"Miss Annette, I-I'm here!"
The panting Stella ran into the plaza. Outside, wind and snow howled, yet no wind could be felt within the plaza, nor was there any snow on the ground. This was an effect the divine descent had brought to the plaza earlier, but that was unimportant now.
Luvia explained:
"Not long after you withdrew from the battlefield, I took Ellie and left as well, timing it precisely. No one else can disengage now, or they won't be able to hold out below until Shade returns. Grandma Cassandra stayed aboard the ship to support the situation. At least one Great Witch must remain at each of the ship, the castle, and the tower, so Grandma couldn't come either."
The Diviner with Purple Eyes was not at all surprised that she was the eleventh Young Lady to arrive:
"Only girls with sufficiently close ties to Shade are qualified to play the music, so I didn't call the Witch Followers over just to make up the numbers. It's almost time."
"But we don't have enough people. It's hard to say how effective eleven will be."
Bella said worriedly. Just then, a twelfth figure appeared. Daniste likewise emerged into the plaza through the wind and snow.
"Looks like I came at just the right time. We're still one person short."
Administrator Miss merely swept her gaze around and immediately knew the count:
"Where is Siris? Wasn't she on the ship too?"
"Something happened in town twenty minutes ago. She took the last support team stationed on the ship with her."
Bella explained. Calculating the time Luvia had given them, she felt her heartbeat quicken more and more. The diviner's intuition was frantically warning her not to miss the moment:
"Winnie, can't you transfer whoever we need directly here? Anyone will