"Neigh~"
The Unicorn's cry jolted Emilia out of her brief daze. She had replayed this moment countless times before returning, so almost the instant her mind fully cleared, the Thirteenth Ring of Fate that had only just faded behind her reappeared.
Holding her sword in her right hand, she sliced open her left palm with the sword blade. After smearing her blood across the blade of the Ocarina of Time, Emilia raised the longsword over her head.
"Witch Secret Art—Resting Domain: Time!"
This was a supreme secret art invented by the Demigod Witch during the Doomsday Era, specifically to create an environment close to that before the apocalypse, allowing herself a brief chance to rest. Emilia lacked the talent to fully master this secret art, however, and had only grasped the portion of the "Resting Domain" that calmed chaotic flows of time.
But even so, as the Ocarina of Time played its melodious tune and golden ripples spread outward in circles, everyone on the battlefield beneath the Tree could almost feel that spacetime—which had barely maintained its balance through the Tree's power—seemed to have completely returned to normal after Emilia's spell.
The Ring Arcanists' powers, suppressed by the crumbling spacetime, consequently grew stronger. Sylvia, who was closest to the Elf Girl, glanced at her and sensed that Emilia seemed somewhat different from how she had been seconds ago.
Emilia herself only felt that casting spells outside the Doomsday Era was far too smooth. Casting spells during the apocalypse had been even more uncomfortable than a person dying of thirst trying to spit outward—though, of course, the little elf would never do something so uncivilized.
The more stable order of spacetime even strengthened Iluna and Sister Devlin. But before Emilia could celebrate, the Ancient One's almost tangible gaze swept over her