For so reason, the roles had reversed.
[ You cannot leave the guest room.]
The sun had long passed its zenith, and no sunlight ca through the east-facing window. I sat in the corner of the bed, hugging my knees blankly.
Reid, though shocked and confused, didn’t run wild just to satisfy his own desires.
Instead, he cared for with devoted attention, quietly staying by my side.
Then he said,
“I’ll co back tonight. Rest.”
“......”
He stood up after setting the table full of snacks.
While he kissed my hair, his fixed gaze on was so deep I couldn’t misunderstand its aning.
Yes, this is definitely a dark story with explicit adult thes.
“Alright, take care...”
I guessed he was giving ti alone. Accepting his thoughtfulness, I weakly said goodbye, which clearly lit a pleased expression in Reid’s eyes.
I was puzzled by this unexpected gift, then realized this was probably our first conversation since morning.
Hmm, I hadn’t planned to hold a silent protest or anything. Maybe my ntality is also patched by the genre.
“Ai.”
“......”
“Ayleth Rodeline.”
“......”
Suddenly, his deep voice echoed right next to my ear as he pulled into his embrace.
“Don’t go anywhere.”
As if turning his head toward , each movent of his lips brushed my ear in a tantalizing way.
“Tonight......”
“......”
When I flinched involuntarily, misinterpreting his words,
“I have sothing I want to show you.”
“......”
He released , lightly kissed my lips, then stepped back. Afterward, jokingly and plainly added,
“Of course, there are things I want to do too.”
“......”
“Last night was rushed since it was the first ti, but I won’t be like that today. I promise.”
“......huh?”
By the ti I understood what he ant, Reid had long closed the door and disappeared outside.
“Hah.”
I realized my own state and felt a bit dumbfounded.
Even so, I was strangely glad that nothing happened between him and Muriel Filize.
‘Ah, seriously! Now’s not the ti for this!’
To express my twisted current mood, I perched on the bed with a rather defiant and teasing posture.
My head tilted back toward where my god should be. Gazing at the vintage pattern on the ceiling, I shouted in spirit.
“Word Spirit! Word Spirit, are you there?!”
Please talk to , god.
[‘The Word Spirit who builds the world hurriedly stops what it was doing and looks at you.’]
‘I heard everything from Reid. Is it really true that the imprisonnt ending is the best?’
[‘The Word Spirit hesitates a mont then answers that it is true.’]
‘But the reward for the imprisonnt route was genre fixation, right? Word Spirit, you don’t happen to like dark imprisonnt stories, do you?’
[‘The Word Spirit says that’s impossible, that even if you see the imprisonnt ending, it has arranged ways to get outside, and it feels unfair.’]
‘Is there a way? Give a hint.’
[‘The Word Spirit answers it’s the basic way to leave the dungeon but says Reid’s cooperation is absolutely necessary.’]
[‘The Word Spirit worries Reid is more serious about the imprisonnt story than imagined.’]
After that, the Word Spirit poured out gossip ssages about Reid’s fragile ntality for a while, but I ignored them, lost in thought.
‘The basic way to leave the dungeon... yeah, this is inside a book, but also inside a dungeon. I get it.’
It was a good hint. I felt like I knew the answer without much thought.
‘I should talk properly when Reid cos.’
I waited for night.
✠
I think I nodded off halfway. During my nap, Reid must have quietly co and gone.
When I opened my eyes, the room had bathwater, fresh clothes, and dinner prepared.
Everything seed enchanted — the steam from the tub and dishes didn’t fade even with ti passing.
The bathwater slled faintly of the mysterious platinum rose I had slled yesterday. I soaked in it long enough for the fresh scent to reach my skin, then suddenly realized.
The centerpiece on the table set for dinner was a platinum rose. The rose, trapped under a glass do, was more wilted than yesterday, with more petals fallen, yet its mournful beauty stood out.
The clothes to change into after drying off were a pale erald indoor mini-dress.
‘Is this his taste?’
Since Reid chose it himself, it was worth noting.
I waited for him a while, but as he didn’t co until sunset, I reluctantly ate dinner alone. I had to eat well to prepare for the night to co.
“It’s delicious.”
It would have tasted better if we ate together. I wonder if he’s eating properly.
Anyway, the mansion’s mistress left the als, clothes, and even the bathwater all prepared by the guest — that was impressive.
Just as I was finishing with pudding, a knock sounded and the door opened.
“Hello, Ai.”
“Ah, you’re back?”
Reid loosely draped an unknown coat over his shoulders. Seeing him with his silver hair and sea-colored eyes dressed casually in Reid’s style felt different.
While I inspected him, he scrutinized too. It seed less about my clothes and more about checking my sowhat recovered ntal state.
Seeing Reid standing blankly, even though it was his room, I thought I should offer him a chair. I moved to the bed and offered him the only stool.
“Here, sit.”
“Thanks.”
“......”
“......”
Before the awkwardness settled, I decided to keep talking.
“Where did you go?”
“Around the mansion.”
“Did you eat?”
“No appetite.”
Did that an he had other desires? No, now was not the ti.
“Reid, co here. Let’s talk.”
At my words, Reid dragged the stool close to the bed and took a seat. Our toes nearly touched.
I looked him in the eyes and spoke firmly.
“I feel trapped, Reid. We can’t live here forever.”
“I know.”
“You do?”
“The guest room’s small. If we stay trapped here, we might go crazy... Don’t worry. From tomorrow, you’ll be able to freely move throughout the mansion.”
“No, that’s not what I an.”
“Then?”
“Are you going to keep pretending not to know?”
I leaned in so he couldn’t avoid my eyes. Though I wanted to scold him harshly, I spoke gently like a reprimand.
“Reid, we have to go out together and see lots of good things and eat lots of good food. Think about it. Fishing by the sea watching the horizon, mountain air baths with barbecue, how nice would that be? Oh, speaking of mountains, what about that promise to show the horizon from the top of Mt. Altio? I was really looking forward to it. Are you going to disappoint ?”
“......”
He fell silent, apparently without a response. That was my chance. I pushed harder.
“Reid, we have to visit my mom and dad and grandpa too, okay?”
He couldn’t miss the aning of introducing family. I thought he’d like it, but
“Well. I feel like they all hate .”
“No, that can’t be...”
“I’ve had groundless hatred more than once. I guess I like this mansion that isolates from the world, Ai.”
It backfired. Reid, who seed about to be convinced, hardened his heart again and showed a steel wall.
No good. I had to show a strong attitude too.
“If you keep like this, I’ll find a way by myself and drag you out forcibly.”
“A way?”
Reid’s eyes sparkled as he repeated my words. His interest was strangely a bit like madness, but he raised his chin confidently without shrinking.
“Yeah, there’s a way out even with the imprisonnt ending.”
“What is it?”
“I’m not telling.”
“That’s unfair.”
“Hey, don’t make that hurt look, okay? I might disturb you, but it’s too rude to ask shalessly.”
“That’s true.”
He admitted easily, which made him even more annoying.
Anyway, I guessed the way out of the dungeon was very simple.
‘Call out the dungeon master and defeat him.’
My gaze slipped from Reid’s face naturally to the desk.
The platinum rose slowly wilting inside the glass do was nad “The Heart of the Mansion.” I thought that was quite an intuitive hint.
“Ai.”
His quiet call effectively interrupted my thoughts and grabbed my focus.
Thinking the conversation was over, he stood up from the stool and held out his hand in front of . It looked like an offer to escort. Seeing blankly standing there, he reminded .
“I told you I have sothing to show you. Let’s go.”
“Where?”
“First, the library.”
Since it was the schedule he ntioned earlier during the day, I didn’t object and took his fingertip.
[ The lockdown is lifted. You may freely roam the mansion.]
At this point, I’m confused. Who is the protagonist of this imprisonnt story — or him?
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