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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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Chapter 195
The boat made of ice gently came to a halt in front of the iceberg.
Thunk-
Thick clouds were spreading snowflakes all over the sanctuary.
Cuculli stepped onto the soft floor and glanced around for a moment.
The ground covered with white snow like a silver blanket.
As if unaffected by the noise outside, everything unfolded beautifully in silence.
‘…Over there.’
At the gentle slope of the iceberg’s peak, a small temple was nestled.
Without hesitation, Cuculli hurried towards it.
‘I need to hurry.’
At the beginning of the path.
A sign carved in the language of the Frost Dragon Tribe was tilted diagonally.
Cuculli found herself reading it aloud involuntarily.
“…Hall of Tranquil Peace.”
It must mean a place to relieve one’s regrets.
Cuculli’s eyes twitched slightly.
Did the ancestors let go of their regrets as they passed through this path?
…With nothing, not even trees, rocks, or flowers.
What thoughts did her father have as he crossed this silent polar region?
Tap-tap-
Her steps were unwavering, but she couldn’t shake off those questions.
And then, at a certain moment.
Cuculli realized that some giant figures were watching her.
Fleeting… silhouettes that dispersed like smoke when she tried to focus on them.
Indecipherable murmurs penetrated Cuculli’s ears.
[…Accept it.]
[…It sinks…]
[…Harvest it]
[…Welcome it…]
They didn’t seem threatening.
No, Cuculli rather felt familiarity and comfort in the falling snow.
Not knowing their identity was even stranger.
‘Former tribal chiefs… People who were baptized before me. Then….’
…He must be among them.
Cuculli struggled with the urge to stop and observe each figure closely.
Tap-tap-
Ignoring the echoing voices, her footsteps quickened.
Finally, she arrived in front of the temple at the summit.
The temple, built of transparent ice, was so beautiful and mysterious that even someone indifferent to art, architecture, or beauty would stare in awe for a long time.
But Cuculli didn’t spare a glance at the beautiful decorations and architectural styles as she pushed open the main door.
Her hurried steps continued as she crossed corridors and passed prayer halls without stopping.
She marched steadily toward the altar at the center of the temple.
“……”
Cuculli stopped in her tracks when she faced a woman who bore a striking resemblance to her.
“You’ve come.”
Exhaling, Cuculli stood upright, trying to steady her ragged breath.
The woman, smiling faintly, watched Cuculli until her labored breath turned into white vapor and dissipated.
It was unmistakable.
She was engraved in Cuculli’s blood and origins.
Cuculli spoke up.
“Hello, Frost Dragon.”
Surprisingly gentle and ordinary, the Frost Dragon replied.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Cuculli.”
…The Frost Dragon.
To be precise, it was part of the power she left in the world.
She was also a “priest” who had presided over baptisms in the sanctuary for an immeasurable amount of time.
Cuculli stared at her for a few seconds, then spoke abruptly.
It was regrettable but necessary to be rude.
“Um, Ancestress? Can you baptize me, please? As soon as possible.”
The Frost Dragon widened her eyes for a moment, then let out a subdued laugh.
“What’s the rush?”
Shaking her head, Cuculli replied.
“It’s too long to explain the circumstances! Can you just baptize me first?!”
“I’m sorry, but it’ll take some time for the ritual to be prepared. Please wait a little longer.”
Apologizing with a gesture, the Frost Dragon lightly tapped Cuculli’s shoulder.
Even her friendly gesture eased the remaining tension.
Cuculli sighed deeply and sat down on the floor.
“Ugh, it’s urgent… I need to receive it quickly! Please hurry….”
“Alright.”
Under her urging, the Frost Dragon looked slightly bewildered.
In the long years she had lived, this was the first time she encountered such an impatient baptism candidate.
Usually, even if they came prepared, they hesitated when the time for baptism arrived.
Sitting down next to Cuculli and matching her eye level, the Frost Dragon spoke again.
“Cuculli, do you have any questions about baptism before the ceremony begins? There must be many things you’re curious about….”
After a moment of thought, Cuculli spoke up.
“…Does it hurt?”
…This baptism candidate is unusually straightforward.
At the unexpected question, the Frost Dragon laughed again.
“It doesn’t hurt at all. The ritual will proceed smoothly and peacefully.”
“Smoothly and peacefully…?”
“All the pain, sadness, anger, and regret you’ve been experiencing will fade away, replaced by peace and tranquility. It’s like reaching a safe harbor after a difficult voyage… like being embraced by a loved one at the end of a weary journey.”
After pondering the Frost Dragon’s words for a moment, Cuculli blurted out.
“Phew, that’s a relief if it doesn’t hurt.”
This time, it was the Frost Dragon’s turn to ask a question.
“But… aren’t you scared?”
“……”
Observing Cuculli’s expression, the Frost Dragon continued.
“Cuculli’s existence will disappear like dust. No matter how vivid your identity, memories, and emotions are, it’s inevitable. It’s like dropping a drop of paint into a flowing river. What everyone remembers of you will be diluted without a trace, leaving only a shell of you.”
“……”
“…The eternal death of ‘Cuculli.’ You’re facing that.”
Despite the sobering content, her tone remained warm.
The questioning continued.
“Yet, aren’t you afraid?”
Honestly, she was surprised.
Cuculli must have naturally known about the side effects of baptism as a member of the Dorempa.
…The erosion of self.
It was a loss that could make even the bravest tremble.
Especially for the long-lived Frost Dragon Tribe, it was even more terrifying.
However, Cuculli remained remarkably composed.
While there had been many baptism candidates who pretended to be brave, she was the first to genuinely exude tranquility.
The Frost Dragon wanted to hear why “Cuculli” wasn’t afraid before she vanished.
“How could you not be?”
“Um….”
Under the ancestor’s sparkling gaze, Cuculli scratched her temple awkwardly.
‘…Well, the reason I’m not scared.’
——————
HEL SCANS
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
Join our Discord for release updates!
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——————
In fact, she had already sorted out her thoughts on this matter.
Since learning about the baptism ceremony.
Accepting her fate.
Meeting friends and the Hero.
Her father’s death.
And now, stepping into the sanctuary.
There had been plenty of help to dispel her fears.
After a brief silence, Cuculli spoke up.
“After all, we’re all going to die.”
“That’s true.”
“Of course, the process of getting there may be different for each of us… But someday, we’ll either die by the sword, succumb to illness, or maybe die suddenly on the road.”
Speaking somewhat haphazardly, Cuculli gradually became more confident in her words.
“Yes, we’re all heading towards that end.”
“Hmm, surprisingly philosophical of you.”
The Frost Dragon interjected.
“Yes, death is fair to everyone. But that doesn’t mean there’s no reason to fear it.”
Cuculli nodded in agreement.
“I know. Death is fair to everyone. So how we die is the most important thing.”
“Go on.”
“You said baptism would be my eternal death. I used to think so too.”
Cuculli grinned brightly.
It was the smile her friends loved so much.
“But then I realized something.”
“What did you realize?”
“…I’m not going to die forever.”
Before the Frost Dragon could ask further, Cuculli continued.
“Because my friends will remember. By undergoing the ritual, by shouldering my duty and responsibility, I will protect this world. My loved ones will live on, and the sleeping world as well.”
Her trademark arrogant confidence, missing for the past few weeks, was returning.
“In the world I protect, my friends will fight fiercely, love deeply, and live on. Maybe they’ll have a child someday. Hehehe, surely they won’t be able to help but tell their children about a friend like me. They’ll tell them about my sacrifices, my courage… how I lived, and how I died!”
Cuculli laughed mischievously.
“Maybe they’ll even name their daughter after me. She’ll go on to have wonderful adventures and continue living. Laughing, talking, crying with countless people… Yes, that’s why, that’s why I…”
“……”
“I won’t die.”
At some point, the Frost Dragon had fallen silent, gazing at Cuculli.
That wasn’t just bravado.
Cuculli genuinely believed it.
‘…This is how I’ll survive.’
Yes, if she refused baptism and ended up stuck somewhere on the continent, she could live out the rest of her days peacefully.
But what meaning would that have?
That wasn’t an option.
‘At that point, my long life would become a curse.’
As a coward who abandoned duty and responsibility, she would have to endure days many times longer than others.
That was death.
The irreversible death of the soul.
Under the ancestor’s unknowing gaze, Cuculli voiced her conclusion.
“I’ll burn here. So my friends can see. So they can remember me forever. Bright and hot!”
…Facing Cuculli’s radiant face, the Frost Dragon nodded slowly.
All curiosity was satisfied.
Unconsciously, she murmured,
“Well, maybe you can make it happen.”
Cuculli perked up at the cryptic remark.
“What?”
“…There’s no need to harbor false hopes.”
“Excuse me, Ancestor… Can you hear everything?”
It was a slight deviation.
The Frost Dragon reached out and patted Cuculli’s small head.
Then she asked,
“Are you ready?”
Cuculli smiled faintly.
“Yes!”
.
.
.
Swoosh-
The Frost Dragon looked at the frozen Cuculli inside the giant ice crystal.
As soon as the baptism began, a tremendous power that had been circling the North poured into her in real time.
Thanks to it, the temple was completely frozen, even on the outskirts.
The Frost Dragon’s eyes swept over Cuculli from head to toe.
‘It’ll probably take about an hour.’
The degree of transformation would vary according to Cuculli’s aptitude.
Like most baptizees, if she wasn’t particularly talented, she might only be able to transform one limb into a dragon, but if she was talented, like her father Dorempa, she might be able to go beyond half and even use wings.
‘And if…’
…No.
The Frost Dragon shook her head with excitement.
That had never happened in the long history of the North.
She sat back against the ice crystal and looked toward the entrance of the temple.
‘It’s getting chaotic out there.’
She knew there was turmoil outside.
It seemed that the dirty entities were taking advantage of the absence of the baptizee to target the North.
But she was just a fragment entrusted with the conservation and transmission of power.
As always, she couldn’t intervene in external affairs.
‘Is this coming to an end?’
The Frost Dragon looked at her fading hand.
Once the baptism was complete, she would temporarily disappear.
Only when the baptizee died and the power returned to the sanctuary would she reveal herself again.
‘…Cuculli.’
Turning her body, the Frost Dragon looked at the frozen Frost Dragon girl.
“I’m going to burn here. So that my friends can see me. So that I’ll be forever engraved in their memories. Bright and hot!”
‘A true Frost Dragon who genuinely loves humans.’
…How ironic.
With her eyes closed, she now thought of the human, whose face was becoming increasingly vague.
Yes.
Cuculli needed to think about why the Frost Dragon Tribe existed.
If the ancestor had formed a bond with a different dragon, there would be no Frost Dragon Tribe on this land.
Another dragon tribe would have been born.
…A harmony.
If Cuculli could realize that…
With a small smile, the Frost Dragon looked at the girl beyond the ice.
‘I guess I can live with you.’
——————
HEL SCANS
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
Join our Discord for release updates!
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