Chapter 38: Encountering a Blizzard

“Good morning, Mel.”

Claire had already adjusted her mood.

As a traveling merchant, you couldn’t survive without a strong sense of self-regulation, since you’d inevitably encounter all sorts of frustrating things.

“Good morning, little girl.”

“Brat, aren’t you just a kid too? How dare you call someone else little girl!”

Kate smacked Mel on the head.

Even though they’d only known each other for a day, after going through life and death, the atmosphere between them had grown much closer.

Breakfast didn’t taste very good.

It was some kind of mushy food, name unknown, wet and sticky with salt mixed in.

It didn’t matter—as long as it wasn’t completely inedible.

How much longer would these days last?

Mel really wanted to take out all the food from his space and eat, but he didn’t feel safe right now.

He hadn’t known this merchant for long, and the swordswoman he’d only met yesterday.

There was no need to reveal his biggest secret yet.

Each item seemed to take up only one slot.

But what if there were two stones, one big and one small—would they still share a slot?

He quickly finished breakfast.

Mel Carlo walked out of the inn, picked up two stones from the ground, and put them into the system space.

They took up two slots.

One big stone, one small stone—different weights, different qualities.

Mel Carlo frowned slightly.

He’d thought of a good method just now.

If objects of the same type only took up one slot, he could collect an entire mountain of rocks, which would be a one-hit-kill technique—no matter what kind of enemy, just release the mountain from the system and crush them.

But that idea clearly wouldn’t work.

Even two stones of similar size still took up two slots.

“What if I put a flying dagger inside?”

Activate skill [Blade].

The dagger was sucked into the system space in an instant.

When he took it out again, the dagger had lost its previous kinetic energy.

Looks like it couldn’t be used as a weapon release carrier either.

If it were a thrown weapon from an enemy, could it be blocked directly?

Theoretically, it seemed possible.

As long as his mind was focused, he could activate the system space before the opponent’s weapon touched him.

If he could pull it off, it would be like having a spatial defense magic that didn’t consume mana.

Mel Carlo didn’t keep practicing.

Maybe if one day he could catch a flying crossbow bolt with his bare hands, he could try using the system space to defend against ranged attacks.

But for now, he couldn’t.

Being able to retrieve his own thrown dagger was only possible because he knew it would be thrown and acted a step ahead.

He returned to the inn.

Mr. Freli had finished packing—they were about to set off again for Oak City.

“There are two routes now. One passes through the Eastern Prairie, which is the territory of the centaurs. The other goes through the mountains, where we might encounter forests like yesterday.”

“Centaurs?”

“Yes, demi-humans, probably counted as beastkin. Human upper body, horse lower body. Rumored to be a very warlike race.”

“Are they hostile to humans?”

Mel Carlo continued asking.

In the game, centaurs weren’t hostile to humans—unless they’d joined the Demon King’s army as demonized centaurs.

“Hard to say. Last time, Claire and I didn’t choose the Eastern Prairie route, but there were some bad rumors.”

“What about monsters? Which route has more?”

“There are more demons in the mountains. Fewer monsters on the prairie, usually lower level, since the centaurs hunt invading demons in their territory.”

After a brief silence, Kate interrupted.

“My master taught me never to take a road I haven’t traveled before. If you came through the mountains last time, it’s best we follow the same route again.”

Since the adventurer in the party had spoken, Mel Carlo naturally didn’t insist further.

Leave professional matters to professionals.

With the route decided, they set off again.

After all, all matters of supplies were left to Mr. Freli.

Three hours later, the group had left the small town far behind.

The weather was extremely cold, and the clouds looked low.

It could snow at any time.

The wind sliced across their faces like a blade.

“It might snow. What rotten luck.”

Freli looked up at the sky.

To save Orlen, he hadn’t prepared winter clothing.

The further south they went, the warmer it would get.

By the time they reached Oak City, even without winter clothes, they wouldn’t freeze to death—but on the road, who could say?

Mel Carlo had no concept of weather changes in this other world.

He hadn’t even spent a full year here, and had never experienced the changing of seasons.

“Any thoughts? At least before you die, I can give you the remaining Orlen.”

Mel Carlo made a cold joke.

“No need for now. As long as the roads aren’t blocked by snow, we’ll reach the Oak Region in another month.”

“Hearing you say that, I feel like we might get trapped in a blizzard.”

The wind howled all day.

By evening, snow began to fall.

But it was just the beginning—no suffocating weight of wind-driven snow yet.

They still had time.

“Looks like we can’t camp tonight. We’ll have to push on—poor Earth Dragon.”

Freli took dry rations from the grain bag to feed the Earth Dragon, then gave it water.

In this situation, they couldn’t stop for long.

They just needed to restore the Earth Dragon’s strength to keep moving.

If things got worse, they’d have to get out and walk.

By midnight, the snow had grown heavy, and the ground became slick.

If everyone stayed on the wagon, they might end up in a ditch.

“Looks like we’ll have to get out and walk.”

Freli took the reins and climbed down.

Mel Carlo and the others got down quickly.

In this weather, only the torch offered any warmth.

Kate grumbled.

“The weather was so nice when we set out. How did it turn into this? Our luck is the worst.”

There was nothing they could do.

If they could, they should have stayed in the small town until spring.

But they were on a journey, so they had to face the harsh wilds.

“Let’s keep going, or we’ll lose all strength.”

Freli led the group forward with difficulty.

Mel Carlo held tightly to Claire.

On a night like this, if he didn’t, a single slip from a child could mean losing her.

By dawn, they could walk no further.

Even the Earth Dragon staggered.

If they forced it, the Earth Dragon might collapse before they did, especially dragging a full cart of supplies.

Kate’s sharp eyes spotted a cave not far away.

“There’s a cave! I’ll check it first!”

If it was abandoned, that was fine.

But if a bear or a Goblin was living inside, they had to be careful.

Kate took a torch and walked toward the cave alone.

Everyone tensed again.

Either way, they couldn’t go any further.

If something was inside, they’d have to deal with it.

“Whew…”

Mel Carlo exhaled, his toes numb with cold.