How are those freed still connected?

[X59]

From what I understood of everything after beating Arcadia, those she imprisoned would be free from the world and it appeared to me that they would no longer be players in the story. As such I was surprised to see Kanna, Shion, and Mizuki later on and was really surprised to see Higure as one of many bosses we had to fight in the last level.

As such I have to ask how were they still connected to the World, when Queen Arcadia was beaten out of it?

[RazorclawX]

Shizuka 'summoned' them back herself. It's one of those things where outwardly it seems like she's the brooding loner type yet she keeps going back to her friends (in contrast to Hikaru to does the exact opposite).

[X59]

Thanks for explaining.