Chapter 56: Frost Crystal
’I might as well identify all the Shards and Nightmare Materials...’
Edgar walked toward the shelves where all the refined materials had been neatly sorted.
The shelves were grooves in the wall, big enough to put small items that were of less use.
Most of them had been separated by color and type thanks to Oswald.
"..."
Edgar looked around at all of the things that they had collected, which numbered around fifty.
’Most of them are of a similar type. Perhaps they are from the same Nightmare...’
He quietly picked up one of the Nightmare Shards.
It was a thumb-sized black crystal with faint red lines running through its center.
The familiar system panel appeared.
---
⟨Nightmare Shard: Blood Fang Wolf⟩
⟨Grade: White⟩
⟨Ritual: Consume the heart while bathing in wolf’s blood beneath the Eternal Night.⟩
⟨Ability: Greatly enhances the sense of smell.⟩
---
"Hm..."
Edgar placed it aside. Useful as it may be, it wasn’t something he desperately needed.
The second shard resembled a transparent blue marble which had faint markings over its surface.
---
⟨Nightmare Shard: Frostfang Wolf⟩
⟨Grade: Green⟩
⟨Ritual: Swallow the shard after remaining submerged in freezing water for one hour.⟩
⟨Ability: Slightly increases resistance to cold.⟩
---
Edgar’s eyes lingered on the name.
’Frostfang Wolf...’
"So there really were ice-type Nightmares."
On the day he fought the Nightmare Commander, his focus was hardly on low-level Nightmares.
His ignorance about their presence was partially because of that.
He silently memorized the name before placing it beside the previous shard.
The third shard was much stranger.
It looked like a dried wooden heart with tiny roots hanging beneath it.
---
⟨Nightmare Shard: Rootwalker⟩
⟨Grade: Green⟩
⟨Ritual: Consume after remaining buried beneath living soil for one full day.⟩
⟨Ability: Slightly increases affinity with plants.⟩
---
Edgar blinked his eyes.
’Affinity with plants?’
It was the first time he had seen anything related to affinity, much less something that increased it.
’Wait, if there is affinity for plants, what other affinities are there... Perhaps Nightmares with specific powers give affinities related to them?’
He immediately separated it from the others. "I should keep this."
Continuing onward, Edgar began checking the remaining materials.
Most of them were exactly what he expected with the army the Commander had created.
Nightmare bones, sap, claws, blood sacs, and fur.
These were what the Nightmare Materials mostly consisted of.
Some were useful for Builders. Others were valuable to Alchemists or Blacksmiths.
Before long, nearly everything had been sorted into different piles.
While Edgar was moving around, he came across another material from an ice-type Nightmare.
’Hm...’
It was a translucent blue crystal no larger than his thumb.
Cold air seeped from its surface, and the instant he touched it, another notification appeared.
---
⟨Frost Crystal⟩
⟨Grade: Green⟩
⟨Contains concentrated Frost Essence.⟩
⟨Naturally absorbs heat from its surroundings.⟩
⟨Commonly used for preservation and cooling.⟩
---
Edgar’s eyes widened slightly when he read the use of the crystal.
A smile slowly spread across his face.
’I was worried for nothing.’
The solution to his biggest problem had been sitting inside the warehouse the entire time.
These Frost Crystals were exactly what he needed.
They could also freeze the Nightmare blood required for tomorrow night’s ritual.
"Young Master?" Andrew poked his head through the warehouse door. "The Eternal Night will descend soon."
Edgar put the crystals in his pocket and turned toward the young boy.
"Alright." Edgar nodded. "I am done with things here as well."
After looking around and making sure everything was in place, Edgar walked out and closed the door of the warehouse.
His gaze then shifted toward the murky grey-black fog that had thinned down considerably.
’I really hope nothing bad happens tonight...’ Edgar thought to himself silently.
"Food is ready!" Viera’s voice echoed in the Fortress.
"Urgh, I am dying of hunger." Andrew said loudly. "Moving around all that soil was really hard."
The blonde boy nodded his head as well, thinking about all the stuff he had done today.
Edgar and Andrew both moved toward the ’Unbroken Fire’ where the lady was putting the plates.
Sitting down at the table, Edgar watched as Viera served him the food.
The plate contained stir-fried eggs with vegetables, red meat, and a bowl of rice.
After Edgar started eating, the other three started as well.
By the time they were done, the Eternal Night had already taken over the world.
Having nothing else to do, Edgar walked onto the patrol path and looked at the darkness of the night.
Thankfully, he didn’t feel any gaze of a Nightmare that could threaten him.
The young boy, Andrew, also walked by his side and stood silently.
His presence made Edgar turn his gaze toward him.
"Do you not miss your father?" Edgar asked curiously.
On the very first day of the duo’s arrival, they had lost their father to the bandits.
Edgar still remembered Andrew with fat tears in his eyes.
"...Well, it’s complicated." Andrew gave a vague answer. "We didn’t have the best relationship."
’I had expected that much, given you guys didn’t grieve his death enough.’
"Was he a bad guy?" Edgar asked gently.
"He was an alcoholic and a gambler," Andrew replied honestly. "Mother tried her best to make him stop, but... all she got from it were beatings."
"....."
Edgar couldn’t help but feel pity for Lady Viera, who was genuinely a good person.
Her marriage was arranged by her parents, and with no concept of divorce for common people, she was stuck with an awful husband for life.
Andrew slowly lowered his head, and a complicated look appeared on his face.
Edgar noticed the look and patiently waited for him to speak.
The young boy rested both arms on the cold stone wall and looked into the endless darkness beyond the Fortress.
After a long internal debate, he said,
"...There is something that I need to tell you, young master."
"...I am listening."
"Our Southern Bullan Clan are really afraid of the Eternal Rain," he said in a gentle tone. "We are so afraid that we pray to a snake goddess... and offer her sacrifices... human sacrifices."
Edgar’s face slowly tensed up when he understood what he was trying to convey.
Andrew forced himself to smile.
"My father had sold me as a sacrifice to the clan, young master."