Chapter 646 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

In my grasp, Temporus collapsed, frail and powerless. Father Casas witnessed this and was taken aback. "He’s dead! Killing a family enforcer within the family itself. Are you not afraid of the gods or the family?" "He’s not dead. He’s just unconscious." Please, stop assuming I'm a murderer. I only deal with those who wish for death. "Whew. At least you have some sense." Father Casas approached to check Temporus's condition and then let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps it was his political acumen knowing that one should not antagonize the Celsius family here, but more significantly, his nature could not tolerate seeing murder occur right before his eyes. "I'll go melt the ice encasing that guard. Even if he's the enforcer's guard, leaving him like that is dangerous." "How about you melt the ice stuck to me first?" "I have no holy power to spare for the likes of a black mage. You can deal with that yourself." Then why did you even talk to me? Figure it out on your own. While Father Casas used magic dispelling techniques to melt the ice, Hilde sidled up to me. She didn’t appear to be looking up to me for taking down the enforcer from the Celsius family. "You’re such a liar~, Father." "Pardon? What about?" "When you took care of the enforcer just now~. You didn’t actually use any magic, did you?" "What are you talking about? Didn’t you see my magic? It was an extreme of ritual magic, a tactical-grade magic that even the militaristic nations couldn’t achieve, crafted purely by physical prowess." "That's it, right? Enduring the ice and taking down the enforcer had nothing to do with magic, did it?" She’s observant. Embarrassed, I scratched my head. “You noticed that, huh. The enforcer didn’t even realize.” “Of course. The enforcer is a mage; since you didn’t use magic, he couldn’t notice. Father just bulldozed through with brute strength.” “Brute strength, really? That was magic-like sorcery.” No matter how strong I’ve become, being encased in ice reinforced by magical energy would have prevented me from moving. Even if I forcibly shattered it, the sharp fragments would have shredded my body. With Tyr’s presence, I wouldn’t die, but if I openly displayed my regenerative abilities, Temporus might have figured something out. It was best he didn’t feel defeated. I had no choice but to leave Temporus mystified. "So, what did you do?" “A simple trick. I pre-froze the joints.” “Huh?” “The essence of Celsius's magic isn’t cold but phase transition. In other words, it’s crystallization magic, which can’t freeze crystals because they’re already crystals.” “Ah!” Disguises and espionage are Hilde’s main duties, so she possesses extensive general knowledge to respond to unexpected topics. She quickly grasped what I meant. “Yes, I pre-froze the joints. Due to the Celsius territory's rules, even a little water easily freezes when splashed. Even if the entire body is covered, if the joints are fine, you can still walk. It was cold and tough, though.” “The enforcer was completely fooled by Father’s performance.” “Fooled? He believed I was wielding magic right up until he fainted. How is that different from magic?” If it’s detected, it’s a trick; if not, it’s magic. Isn’t it all the same? Strip everything bare, and all that’s left are pitiful, desperate struggles. “Since you readily shared this trick with me, can I assume Father trusts me immensely~?” "It's not like I can hide it forever. Secrets are completed by secretly telling someone." "And then whispers spread to someone's ears, eventually becoming rumors worldwide~." "Well, in that case, it’s deserved." If you really want to keep it secret, you shouldn’t tell anyone in the first place. Hilde tilted her head, momentarily deep in thought. ‘Ah! Isn’t it~? If we retreat safely from here, nothing will change. That’s not the outcome Father desires….’ “By the way, can you help me scrape off this ice covering my body? I’m starting to lose mobility.” “Alright, Father. Stand still there. I’ll shatter it in one go with internal energy and an explosive wave.” “It’s just the ice, right? You’re not planning to shatter me too, are you?” “Of course not! Trust me!” “Let’s save that as a last resort. Let me try melting it with my body heat first.” “Tsk….” “Did you just click your tongue? You were just looking for an excuse to hit me, weren't you?” Certainly, this particular magic is bothersome. If brute force is used to break it, I’d get injured too. Let’s try clearing it off joint by joint. “Hmm?” Though I didn’t do anything specific, the ice slowly began to melt away as if exposed to sunlight. Regaining my freedom, I looked down at the trickling liquid. "You could have melted it on your own? Tsk. Just as I thought. I worried for nothing! Give me back my worry!" “No, this wasn’t my doing.” It’s similar to Father Casas’s time-based magic… but he’s busy rescuing other frozen people. Then what is this…? “Father Casas. We might want to hurry.” This isn’t melting; the tiny crystals are trickling away like grains of sand, rolling in one direction. It looked like what I imagined an ebb tide on a glacier would resemble, as if drawn towards the moon due to its nature as water. The direction this ice was flowing? The ice tower. It was absorbing itself as if it had always been part of the structure. Just when I was in awe at this feature of the ice fortress… the unexpected happened. “Father, the castle is moving…?” There was no need to turn my head. The ice fortress, massive enough to fill my entire field of vision, was indeed moving. Being a castle, the ice fortress comprised multiple towers. We were in a courtyard of an outbuilding, a secluded place where no alarms would be raised. The enforcer likely wanted to handle matters quietly, which is why he brought us here…. But perhaps those above him were already aware. Rumble. The annex slowly "rose." A structure that should steadfastly guard its position was embarking on a massive transgression. The sharp towers of the castle formed a head, with the windows below becoming its face. The thick lower floors split apart, transforming into arms. The first floor and stairs became legs that firmly supported the giant. Standing at approximately 25 meters tall, this immense ice giant surveyed us condescendingly, looming too large to consider fighting against—a truly overwhelming mass of ice. "Wow... this is amazing." Though it was hardly the time for such expressions, I couldn't suppress the awe slipping from my lips. A castle of ice had risen from its place to stand on two legs like a giant. Just having it in my field of vision seemed to fulfill a childhood dream. "Go on, be more amazed. Look up with greater admiration. From down there, that's all you can do." The voice came from the giant’s face. Looking up as directed, I saw a young lady with long blue hair, seated with an arrogant posture, resting her chin on her hand as she looked down at us with disdain through the wide-open window. Her appearance seemed familiar, more so was her haughty attitude. Sipping from a crystal teacup, she looked at us with cold eyes. "A mere enforcer? He could never finish the job properly. If he’d watched with a bit more grace, he wouldn’t have fallen for such tricks. Which is why he’s doomed to clean up messes." Her voice was crystal clear despite the towering 25-meter height. She didn’t seem to be shouting. Is my voice like that too? I decided to ask at a reasonable volume. "And who are you?" "Consider it an honor that I bestow my name upon you. I am Elsia Celsius. The one destined to become the owner of this beautiful and radiant tower." The Celsius Estate belongs to the Celsius family. The enforcer is merely a pawn selected from among the mages who were born and raised on this land. The family of geniuses inherits the brilliance of the one who first discovered magic. Her striking looks and arrogant demeanor stirred a sense of déjà vu within me. "The Blue Tower Lord?" From the window, her profile bore an uncanny resemblance to the Blue Tower Lord from the floating fortress. Elsia Celsius grinned confidently. "It seems my poor sister has somewhat tarnished the family’s reputation." Sister? That’s news to me. The Blue Tower Lord has rarely talked about family. Not that we were close enough to discuss personal affairs with each other, but still... ... I never heard about her having a sister with unique magic! "The number of people underestimating the Celsius family astounds me." She precisely pointed a finger at me. "Father!" As Hilde pushed me out of the way, the giant moved. Its massive icy fist struck the ground not far from where I stood. A minor earthquake ensued. The tremors coursed through the ground and ice, while fragments broke away from the giant, raining down like hail. As the shattered and cracked ice scattered— It absorbed back into the giant. An infinitely regenerating ice giant? One that’s incredibly fast and powerful. With a size like that, to exert all its strength without concern for self-destruction—it’s beyond human endurance. More importantly, that’s... not its unique magic! "I believe your name is Hughes? Allow me the benevolence of letting you answer my question. Bear in mind, this isn’t a duel. It’s a grace that I offer. However, that answer will only lead you to despair." Elsia still leaned against the window, gazing leisurely down at us. The unique magic hadn’t manifested yet. The ice giant wasn’t a result of magic or unique skills but a completely distinct power. What exactly is that...? "My loyal knight Olaf, tell them the true nature of this little snowman I’m riding on." "A legacy...!" An embodiment left by a past mage, materializing their mindscape into reality!