bookandnovel Chapter 61 Preparation
Chapter 61 Preparation
Chapter 61 Preparation
There are three days left until the siege of Blade Winter.
The air in the temporary camp of Industrial Zone B-12 was filled with the smell of stale engine oil.
"clang"
The last piece of armor plate was melted by the flames from Anna's fingertips and slammed heavily onto the dusty alloy floor.
Anna straightened up and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
The black and gray grime mixed with sweat left several cat-like streaks on her fair cheeks.
Looking at the pile of disassembled mech parts in front of her, she couldn't help but smile.
This is the result of today's efforts.
All ten Tier 2 mechs have been dismantled.
Useful cores, intact drive shafts, and those gleaming mithril circuits were all neatly arranged and categorized.
I'm very tired.
My arms are so sore they feel like they're filled with lead.
The magic power was almost completely depleted.
But the area in my heart felt warm.
Anna raised the back of her hand and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
The smell of sweat mixed with engine oil.
It doesn't smell bad.
It even made her feel at ease.
She likes this feeling of exhaustion.
This kind of fatigue signifies value.
A person will never be abandoned as long as they have value.
Anna found a relatively clean metal box to sit on and rest, swinging her legs.
Back in Black Iron City, resting was usually the beginning of a nightmare.
The supervisor would whip them, complaining that they were lazy and slow.
The nobles would walk by holding their noses, looking at them as if they were looking at rats in a sewer.
Even if you work your butt off, all you get in return is a moldy black bread and a few mouthfuls of filthy well water.
But it's different now.
Anna turned her head and looked at Victor, who was carrying a box of parts not far away, and then at Olivia, who was squatting on the ground counting the number of magic batteries. Everyone was very busy.
Everyone has something to do.
No one would kick her for no reason, or call her "dirty stuff".
"Hey Anna, well done."
As Victor passed by, he casually handed her a bottle of clean water.
The water is warm.
Anna accepted it with both hands and whispered a thank you.
Victor waved his hand, shouldered a heavy box of parts, and walked away.
Anna held the water bottle, feeling a warm sensation spread throughout her body.
She unscrewed the cap and took a small sip.
Sweet.
It's just ordinary filtered water.
It's very ordinary, with no taste whatsoever.
But at that moment, Anna felt that this was the sweetest thing in the world.
She sat on the abandoned metal box, looking up at the metal dome above her that never revealed the sky.
Although I couldn't see the sun, I felt warm both physically and mentally.
Is this what "home" feels like?
If so, she hopes to stay this tired forever.
As long as it can help the lord.
Even just a little bit.
"What are you grinning about?"
A gentle voice came from above.
Anna looked up and saw that it was the lord. She was startled and quickly stood up to bow.
But a hand was placed on her shoulder, preventing her from standing up.
Lorraine looked at the disheveled little maid in front of her with a hint of doting in her eyes.
"Sit still."
He then sat down on the box next to Anna.
Anna nervously rubbed the hem of her clothes.
"Young Master, I—I just feel very happy with my life right now."
"Being happy is a good thing."
"However, these peaceful days will not last long. Haji the Winter of Blades' army is on its way, and the Winter Lord is also watching us."
"They want to destroy all of this, they want to destroy our lives."
Anna immediately straightened her back.
"Anna, don't be afraid! Anna will protect the young master!"
Lorraine smiled and continued, "I know you're not afraid. But courage alone isn't enough; we need greater strength."
He took a list out of his pocket and handed it to Anna.
"Take a look at this."
Anna took it with both hands, her gaze falling on the complex nouns.
Fire element crystallization.
High-purity mithril powder.
The Snow Woman's ribs.
The long list of materials made her dizzy, but she understood the last line.
[Third-Tier Flame Witch Advancement Ritual]
[Preparation Progress: Basically Completed]
Anna's hand trembled violently.
That thin piece of paper seemed to weigh over a thousand pounds.
"Young...Young Master?"
Her voice trembled, and her eyes were filled with disbelief.
In Frostwolf City, a first-tier witch is enough to make ordinary people kneel down and worship.
And the third order.
Those were among the few powerful figures in Frostwolf City, enough to be honored guests of all the forces in the city.
And now, the young master wants her to advance to the third tier?
"I've almost gathered all the materials needed for the third-tier Flame Witch ascension ceremony."
-
Lorraine's voice was calm, as if she were talking about something trivial.
"The monsters we killed, the mechs we dismantled, the materials we found in the ruins of this mobile city, and all the strange and wonderful things Olivia grew along the way are just enough."
"But----"
Anna bit her lip, her eyes reddening slightly.
"This is too precious—Anna—Anna is not worthy of it—"
"Shut up."
Lorraine interrupted her self-deprecation.
He reached out and gently tapped Anna's forehead.
"I say you are worthy, and you are worthy. You are my witch, and your strength is the strength of this territory."
"You say you're not good enough? Are you trying to belittle my judgment as a lord?"
Anna covered her forehead, tears welling in her eyes, and choked out, "No—no, how could I—"
"However, there's still one problem," Lorraine continued. "The third tier is a qualitative leap; advancing to the third tier requires an extremely large amount of magic power. The old batteries salvaged from the mechs aren't enough."
Within Lorraine's field of vision, data presented by the Witch's Codex was flooding the screen.
[Third-Tier Flame Witch Ascension Ceremony]
[Estimated energy deficit: 3000 standard units]
Current reserves: 1500 standard units
"If you force yourself to advance, you will be burned to ashes due to the backlash of magic caused by energy depletion."
Lorraine withdrew the projection and cast the light into the distant darkness.
That is the heart of the B-12 industrial zone.
It is also the direction of the heart of the mobile city "Tower of Babel".
"We need stronger energy sources to support this."
He stood up and dusted himself off.
"The map I received shows a relay energy hub two kilometers away. It's directly connected to one of the main reactors that power the entire mobile city."
"If we can connect a line from there to the camp, the energy required for your ascension ceremony can be met."
Anna also stood up.
"Wow!"
"Of course you have to go. You're a fire elementalist, and that's an energy hub; it can't function without you."
"Call Lyra, Olivia, and Victor, and get your gear." Lorraine patted Anna's head. "Let's go connect the power!"
"