[Episode 160]
“If you go all the way down this road, you will come to the Red Mine.”
The king of the beast kingdom said as he guided them to the forest. The dark forest let out a rather bleak sound as the wind blew.
Richard and I tilted our heads with our eyes wide open.
It was a forest, but I felt the heat. It seems that a very hot energy is overflowing from the inside.
We paused for a moment, speechless, and looked up at the king.
“If I go in here, the child will get fat and die.”
Richard growled with a very ferocious force.
Still, Richard, who used a rather honorific word for being a king, was so admirable that when he stroked his hair, Richard’s cheeks burned.
“What what is it? Eirin…”
Seeing Richard lowering his head, I let out a short breath.
‘Is this a bad thing?’
Maybe it’s something that gives me hope.
I looked at Richard’s figure before gently removing my hand. It is quite cruel to give false hope.
But I was a little afraid.
I was afraid that our relationship would change if I rejected Richard’s words. I’m afraid I won’t be able to remain friends.
“Eirin?”
“Oh huh?”
“what’s the matter? Can you really get in here?”
“Yeah, I guess I forgot…”
I grinned at Richard.
“I am a dragon.”
This kind of heat wasn’t ticklish in the first place.
In fact, I didn’t even think it was that hot. Richard frowned with an expression that was not very relieved by my words.
“Few people can enter this forest. Even among the number of people, it is only a small part.”
“But aren’t snow leopards animals that live in cold places, so they live in snowy places?”
“Usually it is.”
“Normally…”
“That snow leopard is a bit unique.”
I nodded my head at the king’s words.
There must be something going on, so it must be over there. I know, but it bothered me in many ways.
“I would like you to pass this on to Snow Leopard. Then you will know that I sent you.”
“This…”
“It’s food and daily necessities delivered periodically.”
Seeing the large bundle presented by the king, Richard lightly touched it, and the bundle floated into the air.
“are you okay?”
“of course.”
Richard said, putting strength on his shoulders. I smiled lightly and nodded my head.
“Shall we go in then?”
“huh. I’ll go first.”
“I’ll be back. Thank you, King.”
“you’re welcome. If you think we can pay off our debt at least like this, I’d rather give you a chance.”
The king bowed his head once more.
“I’m sorry, but I’ll say it one last time. I was really sorry at that time.”
The king’s apology was sincere. It occurred to me that maybe because this kind of person was the king, the last incident might have ended in such a round way.
“It’s okay, because I really forgot about it and I don’t keep it in my heart anymore.”
In fact, even the king was not at fault.
“Let’s go Eirin.”
Richard called me, standing crookedly. There was something about her expression that she didn’t like.
“Did something bad happen? Richard.”
“Feeling bad? why not?”
“Because I don’t look good.”
“Ah… nothing.”
Richard’s cheeks turned red and he rubbed his face. After rubbing his face with the back of his hand, he quickly took my hand and entered the dark forest.
As soon as I stepped into the woods, the sudden heat hit me, and I was short of breath.
“Are you okay Richard?”
“Yes, I did magic. I wrote to you too.”
When I blinked at those words, pure white gas was really swirling around us.
“It won’t stop the heat entirely, but it’ll be better than nothing.”
“Yeah thanks.”
Actually, it doesn’t feel that hot, but I just decided to quietly accept his favor.
This too must have been one of the opportunities he asked for.
“It is very deep.”
It was so hot that it was strange how the forest was being maintained.
After entering the forest, the wind did not blow properly, and it seemed that there would be nothing strange about the stagnant heat killing the plants in an instant.
But the plants were fresher than any trees I had ever seen.
Afterwards, Eirin was a bit overwhelmed, and sweat was dripping from her cheeks.
“Shall I carry Eirin?”
“huh? no it’s okay.”
“If it’s hard, I’ll pick you up. It’s not good if you’ve already lost your stamina.”
Richard quickly crouched down in front of me and showed his back. Sweat was dripping down his cheeks as well.
‘I’m sorry for leaving you here.’
After thinking for a while, I sat on his back. The wide back was comfortable and at the same time warmed by the heat.
As he slumped up, he jumped up.
“Eirin.”
“huh?”
“Are you comfortable?”
“Yeah thanks. Richard.”
“…huh.”
He had no choice but to carry the wind against his earlobes. Richard’s cheeks flushed red.
He strode forward with his head bowed. The more I looked at it, the better I felt.
“Thanks Richard…”
I whispered to him again.
Richard nodded with a somewhat painful expression. Fortunately, it wasn’t long before I saw a red cliff and an open mine below.
It was a very deep mine. Fortunately, there was a staircase on one side, but the tree looked quite old as if it were old.
“Is it okay over there?”
“I’ll cast a strengthening spell once, so there won’t be any problem.”
As Richard cast an incantation, a colorless transparent curtain was placed over the wooden stairs.
I’ve done this, but it’s strange that I’m carrying more.
“I can walk from here.”
“okay?”
“huh.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
Richard obediently put me down, took the lead and held out his hand to me. As I held my hand, Richard cautiously descended the stairs.
The stairs were so long that it took my breath away.
And as I went down, the severe heat seemed to melt my body. I was out of breath.
‘How the hell do snow leopards live here?’
No, it was not a snow leopard, but even a person seemed to have a hard time living.
“Are you okay Richard?”
“Yeah… but a little bit. It’s hard.”
The scorching heat rose from below without stopping. It felt like there was a volcano underneath.
It is also an active volcano.
We walked slowly into the mine. There were indeed traces of mining.
Equipment for mining various minerals was also lined up, and there were several cave-like things on one side.
I wondered if maybe that iron or something was mined there.
‘I’m afraid my hands will melt while mining iron here.’
It seemed that it would not end at the level of being burned.
Just stepping on the ground is enough to make you feel out of breath. How hot is the iron?
“Did you tell me this correctly? Didn’t that king make fun of us?”
Richard stomped his foot into an empty mine that didn’t feel like people.
“I must have told you correctly. Dad wrote a letter too.”
Even though he apologized so sincerely, I didn’t think he would have cheated on me.
“Of course, but no matter how you look at it, it doesn’t look popular. In a place like this, let alone a snow leopard, it would be difficult for people to live.”
Richard was extremely right. I agree with that idea.
It was then.
Kreurreung-!
An animal-like cry came from somewhere. It was heard not from one side, but from all sides.
A dreary cry was heard from the holes drilled here and there in the mine, as if it had come from a cave.
“Did you just hear?”
I opened my eyes wide and spoke to Richard, and Richard nodded coldly.
“I heard this. Eirin.”
Richard pointed to a nearby cave. We held hands and ran straight into the cave.
“Ugh…”
Richard, who stepped in first, opened his eyes wide and took me into his arms.
“Crazy…”
Richard hastily snapped his fingers. The air, which seemed to stop breathing, became a little easier.
“Thank you Richard. But…”
It was difficult to breathe in a different way because I was hugged so tightly. Richard’s eyes widened.
“Aaaagh!”
Richard hurriedly left me and quickly retreated.
“Sorry!!!”
Seeing him apologize loudly, I laughed a little.
“No, I have nothing to be sorry about. It was just that it was a little difficult to breathe.”
At my words, Richard nodded. Gently, he held out his hand and opened his mouth cautiously.
“Do you want to hold hands?”
“huh.”
I took Richard’s outstretched hand and entered the cave.
When we reached the end of the cave we witnessed something unbelievable.
At the deepest part of the heat, there was a room as wide as an empty lot.
And there was a snowy field. It was a beautiful snowy field,
full of pure white snow, and the cold came at once .
