Published: July 3, 2025
Three days after leaving Slanzewi.
If everything goes smoothly, we should arrive at the City of Halwill before evening.
The surrendered Shaafi was positioned in the center of the merchant convoy, alongside Ryo and Ra.
Even though it was to protect her from the cursed tattoo, Shaafi was encased in an ice membrane around her heart.
This was a precautionary measure taken by Ryo, the creator of the ice, to ensure that having him close by would be beneficial for various reasons, as considered by Gecko.
Of course, this "consideration" did not always work in favor of Shaafi.
Currently, Shaafi was, understandably, walking on her own two feet.
However, from her thighs to her neck, she was covered in ice, and from a distance, it looked as if she was impaled by a pillar of ice.
This was mainly to restrict her arms, preventing her from causing any trouble, a measure that Ryo reluctantly took.
"Hey... Ryo-san. Can't we do something about this ice restraint? It looks ridiculous, and because my arms are stuck to my body, it's hard to keep my balance when I walk, and I feel like I'm going to fall."
"Sigh... How many times have you said this? If we let the assassin's hands free, who knows what she might do? It's dangerous, you know? I'm also doing this reluctantly. Honestly, I'd prefer to cover your legs and face, or even your mouth, with ice. An assassin is a weapon all over. We can't even guess where she might hide her hidden weapons."
"Right? We have to walk next to such a dangerous person... Being an adventurer is really tough."
Shaafi complained, Ryo grumbled in response, and Ra chimed in.
"Well, we took all of her weapons away, right...? Also, it really sucks when your head itches or you want to scratch your nose and you can't use your hands."
"Absolutely..."
Ryo said this with one word, creating an ice mask that covered the entire head of Shaafi using water attribute magic, linking it with the ice restraint that was only around her neck.
Then he proceeded to do some detailed work.
"Alright, it's done. Now, with just a slight movement of your right index finger, you can scratch the top of your head. If you move your left index finger a little, you can scratch your nose. Even though your arms are restrained, you can now scratch simply by moving your fingertips a little. Great, isn’t it? You should be thankful."
"Wow... it's so silly yet somehow amazing..."
Ra, who was watching from the side, was astonished by the ridiculous sight.
Shaafi, whose mouth was also sealed by the ice mask, could express neither words of gratitude nor protest...
In the evening, the group arrived at the gates of the City of Halwill.
Even Ryo felt that the appearance was not quite right for entering the city, so he removed Shaafi's ice mask.
"Please bear with it a little longer if your head or nose itches."
Ryo gently informed her.
"No, that's not it! I don't need that ridiculous ice mask!"
Yet, for some reason, Shaafi was furiously angry.
Although it was Ryo's prideful creation, it seemed that Shaafi did not appreciate it.
"I worked so hard on it... Maybe it needed a bit more of a contemporary art touch in the design... If it looks like a 'mask' from the get-go, it might be rated low on the artistic side, and that can't be helped."
"Yeah, Ryo, I don't think that's the issue."
Ra calmly interjected, addressing Ryo, who was feeling down and reflecting on his failure.
"Hey, don't mess with me, Ryo. Remember this later."
Shaafi, fuming with anger, insulted Ryo.
"Well, since it seems you didn't like the mask, maybe you could spend the entire time in the Coffin of Ice while we're in the city. Just apply to the city as an ice sculpture."
"... No, Ryo-san, I'm sorry. I was wrong. Please spare me from that."
Shaafi had seen the three members of her subordinates encased in ice.
She definitely wanted to avoid finding herself in that situation.
Especially in the middle of the city.
Therefore, she quickly admitted her fault.
With Gecko's mediation, Shaafi's ice restraint was removed, allowing her to enter the city looking like just another member of the merchant convoy.