“I didn’t even know there was a room like this in the castle.”
After glancing around the unfamiliar space, I picked up the mask I’d brought along. Looks like I’m definitely going to need this.
Yesterday’s game of Yut Nori ended with our team’s predictable victory. Kalz’s pieces hadn’t managed to move even once, so the outcome was obvious from the start.
After the game, he lingered, fiddling with his pieces regretfully, until finally, at dinner, he spoke up.
“It’s a new year, so perhaps we should freshen things up a bit. Like, say, a deep cleaning of the unused rooms. Tomorrow, see to it.”
Honestly, what a petty master.
“Well, better that I help out than leave Marianne to handle it alone.”
Imagining Marianne hopping around somewhere right now, dusting empty rooms with her small figure, was motivation enough for me.
First, I opened a window to air out the musty room, then roughly wiped down the thick layers of dust with a damp cloth. Next, I tackled hard-to-reach corners and intricate spots with a duster, swept up the debris with a broom, and finished by mopping the floor clean.
“Phew, that’s good enough.”
Given the likelihood that this room would just gather dust again, I’d already done plenty. Honestly, this castle had too many rooms—it’s not like we had guests regularly coming to fill them.
“Oh, this one has a bookshelf.”
The next room featured an antique bookshelf built from rich, red bricks. It wasn’t just for decoration either; it was filled with an impressive collection of books. Curiously scanning the titles as I cleaned, I felt a sudden sense of unease. It wasn’t long before I spotted the cause.
“Why is that one book separated from the others?”
It belonged to an eight-volume series, yet one volume had oddly been placed apart. As someone who loved books, I couldn’t just ignore it. Reaching out, I decided to reunite the lonely volume with its companions—but when I pulled it out, I noticed something behind it: one of the bricks was distinctly darker than the others.
“Usually, in movies, pressing something like this opens a secret passage or something.”
Of course, that was just in movies. In reality, it was probably just a leftover brick placed where it wouldn’t be easily noticed. Chuckling softly, I playfully pretended to press the dark brick.
At that exact moment, a vibration trembled beneath my fingertips, and the bookshelf started shaking with a loud rumble.
“Whoa, what’s going on?!”
Creeeaaak…
A bone-chilling creak, like ancient hinges struggling to move, echoed alongside a cloud of dust. Moments later, the bookshelf genuinely swung open like a hidden door.
“No way! For real?”
Wait, I was just joking—reality didn’t have to take it so literally. Startled, I quickly glanced around, but of course, I was the only one here. Should I call Marianne or Butler Squawk?
Yet before I could decide, an irresistible emotion crept into my mind—curiosity. It was human nature, after all, to feel intrigued upon discovering a secret passage in a mansion.
Peeking carefully through the gap, I saw stairs spiraling downward into darkness, hiding whatever waited below.
“Where exactly does this lead?”
Could it be a hidden treasure room? Considering the jeweled silverware around the castle—not to mention that expensive vase I’d broken—the castle was full of valuables in plain sight already. It wouldn’t be surprising if there was a secret vault hidden somewhere too.
Of course, even if I stumbled onto a treasure room, I wasn’t planning on stealing anything and running away. Still, you never knew what life might throw at you, and it wouldn’t hurt to at least know what’s inside.
“If things get dicey, I can always just turn back.”
Eventually, my curiosity—and admittedly, greed—won out against caution and a faint sense of guilt. After confirming that no strange noises or odors were coming from below, I lit a lantern from the room and carefully made my way down the stairs.
“…It’s deeper than I thought.”
Even after descending quite far, the staircase kept going. Maybe the darkness and cramped conditions made it seem longer, but I’d clearly gone down more than just a single floor. I’d never heard about any underground levels in this castle. The kitchen had a cellar for food storage, but even that wasn’t this deep.
Just as I started considering turning around and getting help, the stairs finally ended, opening into a narrow passageway. It was so cramped that I had to duck my head slightly as I moved forward. Soon enough, an iron door came into view.
Knock knock.
It felt pointless, and predictably, there was no response from the other side. After confirming it wasn’t locked, I hesitated briefly before slowly turning the handle.
“…Ugh!”
Maybe because the air inside had been trapped for so long, the door opened with a rush of warm, stale air and a strange odor. It was metallic and sickening, reminiscent of licking a battery.
“What is that smell?”
Raising my lantern, the room’s layout became instantly clear. It was small, almost entirely empty except for a single, filthy bed. Attached to its frame was a metal chain, and staining the sheets was unmistakably—
Blood?
Then this overpowering metallic stench wasn’t just iron—it was blood!
“Hngh!”
Stifling a scream, I stumbled backward out of the room, heart racing wildly. Panic set in, and I bolted down the passageway without thinking. Too frantic to hold the lantern properly, I repeatedly crashed into walls, yet refused to stop.
Where are the stairs? I have to find the stairs!
Finally spotting the staircase at the end of the passage, I scrambled upward, practically crawling on hands and knees. I kept running, desperately expecting to see the comforting glow of daylight ahead.
Thud!
Instead of daylight, however, I collided headfirst with a solid wall at the top. The unexpected impact jolted me with pain, but fear quickly overshadowed any sensation. What had happened? Had the bookshelf closed again? No—I needed to escape, even if it meant smashing through.
Taking a short, deep breath, I threw myself against the barrier with every ounce of strength.
Crash!
“Uwaah!”
To my astonishment, the wall easily gave way. Unable to halt my momentum, I stumbled forward, falling heavily onto the floor beyond.
Sudden bright light overwhelmed my eyes, making it hard to see clearly. After blinking several times to adjust, I slowly took in my surroundings.
It was obvious at first glance that this wasn’t the room with the bookshelf. I must have taken a wrong turn in my panic and ended up somewhere completely different.
“But why does this place look so familiar?”
I’d definitely seen this room recently. Carefully scanning around, I soon made eye contact with someone. He sat leaning comfortably against the bed’s headboard, holding a book, frozen mid-motion with shock. His mouth silently opened and closed in confusion. Equally stunned, I found myself unable to speak.
Eventually, he was the first to break the silence.
“…Why are you coming out of there?”
Right. I’d just tumbled out into Kalz’s bedroom. Judging by the angle and the view of his bed, I’d somehow emerged from his fireplace—like some kind of messed-up Santa Claus. The sheer absurdity made laughter bubble up uncontrollably.
“Haha, yeah, good question.”
“…Seeing you laugh right now is unsettling in multiple ways.”
“Pfft!”
I knew I probably looked like a madman, but I just couldn’t stop. My shoulders shook as I struggled to suppress my laughter. Before I knew it, Kalz had approached, staring down at me with a weary expression.
“You’re completely covered in dust.”
“Am I? I couldn’t tell.”
“Where exactly do you think you’re going looking like that? Just hold still.”
Kalz gently stopped me from stepping out of the fireplace and awkwardly brushed the dust off my clothes.
“Seriously, what were you doing to end up in this state? How can you even laugh right now?”
“Honestly, I don’t even know myself.”
Just moments ago, I’d genuinely feared for my life, yet now the situation seemed bizarrely funny. If I’d stumbled into anyone other than Kalz, I wouldn’t have felt so at ease.
The confused look on his face was enough to assure me that I was safe, allowing all the built-up tension to fade away.
“All right, now would you mind telling me exactly what happened?”
“Oh, right! It’s actually kind of crazy.”
And so, I quickly recounted the entire sequence of events: discovering the hidden passage behind the bookshelf while cleaning, encountering the room with the sickening stench of blood, and how I’d panicked and run until I ended up here.
