alliance of the golden witch; chapter 13 (dungeon)

[endlesswitch]

......It was......, a pitch black room.

There were no windows, and with the weak light bulb, one could just barely make out the state of things around them.

It appeared to be an old forgotten underground storehouse, with some kind of dusty furniture haphazardly thrown into it......
However, even with just a little light, one could at least tell that it probably wasn't a storehouse.

......Because that room was sealed off with iron bars.
"......Where....is this.........?"
"I don't know.........I wonder, is this place underneath the mansion......? Was there this kind of room......directly underneath the dining hall......?"

They had dropped into what appeared to be a pit,

and fallen・・・ into the room.

Therefore, it was appropriate to think that this room was directly under the dining hall.
......However, not even Krauss could bring himself to believe that there were pitfalls rigged in the beloved dining hall, where he had enjoyed his meals for years, ...and that directly below it was this dungeon-like room.
But the ceiling above was of crude stone craftsmanship, ......and they could not understand how they could have fallen from somewhere up there.

No, all five people who had been dropped here thought the same thing.
Although they had had the sensation of falling into a pit, ......there was no way there could be pitfalls in the dining hall, nor could this dungeon-like place be directly under it.

......But, the truth was that they actually had fallen into this place and were locked in.
......And so, ...they had been confused.
"......It is lucky that no one was hurt after falling such a height..."
"........Shannon, Kanon. Did either of you two know about this room...?"
"......No. We did not know of this room either."
"..................Really...?"
"R, really...... We really......don't know about a room like this......"
Despite their age, Kyrie apparently wouldn't have found it odd that, as servants allowed to wear the One-winged Eagle, they might know of the mansion's secret tricks.
There was a long silence, as if Krauss was evaluating their answer...
"......No, it's probably true that you don't know. Afterall, this is the clean-freak Shannon we're talking about. If she knew about this room, she'd probably scrub this place until it was sparkling. The filth of this room is proof that you two don't know of it. ......More importantly than that, I think we should worry about what to do now."
"E, exactly..... We need to call the police....o, or rather administer first aid as soon as possible......"

Nanjo's words were hollow.
...Obviously.

Six people had been killed in the dining hall.
Everybody had seen the exact moment when they had been killed.

Besides, since half of their heads had been destroyed, anyone could tell that the deaths had been instant with just a single glance.
Everyone understood that first aid no longer held any meaning......
"Thank you, Doctor Nanjo. ......We already understand that our partners are no longer alive. .........Thanks for trying to console us by mentioning first aid."
".........Natsuhi......................................."
Once again, a gloomy silence gained control of them.

But Krauss shook his head harshly over and over, and, for the time being...decided to forget the pain of losing his wife, and to dedicate himself to figuring out where they were.
"Everyone, listen to me. ...............Father is.........hopeless now. There is no longer any way...to ask him for an explanation or reason."
Nobody answered.

......Without any kind of discussion or mercy, six people had been killed in an instant.
And, Kinzo had even been so bold as to proclaim that we would become sacrifices for a ceremony involving 13 murders.

......Since we've been locked up in this place, we too will probably become the ceremony's next sacrifices soon.
Around this time, our eyes became used to the darkness...and, bit by bit, we were able to understand more about the dungeon's interior.
......What we thought was furniture haphazardly left in the dungeon turned out to not be furniture at all.

They were, ......things like small cages to lock people in, restraints, or else, ......torture racks.

.....At any rate, it was obvious that it was eerier than a mere jail cell.
Since the objects were rusted together and coated in thick dust, there was no doubt that they had been forgotten.

......Maybe you could even call these things Kinzo's sealed and forgotten madness.
However, we had been locked away in this room.

......Those objects weren't exactly comforting to people who were locked up, hoping to be released without harm...
"......Anyway, let's get out of here. We've lost loved ones and friends and would like to spend some time shedding tears, but more than that, ......I'm worried about the children."
".........I...I wonder if the children are safe......"
"All we can do is pray... ......Come to think of it, Kumasawa and Gohda aren't here."
"Perhaps, ...they were able to get away safely..."
"You never know. It'd be a relief if they were able to meet up with the children..."
"When it comes down to it, Gohda-san is reliable, and Kumasawa-san is knowledgeable and calm... I'm sure they would be helpful to the children..."
"......Hahaha. Well that's good."

Shannon and Krauss smiled bitterly a little.
But they quickly realized how improper that was, and stopped, clearing their throats.
".........We can't be optimistic, Nee-san. There's a chance that they have already been attacked after we were."
"I agree. What Father carried out in the dining hall was......the six murders of the first twilight from the witch's epitaph, right?
Then, the second twilight is to 'tear apart the two who are close'. ......We can't deny the possibility that Gohda-san and Kumasawa-san may have been killed after escaping together. ......We can't cling to the optimistic idea that they definitely got to the guesthouse and are protecting the children."
Kyrie coldly analyzed the worst case scenario.

For her, it was heartbreaking to have lost her beloved husband.
.......But right now, the most important thing was protecting that husband's son, along with the other children, from becoming the insane family head's sacrifices.
She overcame her sadness with the parental urge to protect children from sorrow.

......It seemed that both Kyrie and Krauss were strong enough to forget about their grief, if only for the time being...
They would let their tears flow later.

......In order to protect the children, they had to act.
"Anyway, let's get out of here... It seems to be a rather old cell. Couldn't we break the bars with something? Let's try searching the entire room for some way to escape."
"I wonder if there are some torture tools lying around all these torture cages. They might be useful as weapons, or to break the bars."
Kyrie pulled a lighter from her pocket.

She herself didn't smoke, but she kept one tucked away in her pocket to light Rudolf's cigarettes.
......It was an extremely valuable source of light for searching in this dim dungeon.
"Shannon, help Kyrie-san search the room. Kanon, you'll help me check out the bars. This is a very old cell. The bars could be loose."
"W...what should I help with......?"
"Please just keep up your strength. ......Father will probably come soon. You're the only one whose words will reach him. In a way, you might be holding our lives in your hands."
"......My words, ...will no longer reach him, I think. I'm sorry, but I don't believe I will be of any use......"
"Then lend us your expertise as a doctor. .........I wonder if there is a drug that makes people instantly faint."
"......A drug that makes people instantly faint......? What are you talking about......?"
"We believe we fell through a pit, and landed in this dungeon. ......In that panic stricken place, that's what we believed happened.
......But I measured the breadth of this room and came to a realization. This dungeon cannot be underneath the dining hall."
"Why do you say it cannot...?"
".........You're an idiot, Nee-san. If you compare it to the dining hall, this dungeon is too narrow."
"Exactly. The first person to fall was Krauss nii-san. The second was myself. When you fell into this room, did you move from that spot, Krauss nii-san?"
"......It's embarrassing to say, but the landing hurt, and I lied there groaning in pain. Immediately after that, Kyrie-san came crashing down next to me."
"The distance between where we were standing and the places where we landed is clearly strange."
"C, ...certainly, when you put it that way. ......I was the next to fall, so I remember fairly well where you two were standing. ......The distance between you two in the dining hall might have been greater than this entire room."
"We fell into a pit, and directly dropped down here. ......It's not like we fell into multiple interlocking pipes, and were all collected here. The fall was instant, wasn't it? I don't remember rolling around in some sort of elaborate water pipe system."
".........Surely, we can't explain it with a pitfall. ....What a strange tale."
"What does that have to do, ......with the drug that makes people instantly faint that Kyrie-sama was talking about...?"
".................................Kyrie-sama is probably thinking that there were no pitfalls in the dining hall, correct?"
"But in reality, we fell."
"To put it accurately, we had the feeling that we fell into a pit. ......Obviously. That's the only way we can describe that experience."
"I...I see...... In other words, this is what you want to say.........We did not fall through a pit........We were attacked with something like a blowdart, for example, and lost consciousness instantly. It could be that we just remember the instant we fell to the floor as though it were falling through a pit......"
"............I see. That's a much more persuasive argument than there being numerous pitfall traps in the dining hall that we've never noticed, even after decades eating there."
"......Nee-san. Do you have a watch?"
"Eh? .........Y...yes. I have a pocket watch. ........Umm, it's about 22:40."
".........Yes. My watch says the same. ...In short, it hasn't been more than ten minutes since that uproar in the dining hall."
"My watch is the same. ............That's much too short a time to knock us out and carry us somewhere. .........Judging only from the time, it's appropriate to assume that we did fall through a hole leading directly underneath the dining hall."
"They can tamper with the watch hands as much as they want. ......While we were passed out, they may have wound everyone's watches back. We are incapable of proving that this possibility doesn't exist."
"...........................Whether a pitfall, or else a drug that induces fainting.........it does not change the fact that we need to be on guard..."
"......Well then, Doctor Nanjo? Is there a drug that can do that?"
"Well, ..................It's the same as your logic, Kyrie-san. ...I cannot prove that there is not a drug with that effect of which I do not know."
"......As they say, you can never be too careful. ...Sorry, it was a useless question. I just thought that with my hypothesis, I could suggest that this dungeon is not necessarily directly underneath the dining hall."
"I see..........There's always the possibility that we were carried off to the hidden mansion they say Father built in the middle of the forest. ......If we can escape from here and get outside, then we'll know. We'll save worrying about that until after we get out."
"Exactly. I'm truly sorry. I've only been asking and prying into useless things."
"No, it's quite promising. If you notice anything else, please tell me. It might become a hint to escaping from here.
.........I always heard from Rudolf. He was always surprised by your advice, and it would sometimes become a valuable hint. ......The fact that you're here is a blessing within a tragedy."
"......Thank you. I heard something from Rudolf-san as well. He said that you usually just swagger about, but when things get serious, you overflow with a sense of responsibility, and are a very dependable older brother."
"Hahaha..., that's too kind. .........Dammit, at any rate, these iron bars are pretty sturdy. How are things on your end, Kanon?"
".........No, this side is no better."

Krauss and Kanon tried wiggling the bars in various ways.
......There were a few bars that could be twisted...and a few had enough space to rattle a little bit around in...but they could not be broken with human strength alone.

......However, there was still hope if they could use some kind of lever-like tool.
It was still far too early to give up yet.
The children's lives were hanging in the balance.
......Even if there was no hope, they couldn't stop their struggle.
And, it was better for them to act this way.

......If they were to stop...there's no doubt they'd once again be overcome by the grief of loosing their loved ones, and crouch down, clutching their knees......
"How are you doing, Kyrie-san? Find anything?"
"......I've found some small stones that we could hold onto and hide. Something like this could probably be a weapon. Though, it'd be impossible to whittle down those iron bars. How about you, Shannon-chan...?"
"No, nothing. .........Ah, this is............a phone."
"I doubt it's connected. ......But, we might be able to use the cord as some form of string-based weapon. If we break it, we could take out the metal parts. Krauss Nii-san, there's a keyhole for opening the bars, right?"
"Yeah. It's a pretty large hole, quite old fashioned. ......If we twist some wire into it, we just might be able to pick it."
"We might be able to use the metal parts of the phone as a substitute for something. ......This phone will become our weapon."
"It's the same as an investment. Information is our weapon."

Krauss and Kyrie laughed together at how they hadn't once thought of using the phone as a means of communication.
"............What are you doing, Nee-san."
"Ah, ......um, ...I just wondered if maybe the phone was w, working......"
"............You dummy, Nee-san. (*whisper*)"
"Eh...? .........Huh?"

At this point, Shannon let out a small surprised cry.
"K, Kyrie-sama...! .....This phone, it's connected."
"What did you say...?"
It was like when people move out of an office, taking everything with them, leaving only the telephone behind...that's the feeling the phone gave off, having been left in the corner of the cell.
The cord was wound into a coil, the tip of it being swallowed by the wall, and at a glance, it wouldn't seem surprising if it were connected.

......But, to think that it was actually was connected somewhere...
Kyrie took the receiver from Shannon and pressed it to her ear.
Certainly, the electric hum of a phone was a familiar sound.
......And this phone was certainly live.
"Wh...what good luck...! Let's contact the police...!"
"Hold on...! This is too good to be true. It's bugged, isn't it...?!"
"If they were planning a trick like that, normally they would cut the telephone line. ......There's a good possibility that they actually overlooked this. If they notice, then they might actually cut the line this time. There's nothing that we could tell the police that would be problematic for us if they overheard."
......Surely that is true.
The point of a wiretap is to overhear some important piece of information...but the way things are now, she could not think of a single thing that would come up in a conversation to the outside world that could be troublesome to have heard.

Kyrie instantly concluded that it was more likely to be a mistake on Kinzo's part than a trap......
"Y...you do have a point...... I believe that you start with 0 to make calls to the outside......"
"Kanon-kun, I'm going to make a phone call, so will you watch how things are out there for me? If you sense somebody coming, let me know."
"Y, yes......!"
Kanon raced off towards the iron bars, silenced his breathing, and strained his ears......
As everyone present watched her, Kyrie dialed 110...
110

This is the number for calling the police in Japan.
However, she pushed the hook down and re-dialed many times.

......It didn't seem to be working very well.
"......The outside line begins with 0? 110 would be 0110 then, right? It doesn't seem to want to go through..."
"Hand it over here, I'll try to call..................................."

Krauss took the receiver in Kyrie's place, and tested various things......
But in the end, they were unable to notify the police......
The phone itself was definitely live, but the circuit was apparently cut somewhere.

......Did this mean that 'they' were not so naive?
"......So it's useless after all......"
"This means our enemies aren't naive themselves.................."
Kyrie let out a deep sigh, leaned against the wall, and hung her head for a while.

As severe a girl as she was, for a brief moment, she might actually have had the naive hope that the phone could actually work.

......She sneered at herself mockingly for holding onto that naive hope for even one moment.
And then, ......she remembered just what was happening here.
......Honestly...regardless of having been shown such a thing right before her eyes, ......or rather, exactly because of that...

......She still could not think of that gruesome mass murder as something real...
Rather than that she couldn't believe it, it was that she didn't want to.
Ushiromiya Kinzo killed six family members.
He summoned strange witch-like, demon-like people, ......right out of thin air...............and with something like magic, ......began to kill people one after another..........

..........................
It's just all so screwed up.
......Even though she definitely saw it, there was no way she could accept that spectacle......
".........There's no way that's what happened. .........Those were obviously Grandfather's friends, or something. ......They just hid somewhere in the dining hall beforehand and used some tricks to appear suddenly and fool us. ......There's no other way to explain something as screwed up as that."
But when those six had had their heads blown apart, a golden arrow had flown around and around the room.

......That had truly looked like, ......magic.
Was that another thing we just saw wrong?
There's no way it was magic. It was definitely some kind of setup.

......Since those heads were smashed, there's no doubt it was some explosive.
For example, a styrene toy plane like they sell at candy stores, painted gold...and with a powerful explosive loaded onto the end of it.
.......However, at a glance, it had seemed to be flying at random...but Kyrie couldn't imagine that after being fired six times, each time had perfectly hit the victims square in the head, one after the other.

It couldn't be that there was a computer control system for finding and hitting targets, which would make it a high-tech styrene plane on the same level as a guided missile, right...?
".........Would he invest such a large amount of money into developing some stupid trick like that? .......For that insane entertainment......? Does this come back to the old 'I wouldn't put it past Father'......?"
A number of mysterious people appeared out of thin air, ......6 people had had their heads demolished by a mysterious golden flying object, ......the five of us were locked away in a mysterious dungeon by a mysterious set of pitfalls, or else put to sleep by some fainting poison dart......
The family conference had started a bit after 22:00.
......It's only been about 30 minutes since then.

Probably, even though I witnessed it myself, ......since that event took place in such a short amount of time, I still can't understand it, and I still can't come to grips with it.
For argument's sake, even if we did get ahold of the police, it would probably be impossible for anybody to accurately explain what we saw......

Regardless of having just seen it, ......my brain's fried, and I have no self-confidence even in what I saw myself...
Kyrie tried her hardest to cheer herself out of her overwhelming confusion, to just hold onto her sanity......
"Dammit......what's going on here, ......dammit, ...dammit...!"

Krauss started to become desperate, hitting the hook multiple times, resetting the dial.
......Krauss had also been feigning composure, but he was unable to hide his panic.
The more he retried the dial, the more the pretense of serenity peeled away...
I don't know what's going on anymore......

Kyrie couldn't help but pray that the events that had just occurred were a dream...

.........At that time, the look on Krauss's face changed.
"Uu, o......oh...! I got through, I got through...! It's ringing...!"
"R, really, Krauss-san...?!"
"I see, how frivolous, old man...! Since we can't contact the police, it seems that the outside line is cut, but he missed out on severing the inside line...!"
"Inside line? Krauss-san, where did you call...?!"
"The guesthouse. I'm calling the room where Jessica and the rest are staying...! ......Ah?! Hello! Hello?! It's me...! You're...! Gohda?! Is Jessica there, is she safe...?!!"
"K, Krauss-sama......!! I'm so happy you're safe!! Yes! Lady Jessica and the other children are here as well, safe and unharmed...!"
"Dad!! It's Dad?! I'm so glad you're okay......!! Is Mom okay?! Is she there?!"
".........M, ......"

Krauss choked on his words.
......Krauss had clearly seen Natushi's head crushed, had seen her killed right before his eyes......
Eventually, he was going to have to tell that to Jessica.
.....However, Krauss began to fret over whether he should tell her now or not, and lost his words.

......But even that was an answer under these circumstances......
"......I don't know about Mom............Let's pray she's safe. ...For now, I'm just glad you're safe.
"..........................Yeah. ......I understand. .........I'm sorry for, ......asking."

Jessica's voice was filled with tears...
......There was no doubt for Krauss anymore.
When Gohda and Kumasawa had met them at the guesthouse, Jessica and the rest had heard everything, start to finish...
Most likely, when they learned that six people had been killed, they had worked themselves into a frenzy to go to the dining hall.

.........Luckily he had been able to call before they had stormed off towards the mansion.
Krauss was relieved at his good timing during such tragedy...
"We have Kyrie-san and Doctor Nanjo, as well as Shannon and Kanon here. We've been locked in a place that's like a dungeon, but don't worry. We'll figure something out."
"Dungeon? Where?! We'll come save you...!!"
"Unfortunately, we can't figure out where this is either. We think it might be under the dining hall, but that might not be true. .........Anyways, Jessica. You mustn't leave there. You've heard from Gohda what happened?"
"Yeah............Grandfather......-ed......everyone......"
"Grandfather isn't in a sane state of mind right now. It'd be dangerous if you happen to meet him. You might be killed...! You mustn't even think about trying to come and save us...! We'll take care of ourselves."
"Th, then what should we do?! Damn you, Grandfather, how dare you do that to Mom and the rest......! I'm gonna kill that worthless bastard...!!"
"Jessica, if you talk like that, you'll sadden your mother. A lady isn't someone who uses those kinds of words."
"Uuuuuuu......, uuuuuu......!!"
"Anyway, put your own safety first. Lock all the guesthouse doors. ......But you mustn't overestimate how safe that'll make you. The large window in the first floor lounge might get broken. Stay in that room, and use a bed to make a barricade. There's a toilet and fridge in there too, right? You should be able to stay holed up until tomorrow morning. ......Alright, I'll say it again...don't think of anything dangerous. Don't even think about trying to take revenge for Mom! Only think of hiding, without agitating the enemies."
"Yeah....., yeah....!! I understand, ......Dad......! Uuuuuuuuuu!!"
After that, Gohda took the phone, and was told again to watch over the kids as the adult there.

......Gohda, with his face covered in cold sweat, repeatedly replied in an overstrained "Yes! Yes!".
From there, Kyrie received the phone and spoke with Battler, and when Shannon and Kanon got their turn, George and Jessica answered. And following that, Nanjo and Kumasawa picked up as well, so that all members of both sides took the receiver alternately, confirming that everyone was safe for now, even if their location was unknown, and encouraging each other, coming to an understanding on the current situation for both sides.
They wanted to talk forever, but now was not the time to chat.
Krauss explained that they would be hanging up for now, and those in the guesthouse consented.
"If anything happens, we'll call. Wait by the phone so you can pick it up quickly. Again, be careful. You mustn't do anything rash...!"
"Y......yeah, I understand...... As long as Dad and, ......Kanon-kun and the rest are safe, ......then that's good enough for me...........We'll do our best. Somehow, stay safe...!"
"Yeah, of course. Well then, I'm hanging up for now. Be on your guard."

With that, the phone call ended.
Gohda and the rest of the men quickly descended to the first floor, closed the shutters, and secured the strong locks on the doors.
However, just as Krauss had worried, there was nothing that could be done about the beautiful wide window in the first floor lounge.

If this were to be broken, it would be easy to get inside.
It wouldn't be hard for someone like Kinzo, who hadn't hesitated at committing murder, to invade the first floor.
"......It's likely that Grandfather and his followers will be armed. Locking ourselves in this room is our best bet, and moreover our only method of staying locked down. ......It's painful that we have no choice but to hole up in a sealed room, but if our enemies are carrying guns, then that's the only method we have left to us."
"Y, you mean about how the Master has a collection of working guns. ......That's right, guns, that was a gun... If so, ......it's a horribly powerful gun...! W, we can't contend with that at all...!"
"............It takes a lot of force to smash someone's head, right? So it might be a magnum bullet, or something along those lines. That'll probably go through a flimsy door like it's nothing."
"If so, then that's even more of a reason to hold out in the room... Let's put up a bed and block the window. ......If we do that much, then it doesn't matter how many guns they've got, they shouldn't be able to raid us."
"Crap, ......all we can do is this passive, one-sided defense. ...Damn, dealing a finishing blow to Dad, and even capturing Kyrie......that's going to cost you, you damn geezer...!"
"I, i, i, impossible, there's no way we can compete with them...!! Besides, it's not just the Master, he has his underlings too! T, there might even be more of them...! .........Just what......, are they......?"
Battler was filled to the brim with the urge to get revenge for Rudolf, and to rush out of here to save Kyrie.

......But just by looking at how terrified Gohda was, there was no doubt in him that this would be reckless...
"......It's gotta be hard on you too, ......right, Aniki? And yet, you have to stay holed up here, ......damn......"
"Of course, I'm torn up about it too. It's not like I can remain calm with both of my parents murdered. But specifically because of that, I have to remain calm! Do you think that our dead parents would want us to die in vain? There's no way they would! They'd want for at least the children to escape.
Therefore, I will survive. And I will report to the police, and uncover everything. I'll leave my enemies to the courts. That is my revenge. ......There's no way our parents would want us to die taking revenge for them. Right...?"
".................................You're right... It's just as you say.........Dammit, old bastard, what's this about a ceremony...?! If you're saying we're sacrifices for that, then we'll force our way out of it and ruin your precious ceremony......"
"That's fine. ......Besides, you still have Kyrie-san, Battler-kun. And I still have Shannon. Anyway, let's act cautiously and wait for a chance. Since our carelessness might just be a hindrance to those who are captured."
"......Hostages, ......is it. .........But, Grandfather captured them so he could use them as sacrifices, right?! If we don't go and save them, then they're just waiting to be killed aren't they?!"
"We don't even know where the dungeon they're being held in is...! Shannon and Kanon-kun, and of course Gohda-san and Kumasawa-san, didn't know either. The possibility that they're in a secret location that only Grandfather knows of is incredibly high. ......Under these circumstances, aimlessly wandering about is the same as suicide!"
"......I, ......I understand.........But still......dammit......are you saying the only thing we can do is stay confined here until something happens......?"
"Ba, ......Battler-sama, I understand your feelings, but.........let's put safety first.........From what the Krauss-sama said, they seem to be in a fairly old cell, and they may be able to break the bars somehow. ......The wise choice of action now is to believe in them and wait."
"Grandfather has a number of subordinates, and they're all armed, correct...?"
"Y, ......yes, that is correct. .........And they're probably...all armed......"
Gohda had been able to say that Kinzo had comrades with him, ......but he had not been able to mention that they were mostly all young women, like witches, ......who had used strange magic to murder.
If he had said that, it would only have cast doubt on his sanity.

...No, not only that, he himself still couldn't understand what he had seen, and was doubting his own sanity.
......But, regardless of sex, or appearance, ......regardless of whether it was done with magic or a gun.

The fact that those girls had followed Kinzo's orders, and killed six people in an instant...was an unshakable truth......
If that group came to attack the guesthouse as well, ......what would happen?
Just closing the doors and windows like this was surely meaningless......
Gohda, ......as well as Kumasawa.

The only thing left for those two, who had witnessed that massacre in the dining hall, was to cradle their heads without knowing how to interpret what they had seen...
".........Kumasawa-san, are you okay......? Want some tea......?"
"H, hohohohoho... Thank you very much, thank you......I'm sorry, but may I be left with my thoughts for a little while.........?"
Maria tried to be nice, but it seemed that Kumasawa still hadn't been able to clear away her confusion.
"......Maria, thanks for being considerate. Let's let Kumasawa-san rest for now."
"......Uu-."
Jessica too was worried about the shock those two must have received after witnessing such a tragedy, ......but her wildest dreams couldn't even come close to the impossible scene Kumasawa had witnessed...
Nevertheless, with her mother having been killed, and her father having been captured, it's not like Jessica could stay calm either.

She sealed her anxiety and sadness using her anger towards Kinzo, and walked irritatedly around the room.
"............Kumasawa-san. Is Mom really.........dead?"
"......Y, yes............I've never seen such a...horrible way to die before......"
"Could it be possible that she's still alive.........and if we fix her up......we could save her......?"
".................................I.........it's not possible for the head to have such a thing happen to it.........and live......"
".......................................Well that's how it is.........There's normally no need for first aid......if the head is smashed......"
When Gohda had come flying into the guesthouse, he had, overcome with agitation, told about the massacre in the dining hall without concealing anything.

......Except for the part about the witches and magic, which they themselves still could not believe.
In other words, they hadn't even sugarcoated the cold-blooded way in which Natushi and the others had died.

......It was too late now, but Kumasawa regretted having obviously said too much......
However, while lightly shaking her head and with a slightly painful laugh, Jessica spoke.
"......No, on the other hand, thanks to what you told us, I was able to stay level-headed. .........If you'd avoided mentioning the part about her head being smashed, ...maybe I would have said that she could still be alive, then ran off towards the mansion, met Grandfather, ......and I might have been killed. ......There's a chance that sliver of hope would've been fatal. .........With that in mind, I'm grateful."
"......I'm honestly sorry..... I apologize for not choosing my words carefully..."
"It's fine. There's nothing we can do about Mom now......but Dad's still alive. Kanon-kun and Shannon, and Kyrie oba-san and Doctor Nanjo too. ......I want to save them somehow, so we shouldn't do anything unnecessary that might be a burden to them. The most helpful thing we can do right now might be to wait by the phone."
There could be a phone call asking them to create a diversion while the others escaped.
Or otherwise, the others might learn their location, and call for rescue.

......Jessica understood that in order to act promptly when that time came, the only thing they could do for the time being was to wait in this room...
Once they had finished checking all of the locks downstairs, George, Battler, and Gohda returned.
Each of the three were holding various objects.
George had things like drinks, canned food, crackers, and other types of snacks that he had found in the lounge and pantry, as well as a first aid kit.

It was all food that wouldn't spoil after they barricaded themselves down.
Gohda had a large folding ladder and carpentry tools.

Those were to seal the door from the inside, just in case.
If it came to that, the ladder was for escaping out the window.
Battler had brought up objects which could be used as edged weapons or poles.

While it wasn't a kitchen knife, there was a dissembled table leg that could be used as a club, and a pole roughly the size of a person, made from a broken hat stand, which, even though it had no spear tip, could surely be used as a spear.
......There was a good possibility that the enemies were carrying guns, so it was dubious whether these would be of any use.

But it was still better than not having them, and if those could give at least a little peace of mind, then they could count on them having some kind of calming effect.
Then, the bed and sofa were placed up against the door, barricading it.

They didn't go so far as to seal it up with nails.
......There was still the chance that Krauss and the others would escape, and come to meet up.
They had apparently put a barricade on top of the stairs as well.
It had been set up to create a racket, so it would work in place of a warning alarm as well.
It was apparently Battler's idea.
They turned the TV off.
.........So that if the first floor window were to be broken, they would hear.

Once the switch had been turned, all that was left was an eerie silence.
......The sound of violent wind and rain.
Were they going to have to spend the whole night being crushed by such suspense?
The boat would come tomorrow morning.

However, judging by the weather report, most of tomorrow was going to be covered in the typhoon, and the boat probably wouldn't come.
......The typhoon would pass in the morning of the day after tomorrow.

In other words, the boat would be coming the morning of the day after tomorrow, ......as in, the morning of October 6th.
And right now, it was late at night, October 4th.
.........They would have to spend more than 30 hours on this island, with Kinzo turned cold-blooded murderer and his weird companions prowling about......
Even with the shutters closed, there would definitely be a little bit of light seeping out.
It might let the enemy know that they were hiding here.
......Battler suggested that it might be best to turn off the lights.

But they had already been taken over by such a ghastly feeling just from turning the TV off.

.......There wasn't anyone who directly challenged his proposal, but then again, there wasn't a single other person who agreed with it.........
"......Uu-. We can't watch TV?"
"Yeah, sorry, but you'll have to bear with it. ......We can't just let the sound of the enemy breaking in slip by."
"..............................Boring."
Even though she had been told that her mother had been killed, Maria alone didn't feel an approaching sense of danger.
It seemed she was quite displeased with having the TV turned off.
.........Even though she's in such a bizarre situation, she can't share our sense of danger?
......Because she's so young?

To Battler, even that slight unsettling feeling from such a young girl made him feel that there was something very eerie about Maria......
"After all that. .........We've done all we can. Do you think you'll be able to do anything about the bars?"
"......Unfortunately, they're tougher than expected. I don't know when these were made, but there's no problem with their lifetime guarantee. These were truly made rather well."
Kyrie chuckled softly.
......They had no moves they could make, but she had calmed just a little.
"......This place is just like where you place chess pieces once you've captured them. ......There is nothing left we can do then......?"
"Not yet. It's still too early to give up. If we stop thinking, we might as well stop breathing, right"
"Exactly. ......Chess pieces taken aside may have no purpose, but there's a great purpose for shogi pieces who've been captured. Just one captured pawn should be able to put pressure on the opponent."
"I see... But still, there's nothing that can be done about these bars......"
"For us, maybe. .........But, if we can specify where this is and contact Gohda-san, he might be able to come and save us."
"I see... But that would be forcing danger on Gohda-san...... Under those circumstances, it would be a unpleasant for the children in the guesthouse, without a full-grown adult male..."
"If you're afraid of the risk, it's alright to bide your time until the price starts to go up. ......However, if you're too afraid of losing, you might end up with just a scrap of paper. .......Though these are our lives."
"Our dignity as parents too, right? After talking big like that during the telephone call, telling them that they should behave because we'd do something ourselves, we can't just start asking for help right away. That would be very uncool. *giggle*."
"By this point, I've already thrown out such useless pride long since. .........Why don't we put our heads together? Where is this? Is it really underneath the dining hall? Or else, is it a different place, separate from the mansion...?"

Krauss, Kyrie, and Nanjo began to discuss this further.
Kanon was squatting by the bars, silently trying to sense anyone's presence.

......Just as he had been ordered.
Shannon came close to him, and they both squatted down together.
"............Do you sense anyone?"
".........Yes. ......They aren't paying any attention in this direction, but there's somebody relatively close by."
"Is it human...?"
"............I think it's the goats. Their breathing is rather noisy."
Kanon's ability to sense the presence of others was several levels above that of a human.
He said that the breathing was noisy, but Krauss and the rest couldn't even pick up the slightest hint of it.

......Therefore, if he had obediently reported it, they would have merely doubted Kanon's ears.
"...............They got us, didn't they."
"..............................It's unusual. To think that they captured us without killing us."
"This time, Beatrice-sama didn't make her appearance. And the Master left his study. ......I don't have a clue what's going on..."
"I know. .........Whatever happens or changes, it's all for that witch's fickle entertainment. In the end, nothing will change."
"I wonder if this time we will be able, ........to go to the Golden Land."
"Who knows. We have a high rate of losing."
"............Come to think of it, it's very rare for both of us to survive the first twilight. ......I get the feeling that it's incredibly unusual for us to be able to talk together like this even though the ceremony has already begun."
"That may be. ......But that's still just for the witch's entertainment. I can't think of it as anything other than her letting us live just a little longer to ridicule us, since we usually drop out right in the beginning."
"I wonder, ........if we'll be unable to reach the Golden Land again."
"I'm sure we won't. ......If we hold onto any foolish hope, we'll get taken advantage of again."
"*giggle*. That's right. Last time you got taken advantage of."
"......I'm an idiot."
Kanon made a sour look, and turned his head.
Shannon laughed softly, and apologetically leaned towards his shoulder.
"But, ......I'm glad Milady is safe."
"......She's only escaped from the first twilight. ......She might just be waiting for an even crueler death in a later one. What about you, Nee-san? ......Aren't you glad George-sama's safe? It'd be nice if you two could reach the Golden Land together."
".........Thank you. I wish the same for you and Milady as well."
"I, I don't have my hopes up. ......It's just as you say. That witch is only having fun, dangling prizes in front of people, and watching them vainly try to get them. .........I'm sure no one will be able to go to the Golden Land. ......If I wish to reach the Golden Land with Milady, ......then that person would find it funny, and would certainly never let us reach there."
"......You're right. .........Beatrice-sama is thinking about which order of sacrifices will be the most interesting."
"The whole thing about them being chosen at random is just a blatant lie. That swindling witch.........Anyhow, all that about having any wish you want granted in the Golden Land is probably just a lie."
".................That's not true. The Golden Land is, ......a wonderful place."
"Have you been there?"
".........Only for a little bit. Though, even that was probably just Beatrice-sama's joke."
"...............What's it like there?"
"Well. .........It's a wonderful place. ...I can't really explain it well. It's like a world from a pleasant dream."
"A paradise-like place, with roses blooming all over and beautiful butterflies dancing, or something like that?"
"......It's not a place with a tangible image like that. It's really like the inside of a dream. When you're there, it's very gentle, very peaceful, ...and you're allowed to sleep as long as you want, like when you wake up early on your day off, lying on a futon.
......Sunlight comes in through the cracks in the curtains, and you think you have to wake up soon, but then you realize it's your day off, and you can go back to sleep...it's a place where you can feel like that."
"I'd think that'd be wasted on me. Waking up on accident even though it's your day off is something only you would do, Nee-san. .........So?"
"Well. When I was there, it was very satisfying and very calm. When I returned to this world, even though I had just been there, I couldn't remember it well. It's like when you can't remember a dream you were just having. ......But I still remember that it was a very calm and quiet world."
".........That's it? What the heck, that Golden Land she's always bragging about isn't anything great at all. ......I thought it was a place where all your wishes come true."
"That's right. It's a place where all your wishes will be granted. ........Well, maybe that's not quite it. It might be better to say it's a place where you won't wish for anything.
......For example, Kanon-kun, if you were cold and wished you had a jacket, you'd be happy to be given one, but if you were in a warm room to begin with, there wouldn't even be a reason to want a jacket, right?
......That's what the Golden Land is like. There's no need to even wish for most wishes. It's a world where everything is calm.
You could even say it's a place that transcends the concept that having your wishes granted will bring happiness...a world released from everything."
"..............................It sounds somewhat like a religious world."
"And there, everything is equal. Anything that can think is equal. ......There are no humans, furniture, nor witches. ......There, I was equal to everyone. There was no longer any need to feel ashamed that I was furniture.
.........It was honestly a happy world where all humans, and even witches, were equal. I can't really remember it well, but I have the feeling that when I was there, I was equal even to Beatrice-sama, and we were good friends."
"............If that witch is there, then it's not a great paradise at all. .........So, you want to go to that Golden Land with George-sama. How strange. The Golden Land is a utopia where you can be pleased with everything, right? Wouldn't you be content even if George-sama wasn't there?"
"..........................The Golden Land is very calm, peaceful, and everything is equal. ......But actually, happiness alone is left out."
"It isn't a happy world?"
"Of course, just by being peaceful, calm, and equal, it's an incredibly happy world. ......But I guess you could say that it's a world of zero, where you're released from all negative worries. The human world is filled with negatives, so of course a zero world is incredibly happy, ......but it's still zero. *giggle*, what a luxury.
......It's something like this. When you're nodding off on your quiet holiday morning. ......If the person you love the most is next to you, and they're holding your hand, then it can become an even greater, more wonderful happiness, ......something like that. ...Sorry, your Nee-san isn't very good with analogies, since she's dumb."
"......In other words. To you, the greatest happiness would be reaching that world together with George-sama."
"Yes. And surely, for you, it would be reaching that world together with Milady."
"We'll be released from our worries in a fair world...? .........It's like some kind of strange religion. I'm more worldly-minded. I imagined a world where we would be given magic medicine, and we could be reborn as humans, or something more like that."
".........If you go, you'll understand. If Beatrice-sama is really a fickle person, then surely some day, she'll let you get a glimpse of it too. ......If so, then you'll be able to understand my example."
"....................................Well, I'm not holding my breath. ......At any rate, it seems like game over for us this time already. I'll hope for another chance."
"......You're right. If we have some strange hope, Beatrice-sama will take advantage of us. ......It might be best to just not think, and let fate take care of us."
".........We can just be simple chess pieces. ......No matter what we think or don't think, we can't escape from the witch's chessboard. Our role is now just to wait and see how we'll be tortured to death. ......For us, the dream of the Golden Land is too empty."
".................You're, ...right. ......Sorry......"
Kanon shrugged his shoulders, then told Shannon to leave him alone because she was in the way of his duty, distancing himself from her.

Realizing her thoughtlessness in bringing up such an inappropriate topic and instead hurting Kanon, Shannon bit her lower lip and stared at the ground...
Shannon wouldn't bother him any more.
She went off and squatted in a corner by herself.
".....................Nn-"

At that moment, Kanon perked up.
It was like the ears of a cat when it reacts to a strange sound.
"What's wrong?"
"......Shh. .........Master, somebody is coming."
"What?!"
They ended their conversation and strained their ears.

......For a while, they couldn't hear anything, but eventually, they were able to hear the shuffling sounds of a large group of people walking...
"......So they've come."
"Time to pay the piper, or else, perhaps it is our first and last chance."
".........I shall talk to Kinzo-san. ...Somehow, I will try and find out where this place is."
"We're counting on you. ..........................."
During the last phone call, Kyrie had asked what the time over at the guesthouse was.

......By doing that, Kyrie had learned that it was the same as her watch, and she had learned that their watches hadn't been set back.
It wasn't just the clocks on the walls in the guesthouse.
Several people's watches, including George and Gohda's, had matched.
......If that's the case, then it had only been a few minutes between the time of the massacre in the dining hall and the time they had been transported to the dungeon.

Not enough time had passed for them to be knocked out and carried away.
Then were those really pitfalls, meaning that this was the area directly under the dining hall......?
All that they could do was pray that Nanjo could find out where this was...
"......They're coming. There's probably...four people. ......The Master, and those three who appeared in the dining hall."
"That's enough. You come back here as well. We'll deal with the rest."
"Shannon-chan, sorry, but can I have you sit by the phone? Hide it with your skirt."
"Ah......yes...!"
The shuffling came close, ......and there was the sound of a large door being opened in the hallway.

The light they were apparently carrying illuminated the hall, stroking the walls with sharp, razor-like shadows.
And then, the light from the lantern they held illuminated the prisoners through the bars.
......The bars' sharp shadows divided them up lengthwise.

There were four silhouettes.
.........It was Kinzo, ............Ronove, Virgilia, and Gaap.
"Silence, everyone. Please welcome the head of the Ushiromiya family, Lord Goldsmith."
"............Goldsmith?"
"It's Father's pen name. It seems he always signs with it when writing those bizarre grimoires."
"'Kinzo' made English-style? Shouldn't that be Gold Warehouse?"
".........Hahhahahahahahahahahaha. What more is a warehouse than a place to keep things in? However I give birth to gold and use my craftsmanship to further increase its worth. Don't you think 'smith' is much more fitting?"
"............Certainly. I apologize for blathering."
"Kinzo-san............Just what is going on? Where in the world is this...?"
"Oh, my friend, can't you remember? Certainly, you may have never entered the prison, but you should remember walking through this corridor."
".........Huh, .........huh? ............Y, you don't mean........."
"......Do you have an idea?"
"But, well, .........it is unthinkable. ......Firstly, we fell through a pitfall and were locked up in here after only a few minutes.........Not only is the distance too great, that's physically impossible......"
"For a human, right? *giggle*."
"Father..., is this the mansion? To think that the mansion had a basement like this......"
"Krauuss. Wasn't there a place whose existence you all whispered of, and which you followed after me several times trying to find? .........This is that place. No, to be correct, this is its basement. *cackle*cackle*...!"
"This place couldn't be, ............the basement, ......of Kuwadorian......?!""......A splendid observation. This is the basement of Kuwadorian."
"Kuwadorian............You don't mean, ...Father's rumored hidden mansion......? It really exists......?"
"This mansion was constructed for the sole use of my beloved witch, Beatrice. It's truly a shame that I cannot guide you to the above-ground sections, as it is such a beautiful and elegant mansion."
".........How lovely, just the two of them alone in a mansion with this kind of room. Looks like Father's tendencies don't quite suit me."
"......Kyrie-san. ......Would it not be wise to refrain from such rude comments?"
"*giggle*. But I agree. ......If a mansion I was given had this kind of dungeon in it, that would shake me out of even a century-long love, and I'd take anything of value and run."
"Pu ku ku. Oh my, so you don't have an interest in this kind of thing? And here I was thinking that you went head over heels."
"Ufufu. .........Of course I go head over heels. As long as I get a collar or something for a birthday present. ......But only if he's hot.""Pu- ku ku ku ku!"
"Quiet! ......Don't you need a gag more than a collar?"
"Oh, you have an interest in that too? You sure aren't picky, Lia. *giggle*......"
"D, don't just go shortening people's names on your own...!"
"Enough, you noisy women! Are you telling me you'd like to be locked up in the same cell?"
"I, I apologize, Master... This old body of mine would not be able to stand such a cold prison..."
Virgilia quickly apologized, but Gaap and Ronove merely laughed together.

It was like they were saying that they wouldn't be captured, or else, that even if someone tried to capture them, it would be pointless......
"A prison is a place where the captured cannot escape from. That implies a strong will and love that would not let go for a lifetime. It's not even worth speaking of love to a woman who you could give up on if she ran away.
A woman who makes you so insane that you don't want to let her escape, to the point of binding her in chains... Because she was worthy of that, she was a love worth sacrificing my life for. .........I will not ask you to understand."
".........I cannot bind anyone, and will not be bound. I don't want to be loved, I want to love. I feel the same as Goldsmith. That's why I understand the madness of your love."
"Love and madness are two sides of the same coin, or so they say. How bothersome."
".........But learning where we are so easily was a big step. We'll ask the details later, but it seems that you know about this place...right, Doctor Nanjo?"
"Y, yes............If that hallway is the underground passage beneath Kuwadorian.........then if we go straight there, it will become a long tunnel, ......and if we stay on that, we should be able to return to the mansion."
"......Then if we could just do something about these bars, we could go home."
"Father... What are you planning to do with us?"
"As I have already declared, you will become sacrifices for the later twilights. There are conveniently five people here. There's exactly enough hostages for the five gougings."
"......I see. ...Then it's time for us to pay the piper?"
"Eventually. That's not why I've come to visit you this time, so relax. Besides, I believe I have said it already. ......If one of my grandchildren is deemed suitable to inherent everything from me, then the ceremony will be called off. In other words, your lives will be saved."
"......Wh, what are you planning to do to the children?"
"I shall give them a test. To see if they are suitable to be the next head or not. If even one of them can surprise me, I'll call the ceremony off."
".........And if there isn't anyone suitable, ......what are you planning on doing with the children?"
"*cackle*cackle*cackle*! There's no need to worry about that. After all, you are the ones who will be made into sacrifices first. Anything after that does not concern you. You've entrusted your fates to your own children. ......Your children, the embodiment of what you've born, taught and raised. They should be the most suitable ones for you to entrust with your fate...! *cackle*cackle*! Don't make such a worried face, Kraaauss... Believe in the daughter that you brag is worth ten billion yen. Fuffufufu, fuhhahahahahaha...!!"
".........Exactly. Children are the embodiment of their parents. It's appropriate to lend our fate to them. That applies even to you, Father, right?"
"......Fu, hahhahahaha! This girl has guts, what a waste on Rudolf! Wahhahahahaha...!!"
"...Kyrie-san, ......it would be best not to aggravate him too much."
"I agree. Let's bear with it for now......"
"That's right.........After all, we're simply fish on a chopping board. There's nothing we can do now."
"Though you can insult me with such vigor. I don't dislike that kind of woman, see? Beatrice was that kind of woman too, in the beginning. *cackle*cackle*cackle*!!"
"............Master. Let us get to the main topic. We've been off track for a while now."
"Ah yes, there was that. Sorry, sorry, my friend. Well then, let's get to the main topic. For that, I've prepared a phone. .......Shannon, don't be clever. You don't have to hide it any longer. That's something I've prepared. *cackle*cackle*...!"
"M, my apologies......"
"........................"

Shannon quickly withdrew herself, and the telephone was revealed...
"Krauss. Call the grandchildren in the guesthouse. And tell them of the test, and of the start of my trial."
Ronove urged Krauss to pick up the receiver with a gesture that seemed to be saying 'go ahead'.
"...............And if I say no?"
"Hohoh, and why do you think you're in a position where you can make a deal? If you don't call, then the grandchildren won't even be given a chance. The Ushiromiya family will end here. And I'll turn you all into sacrifices right away!!"
"You'd be lucky to become sacrifices right away. ......Don't you think it'd be more painful to watch the children be made into sacrifices first, before your very eyes...?"
"...Ga, ap. The Master is the one who decides the sacrifice order. Don't say things on your own."
"Lia, you just tried to shorten my name and failed, didn't you?"
"I, I did not! And I told you not to shorten other people's names on your own...!"
"......Women truly are..."
"Noisy. Pu ku ku!"