Welcome to the Rose Mansion - Chapter 101
“Young Master Otis…!”
“I heard it. Calm down, Miss. Let’s move cautiously.”
Alan’s hand, gripping her arm, was cold. Richelle forced herself to nod, but her heart’s pounding didn’t settle in the slightest.
Who could it be? It was definitely a voice she’d heard before at some point.
Impatience surged within her. Unconsciously, her pace quickened. If Alan hadn’t been beside her, Richelle would have already run off in search of the source of the scream.
After what felt like an eternity walking down the corridor, they finally rounded a corner. Unlike the dim hallway from earlier, there was a bright light here.
It was seeping through the crack of a creaking, double wooden door ahead.
‘This must be the kitchen…’
Richelle and Alan exchanged glances. With one hand against the wall, they crouched low and crept slowly toward the door.
The screams, once full of agony, had abruptly stopped. Richelle took a silent deep breath and mustered the courage to peek inside.
Thankfully, there was no one in front of the door. Moreover, the door was open wider than expected, giving her a broad view of the kitchen’s interior.
At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary kitchen. Large countertops, ovens, stoves, and an abundance of cooking utensils filled the warm, appetizing space.
Yet, strangely, there were fires burning everywhere. Multiple flaming hearths, four ovens, two fireplaces with massive pots hanging over them, and even candles of various colors scattered throughout.
Even considering this was a kitchen, the sheer number of fires was odd. Was there some special meaning behind it?
As she pondered the kitchen’s peculiarities, Richelle instinctively sniffed the air. A strong scent of food, as if a great feast had just been prepared, wafted around. Indeed, in one corner of the kitchen, she saw a long table piled with dishes.
But something was off. Beneath the fragrant aroma, there was a faint, strange stench. It wasn’t a smell she was familiar with.
Richelle craned her neck a little further. Despite scanning the kitchen, she hadn’t found the source of the screams or the chef.
‘We need to deal with the chef before we can search the kitchen.’
She carefully swept her gaze over the kitchen once more when she saw it—a large foot sticking out from behind the central counter.
That abnormal size… It was undoubtedly the chef’s.
“Young Master Otis, over there.”
At that moment, the chef stirred, as if changing positions. Something fell out from behind the counter.
Rolling across the spotless kitchen floor, the object left a bright red trail.
“…!”
Richelle gasped sharply.
That… that object…
Still twitching slightly, as though it hadn’t been severed for long…
A human arm.
A massive hand followed, grabbing the rolling arm. Then came a sickening crunch—the sound of fresh flesh and bone being crushed by powerful teeth.
“Teacher.”
A cold hand covered her eyes. The sharp smell of disinfectant masked the stench of the kitchen.
Alan, keeping his hand over Richelle’s eyes, gently leaned her head against his shoulder.
“If we go deeper into the kitchen, you’ll see even worse things. But no matter what, you must not lose your composure.”
His whispering voice was calm. Despite the horrifying scene before him, the young man remained composed.
Suddenly, she felt like crying. The thought of how many painful moments had dulled his emotions overwhelmed her with sorrow.
Richelle bit her lip and nodded.
“I’m… fine. Let me go. We don’t have time for this.”
“…Alright.”
The cold hand slowly withdrew. Richelle blinked, clearing her blurred vision. Alan’s beautiful face, filled with concern, was looking back at her.
Forcing a smile, Richelle joked,
“I’m not that faint-hearted, Young Master Otis.”
“You don’t have to pretend to be fine.”
Despite his words, he knew they couldn’t delay any longer. Alan raised his hand.
“Do you see that?”
He pointed towards the inside of the kitchen. There was definitely a path along the wall, though the angle made it difficult to see from where they were standing.
“The only place likely to lead to the fourth floor is over there. While I distract the chef, you check the door.”
“How will you distract the chef?”
“I’ve got a plan. Do you see that door over there?”
This time, Alan pointed towards the end of the hallway. She hadn’t noticed before, but there was another door with light spilling out from it.
“When the chef comes my way, you’ll enter the kitchen through that door. All you need to do is confirm whether the passage exists—don’t try anything else. We can’t enter the fourth floor yet anyway, not while Rogéros is around.”
“How will we regroup once I’m done?”
“You’ll leave the kitchen right away. And don’t even think about trying to help me. If you stay, it’ll only restrict my actions.”
“But—”
“When you pass the door, just whistle once. I’ll follow right after. Let’s meet at the stone door we passed when we first entered the basement.”
“…Alright.”
