Unique Legend

Chapter 8: The Legend of the Snow Country

Location: Atlantis Time: 2:30 PM

After the Demon King was killed, the surrounding demons lost their leader and scattered in anguished confusion .

Then, the first act closed here .

“Seems like they shortened quite a lot of things . ” In the interval between the closing act, I heard Senior say this .

“Their performance time is limited, after all . They can only choose the main points . ” Smilingly telling him, Restua glanced over at me: “Right?”

“Uh, probably?” He asked me so suddenly that I was startled .

Senior humphed and didn’t say much else .

During the few minutes of rest, a stage attendant came over to pour tea; they have good service .

Following a couple of musical sounds, the curtain of the second act soon began to rise slowly after the break .

It was a white city, exactly the same as the one we saw at the very beginning . Standing on both sides of the palace in the white city was that group of snow-white warriors . The palace was made of ice, so transparent that it was like air, only refracting white light .

Probably so that the audience can immediately distinguish the characters’ positions, I saw that the costumes of those on stage were all rather eye-catching . The king sitting high up on the throne was dressed a bit too flamboyantly .

Di stood before the king . He had already changed into more elegant clothing, unlike the military attire from just now: [The land of the Demon King has been safely removed in the blessing of the Lord G.o.d, but the damage left behind still exist . ]

As soon as his sentence ended, the warriors began to discuss among themselves in low voices .

[If it is not severe, it will not matter . ]

The prince standing below shook his head and looked at the people in the palace with a sorrowful expression: [The damage has already been done . All I can do is leave this quiet place as soon as possible . May my Snow Clan be at peace after this war, the Lord G.o.d bless us with glory . ]

A few warriors came forward to persuade him to stay, but the prince still shook his head before leaving .

Not long after the transitional scene, long reddish-brown hair came in from the other side, wearing a beautiful chaplet . The people she pa.s.sed by all shouted “princess,” then bowed slightly .

[I am the princess of the Eve Clan, here to meet His Highness, the second prince . ] The princess very politely pulled her skirt back in a curtsy and said her purpose with a smile .

[Guest of the Eve Clan, you came too late . ] Sighing, the king told her with a sad expression: [Our prince suffers from the Demon King’s curse . In order to not implicate others, he has already left the boundaries of the Snow Country . ]

The princess froze, as if she didn’t want to believe it . After a while, she left .

But she did not despair . She walked along the white roads of the Snow Country, letting her retinue who had followed her leave before searching for the prince’s whereabouts in the other direction .

This time the scene changed quickly, without a break .

I stared at the new landscape in front of me . Already, it has become a cliff-cave-like place . To be honest, I keep feeling like I’m just watching a miniature 3D movie . Using a small theater like this is simply too masterly! The landscapes look so realistic that it’s scary, or are they actually real scenes that they made?

Like Senior and his cla.s.s’ terrifying haunted house .

“You’re so annoying, if you want to watch, just watch; why is your brain desperately spasming!?” Senior turned around and glared at me fiercely .

Uh, please ignore me when I’m making my reflections, okay; you don’t need to even listen to my reflections, right!?

Humphing, he tossed his head .

I should be the one getting angry, mister…

I’m the victim without human rights!

In a short moment, low cries came from the audience below . Looking over there with them, the princess found the prince, whose face had already changed .

Just like in the story Miao Miao and the others told me, the prince’s face was twisted into something sinister and horrifying; he no longer had his original good looks . But even so, the princess still stayed .

They stayed in that place for a long, long time, and had a child .

By this point, the prince and the princess’ simple warm life together had more or less been skimmed over . Taking advantage of the time slots, I flipped through it a little and put it on the nearby introduction book .

Almost simultaneously, Senior who was originally reading the playbill quietly beside me, abruptly stood up . Restua and I looked over at him at the same time .

“I’m not watching anymore . ” He said, and suddenly walked out .

“Eh? Senior?” Could it be you hate watching love dramas?

Red eyes glared at me viciously without saying anything, and directly walked out .

“Maybe he doesn’t like this storyline in the first place . Don’t mind it too much . ” Restua smiled at me and gently said .

I mind very much . He watched half of it, then suddenly left, and also seemed a bit not too happy .

“I, I’ll go after him to see . ” Holding the little book, I somewhat fl.u.s.teredly stood up and hoped that Senior didn’t use that instant teleportation method to run off, otherwise I’d have a hard time finding him .

Restua was still smiling, but he didn’t stop me either, “That’s good too, but there are slightly more people today . You might have some trouble . ”

Oh right, there are so many people today…

Should I really go into a crowd to look for that needle who can stab people to death at any time?

Before I could carefully think about this, my head nodded on its own: “Nn, okay . ”

Sometimes, I really think that I’m too impulsive .

When I left the theater, the attendants outside even came over to ask me if I had any problems .

Randomly saying that I had something to do at the moment and whatnot, I immediately escaped in a rush .

It was only after walking out of the theater that I found this place was actually near the library . The original landscaping designs were all gone, having become many weird buildings . There were street vendors and people everywhere, and it felt very lively . Instead of calling it a school fair, it was more like a large outdoor landscaping site .

Apart from the high school department and organizations, it was clear that there were many more vendors that didn’t belong to the high school .

Turns out other departments can come mingle too?

Just as Andy and the others said, the entire campus was open to the public today, so I saw strange people everywhere, and many just as strange looking beast-men like the ones in cartoons, and gra.s.s-covered plant people…correction, plant species .

Looking at the large crowd of people going to and fro, sure enough, I didn’t see Senior’s figure among them . I guess he has probably already run to some quiet place where he wouldn’t be disturbed . Looks like I won’t be able to find him for the time being . So what should I do now? Go back and keep watching the play?

“Aren’t you that backup player from the sports compet.i.tion?”

Just when I was about to go back to the theater, someone suddenly shouted at me from within the crowd . As soon as I turned my head, I saw someone whom I don’t know if I should count as an acquaintance . She wore black casual clothes and her neat appearance was still very similar to when we first met .

“…Tenli?” A few steps away from me was that player I saw in the compet.i.tion, but there should be two people, right: “You’re alone?” I didn’t see the other person among the flow of people on both sides .

[T/N: The team captain from Barbulis Academy in V6C5]

Tenli shook her head and glanced around before telling me: “Felicia just took a flyer and ran off to see the wrestling match . ”

Wrestling match?

There’s a booth like that?

“Oh right, you guys didn’t go see the theater?” Taking a peek at the theater behind me, I remembered that I’d just been watching the legend of the Snow Country . Tenli and Felicia would probably be interested in that .

“We came late and couldn’t get in anymore, so we decided not to . ”

“That’s true, you guys probably know more about this story anyway…”

“Winter City is not the story of the Snow Country . ” Suddenly interrupting me before I could finish speaking, Tenli said: “The Snow Fairies didn’t spread this kind of historical story . ”

I was stunned for a moment . But Miao Miao and the others clearly said it was the Snow Country’s story: “Is it one of those similar fairytales?”

“No, Winter City came from another race . I heard that it first spread from the Beastmaster Clan . The Snow Fairies have only begun singing it in recent years . ” Probably giving me an abbreviated version of it, Tenli pointed to the open-air resting area nearby that just so happened to have empty seats, and so the two of us walked over there together and sat down .

Shortly after sitting down, a few white foxes dressed as waiters and walking on two legs came over with tea . They placed it on the table, greeted us and ran off .

“So what you’re saying is that there’s a Snow Country within the Beastmaster Clan too?” I didn’t quite understand what she meant . Since the Snow Country isn’t part of the Fairy Clan but the Beastmaster Clan, is the second prince actually a snow beast or something?

“There is no Snow Country within the Beastmaster Clan . The Snow Country is an ethnic nation of the Fairy Clan, like how Mister Yido resides in the Water Fairy Clan . The only comparable species in the Beastmaster Clan is the Ice Beasts . There is no such thing as a beastly Snow Country . ” Pouring the tea, Tenli blinked a little . The atmosphere seemed quiet around her, which was out of place with the crowd outside .

“So Winter City is actually a story of the Ice Beasts?” I was a bit confused . Since it’s the Ice Beasts’ story, why did they make it into the Snow Country?

“Nothing like this has happened before in the Ice Beast Clan . It was probably made up…But the strange thing is is that from this name ‘Snow Country’ has been used in the story from the start . This perplexed the Snow Fairies too . ” Pausing, as if she came to help me with history cla.s.s, Tenli pondered very seriously for a moment: “But I heard that this story isn’t from the Ice Beasts either . By the time everyone realized, this story was already in existence, so no one looked further into its origins . To sum it up, it is not a story of the Snow Fairies . ”

Turns out you said a long string of words just to clear up its relationship with the Snow Fairies?

I scratched my face and thanked her for explaining it to me .

“You’re not going back to watch the remainder of it?” Drinking a sip of tea, Tenli strangely asked me .

“Uh, going in and out like this will also be problematic for other people . I guess I’ll just forget about it…though it is a bit of a pity . ” The latter part should be tragedy, right . I don’t really like watching tragedies either, so this is good too .

Tenli glanced at me, not saying anything .

There was a continuous flow of people at the open-air resting seats . The surroundings were quite lively, filled with the sound of talking . Most of them were discussing which place was more fun or what sort of interesting thing they got .

Tenli and I didn’t have a mutual conversation topic . After talking about Winter City for a while, it (their conversation) suddenly quieted down . Tenli didn’t seem that fond of chatting either . She very leisurely drank tea with no intention to start a new conversation; then, with black lines behind me, I began drinking tea with her . Wanting to leave also felt strange .

I’ve gotten into an awkward situation…

“This is the Winter City story among the Snow Fairies . ” Just when I felt embarra.s.sed enough to really consider finding an excuse to go to the bathroom, before I could leave, Tenli abruptly spoke up on her own: “They killed the Demon King, and under the curse, left the paradise and went to an unholy place . In darkness, the black king blessed them; time flew, and even snow melts in the darkness . The black king named his young son and his parents taught him . But the curse wouldn’t stay away just because of this . During the winter, the prince’s life was s.n.a.t.c.hed away, and the princess sorrowfully followed him . The black king held a funeral for them, chanted poems for them, and then sent them back to the beautiful country till the end of time . ”

It took me a while before I realized that Tenli was telling me the latter half of the story . She probably wanted to make up for the play that I haven’t finished watching: “Ah, thank you, but the story seems a little different from what I heard…” I remember that Ryan and the others seemed to have said that the princess and the prince lived in a place without people . The prince died and the princess gave birth to a child before dying .

“Each region’s story will have some discrepancies . The beast clans seem to chant that they were buried together as a family . ” Tenli poured another cup of tea and said in a steady tone .

I watched as the amber tea slowly filled the cup like a line, and suddenly remembered that there was another extra thing from that story just now: “Can I ask who the black king is…?”

“He is said to be the protector king of travelers in the dark . A legend in the Fairy Clan says that, even on the black roads of the Ghost Tribe, the black king will still protect those with pure hearts . If you look at it from this point, it might be referring to someone from a different race or the Ghost Tribe, but the Ghost Tribe has no reason to protect other clans . He’s probably the king of a different race . ” Tenli raised the teapot horizontally and turned it toward her own cup: “The other races seem to have different interpretations about the black king as well, such as the king of the night sky or ghost king, demon king etc . ”

Sounds like he isn’t a normal king .

“Then…”

“Tenli, I’m back!”

I still wanted to ask something, but a certain cheery voice directly cut off the first word I said, followed by a certain person happily running over behind Tenli: “I just won the entertainment battles and got a big bag of partic.i.p.ation prizes . ” She put her arm on Tenli’s shoulder and shook the bag covered with a store name in her hand . Looks like they were probably some kind of snack . Then she finally raised her head and noticed my presence: “Aha, Student Chu, long time no see . ”

“Uh, hi . ” I’m going to die; Senior’s not here right now . If she happily wishes me something or blesses me, I’m doomed . I don’t know how I would respond to her .

“h.e.l.lo, I just greeted Prince Icy Flame near the wrestling platform . It must be fate today . I b.u.mped into several people from the compet.i.tion all of a sudden . ” Felicia happily said .

“That’s right, it must be fate…Wait, where did you see Senior!?” I immediately jumped up from my seat .

Felicia may have been startled by me . She didn’t reply for a few seconds, and after a moment, she opened her mouth: “Um…near the wrestling platform . I met him right after I finished playing . ”

“Thank you, then I’ll be going to find Senior first . I hope you guys enjoy yourselves!” Now isn’t the time to drink tea and chat . I hurriedly said goodbye then immediately ran in the direction Felicia pointed in .

“Wait, this is for you to eat . ” Running a few steps, Felicia shouted behind me before tossing a small bag .

I caught it, and it was a small snack bag, with the same name as the one on her prize bag .

After thanking her, I ran toward the wrestling platform at once .

I hope Senior didn’t wander off too fast .

The wrestling platform was a short distance from the theater .

On my way there, I received a flyer in the crowd, probably to say that there’s a fighting ring or something over there…which was what the five-colored rooster head originally wanted to do . However, it was part peaceful entertainment and part violent, brutal types . The entertainment types were for the amus.e.m.e.nt of the audience and you could even choose the exotic duels . The violent types were the ones where you’d probably be beaten to death .

The games require tokens . Every partic.i.p.ant receives a small gift . If they win, they are given a prize based on the level of their opponent .

So by the time I arrived near the wrestling platform, it was already surrounded by a large group of people watching and crying out . A little girl who looked like an elementary school student was facing off against a panda puppet on the platform .

Only to see that the little girl wasn’t like an ordinary innocent and cute kid with pigtails at all . She turned herself over and kicked the panda off the platform with an overhead kick, her hand raised in victory .

The h.e.l.l, this is a no-age-limit melee, right!? You guys could have at least restricted the age . Why are even little kids allowed to go up and fight? That’s promoting violence, you can’t do that!

There were many people watching them . I was squeezed around several times, and by the time I was squeezed to the middle, I simply couldn’t walk on my own, being pushed in random directions by the people pressing in on me from both sides .

How am I supposed to find Senior like this!?

I nervously looked left and right while being pressed around . Now it’s already evolved to the point where I need someone to pull me out of here .

[Next up, is our guest from another land against the spider king’s challenge!]

Just when I was in a difficult situation, a loud broadcasting sound suddenly came from the platform and claps and cheers came from the audience below . By the time I realized it, I’d already been squeezed near the wrestling platform .

“Aih aih, why are there still so many people? I was going to say that the slightly stronger ones can go look for my kid . ” Amidst the shouts, I heard some kind of comment from the platform . As soon as I looked up, I saw a girl wearing a white kimono with blue b.u.t.terflies standing there and waving a fan . Standing opposite her was a huge spider monster: “It’s not often that I come to school without wanting to catch people with spells, how bothersome . ”

Because I was standing next to her, I heard every word clearly .

Looking carefully, that girl should be the same age as senior Geng and the others . Her kimono dragged on the ground a little, and with her long blue hair casually draped behind her shoulders, she didn’t look like she specifically came here to fight . Her clothes even seemed c.u.mbersome .

She looked very beautiful, the kind of cunning beauty that was as sharp as a knife, causing many males below the platform to stare at her relentlessly .

That person’s aura doesn’t seem like a normal person’s…It feels somewhat similar to a certain someone I know…

The girl stood on the platform waving her fan . She looked around the entire platform and sighed, “Probably slipped away again . ” She said to herself regretfully .

“This guest, do you want to keep fighting?” The referee standing on the other side of the platform saw that the girl kept looking around and didn’t seem too focused . Getting the spider king out had probably been very troublesome too; after a while, he started to ask .

“I do, I do . Didn’t you guys say that the first place, most difficult one to defeat is the spider king?” The girl turned her head, and with a snap, she withdrew the fan in her hand and curved into a pretty smile: “I’ll see how the current students are progressing . Just come at me . ”

Look at the students’ progress?

I glanced at that female student . She doesn’t seem to be a teacher…That said, there are many weird teachers at our school . It’s also possible that she is a real teacher .

“But I suppose this spider king probably isn’t a wild illusionary beast . Must’ve been borrowed from someone . Then alright, I’ll be careful . ” Flinging out her fan, the girl looked at the large spider in front of her, her expression relaxed as if playing with a dog .

“Okay, then, start the challenge!” Upon seeing that she was already ready, the referee shouted and immediately jumped up and hovered in the air .

Almost simultaneously, the large spider directly charged toward that girl . There might have been a barrier or something set up in the surroundings; the spider charged toward the edge of the platform and instantly turned . I saw a long hairy black leg flying over its head, and I jumped up in fright .

…This isn’t a place where ordinary people can stay, I better leave quickly .

The whole place was crowded with spectators watching the show . I began to calculate the possibility of drilling out through the ground .

While I was still thinking, loud bravos came from people on both sides and some also clapped . Because people are (naturally) curious, I raised my head again and saw that the large spider was charging back and forth on the platform . The girl in the kimono was like a ghost, almost always staying in front of the spider . By the time the spider charged over, it would miss, and as soon as it turned its head, the girl would already be standing on the other side waving her hand .

She’s not concentrating on attacking at all?

I bet that girl definitely just thinks it’s fun, running so that the spider would chase her .

Which subject’s teacher would be so bored!? I’ll never choose her cla.s.s in the future!

Not intending to watch on, I apologized and said “excuse me” nonstop to the people near me, painstakingly walking one step at a time toward the outer edge . Thankfully, everyone was now focused on watching the fight and didn’t continue moving, so I was able to leave rather successfully in a short time .

After worming my way out of the crowd with much difficulty, the wrestling platform was already a short distance away from me . That girl was still running on the platform to let the spider chase her . Occasionally, when her interest arose, she would hit the spider’s head with her fan or knock the spider onto its back, completely immersed in having fun .

After leaving the crowd, I looked around, and sure enough, I didn’t see any trace of Senior .

He’s currently wearing ancient-style clothing and has black hair . Maybe he’s not as eye-catching as I thought, since there are a lot of people in weird clothes today!

While I was hesitating, I suddenly heard a loud “ah” sound coming behind me .

Due to instinct, I immediately turned to look and saw that girl staring at me with wide eyes and a look of surprise on her face . She was the one who shouted “ah” just now . Then following her line of sight, that large crowd of show-watchers immediately turned their heads as well .

Dozens…No, it should be that hundreds of eyes had simultaneously looked over . Even if you aren’t a normal person, you’d probably be scared too!

I took two steps back, then another two steps . I shouldn’t have offended someone I don’t know at some point in time again, right?

“It’s you! Stay where you are and don’t move!” The girl shouted at me overbearingly .

I’ve encountered this before . Back then, Liliya had rushed over like this too .

I took another step back . There’s a weirdo here .

“I told you not to move and you still moved! Stay still!”

Just when she seemed like she was about to jump down from the wrestling platform, I saw that large spider seizing his chance . Taking advantage of the girl’s distractedness, all of its legs rose up and directly pierced toward her head—

It happened in that moment .

Without looking back at all, the girl merely swung open her fan and made the fan carry the spider, spinning backward in a circle as if dancing an elegant dance . Before it could clearly see what happened, the spider flew out and crashed into another landscaping booth . The whole thing was suspended there, unable to get up .

“I accidentally used too much force, sorry . ” Closing her fan, after the girl hurriedly apologized, she immediately jumped off the wrestling platform, “Don’t move! Stand still!”

She’s clearly directing it at me!

Liliya alone is unbearable . Right now I don’t want to offend another senior (or teacher)! Not to mention, she just defeated that large spider . She’s definitely not at a level Liliya can compare to . If she’s an enemy, I’ll definitely end up dead or injured…though I have no idea when I got such an enemy .

Without thinking, I’m sure that the only thing I can do now is—

Surviving is more important; run!