Victoria's bold leap into the large door led to a spiral staircase made of stone. |
Victoria demonstrated a beautiful jumping kick motion called 'Jumping Lucy Kick', but the intelligent and industrial Yoshino opened the door manually, sending her headlong into the darkness. She seems to have managed to survive thanks to her physical strength and athletic ability. |
![Story Victoria.png](/images/c/c8/Story_Victoria.png) Victoria |
"I took the plunge quite boldly, but fortunately I only suffered minor injuries. It seems my daily training has paid off." |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"Non non, that's no minor injury! Your head is bleeding!! Here, hold still while I heal you..." |
![Story Victoria.png](/images/c/c8/Story_Victoria.png) Victoria |
"There is no problem. Head wounds can look a bit exaggerated as they bleed easily." |
![Story Victoria.png](/images/c/c8/Story_Victoria.png) Victoria |
"My arms and legs are still functional. They are fit for duty." |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"Of course not! You can't fool my eyes, they're full of fresh wounds." |
![Story Victoria.png](/images/c/c8/Story_Victoria.png) Victoria |
"There's no end to the treatment for wounds of this magnitude. Please save your healing kit and magic for Lady Paddington." |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"I'll be fine. I didn't use this much magic." |
![Story Yoshino.png](/images/b/bd/Story_Yoshino.png) Yoshino |
"Ooooh- An assault gorilla and a magic gorilla are contesting for power." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"It's strange... how high this is. You suddenly plunge out into the dark and then you rolled down this far?" |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"She's something else, the maid of the Elrond House..." |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"No, don't think too seriously." |
![Story Victoria.png](/images/c/c8/Story_Victoria.png) Victoria |
"Dear Conductor, may I make a suggestion, Sir?" |
Conductor |
From what I've seen so far, I'm not very hopeful about your suggestion, but, whatever, just say it. |
![Story Victoria.png](/images/c/c8/Story_Victoria.png) Victoria |
"Strange voices are heard from below this stone tower. Why don't we start our investigation at the bottom, instead of heading upwards?" |
![Story Versailles.png](/images/b/be/Story_Versailles.png) Versailles |
"Voices, you mean...?" |
![Story Queensway.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Queensway.png) Queensway |
"Did you hear them, Miss Versailles?" |
![Story Versailles.png](/images/b/be/Story_Versailles.png) Versailles |
"No, I don't. Do you hear anything, Conductor?" |
Conductor |
I don't hear any voices, but... I can certainly feel the presence of people from below. Is it a human presence, or is it more like magic? |
![Story Yoshino.png](/images/b/bd/Story_Yoshino.png) Yoshino |
"Or a grudge." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"Okaaaaaaaay! Please refrain from making occult jokes or anything that might interfere with the strategy meeeeeeeting!" |
![Story Yoshino.png](/images/b/bd/Story_Yoshino.png) Yoshino |
"Reaction just as Yoshino wanted. This mission is full of the kind of stuff Yakky-tan doesn't like." |
![Story Versailles.png](/images/b/be/Story_Versailles.png) Versailles |
"If the Hole we just entered is on the ground floor, then beyond this point is the basement." |
![Story Queensway.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Queensway.png) Queensway |
"It's a bit of an unusual structure for a castle, isn't it? It's more like a fortress than a castle." |
![Story Victoria.png](/images/c/c8/Story_Victoria.png) Victoria |
"There are important secrets hidden below castles and mansions. You might find an armoury, a torture chamber or some other special room." |
![Story Victoria.png](/images/c/c8/Story_Victoria.png) Victoria |
"Incidentally, in the basement of Elrond's house is the private love nest of Lady Paddington and myself." |
![Story Queensway.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Queensway.png) Queensway |
'Whaaaaaat!? Love nest!? The Elrond House have those!?" |
![Story Yoshino.png](/images/b/bd/Story_Yoshino.png) Yoshino |
"Queensway, what is a love nest?" |
![Story Queensway.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Queensway.png) Queensway |
"W-Well, a love nest is a place called..." |
![Story Queensway.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Queensway.png) Queensway |
"Y-You'll have to ask Miss Yakutsk about that!" |
![Story Yoshino.png](/images/b/bd/Story_Yoshino.png) Yoshino |
"You're too young, too naïve to be a louse yet." (Original: Yoshino said おさまはアブですなぁ, "Lady (Queensway) is a real abu" アブ: horse-fly.) |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"You meant 'spouse', not 'louse', a 'louse' is an insect." (Putra corrected her and said アブじゃなくて『ウブ』ね。虫だよアブは, "Ubu, not abu. Abu is an insect." ウブ: innocent.) |
![Story Versailles.png](/images/b/be/Story_Versailles.png) Versailles |
'I don't know if there is a love nest here, but as Victoria said, there is something in the basement of this stone tower. Maybe the reason the door's magical in nature was to hide whatever's here." |
![Story Versailles.png](/images/b/be/Story_Versailles.png) Versailles |
"And I don't think the 'voice' Victoria heard is something that can be overlooked. I think we need to be sure, even if it's a trap." |
Conductor |
Then, as Victoria suggested. Let's check underground first. |
Conductor |
It is quite dark, so be careful where you step. Also, make sure we have a clear exit route in case of Phantom Mist inside the stone tower. |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"Hey, if we look carefully, there's candle stands on the wall. Why don't we just light them here? Let's give it a go Yoshino." |
![Story Yoshino.png](/images/b/bd/Story_Yoshino.png) Yoshino |
"It's up to Yoshino, the ignition woman. Yoshino'll show you the Nishiki special fox fire." |
![Story Yoshino.png](/images/b/bd/Story_Yoshino.png) Yoshino |
"Let us light the candles, here and there~♪" |
Yoshino uses her magic to light the candlestick on the wall. Usually this should be able to light the candle... |
![Story Yoshino.png](/images/b/bd/Story_Yoshino.png) Yoshino |
"A-re?" |
![Story Yoshino.png](/images/b/bd/Story_Yoshino.png) Yoshino |
"It went out. Wasn't there enough fire power?" |
![Story Victoria.png](/images/c/c8/Story_Victoria.png) Victoria |
"Why don't you try imagining it exploding instead of igniting?" |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"Hold up, don't teach our Yoshino such dangerous things." |
![Story Versailles.png](/images/b/be/Story_Versailles.png) Versailles |
"It's better not to use very potent magic or sorcery. The candlestick showed no reaction at all to Yoshino's fire. Perhaps this candlestick is also enchanted to be immune to magic and sorcery." |
Conductor |
Meaning we have to proceed in the dark. We have no choice, let's go down the stairs with only the light we have. Vivienne and Yoshino, prepare enough lights for all of us. |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"About that, Conductor..." |
Conductor |
What's wrong? Is there a problem? |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"Oui, how do I put this... I put these lights on with my magic and... they're nearly going out." |
![Story Victoria.png](/images/c/c8/Story_Victoria.png) Victoria |
"That's why I told you to conserve your magic power. You shouldn't have used your my magic to stop the bleeding in my head and..." |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"It's not like that. I can use magic. But I just can't keep this light on." |
![Story Yoshino.png](/images/b/bd/Story_Yoshino.png) Yoshino |
"It's the same with Yoshino. The fires Yoshino can cast doesn't go out in the rain, but it's getting smaller and smaller." |
While this was going on, the light from the light fixtures that Vivienne and Yoshino were holding got smaller and smaller until it went out completely. |
![Story Queensway.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Queensway.png) Queensway |
"It's getting all dark now, isn't it?" |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"This makes us have to think a bit about whether we want to go on or not." |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"It's still scary in the dark, isn't it?" |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"No, it's not that, it's just that we don't want to encounter any magic-repelling contraptions. There's Mist in this castle too, so it would be a problem if we couldn't use magic in case of emergency, wouldn't it?" |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"That doesn't seem to be a problem. It seems like we can use magic for everything except lighting things up. See? Victoria's bleeding has finally stopped." |
![Story Yoshino.png](/images/b/bd/Story_Yoshino.png) Yoshino |
"So, if we just put up with the darkness, we should be able to get by. What do you think, Yakutsk-san? Are you ready?" |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"W-What!? Of course I can go. As long as you can cast magic, that's all that matters. Not that I'm afraid or anything!" |
??? |
-That's great. You're not afraid of me, are you? |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"Woooooooooah!" |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"!!□ーー×▲×ーー□!!" |
![Story Yoshino.png](/images/b/bd/Story_Yoshino.png) Yoshino |
"Ooooh- Yakky-tan's falling down the stairs." |
![Story Queensway.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Queensway.png) Queensway |
"But more importantly, did you hear that? Did you hear a woman's voice coming from underground?" |
![Story Versailles.png](/images/b/be/Story_Versailles.png) Versailles |
"I heard it! 'You're not afraid of me, are you?'" |
![Story Victoria.png](/images/c/c8/Story_Victoria.png) Victoria |
"That's the first voice I heard too. I knew there was something underground." |
??? |
- Please come this way. Release me and I will light the lamp for you." |
??? |
Come on, down the stairs to the basement. |
![Story Queensway.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Queensway.png) Queensway |
"I suppose we'll have to go." |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"Right. We have to pick up the fallen Yakky." |
![Story Versailles.png](/images/b/be/Story_Versailles.png) Versailles |
"This is most likely a trap... Could the demon that controls the lights be waiting for us...?" |
![Story Versailles.png](/images/b/be/Story_Versailles.png) Versailles |
"If only Miyako were here at a time like this..." |