>>5896694“…Is now really the time for a nap?” Anemone chides you. Stepping inside, she closes the door behind her. Your room was exactly as you remembered it the last time you were here. There were no signs of dust, suggesting that even though it hadn’t been occupied for several years, it was still routinely cleaned. As if you might stop by any day and reclaim it.
You open one of the drawers in your wardrobe. It was full of clothes, all of which you doubted you fit in anymore. But that wasn’t what you were here for. Reaching underneath several of the dresses inside, you retrieve an item you’d accidentally left behind before you journeyed for the Officer’s Academy.
>Obtained Elixir x1“This place seems deserted.” You say, examining the contents of the bottle. Good thing these didn’t expire. “Even with the war, I’d expect some of the castle staff to have stayed behind. And yet someone is still clearly cleaning up the place. Are we the only ones here?”
“…No.” Anemone says, toying with the quilt on your bed. “There are others. But they’re doing a good job of staying out of sight.”
>“That thing you sensed earlier. Is it still here?”“I can feel it worse than ever, though I still can’t tell what it is. You should know that Eulalia finished her work on that ‘thing’. It lies in the hands of your ballistician. Should our worst fears come to pass, pray that he is a good shot.”
“Good.” You sigh, pocketing the Elixir. “Let’s introduce you to dad then.”
Exiting the room, you make your way down the steps and into the lowest level of Castle Rusalka. The cellar was a strange place for a count to make his office in, but you supposed Charles was a man that valued his privacy. You pass by the dungeons, which were currently empty and held no prisoners. Despite what Anemone had suggested earlier, you were still unable to sense any sign of life within these walls. Going through the wine cellar, and then the castle’s storage area, you find yourself in a tight hallway, with a door at the very end. The study lay just in reach. Every step you take further jostles your nerves, but you do not falter. Grabbing the doorknob, you twist and enter alongside Anemone.
The office was just as you remembered. Books and documents were scattered all over the vast room in a large mess. All the way against the wall was a desk, where a man sat, scribbling over documents. Only when he looked up did you realize it was not whom you expected.
“Hello, Blair.” Minister Hoff says with a smile. “So good to see you again, my dear.”
>“…Hoff. Where is the Count?”“Zanado.” Hoff says with a smile. “Where else would he be? Come, sit, and let us chat like old friends.”
Anemone bristles behind you, whispering sharply into your ears.
“Agarthan!”
>A): It’s a trap. Attack Hoff while you can.>B): Sit and speak with the man.>C): Attempt to leave. 