Ultear is introduced as a member of the Magic Council who apparently works for Siegrain.

She is appointed a member of the Magic Council and attempts to acquire the demon Deliora for Jellal by posing as Lyon's minion Zalty (ザルティ Zaruti) and helping him melt the ice made from Ul's body that freezes the demon. Unsuccessful in the attempt to gain Deliora, Ultear later helps Siegrain manipulate the Magic Council in order to activate the Tower of Heaven. She destroyed the council building after Jellal tricked the council into firing Etherion at the Tower of Heaven.

After the events at the Tower of Heaven and Jellal's defeat, Ultear revealed herself to have manipulated Jellal all along, since Zeref was never killed - just sealed away. Her true goal was to unseal Zeref, using Jellal to get one of the keys to unseal him. She is currently in the dark guild Grimoire Heart and the leader of Seven Kin of Purgatory.

After S class arc she works with Meredy to rescue Jellal and they found Crime Sorcière, the independent guild that would attempt to destroy dark guilds and ultimately defeat Zeref.

Eventually, she sacrifices all of her life force to turn back time a single minute. Causing her to turn into an old lady only Gray seems to recognize.