Chapter Text
You stayed in a town less than two days away from the castle. A simple one with wooden buildings and a small market in the middle. It was already starting to get dark, so not many people were roaming around. In fact, the only people you saw were quickly entering their homes and closing their doors tightly. It seemed that no one wanted to stay outside after dark.
Conrad told you that a local nobleman had already offered to spend the night at his residence, and that's where you went.
The building was out of the way. It was separated from the city by a wall of trees and a tall gate overgrown with ivy. You passed through a neat garden with evenly trimmed bushes and statutes surrounded by white columns. The door squeaked slightly and let you inside.
A tall man with a friendly smile greeted you, asking how your journey was. However, while he sounded friendly, he didn't look like he wanted to talk to you much. Instead, he appointed a maid who led you to your bedroom.
You went inside with Wolfram, while Conrad only took a quick look around the room and announced that he would look around the town some more.
You were looking for an artifact. Information about its sudden activity reached the castle not long ago. It was quickly decided that it was too dangerous and needed to be found immediately. And since this is about the safety of your citizens, you volunteered right away. You may have also wanted to escape the castle and take a break from a ton of paperwork, but you kept that to yourself. Your attitude quickly moved Gunter, and despite Gwendal's reluctance, you were allowed to join.
The only thing you knew about the artifact was that it could control plants. Wolfram took from Gunter his journal with information about it, but you didn't inquire about anything else for now. The trip was tiring, and you decided to postpone any thoughts about its purpose until tomorrow.
"I have a bad feeling about this residence," said Wolfram, dropping his bag at the foot of the bed. "I'm going to look around a bit. Stay here and don't leave. It shouldn't take long, but you can go to bed without me."
And then, he left the room.
You may have been tired, but not so tired that you went straight to bed. You didn't want to cause a quarrel with your fiancé, so you decided to comply with his request and limited yourself to exploring only this room.
A double bed with a canopy at one end and a fireplace with two armchairs standing in front of it at the other. The fire coming from it was the only light source in the room. Under the wall with the window was a chest of drawers, and under the one with the door was a closet and a bookshelf. Besides, there was a rug in the middle of the room, and that was all of the furniture here.
You approached the bookshelf. Only thick volumes bound in leather. What caught your attention was a red book set aside with its cover up. A rose was painted on it.
You took the book in your hand and approached the fireplace with it. However, it was massive and reminded you of all the lectures Gunter forced you to read, so you decided to put it down on one of the armchairs.
You wondered for a while whether to go to bed or wait for Wolfram.
Nothing changed
You sat in the second armchair and stared at the fire, waiting for Wolfram. Maybe he learned something interesting and will tell you about it.
You listened to the shooting fire and tried not to fall asleep. Finally, the door opened, and Wolfram walked in.
He quickly walked the distance between the exit and his bag and, stuffing something into it, threw it over his shoulder. He looked at the bed and then at you, still sitting in the chair, and sighed slightly.
"Get your stuff. We're leaving now," he said, looking around the room. His whole body tensed as if he expected something to attack him at any moment.
"Now? It's the middle of the night." You got up from your seat, concerned about his behavior.
"We can't stay here; it's too dangerous." Wolfram walked up to you and pulled you by the arm. "We'll stop at an inn in town."
"Something happened?"
"I'll tell you once we're in a safe place. So hurry up for now."
You picked up your travel bag, which was also carelessly thrown on the floor, and left the bedroom with Wolfram.
The corridor was submerged in darkness. You expected Wolfram to use his maryoku to light the way, but he did not. You almost ran the entire distance to the exit in the dark.
The door was torn from its hinges, and you were now really concerned that something serious had happened. Outside, the moonlight illuminated your path, and you noticed that the garden was not as well cared for as you thought when you arrived. Tall grass and broken statues. When did this happen?
As you approached the gate, you noticed that Conrad was already waiting behind it. He was visibly relieved when you reached him.
Being already outside the gate, you noticed that the air was much fresher. Maybe it's due to stress?
"Everything okay?" Asked Conrad, looking at both of you carefully. Behind him stood your horses, already saddled.
"Yes," Wolfram replied, and you could tell by his voice alone that he was relieved.
"What happened?" You asked again.
The two brothers glanced at each other and then simply looked toward the residence.
You followed their gaze.
Instead of a neat mansion, beyond the gate were nothing but ruins. The building was missing most of its roof, and the entire left wing had collapsed. You stared at the image for a long moment in disbelief.
"Is it because of the artifact?" You asked Wolfram, who nodded and patted his bag.
"I found it, and it happened when I took it. The whole back garden immediately dried up."
"Local residents say that this residence has been abandoned for years, but recently it suddenly returned to its state from its glory days. They said something strange was going on there, and no one dared to enter."
You slowly nodded your head, still gazing at the ruins.
"I understand. But since you've taken the artifact, it's all over, right?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. We can return tomorrow morning." Conrad brought Ao to you. "There should be free rooms in a nearby inn. We should get some sleep before heading out."
"It's Yuuri," you corrected him as you mounted your horse.
Conrad smiled and nodded.
Wolfram was already on his mount, and when all three were ready, you set off back to the city.
You managed to get the whole thing done before you even got started. That's a good thing, right? Nothing will threaten your people anymore. Although everything occurred too fast for you to process. Deep down, you were a little disappointed. Nothing had happened. You didn't even have a hand in anything. And now, just like that, you're going back.
You also wondered what happened to the people in residence. What was the name of your host? You were unable to recall. You couldn't even remember his face. Is this also the effect of the artifact?
You reached the inn and managed to get a room.
The warm fire from the fireplace seemed much friendlier than the one in your earlier bedroom. Maybe it was just an impression after what you saw there? You still had trouble understanding it.
Wolfram took a wooden casket out of his bag and placed it on the table.
"Is that it?"
"Exactly as described by Gunter." He also pulled out a journal bound in black leather and flipped through it. "A wooden casket with a carved flower motif."
"Probably Celi will want to keep it for herself and store her jewelry in it."
"So it will be better to hide it properly before she returns," Conrad laughed.
"Gunter mentions nothing about this strange illusion. But it says here that they still hadn't managed to explore all its powers before it disappeared."
You looked at the object lying on the table. For all the warnings about how dangerous it was, the casket seemed quite ordinary. Another disappointment.
You wondered what was inside.
Wolfram was discussing something with Conrad, but you paid no attention to their words. You reached out your hand. With your eyes closed, you ran it over the ornate carvings. You already wanted to open it, but you furrowed your brows when the texture under your hands suddenly changed.
You opened your eyes.
Instead of a casket, in your hands was a red book with a rose on the cover.
You stood in front of the fireplace.
In the room you left a moment ago with Wolfram.
What just happened?
Your two bags were lying on the floor. Maybe it was all just a dream you had? Were you so tired that you started daydreaming?
Perhaps that was it.
For what other reason would you have suddenly woken up here?
Wolfram will soon return and say that everything is fine. Then, you will go to sleep, and in the morning, you will look for the artifact.
After all, this thing could control plants. There's no way it could turn the ruins back into a livable residence.
You put on the armchair the book you were still holding.
For some reason, you felt uncomfortable being alone in that room. The silence and semi-darkness created an unsettling atmosphere. In addition, the air was stuffy, as if no one had ventilated the room for ages.
You preferred to leave this place and look for Wolfram. However, before that, you opened the window first. Let it air out a bit before you go to bed.
After taking a few deep breaths, you felt a little better. You approached the door and were already about to press on the handle when the door suddenly opened outward.
Wolfram stared at you, his green eyes wide open in surprise. He blinked several times.
"Yuuri." He said uncertainly and, after a moment, shook his head. "We have to go away from here."
"What?"
"Something is wrong with this place. It would be better to go from here and spend the night in the city." He passed you and picked up both bags from the floor, hiding something quickly in his own.
You were still standing at the door, watching him in bewilderment. Wolfram put your bag in your hands and led you out of the room.
The corridor was as dark as before.
The door alike torn from its hinges. The garden just as overgrown.
Conrad was waiting for you outside the gate. Your horses stood behind him, already saddled. He sighed with relief at the sight of you just in the same way.
"Yuuri? Are you all right?" Wolfram asked you as you gazed at the ruins of the mansion. Without a roof, with the left wing collapsed.
"What just happened?"
"This is probably the workings of an artifact. Local residents said this residence had been abandoned for a long time. However, it has suddenly returned to its prime."
"I took the artifact, and the entire back garden immediately withered. But it should be all over now."
Wolfram looked as if he was still concerned. This time he didn't glance at the residence even once and immediately climbed onto his horse, waiting impatiently for them.
"Let's go, Your Majesty." Conrad brought Ao to you. " There should be free rooms in a nearby inn. We should get some sleep before heading out."
You climbed on your horse without even saying a word. You were still confused.
Conrad stared at you for a moment, then walked over to his horse. Once everyone was ready, you returned to the town.
Once again at the inn, Wolfram took out the casket and placed it on the table. You didn't want to touch it anymore. You didn't even want to look at it. Making excuses that you were already too tired, you immediately went to bed.
From the next room came the muffled sounds of conversation. You put the covers over your head and lay like this.
Something very strange happened, and you had no idea how to react to it. You wriggled in bed, turning from side to side, feeling increasingly anxious.
Suddenly you felt that something was off. You looked out from under the covers.
The bed you were lying in was in a room in that residence.