I Alone Regress in a Hero Party That Was Annihilated - Chapter 16

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#16. Collection (2)

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Cardona.

She looked like a young Empress standing tall upon the Northern Snowy Plains.

Her white hair glowed softly as if it held moonlight, fluttering gently in the cold wind.

Her skin, even whiter than her hair, contrasted starkly with the black eyepatch covering her right eye.

No emotion showed on her expression.

An unapproachable Cold Aura surrounded her.

Featherback bowed his head.

“Have you come, Elder Sister.”

“….”

Cardona turned her gaze away from Featherback and began looking around at the luggage.

“Is this a procession heading to the Levarb Family?”

“Yes.”

Featherback nodded his head.

Cardona before Regression was not particularly warm in personality.

A Heroine who was excellent and cold-hearted in all things.

Featherback had always found his Older Sister’s presence burdensome.

Just standing next to his Older Sister naturally led to comparisons, making him feel intimidated.

So Featherback had avoided Cardona whenever possible.

However.

‘Now I can see it clearly.’

To Featherback’s eyes, now seasoned after long years, the current Cardona looked like a young Girl.

That’s why he could guess what intention brought her here.

“You don’t need to worry about me. I’ll return safely.”

“…!”

Cardona flinched at Featherback’s words.

Her cold eyes, like the northern wind, wavered with confusion for a moment.

“Who said I was worried about you?”

Cardona snapped back.

Featherback closed his mouth for a moment.

‘Why couldn’t I see this side of her back then.’

Looking at her now, his Older Sister’s face was unmistakably that of a Girl.

One who wasn’t honest and was full of shyness.

Unaware of Featherback’s thoughts, Cardona awkwardly changed the subject.

“You’ve finished all your preparations and are resting, I suppose?”

“Yes.”

“I need to conduct an inspection. If there are any deficiencies, they must be addressed immediately.”

Cardona’s sharp gaze was meticulously scanning each cargo wagon.

Genius-level observation skills, seasoned instincts, and extensive knowledge of administrative supply management.

The hexagonal genius examined the cargo wagons as if she couldn’t tolerate even the slightest mistake.

In the past, he would have thought she was just nitpicking to scold him.

‘Her worry for her younger brother is excessive. And her way of expressing it is clumsy too.’

To Featherback’s regressed eyes, the true feelings behind Cardona’s facade were clearly visible.

“Cold weather gear?”

“It’s ready.”

“Provisions?”

“Loaded in abundance.”

“There are many dangerous monsters along the way.”

“Weapons are also sufficient.”

Cardona and Featherback inspected the parade items like an Emperor and Field Commander.

Soon.

“…!”

Cardona stopped in front of one cargo wagon.

She turned to look at Featherback with a piercing gaze.

“Whose sleeping bag is loaded here?”

“It’s mine.”

“This is your sleeping bag? This thin, tattered thing?”

Cardona frowned as she examined the sleeping bag loaded on the wagon.

She continued speaking without even looking at Featherback.

“Do you underestimate the blizzards of the Northern Snowy Plains? To think you could block them with a makeshift rag stuffed with cotton—you’re truly naive. If you’re going out to commit suicide, you should quit early and just stay in your room.”

Of course, Featherback’s sleeping bag, being military supplies, was far from luxurious, but it wasn’t thin at all and was more than adequate for withstanding the cold.

In the first place, since it was for the direct use of the Family House’s Youngest Young Master, no defective items would be issued.

However, Featherback didn’t bother to oppose Cardona’s words.

“I thought it was still usable, but it seems my judgment was lacking. I’ll speak to the Supply Department to get a new sleeping bag issued.”

“Hmph.”

Cardona turned her head away.

“If you’re going to cross the Northern Snowy Plains, you need to use a White Fox Tail Fur Sleeping Bag. Only something of that caliber can prevent you from freezing to death.”

There was no way such an expensive sleeping bag would be supplied.

“I doubt the Supply Department has such high-quality goods.”

“If they don’t have any, will you just sit there and die? How passive.”

“….”

Featherback had nothing particular to say in response, so he just stood there quietly.

Right then.

“What kind of disgrace would it be if the Prince of Mörsolt froze to death unable to cross the mountain?”

Cardona abruptly threw the leather bag she had been carrying to Featherback.

“…?”

When Featherback just stood there, Cardona gestured dismissively as if annoyed.

“I brought a spare one, so load it somewhere appropriate.”

Then she strode away with her military boots.

Featherback opened the leather bag that Cardona had left behind.

“!”

Inside was a thick sleeping bag woven from white fox tail fur.

* * *

Kiiiiiiing―

A flesh-cutting cold wind blows.

The Northern Snowy Plains.

An endlessly spreading world of pure white.

The boundary between the snow-covered earth and sky was ambiguous.

Whii― Ooooooo!

The white, cold storm engulfs and devours everything.

Front, back, left, right, up, down… only white hues repeated infinitely.

…Thunk! Crack!

Tree branches unable to bear the weight of accumulated snow broke and fell one after another.

Clatter― Clatter― Clatter―

The delegation led by Featherback was racing toward Levard Castle.

From Mörsolt to Levarb takes about ten days.

It was a dangerous journey that required crossing two mountains, six frozen lakes, and steep cliffs connected by a single-rope bridge.

Moreover, since winter had arrived earlier than last year, there were even more points to be cautious about.

‘Especially things like monsters.’

Featherback was watching the front while leaning against the pile of luggage in the carriage.

Due to the early-arriving severe cold, the monsters were desperately starving.

There would definitely be those who would bare their teeth at human groups they normally wouldn’t bother hunting.

Sure enough.

“Monsters!”

A Scout’s cry came from the front.

Featherback took out one of the crossbows he had set aside.

Whiiiiing—

The tip of an arrow aimed through the snowflakes carried on the wind.

‘This brings back memories.’

Featherback recalled memories from before his regression.

The Hero Party once had an Archer.

She was a Female Elf who had been closest to Featherback.

‘Even if they’re a clan of traitors who sided with the Demons, they’re still Children. How can you shoot such young ones?’

‘How do I shoot Children? Just aim lower than when shooting Saints.’

‘That’s not what I mean! They’re still kids, aren’t they? Didn’t you feel anything when you shot them?’

‘Recoil?’

Having lost her family to Demons, she used to argue with Featherback over everything.

But through countless wars, she and Featherback became closer than anyone else.

When only the two of them survived on the Battlefield and hid in caves for days, they had even shared flesh several times.

‘…Though she died during the transition from mid to late Demon Realm War.’

Her face floated before his eyes.

It was also the first face that came to mind when he discovered the Elixir in Mörsolt’s Secret Archive.

‘But those Party Members from back then wouldn’t exist in this world.’

Thinking of her face made him feel unnecessarily sentimental.

[Grrrrowl!]

So the howling of Frost Wolves appearing through the blizzard was very annoying.

“Bothersome mutts.”

Featherback raised his Crossbow.

The Crossbow Technique he had learned from her was still familiar in his hands.

Click— Creak…

Featherback loaded an Arrow using the Goat’s Foot Lever.

Then.

Thwack!

The Arrow shot straight through the Frost Wolf’s Maw and pierced its Heart inside.

[Yelp!?]

The Frost Wolf died instantly while floating in midair and immediately tumbled to the floor.

Featherback loaded arrows without a moment’s hesitation, like a machine.

Click—thunk! Click—thunk! Click—thunk! Click—thunk! Click—thunk! Click—thunk! Click—thunk!

Each time the goat’s foot lever moved once and the trigger was pulled, without fail, one wolf would die.

Every arrow struck precisely at vital points.

It didn’t take long for all the wolves that had come down from the tree line to be stuck to the snow field as bloodstains.

The soldiers who had been watching the scene in a daze finally let out cheers.

“Long live Prince Featherback!”

“My goodness! There’s no divine archer like you!”

It was rare even in the Northern Region for a noble to take the lead in slaying monsters ahead of soldiers.

The soldiers kept clicking their tongues in amazement while skinning the Frost Wolves and gathering their meat.

“I’ve never seen crossbow accuracy that high before.”

“My goodness, how did you kill such things instantly with a single arrow each?”

The soldiers looked at Featherback with reverent gazes.

Then.

“Hmph. What’s all the fuss about killing just a few wild dogs?”

Someone was sneering beside Featherback.

Yudi Administrator.

He approached Featherback’s side while trembling.

“Are you scared because we’re heading to that terrifying Rebarb Family? That must be why you’re moving your body around so uselessly like this. What are you doing, abandoning your dignity and leaving your subordinates behind? Tsk!”

“….”

“What, what did I say wrong? Whether you’re immature or overconfident, anyway, you should try being a bit nervous. You should recognize your situation more objectively. What will you do if I don’t take your side during negotiations, Young Master?”

Judas pressured him with a subtle tone.

He still seemed to be mistaken about why he had been included in this procession.

Featherback didn’t give any particular response.

However.

“Yudi Administrator.”

“Yes, yes?”

“You have a lot of grime on your neck.”

“Huh? I wiped it as much as I could, but oh dear.”

“We’ll be meeting the Head of the Rebarb Family soon, so we should go looking clean.”

He simply handed a clean towel to Yudi Administrator, who was staring at him blankly.

“Wash your neck and wait.”

“…?”

Just as Judas shuddered with an inexplicable sense of foreboding, the soldier at the front shouted.

“I can see it up ahead!”

Through the blizzard, the shadow of a fortress could be seen faintly.

A mad dog that doesn’t know its place and tries to stand on top of its master’s head.

The Levarb Family Castle was there.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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