I’m an ice magic being… no, an ice monster.

My name is… Ice.

It’s a simple name, but I had no choice but to accept it.

The one who defeated me bestowed this name upon me to bind me.

How abominable.

However, I acknowledge the strength of my master.

And I once thought it wasn’t so bad to rampage alongside my master.

But my master is dead.

In a place where I was absent, it seems master clashed with a formidable opponent.

Using me as she pleased and then disappeared just like that.

At best, I’ll give her a good laugh.

There is no one left to tie me down.

That’s what I believed, yet…

I remain unreleased.

Why?

I do not know my master’s whereabouts.

She doesn’t respond to my calls.

Nor does she call out to me.

Yet, I am still bound.

What is this?

What has become of my master?

I do not know.

-0-

For now, I waited about a hundred years.

Since my sense of time is vague, it might not be precisely a hundred years.

Perhaps it was a thousand years.

No, maybe two thousand?

I don’t know, but it’s certainly not shorter than a hundred years.

During that time, there was no call from my master.

Therefore, I deemed myself free.

I decided to live as I pleased.

First…

What should I do?

Create a world where life is easier, perhaps?

Or fill the world with ice?

Yes, that sounds good.

As I walked through a forest, I pondered such things.

-0-

I fled with all my might.

This is bad, very bad.

What kind of village is that?

Why were ancient dragons residing there!

And phoenix too!

On top of that, even the Spider Queen was there!

Why are they all together?

Weren’t they enemies for thousands of years?

What happened?

Oh, I am the Ice Monster.

As a subordinate of the Ice Spirit King, should I follow the Spider Queen?

What was the relationship between the Spider Queen and the Ice Spirit King?

I feel like the Spider Queen disliked him because she slept when it’s cold.

What, what, what should I do?

The phoenix… is a fire type, so our compatibility isn’t great.

As for the ancient dragons… they wouldn’t care about me.

Alright, let’s pretend I didn’t see them and escape.

Or so I thought, but then I was pursued.

Fenrirs.

And not just one, but several.

Wait, wait, wait.

The fenrirs are also subordinates of the Ice Spirit King!

Just like me!

We’re comrades!

I tried to convey that, but they bit me.

My ice armour, my pride and joy, was shattered.

My attacks… have no effect.

I know.

Both of us being ice-types, our magic won’t work on each other.

And in terms of strength… the Fenrirs are stronger.

They must have been feasting on something good.

Meanwhile, I’ve gone a hundred years… well, maybe not exactly a hundred, without eating anything.

I can’t win in a contest of strength.

On top of that, the Fenrirs have fangs that can crush me.

I don’t have that.

I do have an ice sword instead of fangs, but it won’t work against the Fenrirs.

I tried slashing them in desperation, but the Fenrir’s fur was tougher than my ice blade.

I knew it.

Someone, please help!

I wished from the depths of my heart!

-0-

When I came to my senses, I found myself in an unfamiliar location.

Was it within the cool, stone walls of a building?

Perhaps I was trapped in a dungeon?

Why am I here?

Did I teleport?

Or was I forcibly teleported?

There were no Fenrirs around me.

First things first, I needed to regenerate my shattered body.

My form was simple… almost meager.

But there was nothing I could do about it.

It would take years for my body to fully recover.

Well, a few years are but a fleeting moment.

I’ve got to get myself back on track…

As I tried to assess the situation, I was struck by powerful impacts from both the front and back.

Looking at my own body, I saw a woman ramming into me.

And behind me, another woman was doing the same.

Ah, I recognize this.

This isn’t just a collision.

It’s a tezzako.

One my master often used.

So, I’ve been hit from both sides by her signature move.

Hahaha.

My freshly regenerated body shattered once more.

I thought I had escaped the Fenrirs.

Is this where my life ends?

Very well.

But I won’t go down without a fight!

I’ll take one of their lives…

Areh?

I recognize one of the women.

Well, she looks a bit younger than I remember…

Master?

No, perhaps a descendant?

Either way, it’s surprising.

There was actually a man who won my master’s heart that she even had descendants!

Incredible!

The world is vast!

I thought it was absolutely impossible but….!

Wait a minute.

Don’t interrupt my reminiscing with your finishing blow!

Even if you say I was thinking of something annoying…

Areh?

This exchange…

I remember it.

It’s my master.

Oh yes, she’s definitely a descendant of my master.

No, that’s not quite right.

Yeah, different.

Because I can sense her binding magic in me.

Which means the woman before me is my master.

The Brave Queen, Urbraza!

Eh?

No?

Ursa?

Ah, I see.

So, master.

Who is that other woman?

Is it Ekaterize-san?

A colleague of my master.

Nice to meet you.

I… no, I am the Ice Monster, Ice.

A subordinate of master.

Yes, a subordinate.

I harbor no ill will.

So, may I regenerate my body?

Having just my head feels rather unsettling…

-0-

They allowed me to regenerate.

Good.

「Since you seem capable of speech, please act as an interpreter. 」

An interpreter?

「Over there. Isn’t that your companion? 」

Companion? Well, I’m alone…

Following master’s instructions, I moved to where a small flame monster was warming a pot with its own fire.

Next to it, a rock monster held the pot, despite its crumbling brick-like appearance.

And in a whirlwind-like form, a wind monster cheered on the fire monster.

They were all former colleagues.

Wait, they’re all master’s subordinates!

Were you attacked too!

I understand!

Given how feeble you looked!

Master attacked, didn’t she?

And Ekaterize-san too… don’t try to shift the blame by involving her.

Ah, so it was like that.

Master always acted like this.

We’d stop her, but she’d act independently and then drag us into trouble later.

How nostalgic.

And infuriating.

Enough! If we leave it like this, the flame monster will vanish. Add more fuel, please!

Even the flame monster shouldn’t risk its life just to warm a pot!

Use residual heat for that.

Residual heat.

As for the rock monster… burying it in soil might help it recover somewhat… but are we inside a dungeon here?

We need to get outside.

And the wind monster, too—it can’t fully unleash its abilities within the dungeon.

Anyway, let’s find a way out of here.

We’re not lost within the dungeon, are we?

Why are both of you turning away?

My master, I can understand, but Ekaterize-san too?

I thought you were someone with common sense!

I believed you’d be the one to stop master!

Yet here you are, joining in the chaos!

Now that I think about it, it was a splendid “Tezzakko”.

It is not called “Tezzanko”?

It’s “Tezzakko”.

Perhaps there was a mix-up somewhere.

Well, as long as it gets the point across.

But more importantly, let’s exit this dungeon.

Or at least head toward a place with soil.

Yes, if the rock monster can recover a bit more, we might understand the dungeon’s structure.

Exiting the dungeon is straightforward.

So, if there’s soil…

Master, Ekaterize-san.

Why are you both facing the wall?

You thought if you shatter the wall, there would be soil?

Dungeon walls are reinforced with magic, so they’re not easily shattered.

But with both master and Ekaterize-san, it might just work.

-0-

AN: As for the reason behind our teleportation, well, that’s a tale for next time.

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