CHAPTER 49…………………..
. Retribution
Everything was going according to plan.
Cedric Icemaker thought so as he stood in his office, gazing out the window.
The spies he had sent along with the supplies had been killed, but that was trivial.
It merely meant he had lost one method of stirring chaos from within.
They were only a minor part of the plan to begin with.
Afterward, Cedric had dispatched scouts frequently, never taking his eyes off the Guardians’ fortress.
Through Dyke, the coachman who hauled supplies, he even managed to grasp some of the internal circumstances.
And now, the time had come.
“The fortress is empty!”
The scout who had returned was bursting with excitement.
“Not even an ant in sight!”
Cedric let out a dry laugh.
Suddenly, he recalled what Esric Spelder had once said:
「 “Just wait patiently. Once Ice Rock has completed its true duty, we’ll come down on our own.” 」
Their true duty… Cedric knew Ice Rock had originally been a subjugation force, meant to slay the calamity of the snowy mountain.
But… had they really gone to slay that calamity?
With such a paltry force, it was utterly impossible.
Were they overestimating themselves, or underestimating the calamity?
He chuckled bitterly.
He didn’t need to figure that out.
The only thing that mattered was that the fortress was empty.
“Take half the men with you.”
Under the pretense of repairing the wall, Cedric had conscripted manpower from the domain.
Without much selection, they had all been turned into guards.
With their numbers bolstered, the guard force now numbered nearly 800.
Cedric sent the weakest half — about 400 men — to seize the Guardians’ fortress.
“Go occupy their fortress and wait for them there.”
There was no way the Guardians could succeed in subjugation.
If that had been possible, Ice Rock would have disappeared centuries ago.
Sirruella might be a knight called a living legend, but even she had never managed to attempt it for hundreds of years.
Esric Spelder’s magic was indeed formidable, but there was no way even that could defeat the calamity of the snowy mountain…
Utterly impossible.
“When they return…”
Cedric anticipated their retreat to the fortress.
“Kill them all. Leave not a single one alive.”
Not long after issuing the order, news arrived that the fortress had been occupied without trouble.
Everything was proceeding smoothly.
Now, once the retreating Guardians were slaughtered, Ice Rock itself would be erased.
The fortress of the snowy mountain would fly the Icemaker banner, and be protected under their name.
All exactly as his father had wished.
And then, Cedric would naturally inherit the headship of the Icemaker family… and become the ruler of the North.
Not that damned puppet girl… but me!
Yet in a corner of Cedric’s chest, a spark of unease smoldered quietly.
Esric Spelder.
The overwhelming magic he had displayed.
Power that rivaled even his father, Valhar Icemaker.
Sirruella alone could not subjugate the calamity, but if that man’s magic were added… perhaps… just perhaps…
No. Such a thing could never happen…
Cedric shook his head vigorously, trying to snuff out his unease.
But the more he did, the stronger the ember burned, feeding his dread.
He tried to steady himself by gazing at the wall visible beyond the window.
Even through the fiercely falling snow, the wall stood tall and clear.
Even if the enemy came, they could never breach that newly raised wall.
It was higher and sturdier than before.
He had increased the number of guards, and siege weapons had been installed.
It would not crumble as pathetically as before…
“…?”
The snowfall suddenly intensified, rattling hard against the window.
Dark clouds flowed unnaturally fast, converging toward a single point.
The direction of the wall.
Right where the clouds gathered thickest—
KWA-GANG!
Lightning crashed down.
“…?!”
It struck directly atop the wall.
And it didn’t stop at once.
KWAANG! KWA-RRRR! KWA-GANG!
Flashes of lightning poured down from the clouds, striking only the wall with uncanny precision.
An impossible phenomenon by nature. Cedric’s face turned paler than snow.
“N-no…!”
He instinctively realized his fears had come true.
“…Esric!”
The perspective shifts to Esric.
So, you rebuilt the wall after I tore it down once.
Esric smirked at the distant guard fortress.
But with walls like that, there was no defending against magic.
They didn’t even know what a true siege with magic looked like, so of course they had no means of countering it.
Once again, Esric was reminded how flawed the magic of this world was.
If they didn’t know, he would teach them.
『 The Contractor casts a spell. 』
“<Silent heavens, tangled winds, gather the darkest fury>.”
Clenching his fist as though grasping the sky, black clouds quickly converged above the wall.
“<Draw a rift in the sky, open wide your eyes, and look upon those below>.”
Thunder growled savagely within the clouds.
“<Lightning that pierces all sin, spear forged of light — smite the enemy>.”
A 4th-circle intermediate spell.
“.”
KWA-GANG!
Lightning fell on the wall.
Shadows moving atop it froze, then collapsed one after another.
The spell required favorable weather and made it hard to conceal its point of origin, but against foes who didn’t even know such magic existed, it was devastating.
He didn’t even need to damage the wall itself — just eliminate the guards.
KWAANG! KWA-RRRR! KWA-GANG!
Each time he opened and closed his fist, lightning struck down.
After clearing most of the wall defenders—
“Let’s go.”
Esric advanced with his squad toward the guard fortress.
Crossing the open plain, they met no resistance.
Soon, the massive iron gate loomed before them.
Behind it, guards waited with shields and spears.
“Hagen.”
Esric motioned with his chin toward the gate.
“Blow it away.”
Hagen silently nodded and stepped forward.
He began chanting swiftly:
“<As solid as stone, as brilliant as light, from the low sky above.
Give no life, grant no warmth, only fall and reap.
Little Sun!>”
PU-OOOM!
The explosion twisted the red-hot bars, shattering stone around them.
“Tch!”
Dissatisfied at not breaking through completely, Hagen began chanting again.
But Hog was quicker — the massive warrior charged, shield first, slamming into the weakened gate.
SCREEECH! KWAANG!
The bars bent and collapsed with the wall stones, crashing backward.
“Wh-what?!”
“Fall back!”
“It’s coming down!”
The guards panicked and scrambled back.
THUUUD!
The fallen gate kicked up a cloud of dust.
“.”
A wave of wind swept it away.
They stepped into the fortress, crushing rubble beneath their feet.
The guards stood back, shields raised, spears leveled at them.
And among them — Cedric Icemaker’s shining silver hair caught Esric’s eyes.
“Cedric Icemaker.”
At his name, Cedric’s face went whiter than snow.
He tried to hide it, but fear was already written across his features.
“I told you to wait quietly, didn’t I?”
“I… wh-what are you all doing?!”
Cedric, after fumbling for words, suddenly bellowed as though steeling himself.
SHING! He drew his sword.
“Cut down these traitors!”
His guards tightened their encirclement.
“…Traitors?”
“Us? Ha! These bastards—”
“They don’t even know who let them sleep safely at night…”
Esric didn’t even need to give an order.
Gardner, Hagen, Hog — every Guardian warrior was more than ready for battle.
SHING! CLANG! SWISH!
Weapons were drawn, steps pressed forward.
The guards numbered about 200.
The Guardians — only 84.
Nearly double the difference.
Yet not one Guardian flinched.
Not because of Esric.
But because of their hard-earned confidence from battles fought to the death.
Their certainty that they were stronger.
That very aura made the guards falter instead.
Esric chuckled.
“Ronan.”
At the call, Ronan stepped forward.
“That one.”
Esric motioned at Cedric.
“Bring him to me.”
The duel: Ronan vs Cedric.
Cedric ground his teeth.
Not Esric — but that supposed impostor prince sent to face him?!
His pride as an Icemaker cracked.
These dropouts without crests…!
“I said kill them all!”
As Cedric roared, spells flared—
“!”
“!”
Dozens of flames rained down.
BOOOM! BOOM!
Explosions burst from the guards’ shields, flames scattering.
“W-what?!”
“How can they…?!”
They hadn’t known — the Guardians they had dismissed as useless dropouts had now carved new crests.
In that instant of shock, Hog and others smashed into their shield wall.
“RAAAAH!”
“Die, bastards!”
Mana-forged weapons tore through guard flesh and armor.
It wasn’t even a fight.
The guards who had only ever stacked bricks versus the Guardians who had fought for their lives — the difference was absolute.
Cedric’s eyes wavered wildly as he realized the truth.
“Wh-what is this…?!”
Before he could process it, a blue blade flashed at him.
CLANG!
Cedric barely deflected Ronan’s strike, only to stagger back.
“You fool!” Cedric spat, countering with magic.
“!”
A spear of ice shot forward as he lunged, hoping to strike while Ronan dodged.
But—
“…?!”
Ronan was already inside his guard.
THUD!
The hilt of Ronan’s sword smashed into Cedric’s stomach.
“GUH?!”
Vomiting bile, Cedric doubled over.
Ronan shoved him, then slashed upward—
SLASH! His sword cut Cedric’s arm, forcing him to drop his weapon.
“N-no…!”
Cedric tried to cast another spell, but Ronan gave him no chance.
CRACK!
He stomped Cedric’s knee, collapsing him.
“Ah—?!”
Before Cedric could even scream properly—
SMASH!
Ronan’s fist shattered his jaw, teeth splintering, sending him flying.
THUD! He hit the ground, choking on blood and broken teeth.
“Ghh—”
Before he could rise, Ronan’s sword drove into his shoulder.
“GYAAAH!”
Cedric screamed, blood bubbling.
“Now the tables have turned.”
Ronan’s voice was flat as he looked down at him.
He remembered that first day at Ice Rock —
「 ‘Bring him here.’ 」
Dragged before Cedric, forced to kneel.
Ronan remembered it vividly.
And no longer felt bound by it.
SCHLIK! He tore the sword free.
Cedric writhed in pain when Esric stepped forward.
Drawing his own blade, he pressed it on Cedric’s blood-soaked shoulder.
“Gghhhk!”
Blood gushed from his mouth as terror filled his eyes.
Esric’s cold, blue gaze pierced him.
“Where did you hide it?”
His voice was frigid.
“The Dragon Heart.”
