A wide bedchamber opened up before Allyssa. Paintings, mirrors, and other decorations hung off the walls, and near the center was an ornate bed with a marble dressing table next to it and a chest placed at its foot. There were no windows, yet an indentation in the ceiling held a panel that lit up the room in a soft, white light. The panel looked like it could have been made of the same material most magical lamps were, but it was massive compared to them. She couldn’t even imagine how expensive that would be.

Her eyes passed over the bed and a few bureaus that were placed around the room. There were dolls on them. Not as many as in some of the other rooms they’d seen up till now, but they looked to be the same—or at least a similar type as the ones back in the Withersworth cellar.

“Stay here for now,” Sir Leon said and stepped past her into the room, his sword at the ready.

None of the dolls moved.

He continued even further inside, but the dolls remained still.

The knight looked back at Allyssa and Rosa. “You can enter. Stay close to me.”

They walked through the door, looking around as they took the rest of the room in. Unlike the other parts of the mansion that they had been in, this room felt a lot calmer. It didn’t have that same sense of foreboding that seemed to stick to the rest of this place like a veil of untreated Nettle Tar. There was a tranquility to this room. As well as something else. Something that Allyssa couldn’t quite place.

“I can’t detect anything in particular here, discounting the dolls,” Sir Leon said, eyeing them closely. Then he looked back at her. “But you’re still saying it feels special in some way?”

“No.” She shook her head. “Or, yes, I guess. But not really. It’s obviously different from the rest of what we’ve seen, with just how calm it is here. But there’s something more to it.”

“It’s lived in. That’s what’s different.” Rosa’s somber tone reached Allyssa from the side. “Or it was, once. The feeling just never left.”

She turned to look at the bard, then froze when she saw Rosa move to pick up one of the dolls sitting on the marble dresser. “Wait, don’t—”

The doll was picked up without issue.

Rosa turned to look at them. “These are just ordinary dolls. Ordinary dolls for an ordinary bedroom. The only one in this place, it seems.”

Allyssa blinked, staring at the doll in the woman’s hand. “Oh… I-I see.”

How was she supposed to know that?! All the dolls looked the same, and it wasn’t as if there was a sign saying what was so special about this room in words she could understand!

“How could you tell?” Sir Leon asked, his forehead creased together.

Rosa shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe I’ve got a knack for this kind of thing? People’ve got all kinds of talents up their sleeves that they just don’t know about yet.”

Allyssa eyed the woman. Rosa usually seemed like such a straightforward person, but sometimes she wondered whether Scarlett and the bard had a competition going over who could be the most mysterious and evasive. The woman’s answer just now didn’t answer much at all.

Rosa returned the doll to the dresser after examining it for a moment longer. She then turned to look at something behind Allyssa, letting out a whistle. “That’s not something you see every day.”

Allyssa spun around to see what the woman was referring to.

Hanging on the wall was one of the paintings. Like all the others of its kind in this mansion, it showed nothing but an empty canvas as she first laid eyes on it. After a few seconds, it changed to show a portrait. It was of a girl, around Allyssa’s age, sitting in front of a picturesque garden with several rare flowers in it. Allyssa could name most of them, but some were types even she didn’t recognize. But they weren’t the focus of the portrait. It was the girl. And if she were to be described in one word, it would be ‘breathtaking’.

She had long, flaxen blonde hair that was tied into a loose braid and reached past her shoulders, as well as smooth, yet graceful, features that might have been at home on a princess from a fairytale. Instead of wearing exquisite and expensive clothing that might have fit with her surroundings, however, the girl was dressed in a simple white dress that you might have found on any other girl walking the streets in Elystead.

Still, her clothing didn’t do anything to take away from the beauty of the girl. Even Allyssa could admit that much, although it felt odd to do so.

The girl’s beauty was to the point where it could almost be called unnatural. Like the dolls that made this mansion their home, fittingly enough. But it was clear that this girl wasn’t a doll. Her face held a blank and emotionless expression in the painting, but there was life behind those eyes. Whoever had painted this portrait had been incredibly talented to be able to capture the likeness of this girl so well.

Allyssa’s gaze stayed on the painting for a long while.

That sense of—well, it wasn’t familiarity, but perhaps understanding—was present in it. She didn’t know this girl, but she felt like she definitely understood her, despite knowing absolutely nothing about her.

A hand was placed on her shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Sir Leon asked.

She turned around to meet his eyes, giving a slow nod. “I’m fine. Promise. It’s just that…” She glanced back at the painting. “This girl… I guess it would be hard to explain to you so that you understand, considering even I don’t, but…I’m pretty sure she’s what feels so special about this place for me.”

The man examined the portrait. “…Her appearance is striking, I will admit that. But that’s also what one might expect from a painting. They’re not always accurate representations of reality. As for if there’s more to the picture…I’m afraid I can’t tell what you mean.”

Allyssa shook her head. “This painting caught her exactly as she was. I can tell. And I’m not sure I would say that there’s necessarily more to it, other than it just…is.”

Sir Leon narrowed his eyes. After a while, he seemed to give up. “I’m sorry, but I can’t tell what it is you’re seeing. But since it’s only affecting you, and we’re unsure about what it is… I think it’s best if we leave for now. We can return when we have more information.”

“You’re looking at it the wrong way,” Rosa said as the woman stepped up next to him and looked at the painting. “You have to look at it. Get it? Allyssa knows exactly what she’s doing right now, so there’s no need to worry.”

Allyssa gaped at her. Rosa seemed a lot more sure about this than she herself did. But she didn’t exactly think the woman was wrong. Whatever strange phenomenon this was, it didn’t feel dangerous.

“I don’t ‘get it’, no.” Sir Leon eyed Rosa. “But if you’re claiming it’s safe… Are you prepared to take responsibility for your words?”

The tips of the woman’s mouth rose in a smile. “Responsibility and I don’t exactly have the warmest of relationships. We ignore the other like the plague, really. Tends to be the best choice for all involved. But…sure. Just this once, me and ol’ Responsibility will call it a truce.”

Suddenly, the rattling of chains echoed from just right outside the room.

Allyssa’s hand reached up to the vials strapped across her chest as she spun to the entrance. Moments later, a man in an old black suit stepped straight through the door. Long iron chains hung off his arms and trailed across the floorboards beneath him as he floated in the air, feet dangling above the floor. There was this gloom surrounding his vaguely transparent body, almost palpable to the touch. And Allyssa could practically taste the resignation coming off him.

This was the ‘custodian’ Scarlett wanted them to find.

The ghost man stopped in front of the door, his eyes locking onto Allyssa.

Sir Leon moved in front of her with his sword raised. Almost without thinking, she grabbed his arm to stop him, and the knight gave her a wary look.

She didn’t know why she did that, but she didn’t think attacking this ghost man immediately was a good idea. He wasn’t looking at her like some of the other ghosts had; like they wanted to eat her, tear her limbs apart, or do some other equally horrifying thing. He was looking at her as if he was trying to figure out who she was.

Over a dozen seconds of silence passed, with no one doing anything, then a look of recognition appeared on the ghost’s face. It soon turned into an expression of relief as he started floating closer to them.

“Ah, so this is where you were.” The man’s voice came out as a strange echo across the room. The chains hanging off his arms rattled as he moved. Sir Leon took one step back but seemed ready to act at a moment’s notice. “We were all wondering where you had gone to, young lady.”

Allyssa stared at the ghost. “Young lady? You mean…me?”

That sounded so…weird.

“Who else?” the ghost man responded. “It heartens me to see you in good health, still, young lady.”

She looked at him and the portrait on the wall. Was he mistaking her for the girl in that painting? The resemblance wasn’t even close if you asked her. The somewhat blonde hair was about the only trait they shared. It shouldn’t be enough to confuse the two of them. But, maybe…

“Do you know my name?” she asked, turning her eyes back to him.

The man’s voice softened. “The young lady’s name, you say? Why, of course. Thinking of it hearkens me back to when young lady Orelia first graced us at this mansion with her appearance. It is not a day easily forgotten.”

“Then it’s fine for you to just use my name,” Allyssa said. “You don’t have to call me young lady.”

A horrified expression found its way onto the man’s face. “I could never! To show such disrespect to your personage?” The chains clattered against the floor as he shook his head. “Unthinkable.”

“O-Oh. A-Alright then.” She tried to hide her grimace. “Ehm, are the other…servants, also nearby?”

The ghost righted the cuffs on his sleeves, ignoring the chains hanging off them. “I am sure they are all attending to their duties at present, young lady. Although I am certain they would all greatly appreciate your kindness, there is no need to worry about them.” His countenance darkened. “But young lady… I must inform you that the Lord wishes to see you.”

“The Lord?” Allyssa glanced at the painting. “You mean…my father?”

He gave her a perplexed look. “No…? I apologize, young lady, but none of us have heard anything regarding anyone claiming to be your father sending a message.”

The man went quiet for a while, a vacant gaze crossing his face before he returned his attention to her. “Ah, but the Lord wishes to see you. He will be mad if you disobey his orders.” He shook his head once again. “Ah, young lady. That you would be forced into such an unfortunate position. All of us lament that something like this would be the fate of someone as compassionate as you. Yet, as the Lord’s faithful servants, we are oath sworn to carry all of his burdens as they come, and to continue as such for as long as we can. We are undeserving of your kindness, young lady, but know that you will always have our loyalty and support. That is why I must ask you to not disobey the Lord’s command and anger him unnecessarily. It would rack us all with undescribable grief if something were to happen to you.”

Allyssa took a moment to process his words, but before she could say anything else, the expression on the ghost’s face twisted into a frown.

“Young lady, what is that you have on your face? And what is with the way you speak? Did we not teach you how to speak while in this mansion, as not to anger the Lord excessively?”

Her hand shot up to her alchemist-treated leather goggles. She quickly pulled them off, hiding them behind her back. “Ah, these are just…nothing, really.” She tried to remember how Scarlett usually talked. “Then, the Lord…where is he right no—I mean, where is he at the moment?”

“He should be in the conservatory.” The ghost’s expression calmed for a moment, only for the frown to return immediately after as he seemed to notice Sir Leon and Rosa. “Who are these people, young lady?”

Allyssa looked at the two of them. “Oh, ehm… These are acquaintances of mine. They are here to help me with some…matters.”

The ghost man’s brow furrowed even further, and he seemed to be eyeing the sword in Sir Leon’s hand. “You shouldn’t keep such dangerous company, young lady. Strange men cannot be trusted. And the Lord will not like hearing about you meeting with outsiders.”

“He’s not a strange man. He’s a, uh… A knight.” Allyssa nodded her head. “Indeed. He is an imperial knight, part of the…” She frowned. Did the Solar Knights exist whenever this ghost lived? How old were they, even? Shin would know, no doubt. Maybe she should have listened to him more…

“I am Leon Delmon,” Sir Leon said. “Vice-Captain of the Imperial Solar Knights. I am here on the authority of Captain Grimbald Crowder, serving under the order of the Empire’s gilded sun and light, His Majesty the Emperor. As a Solar Knight, it is within my jurisdiction to ensure that no undue proceedings are taking place on this soil or any of the other lands governed by its lord.”

The ghost stared at the knight for several seconds. Then he turned back to Allyssa like the man’s words hadn’t registered at all. “Should I lead you to the lord, young lady?”

“Ah, wait. Before that.” Allyssa looked around.

While she did find this room, she still couldn’t tell if there was something special she was supposed to do here. The feeling she had here was far too vague. Seeing this ‘Lord’ was unlikely to be the best choice, though, if he was even still alive. Besides, the task Scarlett had given them related specifically to this ghost in front of them. Nothing else.

Since she couldn’t find anything other than the painting of the girl that stood out to her about this room, Allyssa turned back to the ghost. “You…” she began, studying him for a moment. “… What are your duties in this mansion?”

The man raised his hands to straighten the tie around his neck, paying no attention to the rattling of the chains. “I am one of this mansion’s custodians, young lady. It is my obligation to tend to the estate, as well as ensuring that everything is kept in order and that nothing strays from its intended purpose.”

“Then… All of the dolls that are in this place, you are responsible for them?”

“They are, of course, the creations of the Lord, but I am indeed the one that oversees them.”

“Could you perhaps…not do that? For just a few hours?” Allyssa asked.

“Pardon me, young lady?” The man gave her a confused look.

“Ehm, I would appreciate it if you could…” She searched for the words in her head. “If you could refrain from tending to the dolls for some time, while I and my acquaintances move through the mansion, it would be very helpful. With that, I would also be able to go to see the Lord sooner.”

“I cannot, young lady. The Lord would be enraged if I were to be negligent in my duties, and it would pain me if that anger would affect you.”

“Please?” She gave him a pleading look, the one that always worked on her father.

“Young lady…” He held an uncertain expression. “…Very well. But you must not speak of this to the Lord. When he learns of it, he must not know it was upon your request.”

“I won’t say a word. I promise. Thank you.”

The ghost man looked around for a moment, as if he just remembered something important. “I am afraid I must leave, young lady. It would be seen as odd if I remained here for too long.”

“Wait, one last thing.” Allyssa raised a hand. Scarlett had asked them to ‘take care of’ this ghost, which the woman probably figured was enough for whatever their goal here was. What Allyssa had just asked would hopefully be enough, because she didn’t actually want to kill this ghost. But there could be something she missed. “Uh, might there perhaps be some doors and other areas in this mansion that I won’t be able to reach by myself? Maybe I need a key of some kind if I want to reach the Lord?”

“A key?” The ghost seemed to think about it for a moment, then pulled out a thick key from a pocket on his suit. “Do you mean like this one, young lady?”

She nodded her head. “Yes, exactly like that. Can I borrow that for a while, please?”

“But, young lady…”

“I promise I will give it back when I’m done, okay?”

He looked at her for a few seconds longer, then slowly held it out to her. “You must make sure to not anger the Lord, young lady.”

“I will not. You have my word.” She received the key, placing it inside one of the pockets in her cape.

“I must leave now. Be safe, young lady, and I will see you later.” With that, the ghost man turned around and floated through one of the walls. The sound of chains rattling quickly faded away along with him.

Allyssa stared at the wall where he had exited.

“It would have been better if we dealt with him immediately,” Sir Leon said after a while.

She turned to the knight. “What? Why?! This worked just as well.”

The man gave her a serious look. “He’s dangerous.”

“But he didn’t hurt us!”

“If he hadn’t confused you for this ‘young lady’, he would have moved to kill us the moment he saw us. Don’t mistake the confusion of a ghost for a lack of malice.”

She looked back at the wall.

Was that true?

…She felt that it probably was. Or rather, she could instinctually feel that it was. But it wasn’t wrong to feel for the ghost despite that, was it?

She glanced back at Rosa. The woman held an unreadable expression on her face, but Allyssa suspected that the bard probably understood her. Because now, she could sort of grasp what Rosa had meant earlier when she said even monsters could deserve pity.

“I still think it was the right choice.”

“Even though it wasn’t what Scarlett asked you to do?” Sir Leon asked.

“I don’t think she’ll mind.”

“Why are you so certain of that?”

“Because she’s a kind person.”

The man stared at her. “…You truly believe that?”

Allyssa nodded. “She has her flaws, and I think she has trouble trusting people…which can be annoying, at times. But yes, despite that, I think she’s a nice person.”

He gave her a long look, then shifted his eyes to Rosa. “And would you happen to think the same?”

The woman was pulled out of whatever thoughts she’d been thinking, turning to look at him. She cocked her head to the side. “That’s a difficult one to answer. I suppose I’d say…‘yes’. Just don’t forget the dozen or so caveats that come with that response.”

“And what, exactly, does that mean?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “You’re her betrothed. You tell me.”

Sir Leon seemed to consider Rosa for a moment, then let out a short sigh as he scanned across the room. “If this is where we’re leaving things, then it looks like we’re done here for now. Next would be meeting up with Scarlett’s group again, but that might take a while. What do we do until then?”

Allyssa also looked around. She was still uncertain about what had brought her here to begin with, but she also didn’t feel like there was much more to do in this room specifically. “I guess we do what Scarlett usually asks us to do at this point?” she said.

Sir Leon looked at her. “And what’s that?”

Her eyes went to the chest that stood at the foot of the large bed at the other end of the room. “Find all of the ‘loot’.”