story_blackd_1_1

Sunlight dances off the snow-capped mountains, rendering them immaculately radiant.

The howling wind carries the tolling of bells and the echoes of chanting voices, weaving through the peaks and narrating countless ancient tales.

Here, time seems to have stopped, as if everything has remained unchanged since the dawn of existence.

Hm?

Mm—

Judging from the depth of the footprints, the snow here is deeper than expected.

No doubt from the previous localized snowfall. Given the steep slopes, if the snow keeps accumulating...

I believe the experts that Sir Enciodes hired said there could be heavy snowfall in the next few days.

If that happens...

What is it, sir?

Take a team and measure the depth of the snow, then get an expert to look at the slope gradient...

And assess the risk of avalanche.

Yes, sir.

Then... I'll report to Sir Enciodes once this message has been passed on.

Weiss cannot help but frown at the scene before him.

Soldiers wearing the finest armor and wielding the best weapons have lost all will to fight.

Most lie moaning on the ground. Only a few still have the strength to glare at the tall, blonde woman who put them in this miserable state.

Weiss raises an eyebrow slightly at the sight of the old man beside the woman.

I presume you are not willing to grace us with your presence?

I'm just here to whip these weaklings into shape.

There is no need for banquets.

I simply wish to express my appreciation for your training of Clan Silverash's warriors.

No need.

I'm not training them for Clan Silverash.

And they won't be serving you.

You—

Madam Degenbrecher.

Hm?

Sir Enciodes has a message for you.

And?

He has a meeting, and your presence is required.

Where is he?

Waiting for you at home.

Very well.

That's enough for today. Dismissed.

...*sigh*.

I've heard that she was a stubborn one. Today I got to see for myself.

You should not have come, Mr. Edwin.

Have to hear it with my own ears to give up.

Just as well. I wanted to talk to you too, Weiss. A moment?

...Certainly.

What is it, Mr. Edwin?

I'll cut straight to the chase. What do you think about Degenbrecher, Weiss?

She's very strong. Sir Enciodes is much safer with her around.

You're a smart kid, Weiss. You know that isn't what I'm asking.

You want to know what I think of her presence.

She has taken your place ever since Sir Enciodes brought her back. Do you truly not think anything of it?

What I think is not important. What's important is that Sir Enciodes's work is progressing.

You sound like you don't like her.

I've heard her reputation, a three-time champion somewhere. And it's every bit well deserved, from what I saw today.

But to spend so much money on one person, and putting her in such an important position...

If I may be blunt... Enciodes was shortsighted with this decision.

Pray be careful about your words, Mr. Edwin.

Ever his steadfast defender.

I watched him grow up. He has to call me mister, same as you.

Do you think the others don't think the same way? They're just too afraid to speak their mind.

I'm sure it has occurred to you that Sir Enciodes did this in order to gain a foothold in Victorian high society.

Then why not leave her in Victoria?

Did he forget he already has a bodyguard in Kjerag?

And what would this bodyguard think when he saw her?

As I've said, what I think is not important.

Perhaps that's your outlook. You're a humble boy, after all.

But what of the others?

How much ground did the Paleroches and Browntails take from us in the years that he was abroad?

How many went over to their sides?

Who fought tooth and nail to earn what Silverash has now?

Master Chester, Matterhorn, you, and old-timers like us.

Even if you don't think that way, how many would be envious? Unhappy?

This isn't about Degenbrecher. I've seen my share of proud and capable youngsters.

One or two of her won't do any harm.

But those young people he brought back from Victoria will strip our flesh from our bones.

Sir Enciodes doesn't play favorites.

Of course, he hasn't neglected us.

But is that enough? Why are those fledglings considered our equals and even given better treatment?

Why should we step aside for them, after all that we've given for the clan?

Perhaps Sir Enciodes sees their value.

What value? Like my second son, who believes the future of Kjerag is in his hands just because he learned a few tricks?

Does Sir Enciodes really believe these arrogant fools can contribute to Kjerag's future?

Why are you so certain that I'm on your side, Mr. Edwin?

I watched you and Matterhorn give everything for the clan in the years that Sir Enciodes was away.

Never mind my old friends. I would say this for you two kids.

What does it matter if you go and tell him?

I would say the same to his face, if he was standing in front of me today.

But young people never listen.

You want to make an example of Madam Degenbrecher?

Sir Enciodes, and the young people around him, need to realize that no foreigner can be the master of Kjerag.

The easiest way to deal with a flock of unruly fowlbeasts is to make an example of the one that flies the highest.

One moment.

We finished the survey, sir.

What did the expert say?

Sir, I...

Sir Enciodes trusts him. You can speak frankly.

Yes, sir. The expert says that your assessment is correct, and that the slopes over there are dangerous.

Any further snowfall could potentially cause an avalanche.

...I wish I was wrong.

We were fortunate to find out now. It would have been too late, if not for your experience.

Perhaps.

We should report it to Sir Enciodes, shouldn't we?

...I'll do it. Continue to keep an eye on things.

Yes, sir.

What's on your mind, Weiss?

I understand where you're coming from, Mr. Edwin.

Your concern for the future of Clan Silverash is most touching.

I knew you would understand.

I have an idea.

You heard the report. An avalanche is likely to occur in the near future.

I will ask Sir Enciodes to have Madam Degenbrecher organize a training near where the avalanche is expected to occur.

When it does, we will request assistance.

Who knows what will happen in the chaos?

...A fine plan.

I would have thought it premeditated, had I not heard you talking to your men.

Wait, no, I understand. You've been thinking about this for a while, haven't you?

Yes. The others don't know you, but I do. You're a proud boy, deep down.

You won't just let someone take your place.

Yes, I've been waiting for someone loyal to Silverash like yourself.

The old man did not notice the emphasis that Weiss placed on 'Silverash'.

Sir, as I was delivering the message, I discovered that an avalanche is likely to occur around Moonfang Peak.

How sure are you?

Based on my recent meteorological and geographical studies, 90% sure.

Expert analysis has confirmed the observation.

This is an opportunity.

Yes.

Do as you see fit.

Yes, sir.

I said you didn't need to call me 'sir'.

Old habits die hard.

I may need to borrow Madam Degenbrecher.

Not a problem.

You'll have to convince her yourself, though.

Ha. I'll try.

Oh, I ran into Mr. Edwin today.

Oh? I've heard he's been active. What did he say?

He seems to be in good spirits, and sends you his regards.

Good.

A few days later...

What is it, Weiss? Coming out here was quite the trip for my old bones.

There is something I wish to discuss.

What is it? Have you made arrangements regarding Degenbrecher?

Of course. No need to worry.

Good.

Say, why are there so few people in the village?

Simple.

My men went door to door to persuade the villagers to evacuate.

The stubborn conservatives are the only ones left.

Conservatives? Evacuate?

It would have taken more effort if you were better-informed.

Makes my preparations seem pointless when you just show up like this.

You... you set me up?

Not quite.

Didn't you hear there was going to be an avalanche?

This is the place it's expected to happen.

What did you just say?!

Are you out of your mind, Weiss?!

I expected you to tell Enciodes, but I didn't expect this!

I'm not sure what you mean.

You lured me here and won't let me leave... what do you think I mean?!

You thought I brought you to 'Kjeragandr's turnover' to eliminate you?

What else?! You cold-hearted, ungrateful bastard!

Yes, that's what the people of Kjerag would have thought in the past.

But—

I'll be frank with you, Mr. Edwin.

There are easier ways to kill you, if that's what I intended.

But—

Progress report.

All the buildings near the mountain have been demolished. We have plenty of space to set up a line of defense.

As expected, however, we are meeting resistance from some of the residents who refuse to leave.

The evacuation?

Most of the residents are listening to us and are evacuating. The more stubborn ones refuse to believe us, though.

Leave it to me.

Where are you going, sir?

Requesting Madam Degenbrecher's assistance.

The old noble frantically tries to escape the room, no longer paying attention to what Weiss is saying.

However, Weiss seizes him by the shoulders and pushes his bloated frame toward the warrior.

Take good care of Mr. Edwin while I'm gone.

Yes, sir.

Don't worry, Mr. Edwin. You'll live, at least for today.

I need your help with something, Madam Degenbrecher.

You're out of breath. Something serious?

We believe an avalanche is about to occur near Moonfang Peak, and we need your help.

Do you really need my help?

Of course—

My team has set up defenses, but I need you and your team to help protect the residents who insist on staying.

If I recall correctly, Enciodes has given you and your team quite the power.

You seem too smart to leave such a large gap that would need me to cover.

We're short-handed, after all.

I'm curious. Why go to such lengths for me?

When I was little, I would sometimes run off into the mountains after a fight with Matterhorn.

But I always went back home for dinner, my tail between my legs, when I got hungry,

That was when I learned—

No matter what we do out there during the day, we always return to the same place and eat at the same table at night.

And it would be too awkward to be on bad terms with someone else at that table.

You heard the man.

Get ready to move.

Ma'am, yes, ma'am!

Like master, like servant. You're just like Enciodes.

I'll take that as a compliment.

You just reminded me, though.

Speaking of avalanche...

Say—

Isn't 'madam' a little too distant when we're eating at the same table?

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?!

Honestly, I didn't expect it either.

But I hope you understand now.

The foreigners are given better treatment because they have what Kjerag doesn't, what Kjerag can't even imagine.

Think about it, Mr. Edwin.

Would you, or those behind you rather get swept away by the tide?

Or would you rather ride it and watch as we conquer what once seemed insurmountable?

Is it too late to get on board?

It's never too late.

Sir Enciodes welcomes everyone who is willing to build a new Kjerag together.

A moment of silence, then the old man nods, if only reluctantly.

I suppose I've grown old.

Not that old. Kjerag still needs you.

...I'll think about it. And I'll talk to them.

We're counting on it.

Weiss smiles.

The old man has seen Weiss smile many times. He knows that, more often than not, it is simply a form of self-defense.

But this time, it is sincere.

Sunlight dances on his face, and his smile is radiant.