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umiscripts2012-02-14 04:27 am
endlesswitch) wrote in umiscripts2012-02-14 04:27 am
requiem of the golden witch; chapter two ( rosa's confession )
The Ushiromiya family members were relaxing here and there around the waiting room.
A light buffet-style meal had been set up, but it was a bit stale, and not particularly appealing.
Even so, those voracious kids seemed to find it intensely interesting.
The cousins had set up camp around it, with Maria at the center.
The adult siblings had also formed a group in a different corner.
Perhaps because of Kinzo's absence, everyone seemed to be a little more relaxed.
"......Lion. Where did you go? ......And who is that?"
"Mother, I was entertaining this guest of ours. Will, this is my mother, Natsuhi."
"No introductions needed. Just let me hear what you have to say."
"Huh? Did you say something?"
"No, he said nothing. This is Will-san. It seems he knew the deceased."
With a smile, Lion casually smoothed over Will's words.
"He wants to know more about Beatrice. ......Do you know anything about her, Mother?"
"...............Lion. The deceased is a woman to whom the Head owed a great debt. Nothing more, nothing less.
This funeral is a ceremony for the Head to repay the debts he made to her while she was alive. That is what I have heard, so there is nothing more to it than that."
"......Thanks, Mother. Will, that's all my mother knows."
Natsuhi completely denied the scandal about Beatrice being Kinzo's mistress.
However, she also had enough sense to realize that the scandal was probably the truth.
Picking up that Natsuhi was in a bad mood and didn't want to talk about this anymore, Lion brought an end to that conversation before Will could say something rude again.
"Will. This chapel belongs to the family."
"So you're telling me to follow the family's rules?"
"Speak in a manner appropriate for a guest of the family. Let me be the medium for all of your conversations. I ask that you follow those two rules."
"I'll work on that."
"......This mess the witch Bernkastel or whatever has dragged us into is a real pain. Because of that, I am willing to help you.
However, both of us stand on an even footing, so make sure you don't forget it."
"And I thought you were just some well-bred rich kid. You've got guts."
"I must be prepared to shoulder the Ushiromiya family's future, after all."
".........Got it. Let's solve this crime together, Watson."
"I'm glad I can help. I wouldn't want to keep your dear cat Diana waiting. Don't you need to feed her soon?"
"I gave her extra food today, so she should be good for a while.
.........I'm surprised you realized Diana was a cat."
"I figured a woman who scratches the sofas when you keep her waiting would be a bit too eccentric."
"......Hmph."
"So? Who will you talk to first?"
"Anyone. Everyone.
......Those ones over there are Krauss's siblings, right?"
`"From right to left, there's Eva oba-san,
Hideyoshi oji-san,
`ver there is Rudolf oji-san,
Kyrie oba-san,
`and over there is-"
"Ushiromiya Rosa. ......When she was a girl, she once got lost in the forest and bumped into a woman calling herself Beatrice in a hidden mansion."
"......I know I shouldn't be surprised anymore, but you really do know everything, don't you?"
"So, you know about that story too?"
"I managed to overhear her saying that today. ......It looked as though it was bothering her, so I pretended not to hear."
"Real model student, you are. ......Introduce me.`@` I want to ask about it."
"You're asking this of the model student who pretended not to hear because it just might be a painful topic?"
Even this outrageous arrogance is nothing compared to Kinzo.
After muttering this several times mentally, Lion shrugged and nodded at Will.
"Oh, it's our successor-sama. And who is this......?"
"Oh, Eva oba-san. This is Will-san. He came to offer flowers for the departed."
"But who cares about that. Tell me everything you know about
...nngah-"
"He says he wants to know what sort of relationship the Ushiromiya family has had with the deceased."
Lion spoke with a bright smile after pinching Will's butt.
Will silently protested, as though saying 'maybe it was a gag, but that hurt', but Lion just played dumb and smiled at Eva like a model student.
"Well,
......even if you say 'relationship with the Ushiromiya family'..."
"It's probably more accurate to say 'her relationship with Father'."
"We can be honest here. She was Father's mistress."
"If you call her that, Natsuhi nee-san will yell at you again.
He's 'indebted' to her, right? *giggle*"
"Yes, of course. Wahahahaha."
"......Well, there you have it."
"I have no interest in anyone but Rosa,
gghh-"
"I do believe......that you said you met with Beatrice, Rosa oba-san.
"............"
This whole time, Rosa had been hanging her head.
Lion's words made her shoulders quiver.
"She just suddenly came out with it today. It's a bit hard to believe."
"It's the truth...! I killed Beatrice!"
"Great, our work here is finished."
"Don't get ahead of yourself."
Rosa broke down crying and laid her head on the table. Kyrie and Hideyoshi tried to console her......
"Rokkenjima is covered by a dense forest. We only know about one tiny portion of it. Just the mansion, the rose garden, and the little path that leads to the harbor."
"Since ages ago, there've been stories about how Dad built a hidden mansion somewhere in the vast forest that no one knew about, and that he had his mistress living there."
"Rosa-san probably came upon that hidden mansion by chance......"
`"However, what does this have to do with Rosa oba-san killing Beatrice...?
"If I hadn't taken her out, she never would have died...! She was so innocent, like a chick. I took her out, so she just followed along obediently!
She stayed right behind me, trusting me completely...! And because I made her take such a dangerous path...!!"
"Did you make her walk that way because you were hoping she'd slip and fall from the cliff?"
"I never meant to do that!
I just thought she'd like to see the ocean...!
No,
it just looked like the path would be hard to walk,
and I thought it would be easier going if we went down the cliff first...!!"
"That's not what killing someone means. It was an accident."
"It's an accident she never would have had if I hadn't brought her with me, right?! It's my fault!!
And then, I abandoned her when she was covered in blood and ran home!!"
"It isn't your fault. Beatrice had never seen the ocean before.
`......You showed her that for the first time ever. She was probably so excited that she just happened to take a bad step."
"......H, how can you...?"
"Beatrice is grateful to you for what you did. Of course she doesn't hate you for it."
"............Really?
......Is that...
really true...?"
"She was the one who begged to see the world outside the fence, right? Though it was only for a short while, you made that dream of hers come true. If I were Beatrice, I would thank you for that short bit of time. If she knew that you've been suffering all this time for it, she'd probably feel sorry for you."
"......Beatrice is grateful for what you did. You're the one who taught her that the sea is blue."
".........Is that...
...true......?
"I guarantee it."
Will made that statement openly and boldly.
No one knew how Rosa took those words.
However, ......it had apparently been enough to remind Rosa to take a handkerchief out of her pocket and wipe her eyes with it.
"......Thank you."
"Even now, Beatrice is whispering those words to you."
".........Thank you......"
Rosa wiped her eyes with the handkerchief one more time and hung her head.
It no longer looked like a fit of sobbing, but more as though she was speaking with the Beatrice of that day within her heart...one last time.
`"......You really have no problem making claims you could never back up, don't you?"
"Back up?` Is that really necessary to comfort a woman?"
`"............
It seems I underestimated you."
How many years had it tormented Rosa?
Now, for the first time, ......Rosa would probably be able to face that innocently smiling Beatrice who had seen the ocean for the first time in her life.
She was the only one who could forgive Rosa.
Now, the two of them could finally speak together......
"......I don't know who you are, but thank you. ......I wonder if she'll forgive me."
"You've worried about it for nearly 20 years. That's far too long. She'd tell you that you've suffered more than enough already."
"......That's right, Rosa oba-san. The sadder you are, the sadder Beatrice would be."
".........You too..` Thank you. ......I don't know if I will be forgiven, ......but I'll keep on speaking to my heart to see whether she'll forgive me or not.
`......Thanks, you two. Sorry for showing you such an embarrassing side of me."
"And I'm sorry to say this right after saying something so pretty, ......but I want you to talk to me. Tell me what happened back then."
"......Will-san!"
"Thanks, but it's alright. ......I'll talk. Hiding this and keeping quiet about it for so long might have been my greatest sin."
"Exactly when was it that you met Beatrice?"
Upon hearing this question, ......Rosa closed her eyes lightly, reaching back to a past she didn't want to remember...
"......It was about 20 years ago. ......20......or wait, it might have been 19 or 18 years ago.
......I'm sorry. I've tried to force myself to forget it for so long that I've nearly forgotten that part completely."
"It should have been 1967."
Ronove had guaranteed that with the red truth in the 3rd game.
"Th, that's right...... It was probably about 1967.
I can remember what happened as clearly as a picture...... I'll never forget......"
"If it's tough for you, don't feel like you have to tell us."
"Yes, clear as a picture, if you don't mind.
.........Ngah! ......Dammit, that hurts, Lion."
"What does?
"I'd received a shock from when my tutor told Mother about something that was supposed to be a secret. On that day, I became reckless, and I kept on running deeper and deeper into the forest."
This tale has also been told in a previous Fragment.
Back when Rosa was just a kid, she had gone deep into the forest, ......found a hidden mansion, and met with a mysterious woman who called herself Beatrice......
"......But that forest is so thick it's hard just to move around in it."
"I even surprised myself...... To think that I made it so far into such a dense forest. ......I was tormented by twigs and sharp leaves over and over again."
"However, that wasn't enough to bother me on that day. ......After all, I wanted to disappear into the forest and vanish forever. ......If, by some chance, there really was a witch's mansion in the depths of the forest, ......I hoped that she might take me to the land of happiness, or else turn me into a frog and make me a resident of the forest."
"So, you then reached the hidden mansion, Kuwadorian, and met a woman who called herself Beatrice."
"......Yes. I met her."
"Was that Beatrice the same as the one in the portrait?"
"..................Yes. They were the same person.
Beautiful blue eyes. Golden hair. A black dress. It truly was the subject of that portrait. ......When Father first had it hung ......I realized that the 20 years I had spent trying to forget must have seemed just as long for Father, if not even longer, and I became even more fearful of my sin..."
"Stop there. ......Are we sure that this is the same Beatrice that Rosa-san met?"
Immediately, Kyrie spoke the question that Will had been thinking of.
`It would be too rash to assume that the Beatrice Kinzo met and the one Rosa met were the same person.
The time and generation were different for each.
"Beatrice is supposed to be that lady of leisure who lent Dad all that gold shortly after the war, right?
"By using Beatrice's gold as a foundation, Father revived the Ushiromiya family and got super rich. Then he bought Rokkenjima and moved over. Rosa-san's meeting must have been at least 10 years after that."
"A woman who could do as she pleased with 10 tons of gold could hardly be some little girl. And 10 more years passed before she met Rosa.
...Rosa. About how old did the Beatrice you met look?"
......She looked older than I was at the time, ......but even so, it looked as though she might just be reaching adulthood.
Yes, exactly the sort of age of the Beatrice in the portrait."
"Did she look middle-aged or past her prime?"
"If I had to call her an adult or a child, she was clearly closer to being a child. There's no way she was middle-aged."
"And isn't that strange? We have the Beatrice you met, and the Beatrice who gave Father the gold, but their ages don't match."
"In other words, they're different people."
"Different people...who look very similar and have the same name..."
"It might have been her daughter. It makes sense for them to look alike if they were mother and child."
"His mistress's daughter...... It is possible. Perhaps Father had an illegitimate child with the Beatrice who gave him the gold."
"And then, Rosa bumped into Beatrice the Second. ......Makes those ages work out nicely."
"............"
"I see...... In other words, there are two people who can be called Beatrice."
Kinzo secretly raised his mistress's child in a hidden mansion.
That would make logical sense. Everyone nodded, agreeing.
......However, Will's expression was slightly unsatisfied, and he scratched at his head...
"So, it would seem that this funeral exists for the two Beatrices he couldn't mourn because they were hidden......"
"Rosa. I know you probably don't want to remember, but tell me about that accident. After Beatrice fell, was she still breathing?"
"No. ......Her eyes were open wide. She fell upside down, head first, and knocked her head against a sharp crag on the rocky beach. And she fell from such a height...... Her skull had split and caved inwards. ......That beautiful golden hair was stained red with blood almost instantly......"
"Was it the sort of wound that clearly showed that she was dead?"
"Yes. I saw the insides of her cracked head! It had caved in deep enough to fit your fist inside it...! No one could be naive enough to see that and still hope she was alive!"
"......Will. Do you really need to ask anything more?"
"That's enough for the time of the accident. What did you do afterwards?"
"I dashed away at full speed. ......I wasn't even thinking about calling for help.
......I wanted to escape from that place as fast as I could. Half-crazed, sobbing, and out of breath, I kept on running about at random. ......Eventually, I came across a familiar lion statue."
"Oh, the one in front of the chapel?"
"No, the one behind it. ......Anyway, I made it back to the mansion. I couldn't tell anyone, and I didn't want to. I stayed quiet until nightfall.
It was so horrible of me. If I had hurried and told someone, they might have brought her a first aid kit, and she might have been saved......"
"How is a first aid kit going to help with a crushed cranium? ......You didn't kill her. Don't worry about that anymore."
"............"
"Then, ......what did you do next?"
"......That night, I turned over in my bed so many times. I couldn't sleep. ......Late that night, I quietly...
...called Genji-san on the phone and told him..."
"......What did he say?"
"He told me to let him handle everything, and to speak of this to no one. ......I spent the next several days terrified that Father would call for me and scold me brutally.
But......he didn't. Genji-san kept on doing his job quietly, just like normal. ......Father stayed locked up in his study, not knowing any of it......"
"At the very least, none of us ever heard about it."
"......Genji-san probably managed to clean everything up nicely."
"After all, they couldn't let knowledge of that child go public......"
"Hmmmmm...... Since she was an illegitimate child, she must have been his daughter by blood. It must have been tough for Father, not bein' able to hold a real funeral for her......"
"......I guess that's why we're having this funeral."
"And then?"
`"That's all I know."
"............ And that's all I know too."
"I'm not hiding anything else. I've told you everything. ......I swear it."
"............"
Will scratched at his head, letting his gaze wander.
It had taken Rosa a lot of determination to make this confession, but it was nothing particularly special for Will.
It had been little more than a review of information he already knew......
"Thanks, Rosa oba-san.
......Is that enough for you, Will? Are you satisfied?"
"That's enough. It was a nice review."
To Will, Rosa's memories gave only information that was already known.
This was the first time he'd heard all that about her running back to the mansion after Beatrice fell to her death,`@` but none of it was particularly surprising.
Apparently, Rosa really didn't know any more than this......
If he wanted to learn something more than what the Fragments given to him by Bernkastel contained, he would need to find new testimony.
"Lion. Tell Kinzo that I want to talk to him. It looks like we won't get anywhere without asking the man himself."
"Where are you going?"
"......Off to cool my head and organize my thoughts.
Don't follow."
"Well then, pardon me. Please take your time."
After giving an elegant bow, Lion made a face, tongue sticking out.
Unless Will had eyes on the back of his head, he couldn't have seen this last bit......
Will returned to the chapel by himself.
The cold air and the monotonous sound of the rain were comforting.
"......So, how's the game going?"
And he had come here for a little peace and quiet...
As soon as he let out a sigh of relief, that voice rang out.
"That's my line."
It was as though she had been sitting there all along. ......Bernkastel appeared on top of the altar once more.
Apparently, Beatrice's altar was extremely comfortable.
"......Battler annoyed me over and over with his incompetence.
You're very competent compared to him, so it's a lot easier to relax."
"Unlike Ushiromiya Battler's games, I have nothing standing in my way. It's easy."
"That sort of game has already ended. Tales can be enjoyed twice. First you love them.
Then you tear out their guts. ......*giggle*giggle*."
"Tch. You think I'm a butcher?"
"So? Do you think you know who killed Beatrice...?"
"Rosa's confession is something I already know from a previous Fragment. There was no brand new information. ......We're still at square one."
"*giggle*giggle*......"
"Unless Ushiromiya Kinzo tells us what really happened, we won't get any further than this. Don't tell me that arguing with Kinzo and persuading him to spill the beans is supposed to be part of this game."
"That'd be fatally boring. ......Kinzo refuses to speak of the truth and is himself the king protected by his castle, but it wouldn't be any fun to have that stand in the way of your game..."
"......I won't torture. It's not my style."
"I know. As the Game Master, I will grant you power. So that you can get the truth from Kinzo, of course."
Still wearing shoes, Bernkastel stepped into the casket, picked up one of the flowers that had been set as offerings, ......and blew hard, as though scattering fluff from a dandelion.
Then, a single petal broke off and drifted down towards Will,` no longer gold, but with the shine of a transparent crystal......
"The 'detective's authority'?"
"Hmph, what, that pathetic ability?
......No.` This is an invitation to the grandstands."
"......'Theatergoing authority'? ......That's supposed to be forbidden without authorization from the Senate."
"I'm giving it. On my game board. Who's going to stop me......?"
"......Hmph."
Though the crystal flower petal danced in the wind, it wouldn't fly away anywhere until Will accepted it.
`Will remembered how useless it was to argue with witches, and he snatched it up.
When he did, the petal flashed brightly for an instant, melted into Will's palm, and disappeared...
"Entertain me if you can. And try and enjoy yourself.
......You must also be interested in seeing what the guts of Beatrice's game board look like, right?"
`"Not really."
After Will's rude answer, Bernkastel vanished into thin air, leaving behind an obnoxious laugh......
"......Tch."
After clicking his tongue, Will turned around unhappily.
......When he did, it felt as though his gaze had crossed that of a shadow standing right in front of him, by the door that led outside.
"Who is it?"
"Ah, ......p, pardon me... I heard a voice, s...so I wondered who it was......"
"Ah, Shannon. So you're running the reception desk this time...?"
`"Yes. I've been taking it in turns with Kanon-kun to run the reception desk..."
"And Kanon?"
"A short while ago, he was ordered by......umm, .....L, Lion-sama to take a break, so he's resting now."
"......So, you don't know Lion either?"
"Huh? ...No, of course......"
"Ushiromiya Lion is the successor to the head, the one who wears the silver ring. ......Why are you stumbling over that name when you've worked here for 10 years?"
"Th, ...that's......"
"Don't worry. I don't recognize Lion either.
......Krauss is supposed to be the successor to the head. Jessica is supposed to be his only child. There hasn't been a single Fragment with anyone named Lion in the Ushiromiya family."
When she realized that Will didn't recognize Lion either, Shannon relaxed.
Apparently, she was a bit relieved to find that she wasn't going crazy by herself.
`......However, her expression quickly grew uncertain once more.
`"Wh, where......is this place...?` I think it's the Ushiromiya family chapel. ......However, something feels different about it.
`Also, I never knew that someone named L...Lion-sama existed. ......And yet, Madam, Krauss-sama, ......the Master, Milady, and all the relatives all talk as though it's perfectly natural...... I just...don't understand what's happening......"
"......Lion is a piece placed by Bernkastel. She also said that she'd moved into a larger cat box to place that piece.
......On top of that, it seems this world isn't a proper world, but one made out of several different Fragments sewn together."
It's as though......this is a special stage set up specifically for this game.
......I'm sure she's nodding at my thoughts right now, laughing and chomping down popcorn.
"How long have you worked here in this world?"
"T, ......ten years."
I see. So it really is a special stage.
After all, right when I entered the chapel, I spotted Kinzo.
Since Shannon has worked for 10 years, this is the stage of Beato's game, 1986.
In that case, Kinzo shouldn't exist.
However, he definitely was here a few minutes ago.
Bernkastel promised that all of the information needed for reasoning was gathered here.
She must have really packed it together to fit everything in...
I see, so it really is a special stage.
"You have served the Ushiromiya family for many years. So, just how much do you know about Beatrice?"
"......I know the Master loved her deeply, but other than that..."
"Is that all?"
"A, and, umm,
.........they say that she's the master of Rokkenjima's night
......umm..."
"That's right. The name of the ghost rumored to wander the mansion night after night is also Beatrice."
That brings the number of Beatrices to three.
The first is the Beatrice from more than 30 years ago, who is said to have given Kinzo the gold.
The second is the Beatrice from 20 years ago, who met Rosa.
The third is the Beatrice of the ghost stories, who is rumored to be the master of the night on Rokkenjima.
"......Furudo Erika's reasoning was probably correct. It started out as the legend of the evil spirits on Rokkenjima. Later on, elements such as Kinzo's occult hobbies, the name and portrait of the mysterious woman, Beatrice, and the epitaph got mixed in, and it was all integrated into the legend of the Golden Witch."
"......Then, the darkness of the night gained the personality of a witch. That's the third Beatrice. This became the veil for the serial murders."
`"......Uh, umm........."
Apparently, she didn't understand a word of Will's sudden monologue.
Shannon tried to follow along, but she seemed to be having difficulty.
"Don't waste your time trying to understand. You'll just get a headache."
"M, my apologies......"
"Kanon doesn't know Lion either, right?"
`"............Yes. Kanon-kun was the same as me."
Shannon...and Kanon, is it...
"............ ......Call Kanon over here. I want to talk to the pair of you about something."
When Will said these words, Shannon's face went blank and her eyes went wide.
"My apologies. We aren't allowed to leave the reception desk unmanned, so I can't leave to go get him."
"Then find a replacement and have them take over the reception desk until you get back. You, me, and Kanon. ......We, the three people who don't know Lion, need to talk."
"..............."
"............"
"......We've been told that one person is enough to run the reception desk."
"But no one told you there was anything wrong with two people manning it, right?"
"We are low on helpers today, so we were told that having two people at the reception desk would be unnecessary."
"Who gave you that order? Kinzo? Krauss? Or was it Lion? I will ask about it."
"It was...the one who orders me. I cannot disobey orDERS."
"Who is this person? I'll negotiate with them."
"You cannot...NEGOTIATE. It iS the oNE who orDERS US."
"Call Kanon over here.`@` ......I hate theatergoing just as much as I hate torture."
Slowly, ......Will pulled his right hand out of his pocket.
When he slowly opened his fist, .........a small, bright glow emanated from it.
The flower petal Bernkastel had given him had become a glowing birthmark, which sparkled......
He held that hand out towards Shannon......and slowly approached her.
"Call Kanon. I want to check something with you two."
"I...C A N
N O T CALL HIM. DO YOU S T
I L L ...
WANT ME
TO......?"
"If you don't call him, I'm going to use my authority."
"IF YO
U INS
IST,
...I CA
N CA
LL HIM
SPECI
ALLY FOR
YOU,
BUT..."
"............"
There was some kind of incomprehensible tension between the two.
Will stood there, his left hand still in his pocket and his right palm glowing and stretched out towards her.
Shannon just stood there, her hands still folded politely in front of her, ...her posture beautiful.
And yet, ......it felt oddly as though raindrops were sparking and crackling in midair......
"I
W
I
L
L
GO CA
LL KA
NON
KUN.
ARE
YOU
ABSOLUTELY
CER
TAIN
?"
"............"
Will's expression had remained unchanged the whole time
Shannon's face was still kind and gentle.
And yet, the tension was as icy as a frozen lake...
`......Beginners in chess will sometimes move their king into check without noticing it..One might mercilessly capture the king in this situation, ......but high-level players are supposed to calmly tell their opponent about their mistake.
'If you take one more step, ......you'll get captured'.
This was......similar to that......
"............"
......I see.
So, after all......
"I get it. That's enough. ......You guys can take it in turns to run the reception desk."
Slowly, ......Will lowered his hand.
"Thank you for understanding."
he glow slowly vanished from Will's palm.
That completely incomprehensible tension melted away like a sugar cube in water.
However, nothing had changed since the beginning.
Will's expression and Shannon's expression......were the same as they always had been.
"Oh, are you leaving?"
Footsteps approached them. It was Lion.
"I'm just standing here, talking. I wanted to ask her something."
"......What could that be? Did you find what you were looking for?"
"............Yeah."
"I'm honored to have been of service."
"............"
"That's a shame. If you were looking for an umbrella, I could have gotten you one right away."
"Did you convince Kinzo?"
"......I told him that a rare guest wanted to greet him. He says he'll meet with you."
"Did you tell him that I wanted to ask about Beatrice?"
"Isn't that your job?"
With a slightly mischievous look, Lion turned away.
Will scratched his head and shrugged, looking annoyed.
"......Ah, well. Guess I'll get a chance to try this out."
Will opened his right hand and showed it to Lion.
It was just a hand, without anything remotely remarkable about it.
Lion's head tilted to the side in bafflement at this strange gesture.
"Good work.
......Umm,
...wait, your name was......"
"It's Shannon."
"That's right, Shannon.
Please take over the reception desk. Make sure you keep warm."
"Thank you very much, Lion-sama."
Shannon bowed deeply in response to Lion's kind words.
There was not even a trace of tension in her manner...
"Let's go, Will. Wouldn't want to miss this chance.
......The Head's mood changes quicker than the autumn sky."
"Good luck."
"......Here we go."
A light buffet-style meal had been set up, but it was a bit stale, and not particularly appealing.
Even so, those voracious kids seemed to find it intensely interesting.
The cousins had set up camp around it, with Maria at the center.
The adult siblings had also formed a group in a different corner.
Perhaps because of Kinzo's absence, everyone seemed to be a little more relaxed.
"......Lion. Where did you go? ......And who is that?"
"Mother, I was entertaining this guest of ours. Will, this is my mother, Natsuhi."
"No introductions needed. Just let me hear what you have to say."
"Huh? Did you say something?"
"No, he said nothing. This is Will-san. It seems he knew the deceased."
With a smile, Lion casually smoothed over Will's words.
"He wants to know more about Beatrice. ......Do you know anything about her, Mother?"
"...............Lion. The deceased is a woman to whom the Head owed a great debt. Nothing more, nothing less.
This funeral is a ceremony for the Head to repay the debts he made to her while she was alive. That is what I have heard, so there is nothing more to it than that."
"......Thanks, Mother. Will, that's all my mother knows."
Natsuhi completely denied the scandal about Beatrice being Kinzo's mistress.
However, she also had enough sense to realize that the scandal was probably the truth.
Picking up that Natsuhi was in a bad mood and didn't want to talk about this anymore, Lion brought an end to that conversation before Will could say something rude again.
"Will. This chapel belongs to the family."
"So you're telling me to follow the family's rules?"
"Speak in a manner appropriate for a guest of the family. Let me be the medium for all of your conversations. I ask that you follow those two rules."
"I'll work on that."
"......This mess the witch Bernkastel or whatever has dragged us into is a real pain. Because of that, I am willing to help you.
However, both of us stand on an even footing, so make sure you don't forget it."
"And I thought you were just some well-bred rich kid. You've got guts."
"I must be prepared to shoulder the Ushiromiya family's future, after all."
".........Got it. Let's solve this crime together, Watson."
"I'm glad I can help. I wouldn't want to keep your dear cat Diana waiting. Don't you need to feed her soon?"
"I gave her extra food today, so she should be good for a while.
.........I'm surprised you realized Diana was a cat."
"I figured a woman who scratches the sofas when you keep her waiting would be a bit too eccentric."
"......Hmph."
"So? Who will you talk to first?"
"Anyone. Everyone.
......Those ones over there are Krauss's siblings, right?"
`"From right to left, there's Eva oba-san,
Hideyoshi oji-san,
`ver there is Rudolf oji-san,
Kyrie oba-san,
`and over there is-"
"Ushiromiya Rosa. ......When she was a girl, she once got lost in the forest and bumped into a woman calling herself Beatrice in a hidden mansion."
"......I know I shouldn't be surprised anymore, but you really do know everything, don't you?"
"So, you know about that story too?"
"I managed to overhear her saying that today. ......It looked as though it was bothering her, so I pretended not to hear."
"Real model student, you are. ......Introduce me.`@` I want to ask about it."
"You're asking this of the model student who pretended not to hear because it just might be a painful topic?"
Even this outrageous arrogance is nothing compared to Kinzo.
After muttering this several times mentally, Lion shrugged and nodded at Will.
"Oh, it's our successor-sama. And who is this......?"
"Oh, Eva oba-san. This is Will-san. He came to offer flowers for the departed."
"But who cares about that. Tell me everything you know about
...nngah-"
"He says he wants to know what sort of relationship the Ushiromiya family has had with the deceased."
Lion spoke with a bright smile after pinching Will's butt.
Will silently protested, as though saying 'maybe it was a gag, but that hurt', but Lion just played dumb and smiled at Eva like a model student.
"Well,
......even if you say 'relationship with the Ushiromiya family'..."
"It's probably more accurate to say 'her relationship with Father'."
"We can be honest here. She was Father's mistress."
"If you call her that, Natsuhi nee-san will yell at you again.
He's 'indebted' to her, right? *giggle*"
"Yes, of course. Wahahahaha."
"......Well, there you have it."
"I have no interest in anyone but Rosa,
gghh-"
"I do believe......that you said you met with Beatrice, Rosa oba-san.
"............"
This whole time, Rosa had been hanging her head.
Lion's words made her shoulders quiver.
"She just suddenly came out with it today. It's a bit hard to believe."
"It's the truth...! I killed Beatrice!"
"Great, our work here is finished."
"Don't get ahead of yourself."
Rosa broke down crying and laid her head on the table. Kyrie and Hideyoshi tried to console her......
"Rokkenjima is covered by a dense forest. We only know about one tiny portion of it. Just the mansion, the rose garden, and the little path that leads to the harbor."
"Since ages ago, there've been stories about how Dad built a hidden mansion somewhere in the vast forest that no one knew about, and that he had his mistress living there."
"Rosa-san probably came upon that hidden mansion by chance......"
`"However, what does this have to do with Rosa oba-san killing Beatrice...?
"If I hadn't taken her out, she never would have died...! She was so innocent, like a chick. I took her out, so she just followed along obediently!
She stayed right behind me, trusting me completely...! And because I made her take such a dangerous path...!!"
"Did you make her walk that way because you were hoping she'd slip and fall from the cliff?"
"I never meant to do that!
I just thought she'd like to see the ocean...!
No,
it just looked like the path would be hard to walk,
and I thought it would be easier going if we went down the cliff first...!!"
"That's not what killing someone means. It was an accident."
"It's an accident she never would have had if I hadn't brought her with me, right?! It's my fault!!
And then, I abandoned her when she was covered in blood and ran home!!"
"It isn't your fault. Beatrice had never seen the ocean before.
`......You showed her that for the first time ever. She was probably so excited that she just happened to take a bad step."
"......H, how can you...?"
"Beatrice is grateful to you for what you did. Of course she doesn't hate you for it."
"............Really?
......Is that...
really true...?"
"She was the one who begged to see the world outside the fence, right? Though it was only for a short while, you made that dream of hers come true. If I were Beatrice, I would thank you for that short bit of time. If she knew that you've been suffering all this time for it, she'd probably feel sorry for you."
"......Beatrice is grateful for what you did. You're the one who taught her that the sea is blue."
".........Is that...
...true......?
"I guarantee it."
Will made that statement openly and boldly.
No one knew how Rosa took those words.
However, ......it had apparently been enough to remind Rosa to take a handkerchief out of her pocket and wipe her eyes with it.
"......Thank you."
"Even now, Beatrice is whispering those words to you."
".........Thank you......"
Rosa wiped her eyes with the handkerchief one more time and hung her head.
It no longer looked like a fit of sobbing, but more as though she was speaking with the Beatrice of that day within her heart...one last time.
`"......You really have no problem making claims you could never back up, don't you?"
"Back up?` Is that really necessary to comfort a woman?"
`"............
It seems I underestimated you."
How many years had it tormented Rosa?
Now, for the first time, ......Rosa would probably be able to face that innocently smiling Beatrice who had seen the ocean for the first time in her life.
She was the only one who could forgive Rosa.
Now, the two of them could finally speak together......
"......I don't know who you are, but thank you. ......I wonder if she'll forgive me."
"You've worried about it for nearly 20 years. That's far too long. She'd tell you that you've suffered more than enough already."
"......That's right, Rosa oba-san. The sadder you are, the sadder Beatrice would be."
".........You too..` Thank you. ......I don't know if I will be forgiven, ......but I'll keep on speaking to my heart to see whether she'll forgive me or not.
`......Thanks, you two. Sorry for showing you such an embarrassing side of me."
"And I'm sorry to say this right after saying something so pretty, ......but I want you to talk to me. Tell me what happened back then."
"......Will-san!"
"Thanks, but it's alright. ......I'll talk. Hiding this and keeping quiet about it for so long might have been my greatest sin."
"Exactly when was it that you met Beatrice?"
Upon hearing this question, ......Rosa closed her eyes lightly, reaching back to a past she didn't want to remember...
"......It was about 20 years ago. ......20......or wait, it might have been 19 or 18 years ago.
......I'm sorry. I've tried to force myself to forget it for so long that I've nearly forgotten that part completely."
"It should have been 1967."
Ronove had guaranteed that with the red truth in the 3rd game.
"Th, that's right...... It was probably about 1967.
I can remember what happened as clearly as a picture...... I'll never forget......"
"If it's tough for you, don't feel like you have to tell us."
"Yes, clear as a picture, if you don't mind.
.........Ngah! ......Dammit, that hurts, Lion."
"What does?
"I'd received a shock from when my tutor told Mother about something that was supposed to be a secret. On that day, I became reckless, and I kept on running deeper and deeper into the forest."
This tale has also been told in a previous Fragment.
Back when Rosa was just a kid, she had gone deep into the forest, ......found a hidden mansion, and met with a mysterious woman who called herself Beatrice......
"......But that forest is so thick it's hard just to move around in it."
"I even surprised myself...... To think that I made it so far into such a dense forest. ......I was tormented by twigs and sharp leaves over and over again."
"However, that wasn't enough to bother me on that day. ......After all, I wanted to disappear into the forest and vanish forever. ......If, by some chance, there really was a witch's mansion in the depths of the forest, ......I hoped that she might take me to the land of happiness, or else turn me into a frog and make me a resident of the forest."
"So, you then reached the hidden mansion, Kuwadorian, and met a woman who called herself Beatrice."
"......Yes. I met her."
"Was that Beatrice the same as the one in the portrait?"
"..................Yes. They were the same person.
Beautiful blue eyes. Golden hair. A black dress. It truly was the subject of that portrait. ......When Father first had it hung ......I realized that the 20 years I had spent trying to forget must have seemed just as long for Father, if not even longer, and I became even more fearful of my sin..."
"Stop there. ......Are we sure that this is the same Beatrice that Rosa-san met?"
Immediately, Kyrie spoke the question that Will had been thinking of.
`It would be too rash to assume that the Beatrice Kinzo met and the one Rosa met were the same person.
The time and generation were different for each.
"Beatrice is supposed to be that lady of leisure who lent Dad all that gold shortly after the war, right?
"By using Beatrice's gold as a foundation, Father revived the Ushiromiya family and got super rich. Then he bought Rokkenjima and moved over. Rosa-san's meeting must have been at least 10 years after that."
"A woman who could do as she pleased with 10 tons of gold could hardly be some little girl. And 10 more years passed before she met Rosa.
...Rosa. About how old did the Beatrice you met look?"
......She looked older than I was at the time, ......but even so, it looked as though she might just be reaching adulthood.
Yes, exactly the sort of age of the Beatrice in the portrait."
"Did she look middle-aged or past her prime?"
"If I had to call her an adult or a child, she was clearly closer to being a child. There's no way she was middle-aged."
"And isn't that strange? We have the Beatrice you met, and the Beatrice who gave Father the gold, but their ages don't match."
"In other words, they're different people."
"Different people...who look very similar and have the same name..."
"It might have been her daughter. It makes sense for them to look alike if they were mother and child."
"His mistress's daughter...... It is possible. Perhaps Father had an illegitimate child with the Beatrice who gave him the gold."
"And then, Rosa bumped into Beatrice the Second. ......Makes those ages work out nicely."
"............"
"I see...... In other words, there are two people who can be called Beatrice."
Kinzo secretly raised his mistress's child in a hidden mansion.
That would make logical sense. Everyone nodded, agreeing.
......However, Will's expression was slightly unsatisfied, and he scratched at his head...
"So, it would seem that this funeral exists for the two Beatrices he couldn't mourn because they were hidden......"
"Rosa. I know you probably don't want to remember, but tell me about that accident. After Beatrice fell, was she still breathing?"
"No. ......Her eyes were open wide. She fell upside down, head first, and knocked her head against a sharp crag on the rocky beach. And she fell from such a height...... Her skull had split and caved inwards. ......That beautiful golden hair was stained red with blood almost instantly......"
"Was it the sort of wound that clearly showed that she was dead?"
"Yes. I saw the insides of her cracked head! It had caved in deep enough to fit your fist inside it...! No one could be naive enough to see that and still hope she was alive!"
"......Will. Do you really need to ask anything more?"
"That's enough for the time of the accident. What did you do afterwards?"
"I dashed away at full speed. ......I wasn't even thinking about calling for help.
......I wanted to escape from that place as fast as I could. Half-crazed, sobbing, and out of breath, I kept on running about at random. ......Eventually, I came across a familiar lion statue."
"Oh, the one in front of the chapel?"
"No, the one behind it. ......Anyway, I made it back to the mansion. I couldn't tell anyone, and I didn't want to. I stayed quiet until nightfall.
It was so horrible of me. If I had hurried and told someone, they might have brought her a first aid kit, and she might have been saved......"
"How is a first aid kit going to help with a crushed cranium? ......You didn't kill her. Don't worry about that anymore."
"............"
"Then, ......what did you do next?"
"......That night, I turned over in my bed so many times. I couldn't sleep. ......Late that night, I quietly...
...called Genji-san on the phone and told him..."
"......What did he say?"
"He told me to let him handle everything, and to speak of this to no one. ......I spent the next several days terrified that Father would call for me and scold me brutally.
But......he didn't. Genji-san kept on doing his job quietly, just like normal. ......Father stayed locked up in his study, not knowing any of it......"
"At the very least, none of us ever heard about it."
"......Genji-san probably managed to clean everything up nicely."
"After all, they couldn't let knowledge of that child go public......"
"Hmmmmm...... Since she was an illegitimate child, she must have been his daughter by blood. It must have been tough for Father, not bein' able to hold a real funeral for her......"
"......I guess that's why we're having this funeral."
"And then?"
`"That's all I know."
"............ And that's all I know too."
"I'm not hiding anything else. I've told you everything. ......I swear it."
"............"
Will scratched at his head, letting his gaze wander.
It had taken Rosa a lot of determination to make this confession, but it was nothing particularly special for Will.
It had been little more than a review of information he already knew......
"Thanks, Rosa oba-san.
......Is that enough for you, Will? Are you satisfied?"
"That's enough. It was a nice review."
To Will, Rosa's memories gave only information that was already known.
This was the first time he'd heard all that about her running back to the mansion after Beatrice fell to her death,`@` but none of it was particularly surprising.
Apparently, Rosa really didn't know any more than this......
If he wanted to learn something more than what the Fragments given to him by Bernkastel contained, he would need to find new testimony.
"Lion. Tell Kinzo that I want to talk to him. It looks like we won't get anywhere without asking the man himself."
"Where are you going?"
"......Off to cool my head and organize my thoughts.
Don't follow."
"Well then, pardon me. Please take your time."
After giving an elegant bow, Lion made a face, tongue sticking out.
Unless Will had eyes on the back of his head, he couldn't have seen this last bit......
Will returned to the chapel by himself.
The cold air and the monotonous sound of the rain were comforting.
"......So, how's the game going?"
And he had come here for a little peace and quiet...
As soon as he let out a sigh of relief, that voice rang out.
"That's my line."
It was as though she had been sitting there all along. ......Bernkastel appeared on top of the altar once more.
Apparently, Beatrice's altar was extremely comfortable.
"......Battler annoyed me over and over with his incompetence.
You're very competent compared to him, so it's a lot easier to relax."
"Unlike Ushiromiya Battler's games, I have nothing standing in my way. It's easy."
"That sort of game has already ended. Tales can be enjoyed twice. First you love them.
Then you tear out their guts. ......*giggle*giggle*."
"Tch. You think I'm a butcher?"
"So? Do you think you know who killed Beatrice...?"
"Rosa's confession is something I already know from a previous Fragment. There was no brand new information. ......We're still at square one."
"*giggle*giggle*......"
"Unless Ushiromiya Kinzo tells us what really happened, we won't get any further than this. Don't tell me that arguing with Kinzo and persuading him to spill the beans is supposed to be part of this game."
"That'd be fatally boring. ......Kinzo refuses to speak of the truth and is himself the king protected by his castle, but it wouldn't be any fun to have that stand in the way of your game..."
"......I won't torture. It's not my style."
"I know. As the Game Master, I will grant you power. So that you can get the truth from Kinzo, of course."
Still wearing shoes, Bernkastel stepped into the casket, picked up one of the flowers that had been set as offerings, ......and blew hard, as though scattering fluff from a dandelion.
Then, a single petal broke off and drifted down towards Will,` no longer gold, but with the shine of a transparent crystal......
"The 'detective's authority'?"
"Hmph, what, that pathetic ability?
......No.` This is an invitation to the grandstands."
"......'Theatergoing authority'? ......That's supposed to be forbidden without authorization from the Senate."
"I'm giving it. On my game board. Who's going to stop me......?"
"......Hmph."
Though the crystal flower petal danced in the wind, it wouldn't fly away anywhere until Will accepted it.
`Will remembered how useless it was to argue with witches, and he snatched it up.
When he did, the petal flashed brightly for an instant, melted into Will's palm, and disappeared...
"Entertain me if you can. And try and enjoy yourself.
......You must also be interested in seeing what the guts of Beatrice's game board look like, right?"
`"Not really."
After Will's rude answer, Bernkastel vanished into thin air, leaving behind an obnoxious laugh......
"......Tch."
After clicking his tongue, Will turned around unhappily.
......When he did, it felt as though his gaze had crossed that of a shadow standing right in front of him, by the door that led outside.
"Who is it?"
"Ah, ......p, pardon me... I heard a voice, s...so I wondered who it was......"
"Ah, Shannon. So you're running the reception desk this time...?"
`"Yes. I've been taking it in turns with Kanon-kun to run the reception desk..."
"And Kanon?"
"A short while ago, he was ordered by......umm, .....L, Lion-sama to take a break, so he's resting now."
"......So, you don't know Lion either?"
"Huh? ...No, of course......"
"Ushiromiya Lion is the successor to the head, the one who wears the silver ring. ......Why are you stumbling over that name when you've worked here for 10 years?"
"Th, ...that's......"
"Don't worry. I don't recognize Lion either.
......Krauss is supposed to be the successor to the head. Jessica is supposed to be his only child. There hasn't been a single Fragment with anyone named Lion in the Ushiromiya family."
When she realized that Will didn't recognize Lion either, Shannon relaxed.
Apparently, she was a bit relieved to find that she wasn't going crazy by herself.
`......However, her expression quickly grew uncertain once more.
`"Wh, where......is this place...?` I think it's the Ushiromiya family chapel. ......However, something feels different about it.
`Also, I never knew that someone named L...Lion-sama existed. ......And yet, Madam, Krauss-sama, ......the Master, Milady, and all the relatives all talk as though it's perfectly natural...... I just...don't understand what's happening......"
"......Lion is a piece placed by Bernkastel. She also said that she'd moved into a larger cat box to place that piece.
......On top of that, it seems this world isn't a proper world, but one made out of several different Fragments sewn together."
It's as though......this is a special stage set up specifically for this game.
......I'm sure she's nodding at my thoughts right now, laughing and chomping down popcorn.
"How long have you worked here in this world?"
"T, ......ten years."
I see. So it really is a special stage.
After all, right when I entered the chapel, I spotted Kinzo.
Since Shannon has worked for 10 years, this is the stage of Beato's game, 1986.
In that case, Kinzo shouldn't exist.
However, he definitely was here a few minutes ago.
Bernkastel promised that all of the information needed for reasoning was gathered here.
She must have really packed it together to fit everything in...
I see, so it really is a special stage.
"You have served the Ushiromiya family for many years. So, just how much do you know about Beatrice?"
"......I know the Master loved her deeply, but other than that..."
"Is that all?"
"A, and, umm,
.........they say that she's the master of Rokkenjima's night
......umm..."
"That's right. The name of the ghost rumored to wander the mansion night after night is also Beatrice."
That brings the number of Beatrices to three.
The first is the Beatrice from more than 30 years ago, who is said to have given Kinzo the gold.
The second is the Beatrice from 20 years ago, who met Rosa.
The third is the Beatrice of the ghost stories, who is rumored to be the master of the night on Rokkenjima.
"......Furudo Erika's reasoning was probably correct. It started out as the legend of the evil spirits on Rokkenjima. Later on, elements such as Kinzo's occult hobbies, the name and portrait of the mysterious woman, Beatrice, and the epitaph got mixed in, and it was all integrated into the legend of the Golden Witch."
"......Then, the darkness of the night gained the personality of a witch. That's the third Beatrice. This became the veil for the serial murders."
`"......Uh, umm........."
Apparently, she didn't understand a word of Will's sudden monologue.
Shannon tried to follow along, but she seemed to be having difficulty.
"Don't waste your time trying to understand. You'll just get a headache."
"M, my apologies......"
"Kanon doesn't know Lion either, right?"
`"............Yes. Kanon-kun was the same as me."
Shannon...and Kanon, is it...
"............ ......Call Kanon over here. I want to talk to the pair of you about something."
When Will said these words, Shannon's face went blank and her eyes went wide.
"My apologies. We aren't allowed to leave the reception desk unmanned, so I can't leave to go get him."
"Then find a replacement and have them take over the reception desk until you get back. You, me, and Kanon. ......We, the three people who don't know Lion, need to talk."
"..............."
"............"
"......We've been told that one person is enough to run the reception desk."
"But no one told you there was anything wrong with two people manning it, right?"
"We are low on helpers today, so we were told that having two people at the reception desk would be unnecessary."
"Who gave you that order? Kinzo? Krauss? Or was it Lion? I will ask about it."
"It was...the one who orders me. I cannot disobey orDERS."
"Who is this person? I'll negotiate with them."
"You cannot...NEGOTIATE. It iS the oNE who orDERS US."
"Call Kanon over here.`@` ......I hate theatergoing just as much as I hate torture."
Slowly, ......Will pulled his right hand out of his pocket.
When he slowly opened his fist, .........a small, bright glow emanated from it.
The flower petal Bernkastel had given him had become a glowing birthmark, which sparkled......
He held that hand out towards Shannon......and slowly approached her.
"Call Kanon. I want to check something with you two."
"I...C A N
N O T CALL HIM. DO YOU S T
I L L ...
WANT ME
TO......?"
"If you don't call him, I'm going to use my authority."
"IF YO
U INS
IST,
...I CA
N CA
LL HIM
SPECI
ALLY FOR
YOU,
BUT..."
"............"
There was some kind of incomprehensible tension between the two.
Will stood there, his left hand still in his pocket and his right palm glowing and stretched out towards her.
Shannon just stood there, her hands still folded politely in front of her, ...her posture beautiful.
And yet, ......it felt oddly as though raindrops were sparking and crackling in midair......
"I
W
I
L
L
GO CA
LL KA
NON
KUN.
ARE
YOU
ABSOLUTELY
CER
TAIN
?"
"............"
Will's expression had remained unchanged the whole time
Shannon's face was still kind and gentle.
And yet, the tension was as icy as a frozen lake...
`......Beginners in chess will sometimes move their king into check without noticing it..One might mercilessly capture the king in this situation, ......but high-level players are supposed to calmly tell their opponent about their mistake.
'If you take one more step, ......you'll get captured'.
This was......similar to that......
"............"
......I see.
So, after all......
"I get it. That's enough. ......You guys can take it in turns to run the reception desk."
Slowly, ......Will lowered his hand.
"Thank you for understanding."
he glow slowly vanished from Will's palm.
That completely incomprehensible tension melted away like a sugar cube in water.
However, nothing had changed since the beginning.
Will's expression and Shannon's expression......were the same as they always had been.
"Oh, are you leaving?"
Footsteps approached them. It was Lion.
"I'm just standing here, talking. I wanted to ask her something."
"......What could that be? Did you find what you were looking for?"
"............Yeah."
"I'm honored to have been of service."
"............"
"That's a shame. If you were looking for an umbrella, I could have gotten you one right away."
"Did you convince Kinzo?"
"......I told him that a rare guest wanted to greet him. He says he'll meet with you."
"Did you tell him that I wanted to ask about Beatrice?"
"Isn't that your job?"
With a slightly mischievous look, Lion turned away.
Will scratched his head and shrugged, looking annoyed.
"......Ah, well. Guess I'll get a chance to try this out."
Will opened his right hand and showed it to Lion.
It was just a hand, without anything remotely remarkable about it.
Lion's head tilted to the side in bafflement at this strange gesture.
"Good work.
......Umm,
...wait, your name was......"
"It's Shannon."
"That's right, Shannon.
Please take over the reception desk. Make sure you keep warm."
"Thank you very much, Lion-sama."
Shannon bowed deeply in response to Lion's kind words.
There was not even a trace of tension in her manner...
"Let's go, Will. Wouldn't want to miss this chance.
......The Head's mood changes quicker than the autumn sky."
"Good luck."
"......Here we go."