Casia, her voice trembling with urgency, addressed the group gathered before her. "Now that everyone is here, you must've all heard the city is under attack, and Madam Frisca isn't here."

Richita furrowed her brow in concern. "Attack by who?"

"Monsters and some unknown people," Casia explained, her eyes darting around the room, "and innocents are dying. Not only that, but young Miss Jenny and Giselle are out there right now."

Anco's eyes widened in alarm. "What? They didn't come back as yet!?"

"Jenny!" Chad's voice rose in panic.

Dominca's fists clenched as her voice shook with anger. "I knew it! This is all a plan from you guys since you couldn't hurt Abby. You moved on to hurt my Jenny."

Renna's voice cracked with despair as tears streamed down her face. "That's not true! My baby is also out there right now. I'm only praying to the gods they're not dead."

Saori's hands trembled as she spoke, her voice filled with fear. "What... what can we do?" The thought of her sister and cousin still in the city sent shivers down her spine.

Henry's expression hardened with determination. "I'm going out there to help them. I will not allow them to die."

Casia's voice cut through the escalating tension. "Enough, everyone. Calm down."

But Kevin's anguish couldn't be silenced. "How can we be calm? Our family is out there dying, and innocent lives are being taken. And Frisca isn't here! When will she come back!?" His voice echoed with frustration and desperation.

Casia's reply was solemn. "Madam Frisca cannot return, and we cannot make contact with her either. It seems something is blocking our communication and teleportation."

Abby's voice quivered with uncertainty. "Then how will we get out!?"

Casia took a deep breath, her resolve firm. "We, the maids who know magic, will work together with the adventurers to take the monsters down."

"Urie will lead you all to a safe and hidden-away chamber within the mansion. Please stay there, and no matter what, stay put," Casia instructed with authority.

As nods of understanding rippled through the group, the room was filled with a mixture of tears, worry, and distress. Saori's sobs echoed softly, Dominca's tears flowed freely, Henry's brow furrowed with concern, Renna's cries were heart-wrenching, and many others wore expressions of fear and anguish.

Casia could feel the weight of their fear and worry pressing down on her, but she knew she had to be strong. With Madam Frisca absent, she was their beacon of guidance and assurance in this dark hour.

Meanwhile...

I'm sorry, Jenny," I said, feeling a pang of guilt.

"It's okay, just as long as you remain calm, then that's what matters," Jenny reassured me with a gentle smile.

"We should plan something since the streets have monsters roaming all over," I suggested, eager to come up with a solution.

"Good idea," Jenny agreed, her eyes scanning the room for any potential threats.

"Alright, we eventually need to go back outside in order to get to the mansion. Since we're in this hideout place, why not look around for maybe weapons or something that can help protect us?" I proposed, hoping to find something to defend ourselves with.

"Understood. Let's split up. I'll go right, and you go left," Jenny suggested, her tone decisive.

I hesitated at the idea of splitting up, but I knew it would make our search quicker and more efficient. With a nod, I headed in the left direction of the building. Inside, the air was eerily quiet, and there was no sign of anyone around. The area I walked through resembled a living room, with furniture neatly arranged and untouched.

The building we found to hide in was almost like a home, but it was deserted and covered in dust.

As I explored further, I came across a staircase and decided to climb it. When I reached the top, I was startled to find myself in a bright, unfamiliar room.

Turning to descend the stairs, my heart skipped a beat as I realized the stairs were gone, leaving me stranded at the top. Panic set in, and I began calling out for Jenny, hoping she was nearby.

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No response came except for a disembodied voice that seemed to echo around me. "She cannot hear you," it said cryptically.

I spun around to locate the source of the voice, but there was nothing there, only an unsettling silence enveloping the room.

I turned around, my heart pounding in my chest, but there was nothing there, just an empty space.

As fear gripped me, a thought crossed my mind: was I losing my sanity from the trauma? Yes, that had to be it.

"You're not going mad," the voice interjected, sending a chill down my spine.

"Who are you!?" I demanded, my voice trembling with fear.

Silence lingered in the air, intensifying my unease. Desperation fueled my next words. "Show yourself, you coward!"

The echo of my own voice filled the room, but there was still no response. My mind raced with uncertainty.

This eerie encounter felt reminiscent of the dream I had during my deep sleep.

Suddenly, a surreal sight interrupted my thoughts—a rabbit, levitating before me. Shock overwhelmed me, and I stumbled back in disbelief.

"A flying rabbit?" I muttered incredulously, my mind struggling to comprehend the bizarre scene before me.

"How rude. My name is Artemus, guardian of the treasure room," Artemus declared, his tone brimming with authority.

"Dreams are getting a little too realistic," I mused aloud, trying to rationalize the surreal encounter.

"This is not a dream, Giselle Lynette," Artemus stated firmly, his words cutting through my confusion.

"What? How do you know my name!?" I exclaimed, my mind reeling with disbelief.

"Because I'm the one who summoned you here," Artemus revealed, his expression unyielding.

As Artemus continued to speak, his words struck a nerve. "Your life is currently in danger. You can't control your mana, you can't use magic, nor can you fight physically. You are what we'd call a weakling and a burden."

His words stung, resonating with a painful truth. I couldn't deny the reality of my own weaknesses. If only I were stronger, perhaps Dorren wouldn't have been eaten, and Swordmaster Crusade wouldn't have been injured by a spear. The weight of my inadequacy bore down on me, filling me with a sense of remorse and regret.

"Yeah, I'm all of what you said, so what? You called me here to tell me that?" I challenged Artemus, feeling a mix of frustration and curiosity.

"No, I called you here to allow you to protect yourself. At this rate, your whole family, except your Aunt Frisca, will die, and everyone you love," Artemus explained gravely, his words echoing with urgency.

"I don't get it. What are you, and why are you helping me? Wait, where am I?" I pressed, feeling increasingly bewildered by the situation.

"As I said before, I'm the guardian of this treasure room," Artemus reiterated, his demeanor unwavering.

Surveying the room around me, I noticed the abundance of riches—gold, money, and various items, including weapons like swords, bows, and books.

"A guardian?" I repeated, my mind struggling to process the revelation of Artemus's role and the significance of the treasure room.

"Yes, there are a total of seven guardians throughout the omniverse, and I'm one of them. We are meant to protect the most important things throughout the omniverse in order to keep a certain being from getting them," Artemus explained, his voice carrying a weight of responsibility.

"A certain being?" I questioned, feeling a shiver run down my spine at the implication.

Artemus nodded solemnly. "Giselle, you are currently in another dimension."

"What do you mean? Like I'm in something like another world or what?" I sought clarification, my mind struggling to grasp the enormity of the situation.

"Something like that," Artemus confirmed, his tone cryptic yet reassuring.

"But don't fret, as I have many things to tell you," Artemus reassured me, his presence offering a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty.

"Wait, let me get everything straight. You called me here because all my family will die except Aunt Frisca?" I summarized, seeking confirmation in the midst of the swirling confusion.

"Not really. I called you here because you are a very important person, and I can't have you dying yet. Since I'm the closest guardian to where you were, I called you here," Artemus clarified, his tone earnest.

"I see. Well, I don't want my family to die. What should I do?" I inquired, feeling a sense of urgency and helplessness creeping in.

"Calm down. I can help you. In this dimension, time runs differently. A month here is equivalent to two days in Ivory," Artemus explained, his words offering a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos.

"What!? That's insane! Is that even possible?" I exclaimed, struggling to comprehend the magnitude of what Artemus was suggesting.

Artemus smiled reassuringly and perched on my shoulder. "You'll need to stay here for a month, but technically, it will only be two days in Ivory."

"I can't do that! What will happen to Jenny? I must get back to the mansion quickly!" I protested, my voice rising with desperation.

"Giselle, calm down. I understand you love your family and want to get back to them, but if you don't get stronger while you're here, then you only have death awaiting you once you leave," Artemus reasoned, his tone firm yet empathetic.

"Come, follow me," Artemus urged, his demeanor resolute.

Feeling a mixture of apprehension and determination, I nodded and followed him. I needed to know more, and I needed to get stronger. I couldn't bear the thought of being so weak that everything I loved would be trampled upon.

…

"I can't teleport, neither can I contact Casia," Frisca admitted, her voice tinged with concern.

"Madam Frisca! It seems something is wrong," Nila exclaimed, her worry evident in her tone.

Nila, one of Frisca's personal maids and the one who followed her to the palace, looked on with furrowed brows, sensing the gravity of the situation.

"Yes, it does seem so. I can't teleport back home, neither can I contact anyone," Frisca confirmed, her voice laced with frustration and urgency.

Before she could further contemplate the situation, Frisca and Nila were interrupted by a guard bursting into the room.

"Madam Frisca, the capital is under attack! We need your help now!" the guard shouted, his voice echoing with urgency.

"Understood! Nila, please find out what's happening within the city. Find some way," Frisca instructed hastily as she dashed off with the guard, her mind racing with the impending crisis.