Chapter 377: Takatsuki Makoto Investigates the Arctic Continent – (2)
TLN: Hey guys, Reigokai here!
Sorry for the long delay. Just to let you know that it was because I took a mini vacation due to having married.
I am back now and ready to continue!
——
“There sure are a lot of monsters…” (Sakurai)
Sakurai-kun murmured beside me.
“Yeah, but none of them are reacting to us.” (Makoto)
Right now, we were flying over a horde of more than a million monsters.
Both Sakurai-kun and I were suppressing our mana and aura, but we weren’t actually hiding our presence.
Some monsters should have noticed us…but none of them tried to attack. (As expected of the Arctic Continent…so many ice-attribute monsters…) (Makoto)
White monsters crawled across the silver snowfield below.
They weren’t fighting each other, and instead were aligned in neat formations.
If someone was commanding this many monsters, that someone would definitely be Demon Lord-class.
“But with numbers like this, we can’t tell where the leader is…” (Sakurai)
“True…” (Makoto)
Sakurai-kun was right.
Even though their formation was orderly, there were simply too many.
Not to mention the leader might be somewhere far away…or hiding.
How are we supposed to find them…?
While Sakurai-kun and I hovered above the monster horde, unsure of our next move…
—Gururururu… GAAAH!
—Giiiiii… chichichichi!
—Kyakyakyakyakya!
—Hyuuuu… kweeee!
—Fushaaah!
We were suddenly surrounded by dozens of monsters.
Each one of them was huge: dragon-class monsters.
“Oh, looks like they’ve come to greet us.” (Makoto)
“Takatsuki-kun, get back! I’m the vanguard.” (Sakurai)
“Got it.” (Makoto)
Just as we had agreed beforehand, I retreated to the rear as the backliner.
Sakurai-kun drew the sword at his waist.
“Sun Magic: [Sunshine Sword]!”
It was the first time I’d seen this sword magic.
It wasn’t his usual white light… This time it glowed with a blazing orange radiance.
I glanced up.
Even the thin clouds in the sky had all vanished.
The surrounding temperature rose slightly.
That definitely wasn’t my imagination.
(Amazing… The activation alone shifts the weather in his favor.) (Makoto)
I didn’t even need to manipulate the clouds with water magic.
Sakurai-kun has grown stronger on his own.
—Kyoeeeee!?
—Pyeeeeen!?
—Nyaaaa!!
It wasn’t just me who was startled.
The monsters, scared by the sunlike radiance and the weather-changing effect of the sword magic, all…fled in panic.
“…Huh?” (Sakurai)
Sakurai-kun, who had struck a cool pose with his magic sword, looked dumbfounded.
“They ran away.” (Makoto)
“…Yeah.” (Sakurai)
He nodded sadly when I said that.
“Well, I guess this confirms that someone really is leading this horde. The way those monsters behaved looked like they were acting on orders.” (Makoto)
“But since they immediately ran off, we didn’t really get any information.” (Sakurai)
“No, looks like the next one’s coming. If those were mid-bosses, then that thing is the main boss.” (Makoto)
I pointed straight ahead, and Sakurai-kun raised his magic sword again.
Basaa… basaa… basaa…
Large wingbeats echoed.
Byoooooo…
And a roaring wind followed.
What approached us was a gigantic Ancient Dragon.
(It’s…controlling a blizzard…?) (Makoto)
Just existing altered the weather around it.
Snow swirled around the Ancient Dragon like a barrier.
The sky clouded over rapidly.
(This is bad.) (Makoto)
Sakurai-kun wouldn’t be able to fight at his full strength.
“Great Water Spirit Dia! Clear the weather!” (Makoto)
I called for Dia and asked.
“A simple task, Our King.” (Dia)
Smiling, Dia snapped her fingers.
Her gestures were starting to resemble Noah-sama’s…
In an instant, the clouds vanished and the sky cleared.
Sakurai-kun’s magic sword now shone so brightly it was hard to look at directly.
It felt like he could one-shot a Demon Lord like this.
I worried the Ancient Dragon might flee too, but as expected of an Ancient Dragon…
It slowly approached us, unfazed.
“Takatsuki-kun, back up.” (Sakurai)
“I’ll leave it to you.” (Makoto)
I stepped back and watched Sakurai-kun.
Finally, I’d get to see the power of his new magic sword.
Just when I started getting excited…
“Oh my, I thought it might be you. Are you perhaps the Dragon King, Takatsuki Makoto-sama?”
The Ancient Dragon spoke to us…kindly.
“Eh?”
“Huh?”
Sakurai-kun and I exchanged glances.
…Acquaintance?
“Have we met before?” (Makoto)
“My apologies. I am Focalor, the Ancient Dragon of the Extreme North who rules over half of the Arctic Continent. I am brothers-in-law with Astaroth, who has spoken of you, Takatsuki-sama.”
“That’s very polite of you… Um, this is my friend, Sakurai-kun.” (Makoto)
“H-Hello, I’m Sakurai Ryosuke.” (Sakurai)
“Oh! I know of you as well. You defeated Great Demon Lord Iblis-sama. My brother-in-law has expressed interest in crossing blades with you someday. A pleasure to meet you.” (Focalor)
The dragon spoke in an extremely courteous tone.
A gentleman.
…It seemed we really didn’t need to fight.
Might as well ask some questions.
“Um, are you the one commanding this huge monster horde?” (Makoto)
“No, not me. These are the subordinates of the Ice Queen.” (Focalor)
“The…Ice Queen?” (Makoto)
I tilted my head.
Though… I feel like I have heard the name somewhere.
In an old book…the Five Continent Adventure Chronicles (Author: Uther Mercurius Pendragon), if I remember right…
“Takatsuki-kun, the Ice Queen is said to be an ancient Demon Lord who has ruled the Arctic Continent since mythological times. No one has ever confirmed her existence though…” (Sakurai)
Sakurai-kun explained.
Right!
The so-called phantom Demon Lord.
But apparently…she actually exists.
Still, I had more questions.
“Why did the Ice Queen gather this massive horde? Is she planning to start a war with another continent?” (Makoto)
Hearing my question, Sakurai-kun’s expression hardened as well.
No one brings over a million monsters together without reason.
We waited quietly for the answer.
“Oh, it’s simply because today is the day Her Highness, the daughter of the Ice Queen, inherits the title of Demon Lord. All residents of the Arctic Continent are celebrating. Takatsuki-sama, Sakurai-dono, would you care to meet the Ice Queen? I believe she will welcome you.” (Focalor)
“…”
“…”
The answer was so unexpected we couldn’t respond.
◇◇
“That over there is the Ice Queen’s castle: the White Crystal Palace. The subordinates are presenting their gifts, you see.” (Focalor)
Sakurai-kun and I were riding on the Ancient Dragon’s back.
“Oh, I see.” (Sakurai)
“There’s a ton of stuff.” (Makoto)
The White Crystal Palace glittered beautifully in the sunlight.
At the main gate, piles of giant fish, fruits, grains, jewels, and weapons were stacked up.
All gifts for the new Ice Queen.
Monsters were lined up politely waiting their turn.
So the million-monster horde was simply here to celebrate the new Ice Queen’s coronation.
…A very peaceful event.
Not a monster stampede at all.
“At this rate, won’t it…never end?” (Sakurai)
Sakurai-kun looked worried.
True, lining up a million monsters would probably take a year.
“Hahaha! Only the chiefs of each tribe are greeting her. Though there are over a thousand tribes, so yes, it takes some time.” (Focalor)
The Ancient Dragon laughed as he explained.
“Um, are we allowed to skip ahead of the line?” (Makoto)
I asked.
“How strange of you to ask. Takatsuki Makoto-sama defeated my brother-in-law, Astaroth. Sakurai-dono defeated Great Demon Lord Iblis. No one in this world outranks you.” (Focalor)
And just like that, he descended directly inside the main gate.
Sakurai-kun and I dismounted.
At the same time, Focalor-san transformed into a humanoid form.
A tall elderly man with pure white hair.
Since he was Astaroth’s younger brother, I expected him to look similar…but in appearance alone, he looked older.
The courtyard was full of monsters; each one radiating strength on par with a knight-captain from the Sun Kingdom.
So these were the tribal chiefs of the Ice Queen’s ancient Demon Lord army.
…This might actually be comparable to a Demon Lord’s full fighting force.
Just as I secretly marveled…
— “Who are you? State your names.”
A bewitching voice that made me instinctively want to obey echoed out.
We looked toward the speaker.
Two women with white hair and white dresses stood there.
One looked in her late twenties.
The other was mid-teens…around our age.
The older one was probably the current Ice Queen.
The younger one, the new Ice Queen.
“My apologies, Ice Queen. I have brought guests.” (Focalor)
“Focalor-dono… I told you today was an important day.”
The older Ice Queen scolded him.
Meanwhile, the younger Ice Queen stared at us…or rather, stared at Sakurai-kun intensely.
Sakurai-kun was also staring back at her.
(I should greet the elder one first.) (Makoto)
I applied what little social etiquette Sofia had taught me.
“N-Nice to meet you, Ice Queen-sama. I-I’m Takatsuki Makoto.” (Makoto)
When I introduced myself, the current Ice Queen’s expression changed drastically.
“What! You’re the Dragon King who defeated Astaroth!? Ugh… we truly should have gone to greet you first… Forgive me, Dragon King-sama! For failing to—”
But then…
“You… Ryosuke-kun!?”
“Could you be…Inoue Ruka-san?” (Sakurai)
The younger Ice Queen and Sakurai-kun spoke at the same time.
Then she ran up to Sakurai-kun…
—And hugged him.
The older Ice Queen and Focalor were both stunned.
Of course, so was I.
(Inoue…Ruka?) (Makoto)
I repeated the name Sakurai-kun had said.
A faint memory sparked.
“Hey, you’re Takatsuki Makoto-kun, right!? Long time no see!” (Ruka)
The younger Ice Queen called to me, still clinging to Sakurai-kun.
That confirmed it.
Inoue Ruka-san.
A classmate from our old world.
So the new Ice Queen…was an isekai transfer classmate.
■Comments Response:
>I feel like Sakurai-kun would get happy to be relied on by Makoto.
>He can also have a proper adventure.
-Great to see Sakurai-kun having fun.
>Could it be that the Ice Queen girl that was mentioned in Noah-sama and Nyaru-sama’s conversation will show up?
-Who knows?
■Author’s Comment:
I am so busy, the chapter ended up short. I am sorry.
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