Boukensha ni Naritai to Miyako ni Deteitta Musume ga S Rank ni Natteta

Bergligh thought this was a dream.

He was looking down from the dim ceiling. I was in the middle of a dungeon. I can't move my body. However, even though it is dim, only the view is unclear.

Eventually, several people walked. Young people. It has not yet reached eighteen. He wears relatively new equipment, has his own weapons, and steps with confidence and hope. It is a step without hesitation, full of youth.

At the top is a hay-colored boy. He has a clever face and talks constantly to the members behind him. It's a bit difficult to talk about, like the voice just getting lower. Behind that, a red-haired boy is struggling with a smile. Behind it is a silver-haired girl and a brown-haired boy with a smile.

It is useless.

Said Bergliff. But words do not come out of the mouth. It just moves inexplicably. He shouted desperately not to go further. But it does not reach the boys.

Eventually, something jumps out of the darkness. "It" attacks the top boy. The surprised boy tries to pull his sword, but his initial movement is too late to make it. At that time, the red-haired boy pushed away the top boy.

The right foot, which was supposed to be there, began to burn like burning.

○

It is snowing steadily. It's like a scene that sucks in all the sound. In fact it is terribly quiet. There is almost no sound other than the sound of firewood in the fireplace and the jar of cans hanging over it. The sky is unpleasantly bright despite the falling snow. The snow that had accumulated was so white that it hurt my eyes.

Bergliff was sitting on a chair by the fire, spinning sheep's wool. There is very little work outside this time. The most important things are the removal of the snow on the roof and the removal of the snow on the road, and other things that occasionally go out into the forest with the help of a lumberjack. That work is not done if the snow deepens. Instead, winter is the time for homework. Sorts beans and spins wool.

Many houses in Tornella have sheep. Kelly's house has a very large number of homes and a spinning workshop. In other houses, however, sheep wool from their own place is spun at their own place and woven and knitted to make clothes. Berglyph does not have sheep, but Kelly always separates wool. It is wool that has been combed with a carder and turned into shino. After that, spinning it with a spindle turns it into a thread.

It has been four months since I have been working. It's time to start seeing the signs of spring, but here it's snowing and there's no sign.

"... huh"

The Berglyph, who had finished spinning, set up and shook himself. Even though the fireplace is burning red, the snow seems to be getting cold because of the thick snow. Bergliff takes a piece of wood and squeezes it into the fire. Pachin and a spark flew.

Noon is near.

Grab a wooden bowl left by the fireplace. When the cloth was removed, a slightly swelled dough appeared. When it's cold, the yeast doesn't work as expected. Bergryf kneads the dough lightly, cuts it into several pieces, and shapes it into a round shape. Then take out the skillet pan, drain the oil, line the shaped dough and put the wooden lid on. And they put it on the fire gathered at the end of the fireplace. In the pan beside it, beans and dried soup are boiled together.

"It's quiet ..."

Berglyf muttered and stroked his beard. This is the fifth winter since Angelin left. When she was still at home, she always stuck together when it was cold like this. Her limbs tended to get cold, and when it got cold at night, she sneaked into the belgry bed and was always amazed at her cold limbs. On a cold, sleepless night, I sat down in front of a burning fireplace, put Angeline on my lap, and read the same picture book repeatedly.

Bergliff had a light meal with baked bread and soup. Once the dishes are cleared, he carefully puts on the tip of the prosthesis, puts on gloves, puts on a mantle, wears a muffler, puts on a hat to his ears, and goes out. The garden is already pure white, just after the snow was removed in the morning. Big and small icicles are hanging under the eaves.

The Bergliff crumbles and steps on the snow and carries the wood from the wood storage in the garden. Then raise the door plate that was sunk under the snow. Underneath is soil, where potatoes and radishes are stored in straw.

"Muh ... it's a bit frozen ..."

The one placed above was hurt by the cold. He removed them, took some of them safe, brought a little more straw from the barn, put them on top, and laid the doors back on. The amount of food stored was also significantly reduced.

"This kind of work takes time ..."

When he returned home, he put a glass of white water from a medicine can into a glass, and poured a little spirits into it. Alcohol rises and pierces the back of the nose. If you drink it slowly, your body will warm up.

"Well ... let's go"

Bergliff put his sword on his waist and went out with a long cane.

Even on these cold days, Bergliff walks around the village every day. Many beasts are hibernating, but it is not always the case that strange monsters do not approach in the cold. I haven't seen it yet, but it's only about the ice hound coming down in the summer, and the number of demons has definitely increased. Evil ice spirits do not always come in winter. There is nothing better than to be on guard. The breath exhaled through the muffler is white and drifts in the air for a while without disappearing. If you don't wear the snow, your sharp prosthesis will sink into the snow.

"... I think it's even colder today.

There are no children who can't always stand and jump outside to play. Berglyph walked around the village, taking care not to step on the fields, using the barely visible fence as a mark. Distant mountains and forests are full of snow. In the past, I remember walking around with young Angelin. His cheeks turned red, his nose smoothed, and he came without whining.

The wheat field outside the village is completely covered with snow and is a plain of silver. Under the snow, the freshly germinated wheat may be quietly enduring the cold. I shook my shoulders and shook the soft snow that had been piled up. Exhale, and watch it drift away in the air.

Suddenly, there was a figure behind it. I squint my eyes. Like a child. That's not one or two. Five or six people are holding hands in a circle, and spinning around like dancing. I can hear a song that is crystal clear and not like this one.

Bergliff approached quietly, working on the handle of the sword. It was a child who was dancing. In the age of seven or eight years old. She is wearing a fluffy white suit and a fur hat on her head. He dances very lightly, but if you look closely, your feet are not on the ground, and there are no footprints after dancing.

"... Snowko?"

Bergliff released his sword handle. There is also a variety of ice spirits. Some have malicious intentions toward humans, and others have no particular harm, such as natural phenomena. Yukiko dancing in front of her is the latter. They or they are like winter was a reality. They are not friendly to humans, but they are not hostile. It is clever to keep your hands.

Bergliff watched the snowball dance for a while. It was really fun, and the singing voice was in the silence of snow and had a sound that encouraged it. If you know that there is no harm, there is no such fantastic landscape. At that time, a strong wind suddenly blows, causing the snow to roll up violently. Bergliff inadvertently closed his eyes and covered his face with his arms.

"Gu ..."

For a short time the wind was raging and subsided. When it fits, there is no wind at all. Snow falls in a straight line. It seems that the sound has gone. Bergliff saw the tallest figure behind the dancing snowflakes.

It looked like a woman. She is taller, in a pure white coat, and has a fur hat on her head. He had a beautiful face, but his expression seemed to be somewhere mineral. Surrounding it are snowflakes that are different from the dancing snowflakes, and they are singing together.

"Winter Lady ..."

Berggriff muttered. He is the mother of the snow children and has a personality in the winter itself. I rarely see her, and no one can kill her. Because it is synonymous with sweeping winter out of this world. But Bergliff is not afraid. A lady in winter is nature itself. Like Yukiko, she has no favors for humans, but no hostility. In addition, Bergriff once met the Great Spirit of the Winter once in the past.

The lady looked at the Bergryph with a shouting face.

"You're blinking, you're so old in a while"

Rin, the voice shimmers with ice. I don't know if it is emitted from the mouth or if the atmosphere itself is quietly shaking. For her, who is in eternity, humans are just blinking beings. Berggriff twisted his beard while smiling.

"Don't bother measuring it in your time, your eternal lady. It's been ten years now."

The lady was quick.

"What is ten years? "That's ten seasons. You know only winter, but you don't know." "Yes, a blinker. But why did you come out again in the cold? "" I'm looking around. Humans are afraid of monsters. Well, if you're here, you don't need to worry ... "

The lady of the winter has no favors or hostility to the demon. It seems that he is not interested in the first place. But the monster fears her. Her power is comparable to that of S rank monsters. So it can be said that there is no danger of monsters where the winter lady is. But she's usually coming with heavy snow and cold waves, so there's danger there.

Bergliff leans on his cane and relaxes. I think I missed the look. However, reuniting with her made me remember 10 years ago. Snowflakes are dancing in a bigger circle. The lady of the winter said, watching the dancing snowflakes.

"What happened to the little blinker?" "Did you say that ten years have passed? You came out of the city and stand alone. You're doing fine as an adventurer." "The blinkers aren't busy." Maybe you're too long? "" I feel like I just met you ... Why did you turn my blade to me? 』

Ten years ago, when I came across a winter lady, I remembered that I stood in front of her with a sword to protect Angelin. The lady with an uninteresting face was patted lightly with her fingertips and had no teeth. He was young, and a bitter smile came.

"I tried to protect that child. I didn't know you weren't a monster." "Oh, was that so ..."

There is an S-rank monster called the Ice Queen. A beautiful woman, but a dangerous monster who is hostile to humans. Most of the adventurers are indistinguishable because they rarely meet each other, just like snowy ladies, and if they reach out, they will relentlessly fight back. I didn't even know Berggriff at the time. After that, I was told by the elderly of more than 80 villages who were still alive at that time about the winter lady. At that time, I was ashamed of my thoughts and asakusa.

Bergliff took off his gloves and quickly warmed his hands.

"... I'm glad you didn't kill me then, maybe it was just a whim"

The lady seemed slightly laughing at the scornful Bergglyph.

"Is there no reason to kill a parent who wants a child? "... I see. You're a mother, lady."

Belgly laughed as she saw the snowflakes dancing around as she flirted. I was kind of helped by Angers.

The snow keeps falling without weakening. She shook herself. Cold. If the snowballs were playing so hard, the lady wouldn't leave here too soon.

"If you're here, I don't have to look around. I'll go back." "I'm not the guardian of this village, the blinker." "What, just let me use it without permission. "Don't worry."

Suddenly, I felt my voice sharpened. As he turned his heels, Berglyph narrowed his eyes and looked back at the winter lady in an alert manner. The lady is looking straight at the Bergryph.

"Once those who tried to dominate even in the winter are about to wake up." "... Is it related to the increasing number of demons?" "Well, that's something we are not interested in."

Bergliff glanced at the lady's icy eyes.

"Ladies ... what do you do? Do you want something from us?"

The lady of the winter shook her head gently.

"We just leave it to you." "... Thank you for the advice. Keep in mind."

This great spirit has no meaning to say that. However, maybe because of the cold, my head doesn't turn well. After returning home and warming up. Bergliff turned his heels and turned back with a slow gait to think. The voices of the singers echo in the snow.