“Has her Mana gone out of control? Very well…”
Staring at Elena in the center of the blizzard, the white-bearded Great Mage once again strengthened the magic barrier he had deployed.
He knew very well that Sirius’s goal was for this young girl to completely become a “Witch.”
In that case, he had no reason to fight Elena. Furthermore, if he actually came to blows with this girl, it would be difficult to explain to the Empire. After all, the Empire was unwilling to let go of either Sirius’s research or this young girl’s power.
‘To be able to induce such a natural phenomenon with only her own Mana… if she could receive guidance, the Empire would have another Great Mage in the future.’
‘I hope you can emerge from this Mana Rampage, little lady of the House of Duke White.’
Beneath his white beard, the corners of the Great Mage’s mouth curled up slightly.
“Lord Great Mage, is there anything we need to do?”
A soldier stepped forward from the side, but his hand remained pressed against his scabbard. Although protected by the Great Mage’s barrier, his fingertips seemed to be trembling.
Seeing this, the Great Mage narrowed his eyes slightly. It seemed that the image of the “Witch” created by Sirius was more deeply rooted in people’s hearts than he had imagined.
“You don’t need to do anything. As long as I am here, the Marquis Residence will be fine. Once this girl exhausts her Mana, the blizzard will stop.”
After the Great Mage finished speaking, he looked back at Elena in the center of the wind and snow.
A moment later, he frowned slightly.
The white-bearded Great Mage had a faint feeling — was this blizzard continuously strengthening?
“Just how much Mana does this girl have — !”
*Bang!*
Several blasts of Cold Qi suddenly condensed into visible, massive ice spikes, smashing against the barrier the Great Mage had deployed at extreme speed. They were no longer the insignificant attacks from before, but a violent impact like a battering ram — the barrier burst with a flurry of cracks in that instant!
The white-bearded Great Mage immediately increased the injection of Mana, but the cracks appeared faster and faster —
At this rate, he would have no choice but to take action!
But in the next instant, just as the Great Mage was preparing an attack spell, he saw Cold Qi gradually condense into a transparent sphere in front of Elena.
In the center of the sphere, a tiny object was suspended —
“Is that… a ring?”
However, the Great Mage’s attention was quickly drawn to something else.
Behind Elena, a human figure gradually appeared. The figure was braving the wind and snow, slowly approaching Elena.
***
**[Remaining Magic Duration: 243 seconds, 242 seconds…]**
Against the violent wind, Ai’er, who had originally been able to run toward Elena, could now only move forward one step at a time.
“System! How… how much further is it!”
**[Distance to the Witch of Time, Elena White: 40 meters.]**
“Think of something, you useless System! I’m going to be blown away if this keeps up!”
Her silver hair danced wildly in the wind. At this moment, the hem of Ai’er’s skirt became a physical shackle transformed from the invisible wind, constantly pulling at the girl’s footsteps.
One step, two steps… finally, Ai’er couldn’t even lift her feet.
**[The Host can consume System Points to exchange for Junior Wind Magic.]**
**[However, even if Wind Magic is used, the barrier constructed by it will fail during the final 20 meters.]**
“Stop wasting time and just exchange it!”
**[Consuming 3 System Points to exchange for Junior Wind Magic.]**
**[Automatically activated.]**
**[Current Remaining Points: 17]**
An invisible barrier immediately enveloped Ai’er.
Even though wind continued to pour into the barrier’s interior, at least now, Ai’er could move forward.
“System, I want to exchange for another ring!”
**[The Beginner Magic Stone Ring has already been exchanged. An Intermediate Magic Stone Ring requires 21 System Points.]**
**[Remaining Magic Duration: 200 seconds, 199 seconds — ]**
“Seriously! Stop counting down, you broken System!”
Shielding herself with her arm against the continuous onslaught of ice and snow, Ai’er took another step toward Elena.
‘Every single one of them is like this… pushing me forward without even asking!’
She had arrived in this world for no reason, and then she was treated like a cultist for no reason!
She had just transmigrated and hadn’t even figured out what was going on in this new world, yet she was suddenly teleported to some unknown parallel timeline — forced to pursue a girl she didn’t even know! To sign some contract!
The key was that she didn’t even know what was in the contract!
And even though Elena was just a target, Ai’er had to risk her life to save her over and over again!
**[Distance to the Witch of Time, Elena White: 20 meters.]**
The barrier of Junior Wind Magic shattered in an instant. The gale slammed into Ai’er, making the girl stumble!
“Ugh! — For crying out loud! What do they think I am?!”
“Give me… a freaking break!!”
Without any hesitation, Ai’er immediately lay flat on the ground.
‘If I can’t walk there, then I’ll crawl!’
**[Distance to the Witch of Time, Elena White: 15 meters.]**
The cold wind seemed to pierce her skin, injecting invisible frost into her blood.
**[Remaining Magic Duration: 175 seconds, 174 seconds…]**
She continued forward like this. When she tilted her head up, Ai’er could already see Elena’s back clearly.
Elena stood there. Ice spread up her feet and legs — ice crystals gradually became the girl’s armor, using freezing spikes to shut out anything that dared approach her…
Even though she was crawling, it became increasingly difficult for Ai’er to move.
**[Distance to the Witch of Time, Elena White: 5 meters.]**
Ice crystals seemed to freeze in her veins. With every movement, Ai’er could feel intense pain.
**[Remaining Magic Duration: 100 seconds, 99 seconds…]**
When Ai’er looked up again, she saw Elena’s right hand — the ring she had placed on Elena twice was not there.
She noticed the transparent sphere floating in front of Elena. The ring she had given Elena was floating quietly inside it.
**[Distance to the Witch of Time, Elena White: 1 meter.]**
**[Remaining Magic Duration: 45 seconds, 44 seconds…]**
Like a snow globe, there was no raging blizzard inside the transparent sphere — this might explain why Ai’er had never suffered from Mana erosion from the ring.
It seemed that her target still cared about her quite a bit.
A surge of joy diluted some of the cold, easing Ai’er’s pain slightly.
“Seriously! Elena, you caused such a big mess, you might as well have kept it on — wait?! Wah! That hurts!”
With one final crawl forward, the wind that had been preventing Ai’er from advancing suddenly disappeared.
Ai’er, who didn’t have time to pull back her strength, “flew” out along the ground. The coldness of the floor made the tip of Ai’er’s nose turn bright red.
So this was the calm in the eye of the storm?
With tears in her eyes, Ai’er hugged Elena and used the girl’s body as support to slowly stand up.
**[Remaining Magic Duration: 30 seconds, 29 seconds…]**
“Elena, stop it! Elena!”
Even though she shouted in Elena’s ear and shook her body, the girl remained as motionless as a doll.
**[Remaining Magic Duration: 24 seconds, 23 seconds…]**