Chapter 134 - Winter Queen (5)
Chapter 134 - Winter Queen (5)
Of course, the first one to be freed from the pocket dimension was Maetel. She took in a deep breath as she sat down. A bright smile appeared on her face when she caught sight of Artpe. He had already been released from the pocket dimension he was in. He was leisurely chewing on ice.
"Artpe!"
"Yes, yes."
It seemed Artpe didn't have the energy to move his body. He somehow caught Maetel, who fell towards him. He let out a sigh. Her body was cold. It was as if she had been rolling around in an ice field.
"Your body is cold"
"Yes. Artpe should warm me up."
She rubbed her face against his neck as she acted like a spoiled child. He stroked her head as many thoughts went through his head.
He found out from his conversation with the Winter Queen that his dreams were the result of sharing Records with Maetel. It meant that there was a possibility that Maetel had already recovered the memory of her past life. She might have recovered it long before today.
'······personally, I think it is nonsense.'
Once she found out Artpe used to be a Four Heavenly King, there was no way Maetel could stick to him in such a familiar manner. However, he couldn't completely put this possibility out of his mind. At times, she had revealed a very mature side to her, and that worried him.
"Artpe is too warm. I think Artpe is spring."
"······I guess I'm mistaken."
"Huh? What is it?"
"It is nothing."
If she knew about what he had done during his life as a Four Heavenly King, there was no way she would liken him to spring. He didn't think she was acting. Her personality wouldn't allow her to hide such information about herself.
Still… Maybe…
What if something that he didn't know about was hidden within Maetel…..
"Artpe, you have a far away look again. You are hiding something from me!"
"How about you? ….do you have anything you are hiding?"
"Huh? Mmmm······ Ah."
At Artpe's impulsive question, Maetel blinked her eyes. Then she let out a mischievous laughter. She put her arms around Artpe's neck, and she pressed her body against him.
"Eh-eet."
"Hey, hey."
She said she was trying to heat up her cold body. She was using such a frivolous reason to accentuate her chest. Artpe was taken aback, so he tried to turn his gaze away.
"Artpe, I am hiding one thing."
At that moment, Maetel spoke as if she was trying to capture his attention. She truly had exquisite timing. Artpe hesitated a little bit before he answered her.
"You'll probably say something offensive, so I don't need to hear······."
"······in truth, my breasts became larger again."
"As expected, it is something offensive."
Her shame and sense of embarrassment had been left behind in mountain village and the Ancient ruin. It was a level of boldness that he expected from her. However, it was also true that her words had removed all the worries he had about her. In the end, he let out a sigh, and he tried to stroke her head…..
"Artpe, I think I'm big enough."
"Huh?"
"Artpe, you said you wanted me to grow quickly?"
"······ah."
Danger had approached him from a completely different direction! He hadn't even been worried about this. It was an outrageous danger!
'Shit. Wait a moment. Did I really? I did during the Kraken…..!'
Maetel didn't need to give an additional explanation. In a flash, Artpe had assessed the situation, and he shuddered. The fact that he had forgotten about it was the more surprising part. He clearly recalled what had occurred.
That's right. It was during the fight against the Kraken. Artpe hadn't acted appropriately for a being his age. He had fallen for Maetel. He had been half-bewitched by her. He vividly remembered saying words that he would have never said if he was of sound mind.
After they killed the Kraken, he had exchanged a short conversation with her before he had lost consciousness. He had forgotten about it until now. However, he remembered it perfectly right now.
"Haven't I grown a lot?"
"······you've grown enough."
He even wondered if several parts of her body had grown too much.
Wait a moment. Why was she bigger than her past self? Was it because of her eating habits? Was it the effect of the rapid level ups? Was it the power of her will? Was it a miracle? He was hopelessly mired by the countless questions that were forming in his mind. However, there was only one question that was important.
"So we are going to marry!?"
Maetel had grown using Artpe's words as a barometer. Maetel's expectation had grown so large that she was about to explode.
"Marriage······."
"Yes, you said you'll marry me when I'm done growing!"
No additional hints had been needed. Somehow, she managed to reach the keyword called marriage all by herself. Artpe had a faraway look as he placed his hand on Maetel's head.
"However, Maetel…. Enough is not satisfactory."
"What!?"
"You and I are heroes. Do you really think I'll be satisfied with 'grown enough'?"
He had to somehow get out of this situation, so he started spouting nonsense.
"T...that…. You do have a point, but…..!"
Of course, Maetel was an idiot, so she was convinced by his words. She nodded her head!
"That is why I want you to grow more."
"Yes! I'll grow faster! However, I don't want to be taller than Artpe….."
After saying those words, she passed her hands over her already ample breasts. Then she clenched her fists. Artpe inwardly thought he might have caused another problem, but on the other hand, he got a confirmation. There was no way this idiot remembered her past life.
"Hoo-ooh. From now on, here and here…. Mmm. I think that feels about right…."
"······mmm?"
At that moment, Artpe suddenly had a thought when he observed her behavior.
"Maetel······ You know of a method to grow those parts!?"
"Of course!"
He was given a truly shocking answer!
"As I leveled up, I was able to gain some control over my development through the Acceleration ability! This is why I became faster and stronger after I gained my Innate ability. I was able to grow my muscles."
"So it is possible to do such a thing through Acceleration…."
"My level was rising fast, but I was worried my body won't grow as fast. That is why I tried this method and it worked! Ooh-hue-hue. I'll grow so much that Artpe will accept me without being able to say a peep!"
There wasn't a particular level cap, but there was a clear limit as to how one's body developed. However, it seemed Maetel was able to treat the growth of her body like leveling up. It was as if her body was putty in her hands. The ability called Acceleration seemed like a misnomer.
"Maetel, you…."
"What?"
"······no, it's nothing."
Artpe was about to say something about her ability, but he shut his mouth.
He had forgotten about it, but his Innate ability called Read All Creation ability was in its second stage right now. After he reincarnated, he didn't see anything special that indicated that his ability had gone through a change. However, his ability itself had revealed to him that it had evolved to its second stage. So he knew his Innate Ability had grown.
'By outward appearance, her Innate ability doesn't look like it had changed, but······.'
Maybe, Maetel's Innate ability was growing too. She might be on her way to gaining an ability that was superior to the Acceleration ability. It was possible. She was showing overwhelming growth speed compared to her previous life. She was capable of pulling this off.
He didn't want to hinder the evolution of her Innate ability with his careless words. He decided to observe her. Of course, he didn't like it at all that his request for growing faster had become the impetus to the change in her Innate ability!
"If your body has warmed, you should get off of me. The others will be coming out soon."
"I want to stick to you longer. I'm already sticking to you, but I want to be more intense in sticking to you."
While Maetel was trying her best to play up her beauty, a woman appeared in the room. It was unexpectedly Vadinet. There was a tendril of cold energy emanating from her body. She hadn't failed the test. She did a good job in passing.
"What the hell are you doing!"
"See."
Vadinet took quick strides forward, and she pulled Maetel off of Artpe. Maetel knew she was pushing it already, so she didn't resist as she was pulled off of him.
"Artpe-nim, you must have suffered a lot. I'm sure you were being tormented by her. You probably allow it, because she is also a hero. I feel sorry for you…."
"You shouldn't speak those words while you are stealthily trying to sit on my lap."
Artpe was slowly getting a sense as to how he should deal with Vadinet. He flicked Vadinet on the forehead. He dropped her away from him as he asked her a question.
"Did you gain anything?"
"Ooh-mm. In truth, cold energy doesn't suit a holy priestess. That is why she gave me an Artifact, and she raised my Mana to the extreme."
As she spoke those words, she slid her leg towards Artpe. He was taken aback. He blinked his eyes, and he realized that she was wearing a stocking that she hadn't worn before. It was a transparent stocking. It looked as if the threads were made out of ice.
"It makes you resistant against the cold."
"It also gives me the ability to make clones. As a priestess, it is the optimal ability to have. …..above all else, it is pretty."
She had no experience with men, but she somehow learned many ways to appeal to men. It was like her to choose such an item.
The stocking accentuated her slim legs and smooth thighs. It really looked good on Vadinet. Artpe's heart started beating a little bit faster. Maetel's eyes narrowed.
"Artpe?"
"Ah, jeez. I hope everyone comes out fast!"
"Oppa!"
"Sienna, I missed you!"
"Ee-hee-hee-hee."
Fortunately, before a hole could be formed in Artpe's stomach, Sienna was released. As with Vadinet, Sienna had gained more Mana, and she had received an Artifact.
She had gained resistance against the cold, and her abilities had been boosted all across the board. It wasn't a bad outcome, but he also reminded himself of the fact that they weren't the leading role in this ruin.
'That's because Regina is most suited for the power of winter.'
Regina possessed great talent when it came to using wind and ice magic. Of course, she had full control over most elemental magic, but few in the history of the continent possessed as much talent for wind and ice magic as her. She boasted great mastery over these two disciplines.
'In her past life, she hadn't been able to fulfill all the prerequisites needed to clear this ruin, so she wasn't able to receive the entirety of the Winter Queen's power. However, it is different now.'
Maetel and Vadinet had been glaring and growling at each other. He had waited for Sienna to come out, since she could calm them. With the help of the Winter Queen, he was able to complete the magic tome. After Regina finished her test, they would immediately….
At that moment, the ruin shook from a large tremor.
"Artpe!"
"Calm down."
The ruin had been attacked. It was easy enough to discern the cause, since a crude hostility could be felt within the Mana.
The problem was the fact that he didn't know who the owner of the Mana was.
"Artpe, as expected…."
"It isn't Etna."
Maetel was about to speak, but Artpe immediately cut her off. Maetel's cheeks puffed out, but he wasn't lying. It wasn't Etna.
"I perfectly assessed and memorized her Mana pattern. This is someone that is less skilled, but….."
In terms of power, this being might not be too far behind Etna. When he had that thought, Artpe gulped.
They were completing this ruin, because it would allow them to defeat Etna. However, a different Demon with similar level of power as Etna had shown up. If this Demon possessed completely different properties from Etna, how were they supposed to win!
Even if Regina gained the entire power of the Winter Queen, the prospect of a win looked bleak.
"What if they continue to attack the ruin like this?"
"The Winter Queen has given her power to us, so she is about to perish. Normally, an attack of this caliber wouldn't be able to do anything to this ruin….. This is the worst case scenario. We might be buried alive here."
He churned his thoughts, but he couldn't come up with a solution. If they went out, will they be able to put up a fight against this new Demon? If the new Demon asked for Etna's cooperation, Artpe and his party would certainly die.
What should he do?
First, he had to wait for Regina to come out from her test before he could…..
[I know all about your worries.]
Artpe heard a voice from behind him. Artpe whipped his head around, and he saw the female sculpture. It had been absent from this room when it had created five pocket dimensions. The female sculpture had returned to reality once again.
"Returned. Main character always show up late."
"Be quiet, Regina."
Of course, Regina accompanied the female sculpture. She was much stronger than before. He wanted to check her status, but unfortunately, their current situation was too dire for him to do so.
[It wouldn't be wise for you to exit this place right now. The comrade of your past is with an enemy of the present. They are gathered in one place]
The female sculpture's voice could only be heard by Artpe. When she mentioned the comrade of his past, she was talking about Etna. The current enemy referred to the being that was attacking the ruin. The problem right now was the fact that Etna was also an enemy they had to defeat.
"I see…. However, by the way your phrased your words, you have a way to help us?"
The female sculpture nodded her head.
[Let us fake your deaths. I'll sacrifice all of my remaining power, and I will lead you down the correct path.]
"······what?"
For a moment, he didn't understand what she meant, so he queried her. However, the female sculpture no longer spoke. It dissolved into the air.
Afterwards, the ceiling fell down.