It seemed that this world offered no special privileges to transmigrators.
"What is the use of having power if I cannot even use it properly…?"
She had come to find the hidden mastermind in order to survive, but there was still very little that Eliana could actually do.
Just as she was struggling in frustration, suddenly—
Boom!
A thunderclap exploded through the air.
Eliana jumped to her feet in surprise.
For a moment she thought the timing was absurdly perfect, but then thunder struck again and the fierce sound of wind came through the window.
Confused, Eliana got out of bed and pulled back the curtain to check outside.
At that moment, her eyes widened like lanterns.
"What? It is snowing in this weather?!"
The empire's climate was generally mild.
Of course, magic stones were installed around the four directions of the seasonal palace, maintaining spring, summer, autumn, and winter climates respectively.
But this was the central area of the seasonal palace.
In other words, it was not weather in which snow should fall.
The unexpected snowfall was shocking in itself.
Moreover, the snow was falling heavily. It was not sleet but large flakes pouring down.
"Eliana?"
At that moment Velkirei knocked on the door.
Eliana hurriedly straightened her clothes and opened it.
"What is it?"
"Ah, it suddenly started snowing…"
"Snow?"
Velkirei tilted his head.
Even though thunder had sounded, it seemed he had not bothered to check outside.
Only then did he walk to the window, open it, and extend his hand.
It looked as though he was trying to confirm by touch whether it was rain or snow.
Through the opening Velkirei created, thick flakes of snow drifted inside.
After standing there for a moment letting the snow fall onto his hand, he spoke briefly.
"Is a dragon playing a prank?"
"Pardon?"
"This is not natural snow. It is magic."
"…What?!"
Eliana rushed closer to him in shock.
Ignoring the way he flinched, she stared at the snow pouring down outside.
Suddenly she remembered muttering earlier that she wished this world would collapse.
No way.
There is no way…
Eliana rolled her eyes, trying to convince herself that this was not her doing.
It had to be.
She could not even freeze the water in a teacup, and yet snow?
Moreover, Eliana had no idea how to stop the snow, nor how to remove what had already fallen.
If she had known how, Finn would not have needed to go all the way to Count's Castle.
However, her attempt to escape reality was shattered by Velkirei's next words.
"This is strange. Why do I sense your energy in the snow?"
"Oh no."
Eliana rubbed her face in frustration.
It seemed her magic had been used on its own again.
Now that she thought about it, snow was only pouring down over the central area of the seasonal palace.
The seasonal wings and the main palace remained completely unchanged.
With a miserable expression, Eliana pleaded with Velkirei.
"Your Majesty, I think I did this."
"…What?"
"What should I do? I do not know how to stop the magic. At this rate the entire seasonal palace might be buried in snow."
"You… are a Natural Magic mage?"
Velkirei asked in clear agitation.
He had heard from Hera that her power had manifested late, but apparently he had not known it was Natural Magic.
But Eliana had no time to react to his surprise.
She was hopping in place, chanting ridiculous spells like, "Stop! Stop right now!"
But if it could stop that easily, it would have already done so.
"…Eliana."
'What do I do… What should I do?'
Just as Eliana was panicking, she felt someone move behind her.
Velkirei extended his arm and grabbed one of her hands.
The position ended up almost like an embrace, and Eliana's body stiffened.
Soon a soft voice spoke near her ear.
"That is not how magic is stopped. You are more innocent than I expected."
"H-How do I stop it then?"
Eliana muttered with her burning face lowered.
Velkirei continued speaking while firmly holding her hand.
"Relax your body and focus on your mana core."
"M-My mana core? Where is that?"
"Do not tell me you used magic without even knowing where your mana core is."
"…I only learned about my ability recently."
Eliana replied in a gloomy tone.
After all, she was not even from this world.
In the Republic of Korea she had been an ordinary woman. Becoming a mage overnight did not magically grant her knowledge.
Velkirei held both her hands and spoke gently.
"Close your eyes."
"They are closed."
"If you do not stop the snow, your mana core will be strained. I will send my mana into you now. You must find where it is being drawn and tell me its location."
"O-Okay."
The moment she heard that her mana core could be harmed, Eliana shut her eyes even tighter.
Now that she thought about it, her body had been feeling heavy and aching earlier.
It must have been from forcing the magic out.
A moment later she felt something flowing into her through the hands she was holding with Velkirei.
It was a strange sensation.
Like receiving a nutrient injection that eased the fatigue in her body.
As soon as that energy entered her, she felt it flow toward the area between her shoulder blades.
Eliana opened her eyes and turned to him.
"It is near my shoulder blades—!"
But she stopped mid sentence.
It was not simply because his face was closer than she expected.
Well, that startled her too.
But that was not why she stopped speaking.
Velkirei also seemed surprised that she had turned around so suddenly.
His eyes had turned red.
And in his right eye there was a clear contract mark.
Without realizing it, Eliana murmured,
"Your Majesty… your eyes."
"This is…"
Velkirei released her hands and wiped his mouth.
He looked uncertain about how to explain.
'Is he… going to kill me now?'
Before revealing his power, Velkirei had been known to quietly eliminate anyone who noticed it.
A chill ran down Eliana's spine.
Anxious, she studied his expression.
His eyes had already returned to their usual blue.
Only then did Eliana smile awkwardly as if she had imagined it.
"I thought your eyes met mine! Sometimes it really feels like Your Majesty can see, you know? Ha ha."
"…"
Velkirei said nothing.
Uneasy with the silence, Eliana quickly turned away again.
If she kept looking into his eyes, she felt as though he might see through her lie.
The snow was still falling heavily.
Eliana urged him in a serious voice.
"I found the mana core location. What should I do now?"
"You said it is here?"
Velkirei spoke calmly as he placed his hand between her shoulder blades.
A cool sensation spread across her back.
Because she was wearing thin nightclothes, she could feel it even more clearly.
Her back stiffened instinctively.
"Yes. Right there."
"Excuse me for a moment."
Velkirei placed both hands near where her mana core was located.
The sensation was strange, almost as though wings might sprout from her back.
Every time his fingers moved across her shoulder blades, her entire body flinched and her throat felt dry.
Not wanting to appear nervous, she straightened her back rigidly.
He murmured something she could not understand.
A moment later her back grew hot and an intense pain surged through her.
"Ah!"
"Easy. It is alright."
Velkirei stroked her shoulder gently.
Her body churned. Her heart pounded violently and her breathing grew ragged.
Just when she thought she could not endure any longer, the snowfall gradually weakened.
Soon it stopped completely.
Even the snow that had fallen on the ground melted and disappeared.
The sight was astonishing.
"H-How did you do that?"
"I reversed the magic you cast."
"Ah."
Eliana let out a short exclamation.
She was reminded once again that he belonged to the Owen bloodline.
On the day of his manifestation ceremony at eighteen, Velkirei had awakened magical power rather than divine power.
It was a support type ability, amplifying allied magic or weakening the enemy's magic rather than directly attacking.
'If he had not become blind that same day, it would probably have been more widely known.'
It might not seem impressive for an emperor's ability, but for someone who wielded demonic power it was extremely useful.
Thanks to that ability he could even separate demonic power itself.
He had probably reversed and weakened Eliana's magic in the same way.
Looking fascinated, Eliana said,
"This is my first time seeing support magic."
"That must have hurt a lot. Are you alright?"
Velkirei asked gently while brushing her hair.
It had truly hurt, but she was relieved that it had been reversed.
If Velkirei had not helped, she might have kept releasing power until she collapsed.
Eliana answered with the expression of someone who had narrowly escaped disaster.
"It is fine. I still cannot control my power well, but thanks to Your Majesty I survived."
"I did not know you possessed such an ability… Would you like to learn how to properly use magic?"
At the tentative question, Eliana nodded.
"Actually, the Empress Dowager said she would introduce me to Duke Hafons…"
"Shall I help you?"
Velkirei offered before she even finished speaking.
Eliana looked up at him silently.
His eyes were still slightly misaligned, but she sensed no hostility.
Since she only stared without answering, Velkirei repeated as if asking for confirmation.
"I will help you."
"Th-Thank you."
Unable to refuse the repeated offer, Eliana reluctantly agreed.
Once she gave permission, Velkirei smiled beautifully.
For some reason, the area between her shoulder blades felt hot.