✠
Guided by the lantern’s light, I descended the dark stairs and traversed the corridor. The owl’s hooting outside the window sounded particularly eerie.
Though the candlelight was quite dim, Reed walked with familiar steps and stopped at a specific spot in the library.
He handed me the candlestick and stepped back.
“Third row from the top, twentieth from the left. Take out the reddish-brown book.”
I did as instructed. It was a leather book with a small lock, clearly an old diary.
“It seems like it might contain the mansion’s secrets.”
“That’s correct.”
It was a secret clue I had deliberately avoided to prevent going down the death route. However, in the captivity route, the secret is supposed to be revealed naturally.
I realized anew that I was steadily progressing through the captivity route.
“Where is the key?”
“On the second floor.”
Reed led the way.
I…