Kintovar's eyes widened in alarm. She quickly made her way to Roselle's side. Risebelle entered the room and swiftly approached Roselle's lifeless body. She gently pushed past the others and knelt down by Roselle. Her fingers moved deftly over Roselle's body, accessing the intricate systems that made her unique.

  [System Report]

  Lifeforce: 100%

  Magic: 200%

  Cannon Charge: -0 (Warning: Cannon missing)

  Risebelle’s face grew pale. “This… this doesn’t make sense. Her vitals are normal, her magic levels are fine, but the cannon charge is listed as -0, and there’s a warning that the cannon is missing.”

  Kintovar’s face turned grave. “A negative charge? That’s impossible. It means something is severely wrong with the cannon or its connection. But how could it be missing?”

  Kintovar’s eyes widened as a realization dawned on her. She recalled the battle where Roselle’s cannon had been destroyed during her confrontation with Rawna. Roselle said how helplessness she felt when she lost her primary weapon. “I should have known. The cannon’s destruction wasn’t just physical—it was crucial to Roselle’s ability to function.”

  Kintovar quickly began running a data analysis of Roselle’s inner workings. Just then, a troubling thought crossed her mind. “Roselle once said the cannon felt like a companion. It’s possible that the cannon itself has a piece of Roselle’s soul within it. That could explain why her system is offline and why the cannon’s condition affects her so drastically.”

  Without wasting a moment, Kintovar hurriedly retrieved the now-repaired cannon. Its massive size made it a tight fit for Timmy's room. She carefully positioned the cannon beside Roselle’s body.

  Once the cannon was in place, Kintovar began checking the system’s readouts. The status screen flickered to life, displaying a new set of readings.

  [System Report]

  Status: Offline

  Cannon Charge: Linking

  Message: Roselle is currently viewing a fragmented memory.

  Kintovar’s eyes widened. “This is unprecedented. It’s the first time the system has informed me of any memory fragments when experiencing a system issue. Roselle must be reliving past memories due to the cannon’s connection to her soul.”

  Henry looked puzzled. “Does that mean she’s conscious in some way, even though her systems are offline?”

  Risebelle growled. “Roselle is conscious within her mind. I’ve experienced something similar before, and so has Runebelle and Roselle herself. Normally, we only see the offline message and a generic error message. But this… this is different.”

  Her eyes flickered with a hint of frustration. “Ugh! This is the worst possible time for this to happen! This means Roselle will likely be out of commission for the entire day. We have our own tasks to do today, we can't wait for her to wake up!”

  Kintovar glared at the system messages she saw. “Risebelle is right. If Roselle is reliving past memories, it’s going to take time for her to come back online. I have an important meeting scheduled today, and I need to attend to it.”

  Henry stepped forward, his demeanor calm and reassuring. “Look, you and Risebelle don’t need to worry about that right now. I can keep an eye on Roselle while you’re out. It’s the least I can do after everything that’s happened.”

  Kintovar looked at Henry while her face softened. “Henry, we don’t want to impose on your hospitality. You’ve already been incredibly generous letting us stay here.”

  Henry shook his head with a warm smile. “It’s no trouble at all. I insist. Besides, Roselle needs to be looked after, and I can handle it. You have your own tasks and responsibilities.”

  Risebelle, who had been listening intently, suddenly spoke up with a hint of defiance. “No, I can’t do that.”

  Kintovar turned to Risebelle curiously. “Why not? Henry’s offered to help, and you just saw how kind he is.”

  Risebelle’s spoke steady but with a glare. “Sometimes people are only nice on the surface. I can’t trust them fully yet. I won’t leave my sister alone with them.”

  Kintovar’s brows furrowed. “In that case, Risebelle, you should stay with Roselle. If you’re not comfortable leaving her with Henry, then you should look after her yourself.”

  Risebelle paused, considering her options. After a moment’s hesitation, her resolve hardened.

  “Alright,” she said finally. “I’ll stay with Roselle. It’s more important to make sure she’s safe.”

  Kintovar gave a nod of understanding. “Very well. I’ll handle the meeting taking only Runebelle with me and keep you updated. Just make sure to take care of Roselle, and we’ll manage.”

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  Rawna stood waiting outside. She eyed Kintovar, Haras and Runebelle and wasted no time asking, "Where are Roselle and Risebelle? Are they coming with us?"

  Kintovar, met Rawna's gaze. "No, we have to leave them behind for now. Roselle and Risebelle have... something they need to deal with."

  Haras, who had been silently observing spoke up enthusiastically. “They need some deep rest. Even the mightiest need time to recover! Remember the words from Dark Lotus: ‘In the stillness of the days, the dark god finds his rest, so that the night may be conquered with renewed strength.’”

  Rawna raised an eyebrow. “A poetic way of saying they’re not coming. Fine, but let’s make sure we don’t waste any more time. You're going to meet this 'other' Kintovar soon. Just make sure you're ready for whatever that encounter holds. I’m not responsible if you three end up dead."

  The group arrived at the Castle of Darkness. Rawna's presence didn't go unnoticed by the Maizen Army guards stationed at the entrance. They recognized her and began to mumble among themselves; however, they had no choice but to let her and the others in, despite their reservations.

  The group walked along the blood-red carpet through the grand hall of the Dark Castle. Rawna began to explain. “The West does things a bit differently than what you might have seen in the North or South. In the West, the jail is right inside this very castle. It's where they detain criminals and wrongdoers. The courthouse, where trials are held, is also within these walls, though it's not used as often as you might think."

  She continued, "The Maizen Army is known for their swift and uncompromising justice. They don't tolerate crime, and if someone is caught in the act, they might not even make it to a trial. It's all part of maintaining the order and security of this territory."

  The group descended the stairs to the lower levels of the castle. Rawna spoke futher,"Down here is where you'll find the most notorious criminals in the West. Each of them boasts incredibly high IQ levels and has managed to outsmart the law at least once. Some are so dangerous that they never even make it to trial. In the West, they believe that people like them should never really be given the opportunity to escape justice, as if they were, they could find a way to cause mass damage to the society."

  Kintovar observed the surroundings, taking in the sight of the prisoners. There were many of them engrossed in scientific pursuits, wearing lab coats and tinkering with various technologies. There was not a single mage down here.

  "This is concerning," she remarked with worry. "The fact that they're all scientists says a lot. It demonstrates the impact of technology in our world. But it also highlights one reason why scientists are often looked down upon by society."

  Her words resonated with the others, as they pondered the implications of a society where scientific minds were perceived with such distrust and apprehension.

  The group approached a checkpoint where two guards were stationed. A female guard stepped forward and addressed them with a stern and cautious tone, "This is the area where we keep the Extreme Criminal, Juliana Kintovar. Just being in her proximity can mess with your minds. We don't care how smart any of you are; you need to be prepared for that possibility. We've had enough trouble dealing with criminals created by that mastermind, and we don't need any more."

  Kintovar, acknowledging the warning, spoke up, "I am a Kintovar, just like Juliana."

  The guards scrutinized her closely, recognizing the resemblance. One of them replied, "Juliana Kintovar's appearance has changed over the years. She doesn't look like you do now. You can see for ourselves, but be warned: we are ready to take action if your minds are compromised."

  The warning hung heavily in the air as the group continued, aware of the potential danger they faced by approaching Juliana Kintovar.

  Kintovar was skeptical of the guards' warning. She turned to Rawna for confirmation. "Is this an overreaction, or are they telling the truth? Juliana can't be that dangerous, can she?"

  Rawna responded, "They're not overreacting. Juliana Kintovar is a dangerous individual, and you should take their warning seriously."

  Runebelle's gloomy demeanor deepened upon hearing this. Haras, curious, questioned, "Juliana Kintovar... Is that your mother, Kintovar?"

  Kintovar contemplated and replied, "It's possible. I don't know much about my past, but it could be her."

  The group stood before a gigantic cell, with a strange tube containing a brain. A feminine voice emanated from the tube. “I sense the smell, the sight... One of them wields the spear of destruction, one of them is a relative, one of them is unknown, and one of them is a creation of her relative."

  Kintovar stepped forward, addressing the brain, "I am Kintovar, and perhaps I am the relative you speak of, and this is my creation Runebelle. We've come to see Juliana Kintovar."

  The brain within the tube responded, "I am the warden of this cell, the entity known as 'Juliana Kintovar.' She, my creator, has been indulging in slumber these days, and I must apologize for her behavior. I will call her using my angry teen girl Voice. One moment please."

  The brain within the tube began changing their tone and testing it out for a moment before shouting loudly, "Hey, Juliana Kintovar! What's your dumbass still doing on the floor? Get up before I smack you around!"

  A figure emerged from behind the brain. It was a woman with pink hair. All present momentarily saw her in a vulnerable state. She crawled towards them, naked. She quickly realized that she had visitors and hastily moved behind the brain to get dressed.

  Kintovar and the others waited, giving her the moment she needed to compose herself.

  Juliana Kintovar, in her green military suit and lab coat, with short pink hair and sidetails, and violet-colored headphones, gave a salute to the group.

  "I am Juliana Kintovar, and I am responsible for maintaining order in this cell," she declared.

  Kintovar and the others exchanged glances, Kintovar. Before Kintovar could ask a question, Juliana preemptively said, "I'm 85 years old.”

  Kintovar raised a hand under her chin. “You look…much younger than I expected."

  Juliana chuckled, "Of course, I do. But that's the easy answer. If you want to know the real one, you'll have to get it out of me."

  Kintovar decided to take up Juliana on her offer and asked, "What's the real answer then?"

  Juliana simply smirked and addressed her. "Varta Kintovar, if you thought that would be easy to get out of me, you're in for a surprise."

  Juliana's words struck Kintovar like a bolt of lightning. The use of her first name, "Varta," was a shock in itself.

  Juliana Kintovar’s smirk widened. She leaned slightly towards Kintovar and raised one finger. “You see, Varta, nothing in this world is ever as simple as it seems. We scientists understand that very well. Everything has layers, complexities, and hidden truths. But, in this case… well, I suppose I’ll whisper the truth quietly: sometimes, things are exactly what they appear to be.”

  “You know my name,” Kintovar said almost breathlessly. “How do you…”

  Juliana chuckled. “Oh, don’t look so surprised. You and I are more connected than you realize. You came all this way to meet me, and here we are.”

  "Varta Kintovar, you actually made it out of hell. Congratulations. Welcome to Heaven, my baby bird".

  Kintovar was left speechless.