Lord: I have built a witch's sanctuary.

Chapter 24 Catherine's New Perspective

The cleanup of the battlefield was much more complicated than expected.

Anna was like a hardworking little squirrel, darting back and forth in the snow.

With each magic crystal she found, her face would flush a little more, and she would mutter to herself, "I'm rich! I'm rich!"

During the time Anna spent with Lord Lorraine in the snowfield, she felt that this phrase was becoming her catchphrase.

After the last monster's carcass was disposed of, the group gathered again around the campfire in the camp, and Anna placed the heavy cloth bag on the wooden table.

"Splash—"

The crisp, melodious sound of the impact was more beautiful than the most exquisite music on this cold night.

"Young Master! Everything's accounted for!"

Anna's voice trembled with excitement.

"A total of... 523!"

Five hundred pieces.

Olivia, sitting opposite, gasped, nearly spilling the hot soup in her hand.

As an alchemist, she knew all too well what this number meant.

In the black market of the North, a magic crystal can be exchanged for 100 pounds of refined flour or two barrels of inferior fuel.

Five hundred... That's enough to buy a well-run small estate, or hire a fully armed mercenary group of a hundred to work for you for a whole year!

And all of this was merely the result of one battle in Lorraine.

"So many?"

Even Lorraine herself was a little surprised.

He originally thought he could get two or three hundred at most, since the drop rate of Tier 1 Living Snowflakes was terrifyingly low.

I never expected that the drop rate of Tier 2 Living Snowflakes during the snow season would be this high.

"Is this the joy of grinding monsters?"

Lorraine picked up a magic crystal, feeling the abundant energy within, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

If it were a normal territory development model—farming, collecting taxes, and trading—it would take a long, arduous period of hard work to accumulate this amount of money.

But now, a wave of profit has emerged.

He opened the Witch's Codex again.

This time, we can build on a massive scale again.

For some reason, he suddenly had the illusion that he was also an infrastructure construction fanatic.

……

at the same time.

Hundreds of kilometers away from White Wolf Territory, outside Frostwolf City, lies a hill covered in snow.

Catherine, draped in a grey robe, gazed into the distance at the "Moment of Change" region shrouded in endless snow and wind, a rare hint of worry appearing on her usually cold face.

The snow season has come too early.

The power of Winter's Wrath far exceeded her expectations.

She carried in her arms an alchemical chest carefully wrapped with heat-resistant runes, containing her first "investment" for Lorraine, which she had prepared at a great cost.

The acquisition process went surprisingly smoothly. She had originally planned to go back a month later to invest the items in Lorraine.

I didn't expect to get it in just three days.

But now, with the snow season starting a full month early, it seems that this investment may never be delivered.

It's not just because even she, a fourth-tier witch, couldn't traverse the Moment of Change without the Witch's Tower.

The real reason is...

"Under such a natural disaster, without the protection of enough Witch Towers, mortal territories wouldn't last even a day..."

Catherine murmured to herself, a hint of melancholy flashing in her eyes.

"That blindly loyal maid, and Lorraine... they... are probably dead already."

The moment this thought crossed her mind, she felt a strange sense of irritation.

The man who showed her the "perfect spirit origin," the lord who showed her another possibility, could he have just silently perished in the snow?

If he dies, wouldn't my hope of repairing my damaged soul be extinguished again?

"Perhaps... I should go back to the original plan and continue to rely on the Frostwolf Clan."

Catherine's gaze gradually turned cold and realistic.

Compared to a vague hope, the ancient family, though decaying, seemed like a more reliable choice.

However, just as she made up her mind and prepared to turn around and leave.

A faint but clear warm current suddenly came from her arms.

Catherine paused, then suddenly pulled a purple crystal card from inside her robes.

That was a keepsake she left for Lorraine.

This token was not only proof of identity, but she also attached a miniature magic array that was connected to Lorraine's life force.

If Lorraine dies, the keepsake will shatter into dust instantly.

If Lorraine falls into dire straits, the keepsake will lose its luster.

If Lorraine is in a normal state, the keepsake will emit a faint glow.

And at this moment...

That purple crystal card was radiating an unprecedentedly dazzling light!

The light was warm and dazzling, like a small sun, which dispelled some of the wind and snow around her.

The keepsake, instead of breaking, was... glowing?!

According to the principles of magic circles, this situation only represents one possibility—

The owner of the token is not only alive and well, but his power and influence are also growing at an extremely rapid pace...

Expansion and growth!

"How...how is this possible?!"

Catherine completely lost her composure, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared at the burning token in her hand.

Despite being caught between the double whammy of the Winter's Fury and the ephemeral moments of change, Lorraine not only survived but also grew stronger.

This is beyond what can be described as a miracle.

"That man... and the mysterious mentor behind him..."

Catherine took a deep breath, her chest heaving violently.

She realized once again that her assessment of Lorraine was far too low, ridiculously low!

He and the unknown power he represented were so unfathomable that they were beyond her comprehension.

Although the snow season will last a long time, at this moment, a flame of hope rekindled in Catherine's heart more intensely than ever before.

Compared to the potential shown by Lorraine, that ancient family was nothing but a pile of dying trash!

Catherine looked down at the alchemical chest in her arms, which she had originally thought was already quite substantial.

"Not enough... How can this little bit be worthy of a future legendary lord?"

Her eyes instantly became sharp and resolute.

"We must increase our investment!"

She carefully put away the token, and without the slightest hesitation, turned and sped off in another direction.

For the sake of the future lord, I, as the investor, must work even harder.