Chapter 112: Arctic region, and Magical Ice

Since the construction of both Zanakku-san's clothes shop and [Silver Moon] Brunhild branch has started, this area is becoming more and more like a shopping street. Although, there are still not enough goods, we will cover this aspect somehow.

Luckily, there are only a few citizens, so there is no need to worry too much about the circumstances regarding food. There are wild vegetables, berries, harvestable yam, and animals like hogs and rabbits in the forest as well. There is also plenty of fish in the river. It is exactly what the Belfast and Regulus majesties said. The land here is rich. Well, I guess that's the reason the magic beasts has spread here.

Well, I can say that nation-building is generally going smoothly. At that time, Tsubaki-san brought some information.

[To the north from the Empire, I heard that in the arctic territory of Elfura Kingdom, there is something like transfer formation that Heika talked about]

What? Apparently, it is an information from a merchant that came here from Elfura. It seems there is a strange cylindrical object in the middle of the closed ice cave that no one can enter by any means. I see, it was the same for the one in the desert, right? Though its shape seems to be different this time.

Nevertheless, if that professor also made them uniformly, it would be easy to look for them with search magic. I probably could do it in one go by looking for something like a [Transfer Formation]. Since how they look outside is different from one another, they can only be recognized as relics. I won't know until I enter them, though it will be obvious once I go inside. However, since a barrier was also thoroughly placed inside, search magic is repelled.

When I think this thoroughly up to this point, it comes down to me wanting to suspect whether this is a harassment or not. Of course, it is not yet certain that the object inside this cave is a transfer formation.

However, good job finding it. As expected from ninja. Is information gathering your specialty?

[With this, the number of Master's treasured dolls will increase once more]

[...whenever I think that the number of people like you will increase again, that already makes me depressed, you know]

I retorted my sentiments unpleasantly at Shizuka who just nonchalantly mumbled. However, I already thought of this before, but regarding the personalities of these fellows, I have a feeling that they are made from parts of the professor's personality. I suspect that the attitude towards making things came out strongly in Rosetta. On the other hand, Shizuka's forte is erotic jokes.

After I displayed the map, I have Tsubaki-san show me the place where she heard about it. It is far to the north and even further. Isn't this the farthest end? It will probably be cold.

[For now, I will have Rosetta and Shizuka head there first with Babylon. When it gets cold, will you go inside the house?]

[No need to worry. The barrier is built to preserve the moderate temperature inside Babylon, therefore it is not a big deal whether it is either hot or cold]

Now that you said it, it was not very hot during the time we went to the desert too. Does the function of the air conditioner has a vast range? Very convenient~. When I think about it carefully, it probably is a necessary function for the garden's plants as well. There might be some seeds weak to cold or heat too.

After sending out Shizuka and Rosetta, I went to Rin's house with everyone. And when I told her that another transfer formation was discovered she jumped happily. Honestly, it would be fine even if I didn't tell her that, but I am scared of what would happen once she learnt about it.

After telling everyone that we going to arctic region, everyone return to their rooms to prepare. It won't be a problem for me since I have this coat. After all, it has cold-resistance, heat-resistance, cut-resistance, impact-resistance, and magic-resistance effects applied. It was not hot even in the desert, so it should be fine.

I am taking only Kohaku this time, since Sango and Kuroyou offer to stay home.

『We are weak against the cold. It is not like we can't move, but our bodies get slightly restrained』

I see. It is not strange since they are a snake and a turtle. It is inconvenient, but I am glad that humans are not weak to that extent.

=======================Scene Change=======================

... I was naive. I underestimated the arctic region. What's with this cold? Is this coat's cold-resistant function not working? How low is the temperature! And yet, everyone else is looking around with calm face! What does that mean!?

[W-why do you guys have a calm face like it is nothing? A-aren't you cold?]

[Because I am using warming magic, you know. Everyone beside yourself is under normal temperature state]

Rin causally lets out a joke. That's unfair! Why am I the only one left out!?

[A perfect protection against cold, you said it yourself, right?]

I really said that! But, I'm sorry, I was overconfident! So, let me also have that magic, please!

[Heat come here, Warm Barrier, Warming]

Rin's magic light wrapped my body. Oh, the coldness was mitigated. As a test, I tried picking up snow from the thick pile, and it wasn't really cold. But the snow didn't melt quickly as well. Apparently, this magic doesn't raise body temperature. It might be similar to a barrier that protects the body against cold.

I try to look around now that the cold has settled down. A big ice hole is spread on the hillside covered with coniferous forest. The ice-covered cave is continually stretching downwards below. Apparently, the relic is somewhere inside that cave.

We set foot inside the cave. Even though [Warming] is effective, I can still feel the chill piercing through my back. I light up the way with [Light], and advance slowly.

[It is slippery, so be careful. Pay attention to your feet and slowly…]

The instant I turn around to tell everyone to be careful, I lose my footing and fall down on the ice. Ouch. Is it a curse for always making my enemy slip?

[What are you doing, Touya]

[Are you alright? Touya-dono]

I take Elsie's and Yae's hands and stand up. I really wish there was a totally unslippable shoes. If there is an inverse to Slip magic, will I not slip even if i walk on the ice?

Despite the current situation, Pola nimbly jumps down the ice hole as she descends. Naturally, she slipped, and rolled down in a funny way. That fellow, What is she doing?

We saw that, and continued the descent even more carefully. I nearly slipped several times, but somehow managed to reach the bottom without falling down.

[… Really, it is high]

Rin looks up and mutters to herself. There is a tall and wide cave inside the ice hole with several icicles connect the ceiling and the ground. The inner part of the cave is dark, and we can't see what's there.

I let out [Light] first while Kohaku guides it. If it is him, he will probably notice by smell or by sound if there is anything there.

『Master. There is something up front. It looks seems to be the relic in question, but it looks like it will be a little problematic...』

Hmm? Is the relic over there? Kohaku is really effective in the dark. He can already see it. But what does he mean by it being problematic?

I advanced carefully minding the steps, and I then understood what Kohaku meant. A big cylindrical black luster object is covered with an absurd amount of ice. What the hell is this? An eternal ice wall? The ice wall appeared inside the cave. The black cylindrical relic could be seen through the ice.

[It is creaking... Do we have to smash that…?]

I tried firing Brunhild's bullets at the base of the ice, but it was easily repelled. No good. This is as hard as a Fureizu.

[Rin….can it be melted with magic?]

[Um, I can give it a try but....]

The flame gushed out before Rin's hand like a flamethrower, but the ice didn't melt. What is the meaning of this?

[As I thought, it was useless. This ice isn't ordinary. It is Magical Ice]

[Magical?]

[It is an ice made by accumulating nature's magic. It won't break from half assed power. Even magic fire can't melt it easily]

Umm. I thought of using [Gravity] to break it, but it seems I may end up crushing the relic inside as well, while [Gate] will only transfer the ice. It is completely connected with rest of this place. After all this, is melting it the best option? No, If I melt it with high temperature, this cave itself would likely collapse. In that case, the only choice remaining is to break it.

[Umm, I wonder if there are any good ways?]

I try to touch the ice wall. It feels cold and chilly. The cold feeling probably weakened due to the effect of [Warming]. And if that's true, then it will have frozen the skin with the cold.

[Even though it is just right there]

[If only we could dig a tunnel to quickly reach it...]

[Tunnel...? Ah!]

It was just after Yumina mumbling that something flashed inside my head. I place magic power into my palm. That's right, like that, there was also that method, wasn't there?

[Modeling]

The ice in front of me distorted and the wall dented. The surrounding area spread out and it became a completed tunnel.

It won't melt, and it won't break. In that case, transforming it will be fine, sincee removing it is not my goal. It is the as the time when I broke Baba-jiisan and the others out from the prison in Ishen.

I steadily transformed the magical ice, and advanced forward. Before long the frontal part of cylindrical object appeared inside the ice.

[Then, is this the transfer formation to Babylon? Or is it something else? ...]

[It is really big nee~]

As Rue said, the diameter of the cylindrical relic is 6-7 meters, and I think its height is 3 meters? It has a form of a tuna can. While transforming the ice with [Modeling] I tried to go around the relic, but there is no entrance anywhere. There is nothing resembling the gate, like in the desert, and upon touching, nothing that could allow us to go through appears.

Mm~? What is going on?

Suddenly, I recalled the tuna can shape and its surface from which the can is opened. It is at the top, isn't it?

I transform the ice into the stairs, and climb it while being careful not to slip down. I decided to have everybody wait below.

There was nothing at the top of the relic, with the exception of a small cavity with the diameter of a meter in its center. By any chance, is that it? When I cautiously stretch my leg, it slipped through. It seems like this is the entrance after all. Only someone with all attributes can pass through that mysterious barrier.

[I found the entrance. I will try entering it right now. Everyone, please wait a little. Contact me through Kohaku if anything happens.]

After informing everyone below, I steel myself and hop on the top of the cavity. I smoothly pierce through the ceiling, and land inside. With a faint thin light, there is a transfer formation with six stone pillars. Is it Babylon relic after all?

I pour magic of each attribute into each respective stone pillar. When I finish pouring all of them, the transfer formation started to emit a faint light. I stand in its center, and finally pour the last non-attribute magic.. I was then transferred along the brilliant dazzling light.