Artemia: Journey To The Thirtieth Floor

13. Snow Tiger

"A quest wherein we need to find a snow tiger, am I right?" I asked.

Freya smiled and nodded. "People believe that anybody who receives the blessing of the snow tiger will be free of all curses and afflictions. Aside from that, its elemental power has the ability to heal any illness. And our aim is to locate it and, if possible, get a substantial quantity of elemental magic in the process from it."

"Yup. As far as anybody knows, it has been there in Artemia from the beginning of time. We accepted the offer since it is possible that we will be able to get some leads there. Are you okay with that?" she asked, sounding a bit worried.

I nodded and gave her a thumbs-up. "Yes, without a doubt. I'm pretty sure that everyone has had a say about this? There's no reason not to accept it at this point."

"Actually, there is..." Blake trailed off. "It is a quest of the S-tier. I mean, it's hardly the most difficult quest in this world...but you just got back on your feet. Are you certain that you'll be able to deal with the situation?" he asked worriedly.

"No, I'm completely okay right now."

I understand that they are concerned about my well-being since I was bedridden for a bit of time, but I have recovered after a short period of rest. Apart from that, I was the one who suggested we participate in quests that are related to the case that we are currently investigating. Of course, I'm the one that wants to figure out what's going on here... I'm not going to allow myself to be left behind. Besides, I just said that I want to do everything in my power to find out about Artemia, so there's no way I'm letting this opportunity pass us by.

A strong desire to find out about Artemia's past...

"That's okay with me. We're traveling to Shirayuki forest, so we'll need to dress in layers to keep from becoming cold. Even though we spent a lot of money on upgrading our equipment, we still have money left over to spend on clothing and meals. There are flame moths that can shield us from the cold, but it is required to purchase a lot of clothing since the moths are difficult to capture," Blake stated as he tallied up the amount of money we had left over.

"Blake," I said, calling out to him. He glanced at me with a kind smile on his face. "Do you believe I'll be able to manage it?"

"I mean, you're Ivory, after all. I'm confident in your ability. But, just in case something happens, I'll be there to protect you," he said as he winked at me.

I merely showed him a sarcastic smirk, knowing how well he would be enraged. But to my surprise, he burst out laughing at what I did. Maybe he's trying to be patient with me since I've just recently recovered? Normally, he'd be quite irritated and behave like a kid who had just had his sweets taken away from him. He often overreacts just so I would try to be sweet to him, so his behavior kind of left me astonished. Well, he's a bit of a jerk all of the time. But that's not what he's doing right now. And his laugh was cute...

I sighed and rose to my feet as I followed them down to the basement. We're going to go out and get a couple of outfits and some food to take to Shirayuki forest. I've heard that no one comes within a certain radius, so we'll have to figure out a method to go to our destination when the express leaves us off at least a kilometer away from where we want to go. Ah, it's so annoying that they won't just take us to where we want to go. Although I understand that going near the proximity would mean harm, there should at least be a way of transport towards that place...

After handing me a pair of jeans, Freya greeted me with a smile. "If you're only wearing shorts, you're going to catch a cold."

I gave a childlike grin and nodded, which earned me a pat on the head. Her treatment of me is still that of a child, just as she has been treating me for the past several years. However, that is not a problem for me. In fact, I'm relieved that she's right there with me to look after me. Oh, my God, what would I do if Freya weren't here? She's the only reason I'm still alive today, after all. I smiled as I watched Freya having fun looking at all the coats. I suddenly remembered how she used to love shopping with me, making me try all of the clothes that she found.

A smile escaped from my lips as I reminisced how everything began. My parents passed away when I was a child, which left me devastated. With nothing left to lose, I wandered around our subdivision without telling anyone, looking for a reason to be alive. That's when Freya came upon me and welcomed me into her home. I became a part of her own family. Unfortunately, her parents passed away three years ago as a result of a car accident, leaving just her and me. That's why we're relying on each other all this time. We realized that we only had each other left, so we wanted to treasure each other.

"This is the coat you're going to wear. I choose the color of your choice," Freya said when she saw me coming out of the toilet. She presented me with a white coat that I thought was lovely. "It's to your liking, isn't it?"

I embraced her and nodded my head. "Thank you very much."

"Yes, absolutely. Now, let's go."

After gathering our essentials, we boarded the fast train to the forest, which is quite a distance away from where we were staying. It dropped us off in the most convenient location that it could find. I swear I could feel a huge burst of mana emanating from the object, even from a kilometer away. There is certainly something here! I can personally attest to that. It is not a weak or insignificant creature but rather one with a great presence.

That must be the Snow Tiger...

We may not have a chance to meet it, but I'm already looking forward to meeting it in person when the opportunity arises. But I'm hoping beyond hope that we can complete this mission since, so far, this could be the finest lead we'll ever get. As I began to walk, my heart began to pound a little faster. For some reason, I felt excited and nervous at the same time. This feeling of being drawn into the forest gave me goosebumps, and I had to grip my coat tightly.

"Are you okay?" Dylan asked me, worried after seeing how tight I held onto my coat.

I smiled and nodded at him. "Yeah. It's just that I'm nervous."

"Put this on," Freya said as she assisted me in putting on another layer of a winter coat. She looked at me from head to toe, which made her giggle. "You look cute. You still have the ability to move, right?"

When they told me to follow them, I nodded and placed my hands in my pockets. We're going to walk since there are no horses to ride and no cars that can withstand the path conditions. It's a bit of a shame because I'd rather take the easy way, but we've got no choice. I wrapped Freya's hand in mine for warmth, then tucked them inside my pocket to keep us all toasty and safe. When I offered her a nice smile, she responded by pinching my cheek.

Meanwhile, Dylan and Blake are playing a game of rock-paper-scissors to see who will be the one to take my right hand in theirs. Ah, these boys. Instead of playing the game, I hope they would take each other's hands and make a deal to have a ceasefire. The two of them would make such an awesome duo. Even if it's only for a short period of time. I'm weary of standing guard over them every time they fight because I'm worried that they'll ruin things in the process.

"Fuck..." Blake swore under his breath as he lost.

I almost laughed after seeing his expression, but I'm glad I stopped myself. Dylan grinned at him and grabbed my hand in his as he slid it inside his pocket with his other hand. Blake's was taken by Freya since he was mumbling things that we couldn't understand. I was tempted to make fun of him, but we had to keep our cool right now. Inside the jungle, I could sense the presence of creatures that shouldn't be messed with. They were definitely there, watching us from a distance. As far as I'm aware, they will not attack unless provoked.

"Don't create any unnecessary noise. We'll build a tent near the lake to accommodate everyone," Blake said as he took the initiative.

"Have you been here?" I asked, staring at him.

He nodded and directed us on the right path so that we wouldn't run across anything harmful. The three of us followed him to avoid getting hurt. We also managed to catch two flame moths, which allowed us to remain warm until we reached the lake. It's true that it was less chilly over there. There was plenty of room for us to set up a camp! We waited for the lads to finish setting up our equipment while Freya and I built a barrier around the area to conceal our presence. This way, not a single creature other than the four of us would be able to locate us.

"My child..."

Or not.

I looked around to try and see whatever the f**k called me. Despite my best efforts, I could not locate the person who had spoken to me. I thought it sounded like a lady, but I'm not sure if I'm correct. Who knows, it may be a male speaking in a feminine tone. However, that is not the right time to be thinking about such things! There's someone out there who can break through the barrier, and it's a formidable one. Whether it was a friend or foe, I had to be more cautious than ever before to avoid being caught off guard.

"Ivory? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Dylan asked when he became aware of my facial expression. He gently held my cheek to check whether I was okay or not.

He pulled Blake so that he could provide heat for me. Ah, I probably look pale right now. Freya was concerned and kept asking me if I was feeling dizzy, which I denied. I groaned and sat down on the ground, and they immediately followed me. I was worried that the individual might overhear anything I was about to say, but there's no use in delaying any longer. I recounted what had occurred to them, and they sat up straight and paid attention.

After observing their responses, it seems that I was the only one who was aware of the incident. There's one thing for certain: that individual and I have a deep emotional connection. If this wasn't the case, there should have been no way for them to communicate with me via telepathy. I wasn't able to decline at all, which means that the said connection has been established without further ado. That has piqued my interest, and I'm eager to learn more about it. Is it the snow tiger in the distance...?

"Come, my child..."

Eh...?

Me...? It called to me again, right? Freya, Dylan, and Blake don't seem to hear any of it, so I felt like it was just directed to me.

For some reason...I found myself heading in a certain way, which I didn't understand. It felt as if my feet had their own mind and were attempting to take me someplace in the distance. Blake managed to keep me down after becoming aware of what was going on, and I'm grateful that he tried. Nonetheless, for some reason, I kept hearing that person's voice in my brain, urging me to track them down.

Please, allow me to think...

I'm going to need some time to think about everything before I take any action. The fact that I am the team's leader means that I need to get myself together. This whole circumstance is making me feel like I need to go to the Snow Tiger's location as soon as possible. That way, I'd be able to understand what's going on right now.

After much deliberation, I finally came to the conclusion that the tiger would bestow its blessing upon me. She's been attempting to contact me because she believes she has something important to share with me. This is the end of the road. This is the kind of lead in our investigation that we're going to need if things get dicey down the road.

"Ivory..." Dylan said as he handed me a bottle of water. "How do you feel?"

I hurriedly drank the water and turned to face the direction in which I was meant to proceed. Yes, I am certain that the tiger is present. The three of them continued to ask questions, but my mind was preoccupied with thoughts of that path. There is no way I am not going to get there, especially after hearing the voice of the tiger.

"We have to get moving..." I mumbled.

Blake took my hand in his and moaned. "We'll be right behind you, Ivory. Please take a deep breath and try to think clearly."

When I nodded and got up, they followed me, ready to defend me in the event that the worst happened. However, there is no longer any need to do so because she is watching over us. Because she has given us the command, none of the animals will assault us in the near future. Honestly speaking, I'm not sure whether I'm still me right this moment...

"There..." I murmured when I noticed a faint light coming from somewhere.

In my haste to get to the other side of the trail, I became entranced by what I saw. A lovely white tiger was sleeping quietly on the grass, and there were lots of fireflies to keep her company. She got to her feet and walked towards us when she noticed us. The road she had taken had become white, and everyone had been taken aback by its splendor when they saw it.

"My dear child, you've come so far..."

"Shirayuki..."

"Indeed, I am. You wish to receive my blessing, do you not?" she asked, drawling a little.

I lowered my head and nodded my head. "Yes, Your Highness..."