch, Liana?"
"As far as the snow falls," Lia said. The end of the snow wasn't even visible.
"Why don't we go check, if you're curious?" Havec suggested, noticing Lia's distant look.
"Are you crazy? It would take days to reach the border. And what lies beyond is the West," Lia said.
"I'm curious what the edge of the North's domain looks like," Havec mused. "Is it like snowing right up to a certain line, and then on the other side it's just dry and sunny?"
Lia laughed. "HAHAHA. I know what you're trying to picture, and… now I'm curious too."
Havec scoffed in amusement.
"However, we'll always have time to see it. But right now, let's go up to that mountain." Lia pointed toward the snow-covered trails leading up.
"Alright… hop on and hold tight," Havec said. Lia hopped on, and Havec started running toward the trail.
「BARRACKS COURTYARD」
The barracks for the knights and soldiers were located far from Castle, about fifty meters away, seated in the West Wall. The hundred rookies who had arrived at dawn were now lined up in the barracks courtyard. They were all lightly coated and obviously shivering.
Kaelen stood in front of them, with Roux at his side.
'Is that Captain Javier?'
'Captain Javier? The Captain of the Imperial Knights First Platoon?'
'Why is he wearing those shabby clothes?'
'Why is he even here? He tossed away his luxurious life and honorable title.'
'No, watch out for that tan guy next to him. Isn't he a Westerner? I thought Westerners and Northerners were like fire and water.'
'Hey… watch your mouth. Red hair, amethyst eyes, and tan skin? Idiot, that's him…'
'Who?'
'Duke Wykenight's little brother? What was his name again… he scored top at the academy last year when he graduated.'
'Oh… Lord Deitre? That man's got an attitude. What's he doing here?'
'Maybe got tossed aside. Take it—his older brother didn't even go to the academy and yet claimed the head of the commander of the frontlines at seventeen.'
'I heard that. He's a monster. They said his monstrous strength doesn't match his pretty face.'
The murmurs of the rookies felt like a bad pitch in the ears of both Kaelen and Roux. Kaelen glanced at Roux; his face was stern, but he was obviously pissed off at the rookies for comparing him to his brother.
[ADMIN B: HEY. YOU SHOULD DISCIPLINE THOSE BRATS. WHAT ABOUT SENDING THEM OUTSIDE THE WALLS?]
Thanks for the offer, but no. We need manpower, not food supply for monsters.
"Hit the brakes, ladies," Kaelen called out. "It was so brave of you to gossip right in front of us. You should be thankful you were given a chance to work off your 'knight certificate,' since you clearly don't have the qualities."
He gestured beside him. "This man standing right here is Lord Roux. He is my assistant in training you, so you will call him Instructor Roux."
'Roux? So he's not Lord Deitre?'
'Figures. What would that man even do here? Not like he has anything to do, staying in these ruins to freeze to death.'
'Tsk. I was supposed to be sent to the West Fortress for real experience.'
[ADMIN B: DID YOU HEAR THAT, LESTER MARTIN?! I'M TELLING YOU, SEND THOSE IGNORANT BRATS TO THE FOREST RIGHT NOW!]
"Should I just cut out their tongues, Lord Kaelen?" Roux said, his voice low.
Kaelen held out a hand. "Okay, calm down, you two."
Two? Roux thought.
"…And I told you to call me by my name, Roux," Kaelen said. "And if you're going to pay these guys back, I have the perfect hazing for them." He grinned like a madman.
"O-oh…" Roux murmured. I know that smile. That's the one he gave me right before he almost worked me to death.
「BACK ON ELIANA'S」
The climb was a blur of icy wind and Havec's powerful, steady gait. It had been an hour since they ascended through the perpetual grey twilight of the North, the world shrinking below into a patchwork of white.
"I can't believe this is a safe zone. There's nothing to hunt here," Havec said as they moved forward.
"Tell me about it," Lia agreed.
Right now, she was fully geared. The visor of her helmet was doing the work to protect her eyes from the frost.
[ADMIN A: GOOD CALL WEARING YOUR FULL GEAR.]
Of course. I am a soldier on a survey.
"I think it's safe to relocate those people down there, Liana," Havec said. "It's been an hour of survey."
"Go up more, Havec. If this is a safe zone, I'm sure a crop that survives the winter is somewhere out there," Lia said, her voice being filtered through her helmet's speaker.
"Alright," Havec answered.
They continued to go up, and nothing greeted them but endless white.
It had been three hours since then.
When Lia was about to pull back, something changed.
The air changed.
The bitter cold lessened by a fraction. A faint, golden light—not the weak glow of mana moss or the harsh blue of the System, but true, filtered sunlight—speared through the clouds above.
Havec's pace slowed. His great head lifted, nostrils flaring. "Liana… do you feel that?"
Lia did. A strange, prickling warmth on her skin, a scent on the air that wasn't frost or rot. It was… green. Alive. "Keep going," she whispered, her heart hammering against her ribs.
They pushed through a final, thick layer of cloud.
And emerged into another world.
Summer.
She was too stunned to move from the back of Havec.
Hiss-click.
She took off her helmet, thinking the visor was just playing tricks on her eyes. But… it was real. The sun… the sunlight's warmth striking her face.
A soft thud sounded on the ground with greens when she absentmindedly let go of her helmet.
Warm, gentle air caressed Lia's face. The sky above was a pale, clear blue. Underfoot, the snow gave way to hardy, green grass and wildflowers in bursts of color she hadn't seen in two lifetimes.
Ancient, healthy trees, their leaves full and vibrant, rustled in a soft breeze. The very air hummed with gentle, untainted magic.
Havec stopped, utterly still. A low, trembling whine escaped him—a sound of unbearable loss and wonder. "It… it is like the stories. The Old Songs… they spoke of the Sun's Kiss on the highest peak… it's true."
She walked to the edge of the plateau. From this sacred, summer-height, she could see it all: the Fortress City like a grey toy below, the sprawling, cancerous black-and-purple scar of the Void Forest… and beyond it, to the west, the distant, sun-drenched lands that belonged to a man whose face she couldn't remember.
She wasn't just surveying relocation sites anymore.
She had found the heart of the North that still beat. And from this vantage point, the war for its future looked very, very different.
— To Be Continued… —