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History of the Greatest Territory Design - Episode 281

281fury. The responsibility is mine (1)

cold.

the crushing cold.

A chill that cuts through my skin.

Lloyd opened his eyes wide..

In the cold frost storm that sweeps everywhere.

Meanwhile, a message was emerging breathlessly..

[Accolades held, this takes effect.]

“……!”

[You are currently in an area where the average annual temperature is below 0°C. This prompted the praise of ‘My hands are cold, my feet are cold, my feet are cold’. You will not suffer from hypothermia or freeze in any extreme cold while staying in this area..]

“……That's right!”

Lloyd stopped breathing without realizing it..

I shivered my whole body..

My head rolled in an instant..

Thanks to you, I was able to notice this situation and the content of that message..

I was able to quickly catch the subtle danger hidden in the meantime..

‘That's a good option, but... … You're saying it only prevents frostbite and hypothermia? There was no mention of it preventing frostbite on the skin..’

The moment I realized that.

Kiiiiing!

I activated the dark mind technique..

I desperately drew in the faint remaining warmth around me. Absorbed. The warmth is amplified with a three-pronged circle. It was published in Manahat. Amplified warmth was sent to the skin, respiratory tract, and eyes..

Only then was I able to straighten my shoulders..

‘Whoa. I almost got into big trouble..’

Verbs from hypothermia.

frostbite from cold.

The two symptoms were completely different..

While the verb is literally a symptom of freezing to death, frostbite refers to tissue damage and necrosis caused by freezing of tissues such as skin..

‘So, if I had just trusted the praise and left it alone... … I would have avoided freezing to death right away, but my ears and fingers would have suffered frostbite. When exposed to sudden cold air, blood flow decreases drastically and tissue dies due to lack of oxygen..’

That is, it was cold damage that Korean men mainly suffered in their ears while serving in the military and working on guard duty in the middle of winter..

‘But anyway… … I was spared the horrible situation of not being able to freeze to death despite getting frostbite. There is a bit of a trap in the content of this praise. I guess I'll have to be careful next time.’

I felt like I shouldn’t be at ease by blindly trusting only the praise option..

With that promise, Lloyd regained his composure..

I turned my gaze into the fierce frost storm..

At first, the visibility wasn't very good..

There was nothing to see.

The storm was so strong.

White frost flutters like the devil's dance moves.

However, as I took a few steps forward, the situation began to appear little by little..

‘It's shit.’

The refrigerant injection room where the heart of winter was stored..

The facility was protected by a sturdy iron gate and six guards..

But now there was no mess..

The iron door was stuck in the hallway wall like a dented soda can..

There were blade-like pieces of ice stuck everywhere like splinters..

‘Then the heart of winter?’

Treasure borrowed from the king.

Three sacred items of the Magentano royal family.

Is that okay?.

No, are the people here okay?.

I stepped on the threshold of the refrigerant injection room with a nervous feeling..

I looked at the situation inside..

I was finally able to realize.

“……shit.”

everyone was down.

no one moved.

Two royal wizards and six royal guards.

Everyone was lying motionless like mannequins scattered everywhere..

And the heart of winter was beating wildly.

He shattered the special control box that surrounded him..

An indescribable chill was blowing out like a storm through the cracks of the broken box..

It was literally a runaway state..

‘Of course, that's what caused the problem..’

My heart was pounding..

But it was a strange thing.

Every time this heart pounded, the winter heart similarly throbbed, releasing more chills..

‘what. Is that a reaction to the half-human, half-dragon option that was activated out of nowhere earlier??’

It seemed like that..

At first, I thought it might be something, but after looking into it more, it turned out to be true..

Moreover, if you look closely, it seems that the closer you get, the harsher the chill becomes..

It felt like a wild beast running wild when it met someone it didn't like..

‘What is this.’

Lloyd bit his lower lip..

Whether it beats to your own heart.

Whether you react to the half-man, half-dragon option.

Anyway, this was an emergency..

‘That's a national treasure. If it breaks down like this, how can I take responsibility? Also, what about the work group inside? Think about it. think.’

The situation had to be resolved somehow..

Then something had to be done right away..

But I had no idea how to calm the heart of winter that was running wild..

I was at a loss.

‘If only there was Haviel at a time like this.’

What was it like?.

Because he's a grand master.

Because it has overwhelming mana hearts and mana management abilities..

Because he is the original protagonist of this novel and this world..

Even if we face a situation like this, won’t we be able to do something?.

I had that thought..

But it was a useless idea.

There is no Javiel here now..

That guy went to the castle today at the king's call..

By now, you will be competing with your sword as a sparring partner for the King's special training..

‘I have to solve it.’

I thought it was a race against time..

I thought that the longer I let this situation go, the bigger it would become and the more difficult it would be to handle..

But that was then..

“Ugh, uhhh…….”

An unexpected sound was heard.

It was an extremely faint sound..

It was a painful moan..

It was the sound made by one of the guards who had fallen on the floor of the refrigerant injection room..

‘uh? no way?’

Lloyd, startled, looked at the groaning guard..

Surprisingly, he was still breathing, albeit faintly..

Although I was suffering from severe hypothermia..

My skin, lips, and everything have turned pale, and even my pulse is weak..

Still, he wasn't dead yet.!

“…….”

Then the rest?

Lloyd moved quickly..

And soon I realized.

“Almost everyone is alive.”

just one person.

Only one royal wizard, closest to the Heart of Winter, holding a bloody dagger in one hand, was dead..

Everyone else was alive..

No, to be exact, he was dying..

‘If it's just a little bit later, it will be difficult to save everyone..’

It was from the moment I realized that.

moved before thinking.

six knights.

One royal wizard.

The seven people who were still alive were dragged one by one into the hallway outside the refrigerant injection room..

I carried the royal wizard who seemed to be in the most critical condition..

But strangely, the wizard was bleeding from his back..

It was a wound that looked as if it had been stabbed with a dagger..

However, there was little bleeding.

It seemed like it was because the heart of winter was beating wildly right after the injury and the wound area was frozen..

‘I think this wound was stabbed by the dagger held by that dead wizard..’

A wrinkle appeared between Lloyd's eyebrows..

What is it.

What on earth happened in the refrigerant injection room?.

But now is not the time to dwell on such questions..

‘I need to move.’

We need to save people first..

It was from then on..

Lloyd was out of breath..

Carrying the royal wizard.

Warmth was delivered to the major organs of the wizard's body using a faint technique..

Meanwhile, I went up the shaft toward the exit of the shaft..

“here! Call the doctor! hurry!”

I shouted as I went out..

At that moment, people were chatting near the exit..

Earlier, an explosion was heard from inside the tunnel..

A cold wind that cannot blow is flowing from inside..

Most of the members of the work standby group were gathered near the entrance, feeling ominous and looking around..

“What happened inside??”

“uh. accident. Winter's heart chill spills. Call the doctor right away.”

Lloyd quickly explained the situation..

He gave instructions to the standby team leader..

“There are a few more people inside. I will bring you out. Call the doctor and report the news to the royal family. Bring a blanket to cover your body. As much as possible. And this person here has a stab wound, so I'm trying to stop the bleeding until the doctor comes. press hard.”

“All right.”

There was tension in the eyes of the standby squad leader..

The rest of the waiting group also got busy..

Meanwhile, Lloyd ran back into the tunnel..

went down the shaft ladder.

One by one, the guardsmen who were lying down in front of the refrigerant injection room were carried on their backs..

I carried him on my back, hurried his steps, and climbed the shaft ladder..

I laid it down under the warm sun outside the mine..

I left it to the waiting team and went back inside..

So we went back and forth a total of six more times..

Saved all the guards.

Maybe it's because they were incredibly strong knights, but fortunately no one died..

“omg… … Huh... … Phew.”

After safely moving all those in need, I felt relieved..

The early summer sun just so happened to be warm..

It’s so different from the bitter cold inside that tunnel..

Lloyd sat down on the dirt floor, calming his breathing..

I lowered my head between my knees..

A gap between people who are in a hurry.

The noise of people running around busily.

In the meantime, my whole body felt warm in a daze..

The warmth of the sun patting and caressing my back couldn't have been so nice..

I felt warm, cozy, and reassured..

So I was shocked.

“…….”

What am I doing here?.

Why am I feeling relieved already?.

‘Still deep inside... … There are 20 work crew members left..’

gulp.

I swallowed dry saliva without realizing it..

Why had he forgotten them?.

No, was I just pretending to forget?.

‘I told you to wait. He said he would go and check the situation. It seems dangerous, so don't move hastily. I said that and left them..’

Why am I feeling safe alone, basking in the warm sunlight?.

The rescue team will come soon.

The rescue team will save them.

Are you feeling relieved, believing it as if it were passed on to you?.

‘Should I go and get it?.’

Suddenly a thought occurred to me.

No matter how you look at it, it will be late if you wait for the rescue team..

Before that, the chill will spread even to the back where the work crew is left..

I thought that if I didn't do something right away, everyone would be in danger..

‘I won't last until the rescue comes..’

Then you have to go save yourself right away..

And I know it's right.

But at the same time, I hesitated.

To be honest, I was anxious..

‘Thanks to the praise option, you don't have to get killed... … It's not that it's not painful. It's not that it's not dangerous..’

He had just carried seven people on his back..

I had to go in and out of the refrigerant injection room seven times..

Every time, I felt like my whole body was frozen..

No, I felt like I had been stripped naked, my whole body wet, and thrown into the snow in the middle of winter..

It hurt like the skin on my face and my entire body was being torn apart..

This was despite the desperate use of shabby mental techniques..

furthermore…….

‘To get down to the bar where the work crew is, you have to go much deeper than what you just went in and out of..’

The time exposed to cold will be much longer..

It will be that much more painful..

Maybe even if you have a bad mind, your limbs may not be healthy..

If you are continuously exposed to cold, your ears, face, hands and toes may freeze and die..

Like someone who suffered frostbite while exploring a polar region or climbing Mount Everest, you may have to cut off your fingers and toes..

No, your lungs may be damaged by cold before that..

Then, even if it is not a verb, you may suffer from lung damage for the rest of your life..

The whole situation was uncertain and unsettling..

‘I'm not confident that won't happen.’

Rather, it seemed much more likely that that would happen..

Honestly, I really didn't want that to happen..

‘You will be disabled for the rest of your life. The rescue team is probably already on the way, so should I put myself in danger?.’

Honestly, it's selfish, but just for a little while.

I hesitated.

I was also anxious.

Because you are not the dazzling hero in a storybook..

Because I'm not the type of being who has an indomitable will despite any trials..

I'm just a person who grew up normally and wants to live like that in the future..

To be honest, I was scared..

But on the other hand, there was also a memory that suddenly came to mind..

There was a time when it was very poor and difficult..

When I lived in a gosiwon in Korea.

Every day I rolled around in the field.

It was a memory of one of the saddest and most infuriating days..

“…….”

There was a guy who worked in the field with me..

It wasn't often, but we often saw each other at the same recruiting office..

Then, I was tied up in the same scene..

We were eating and talking for a while..

I couldn't remember the name.

No, I didn't know the name at the time either..

I just thought he was a bit of a pitiful person..

‘I said he was a wild goose dad..’

He was originally a manager at a pretty good company..

He said that he sent his daughter to study abroad in the United States thanks to his decent salary. She said that she was anxious about sending her daughter to a foreign country alone, so she sent her wife with her..

He also said that he had been living the life of a lonely wild goose dad for several years..

But then I got fired from the company..

I couldn't bear to tell my wife and daughter about it..

I'm afraid my wife will be anxious..

I'm afraid it will interfere with my daughter's studies..

He said he endured sudden honorable retirement alone..

He said he hid the fact from his wife and daughter and sweated at the scene..

I thought there would be no answer if I started a business hastily and lost my severance pay..

I need to continue sending living expenses and tuition to my wife and daughter in the United States..

So, severance pay is set aside just in case..

Did you say that you made money by sweating in the field like that?.

‘Still, the man just laughed and said that it was better to move his body than to sit in front of his desk and feel frustrated..’

He was a bit harsh, but he had a good personality..

Even though his jokes are a bit burdensome, he laughs so cheerfully..

On the one hand, I thought it was a pity, but that was all..

If you think about it, his situation at the time was no different..

I guess it's just that..

That guy must be having a hard time too..

That was all I thought..

And that afternoon, while eating Sacham together, I listened to him talk about his family..

There was a fall.

That man can never walk again..

But the scene?

It felt like it was in vain and went back quickly..

It really seemed like it was no big deal.

Just like replacing a broken part.

As if nothing had happened, it went back to being almost the same as before..

It was absurd..

I didn't understand.

‘What I didn't understand even more was the appearance of the people in charge at the site..’

Insufficient safety measures.

Poor safety awareness.

This was an accident that would not have occurred if the fall prevention net had been installed according to regulations..

But no one took responsibility for it..

It's just that the person who had the accident was careless..

I think it was because that guy was careless..

He said he made excuses here and there..

It was said that the only treatment fee and compensation was a small amount..

No one provided proper compensation or apology..

So how was it for you?.

‘I thought it was dirty.’

The feelings of that time came to mind..

People who should be responsible in the field are not taking responsibility..

How shocked were you when you saw that?.

Even though it wasn't what happened to me.

How sad and unfair it was.

But how did you feel just now?.

‘Same.’

Jump up.

Lloyd got up in a hurry without realizing it..

I was sitting comfortably here.

I was relieved in the warm sunlight.

If you wait, a rescue team will come..

It would be better to leave the work to them..

The image of myself trying to crouch down and swallow cowardly excuses..

It felt so disgusting..

‘Then the people in charge I cursed at the time would become the same as the director..’

I didn't like that.

This was his scene..

It was a field where one could win, take responsibility, and supervise..

But an accident occurred at that scene..

It wasn't an accident I caused, but.

Anyway, an accident happened..

Then who is responsible?.

‘It's me.’

You are in charge.

At least in this field.

no one can replace that.

No one can shoulder that responsibility for you..

‘This is my responsibility.’

Before I knew it, he was running.

I ran into the waiting group lounge..

I packed all the thin blankets on the bed and large-sized work clothes..

Without hesitation, I ran to the tunnel entrance..

I tried to go down the shaft..

Was it because of this unexpected behavior?.

The head of the standby unit urgently caught this person..

“Lloyd? what… … Are you sure you want to go down now??”

“uh.”

It's obvious.

There is no time to hesitate here..

Lloyd said quickly..

“Winter blanket. overcoat. Take everything you can. As much as possible, as quickly as possible. When the rescue team arrives, accurately report the status of the accident..”

“No, I understand that. No matter what, it would be dangerous to go down again in this situation. The rescue team will come soon. But what are you going to do by going down alone first??”

“What should I do?.”

I've already decided.

You have to do your own thing..

Thinking like that, I looked at the waiting squad leader..

I responded as if it was so obvious..

“I have to save it all.”

There was nothing more to say.

There was no time to waste.

Lloyd jumped straight down the shaft..