Part 128: Dungeon
October 4th, 1986, 10:37 PM
There were no windows, and with the weak light bulb, one could just barely make out the state of things around them. It appeared to be an old forgotten underground storage room, with some kind of dusty furniture haphazardly thrown into it...
However, even with just a little light, one could at least make out that it probably wasn't a storage room. After all, that room was sealed off with iron bars.
BGM: Corridor of the Sands of Purgatory
"I don't know... Could this be underneath the mansion...? Has there always been a room like this... directly underneath the dining hall...?"They had dropped into what had appeared to be a pit, falling into this room. Therefore, it was natural to assume that this room was directly under the dining hall. However, not even Krauss could bring himself to believe that there were pitfalls rigged in his beloved dining hall, where he had enjoyed his meals for years, and that this dungeon-like room lay directly beneath it.
But the ceiling above was of crude stone craftsmanship, and they couldn't understand how they could've fallen from somewhere up there. No, all five people who had been dropped here thought the same thing. Although they'd had the sensation of falling into a pit, there was no way there could be pitfalls in the dining hall, nor could this dungeon-like place be directly under it. But, the truth was that they actually had fallen into this place and were locked in. So, they were confused.
"...It is lucky that no one was hurt after falling from such a height..."
"...Shannon, Kanon. Did either of you two know about this room...?"
"...No. We did not know of this room either."
"...Really...?"
"R-Really... We really... don't know about a room like this..."
There was a long silence, as if Krauss was evaluating their answer...
"...No, it's probably true that you don't know. After all, this is the clean-freak Shannon we're talking about. If she knew about this room, she'd probably scrub this place until it was sparkling. The filth of this room is proof that you two don't know of it. More importantly, I think we should worry about what to do next." "E-Exactly... We need to call the police, o-or rather administer first aid as soon as possible..."Nanjo's words were hollow. Obviously. Six people had been killed in the dining hall. Everybody had seen the exact moment when they'd been killed. And since half of their heads had been destroyed, anyone could tell that the deaths had been instant with just a single glance. Everyone understood that first aid no longer held any meaning...
"Thank you, Doctor Nanjo. We already understand that our partners are no longer alive. Thanks for trying to console us by mentioning first aid."
"...Natsuhi..."Once again, a gloomy silence dominated the atmosphere. But Krauss shook his head harshly over and over and, for the time being, decided to forget the pain of losing his wife, and to dedicate himself to figuring out where they were.
Nobody answered. Without any kind of discussion or mercy, six people had been killed in an instant. And, Kinzo had even been so bold as to proclaim that we'd become sacrifices for a ceremony involving 13 murders. Since we've been locked up in this place, we too will probably become the ceremony's next sacrifices soon.
Around this time, our eyes became used to the darkness... and, bit by bit, we were able to understand more about the dungeon's interior. What we thought was furniture haphazardly left in the dungeon turned out not to be furniture at all. They were... things like small cages to lock people in, restraints, or else... torture racks. At any rate, it was obvious that it was eerier than a mere jail cell.
Since the objects were rusted together and coated in thick dust, there was no doubt that they had been forgotten. Maybe you could even call these things Kinzo's sealed and forgotten madness. However, we had been locked away in this room. Those objects weren't exactly comforting to people who were locked up, hoping to be released without harm...
"...At any rate, let's get out of here. We've lost loved ones and friends and would like to spend some time shedding tears, but more than that, I'm worried about the children."
"...I-I wonder if the children are safe..." "All we can do is pray... Come to think of it, Kumasawa and Gohda aren't here." "Perhaps... they were able to get away safely..." "You never know. It would be a relief if they were able to meet up with the children..." "When the going gets tough, Gohda-san is reliable, and Kumasawa-san is knowledgeable and calm... I'm sure they'll be able to help the children..." "...Hahahaha. Yes, that certainly would be comforting."Shannon and Krauss smiled bitterly a little. But they quickly realized how improper that was and stopped, clearing their throats.
"I agree. What Father carried out in the dining hall was... the six murders of the first twilight from the witch's epitaph, right?" "Then, the second twilight is to 'Tear apart the two who are close'. We can't deny the possibility that Gohda-san and Kumasawa-san may have been killed after escaping together. We can't cling to the optimistic idea that they must've gotten to the guesthouse and are protecting the children."Kyrie coldly analyzed the worst-case scenario. For her, it was heartbreaking to have lost her beloved husband. But right now, the most important thing was protecting that husband's son, along with the other children, from becoming the insane Family Head's sacrifices. She overcame her sadness with the parental urge to protect children from sorrow.
It seemed that both Kyrie and Krauss were strong enough to forget about their grief, if only for the time being... They would let their tears flow later. In order to protect the children, they had to act.
"Anyway, let's get out of here... It seems to be a rather old cell. Couldn't we break the bars with something? Let's try searching the entire room for some way to escape." "I wonder if there are any torture tools lying around all these torture cages. They might be useful as weapons, or to break the bars."Kyrie pulled a lighter from her pocket. She herself didn't smoke, but she kept one tucked away in her pocket to light Rudolf's cigarettes. It was an extremely valuable source of light for searching in this dim dungeon.
"...W-What should I help with...?" "Please just keep up your strength. Father will probably come soon. You're the only one whose words will reach him. In a way, you might be holding our lives in your hands."
"...My words... will no longer reach him, I think. I'm sorry, but I don't believe I will be of any use..." "Then lend us your expertise as a doctor. I wonder if there exists a drug that can make people instantly faint." "...A drug that makes people instantly faint...? What are you talking about...?"
"We believe we fell through a pit and landed in this dungeon. In that panic-stricken moment, that's what we believed happened." "...But I measured the breadth of this room and came to a realization. This dungeon can't be underneath the dining hall." "Why do you say that...?"
"...You're an idiot, Nee-san. Compared to the dining hall, this dungeon is too cramped." "Exactly. The first person to fall was Krauss nii-san. The second was myself. When you fell into this room, did you move from that spot, Krauss nii-san?" "...It's embarrassing to say, but the landing hurt, and I lay there groaning in pain. Immediately after that, Kyrie-san came crashing down next to me."
"The distance between where we were standing and the places where we landed is clearly off." "C-Certainly, when you put it that way... I was the next to fall, so I remember fairly well where you two were standing. The distance between you two in the dining hall might have been greater than this entire room." "We fell into a pit and directly dropped down here. It's not like we fell into multiple interlocking pipes and were all collected here. The fall was instant, wasn't it? I don't remember rolling around in some sort of elaborate water pipe system." "...True, we can't explain it with a pitfall. What a strange tale." "What does that have to do... with a drug that makes people instantly faint, like Kyrie-sama was talking about...?"
"But in reality, we did fall."
"More accurately, we felt as though we fell into pits. That was only natural. After all, we experienced something that couldn't be described any other way." "I-I see... In other words, this is what you want to say... We did not fall into pits... We were attacked with something like a blowdart, for example, and lost consciousness instantly. It could be that we just remember the instant we fell to the floor as though it were falling through a pit..."
"...I see. That's a much more persuasive explanation than there being numerous pitfall traps in the dining hall that we've never noticed, even after decades eating there." "...Nee-san, do you have a watch?" "Huh? Y-Yes. I have a pocket watch... Umm, it's about 22:40."
"...Yes. My watch says the same. In short, it's only been a bit more than ten minutes since that uproar in the dining hall, at most." "My watch has the same time. That's much too short a time to knock us out and carry us somewhere. Judging only from the time, it's reasonable to assume that we did fall through a hole leading directly underneath the dining hall." "They could've tampered with the watch hands as much as they wanted. While we were passed out, they may have wound everyone's watches back. We're incapable of proving that this possibility doesn't exist." "...Whether it was a pitfall or a drug that induces fainting, it does not change the fact that we need to be on guard..." "...Well then, Doctor Nanjo, is there a drug that can do that?"
"Well... It's the same as your reasoning, Kyrie-san. I cannot prove that there isn't a drug with that effect that I don't know about."
"...As they say, you can never be too careful. Sorry, it was a useless question. I just thought that with my hypothesis, I could suggest that this dungeon might not necessarily be directly underneath the dining hall."
"Exactly. I'm truly sorry. I've only been asking about and prying into useless things." "No, it's quite promising. If you notice anything else, please tell us. It might become a hint to escaping from here. Rudolf was always talking about you. He said he was always surprised by your ideas, and they would sometimes give him valuable hints. The fact that you're here is a blessing within a tragedy."
"...Thank you. I heard something from Rudolf-san as well. He said that you usually just swagger about, but when things get serious, you overflow with a sense of responsibility and can be a very dependable older brother."
"Hahaha, that's too kind. Dammit, at any rate, these iron bars won't even budge. How are things on your end, Kanon?"
"...No, this side is no better."Krauss and Kanon tried wiggling the bars in various ways. There were a few bars that could be twisted... and a few had enough space to rattle a little bit around in, but they couldn't be broken with human strength alone. However, there was still hope if they could use some kind of lever-like tool. It was still far too early to give up yet.
The children's lives were hanging in the balance. Even if there was no hope, they couldn't stop their struggle. And, it was better for them to act this way. If they were to stop, there's no doubt they'd once again be overcome by the grief of losing their loved ones and curl up, clutching their knees...
"...I've found some small stones that we could hold onto and hide. Something like this could probably be used as a weapon. Though, it'd probably be impossible to whittle down those iron bars with them. How about you, Shannon-chan...?" "No, nothing. Ah, this is... a phone." "I doubt it's connected. But, we might be able to use the cord as some form of string-based weapon. If we break it, we could take out the metal parts. Krauss Nii-san, there's a keyhole for opening the bars, right?" "Yes. It's a pretty large hole, quite old fashioned. If we twist some wire into it, we just might be able to pick it."
"We might be able to use the metal parts of the phone as a substitute for something. This phone will become our weapon." "It's just like investing. Our weapon is information."Krauss and Kyrie laughed together at how they hadn't even thought of using the phone as a means of communication.
"...What are you doing, Nee-san?"
"Ah, um, I just wondered if maybe the phone was w-working..." "(*whisper*) ...You dummy, Nee-san." "Huh...? ...What?"At that point, Shannon let out a small, surprised cry.
BGM: Rhythm-changer
"What did you say...?"It was like when people move out of an office, taking everything with them, leaving only the telephone behind... That's the feeling the phone gave off, having been left in the corner of the cell. The cord was wound into a coil, the tip of it being swallowed by the wall, and just looking at it, there was no reason to assume that it wasn't hooked up. But, to think that it was actually was...
Kyrie took the receiver from Shannon and pressed it to her ear. Certainly, the electric hum of a phone was a familiar sound. And this phone was certainly live.
"Wh-What good luck...! Let's contact the police...!" "Hold on...! This is too good to be true. Could it be bugged...?!"
"If they were planning a trick like that, normally they would cut the telephone line. There's actually a good possibility that they overlooked this. If they notice, they might actually cut the line this time. There's nothing we could tell the police that would be problematic for us if they overheard."...Surely, that was true. The point of a wiretap is to overhear some important piece of information, but the way things were right then, she couldn't think of a single thing that would come up in a conversation to the outside world that might be troublesome to have overheard. Kyrie instantly concluded that it was more likely to be a mistake on Kinzo's part than a trap...
"Y-You do have a point... I believe you start with 0 to make calls through the external line..." "Kanon-kun, I'm going to make a phone call, so will you watch how things are out there for me? If you sense somebody coming, let me know." "Y-Yes...!"
However, she pushed the hook down and re-dialed many times. It didn't seem to be working very well.
"...The outside line begins with 0? 110 would be 0110 then, right? It doesn't seem to want to go through..." "Hand it over here, I'll try to call..."Krauss took the receiver in Kyrie's place and tested various things... But in the end, they were unable to notify the police...
The phone itself was definitely live, but the circuit was apparently cut somewhere. Did this mean that 'they' were not so naive?
"...So it's useless after all..." "It means our enemies aren't naive either..."Kyrie let out a deep sigh, leaned against the wall, and hung her head for a while. As cool-thinking as she was, for a brief moment, she may actually have had the naive hope that the phone might actually work. She sneered at herself mockingly for holding onto that naive hope for even a single moment.
Then, she remembered just what was happening here. Truth be told, even after being shown a scene like that right before her eyes... or rather, exactly because of that... She still couldn't think of that gruesome mass murder as something real... It was less that she couldn't believe it... and more that she didn't want to. Ushiromiya Kinzo killed six family members. He summoned strange, witch-like, demon-like people... right out of thin air, and with something like magic, began to kill people one after another...
...It's just all so screwed up. Even though she definitely saw it, there was no way she could accept that spectacle...
BGM: Stupefaction
But when those six had had their heads blown apart, a golden arrow had flown around and around the room. That had truly looked like... magic. Was that another thing we just saw wrong?
There's no way it was magic. It was definitely some kind of setup. Since those heads were smashed, there's no doubt it was some kind of explosive. For example, a styrene toy plane like they sell at candy stores, painted gold, and with a powerful explosive loaded onto the end of it. However, though it had seemed to be flying about at random, Kyrie couldn't imagine that after being fired six times, each time had perfectly hit the victims square in the head, one after the other. It couldn't be that there was a computer control system for finding and hitting targets, making it a high-tech styrene plane on the same level as a guided missile, right...?
A number of mysterious people appeared out of thin air, six people had their heads demolished by a mysterious golden flying object, and the five of us were locked away in a mysterious dungeon by a mysterious set of pitfalls, or else put to sleep by some fainting poison dart...
The family conference started a bit after 22:00. It's only been a bit more than 30 minutes since then. Most likely, even though I witnessed it myself, that event took place in such a short period of time, so I still can't understand it, and I still can't come to grips with it. For argument's sake, even if we did get ahold of the police, it would probably be impossible for anybody to accurately explain what we saw... Even though I saw it just now, my brain's fried, and I have no confidence in what I saw myself...
Kyrie tried her hardest to cheer herself out of her overwhelming confusion, to just hold onto her sanity...
"Dammit, what's going on here, dammit, dammit...!"Krauss started to become desperate, hitting the hook multiple times and resetting the dial. Krauss had also been feigning composure, but he was unable to hide his panic. The more he retried the dial, the more the pretense of serenity peeled away... I don't know what's going on anymore... Kyrie couldn't help but pray that the events that had just occurred were a dream...
...At that time, the look on Krauss's face changed.
BGM: Rhythm-changer
"R-Really, Krauss-san...?!"
"I see, how shallow, old man...! Since we can't contact the police, the external line has probably been cut, but he failed to sever the internal line...!" "The internal line? Krauss-san, where did you call...?!" "The guesthouse. I'm calling the room where Jessica and the rest are staying...! Ah?! Hello! Hello?! It's me...! You're...! Gohda?! Is Jessica there, is she safe...?!!"
"Dad!! Is it Dad?! I'm so glad you're okay...!! Is Mom okay?! Is she there?!"
"...Your..."Krauss choked on his words. Krauss had clearly seen Natushi's head crushed, had seen her killed right before his eyes...
Eventually, he was going to have to tell that to Jessica. However, Krauss began to fret over whether he should tell her now or not... and lost his words. But even that was an answer under these circumstances...
"...Yeah. I understand. I'm sorry... for asking."Jessica's voice was filled with tears...
Krauss was certain now. Jessica and the rest had heard everything, start to finish, after meeting up with Gohda and Kumasawa at the guesthouse... When they learned that six people had been killed, they must have been anxious to rush over to the dining hall. Luckily, he'd been able to call before they'd stormed off towards the mansion. Krauss was relieved at this good timing during such a tragedy...
"We have Kyrie-san and Doctor Nanjo, as well as Shannon and Kanon here. We've been locked in a place that's like a dungeon, but don't worry. We'll figure something out." "A dungeon? Where?! We'll come and save you...!!" "Unfortunately, we can't figure out where this is either. We think it may be under the dining hall, but that might not be true. Anyway, Jessica, you must stay where you are. You've heard about what happened from Gohda and Kumasawa, yes?" "Yeah... Grandfather... everyone..." "Grandfather isn't in a sane state of mind right now. If you encounter him, you'll be in danger. You might be killed...! You mustn't even think about trying to come and save us...! We'll take care of ourselves." "Th-Then what should we do?! Damn you, Grandfather, how dare you do that to Mom and the rest...?! I'm gonna kill that undying bastard...!!" "Jessica, if you talk like that, you'll sadden your mother. Those aren't the words of a lady." "Uuuuuuu, uuuuuu...!!" "Anyway, put your own safety first. Lock all the guesthouse doors. But you mustn't overestimate how safe that will make you. The large window in the first floor lounge might get broken. Stay in your room, and use a bed to make a barricade. There's a toilet and fridge in there too, right? You should be able to stay holed up until tomorrow morning. Listen up, I'll say it again. Don't think of doing anything violent. Don't even think about trying to take revenge for Mom! Only think of hiding, of getting through this without provoking our enemies."
After that, Gohda took the phone... and was firmly told to supervise the kids well, as an adult. Gohda, with his face covered in a cold sweat, repeatedly replied "Yes sir, yes sir!" in an excessively tense voice.
From there, Kyrie took the receiver and spoke with Battler, and when Shannon and Kanon got their turns, George and Jessica answered. Following that pattern, Nanjo and Kumasawa picked up as well, so that all members of both sides took the receiver in turn, confirming that everyone was safe for now, even if their location was unknown, and encouraging each other, coming to an understanding on the current situation for both sides. They wanted to talk forever, but now was not the time to chat. Krauss explained that they would be hanging up for now, and those in the guesthouse consented.
"If anything happens, we'll call. Wait by the phone so you can pick it up quickly. Again, be careful. You mustn't do anything rash...!"
"...Y-Yeah, I understand... As long as you and... Kanon-kun and the others are okay, then that's good enough for me... We'll do our best. Stay safe...!" "Yes, of course. Well then, I'm hanging up for now. Be on your guard."
Part 129: Dungeon II
BGM: Mind
However, just as Krauss had worried, there was nothing that could be done about the beautiful wide window in the first floor lounge. If someone broke that, it would be easy to get inside. It wouldn't be hard for someone like Kinzo, who hadn't hesitated at committing murder, to invade the first floor.
"I-I have heard that the Master has a collection of working guns. That's right, guns, that was a gun... If so, it must have been a horribly powerful gun...! W-We can't contend with that at all...!"
"...It takes a lot of force to smash someone's head open, right? So it might be a magnum bullet or something like that. That'd probably go through a flimsy door like it was nothing."
"If so, then that's even more of a reason to hold out in our room... Let's slide a bed in place, and block the window too. If we do that much, then no matter how many guns they've got, they shouldn't be able to raid us."
"Crap, all we can do is this passive, one-sided defense. Dammit, dealing a finishing blow to Dad, and even capturing Kyrie, that's gonna cost you, you damn geezer...!" "I-I-I-Impossible, there's no way we can compete with them...!! Besides, it's not just the Master, he has his underlings too! Th-There might even be more of them...! Just what... are they...?"Battler was filled to the brim with the urge to get revenge for Rudolf... and to rush out of here to save Kyrie. But just by looking at how terrified Gohda was, there was no doubt in him that this would be reckless...
"Of course, I'm torn up about it too. It's not like I can remain calm with both of my parents murdered. But specifically because of that, I have to remain calm! Do you think our dead parents would want us to die in vain? There's no way they would! They'd want for at least their children to escape. So I will survive. And I'll report this to the police and uncover everything. I'll leave my enemies to the courts. That is my revenge. There's no way our parents would want us to die taking revenge for them. Right...?"
"...You're right... It's just as you say..."
"...Dammit, you old bastard, what's this about a ceremony...?! If we're supposed to be sacrifices for something like that, then we'll escape no matter what it takes, ruining this precious ritual of yours..."
"That's right. Besides, you still have Kyrie-san, Battler-kun. And I still have Shannon. Anyway, let's be cautious and wait for our chance. Any careless actions on our part might just end up causing harm to those who have been captured." "...Hostages, huh? But Grandfather captured them so he could use them as sacrifices, right?! If we don't go and save them, then are we just waiting for them to get killed?!"
"We don't even know where the dungeon they're being held in is...! Shannon and Kanon-kun didn't know about it, and of course Gohda-san and Kumasawa-san didn't know either. The possibility that they're in a secret location that only Grandfather knows of is incredibly high. Under these circumstances, aimlessly wandering about would be practically suicidal!" "...I-I understand... But still, dammit, are you saying the only thing we can do is stay confined here until something happens...?"
"Grandfather has a number of subordinates, and they're all armed, correct...?" "...Y-Yes, he does. And they're probably... all armed..."Gohda had been able to say that Kinzo had comrades with him, but he hadn't been able to mention that they were mostly young women, like witches, who had used strange magic to murder. If he had said that, it would only have cast doubt on his sanity... No, not only that, he himself still couldn't understand what he had seen, and was doubting his own sanity. But, regardless of sex or appearance, regardless of whether it was done with magic or a gun. The fact that those girls had followed Kinzo's orders... and killed six people in an instant... was an unshakable truth...
If that group came to attack the guesthouse as well, what would happen? Just closing the doors and windows like this was surely meaningless... Gohda... and Kumasawa... The only thing left for those two, who had witnessed that massacre in the dining hall, was to cradle their heads without knowing how to interpret what they had seen...
"H-Hohohohohoh... Thank you very much, thank you... I'm sorry, but may I be left with my thoughts for a little while...?"Maria tried to be nice, but it seemed that Kumasawa still hadn't been able to clear away her confusion.
"...Maria, thanks for being so considerate. Let's let Kumasawa-san rest for now."
"...Uu-."Jessica was also worried about the shock those two must have received after witnessing such a tragedy, but her wildest dreams couldn't even come close to the unbelievable scene Kumasawa had witnessed... Nevertheless, with her mother murdered and her father captured, it wasn't as though Jessica could stay calm either. She sealed her anxiety and sadness using her anger towards Kinzo... and walked irritatedly around the room.
BGM: Voiceless
"...Y-Yes... I've never seen such a... horrible way to die before..."
"Is it possible that she's still alive... and that if we fix her up, we could save her...?" "...I-It's not possible for a person to have something like that done to their head... and live..."
"...Yeah, you're right... There's no need for first aid... once your head's smashed, usually..."When Gohda had come flying into the guesthouse, he had, overcome with agitation, told about the massacre in the dining hall without concealing anything... Except for the part about witches and magic, which they themselves still couldn't believe. In other words, he hadn't even sugarcoated the cold-blooded way in which Natushi and the others had died. It was too late now, but Kumasawa regretted the fact that they'd obviously said too much...
However, while lightly shaking her head and with a slightly painful laugh, Jessica spoke.
"...Actually, thanks to what you told us, I was able to stay level-headed. If you'd avoided mentioning the part about her head being smashed, I would've thought she might still be alive. Then I would've run off towards the mansion, met Grandfather, and I might've gotten killed. That sliver of hope could've been fatal in the end... So I'm grateful." "...I'm truly sorry... I'm so sorry we didn't choose our words more carefully..." "Don't worry about that now. There's nothing we can do for Mom, but Dad's still alive. Kanon-kun and Shannon, and Aunt Kyrie and Doctor Nanjo too. I want to save them somehow, so we shouldn't do anything unnecessary that might make things worse for them. The most helpful thing we can do right now might be to wait by the phone."They might receive a phone call asking them to create a diversion while the others escaped. Or, the others might discover their location and call for rescue. Jessica understood that in order to act promptly when that time came, the only thing they could do for the time being was to wait in this room...
BGM: Dead Angle
Each was holding various objects. George had things like drinks, canned food, crackers, and other types of snacks he had found in the lounge and a storage room, as well as a first aid kit. They were all consumables that would be essential during a seige. Gohda had a large folding ladder and carpentry tools. Those were to seal the door from the inside, just in case. If it came to it, the ladder was for escaping out the window.
Battler had brought up objects that could be used as edged weapons or poles. In addition to the obvious kitchen knife, there was a dissembled table leg that could be used as a club... and a pole roughly the size of a person, which he'd apparently made by taking apart a hat stand. Even though the pole had no point, it could surely be used like a spear.
There was a good chance that their enemies had guns, so it was dubious whether these would be of any use. But it was still better than not having them, and if having these could give them at least a little peace of mind, then they'd be useful for their calming effect. Then, the bed and sofa were placed up against the door, barricading it. They didn't go so far as to seal it up with nails. There was still a chance that Krauss and the others would escape and come to meet up with them.
They had apparently set up a barricade at top of the stairs as well. It had been set up in a way that would create a racket, so it would serve as a warning alarm as well. That had apparently been Battler's idea. For that reason, they turned the TV off. This way, if the first floor window were to be broken, they would hear. Once the switch had been turned, all that was left was an eerie silence.
The boat would come tomorrow morning. However, judging by the weather report, most of tomorrow was going to be covered in the typhoon, and the boat probably wouldn't come. The typhoon was set to pass by in the morning of the day after tomorrow. In other words, the boat would be arriving in the morning after next, the morning of October 6th. And right now, it was late at night on October 4th. They would have to spend more than 30 hours on this island, with Kinzo turned cold-blooded murderer and his weird companions prowling about...
Even with the shutters closed, there would definitely be a little bit of light seeping out. It might let the enemy know that they were hiding here. Battler suggested that it might be best to turn off the lights. But they had already been overwhelmed by a ghastly feeling just from turning the TV off. There wasn't anyone who directly challenged his proposal, but then again, there wasn't a single other person who agreed with it...
"Yeah, sorry, but you'll have to bear with it. We can't just let the sound of the enemy breaking in slip by."
"...Boring."Even though she had been told of her mother's death, Maria alone didn't feel an approaching sense of danger. She just seemed to be upset that the TV had been turned off. Even though she's in such a bizarre situation, can she not share in our sense of danger? Is it because she's so young? To Battler, even this faintly unsettling feeling from such a young girl made him sense that there was something very eerie about Maria...
BGM: None
"...Unfortunately, they're tougher than expected. I don't know when these were made, but there's no problem with their lifetime guarantee. These truly were built rather well."Kyrie chuckled softly. They had no moves they could make, but she had calmed just a little.
"...This place is just like the capture pile of a chess game. So, are there no remaining moves left to us...?"
"Not yet. It's still too early to give up. If we stop thinking, we might as well stop breathing, right?" "Exactly. Chess pieces in the capture pile may serve no purpose, but in shogi, they can be quite significant. Just one captured pawn should be able to put pressure on the opponent."
"I see... But still, there's nothing that can be done about these bars..." "For us, maybe. But, if we can figure out where this is and contact Gohda-san, he might be able to come and save us."
"I see... But that would mean putting Gohda-san in danger... And if that happens, I would also be worried about the children in the guesthouse, alone without a full-grown adult male..."
"When you're afraid of risk, it's all right to bide your time until the price starts to go up. However, if you're too afraid to cut your losses, you might end up with just a scrap of paper. Though in this case, that represents our lives."
"And our dignity as parents, right? After talking big like that during the telephone call, telling them that they should behave because we'll manage something on our own, we can't just start asking for help right away. That would be very uncool. *giggle*."
"By this point, I've long since thrown out such useless pride. Why don't we put our heads together? Where is this? Is it really underneath the dining hall? Or else, is it a different place, separate from the mansion...?"Krauss, Kyrie, and Nanjo began to discuss this further. Kanon was squatting by the bars, silently trying to sense anyone's presence. Just as he had been ordered. Shannon came close to him, and they both squatted down together.
"...Yes. They haven't focused their attention in this direction, but there's somebody relatively close by."
"Is it Human...?"
"...I think it's the goats. Their breathing is rather noisy."Kanon's ability to sense the presence of others was several levels above that of a Human. He said that their breathing was noisy, but Krauss and the rest couldn't even pick up the slightest hint of it. Therefore, if he had obediently reported it, they would have merely doubted Kanon's ears.
"...They got us, didn't they?"
"...It's rare. To think that they captured us without killing us."
"This time, Beatrice-sama didn't make an appearance. And the Master left his study. I don't have a clue what's going on..." "I know. Whatever happens or changes, it's all for that witch's fickle entertainment. In the end, nothing will change." "I wonder if we'll be able to...go to the Golden Land this time."
"Who knows. We have a high rate of losing."
"That may be. But even that's just for the witch's entertainment, I'll bet. I can't think of it as anything other than her letting us live just a little longer to ridicule us, since we usually drop out right in the beginning." "I wonder... if we'll be unable to reach the Golden Land again." "I'm sure we won't make it there. If we hold onto any foolish hope, we'll get taken advantage of again."
"*giggle* That's right. Last time, you got taken advantage of, didn't you?" "...I'm an idiot."Kanon made a sour look and turned his head. Shannon laughed softly and apologetically leaned towards his shoulder.
"But... I'm glad Milady is safe." "...She's only escaped from the first twilight. She might just be waiting for an even crueler death later on. What about you, Nee-san? Aren't you glad George-sama's safe? It'd be nice if you two could reach the Golden Land together." "...Thank you. I wish the same for you and Milady as well." "I-I wasn't hoping for anything like that. It's just as you say. That witch is only having fun, dangling prizes in front of people and watching them vainly try to get them. I'm sure no one will be able to go to the Golden Land. If I wish to reach the Golden Land with Milady, then that person will find it funny... and will certainly never let us reach that place." "...You're right. Beatrice-sama is thinking about which order of sacrifices will be the most interesting." "The whole thing about them being chosen at random is just a blatant lie. That swindling witch... All that about having any wish you want granted in the Golden Land is probably just a lie too."
"...That's not true. The Golden Land is... a wonderful place." "Have you been there?" "...Only for a little bit. Though, even that was probably just a joke of Beatrice-sama's." "...What's it like there?"
BGM: Hope
"A paradise-like place, with roses blooming all over and beautiful butterflies dancing about, or something like that?"
"...It's not a place with a tangible image like that. It's really like the inside of a dream. When you're there, it's very gentle, very peaceful, and you're allowed to sleep as long as you want, like when you wake up early on a day off, lying on a futon. Sunlight comes in through the cracks in the curtains, and you think you'll have to wake up soon, but then you realize it's your day off, and you can go back to sleep... It's a place where you can feel like that." "I think it'd be wasted on me. Waking up on accident even though it's your day off is something only you would do, Nee-san. Go on?" "Well, when I was there, it was very satisfying and very calm. When I returned to this world, even though I had just been there a second ago, I couldn't remember it well. It's like when you can't remember a dream you were just having. But I still remember that it was a very calm and quiet world." "...That's it? What the heck, that Golden Land she's always bragging about isn't anything great at all. I thought it was a place where all your wishes come true." "That's right. It's a place where all your wishes will be granted. Well, maybe that's not quite it. It might be better to say it's a place where you won't wish for anything. For example, Kanon-kun, if you were cold and wished you had a jacket, you'd be happy to be given one, but if you were in a warm room to begin with, there wouldn't even be a reason to want a jacket, right? That's what the Golden Land is like. There's no need to even wish for most wishes. It's a world where everything is calm." "You could even say it's a place that transcends the concept that having your wishes granted will bring happiness, a world released from everything." "...It sounds somewhat like a religious world." "And there, everything is equal. Anything that can think is equal. There are no Humans, furniture, nor witches. There, I was equal to everyone. There was no longer any need to feel ashamed that I was furniture. It was honestly a happy world where all Humans, and even witches, were equal. I can't really remember it well, but I have the feeling that when I was there, I was equal even to Beatrice-sama, and we were good friends." "...If that witch is there, it can't be much of a paradise. So, you want to go to that Golden Land with George-sama. How strange. The Golden Land is a utopia where you can be pleased with everything, right? Wouldn't you be content even if George-sama wasn't there?"
"It isn't a happy world?" "Of course, just by being peaceful, calm, and equal, it's an incredibly happy world. But I guess you could say that it's a world of zero, where you're released from all negative worries. The human world is filled with negatives, so of course a zero world is incredibly happy, but it's still zero. *giggle* What a luxurious problem to have." "...It's something like this. When you're nodding off on your quiet holiday morning, if the person you love the most is next to you and holding your hand, then it can become an even greater, more wonderful happiness, something like that. Sorry, your Nee-san is too dumb to be any good at analogies." "...In other words, to you, the greatest happiness would be reaching that world together with George-sama." "Yes. And surely, for you, it would be reaching that world together with Milady." "We'll be released from our worries in a fair world...? It's like some kind of strange religion. I'm more worldly-minded. I imagined a world where we would be given some magic medicine, and we could be reborn as Humans, or something more like that." "...If you go, you'll understand. If Beatrice-sama really is a fickle person, then surely some day, she'll let you get a glimpse of it too. If so, then you'll be able to understand my analogy." "...Well, I'm not holding my breath. At any rate, it seems like game over for us this time already. I'll hope for another chance." "...You're right. If we cling to any overambitious hopes, Beatrice-sama will take advantage of us. It might be best to just stop thinking... and let fate take care of us." "...We can just be simple chess pieces. No matter what we think or don't think, we can't escape from the witch's chessboard. Our role is now just to wait and see how we'll be tortured to death. For us, the dream of the Golden Land is too empty." "...You're... right. Sorry..."Kanon shrugged his shoulders, then told Shannon to leave him alone because she was in the way of his duty, distancing himself from her. Realizing her thoughtlessness in bringing up such an inappropriate topic and instead hurting Kanon, Shannon bit her lower lip and stared at the ground... Shannon wouldn't bother him any more. She went off and crouched down in a corner by herself.
"...Nn-"At that moment, Kanon perked up. It was like the ears of a cat when it reacts to a strange sound.
"What's wrong?"
BGM: Witch of the Painting
"What?!"They ended their conversation and strained their ears. For a while, they couldn't hear anything, but eventually, they were able to hear the shuffling sounds of a large group of people walking...
"...So they've come." "Time to pay the piper, or perhaps this is our first and last chance." "...I shall talk to Kinzo-san. I will try to somehow find out where this place is."
"We're counting on you."During the last phone call, Kyrie had asked what the time over at the guesthouse was.By doing that, Kyrie had learned that it was the same as her watch, and she had learned that their watches hadn't been set back. It wasn't just the clocks on the walls in the guesthouse. Several people's watches, including George's and Gohda's, had matched.
...If that was the case, then it had only been a few minutes between the time of the massacre in the dining hall and the time they had been transported to the dungeon. Not enough time had passed for them to be knocked out and carried away. Then were those really pitfalls, meaning that this was the area directly under the dining hall...? All that they could do was pray that Nanjo could find out where this was...
"...They're coming. There's probably... four people. The Master... and three of those who appeared in the dining hall." "That's enough. You come back here as well. We'll deal with the rest." "Shannon-chan, sorry, but can I have you sit by the phone? Hide it with your skirt." "Ah, yes...!"The shuffling came close, and there was the sound of a large door being opened in the hallway. The light they were apparently carrying illuminated the hall, stroking the walls with sharp, razor-like shadows. And then, the light from the lantern they held illuminated the prisoners through the bars.
...The bars' sharp shadows divided them up lengthwise. There were four silhouettes. It was Kinzo, Ronove, Virgilia, and Gaap.
"...Goldsmith?" "It's Father's pen name. It seems he always signs with it when writing those bizarre grimoires."
"'Kinzo' made English-style? Shouldn't that be Gold Warehouse?"
BGM: The Candles Dance
"...True enough. I apologize for butting in." "Kinzo-san, just what is going on? Where in the world is this...?"
"Oh, my friend, can't you remember? True, you may have never entered the prison, but you should remember walking through this corridor." "...Huh... huh? Y-You don't mean..." "...Do you have an idea?" "But, well, it is unthinkable. Firstly, we fell through a pitfall and were locked up in here after only a few minutes... Not only is the distance too great, that's physically impossible..."
"Father, is this the mansion? To think that the mansion had a basement like this..."
"Krauuss, wasn't there a place whose existence you all whispered of, and which you followed after me several times trying to find? This is that place. No, to be correct, this is its basement. *cackle*cackle*...!" "Could this place be... the basement... of Kuwadorian...?!"
"Kuwadorian... You don't mean... Father's rumored hidden mansion...? It really exists...?" "This mansion was constructed for the sole use of my beloved witch, Beatrice. It's truly a shame that I cannot guide you to the above-ground sections, as it is such a beautiful and elegant mansion." "...How lovely, just the two of them alone in a mansion with a prison like this. I guess Father's tastes are a bit more than I can stomach."
"*giggle* But I agree. If a mansion I was given had this kind of dungeon in it, that'd shake me out of even a century-long love, and I'd take anything of value and run."
"Pu ku ku. Oh my, so you don't have an interest in this kind of thing? And here I was thinking you went head over heels for it."
"Heheh. Of course I go head over heels. Like if I get a collar or something for a birthday present. But only if he's hot."
"Pu ku ku ku ku!"
"Silence! Perhaps you could use a gag more than a collar right now." "Oh, you have an interest in that too? You sure aren't picky, Lia. *giggle*..." "D-Don't just go around shortening people's names on your own...!"
"Enough, you noisy women! Are you telling me you'd like to be locked up in the same cell?" "I-I apologize, Master... This old body of mine would not be able to stand such a cold prison..."Virgilia quickly apologized, but Gaap and Ronove merely laughed together. It was like they thought they alone couldn't be imprisoned, or else, that even if someone tried to imprison them, it would be pointless...
"A woman who makes you so insane that you don't want to let her escape, to the point of binding her in chains... Because she was worthy of that, she was a love worth sacrificing my life for. I will not ask you to understand." "...No one can bind me, I will not be bound. I don't want to be loved, I want to love. I feel the same as Goldsmith. That's why I understand the madness of your love."
"Love and madness are two sides of the same coin, or so they say. How bothersome." "...But learning where we are so easily was a big step. We'll ask the details later, but it seems you know about this place, right, Doctor Nanjo?"
"Y-Yes... If that hallway is the underground passage beneath Kuwadorian, then if we go straight down it, it will become a long tunnel, and if we stay on that, we should be able to return to the mansion." "...Then if we could just do something about these bars, we could go home." "Father... What are you planning to do with us?" "As I have already declared, you will become sacrifices for the later twilights. There are conveniently five people here. Exactly enough hostages for the five gougings." "...I see. Then it's time for us to pay the piper?" "Eventually. That's not why I've come to visit you this time, so relax. Besides, I believe I have said it already. If one of my grandchildren is deemed suitable to inherent everything from me, then the ceremony will be called off. In other words, your lives will be spared."
"...Wh-What are you planning to do to the children?"
"...And if there isn't anyone suitable, what are you planning on doing with the children?"
"*cackle*cackle*cackle*! There's no need to worry about that. After all, you all will be sacrificed first. How could anything that happens after that concern you? Entrust your fates to your own children. Your children, the embodiment of what you've born, taught and raised. They should be the most suitable ones for you to entrust with your fate...! *cackle*cackle*! Don't look so worried, Kraaauss... Believe in the daughter that you brag is worth ten billion yen. Hehheheh, hehhahahahahaha...!!" "...Exactly. Children are the embodiment of their parents. It's fitting that we put our fates in their hands. That applies even to you, Father, right?" "...Hmph, hahhahahaha! This girl has guts, what a waste on Rudolf! Wahhahahahaha...!!" "...Kyrie-san, it would be best not to aggravate him too much." "I agree. Let's bear with it for now..." "That's right... After all, we're just fish on the chopping board. There's nothing we can do now."
"Hah, though you can insult me with such vigor. I don't dislike that kind of woman, see? Beatrice was like that too, in the beginning. *cackle*cackle*cackle*!!"
"Ah yes, there was that. Sorry, sorry, my friend. Well then, back to the main event. For that, I've prepared a phone. Shannon, how clever of you. You don't have to hide it any longer. That's something I arranged for. *cackle*cackle*...!" "M-My apologies..." "..."Shannon quickly withdrew herself, and the telephone was revealed...
"Krauss, call the grandchildren in the guesthouse. Tell them of the test... and of the start of my trial."Ronove motioned for Krauss to pick up the receiver.
"...And if I say no?"
"You'd be lucky to become sacrifices right away. Don't you think it'd be more painful to watch the children get sacrificed first, before your very eyes...?" "...Ga...ap. The Master is the one who decides the sacrifice order. Don't say things on your own." "Lia, you just tried to shorten my name, didn't you?" "I-I did not! And I told you not to shorten other people's names on your own...!" "...Women truly are..." "...Noisy. Pu ku ku!"