Translator: CinderTL
After a few minutes, Catherine explained to her friend Ophina the current predicament she, Paul, and the others were in.
The usually stoic female general felt as if a volcano had erupted in her head.
"You... you... you all... were naked?"
Due to the immense shock, Ophina even stuttered in her simulated speech in her mind.
Princess Catherine, Princess Eileen, Miss Setia, a queen from another continent, and that female assassin, all gathered in one place without a stitch of clothing... Well, if it were just that, it wouldn't be a big deal, but the crucial point was that there was also the only male present—Paul Grayman!
Father in heaven, what kind of scene would that be? Just imagining it made Ophina's head spin, and her cheeks flushed red.
"Ophina..."
In her mind, Catherine's voice became increasingly unnatural.
"If you're willing to help, you'll need to come to us first, which means..."
Catherine found it difficult to continue, but it was clear what she was implying—it meant that Ophina, upon arriving in that world, would also end up like them!
"I am willing to help you, Princess Catherine." Ophina didn't hesitate for long and quickly gave the princess a firm reply.
"Thank you, my Ophina!" Catherine's voice was both happy and somewhat guilty.
"But I must remind you, the flow of time here seems to be different from the real world. By the way, what day is it now? How is the academic conference at Weiss Academy going?"
"It concluded yesterday. The scholars were all puzzled as to why Paul, the initiator, hadn't shown up. No wonder, it turns out you... Well, well, the lord's manor has kept it well hidden. Such a big event as the disappearance of two princesses, and they didn't even tell us!" Ophina gritted her teeth, speaking with resentment.
"Only seven days have passed? Isabella was right; the flow of time here is indeed different from the outside world. Ophina, you need to be prepared. When you come to fetch us, you might... have to stay here for a long time before you can return with us!"
A long time? Ophina almost exclaimed. She didn't know how long "a long time" was, but she quickly responded firmly, "Just tell me what I need to do!"
"Thank you..."
In the following time, Ophina followed Catherine's instructions and drew a very intricate pattern on the floor of her bedroom.
After a final careful check to ensure there were no mistakes in the pattern, it was already past eleven at night.
Ophina locked all the doors and windows of her residence, then stood at the center of the pattern, watching the clock and waiting quietly.
Time passed second by second, and finally, as the second hand was about to complete its last circle of the day, Ophina pressed a dagger against her finger.
With a light cut, a few drops of bright red blood fell from her fingertip onto the ground, right at the center of the pattern.
She recited the obscure incantation as Catherine had taught her.
The pattern on the ground immediately lit up, emitting a reddish glow that enveloped Ophina, while the pattern itself disappeared.
Ophina felt a blur before her eyes, and when her vision cleared, she realized she was in another world—standing before her were the people who had disappeared in the real world.
Although she had mentally prepared herself before the teleportation, the overwhelming sense of shame enveloped her when she found herself "exposed" in front of everyone. Instinctively, she tightly crossed her arms over her chest, her delicate face turning as red as a ripe apple.
The others also felt somewhat awkward seeing Ophina in this state.
Despite having spent a long time together in this strange world and having grown accustomed to each other's presence, the sudden appearance of an "outsider" brought a significant shock.
After a moment of silent pause, "Welcome to our group!" Ophina saw "Miss Setia" flash a charming smile and speak to her. She had appeared right in front of "Miss Setia."
Wait, the real Miss Setia was the one standing beside her.
There were also the excited Princess Catherine and Princess Eileen, as well as a white-haired woman with a guarded expression—she must be the assassin.
As for Paul Grayman... perhaps out of curiosity, Ophina instinctively glanced at him, and instantly, her mind erupted like a volcano.
"Why are you still looking!" Shame and anger filled the female knight's chest. She covered her eyes with one hand and pointed accusingly at Paul, who was staring at her.
"Sorry, force of habit," Paul awkwardly turned away.
"Hmph, insatiable!" Eileen pinched his waist hard, causing Paul to grimace in pain.
"Ophina, you've worked hard," Catherine stepped forward and tightly grasped her friend's hand, acknowledging the great sacrifice she had made.
"Alright!" Isabella, the Queen of Serdan, clapped her hands and said, "Now we just need to wait for the next 'Moment of Convergence' to appear, and then we can return to the real world."
...
In the bedroom, the second hand of the clock ticked away, round and round.
When the hour hand returned to the twelve o'clock position for the third time since Ophina's disappearance, the intricate patterns that had vanished from the floor suddenly reappeared.
A flash of red light filled the bedroom, and the group trapped in the alternate dimension finally returned to the real world—Paul, Catherine, Eileen, Ladia, Ophina, Coleridge... all except Queen Isabella of Serdan.
Just before the teleportation occurred, Isabella kissed Paul and said, "We'll meet again soon!" Then she vanished, returning to the Serdan nation on another continent.
Paul's head felt dizzy.
Regardless, they were finally back. In the alternate space, when Queen Isabella finally remembered and explained the principle of returning to the real world, Paul, who knew nothing about magic, was completely lost. The others weren't much better, and it seemed only Ladia, who shared a deep connection with Isabella, could understand.
The gist was that they needed to find someone in the outside world who was "compatible" with one of the present individuals to act as a link.
Time and again, after much effort, when the so-called 'Moment of Convergence' appeared once more, Catherine was fortunate enough to 'Link' with Ophina through the power of their minds, and the door back to the real world finally cracked open.
It was quite miraculous. When they appeared in Ophina's bedroom, their clothes had returned, exactly as they were before disappearing. Everyone once again felt that long-lost, comforting sensation.
Eileen eagerly opened the window, and the view of Alden Town outside was fully visible.
"Ah, dear world! We're back!" she exclaimed excitedly into the dim night sky.
(End of the Chapter)
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