Welcome to the Rose Mansion - Chapter 94
In front of the pondering Richelle, Alan ruffled his hair in frustration.
“The history of Otis spans over a hundred years. Out of the countless servants who have passed through Bertrand, not a single one has succeeded. Besides, Charlotte Otis left no hint behind. It’s a bet we can’t possibly win.”
No, that’s not true.
From the brief impression, Charlotte Otis seemed to be a very wise person. She had created a breathing space for the Otis family within the bounds of not upsetting Rogéros and even left an escape route.
She wouldn’t have proposed an impossible bet. She must have hidden a hint somewhere out of Rogéros’s sight.
Where could it be? If I were Charlotte Otis, where would I hide the hint?
Somewhere all the servants could access but not easily notice unless they looked closely. A place out of Rogéros’s sight…
“…Ah.”
I think I know.
The only place the hint could be hidden is that place.
Richelle grabbed Alan urgently.
“Young Master Otis, do you have a copy of the Bertrand rules?”
“The rules?”
Alan, who asked back in confusion, shook his head.
“No. I’ve never seen that paper. I know it’s distributed to the new servants in the mansion… Rogéros is probably managing it.”
“Is that so?”
Richelle tapped her fingers on the table and slowly closed and opened her eyes.
“If it’s alright, could I use a pen and paper?”
“Paper? Sure, wait a moment. I’ll get it for you.”
Alan quickly brought a pen and paper. Before starting to write, Richelle hesitated for a moment.
“It feels strange to ask now, but… the Bertrand rules said not to copy or keep its contents. Is it okay to write them down now?”
“It should be fine… This is the only time when Rogéros and ‘those things’ are not paying attention. That’s why I told you to come after midnight… But are you really going to write it down now?”
There was no need to explain verbally.
Richelle dipped the pen in ink and quickly began to write down the contents of the note she had found on her first day at Bertrand.
“What… What are you doing?!”
The greeting, the rules, the warnings.
Everything that had been written on the note.
Without leaving out a single word.
Every blink filled the paper more densely.
“You remember the entire list of Bertrand’s rules…? Just what you’ve written so far isn’t a small amount.”
Alan’s voice trembled a little as he asked. Richelle, without stopping her hand, replied nonchalantly.
“My specialty is memorization. I can remember almost everything I’ve seen once.”
Especially the Bertrand rules were imprinted in her memory perfectly as if printed because she had read them repeatedly, wary of Bertrand’s strangeness.
At Richelle’s calm voice, Alan murmured quietly.
“I thought you were extraordinary in many ways… but you’re beyond my imagination, Miss.”
His voice was oddly somber, but there was no time to dwell on it.
Finally, Richelle perfectly restored the note and looked up. Strangely, Alan seemed somewhat dejected. Richelle asked, puzzled.
“What’s wrong, Young Master Otis?”
“…Nothing. Is it done?”
“Yes. This is exactly what it was.”
The two leaned in close and examined the Bertrand rules Richelle had written down.
After carefully reading it through to the end, Alan rubbed his chin.
“It matches the general rules I know. It was organized like this.”
“I thought you would have seen the note, too.”
“Since it’s given to the servants, it couldn’t come to me. And…”
Alan’s blue eyes darkened.
“The firstborn of Otis is directly managed by Rogéros, so it wasn’t necessary.”
Hearing that, Richelle recalled the times she had been helped by Alan. The servants, retreating in frustration but eventually stepping back whenever Alan appeared.
Seeing ‘them’ never daring to confront him on Rogéros’s orders, what did the firstborn of Otis think?
Unable to end their life or go mad like the others. Unable to escape this hell unless they found the next victim to continue the curse.
The blue veins stood out on Alan’s fist resting on the table. Richelle covered his hand with hers.
“…!”
Alan flinched and looked at her. His hands, which had been cold ever since he was thrown into endless winter, gradually thawed with her warmth.
The light green eyes looking at him reminded him of the new buds of spring he had seen when he was young. The strength drained from Alan’s hand.
He cleared his throat and felt the paper.
“Let’s keep looking. At a glance, nothing stands out.”
“There must be something. The only place Charlotte Otis could hide a hint is here…”
Richelle furrowed her brow. The restored Bertrand rules felt unsatisfactory somehow.
Yes, as if something crucial was missing.
