episode_0016

It happened in the blink of an eye.

Three pairs of hands extended out of the picture without warning and immediately invited Asher into their world as soon as they bound him.

At the unexpected invitation, Asher was dragged away without even being able to scream. As if mocking him, the portraits made various expressions and sang songs.

[Our record engraved in a frame♪]

[You meet a girl who needs to know the truth.]

[Whether you live or die depends on the right choice.]

[Walk towards a desirable future♪]

The chorus of portraits ended with a few lines of lyrics. As I was hastily making that decision, another tune was heard from somewhere in the hallway I had just passed.

[Bring the man the young lady loved the most to her side.]

[This will be the final test.]

That was the end. I opened my ears to see if I could hear any additional singing, but there was no result.

So the butler stood before the living, moving pictures.

“Where did you take Asher?”

He asked directly. The portrait that was asked the question answered sarcastically.

“You went on the right path.”

“I’m sorry, but unlike Ash, I’m not afraid of you.”

“Wouldn’t it be strange if a ghost were to fear another ghost?”

“Let’s stop the puns.”

The butler removed the picture frame he had been talking about from its wall mount. Then, in one swift motion, he shattered the glass protecting the portrait.

Clang!

Passs…

Now the portrait was just a piece of paper, a worthless object that would become trash if torn in two.

“If you don’t answer straight, I’ll just tear it up and throw it away.”

“That’s strange. If you wish for death, why do you think we’re any different?”

“…”

“Hmm, I guess that’s understandable since you don’t even realize what you are.”

The butler felt himself getting more and more annoyed for the first time in a while.

Unlike me, who was forced to put on a respirator by the mansion, I was able to find peace just by having a painting torn up. There is a limit to unfairness.

“Hoo…”

Flapping, flapping.

The painting the butler was holding fell to the ground in a curved motion. Then he crushed the painting with his shoe.

“You guys have a chance, but I’m different. Asher’s failure is my despair.”

I’m angry.

I was disgusted by the behavior of those who treated my only wish as a mere game.

“How can we have an honest conversation with each other?”

The butler looked at the shards of glass scattered on the floor as he destroyed the picture frame. Then he roughly threw the painting he had been stepping on onto the shards of glass.

“I hope you attain Buddhahood.”

He slowly lifted his shoes. He was about to ruin the painting by leaving footprints behind.

Shudder-!

The body stopped, leaving a small gap between the figure and the heel.

Forced restrictions on actions.

It was the same feeling as when Ash first set foot in the mansion and started acting like a real butler.

“Then that won’t do.”

Crackle, crackle.

Noise emanates from behind.

I’ve experienced this strange way of speaking before.

While he was luring the hunting dog wearing Maid A’s dress, he was the one who stopped him and gave him a penalty.

… but it seems like the penalty will be applied later.

“Cow─Don’t always get dirty─.”

Boom, boom.

The glass shards trembled.

Next, the glass pieces and paintings that had been bouncing repeatedly rose into the air at the same time. As they floated, they were reassembled as if time was running backwards and were decorated as wall hangings.

The portraits that had been observing the series of events were busy looking down at the floor.

‘The portraits… are scared?’

What have they got to fear?

If I had to name something that they and I have in common, it would be that we both accept death as salvation.

That is, the being they fear more than death has appeared behind the scenes.

“…… Letia?”

Open and close your lips, leaving your reason to your intuition alone.

The owner of the mansion is said to be ‘Miss’. And the title of the game I was possessed by was .

Besides, isn’t the person that employees should usually respect their master?

This alone isn’t enough to make a perfect connection, but…

At least, there is no doubt that Letia is the one who knows the secrets of the mansion.

“Ah, ugh, ahh.”

The thing behind it groaned. Every time it raised its voice, an ear-scratching noise came out.

“Gi. Ppe─.”

The moment I heard those words, I quickly turned around. But the man who had terrified the portraits had evaporated like a blizzard.

I must have been the one who was possessed, it was a haunted experience.

“It’s full of mysteries…”

I wonder if Asher is okay.

With the shield that was so trusted gone, there must be a lot of worry in the painting world.

“… Ah.”

An idea flashed through the mind of the butler who was pacing around like a dog chasing a chicken.

The butler spoke in front of the portrait where Asher had been taken.

“You have to take me there.”

The portrait vividly depicted a maid chattering away in the courtyard of the mansion.

◇

“Gyaaah!?”

The gentle breeze carried the shrill screams in all directions. It was so loud that all eyes around were focused on Ashe.

One of the dogs walked towards Ashe.

“What’s going on? Why are you yelling and making a fuss when you’re just hanging out the laundry?”

“Laundry? Me? How dare you?”

“Are you crazy? Where are you getting the courage to say that?”

Pfft!

The woman patted Asher’s back hard.

“Oh my…!”

A cold pain ran up her spine and up to the top of her head. Asher snorted, trying to hold back the tears that were about to burst out.

“Who are you to dare put your hand on me!”

“Me? Ellen. And you, the incompetent maid, Selly.”

“… Who am I?”

“Stupid ugly Sally.”

You receive ridiculous self-introductions from others.

Only then did Asher look around and carefully observe his appearance.

In contrast to the dark mansion, the blue sky and swaying grass are beautiful. And a damp quilt hangs on the washing line.

Looking down, her thin chest and shabby maid’s uniform, unlike her original body, catch your eye.

“Why me…!”

The embarrassment lasted only a moment.

Asher remembered that I had been drawn into the world of painting.

‘That, that’s right…! I was talking to the butler in the hallway of the mansion just a moment ago, wasn’t I?’

When I calmly review the past, it becomes real.

Suddenly, the picture pulled me into the frame.

If so, then this place is probably… the world that served as the background for the painting.

‘But why does it look familiar?’

As Asher pushed his way through the blankets, a maid who introduced herself as Ellen blocked his way.

“Where are you going? You have to finish what you were doing before you go!”

“Shut up. I’ll deal with you later. Right now, I have something to check…”

Asher was shaking off Ellen and leaving the place. Her shoulder was immediately grabbed by a forceful hand.

“Don’t go. Keep doing what you’re doing.”

“Tsk, I can’t understand. I’ll figure it out…! Huh?!”

Asher was about to lose his temper. If it were normal, he would have been irritated and yelled at her.

But the moment he met Ellen’s eyes again, Asher’s harsh words rushed back into his throat.

“Do what you have to do. Do it. Do it. According to the rules.”

Ellen, who was pressing down on Asher’s shoulder, looked bizarre.

It looked like a mummy that had lost all its moisture. In addition, the holes in its eyes, nose, and mouth were full of maggots and scavengers, and it was nauseating to even look at them.

“Ugh… Just do it…! Laundry!”

He just threw out some random words to avoid the crisis. But surprisingly, Ellen’s appearance, which had confirmed Ashe’s intentions, instantly regained its human form.

Ashedo also thought for a moment that he was hallucinating.

‘… There’s no way it could be in vain?!’

This mansion is a crazy mansion.

The question is, is it acceptable to have a desire for realism while sucking people into a painting?

‘Still… I was sure.’

I confirmed it just before I was caught in Ellen’s clutches.

I thought the scenery was strangely familiar, but really…

“The palace…!”

“Then is this the palace or a shantytown?”

“That’s not what I meant…! Ha… No, stop. What would I say to a fake like you.”

“What are you talking about? You’re being strangely overbearing, even though you’re a maid. Today, too.”

“Is that because we’re not the same maid?”

Asher said in a grumbling tone.

Ellen just let it go, thinking that the maid named Sally, whom she had been possessed by, had been having bad tempers for more than a day or two.

‘Somehow I thought that the maid’s uniform was too tacky…!’

Above all, the palace is shiny.

According to the history that Asher learned, the palace was rebuilt about 500 years ago.

It was a time when the empire was at its peak thanks to the 72 imperial ministers that the emperor commanded.

‘… 500 years ago, I guess. Maybe.’

Isn’t there a painting in the mansion with a prophecy from 500 years ago engraved on it?

Additionally, the Duchess he saw while climbing the stairs was clearly the 1st Duchess.

In that case, it would be reasonable to assume that the Arkaden family was born and fell into ruin 500 years ago.

“That’s better. This way, we can get a clue out in the open…”

“Talking to yourself in a bad mood.”

Ellen sneered. But it was impossible to reach the depths of Asher’s consciousness, which was deep in thought.

While they were busy working.

A noble lady passing by stopped walking.

She said something to the man in light armor, and he nodded and approached the laundry area.

“Hey you guys.”

“Huh?”

“Hmm?”

Ellen answered, and Asher let out a questioning breath.

The man said without caring.

“Your wife wants to use one of you as an errand boy.”

This is fucking crazy.

It was Asher’s honest and candid inner thoughts.