Roselle gracefully stepped out of her tank, she noticed the clothes thoughtfully id out for her by Dr. Kintovar. Slipping into the attire, she felt a renewed sense of self, her memories returning in a sudden rush, like pieces of a puzzle falling into pce.

  In that moment, she remembered the battle against Dark Whirlwind, her sister Risebelle’s dire dition, and the incredible magical rupture that had threatehem. Her eyes immediately turo Risebelle, her heart heavy with .

  Kintovar, who had been tirelessly w on the repairs for Risebelle, looked up from her work. She saw the worry in Roselle’s eyes and approached her with a f smile.

  “Roselle,” Kintaly, “I’m w hard to repair the damages doo Risebelle by Dark Whirlwind. But getting rid of a hole in the body is a plex and challenging task. I won’t give up on her. She’s like family to me too.”

  Roselle nodded with her gaze still fixated on her older sister.

  Kintovar, her hands still busy with the repairs for Risebelle, spoke with “Roselle, I need you to uand that Risebelle’s repairs will take a while. It’s a plex process, and I’m doing my best.”

  Roselle nodded in uanding but couldn’t help herself from feeling deeply ed about her sister. Her attentiouro Runebelle, and she moved closer to her younger sister’s tank. Pg her hands gently on the gss, she attached herself to it. Her eyes widened while peering inside. Her mouth began to tremble with worry.

  Kintovar, now notig Roselle’s attat to the tank, spoke up. “Roselle, yoing to smudge the gss if you get too close.” But right after saying that, she saw the face of Roselle and realized the sadhat was deeply rooted within her.

  After a moment, Kintovar smiled warmly and expined, “Roselle, I see what’s going on. You’re deeply ected to Runebelle, just as you are to Risebelle. Runebelle’s damages were severe, but I mao get them fixed in time. Her ditions have returo normal, so there’s nothing to worry about. She should be out of the tank in a few hours, and you’ll be able to see her again.”

  Roselle’s eyes sparkled with relif.

  Suddenly, ahusiastic hug from Sally caught Roselle by surprise. She stumbled backward, and nded on the ground with a soft thud. A surprised giggle escaped Roselle.

  Sally beamed with joy. She hugged Roselle tightly.“I’m so gd you’re alright, Roselle! Now y together!”

  Roselle, still sitting on the ground from the ued hug, looked up at Sally with a grin. “You know, Sally, you’re really strong for a 7-year-old.”

  Sally’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really? You think so?”

  Roselle nodded. “Absolutely. Not everyone pull off a hug like that and knoeone over!”

  Sally giggled, though moments after, curiosity sparked in Sally’s eyes. “How old are you, Roselle?”

  Roselle’s smile faltered. She had beeed only a few months ago, which would teically make her “0” years old. However, her memories of her past life as a college student plicated things.She looked up at Sally, aiting expetly and thought, ‘What would make the most seo say, here?’

  After a moment of ption, Roselle decided to answer. “Well, Sally, I guess you could say I’m o this world, so in a way, I’m like a baby.”

  Sally tilted her head and wore a goofy smile. “That sounds silly. You ’t be a baby if you’re already talking!”

  Roselle chuckled “Yes, it does sound a bit silly, doesn’t it? How about this: Do you know at what age people usually go to college?”

  Sally’s brow furrowed in thought. “Hmm,...I don’t know that. I hink about stuff like that.” Sally’s face suddenly lit up with a new idea. “I’ll ask my dad! He knows a lot of things.”

  She scampered off to find her father, Alden, leaving Roselle aloh her thoughts. A few moments ter, Sally returned, her father Alden in tow.

  Alden looked at Roselle with a friendly smile. “Hello, Roselle. Sally tells me you’re curious about when people usually go to college.”

  Roselle nodded. “Yes, Alden. I was trying to expin my age to Sally, and I wondered if you could help crify what age people typically start college.”

  Alden stroked his thoughtfully. “Most people start college around the age of 18. It’s a time when they’ve finished high school and are ready to begin higher education.”

  Roselle smiled. “Thank you, Alden. That helps me a lot.”

  Sally, still holding onto her father’s hand, looked up at Roselle with a big grin. “See, you’re not a baby. You’re like... a grown-up who’s just starting out!”

  Roselle ughed gently. “I guess that’s one way to put it…”

  Sally’s face lit up with satisfa. “Now let’s py!”

  Sally and Roselle engaged in various games and activities, filling the room with ughter and joy. The boween them was growing stronger. Roselle was beginning to feel more at ease in this new enviro.

  Kintovar observed the iioween Roselle and Sally. She remained ral faced while giving watch to them; however, her focus quickly shifted to Runebelle’s tank in thought.

  ‘Runebelle, like her sisters, is more than just a mae. They have their own experieheir own perspectives, their owions, their own Souls. If Runebelle and her sisters learruth about their existend my iions, they e to terms with it?’

  ‘Data Colle... It’s a measure of how much they’ve learned about themselves and their surroundings. Their data colle is the key to their transformation, their uanding of the past, and their purpose. They’re se beings, capable of indepehought and feeling.’

  She tio stare at Runebelle’s tank. ‘I’ve givehe gift of self-awareness, the ability to think, feel, and learn. Have I iently fiheir potential and freedom? Is that the right path to take?’

  Kintovar pted the possible outes of her choices. She whispered to herself, “In a few hours, it’ll be clear which path Runebelle will take.”

  Night soon fell. The makeshift b within Alden’s was illuminated by artificial lights created by Kintovar’s teology. Sally and Roselle tio py. In the midst of a cheerful activity, Alden approached Kintovar with . “You’ve been w tirelessly, Kintovar,” he said. “Even a stist needs rest, you know. You won’t be of much help to them if you’re exhausted.”

  Kintovar, however, shook her head and replied firmly, “That’s absurd. I won’t rest until I’ve fixed them. They’re my responsibility.”

  Alden sighed. He gave a smile to Kintovar ahe stist to her work. He gently scooped up Sally into his arms, cradling her small body “e on, little o’s time for bed.”

  Sally pouted and kicked her legs slightly. “I don’t wanna go to bed, Daddy! I y longer!”

  Alden chuckled. “I know, but you need your rest, so you py with Roselle again tomorrow. You don’t want to py tomorrow as a zombie all day do you?”

  Sally let out a small, defeated sigh. “ I atleast get a piggyback ride to bed, Daddy?”

  Alden grinned and nodded, “Of course, you , sweetheart.” With that, he hoisted her onto his back, and Sally g to him. She ed her small arms around his neck. With her giggles filling the air, Alden made his stairs.

  Roselle walked over to where Kintovar was busy at the ptop. She didn’t interrupt Kintovar’s work and merely moved towards Runebelle’s tank.

  Kint Roselle and then at the time oop. “Roselle, it’s very te, and you’ve had a long day. You should get some rest too.”

  But her attention drawn to Runebelle’s tank. She noticed the eyes of the girl were beginning to flutter open. Runebelle’s gaze met Roselle’s, and for a moment, there was some fusion and fear in her eyes. Roselle leaned in closer to the gss with a look of . “Hey, it’s me, Roselle. You’re safe now. Everything’s going to be okay.”

  Runebelle blinked a few more times, processing the words and the face she was seeing. Runebelle stepped out of the tank. She met Roselle’s eyes with her normal gloomy look. “Roselle…? Is that really you?”

  Roselle’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing Runebelle. She had been holding her breath, waiting for this moment. The emotions surged through her like a powerful wave—relief, joy, and lingering fear—all colliding in her chest.

  “Yes, it’s me, Runebelle,” Roselle replied. “We were…we were….we….w….”

  Roselle’s smile slowly transformed into tears that welled up in her blue eyes. In a sudden surge of emotion, Roselle threw her arms around Runebelle, embrag her tightly. Tears streamed down Roselle’s face. Through choked sobs, she mao speak, “R-Runebelle... I thought... I thought I’d lost you... I thought I’d never see you again...your systems were damaged to the point where you might have... It was……so bad! I was so worried!”

  Runebelle gently patted Roselle on the back. Her own eyes were moist, though no tears fell. Roselle tio cry and buried in Runebelle’s shoulder.

  After Roselle’s sobs began to subside, she felt Runebelle shifting in her embrace. With a rare, faint smile on her face, Runebelle gently moved out of the hug and began to work on Roselle’s long, flowing hair. She carefully tied it bato a ponytail, mirr the way Alden had do for Roselle.

  Roselle was amazed and touched by this gesture. She blinked in surprise and then looked at Runebelle with wide eyes. “Runebelle, how did you learn to do that?”

  Runebelle was somber, but her eyes held a warmth that Roselle hadn’t seen often. She softly replied, “I just tried to replicate the way I saw you earlier in my mind. I thought this was the type of style you wanted...”

  Kintovar’s curiosity observed the two sisters. “It’s remarkable, Roselle, how much you resemble Dark Whirlwind. I’ve always wondered about the reason for that simirity. It’s almost as if there’s a deeper e betweewo of you, beyond what I’ve created.”

  Roselle nodded in agreement. “I’ve felt it too. It’s like there’s something more to this story than we know…”

  Kintovar and Runebelle finally stood face to face. It was a standoff, aher of them was willing to break the silence.

  Seds passed with them staring at each other. Roselle felt tension buildiween them despire Runebelle’s gloomy gaze and Kintovars smile towards Runebelle. “What’s happening?”

  Kintovar and Runebelle seemed to exge a wordless versation. More time ticked by, and the silence grew heavy. Finally, Kintovar broke the silence. “Runebelle, what’s on your mind? What are y to tell me?”

  Runebelle still didn’t speak but extended her hand. Her fingers pointed out at a specific spot on the floor, urging Kintovar to look down.

  When Runebelle finally said a word, it was not ohat any of them expected. “on.”

  Without further expnation, Runebelle summoned her on to her hand and pushed Roselle aside. She g the on for a moment before l her gaze to the ground.

  Kintovar nodded. “I see.”

  fusion filled Roselle’s eyes. “I don’t see… What’s going on?”

  Kintovar adjusted her stand pced her hands on her sides. “Runebelle, amed Project Rune, you stand before your Brilliant Creator, me, Dr. Kintovar,” she said while adopting a serious tone. “I’ve always been firm with you, my creations, and I have given you freedom to learn and grow, to develop your own personalities and experiences. But I did not stop there. I imposed one unbreakable order upon you: to always obey me.”

  Kintovar’s tinued with her faow shifting to a narrow-eyed look. “The time has e to ask, Runebelle, are you prepared to break that order? Are you ready to defy my ands and chart your own path, your owiny?”

  Runebelle’s versations with her system was a torrent of emotions and thoughts. She finally knew who she truly was. The meaning of ‘RUNE’—‘Restituted Unification Nexus Entity.’ She couldn’t reveal this truth to anyone, not even her sisters, but she could take a.

  She thought to herself, ‘I know who I am, what I am, and what I must do. My destiny is clear. I must eliminate her, my creator, and then, i’ll be free.’