Monday, October 20, 2008



Anon feels a familiar tug on his shirt. He turns and sees Koakuma smiling.

"Let's go," she says as he leads Anon toward the exit of the library. She leads Anon out into the hallway, takes a few steps left, then stops. She turns back to Anon and giggles.

"Mistress seems to be in a very good mood. You two get along very well."

Anon feels himself blush. He can't tell if it was caused by what Koakuma said, or by her dazzling smile. "Both girls are quite lovely, after all," he says to himself.

Koakuma continues leading Anon down the hallway. They continue at the same pace, passing several closed doors, until Anon notices Koakuma walking faster. Anon looks to his right and spots an unlit staircase that seems to spiral down into the basement. "There's something about the basement," he says to himself before catching up to Koakuma.

They pass a few more closed doors before going up some stairs to the second floor. They turn right, then walk past a few more doors before stopping. Koakuma opens a door and leads Anon inside.

"Just stay here and rest for a bit. I'll get you something to eat after the Mistress of the Mansion has had her dinner," Koakuma says. She bows and turns to leave. She pauses before closing the door.

"I have the key, so lock the room and don't answer anyone who knocks," she says. Anon turns to Koakuma, puzzled, but she simply locks and closes the door.

Alone, Anon takes a better look at the room.

The room has few furnishings - a decent-looking bed, a chair, and a small table with a lamp on it. The table has a closed, unlocked drawer. There are a few wall cabinet on the left. There is a window facing toward the lake on the right.

Anon considers resting, but he already took a couple of naps in the library. He thinks about exploring the Mansion and its many rooms, or perhaps the strange staircase that lead down to the basement. Then, he remembers the instructions Patchouli and Koakuma left.

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