Black and white landscape.
The two people were talking happily and smiling like a picture.
'Here is...'
Viscount Lawton watched them blankly and cut the steak in front of him.
“...What... The silver... She... That's it.”
What is he saying now?
He didn't quite understand what they were saying. This was because the voice was so loud that he couldn't understand it, as if his ears were clogged.
Viscount Lawton pondered as he cut up the steak and put it in his mouth.
'What was I doing here?'
Then, he smiled with a small exclamation of ‘Ah’.
This is the beautiful residence of the Grand Duke of Illeston.
Here he was discussing a deal with Grand Duke Illeston.
Of course, it is a very advantageous deal for you.
When he realized that fact, his blocked ears were finally cleared and the voices of the Grand Duke and his wife could be heard clearly.
thud
“Viscount Laughton, unless you’re cursed, there’s no way only you can hear a sound that no one else can hear.”
thud
Curse? What kind of curse was it? What were the Grand Duke and I talking about?
thud
Then, the Grand Duchess sitting next to Grand Duke Ileston interrupts him.
thud
“What a curse. Viscount Lawton is not from our family? He can't get cursed, right? Isn’t that right?”
thud
The Grand Duchess raised the corners of her mouth as if asking Viscount Lawton for his consent. Her eyes weren't smiling at all.
thud
Viscount Lawton nodded.
"Sure. I am not from this cursed and ruined family of trash. I couldn’t have been cursed, right?”
At Viscount Lawton's cheerful words, the Grand Duke and Duchess of Illeston began to burst into laughter.
Hahahaha.
His words seemed so funny that he held his stomach in laughter and then started rolling on the floor.
thud
Viscount Lawton looked at them happily.
Everyone was fooled, fooled! The atmosphere is nice, so it's time to start trading!
“Okay, now that you’re all laughing, let’s continue our conversation.”
At Viscount Lawton's words, the Grand Duke and his wife immediately stopped laughing and stood up and sat down. The Grand Duchess nodded to Viscount Lawton and said.
thud
“Before we start the conversation. Illeston, you surprised the guest, so you should apologize first. Quickly kill yourself.”
Grand Duke Illeston nodded.
“Then sleep well.”
“...Uh?"
Grand Duke Illeston stabbed himself in the neck with the knife he was cutting a steak with. Red blood spurted out like a fountain, soaking both food and people and then suddenly, the Grand Duke's neck rolled on the floor.
“He’s dead.”
When Viscount Lawton spoke as if he was amazed, the Grand Duchess smiled and nodded.
"Yes."
“If you tell me that there is a curse on me, you will die.”
"Yes. By the way, Viscount, does the food suit your taste?”
At the Grand Duchess's words, Viscount Lawton nodded as he cut a piece of steak and put it in his mouth.
“It’s very delicious. What kind of meat is it? It doesn’t look like beef.”
Then the Grand Duchess stopped laughing and looked at Viscount Lawton with an expressionless expression.
“It is said that a woman who was pregnant with the former Master’s child visited the estate with the Master just a few years ago, but she disappeared at some point. And recently, the white bones of a pregnant woman and her fetus were discovered in the estate.”
“...What? How did you know that?”
At the Viscount's question, the Grand Duchess stood up and turned to the Viscount. Then she lowered her head and hit the floor, and she slowly stood upside down.
thud
thud
thud
The Grand Duchess, standing upside down, started laughing and banging her head on the floor.
'What the hell is this...'
As Viscount Lawton stared at her in surprise and speechless, the Grand Duchess' appearance slowly began to change.
Slowly her face turned pale and covered in blood. Soon after, she quickly became thin and her whole body became pale.
“...Huh!”
Viscount Lawton was startled and fell backward. The Grand Duchess was nowhere to be seen, and a woman with a familiar face was standing upside down in front of him.
She was once a source of entertainment.
The woman laughed excitedly. Even though blood was pouring out, she giggled and said it was good.
Then she asked Lawton.
Is the meat I made delicious?
“Ugh, ugh!!!!!”
At that moment, everything, including the woman, became blurry and Viscount Lawton's consciousness gradually drifted away.
“...Arghhh!!!!”
Viscount Lawton opened his eyes.
“Huh... Huh... OMG...”
Dream? Was it a dream? When did I start falling asleep?
"Haha...”
Thank god. It was a dream.
Viscount Lawton let out a heartless laugh.
If you think about it, it was a ridiculous situation. The Grand Duke stuck a knife in his throat and killed himself? The Grand Duchess stands on her head? And that woman...
“Huh!”
Now that I think about it, where am I? Why did I fall asleep?
Apparently, he was eating and talking with Grand Duke Illeston.
‘What did I say? It was said that a trade port was not enough as a trading condition, and... Life...'
Viscount Lawton's pupils start to fluctuate as his memories begin to return little by little.
Life.
He asked for half of his property in exchange for his life.
Grand Duke Illeston knew everything.
The cold sweat on his forehead ran down his wrinkles and onto the floor.
And? And what else happened?
Viscount Lawton, who was looking back at his memories, jumped in surprise.
Where are we?
He had lost consciousness. His last memory was of hearing everything and his vision immediately became blurry.
Only then did Viscount Lawton look around.
A musty smell of dust and a dark space. However, since he had closed his eyes just a moment ago, there was no difficulty in looking around the space.
There was a bed and a desk in the windowless room, but he couldn't feel any human warmth at all.
Viscount Lawton unconsciously tried to reach for the nearest piece of furniture, the bed but realized that his body was tied.
“...Uh?"
Why am I tied up?
The body, hands, and feet were all tied tightly to the rope.
Knowing that he could not move freely in an unknown space, Viscount Lawton instantly turned pale and began to struggle.
“Save me... Anyone! Is there no one! Please save me!!!! Please!!!!"
Dangerous. This is a very dangerous situation.
No matter what happens, he are stuck here and can't even move.
It didn't matter right now who had imprisoned him here.
First he had to run away. He entangled himself and had to untie the rope.
'Damn!'
This is why he didn't want to go to the Grand Duke's mansion today. This is what happened when he went to that cursed mansion!
What on earth is this...!
thud
Viscount Lawton stopped struggling at the sudden dull sound.
thud
“What is this again...”
What? Where do you think I've heard this before?
thud
thud
The dull sound came slowly and quickly. It even seemed like they were getting closer little by little.
What are you talking about? Where did I hear that?
The sound of someone walking? No. It was quite loud to be considered footsteps. Even if someone was intentionally stamping their feet roughly, it wouldn't make a sound like this.
So what is the sound of dropping something?
'That's right. This is the sound of dropping an object.'
Otherwise, this kind of sound cannot be made.
It must have been the loud sound of something heavy falling to the hard floor.
...But why do they keep dropping it?
thud
thud
thud
Someone is coming here and dropping things.
When Viscount Lawton forgot to struggle and was concentrating on the sound as if he were possessed.
There isn't any?
A thin woman's voice was heard.
'...Huh?'
thud
thud
thud
Is it not here either?
He heard this voice somewhere.
Viscount Lawton began to think again.
Is she the Grand Duchess? No. Her voice was a little calmer and lower.
Or is it the voice of the young maid who brought him food earlier?
There is none.
His words seemed so funny that he held his stomach in laughter and then started rolling on the floor.
thud
Viscount Lawton looked at them happily.
Everyone was fooled, fooled! The atmosphere is nice, so it's time to start trading!
“Okay, now that you’re all laughing, let’s continue our conversation.”
At Viscount Lawton's words, the Grand Duke and his wife immediately stopped laughing and stood up and sat down. The Grand Duchess nodded to Viscount Lawton and said.
thud
“Before we start the conversation. Illeston, you surprised the guest, so you should apologize first. Quickly kill yourself.”
Grand Duke Illeston nodded.
“Then sleep well.”
“...Uh?"
Grand Duke Illeston stabbed himself in the neck with the knife he was cutting a steak with. Red blood spurted out like a fountain, soaking both food and people and then suddenly, the Grand Duke's neck rolled on the floor.
“He’s dead.”
When Viscount Lawton spoke as if he was amazed, the Grand Duchess smiled and nodded.
"Yes."
“If you tell me that there is a curse on me, you will die.”
"Yes. By the way, Viscount, does the food suit your taste?”
At the Grand Duchess's words, Viscount Lawton nodded as he cut a piece of steak and put it in his mouth.
“It’s very delicious. What kind of meat is it? It doesn’t look like beef.”
Then the Grand Duchess stopped laughing and looked at Viscount Lawton with an expressionless expression.
“It is said that a woman who was pregnant with the former Master’s child visited the estate with the Master just a few years ago, but she disappeared at some point. And recently, the white bones of a pregnant woman and her fetus were discovered in the estate.”
“...What? How did you know that?”
At the Viscount's question, the Grand Duchess stood up and turned to the Viscount. Then she lowered her head and hit the floor, and she slowly stood upside down.
thud
thud
thud
The Grand Duchess, standing upside down, started laughing and banging her head on the floor.
'What the hell is this...'
As Viscount Lawton stared at her in surprise and speechless, the Grand Duchess' appearance slowly began to change.
Slowly her face turned pale and covered in blood. Soon after, she quickly became thin and her whole body became pale.
“...Huh!”
Viscount Lawton was startled and fell backward. The Grand Duchess was nowhere to be seen, and a woman with a familiar face was standing upside down in front of him.
She was once a source of entertainment.
The woman laughed excitedly. Even though blood was pouring out, she giggled and said it was good.
Then she asked Lawton.
Is the meat I made delicious?
“Ugh, ugh!!!!!”
At that moment, everything, including the woman, became blurry and Viscount Lawton's consciousness gradually drifted away.
***
“...Arghhh!!!!”
Viscount Lawton opened his eyes.
“Huh... Huh... OMG...”
Dream? Was it a dream? When did I start falling asleep?
"Haha...”
Thank god. It was a dream.
Viscount Lawton let out a heartless laugh.
If you think about it, it was a ridiculous situation. The Grand Duke stuck a knife in his throat and killed himself? The Grand Duchess stands on her head? And that woman...
“Huh!”
Now that I think about it, where am I? Why did I fall asleep?
Apparently, he was eating and talking with Grand Duke Illeston.
‘What did I say? It was said that a trade port was not enough as a trading condition, and... Life...'
Viscount Lawton's pupils start to fluctuate as his memories begin to return little by little.
Life.
He asked for half of his property in exchange for his life.
Grand Duke Illeston knew everything.
The cold sweat on his forehead ran down his wrinkles and onto the floor.
And? And what else happened?
Viscount Lawton, who was looking back at his memories, jumped in surprise.
Where are we?
He had lost consciousness. His last memory was of hearing everything and his vision immediately became blurry.
Only then did Viscount Lawton look around.
A musty smell of dust and a dark space. However, since he had closed his eyes just a moment ago, there was no difficulty in looking around the space.
There was a bed and a desk in the windowless room, but he couldn't feel any human warmth at all.
Viscount Lawton unconsciously tried to reach for the nearest piece of furniture, the bed but realized that his body was tied.
“...Uh?"
Why am I tied up?
The body, hands, and feet were all tied tightly to the rope.
Knowing that he could not move freely in an unknown space, Viscount Lawton instantly turned pale and began to struggle.
“Save me... Anyone! Is there no one! Please save me!!!! Please!!!!"
Dangerous. This is a very dangerous situation.
No matter what happens, he are stuck here and can't even move.
It didn't matter right now who had imprisoned him here.
First he had to run away. He entangled himself and had to untie the rope.
'Damn!'
This is why he didn't want to go to the Grand Duke's mansion today. This is what happened when he went to that cursed mansion!
What on earth is this...!
thud
Viscount Lawton stopped struggling at the sudden dull sound.
thud
“What is this again...”
What? Where do you think I've heard this before?
thud
thud
The dull sound came slowly and quickly. It even seemed like they were getting closer little by little.
What are you talking about? Where did I hear that?
The sound of someone walking? No. It was quite loud to be considered footsteps. Even if someone was intentionally stamping their feet roughly, it wouldn't make a sound like this.
So what is the sound of dropping something?
'That's right. This is the sound of dropping an object.'
Otherwise, this kind of sound cannot be made.
It must have been the loud sound of something heavy falling to the hard floor.
...But why do they keep dropping it?
thud
thud
thud
Someone is coming here and dropping things.
When Viscount Lawton forgot to struggle and was concentrating on the sound as if he were possessed.
There isn't any?
A thin woman's voice was heard.
'...Huh?'
thud
thud
thud
Is it not here either?
He heard this voice somewhere.
Viscount Lawton began to think again.
Is she the Grand Duchess? No. Her voice was a little calmer and lower.
Or is it the voice of the young maid who brought him food earlier?
There is none.
What are you looking for?
Thump thump thump
While Viscount Lawton was thinking, a dull sound suddenly reached the front of the room where he was.
thud
thud
thud
Are you there?
Thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump.
“Huh!”
Thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump.
A woman's laughter was heard. She was laughing so excitedly that it felt bizarre.
At that time...
Thump thump thump
While Viscount Lawton was thinking, a dull sound suddenly reached the front of the room where he was.
thud
thud
thud
Are you there?
Thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump.
“Huh!”
Thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump.
A woman's laughter was heard. She was laughing so excitedly that it felt bizarre.
At that time...
Creak...
"Uh?"
The door opened. Softly, as if someone had opened it.
Viscount Lawton trembled and looked at the door. Then, he was startled by the human figure he saw and began to struggle again.
found
found
found
The woman he killed two years ago. He saw the woman standing upside down and banging her head as she looked at him.
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