Chapter 12: The Butler in the Dark

In the darkness, the pair of eyes that showed only whites seemed to shift slightly.

The elderly butler bent down, almost pressing against the sleeping boy’s cheek, a faint curve lifting at the corner of his lips, the scent of gravestones and rotting grass clinging to him.

“I know you’re not asleep, my child.”

“Time is flowing, and the hunger of the gods is awakening.

We will finally be freed from this sinful wasteland.

Provided that you quietly obey the divine decree and refrain from doing anything unnecessary.”

“Do—you—understand?”

When he spoke the last sentence, the muscles on the old butler’s face twitched.

The low tail of his voice stretched unnaturally long, faintly mixed with a rustling noise—until it sharpened into something like the shrill cry of insects.

Si Qingxuan, lying in bed: “……” Calmly and quietly pretending to sleep.

The old butler remained motionless, keeping the same posture as he stared at the young master on the bed for a while.

After an unknown length of time, footsteps gradually receded.

The butler locked the door and left.

Only after he was gone did Si Qingxuan open his eyes and let out a soft breath.

[I told you, there’s no way everyone in this instance is normal.

See, something creepy showed up already, didn’t it?]

It was not really a matter of whether it was frightening or not.

The old butler had leaned in far too close.

Si Qingxuan had almost lost control and jumped up to punch him.

But he remembered what the system had told him before—to hide himself carefully and avoid exposure whenever possible.

Even if he could beat up all the monsters here, so what.

Could that dispel the illusion?

Si Qingxuan climbed out of bed and quietly opened the wardrobe.

He discovered that the young master, his hands bound behind his back, was curled up in the corner.

Sweat had dampened his golden hair.

Though the cloth that had stuffed his mouth was removed, he still bit down on his lips instinctively, refusing to let out even a single sound.

Si Qingxuan could feel him trembling, as if trapped in a nightmare.

“We’re going to die.

We’re all going to die.

Everyone will die on this land—”

With no choice, Si Qingxuan lightly slapped him.

“Wake up.”

The young master snapped back to himself, his pale face marked with a faint red handprint, looking pitiful.

“Quick—close the wardrobe door!”

He buried himself like an ostrich in a pile of silk fabrics.

“Quick!”

Si Qingxuan, confused, did as he was told.

After shutting the door, the room stayed silent for five seconds.

Ten seconds.

A full minute.

Si Qingxuan opened the wardrobe again, his face darkening.

“So you just wanted somewhere to hide?”

“Of course!”

The young master said in near breakdown.

“You saw what Rudolf looked like just now.

He’s not human anymore.

How can I possibly keep resisting them?”

“Come out.

Explain clearly.”

“I won’t!

Who do you think you are, I refuse—”

Despite being wrapped up like a caterpillar, the young master still had the nerve to shout.

Si Qingxuan let out a cold laugh, disciplined him again, untied the ropes, and dragged him out of the wardrobe.

“Stop wasting my time and speak clearly.”

The young master sniffled and told him everything he knew.

According to him, he had lived in this castle since childhood.

Aside from interacting with the butler Rudolf and a few servants, he had never seen anyone else.

Later, when the village harvest was poor, a young woman came seeking refuge with her child.

Rudolf took her in and made her a general maid.

But not long after, someone discovered that both the maid and her child had hanged themselves in the nearby black forest.

From then on, whenever fog rolled in at night, he could always hear a woman’s sobbing echoing through the forest, though no one else in the castle reacted to it.

After that, Rudolf and some servants familiar to the young master began acting strangely.

Just like Rudolf, they lingered near his bedroom.

Soon they recruited another maid, Lucia.

Also poor, timid, and fearful.

But the young master always felt that if Lucia continued to stay in the castle, she would eventually meet the same fate as the previous maid.

Si Qingxuan pondered.

“So that’s why you tried to drive Lucia away?”

“But it didn’t work.”

The young master’s face turned ashen.

“The one controlling this castle is Rudolf, not me.

I’m not even of age yet.

I haven’t formally inherited the family.”

Si Qingxuan examined his slender frame and pale cheeks, confirming he had indeed been frightened badly.

Thinking back, even when he insulted Lucia, there had been more bluster than real malice.

Rather than enjoying tormenting her, he had seemed desperate to chase her away.

“In short—I can’t hold on anymore.”

The young master looked exhausted.

“Since you’ve taken my appearance, you can cover for me for a while.

Tomorrow, the town’s officer and a consulting detective will come to investigate the woman’s death.

Good luck.”

With that, he resolutely buried himself back into the darkness of the wardrobe as if he did not exist.

Si Qingxuan: “……”

“What astonishing cowardice,” he muttered inwardly.

“He doesn’t even ask what I’m here for?”

[I think, to him, you seem far friendlier than that butler just now.

And you’ve already shown supernatural power by taking his form.

Of course he would magnify his fear.]

One boy hiding in the wardrobe, another identical boy standing beside it staring at him.

The scene itself was eerie enough.

“Am I supposed to worry about his meals too?”

Si Qingxuan asked with a grim expression.

[Depends.

He’s basically like a game NPC.

Whether he needs to eat depends on whether he’s programmed to.]

Si Qingxuan rolled his eyes slightly.

He said toward the wardrobe, “If you’re hungry, knock three times.

I’ll get you something to eat.”

Knock, knock, knock.

Three soft taps answered from inside, indicating he understood.

Si Qingxuan turned and began examining the rest of the room.

It was spacious, with its own bathroom and a small prayer room.

There was a desk and several black bookshelves.

Outside the bedroom window sprawled the clawing black forest and the shimmering lake.

His gaze fell upon the clocks that had chimed earlier.

The room was silent.

All the clock hands had stopped, frozen at twelve past midnight.

Si Qingxuan picked up one of the clocks by the bed.

The stagnant hands suddenly spun wildly, blurring, until they pointed at seven thirty.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked at the door.

It was the maid Lucia.

“Young master, the consulting detectives from town have arrived.”

Her voice was softer and weaker than before, like a full yet fragile dandelion stirred by wind.

“Mr. Rudolf requests that you come downstairs, as the master of the castle, to dine with the detectives.”

Si Qingxuan: “……”

He lowered his head to glance at the elegant antique clock in his hand and replied in the impatient tone the young master had used before.

“I’ll be there shortly.”