Maria rushed into the throne room.

"Mother?!"

As she stepped inside, she saw an uncountable number of soldiers lining up, weapons drawn.

Behind her—Naraka stood, her voice stern:

> "Hand it over. Now."

Maria hesitated but then reached into her cloak, pulling out a small glowing orb — a soul sphere that contained the last remnants of Nujah's mind. She placed it into Naraka's palm.

Naraka studied the sphere for a full minute, in complete silence, her expression unreadable.

Then, she returned it to Maria.

> "Until I return, your one and only mission is to protect this. Do you understand?"

Maria began to protest, "But—"

Naraka's voice thundered:

> "All of you. You will stay. You will protect it."

Faced with a fury they hadn't seen in decades — their mother's true self as Naraka, the divine — Maria and her siblings fell to their knees in sorrowful obedience.

Mitra was already on the ground, silently crying.

Then, with a heavy creak, a door opened.

Soldiers entered and surrounded Mitra in a tight circle.

Naraka stepped forward, her tone shifting to a mournful formality:

> "Mitra, Daughter of Nujah... and blood heir of the Nameless One."

> "By breaking not only the laws of Shiora but also the deepest laws of existence… and for killing the only one who ever truly loved you..."

One of the soldiers stepped in, shouting the charges:

1. The unjust and brutal murder of Shinrei Nujah, guardian of Shiora.

2. Deceiving the Shinrei gods and manipulating their trust.

3. Violating the foundational laws of the realm.

4. Heir of the Nameless Serpent

 

The soldier fell silent.

Then Naraka spoke again — her voice like thunderclouds, filled with divine rage:

> "The realm of Shiora — chosen me as its goddess — may not be able to speak, but right now, it is begging me to end you."

She paused.

Her face softened.

And then… she smiled.

> "But I won't."

> "Instead, Mitra, daughter of Nujah... I sentence you to one hundred years in the prison of Shiora."

> "If you ask me why — it's because even at the end, when he should've been thinking only of his own survival — Nujah still tried to save you. He still had hope for you."

> "For his sake, my only true human son... I forgive you."

She then knelt, gently embracing Mitra.

> "And for abandoning you for so long... I am truly sorry, my Granddaughter."

Mitra, overwhelmed, trembled in her arms. Her rage melted into sobs.

Naraka stepped back, looked into her eyes, and in Nujah's voice, asked softly:

> "Feeling better now, Princess?"

Mitra stood up slowly.

The guards were alarmed — but Naraka raised her hand.

> "It's alright. She knows where she needs to go. She'll walk there on her own."

Mitra bowed deeply.

> "Thank you, Mother… I don't know how to say it properly — maybe it doesn't even matter anymore… but I'm sorry."

Then, side by side with Naraka, she entered the black cell — a place known as the Cage of Shadows.

Just before she left, Naraka snapped her fingers.

The oppressive darkness inside the prison shifted — softened — and in a glowing flash, a bright orange cat appeared inside the cell.

From afar, Naraka called out:

> "That's Nujah's cat — World Destroyer. Take good care of him, kid."