THGA 04

Chapter 04

Shaa― The sound of rain violently pouring against the window could be heard.

Every time I moved, the wooden floor creaked. It was the kind of old mansion that proudly bore the history and high reputation of the Crochet family. The corridors, steeped in tradition, were elegant, yet on the other hand, they were so worn and aged that they seemed haunted.

Phantom had left me with an enormous task. He checked the pocket watch he had taken from his chest and, leaving behind a strange farewell implying we would meet again, boarded the train and disappeared.

Astonishingly, the railway tracks vanished without a trace as soon as he disappeared.

Not only that, but something changed in my body. Seven barcode-like lines appeared on my left wrist. It was as if they were marking my life itself.

It only added to the pressure. The thought of them disappearing made me increasingly anxious.

Lost in thought, I kept moving forward.

“First, I have to find Adenhar before Sren does.”

So I needed to hide him in the mansion. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to escape this game safely.

“Also, this mansion is really dark… The wall lamps aren’t even on?”

The mansion was enormous. As I reached the end of the long corridor, I saw stairs leading down and an open window. The window shook in the wind and rain, rattling dangerously. The floor was a mess from rainwater dripping down from the window frame.

“Who left the window open on a day like this?”

I carefully closed it, rubbed my arms for warmth, and headed downstairs. The cold air made my breath visible.

Countless portraits hung along the walls of the staircase. They were probably members of the Crochet family. I brushed my hand over one frame, and, strangely, no dust came off. Yet there were no signs of servants having been there either.

“Where did everyone else go besides Sren?”

Sren couldn’t be living alone in this vast mansion.

But the missing weren’t just the servants. I had never seen his family either. I vaguely remembered reading in the game description that he had daily power struggles with the Duchess, not his biological mother. Of course, some things might have been hidden from me while I was trapped, but it still felt unsettling. Surely Sren hadn’t killed them all?

I forced myself to shake off the ominous thought and descended to the lower floor. As I stepped on the last stair, the wall lamps flickered on, illuminating the corridor.

“……!”

Before I could even be surprised by that, the urgent sound of footsteps echoed from somewhere. Then it stopped, and a large, damp hand covered my nose and mouth.

“Ugh……!”

I was yanked forcefully. In an instant, I was pulled into darkness, feeling the wet, cold touch behind me.

Who was it? Sren?

My heart began pounding like mad. But the scent wasn’t the refreshing aqua aroma Sren carried—it smelled faintly of cypress wood and citrus, like being in a forest. And then I heard a firm yet gentle voice near my ear.

“Shh. Stay still.”
“……!”
“If you move, you might get caught. Rachel.”

Only then did I realize who it was. My long-time childhood friend, Adenhar Seperta—the person I had been desperately searching for and whom I must save.

I slowly lifted my head, and he lowered his gaze to look at me. In the moonlight that filled the room, I saw his face: shining blond hair, violet eyes reminiscent of statice flowers, a sharp nose, and red lips. He had a neat, kind, and handsome appearance.

“I was so worried… I’m glad you’re safe, Rachel.”

He spoke with a gentle smile.

“I’ve really missed you.”

He slowly removed the fingers that had been covering my mouth. I quickly looked around and whispered in a low voice:

“Why did you come here?”
“I heard that you were taken by Duke Crochet…”
“But coming here recklessly on your own—what if something happened to you?”

Apparently not expecting a scolding, Adenhar’s eyes widened, then he gave an awkward laugh.

“I thought… you might be in danger… The Duke of Paminion was also quite worried.”

After hesitating, he added the last part with concern.

“…That’s the notorious Duke Crochet, right?”

Knowing that, and still coming here defenseless… I sighed at naive Adenhar.

Did he even know how many times I had seen him with his throat cut? I shook my head at the thought, shivering, and warned Adenhar in a stern tone:

“First, thank you for coming to save me. But I want you to go back now.”
“Huh?”
“Of course, I can’t leave with you. There’s something I must do here.”
“But……”

Adenhar looked helpless.

“Why?”

His reaction seemed odd, so I asked. He smiled awkwardly and said:

“Ever since I entered this mansion, the exits disappeared…”
“…What?”

What nonsense was that? A long silence passed between us. I gave him a suspicious look, and he waved his hands, adding excuses.

“It’s true! Rachel. I wanted to check the mansion first to take you out safely, but… the moment I stepped in, the doors vanished from sight. I ended up standing in a room I didn’t recognize.”

Ah, that’s it. This damn game activates a trap as soon as you enter the mansion—you can’t leave normally. In short, it becomes a labyrinth.

Apparently, the only one who can find the exit is the mansion’s owner, Sren. Adenhar, the sacrificial pawn for my game progress, cannot leave without my help.

“Hahaha……”

Damn it! I barely held back a curse, my lips twitching. Noticing my reaction, Adenhar asked pitifully, sensing something was wrong:

“Did I mess up?”

Like a lost puppy, Adenhar looked at me. Seeing his innocent self tightened my chest even more.

What should I do with him? You, unaware of your own fate, only intent on saving me, make my sense of responsibility even heavier.

Then, I heard a whistling sound somewhere—a hide-and-seek song. “Hide, hide, don’t show your hair”—the melody so clear it made my body stiffen.

And then, the sound of footsteps echoed down the quiet corridor. Instinctively, I knew it was Sren.

If we were caught here with Adenhar, it would be over. I gestured to him to be quiet, scanning for a hiding spot. Meanwhile, the doors creaked, opened, and slammed repeatedly.

Adenhar mouthed:

“What should we do? We’ll get caught like this.”

A pistol was holstered at his waist. He reached for it, but I stopped him. Whenever I failed, Adenhar always died. That meant he could never defeat Sren. It would be useless to provoke him.

At that moment, I spotted an old wardrobe. I gestured for Adenhar to go inside.

But he shook his head, mouthing that he couldn’t leave me behind. Sren’s footsteps were getting closer.

I pinched Adenhar’s side, silently urging him to do as I said. He still stubbornly refused. I felt a suffocating frustration, but losing my temper here would get us caught instantly.

“Rachel…… ugh!”

He tried to make a sound, so I quickly covered his mouth, speaking through gritted teeth:

“I won’t die. So please, just do as I say this once.”

Finally, he reluctantly went into the wardrobe. I exhaled in relief.

Bang―! With a loud noise, the door flew off. Sren appeared, his eyes glowing red.

He whispered with his signature eerie smile:

“What were you doing here, Rachel?”

Then he licked the blade of his sword with his tongue. My hands naturally started sweating. But I forced a casual smile and replied:

“I was just looking around the mansion.”

My voice didn’t tremble, right?

He laughed silently, then wiped the smile from his face and said coldly:

“I heard another voice besides yours.”
“…I must have misheard…”
“Where did you hide it?”
“…!”
“Shall I take a look?”