Chapter 119

Chapter 119

#119. The Snowfield Great Witch (2)

‘I need to assess the situation…’

I picked up Princess Ariana and stood up.

Leaving Ariana here didn’t feel right, so I carried her around the workshop.

“Manager Te! Knight Eopte! Roji! Karot!”

First, I re-entered the factory that everyone had fled from earlier.

The inside was devastated, not a single person standing, but I let out a sigh of relief.

‘Threat level… Zero.’

I immediately saw the bodies of the two Druids who had been with Nutsuka until the end.

Then I checked our fallen employees.

‘Everyone’s still alive.’

Thankfully, all the workers in the factory were merely unconscious, still breathing.

It’s all thanks to the magic armors and artifacts I made for them.

As much as I wanted to gather them for first aid, I closed my eyes and left the factory.

The area outside was important too – where Ariana had been active.

Crunch crunch crunch

Still carrying Ariana, I moved through the workshop.

“Hmm…”

The rear gate of the workshop I arrived at was even worse than the factory.

Quite a few knights and Frosthaven members were knocked out, combat incapable.

Whether it was due to Ariana losing control or the magic armor protecting them, many were still breathing.

“Incredible.”

There was no mercy elsewhere though.

The frozen corpses of Orcs and Druids showed no signs of life.

The bodies were all chopped into minced meat, frozen solid by Ariana’s sword.

“Undead?”

The reason why Ariana wielded her sword so brutally became clear soon after.

Fragments of frozen undead corpses could be seen everywhere.

“Is that Hunsler?”

Among them, two particularly large and imposing ice chunks stood out.

One was unmistakably the corpse of Orc Lord Hunsler.

“Dark Wizard?”

The other was presumed to be the necromancer controlling those undead.

“Anyway… We won.”

Having roughly assessed the situation, I sat down where I was with Ariana still in my arms.

‘What in the world…’

With the newfound peace of mind…

‘Ariana…’

I found myself thinking more deeply about Ariana.

She was still unconscious in my arms, not pretending to sleep.

“What exactly is this Snowfield Great Witch?”

The revelation that Mary’s true identity was Ariana hit me suddenly, but it didn’t feel surprising.

Rather, what made me uneasy now was this.

‘Was Ariana the Snowfield Great Witch?’

The Snowfield Great Witch who sent me from my comfortable life in Korea to this other world… a likely candidate.

[Please… Save us!]

[Legendary Artificer.]

[Legendary Alchemist.]

[Legendary Magitech Engineer.]

[Legendary Merchant.]

[Save… Save the North!]

When I was losing consciousness in front of my computer.

When I reincarnated into Arad’s body.

The voice I heard in my head – could its owner really not be the Snowfield Great Witch?

‘Scenario. Let’s construct a scenario.’

I laid Ariana down and lost myself in thought.

Clang clang clang

While doing so, I refined an upper-grade magic stone and etched circuits onto it.

‘In the original timeline, Ariana probably survived the Empire’s conspiracy by luck.’

Thanks to High Knights Karot, Roji, Eopte, and Valkyrie Siokan’s sacrifices, she somehow managed to survive.

‘But she must have suffered serious injuries. Perhaps wounds that would prevent her from ever wielding a sword again. Injuries that made movement impossible for a long time.’

My gaze fell on Ariana’s dantian.

‘Isabel must have treated such an Ariana somehow. Probably inscribing a circle on her heart instead of the destroyed dantian.’

That’s how the Ariana from the original timeline gave up the sword and took up the broom and staff.

‘The hair and eye color transformation when becoming Mary was likely due to losing the lower dantian completely and retraining magic during the process in the original timeline.’

I don’t know how Isabel and the witches overcame Haran’s curse in that world,

but Ariana definitely desperately mastered magic to become the Snowfield Great Witch.

‘Why didn’t the Ariana from the original timeline ever reveal her survival?’

There were still some lingering questions, but there were two possible explanations.

‘Did she choose safety over publicity?’

It could have been to protect Ariana from the Demon Den’s Dark Wizards or the Empire.

Or because she had been missing for so long that even if she reappeared, few northerners would have believed it.

“Done!”

Having roughly reconstructed my theory about the original timeline’s Ariana and the Snowfield Great Witch, I inspected the ‘magic stone’ I had been refining and etching while theorizing.

‘Support troops are coming.’

My current location was a corner of the workshop.

From here, I can see outside, but it’s a hidden blind spot from outside.

‘Let’s switch quickly.’

I placed the completed magic stone into the pendant Ariana was wearing, replacing the broken one.

‘There must be a reason why Ariana insisted on operating as Mary.’

An upper-grade magic stone enchanted with transformation magic and various mental magic, 99% identical to what Isabel created.

Flash!

The magic stone and mana circuit settled into the pendant, emitting light.

Swoosh

Along with the pendant’s light, Ariana’s silver hair turned pure white like Mary’s.

Though her eyes were closed, they would have turned ash gray.

Her facial features and appearance became the well-known Mary.

‘So… Shall we wake her up?’

Now it’s time to wake Ariana.

‘I wonder how she’ll react when she wakes up.’

Will she continue acting as Mary? Or will she deal with me as Ariana?

The last time I saw Ariana, she seemed mentally unstable, so I couldn’t be sure how she regarded me then.

Shake shake shake

I shook her shoulders vigorously.

Murmur murmur murmur

About thirty soldiers and knights could be seen from afar.

Reinforcements sent like wringing out a dry towel from the Main Wall.

We need to wake Ariana before they notice us.

‘Why isn’t she waking up?’

I shook Ariana more forcefully, feeling a sense of déjà vu.

“…”

But she still wouldn’t wake up.

‘Doesn’t seem like she’s pretending to sleep?’

Worried, I shook her even more roughly.

‘Wake up, wake up.’

Gak gak gak

My hand pinched Mary-form Ariana’s cheeks several times.

“Ugh… Wha…?”

Finally, she opened her eyes.

“…”

I silently stared into Mary’s ash gray eyes.

“Eh… Hmm…?”

She wore a confused expression before calmly asking:

“Mr. President? Are you alright? What happened to the battle?”

Oh ho? You’re sticking with this persona, huh?

“We’re fine. Thanks to your crucial help at a decisive moment, we survived.”

“R-really?”

“Yes.”

I reacted according to Ariana’s response.

Deciding to treat her as Mary.

“You were incredible. Almost at Sword Master level.”

“That… I don’t really remember…”

“Is that so? Anyway, you were amazing.”

At my calm attitude, Mary cautiously examined herself.

I could sense her glancing at the magic stone embedded in her pendant.

“??”

Better-than-expected physical condition. Intact pendant beyond expectation.

Seeing Mary tilt her head in confusion made me smile naturally.

“Uh… Did you… treat me?”

Ariana in Mary’s form examined her body while stiffly asking me.

“I noticed your mana was depleted, so I injected some mana potions.”

I nonchalantly shrugged as I responded.

“My dantian… Then…?”

“It didn’t seem serious enough to check your dantian since you weren’t critically injured. Want me to examine it?”

“No! No, I’m fine! Hmm…”

Hearing my words, she still looked uneasy.

Common sense-wise, it’s strange not to perform pulse diagnosis after losing consciousness.

‘I knew you’d do this.’

I secretly performed an operation behind my back.

Pfft

Light briefly emitted from Mary’s pendant before fading.

‘You’ve been catching people like this, haven’t you?’

The skeptical expression on Mary’s face gradually turned into one of relief.

* * *

Starting with Rune Lenslet, followed by Pilgrim, Thesis, Ellisis, Isilis, Axis, Bjorn, Sialang, Teraen, and Ariana’s father Bykal,

The Lenslet family, with its 200-year history, was always embroiled in savagery and war.

That’s why none of the previous Dukes passed away peacefully in their beds due to old age.

The family founder, Rune Lenslet, ultimately died from poison after battling the White Serpent.

His son Pilgrim also perished at the hands of monsters in the Magic Realm within ten years of becoming Duke.

Since then, each generation of Dukes met untimely deaths.

Meanwhile, the Lenslet family always experienced hand shortages.

This was due to the curse Black Mage Isaac placed using Jormungandr’s heart.

Because of this family tradition, the Duchess throughout the generations never lived long either.

Most died prematurely from accidents or suffered from illnesses.

Some say this curse even affected the Duchess’ families.

Thus, fewer and fewer families wanted to marry into the Lenslet dukedom as time went on.

Naturally, most Duchess throughout the generations were orphans of noble blood.

Being in the northern region which constantly battled savagery, disease, and harsh cold, these conditions often overlapped with suitable Duchess candidates.

That said, it wasn’t possible to force arranged marriages under the Duke’s orders.

No one deliberately made eligible young ladies orphans just to fit the criteria.

This wasn’t about conscience or morality – it was due to the curse Isaac placed on the dukedom.

Only pure love could make someone join the dukedom.

Only couples united by love could produce heirs even as only children.

This was part of the reason why Minister Arad wasn’t strongly urged to take the throne despite Ariana’s insistence.

The tumultuous Northern Duke family has barely continued until now, even becoming the royal family.

Typically, Dukes ascended the throne in their mid-teens and passed away in their early to mid-thirties on the battlefield or unexpectedly (Even this longevity was thanks to Isabelle and the Coven’s thorough protection).

Looking at this, Ariana’s father Bykal lived relatively long in a way. Ariana herself ascended the throne relatively late.

Still, one thing was certain.

The Dukes and Duchesses throughout history, despite their short lifespans and reigns, left behind brilliant achievements like supernovas.

Each generation of Dukes protected the north at its most perilous moments.

Each generation of Duchesses strengthened the foundation and substance of the north through internal governance.

At the cost of their lives.

Therefore, every citizen of the North, every Lensretian, felt gratitude and a sense of debt toward the royal family.

This was why the Lenslet Order could stubbornly unite the successive generations of the royal family as saints for veneration.

That’s why at this very moment, Lensretians fought risking their lives under one belief.

“Fight! Lensretians!”

“Over there! His Majesty the King is with us!”

The siege at the Northern Main Wall was nearing its end.

When the invasion by the White Serpent Jormungandr and the monster army reached its peak,

Lenslet soldiers and knights, along with supporting civilians, fiercely resisted the enemy invasion on the wall.

The three great ones of the North – Isabelle, Valkyrie, and Sun – thoroughly covered the most threatening White Serpent.

“Aaaaaah!”

“Lenslet! Rune Lenslet!”

From the lowest-ranking soldiers to the high knights,

From nameless civilians providing support to magicians from the Mage Guild,

From ordinary believers of the Lenslet Order to high priests,

Everyone did their utmost in their respective positions.

“Ah! His Majesty!”

“We must protect His Majesty!”

Soldiers fighting would glance at the shining tower where Ariana stood if they luckily survived.

Priests wiping the sweat, dirt, and blood off wounded soldiers would look up at King Lenslet standing like a lighthouse if they got too tired.

As long as that beacon remained lit, everyone in the High City firmly believed the Northern Main Wall would not fall.

[Kooaaaooo!]

And this could also be interpreted in reverse.

If Ariana’s illusion collapsed, it could cause tremendous psychological damage.

[Gooaaaooo-!]

That is, from the White Serpent’s perspective, the illusory tower was a target that absolutely had to be destroyed.

“Stop it! Stop it aaaah!!”

“The enemy is aiming for the tower where His Majesty resides!!”

Jormungandr, persistently waiting for an opportunity, finally seized a fleeting chance.

BOOOOM!

Krrrrr…

Concentrating all magic and attacks, it finally shattered the tower where Ariana’s illusion resided.

“No wayyyyyyy!!”

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty!”

“This must be a dream…”

The end of the siege at the Northern Main Wall was in sight.

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