"I wonder if it will take another two days or so to finish the descent."
After a long silence, Fiona finally spoke.
"Likely so. I think we can reach the Given territory by then—wait, actually, is it even right to call it Viscount Given’s territory anymore?"
Ren voiced his doubt because the man was no longer of this world. There was no question that he would have been stripped of his title after the incident, but the man had taken his own life before justice could reach him.
"Well... it is currently under Imperial custody, so perhaps...?"
"...For the sake of simplicity, let's just keep calling it the Given territory for now."
Ren scratched his cheek, and Fiona’s eyes crinkled as she let out a soft giggle. She didn't look like someone despairing over their current predicament; she remained remarkably resilient.
"You really are a strong person, Lady Ignat."
"Oh? What brought that on so suddenly?"
"Forgive me if I’m misinterpreting things. Looking back, even during the incident on the suspension bridge, you never seemed truly frightened..."
"—If that is what you mean, it is for the same reason I told you before."
She looked up at the night sky where a myriad of stars twinkled. Her profile was illuminated by the flickering campfire as she exhaled a puff of white mist into the cold air.
"If I had shown this scenery to myself just a year ago, I probably would have laughed it off as a dream."
Ren felt like the topic had shifted, but he didn't point it out. Fiona was likely providing this context because she felt it was a necessary preamble. He didn't believe she was the type to dodge a question at this stage.
"A little over a year ago... you say?"
"Yes. I was so sickly that until then, I had never once stepped foot outside my own room."
According to Fiona, the only sky she had ever known was the narrow rectangle visible through her window. She had no idea how vast the world was, nor how wide the sky could be. Her opportunities to leave that room were limited to only a few times a year.
"You mentioned that the people at the fort had symptoms similar to Vessel Cracking, didn't you?"
Ren nodded immediately.
"I suffered from that very Vessel Cracking. It was so severe that magical healers, apothecaries, and even magic tool craftsmen all declared it terminal."
(...So that’s why she was wearing that necklace.)
The Necklace of Warding had been for that purpose. Originally, it was a relic created by one of the Seven Heroes to mask their companions' presence. By suppressing their immense mana, they could even deceive the Demon King. Her family must have used that suppression effect to keep Fiona’s fragile body from breaking under the pressure of her own power.
"Is it really alright for you to tell me all this?"
"Yes. I’m sure it’s fine to tell you, Mr. Adventurer."
Fiona continued without a hint of hesitation.
"My world was my room. There were rows of medical magic tools my father prepared, rows of potions, a shelf of books I could only read on the days I felt well enough, and a chair I couldn't even sit in without someone to help me... that was the entirety of the world I lived in."
Moving her body at all was difficult without assistance. Even at her best, she could only manage to sit up in bed, sip a drink, or eat a small meal. And even those simple acts were reserved only for her "good" days.
But then, at a certain point, her world changed. It came abruptly, transforming her fate.
"There was a day when the behavior of my father and the servants changed. I misunderstood—I thought, ah, I must not have much longer to live—but that wasn't it at all."
It happened at night, after Fiona had fallen asleep. She avoided being too explicit, but a medicine—likely derived from Thief Wolfen materials—was administered to her without her knowledge. The reason was simple: Marquis Ignat and the others didn't want to give Fiona false hope if it failed.
"When I opened my eyes, I was relieved just to be alive. I prayed for the smallest things—I wondered if I could stand with help today, or if I could sit up on my own. I wondered how many more times I’d be able to eat by myself... But I noticed immediately that my body felt different."
When she woke, she felt incredibly light. It was as if everything had been replaced by a different world. The vision before her was so vivid and sparkling that she felt as though she had been living in black and white until that moment. Everything was radiant, almost blindingly so.
"My body didn't hurt anymore... It was so strange that I tried to stand up from the bed without help and tumbled straight onto the floor. I hit my head and got a bump. But that was all. Just lying there, pathetically crawling on the carpet... was the first time I cried with joy."
Ren looked at Fiona’s profile and realized the sheer strength dwelling in her eyes. He listened in silence as the daughter of a Great Noble described a struggle more harrowing than he had imagined.
"That’s why nothing scares me now. Compared to those days, this is nothing at all."
Fiona turned her gaze from the heavens to Ren. Her eyes held a mysterious brilliance that made the stars above look like mere pebbles.
(To think this girl was originally fated to die.)
In the original story, if Ren hadn't been here, Fiona would have died. Seeing her living so desperately in the present felt precious. He understood, with painful clarity, why she could remain so fearless.
"I’m sorry. I shouldn't have asked such a heavy question so casually."
"N-No! It’s fine! I’m perfectly okay now, and besides—"
Fiona softly averted her eyes from Ren, looking down into her cup as she whispered.
"...besides, right now, I can do my best if I think about what comes after the descent."
She spoke in a small voice, leaving her exact meaning unsaid. Yet, it was clear she held a powerful will within that whisper, a secret determination that would carry her through. Though the words didn't quite reach Ren’s ears, she seemed content with that.
"We will definitely make it down safely. I promise you, I will deliver you to the edge of the Baldur Mountains."
The words left Ren’s mouth naturally, his steady gaze locking onto hers. His reliability was beyond question, and Fiona nodded with a profound sense of trust that felt far deeper than their short time together would suggest.
"Honestly... you really are just like they said—a very kind person."
Fiona added in a tiny voice that Ren couldn't hear, continuing to giggle softly.
But then—
"..."
She suddenly reached out and pressed her hand against her chest. She took a long, deep breath, and Ren felt a flash of unease.
"Are you alright? Do you feel unwell...?"
"N-No! I’m fine!"
Fiona hurriedly smoothed over her reaction, her cheeks flushing with enough conviction to be persuasive. She feigned composure so well and maintained her usual smile so perfectly that Ren wondered if he had simply imagined the momentary lapse.
"Please try to sleep a bit more. I’ll be fine on watch."
He had dozed off earlier, but he could push himself a bit longer. Fiona hesitated for a moment before offering a quiet, "I’m sorry."
"I’ll take you up on that offer and rest first, then."
Fiona stood, apologized once more, and left the campfire. She returned to her tent and pulled the entrance shut.
The moment she was out of sight, her knees buckled. She collapsed to the floor of the tent. Clutching her chest with both arms, she squeezed her eyes shut, enduring the white-hot agony coursing through her body.
"...Why... so suddenly...!"
She kept her breathing shallow, desperate to ensure Ren wouldn't hear her. She muffled the sounds of her struggle by pressing both hands firmly over her mouth.
The two left their campsite as soon as dawn broke.
The snow surrounding them was noticeably thinner than it had been a few days ago. Although the effects of the blizzard were still visible, the lava flows snaking through the terrain had melted much of the snow with their radiating heat.
Thanks to that, their descent seemed to be going smoothly, until—
(...This is the worst.)
The path leading toward the Given territory was severed right before Ren’s eyes. The road that should have been there was completely obstructed by a massive flow of lava. From the base of the nearby steep slopes, molten rock splattered and popped with violent energy. This was far more intense than when Marquis Ignat had attempted to revive Asval in this region.
(If this were normal lava, I might have been able to find a way through.)
Shortly after they had begun their trek toward the Given territory, Fiona had noticed something. She told him that the lava flowing nearby was not ordinary molten rock. She claimed she could feel mana radiating from the heat—as if the lava itself were alive. She said it felt very much like the fire that had destroyed the suspension bridge.
Because of this, the lava showed no sign of cooling or solidifying in the mountain chill; instead, its ferocity only seemed to grow.
Naturally, Ren had tried to use Nature Magic to forge a path. Fiona had also attempted to use Ice Magic to dam the flow. Neither had any effect. The mana-infused lava showed no sign of slowing, its rampage reaching a peak of devastation.
"...Mr. Adventurer. Should we try to double back to the path we originally took?"
"No. I think you might have guessed this too, Lady Ignat, but at this rate, that path is likely in the same state... or it will be even worse by the time we reach it."
"I... see."
They were out of time. The Baldur Mountains were already becoming unrecognizable to Ren. The Silver Peaks were being consumed by lava moment by moment, and soon, even the ground they stood on would be swallowed. They no longer had the luxury of being picky about their route.
...No, perhaps that luxury had never existed.
"...I do know of one other path."
It was a desperate gamble. He could think of no other way, and they didn't even have a day to spare.
"Another path... can we actually descend from there?"
"Yes. Without a doubt."
It was a Hidden Map Ren knew from the game lore. Whether that place truly existed in this world was one question. Furthermore, because of the Steel-Eating Gargoyles that were guaranteed to spawn there and the harsh environment surrounding the hidden route, he had avoided the option until now.
"However, there are D-rank monsters there, so it is a very dangerous road. If we can't make it through, we might find ourselves wishing we had just stayed at the fort."
"...No."
Fiona gave a pained, weary smile.
"You must realize it too, Mr. Adventurer. We cannot expect help from the outside."
Even if the people they’d separated from at the bridge were alive and had made it back safely, they would only just be finishing their own descent. Even if they immediately requested reinforcements—even if knights and adventurers were rushing to their aid at this very moment—it was impossible. Without the bridge, the only way to reach the fort side was to traverse the deep canyon, a feat that was simply unrealistic while the lava flows continued to intensify.
(And we can't expect rescue from other paths, either.)
If those paths were clear enough for rescuers to come up, Ren and Fiona would have been able to go down them on their own. If they waited, the lava would claim their lives long before help arrived. Molten rock was pouring down from higher elevations already. It wasn't hard to imagine it reaching a volume sufficient to bury them both.
"Let’s go. ...Even if it’s dangerous, it seems there’s no other way for us to survive except by taking the path you know."
If waiting meant only being swallowed by lava, they had to move forward, regardless of the risk. They were in total agreement.
...Even so.
(Why is this happening?)
Even compared to when Marquis Ignat reigned as a boss in these mountains and attempted to revive Asval, the scale of this lava flow was incomparable. Even if someone had orchestrated this, could they really achieve something of this magnitude? Even if it was the work of those plotting the Demon King’s Resurrection?
(If they were capable of this, Marquis Ignat would have done it himself...)
If he had, there would have been no way for the heroes of the legend to interfere. Marquis Ignat would have successfully revived Asval and turned his fangs toward Leomel. But he hadn't. Whether this was a discrepancy from the game's portrayal or caused by some other factor entirely, Ren couldn't say.
(...)
Or... perhaps Fiona’s very presence was related to it.
The thought flashed through Ren’s mind for a fleeting second, but he immediately shook it off and began to walk.
"Let’s go. First, we’ll head toward the path I know."
Fiona replied in a tired voice, "Understood."