Alden waved goodbye to Anika, but she leaned in close and whispered, "You know, Alden, you're welcome to come back anytime you like. I'll be here, waiting."

Her proximity and words made Alden blush. "Well, I appreciate that, Anika. But I really should be getting back to my wife. She must be worried about me."

Anika chuckled softly and nodded in agreement. "Of course, Alden. Take care, and remember, you're always welcome here."

Manisha and Priya watched the exchange between Alden and Anika with confusion, but Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle exchanged knowing glances. With their farewells exchanged, Alden left Anika's cabin, heading back to his own with the sisters in tow.

Risebelle explained everything she had heard during her encounter with Queen Nanase and the goddess followers. After finishing, Alden became serious.

"I've heard rumors about those goddess items before," he admitted. "But it's the first time I've heard of the Queen openly asking for help to find them. The fact that they believe these items can combat Dark Whirlwind... it's a dire situation."

Runebelle, who had been silently listening, looked concerned.

Alden continued, "We need to find out more about these items and their locations. But we can't do it alone. We'll need allies, and it seems like Queen Nanase is willing to cooperate with us. We should consider joining their efforts and working together."

“Actually, we have to go and search for our creators," Risebelle said, and then immediately realized her mistake. She placed one hand over her mouth.

Alden raised an eyebrow and asked, "Your creators? Risebelle, what do you mean by 'creators'? I thought there was only one creator..."

Risebelle hesitated, realizing that she had let slip a secret she had been guarding.

Alden's curiosity was piqued, and he couldn't let this revelation slide. His eyes searched for answers. "Risebelle, you mentioned 'creators.' What did you mean by that? Was I wrong? Is there more than one of them?"

Risebelle tried to speak, but it looked like her words deserted her at this moment. She turned to Roselle and Runebelle, seeking their support.

Alden turned his attention to Roselle and Runebelle. "Roselle, Runebelle, can you shed some light on this? Who are your creators? What's going on?"

The three sisters exchanged uneasy glances before Roselle frowned and Runebelle’s gloomy face became deeper in the sadness. Risebelle on the other hand closed her eyes and looked towards the ground.

Alden's tone softened upon feeling the sadness in the room, "I know you've been through a lot, and there are things you haven't told me, but we need to trust each other if we are to work together. Please, tell me about your creators. I am not out to harm you, I promise, I'll do everything I can to help you."

Risebelle took a deep breath and nodded. She had made up her mind to trust Alden with this crucial information. "Our creators are Kintovar and Har—“

Before she could even finish uttering Haras’ name, Alden's reaction was immediate. He fell out of his chair with shock and disbelief written all over his face. Kintovar's name had struck him like a thunderbolt.

"Kintovar... Juliana Kintovar, you mean? But that's... that's impossible." He stammered in disbelief."She's a known criminal, arrested by the CPU for endangering the Eastern Part of Jancito a few years ago. It couldn't have been her."

Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle exchanged solemn looks. "We don't fully understand it ourselves," Roselle admitted, "But we were created by Kintovar and Haras. They are our... parents, in a way."

Risebelle nodded and continued to explain, "We didn't come from this place. Our creation happened in a mystical forest, nearly a thousand miles away from here. This is more than likely a different Kintovar, not the one you're thinking of, Alden."

Alden, still in a state of shock from the initial revelation, slowly began to regain his composure. "A different Kintovar... That's... unusual," he muttered, trying to wrap his head around the situation. "But if that's the case, then who is this other Kintovar, and why did she create you?"

Risebelle, Roselle, and Runebelle exchanged glances once more. They began to recount their memories of the mystical forest, the experiments, and their mission.

Alden's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts after hearing the extraordinary story. It was a tale filled with darkness and cruelty, a world of corrupt mages and a power-hungry headmaster who had caused immense suffering. He looked down at the floor, going through sorrow, anger, and empathy.

"I can't even begin to imagine what you've been through," Alden said softly. "The cruelty of those mage’s and the headmaster... it's unforgivable. No wonder you felt so much anger and resentment towards humans."

Risebelle, Roselle, and Runebelle nodded in understanding.

Alden continued, "From what you've told me, it sounds like this Kintovar is a very different person altogether. She was captured and somehow escaped her own execution. Then, she created the three of you and, with a blend of magic and technology, defeated the headmaster. And now, she's here, seeking to bring her technology to this city."

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Alden shifted to a deep sense of realization with one hand underneath his chin. "It's starting to make sense... This Kintovar could be the daughter of Juliana Kintovar….It would explain her connection to technology and magic. But there's still so much I don't know."

Alden turned his gaze back to the sisters. "I need to uncover the truth behind all of this and understand Kintovar's intentions. If she's here to bring technology, it could change everything for this city, but it could also bring danger."

Risebelle's tone turned serious. "Alden, no matter what orders we receive from Kintovar, we will carry them out," she declared. "She created us, and we trust her. But we…. Well, also trust you now, don’t we?"

Roselle and Runebelle nodded in agreement.

"Our creator has her reasons," Roselle added with a smile. "We'll do whatever we can to ensure that her technology benefits this city.”

Alden gazed at the three determined sisters. In that moment, he understood the depth of their loyalty to their creato. How could he stand in the way of their search for Kintovar and Haras after all they had been through?

He glanced at the clock, noticing that it was already 9 pm. It seemed that the time was flying to him and now he was locked with a decision. He sighed deeply. “I really hope I won't regret this," he murmured to himself. Then, he addressed the sisters. "I promised to do everything I can to help you, and I intend to keep that promise. If finding your creators is what you need to do, then I’m all in on this, you hear?"

Roselle looked relived while Risebelle maintained a neutral look. Runebelle maintained her gloominess but a hint of a smile came to her face.

"Let's rest for tonight," Alden suggested. "Tomorrow, we'll begin our search. It won't be easy, but I know we can find them if we put in our combined efforts.”

Sally, with her youthful curiosity was spying from around the living room corner. She couldn't contain her excitement. She made her way towards Risebelle with wide eyes and asked, "Can we play together? I have lots of toys!"

Risebelle glared at her, ready to yell at her, but Alden chuckled softly at his daughter, "Sally, it's already late, and our guests need to get some rest. You can play with them tomorrow, okay?"

Sally pouted momentarily but then nodded reluctantly, “Okay, Daddy.”

Alden carried Sally to her room and tucked her into her bed. “Goodnight, my angel, may the goddess bless you in your dreams”.

Sally waved sleepily to Risebelle who followed them and then quickly drifted off to sleep. Risebelle accessed her internal systems to verify the location, and a message flashed across her internal display:

Location Confirmed: North Jancito

The confirmation aligned with everything Alden had told them. It was without a doubt, North Jancito, and their journey had led them here, but what had it next in store for them?

Risebelle’s internal systems hummed softly, preventing her from finding the rest she desired. She didn't understand why she had been paired with this child, Sally, in the first place. The young girl's innocence and curiosity were so foreign to her. While Sally seemed to find comfort in her presence, Risebelle couldn't shake off the sense of annoyance that gnawed at her.

She paced quietly in in the dark room with her eyes glancing at the sleeping child. Her systems were running diagnostics, analyzing the day's events, and preparing for the next steps in their mission. But something else was bothering her, something she couldn't quite identify.

Why was she feeling this way? She was built for precision and purpose, not for emotions and distractions. Yet, here she was, feeling annoyed and restless. "I want to sleep, but my systems won't calm down. It's the first time we haven't been able to use the tanks for sleep…"

With that thought in mind, Risebelle decided to quietly check on her sisters.

Risebelle found Roselle and Runebelle in the guest bedroom, a small room that could only fit two people. Roselle and Runebelle were cuddled up in the bed. Risebelle sighed. She got a strange feeling stirring within her momentarily bringing her to a smile, but shook it off.

With a quiet growl, she turned and made her way back to Sally's room. Risebelle hesitated for a moment before moving to the bed. She gingerly reached out and grabbed Sally's hand, feeling the warmth and softness of her tiny fingers. They felt so fragile, so easy to break. She sat there, holding Sally's hand, trying to understand the difference between herself and this human child.

The warmth of the child's tiny fingers brought memories rushing back, memories she thought she'd buried deep within her.

She remembered being once a human, in a past life filled with strict expectations and relentless pressure. Her mother, a stern woman with little patience for failure, demanded nothing less than perfection. Risebelle earned straight A's, each one a hard-won victory. It was rewarded with rare moments of approval. But one year, a single bad grade marred her report card. Her parents lashed out in anger. Their words cut deeper than any sword would.

She had to succeed the next year. Failure was not an option. Risebelle poured everything she had into her studies, driven by the fear of their wrath. She succeeded, but the damage was done. Her mother left, and her father, cold and detached, sold her off.

Risebelle recalled the menacing faces of those who had purchased her. They had cold, calculating eyes stripping away all of her dignity. She remembered the shame, the endless torment, and the numbing pain of her servitude. The anger she felt bubbled to the surface. The grip on Sally’s hand was unintentionally tightening.

“Mommy, you're hurting me...” Sally mumbled in her sleep.

Risebelle froze, the words cutting through her anger like a knife. She looked down at Sally. The little girl was shaking. Risebelle looked with pure sadness. It was something rarely seen from her. She hadn't meant to cause any harm.

She hesitated between the urge to retreat and the need to comfort the child, but slowly, awkwardly, she began to soothe Sally, gently rubbing her back and whispering softly, “It’s okay... it’s just a dream. You’re safe now.”

Sally stirred slightly with her breathing gradually evening out. Risebelle's calming touch worked its magic and sent Sally to a more peaceful sleep. Risebelle watched the child's face and felt a strange warmth spread through her chest. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt anything remotely like it. Maybe never.

She had always viewed humans through a lens of bitterness and anger. It was a perspective shaped by her creators' and her own experiences, but here was this innocent child, who had done nothing to deserve her scorn.

"I can't hate a child like her," Risebelle whispered to herself. The realization was as startling as it was profound. If she couldn't hate Sally, then what did that mean for her hatred of all humans?

She thought back to her behavior toward other children today, her stern demeanor, her cold responses. A sigh escaped her lips. Had she been too harsh? Too unforgiving?

While contemplating this, a gentle speech echoed in her mind. "Project ZAB, you are finally learning to accept that not all humans are evil monsters. It is a step in the right direction."

"Shut up," she muttered to the system. She was annoyed by its intrusion, yet she couldn't deny to herself that maybe there was some bit of truth in its words.

With that thought, a weariness settled over her. For the first time in what felt like ages, she felt the heavy pull of sleep and closed her eyes.