"GRANDMA, I KNOW my words seemed stupid, but I'm telling the truth; you can cast whatever spell you want to see what's inside my head; I won't mind."
Alinta took a deep breath and waited for the woman sitting leisurely in front of her to speak. Her hands were bound with a mystical rope, and she was hanging upside down in a barn. She could already feel her blood racing to the top of her head, and she was sure she was going to pass out any minute now.
A while ago, when she was discovered by her grandmother and her minions, she was immediately bound and confined in this barn. Apparently, the old woman felt something familiar about her and was suspicious of her origin. But, after narrating the entire story, her grandmother remained seated, thinking about whatever her grandmother was thinking about. Alinta hadn't even heard her grandmother speak since she began telling the tale.
"Oh?" Atara remarked after a minute and a half of silence. Something glinted through her eyes as she said with a half-smile, "Luna's stupidity put you in this predicament? I don't know what to think," she sneered, "Should I be proud of that good-for-nothing half-disciple of mine or ashamed for having you as my descendant? Seriously!" Her eyes turned cold as she continued, "You were defeated by Luna, who has not even a fraction of my power, yet you don't even feel embarrassed facing me right now?" Showing a face of disgust, she said, "I don't want to acknowledge you at all!"
"....." said Alinta. She was not asking to be acknowledged, anyway. So, she didn't care.
Alinta opened her mouth to respond but was immediately interrupted.
"Vasta is an entity that will never perish," Atara explained, "He was, after all, a creature formed when this world was formed. However," Atara looked at Alinta from head to toe before adding, "He has a weakness. Since you're my descendant, I will reluctantly help you."
Alinta's mouth twitched. Regardless, she showed an expression of gratitude, and said, "Thank you very much, Grandma!"
Atara harrumphed. "You are such a disappointment! I hope my child isn't like you." She stood up and began untying her said-to-be granddaughter. Then, she began frowning and murmuring, "But being able to raise a disappointment like you mean my child is also a disappointment, right?"
Urk---
Alinta was speechless once more. She remembered how many times her grandmother had called her mother a disappointment in the past and decided to just close her mouth.
Moments later, when she was already standing on her two feet and her wrists were freed, Alinta couldn't help but ask curiously, "Are you not going to interrogate me more? Aren't you curious about my existence and other matters?" Alinta grimaced as she caressed the pain away from her wrists. Her grandmother was fierce. That mystical weapon almost cut her hands.
Atara, who was already at the exit, looked over her shoulder and answered, "Why should I? As for you being my descendant, I could still feel a remnant of my blood on yours despite the world trying to obliterate it."
"Obliterate?"
"What do you expect? You came from the distant future; how do you think the laws of this world would react? Your very existence is a threat. It's how the world sees you right now."
After that, Atara exited the barn. Alinta had no choice but to follow her.
Then, as soon as Alinta stepped out of the barn, she was greeted by a swarm of shacks and people clothed in thick furs. Despite the fact that the majority of the people present were men, there were still three women socializing with others.
Their auras were not those of werewolves. There were a few, but the majority of them possessed strange auras, something that Alinta had never felt before. Regardless, they appeared to be having a good time talking to each other, and their expressions were genuine. Then their gazes were drawn to her. They gave her a smile, waved their hands, and even winked at her. They would have probably run towards her if Atara hadn't been there.
Alinta cleared her throat and awkwardly waved her hand in response.
"This is my coven," Atara said out of the blue, "and you will stay here until the world rejects you."
"Coven?"  Alinta asked, "And what do you mean by rejects?"
"You are a person of the future; the world will never tolerate your existence here. So, it will find a way to get you back in time."
Alinta nodded in understanding. So, this world knew self-healing.
What she couldn't understand, though, was why bother creating a spell that wouldn't even last. Those spells written in the grimoire were created by her grandmother. Alinta wondered why Atara made a spell to travel back in time.
Unknowingly, Alinta voiced out her questions, making Atara's eyes grow colder, and uttered, "So? Didn't it help you out of that predicament?" She tsked and started walking somewhere, with Alinta following her from behind.
"Can this world bring me back to the time before Vasta was resurrected?"
"You're asking too much."
"How about before I was tossed into the void?"
"Again, you're asking too much."
Dumbfounded, Alinta didn't open her mouth anymore. Severino and the others were unable to withstand Vasta's power. She feared that the instant she returned, all of them would already be dead. That thought caused her to frown in concern.
"Nothing will change even if you keep thinking about them," Atara remarked upon noticing her expression, "rather, you should remain calm and focused; just wish those people you left were powerful enough to stay alive."
Alinta sighed.  Well, what else could she do? She hoped Severino was really as strong as the werewolves claimed him to be.
Moments later, a man rushed to their side and reported, "Lady Atara, Priestess Morrigan is here!"
That perked Alinta's ears. Morrigan! The Morrigan of the past would now appear before her eyes!
"Tsked!" Atara sneered. "What is that woman doing here now?" She looked at Alinta in annoyance and said, "Come with me. Let's meet your mother-in-law."
"....." said Alinta. Suddenly, she didn't want to see anyone anymore!