I started walking around the large castle without bumping into Minnie and Leo for the past fifty minutes.

I started sweating so much from pacing back and forth around the outside and inside of the castle looking for... Something, that's for sure.

— "Just where is Minnie... *Pant* And Leo..."

I remember I had that weird cloth on my pocket and decided to wipe my face with it but just as it went over my eyes, I started seeing black–Yeah, no crap I'd be seeing black. But that wasn't the case! I started through walls but I still couldn't see where Minnie and Leo were.

I could see through walls but I couldn't see what was in front of me, I could only see the things that were behind walls instead of what's in front of me. It's a weird trade-off.

And when I took the cloth off my eyes, my vision went back to normal and I could see in front of me again instead of seeing through walls. What a weird thing.

I continued pacing around the castle grounds before entering again and going around the barren hallways but thankfully, I found Leo scratching his head at a forked path around the inside of the castle.

— "Who built this castle?!"

I can understand his frustration, I really could.

He then turned around and spotted me.

— "Oh there you are, Owens! I thought you got lost or something."

— "I've always been lost, if you think about it."

— "True, true. Even if you're given directions around this place, I bet you'd still get lost."

I sighed. I just can't stop my friends from making fun of me, can I?

— "Anyhow, we should start looking for Minnie instead of you two running around mindlessly."

— "But we won't be able to cover more grounds, you idiot."

— "I know but I think there's something that could help us."

I then pulled out the weird cloth that I used earlier.

— "Isn't that the gift you got from your supposed girlfriend, Owens?"

— "We've talked about this! It wasn't from my girlfriend! In fact, I don't even have one!"

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— "That's not something you should proudly announce..."

— "Just look!"

I then put the cloth over his eyes.

— "I literally see nothing."

— "That's weird. Are you seeing through walls?"

— "Are you f*cking stupid?!"

He then removed the cloth and tossed it at my face.

— "Ouch..."

— "What kind of question is that, Owens?! I couldn't see ANYTHING. Nothing at all! Nada!"

That's weird. Why didn't he get to see through the walls? Does it only work for me? Is Lida messing with my head? But at least I have something I could use just in case. I still don't get the image of those monkeys on the front, though.

— "Anyway! Owens, we should try looking for Minnie–"

And as if on cue, his ears perked up and were tensed up when we heard a cry in a few rooms ahead of us from the right path.

— "The third room starting from the first room, Owens!"

I nodded and started running with Leo to the designated room where it was...

...Only to see Minnie crying on a bed with the matriarchal queen laying there with pulsating veins across her elegant body. It's the same veins that were controlling those guards at the capital!

We rushed next to Minnie who was crying without a hint of stop.

— "Calm down, Min–"

I was cut off before I could speak further.

— "How am I supposed to calm down, owens?! Can't you see what they did to my mother?! When we defeated who... Whoever that is! It's supposed to release this spell, right?!"

— "Calm down, Min-Min. This isn't going to help. We aren't in a story. It wouldn't work like this. Let's think this through instead of screaming your frustration.

— "He's right, Minnie. You should calm down first and let's assess this–No. Actually get the court's best physicians in here to monitor over the queen whilst we figure things out ourselves."

I turned to my side to look at Leo.

— "Leo, could you please get out of the room and get the attention of one of the guards if you can't find any physician around the castle. I want you to gather as much help as you could for the queen."

— "Got it!"

Leo was serious about helping. And so he left the room, leaving us three—me, Minnie, and the queen.

— "Hey... Owens, why does that guy look close to you? Is there something you have to explain?"

She asked whilst keeping her head low whilst she looked at her mother. Her expression is dark and grim. Her tone was laced with suspicions of me. I have to clear my name. I don't even know who that guy is... But I feel a strange connection to him somehow.

— "I really don't know at this point, Minnie. I'm as lost as you are. I really don't know anymore. The first time we—and what I mean by we is me and Leo—met him was when we were captured by his henchmen but he was normal looking back then. He didn't have those veins around his body."

I understand why she was being suspicious of everything at this time. She's feeling grief and she needs a belief to cling on.

— "I know it wasn't much to clear my name but I want you to trust me; I have no connection to whoever that is. He may look like me but he isn't me."

Tears started trickling down her face whilst she looked at me...

...And before I knew it, she hugged me. I guess she really needed someone to cling on to. I, too, would be a bit sad if my mother was ill like this... Even though my parents have already stopped looking for me, as Ms. Florenza said.

I'm not much good at comforting people that are crying but I know that I should keep my mouth shut and say nothing because I know for a fact that if I say something, she would take it as an insult or something else entirely.

I just let her cry and hold onto me for a few minutes. But the minutes turned into an hour–Wait! Just where the hell is Leo at?! He should've been in here after an hour or so!