Star Forge Titan

Ivan's face flushed. He'd been completely focused on the competition when he'd carried the girl. In that state, running with a beautiful girl or a dragon egg made no difference to him; it was all about completing the mission.

But now, when Afrediya brought her beautiful and lovely face closer and stared at him with her gorgeous rose-red eyes...

Coach! A foul! This is beyond the capabilities of a top player and has entered uncharted territory, a realm only a top player can master!

"A, a barbarian." Alvin babbled incoherently, trying to remain calm.

He subconsciously leaned back to create some distance, and for no apparent reason he suddenly recalled the soft feeling on his shoulders and back when he was carrying the 'potatoes' just now.

"You're lying! Real barbarians wouldn't call themselves that. They consider the term 'barbarian' an insult. 'Northerner' is the standard name they use for themselves." Afrediya narrowed her eyes with a suspicious expression.

"And you don't seem to care at all."

At this point, Her Royal Highness the Princess will no longer be fooled by the term "northern barbarians".

When Ivan was talking to the Necromancer just now, she even felt that she was the only one present who had the least grasp of the situation. But in reality, she was clearly higher in rank than him.

"Also, how could a 'barbarian' who has never left the northern glaciers know so much about magic, and even the most obscure necromancy, and it's even more impossible for him to know that vampire fangs are a reasonably priced magic material." Afrediya used the momentum she had when she participated in the debate club at the academy, pressing forward step by step, not giving an inch, but not realizing that she was almost sticking to the other person.

Considering that she was about to attend a speech when she escaped, she was wearing a long dress in the style of Elrond.

This dress, made of light cotton and silk, is bright red in color and embroidered with the red rose emblem that symbolizes the royal family of Elrond. The overall appearance is relatively simple and elegant, unlike the exaggerated and huge long dresses of the ladies of Lind in the Central Empire, which even require built-in pannier crinolines.

On the other hand, the long dress in the style of Elrond can better outline the curves of the wearer.

As a style designed for aristocratic ladies, the neckline of the long dress decorated with lace is only slightly opened downward to form a sweetheart neckline. When the wearer stands with her back straight, she will look dignified and decent. However, this cannot withstand someone who is burdened and constantly leaning forward.

At this moment, Aiwen only needs to lower his head slightly...

"Stop, I can't tell you the specific reason. Just think of it as 'Mimir whispered in my ear.'" The young man closed his eyes and raised his hands.

This phrase is practically a proverb in the world of Palladio, often used when people don't want to lie but can't tell the truth. In the game, I often heard NPCs use this phrase to pass the time while completing the Ivanka quest, and over time, I memorized it.

"Hmm, so he's the legendary giant who guards the fountain of wisdom that reflects everything, but always likes to tell others all the news he sees?" Afrediya smiled at this explanation that was not really an explanation.

"I don't like the smell of lies."

"But..." The girl changed the subject:

"Everyone has their own secrets, it's normal." She blinked at Ivan and didn't ask any further questions.

"Please forgive my suspicion. After this assassination attempt, I seem to be a little overly nervous." Afrediya sighed with a wry smile on her face.

"In addition, I must express my deep gratitude to you for your two consecutive acts of assistance." The girl took two steps back and coughed lightly. She lifted the hem of her skirt and bowed slightly, performing a fairly standard court salute.

"The Gusmith family will definitely repay you." The eldest princess said sincerely.

However, the girl's serious expression barely lasted ten seconds before a gust of cold wind caused her to sneeze. Her flimsy dress was clearly ill-suited to the icy climate, and the powerful, angled wind caused it to blow sharply upward.

"White." Alvin muttered subconsciously.

"Ah! Don't look!" The eldest princess's cry quickly resounded throughout the ice field.

At this moment, the black-haired boy, rubbing his nose, inexplicably thought: if the cold wind blowing across the northern land really came from the King of the Ice Giants - Winter Titan, then he would have to thank this elder of his clan very much...

Amidst the clamor, the snow fell heavier and heavier, which also meant that the biggest natural disaster in the northern ice field was about to come.

In the distance, near the horizon, you can see a blurry white line rolling in like the tide.

That is - Baichao!

Chapter 7: Hunter's Lodge

The wind was howling so hard that it seemed as if even stones could be blown into the sky.

After working together to close the wooden door, Alvin and Afrediya breathed a sigh of relief at the same time, and then slowly sat down against the door.

When the northern white tide arrives, the rolling ice and snow are like a huge white wall connecting the sky and the earth, and all things in the world will be swallowed up and covered by this wave.

At that time, the two were still a short distance away from reaching the hunter's cabin in Ivan's memory.

In the end, they were almost rushed into the camp by the Scourge.

During this process, Afrediya had to be a "potato" again. She was carried on the shoulders with her head facing backwards, and she felt that the tip of her nose was almost frozen off by the ice and snow that was chasing her.

"Huh, huh, huh, I'm alive." Alvin was also breathing heavily.

This kind of critical moment is exciting enough in the game, but if it happens in reality, it will make your heart almost jump out of your throat.

It's more exaggerated than I imagined...

The black-haired boy muttered to himself that he had never been to the north at a low level in the game.

I came here a few times later when I was exploring the ruins of the giant kingdom deep in the northern ice field, but at that time I was already on a large vehicle, protected by the floating battleship's composite armor several hundred millimeters thick, so I didn't have to worry about whether the outside environment was cold or hot.

Ok?

Thinking back to that mission, and considering the origins of his current body, Ivan seemed to have a thought. He quickly stood up and looked through the window, which was sealed with wooden boards, leaving only a small gap, to see the direction of the white tide.

If I remember correctly, that's the direction where the Giant Kingdom ruins are located.

Coincidentally, the village where he used to live was in the same direction.

This couldn't be a coincidence, but the hidden entrance to the Giant Kingdom ruins could only be found within a period of time after the start of the 'Northern White Tide'. Without reaching the fourth level, it was impossible to forcefully explore under such a natural disaster.

He is too weak now.

Slowly clenching his fists, Alvin felt this deeply.

He had to admit that being able to manipulate a fourth-level necromancer at will, even though the other party was using a proxy, still made him feel a little contempt for this world.

However, after that, he first experienced Afrediya's questioning and then was scolded by the natural disaster.

That little bit of expansion had already turned into water vapor and dissipated in a moment like thin ice under the scorching sun.

By the way, this natural disaster is not entirely a bad thing. At least the pursuers behind Afrediya cannot enter the northern ice field against the white tide at the moment.

Unless they don't want to live, but to be precise, even lifeless undead cannot continue to hunt down Afrediya in such a harsh environment. The activated natural magic contained in the white tide can break the negative energy cycle in their bodies, no matter whether they are low-level undead puppets or high-level undead creations.

As for after the white tide, the blizzard will make all traces disappear, and at that time even if they want to continue chasing them, they will not be able to do so.

Having adjusted his attitude, Ivan stood up and lit the fireplace. The fire illuminated the originally dark hut.

Although the environment in the cabin is not very ventilated, it is very warm. The original wood floor is a bit old and occasionally makes a creaking sound when you step on it.

In front of the brick fireplace, a thick animal skin served as a carpet, and the walls were whitewashed to reduce the possibility of water leaks. In the corner of the hunter's cabin stood a large water tank, and when the lid was removed, one could see the frozen water inside.

Ivan knocked a few pieces of ice out of the frozen water tank and threw them into the iron pot hanging over the fire to heat them.

After dealing with these trivial matters, he turned around and found that Afrediya's face was slightly red. He couldn't help but ask curiously.

"what happened?"

"Nothing... nothing." Her Royal Highness the Princess turned her head to the side and said in a low voice with a suspicious expression.

Before Alvin could even finish his words, he heard a loyal "cuckoo" coming from the other person's belly.

"Pfft." The black-haired boy couldn't help laughing.

"Don't laugh! I admit it, I confess that I haven't eaten for a whole day and night." Afrediya covered her face and shouted in despair.

"Just tell me if you're hungry. There's nothing to be embarrassed about." Alvin shook his head.

Serving as a resting camp during continuous hunting trips, this hunter's cabin keeps some long-lasting food, such as air-dried bacon, strings of smoked sausages, and pickled vegetables made using Northern techniques.

There are very few plants that can grow on the northern ice sheets, so the main source of food for the locals is various meats obtained by hunting and fishing.

Moreover, the genetic genes derived from the ancient giant gods allow Ivan's tribe to target larger ice bears or even sub-dragon monsters such as the Bullosaurus compared to ordinary northerners, which provides them with relatively more abundant food.

To prevent these items from being destroyed by cute-looking but extremely annoying animals, most of the dried meats in the hunter's hut were hung high on the beams. As soon as Afrediya looked up at the door, she saw these special "fruits" growing on the beams.

If it weren't for the long-term etiquette training, she would probably have been performing "eloquent speech" even though she hadn't eaten half a piece of bread for a whole day and night.

Other types of food are stored in sealed ceramic jars in cellars under the floor. The cold and closed environment, combined with the preservative properties of the pickling process, allow these foods to be preserved for months or even years.

Following the original owner's memory, Ivan quickly found the entrance to the cellar beneath the floor. The moment he opened the door, his eyes lit up. Besides the large jar of sour and salty pickles, he saw a small, well-sealed clay jar in the cellar.

A simple raspberry pattern was painted on the brown pottery jar. This sour fruit, common in the North, grows wildly all over the ice field in early spring every year. Hanging on the branches, it looks like a string of tiny rubies.

Before the end of summer, fully ripe raspberries will transform from sour wild fruits into sweet gifts from nature.

At this time, as long as you are patient enough and willing to put in the effort to collect them, you can make them into long-lasting jam, adding a delicious flavor to the winter when food types are limited.

"I'm so lucky! I don't know which glutton hid a jar of jam here." Before he finished speaking, Alvin heard a clear swallowing sound behind him.

"..." The black-haired boy moved the pottery jar in his hand from left to right with an expressionless face, and Afrediya's sparkling eyes also moved with it.

It seems like I discovered some hidden attribute...

Alvin thought with a frown on his face.

"Ah, it's a pity that there is too little jam in this jar. I guess it can only provide limited satiety." From the perspective of previous players, the taste of food comes after satiety and nutrition.

Compared to meat, jam has a higher sugar content but it is essentially a snack and is not as valuable as a staple food in the current situation.

"Gu." Afrediya let out a suppressed cry, and kept emphasizing in her mind that as a guest, she must observe etiquette, otherwise it would be too rude.

But the nasty black-haired man had already broken the clay seal of the pot and removed the lid so that the firelight could illuminate the crystal clear red jam inside.

"Hmm, I don't know if it will go bad after being kept for so long. Let's try it first." Before Alvin could do anything, he heard a loud shout behind him.

"Wait!" Afrediya's voice became a little shrill. She coughed lightly and tried to sound objective and advised.

"You will shorten the shelf life of the jam by doing this. You should use a clean spoon that is not stained with water or oil to scoop it out to maximize the shelf life." As she spoke, she took down a wooden spoon from the wall.

After carefully rinsing the spoon in the boiling water in the iron pot and wiping it clean with a handkerchief, she carefully scooped a spoonful of jam with a righteous expression, as if to demonstrate to Alvin.

"Hmm~Hmm!" After putting the red jam that reflected the faint light from the fire into her mouth, Afrediya's whole face seemed to be glowing in an instant.

Yes, in addition to being a scholar and a princess, she is actually an extremely loyal sweetheart, a sugar heretic!

Although this crude product is far less delicious than the one made by the royal chef, this is not the capital, Avonmore, but the frozen northern glacier. Being able to taste a little sweetness is a blessing from God.

"There is no bitterness, nor any extra sourness. This jar of jam is absolutely 100% not bad!" Her Royal Highness the Princess gave her final verdict with absolute certainty.

When she came to her senses, she found that Ivan, who had been sitting cross-legged on the floor counting the food reserves, was now looking at her with interest with his chin in his hand.

A blush crept up Afrediya's cheeks at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The girl suddenly turned her back to the man, but the spoon in her hand did not stop.

"Hmph." With a light hum, Alvin walked to the stove and began to stew hot soup in the iron pot hanging above the fire.

Slice the air-dried meat, slice the smoked sausage, and add some pickled sauerkraut, and the big pot stew in the style of the northern barbarians is ready.

In the cold winter, a pot of hot soup filled with meat and garnished with a few vegetables is the perfect way to restore your energy. Although the lack of seasoning other than rock salt makes this soup limited in quality, hunger is the best and most appetizing appetizer.

"Speaking of which, can a wooden building like this withstand the strong winds in the white tide?" Holding a wooden bowl filled with hot soup, Afrediya couldn't help but look at the roof of the hunter's cabin with some worry.

"Don't worry. When you came in, did you notice that this building is actually half buried in the ground?" After taking a sip of soup, Alvin patted the wall nonchalantly.

The outermost layer is made of rocks, and the inner layer is two layers of wood, with soil filling the middle of the wood. The thick walls are both warm and strong, and the building structure that is half underground also improves the wind resistance of the cabin itself.

"Hey, isn't that the architectural style of the halflings in the southern Shire region?" Afrediya asked in surprise.

"Probably. This building was first built more than a hundred years ago. Although it collapsed and was rebuilt due to age, the overall architectural structure still retains the paradigm of that time." Alvin lowered his eyes and said nothing more.

To him, who knew the tribe's biggest secret, it was normal and natural that the descendants of the Titans were more civilized and advanced than ordinary barbarian tribes.

"By the way, how did you originally plan to deal with those three vampires?" Alvin asked casually.

If the original plot had developed, Princess Afrediya should have escaped the assassination with her own strength, and then returned to the capital, Avonmore, in February next year.

After that, a reform was initiated but failed, and finally the Undead faction took the opportunity to come to power and triggered a series of changes.

In other words, even without his intervention, Afrediya could have escaped the pursuit of the three vampires by her own strength.

However, the pursuit launched by the necromancer who controlled the skeleton body from a distance should not be something that she, an academic mage with exhausted magic power, could withstand.

This is really hard to understand.

After hearing what Ivan said, Afrediya pondered for a moment, as if after some thought, she took off a bracelet from her wrist and handed it to him.

It was an exquisite piece of jewelry with a gold base and several rubies inlaid on it. This type of jewelry was rare among the conservative and traditional Elrond nobles, who often preferred large gems or more textured gold and silver jewelry.

However, what attracted Alvin's attention was not the bracelet itself, but the magical light flowing within the gems.

This is not an ordinary ornament, but a magic prop made in the shape of an ornament. To be precise, the real magic props are those seemingly inconspicuous rubies.

In addition, a circle of tiny runes is engraved on the gold base, which can reduce the leakage of magical brilliance in the gem. Unless you look closely, you cannot discover the nature of this magical item of jewelry.

Before the rise of the nations, only the alchemy masters of the City of a Thousand Towers could complete such precise carvings.