It seems that Helena's teacher was somewhat uncomfortable with the sound of the door opening, so she interrupted her presentation and stared at the box where three people had just arrived, causing the rest of the council members to follow the mage's gaze and look with surprise at the latecomers.

The two children noticed how the people in the other boxes stopped looking at the stage to see who had entered the room. Without explanation and without wasting time, the Minister of Magic approached the edge of the box and touched a crystal that could be seen above the edge, causing a black screen to appear in the box's window.

—Well, for now, we are hidden from prying eyes, and no one can hear us unless they shout. I hope you achieve your goals, kids!—explained the cat, jumping from the minister's shoulder to perch on one of the armchairs. Meanwhile, the minister also proceeded to find a seat.

As the two children found seats for themselves, the rest of the wizards in the boxes looked bewildered at the box where they had just seen the minister. They wondered why the minister had interrupted the presentation and who the two small individuals in oversized black robes accompanying him were.

—Ahem, little Helena...—exclaimed one of the wizards in the boxes, trying to awaken the mage who had frozen in the middle of the stage—Why are you stopping your great explanation? Remember, this is your moment; today you are the protagonist, and we are the spectators! So, start over right now!

Immediately, the children realized that the woman sweating profusely in the middle of the stage must be Helena's master, as Helena herself was accompanying her on the stage. This was the first time that Apolo could see the woman he had heard in the cave, and she appeared to be very similar to Helena: she had blonde hair and light eyes, although they lacked luster, and her skeletal face showed prominent dark circles. Furthermore, her skin was quite pale compared to the girl, indicating that Helena's master was ill and didn't have much time left.

Summoning courage from the words of encouragement, the woman on the stage resumed her lecture:

—As I was explaining, the mind transfusion method was created by the archmage Minos from White Town over 8000 years ago to...

—She's crazy...—murmured Homero in a very low voice, incredulous about what he was hearing, looking at his great enemy next to the woman. He didn't really know the whole story until now, and he was only just discovering it along with Apolo. Therefore, he was more than shocked to learn how that blonde girl had turned into the plague Apolo had to eliminate from his mind. However, hearing the name of the method, the masked boy had managed to deduce everything that would happen next. Nevertheless, he needed to be a hundred percent sure and gather as much information as possible, so the masked boy continued to watch attentively as the events forgotten by time repeated before his eyes.

—Incorrect! You ignorant fool, don't you know that Archmage Minos never lived in White Town!—shouted one of the wizards in the boxes, disregarding what others might think of his lack of manners. In fact, the rest of the wizards in the boxes seemed to agree, or at least their silence indicated so—Archmage Minos committed suicide 4000 years ago. Back then, there was no White Town! His followers were the ones who founded White Town around the tower where his remains rest. That's why the town is called White Town: because everyone wore white robes!

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—I'm sorry, thank you for correcting me...—the woman said with a rather forced smile—As I was mentioning, the mind transfusion method was created to extend a wizard's life by transplanting one's mind into the body of a younger individual. But...

—But it cannot erase the subconscious...—Homero muttered quietly, though someone had overheard his involuntary murmur, and it was none other than the Minister of Magic's cat. Immediately, the Minister of Magic snapped out of his trance and turned to look at the chubby child. His eye widened automatically, and he gazed at the child with curiosity. However, instead of disclosing the information to the other wizards present, the Minister's eye quickly sewed itself shut again, and he remained silent, intrigued to discover what was truly happening.

—...even if your mind changes with that of the host, the subconscious of the original individual still persists, causing the well-known Minos Curse—added Helena calmly—Archmage Minos lived with that curse for 4000 years thanks to the power of his blood, which allowed him to solve the problem without worrying too much about losing his own individuality. But for the rest of us, that alternative is not possible...

—And how did you solve that problem, young lady?—asked one of the wizards calmly, appearing quite interested in the young girl's answer.

—To do that, I will use the following machinery...—said Helena, clapping her hands. It appeared that the presentation had already been prepared in advance, and the Ministry of Magic had staff to assist the mage in presenting her research. So when Helena's applause could be heard, the stage floor opened up, revealing how a machine covered with a red cloth was raised onto the stage.

The machine itself was large and wide, easily twice the height of the woman. However, the wooden stage in this room seemed to be able to support its weight. When the machine had finished rising, Helena approached to remove the red cloth and unveil the hidden machine.

—Ha, ha, ha!—Homero began to laugh like a maniac upon seeing the machine in question, frightening Apolo and earning a curious look from the cat on the armchair.

—It looks pretty to me...—Apolo commented with a tomato-red face, gazing at the machine on the stage.

The machine was quite complex to describe in one word, but it had several easily distinguishable parts: there were two red leather armchairs, each equipped with restraints and handcuffs, as if designed to prevent the person sitting in them from escaping. These armchairs seemed to be attached to a desk filled with tubes of various colored liquids. But the most striking feature of the machine was right in the middle of the two armchairs: a metal doll very similar to a human being. The doll had no clothing on, so its naked body, which resembled that of a child, was visible. It wasn't seductively attractive but aesthetically cute. The metal doll sat in its own chair and seemed ready to listen to anyone who sat in either of the two armchairs. However, there was another peculiarity: the doll had a distinctive feature that would catch anyone's attention upon first sight: its two hands seemed to be used for caressing the metallic feathers of a sleeping metal duck perched on its thighs.

—Could you explain the machine, how it works, what it requires, and why it is necessary for your research, young lady?—the same wizard who had spoken before asked again, conveying a sense of calm. He seemed to want to prevent the person on stage from getting nervous.