Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. Chapter 146 - South Continent Expedition — Land of Delirium (1)

Chapter 146 — South Continent Expedition — Land of Delirium (1)

 

Our Moonlight Expedition was climbing a snow-covered mountain.

Crunch. Crunch.

With every step we took, our legs sank to our ankles in the snow. The unending blizzard kept piling snow higher and higher, making each step sink even deeper. The journey was difficult enough already from the cold, and even walking wasn’t easy.

“It’s sooo cold!”

Walking at the front alongside Pendrick, Bartimir shivered. Since he was still wearing nothing on hIS upper body except bandages, just as always, it was only natural he’d be freezing.

Astrimia let out a mental sigh.

“I told you over and over to bring winter clothes, didn’t I?”

“But extreme cold is a negative concept, so I can’t help iiiit!”

After briefly shrinking into himself, Bartimir took a huge breath of air. A common demonic way of eating. Before long, the demon’s pace, which had been slower than Pendrick’s, quickened slightly.

“See? In this labyrinth, I get stronger just by breathing!”

“Yeees, it sure must be nice being a demon!”

There was no denying that demons were a race well-suited for exploration, since harsh environments only made them stronger. The problem was that they were also the race most likely to become outlaws.

“Still, it’s manageable so far.”

Walking close beside me, Marlin’s ears twitched.

“I haven’t picked up anything unusual with Heaven yet.”

“Keep focusing on your hearing.”

“How much farther until we arrive?”

“Well, let’s see…”

After carefully looking over everyone at the party, I pondered seriously before answering.

“Somewhere between a week and a month.”

“Isn’t that way too big a difference…?”

“It can’t be helped. Even I can’t confidently predict how long this labyrinth will take to clear.”

Crunch.

Before we knew it, we’d reached a point where the snow was piled up to our knees. Enjoying the unpleasant sensation of soaking wet shoes and socks to my heart’s content, I continued trudging forward.

“I’ll leave the third waypoint.”

Lucius used a divine Mystery on the snowy ground.

Hummm.

A gray arrow appeared across the white snowfield.

[Waypoint of Protection].

A Mystery that served as both a trail marker and a minor defensive blessing.

“As expected of Father. You’re capable in every respect.”

“It’s nothing. Any brother or sister priest serving the One Who Protects All could do this much.”

While steadily marking the trail for the Nunun Bear Love Guild, who would follow behind us, we continued climbing the snowy mountain.

And then… Twelve hours passed.

Yet the scenery remained almost exactly the same as when we’d begun.

“Woooooooh!”

Unlike Bartimir, who somehow continued becoming more energetic, the rest of the party was gradually growing exhausted under the combined assault of the snowfall and the biting wind.

At least the mountain’s slope wasn’t particularly steep. That much was fortunate.

“We’ll eat while we walk. Father Lucius, please hand out the jerky.”

“Understood.”

Lucius took out bright red strips of jerky from the subspace within his rosary and handed two pieces to each member. It was made from monsters that lived in volcanic regions. It served as both food and a small source of warmth.

“…Karr.”

Chomp. Chomp.

Chewing on her jerky, Marlin tugged on the hem of my clothes.

“Can’t we rest for just a little while?”

“No. It’s dangerous.”

I lifted my head and looked upward. A sky filled with nothing but pure white. Not a trace of blue remained… only blizzard-like snow pouring down endlessly all day.

“When exploring the South Continent proper, you must never stop to rest, not even for a moment. At least being carried while moving is somewhat possible. So if it gets too hard, tell me. I’ll carry you.”

“…If you carry me with your strength, you’ll collapse instead.”

Moving her frozen face just enough to smile, Marlin poked me lightly in the waist.

“I’ll keep going until the end. I’m a proper explorer too.”

“Well done. You’ve become truly admirable.”

Turning around, Pendrick smiled warmly.

“Even Marlin can now fully carry out her own role. This expedition should finish smoothly without any problems!”

He intentionally spoke cheerfully to lift everyone’s spirits. This was exactly why our super-genius swordsman naturally served as the pillar of the Moonlight Expedition.

Not only was his future strength guaranteed to reach the very peak… he even took care of everyone’s morale. In any other expedition, he would’ve had no choice but to become the leader.

“Everyone, keep it up!”

We pressed onward through the snow-covered mountains while listening to Astrimia’s spirited encouragement.

Then…

“……”

Suddenly, Rosalia silently raised one arm.

“…I hear something.”

Almost simultaneously, Marlin’s Heaven Ear picked up a sound as well.

“…Everyone.”

“Prepare for battle.”

At last. The true enemy of the South Continent’s snowy mountains… far worse than the cold or the snow itself… had arrived.

Still concentrating on the sound, Marlin cautiously raised a hand and pointed toward our eleven o’clock.

Crunch. Crunch.

Someone was walking through the snow. Gripping the dagger, First Breath, Marlin tensed her body… then suddenly flinched.

“…Guild Master?”

Black Sword Guild Master Maken. The thief who had once been offered as a sacrifice to Lord Su’eje approached us, his entire body now made of snow from head to toe.

 

[Snow Reconstruction (Level 3)]

[A monster believed to construct its body based on an explorer’s memories. It will imitate the words and behavior of whoever it copies, so caution is advised!]

 

“Marlin.”

The snow-made Black Sword Guild Master spoke quietly.

“If I hadn’t helped you… You and your brother would’ve starved to death on the streets. If I hadn’t accepted you into the guild… You never would’ve survived this long. In fact, I saved your life countless times.”

“……”

Marlin’s face, which had been full of determination only moments ago, turned deathly pale.

“And yet… You betrayed me in the end. Was your little playing-family game with that cultist fun? Do you actually think a cultist who worships an evil god genuinely cares about you?”

Mockery. Ridicule. Scorn.

The longer the Guild Master’s words continued, the more violently Marlin’s eyes began to waver.

“One day… you’ll be sacrificed by the very cultist you adore. How can I be so sure? Because among all sacrifices… the one an evil god finds most delicious… is the person a cultist has truly opened their heart to.”

“……”

Marlin tightly shut her eyes and grabbed my wrist. The turmoil in her heart was transmitted directly through the trembling of her body.

“One day… you’ll die a miserable, horrifying death. You’ve seen all the sacrifices that cultists have offered. You’ll become nothing more than another dish…”

BOOM!

A murky green aura shot forward like a crescent moon.

Slash.

The Black Sword Guild Master was decapitated, his body collapsing into the snow.

“…What an infuriating monster.”

Muttering calmly, Bartimir scratched his head before patting Marlin on top of her several times.

“Marlin. You wavered just now, didn’t you? At the ridiculous claim that Mom would sacrifice you.”

“…In the past… I can’t say I never had that fear.”

Still holding my wrist, Marlin panted heavily for quite some time before finally opening her eyes.

“But… Not anymore.”

Then she looked directly into my eyes. The eyes of the girl who had held no hope when we’d first met were now filled with gentle warmth.

“I know for certain now. Karr might be a little strange… but he’s absolutely not a bad person.”

“Yes. You’ve done well.”

Bartimir smiled and lightly pinched Marlin’s cheek.

“Marlin.”

I placed my left hand atop the one gripping my right wrist. Though my left arm was only a prosthetic, I believed the warmth my heart was trying to convey would still reach her.

“I’m not merely playing family with you and your brother. I truly want us to become a family.”

Emotional exchanges were still unfamiliar to me. I was clumsy at them. But I was trying my best. So that I could become, if only a little, a good adult for these children.

“Just remember that one thing. Then no matter what, this snowy mountain shows you… You’ll be able to keep your sanity.”

The fourth stage of clearing [South Continent Expedition]: Endure the endless mental assaults.

There were no tricks. The only thing that mattered… was the explorer’s own will.

“The same goes for all of you.”

Looking around at the party, I continued.

“From this point onward… this mountain will endlessly attempt to break your minds. You must endure every single trick… and continue advancing.”

We could do it. Together, we could overcome it. In the game, I’d always come here alone and overcome every crisis by myself. But now, we would move forward together.

“But Marlin, is Lord Karr really only a little strange? I think you’re seriously underestimating the little part!”

Astrimia’s best attempt at a joke. It wasn’t particularly funny, but it broke the tense atmosphere, and warm smiles bloomed across everyone’s faces despite the freezing cold.

“As expected of Lady Astrimia. With beauty capable of making anyone blush… you’ve also warmed the mood itself.”

“Oh, Lord Karr! You’re praising me too much!”

After watching Astrimia perform a joyful sword dance, I resumed walking.

“These snow mountain monsters construct their bodies from our memories. The closer we come to our psychological limits… the more frequently they’ll appear.”

From now until we reach our destination, we will be subjected to unending mental attacks.

“The snow that chills both our bodies and hearts will only grow heavier. And as it does… the intensity of the mental attacks will increase as well.”

The South Continent’s snowfall froze not only the body… but the heart as well.

“I’ll repeat this once more. If you stop to rest… it only becomes more dangerous. The attacks won’t stop at monsters. You’ll begin suffering vivid hallucinations so realistic… that you can no longer distinguish reality from illusion.”

If one failed to endure the repeated mental assaults, they would eventually become completely buried beneath the snow, never to rise again. Reduced to a lingering spirit forever trapped within the mountains, forced to endlessly relive unbearable suffering.

“When things become too painful… or too frightening… remember one thing.”

I raised my left hand and deliberately unleashed flames.

“You have me beside you. I will become the anchor… that fixes your sense of reality and hope… amid this sea of delirium.”

Because that was the duty I had to fulfill as the expedition leader.

“…Another one’s coming.”

Another Snow Reconstruction appeared.

This time, three of them at once.

“Experimental Subject Demon-227. So you’ve convinced yourself you’ve finally found true companions. You’re still unbelievably stupid.”

“…Ha. Damn.”

Bartimir’s gaze sank.

“You still haven’t let go of your attachments, Rosalia. How many more friends do you have to cut down before you finally come to your senses?”

“……”

Rosalia’s entire body began trembling violently.

“Lucius, my precious child. Mother loves you. So please die. Die. Die! Just hurry up and die already!”

“…Lady Artein.”

Lucius murmured quietly.

“Marlin. Sir Pendrick.”

“Yes!”

“Understood!”

Taking the place of the three frozen party members, Pendrick cut down the dark mage and the thief. Marlin’s dagger, Last Breath, pierced straight through the priest’s forehead.

“Captain! One appeared on our right!”

Another monster appeared nearby.

“…Are you happy… leaving me to die while you survived alone?”

Yoonji. Covered from head to toe in blood, she glared at me.

“……”

I quietly stood still, then drew a thick, razor-sharp strand of spider silk from my right index finger. I wrapped it in black lightning.

SHRAAK!

The lightning-coated spider thread sliced apart the monster imitating Yoonji.

“……”

“Karr? Are you okay?”

I silently looked down at the snow where the monster’s body had scattered, then furrowed my brow.

This was… rather perplexing.

“…It’s too weak.”

What was I supposed to do if the labyrinth’s mental attacks were less horrifying than the nightmares I normally dreamed?