「The sound of heavy rain hitting the windows relentlessly echoes through the room.」
"Hmm..."
「In the center of the room is a large bed in which a little girl is sleeping soundly. The cacophony of raindrops startles her from her slumber.」
"…Has morning already come?"
「Upon getting out of bed, the girl went to the dressing table next to the bed. She stares into her mirror, the reflection of which is staring back at her.」
"Huh? Wait, where the hell am I?! And why am I so small?! I look like myself when I was eight!"
I'm sure it was... ugh! head hurts! I can't remember how I got here!
I couldn't even remember anything about myself!
I know my name is... Rosemary Priscilla di Alouette. yes that's my name.
What the hell is this eerie room... it's like a room in a fantasy world castle and it's too stylish.
This black dress is so cute. There is a wardrobe next to the bed. I wonder if there's a prettier dress. No! I need to concentrate! Stop getting distracted, me!
I have to find a way out of this creepy place! My family will get worried if they found out that I'm gone!
「She then walks towards the door nearby.」
"What a big wooden door."
「Rosemary gingerly swung open the massive door, a sprawling, albeit relatively short, hallway stretched out before her eager eyes. The hallway boasted a modest total of eight rooms, neatly divided with four on each side. Positioned on the left side of the corridor, Rosemary's own room awaited her arrival as the third door along the way.」
Man, this place is seriously creepy. It's all dark and dimly lit, and so quiet that I can hear every single step I take.
I'm kinda hesitating to leave this room. Maybe I should see if there's anyone else around here with me.
Gonna start by checking the room next to mine.
「As she enters the adjacent room, an eerie emptiness greets her—no furniture, no belongings.」
"The room is empty, no furniture, nothing- Eek!"
「Suddenly, a touch on her shoulder sends shivers down Rosemary's spine. It feels as if her soul has momentarily departed her body. Without hesitation, she swiftly exits the room, slam closing the door behind her.」
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! THIS PLACE IS HAUNTED!? I REALLY NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW!"
「She ran towards the end of the hallway. At the end of the hallway is another wooden door but bigger and has some carvings in it. She opened the door without hesitation. When she opened the door, she was greeted with a bigger room.」
I'm speechless.
Don't know what to say about this. Oh, I know! Correction; This is a mansion, not a castle. This must be the great banquet hall. Oh and, what a fancy chandelier.
"Hmm?"
And also that another big door that stands out too much... Wait! That must be the exit! The windows next to the door shows that it's raining outside!
「Rosemary headed towards the big door. She tried to open the door but failed, probably because she's now small and weak.」
"Mmmmph!!!"
"Why! Won't! It! Open!"
「She's still trying to open the door yet still failed」
"Huff... Huff... I gave up! Ugh.."
"... AS IF!"
「Rosemary tried to pick up a small table that has a vase on it, trying to smash it against the window but failed to even pick the table up.」
I gave up... Why must I be this small... Am I cursed or something?
I'm very hungry now, wonder if there's food here... In this abandoned-looking manor... I guess I'll just have to look around.
「She entered one of the rooms in the great banquet hall.」
Oh, how lucky am I? I walk straight into the kitchen!
Actually, I'm probably not that lucky, the fact that I'm trapped here and my family is probably worried about me right is proof of that.
Shouldn't overthink, I need food!
(Searching the kitchen...)
"I'm surprised that there's actually food on the counter... Yes, I came here without knowing if there was food or not. Whoever trapped me here definitely doesn't want me to die."
Ah yes, fried rice. Definitely, a food you'd find regularly in an old medieval mansion.
What about water?
Eh? Where did this tea come from? This mansion is haunted... The food is hot...
Can't complain! I'm hungry
「Rosemary, the cute little girl, in the fancy graceful black dress, gobbles the food like a hungry African child that haven't eaten in a few years.」
(Eating...)
"Ah! I'm soo full... Hope this food is edible. I'm too hungry to think twice."
What do I even do now? Am I really trapped here forever?
Maybe I should try breaking the window again? Not like I have anything else to do. Let's try breaking the window with a hammer instead now.
「She walks out of the kitchen, but now with a hammer that she found in the kitchen that has been conveniently placed in the kitchen.」
"Hiiiyah!!"
「She swings the hammer to the window. The window is completely unscathed.」
Ok, I'm definitely stuck here. The glass must've been made using titanium! Joke aside, this is no ordinary people doing, something omnipotent must've done this. It's not possible to wipe someone's memories and turn them into a child, plus this titanium glass window. Is this the afterlife? Did I die and ended up here? Is this hell? What sin did I do?
"Breathe in, breathe out. Calm down."
Ok, so I'm trapped inside a haunted manor by some omnipotent being, I don't have any memories of my life before I got here.
That's it? I guess this is my life now? I mean like where else could I go to? I don't even have my memories, the manor clearly doesn't want me to escape, obviously because the hammer doesn't scratch the window at all.
Should I investigate this mansion? Nah, this place is creepy as hell and haunted... Though if I do nothing, I'd achieve nothing. Plus what else can I even do here, the fact that there's food means that whoever put me here clearly plans on holding me captive here for a long time.
Yeah, I should investigate.
Pretty sure the hallway that I came from is just filled with empty rooms except for mine, I'll check that place later. The great banquet hall has two floors, the first floor has the hall where I came from and this kitchen.
Alright, let's check out the second floor!
(Walking upstairs...)
Aight, first room!
「She opens the door without any hesitation despite knowing that the place is haunted」
This is... The office room and it's not empty! Maybe there's a blueprint of the manor here, if I get the blueprint, I might be able to escape!
(Checking the shelves...)
Most stuff here is dusty and old... Not much useful stuff except for some old books and some antic stuff.
I should check the writing table now.
Not much stuff is on the tables, they're useless.
I'll check the drawers next. The first drawer is locked. Hmm? Oh wait, there's a key on the table, maybe it's for the drawer? Wait was it there before? I don't want to overthink, whatever.
The key fit perfectly with the drawer... What the? There's only a book in it. It's a storybook.
"The Tale of A Witch & Her Maid"?
Should I read it? I mean like it's not like I have anything else to do. Might as well.
([...] Is Rosemary reading it out loud)
[When Elspeth Harriot was a young girl growing up in a humble village, life was challenging for her. Being the only child in a poor family, they struggled to even provide enough food for her. Unfortunately, their situation took a turn for the worse when Elspeth's father fell gravely ill, confining him to his sickbed for an extended period. With limited resources, Elspeth's mother felt helpless, and their relatives seemed indifferent to their plight, offering no assistance.]
[However, as fate would have it, a glimmer of hope emerged amidst their despair. One day, a young and affluent woman named Maliyah Ichanta arrived in the village to visit her cousin. Elspeth's eyes widened with the realization that this encounter could be an incredible opportunity to improve her family's circumstances. Summoning her courage, she approached Maliyah and humbly implored her to hire her as a means to support her struggling loved ones. Although initially hesitant, Maliyah recognized Elspeth's determination and agreed to her plea.]
[Introducing herself as Maliyah Ichanta, the wealthy benefactor informed Elspeth that she would be employed as a maid in her grand mansion. Eager to assist her family, Elspeth guided Maliyah to her father's bedside, where he lay weak and ailing. Concerned for his well-being, Maliyah promptly summoned her physician, who accompanied her on the visit. The medic assured them that Elspeth's father was suffering from a common illness but administered medicine as a precautionary measure. At that moment, a flicker of hope reignited within Elspeth's heart.]
[Maliyah extended a generous offer to Elspeth, explaining that if she agreed to work for her, she would periodically send financial assistance to her family. However, there was a condition—Elspeth would need to reside with Maliyah in her opulent mansion for a while. Without a moment's hesitation, Elspeth gratefully accepted the proposition, recognizing the opportunity to save her family from their dire circumstances.]
「Suddenly she heard a knock from outside the door.」
H-Huh?
"Hello? Are you in there Maliyah? I thought you just went out a moment ago."