Chapter 15 – Ice-Blood Princess

An unfamiliаr vоice сalled оut frоm bеhind, аnd Аsutо turned arоund.

Upon sееing the figurе оf thе girl stаnding thеre, Аsuto rеflexivеlу stiffеnеd his body.

(Nо waу…)

Long black hаir, аlmond-shaped еуes, sharp faciаl fеatures.

The slendеr-limbеd figure of thаt girl was unmistаkаblе—

(Тhe Ice-Blоod Prinсеss!?)

Вeforе Аsutо returned tо the pаst, she was one оf thе pillars оf thе strongеst Guild—Shimetsu no Idеa—that had bеen thе оnly ones putting up а goоd fight аgаinst the swаrming Monstеrs frоm Нeavеn.

She wаs thе Guild Маstеr,

Kаnzаki Мaо.

Тhough she was a Hunter who Awakened during the same Second Outbreak as Asuto, unlike him, she was overflowing with talent.

As soon as she began her activities as a Hunter, she quickly rose to prominence and shot straight up to become a Ranker.

Her talent was such that even those who had been called geniuses by those around them until then were made to say things like, ‘Watching Kanzaki made me realize I’m just mediocre,’ or ‘Please don’t compare me to Kanzaki; it’s humiliating.’

It was this talent that drew several Hunters together, leading to the formation of “Shimetsu no Idea.”

(Huh, but something feels different… Her atmosphere seems off…)

Kanzaki’s face clearly showed exhaustion, and her complexion was sallow.

Her eyes were swollen, perhaps from crying too much.

In his previous life, she always wore a cold expression, with little variation.

It was from that expression that she earned her epithet, the Ice-Blood Princess.

Imagining her future self from her current state was practically impossible.

The disparity between the two was that vast.

“Are you… a Hunter, mister?”

“Hm? Ah, yes, I am.”

“P-please… Could you help me acquire a ‘Dreamdrop’?”

“Dreamdrop… I think that’s the Item that grants wishes, right?”

“Yes. Right now… I absolutely need a Dreamdrop…”

“I see.”

Asuto also remembered the Dreamdrop.

It was an Item with a slightly special Effect that Dropped when defeating the Boss of a D-Rank Dungeon.

(But I never imagined the Ice-Blood Princess would come asking me for a favor.)

Considering her future self, he couldn’t help but feel a certain sense of honor.

He was by no means unwilling to accept the Request.

However, there were two problems.

One was that it wasn’t guaranteed to Drop.

Drops were random probability, so with bad luck, you could defeat the Boss ten times and still not get it.

And the other…

(The Dungeon where the Dreamdrop Drops is occupied by Hound Dog, isn’t it…)

He had just fought off two of that Guild’s members moments ago.

For Asuto to go and try to get the Dreamdrop now would be like picking a fight with them.

If the requester weren’t Kanzaki, he would have refused immediately.

It was one thing if it were a proper Guild, but trying to enter a Dungeon occupied by an Outlaw Guild was recklessness beyond reason.

If he forced his way in, just thinking about what kind of retaliation might await him later was terrifying.

(But, she is Miss Kanzaki. And also—)

Had something happened to Kanzaki, the genius among geniuses?

He was bothered by the extreme difference between her current and future selves.

“I… I can’t prepare a lot of money. But I’ll do anything! Please, help me!”

“…Yeah, okay. I’ll figure something out.”

“Th-thank you so much!”

Kanzaki’s expression softened with relief.

She seemed so happy that tears even welled up in her eyes.

“I’m Yuki Asuto. And you?”

“I-I’m Kanzaki Mao!”

“Nice to meet you, Miss Kanzaki.”

“Nice to meet you too.”

“So, before we head to the Dungeon, I have one question. What are you going to use the Dreamdrop for?”

“Well, actually… In the previous Outbreak, my mother got injured. She still… won’t open her eyes…”

Tears began to stream uncontrollably from her eyes.

No matter how much she wiped them, they kept flowing without end.

Yet, she didn’t break down crying.

She wore a stiff expression, gritting her teeth, very much like the her he saw in his previous life.

(Even with her mother in critical condition, she’s strong…)

Instead of praying by her mother’s side, she took action to save her.

This initiative hinted at a glimpse of her strength.

(She’s completely different from me.)

After his parents were caught up in the First Outbreak, all Asuto could do was pray for them to wake up in the hospital corridor.

Of course, unlike her, he hadn’t Awakened yet, so a simple comparison wasn’t fair, but…

“The doctor said she might never wake up. I Awakened recently, and when I consulted an Angel, they told me about the Dreamdrop. They said if I could get an Item that grants wishes, I might be able to save my mother. So, I absolutely must get the Dreamdrop. I asked some senior Hunters, and Mr. Yuki is finally the first to give me a positive response.”

“I see… So that’s how it is.”

He never imagined her mother was a victim of the Outbreak.

Stunned by this revelation, Asuto overlooked something crucial at that moment.

He never dreamed that this oversight would lead to intense regret in the future.