Silence fell over the ritual grounds. For the next few minutes, no one spoke a word, many didn't even move. The girl at the center of the ritual circles and figures stood frozen with her eyes closed, it was noticeable that she was shaking slightly, but not enough to be dangerous. A minute passed, and another, and another, and another, the girl continued to stand with her eyes closed.
No one tried to rush her, no one tried to give her advice, or worse, help her. But something subtly changed in the feeling of the surrounding space, then the girl's left arm twitched, and like a doll's, it "mechanically" rose and stretched forward. The massive bracelet on her slender arm rattled with rings, and she was surrounded by a translucent cocoon of silver-blue mist, which after a few seconds turned into a cone of beams of the same color, forming a dark gray oval at a distance of five or six meters, absolutely impenetrable. Everyone remained silent, even the girl herself.
About a minute of tense waiting passed, when the oval of the portal window rippled, then several purple lightning bolts appeared, and the next moment, a female figure "floated" out of it. A tall woman in a dark blue, almost black dress with a long train behind her, and a skirt cut to her knees, revealing neat shoes. From a line just below the navel to the throat of the dress was a wide separate strip, interrupted only by a couple of "buttons", revealing the white skin of a slender belly, a small navel with an earring, part of a high and voluminous chest.
Instead of a collar, the long-sleeved dress wore what looked like a wide and high crown, though she also had a real crown, but not a gold one, as was customary, but one of something light, with a faint yellowish tint, generously studded with colorful sparkling stones. The shape of the crown was not like the usual crowns, but diverged above his head in broad, thin, curved spokes, covered with thorns like a rose.
The picture was completed by a thick waterfall of black hair below the woman's waist, thin but predatory features of European type, and red, blood-colored sclerae, slightly darker irises, and a vertical black stripe of the pupil.
The woman took a few steps away from the portal window and stopped, even that was enough to recognize her as a duchess, if not a queen, then certainly a duchess — no less! The expression on her face, the grace of her movements, the calm, confident gaze — a perfect specimen for any aristocrat to look up to. Slowly and deliberately, the woman glanced around the room with her red eyes, pausing at each person for a fraction of a second before looking at Hermione, who was standing closest to her.
— "Mortals," the woman's voice was "impossible," as if it had been specially processed on a computer, adding a certain "duality" and a slightly "electronic" sound. The woman covered her eyes for a moment and turned her thin nose slightly, as if sniffing. — Magic and technology... — the guest opened her eyes again and looked around at everyone. — A rare combination... — she shifted her gaze to Hoshino and even smiled slightly. — And rare talents. Mortal, I offer you to be my plaything, and I even promise to consider your rebirth. — The people present didn't even have time to realize the meaning of the strange woman's words before the guy answered.
— I am very sorry, Lady, but for many reasons, I cannot accept your offer. — The mage bowed very, very respectfully to the woman, but did not lose eye contact with her. Even so, everyone could hear the tension in his voice.
— May I know the reason for your refusal, mortal? — The one whose beauty could hardly be surpassed asked with a polite hint of a smile.
— Duty and obligation, lady. — The boy bowed again, this time with nothing but politeness and respect in his voice.
— And how would you feel if I were to wipe out everything and everyone you owe a debt to? — The woman smiled thinly, revealing sharp, snow-white needle teeth.
— My honor is loyalty to my word and duty, they are in my heart, Lady. — The woman grinned even wider, a look that made almost everyone break into a cold sweat.
— And if I wish your heart to stop beating?
At this point, no one was in good health or spirits, no matter what happened, everyone was literally trembling with fear and foreboding. Only three of them looked much calmer and more confident than at the moment of that person's appearance. Their faces had lost their emotionality, and their eyes were full of determination, standing straight and confident. One of the three, the one to whom the being or essence that had come to this world was speaking, shook his head calmly as he continued to look into the woman's eyes.
— Death changes a person: in the next moment, we are not the same as we were in our previous life. I cannot accept your offer, Lady. — This time he only bowed his head, which made some people think that this being would be angry not only at the words but also at the open disrespect, but the woman surprised him — she laughed. There was no irony or malice in the sound of her laughter, only amusement.
— Beautiful! Ha-ha! Wonderful! — The woman waved her arms out to her sides, causing her chest to sway heavily. — Every time there is a mortal among the trash and filth who dares to defy Me! Reject Me! Aha-ha-ha-ha-ha! — She laughed for a while before she began to calm down. — What is your name, mortal?
— Hoshino Sora, lady.
— A young, still inexperienced Traveler-Middle-Sudeb, — when the woman was half a step away from the guy, no one noticed: here she was standing in one place, and in the next moment she was running her thin white fingers over the guy's cheek. — Well, you amuse me, mortal. — With a thin smile, the woman pulled her hand away from the boy's face and looked into his eyes. — As a reward, I will drink neither your blood nor your souls. — At that moment, the eyes of the guest were filled with a ruby glow, and 'heaviness' descended upon everyone, literally pressing them to the ground, people had to use all their strength just to kneel down, not to spread out on the floor. — Farewell mortal, I'll remember you. And I hope to see you again someday... — the woman turned and walked gracefully towards the portal window.
— Bon voyage, lady. — Hoshino bowed at the woman's back.
The guest entered the oval of the portal and it scattered with sparks. All but four of them literally fell to the ground. The three mentioned above, who were ready to die on the spot, and the girl, who was seized by a terrible fear and horror that literally paralyzed her body, and she still could not move.
The boy, with inhuman eyes burning in his sockets, filled with otherworldly light, turned to his charge and embraced her tightly. It was as if the girl's stiffened body didn't even tremble, and she seemed very cold, icy, even her clothes. It took at least an hour for the girl to come to her senses, and another hour for the platform to flash with new lights, and for a new cone of silvery smoky light to emanate from the bracelet.