Chapter 116: Talia with Her Legs Raised

Nolan pulled back his chair and stood up, facing Talia solemnly.

“Go resolve this disaster, Talia.”

“You’re the strongest mage of the Cold Claw Alliance. Without you, our Ma’en City would be forever trapped in ice and snow.”

“Only your heaven‑defying magic can save Ma’en City!”

Though the two were still strangers now, in his past life he had long been familiar with how to deal with Talia.

If you wanted Talia to accomplish something, you had to praise her heavily.

Praise the big fish she caught, praise her long, smooth tail, praise her exquisite, silk‑like magic control.

After being flattered to the skies, Talia showed a silly smile and rubbed her head sheepishly.

“Hehe~ It’s not as exaggerated as you say.”

“Alright, since you all say so, I’ll give it my all this time.”

“Let me show you the true worth of the strongest mage!”

Talia swung her small fist in the air, speaking with full enthusiasm.

“Now, witness my magic!!”

She slammed her hands on the table, stood up abruptly, and turned around stylishly.

The remaining few exchanged glances and chose to silently follow.

They walked out through the broken church door and into the outdoors.

The howling wind blew in their faces, and goose‑feather snowflakes danced wildly in the air.

A certain little nun’s headscarf was blown away by the wind, and the tight bun at the back of her head unraveled, her black hair fluttering in the wind.

“Ah!”

Vivian couldn’t help but exclaim.

She quickly hugged her head to hold down her long hair.

Quick‑eyed Nolan lightly jumped and caught the escaping headscarf.

“Thank you…”

She held her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito.

Nolan said nothing, only a faint smile on his face.

He walked behind Vivian with the headscarf and carefully put it back on for her.

Vivian’s cheeks flushed slightly, feeling a bit shy.

‘We’re already an old married couple, but there’s still some shyness left in my heart, especially when others are around.’

‘By the way, can nuns in this church get married?’

During the time Nolan was putting the headscarf on her, a mess of thoughts ran through her mind, and her consciousness unconsciously drifted far away.

‘If others find out, will I be burned at the stake? Would a vampire be resurrected if burned to death…’

Feeling uncertain, Vivian raised her eyes to look at Derek beside her and blinked at him.

“?”

Derek was stunned, not understanding what she meant.

Years of experience told him that if he actually intervened, regardless of the outcome, he would end up being the bad guy.

‘You two lovebirds flirting, and you still have to drag me into it?’

So…

He raised his hand and gave Vivian a thumbs‑up.

His face broke into an exaggerated grin, his teeth even sparkling in the darkness.

“Good luck.”

He mouthed the words without making a sound.

Vivian lowered her head and sighed, then shrugged it off.

‘I didn’t expect that old fart Derek to answer me anyway…’

“Are you done messing around?”

Talia’s dissatisfied voice came.

“Now, everyone look at me! I’m about to get serious!”

She shouted with great vigor, drawing everyone’s attention.

Then she closed her eyelids, placed her hands on her waist, and slowly pulled out two broken staves.

The two staves twirled nimbly in her hands.

As she raised her hands, the broken staves merged into one in front of her, wrapped in a coarse piece of linen.

The moment she gripped the staff, an invisible force spread out from her.

This force blocked the wind and snow, forming a vacuum barrier.

She pointed the staff at the sky and shouted.

“Super Super Clear Sky!!”

A flash of ice‑blue light burst from the tip of the staff, shooting straight into the sky.

“Wow, so dazzling! I’m going to get scorched!”

Vivian quickly turned her head and covered her eyes.

Her cornea stung, as if looking any longer would blind her.

“Truly… it’s been a long time since I’ve seen this magic.”

Nolan raised his hand to shield his eyes and peeked at the flash, his tone nostalgic.

“I have to admit, this is indeed the strongest magic I’ve ever seen.”

“Even a legendary miracle would be nothing more than this.”

Derek, without knowing where he got a pair of sunglasses, gently placed them on his nose.

He looked up at the dazzling beam in the sky, smacked his lips, and murmured in admiration.

“Hmph~”

Talia glanced sideways at the people beside her, very satisfied with their reactions.

A smug smile involuntarily crept onto her lips.

“And there’s more!”

The staff in her hand emitted an even brighter blue light, increasing her mana output.

The beam suddenly trembled, its diameter instantly growing thicker.

It was like a giant blue spear thrown by a god, about to pierce the sky!

Just then, an accident suddenly occurred.

The staff flickered a few times, like a mana‑deprived magical light bulb.

The flash that had sworn to pierce the heavens ran out of energy halfway before reaching the clouds.

It slowly dissipated in midair, leaving only faint and scattered blue particles.

It was like setting off a blue firework for everyone.

Gorgeous and colorful, but nothing happened.

Talia’s magic… had failed.

“Huh!”

The once majestic Talia suddenly began to shake uncontrollably, convulsing like a mouse that had eaten rat poison.

White foam dripped from her mouth, her eyes rolled back, her legs kicked up, and she flipped backward, collapsing in the snow, unconscious.

“Is… is she dead?”

Vivian rubbed her eyes, her face full of disbelief.

Nolan took the lead and stepped forward.

“Let’s go check.”

Vivian and Derek hesitated for a moment, then quickly gathered around.

Looking at Talia lying in the snow with her tongue out and eyes rolled back, no one made a rash move.

Nolan crouched in front of Talia and carefully examined her condition.

He rubbed his chin in thought for a while, then spoke cautiously.

“Not dead. It should be mana exhaustion.”

A mage’s spellcasting requires mana as fuel.

Although Talia’s mana reserves were vast as the sea, she had already consumed seventy to eighty percent in the previous battle with Vivian.

In that fight, she seemed to have used fewer than five spells.

But every spell she cast was the most cutting‑edge magic in the field of magic.

Changing the weather, transforming terrain, freezing rivers, giving life to ice…

Any one of these spells would be enough to drain the entire mana of a squad of Imperial mages.

Not to mention, her spells were all instant cast, no incantation.

If other mages saw this, they would surely exclaim:

“This is simply the goddess of magic incarnate!”

And our dear rat‑man mage, after being coaxed and praised nine times by someone, instantly forgot about mana exhaustion and was completely immersed in the joy of flattery.

And so, the strongest mage—

Talia—with unsteady steps and a splitting headache forced herself to hold on.

She came outside, ready to perform a shocking earth‑shattering magic for everyone.

Poor Talia, under everyone’s expectant gaze, collapsed as expected.

Her mana pool was depleted, her spirit exhausted.

She fell into a state of suspended animation.

Mana pool depleted, spirit exhausted.