“Hahaha, so you’re saying the humans of the Empire can’t even recognize their own children? They’re practically blind!”
Bang! Gishta slammed down her drinking vessel, or should I say, a large barrel, and wiped her mouth.
In the center of the village, there was a huge underground cave that served as a food storage.
A drinking party was in full swing as we held our welcoming feast there.
“You’re looking healthy.”
“Come marry me.”
“Hey now, I’m first in line!”
Bruno was surrounded by the villagers, enjoying his peak popularity.
With a serious face, his chin raised about 15 degrees, he looked quite happy.
Hugo and Tanya, who were silently keeping their drinking to a minimum due to their mission, had a strange charm about them that seemed to attract some attention.
Since Tanya kept covering her face, they probably thought she was a guy.
Only the squad leader was sweating profusely, shaking in tension.
“Now that we’ve had some drinks, your body must be warm. Let’s head outside, Lars!”
With the sun setting, wasn’t it time to prepare for the night?
Gishta tugged at my wrist and marched up towards the surface.
‘This is a bit scary.’
She was much more spirited than the future version of her I remembered.
Back then, she felt like a much calmer and colder warrior, the kind you’d typically call a barbarian.
Or should I say a barbarian woman?
‘Must be the effects of being infected with Demon’s Blood.’
Her skin was darker than it is now.
Gishta energetically climbed up the ridge, and suddenly, I felt drained and was out of breath.
“What’s this? Have you already tired out, Lars?”
“…No.”
Gotta keep my pride intact.
“You’re weak! At this rate, you’ll never have strong children!”
Her shout echoed, and then suddenly, I was lifted off the ground.
She had picked me up!
“You need to have healthy children with a healthy woman!”
“Could you phrase that more delicately… huff.”
Gishta didn’t give me a chance to respond and began jumping up the slope.
In no time, we reached halfway, and she set me down, putting an arm around me.
“Look, Lars.”
Gishta pointed at the distant scenery of the plains with her finger.
“That village breaks the ice to catch fish. That one brings fur and meat. Over there, they gather wood. And there, they raise mounts.”
“Wow, they sure have a division of labor. Well done.”
“The Rock Tribe and Glacier Tribe don’t know how to settle down. They come raiding us whenever they can. Of course, we smash their heads every time!”
Bang! Gishta energetically clashed her fists together.
Her gaze toward the ice field was filled with affection.
I had one question.
“Why live here? This land seems uncomfortable, being resource-poor. It’s enough for only your tribe to live in.”
“Ah, I was wondering about that. I heard the land of your Empire is overflowing with milk and honey. That green fruit was really tasty, and more than anything, I’m envious of the rivers that flow abundantly!”
She must have gone down to the Gothberg Marquisate and seen the rivers. They connect to the islands and start from here, running through the Empire.
Gishta pointed with her finger towards the center of the flatland.
A small whirlwind, seeping from underground, shot up into the sky.
“Do you see that stone-built grave? My mother lies deep beneath the ice.”
“Your mother? The Heavenly Dragon?”
“Exactly. She suffered major injuries in a battle long, long ago and entered a deep sleep. If any other tribe or demon touches her, it’s a big problem. We must protect our mother.”
I didn’t know that backstory.
In this world, dragons were elevated beings, existing as powerful primordial entities, while the rest were their descendants.
They say the goddess created the world, and the five primordial dragons created the continents, a typical fantasy tale.
Given that Gishta referred to her as “mother,” does that mean the Heavenly Dragon herself is sealed there?
‘In the future, the Thunder Tribe came out and occupied this land up to the marquisate.’
I don’t really know exactly what happened.
‘Wouldn’t it be a problem if the mana of a being like the Heavenly Dragon got into the demon race?’
Well, since that route doesn’t seem to tie into any bad endings, it’s probably best to steer clear of it.
“So you’ll keep living here until the Heavenly Dragon awakens?”
“Yes. This is the land of thunder.”
“It’s spacious and cool; I like it.”
“It’s a good land! If only it had rivers like yours. Everything freezes so you can’t move at all. If only the mountain melted enough to flow, it would be perfect!”
That would likely result in a huge flood.
I could clearly see Gishta’s objective to protect this land with affection.
And my goal is the Storm Stone.
How can I naturally steer the conversation toward it?
Since the amulet was the key item of the Chieftain of the Rock Tribe, it’s highly likely Gishta treats the Storm Stone with similar care.
After all, it’s a legendary artifact.
I should make my way back to the beginning.
“Is it okay to leave your mother so far away like this?”
“Ah, she’s frozen solid, so it’s fine!”
“Haha, right, you’re strong enough to bring down lightning from the sky. If enemies appeared, you’d handle them in no time.”
“Of course. Lars, do you want to see her again?”
Gishta suddenly raised her axe high without warning. I raised both my hands to stop her.
“Whoa! If an avalanche occurs here, I won’t be able to budge!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get you out if that happens.”
Even in the middle of the night, she smiled brightly, showing her teeth, which was oddly reassuring.
“How does that thunder happen? Is it the power of dragons or something?”
I’m attempting to smoothly bring up the topic of the Storm Stone.
“Hmm, it’s simple. When I put strength into my arms and swing down the axe, the sky rumbles.”
But her answer was slightly off from what I intended.
“Hmm, impressive. So you don’t need any other assistance? Like a special weapon or a mystical gem?”
“None! You can only rely on my strength!”
“I see.”
That’s odd. She doesn’t have the Storm Stone?
There’s no way; I distinctly remember her wearing it as a necklace in the future.
‘If I came this far only to turn back empty-handed, I’d want to cry.’
Given the situation, I decided to go all out.
I pulled out the amulet I was wearing.
“Ooh!”
Gishta’s eyes widened as she recognized what it was.
“This is the necklace worn by the Chieftain of the Rock Tribe. I’ve been wearing it since I claimed it as a trophy. How does it look?”
“It suits you well! Hahaha, Lars, look! I’ve also attached the horns of the demons I’ve slain to my waist. This one’s from the Baikon. It tried to kick me, so I tore it apart!”
“Sounds impressive. Just so you know, when I defeated the Chieftain of the Rock Tribe, it was chaos! I faced that giant right by the battlements!”
“If only I could’ve seen that guy die with my own eyes! That bastard stole years’ worth of food from our tribe. Great job, Lars!”
Gishta excitedly turned her gaze back to me.
I kept presenting the amulet, hoping she would notice something.
“Hmm?”
Maybe my prayer reached her, as Gishta tilted her head and placed her finger on the amulet’s groove.
“What’s this?”
“Wow, I didn’t expect you to know about it. Do you have any idea what it is?”
“Hmm, I have an idea.”
But it seems she doesn’t possess it.
Then it must not be a precious item passed down through her tribe.
She isn’t the type to test my character. I thought it was a good idea to bring it up.
“Gishta, if you know, could you tell me where it is? This necklace is a dangerous item. For now, I’m managing it myself.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I believe it will be safer if I can put something that pairs with it inside.”
To be precise, I need it to heal Acella, who’s in a dangerous state.
Explaining everything would be complicated, so I skipped over some details.
“Hm.”
For once, Gishta didn’t reply right away. It seemed she was pondering something.
“Lars, the stories you tell are all fascinating and interesting.”
“Really? Well, if it’s about the outside world, I have plenty more to share…”
“Especially the story about how you use mana to identify your children was entertaining.”
“Haha, I have plenty more stories to tell.”
“Do you know how we identify our children?”
“How?”
At that moment,
Swoosh!
My vision went dark, and a hot pressure enveloped my whole body.
Inhale!
Gishta wrapped her arms around me and buried her nose in my hair, breathing deeply.
This is a life-threatening moment.
If Gishta applies her strength now, my first lumbar vertebra and ribs 5 to 11 would all shatter, leading to a horrific death.
“We can tell by the smell. Is it a favor or hostility? Are they strong or weak? Are they men who will bear my children or my blood-related children? Or…”
Gishta emphasized with added pressure.
“Are they telling lies, or speaking the truth?”
“Can you sense mana?”
That’s surprising. It could be a special trait of dragons that consume mana.
Wait a minute, isn’t Gishta shorter than me? How is she smelling my head?
Ah, it’s just that I’m more deeply buried in the snow because she’s hugging me.
Sniff!
Gishta lowered her head and sniffed the back of my neck a few more times before dropping me back down.
It’s getting hot.
“How about it? Am I acceptable?”
Gishta replied with a refreshing smile.
“You’ve only spoken the truth. You’re a rare man.”
[Melting ■■■■, ■■■■, ■■ → 5% → 12%]
*
When Gishta and I returned, a dance party was underway.
Of course, Bruno was in high spirits, and it seemed the squad leader had also given in to the atmosphere and was mingling with the villagers.
I checked my status window.
“Why did the likelihood of the second good ending rise at this point?”
And at a pretty fast rate, too.
“Were there other variable points?”
————
• You have obtained the achievement [Explorer’s First Footstep]. You are starting an exploration into uncharted territory.
• You have obtained the achievement [Star from the Outside]. Adventurers and barbarians are paying attention to you.
• You have obtained the achievement [Demon Slayer]. Demons fear you and your companions.
————
Looking at the contents, these are all achievements that are easy to obtain when I chose the adventurer class.
The last one seems to have been earned thanks to Gishta. Has she been recognized as a party member?
‘There must have been choices available.’
Having experienced being part of a hero party, I thought I could still succeed in being a healer in an adventurer party.
The northern uncharted territory isn’t too far from my hometown in the marquisate, so maybe I’ve been exploring it one day.
‘What if the second good ending is achieved by taking that route?’
Given that the probability is still rising now…
If I quit being the Imperial Family’s attending physician and switched to being an adventurer, it seems there would be potential left.
‘Well, even if there are choices…’
Considering my strength and stamina, transitioning now wouldn’t be easy.
I already have the achievements I built up on the first good ending route, and I have no intention of quitting being a doctor.
“How’s our commander doing?”
I approached Tanya, who was quietly chewing on some jerky.
“It’s enjoyable. The Thunder Tribe isn’t bad at all. I think my prejudice against barbarian tribes is somewhat lessening.”
“You’ve fought against them before, right?”
“The relationships between enemies and allies are always changing on the battlefield.”
Tanya clinked glasses with the Thunder Tribe member seated next to her and continued.
“How’s the target looking?”
“There’s still negotiations going on. I’m not sure yet. Should I try to score some points, or…”
I whispered to her.
“How about you compete with Gishta and win something?”
“I can’t win.”
“Isn’t that right?”
Tanya had an accurate eye for strength.
“The best option would be to help them and get something in return. From what I can tell, it doesn’t seem to be something particularly important to Gishta.”
“That’s nice. I’ll keep a friendly approach for now. I think that’s better for me too.”
Tanya calmly stated her opinion and then patted the shoulder of a nearby tribesman before standing up to join the dance.
*
The next day.
Dong, Dong, Dong!
I woke up to the booming sound of drums.
I found myself intertwined with dozens of villagers, having fallen asleep at the festival. Their high body temperature had kept me nice and warm through the night.
Infiltration! The Glacier Tribe is here!
“Oh, what a chance!”
Seizing the sudden opportunity, I woke my teammates.
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