CH 201

“Ah, I never thought the day would come when we would eat this…”

While saying such things, Tia bit into the black lump she held in her hand. As she gnawed on it, which looked like a small brick at first glance, she made an unsatisfied face and kept tilting her head.

This was the sole remaining sustenance we had. In reality… it’s the preserved food we bought like idiots in Canal’s world.

“I didn’t think the day would come when I’d appreciate that wasteful spending either.”

Peeling off the shiny wrapping paper that looked like a cross between paper and metal, I also started to gnaw at its contents. Having bought a ten-year supply on a whim, half-jokingly, after seeing it advertised as ‘still edible after ten years’, I didn’t find the taste to be particularly degraded even now, after more than two years.

“I just bought it and completely forgot about it. There are also three flavors.”

“Hey Ed, can I have another one of the chocolate ones?”

“Sure.”

I handed Tia a new wrapped one. As Tia chewed on it, she’s shocked that it’s ‘still this delicious after two years…’, but I don’t pay it any mind and take out another one, this time cheese-flavored, and start eating it.

We should be thinking about conserving food in this situation, but we have a ten-year supply. Even if we eat one or two more, it’s only a negligible amount.

We also had no problem with drinking water as we had some magic tools that generate water in addition to Tia’s magic, and thus we unexpectedly solved our food problem and continued our journey to reunite with the hero with renewed spirits.

After walking for another two weeks, we stopped in front of a certain abandoned house one day.

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“Whew, let’s call it a day.”

“That sounds good. There’s a nice place here too.”

The abandoned house in front of us had half of its roof collapsed, but the walls and doors were firm, and just being able to block the blowing snow made a big difference. It seems that the intensity of the snowstorm increases as the sun goes down, so securing a resting place early was very important on this journey.

“But it’s unusual, we usually run into him quickly, but this time we can’t find the hero.”

“Yeah. I expected to catch up with him soon…”

While exchanging small talk with Tia, I opened the door. Then, against the wall straight ahead, a man in his mid-fifties, dressed like a beggar from a slum, was sitting.

“What!?”

“Oh, there’s already someone here Hello.”

“…………………”

While I was startled, Tia greeted the man with a smile. But the man was frozen in surprise, with his eyes wide open… the next moment, he lunged at us.

“Hey, stop!”

“Kyaa!? What!?”

“…a…human…still…alive…!? Whaaa!!”

Clinging to our waists, the man began to sob loudly. We could feel no hostility or malice, just an adult crying. Unable to do anything but wait for the man to calm down, Tia and I looked at each other with bewildered expressions.

“…I apologize. I was so overwhelmed that I forgot myself.”

“Ah, no, that’s fine. It’s been a while since we met a living person too.”

About ten minutes later, the man who had regained his composure introduced himself as Harris. He was the hero we had been looking for. My [Akashic Compass] could tell the direction, but not the distance. I certainly didn’t expect to meet him so suddenly.

But, Harris? Hmm…?

[What’s wrong, Ed?]

Seeing my confusion, Tia gently intertwined her little finger with mine, triggering our [Missing Talk]. It’s really handy when we can’t have certain conversations in front of others.

[Well, I thought I’d recognize him when I met him, but I don’t remember this Harris.]

[Eh? Well, with a hundred heroes, I guess you might forget one…]

Despite Tia’s silent reproach, I narrowed my eyes slightly.

[No, it’s not that I forgot! I do remember a hero named Harris. But his age is completely different…]

[…his father, maybe?]

[That wouldn’t make him a hero. It’s not inherited through blood.]

“So where did you guys come from?”

“What!? Oh, well, um…”

Caught off guard by the sudden question and having no idea about this world, I stuttered. Immediately, Harris bowed his head in apology.

“I’m sorry. Forget it. I didn’t mean to threaten your lives. I’m just… just happy that there are other survivors besides me. And such young ones at that.”

“Ahahaha…”

“Um, Harris-san? Do you know why the world has become like this?”

“…You guys, you know nothing?”

“Yes. Um, there was no one to tell us, so nothing… by the time we noticed, it was already like this.”

“I see…”

In response to Tia and my explanation, which was not a lie but deliberately misleading, Harris frowned deeply and exhaled.

“Indeed, given your age, it’s possible you wouldn’t know. So let me tell you as your senior. Originally, the world was not covered by snow and ice. You may not be able to imagine it, since you’ve been born in this environment, but there was a time when the world was bathed in warm sunlight, flowers bloomed on the ground, beasts roamed around in the forest… the world was full of life.”

Harris’s eyes narrow, as if looking far away. Of course, we know of such a scene, but we don’t speak out of turn.

“But even such a paradise was not completely peaceful. About fifty years ago, someone claiming to be the Demon King suddenly appeared and the world was thrown into chaos. At that point, several countries combined their efforts to choose a hero to defeat the Demon King. Haa, I was one of those who volunteered for that candidacy. Longing to be a hero, I set out from my small town, fighting as an adventurer… defeating a demonic beast… ah, honing my skills and making a name for myself as I continued my journey to the royal capital. It was a tough but enjoyable journey… But that day, everything in the world changed. I’ll never forget it, forty years ago. The world was suddenly engulfed in a blizzard.”

The calm expression on Harris’s face changed dramatically. An intimidating aura seeped out of him, making us brace ourselves involuntarily.

“In the face of the sudden winter, people were confused. But at the same time, there was some optimism. They had just finished the autumn harvest, and they thought that winter had just come one or two months early. But they were wrong. Even when the normal winter passed and spring came, and summer came, the blizzard never ceased for a single day. After the seasons made one round, people began to think that this winter might never end. And that became true. Even after two years, even after three years, it kept blowing all over the world, causing almost all crops to wither and die, reducing the number of animals and even the sturdy monsters. Famine broke out all over the world as food became scarce, and people started fighting with each other, not against the Demon King. They stole from each other, killed each other, and thus managed to survive… but again, the food ran out and they had to steal and kill again. In just about twenty years, human nations declined to the point of becoming a shadow of their former selves. But… but still! That’s nothing! That’s nothing compared to the true malice hidden by this snow. This blizzard has an even more terrifying effect.”

“What on earth is…?”

Harris turned his bloodshot eyes to Tia who swallowed nervously.

“Freezing all life, ending it… the curse of sterility is the true threat of this blizzard. That’s why people call that Demon King this way. The one who signals the end of the season of mankind, the Winter Demon King.”