Chapter 140: The Harsh Land Of Winter
He tidied up his spot and left early in the morning.
The blizzard that had raged all night had ceased, making travel relatively easy.
Activating mana around his body, Ray quickened his pace.
Although his feet sank deep into the snow, preventing him from running as he normally would, it was still much better than walking.
As he traveled along the mountain ridge, Ray stopped to admire the landscape sculpted by the snow.
Wow. The scenery is no joke.
The cliffs, appearing as if sharply cut by a giant blade, revealed a breathtaking view.
The perennial snow, preserving the semblance of time, stood proudly in its glory.
His admiration for the pristine white land was short-lived, however, as the weather began to deteriorate rapidly.
With the blizzard obscuring his vision and the temperature plummeting further, Ray found himself in a precarious situation.
Such sudden weather changes without warning! It was frustratingly reminiscent of a certain Holy Kingdoms god.
The cold was so intense that frost formed on his eyebrows.
Ray tightened his clothes and pushed through the blinding snow.
He couldnt afford to wait for the blizzard to cease; Proxia was still in motion.
His progress was slow compared to the distance, but the important thing was that he continued to move forward.
Could this land have been struck by the breath of an Ice Dragon?
Had he not applied Heat magic to his body, he might well have frozen solid.
Any common monster would have fled upon setting foot in this harsh winter landscape.
As he approached the heart of the mountain range, the chill cut through him more fiercely.
Ray shivered.
Argh! Its freezing! Insanely cold!
Despite his solitude, his complaints echoed loudly and repeatedly.
Yet, even as he complained, his pace didnt falter, which was quite impressive.
After about three hours of trudging through the intense cold, he spotted a solitary tree near the ranges end, eerily resembling a human figure.
Ray immediately recognized what it was.
A Dryad in such a place
Sympathy preceded wonder.
Dryads normally rooted themselves in deep forests or sun-drenched lands.
They were more akin to spirits than monsters.
Why, then, would one root itself in a realm of sheer cold?
As Ray prepared to walk past, the Dryad addressed him.
To encounter a human in such a place
The Dryad, whose appearance was neither clearly male nor female, gazed at Ray, who stood tall.
Its demeanor was serene, seemingly oblivious to its plight.
I didnt expect to encounter a Dryad here, either.
I am not a Dryad.
A Dryad denying its very nature.
Surely it was a tree driven to insanity, Ray mused. Ah, so this is what madness wrought by the cold resembles. I must avoid succumbing to this before I depart these snow-capped mountains.
Ray shook his head with even greater pity.
You dont believe me? What if I do this?
The Dryad emerged from the earth where its roots had been anchored.
As it rose, the half that had been visible unfolded to reveal a lower body with human-like legs, complete with a tail.
Ray found himself taken aback.
What a lunatic tree! To think it would uproot itself despite the unbearable cold!
Dryads perished once uprooted.
Yet here stood one, ostensibly unscathed, following its own disentanglement.
The deranged Dryad declared.
As you see, I dont perish even when my roots are severed.
It spoke with an air of pride, as though boasting of its feat.
Ray, momentarily surprised, replied with scant emotion.
So it seems.
With that, their exchange concluded.
He was in haste. It was best to depart before becoming entwined with a creature of madness.
As he began to retreat, channeling mana into his legs, the entity he assumed was a Dryad trailed behind him.
Its pace was unexpectedly swift; despite its casual gait, it matched his speed.
The manner in which it ambulated, mimicking a humans stride with what he had assumed were roots, was rather fascinating.
The tree inquired.
Such remarkable divine power. Human, are you a god?
His true nature was unveiled in an instant.
Anyone capable of sensing divine power would have found the massive divine energy surrounding him odd.
Ray didnt respond.
He feared that any response might lead to his continued accompaniment of this crazy Dryad rooted in the snow mountain.
No response should naturally have meant no conversation.
But Ray realized a rare fact: even if only one side speaks, the conversation continues.
Dryads are typically very reserved in their speech.
They rarely converse with those they dont approve of or recognize.
However, this Dryad, possibly a mutant, was much more talkative than usual.
So much so that Ray contemplated using it as firewood in the severe cold.
They were often called Hamadryads, resembling tree spirits more than monsters, living their entire lives with their trees.
Though they appeared as small beauties, one should never underestimate them.
Due to their long lifespans, they possess significant power in their areas of expertise, making them much more dangerous than they seem.
Their race was mostly female, and if a strong, handsome adventurer of the opposite sex appeared, they would use every means to keep them close.
Recalling what he had read in books, Ray shook his head lightly.
Nothing was matching up.
The Dryad beside him not only walked after uprooting itself but also talked excessively.
Its stupidity, respectable enough to root itself in a harsh snow mountain, was astonishing.
And about keeping a strong individual of the opposite sex close?
Why follow without making any effort to keep him?
Ray, unable to bear it any longer, spoke up.
How long do you plan to follow me?
I need power. Human, you have a lot of it. Can you share some with me?
Rays eyes lit up at the Dryads words.
It was rare for their kind to ask for favors, and if one fulfilled their request, they would often grant something the requester desired.
Their existence would be beneficial to the elves, known as the forest race.
Being a Dryad, inherently enriching forests, I was sure the elves of the Grensia Mountains would welcome me.
It was a purely materialistic thought to win their favor as a gift.
What kind of power are you talking about?
Exactly as I said. I need power. Make me stronger.
Making it strongwhat an easy thing to say for such a difficult task.
Ray wasnt omnipotent.
Even in Ziks case, it was different, but making just anyone or any creature strong was impossible.
Especially for a Dryad, whose physical structure was an enigma.
Ignoring it seemed the best course of action, considering he had neither the time nor the capability to fulfill the request.
With this in mind, he attempted to continue his journey, but the Dryad, now silent with lips sealed, followed alongside.
Eventually, it would tire and leave, Ray thought.
But he only realized his mistake hours later.
As darkness fell, Ray stopped to set up camp.
In the treeless snowscape, he was running low on firewood.
Gathering the last bits of wood, Ray lit a fire and warmed himself, while the Dryad rummaged nearby.
Thud
Ray burst into laughter, seeing the Dryad throw some of its own branches into the fire.
Hahaha.
He had thought it was crazy, but this was beyond expectation.
Throwing parts of its body into the fire?
Yet, it seemed unfazed, murmuring about the warmth and smiling contentedly.
The situation was beyond comprehension.
Morning arrived, and he resumed walking.
The snow had piled up overnight, sinking to his knees with each step.
The Dryad constantly grumbled beside him.
Its cold! My roots feel like theyre going to freeze!
If it was worried about freezing roots, it should have never come to the snowy mountain.
You shouldve just stayed rooted in the ground.
I cant. I need power to return.
Return? Where to?
Wasnt the snow mountain its home?
Ray gave the Dryad a puzzled look as it weakly said, The forest. Humans started coming, and one by one, we disappeared but before that, we were happy.
Forest?
Was there a forest nearby?
Only the pure white snowfields surrounded him.
If there was a forest, it must be in another mountain range, but the Grensia Mountains were the only ones nearby.
Could it be
He entertained the thought but quickly dismissed it.
Why would a Dryad from the Grensia Mountains come to this distant snow mountain?
Furthermore, if it were from Grensia, wouldnt it seek help from the elves?
Nature-loving elves would not ignore a Dryad in distress.
The reason for fleeing to the snow mountain likely lay in the absence of elves nearby.
This rationale seemed plausible.
At least the Dryads home was not in the Grensia Mountains.
Though it was sad, everyone had their own story.
Ray could only nod and offer what little consolation he could.
He had his own responsibilities to consider.
Helping indiscriminately wasnt feasible for him.
After walking for half a day, the temperature rose, and the snow started to melt slightly.
He reached the edge of the mountain range.
The Grensia Mountains were finally visible.
As he took another step, the Dryad, which he thought would follow to the worlds end, remained motionless as if rooted in place again.
I can only come this far. I cant go any further.
A Dryad that could only live on the snow mountain?
Despite the oddities, Ray waved goodbye to it.
Normally talkative, the Dryad remained silent during their parting.
It seemed to want to say something but hesitated, eventually closing its mouth.
Then, it turned with a steadfast, tree-like demeanor, its eyes blinking slowly.
Ray smiled faintly and resumed his trek.
Though it remained silent, its eyes conveyed a sense of desperation.
But the Dryad wasnt the only one feeling desperate.
If Ray didnt deal with Proxia soon, the continent could face ruin.
Countless people would die and suffer.
Perhaps that was why the gods had chosen him as a saintto prepare for such events.
He had planned to live a second life advancing medicine and saving patients, but when the opportunity arose to save even more people, he couldnt refuse.
He sensed the Dryads presence behind him.
Somehow, it seemed as though it wouldnt move a step until he returned.
He couldnt help feeling it was contemplating his situation, although it was just a faint impression.
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