Elaine and Desmond had wasted little time leaving the basement as soon as the mystery man had appeared to be out of earshot. While they could have taken him on easily if they had to, being two against one, they still had to find more things and just staying here wasn't going to do anything for them. They went in the direction the man had come from and son found a door that led out of the basement that had been left open.
Though stepping through it and ascending a flight of stairs (he length of which had to suggest they were back on the ground floor), they just ended up in what looked like a secret hallway of sort. It was an assumption, true. But the lack of décor gave good reason to believe so. That and it smelled a bit stuffier here than anywhere else they had been so far. But they tried to keep their guard up. Just in case the mystery man returned or they ran into another person.
The belief that it was a secret passage seemed confirmed when they passed a series of two-way mirrors. Mirrors that gave viewing access into the ballroom.
"Ah, I think we can assume for the moment that this is where our strange acquaintance spotted us," Desmond remarked. "Or at least, he was somewhere in here when the trap door gave away."
"Then the switch could be somewhere in 'ere," Elaine said as she looked down the hallway, looking for anything that could be a possible switch. "Would it be worth looking for?"
"It could have been, but I'm not sure if it would be too advisable yet. The man who passed us might believe we're still in the basement, and if by some chance he saw the floor open, well… I'd rather keep this small advantage we have currently."
"Then we keep on moving and see where this 'allway leads then?" Elaine didn't even wait for an answer and just walked on. Desmond gave a small chuckle and joined her.
"But of course."
"Do you think that man we saw should be considered a threat?"
"… Until we learn more, I would be rather hesitant about him."
They walked on, and on. The two-way mirrors were long gone by the time they arrived to an exit at last, and arrived in a dusty library. It was definitely bigger than Desmond's, and the collection was bigger than the library back in Schlafwald. Row and rows of dark grey wood, with the only colour being the various colours of the book covers that filled those shelves. Around the middle of the room, there was a stone fireplace against the wall with some worn armchairs around it. And after every few shelves or so, a desk with two or three chairs could be seen.
"I think we found a good place to look," Elaine commented, looking back to the doorway to the secret hall. A book shelf with at least one fake book if the brunette had to guess.
"I'm not sure," Desmond doubted as he took one book down and flicked through the pages. "I think most of these books are written in German, and there's only so much I can truly understand."
"That doesn't mean we can't try to find something that might be useful. Maybe there could be a collection of family journals 'ere."
"I… I suppose that's a possible scenario," Desmond conceded. "We'll look around the bookshelves, and if we find anything that looks useful, we'll look through it." Desmond looked back towards the secret door. "But we should be quick as we can. He might think we're still in the basement, but we can't say for certain how long that will take. I know there's more to it then what we went through."
As Desmond had suspected, nearly all the books they looked over were in German, with few being in English and even those ones were of little use to them. Going further and further through the library, they found nothing as of yet that would be of any good use.
But they still continued their search though. Moving quick as they could since they only had so much time. It was around the other side of the library though when they found some different kinds of books. Smaller and mostly in shades of black and brown. After Desmond took one out and skimmed through it, he said,
"It appears you were right. There are journals here. Handwritten." He put the journal back and looked through a few others before sticking with one that appeared to be the right one. "This one is by Briar Freiebend. It should prove an enlightening read."
"Maybe we should read it outside this room," Elaine suggested as she looked around the bookshelf corner. "That man could be back any moment."
"Yes, you're right," Desmond agreed, moving around in the direction of another set of doors. "We'll leave and find a more secluded spot that should be safe enough to look through this carefully without interruption. We'll move one afterwards and see if we can find a way to those lights in the ballroom."
They entered another hallway, and ascended up a stair consisting of a few steps. They passed the first few rooms without looking at them. They felt a bit too obvious to look inside. However, after a little walking they came stopped at one door and looked inside. It looked like a guest bedroom. It looked as though it could have been a cosy place at one point, but now it just seemed like it would be very depressing to sleep here.
"This should do, I think," said Desmond as they stepped inside. "We can rest here while reading this journal over."
"Best get started on it then," Elaine said before dropping herself on the bed. It felt a bit squishy for her, but it would do.
"Let me see what I can find then." Desmond sat next to her and began flicking through the pages. Scanning for anything he could understand and find useful. "… I think I have something."
'I met Count Leopold Fuerst today. I can't say I'm too fond of him. I've seen him flirt with one or two of the maids (none of which returned his idiotic gestures), and I have yet to see him pay a genuine and unique compliment to sweet Rosaline.
'But father won't listen to me. I doubt he would really care just as long as this marriage produced an heir. One that is apparently needed since I'm deemed 'unfit' by father due to my weak stomach. Too proud to have a sickly son become Family Head, seems to be more appropriate.
'With poor mother dead, father not willing to listen and being unable to break this news to my sister without evidence, I can only hope Fuerst will have cleaned up his act by then. While I may have caught the man, he can be a lot more discrete when he wants to be. Hopefully before I have to go and join my fellow soldiers.'
"Certainly a cheerful entry to begin with," Elaine mumbled as Desmond flicked through another page or two before finding another one.
'I wasn't too surprised this year that father got lesser gifts for me then Rosaline. It's the same every year. But still. Rosaline's smile as she thanked me for getting her that music box warmed my heart immensely.
'I was also happy with Rosaline's gift in return. An expensive copy of poetry. She's always known me best. After all, out of all the people in this miserable world, she is perhaps my best and only friend.'
"They were certainly close," Desmond remarked as he flicked through the pages again and again. Going back and forth between older and newer entries. "I think it might be safe to say Briar never harmed Rosaline."
"What about Leopold though?" Elaine questioned.
"We'll just have to try and read on to see what we find."
'Things have changed since I returned home from the war. I didn't bother going through Schlafwald, I just went around it and straight home then. I was met with the pleasantness of my sister in the garden. A wonderful sight to behold after being away for so long.
'Though, she looked so sad. Apparently there's a series of poisoning going on in town. Lately, people are starting to wonder if the woman our grandfather removed from this area really was a witch, and if this is her doing. Rosaline insisted I don't make my presence known. For the time being at least. I'm currently staying in my own bedroom. Rosaline brings me food herself, and at night we are able to talk in peace. Act as though we are children again.
'The marriage is miserable, as I suspected. Fuerst has been seen bringing one or two women here at night. Either poor, charmed ladies or nightwalkers, I don't care. Fuerst has no true care for Rosaline.
'I hope he's poisoned next.'
"Very vindictive," Elaine mused before Desmond moved onto an older entry. From Briar's childhood by the sounds of it.
'Our dog, Sebastian, died today. Old age according to our nanny.
'I actually cried a little since Sebastian was one of my friends of two. The other being Rosaline.
'Rosaline was upset two, but suggested we could hold a small funeral for our poor, black doggy. Even if no one else outside of us cares for dogs, we care enough for ours.
'We found a nice place in the woods. The place we used to play Sleeping Beauty and the Prince when we were a little younger. We dug a nice, big hole. Placed Sebastian inside and after covering him up in dirt, we placed a few flowers on him.
'Mother looked ill when we returned. But I'm sure she will be fine.
"She died of influenza, didn't she?" Desmond asked, recalling that information from not too long ago as he moved back forward in the journal.
"I think so."
'He's actually dead. Five months since I've been here in secret, and he's finally been killed off.
'The annoying little Count who held no proper respect for my wonderful sister is finally dead. As he deserves. Even Rosaline seems cheerful. At least she was when she told me. I stayed in my room during the wake and funeral. I have no respect to give. Rosaline went only because she was the widow.
'I'm happy he's gone.'
"I suppose you can't blame him," Desmond mumbled. He frowned then. "Odd. There's a huge leap after this. Between that last entry and this last one entirely, it's a bit of a big jump in time."
"'Ow big?"
"Sometime around when Rosaline should have died."
'While there is no curse, that supposed witch did get her revenge when you think about it.
'I just have to make sure no one ever finds out how it happened. This poisoning. The witch's 'gift'. Even if it were to end up with me taking the blame, I would do it. Even take up dirtying my soul if I had to.
'I blame father. And Fuerst. I hope they are suffering. As they should. My sister was perfect. Happy. Free. And now her spirits are nearly dead. Dreams of a perfect marriage ruined, stained and contaminated.
'No one knows I'm here still. I think until further notice, it will stay like that. I shall be a ghost here, and will have to hope Rosaline will visit soon. Maybe we could play Sleeping Beauty and her Prince one more time.
'For old times sake.'