Translator: Marctempest
Editor/Proofreader: TempWane
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Chapter 90: In the Name of the God (3) – Completed
The war was over.
That day, after the calamity was vanquished, the allied forces mercilessly invaded the Burial Grounds.
They slew the monsters, purified the lingering resentments, and erased even their remnants. It was an unforgiving extermination, as if dealing with an arch-nemesis, and the cursed land, having lost its calamity, was powerless to resist.
In the end, the Burial Grounds, which had remained unconquered for thousands and tens of thousands of years, fell into the hands of humanity.
The status of the Arundel Empire, which led the conquest, soared to the heavens, and the allied nations such as the city-state Yulistia and the Astar Church also reaped various benefits.
Emperor Eoloman set up a “Peace Assembly” to address issues, including the vacant lands in the far west and other matters, inviting the leaders of the various nations.
Geographically, it was the perfect location, as the empire was situated in the central part of the continent.
Weeks passed after the victory.
At the Peace Assembly, the official announcement was made regarding the extinction of the calamity and the stabilization of the continent.
People cheered, but at the same time, many felt sorrowful.
It was because of one woman.
The Goddess of Salvation, Quellière.
The only remaining god, the savior who had defeated the calamity, even ready to enter eternal rest.
Her followers quickly spread, but it was also the influence of her footsteps across the church, city-states, and the empire that played a major role.
Peace had arrived.
However, as people returned to their daily lives, a new wish quietly nestled in their hearts.
They hoped that the goddess would descend once more to the mortal realm in all her majestic glory…
Time passed endlessly.
Winter passed into spring.
The hot summer gave way to a chilly autumn.
Then, winter again without snow.
The years flowed like water, indifferent to those who had left or those who would depart.
The continent, unceasing and emotionless, began to stir.
In the midst of the hollow repetition of pointless activity…
*
At that moment, somewhere.
An unobserved, colorless space.
There, the “real Quellière” was— idly rolling around.
“…Yawn.”
This was no joke.
Literally, she was eating snacks, reading the same comic books again, and lying down.
In fact, calling her Quellière was somewhat misleading.
For now, she was a man.
More precisely, this was his original form from when he had been enjoying the Four Seasons War.
“Boring.”
The scenery around him was now quite different from what had been before.
A view that could not be seen in a fantasy world.
If one had to describe it, it was like the exact copy of his old dorm room.
“Thirsty. Where… Ah.”
He tried to drink something, but the cup was empty.
Reluctantly, he spoke.
“Refill. Please.”
─Understood, user.
A being followed the command.
It had a somewhat mechanical appearance, shining with a gloss.
It was an NPC helper from the Four Seasons War.
Though it didn’t appear in the game itself, it had been assisting players from the outside.
It had spent a significant amount of time with Quellière, or rather, with the player.
─By the way, have you decided on your reward?
Just before the drink was refilled, the NPC spoke.
He shook his head.
“No. Still thinking.”
─Please hurry. The recovery is right around the corner.
“I know. It’ll be decided soon.”
─This is the [X]th time you’ve said that…
“This time it’s real. More importantly, refill.”
He smiled brightly.
The NPC grumbled and left.
─…Understood.
In the now quiet space.
Left alone, he began to think.
This world could change slightly depending on his will, but it was no place to enjoy oneself.
Hence, he was stuck re-reading the comics he had already seen.
“Well, anyway, that’s going to end soon.”
As the helper had said, the recovery wasn’t far off.
It had been a while since he had done what it wanted.
“Rewards, huh…”
Lying down, he closed his eyes.
Now that it was time to go, even this boring place felt somehow different.
Reflecting and organizing his thoughts, he started to break it down in order.
*
From when he first arrived in this world.
Quellière had died.
I realized it in the midst of excruciating pain.
A message that appeared right after the extinction of the calamity.
According to it, I had been dragged to some place called the “Recovery Room.”
A room surrounded by mirrors on all sides.
My true face was clearly reflected.
“······!”
─Welcome, user.
It was then that I met the helper NPC.
The NPC approached me, who couldn’t hide my astonishment, and I received a kind explanation.
─Do you remember eleven years ago?
“Eleven years ago?”
─It refers to the time you were linked to The Four Seasons War II, marking the day you inadvertently started a new life.
At the time, I recalled several days when the system text appeared, such as during the subjugation of the Serpent God.
I then asked with a suspicious look.
“······Right. That was the beginning. I hardly remember it now. But what exactly is this world?”
At that moment, the colorless space changed.
The mirror-filled scenery vanished, replaced by a scene faintly lingering in my mind.
The helper NPC, who had withdrawn its hand, responded.
─There were unavoidable circumstances.
“Circumstances?”
─Do you remember your last day in the real world? You loved The Four Seasons War and clung to it until the very end.
“······That’s true. But why is that—”
─You will learn more details while staying here. For now, this is the Chamber of Restoration.
Indeed, that was the case.
Why was I, who had died by Mahabharata, here? The NPC’s explanation was straightforward.
─This place is, quite literally, the Chamber of Restoration. It is where the broken body of the Snow Maiden Quellière is being healed.
“Healing······. How long will it take?”
─It will take approximately several years for complete recovery.
It wasn’t a short amount of time.
Right now, I was in the form of a spirit, a temporary state taken because I had lost Quellière’s physical body.
A sudden question arose in my mind, and I voiced it.
“Does it really have to be Quellière? Can’t I just live like this?”
─That is not possible. The linked main character represents the user’s identity, and that foundation cannot be altered.
So it seemed.
I watched the verbose NPC and organized my thoughts.
“Got it. So, I just have to wait here until the restoration is complete?”
─That is correct. This space has been tailored to be as comfortable as possible, so you should not experience any discomfort. Oh, and······.
As I was coming to terms with the situation, the NPC handed me a catalog.
─Please take a look at this as well.
“What is it?”
─It’s a rewards list. As you were the first to clear The Four Seasons War II, you must claim your rewards.
I accepted the catalog.
I flipped through one page.
There was a lot. And it was lengthy.
I flipped to the second page.
Still a lot. Flip, flip─
It continued to be a great deal.
“······This is overwhelming.”
I didn’t know what all of it was, but it looked impressive.
A reward for the first clear. A common gaming system, so I understood it quickly, though choosing would take some time.
“Do I have to choose now?”
─No. You have time until the restoration is complete.
That meant there was plenty of time.
I decided to choose carefully.
Time passed like that.
As I adapted, the days turned out to be more boring than I had expected.
About a week in, I realized my state of mind had changed significantly.
Perhaps due to Quellière’s influence, the slow days didn’t feel particularly difficult.
Though they were undeniably tedious.
“Stats, traits, skills······. There’s a lot, including equipment and items.”
I occasionally looked through the catalog.
I pondered what to choose to ensure I was satisfied and considered the outside world as well.
“I wonder how the continent is faring.”
With the greatest threat, the calamity, gone, the apocalyptic scenario had naturally been averted.
It was likely they were enjoying a period of peace.
“I wonder what the others are doing······.”
Were they still traveling together?
Or had they returned to their respective homes?
There was no way to know from here how my death had affected them.
Well, they weren’t ordinary people, so I wasn’t too worried. They’d manage just fine.
Maybe they wouldn’t even care about someone like me anymore.
“······That’s not likely.”
It probably wasn’t.
I hadn’t treated them so coldly.
At any rate, the mostly solitary time passed aimlessly.
And so, today.
─User, here is the drink you requested for a refill.
“Ah, thanks······.”
On the day when the end of restoration was finally within sight.
I rose and took the glass from the NPC.
As I drank, I glanced around the room.
“Hmm.”
Once the restoration was complete, I would return to the surface. To the place I had been just before coming here.
In my case, it was near the depths of the landfill.
─The time has come. Please decide on your reward.
It was the final moment to choose a reward.
After much deliberation, I chose the option I had decided upon.
It wasn’t anything special, just an ability related to winter.
When I looked back at my days on the continent, I realized I hadn’t lived as the Snow Maiden I should have.
So, I chose this to truly become the Snow Maiden.
─Thank you, User. The restoration is also nearly complete.
My second life, which was not yet over.
I looked over Quellière’s almost fully restored body and nodded with satisfaction.
It was time to return to the world.
*
The Four Seasons.
It was an inescapable phenomenon in human life. At least, it was so on this continent.
The Four Seasons were said to have been created by the Four Gods, each of whom governed a different aspect. The most famous of them was, of course, Quellière, the Goddess of Winter.
As mentioned in the text, I hope you remember this.
The first time I learned about her was decades ago, back when I was just a fledgling entering the study of theology, but I officially heard of her only about ten years ago.
In the past, she wasn’t as famous as she is now.
Back then, a disciple of mine brought me information that became a major turning point in my life.
The shock I felt at that time is still vivid in my memory.
The rumors from the city-state, which have now become legends.
It’s a story that’s quite old, but those who know, know. The tale of the mysterious woman who defeated the Serpent God and saved the city.
That was her first trace, the beginning of her extraordinary journey.
From then on, I began to follow her path.
Her subsequent exploits were observed in the northern Astar Church.
Everyone has probably heard of them, but since recounting them would take days, I suggest referring to the author’s other books.
All of her accomplishments are remarkable.
There should be no objections to this, so I will point out just one of them.
The first defeat of the Calamity.
The event that took place in Disdel is something everyone must know by now.
It was then that Quellière was called the ‘Savior’ and revealed her majesty as a goddess.
However, the evil Calamity did not die.
It was an enemy so formidable that even a god could not easily defeat it.
This led directly to the well-known ‘reclamation conquest.’
Gods and Calamities.
The next battleground, filled with humanity’s original sin, desperate wishes, and yearning.
The Burial Grounds of the Great West.
The Allied Forces, longing for liberation, faced many mythical trials in that place.
Without the help of the Absolute, they would have perished there.
…Perhaps that’s why.
She sacrificed herself there.
According to the heroes who followed her, a magnificent light engulfed the entire world.
She fought alone to reduce the damage to everyone. I feel a lump in my chest every time I repeat that sentence.
When she disappeared, and the conquest ended.
The Imperial government moved, albeit too late.
Her life or death was uncertain, but there was no doubt that she had not truly perished.
As a new myth, her name and existence were carved into history. The widely spread teachings informed the world of her deeds.
Every time I encounter it, I feel proud of my own life.
Of my actions and choices as well.
In the world where peace had arrived.
Everyone longed for the Goddess.
Though some ignorant fools claim that her deeds were exaggerated or that she was not a god, the truth never fades.
I don’t know how many times I’ve written about her by now.
But, as I have said many times before, there is one fact that always tightens my heart.
Quellière never revealed that she was a goddess.
The reason remains unknown.
Perhaps she didn’t want to be worshiped, or maybe it was her nature.
It could have been due to her noble heart.
In any case, what I’m doing now, and what I’ve been doing all along, has been very close to going against her wishes.
But this, too, was my destiny.
I couldn’t stop.
I never learned that way.
So, I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to her.
No, it’s more like a reflection than an apology.
…Quellière.
Please understand.
We had no choice but to worship you.
We could only follow you and praise you.
If you didn’t want that, then from above, look down on us as before, and scold us.
Tomorrow marks your third death anniversary.
As always, there will be your heroes at the old site, but I too will visit, albeit late.
So, I must prepare. I’ll end this here.
Before the statue of the Goddess in the Temple.
─Theologian Agnatz
The landfill······ no.
Now called the “Old Lands,” the western magical domain.
The colonies and the majority of monsters had been exterminated, and the lingering grudges purified, but traces of divine power remained scattered across the region.
The same went for magical abnormalities.
“Still no snow today.”
The hill where Quellière had disappeared was still filled with the scent of summer.
Contrary to the current season.
Artan murmured, and Bulizé responded bluntly.
“How many times are you going to say that? Can’t you just get used to it already?”
“······I’m just saying it because it’s strange. That’s all.”
“There are other things to find strange. If Lady Quellière could see you now, she’d click her tongue. Also.”
Artan looked sheepish.
Meanwhile, Bulizé stood with her arms crossed.
“It’s not really something to be amazed by anymore, is it?”
She subtly followed Artan’s gaze.
The cursed land, now free of calamity.
Except for the areas where the “Coexistence of the Four Seasons” phenomenon manifested, the Old Lands had begun to mimic the continent’s seasons.
Beyond, skeletal trees swayed where biting winds howled.
“For years now, snow hasn’t fallen. Anywhere on the continent.”
“······I know.”
Their voices carried a trace of bitterness.
They were among those gathered to commemorate the third anniversary of Quellière’s death.
Behind them were notable figures such as the White Silver Dragon King, Pankaj Mishra, the Black Knight, Chandrafail, and the True Ancestor, Nell Sartilla······ an impressive assembly.
Those who had become heroes grew even more remarkable over the past three years.
Artan continued speaking.
“It’s probably inevitable. She was winter itself.”
It was midwinter now.
And yet, no snow had fallen.
Though the weather was milder than usual, it was still winter—cold and crisp. The absence of snow was peculiar.
It felt as if a part of the season had been cut away.
“Yeah······. That’s true.”
“······.”
An unusual silence descended.
A warm breeze, out of place in the magical space, stirred the air.
Artan fell into thought for a moment.
“······That day.”
Quellière, who had fallen on the hill.
Her agonized expression, one he had never seen before, remained vivid in his mind.
The memory pained him every time he recalled it.
Though he had to accept it now, her death still felt unreal.
She had seemed destined to live forever, high and aloof.
He had never considered even the slightest chance of her absence.
As if all of it were a lie, he half-expected her to reappear at any moment.
With her usual cold expression, looking down on them.
But.
“It’s just wishful thinking······.”
He knew better.
If she were capable of it, she would have already returned.
Unfinished regrets and deep sorrow weighed down his eyelids.
The continent was now unusually peaceful. There was no rush for anything.
Everything was smooth and easy.
“If one more person were here, it’d be perfect.”
He muttered quietly and suddenly turned his gaze.
To the high ground behind them.
There were Quellière’s confidants, the main players in the landfill conquest.
“Persistent as ever.”
Among them was a red-haired woman with slightly longer locks.
Nell Sartilla pointed at the air.
“Seriously, not even a flake of snow? Hey, snowflakes, snow showers! This is negligence, you know?!”
She was now venting her frustration on natural phenomena. Snow was Quellière’s symbol.
If it wasn’t falling because she was gone, wouldn’t its return mean she’d come back?
“Geez······.”
But it was futile.
Even she couldn’t tamper with the laws of nature.
Nell, staring at the distant horizon, casually tossed a remark to the person beside her.
“Hey.”
Clank. A black suit of armor shifted slightly.
From within the helmet that seemed to pierce through her, a voice emerged.
“What is it?”
The unusually eerie tone belonged to Chandrafail.
Unimpressed by his demeanor, Nell asked a question, part irritation, part curiosity.
“When did you know?”
“Know what?”
“That Quellière was, you know, a god.”
It was now common knowledge across the continent.
The Black Knight looked back at the fleeting past days.
Then, he responded briefly.
“When I was defeated.”
“Huh?”
“I realized it when I lost to her. When you experience an impossible shiver, you can’t help but know that she’s a being from a different dimension.”
A shiver that was only triggered with one hand.
Even recalling it now, it was an astonishing sensation.
But Nell’s eyes widened.
“…What?”
It wasn’t about when he knew.
She flinched at something else.
“Shiver? Could it be—”
“I felt it when our hands touched. It pierced through my armor. If I were to describe it, it felt like ‘touching the world itself.'”
“…!”
With those words, her guesses turned into certainty.
This Black Knight had experienced the same sensation as herself.
And, just like her, he was now certain that Quellière was a god.
“…As expected. She’s a god. There’s no other possibility.”
With another witness to this, it was undeniable.
For the first time in a long while, she felt her heart racing.
Then, she intentionally curled her lips into a smile as she looked at the Black Knight.
“I’m the senior here.”
“What?”
“You learned later than I did. I realized it right after I met her.”
Hmph—she raised her head proudly.
Chandrafail furrowed his brows slightly, but he didn’t bother to refute her.
Because there was no point in doing so.
“Is that so. I envy you.”
“Right? From now on, call me ‘senior.'”
The Black Knight, who had responded in kind, was now quite different from before.
In many ways, in terms of attitude and atmosphere, there was a noticeable change.
Could it be because of Quellière’s influence?
He now understood human emotions.
At least to some degree.
*
“I envy you.”
Meanwhile, just a little farther from them, on the green land.
Dewade stood side by side with Mishra.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. You’ve served Lady Quellière for a long time. It’s something to envy.”
His firm voice was deeply serious.
Mishra, with a slightly awkward smile, replied.
“Well, it’s not exactly like that. The time when the master was gone was very long.”
“Like now?”
“It can’t even be compared to now. For all those long years, Lady Quellière guarded the Snowfield alone.”
The combination of these two was quite fresh.
In terms of personality and history, they were opposites in many ways, and there was only one common point between them.
If they had met normally, they would never have exchanged a single word.
However, that one common point made them unparalleled comrades.
“…I see.”
Be it past or present, trials were unchanging.
Thinking such a thing, Dewade looked at Mishra, who smiled faintly.
It was a smile quite human in nature.
“Don’t be too disheartened. Whenever it may be, the master will return.”
“She’ll return… Yes. I will wait for her, no matter how long it takes.”
Dewade, who had shaken off a hint of melancholy and regained his resolve.
At that moment, Mishra wore a somewhat proud expression.
A soft voice then came from behind them.
“That’s right. She’ll be fine.”
It was the voice of a much more mature Paile.
The girl, wrapped in her snow bunny coat, was gently fiddling with it, as though cherishing it.
“Though it was Uncle who took me in when I was wandering as an orphan, it was Sister who warmly embraced me. She even provided me with a home.”
The costume she wore had been given to her by Quellière, and she had worn it often during the winters—no, it wasn’t just the winter, she wore it frequently.
Somehow, it felt as if Quellière’s presence remained within it.
“Someone like her… there’s no way she could have gone wrong. You all know how strong and wonderful she is.”
Though she had grown mature, her words were still pure and direct.
After a brief silence,
Soon, both of them nodded.
“That’s true.”
She had been betrayed by hope and trust several times already.
There was hope and belief that she would return, but sometimes, doubts would arise if it was really possible.
But in the end, all thoughts returned to one place.
Whoooosh…
Then, the wind of summer blew.
For some reason, it felt like the breeze had become cooler.
In that wind, everyone from the old site let their thoughts wander.
There were people from the Empire.
Most notably, Crown Prince Artan, Princess Bulizé, and Swordmaster Harold, who came before their mentor.
There were also people from the Church Kingdom.
Among them were Adventurer Sigina, High Priestess Lucia, Grand Commander of the Holy Knights Blefer, and Grand Commander of the Radiant Knights Targal… there were too many to count.
People also came from Yulistia.
Though fewer in number compared to the other two factions, figures like Local Lord Lysithea Krase, General Sorab, Lieutenant Sigila, and the returned wizard Anasha were not to be overlooked.
It was truly a bustling scene.
The number of people gathered was excessive for just one individual.
Of course, no one questioned it.
If the person in question was Quellière, it was only natural.
People of various backgrounds shared their thoughts, yet their expressions were unified.
“······.”
Unfaded sorrow and regret.
And gratitude.
Aside from the singularly unified expressions, their wandering gazes suddenly focused.
They all converged on one spot.
“······Huh?”
Someone muttered blankly.
The movements of the crowd, aimless like performance art, abruptly froze.
It was inevitable.
Saa······.
Snow was falling.
Softly fluttering snowflakes, the kind they thought they’d never see again.
Just a natural phenomenon, or the creation of a great god.
A woman’s symbol.
The pupils of every person grew wide.
“Snow······ snow? How long has it been······?”
“This······ this can’t be!”
They spoke frantically, their faces filled with astonishment.
Like a wildfire in the dry winter, a storm was brewing.
The falling snow intensified in response.
Before long, the snow turned into a blizzard.
Saa-aaah─!
An unnaturally strong snowfall.
A fierce snowstorm accompanied by icy winds overwhelmed even the blizzard.
It was as if all the snow that hadn’t fallen until now was being unleashed at once.
“Gah!”
At that moment, a man fell back in shock.
The people who had been staring at the sky in dismay turned their attention to him.
Following his gaze, they slowly looked again.
Toward the tall ancient tree.
The massive tree known as the Hundred-Year-Old Tree, because of its size.
What they saw next to it sent shivers through everyone present.
They were overcome with awe.
“······!”
Clothing in shades of blue and white.
An appearance resembling an artwork sculpted from snow, so striking that it overshadowed the exotic attire.
Her distinctive blue-and-white hair shone with elegance, like the feathers of a celestial steed.
How long had she been there?
Quellière stood with a mesmerizing face.
It was truly her.
“Lady Quellière······!”
Only one person managed to speak.
No one else dared utter a word.
But smiles naturally spread across their faces.
Shrouded in a storm of snow, she gazed around with her characteristically cold, piercing eyes.
Yet her gaze carried a faint sense of curiosity.
“······?”
In the continent’s midwinter.
Warm snow fell endlessly.
Author Note:
Hello, dear readers.
This is the writer, Yashijang.
Today, the work “I Have Become The Snow Maiden I Created” has finally come to a close.
It has concluded with a total of 90 chapters.
Though it is an incomplete ending that didn’t even reach 100 chapters, the word count already surpasses a hundred chapters, so I’ll rationalize it.
The rationalization is complete.
Now, I would like to express my gratitude.
I sincerely thank all the readers who followed me for almost three months.
It is because of you that I could be here.
Truly.
I know it’s a cliché.
But after experiencing it, it’s a phrase I simply couldn’t leave out.
To those who bookmarked, hit the alarm, left comments, pressed the like button, and finally, those who kindly supported me.
Thank you all.
The thank you’s are not over yet.
I’ll say more in a bit.
Before that, let me share a few brief thoughts.
Here are the parts I personally feel regretful about.
First, the material and setting.
This was the decisive reason for the short length of the conclusion.
An inexperienced writer, like me, shows flaws not just in writing skill but in every aspect.
I was inexperienced, and it showed from the very beginning, from the setting.
In fact, this story had too many constraints.
The protagonist Quellière’s abilities, motivations, goals, and the Snowfield and Snow Castle as the main locations.
The final boss Mahabharata.
The dark cult that wreaks havoc until we get to him.
And other minor gimmicks.
It was very difficult to give the protagonist a clear purpose, and since I couldn’t create a step-by-step growth, maintaining balance became tough, and the use of antagonists was insufficient.
As for the antagonists, there weren’t many of them.
Forcing in enemies was a shortcut to failure, so I had no choice but to use the disaster, the dark cult, and lesser gods as much as possible.
There were many other problems as well.
I also don’t remember all the things I wanted to avoid, but I vividly recall how hard I worked to avoid them.
Since these are likely not the kind of story you’d enjoy, I’ll just summarize it briefly.
In a nutshell, the lifespan of this work was more or less decided from the start.
Three months ago, I expected it to be around 100 chapters, and the length more or less matches that.
If the tempo had been faster, it would have been even shorter.
This is the result of having used nearly all of the given settings.
The material didn’t really fit with the web novel market, where long-form narratives dominate.
In fact, even 90 chapters was a product of considerable effort.
The second regret is the early parts.
I’m sure everyone can tell without me saying it.
Since this is my first time properly writing “Snow Maiden,” I couldn’t help it.
But if I were to write it now, I could do it much better.
That said, I’m not saying I’ll remake it.
The third regret is the ending.
In the week leading up to the ending, I worked tirelessly without resting.
While part of me wanted to finish quickly, a bigger reason was that it didn’t feel like resting even when I was resting.
They say first impressions and last impressions are very important.
I wanted to give it the most beautiful conclusion I could.
However, my condition gradually worsened.
Now that it’s finished, my back, especially my wrist, is in bad shape.
Other writers aren’t sick for no reason.
Having spent some time in writing, I now understand why.
Of course, I’ve never written sloppily.
I did my best with the ending, but personally, I still feel a bit regretful.
I wonder how the readers feel about it.
If I were to list everything, it would never end, so I’ll stop here for now.
Next, a word about my next work.
I’m sorry.
I apologize upfront, and you might be surprised, but anyway, I’m sorry.
In fact, I am no longer a civilian.
Soon, I will become a soldier.
I’ve been called by the country.
So, my next project will be uncertain.
This is also why it came to an end so quickly.
The afterword has become quite long.
Let me finish my farewell here.
Once again, thank you.
Because of all of you, I could smile and endure.
Even when it was hard, it was enjoyable.
I don’t know when it will be, but I truly hope we can meet again.
······Ah.
Lastly, just one more thing.
Take care of your wrists, everyone.
You really need to take care of them.
Seriously.
Ughh.