Editor: Fee5H

I wanted to scream…I wanted to lash out….I wanted to make everyone pay…I wanted them all to suffer…..I wanted it all to end…I wanted you all to feel my pain….I wanted nothing more than to watch you evil monsters writhe in pain…Nothing else will measure up to the suffering I will inflict on you all….

The momentary rage that washed over me faded like the morning sunlight creeping behind a tall mountain. I stared at the mirror, the person staring back wanted nothing more than to shatter it into little tiny pieces; the furrowed scowl, the trembling hands and even the disgruntled expression would have turned anyone into dust from a simple look. Frustration began to build up and I lamented my lack of foresight in estimating the danger ahead of me. I had gotten sloppy and I was going to pay the price for it.

All because of this gaudy collar around my neck.

I fiddled with the metal band. It pressed against my pale neck, stinging me with its cold touch. The digital timer wound down with each slow increment. Every passing second a harrowing reminder that, if I didn't act fast enough, I would certainly face a cruel and speedy demise. My fingers contorted in every which way. They grew numb with each futile effort; my frustration seemed to worsen.

I wanted to wrest it away, snap it in half like a loose twig, but the glaring message left by our captors haunted me like a trailing shadow. I felt around the back and there wasn't any keyhole to lockpick it with. There was no latch to remove it. It was clung tight to my neck, so sliding it off was just a mere fleeting fantasy. Every possible idea I could conjure up would be shot down with each logical counter. It continued to piss me off the more and more I came up with ways it could never work. There was truly no way of escaping this fate.

My eyesight began to blur and my mind started to wander. I was only thinking of one thing in that very moment of insanity.

I craved the deaths of Monolord and Monolady.

I wanted to see their regal little heads roll over on the ugly red carpet. I wished to drive a knife straight through their eye sockets, hear them scream out in agony as the blood dripped down their porcelain ivory skin. Were these thoughts a sign that I needed intense psychological therapy? Or did I need a straitjacket to detain me from marching to the kitchen and putting a sharp object right through their skulls, rules be damned?

"I'm going to fucking kill someone!" I gripped sections of my hair, gnashing my teeth in annoyance. "Aaaagh!" I had the urge to punt someone or something into the fiery sun.

"Haaah….haaah….Deep breaths, Reiko…." I inhaled then exhaled, my heart racing at the speed of light, fearing it might give out any second. "Do not give in to your anger so easily. This is what those overly dressed medieval nutjobs want. They want someone to act upon this motive. And I'd be the sucker giving in to their demands."

I kept dissuading myself from acting upon these psychotic fantasies. It felt like I was losing myself with every passing second. A never ending war within my own mind that saw no ceasefire. I had lost control of myself and I hated that with every fiber of my being. This entire manor was a decadent coffin and I was even more determined not to die within the gilded walls, which was easier said than done. I was surrounded by other people like me, all of whom have had experience with killing games, which meant orchestrating a murder was not going to be so easy to do with everyone already on guard.

"Why am I even arguing over the ethics of this? I have no room to complain." As harsh as that outlook was, I couldn't keep deluding myself into thinking that I didn't have this coming. "Why did I even create that killing game in the first place? What went wrong and why did it ever happen? Why did I...suddenly feel so guilty?"

I gave up the depressing staring contest with my own reflection and plopped back down on my bed. I grabbed the nearest pillow and pressed the silk pillowcase against my face, stifling the loud and cathartic screams to the point I almost suffocated myself. My throat became scratchy, the veins in my head were pulsing slightly and my face felt the heat tingling against it.

"Fussing like a toddler gets you nowhere, Reiko….." I removed the pillow, tossing it to the side of the bed as it hit the headboard. "How the heck do I get out of this…." That was the real question that needed answering.

No matter how many times I tried to rationalize what was going on, I always ended up at the same standstill. I knew that someone would eventually act upon this motive sooner or later, which means I had to be twice as cautious than I normally was. I could stay in, pretend to be sick and request my food be brought to my room until the motive passes. I also realized that, if everyone refused to act on this motive, we'd all wind up dead. The rules pretty much implied that I would answer to Monolord and Monolady if I disobeyed them.

"I swear….once I get this off of me…." I contemplated all the ways I could get payback, gritting my teeth as I rolled around on the soft mattress that tempted me back to the land of sleep.

"Ding dong!"

The doorbell sounded off, making me even more alert than before. I shot up and hopped off the bed, ambling like a crazy woman towards the door. I approached it with a hesitant pace in my step and opened the door just a tad. A shame these doors don't have peepholes, but I suppose that would give away the element of surprise for any opportunistic killer.

"Who is it?" I asked, an air of paranoia hinted in my tone. I kept the door ajar the entire time.

"Good morning, Miss Reiko." To my surprise, a masked maid was at the door, her entire demeanor as prim and proper as ever. "I do hope I am not interrupting anything of importance for you at this moment."

"Hah….that's none of your business." I pretended as if I didn't have a mental breakdown a few seconds ago, altering the twitchy expression on my face. "What the hell do you want?"

The maid did not sway, not aghast at my words, as she simply presented me a white letter envelope. It had a red candle wax seal with gold paint stenciled on the G in the center. There were no theatrics, she just extended the envelope in my direction and I analyzed her with a harsh glare. I slowly opened the door and allowed my arm enough space to swipe it from her.

"Inside this envelope, you will find a rather special announcement held within." Though she was composed, there was a hint of overenthusiasm in her tone, "I was told to hand these out to every single guest here, by our esteemed lord and lady. Please make sure you read its contents thoroughly."

"I see…." I flipped the envelope around to make sure there wasn't anything sketchy on its surface. "Why weren't we sent messages on our Monopads instead? Couldn't Monolord have said this over the intercom or through the TVs? Why go through with this unnecessary formal charade?"

"I am not allowed to question their decision making. You should understand that, Miss Reiko." The maid sounded as if she were reproaching me, like I was her child. "It is tradition that they do this on very special occasions. You should be honored that they went out of their way to do this."

"Okay…..whatever helps you sleep at night." I grimaced at the poor excuse.

"I must be off. I have to deliver these to the others. I do hope your day goes splendidly!" She said that meaning every single word of it.

I would have thought she was being malicious and coy, had it not been for how almost over the moon she was. It still creeped me out how cheerful someone like her could have been despite how gruesome and graphic that butler's death was in the dining hall. I began to question the sanity of the staff working here. First that meek maid going door-to-door quizzing us on random nonsense, the insanely subservient butler who just accepted his fate as if it were just another task on the to-do list, and now this bundle of joy who seems ignorant to everything around her, delivering letters to us like we were just any other regular guest.

"This must be hell….there's no way ifs, ands or buts about it." I frowned, perusing the wax seal and opening it up. "What the heck is this supposed to be?"

Inside the envelope was a neatly-inserted piece of paper that had the same cream white discoloration of an old scroll, with fancy gold-and-black embroidered designs on the edges of the paper. Each word was penned with care, no ink stains or smudges in sight. The cursive handwriting made my eyes hurt from deciphering its alien content from within.

To my honored guest.

I wish to cordially invite you to a special banquet dinner that will be held in the ballroom of this very manor. I know you must be grateful to be granted access to such a distinguished event. You need not return such generosity. It is what any magnanimous host would do, even if you are a dirty sinner who deserves nothing in all honest supposition.

I would consider this your final meal on this earth, should you wish to participate and have not yet acted upon the motive as of penning this invitation. The banquet commences at six tomorrow evening, two days prior to the final day of the motive. Formal wear is compulsory for this event. Attendance is mandatory. Monolady and I do not appreciate tardiness or tawdry excuses.

I do wish you all a pleasant day and hope that you can cogitate over who lives and who dies.

Sincerely signed,
Monolord.

"That smarmy piece of shit…." I analyzed the note once more and crumpled it in my fist, tossing the piece of paper across the room. "First he and his plastic doll wife treat us like we're guests and now they're forcing us to play dress up and attend their stupid, fucking feast."

The sheer audacity was enough to make me laugh in all of the disbelief, the kind of hysterical laugh that would warrant concern from others around me. I decided to give up on isolating myself in my room just to spite them. I should investigate the manor again to see if the others missed an exit the first time around. Why should I have trusted a word any of them said? For all I know, they could have been lying to me about their findings, or worse yet they were in bed with our so-called kidnappers.

With my resolve strengthened, and my mind crippled by questionable sanity, I grabbed my things and left my bedroom. I did glance at the mirror once more, the timer on my neck having shown I spent about a few minutes ranting and raving. It was the nudge that pushed me into action. I made sure I had my Monopad, locked my bedroom door and looked around the empty hallway.

"Now let's see what we've got here…" I pressed the home button and selected the 'Map' prompt. "Well….this is quite large."

The map presented to me the general layout of the first floor and even highlighted the point where I was at with a pixelated avatar of myself. It was very cheesy, but kind of cute. The interface displayed the rooms of the other areas I've already scoped out: the kitchen, dining hall, ballroom to the foyer, and other places of interest. There was a level scroller for different floors, but I was not allowed to scroll past the first floor and the ground floor.

"So it's just like the other games. We have to wait for a murder to happen before we gain access to the other rooms…." It was an annoying mystery cliche, one in which I suddenly empathized with past Killing Game participants over.

I also noticed some rooms that were left unmarked on the map, down some hallways on the ground floor I had not been able to access earlier. From what the map has laid out, the lord and lady's rooms are in the east wing, but I was unable to notice anything else out of the ordinary. A part of me wanted to sneak over there and surprise attack them, but I imagined that my attempt at doing so would be met with fierce retribution from the overly enthusiastic manor staff. I gave up on that brain-numbing idea and walked down the hallway and down a flight of stairs, the effortless pep in my step whisking me away as I ventured onward.

The hallways were the same as ever, though more masked butlers and maids roamed about than usual, probably from Monolord's recent announcement of there being a banquet feast. With most of the staff preoccupied, it would make for the perfect opportunity to scope out the manor even more. Less prying eyes hovering over me. What was even stranger was how efficient and nonchalant they were as I walked by, some of them not even noticing me observing them while they carried on with their menial tasks, as if they weren't afraid, I would find an escape route.

"Nothing good ever comes with this sort of creepy atmosphere," I pondered, still keeping my distance from them every chance I could, "Where is that damn exit?"

I got to the foyer, noticing some staff hustling and bustling to-and-fro with white tablecloths all neatly folded. Some pushed dinner trolleys with immaculate silverware and cutlery jostling as they rolled against the carpet. Masked butlers carried black kintsugi vases while the maids carried the perfectly arranged bouquets of roses alongside them; they moved in pairs like they were couples organizing a date.

"This place is obviously not a good spot to start searching." I evaded the foyer and followed the map down to one of the hallways I had not visited before. "Now what's down this hall?"

As with the rest of the mansion, this hallway was adorned with red carpet, creepy old historical portrait paintings, golden-accented designs, and wooden flourishes with only three doors. It also seemed to connect to the one hallway that led to the ballroom and another set of stairs. I kept this in mind in case I needed a swift exit, should I get trapped with another one of my fellow mass-murdering captees.

I opened the first door to the left and was surprised to see a very large laundry room inside. There were about ten silver-gray washing machines atop ten dryers inside. All were in use; the spin cycles all whirred in unison, with different sets of clothes and colored fabrics churning inside each machine. Three large laundry hamper trolleys were in the corner of the room; one for light colored clothes, another for dark clothes, and the last for colored clothes that could be mixed together. I saw all of our combined dirty clothes arranged in a very particular manner. There appeared to be no windows, though a few tiny air vents near the ceiling allowed for proper air circulation. The room was lit up by modern light fixtures, accented in gold to give it that regal touch, with pressed outfits hung by iron hangers on horizontal wooden poles.

There were a few maids inside the room, but none of them seemed to notice me as they continued their folding and ironing duties. The steam and clean linen scent overwhelmed this room to an abnormal degree. On the auburn wooden shelves were a bunch of items: baskets of neatly stacked, rolled crisp white towels, and glass containers all embossed with dark gold lettering that read the product names. Blue laundry detergents, white fabric softeners, bleach, vinegar, etc. To finalize the decor, a few nondescript, white-framed pictures of random historical landscapes rested on the walls.

I did my quick onceover of the room and didn't pick up on anything else of note. No exit to be found, sadly. I closed the door quietly, so as to not alert the maids inside.

"That room was a dud, but I might circle back later just in case." I let out an exasperated sigh, "Now to che- oof!" My body collided with someone as I tried to make a swift departure.

"A-Ack! H-Hey, w-watch where y-you're going….yo!" That timid sounding tone, the vocal stutter and the attempt to sound more brave than necessary made it painfully obvious who it was. "O-Oh, Reiko….how's it g-"

"Will you keep your voice down!" I covered his mouth with my hand, before retracting it right away afterwards. "Don't sneak up on me, you moron. Are you trying to get us in trouble!?"

The street artist clammed up immediately after I said that.

"That nearly went sideways fast…" I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes, massaging that area. "Whatever….why were you lurking about, Balfour?"

"H-Hey, I uh…." He looked away briefly, scratching his left arm where some of his fake tattoos were, some of the designs showing signs of fading. "I totally w-wasn't doing t-that, brah! I w-was just….looking a-around, yeah t-that's right! Y-Yeah!"

Once again, he is way too meek to be putting on this charade. It's become annoying, and I had just met him about a day ago. Compared to the other former masterminds, Balfour is one of the few who felt like an anomaly to me. Of course, studying the history of past killing games during my school years, it isn't impossible for people like him to be putting on an act of cowardice in a regular scenario, but here it feels like that would get discovered relatively quickly.

I knew it was very premature to deliberate that. Though it was against my better judgment, getting to know my fellow captees better would help to assess their risk levels should they prove to become a threat later on. The street artist, on the other hand, looked about ready to keel over if a light breeze passed in his direction.

"I will say this, Balfour, you're not doing yourself any favors acting tough like that." I felt no need to play around with his delusions, so I said what was on my mind. "You and I both know the others would eat someone like you alive if you aren't careful. You're lucky I could give less of a shit."

"Y-You aren't g-going to t-trick me! T-That p-profiling s-shtick of yours….it's w-wack, man! Like s-s-subterfuge u-used in the great w-w-wars! I know h-how p-people like you uh…..operate!"

"I have no fucking idea what you're mumbling about." I rolled my eyes. There's his false sense of confidence again. "My profiling shtick, as you put it, has actually helped put away a lot of criminals in the past. Ones who may have slipped under the radar but are no longer walking the streets. I don't need the advice of some wannabe hack edgelord spray painter who thinks his tacky murals are going to change the world, let alone convince people that the big bad government is oppressing them."

I had expected him to reproach me for insulting his livelihood, but instead he looked quite despondent for a moment, not really retorting with a witty response. The look in his eyes told a different story; one that was full of sadness, and nostalgia almost, but that could be me overthinking things.

"Great, now I'm the asshole in the situation…" I straightened my posture a little, thinking things over. "How do I get out of this awkward scenario?"

Do I continue chatting with Balfour?

[Yes, it may help to assess him later on.] \ No, you already hurt his feelings, why bother?

I technically wasn't breaking my rule of not befriending the others kidnapped here, by simply getting to know them for character profile assessment purposes. I would consider it very strategic for anyone in my position. Others would say I'm splitting hairs, but in my line of work, fielding my fellow captees would potentially benefit me in a future life-or-death outcome.

I remember they used to do this very thing when I was orchestrating my own killing game. I was not doing it for some droll reason as friendship or camaraderie. It was strictly for my own survival in ascertaining who was the biggest threat in games like this, and I would not leave any stone unturned if someone like him turned out to be some secret psychotic killer putting on the world's best performance.

"Walk with me, Balfour. You might prove yourself useful." I sighed, getting a bit of a head start.

"Huh? O-Oh okay! I'll uh…b-be here for y-you, yo!" He tried to strike another dorky pose. I was instantly beginning to regret my decision to have him accompany me already. "Allow me t-to l-lead the c-charge...uh…if you d-don't mind, t-that is…"

The street artist and I both ambled along until we came across another door on the opposite side of the hallway to the laundry room door. I allowed him to go first, knowing that if this room was booby trapped, he would probably be dumb enough to go through to prove himself or something to me. Springing a trap would have removed him from the equation.

When Balfour opened the door, we were greeted by a very beautiful parlor room. I remember reading that these kinds of rooms were used for entertaining guests when they would need a place to get away from the large crowds, like a rest area. It was more than opulent, it only added to the manor's extravagant decor and apropos of historical themes.

Again, there was a lot of golden-accented trim along the walls and ceiling of the tacky dark beige wallpaper and column pillars. The soft dark red carpet and old historical paintings also decorated the walls. There was a small mahogany wooden table smack in the center, surrounded by two black and white fainting couches on opposite ends. A black kintsugi vase with red roses sat on the table's center, under a white doily. A small glass chandelier illuminated the room with a sparkling glow. A brown grandfather clock ticked away. A small fireplace marked the right side.

The most notable and stunning detail was one large glass window that showcased an open small garden, with a stone pathway encircling the well trimmed large flower plant in the center. There also appeared to be one entrance to this small open-air section on another side, but that was not accessible from our current position.

To no one's surprise, the room was not booby trapped.

"T-There d-doesn't seem to b-be anything umm….important in h-h-here…." Balfour mumbled, fidgeting with his fingers. He moved over to observe one of the paintings. "T-That's cool…."

It depicted a pale and demure young woman wrapped in a golden and black cloth that thankfully covered most of her body. The figure was picking off vibrant, blood-red apples from a withered black tree while posing in a very relaxed way on a marble slab. Specks of bloody red entrails sprout up from the exposed roots of the seemingly dead tree. A long, dark green snake coiled around the base of the slab table, its mouth agape as if waiting to strike at the woman should she reach any closer to the bountiful fruit.

This painting was not very important to me, but to the street artist, it was as if he was transfixed by the painting's mysterious allure. I had expected him to make some ludicrous comment about the macabre artwork. He said nothing instead, only observing it with a rather keen eye akin to an art appraiser. I could use this moment to gauge him.

Reiko: I see the artist in you has already taken note of this considerably gaudy-looking painting.

Balfour: H-Huh? O-Oh….you uh….you s-saw it t-too….

Reiko: It's the most striking piece amongst all the other pictures in this stuffy room. I don't know what to make of it myself. I've never been one for the arts.

Balfour: R-Really? T-That's kinda sad…..t-there's so much t-to be said a-about this one piece! L-Look at the w-way the a-a-artist signed it! T-That is definitely his s-signature.

Reiko: Are you referring to the little golden cursive lettering in the bottom right corner? I didn't see that. What about this painting is so significant?

Balfour: W-What's there n-not to say! It's r-rumored to have b-been the only o-one of its kind! The artist died uh…..centuries ago…H-How did Monolord even a-acquire it?

Reiko: Considering that he looks to be about a few centuries too old, I would not be surprised if he bought this very piece from an art auction during the time when the painter was still alive.

Balfour: H-Haha….I uh…I heard the p-painter was commissioned to p-paint it around the sixteenth c-century! I don't r-recall his name….b-but uh….he was tasked by a w-wealthy n-nobleman to c-create this portrait in m-memory of his l-late wife after she p-p-perished in his arms. I think he-

Reiko: Look I don't give a single fuck about some ancient old fart and his twisted fetish. You're better off giving the creepy history lessons to someone else who cares, Balfour.

Balfour: Y-You don't understand y-yo! Ummm….this is a priceless h-historical p-piece worth about…..oh…with i-inflation maybe….it's almost w-worth millions of dollars even! T-That's insane.

Reiko: Well shit, seems to me Monolord is someone of extreme accrued wealth if he's able to afford this grim painting. I also didn't expect you to be such a history buff, or at the very least knowledgeable about this painting's origins. Does this by chance have to do with your work as a revolutionary street artist?

Balfour: H-Huh? Y-Yeah….you c-could uh….say that.

Reiko: I figured as much….though I'm not the least bit surprised.

Balfour Decima's Profile Card: 1/5

Note: He may be a coward pretending to be brave in front of others, but he seems knowledgeable regarding matters of art history and the importance behind each artwork. This fits with my initial analysis of him. His threat level is low, but I'm not counting him out just yet.

I pulled out my notebook from my tote bag and began jotting down my preliminary notes regarding the rooms I've searched so far. I also dedicated another section of my findings regarding the other participants of the killing game. I had to know who I was stuck with, and this was my only means of interacting with them that didn't involve tailing them like some stalker.

Then again, all of us here aren't exactly blameless, so a petty crime like that would be small potatoes and I think confronting some of them directly would lead to less hostile conversations in the near future. I couldn't get sloppy because I had an easier time with Balfour. I still had to keep my wits about me.

"Are you done gawking at that strange painting?" I closed my notebook and placed it inside my bag, watching the mesmerized street artist. "Do you plan on continuing to pretend to investigate alongside me?"

"F-For now….I might c-come back here l-later…" He glanced back at the ominous painting as he turned to exit. "I w-wish I had m-more time….I could a-analyze these paintings for d-days...but uh t-t-these collars…"

In all of the chaos, I had almost forgotten about the very lethal thing strapped to our necks. The collar itself blended in so well while I was distracted as if I weren't even wearing it to begin with. Whoever Monolord and Monolady were, they were affluent enough to not only purchase such expensive pieces of wall decoration but also have access to the resources necessary to obtain these devices, or at least hire someone to construct them.

I was even more convinced there was someone from the outside giving those two the marching orders. Judging from their reactions earlier at breakfast, regarding the Monopads, they were just as clueless about the technology as anyone who dresses and talks like them would be. Their mysterious benefactor must have some ties to creating weapons, or at least knew someone in that industry.

All the speculation aside, Balfour and I left the room having gained nothing new of note. We must have spent the better part of an hour or so, at least on my end, investigating the parlor room. Having the street artist tag along was a bit annoying, but if there was a deadly trap waiting for us around the corner, he'd make a useful meat shield in that event.

"W-Where should w-we look n-next?" He inched out into the hallways, peering around as if looking for some invisible danger.

"You really need to hover so close to me?" I glared at him but he didn't seem to notice. "Where did all your courage go?"

"D-Don't make fun of m-me, R-Reiko!" His defensiveness kicked into full gear. "I m-mean, uh…..t-there is nothing to b-be scared of….I was j-just making sure the c-coast was clear!"

"If you have to lie to make yourself feel better, then go right ahead…" I said, earning a disgruntled look from him. "For now let's-"

"Get this fucking thing off of me!"

A scream that echoed through the halls of the manor should almost feel right at home, given the location, but it was enough to alert the two of us to an oncoming threat. I would love nothing more than to ignore whatever nonsense was awaiting us were we to approach that scream, but if this commotion were to disrupt my investigation and create some kind of obstacle, it would hinder everything I'm trying to do here. There was one room left to investigate on this end, but it's best saved for another time.

"We better go find out what that noise was." I asserted and walked on ahead, pocketing my notebook and wishing everything around me would just disappear for a few seconds.

"W-Wait….Hold up, yo!" Balfour picked up the pace right behind as we both left the hallway.

To no one's surprise, the commotion in question originated from near the ballroom waiting area. The entire situation was a hot mess and I couldn't even begin to describe the lunacy that was in front of my eyes. The doors to the ballroom were all the way open, revealing that the masked servants were already preparing some kind of table arrangement and decoration inside the opulent room, but it was self-evident that the preparations had been delayed due to the situation unfolding before me.

"Don't even think of getting close to me, you overly-dressed slaves!" Tetsuo, in whatever manic episode he was in, was wielding a very sharp and ornate knife. "If you fuckers won't take this thing off of me, I'll just do it myself!"

"M-Master Tetsuo….please, l-let's be reasonable here." A masked butler was cautiously inching closer and closer to the agitated TV producer. "Please remember that there are rules in p-"

"Oh yeah? Well I don't give a flying crap about your goddamn rules!" Though his eyes were hidden by his sunglasses, there was that crazed expression on his face that I knew all too well. "Your incompetent masters think they can tame me? You must be just as delusional as they are."

While this was going on, I also noticed an injured maid nearby on the floor nursing a slash wound on her right shoulder. Two other maids were trying to help her stop the bleeding. Seemed the blonde gremlin broke one of the rules and was going to get punished. If that meant one less annoying person to deal with, I'd be more than happy to witness it.

From the corner of my eye, I could see a clearly distressed Shizuka shaking in the corner watching this from afar, her robe hiding her. Truthfully, I almost missed seeing her there. Lucretius and Serina were also closeby, bearing witness to this scene. The stock broker looked almost too pleased with the display, while the non-ultimate tensed up and kept a good few feet away.

The noises also seemed to attract others as well; Takeru was the first to rush to the scene with his tool belt jangling. He nearly keeled over from running too much. Hyunjung and Mifune also approached; the haunted house maker looked shocked as opposed to the mystery girl who just gave the most stoic concerned expression ever and shuffled about.

"What's going on?!" Takeru was the first to interject. "Woah! How did Tetsuo get that knife?"

"I know the dude was whacked in the head, but damn." Hyunjung looked uneasy, not sure how to respond. "Doesn't this uh…..isn't it against the rules or whatever?"

"I don't really care what happens, but I do find this very amusing." Lucretius smirked, looking on with keen intent like a spectator in a stadium. "Make it interesting, won't you?" This wry comment didn't help assuage the staff members' worries.

"Please stay back, honored guests!" The butler keeping the knife-wielding Tetsuo at bay commanded, his voice very pleading and desperate. "Please drop the knife, Master Tetsuo, otherwise we will have to take drastic measures."

"Like hell you will!" He was becoming more erratic with each passing minute as sweat beaded from his forehead and his grip around the knife tightened. The blade angled directly at his neck. "Don't come any closer, fools! I know you wouldn't want anything bad to happen to one of your precious guests!"

Two more butlers teamed up with the other one in hopes of calming the TV producer down. The situation was very dire but as cruel as it sounded, I didn't really care if he lived or died. Someone like him would only prove to be a nuisance overtime. If anything, he would probably get himself or everyone else into more trouble than it was worth. I could only help but observe the entire time, mentally jotting down notes regarding the flight risk in front of me.

"Tetsuo, would you please not escalate anything further?" Serina apparently didn't get the memo to not reason with crazy. "You would simply be giving in to what our captors desire. It is not worth ending your life to prove something."

"Oh? Are you trying to coax me out of it, princess?" His snarky quip didn't amuse her in the slightest. "Save it for someone who cares, bitch." The knife's blade grew closer to his skin as we all just watched on.

"What is it that you wish for us to do, Master Tetsuo?" A butler asked, clearly anxious about stepping another foot forward. "How can we help you feel less…..encumbered?"

"Hah, now you're seeing things my way. Excellent!" A creepy smile lined his pale face, the knife inching away as his head tilted slightly. "I have a proposal that you won't and cannot refuse. I demand to speak to your bosses directly, specifically the one in charge of this lamebrain game! Anything less than that and….well, you know what will happen."

"You know what, this is becoming rather tedious," Lucretius yawned aloud. "Wake me up when one of them is dead, won't you?"

"No one is dying today." Takeru said with a firm tone in his voice. It felt almost alien coming out from his mouth. "Tetsuo, do you really think this is going to work? Hurting yourself like this? I think you need to calm down and we can focus on-."

"I am calm you pudgy, scar-faced gorilla! I want to see them now!" The field mechanic was a bit disheartened upon hearing Tetsuo's remarks, but kept on guard.

This was going about as well as a car crash. I had already noted how unpredictable and volatile he was before this, but I didn't think he would be this bold and stupid. I observed the crowd again, the stalemate growing more and more anxiety-inducing as the seconds passed by in this strange hostage negotiation. In the heat of things, I spotted Mifune trailing around the crowd and approaching the tv producer from behind. She tiptoed, giving the others a verbal signal to keep him talking in the meantime.

I figured this would be the perfect time to ascertain how big of a threat he could potentially be, so I decided to put my profiling skills to good use. If things stalled anymore, it would prove to be a bigger mess than usual, so might as well.

"And to think, you said you were above all of this." I snorted, approaching him with caution as everyone's gaze was directed at me. "I suppose throwing a childish tantrum was your last resort when things didn't go your way?"

"Shut it, you emo loser!" Wow such original and witty insults, haven't heard those before. "I know what you're doing, trying to use your stupid pseudoscience bullshit on me! It won't work!"

"For your information, this "pseudoscience bullshit" has helped the authorities detain and capture a lot of dangerous criminals in the past." The snarky confidence that enveloped me was like an invigorating perfume. "I'm not trying to manipulate you, though it probably isn't that hard to do so."

"Uh…should you not be assuaging his fears instead of worsening them?" Serina raised a good point, but I didn't care. I was just riling him up to keep his attention away from Mifune, who was nearing him.

"I'm sure there's a method to her madness, at least I uh…hope so." Takeru not giving much of a vote of confidence there, but at least he was catching on.

"Look, Tetsuo, I'll be frank with you. You and I both know that pulling a stunt like this will not get their attention in any way, shape, or form." Having to point out the obvious was annoying, but working my way into his psyche could help me loosen his guard a little. "They have cameras around this manor, so they probably caught on to your stunt a long time ago while you were mumbling it to yourself in your bedroom or something."

"So, you and them are conspiring? Is that it!?" He growled, the anger and irritation seeping into each word, "Is this another mind game meant to trick me? Did you somehow utilize the televisions in my room to do so?"

This is why I hate reasoning with crazy people. Of course, I knew from the get-go that trying to make someone as skittish and paranoid as him see reason and nuance was a doomed task from the jump, but it was all just a distraction. As the knife started to draw a small stream of blood above the collar on his neck, that's when things sprung into action.

Before he could fight back, Mifune had managed to restrain the short boy by elbowing him in the back, causing him to drop the knife. He grunted as it clattered to the ground. In swift movements, she grabbed his right arm and held it behind his back, and with the help of a few masked butlers, they were able to wrestle Tetsuo away as he flailed about to fight back.

"You fucking cheating whore!" His angry cries were pitiful, his face turning a slight red color from the embarrassment. "You almost broke my arm! How did you get the drop on me like that!?"

"It wasn't exactly that hard to do…" Mifune said with a blank stare, though her body language suggested she was still a bit frantic. "It was a dual effort, after all."

"I don't need your praise. I figured it would be a hassle if he pulled something dumb like that and got himself killed." I shrugged my shoulders, taking a few steps back.

"Woah, t-that was…extremely clever…" Hyunjung said with an astonished look, "like…something out of a movie I saw once. Kinda cool."

"Huh? Oh, it's already over?" Lucretius had appeared to have zoned out of the altercation, but looked wide awake now, "I knew this was going to be uneventful. I need a drink. My my, is that a bottle of vintage white wine I see?" The stock broker followed after some butlers who were carrying bottles of unmarked drinks to the kitchen area.

"Phew…..I'm glad no one got seriously hurt…" Takeru sighed with relief, before cringing at the sight of the injured maid. "Oh….t-too soon. Sorry."

"I do hope that he does not receive too harsh of a punishment." Serina looked on at the writhing TV producer. "Though his irrational response was exaggerated, I somewhat understand his frustration."

"Seriously? I think he was taking it a bit too far." Hyunjung winced, hands on his hips. "I'm getting out of here. I think I lost my appetite."

After that, everyone in the ballroom entryway started to disperse. The masked staff members carted off the restless TV producer to somewhere down the hall and the other maids helped their fellow injured coworkers to another part of the hallway. Takeru checked up on Shizuka and Balfour when he noticed they were far away from the conflict that just occurred. The paranormal expert was a bit jumpy from being approached by the towering field mechanic, but she calmed down upon seeing the street artist at his side. Serina and Hyunjung continued their conversation about what they witnessed, taking the chance to observe what was going on inside the ballroom. Mifune nodded in my direction and walked off to who knows where, but she wasn't my biggest priority. None of them were.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that the butlers wrestled with Tetsuo and carried him to the last door leading to the room I had meant to investigate but hadn't the time because of what just happened. If this room is what I thought it was, then it might confirm my suspicions of there being some kind of medicine room.

I trailed after the servants and the door was left ajar giving me access to peruse what was inside. As I opened the door, I was glad to know my initial theory was correct, though not in terms of its interior design and aesthetic.

Much like with the other rooms, the walls and ceiling had the same look as everywhere else in the mansion. However, the floors were a smooth polished cream white tile that was freshly clean to a mirror's shine. It was indeed the infirmary, if that is what it could be called. There were about five plain beds that looked a lot more ornate than any hospital bed; each one had gold encrusted headboards, white mattresses, soft pillows and silk blankets with an antique brown nightstand placed next to each one. Luxurious, indeed.

The fusion of modern hospital themes with old gothic decor clashed heavily, but the room's atmosphere and sanitized rubbing alcohol scent didn't take away from its almost quieting feel. Every section was partitioned off by translucent curtains that gave a bit more privacy to each potential patient. Three brown cabinets with glass screens, black handles and golden accents were at the back of the room, above a row of smooth marble countertops with two stainless steel sink basins and cupboards underneath.

Classic ornate wooden trolleys fashioned into medicine carts carrying empty glass syringes, petri dishes, IV bags, scalpels, disinfectant, wrap bandages and a bunch of other miscellaneous medical supplies. There were small square windows in this room, but they weren't as glamorous as the other ones. They only allowed some sunlight along with the modern light fixtures. The only other item that stood out was the golden gramophone, spinning a classic vinyl record of some classical instrumental piano music to elicit a calming melody to help ease patients' worries.

Even the infirmary was classy, a testament to the lavish inordinate wealth of our captors. I could barely afford a first aid kit, let alone whatever kind of five-star treatment Monolord and Monolady were receiving. I had wanted to do a proper search of the new room I found myself in, but my attention had been diverted to the commotion stirring at one of the middle-sectioned beds.

"Master Tetsuo, please control yourself!" One of the butlers struggled to keep a good grasp on the fidgeting gremlin.

"Unhand me this instant, cowards!" I would presume their efforts to quell his agitation were in vain. "I will not let you fools get away with treating me like this! I will ruin all of you!"

As the TV producer wriggled around as two butlers held him, another masked figure appeared from behind one of the curtain partitions. He looked to be a doctor, judging from his white medical coat, dress shirt, black pants, fancy dress shoes, stethoscope around his neck, and blue latex gloves on both of his hands. It was your typical medical professional attire. Much like the chef from this morning, this doctor wore a pale blue mask with the eyes also blacked out. Unlike the chef's mask, this one had bright blue artificial roses near the sides and a head mirror attached at the top, strapped in by a black band around the doctor's head.

"Now this will just take a second to administer." The masked doctor held a metal syringe in his right hand, letting out some liquid from the sharp tip and flicking the base. His voice was pleasant to listen to. "This is to help soothe you so I can give you a proper checkup, Master Tetsuo."

"Fuck off!" Before Tetsuo could say anything else, the doctor rolled up his sleeve and inserted the needle into his elbow after feeling for a vein. "If you think I….I….."

Whatever tranquilizer was able to neutralize him, it must have been ten times the regular dosage because he was starting to relax once it started to kick in. The butlers released their grip from the once fidgety TV producer, who was now a sedated munchkin. A servant covered him with one of the blankets. The entire scenario was something straight out of a thriller novel, and the classical music only added to the creepiness factor.

"Thank you, gentlemen. I will take it from here. Carry on with your regular duties." The masked doctor hovered over his patient, writing something down on a wooden clipboard with a fancy black fountain pen.

The two butlers bowed, taking their leave as instructed. I took advantage of the dormant chaos to make my way into the room, giving it a once over look to find some kind of hidden exit. I honestly had no hope of finding one inside, but I spied one of the available scalpels resting on one of the wooden trolleys and fought with my intrusive thoughts on stealing it for my own protection.

"Ah! You must be Miss Reiko." The masked doctor had spotted me, his ghoulish mask staring into my soul. His eerie cheerful and yet monotone voice sent a small chill up my spine. "Are you here for a routine medical checkup? You are quite punctual, indeed!"

"I uh….not really. I was just curious about what was inside, nothing more. What did you do to him?"

"Oh, you need not worry about him." The doctor's coordinated mannerisms were hypnotic as he attached the clipboard to the front of the bed Tetsuo was resting on. "I simply gave him something to take the edge off, as you would say. I will most likely have to do further psychological evaluations and observe him in the near future, but for now he will be just fine."

Though his words sounded reassuring, everything leading up to it was anything but. I was too preoccupied with the others, I had almost forgotten my main mission of getting out of here. I took this opportunity to search inside the medicine cabinets. If there are any dangerous chemicals, then this room is a gold mine for future killers.

"You know what, I am feeling a bit restless." I rubbed my lower back, feeling a slight pop, but I ignored that reminder of my body's expired warranty. "Mind squeezing me in early, doctor?"

"Forgive my poor manners." He acknowledged his poor upkeep for a moment. "Dr. Tobias Bishop, at your service. Would you mind taking a seat on one of the available beds for me, Miss Reiko?"

"Sure thing…" I obliged his humble request with cautious optimism, my body feeling the soft cushioning easing me in. "I'm only here for a checkup. Please don't think of injecting me with any unknown fluids. I'm not too keen on ending up like him."

"You need not fret. I am just going to do a routine wellness check." He grabbed a brown lumpy looking bag. It clanked on the floor as he approached me. "Would you prefer to have one of the maids check you over instead of me? I would understand if that made you feel uncomfortable."

"I would prefer none of you touch my person in all honesty." I had to dial down the snark; he was the one carrying all the sharp medical tools. "Just look me over and do your usual stuff…..you know, reflexes, temperature, or whatever."

"If you insist." He did not fight me on that. Simply put his stethoscope in his ears and pressed the cold metal on my chest, getting a bit closer. "Now breathe in and out a few times for me." I did as he said, letting out a single breath. "Your heartbeat is normal. Now let me check your temperature."

To spare everyone the tedious details, the general analysis was nothing to write home about. My blood pressure was a bit higher than usual, but given my current situation, a little stress was not out of the ordinary. He also pulled out a small rubber triangle hammer and tested my reflexes. Everything was normal. He did a few more additional tests, like checking my eyesight with a small flashlight that blinded me for a moment, and finally took my temperature.

"You are in near perfect health, Miss Reiko." He backed off and started writing stuff on a different clipboard. "I would advise you to monitor your stress levels. You should not overexert yourself too much."

"Pardon me, Dr. Bishop." There was a tinge of sarcasm in my tone. He must have been oblivious to the bomb collar around my neck. "You seem to not understand what situation I'm in."

"I'm very well aware, Miss Reiko." He rested the clipboard on his side. "You and the other guests need not worry yourselves. You are in good hands, so please relax for the time being before heading off."

Not realizing the irony in his statement, I took him up on his offer and rested my head on one of the soft pillows, letting my body conform to the shape of the cloudy mattress. With the lighting, the music, and the overly sanitized scent in the air, I quickly found myself dozing off for a few minutes or so. Taking a siesta like this was not like me, but the doctor was right. A small nap wouldn't hurt. Thinking over it, that sounded like sentimental last words from the unassuming.

I dreamt of nothing. It was a soothing notion and one I wished I had more of ever since I trodden down this dark path of killing game tomfoolery. It gave me time to digest everything that occurred, and I still felt like I was in a trance. Nothing felt real. I had wondered if I'd ended up in one of those crazy light novel narratives about protagonists entering magical realms and becoming heroes. One thing was for certain. I was no hero in this story.

"Is there a doctor or someone who can help?!" A panicked voice disrupted the peace within the solemn infirmary. "My friend is gravely hurt! Please!"

I arose like a zombie from a coffin, groggy from having my peaceful respite stolen so rudely. Keishi, Kota and Arsenia soon entered my view. The social worker rushed over to the masked doctor carrying the other boy, who had blood running down his neck and staining his white shirt. The escape game creator skipped behind the frantic man still donning that ever-present curious grin on her face, though it was not from ear to ear like usual.

"Please remain calm, Master Keishi." Dr. Bishop remained as cold as stone, approaching the young boy and directing him to one of the beds opposite me. "How did this happen?"

"Care to tell him, Arsenia?" The white-haired man frowned in the redhead's direction.

"I don't know why you keep glaring at me like that, Kei." The glitter imp herself seemed just as carefree and blissfully unaware of her involvement in whatever happened. " Kota and I were just playing around. Things got a little rough and he fell backwards on a sharp edge near the staircase. I promise that it had nothing to do with me!" She put a hand over her heart, but the look on the social worker's face said he didn't believe her. "A shame the collar didn't break off…"

"Don't be mad at Seni, Keshy…" Kota looked about ready to pass out from the shock of things. "Our game of hide and seek was super fun! Hahaha….oww."

"Nevermind that. Can you help him, doctor?" From what I saw, I felt an almost animalistic parental rage emanating from Keishi. Barely contained, close to breaking free.

"You can rest assured, he is in good hands." The doctor disposed of his used latex gloves for a pair of new ones. "Please wait outside. I will take care of Master Kota."

Keishi nodded. His concern didn't wash away that easily, but he conceded and left the room. Arsenia shrugged her shoulders and waved to Kota. Then she smiled mischievously as she did before upon noticing me, but was thankfully shooed out of the room by the doctor.

"That was….wild." I was a bit baffled by how fast things went, but it had nothing to do with me. "Oh right….time to see what's in those medicine cabinets."

I waited for a few minutes for the masked doctor to give the children's party planner his checkup. He disinfected his nasty cut, stopped the bleeding, and bandaged it to the best of his ability. The young boy was taking a nap, as per Dr. Bishop's orders. Once he left, I scoped out the supplies.

I tossed aside the blankets and tiptoed to the medicine cabinets, opening them just enough to where I could get a good glimpse of each one. The one on the left was full of medicine bottles for different ailments; all of which could be taken orally, topically, or through needless. The one in the middle had extra glove boxes, surgical masks, band aids, regular household cleaners, sponges, and brushes. Just basic cleaning and hospital supplies.

The one on the right caught my interest the most. It was full of unmarked bottles and poisons. Each one didn't have a discernible title, but were simply marked with letters, like "Poison X" and "Antidote G". Logic told me the bottles on the lower shelf had poisons, while the top shelf carried antidotes.

I pulled out my notebook and jotted down this important detail, making note of each poison and antidote. I even copied a small chart plastered on the inside of the cabinet door, detailing which antidote was necessary to counter each poison, even if it was overly complicated to understand.

"Ugh…..w-what?" A grumpy voice mumbled out from behind me. "Where am I?"

I turned around to see Tetsuo arising from his brief sedative induced slumber. From the looks of him, he wasn't one hundred percent. I wasn't sure if he was even fully sane enough to be considered that, but that's beside the point. He looked disheveled and sluggish, probably still feeling the aftereffects of the unknown sedative he was given. He was a lot less twitchy, so he was more susceptible to suggestions…

Do I use this time to talk with Tetsuo?

[Now is a better time than any to do so.] \ Best to avoid him, he might attack me in this state.

With Tetsuo a bit more docile than he was earlier, he would be more receptive to humoring me in this pseudo interrogation. It felt unethical to question someone when they were under the influence, but I much preferred him in this state than how he acted prior.

Tetsuo: How d-did I get here? Why am I so sleepy….

Reiko: You strained yourself too much to the point of exhaustion, I'm afraid. The doctor thought you needed time to rest up.

Tetsuo: Huh? Oh, it's you! W-Why are you lurking about like some weirdo freak….is this your way of getting me to submit?

Reiko: Submit to what? I can say for certain that I have no idea what you're babbling about, Tetsuo. You were the one who started lunging at people with a knife, not me.

Tetsuo: I'm sure you….or the fuckwits in charge of this place had something to do with it. You must have manipulated the screens to put me in some kind of mind trance. Yeah, t-that's it.

Reiko: You seem to have a clear and obvious disdain for televisions, and just about any screen for that matter. Doesn't your talent suggest you work in that business to begin with? Why are you acting so jumpy over a blank screen?

Tetsuo: Tch! A simpleton like you clearly doesn't understand the influence television can have on people. The Maeda Group owns lots of networks around Japan….Why am I even telling you this? You're u-using your pseudoscience nonsense on me again!

Reiko: I swear to god, I need to get a different profession….for the last time, I'm not mind fucking you. I'm also very aware of how TV can be a great factor in how the public behaves, especially with heavily biased news sources.

Tetsuo: Heh…..you're too smart for your own good. I don't trust 'em. I refuse to even stare into them. It's all about power. Control what gets put on the screen, and you control the people. They become mindless sheep who can bend and break to your will.

Reiko: You sound just like every other conspiracy theorist out there. A lot of people may be that dense, but I've stopped caring about who says what. I only trust my own intuition and form my own opinions after condensing information from multiple news sites.

Tetsuo: You must think yourself so much better than everyone else, huh? You just don't understand manipulation and how it can be weaponized in such mundane fashion. Everyone is just a puppet waiting to be tethered to strings by a willing master.

Reiko: So in short, you are just like the people you look down upon so much. You fear what a plastic television screen has to say that you actively choose to live in ignorance out of some paranoid harebrained thinking lacking any logical foundation…..I'm not surprised in the least.

Tetsuo: Well I'm not s-saying much more…..you can go suck my dick, bitch.

Reiko: I'm good, thanks. Now be a good little boy and go back to sleep before the doctor spanks your butt for not being a well-behaved little patient.

Tetsuo Maeda's Profile Card: 1/5

Note: His irritability and smug attitude may be a result of a narcissistic ego due to being associated with the Maeda Group, probably his family's company. Despite this, he has this irrational fear that televisions have mind controlling capabilities which explains his fear surrounding them. His threat level is at a solid medium, but it can fluctuate drastically.

Once I had finished jotting down more notes, the TV producer rested back in bed and flipped me two middle fingers. He hid them away the moment the doctor came back in, looking more refreshed than before. He seemed bewildered by us staring at each other awkwardly.

"I hope I was not interrupting something." Dr. Bishop's tone of voice suggested he was smiling behind the gaudy mask. "You seem to be in better spirits, Miss Reiko. Do you require anything else before you depart?"

"Nope, I've just about had my fill of this suffocating place." I meant that with every fiber of my being. "I appreciate the help, doctor, but I probably won't be needing your aid anytime soon. Oh, and….do be mindful of him." I whispered in his ear and indicated to Tetsuo. "He seems to be reacting a bit weirdly to your sedative, so best to keep an eye on him for now. He might be a flight risk."

"Thank you for your input." He fixed his doctor's coat. "I will proceed from here. Do not hesitate to return should you change your mind. The staff and I are always here to help."

"I seriously doubt it…." I escaped the infirmary before he could hear me say that.

I felt both rested and weary after the morning I had. I really had no idea of what time it was, since I didn't bother to check, but it felt like it was later in the afternoon. More and more servants hustled to get the banquet in order. I took another gander at my surroundings, making sure there were no surprises awaiting me around the corner, then headed down the hall past the ballroom entrance.

I did not have time to waste, nor did I have the patience to mess around. The timer around my neck kept reminding me I was minutes away from meeting a cruel demise. I would do anything to halt that progress. I needed to escape this manor at all costs.

I am not dying here.

A/N: Hi everyone! I hope all of you are doing well and, if this update comes out in time, Happy Halloween! I hope I didn't keep you all waiting for too long, I apologize for that.

I wish to say first and foremost, it was not my intention to disappear for two months and leave you all wondering what happened next since the last motive was revealed. The truth is that August, September, and by proxy October were not the best months for me mentally and physically. A lot has happened and my mind was too overwhelmed to focus on anything at the time. On top of that I also had the flu and COVID, so yeah, that's not a fun combination to have.

Aside from the mental breakdowns and catching up on university coursework, I hope to make it up to you all with this chapter and the first set of FTEs for the story.

It took me a good long while to create a way for Reiko to organically interact with people she vowed to never befriend, and I wanted to showcase how unique I could make these interactions if I thought about it a little. Her talent allows her to observe people in a different light compared to other protagonists and I hope that is translated in this chapter. I also hope that you found Balfour and Tetsuo's events as interesting as I found them fun to write. To their creators, please let me know if there is something you wish for me to adjust or keep. I hope you guys enjoyed that. It's comical how many funny scenarios you can put these characters in, despite the morbidity of their situation. It's the kind of story I love to read about.

As for the rest of chapter one, it will come soon. I plan to have two more FTEs happen and then eventually the first body discovery will drop after that. This story won't have a slow progression, compared to other ones, and given how different this cast is compared to others, it's been so much fun brainstorming it with my friends. I want to especially shout out to my amazing friend and editor, Fee5H. He is such a delight to work with. Without him, these chapters wouldn't be as well written or well thought out, so kudos there.

And yeah, that's all I have to say for now. I do hope you all liked this chapter. I hope the next chapter doesn't take another two months to come out, but life has a funny way of halting things. I also may be more focused on my uni classwork and job hunting for the time being, so if I'm not around for a bit, that's why. I can't believe 2023 is almost over. I can hear Christmas around the corner.

Happy reading my fellow readers, authors, and otaku alike. Once again, please review the chapter if you have any interesting theories, any predictions of who might kick the bucket first, and who is your favorite or least favorite of the cast. I hope you have a safe and pleasant day, night, Halloween, Day of the Dead or whatever holiday it is you are celebrating, and I will see you all in the next update or whenever I decide to post next. Bye bye!