The Holy Man of Another Century Gospel

Chapter 183 Lost in the Snowstorm

When it was time to eat, the monks and nuns of St. Rosell Abbey gathered in the dining hall and ate their lunch in silence.

No talking is allowed during meals; this is a rule of the monastery. Most people keep their eyes focused on the plates in front of them, only occasionally looking up.

When the nuns from the convent arrived at the restaurant, they still attracted a lot of attention.

They sat together, moving in unison, quieter than the others in the restaurant. Two of the nuns, after getting their food, did not sit down but instead put it in a sealed container and left the restaurant.

Everyone could guess that it was food sent to the Holy Maiden who was meditating alone.

Upon arriving at the room where the saintess was resting, two nuns gently knocked on the door and called out, "Your Highness, your lunch has arrived."

A short while later, the door opened, and the nun inside took the lunchbox, exchanged a glance with the two nuns outside, and then closed the door again.

Back inside, Sophie, who had been kneeling before the statue in the small chapel while wearing the saint's coat, had already stood up. "Didn't I give anything away?"

“They’re all on our side, there’s no way there could be any flaws,” the nun said, offering a prayer before the statue.

"Then I won't have to kneel in the prayer hall all day to pray anymore." Sophie glanced at her lunch, pursed her lips, but didn't say anything more and started eating.

“This is Her Highness’s will,” the nun said, “and she wants us to keep an eye on you.”

"..."

Sophie took a big bite of bread.

"I know, you don't need to emphasize it to me."

The nun remained silent, prayed for a while, and then began to eat her lunch.

"Is it snowing outside?" Sophie asked, worried that she might be seen by the people in the monastery, so she didn't dare get too close to the doors and windows.

“It’s snowing,” the nun replied, her gaze falling on the food box. “A heavy snowstorm.”

Sophie followed her gaze and saw that the food box was covered with snowflakes.

She reached out and touched it, carefully picking it up. By the time she brought it to her eyes, most of it had melted, and the remaining ice crystals were also rapidly dissolving.

"With such a heavy snowstorm, Your Highness won't get lost..."

Eric is indeed getting lost.

The wind and snow were biting, and their power was even more astonishing on the boundless plains, hitting Eric's face like pebbles. Despite having taken many precautions to keep warm before leaving the monastery, Eric still felt his body stiff with cold, and his face was almost numb.

The heavy snow covered the road beneath our feet, making it impossible to distinguish which side was the road and which was the wilderness.

Fortunately, the wind and snow here existed long before the Hero Avenue was built. People in the past had to face this situation as well. Therefore, every so often, there is a conspicuous road sign on both sides of the avenue. If you don’t see it for a long time, you are really lost.

And now, they haven't seen those two road signs with colorful cloth tied to them for quite a while.

Two knights led the way on horseback, searching for directions, while Eric and Elise followed, with several other knights behind them.

Seven or eight hours have passed since they set off from the monastery. They cannot reach the Black Ice Great Wall within a day, and they need to find a place to shelter from the wind and snow before dark.

Braving the biting wind and snow, they advanced for a while longer when a shout suddenly came from ahead.

Eric squinted at the road ahead, spurred his horse, and caught up with the two knights in front of him. Soon he also saw the road sign beside them.

The ribbons that should have been fluttering in the wind were now completely frozen and tangled around the road signs.

However, the fact that they could see the road signs at least indicated that they were not lost, which relieved Eric somewhat. He glanced back at the other knights who had followed and waved his hand.

Two knights who had cleared the way shielded him from the wind and snow on his side. "Your Highness, we are still by the main road. There should be a place to rest ahead."

Eric nodded and reached into the bag on his horse's back, only to find it full of snow. He had to rummage several times before he finally pulled out a few fire crystals. "We'll have to use them, or they'll freeze and cause trouble."

The knights replenished their fire crystals, activated them, and stuffed them into their clothes.

Eric looked at Elise, "Can you still hold on?"

“What flows in my blood… is wind and snow,” the Aran woman said.

Then you should stop shaking.

Eric picked up two fire crystals, tapped them together, and put them in her hand. After a short rest, he continued on his way.

They rode for another two hours or so, and before it got dark, they saw a small town by the main road.

Eric did not hesitate and told the knights to rest there.

Who knows where the next place to rest will be?

The wind and snow came from the north, blowing relentlessly. The town was so deserted that it seemed uninhabited. However, the occasional figure that appeared indicated that the villagers were all staying at home, as the locals were also afraid of the cold.

The group found a place to take shelter from the wind and snow. A knight rode his horse around the town quickly and found a small inn that should be big enough for them to stay in.

Seeing seven or eight people arrive at once, the innkeeper muttered something and then looked at their armor.

"You came from the Black Ice Great Wall, right? Don't ask anymore. We've already donated money and food. I even have the donation certificate issued by Her Highness the Princess. You can't ask me for money anymore... Wait a minute, I need to find where I put it."

“We’re just here to rest,” Eric said, stepping forward. “Just arrange a few rooms for us, and it would be even better if there was hot water and food.”

"Oh? Oh..." The innkeeper stopped groping and searching, and looked them over again. "So where did you come from?"

"From the South."

Where in the south?

"Don't ask any more questions," a knight behind him said coldly.

"Alright," the hotel owner muttered again, then led them to their room to rest. "I don't have many rooms here, you'll have to squeeze in."

To be precise, his small inn in this remote place only had five or six rooms. One room was occupied, another was filled with miscellaneous items, and the window of another room was broken, letting in a whole room of wind and snow. The door became another window to block the wind and snow from further intruding. Only three rooms were actually habitable.

Eric and Elise shared one room, while the remaining knights squeezed into two other rooms. Having more people had its advantages; it saved on fire crystals when they slept at night.

The hotel doesn't provide food, but there's a tavern next door that has some food, though not a wide variety.

Eric told the knights to make themselves at home and to set off again the next morning. Upon entering the room, he first had Elise help him retrieve a fire crystal that was stuck to his back.

"The road wasn't properly blocked, and I fell off. It was both cold and hot against my skin, and it was so uncomfortable."

Elise reached into his clothes, quickly pulled her hand out, rubbed it in her hands, and then pressed it to her ear to warm her almost frozen cheek.

“We’ve come at the wrong time. Winter in the North isn’t over yet; the snow won’t subside until at least June or July.”

"Just getting smaller?"

“It’s just getting smaller,” Elise repeated.

Eric sighed. "The problem is we don't have much time left, so we have to come now."

Elise nodded, then asked, "Would Your Highness like to take a hot bath? The innkeeper said it would cost a little money."

Eric walked to the window, pushed it open slightly, and the wind, carrying snow, immediately rushed in. He closed it again, leaving only a small gap, and then looked down.

"This is such a shabby little hotel, there's nowhere to take a shower, and the rooms downstairs don't look like they can keep warm."

"Shall I go down and ask?"

Eric nodded, took the fire crystal from her hand, and rubbed it on his face.

Elise left the room.

"This is none of your business... Didn't His Highness tell you to do as you please? You don't need to stay here."

Eric heard the noise and came out of the room again, telling the knights to eat and sleep as they pleased and not to guard them. Only then did they disperse.

After a short while, Elise came up from below, her face showing some surprise. "It's a hot spring, and it's underground, so the wind can't get in."

Eric's eyes lit up. "Then I need to go soak for a while. How big is it?"

When Elise smiled, he understood.

"go together."

Eric went down to inquire and learned that the hot spring did not belong to the hotel, but was shared by the entire town. It was discovered hundreds of years ago, and the town's residents had been digging underground for decades, carving out an underground space with several large pools and dozens of small pools. The hot spring was flowing year-round, but unfortunately, it was only for use and not for drinking.

The innkeeper took their money and led them to the entrance of the underground hot spring. He gave them two clean but rough linen cloths as towels, saying that the pools enclosed by wooden planks below belonged to their inn and they could use them freely. They could also use the other pools if they didn't mind being kicked out by the pool owners halfway through their soak.

The two descended the stairs into the underground area, which wasn't very deep; they descended two floors to reach the ground. Even before they entered, Eric could already smell a faint sulfurous odor. "That's right, it's a natural hot spring."

The underground hall is illuminated by glowing crystals on the walls, but the effect is only so-so, illuminating only a small area, though enough to show where the ground is and where the hot spring pools are.

Eric fired a ball of light overhead, instantly illuminating the ground.

The two quickly found several hotel hot spring pools enclosed by wooden planks. The steam was thick, and the smell of sulfur was even stronger. Eric chose a pool that was two or three meters wide.

“The water is still flowing.” Elise reached out to test the water temperature and then carefully examined the inlet and outlet of the hot spring pool. “I hope this water isn’t coming from someone else’s pool.”

Eric then searched carefully and found that the hot spring flowed from a small hole carved into the underground rock and was not connected to the other pools.

The two took off their clothes and sat down in the pool one after the other.

"hiss……"

Eric felt every pore on his body relax and open up. He hadn't felt as comfortable as when he took a hot bath in the large bath at the Saint-Rozelle Abbey last night.

Elise slowly sat down beside him, the hot water soaking her through, and she couldn't help but let out a comfortable sigh.

After soaking for a while, Eric opened his eyes. "I should tell those knights too."

Elise had only her head sticking out of the water. "That'll have to be after we're done soaking... You can't soak with me in front of them, can you?"

“Our relationship is platonic; it is our sacred faith that binds us together,” Eric said solemnly.

"..."

She rolled her eyes and looked up at the smooth rock wall above her, damp from the steam.

The two soaked quietly for a while, then Elise moved next to Eric and leaned on his shoulder. "I hope the snow will be a little lighter when we set off tomorrow."

"Just don't get lost, we're not far from the Black Ice Wall." Eric watched her hands rise and fall underwater and then put his arm around her.

“The snow outside isn’t as white as your body.” He grasped one side of the snow-white snow in his hand, then thought of something else, “We need to hurry back to the hotel after we go out, or we’ll easily catch a cold.”

"Hmm," Elise replied casually, standing up from the water.

The two did not indulge themselves too much.

Covered in snow, Eric gently kissed her, resisting the urge to bite her again.

"Soaking for too long can make you dizzy, let's get out."

The two carefully dried themselves before leaving from underground.

Upon returning to the ground, the temperature plummeted, and the two hurried back to the inn. Eric also had the knights who had accompanied them go for a soak.

As darkness fell, Eric and Elise ate something at a nearby tavern.

There weren't many fresh ingredients; the main food consisted of various dried fish and meats, and the only alcohol available was strong liquor. Eric ordered a small glass of wine, added a large block of ice, swayed it, and drank it without finishing it until he left.

Back in their room, they pasted several fire crystals on the walls and slept in each other's arms on the small bed, keeping each other warm until the snow outside the window shone brightly again.

When we set off again the next day, the wind and snow were slightly less intense than the day before.

"While the visibility is still good, let's make it to the Black Ice Great Wall in one go."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

A group of people rushed into the snowstorm and continued north along the main road. After running for another two or three hours, the snowstorm hitting their faces suddenly lessened.

It wasn't that the wind had stopped and the snow had ceased, but rather that a towering wall stretched out before them, blocking the fierce cold current blowing in from the north.

"The Black Ice Great Wall..."

Eric looked up at the colossal structure before him, a spectacle indeed. His teeth chattered from the cold, and the knights behind him also looked up. Few of them had ever seen the Black Ice Wall.

Elise stared at him for a while with a complicated expression before her gaze fell on Eric.

He pulled on the reins, "Let's go, we haven't arrived yet."

The Black Ice Great Wall connects the two ice-free bays on the east and west sides, stretching for hundreds of miles. They were currently at one end of the eastern bay, and it would take another hour or two to run eastward along the Great Wall to reach the garrison camp of the eastern watchtower where Princess Natalia was located.

Fortunately, the Great Wall blocked most of the wind and snow, and the remaining stretch of road was much easier for them than when they came over.

Eric could see the towering watchtower at the end of the city wall in the distance. His gaze fell down, and the road ahead was completely blocked by several layers of barricades. They had to go around to the front entrance to get in.

After circling around, they arrived at the main entrance, where the guards, who had noticed them before, stopped the group and looked at the knights with suspicion.

"Who are you? Who gave you orders to come to the Black Ice Wall Eastern Lookout Camp?"

"Watch your attitude." Knight Commander Edward rode forward. "The person before you is Her Highness the Saintess of the Lassier Convent. Let your captain come out."

The guard was startled and quickly went to report. A short while later, a city guard who looked to be of higher rank than the previous guard came out.

"Your Highness, the Princess is already waiting for your arrival."

Eric nodded, and the group dismounted and followed the man into the camp.

"—The Arameans!"

On the way, some of the city's guards spotted Iris in the ranks and exclaimed in surprise.

Elise pursed her lips. Before Eric could speak, the captain of the guards yelled, "Go do your job!"

“She is my companion, a trustworthy Aran,” Eric said.

The captain of the guards said he trusted Her Highness and didn't ask a single question.

"Where is Her Highness the Eldest Princess?"

"His Highness is in the watchtower."

“Let’s go up then.” Eric stopped beside the basket.

The captain of the guards stopped as well. “Your Highness, the basket is quite frightening to be swaying in the wind and snow. You should use the passage inside the city wall instead, even if it takes a little more effort.”

“If you can sit, then I can sit.” Eric climbed into the basket, and Elise and half of the knights followed, leaving an empty seat for the captain of the guard.

“Okay.” He climbed in too, then gestured to the person controlling the gondola next to him.

The basket slowly rose, swaying violently in the wind and snow, and the group tried their best not to look at the ground.

Elise clung tightly to Eric's arm. The ascent felt like an eternity, and by the time they reached the top, he felt he should occasionally take advice and walk a little further.

After getting off the gondola, the wind and snow on the city wall were stronger than anywhere else, but fortunately the sides were wide enough that I wouldn't be blown off.

The basket was lowered again to catch the other half of the knight.

In the raging snowstorm, Eric discovered that someone was already waiting for them.

"I didn't expect you to come up in a gondola, Your Highness."

Natalia stood proudly in the wind and snow, and smiled when he looked at her. "It should have only been a year since we last met, but it feels like several years have passed."

“I feel the same way.” Eric looked at the Imperial Princess in front of him, who had lost almost a whole size of weight. “But in this short year, Your Highness seems to have suffered a lot.”

A look of relief flashed across Natalia's face, and her gaze lingered on his face for a moment. "The snow is too heavy here, let's go inside and talk."

She led them to the tall watchtower at the eastern end of the city wall.

The watchtower connects to the interior of the city wall, which is divided into several levels. The princess usually stays in her office on one of the levels to handle various matters, and returns to the interior of the city wall to rest at night.

The knight who followed Eric in went to guard the watchtower. Natalia led him to her office, and when she turned around, she found that there were people following him.

Upon closer inspection, she realized it was someone she knew.

“Miss Elise, so you’ve been following Prince Eric all along.”

Elise bowed her head in greeting. "His Highness Eric has given me a reason to continue living, and I will follow him to the death."

Natalia didn't pay much attention and raised her hand forward. "Your Highness Eric, this is where I usually write to you."

It was a small office with just a desk and a few bookshelves. The windows were sealed with glass, and all you could see outside was the wind and snow.

“If it weren’t so cold up here, making it hard to keep warm, I would rather sleep here than stay in that dark and sunless city wall down below.”

(End of this chapter)