Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. – Chapter 157 – Southern Continent Expedition – The Land of Repayment

Author: Cireng

Chapter 157 – Southern Continent Expedition – The Land of Repayment

The plaza where the frozen Iceberg Mammoth statue stood.

“…Ah! Cold!”

Marlin sat down on a bench before immediately springing back up in surprise.

It was only natural. The bench was made of ice.

“Aw… I just wanted to sit down and rest a little…”

“Kuruk!”

Iquiril hopped from Marlin’s shoulder onto the bench and proudly lifted its head.

“So you can sit on it?”

“Kururuk!”

“Hmph! Don’t show off!”

“Kuruk, kurururuk.”

The sacred snow squirrel leisurely curled up and lay down on the bench. Looking at it resentfully, Marlin picked Iquiril up and quickly hugged it against her chest.

“Well? How’s my Warmth Attack?”

“Kurururuk…!”

The two of them really got along well. I had told them to become friends, but I never imagined they’d become best friends in just a few days.

As someone who, because of an innate defect, had always needed exhaustive research, rehearsal, and conversation practice just to make friends… I couldn’t help feeling a little envious.

“Stop fighting and sit together nicely.”

I sat down on the long, sardine-shaped bench and spread a thick layer of spider silk over the seat beside me. Still vigorously rubbing Iquiril’s head, Marlin’s face brightened as she sat down on the silk like it was a cushion.

“Phew… I finally feel alive again.”

“Rest for a while.”

“Kuruk.”

“You, on the other hand, shouldn’t rest. Go run ten laps around the plaza for some exercise.”

“Kururuk!?”

Startled, Iquiril immediately burrowed back into Marlin’s arms.

“Lord Karr, I have a heated cushion. Would you like it?”

Lucius pulled out what looked unmistakably like a warm, shield-shaped cushion from the rosary’s subspace.

“No, thank you. I’m fine.”

Crossing my legs leisurely, I surveyed the plaza. This was all part of my religious devotion to Lord Lidni, who loved every kind of fresh experience. Unlike when I’d been running around disabling the ruins’ security devices, I was carefully observing every detail this time.

He seemed immensely pleased.

[The Wise One highly praises the city’s bold design, saying it’s wonderful how it was clearly built without ever considering visits from other races!]

“…Golden Crow. Aren’t you cold?”

Veldora, sitting atop her hideous scythe, narrowed her eyes.

“Priest, why don’t you give the cushion to my friend Lady Veldora instead?”

“Certainly. Here you are, Lady Veldora.”

“…Thank you.”

Veldora immediately accepted the kindness. Only then did the uneasy-looking shaman visibly relax.

“Is it warm?”

“Mm…”

She even smiled while enjoying the comforting warmth.

Then… She glanced toward my precious backside. I immediately shook my head.

“No. I can lend you the cushion, but even between friends…”

“…Wh-What are you thinking?”

“Lady Veldora, you can just ignore him and say what you want.”

“Thanks for the advice, Marlin.”

Why did she look so pleased while accepting such ominous advice telling her to ignore what people said?

“Golden Crow. Do you possess some kind of mystery that heats your body?”

“How can you stay so calm?”

“No such mystery.”

Staring at an elaborate streetlamp carved from ice, I continued.

“When else in life will I ever experience the sensation of only my butt freezing solid while sitting? I can’t let such a precious opportunity go to waste. So I’m simply enduring it.”

Compared to the agony I’d experienced when disabling the ruins’ defense mechanisms with my own body…

“Frozen Butt Syndrome” was nothing more than the pleasant breeze of a cool fan.

“…”

Veldora frowned before slowly nodding.

“Accept everything he says at face value…”

Apparently, she was still keeping Astrimia’s absurd advice close to heart. For someone who was a candidate to become the next guild master, accepting absolutely everything people said without question wasn’t exactly ideal.

“So this is where everyone was!”

After I’d spent quite some time appreciating the cold sensation, Expedition Leader Brinya came running over with tiny, hurried steps and proudly thumped his chest.

“These ruins are absolutely incredible! Once I publish my findings, the entire academic world is going to be turned upside down!”

His eyes blazed with excitement. His passion and enthusiasm exceeded the average dwarf’s by a noticeable margin.

“It sounds like you’ve made an incredible discovery.”

As I casually asked, Brinya’s grin widened.

“Indeed! If my hypothesis is correct, these ruins predate even the oldest civilization on the Three Continents by an enormous margin! It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this the first city!”

The excited dwarf even snorted through her nose as she eagerly explained her research.

Then…

Chijing.

A blue Gate materialized near the plaza.

“…It’s done. Finally…!”

The explorers of the Nunun Bear Love Guild and the Moonlight Expedition Team quietly cheered.

For the very first time… The standard completion conditions for [Southern Continent Expedition], an unexplored dungeon for the past fifteen years, had finally been fulfilled.

Now only the final reward remained.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

While I listened to the exhilarated expedition leader enthusiastically explain her discoveries… Pingpi came toddling toward us. In one wing, he held an ice staff longer than his own body.

“Set the cube down.”

“Understood.”

“Marlin?”

“Yes…!”

Marlin carefully placed the cube-shaped artifact in the center of the plaza.

After having everyone stand well back… Pingpi raised the wing holding the staff.

“This is my decision alone. But it’ll be fine. By now, my people are surely creating far greater tools high within that endless Void… .drifting forever upon the glacier of eternity.”

Shuaaaaa!

Violent freezing energy began swirling around the tip of the ice staff.

“To be honest… I feel relieved. At long last, I can finally send off the one who spent so long here alone… accomplishing nothing.”

The raging blizzard shot skyward… Then condensed into an enormous icicle before plunging into the cube.

KANG!

A strike powerful enough to kill even me instantly in my current state.

Yet… Not a single scratch appeared on the cube.

Instead… It absorbed the entire gigantic icicle in one instant.

“Iquiril.”

At Pingpi’s call… The snow squirrel, which had silently watched everything until now, stood up.

“It’s time to fulfill your role.”

“Kuruk!”

Leaping high into the air… Iquiril landed lightly atop the cube. Then, using its ability to pass through ice… It slipped straight inside the artifact.

Hwaaaaa—!

A freezing magic circle spread outward from the cube until it covered the entire plaza. Its design resembled artistic depictions of fish and glaciers.

The preparations were complete.

“Marlin. Calm your mind.”

I lightly tapped her back as she nodded.

“It would also be good to prepare yourself to receive a precious gift worthy of everything you’ve endured.”

The reason I’d selected [Southern Continent Expedition] as one of the labyrinth candidates to conquer… Through everything we’d done during this expedition… Every requirement for obtaining the hidden reward had now been fulfilled.

“Blonde friend.”

As Pingpi poured mana into the magic circle through his staff, he looked at me.

“We had only just met. You weren’t even someone from the Outside. Yet you sincerely mourned my passing… and brought me back to life. This is my repayment.”

First hidden reward condition: Mourn Pingpi and help resurrect him.

“Everything is ready. Since it’s you… you already know what comes next, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

I turned toward Aira, who had been standing absentmindedly beside Brinya.

“Lady Aira. Could you pour water over the magic circle using [Origin of Pure Water]?”

“…”

Aira silently met my gaze before producing an enormous quantity of water from her hand.

“You told me how to lift my daughter’s curse. I can certainly do this much.”

Second condition: Bring the Sea-Origin Elf sailor Aira safely to the ruins.

Shwaaaaaa!

The pure water that only Sea-Origin Elves, the only intelligent race capable of creating it, could produce poured down upon the plaza like a sudden rainstorm. The magic circle glowed blue as it greedily devoured every drop.

“And then… Tiger.”

The last Glacial Battle Emperor looked toward Marlin.

“Iquiril rarely opens its heart to anyone outside our race.”

“I just gave it some snacks, and we became friends…”

“It’s a sacred beast. The fact that you’ve become friends already proves you’re kind-hearted.”

Third condition: Raise your affinity with Iquiril, who would never befriend someone lacking kindness.

Pingpi chuckled before pointing toward the cube at the center of the magic circle.

“Go. Place your hand upon it. You’re more than qualified. You weren’t shaken by the Blizzard’s Delusion.”

Final condition: Possess a strong enough mind to endure the Blizzard of delirium without being consumed by it.

All four demanding conditions had been fulfilled.

Now it was time to harvest the sweet reward.

“…Karr?”

“It’s alright. Go.”

I gently pushed the back of the hesitant, kind-hearted girl.

Marlin stumbled forward slightly. After hesitating for a moment… She slowly walked over and bent down.

Tap.

The slightly rough hand she’d developed through practicing dagger arts and throwing-knife techniques touched the cube.

CRASH!

The magic circle instantly lost all its light.

It was absorbed into the cube… Which immediately shattered into countless fragments.

Like flower petals in spring… The icy shards floated through the air and began circling around Marlin.

“Kururuk!”

At some point, Iquiril had climbed onto Marlin’s head and let out a loud cry.

“…Iquiril?”

“Kuruk.”

The sacred snow squirrel pointed downward with its forepaw. The floating ice petals were attaching themselves to Marlin’s hands. Taking the shape… Of exquisitely beautiful gloves.

“…What’s this?”

“The Extreme Frost Series.”

I gazed at the brilliantly blue gloves.

“Artifacts comparable to the Ego Series that Lady Astrimia belongs to.”

Truthy displayed text more excited than ever before.

[Artifact – Gléléré of Frost]

[One of the Extreme Frost Series artifacts crafted by a master artisan of the Glacial Battle Emperor race. The wearer can create ice weapons in any form they desire and may also use the power of a sacred beast or spirit bonded to them in soul as a “Frozen Comrade.”]

[Currently Registered Frozen Comrade (1): Sacred Snow Squirrel Iquiril]

At last… We had obtained it.

The ultimate weapon, Marlin could continue using all the way until she retired as an explorer.

[Even I’ve never seen one in person! The Wise One has opened their eyes wide!]

“Well?”

After I explained its functions… Marlin’s eyes widened.

“…Is it really okay for me to have something like this?”

“Of course.”

I turned toward the explorers.

“Does anyone secretly think… ‘That should’ve been mine!’?”

“…”

Tilda raised her hand, only to be elbowed by the forest elf Lael, causing her to hurriedly lower it again.

Smiling in satisfaction, I looked back at Marlin.

“See? No one does.”

“…I feel guilty.”

“Then should I take it instead? Hurry and hand it over. Honestly, I wanted it myself.”

“Woohoo. The Extreme Frost Series is mine now.”

“…”

Marlin immediately hid both hands behind her back.

“…I’ll just accept it.”

“A wise decision.”

After patting the still-dazed Marlin on the back… I bowed respectfully to Pingpi in gratitude.

The final Glacial Battle Emperor remaining in the city lowered his head in return.

“Blonde friend. Take this as well.”

He tossed me a small sardine-shaped object. Naturally, with a half-elf’s physical abilities, I failed to catch it.

Marlin caught it instead.

[Artifact – Kwek-Kwek Kkwek!]

[Single-use. Opens a Gate that summons the Glacial Battle Emperor race.]

“Break that. No matter where you are… my people will come to save you. It’s proof that you’re a benefactor of our race.”

Another hidden reward obtainable alongside Gléléré of Frost once its conditions had been met. An artifact that was, for all practical purposes… An extra life.

“Expedition Member Karr! I’d like to express my gratitude as well! …I suppose I should give you something too.”

Brinya and Aira each handed me a reward in turn.

An old mystery tome and a jewel.

[5th-Tier Mystery Tome – Eyes That Pierce Through]

[Allows the user to decipher every kind of written language.]

[Gem – Akurain]

[When embedded into a weapon or piece of equipment, it allows the wearer to breathe underwater.]

“It’s a copied version of my family’s secret mystery tome. It’ll tear itself apart after being read once!”

“It’s valuable. Feel free to sell it.”

“Thank you both very much.”

After bowing my head… I turned around.

My companions from the Moonlight Expedition Team.