We retreated to camp.
It only made sense—after what I'd just shown them, putting some distance between us and the others was the reasonable thing to do.
Still, something felt… off.
Mina kept stealing glances at me. Hesitant. Uncertain. But every time our eyes met, she'd snap her gaze away like she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't.
Weird.
I crouched to her level, tilting my head. "Something you wanna tell me?"
Mina hesitated, then shyly tugged at my coat. Her blue eyes shimmered with a mix of anxiety and… gratitude?
She nodded. "Um… this… this flew away earlier," she stammered, holding up a torn piece of my cloak. "I think it's important to you…"
I blinked.
So she'd noticed when I threw it away. What an interesting child.
I took the cloth from her small hands and tucked it into my pocket. "I tossed it because it's useless now. But thanks for bringing it back."
Her cheeks flushed, but she didn't back down.
Despite the nervous shift in her stance, she was determined to say what she wanted to say.
"Thank you," she whispered. "If it wasn't for you… Oliver might have taken me back to the tower. So… thank you."
I shook my head. "Don't thank me yet…"
Then I felt it.
Something else in my pocket.
I reached inside.
Paper. A single sheet. Crisp, worn at the edges.
The handwriting was elegant yet hurried—like a whisper caught on paper.
Well, it really was a whisper caught on paper if you think about it.
I unfolded it. Read:
"When you feel ready, would you mind coming to a location north of the Tower? You'll find me there waiting. Thank you for reading the text."
Oliver.
Of course.
His signature politeness gave him away.
But this wasn't a casual invitation.
This was a summons.
And the coat… It wasn't just to dampen my Flow.
He wanted to pass me this message without Lou or anyone else noticing.
Suspicious.
But I wasn't about to say no.
Let's see where this leads.
Lou's voice cut through my thoughts. Sharp. Probing.
His gaze flicked to the paper in my hands. Damn it.
"Something important?"
I forced a nonchalant shrug, crumpling the note slightly as I tucked it away. "Not really," I lied smoothly. "More importantly, there's something we need to discuss—the three of us."
Mina flinched.
Her eyes darted away, a flicker of fear shadowing her expression.
That look. A child shouldn't have that look.
What had they done to her? What horrors had she seen?
Lou hesitated before lowering a hand toward her head, fingers barely grazing her hair. A rare moment of gentleness.
"We can help you, okay?" His voice was firm yet careful, balancing reassurance and urgency. "But first, we need to know where you're from. Commplant? Thousand Mountains?"
Commplant and Thousand Mountains. The only two cities bordering the Beast Territory.
If we knew which one she came from, finding her parents would be easier.
But Mina's entire body tensed, trembling like a leaf caught in a storm.
"Th... Thousand Mountains?" she echoed. A stammer. A shudder.
Then—violent refusal.
Her head shook rapidly, her small hands clutching at the oversized, tattered fabric of her shirt. "I... I've never heard of those counties," she whispered, barely getting the words out.
Lou's brow furrowed. A rare moment of confusion.
"Hm… well, that's a complication." He turned to me, a troubled expression settling on his face. "If she's not from the nearby cities, she might not even be from Alaranta."
The weight of exhaustion finally crashed down on me.
The adrenaline was gone. My limbs felt heavy. Every breath was a chore.
I slumped onto the cold, hard ground.
"Yeah, you're probably right," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "Still... We can't just abandon her. And we still have to figure out this Tower mess. But first… we need answers. And we need them before you report back for backup."
My gaze locked with Mina's.
She quickly looked away. Again.
Not just fear this time. Shame.
I let out a quiet sigh.
"Mina."
I patted my lap gently. "Come here."
She hesitated for only a moment before climbing onto me, her tiny frame trembling as she pressed herself against me.
She needed warmth. Reassurance. A lifeline.
I ran a hand through her soft hair, slow and gentle, hoping to ease the tension knotting her small shoulders.
"Where are you from, little Mina?" I murmured, keeping my voice steady, soothing. "We want to help you find your way home. We just need to ask a few questions. That's all."
Mina's breathing finally settled, the trembling in her small body fading. A flicker of trust surfaced in her wide blue eyes as she looked up at me.
Good.
For now, at least, she could forget some of her misery.
Her voice, still laced with uncertainty, broke the silence.
"I... I should probably introduce myself properly," she stammered, gripping the fabric of her shirt like a lifeline. "My name is Mina Shlimm. It's nice to meet you."
Shlimm.
My mind went still.
Shlimm.
One of Gloria's Four Noble Families—ancient rulers of this land, once wielding absolute power. But that was impossible.
Hadn't the royal bloodlines been wiped out centuries ago? Hadn't their kingdom crumbled into dust, erased by history itself?
A chill ran down my spine, but I kept my expression neutral. No outbursts this time. Unlike when Lou revealed Alaranta's true identity, I had remembered how to hide the storm behind my eyes.
With a forced smile, I reached out, ruffling Mina's hair.
"Mina Shlimm, huh?" I repeated, my voice light, feigning indifference. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Lina Lapis. Consider me your big sister from now on!"
Then, I turned to Lou, my smirk widening.
"And as for this scary, homeless-looking dude over here—he goes by the name Lou."
Lou scratched the back of his neck, unfazed. A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes.
"Arrogant bug," he muttered, voice free of irritation. "Not gonna lie, I'm starting to get used to your insults."
"Yeah, it would feel weird if I stop insulting you."
"… Arrogant bug…"
Mina's gaze darted between us, her expression shifting from shock to something softer. A pink hue dusted her cheeks.
Then, suddenly, she straightened.
"Big Sis! As a member of the Shlimm Family, I humbly thank you for saving my life!"
A warmth spread through me.
An unexpected sensation.
Being called 'Big Sis'… from someone so innocent… It felt good.
I beamed at her, resting my chin on my hand. "Who would refuse to help such a cutie?" My voice was playful, teasing.
But a glint of mischief sparked in my eyes.
"By the way, Mina…" I started, tilting my head slightly. "Do you happen to be from Frostkacel?"
The moment the words left my lips, Lou arched a brow.
Mina's eyes lit up with recognition. "You know Frostkacel?" she gasped, voice bubbling with excitement.
Bingo.
I fought the urge to smirk. Direct hit.
Meanwhile, Lou scowled. "Frostkacel? Where the hell is that? Never heard of it."
I let my smirk slip through this time.
"It used to be one of Gloria's main territories. And the Shlimm Family ruled over it."
Lou's eyes widened, disbelief flickering across his face. He stared at me, then at Mina, who nodded eagerly.
"Color me surprised," he muttered, rubbing his temples. Then, with a shake of his head, "Just keep coloring me surprised, Bug."
A silent understanding passed between Lou and me.
The same thought. The same cold, inevitable truth.
This changes everything.
Lou's gaze darkened.
"Once your training is over," he said, voice low, measured, "there are things you need to clarify."
His eyes were sharp—unrelenting.
"You'll clarify them to the Council of the eight ones."
I met his stare, unwavering.
The air between us grew frigid.
"Be my guest," I replied, my voice as cold as the winter winds of Frostkacel.
"So, how did you end up here?" I asked softly, keeping my voice gentle. "Frostkacel is a long way from here."
Mina's eyes clouded with a distant look, as if the weight of the past had suddenly settled onto her small shoulders.
"I don't understand it either," she murmured, her voice trembling.
She took a shaky breath before continuing.
"It was a normal rainy day… We were having tea. Then, out of nowhere, a massive explosion shook the ground." Her grip tightened on her tattered sleeves. "When I looked outside… everything was in ruins. Buildings collapsed, streets shattered. But—" her voice wavered, "there were no flames. No magical energy. Just… destruction."
Suspicious.
The absence of magical energy was a glaring red flag. Destruction without an elemental affinity?
It mirrored my own power—void.
A chill crawled up my spine.
So it was true.
The moment I died, they somehow found a way to use my powers.
But how? I hadn't died in Frostkacel. My final attacks shouldn't have reached that far.
Then who?
How did my power—something that should have died with me—resurface in a place I never touched?
Mina's voice cracked, snapping me back.
"After that… everything started to crumble. Shockwaves kept hitting us. The guards tried to protect us, but one by one, they collapsed. Their bodies…" Her small hands clenched into fists. "Mummified."
Lou and I exchanged a sharp glance.
Neither of us had to say it.
We were both remembering her.
The woman who screamed Marloth's name before withering into a dried husk before our eyes.
A silent, devastating attack that turned people into dust.
Conclusion:
Gloria's destruction wasn't just a random event.
It was connected to all of this.
Shaking my head, I ran my fingers through Mina's hair, guiding her teary gaze back to mine.
"It's okay," I murmured. "Tell us everything."
She swallowed hard, then forced herself to go on.
"Everyone kept dying..." she whispered. "Everyone except—except those with royal blood. No matter where we ran, these strange people in red robes and eye bands were already there, waiting for us. They called themselves C.O.M."
My fingers froze.
"C.O.M."
The name sent a slow, creeping unease through me.
"Then what happened?" I urged.
Mina's head dropped, her voice barely a breath.
"They didn't hurt us," she admitted. "But… they gathered all of us at the Central Square of Execution." A shudder ran through her. "And then they forced us through this… strange silver portal. And when we stepped through… we ended up here."
Silence.
A portal?
Lou stiffened beside me. My mind reeled.
This girl…
She wasn't just a relic of the past.
She was like me. She was from 500 years ago.
Lou finally found his voice.
"You're suggesting time travel?" He blurted, kneeling to look her directly in the face. "Time travel?" His voice was incredulous. "Not even with Flow, not even with our most advanced technology have we ever achieved something like that!"
Mina frowned, tilting her head. "Time… travel?" she echoed, clearly confused. "I don't understand. What are you talking about?"
I exhaled sharply.
She didn't realize it.
She didn't understand the sheer gravity of what had happened to her.
I lifted Mina to her feet, brushing the dust from my clothes. "She's too young to grasp it," I murmured, locking eyes with Lou. "But the evidence lines up."
Lou ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly.
"Yeah," he admitted. "It does make sense."
His expression darkened.
"But then… how?" His gaze flickered with doubt. "Time travel on this scale? Five centuries? That's before electricity. Before Flow control. Before any of this even existed."
I shook my head, a sly grin curling at my lips.
"You're thinking too linear, Lou," I teased, reveling in the banter. "Sure, there was no advanced technology back then, but magic? It was everywhere. What if someone with Time Affinity existed back in those days?"
Lou's expression shifted—his smirk widening, eyes gleaming with intrigue.
"If that's the case," he mused, his voice carrying a flicker of excitement, "then we might have stumbled upon a colossal puzzle, with all the pieces finally falling into place."
He wasn't wrong. The thought wasn't entirely foreign to me either.
After all, I had traversed centuries as well.
And there was one man I knew—one with an affinity for time itself.
A man who loved Gloria more than he ever loved the crown.
Elyas Ruby.
If he was involved in its downfall…
No.
Not now. Not yet.
We had too many unanswered questions, and this was only the beginning.
I exhaled, tilting my head up to the sky. The last traces of sunlight painted the horizon in fading hues of gold and crimson.
"So, what's the plan?" I asked, shielding my eyes from the light with a hand. "I'm not keen on waiting for dawn before making our next move."
Lou ran a hand through his hair, his shoulders sagging with a deep sigh. "I agree. We could investigate the Tower… or I could return to Alaranta for reinforcements. Jeez, his whole thing is a massive headache."
He pressed a hand against his forehead as if that alone could ease the weight of it all.
I couldn't blame him. This situation was spiraling out of control faster than either of us could keep up with.
But before we could weigh our options, a small hand tugged at my coat.
Mina.
Her tiny fingers clenched the fabric, her wide, desperate eyes locking onto mine.
"No, please—don't go back there!" she pleaded, her voice trembling.
Her grip tightened as though she feared we'd vanish the moment she let go.
"The people in the Tower are good compared to the others," she insisted, her words contradicting the fear flickering in her gaze. "They helped me escape, and… we all want to help those who are suffering."
"Those?" I echoed, running a hand gently through her tangled hair.
"There are more like you outside the Tower?"
She nodded, and with that small confirmation, the weight of her words pressed heavier on my chest.
"My mom is out there too," she whispered, her voice softer now. "I can feel her Mana… and it's weak. They're struggling more than we are."
Her plea hung between us, thick with desperation.
"Please…" Her small hands balled into fists. "Can't we help them first?"
A heavy silence followed.
Lou and I exchanged glances, but I already knew my answer.
I sighed, shaking my head with a wry smile.
"What can I say?" I mused. "I'm a sucker for a kid in distress."
Mina's face lit up, hope gleaming in her tear-brimmed eyes.
"Lou, you go get backup," I declared. "I'll take Mina to find her mother."
She nearly bounced in place, clutching my sleeve in gratitude.
Lou, on the other hand, was far less enthusiastic.
With an exasperated scoff, he jabbed his finger against my forehead.
"What the hell makes you think I'd do that?" He scowled, a look of sheer disgust crossing his face. "You're acting like some kind of white knight, charging headfirst into danger for no reason."
"White knight?" I let out a soft chuckle.
"This isn't about playing hero, Lou."
I met his glare with unwavering confidence.
"You think I'm all sunshine and rainbows, but this isn't a fairy tale—not even close. And I'm aware of that."
I turned my gaze toward Mina, then back to Lou. "I'm simply making a calculated decision."
"I want to find my own answers, in my own way."