Chapter 82
As he crossed the portal, the cold wind enveloped his entire body.
White breath came out of Lexion’s mouth.
But he didn’t care and surveyed his surroundings.
The space where the portal of the Magic Tower was located was at a cave.
It was also dark since it was in a fairly deep place.
Fortunately, thanks to the magic lamp that seemed to have been installed by the wizards, he was able to find a path.
Lexion quickly moved forward to get out of the cave.
After leaving the cave and walking for a while, a small snowy forest appeared.
Behind the forest was a small village and a high mountain range further back.
It was as Jeremy said.
“There it is.”
Lexion moved quickly through the small forest.
Then the village appeared, almost as small as the forest.
The village was minuscule in scale it wasn’t appropriate to call it a village.
There were only about ten households in there, and there seemed to be few people.
Behind it stood the majestic Kurte Mountain.
The Kurte Mountain ran horizontally across the Northern border of the Soleth Empire.
Some people climbed the mountain range a long time ago, but most of them died during their ascent because it was arduously difficult.
For this reason, the Kurte Mountain was also known as the Mountain of Death.
Lexion looked at the mountain range and soon entered the village.
At the entrance to the village, a frozen wooden sign announced ‘Kurte Village’.
At the bottom of the mountain range, the village of Kurte, closest to the entrance to the mountain range, was a harsh environment with few people.
It was rather strange that people were living in an area where there was only winter and arctic wind.
As Lexion entered the village, he pulled on the robe he’d packed and pulled up his hood.
It was unlikely that the people here would recognize him, but one could never know.
He tightened his robe and then walked forward.
Despite wearing his winter uniform underneath his robe, it was freezing around the Kurte Mountain.
Not only was the temperature low, but the wind was blowing continuously.
“Hah.”
Cold liquid touched Lexion’s cheek.
It was snow.
Snow began to flutter and fall.
Amid the snow, Lexion casually entered the village.
Then, someone walked by from the other side.
An old man with a hunched back, wearing a winter coat.
Lexion called out as he approached him.
“Old man.”
“How did you come to this town? Have you lost your way?”
The old man cordially asked the stranger who approached him.
Most of those who came to Kurte village have lost their way.
So he would often give directions to strangers to nearby towns.
The old man thought that the young man who appeared in front of him was like them.
Until he heard the young man’s next words.
“Which direction is the entrance to the Kurte Mountain?”
At Lexion’s question, the old man’s eyes widened.
“Wait! You are heading to the Kurte Mountain?”
“Yes.”
The answer was swift; the old man lunged forward and grabbed Lexion’s arm.
For an old man, his grip was strong. But Lexion did not budge.
“It’s just starting to snow and you’re heading to the Kurte Mountain! Are you crazy?!”
The old man berated at Lexion.
Once the snow started to fall in the Kurte Mountain, it wouldn’t stop for days and days.
On a clear day, even after climbing the mountain range, there were times when it was impossible to return.
But trying to climb the Kurte Mountain during a blizzard!
The young man must be crazy.
“If you are going to the mountain, go when the weather gets a bit clearer! It will be clear in a few days.”
But Lexion didn’t respond.
He just pushed aside the old man’s hand that was grasping his arm and passed by him.
If he didn’t want to show the way, there was no need to talk anymore.
As Lexion passed the old man, the old man shouted from behind.
“Stop! If you go now, you could die!”
The old man tried to grab Lexion, but Lexion didn’t care.
‘If Elena dies…’
He would die too.
He would follow after her.
Lexion smiled bitterly and continued his journey.
How far had he walked?
Before his eyes, a sign pointing to the entrance to the Kurte Mountain appeared.
*****
Elena moved quickly.
As she approached the portal for the Kurte Mountain, she rummaged through her pockets that led to her storeroom.
‘It’s quite cold in the Kurte Mountain, so I have to prepare well.’
Lexion may have already reached the mountain range, she needed to be properly prepared.
So she put on several layers of thin clothes and even pulled out a thick winter coat.
Then, the magic supplies and various potions to help maintain body temperature were placed at an accessible location so that when she put her hand in her pocket, she could easily grab them.
As soon as the preparations were finished, she arrived at the portal room.
Among the dozens of similar portals, Elena quickly found the portal that was connected to a cave near the Kurte Mountain.
“Hah.”
Elena exhaled lightly and eased the tension she was experiencing.
Before entering the portal, she took a bottle of Rose from her storage.
It couldn’t eradicate the curse, but she wondered if it might ease some of her pain.
After she emptied the bottle of Rose, she felt the pain in her body mitigating.
“Alright. Let’s go now.”
Elena, having finished all preparations, went straight through the portal.
She immediately felt the cool breeze.
Elena looked around.
The portal was inside a cave. It was a dark cave, but there was a magic lamp so she could check the surroundings.
‘It’s not very cold since it’s inside the cave.’
But her thoughts changed as soon as she left the cave.
After a brief period of walking, Elena got out of the cave and a blizzard instantly hit her.
“Ugh.”
Elena swallowed back a curse and trudged forward.
It was a good thing she’d taken a potion to help her stay warm before leaving the cave.
‘Otherwise, I might have frozen to death.’
Elena hurriedly passed the small forest.
Then, a village covered in snow appeared.
‘Is that Kurte Village?’
Houses with smoke from chimneys were clustered together.
The number was not much, but it seemed that her guess was right.
‘Did Lexion also pass by here? Anyway, Lexion… is he okay?’
As soon as she entered the village, she immediately worried about his safety.
She drank a potion to maintain her body temperature, but Lexion didn’t.
‘As a Sword Master, it might be okay to some extent. But I must hurry before it is too late.’
Determined, Elena quickened her pace.
It was only possible because she was not suffering from any pain thanks to Rose’s effect.
Soon, a figure appeared in front of her.
It was an old man with a bent back, wearing a thick coat.
‘Thank goodness.’
Elena went straight to the old man.
“Hello, old man.”
As she greeted him warmly, the old man also amiably reciprocated.
“Nice to meet you, miss. Are you lost too?”
“Ah. I am looking for directions. Do you happen to know where the entrance to the Kurte Mountain is?”
When Elena asked this, the old man’s expression hardened at once.
“Some crazy young man went to the mountain range earlier. Does Miss also plan to go to the mountain range?”
At the old man’s question, Elena promptly nodded.
The old man was startled and tried to stop her, but eventually gave up.
‘You have the same eyes as that crazy young man from earlier.’
Lexion, whom he had met a while ago, and this young lady were both strong-willed.
So the old man roughly pointed at a road and left.
“Thank you, old man!”
Nodding to the old man, Elena headed in the direction he was pointing.
‘Was Lexion the crazy young man that the old man was describing? But why is Lexion crazy?’
She didn’t understand it. But since she was in a hurry, she didn’t have time to dwell on it anymore.
At some point.
Elena had reached the entrance to the mountain range.
The entrance to the vast mountain range was a steep slope.
Since the entire Kurte Mountain was covered in snow, the entrance was also shrouded in snow.
But there were footprints of a person.
‘… It must be Lexion’s.’
Even though the snow was falling, the footprints were visible, so it was clear that he had just entered the mountain.
Elena tightened her coat a bit more and breathed in deeply.
‘It will be fine.’
According to a story she heard a long time ago, from the entrance, the Kurte Mountain was encompassed by a protection built by a monster.
The translucent shield was, in a word, a trap for wizards.
The moment the wizard stepped into that veil, the trap would disappear.
So, in a word, she could die here.
Thump, Thump.
Elena’s heart beat faster.
She couldn’t step forward.
‘… But even at this moment, Lexion is getting farther away.’
Elena thought of her lover and shook off her fears.
There was a chance she could die.
But now, she had no choice but to believe in the power of the spirits flowing through her body.
She tightly closed her eyes and anxiously stepped forward.
