--How to survive the age of dead snow.

　Largd-Anne said, her small lips bouncing. As for me, I put my fingers on my chin and narrowed my eyes.

　The Age of Dead Snow. There, the world is painted a rude white, and the earth is handed over from the hands of humans to the hands of Hexenbiests. In such a time when the world itself is transforming into a demonic one, there are few ways that a small human can take. In fact, it could be said that nothing could be done.

　In the end, the only thing to do was to hunker down in the city, stocking up on food and necessities. In normal times, Hexenbiests do not enter the human sphere of existence, but at this time, they were showing their faces in the streets and around the city. Even a child knows what will happen if they go out of the city carelessly.

　Of course, there are exceptions to this rule.

　For example, greedy merchants will wander from city to city, knowing the dangers, selling their wares at prices several times higher than usual, and adventurers will find work and money by guarding such merchants. And since the citizens can't go out of the city, they have no choice but to pay adventurers a high price if they have some business to attend to. If the snowfall is prolonged, this will inevitably happen.

　I'm sure some adventurers have said that the dead snow period was a great time to have more work and money. But those are just the exceptions.

　Normally, no one wants to leave the city during this time, and kings and lords don't let their soldiers trample through the snow. Try to force a group of humans to make footprints in the white snow. That's the same as violently invading the territory of Hexenbiests. They would definitely roar and sink their fangs into the vulnerable bodies of humans to add blood to the snow.

　Humans don't make a fuss when they see a hexenbiest or two, but when they appear on the street in a pack, they will send out an army to eliminate them. In the end, it's the same thing.

　Anne's talk in the tent must have been based on this premise. Biting the edges of her lips lightly, she listened to the voice.

The time gained from the dead snow is on our side. We need to buy as much time as we can now, and get ourselves ready. We'll use Galuamaria and Gazalia as our central bases, and supply them with--

　Anne went on to talk about the means of communication, predicting when the dead snow would melt, and maintaining the army. At times, Kalia and Erdis raised questions, but there was no particular objection, and Anne's talk went on.

　I suppose it is only natural. In the age of dead snow, there are not many choices that people, or elves, can take. In a sense, there is no choice. No matter who thinks about it, they will come to the same general conclusion.

　However, even as I listened to Anne's words, something cloudy and anxious was gripping my lungs. There was definitely something heavy in the lower part of my stomach.

　There is one thing that I have come to understand well after the Battle of Sarnio. That is the difference in the scale of the two forces, the heraldry and the great saints. The skill level of the troops, the amount of supplies, the number of horses, etc., the list goes on and on. I think they are trying to make up for this difference during the snowfall.

　To be honest, it is not easy to make up for these differences no matter how you look at it. In fact, no matter how hard I try to fill in the gaps, I don't even know how meaningful it will be.

　Of course, I had understood this in my mind, and had accepted it as such, but... However, when I actually saw it with my own eyes, I felt them pressing down on my back.

　Is it really enough to just stay in the city during the deadly snow and gather up troops and supplies? I can't help but have a silly thought that maybe I should be prepared to do something foolish to raise troops.

　After all, the Great Patriarchs are giants that can easily crush us, and we don't have the weapons to cut off their heads or the means to crush their heads. I can't help but feel a shade of frustration running around the lining of my guts.

　--The tremendously high wall between heraldry and great sainthood. I'm not sure if there really is a way to break it down.

　I let out a breath. A white mist flutters in the air for a moment. The words floated quietly in my chest.

　But I couldn't bring myself to say it. It's just something that everyone in this room understands and realizes. They are far more intelligent than I am. Mattia and Erdis are probably already looking beyond the dead snow.

　And yet, no one in this room said a word about whether they could win against the High Priestess.

　We all know that. If it has to be done, it has to be done. I have forgotten whose words it was.

　After all, there is no miraculous magic in this world that can turn back all the odds, no wonderful way to make everything run smoothly. Somewhere along the way, people and elves have to cut down their souls, reach forward, and do what needs to be done. The world is not kind enough to reach out to all. In fact, it is probably much crueler than people.

　But if I were to be a bit extravagant, I would have hoped that the script would have at least given us one or two more warmth.

　Anne closes her lips and finishes her sentence. She seemed to have finished most of what she had to say. Her large eyes looked around the tent without a hint of fatigue.

"Another High Priestess--or should I say witch, as you call her? The witch Alueno seems to be continuing her pilgrimage during the deadly snow. That's what her hands told me when she appeared before the people in the Kingdom of Garleist.

　At the sound of the familiar name, the forefinger that had been stroking his chin twitched and jumped. I felt my thoughts freeze for a moment. Before I knew it, my spit was rising. Somehow, Kalia's gaze had landed on my cheek.

　After the scene in Belle Fain, I had asked Anne if she could help me find out a little information about Alueno. After all, according to Fialaert, she is called a saint in the Great Sacred Church, so there is no harm in looking into her.

　Well, to be honest, I was hoping that I would be able to get the right information and hold Alueno's hand somewhere.

　However, even with Ann's help, she could only find out where Alueno was after she left the scene. Moreover, there was no regularity to the destination, and from what I heard, only divine revelation indicated the journey. This is a common phrase of crooks, but in this case it is not foolish.



　A cold, blue frustration envelops my chest.

　The Alueno-like person I encountered in Belle Fain. It's not a normal thing, but it's abnormal. There was even a hint of magic playing in the air.

　I still don't know what it was. But since it took the form of Alueno, I can't help but wonder if something is happening to Alueno himself. I felt as if Alueno's handkerchief, which had been tucked away in my chest, had become faintly heated.

　Anne continued to speak.

In terms of a bargaining chip for the Archbishop, I think it is most desirable to capture the witch if possible. However, I can't help but feel that the steps--

　I could see Anne glancing at me, looking strangely apologetic. I blinked my eyelids.

　I wondered if she was concerned because I had asked her to investigate Alueno's movements. He seems to have a sense of responsibility. Or is he a difficult character?

　He nodded lightly as if he didn't care. And I haven't told Anne, but I have my own agenda. I look at the big map and squint lightly.

　First, Bellefane. Place a stone on the map. Next is southwest, then north. I place the stones one by one, but I still don't see any regularity in the places I end up, the size of the cities, or the distances between them. In fact, it seems as if the stones were intentionally left in different places.

　However, it does not mean that there is nothing that comes to mind in those places. It's a ridiculous idea, too thin a line, but...

　My heart palpitated slightly. I asked Anne where she was this time. If this is what I think it is...

"It looks like this way.

　Anne's small finger pointed to the western part of the Garleist Kingdom. Pressing her finger to her lower lip, she looked at the entire map once more.

　And then... She snapped her teeth. I could feel the stagnation deep in my chest, my guts growing heavy and hard like stone. Is it frustration or anticipation? There was a strange feeling in my skull.

　--So, a pilgrimage to give birth to a saint. That's something I didn't know.

　No one else knew? Or was I the only one who wasn't told? Now I don't know.