blackd

Change it.

Umm...

Well.

I'll leave it to you...

Degenbrecher.

Degenbrecher does not turn around, but neither does she complain.

Ha.

Time to deal with the other problem.

I'm back.

What did Madam Degenbrecher say?

She will help.

Good to hear. The people's opinion of her will change, if they see her help them out.

It's not that she wouldn't. She just needed a chance.

What of Mr. Edwin?

Much calmer. He asked for a cup of tea.

That's the Mr. Edwin I know.

I told you, I would say the same to Sir Enciodes's face.

I was a fool to be deceived by your facade and to believe you could be won over. You've got me—now do as you will.

I went through all this trouble because I know what kind of person you are.

If you'd been anything else, you would have died that day in the mountains.

Hmph. Now I'm curious why you planned all this.

You were setting the stage for Degenbrecher from the beginning?

She'll get there eventually, I'm just helping speed things up.

Why go to such lengths for her?

You thought I would dislike Degenbrecher, because you thought I was like you.

A decade ago, perhaps I'd agree. But I let those feelings go a long time ago.

There are many ways that I can serve Sir Enciodes. Being his bodyguard is not the only way.

And I'm sure he would be disappointed in me if I agreed with you.

Not loathing Degenbrecher is one thing. Why would you help her? Would she even appreciate it?

At first, I only trusted the judgment of Sir Enciodes, who brought her here. And I admit, she was not easy to get along with.

But when you understand that her aloofness is not hostility, only detachment, even confusion...

Then you realize there is no reason to fear her.

You've never seen her standing in the woods, patiently listening to a herder's small talk despite her apparent indifference.

If you had, you would want more people to understand and accept her, as I do.

It will be a good thing for Kjerag, for herself, and for Sir Enciodes, if she is accepted by Kjerag.

As for whether she appreciates my help... that doesn't matter.

Does Enciodes know what you're doing?

Sir Enciodes has to take radical measures to achieve his vision.

Opposition to his methods is expected, but he only has so much time and energy, and he cannot deal with all of it on his own.

I'm simply helping to share the burden where I can.

Whether he knows it or not is equally unimportant.

Follow me, Mr. Edwin.

You will soon learn that Sir Enciodes's vision has long been much more than just the Silverash Clan.

The old noble suddenly thinks that the avalanche does not matter anymore.

Because he sees a vast open expanse where houses once stood.

A dozen or so massive trucks, laden with heavy machinery, are parked across the field. The robotic arms of the machinery transform and interlock—

Coming together to form a wall of steel.

What is—

There is a bit of a story behind this.

I've become quite familiar with the mountains and snow of Kjerag, after years of delivering Sir Enciodes's letters.

When he returned to Kjerag, he authorized me to form an avalanche warning team.

We were able to accurately predict this avalanche with the help of the experts who came back to Kjerag with him.

We can't stop a big avalanche, but we can trigger it before it builds up beyond our capabilities.

That way, we nip large-scale avalanches in the bud, and prevent them from happening.

You're too humble, sir.

Initially, we thought the best we could do was issue avalanche warnings ahead of time; since we didn't have the people or resources to stop them.

Your plan completely changed things.

I just came up with the idea. It's the experts who cracked the complicated math.

Preventing large avalanches?

Yes. You're looking at our line of defense.

It will grow even stronger in the future.

When that day comes, anyone can stand where you stand right now, and watch Kjeragandr's turnover.

But for now, you're the first to be in that best seat.

Watch as it begins.

It begins with a small chunk of snow slipping and falling. As though it were a cue, a low, deep rumble reverberates through the valley.

In an instant, the trickle of snow transforms into a roaring torrent, uprooting trees and sweeping away boulders.

The avalanche hurtles down the mountainside with terrifying speed, as if the entire mountain is spilling forth. Everywhere it passes, it paints an awe-inspiring yet dreadfully horrifying picture.

It was once the stuff of nightmares for the people of Kjerag, one that they could not flee fast enough from.

This time, however, a group of brave men and women stands firm at the mountain's foot, looking up with confidence.

With the wall of steel that they have built, they vow to challenge this snowy authority that has gone uncontested since time immemorial.

The tidal wave of ice and snow crashes against the line of defense formed by the trucks.

Despite being thousands of times heavier than man, the massive trucks seem insignificant before the power of nature and are pushed back. Some are even toppled.

But the wisdom of man prevails.

Gradually, the force pushing against the line of steel diminishes.

The defense line buckles, but it does not break, slowly coming to a stop a dozen meters before Weiss and the old man.

The avalanche, triggered by human hands, has been stopped.

When the new railroad is finished, it will carry this line of defense to every corner of Kjerag, ready to respond at a moment's notice.

Long has Kjeragandr's turnover been the terror of Kjerag. Many are the lives and homes it has taken.

But in the near future, the people of Kjerag will sit where you are now, watching our defense line stop avalanches, just as it did today.

Could you ever imagine something like this?

No, you couldn't.

Neither could I.

But it's happening before our eyes.

The old man's scarf has flown away in the wind, his hair and beard are caked with snow. Otherwise, he is completely unharmed.

Weiss continues to grab his shoulder with an iron hand, not giving him the slightest chance to escape.

But if he paid attention, the old noble would notice with a side glance that Weiss's attention is not on him at all.

His eyes are fixed on the line of steel that he has organized. His tightened grip on the old noble's shoulders is simply out of sheer excitement.

Degenbrecher?!

Shouldn't you be assisting with the evacuation?

Why are you coming down from the avalanche—

Wait, what's that on your back—?!

I heard there was a couple who weren't able to get out in time. I went to look for them.

They're alive.

Get them to a doctor, now.

Yes, sir. And ma'am!

I... Thank you so much, Degenbrecher.

So that's an avalanche. Interesting.

I'll be going. Feel free to call me when there's another one.

Will do.

She charged into that avalanche on her own?!