Silence.

A term that signifies being quiet or in a state of stillness without saying anything.

When someone has something to say but holds back for any reason—whether it be stubbornness or a situation—they are said to maintain their silence.

Indeed.

Everyone around me was keeping their silence.

As soon as my charges were announced, it was as if they had heard something they shouldn’t!

Damn it, what have you done, Leydan Tanton, you psychopath!

I had heard that even a general sex offender is treated with the utmost disdain, often among criminals of the same type.

But here I was.

They were accusing me of attempting to rape Outsider, the public enemy of this world?

No matter how beautiful the Outsider might seem, there are limits to perversion!

I raised my voice, asserting that I held completely normal views on sexuality.

“Uh, excuse me… This has to be a mistake. Think about it! What power does a mere human have to do something like that to an Outsider…? Is that even possible?! This is slander, pure slander!”

“Severe mental delusion,” came the calm reply.

I tried to protest to the man in the teddy bear costume about the incorrect accusations, but he was unyielding.

I was so unable to accept this that I tried to move, only to have the white-masked one brandish a plastic sword.

“Don’t move. A sinner has no room for excuses.”

“Such nonsense.”

“Well, that’s pretty bold of you.”

It was just a plastic sword, but I quickly reconsidered when a toy axe dropped right in front of me.

Thud.

“I told you not to move, didn’t I?”

Seeing the weapon slam down on the floor made it clear to me.

While it might remove fright, it offered no protection from pain.

I had no choice but to accept it.

I pretended otherwise, but deep down, I was relying on this super coward mode of mine.

In fact, since I had stripped fear from the coward, it bred reckless bravery instead.

Trapped in place, I shot a saddened glance at the Hunter, failing to hide my emotional wounds.

“Tsk.”

He didn’t seem to buy a single word I said.

Hunter, you bastard, this isn’t true, it’s not!

In a last-ditch effort, I glanced over at Agartha, but that was a mistake.

Our eyes met.

Her face lit up with a smile.

And not just any smile—one befitting a Thief.

“…Heh.”

“?”

“Running around naked… Hah, actually looks more dignified? Ha-ha-ha!”

Oh hell, should I just end it all now?

Whoever wrote this character of ‘Leydan Tanton’ has no idea that if we ever locked eyes, that day would be their last!

“AAAH!”

“I told you not to move a moment ago.”

When the white-masked one pressed his plastic sword lightly against Agartha’s belly, a sizzling sound echoed as if her flesh was burning.

That alone was enough to close her mouth.

“If you say one more word, there will be dire consequences.”

“I understand!”

Looking at the now crumpled Agartha, it felt a little better, but only a little.

Though she continued to stare at me with that snickering expression, my insides were once again boiling.

I was barely suppressing my outrage when the man in the teddy bear costume spoke, not bothering to hide his disgust.

“There are no survivors in the prison. Effective immediately, the prison is closed. Our Knights will take custody of the subhuman prisoners.”

“No…!”

“I will not accept any further questions.”

I wanted to argue, but he bound our hands with what seemed like duct tape.

It felt like it would tear easily with a little force, but even when I tried, it did not budge.

Is this made from Outsider materials or something?

So, we were being dragged off, restrained by tape that was even shoddier than handcuffs.

As we were pulled away, my mind continued to dwell on my accusations.

…Sigh.

So, this is what they mean by a sense of responsibility without pleasure.

Worse than I could ever imagine.

#

Knowing the way, the Knights relied on a single lantern to navigate the dimly lit path.

I cautiously glanced at Agartha and the Hunter.

Agartha still wore an expression full of mischief, while the Hunter was now avoiding my gaze entirely.

Sigh.

This is a headache.

Just a moment ago, I thought we had gotten a bit closer.

But I’m sure it’s because of my charges.

It wouldn’t do me any good to strain my relationship with the protagonist of the Snow Castle.

I shot a glare at that fluffy doll’s head.

It was all because of that teddy bear.

Why did he have to recite my charges out loud…!

If he hadn’t said anything, none of this would have happened, regardless of how my character was designed.

“Finally, an exit.”

“This prison feels unnecessarily vast each time I come here…”

“Why does the Outsider have to come out right here…!”

The Knights, oblivious to my turmoil, continued chatting amongst themselves.

Yeah… what could I, a powerless individual, do?

Walking with a mindset of “It’ll work out somehow,” I felt the path ahead gradually brightening.

Just like the masked woman said, it seemed we were finally getting out.

And as soon as we stepped outside…

“…Wow.”

I couldn’t help but gasp at the breathtaking sight before me.

The sense of liberation from the vast open space, adorned with trees in lush colors that reminded me of spring, standing amid the villages.

At the center stood a towering pillar made of stone bricks, with heat rising like steam swirling upwards—was that fire atop it?

This is why this Dark Fantasy world, ruined by Outsider interference, is called the Snow Castle.

It’s a tale about a castle that burns incessantly even amidst the blizzards that threaten to annihilate the world.

I remembered referring to the towering structure as firewood and the flames that danced atop it as the hearth.

They even said there was a Princess at the top?

Recalling the settings I’d seen in the community, I looked up at the sky.

Only then did it dawn on me that there was yet another reason I ended up playing this game.

Beyond the castle walls, the howling blizzard had begun to melt into the region.

The fire burning from the hearth intertwined in a dance with the blizzard that could freeze the world.

The harmony of ice and fire presented a stark contrast but, ironically, intertwined as if they were one.

The world is too beautiful to say it’s being destroyed by Outsiders.

“It was beautiful.”

My eyes remained fixed on the sky, captivated by a scene that seemed pulled from a movie.

The White Mask noticed my awestruck expression and a voice, scratchy as if from a throat that hadn’t seen water in days, broke through.

“It seems you truly are delusional. To admire the very scourge that is destroying this world and causing Outsider interference…”

I didn’t really care about her sarcastic comments.

Right.

My desire to start the Snow Castle adventure stemmed from how stunningly it had been portrayed in the game’s high graphics, which is why I felt it was beautiful.

Even if it’s the cause of the world’s ruin, as a gamer, it was purely mesmerizing.

So much so that I felt honored to actually witness this spectacle.

As I turned to take it all in, something caught my eye.

“Huh?”

Looking closely through the swirling blizzard, I noticed a wall similar to a castle wall beyond the snow-covered mountains, and something immense was standing inside it.

Squinting to get a better view, I began to clear the haze from my vision.

“A person?”

It was a figure resembling a gigantic human.

Ample enough to dwarf most castles, towering even higher.

Amidst the howling blizzard, the colossal form reigned supreme, more impressive than the snowy mountains surrounding it.

As I gazed at it, the figure slowly morphed into that of a woman, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was looking back at me.

Just as her lips began to move as if to speak, someone grabbed the back of my head and yanked.

“Argh!”

Feeling a tug so strong it felt like my hair might be ripped out, I turned to see the White Mask’s furious face.

“To be called delusional is one thing, but you don’t even cherish your own life!”

As I displayed an expression of pure indignation, her scowl deepened even further.

“Rondan’s third rule: Do not gaze upon the gigantic something beyond the snowy mountains, do not revere it, do not pray to it.”

What? Are you kidding me?

There was such a rule?

Before I could even ask, the masked woman began to explain, seemingly far too eager.

“Gazing at that will freeze your insides, turning you into a solid ice statue. Were you trying to off yourself out of shame from your revealed charges? You fool!”

…Wait, so I die painfully like that?

What even is that?

My knowledge about the Snow Castle was so fragmented that if I were to compare it to a tree, I’d only know the twigs while being completely oblivious to the trunk’s significance.

I desperately wanted to ask, but knowing she wouldn’t bother answering, I buried those queries deep down.

“…Are you okay? Does it feel like your insides are burning away?”

Despite this chaos, Agartha leaned in and whispered to show concern.

“Well, considering I faced off against a Watcher, I think I’ll be fine.”

If her unwavering demeanor served as some mental comfort, I felt a twinge of sadness in my heart, but I decided to hold it in.

And so, we moved toward the center of Rondan.