The moon was obscured by snow clouds in the deadly darkness.
　Three horsemen, holding up magical lights, rode along the snow-covered road.
　They looked like something between a polar bear and a deer, with large horns and rich white fur. They are domesticated wendigos, a type of demon with a mild temperament. They are suitable for riding in the snow and have much more stamina than horses.
　The Wendigo is ridden by three adventurers who wear warm clothes over their gear. They are all members of the Dragon's Throat, except for Iris.

But that's strange, I thought it was definitely a jammer that made the reaction disappear. How did you solve it?
　Why did it go away? If you're traveling along an old road where you won't be seen, you can use the jammer without hesitation.
You know. Maybe you dropped it and broke it or something.　It's rather fragile.

　Deanna and Hugh are talking to each other as they drive the Wendigo along.
　The three of them had followed Deanna's search, sensing that Iris' body was moving along the old road.

　When they reached Vine, the search spell stopped working for a moment. It was hopeless to find and catch up with him. However, when they searched again after a short time, they found a response around the old road to the neighboring territory.
　The three of them gave up almost all of their party assets to hire a cavalry beast for the chase. Although they were high-class beasts, they were able to scrounge up at least three of them in the mercantile city of Vonnegut.
　And the three of them are running down the old road in the snow.

Wait!

　Benedict, who was leading the way, suddenly shouted and stopped the Wendigo.

What's wrong?
I smell blood. ......

　Benedict's words made Diana turn bloodthirsty.

Whose blood do you smell?
Calm down, it's a human man. Maybe he's an adult, maybe he's more than one .......

　I'm not sure if it's Iris' blood or not.
　At least it's not Iris' blood.
　But that's only a consolation. I'm sure there's been some bloodshed down the road.

Iris......, I hope you're okay.
Hurry up. I can't see a thing, so keep your eyes open for anything that might pop up.
Copy that.
Needless to say.

　Slowing down slightly, the three of them started running again.
　But not long after, Deanna groaned on the Wendigo.

"......... ......!

　Deanna presses her chest. The Wendigo sensed something wrong with its rider and slowed down, and the remaining two also noticed Deanna's condition.

"Deanna?
What's wrong?

　Deanna opens her hand that was holding her breasts.
　Deanna opened her hand, which was holding her breasts, and saw that underneath her winter coat, the cleavage of her monk's robe, which encased her ample breasts, was smeared with blood.

"Hey, there's blood .......
It's not a problem, it's kind of a constitutional thing. ...... Oh, for heaven's sake!

　Deanna clicked her tongue and pulled out a knife as if she had thought of something.
　She then slits the chest of the monk's robe.

　This startled Benedict and Hugh a little. Benedict and Hugh were a little surprised by this, as she had never bared her skin except for her hands, left leg and face. They had assumed that this was due to some kind of precept, since she did not show her skin not only to Benedict and his men, but also to Iris.

　The graceful curves of her breasts were exposed.
　There was a pattern engraved on it that looked like part of a magic circle. Blood was oozing from it.

　Deanna jumped off the Wendigo and walked around it, tracing the pattern. Then she pointed to the side of the road where the snow was piled up like a heap.

"There's a bunch of people buried down there who recently died a horrible death.
"Oh, ......?　Do you know what that is?
Yeah. Yeah, that's the one.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you.

　Deanna's fingertips emit a magical light. A torrent of silver danced and assembled into a series of blades.
　It had been broken up into several accessories, but now it was a silver whip with a long, barbed chain attached to a holy seal-like handle.
　This is the first time that I've ever seen such a thing.

This is the first time I've ever seen such a thing.

　Dozens of bands of light shot out from the silver whip's light trail.
　Dozens of bands of light were released from the silver whip's light trail. The arrows of light, which drew complex and geometric trajectories in the air, rained down on the mass of snow.
　The torrent of glitter was like a waterfall of light.

　The area became white as if a smoke screen had been created by the flying snow.

What the hell was that?　You have this kind of magic power?
I'll explain later!　Anyway, look what's inside!

　Benedict howled in the white smoke, and Diana shouted back.

　Benedict howls in the white smoke and Diana yells back.
　Some were torn apart, others were burnt horse sleds. The cargo was also in a state of ruin.


　There were a number of what had once been people. There were slashed and dismembered corpses, charred corpses, seemingly unharmed but in agonizing agony.
　...... They were all folded up and trapped in a huge, crystal-clear ice cube.
　Like amber trapping insects, or a bottle ship, the scene of the tragedy was trapped in a block of ice.

"What the hell is this ......?

　Benedict and Hugh gasped, their eyes wide open.

　Benedict and Hugh gasped as they looked at the ice block, which had been partially cracked and shattered by Deanna's magic, but was still mostly intact because it was so big.

It's impossible. You'd have to be at least a level 6 magic user to make something like this. There can't be that many.

　Magic is conveniently divided into levels according to the difficulty of learning.
　Level 6 is the realm of top-notch magicians who are blessed with talent and have practiced for many years. A court magician would be able to do it. It is not a level that can be found anywhere in the world.

This body is from .......
They're probably Night Pythons. They were just leaving their stronghold in Vonnegut.

　Vonnegut's guards raided the Night Python stronghold earlier to find it deserted. It seems they made a run for it before the Count's men arrived tomorrow.
　The Dragon's Whistle had accompanied them on their forced search. Since Iris had stopped responding to him, he hoped that he might have hidden it in some way.
　When Iris's response was found on the old road, I assumed that Night Python was running away with Iris, so I chased after him. ...... This is the result.

But who's going to kill the Night Python?

　Hugh's question is unanswered.

　Benedict climbs onto the block of ice, smelling the corpse exposed in the magically carved section and looking around to see what's going on.

What's going on? This one didn't die from ice magic. It's been iced over after it died.
Why?
I don't know. I don't know. It's not like it was preserved. ...... to kill the smell, huh?　I don't know.
　The smell of blood was all over this place. ≪Deodorant might have been used.
Even if so, what for?

　I'm not sure what to make of it.

The souls of the dead are also exorcised. But there is no sign of 'mourning' or 'purification'. Maybe they were blown away with all their might.
　That's him. I think whoever killed the Night Python guys is trying to hide the fact that there was a massacre here.
　Not just visually, but through smell, and even psychic vision.
What's the point of that? It's as if they knew ...... we were coming and tried to hide from us. ......

　Hugh is right, you don't usually have to go to these lengths to hide the traces of a battle. Burying it in the snow would be enough.
　But that's not enough to cover up the Dragon's Throat. As a kobold, Benedict's nose is sensitive to the smell of blood and burning bodies, and as a priestess, Diana sees the souls of the dead.
　They are hidden in corresponding ways.

"Diana. So Iris' reaction is not in here?
"No. Maybe it was before here when I first saw the reaction.
So ...... what's taking him?　Is he being protected by the same people who killed the night python?
If so, that's more trouble than dealing with a night python. Or .......

　Deanna stared at the ice cube with a grim face.
　Then she tapped the ice block with a knuckle.
　She points to a dead body, seemingly unharmed.

"Benedict. I just need a drop of his blood. Can you help me?
That's what you need to save Iris, isn't it?
"...... Oh.

　After saying this hesitantly, Deanna added, as if talking to herself.

If it's not too late, though. There are people who shouldn't be there. ......