Capgras Syndrome (6)

The promise that if I succeeded in surviving, I would be rewarded. In fact, it's true that I sometimes think this promise might be my way back to where I truly belong.

'He's perceptive.'

Therefore, Raul's opinion is valid.

However, he has overlooked one thing: I've grown quite fond of the protagonist of this story. 

As I stroke the tousled hair of the child whose cheek is pressed against my thigh, I realize that this reality is too vivid to dismiss as merely a stage or an illusion. I can't say that his words about me staying for the sake of a reward are completely wrong. But I also can't say that my mindset is the same as it was at the very beginning.

'I've grown attached.'

As I gazed at the slightly rosy cheeks of the now lively-looking child, trying to find the right words to respond to Raul, he suddenly groaned and slumped over the table.

"…Ah, forget it. The commander isn't someone who would be easily tricked. He'll handle it."

"Haha. So you're willing to trust me for now?"

Raul mumbled ambiguously, somewhere between a "yes" and a "no."

"You know, Sir Raul, you don't seem to take good care of your hair."

"This is all managed. Do you know how hard it is to maintain long hair? If I didn't care about grooming, I'd have shaved my head like that rascal Paulo."

The topic smoothly transitioned. As Raul gave me a lesson on tying hair, I practiced on Vittorio's head, who was still asleep. By the time I got the hang of it, dawn had arrived.

The next day brought some changes to Ertinez Castle. The most significant change was that Ferdinand had dismissed all but essential staff from the castle.

"Given that the enemy has infiltrated the castle, a densely populated environment is more problematic. To minimize casualties, please leave the castle until the situation stabilizes."

It was a reasonable decision.

However, I couldn't help but notice Ferdinand's weary complexion and the dark circles under his eyes, which indicated he hadn't rested overnight. Perhaps he had stayed up worrying about the Count. As a fellow sufferer of insomnia, I felt an unexpected sense of camaraderie with him.

After the chaotic first day, the second day brought some stability as the personal details of those accompanying the king were shared with the Count's castle, causing the situation to enter a stagnant phase.

Even though all the king's attendants were indeed those…

'If one of them openly devours someone from the count's castle, causing a noticeable change in numbers, it would give ample reason to suspect the king's entourage. They wouldn't recklessly attack the castle by devouring everyone.'

Such a brute force approach would only turn this into a mere creature feature. In a proper narrative involving royalty, the plot would unfold differently.

"To root out those creatures, we will begin searching Ertinez Castle."

The plan was to find the clue that could cleanse the Ertinez family in one stroke: the .

Following the king's order, a search team was quickly assembled. With hundreds of people, even dividing them into small groups resulted in dozens.

Using the excuse of the administrative paralysis in the count's castle, the king seized command, trampling over the authority of the young count without hesitation.

The royal guards, backed by the golden insignia of the royal family, openly scoured the castle. Ferdinand tacitly permitted their actions, allowing the process to flow smoothly and naturally.

I understood why Ferdinand was being passive.

For Ferdinand, who had always sought the count's recognition and wished to be helpful, imprisoning his father must have already been a heavy burden. The frightening possibility that he might have to personally give the order to execute the count, should he be revealed as one of them, could be weighing heavily on him.

The issue is that, taking advantage of Ferdinand's vulnerability, the king is boldly encroaching on the territory of the Ertinez family.

Knights, who were extremely taciturn, were rummaging through the drawers in the study and searching the narrow gaps between furniture and walls. They moved methodically like machines, thoroughly inspecting each space before moving on without hesitation.

'As expected, they are searching for the ledger too.'

Watching the knights engage in activities unnecessary for a mere search confirmed my suspicions. Someone behind me raised their voice.

"Hey, aren't you leaving? The young count ordered all the servants using this building to vacate!"

"I'm part of the surplus staff. I'm just here to help with some cleaning!"

I casually left, using the dust cloth to partially cover my face. We, too, were using the pretext of cleaning to search the castle. Although our numbers were nowhere near the dozens that the king had mobilized.

'Not here either…'

I drew an X on the map. I was searching through places I thought suitable for hiding something, but it was proving more difficult than I had anticipated.

I didn't even have a proper map provided by the system, so I had to rely on this crude one.

'Come to think of it, in El Dante, the map feature was only partially unlocked.'

Unlike Sinistra, where the map of the underground labyrinth from the first to the fourth floor was fully open, here I only had access to parts of Ertinez Castle, such as Rondine Tower and the underground caverns.

Was this intentional? I pondered as I wandered around.

A strong scent suddenly hit my nose, making it twitch involuntarily. The air was thick with the smell of flowers carried by the wind. When I turned my head, I saw the lily garden where I had once been invited for tea with Celestina. Back then, the flowers were well-tended and blooming beautifully.

Now, the flowers were broken and scattered on the ground. The petals were bruised and yellowing, possibly from the impact of falling. The overpowering fragrance was coming from there. The servants, who were packing to leave, sighed regretfully as they looked at the garden.

"What a shame. Without the gardener, the flowers couldn't be tended to in time and ended up like this…"

With summer ending and autumn approaching, the flower stems had started to break. The broken flowers hadn't been properly cleared away and were slowly withering or rotting on the garden floor.

The garden had been specially cultivated to ensure that white flowers, symbolizing mourning, would bloom year-round, even outside of lily season. Both Count Ertinez and Celestina seemed to cherish this place, remembering the countess.

I stood in the shade, looking at the garden losing its white hue. It felt like watching the current state of Ertinez Castle, overtaken by them.

'Ah.'

Come to think of it…

'Didn't Count Ertinez visit the Countess' grave every day to lay flowers?'

But the Countess had died after being assimilated and her remains scattered as ashes. Therefore, the grave was empty.

Count Ertinez knew this fact better than anyone. Yet, he visited his wife's grave every day without fail. One of the main reasons behind the Count's grand scheme was to avenge his wife Veronica's death.

'Could the ledger possibly be…'

At his wife's grave?

I picked up one of the fallen lily blossoms that was still relatively intact. The bruised and crushed petals had become almost translucent, revealing the other side.

I looked through the petals towards Rondine Tower, in the direction where the Ertinez family cemetery was located.

'The probability is high. Ethically, it feels wrong.'

Just like when we exhumed Leovald's body, this world seems obsessed with digging up graves and exploring the underground, constantly delving into death. 

The entire narrative feels like one grand funeral or mourning ritual.

Leovald, Veronica, Orlie and Butier used by the writers, and all the many extras whose names go unrecorded. Perhaps it's the creators' way of mourning those who tragically left as the original story deviated.

'I need to get to the Ertinez family cemetery and find the ledger before anyone else.'

Alright, I've decided.

This time, I'll make sure to throw a wrench in your plans, Sub-Writer 1.

It's infuriating to just be on the receiving end.