His breathing was fragile, as if it might stop at any moment. His face, devoid of any color, constantly reminded me of death. Despite lowering the barrier against the fiercely howling cold wind and covering Leopold with all my outer garments, his body temperature refused to rise. All I could do immediately was treat the minor scratches on his skin.

Deep wounds or bruises healed effortlessly with just a touch of my fingertips. It was frustrating that I couldn’t address the fundamental problem.

I sat for a long time, holding his icy hand, hoping warmth would transfer to him. I expected the chieftain to return quickly, but he didn’t appear until my legs were numb. Just as I was about to stand, worried something might have happened, he finally arrived with his group.

“I’ve been waiting…”

However, I couldn’t finish my sentence. The chieftain approached with a stern face, carrying the shaman in her arms.

“Kien is injured. Because of that madman’s attack.”

She gritted her teeth as she laid the frail old man down. Alarmed, I hurried to examine him. His bones were likely already weak. My hands moved quickly with concern.

As expected, the shaman had fractures or cracks from his limbs to his ribs, likely from the explosion’s impact. Although the bleeding seemed to have stopped, the side of his head was a mess from bloodstains. Fortunately, there were no fatal injuries. After completing my diagnosis, I infused magic into Kien from head to toe.

“Be grateful I’m not killing him on the spot.”

The chieftain watched the healing process and spoke as if threatening me. Understanding her anger, given how close the shaman had come to losing his life, I nodded.

“I’m truly sorry this happened. But I can treat him immediately, so please be patient.”

I meant it sincerely, but she snorted as if to say, “Let’s see you try.” She still seemed skeptical of my abilities.

“Make sure you heal him properly.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll even strengthen his skeleton.”

“Strengthen his skeleton?”

Her fierce expression softened slightly. Sensing an opportunity to gain her trust, I explained further.

“Exactly. I use magic to fill in the components that weaken with age in his fragile bones. This way, he won’t get injured easily in the future. He’ll have bones as strong as someone twenty years younger.”

“Are you just saying that because it’s something I can’t verify with my own eyes?”

“Considering you’re the one who almost committed a baseless act that could have killed someone, I don’t think you’re in a position to say that. It’s a treatment that’s burdensome for me too, so I rarely attempt it. I’m wondering if I’m doing something unnecessary.”

When I retorted coldly in a moment of irritation, she fell silent. I shouldn’t have been so sharp, but the sight of Leopold lying there like a corpse made me anxious.

I tended to Kien almost until dawn.

At some point, the chieftain, who had been watching me without taking her eyes off, seemed to lower her guard. She instructed the guards to restore the quarters to their original state and went outside, likely to assess the situation of the village and its people.

Meanwhile, warmth gradually returned inside, and both Kien’s and Leopold’s body temperatures rose noticeably. Relieved, I turned to a guard who had been watching me with curiosity the whole time.

“But what about the chieftain’s daughter? Where is she?”

“She’s still in the shelter. She’s too scared to come out.”

“I see…”

She must have been quite shocked. It didn’t sit well with me. If I could use magic for mental healing, I would have gladly helped.

I was also worried about whether any natives were severely injured. Of course, if there were any injured, I would have jumped in to help, but such an incident should never have happened in the first place… Why did things become so tangled? Both Leopold and I, as well as the chieftain of the ice land, acted only for the people we cherished and loved. My heart ached.

“Ugh…”

A small groan caught my attention. I quickly knelt beside the old man, hopeful. His deep gray eyes slowly met mine.

“Shaman? Are you conscious?”

“…Am I still alive?”

“Of course. I’m here!”

I helped support him as he tried to sit up. Then I quickly asked a few questions to check: if he had any remaining pain, if he had lost any memories, and if he felt capable of performing his rituals properly.

“That’s your goal, young lady.”

“I’m sorry, but yes.”

I answered in a troubled voice, looking at Leopold lying as if dead. The old man’s gaze naturally followed mine.

“If I can save my husband, I’ll do anything.”

“Why are you speaking so seriously? It’s not a difficult task. Besides, even if I start the spell, it’s ultimately completed by the couple.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

I didn’t understand what he meant and asked again, but he only gave a mysterious smile and skipped the explanation. Instead, he seemed more interested in his own body, bending and stretching his arms or touching his waist.

“But it’s strange. I feel an incredible amount of strength.”

“I put quite a bit of effort into it.”

“That’s impressive. I feel like my limbs are as good as they were in my younger days.”

“It’s not just a feeling; you’ve actually become better.”

A look of surprise and satisfaction spread across his wrinkled face. It seemed I had earned his trust, so I didn’t hesitate to urge him.

“Now, please cast the life-sharing spell. Quickly.”

“Let’s see…”

Although he didn’t give a direct answer, Kien looked around, surveying the area. Then he stood up completely, moving back and forth as if measuring the space.

“Hmm, this should be sufficient. Guard, bring the ice stone jar.”

“Yes, shaman.”

The guard, who had disappeared somewhere, quickly returned. He was holding a small, ordinary-looking white jar in both hands. He placed the jar in front of Kien.

“What is this?”

“It’s a medium for binding.”

It was an unfamiliar term I had never heard before. The reality of the spell was starting to sink in.

“Go sit next to your husband. Normally, the two of you would need to be standing, but since he’s lying down like that, there’s no helping it. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

I quietly sat beside Leopold and watched what he did.

Kien opened the jar and reached inside. He grabbed a handful of something and sprinkled it in a circle around Leopold and me. Upon closer inspection, it looked like gemstones the size of fingernails, but they were round like pebbles, had a bright and iridescent color like opals, and sparkled like gold dust.

“I’ve never seen these before. Are they gemstones?”

“You could call them stones made of ice. They melt if taken out of the ice land, but here, they’re harder than rocks.”

I finally understood why this spell could only be performed in the ice land.

Once the circle was complete, he began drawing unknown symbols outside the circle. They resembled ancient magical patterns, like those I had seen in Leopold’s past memories.

“Blood must be offered. Guard.”

The guard, as if well-practiced, pointed the spear he was holding at me. Startled, I widened my eyes and looked back and forth between him and the shaman, but he gestured reassuringly.

“Don’t be alarmed. It’s better than biting into your flesh with your teeth. Just prick your palm with the spear tip. It hurts, so just a little. A few drops will suffice.”

Kien nodded as if to say, “Go ahead.” Though I was tense for a moment, I quickly extended my right arm, took the spear, and made a cut on my palm. As soon as the droplets hit the ground, the ice stones flashed, and the entire circle emitted light. At the same time, a surge of energy resonated through my body. It was a strange sensation.

“Prick your husband’s hand too.”

There was no reason to hesitate. I carefully took his arm and repeated the process. When the red blood fell within the circle once more, I felt an even stronger wave of energy. I became convinced that this spell was neither a mere superstition nor a joke.

“Now it’s time to exchange blood. Hold hands over the wounds.”

I hesitated for a moment. Since the wounds hadn’t fully clotted, his instruction seemed a bit risky. At the academy, we were taught to avoid direct contact during any healing acts due to concerns about possible infections between healer and patient, or between patients. But having come this far, I decided there was no point in holding back, so I clasped Leopold’s hand.

And then.

“What…?”

In an instant, all my energy surged towards the wounded area. It felt as if a channel for energy transfer had opened between him and me. Leopold’s powerful energy also seemed to rush toward me.

“Hmm… This is a bit tricky.”

Kien, who had been watching the situation closely, murmured as if surprised. Then he removed some of the ice stones, disrupting the circle by creating a gap.

“Don’t let go of his hand.”

With the tension in his warning, I tightened my grip on his hand.

Leopold’s red energy and my blue energy swirled together like a vortex and leaked out of the circle. I began to feel the same sensation as when he had once drained my energy. It seemed as if all my strength would be depleted, turning everything into nothing.

I looked at Kien with a fearful expression, but he stood still, merely observing the mingling of our energies as they dispersed into the air.