“Where… where am I?”

The Princess gazed around in confusion at the endless white expanse. She realized the teleportation magic had malfunctioned.

This should still be within the Frost Empire’s territory. Yet the Princess had never left the capital in her life. She’d only heard tales of the outside world—completely unfamiliar.

Lost in the vast snowy wilderness, she had no way to orient herself.

“Is anyone there?!” she cried helplessly into the snow. The blinding whiteness pressed in, stirring deep loneliness and fear.

But those feelings paled beside the terror radiating from her thigh.

“Ugh!” Pain twisted her face. She looked down. Beneath a thick layer of ice, a black substance clung tightly to her left leg.

It kept spreading. At first, it barely passed her knee. Now, it had crept several centimeters higher.

The initial chill had faded, leaving only a constricting pressure. Worse, she felt it seeping into her skin, drilling into every pore.

And when she channeled magic to resist—it horrified her. Her magic was being absorbed, twisted into something sinister and dark, then flung back at her.

Thankfully, her reserves were deep. The corruption couldn’t consume it all at once. She still had time.

“What *is* this?!”

She conjured an ice blade, melted a small patch of ice, and tried to slice the black mass. But it was unnaturally resilient. The blade wouldn’t cut. Instead, it slithered up the blade like living tendrils toward her hand.

Startled, she dropped the blade and sealed it again with fresh ice.

“I have to get this off… If it climbs higher, I’m finished.”

She knew it couldn’t spread further. Given how it burrowed… past the thigh would be catastrophic.

“Not afraid of ice… What about fire?”

Desperate, she frantically searched for anything flammable. No fire magic—only external sources. Finding nothing, she tore off her outer robe, struck her flint, and thrust her foot into the flames.

“Huh? Why… doesn’t it burn?”

She exposed the substance to fire. Not a trace of heat reached her. It blocked thermal energy completely.

She’d noticed earlier: though her leg was bare beneath the ice, she felt no cold.

“Unaffected by fire or ice… absorbs my magic… Could it be…”

A chilling thought flashed. She stared at her slender thigh, eyes flickering.

She raised a sharp ice blade. *Before it’s too late. Cut it off. Save the kingdom.*

“Such horror has appeared in our land… I must warn them. So I… cannot fall here.”

Teeth gritted, she swung the blade down—

A sharp gust slammed sideways, knocking the blade from her hand.

“Who’s there?!”

Through the raging blizzard, a figure emerged. A beautiful woman in black, riding a broomstick, flaming skulls hovering around her.

The Princess recognized the silhouette.

“You… the cultist impersonating the Dark Sorceress?!”

The Frost Empire’s intelligence knew: Selina had impersonated the Second-generation Witch. The true Second-generation Witch still slumbered in the far north. This impostor matched reports exactly.

“Seems Your Highness knows me,” Selina said with a mysterious smile. “No need for introductions. My master sent me to watch over you—prevent rash choices.”

“Your master? Has the Dark Sorceress awakened?”

“Hmph~” Selina offered only an enigmatic smile. “You’ll understand soon.”

Watching the corruption spread across the Princess, Selina’s eyes gleamed with envy. She remembered her own erosion—how it brought true bliss.

Alas, her master hadn’t ‘consumed’ her since. As a lowly servant, she dared not hope for more. Now, seeing the Princess on the verge, she felt only longing.

“What do you want from me?!”

Most of the Princess’s magic fought the corruption. She doubted she could win.

“I will do nothing. You are my master’s chosen—her property. I merely observe.”

“Madwoman!” the Princess muttered. No time to argue.

Low on magic, she began chanting. Here, in this frozen realm, her ice magic would peak.

The blizzard roared fiercer. Visibility vanished.

As magic surged, the black substance climbed visibly higher.

“Frozen Snow Burial!”

Every snowflake sharpened into a razor blade, screaming toward Selina. Millions sliced her body—tiny cuts, relentless. Within seconds, she was shredded like meat in a grinder.

“Let this snow be your grave!”

Exhausted, the Princess staggered back. The corruption now reached her upper thigh. *No hesitation this time.*

She summoned a blade—

Then froze.

Where Selina stood, the snow bubbled with soft, jelly-like black beads. They flowed together like mercury. From the viscous pool, Selina’s form reassembled.

“Impossible! I… I shredded you!”

“Envious?” Selina smiled. “Don’t worry. Soon, you’ll share my immortal life.”