“Maybe we’re just lucky? But this isn’t so bad, is it? At least we don’t have to fight in a place like this. I really don’t like these freezing areas.”
Aila tilted her head slightly, her words carrying a hint of playfulness as if she didn't mind the anomaly.
“You’re right, but it feels a bit too smooth,” Midir said, extending his hand to release a fireball that hovered in the center of the room. He then condensed a trace of fire element and attached it to both of them.
Midir had performed this action several times along the way. It allowed them to maintain a certain body temperature, though it didn't last long in this environment. As the altitude gradually rose, the frequency of his spellcasting became even more frequent.
This was undoubtedly telling him that the journey ahead would be even more arduous, but no matter how difficult the path, it could not stop their upward progress.
After warming up a bit in the stone house, the two stepped back out into the biting cold wind.
As they continued to climb higher, the mountain walls became increasingly steep. In many places, there were even cliffs that were nearly vertical, with only small footholds right against the rock face.
These ancient plank paths, which were not even a person's width, were barely visible through the swirling snow. Many steps had been severely eroded by the weather and would break as soon as someone stepped on them. Every step required careful judgment of the next foothold.
Consequently, their pace slowed significantly, but the sense of summoning coming from above also became increasingly clear.
This undoubtedly gave Midir great confidence. The excitement of getting closer to the truth completely masked the discomfort he felt along the way.
While he was lost in thought, the step beneath him suddenly broke. Fortunately, Aila, who was behind him, was quick-eyed and quick-handed. She grabbed his scarf and pulled him back, preventing him from sliding down the rock face.
“Midir, are you okay? I feel like you're not in the right state of mind. Should we find a sheltered spot to rest first?” Aila shouted through the howling wind, her eyes full of concern.
Midir was about to shake his head to say he was fine when he noticed a different sight at the end of the plank path not far away.
Although the sky had darkened and the snow showed no sign of stopping, they discovered a dark opening ahead, like a passage leading into the heart of the mountain.
This distance of over a hundred meters was not a difficult gap for them to cross. Having found a clear goal, the two immediately quickened their pace and rushed into the black opening.
It was then that Midir discovered the opening was actually a perfect circle several meters in diameter, leading straight into the depths of the mountain. It was definitely not a product of nature.
Even more miraculous was that once they entered the cave, the influence of the wind and snow vanished instantly. Aside from a slight chill, it was a massive contrast to the outside world.
Midir casually tossed out two light orbs to illuminate the path ahead. He found it to be a passage that sloped upward, straight and deep, its length far exceeding the range of their vision.
“Is this a road... or something else?” Aila said, looking up and down at the strange cave, her voice uncertain.
Midir stared at the end of the passage, seemingly realizing something. He said slowly, “This isn't a road. It's more like a trace left behind by an attack. And this passage seems to lead exactly to our destination...”
“You mean... someone once blasted through the entire Crown Peak? No way! Even with Saint Rank strength...” Aila's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing Midir's explanation, seemingly unable to believe it.
“Unless I'm mistaken, my judgment is correct. Although this passage looks like it has existed for many years, both its characteristics and the traces left on the walls prove that it was caused by an elemental attack.”
Midir nodded slightly, his gaze deep as he touched the smooth, hard rock wall beneath his feet, further confirming his judgment.
Aila also seemed to suddenly think of something. She abruptly looked up toward the depths of the passage and said, “Could this be... a trace left behind by Dad and the others when they fought the Heavenly Demon a hundred years ago? There's only one person in their team who could produce this kind of effect with magic.”
“...Is that so? Then let's set off quickly. Although it's still a bit steep here, it's much better than outside. If we hurry, we might reach the end soon,” Midir said after a brief moment of contemplation.
Without the trouble of wind, snow, and cold, their speed increased immediately. As they hurried along, Midir suddenly asked.
“Aila, you said just now that you know who created this passage? Since you know them, why don't you tell me about it?”
“Hmm? Why are you suddenly interested in this?” Aila clearly hadn't expected him to ask this. After a moment of surprise, she began to speak slowly.
“Well... it's not so much that I know him, but rather that I've learned about him from my family. That person is named Starlight-White. He was the best friend of Dad and the others, and he's the ‘Star’ in the name of our Starry Moon Shadow adventurers group. According to Dad, he was the most brilliant mage of that era.”
“Starlight...” Midir began to murmur the name, and his expression became somewhat strange.
However, in the dim light, Aila didn't notice his anomaly and continued speaking.
“According to the stories passed down, he perished along with the Heavenly Demon a hundred years ago in the final battle to save everyone. So I've only heard of his deeds. But it was his elimination of the Heavenly Demon that allowed the Leon Continent to have these hundred years of prosperity. If history isn't wrong, he's the greatest hero of the entire continent. But...” Aila suddenly paused.
“But what?” Midir asked.
“But many people on the continent don't really recognize his achievements! Because only Dad and a few others participated in that battle, no one else knows the specific details. Naturally, those people are skeptical of what Dad and the others say. They claim that while the Heavenly Demon did indeed disappear, it doesn't necessarily mean it was the achievement of one specific person.”
“What puzzles me even more is that Dad and the others don't seem willing to talk much about it, as if that period of history has been deliberately buried. This attitude has only made the misunderstandings and suspicions from the outside world more deep-seated. Even though I've learned fragments of the truth from the elders in my family, it's hard to completely convince those skeptics.” Aila's voice betrayed a hint of helplessness and dissatisfaction.
“I believe Dad's version. With his strength, he has no need to deceive those people, but the conclusion he gave was only those few short words.”
At this point, Aila seemed a bit unhappy, likely dissatisfied with that outcome.
Midir pondered for a moment before saying, “Perhaps there really is a reason for their silence. Just as you said before, information about the Valley of Ice is also scarce. There might be some connection between the two. Maybe...”
Aila's eyes lit up, as if a spark of insight had been ignited. “You mean... Dad and the others might have deliberately hidden what happened a hundred years ago? Thinking about it that way, a lot of things make sense!”
She clapped her hands excitedly, her eyes shining with the light of realization.
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