Chapter 92 – The Great Crossing (7)

Just as I was truly about to wrap up the conversation this time, Randolph stopped my steps once more.

“But will the people of your ember welcome us? Even so, accepting us won’t be easy…”

Whether the existing citizens would welcome outsiders or not—what he worried about was not the practical problem of having the capacity to accommodate them, but an emotional one.

Although it could be seen that he had many worries before a major task, this was also a problem that naturally had to be considered.

Because there was no way the existing citizens would not feel aversion when an influx of population equivalent to half of the existing size was coming.

This was not a problem to be viewed simply as a matter between cities.

An ember was a country, and the sense of belonging was so great that even if they shared the same language, people of other embers were practically treated as foreigners.

In the first place, wasn’t a leader equivalent to a president or head of state in modern concepts?

To put it simply, it was equivalent to races and cultures mixing, and the meeting of two different entities was always bound to cause clashes and conflicts.

“That won’t happen. It’s not something to boast about, but our ember is fundamentally different from other embers.”

However, I assured him this time as well.

“…Fundamentally different?”

Randolph tilted his head and asked back.

Since it was a statement that could easily cause misunderstanding, I hastily added words.

“Have you forgotten who is in our ember?”

“Of course, Lord Demian Vale is there. There are people drawn by his character…”

“That is exactly it. As long as they are not wicked, no matter who comes wishing to become family, our ember people will help their settlement both materially and spiritually. That much, I can assure you on my name.”

Demian, who always prioritized the citizens, and the nine members of the Magic Engineering Department who followed him.

The members of the hunting squad and citizens who risked their lives to protect the ember.

And even Lady Katrina, who was called the mother of the ember.

Although it was a short time, I saw the altruistic aspect of our ember citizens.

This was also the reason why I did not worry about my identity regarding affiliation being shaken upon becoming the representative of Randolph’s ember.

Of course, among them, there were not a few citizens who followed Yan, who dreamed of a military dictatorship.

However, most of them were merely fooled by the mask Yan wore; in reality, they were an extremely human and good-natured collective.

That was definitely because of Demian.

Because most of the citizens were people who had chosen migration, drawn by Demian’s character.

This would be what it looked like when the scale of birds of a feather flocking together grew large.

“…In that sense, our ember is also called the ember of refugees and immigrants. Since various people gathered from all places under the name of Demian Vale. Therefore, there won’t be a great aversion to accepting outsiders.”

Whether my words were persuasive, Randolph nodded.

“Indeed. Hearing you say so, it is. Two months ago, refugees passing through our ember also said they were heading to your ember.”

“Is that so?”

“It was a group of about ten people led by a middle-aged woman with a diagonal scar engraved on her left eye… did they arrive safely? Have you perhaps heard anything?”

A group of ten led by a middle-aged woman.

‘There were no new personnel, though…’

Although I was not sure since I had not searched the register, in my memory, there was no recently entered group.

Not only that, there had been no personnel newly joining the ember for a year.

“I am not sure. At that time, I was staying in the First Ember for the magic engineer qualification exam, and even after returning, there were many different incidents.”

“Is that so…”

Randolph’s expression looked bitter.

Because my not knowing meant they had all died while crossing the snowfield.

However, death in the ice age was a common occurrence.

Shaking off stray thoughts about a group I had no acquaintance with, I started to recall the one thing that bothered me, despite having friendly citizens.

I began to recall the leadership and the leader, Yan Casellos.

‘That guy will place obstacles by any means.’

At this point, he would absolutely not welcome new members.

Since he was consolidating his power by developing mana guns due to the mutant attacks just in time, there was no way he would welcome an influx of population that could change the political balance.

Moreover, weren’t they people I brought while risking my life?

Although I did not regard them as clear enemies yet since my position, with the Magic Engineering Department and the leadership in between, was ambiguous.

‘There is no way they will leave a sprout that might grow into an adversary at any time.’

If the migration is successful, I will have the influence of being supported by a whopping five hundred people, equivalent to one-third of the total population.

Meaning, the significance of me being with them was no different from declaring war on Yan Casellos and the leadership.

Even so, Yan and the leadership would not be able to prevent even their stay.

Because if they ignored refugees while a snowstorm was arriving, they would end up facing a backlash even from the existing citizens.

Instead, they would prevent their settlement by giving whatever reason.

And that very moment would be the turning point deciding whether I ascend as the leader or not.

‘Since mutants have emerged, there is no need to drag even the golem manufacturing further. I must end it quickly this time.’

Now, while the leadership is letting their guard down due to the submission of the Magic Engineering Department and the development of mana guns, I must use this matter as a springboard to end it through a swift and decisive resolution.

Since I had drawn up plans with Jeremy, Natasha, and Will Ford accordingly, I only needed to prepare thoroughly and inspect.

“Thank you for saying so, even if it is just words. I also feel sorry as it seems I am asking for too difficult a task… At any rate, thanks to you, I can breathe a sigh of relief.”

From the liberation from plunderers, the escort for crossing the snowfield, to the settlement in the new ember.

Perhaps thinking he had no face, Randolph bowed his head deeply, tears welling in his eyes.

“Do not think of other problems, and take care of your body first. Aren’t you the pillar and ember of the citizens as you said, Lord Randolph? You must never collapse or fade away. For the sake of the citizens as well.”

I pretended not to know and subtly laid a burden on him.

Because I had to grant a reason to live and a driving force even to him, who had lost his three sons and the ember of his deceased father—which could be called his everything—through this event.

Of course, since he, the steadfast leader, had to stay alive and stand on my side for his citizens to naturally follow me, I also absolutely had to keep him alive.

“Thank you truly for caring so much for an old man and an ember you had no acquaintance with until just a few days ago. If I remain alive until we arrive, I will definitely repay this favor. No, even if I die, another person will definitely do so…”

Perhaps thinking I was acting out of goodwill, Randolph shed tears continuously, revealing his emotions without filtering.

That sight was pitiful, and also made me feel sorry.

Because unlike the emotions he felt, my actions were completely calculating.

“Please do so. Therefore, focus only on returning alive for now, and hold the center well so that the people do not get agitated. Your role is important, Lord Randolph.”

However, I replied with a bright smile.

Where would there be pure goodwill in this frozen world, and where would there be unconditional altruism?

They had many tasks to do for me once they returned alive.

Since we were merely walking the path of coexistence, there was nothing to feel sorry or thankful for.

Also, what I wished to become was not a saintly man, but a leader.

For a leader, it was natural to prioritize the interests of himself and the ember.

There was no room for trivial emotions to intervene in this absolute logic.

“Rest now. It seems showing that you have recovered health and are hale and hearty as quickly as possible will be good for raising morale.”

Having thus solidified my relationship with Randolph, who was known as the ember itself and the spiritual pillar, I stepped out of the pit.

Whoosh—!

Whether it was true that the snowstorm was drawing closer and closer, the snowstorm was blowing harder than yesterday—no, harder than just a moment ago.

It felt like yesterday was different, today was different, and every split second was different.

However, even in the intensifying snow, I headed to the off-roader, not the pit.

Naturally, it was not that I wanted to rest comfortably in the off-roader alone, but to train my mana while also keeping guard.

“…”

Through the window of the off-roader I approached, the sight of the elderly and children sleeping soundly was visible.

They were the weak who required protection, and had been assigned sleeping quarters in the relatively safe off-roaders.

Looking at the packed interior, I was seized by another worry.

‘The children will walk somehow, but the elderly cannot do so. If the injured increase further here, we cannot even board them in the off-roaders.’

Even after boarding the injured who occurred today, seats remained. However, even if an event like today happened just once more, the off-roaders would be fully occupied.

Since it was an event that had not occurred yet, I had brushed it off in the argument just now, but I had to devise a method on how to transport the excess injured.

‘Should I hang sleds to the off-roaders? I don’t know if magic stones will be sufficient for that…’

It was an off-roader called a magic stone-devouring hippo because it was an early development model.

It was obvious without even looking that the fuel efficiency would be shattered if we attached sleds.

Furthermore, since iron armor was wrapped around it to prepare for mutant attacks, the fuel efficiency was already running at its worst.

Of course, now I calculated that it was barely possible to cover it with the magic stones harvested from the hunted mutants.

However, if we even dragged sleds, the fuel consumption would quickly transcend the supply amount.

By that time, I would fall into the dilemma of wishing mutants would continue to appear, so it was truly nothing short of a vicious cycle.

‘Why would there be anything that cannot be done? If the machine cannot do it, a human must. I can just drag it myself.’

However, I planned to bring them back alive even by one more person, even if it meant overworking my body.

It was not out of paltry morality, but to draw closer to the goal of ascending as leader faster, and to swallow the ember from Yan Casellos.

Because each and every single person saved like that would become a vote to support me.

As long as I could advance that timing, becoming a sled dog was not even a problem.

In the first place, the delegation of the representative and securing the public sentiment, which were the starting points of all these conditions, were things that could not be obtained without showing that level of sincerity and sacrifice.

Setting all else aside, it was also a task that was physically not strenuous thanks to the mana core providing endless vitality.

That was also the reason why I could train my mana every night without sleeping for days.

‘Then shall I do some training?’

Sitting cross-legged on the roof of the off-roader, I closed my eyes and began to emit magic power while feeling the power of the mana core.

At the same time, I focused on spreading and spreading mana widely around, breaking and expanding the limits of my sensory space.

Although it was an ignorant method to practice hyper-civilized, advanced magic, there was no choice. I merely did my best in what I could do right now.

Only after repeating exhausting and recovering mana like that several times did I go to bed just before the morning sun rose.

It was the dawn of the ice age, which was clearly rising, yet simultaneously not rising.

In the dawn where not even a single ray of light shone, I muttered.

“Finally, I finally reached…”

My magic power, which was spreading and surging around, had finally occupied all spaces of the expedition.

The bio-signals, of which I could feel barely a hundred on the first day, had become about five hundred and were felt clearly within my senses.