Chapter 666: Snow
“Big brother, it’s so cold here.”
After autumn set in, the Northern Region became even more bitterly cold, especially as the altitude increased. The cold wind that hit was like steel knives scraping against bones for ordinary people, as if it wanted to strip the skin off their faces.
Even though small Alicia had winter clothing prepared in the Kingdom of Sardinia and had been staying in Fisher’s arms, she still felt particularly cold. Her little face, buried in her scarf and hood, was reddened, resembling a little apple.
Hearing this, Fisher lowered his head, holding her a bit tighter while also pulling up the hood that the wind had blown down, saying, “We’re almost there.”
Since unlocking his extraordinary abilities before reaching the beach, he had increasingly become skilled at using the blessings granted by Azanros without activating his powers.
To increase Alicia’s sense of safety while staying in his arms and to better communicate with the Fate Lord, he had remained in a state of dispelling the blessing ever since they had left the beach. Besides, there was no chaos around him now, so there was no need to use the blessing.
Beside Fisher, because Emhart’s “royal throne” had been stolen by small Alicia, he could only stand on Fisher’s shoulder. Although he couldn’t quite feel the cold, his heart was still chilling. He sighed and looked at the white expanse, unable to help but comment,
“I didn’t feel this way before. Coming back to the Northern Region from Nali is truly two extremes. Nali is so clean now, while the roads in Sardinia are still covered with horse dung frozen into ice. I had thought to take a break there, but looking at that environment, forget it. This little guy has been rushing along with you two without any rest.”
“I’m fine, Mr. Book,” Alicia replied.
“Indeed, you better be.”
Emhart rolled his eyes, noncommittally.
However, the Fate Lord behind them slightly smiled upon hearing Emhart’s words and said to him,
“Now the people of Nali are like cavemen pulled into a modern villa by Elizabeth. The extraordinary ranks of eyeless beings and the mechanisms exceeding ordinary productivity, along with her meticulous reforms, have caused Nali to undergo a transformation that surpasses common knowledge. Perhaps from a social structure and cultural perspective, Nali still lags behind in thought compared to a few years ago, but the tangible material benefits make everyone satisfied, feeling like their lives have drastically changed. Clean hygiene, low prices, ample high-paying job opportunities, affordable healthcare and housing, two plays in an afternoon.
“Elizabeth has shown great mercy to the people of Nali, and in return, they almost blindly adore her, worship her, even revere her as a deity. Every day, countless people come to worship her outside the Golden Palace, following the chime of the palace bell, treating it as guidance, providing references for their lives. But what is the cost? Where does all the energy required by the mechanism come from? The remaining moonstones in the world are not enough to power even one month of the mechanism for Nali.”
At this, Emhart couldn’t help but shudder. He couldn’t help but mumble to Fisher,
“I didn’t expect her to be a benevolent ruler towards her own people. I thought she was just a thorough antisocial character.”
Fisher sighed and replied,
“Otherwise, why do you think her father would hand over military power to her after betraying her? He should know that he is guilty towards Elizabeth in some matters, yet he still does it; isn’t that handing the blade to Elizabeth to stab himself and his favored Dexter?”
“Right.”
Emhart paused, indeed not expecting this train of thought, while Fisher just calmly glanced ahead and continued,
“The logic here is that no one else besides her has the capability and prestige to command the army. Prestige comes not only from her unmatched military talent but also from her mercy towards the soldiers. Because of this, the army is willing to conspire with her, helping her break the ‘only males can be kings’ law of Godlin. She loves Nali, but only as Nali, so when doom approaches, her considerations are only for Nali, thus believing: instead of passively struggling in destruction, it is better to actively seize authority and win everything.”
Alicia completely couldn’t understand what Fisher was saying; she just let out a nasal sneeze in his arms and tightened her hold on the urn that Fisher had previously taken out.
“Well, speaking of which, Auntie, why didn’t you directly transport us to the Parasol Tree’s door? We still have to walk such a long distance. We haven’t seen a single Troll Race all day; if this goes on, this little guy will freeze to death!”
Hearing this, the little Alicia immediately became anxious. She looked up at Fisher with her pitiful little eyes, seemingly questioning “will she really die?”
This little one had previously boasted about making Fisher eat her but now, with her life disorder problem fixed, sleeping well and eating heartily every night, she finally valued her life.
Fisher couldn’t help but reach out to pinch her chubby little face, suddenly imagining how wonderful it would be if Rafael’s future baby could be as adorable as little Alicia.
The Fate Lord cast a glance at Emhart, and just as the blue veins on her head started to show, Fisher abruptly spoke up,
“Shh, it seems there are people ahead.”
“Huh?”
Emhart quickly hid behind Fisher’s head, peering through Fisher’s long, untrimmed black hair, and soon spotted several flags fluttering in the snowy ground ahead.
On the crimson flag, a gigantic white serpent was swirling.
It was the flag of Shivali.
“Shivali’s… envoy?”
Fisher spoke, glancing back at the Fate Lord, who only smiled faintly in response, saying,
“Many hands make light work, few hands make burdens. Secular allies can help us in the future, and what’s more, the visitor has some ties with you, so it’s quite timely.”
“Me?”
Fisher raised an eyebrow, standing still, and at that moment, the fluttering flag snapped to attention. Then, a voice like a lion’s roar came from it,
“Who goes there?!”
Did they sense the Fate Lord and me?
Fisher looked ahead and suddenly saw an extremely nimble red figure sprinting out ahead, wielding a gigantic sword and warily looking in Fisher’s direction.
That figure had a head of thick golden hair, with many stray strands draping over her shoulders, resembling natural winter clothing, much like a lion’s mane. On her head, she had a pair of semicircular, bear-like ears that perked up animatedly in the frosty air.
When that person spotted Fisher in the snowy field, her expression changed slightly from wariness to shock.
She shook the sword in her hand and stuck it into the ground, incredulously pointing at Fisher,
“Wait, you… Fisher?! What are you doing here?”
“…Felis?”
Indeed, the visitor was none other than Felis, the Lion Race character from Valentina’s earlier team.
After solving the curse in the Frost Parasol Tree and Valentina falling into a state of nirvana, Fisher had not seen anyone besides Heidi Lin in the Snow Fox Tribe below the mountain, as the rest had parted ways to pursue their paths. He never expected to reunite here today.
“What’s going on, Felis? Who has come?”
At this moment, a strong man dressed in thick fur clothing from Shivali rushed over, holding a firearm and looking nervously in this direction. He quickly spotted Fisher and his companions.
“Fisher? What are you doing here? No, shouldn’t you be in Nali?!”
Another familiar face from before, Balzak from Shivali.
“Ah?! No, how does he know you were in Nali before?”
Emhart turned incredulously to Fisher, while Fisher, holding Alicia in his arms, glanced at the silent Fate Lord behind him and still took the initiative to approach them.
“Felis, Balzak, long time no see. But what do you mean by ‘I should be in Nali’; where did you get my intel?”
Felis and Balzak exchanged a glance but both remained silent. They then turned to look at the oddly dressed golden-haired woman following Fisher.
After a long moment of recognition, they finally confirmed something and fell into a moment of hesitation.
Felis scratched her ears, which had one or two snowflakes stuck to them, unsure of what to say. Balzak, however, casually hung his firearm on his back and spoke,
“This is something you, the person involved, should know best, right?”
“What matter?”
Fisher had an ominous sense in his heart, and indeed, Balzak’s next words confirmed that his premonition was usually accurate,
“The Golden Palace has issued a wide announcement, probably a few days ago? That renowned Nali Empress is getting married, which has both political significance and piqued curiosity. In any case, whether in the streets or among high-ranking officials, everyone in Shivali is discussing this matter. The rest of the world is probably the same; this is good news for the Golden Palace, so it’s being widely spread.”
Felis nodded and mischievously slung her sword over her shoulder, taking stock of the little Alicia in his arms and the golden-haired woman behind him.
“Yeah, Prince Fisher Benavides’ identity is almost known across the world. It looks like you’re the only one who doesn’t know? And you can still nonchalantly carry your wife and child to Sema Snow Mountain?”
“Wife and child? No, this is not my wife, and this is not my biological child.”
Fisher helplessly glanced at Alicia, who looked innocent in his arms, while behind him, the Fate Lord aptly shook her head.
Felis exchanged another glance with Balzak, and her smile became increasingly difficult to suppress,
“Well then, you can’t escape from that boss Valentina, can you? Just know that the Parasol Tree must have heard this news.”
“That’s true.”
Fisher sighed, calculating the exact time in his mind.
What they referred to as “a few days ago” had happened before he broke up with Elizabeth, which meant that Elizabeth had already indicated to the Golden Palace to announce this information to the world before their honeymoon.
She was clearly aware that she carried a blessing that wouldn’t be discovered by others; how did she even know when it could be undone to issue this decree?
Fisher felt that this action was like sending a declaration of war to all the women he had relations with, specifically targeting two directions — the North and the Southern Continent, almost declaring war to their faces.
“So what about you? Are you here representing Shivali to unite with the Parasol Tree?”
“Smart. Nali’s momentum is getting stronger; the forces of the Western Continent cannot rival your Empress Elizabeth, so they are all seeking cooperation with outside forces. Not just us, but also Cardu; not only the Parasol Tree, but of course, the Red Dragon Court in the South as well. Coincidentally, since we had previously collaborated with boss Valentina, I was sent here, and Felis is just my hired muscle.”
Balzak smiled slightly at this but seemed to think of something midway, and his confident expression turned to suspicion,
“Wait, you’re not representing Nali, are you? If so, then we’d be enemies.”
“Heh, if this guy was sent by Elizabeth, no females would be allowed in this team. Oh, not even an agender relic like me, because she’d definitely be jealous. Ouch, ouch!”
Emhart laughed, teasingly. Before he could continue, Fisher swiftly caught the book cover to prevent him from saying anything further.
Fisher helplessly glanced at the two former “colleagues” before looking at the team of Shivali envoys curiously glancing over from behind them. He cleared his throat and introduced himself,
“No need to worry, I’m not here representing Nali. Rather, I have completely positioned myself against Elizabeth and Nali. I’ve come here to see Valentina, and this little one in my arms is my teacher’s granddaughter. This is Ashley; she is a… friend of mine.”
Uh, due to the time travel paradox, their generational relationship seemed a bit strange, so Fisher couldn’t define their specific relations.
If one thinks about it, Ashley’s teacher or senior is Tang Zeming Asuka, and he is Tang Zeming Asuka’s teacher, so normally he should be considered her ancestor.
But according to normal timelines, Ashley is also a centuries-old anomaly, and it appears she doesn’t have any plans to honor her mentors, though she isn’t malicious either.
One can’t say “you call me ancestor, I call you senior; let’s keep it to ourselves.” It’s simpler to just call her “friend.”
“Ha, I really can breathe a sigh of relief now. If you truly were here for Nali, we would have to plead with you to let us go; we can’t fight you! You don’t know, when Felis sensed your aura, her hair stood on end like a balloon!”
“Balzak!”
Felis’s face darkened as she twisted Balzak’s ear. His body, devoid of rank, felt like a chick in Felis’s grasp, making him quickly plead for mercy.
Speaking of which, the Lion Race also seems to have the “Yin and Yang reversed” trait, similar to the Troll Race.
“You guys, are you together?”
Emhart blinked and asked.
“.”
Balzak and Felis both froze for a moment, then retreated a step simultaneously, as if they found each other very distasteful.
“I think I’m going to puke, seriously. Being colleagues with this dead lion is already enough. You don’t know how she disgusts me over the years; when I close my eyes, it’s all her disgusting matters.”
“Huh? Am I the one who puts up with you?! You little soft-shell shrimp; just seeing you makes me angry.”
“You dare not live in my house!? After I found you a job, all your salary went to your little treasure chest, and you don’t even pay me rent; I have to pay for food. Why don’t you just die, you iron rooster!”
“Why are you so stingy? Didn’t I let you off the hook?!”
“Huh?! Don’t think I don’t know your Lion Race’s viewpoint; you’re pretending to be the victim. You’re clearly enjoying it, okay? The one suffering has always been me?!”
“Heh, premature ejaculation boy.”
“Heh, stupid waterfall lion.”
“.”
Fisher’s face darkened as he covered the innocent Alicia’s ears in his arms. He almost wished he could grow two more arms from his life disorder just to cover Emhart’s ears as well but ultimately refrained. Still, he couldn’t help but walk straight past them towards the front of the group.
Meanwhile, the Fate Lord behind them listened in rapt attention, and when she saw Fisher walking farther away, she reluctantly followed.
The location where the Fate Lord teleported them to was not far from where he previously carried Valentina, right in front of the Phoenix Bridge. Crossing the Phoenix Bridge would lead them into the Troll Race territory.
But it seemed that ever since they entered, the Phoenix Bridge had been destroyed. It was uncertain if the Parasol Tree had opened a new route.
However, they had slimes there, so perhaps they didn’t need a path that could easily be entered by outsiders?
As Fisher considered whether or not to fly over directly, among the ruins covered in heavy snow once again after four and a half years, a certain white area seemed to sense the visitors and began to tremble slightly.
“Beep, beep, David has detected a visiting unit, scanning and uploading… Scanning complete, upload complete, initiating inquiry measures, starting now… Beep.”
“What the hell.”
“Boom!!”
Just as Fisher’s keen ears caught the faint sound coming from the snow, the next second, the white snow exploded, sending the accumulated frost and snow flying into the air, transforming into mist.
Amid the swirling mist, a massive humanoid mechanism suddenly stood up, becoming a large shadow glowing with azure machine light under the “white curtain.”
Although that massive shadow appeared angular, its movements were extremely nimble, vastly different from the mechanisms Fisher had seen in Nali before.
Those mechanisms in Nali were sufficiently advanced and futuristic, but that was merely when compared to the steam-powered production tools used previously in Nali; when compared to this big fellow, those were instantly rendered pathetic and below standard.
Wait, there are mechanisms here at the Parasol Tree?
Of course, the mechanisms in Nali came from the Storm Sea. At that time, the Storm Sea had not only Black Chieftain but also the Ice Mountain Queen, Alagina, who had once been his ally but now had backstabbed him.
“Crack, crack, crack!”
In an instant, the shadow synchronized with Fisher’s thoughts and slightly trembled as countless mechanism weapons rose from its body, aiming at Fisher and the Fate Lord in front of them, and spoke in a nimble mechanical voice,
“Beep, please tell David the purpose of the visitor, or be annihilated on the spot.”
“David?”
Fisher raised an eyebrow, and for the first time, a surprised expression appeared on the Fate Lord’s face behind him, while the massive mechanism continued,
“A. Alliance request, B. Declaration of war invasion, C. Return to seek a wife. Beep, particularly specified, this wife refers to Alagina, not Valentina.”
Fisher stared blankly at the mechanism before him, and the Fate Lord and Emhart behind him also stared at him in shock.
But the mechanism just repeated its request, urging him to choose,
“Please choose.”
