The long corridor was devoid of any signs of life. In this ice-forged castle, warmth and vitality were foreign concepts.
Ophelia was accustomed to such solitude—this cold, desolate environment suited a mage like her, one who pursued truth in isolation.
But now, that isolation was being disrupted.
A mage named Li Mo, claiming to hail from a parallel world, had appeared in this land.
Why was he here? Where was he headed?
Questions like these swirled in Ophelia's mind. And as a mage, her instinctive solution to troublesome unknowns was simple: eliminate the source.
*Kill him.*
The thought surfaced and then faded just as quickly. Ophelia knew better—Scáthach-Skadi had permitted Li Mo to stay in this castle, which meant she regarded him not as an enemy, but as one of her *children*.
Enemies were to be destroyed. Children were to be protected.
Killing one of her children would be tantamount to declaring war on the queen. And Ophelia doubted her own status as a "child" would spare her from retribution.
Compared to the queen's trust, the life of some unknown mage was insignificant.
*Li Mo.* A name with an Eastern flavor. But… was it even his real name?
"You seem troubled, Miss Ophelia. Though I don't know what your plans are, I doubt I'll stand in your way."
The crisp sound of footsteps had been the only noise in the corridor until now. The man's voice cut through the silence.
Ophelia scoffed. "You claim to know what we're doing?"
"Well, the last thing I saw was a colossal tree piercing the heavens, Chaldea in Antarctica being blown to bits, and a Servant from the 15th century getting killed by Kirei Kotomine. Honestly, that scene terrified me—I *personally* killed Kirei. How was he still around?"
Li Mo spoke leisurely, as if recalling an old memory. "Oh, and I also saw that the mastermind behind it all was one of your A-Team members—Kadoc, wasn't it?"
Ophelia stopped walking. Her remaining eye fixed on Li Mo, cold as death.
It was impossible not to feel murderous. She had only *just* learned that Kadoc and Vitch were responsible for the operation against Chaldea. How did this mage know?
"Calculating the risks now, Ophelia? Thinking of killing me?"
"Are you *taunting* me?"
"No, no. I just want an honest exchange of perspectives. Given the current situation, we're going to be stuck here—in this pruned, discarded history—for a long time."
Li Mo smiled. "So I figured I should get along with my neighbor. Don't you agree?"
Ophelia's voice was icy. "We have nothing to discuss."
"Ah, what a shame."
She ignored him after that. Even if his words carried hidden information, who was to say it wasn't just bait on a hook?
The girl remained silent, leading him only to the room next to hers. Any further conversation between them was strictly perfunctory.
---
Snow in the Nordic Lostbelt was always carried by the wind.
*Cold* was the defining trait of this world.
And Li Mo *hated* the cold. As someone from the south, how could he not?
Even the pristine white snow lost its charm after the initial novelty wore off. All that remained was the biting, relentless chill.
Exhaling produced visible mist. Though he wore thin clothing, thermal-regulation magecraft kept him warm as he traversed the frozen wasteland.
Leaving Scáthach-Skadi's ice castle behind, he made his way toward Settlement No. 101.
A week had passed since his audience with the queen. By now, he had a rough grasp of the current timeline.
The seven Lostbelts hadn't yet fully manifested across the planet. Chaldea was still intact in Antarctica, awaiting judgment from the Clock Tower. The Crypters had only just begun moving, dispersing to their respective Lostbelts.
*The timeline's still too early…*
With a sigh, Li Mo's thoughts returned to the Lostbelt King—Scáthach-Skadi. This goddess, who shared the face of the Queen of the Land of Shadows, held boundless love for all life in this world. Humans, giants, natives of the Lostbelt, outsiders—it didn't matter.
To her, there were only two categories: *enemies* and *children*.
No third option existed.
Li Mo had been accepted as one of her children. Just like Ophelia. And among family, killing was forbidden—that was Scáthach-Skadi's rule.
His past slaughter of the giants had been quietly overlooked. In her eyes, even the giants were her children. But as a parent, favoritism was inevitable.
Scáthach-Skadi loved humans more than giants.
And as for his relationship with Ophelia…
Li Mo frowned. Over the past few days, his shadow-forged scouts had traversed the entire Nordic Lostbelt. Yet he had found no trace of the storm walls that were supposed to isolate each Lostbelt.
This made him wonder—*how exactly does a Lostbelt exist?*
Alas, questions of world structure were beyond his current reach. He hadn't even touched the level of a *Beast*, let alone the mechanics of reality itself.
What *did* matter was Ophelia's attitude toward him. He knew that Surtr, the Flame Giant he needed to kill, had his eyes on her—specifically, her Saber, Sigurd. But Ophelia likely had no idea that Sigurd's Saint Graph had already been usurped by Surtr.
*"Surtr… Surtr…"*
Aware that the entire world lay within Scáthach-Skadi's perception, Li Mo had taken precautions. Whenever he ventured outside, he shrouded his words from her. It wasn't difficult for him.
Of course, the concealment only masked his speech. The queen could still perceive his actions.
His thoughts shifted from Ophelia back to Surtr. If he played his cards right, he might be able to use the still-dormant Flame Giant to his advantage. But the fleeting idea slipped away before he could grasp it.
No matter.
At this point in time, the Fantasy Trees hadn't yet taken root on Earth. The counterattack from Proper Human History hadn't begun. No Heroic Spirits from the outside would appear in this frozen land.
The only things he would encounter here were the hundred villages—and the newly established 101st.
Scáthach-Skadi's stance on Settlement No. 101 was one of silent approval. She never spoke of it directly, but her inaction spoke volumes.
She didn't oppose him. In fact, she *supported* his efforts.
After all, what parent would willingly send their children to die?
As the gates of Settlement No. 101 came into view, Li Mo allowed himself a small smile.
He had returned to his foothold in this world.