By the time Skadiel finished her story, the food had long defrosted, and everyone had already eaten. "Did knowing how you all died jog your memories?" Skadiel asked

Rona noticed the emphasis and questioned, "Why the emphasis?"

Skadiel only smiled cryptically and said, "That's for later."

Rona remained suspicious and said, "Yes, it did jog my memories, but not much. How about you, Nikola? You're the smart one."

Nikola, feeling annoyed by Rona's comment, responded, "I'm smart, not a damn eidetic." The group looked puzzled at the term, and Nikola explained, "It means someone with great memory."

Rona pressed further, "And?"

Nikola closed her eyes and replied, "The only thing that comes to mind is that Yule and I were close enough to know things about each other. Nothing else." She sighed and crossed her arms, indicating that she didn't want to be bothered anymore.

Changing the subject, Rona shifted her gaze towards Skadiel and asked, "What's your relationship with Yule?"

Skadiel replied, "Let's just say I worked very closely with him on his research."

Interrupting the conversation, Skadiel clapped her hands, and Pola appeared, clearing away the plates and utensils. "Let's go, I'll give you a tour of the place," she exclaimed, standing up.

*

"I already said it, but welcome to the 25th empire!" Skadiel exclaimed as she led the girls through a hallway. "Do you girls have any place in particular you want to visit?"

Some girls exchanged looks, not sure what to say. Nikola spoke up, "Nothing comes to mind, considering the fact that we're practically tourists here and know almost nothing about this place. So if you have a library or something in particular, I'd like to go there."

"Well, lucky you," Skadiel said excitedly as she stopped in front of a giant door. "This door happens to lead to the server room where one could access all the data of the world." She clapped her hands together.

"And the catch?" Nikola asked. "You can't just let anyone access ALL the data in the world."

"Well, there are leveled privileges," Skadiel explained. "One would be required to have high enough privileges to know certain things. And Nikola will be receiving a Level C, as per Yule's orders. The average person, by the way, only has a Level E."

Nikola shrugged and entered the door, leaving the group.

*

As the other girls walked down the hallway with Skadiel, Liyah noticed a girl passing by. She was staring at Skadiel with a piercing gaze. Skadiel returned the look with a small smile, and the girl said, "You really should remove that facade of yours."

Ashura had appeared out of nowhere, surprising the girls. Skadiel's expression didn't change, but Liyah felt a chill run down her spine. Ashura's words sounded almost threatening. Skadiel merely replied, "And why is that?"

Ashura ignored the question and walked away, her figure disappearing around the corner. Before she did, she turned back and said, "This will come and bite you later, understand?"

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Liyah looked at Skadiel wondering who Ashura was and why she seemed to know Skadiel so well. Skadiel herself seemed unfazed by the exchange, but the way she carried herself made it clear she was someone important.

*

The girls listened intently to Skadiel's words as she spoke of the city and empire. The bustling sounds of the city filled their ears as they walked down the hallway, the occasional chatter of passersby adding to the lively atmosphere.

"So this is the capital city of Mere," Rona remarked, looking around at the grand architecture and intricate designs.

"Yes, Herzen has always been the heart of the empire," Skadiel replied, her tone laced with a hint of nostalgia.

Merry furrowed her brows, sensing something in Skadiel's words that she couldn't quite put her finger on. "Is something wrong?" she asked cautiously.

Skadiel's smile faltered for a moment before she regained her composure. "No, nothing's wrong," she said, her voice a bit too chipper. "I just miss the old days when the Emperor was still with us."

Naima and Merry exchanged a glance, picking up on the strange emphasis in Skadiel's words. "What do you mean 'was'?" Biank asked, trying to prod for more information.

Skadiel's expression became unreadable as she paused for a moment. "Oh, nothing," she said finally, waving a hand dismissively. "Just a slip of the tongue. Let's not dwell on it."

*

Minutes and hours pass, and one by one, members of the group were separated to do their own thing. Bianka went to the training facilities, Naima to the shooting range, Merry to the batting cages, and so on.

Finally, Skadiel and Rona were the only ones left. They continued down the hallway until they reached a balcony at the end, offering a stunning view of the surrounding area. Rona's gaze was immediately drawn to the towering buildings in the distance, and Skadiel could tell she was intrigued.

Without prompting, Skadiel began to explain. "Those are churches," she said, gesturing towards the distant structures. "Specifically, the one you're looking at now is the 'Church of Rona'."

Rona furrowed her brow at the name, a mix of confusion and anger brewing inside her. "What do you mean 'Church of Rona'?" she demanded, turning to face Skadiel. "Why is it called that?"

Skadiel's response was nonchalant. "That's going to be for later," she said with a shrug.

Rona felt her frustration growing. "Why do you always say 'later'? Why not explain everything right now?"

Skadiel's lips curved into a sly smile. "It's going to ruin my storytelling later if I do," she explained. "Trust me, Miss Rona, everything will make sense in due time."

As Skadiel walked away, Rona was finally able to lower her guard and couldn't help but notice how modern everything looked, no, more futuristic in fact. The hallways were lined with metallic walls and floors, and the lighting was all LED, emitting a cool blue glow. She saw no signs of the medieval architecture apart from the churches that she was accustomed to from this supposedly medieval fantasy world. Despite this, she couldn't shake off the feeling that they were still in the same fantasy world they were summoned onto, as she noticed some fantasy creatures scurrying about.

Rona walked around, exploring the area. She stumbled upon a holographic display showing a map of the entire complex, which was impressively vast. She saw labels for different departments, including research and development, medical, and security. She couldn't believe how advanced everything was, and it made her wonder what kind of technology the people in this world had access to.

As she continued to wander around, she encountered a few of the other girls, who were also exploring the complex. They exchanged pleasantries and discussed what they had seen so far. Bianka had already finished her training session and was raving about the state-of-the-art equipment in the training facilities. Merry had tried her hand at the batting cages and found that she had a natural talent for it. Naima was still in the shooting range, perfecting her aim.

Shortly after pola had arrived the rest of the girls was with her. As Pola led the girls towards the large room that could comfortably accommodate all of them, Nikola kept staring at Rona with a serious expression on her face.

As they entered the room, Everyone was pleasantly surprised by how spacious and luxurious it was. There were several large beds with soft and fluffy pillows, a few dressers and wardrobes, and even a small seating area by the window. It was clear that no expense had been spared in providing the girls with comfortable lodging.

As the girls settled in and made themselves comfortable, Nikola approached Rona and finally spoke up. "We need to talk," she said, her tone serious.

*Chapter end*