After a long moment of silence, almost as if it were calculated, she stood up, and started walking away. Finding that quite uninspected, I yelled:

- Wait! Where are you going?! You know you can’t just ditch me here, right?! After all, you’re the one who invited me!

6 meter away from me, she stopped, then responded:

- You’re right. Follow me.

- Alright. But only ‘cause I WANT to.

So I stood up from my chair and started catching up while she was almost halfway through the exit of the café.

We were outside. She started walking with confidence so I guess she knew what and where we were going. Oh my god. I can’t even recognize myself anymore! Who am I to put my complete trust in this stranger?

We arrived at a public library. When we’re inside, she explained:

- Welcome to LSI (Lady Shiva Institution). This library is dedicated to our first ever Empress who restored peace and harmony into our lands when we were all suffering from the burning ashes that have been caused by the damaging, devastating, massive destruction of the War. It’s pretty much public interior area, and like all libraries, and can be a perfect quiet workspace, a perfect place to read, and there’s a little gaming area over there which you can use but in condition that you remain silent.

- I get it...games...books...workspaces. But, why am I here for? You KNOW I would've gone to a library if I knew it was crucial? What’s the big trouble? Why am I included?

- So you’re the rush type, huh? Well, let me explain…

- …

- This library has a public area but it also reforms all of the most crucial top-secrets of all time, which are retained in a different area. That “other” area, is forbidden to any other persons EXCEPT, The Empress successor, The Empress subjects, and the Empress herself. I’m the chosen one so I have the right to be here. Of course, you are my successor so you…

- Wait wait wait. Who said I was gonna become the next Empress? You don’t get to choose, I do.

- Oh? But I thought you said you were having thoughts about…

- Yeah but that’s “having thoughts”. I’m still trying to process things in my mind. I haven’t made my decision yet. Plus, my mother would be…

- Furious? Over-protecting? Worried? That’s not the question. If your worries are all about personal family business, then don’t worry. You’re in good hands. But I also want to tell you that, if you want to get stronger, the first step to take will be to clear your mind. You have been too generous over the past years and I know it. Concentrate yourself more on you from now on. And get this. I WILL make you stronger.

I slowly lowered my head.

- So? What’d you think?

I took 3 minutes, then slowly raised my head and said with all my strength:

- I’m ready. Transfer me your knowledge… Sensei.

A delightful soft smile appeared on her face. After having succeeded in convincing me, I guess that was the only way for her to show her true joy for this.

We went down to the reserved top-secret area that Christina talked about, and when we arrived at that one particular book section, she took 5 scrolls, gripped them tightly in her arms, handed them out to me, and said:

- Read those scrolls.

- Why?

- Such a Curious George, aren’t you?

- Uh..wrong. First of all, I'm not a monkey, and second, I’m not curious. I just want some answers. May I remind you that I'm hanging with a stranger I don't know? And that we’ve barely met? Don’t expect me to trust you easily. Just because you’re supposed to be the next Empress and you gave that job to me, doesn’t mean we're gonna be besties for the rest of our lives. So calm it down, would ya’?

Now...could you just tell me what are those damn cursed scrolls are already?

- They’re the sacred scrolls that were first written by Lady Shiva, as you know, our first ever Empress. Some of them talk about her life and accomplishments. And the others talk about the different fighting styles and techniques, she was given as a gift, from the Northern Lands, also known as Ice Tribes.

She took one of the scrolls and showed me a bunch of different techniques, fighting styles, and spells that could be used for combat training. For the next few hours, days, months, and even years, I’ve viewed and reviewed, EVERY SINGLE ONE of these scrolls, from start to finish. I was nearly practicing my butt off for these things. My only objective was: become the best Empress out of all… and maybe...help my mother and all that’s left for me, to get all back in order.