A blast of cold air, so frigid it felt as if my fingers might freeze solid, descended between us and the Second Princess.

Though the chill came from the Second Princess’s powers, my body instinctively reacted to the palpable tension in the air. Every nerve in my body seemed to shudder, making me feel the weight of the moment more than I ever expected.

It wasn’t just us who felt it. The Second Princess didn’t immediately attack but stood, watching us silently, her gaze cold and calculating.

I cast a glance at Gaia, bound by the ice.

Her complexion seemed to be returning to normal, so it appeared the situation wasn’t as dire as it had seemed.

Why was I even worried? It was because of her that everything had gotten this way. Once everything was over, I’d be asking Oko to handle the damages for what we’d endured.

Shaking off the stray thoughts, I refocused.