Being escorted to the Bund's library, Elizabeth was able to recognize some familiar books. Most were to teach several languages and she recalled her husband bringing two or three to teach her how to read and write once he learned she couldn't do either one of them. Seeing those again made her smile at such fond memories. Justin watched her approaching a section of shelves with mythologies, folklores and legends. By the way she walked, her eyes gleamed with leaking enthusiasm and nostalgia, he made a note to himself to thank Mr. Ages for choosing the library as a good place for her to explore as she seemed to no longer mind her tense encounter with the council and the minister of military arms.

"Jonathan read some of them for the children before," she inwardly giggled as she held one of the books, "though there are times he excluded parts that were inappropriate for them..."

The captain of the guards chuckled.

"Good storyteller, he was…" Justin grinned.

Since a first impression the IM-Humans have made to a poor widow of their hero, the guard captain was concerned if they were either scared or gave her immense discomfort. Jonathan Brisby was a secretive man, when it comes to his privacies, his past, his relationships and his identities. While he kept his true job and identities discrete from his wife and children, most of the population of the Bund never knew he had a family, nor he was married. And with this information out at this point, it was only a matter of time people in the Bund will recognize her as a wife of their dead hero. Meaning, there would be some group of people who wish to take advantage of her. Henceforth, this was why Nicodemus had given Justin a new task other than guarding the entrance bridge of the Bund a few days ago; assisting Mrs. Brisby when she came to the Bund.

And Justin, near to eagerly, accepted his new duty.

"I'm sorry for disrupting you from your duties…" she turned to him, apologetic.

"I don't mind you interrupting me daily." Justin smiled, his tone sincere.

Elizabeth blinked her eyes. If she didn't know better, she could have taken his gestures and words as if he was flirting with her. However, unlike the other men usually behaving around her in lecherous demeanor, Captain Strauss was far more charming and genuine with his words. Silence filled the library all as the captain realized he had just spoken the words right out of his mouth that were supposed to be only spoken in his heart.

With a faint blush on his cheeks, Justin cleared his throat awkwardly.

"...Nicodemus, he, would be expecting you soon…"

Elizabeth bashfully put the books back to the shelves where they belonged. She approached the entrance of the library, unaware of the dark eyes of the captain glinting warmly, still on her as he followed. Leaving the library, Mrs. Brisby spotted Mr. Ages waiting.

"About time," the old doctor rolled his eyes, "has Justin bothered you?"

"Oh no, not at all," the widow shook her head no with a small smile, "he has been accompanying me well.

"Hopefully." Mr. Ages frowned, suspecting.

Justin's smile formed in an awkward manner, but placed his hands behind his back. Elizabeth's eyes looked around cautiously when realized several eyes of IM-Humans were on the three, especially to her. Words truly spread fast as plague as some whispered or mused in disbelief and awe at the presence of Jonathan Brisby's widow.

'The Brisby Widow…'

'She seems smaller than we imagined…is she a human?'

'Heard she has four children…, how could she even give birth to four?'

Long way for a human widow to go to Nicodemus' residence, yet she felt no exhaustion as she even politely declined Justin's offer to carry her.

"I raised four children, I'm fine with walking…" she would smile.

Justin's eyes scrutinized her. Over a decade, no doubt she wedded Jonathan when she was in early 20s. At such a considerably young age. Her shoulders were straight, but not in a natural relaxed manner. If relaxed, her shoulders would slump low and her neck would lower. And the illness one of her children goes through has gotten her worked up harder. Unlike humans like her, IM-Humans have prolonged stamina and strength regardless what sort of labors or works they have. Yet, seeing Elizabeth's full view of appearance had given Justin a compassionate view on how humans were easily inflicted in harm or deterioration of health. It reminded him of current years Jonathan have shown a slight paranoia when it was only Justin, Mr. Ages or Nicodemus was around.

'Is that why he has been afraid…, why did he leave her a moving manor with protective spells…,' Justin frowned a bit, 'though I understand him…'

Arriving the tower of Prime Minister, Mr. Ages harshly yet silently shooed the captain to guard outside while he would escort Elizabeth inside.

"Now, don't tire him out. Nicodemus may have lived longer than us, but still an ancient man." Mr. Ages told the widow.

"Yes…"

"Say what you want, and that is it. Make it brief." He added sternly.

"I won't be a bother…" Mrs. Brisby timidly nodded.

Approached the birdcage elevator, Mr. Ages pushed the button of an arrow that pointed up.

"Justin has tired him out with his silly nonsense…I don't know what Nicodemus sees in that boy…," the doctor sighed before turning to her, "I'll come back for you as soon as I prescribe more for Timothy."

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Ages…" she slightly bowed, appreciative.

"Go to the very top. And remember, brief."

Elizabeth nodded timidly as the doctor limped out on his way to get more herbs for Mrs. Brisby's second son. Gazing at the closed birdcage of the elevator, Elizabeth began to notice the tower itself has both elevator and stairs. A rare combination of stairways and technologies she wouldn't expect to see in the same architecture as once again, she found herself impressed with advanced works the Bund has.

Hearing the "ting", she flinched a little as the door of lifting transportation opened. Taking a deep breath, she entered and faced the wall which had a lever that can direct up and down with inscriptions "bottom" and "top". Remembering Mr. Ages' words, Elizabeth carefully grabbed the handle of the lever before pushing it to the very top. The door closed steadily before the elevator moved up. Spotting a mirror to her left, she hastily tidied her hair to proper buns, dusting off her red cloak to look more presentable and less rude in the presence of the leader of IM-Humans. She paused when the elevator stopped moving and made the same sound it made when the door opened for her.

'Oh… it is very fast. Faster than running up the stairs…' she blinked her outs, quietly took her steps out of the lift.

In front of her was another door, but did not belong to the elevator. It was a door to the chamber where the Prime Minister of the Bund awaits. Once again, she jumped in surprise when the doorknob moved on its own before the door opened wide with mystic bluish light greeting her as her eyes closed in response, turned away before it let out an electric sound and the lights disappeared. When Elizabeth opened her eyes, she found herself inside the chamber much to her surprise. A calm light inside the droplet shaped lamps glittered warmly, welcoming her.

"Don't be frightened." She could hear the voice of an old man with a serene tone.

Despite the fear, she takes a couple of steps closer to the source of the voice. The wooden pillars with vines of vaguely fragrant flowers stood still, and as she walked past them, she could see the aging man with white hair and mustache reaching down to his chest. His pair of glowing golden eyes blinked slowly before smiling.

"S-sir…the Pope…, Father Stolas, sent me to you…" she began anxiously.

"Oh, did he…," Nicodemus nodded in understanding, "he is a dear comrade of mine. Come closer, child…"

Inwardly gulped, she obediently approached Nicodemus who was sitting on his chair. An IM-Human he was, as he was taller than her like the others. But, the air around him was far more mystical and ancient. Give or take, he could be over a hundred years old. Although she had previously encountered him a year ago at the funeral of her husband, he looked far more weary now.

"Ah, Elizabeth Brisby. It has been a while…" he bowed, his one trembling hand on his chest respectfully.

"M-Minister…, Prime Minister Jacobs…, I'm sorry for… coming in a bad time," Mrs. Brisby looked down, "my family…"

"I am aware of your distress…," Nicodemus held up his hand, "but I am also aware of the curiosity as well…"

"H-how…, how is that…everyone here knows Jonathan…?" She asked.

"Because…, he's a great friend and lifesaver to my people in the Bund… all of them came from NIMH… and so was he."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. Then, Nicodemus held out a book to her.

"Here…, the book. Me, Mr. Ages… and others who owed so much to Jonathan…kept it safe for you."

The book seemed more of a large, rectangular vintage scrapbook with the edges worn out. However, she was able to recognize the names written.

"I can read a little… Jonathan taught me. But, the children are better at it than I-" she gasped as the book opened itself on a specific page.

She felt a familiar pang in her heart to see a photo of her late husband in military attire. A soldier. Just the same way she met him for the first time. There were some photos taken with other soldiers. His comrades. Arms to arms, shoulder to shoulder, altogether smiling. Based on the written date of the time, he was eighteen when he first volunteered to the army when the war broke out.

The next page was a photo of him, but with significantly changed parts of his appearance. His silvery hair longer, eyes sharper, and stood alongside Mr. Ages. Noticing the paragraphs attached next to the photo, Elizabeth began to read:

"Jonathan…Brisby…made possible, the IM-Humans escaped from the terrible..cruelty of the National…Institute of…Mystical Health."

She flipped to next page, seeing a photo of Nicodemus standing with her late husband and Mr. Ages. Behind them were formerly captive soldiers freed, following them. They were all standing at the entrance of the Bund.

"With Nicodemus…Jacobs…, Jonathan… found the community for victims of NIMH," she continued, her voice becoming relaxed with a small amount of relief, 'so, that was what he worked for…whenever he was out of home… he was helping them.'

When flipped to couple more pages, her expression saddened at the familiar sight. A photo of Jonathan Brisby, peacefully resting, in a coffin. The day of his funeral. Another photo was seemingly scrapped from the newspaper; her husband with his favorite trench coat and a shirt she sewn for him in blood, carried in arms of Virgin Mary's statue. Eyes closed.

"Jonathan was…," she nearly choked in her emotion of pain and blinked back her tears as she read, "...found dead… at the day he initiated the Plan, after confronting the gatekeeper…Drago Welker."

She remembered she was only told how he was found dead. The day he died happened to be the day after she told him what Drago nearly had done to her when he was out working, to have his filthy ways with her while insulting Jonathan. When Elizabeth told him everything, her husband angrily stormed out as he mumbled he couldn't postpone what he had planned and said they must leave the town.

And that was the last time Elizabeth saw her husband.

"Oh… I…, I never…knew, just how…he died…" Mrs. Brisby wiped a tear from her cheek, feeling guilty,

"It was not your fault, child…, everything he planned is to protect you and your children. He didn't mean to hide everything from you." Nicodemus gently patted her head.

Elizabeth turned to him, eyes still moist.

"Why did he never tell me about you and your people… why?"

His glowing eyes frowned slightly with remorse, but calmed to its usually reserved gaze. His hand that patted her head tenderly, was now touching her forehead with his both hands.

"...I must tell you about NIMH…and the Plan."