"Ugh... Now that I think about it, that was so unlike me..." Lou muttered, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. The unexpected color was a stark contrast to his usual stoic demeanor. Seeing this side of him was oddly refreshing.

"What do you mean?" I asked, shoving my hands into my coat pockets. He scratched the back of his neck, a nervous habit I hadn't seen in ages. "That cringe speech I gave you to cheer you up," he admitted with surprising honesty. "Blegh, thinking about it now, it was totally lame. Just forget I said anything."

I turned away, trying to hide the amused smirk creeping onto my lips. "Don't worry about it," I managed to say, my voice steady. "I wouldn't remember such corny lines anyway."

A beat of silence passed between us before Lou muttered, "Arrogant bug."

A shiver ran down my spine as my fingers brushed against something unexpected in the coat's depths. Paper. A single sheet, crisp and worn at the edges. Curiosity gnawed at me as I extracted it. The handwriting was elegant yet hurried, like a whisper caught on paper. Well, it WAS a whisper caught on paper if you think about it.

"When you feel ready, would you mind coming to a location situated to the north of the Tower? You’ll find me there waiting. Thank you for reading the text."

Oliver. It had to be him. His signature politeness, the underlying urgency masked by courteous phrasing. A chill crept into my bones. This wasn't a casual invitation; it was a summons. What was that for? No clue… So giving me the coat wasn’t really for me to tone down my Flow. He wanted to give me this message, without Lou or anyone else tagging along. Something smelled fishy here, but I wasn’t really about to say no to that. Let’s just see where this would lead us.

Lou's voice cut through my thoughts, his gaze fixed on the paper. "Something important?"

I forced a nonchalant shrug, my mind racing. "Not really," I lied, tucking the paper away. "More importantly, there's something we need to discuss, the three of us."

Mina flinched, her eyes darting away. A flicker of fear, a shadow of something darker. What had they done to her? What horrors had they shown her?

Lou's hand hovered over Mina's head, a hesitant touch that spoke volumes of his concern. His voice, though gentle, held a firm undertone as he reassured her, "We can help you, okay? But first, we need to know where you're from. Commplant? Thousand Mountains?"

Mina's body tensed, her small frame trembling like a leaf caught in a storm. Her voice, a mere whisper, was barely audible. "Th... Thousand Mountains?" she stammered, her eyes wide with fear. She shook her head violently, her hands clutching at the worn fabric of her oversized shirt as if it were a lifeline. "I... I've never heard of those villages," she managed to squeak out.

Lou's brow furrowed in concentration. "Hm... Well, that's a complication," he muttered, turning to me with a troubled expression. "If she's not from the nearby cities, she might not even be from Alaranta."

Exhaustion washed over me as I collapsed onto the cold, hard floor. The adrenaline from the battle was finally ebbing away, leaving me with a heavy sense of weariness. "Yeah, you're probably right," I agreed, my voice barely above a whisper. "We can't abandon her, and we still have to figure out this Tower thing. But we need to gather some information before you have to report back for backup."

My gaze locked with Mina's, and she quickly averted her eyes, her face flushing with a mixture of fear and shame. I reached out to her, my voice soft and soothing. "Mina, come here," I said, patting my lap gently.

Without hesitation, she climbed onto my lap, her small body trembling against mine. I began to stroke her hair gently, hoping to offer some semblance of comfort. "Where are you from, little Mina?" I asked softly. "We want to help you find your way home. We just need to ask you a few questions, that's all."

Mina's breathing finally settled into a steady rhythm, and the trembling in her body subsided. A flicker of trust ignited in her eyes as she looked up at me. Her voice, still laced with uncertainty, broke the silence.

"I... I probably should introduce myself properly," she stammered, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her shirt. "My name is Mina Shlimm. It's nice to meet you."

The name hit me like a cold shock. Shlimm. A name synonymous with royalty in the annals of Gloria's history. One of the four noble families that once ruled the land with an iron fist. But how could this be? Hadn't the royal bloodlines been eradicated centuries ago along with the kingdom? A shiver ran down my spine yet I did maintain my composure, a stark contrast to my earlier outburst when Lou revealed Alaranta’s true identity.

I managed a forced smile, ruffling Mina's hair. "Mina Shlimm, huh?" I echoed, my voice dripping with feigned nonchalance. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Lina Lapis. Consider me your big sister from now on!" I turned to Lou, my tone dripping with playful sarcasm. "And as for this scary homeless-looking dude, he goes by the name Lou."

Lou scratched the back of his neck, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Arrogant bug," he replied, his voice devoid of irritation. "Not gonna lie, I'm starting to get used to your insults."

Mina's eyes widened in surprise as she looked between Lou and me. A soft blush crept onto her cheeks as she uttered the words, "Big Sis! As a member of the Shlimm Family, I humbly thank you for saving my life!" A warmth spread through me, a sense of accomplishment I hadn't expected. Being called "Big Sis" by a member of the Shlimm family was like receiving a royal decree.

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I beamed at her, my heart swelling with pride. "Who would refuse to help such a cutie?" I replied, my voice dripping with playful affection. A mischievous glint appeared in my eyes as I turned my attention to Mina. "By the way, Mina! Do you happen to be from Frostkacel?" The moment the words left my lips, a cold shiver ran down my spine. The name of the Shlimm's ancestral territory.

Mina's eyes widened in joy, a look of recognition flashing across her face. "You know Frostkacel?" she asked, her voice filled with excitement. Yup, that was the reaction I expected. It was a direct hit.

Meanwhile, Lou's brow furrowed in confusion. "Frostkacel? Where the heck is that? Never heard of it!"

A smirk crept onto my face as I explained, "It used to be one of Gloria's main territories. And the Shlimm family ruled over it."

Lou's eyes widened in disbelief. He stared at me for a long moment before turning to Mina, who nodded in confirmation. "Color me surprised," he muttered, shaking his head. "Your brain is too big for that tiny body of yours, Bug."

A cold, calculating look passed between Lou and me. "Once your training is over, there are things you need to clarify," Lou said, his voice low and serious, “You’ll clarify them to the Council of the Nations.”

I met his gaze with a steely determination. "Be my guest," I replied, my voice as cold as the winter wind.

"So, how did you end up here?" I asked softly, my voice filled with genuine concern. "Frostkacel is a long way from here."

Mina's eyes filled with a distant look as she recounted the terrifying events. "I don't understand it either," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "We were having tea, a normal rainy day. Then, a sudden explosion shook everything. When I looked out, our castle was in ruins, but there were no flames, no magical energy, just... destruction."

A chill ran down my spine as she spoke. The absence of magical energy in the destruction was a glaring red flag. It matched the eerie silence that had accompanied my past life. This was no ordinary attack. It was a horrifying echo of the power I had once possessed. So it was true, the moment I died, they somehow found a way to use my powers… I didn’t die in Forstkacel after all, so my last attacks shouldn’t have been able to reach it.

Mina's voice broke as she continued, "After that, everything started to crumble. Shockwaves kept hitting us, and the guards tried to protect us, but one by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies... mummified.”

Lou and I exchanged a grim glance. The picture that was emerging was terrifying. A silent, devastating attack that turned people into mummies. Without a doubt, we were thinking the same thing. I bet both of us remembered the way that woman who kept hailing Marloth got mummified as well.

Shaking my head, I brushed Mina’s hair gently, prompting her to raise her teary eyes to meet mine. "It's okay," I said softly. "You can tell us everything."

She took a deep breath, her hands trembling. "Everyone kept dying..." she began. "Everyone except those with royal blood. No matter where we ran, strange people in red robes and red eye bands always blocked our way. They called themselves C.O.M."

My curiosity piqued. "And then what happened?" I urged her to continue.

Mina lowered her head, her voice barely a whisper. "They didn’t hurt us, but they gathered all of us at the Central Square of Execution and forced us through a strange portal... and then we ended up here."

"A portal brought you here?" I couldn't hide my astonishment. Lou was practically bouncing with amazement beside me. If she really was from 500 years ago, it could only mean one thing.

"Are you suggesting time travel, little one?" Lou finally blurted out, kneeling to look Mina in the face. "Time travel is something we’ve never achieved—not with Flow, not with our greatest technology!"

"Time travel?" Mina repeated, confused. "I don't understand... what are you talking about?"

I gently lifted Mina to her feet, brushing imaginary dust from my clothes. “I don’t think she realizes the gravity of the situation,” I murmured, exchanging a serious glance with Lou. “Time travel is still a wild theory, but her story is the only lead we have.”

Lou hummed in agreement, a hand stroking his chin. “You’re right,” he said slowly, “but how is time travel even possible? We’re talking about a gap of centuries, a time before electricity, before our advanced technology.”

I shook my head, a sly grin creeping onto my face. “Your thinking is too linear, Lou,” I retorted, enjoying the playful banter. “There was no technology, true, but magic was prevalent. What if someone with Time Affinity existed back then?”

Lou’s eyes widened, a smirk forming on his lips. “If that’s the case,” he replied, his voice filled with excitement, “we might have stumbled upon a colossal puzzle with all the pieces falling into place.”

A shiver ran down my spine. The idea wasn’t entirely alien to me. As a reincarnated soul, I’d traversed centuries myself. And I knew of someone with immense Time Affinity, a man who adored Gloria more than the crown. If he was involved in her downfall... No, now was not the time for such thoughts. We had a feast of possibilities before us, and it was time to dig in.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked, shielding my eyes from the dying sunlight. "I'm not keen on waiting for dawn to make our next move."

Lou scratched his neck, a sigh escaping his lips. "I agree. We could investigate the Tower, or maybe I should return to Alaranta for reinforcements. This whole thing is a massive headache." I couldn't blame him; the situation was overwhelming.

Before we could delve deeper into our options, Mina clutched my coat, her eyes wide with desperation. "No, please, don't go back there!" Her voice trembled, her grip tightening around my coat as if it were a lifeline.

"The people in the Tower are good compared to others," she explained, her words a stark contrast to her fear. "They helped me escape, and we all want to help those who are suffering."

"Others?" I repeated, gently stroking her hair. "There are more like you outside the Tower?" She nodded, her confirmation a heavy weight on my shoulders.

"My mom is out there," she confessed, her voice softening. "I can feel her Mana, and it's weak. They're struggling more than we are."

Her plea hung in the air, heavy with desperation. "Please, can't we help them first?"

A heavy silence descended upon us, our gazes locked on Mina’s hopeful face. I sighed, a wry smile tugging at my lips. "What can I say? I’m a sucker for a kid in distress."

"Lou, you go get backup. I’ll take Mina to find her mother," I declared. Mina’s eyes lit up with joy, a small bounce in her step. Lou, however, was less enthusiastic. He pushed my forehead with his index finger, a look of disgust crossing his face. "Why the hell would I do that?" he demanded. "You’re acting like some kind of white knight, ready to save the day."

“White knight?” I chuckled, my tone darkening slightly. "It’s not about playing hero, Lou," I replied, my voice laced with a hint of challenge. "You think I’m all sunshine and rainbows, but this isn’t a fairy tale. I’m simply making a calculated decision."

“I just want to find my own answers in my own ways, that’s all…”