Hide-and-seek has ended.
"I'll let you out!"
Diana moved past the child blocking her path.
"I'm not lying! I will let you out!"
The child's desperate words made Diana stop.
The child smirked in response. As expected, the promise of escape had lured her. People are inherently selfish. However, Diana's response was unexpected.
"Did you mess with my man?"
Whether or not Roderick had been her man was unclear, but the child looked guilt-stricken.
"Now that I've recovered, I can feel magic really well, especially Roderick's energy which I'm particularly sensitive to."
She had sensed Roderick's energy becoming unstable hours ago.
"That's because that unstartled man is bad!"
"Is the mommy-daddy play over?"
The child pouted and turned his head away.
Not cute at all. Maybe if it were Noelle, but…
"Bring Roderick here now."
"Hmph, I don't know that name~"
"Naughty children need to be disciplined."
"Don't make me laugh. There's no adult who can scold me!"
"That's why parenting is important."
"I don't have any! Where are you going?"
Diana ignored the child and kept walking.
Once, a ghost with melted skin had chased her in this castle.
Initially, she ran in terror, but then realized the ghost was searching for something.
As she approached where the ghost appeared, her theory turned into certainty.
The magic from the children's belongings faintly connected to a specific point.
The ghost, or more precisely, the children in the western corridor, couldn't cross over. Why, she didn't know.
Diana stepped onto an overtly visible magic circle in the eerie corridor.
With a woman's scream, a bone-crunching sound echoed, and a grotesquely twisted woman appeared.
Diana swallowed dryly. This was not a ghost. Not a ghost. She closed and then opened her eyes, steadying her heart.
The woman's bloodshot eyes glared down at her, sending chills down her spine.
Before the woman could harm her, Diana quickly presented the children's belongings.
"I've brought the children!"
The woman halted. Her howling cries ceased.
In the suffocating silence, Diana carefully placed the belongings on the magic circle.
Hoping they could leave together, Diana knew the children needed an adult guide.
Recognizing the woman, the children, unbothered by her hideous appearance, rushed into her arms.
[[[It was so scary!]]]
As the children cried, the woman's appearance reverted to her beautiful, pre-death state. Dressed as a maid, she embraced them all.
The once desolate space no longer felt chilly. Diana watched the reunion and spoke.
"Why aren't you going? Afraid of being scolded?"
[Me, I…]
"You know what you did wrong, don't you?"
Diana suspected the child had played similar tricks on others who had entered the castle. Frustrated, the child was about to lash out.
[Eek!]
The maid reached out her hand invitingly.
Hesitantly, the child took a few steps and then flew into the woman's arms.
The child was just a kid after all, despite his frightening tantrums.
Watching them fondly, Diana locked eyes with the woman.
[Thank you for finding the children.]
Diana nodded in response, acknowledging the silent gratitude.
The woman stood up, bowed deeply, and firmly pressed her hand on the head of the most mischievous child.
"What happens now?"
Diana's question was laden with implications. It concerned both their fate and her escape from this place.
The woman's expression was troubled. As she furrowed her brow, a wave of unease washed over Diana.
[Unfortunately, we are not the masters of this castle.]
Ah, right. One needed the master's permission to leave the castle due to its strong barriers.
[But I can open a path for you!]
The child, gripping the woman's hem, spoke up, but then his expression suddenly hardened.
[Uh-oh. That man is in danger.]
"What?"
[The master has appeared.]
The castle's master? Diana's face twisted in alarm. Someone who created such a bizarre space couldn't possibly be benevolent.
"Where?"
[I've been stripped of my powers. But I can still open a path. Hurry down the corridor. I'll open a door at the end.]
Diana took off running, leaving the child's words behind.
[That man is trapped in a dream, unconscious.]
Hearing that Roderick was unconscious, Diana's urgency grew.
Despite the child's claim of powerlessness, all magic circles ceased to function, paving the way for her.
[We can leave if we meet the owner's conditions.]
The child's voice followed her as she ran.
[I'm sorry. No one ever tried to find us, so I was spiteful.]
Reaching the end of the corridor, Diana saw a black door with a golden handle. She grasped it.
[Thank you. Be careful.]
Farewell. With those words, the voice vanished. Diana didn't hesitate, flinging the door open.
And she was shocked.
"Roderick!"
A large man was suspended in the air, held by the throat by a person wearing a deep hood.
Diana wanted to approach, but she couldn't move any further.
The floor beyond the door frame was a cliff. Below was a lake so vast it could be mistaken for a sea. There, Roderick was held captive by the hooded figure.