Editor: Fee5H
Every single rotten soul…must be purged…..there is no saving you…..only death awaits you irredeemable monsters…it must be done…nothing but the chill of retribution….will temper my agony….only in due time will it be sated…
Tick….tock….tick….tock.
Losing myself in the empty, dark consciousness of my mind was a luxury I didn't usually cherish. Most of the time was spent looking over my shoulder, wondering what desperate moron would catch me off guard and put me out of my misery. I often languished with it night after night, always sleeping with one eye open. I've trained myself to avoid falling for such temptations. A draining habit, for sure.
Right now, however…I fell right into the enticing trap. And yet it reminded me of happier and simpler times.
The soft pillows, the silk swaddling blankets, and the cloudy textured mattress. It was all nice. Despite my situation, I felt like an impostor in someone else's spot. I'd imagine it wouldn't be such an enviable position to be in. Sleeping in a cozy, freshly made bed was a very alien concept, not one that I would take for granted, but I realized it was just a pleasant mirage.
And that crippling reminder came in the form of a morning bell. A very antique, booming tone. As per usual, Monolord's masked visage was the first thing I looked upon as I slowly opened my tired baggy eyes.
"Ahem! The time is now seven o' clock." The vampiric overseer's deep voice sounded more pronounced after his unnecessary throat clearing. "What a beautifully auspicious morning this is, indeed!" He swiveled the wine in his gold-leaf glass before taking a sip from it. "Wouldn't you all agree that it is a riveting day to host a banquet? Of course you do. Who wouldn't think so?" Just shut up, you medieval cousin-fucker. "Monolady and I will arrive later this evening, and we had better see you all there. Not that you have a choice! We do hope you can entertain yourselves in the interim."
He ended the broadcast with an evil yet hearty laugh straight from the chest. A bit performative, but it got the message across. I had thought I was an awful person, but days like this reminded me there was always someone much worse around the corner, even if I didn't have room to judge. Frankly, the less I saw of that psychotic couple the better, but I expected to engage with them whether I wanted to or not.
I shimmied around my bed a little, savoring what little comfort I could salvage in my half asleep state. I may have contemplated screaming into my pillow, but the thought left my mind the same time I left the bed. I heard a small pop while doing some minor stretches. After staring at my haggard looking bedhead in the polished mirror of the bathroom, I cleaned myself, headed back out to the main room and got dressed in the same clothes I wore when I arrived here. I never understood why everyone was forced to wear the same clothing they arrived in, or why masterminds had duplicate outfits prepared in advance, but once again I am reminded that crazy people operate on a different level than others. Perhaps it was some subtle commentary on behalf of our dearly despised despair fashionista. Yet another reason why trying to dissect her logic left me with more headaches than reliable answers.
"Another day, more wasted time floundering about…" I glanced into the nearby mirror, gripped the edge of the bomb collar around my neck, wishing I could crush it between my fingers. "I don't want to deal with those morons right now…..but I can't avoid them either."
I organized my personal items into my tote bag and removed the chair I had barred in front of the door and the doorbell rang. I tensed up, unsure if this was a smart move or not. I couldn't exactly survive in this room without eating or facing the others, so I ended up cracking the door ajar and observed who was there and wished I hadn't.
"Good morning, Reiko~" It was Arsenia, much to my dismay. I knew what I had to do. "I do hope that you are doing we- Wait, why are you closing the door?"
"Because it's way too early for me to deal with your nonsense." For such a ditzy extrovert, she was a lot more perceptive than I gave her credit for. "What do you want?"
"Ever the grumpy sort, aren't you?" Though she posed a rhetorical question, her smile never left her face. "I simply wished to bid you a good morning. Can't you at least grace this wonderful morning with a smile?"
"No." I just wanted to open my room door, grab her by the neck and slam it hard against her thick skull, and repeat it over and over again. "Either you have something important to tell me or I'm going back to bed."
"As a matter of fact, I do have something of value to say!" She motioned about, the pocket watch clinking against her wrist. "After breakfast, I believe Goro wishes for us to come together to discuss our situation. I applaud his effort, but I'm sure his solution won't be as spectacular as I imagine it to be."
"Thanks for informing me…" I was ready to shoo her away, but she stuck her foot in between the crack in the door. I fought against the temptation to slam it harder. "What? Don't bother me."
"Don't be like that, Rainy Reiko." Her method of reproach, I would admit, was rather brave on her end, but I continued to maintain my dwindling patience. "I believe we got off on the wrong foot earlier. Sure, you may have not appreciated my grandiose gesture of goodwill when we first met, and I do admit that I could have done better on that front, but I am willing to let bygones be bygones if you are."
"Really? How did you figure that out?" I made no attempt to hide the sarcasm in my tone of voice, but continued to humor her persistence. "If this is your attempt at an apology, you're already off to a bad start."
"I suppose you may be right, but even so there's just something compelling about your shrewd nature." She was really laying on the charm thick. It's oddly working, in some way. "I don't believe you are as much of a sourpuss as you lead others to believe. In fact, I believe that was on purpose. Your magnetic mysterious presence is a riddle and I love a good challenge!"
Oh boy, just what I need. Another wannabe psychoanalyst who thinks they can piece together what's wrong with me. I don't know what game she was playing at, but something about Arsenia unnerved me. I couldn't put my finger on it. Her character profile is not uncommon; the eccentric types always hide the darkest of personalities and this girl's smile was already setting off mental alarm bells for me.
"Well, good luck with...whatever it is you think's going on inside my head." I opened the door and headed out of my room, closing the door and brushing past her. "I would tell you to knock yourself out, but you're probably too smart to fall for that, considering your little incident with Kota yesterday."
That last comment seemed to capture her attention, judging from the way she trailed behind me, skipping ahead and walking backwards in my direction. I don't know what kind of aura I emitted, but if it continues to attract the weirdos, then I need to find a new kind of repellent spray.
"Whaaaaaat?" She overemphasized her fake surprise, her hand almost covering her agape mouth. "First Keishi and now you too? Why does everyone think I had some sort of malicious intent towards adorable little Ko?" She cocked her head to the side, her creepy smile glued to her face that feigned an inkling of concern for the children's party planner. "I'm sticking to my story and I'm sure he will agree with me. We were simply horsing around. Nothing more~"
"Uh huh…." I gave off short and brief responses again and again, hoping she'd get the hint, but it seemed to fly over her head. "Well whatever method you disguise it as, your idiotic attempt didn't work and the collars aren't coming off. It was creatively cunning. I will give you that."
"So what I'm hearing is…..you think I'm a cunning creative genius!" She skip-jumped about, making her glitter outfit and bright red hair jostle. "And here I thought you didn't have a sweet side to you! We are going to be such good friends, Reiko!"
I was right. This girl was utterly delusional. She continued talking about something else that I could care less about. It was too early in the morning for me to really pay attention to most conversations, let alone a self-aggrandizing one involving an overdramatic wild card such as her.
As we walked down the stairs, I saw the manor's staff were all hustle and bustle. I never realized how much attention to detail went into event planning, and seeing all of the masked staff work in such tandem with each other was extremely off putting. I continued to question why such dedication was reserved for such cruel masters, but if the recurring memory of seeing someone's head explode in front of me was anything to go by, these people would jump in front of a moving car just to get Monolord and Monolady's approval.
"They're like little mice," Arsenia's words interrupted my internal musing. "Scurrying back and forth through this gilded maze. I wonder if there's cheese waiting for them at the end?"
Her cryptic words aside, I continued to ignore her. We both headed for the dining hall, passing by and maneuvering through foot traffic. As we got there, the doors to the dining room had already been opened. Servants continued to wheel trolley carts in and out like clockwork. The invasive, irresistible scent of gourmet food was screaming out to me, but I ignored that too. I had more pressing matters to focus on, like the other guests arriving.
Keishi led the charge and Shizuka trailed behind him, like the younger sibling clinging on to the older one for reassurance. He didn't seem to mind as he waved to us good morning, while she looked like she'd seen a ghost. As usual. Serina, Kimiko and Kaguya followed. The non-ultimate engaged in polite conversation with the friendly casting director; the ringmaster casually listened along and interjected when needed. Seeing all three of these women interact felt a bit jarring, but I didn't pay it much mind. I did linger looking at Kaguya for too long. Enough for Arsenia to notice. It was clear from the mischievous way she smiled as she nudged at my shoulder.
Instead of the usual breakfast scene, the dining hall had been rearranged so that there were a lot more tables with metal buffet containers and gas lamps underneath each one to keep the food warm. White plates and golden cutlery rested off to the side; each plate stacked neatly atop each other, the cutlery stored in bin containers. Clear glass beverage dispensers were filled to the brim with ice water, orange juice, and milk. Fancy golden goblets kept them company. While there wasn't as many staff as last time, a few butlers and maids came in and out from the kitchen to restock and replenish the refreshments and food.
Hyunjung and Balfour were closest to the buffet line. The haunted house maker appeared to have ingratiated himself with the skittish street artist, the former doing trick throws and landing pieces of food into his mouth as the latter watched with a bemused expression. I would say this attempt at friendship was droll, but I suppose people cope with inevitable death in different ways.
Kei was already sitting at the dinner table, a plate of eggs and wheat grain toast by her side as she continued her typing. It never stops with her. Mifune was eating a plate of food by her lonesome, which did not surprise me, but she kept making casual glances in the hacker's direction as if she suspected something was amiss. Kei paid the mysterious woman no mind, however. She was clearly in her zone, all distractions drowned out by her strange music. I could faintly hear it leaking out her headphones.
I made myself comfortable in the chair farthest from the others, but closest to the open doors. Arsenia impishly grinned as she spotted Takeru grabbing himself a plate of food. The field mechanic was surprised to see the woman jump and scare him, nearly dropping his glass of juice. It still spilled on the tablecloth near the juice dispenser. I almost felt sorry for him, but he didn't seem bothered and cleaned the mess up himself.
Lucretius sat at the head of the table. Of course he did. He most likely forced one of the servants to arrange his food for him. He ate it alongside a large bottle of unmarked red wine. It amazed me how he wasn't already black out drunk.
The last few to arrive were Hayami, Goro, Kota, Alexander, and Tetsuo. The now bandaged-up children's party planner was just as jubilant as before, but he kept wincing. The freshly-changed bandages were wrapped to cover one of his faux ears. He tried to get Hayami to acknowledge him by touching her fake horns, but she was not having any of it. She grumbled a curse under her breath, but the young boy saw this as her being coy, so he continued to pester her.
What shocked me the most was seeing Tetsuo. Though he was mumbling indistinct names under his breath, he was a lot more reserved and calmer than usual. I spotted Keishi worrying for him, but he sighed a breath of relief when the gremlin grabbed himself some food. Alexander and Goro were talking to each other, the former's whimsical words humored the latter, who looked relieved we were all present.
"Good morning, everyone. I'm glad that all of you are well and here on time." He cupped his hands together, making sure to psyche himself up. "I do hope the message was conveyed to you all in a timely and glitter-free manner." He immediately glanced over to the escape game creator, who lounged in her seat with a lot of sweet breakfast items.
"Scout's honor!" The redhead grinned from ear to ear, crossing her heart. "I was tempted to fill some confetti cannons with glitter and sparkles, honestly." She gestured with both hands. "But I unfortunately didn't have enough for each guest, so I skipped it this time!"
"Awww….that sucks. Stop being such a spoilsnail, Gogo." Kota frowned like a sad puppy in his seat, while Keishi handed him a plate of eggs, bacon and sliced toast and a glass of juice. "You should have done a singing telegram, Seni! I'm sure everyone else would have enjoyed that!"
"Do that shit, and you'll be eating out through a straw." Hayami's blunt and subdued violent response made the thoughts I had earlier seem tame in comparison.
"Now, Hayami, that's not the kind of language we use around other people." Keishi jumped in to reproach her like she was a toddler throwing a tantrum. "Making threats isn't the way we should be doing things."
"Tsk! Like I need a lecture from you, four eyes! Didn't you threaten one of the maids two days ago? That's not setting a good example for the children, is it? You fucking hypocrite." Her mocking tone seemed to get under the social worker's skin.
"At least I didn't try to murder someone with a broken chair handle." Keishi's smile disappeared, replaced with a frown.
"Umm…can we please not bring that up again?" Takeru looked anxious from this heated argument, rubbing his stomach subconsciously. "How about we all just enjoy our breakfast for now? Didn't you have something to say to us, Goro? Pardon me for insinuating if you didn't."
"No, it's quite alright. Thank you for redirecting the conversation back to this point, Takeru." The train engineer faced us once more. "Before I was interrupted, I wanted all of us to come together to discuss a plan of action. The situation with the bomb collars has caused us to do….drastic things in the meantime." He kept looking at specific people when making this statement. "I know we're all particularly antsy, but we shouldn't be so callous in our approach."
"And how do you suppose we go about this?" Mifune asked, direct and to the point. "Have you come up with a plan to fight against this motive?"
"In a manner of speaking…..possibly." Goro sounded unsure of the idea himself, given how he was fidgeting with his hands. "Damaging the collar doesn't put a dent into it, nor is there a way to cut it off our person, so physical means seem futile."
"Before anyone asks, I can't hack a bomb collar without knowing the software of the model," Kei said as she rested back in her chair. "Even so, it would take a while to deprogram them before our heads go boom."
"I'd say that's awfully unfortunate for our sakes." Kimiko looked unimpressed but seemingly unbothered. "Maybe a bit too convenient of an excuse, but given how out of touch our captors are with tech, it makes some sense."
"So does that mean we have no other options or other avenues to remedy this situation?" Serina remained as composed as she could, but the fear in her voice threatened to take over. "I do not believe this to be a hopeless outcome. Does anyone else have a suggestion?"
"Man, this is getting freaky as fuck! Are we sure there's no key slot to this thing?" Hyunjung fiddled with the device to no avail. "How did they even get this on us in the first place!?"
"Fussing like this won't solve our predicament." Kaguya was one of the few to not overreact to this information. "I wonder if there's a way to stop this timer."
"Are you morons sure breaking it won't work?" Tetsuo's incredulous response garnered looks from the others. "I mean, have you not tried breaking the clock or short wiring it?"
"As I have attested to yesterday, I would not recommend that course of action," Alexander firmly stated, folding his arms and looking puzzled. "No amount of tools will pry that collar off, nor do I believe that anything stronger would work in its place. The metal surrounding the device is impervious to almost any force put on it."
"And not to be that person," I jumped in, offering my two cents, because I found the conversation pointless and too tedious to follow after a certain while. "I'm pretty sure electrocuting it runs the risk of killing the person in the process, anyway, so fat chance of that working out."
Once we had defeated those lines of reasoning, the room grew a little quiet. The tension was sharp; it could cut cold butter. We probably just looked pathetic to our mysterious overseers. The thought of those two pampered royals cackling at our expense infuriated me even more.
"Ahem! This is just my expert opinion, one free from a consultation fee." Lucretius' smug interjection had everyone keen on what he had to spout off. "Perhaps someone amongst us would offer to be a volunteer in, let's say…..ending their life to save the many?"
"D-Do you want someone to s-sacrifice themselves?" Balfour looked horrified at the risky proposition.
"T-That's an absurd notion!" Serina's out of nowhere response shocked me, but she steadied herself. "What I mean to say is that requesting someone to end their own life is unbecoming."
"I would also have to agree with Madam Miyasawa." Alexander put his hand to his forehead, a bit troubled by the thought. "Life is more beautiful than any precious flower. You would therefore demand one of us to extinguish it in such a depraved manner. And doing it upon oneself, it is without question a sacrosanct and final decision." He sure was putting his all into this award winning performance.
"You all are not thinking practically at this moment. Anyone who thinks there is a chance of winning, when the odds are so low that they are critical, might as well be another foolish bleeding heart." Lucretius grew serious, a bit fed up with the reproach. His commanding voice fit his seat at the table. "If there is no means of removing this collar naturally, we must therefore look into more decisive options. Consider this another trolley experiment. You balk at the idea now, but would you risk the lives of the many just to stick to your high and mighty morals when the end grows near? I find it quite pathetic."
"Ahem!" Goro cleared his throat, a bit louder than before. "I appreciate such candid input, but it must be clearly emphasized that we do not risk others' lives in the process. I am sure many of us have qualms with such a rash idea." He looked around the room, observing our mixed reactions. "I believe we must compromise with Monolord and Monolady. That is our safest bet."
"Negotiate? With those pricks?" Hayami clearly did not like that idea. Repulsed by it, even. "I won't get on my knees and beg for forgiveness from those shitheels! I'd rather die than do that!"
"So….you're saying you'll volunteer for Lukey's plan, Yami?" Kota's penchant for nicknames did not amuse anyone. How was someone this childish a competent former mastermind?
"Ugh! God fucking damnit, you are dumb!" She shook the table, jostling the plates of food and nearly spilling the glasses. "I'm not repeating my fucking words. I won't negotiate with borderline terrorists."
"I thought you said you wouldn't repeat it?" The children's party planner pointed out, which caused the puzzle maker to blush from embarrassment.
"You know what, I'm not saying anything else," Hayami said. I empathize with her pain. "I just want to eat away my problems for now. That okay with you people?!"
"I suppose…..it's best we stop deliberating for now." Kaguya sounded tired from all the bickering going on around her. "We should relax. On behalf of everyone, we appreciate your efforts, Goro."
"Someone had to say something sooner or later. Enjoy your breakfast everyone." With that, the train engineer concluded this impromptu meeting and headed to the buffet line.
It was impressive most of us were causing a ruckus while on empty stomachs. Once the fruitless conversation had ended, I made a beeline for the buffet line, grabbing myself a plate, neatly wrapped napkins, and cutlery. I evaded a large crowd while perusing the menu options.
There were toasted chicken salad cucumber sandwiches with olives stuck through a toothpick in each one, golden yellow Japanese-style cloudy pancakes that jiggled inside the heated container, crispy glistening bacon, wheat grain and regular toast with packets of jam, honey, syrup and butter in a basket next to it, honey glazed croissants, sauteed sausage slices, ham shaped into rose buds atop cheese & crackers, crispy golden waffles shaped like diamonds and there was even a station with a "build your own custom omelet" section with the vegetables and meat ingredients placed in bowls with a mini stove to make them. The drinks I saved for last because it ran the risk of someone slipping something inside while I was distracted arranging my meal.
I sampled some of each serving and headed to my spot. I ate in relative silence, the jiggly pancakes melted in my mouth as I spread some jam on my toast. I contemplated this being my last breakfast alive, wondering if I even deserve to eat it, let alone be alive to experience it. I felt powerless as I continued munching on the bacon. This was no pre-banquet meal.
This felt more like my final meal, before I meet my demise.
Once I was finished with my plate, I downed the last of my orange juice and dropped it in one of the containers holding dirty dishes. I went back to my seat, pulled out my notebook and penned down my thoughts, estimating which amongst us was most likely to kill first and who was the first one to kick the bucket. Was it presumptuous and coarse of me to muse over this? Maybe, but when surrounded by other psychotic troublemakers and eccentric anomalies, it became a mandatory practice to upkeep.
My work had trained me to analyze behavioral patterns of potential future criminals: their body language; the way they carried themselves; how they interacted with others; what they chose to wear on a daily basis. Most of the time, the unassuming ones were the people you needed to keep an eye on, but when factoring in a killing game with other equally volatile personalities in the mix, the results of my analysis were shaky and unfounded at best and painfully vague at worst.
To say the meanest one would snap first wouldn't take into account the nature of the bomb collars as a motive, and how someone assumed to have been on the moral side of good could snap in an instant. The most fragile would be the most likely candidate to snap, but the problem with these scenarios is that even the sweethearts can kill and that messes with my findings to an almost astronomical degree.
It was like playing Russian roulette, except one chamber was empty. The other five were full.
As my mind raced with the many different possibilities, my attention was drawn when a bell chime rang through the dining hall. I shot up almost immediately and saw that a masked maid with long brown hair had entered the bustling dining hall. Everyone's attention was trained on her. I recognized her. It was the jumpy maid from before, who was going around interviewing people a few nights ago. She had resurfaced amidst all the preparation.
"Good morning, honored guests! I do hope you all enjoyed your breakfast." If this was the same maid, she was doing a much better job of acting calm than before. "My lord and lady wished to convey this message. Once you have finished your meals, you will be directed to your chambers. Your formal attire is already prepared for this evening's banquet, with staff at the ready. They wish for you all to present yourselves in a timely, well mannered fashion and to clean up whatever refuse you leave behind. Have a pleasant rest of your morning."
"Hold on a minute." I stopped the maid from leaving. She stopped mid turn.
"W-What do you need, Miss Reiko?" She almost tripped on her footing trying to remain poised. "Was there something unclear about my lord and lady's instructions?"
"Humor me for a sec." I packed away my notebook and pen, fixing the tote bag around my shoulder. "We've only been here for a few hours and your masters want us to get ready now? What's the rush? Are they planning something?"
"I do not know." Those words were the first genuine ones that came out of her mouth. "I was s-simply told to relay this message to the guests, nothing more!" She grew a bit antsy. "The staff would like to clean up this area once you all have left so everything can be tidied up before this evening's banquet, I imagine. I-I must be off!"
The frantic maid bowed and hastened out of the room. Speed-walked, even. That was definitely the same maid from two nights ago, no mistaking it. It was like something had spooked her. Was she aware of our situation or was she just playing dumb alongside the other servants? If she was snooping around for information, she definitely had to be one of the head maids who reported directly to the lord and lady.
"Wow! You must have scared her straight if she was ready to hightail it out of there~" Arsenia wrapped her arm around my shoulder, acting a bit too chummy for my liking. "I don't know about you, Rei, but I'm gonna head back to my room to get a makeover. Ehehe." She cavorted out of the room with a pep in her step. I think she almost did a heel tap midair.
"Kay! I want to go get dressed up really fancy for this evening, too!" Kota jumped for joy at the prospect, almost falling over in his seat. "Let's go go go, now!"
"Haha! Alright, Ko. I'll be right there. Now run off, you little scamp." Keishi ruffled the young boy's hair, mindful of his head bandages.
"Okay!" The children's party planner leapt out of his seat, approaching both Balfour and Shizuka. "Come on, Balfy and Shizu! Let's go get dressed! I want to see the cool outfits they have for us!"
"Y-Yo, I'm not d-done with my breakfast…" Balfour almost choked on a piece of his omelet. "Gimme a s-sec…"
"Waaaa! Don't scare me like t-that, Kota!" Shizuka jumped a little, her hood flying over her head.
After a lot of pestering, the street artist and paranormal expert reluctantly tagged along with the eager and excitable young boy. He was like a ticking time bomb of sugar and adrenaline, with a creepy smile. Keishi followed in pursuit to keep them organized.
"Ain't no way I'm letting anyone tell me what to do…" Tetsuo grumbled to himself, scratching at his neck and exiting the dining hall.
"I'm getting out of this bitch." Hayami finished eating and left her plate behind, marching out of the room before double backing to face us. "Any of you fuckers try any funny business later, I will murder you. Watch yourselves."
"I have had my fill of enthusiasm for one day." Serina covered her dirty plate with a napkin and placed it in one of the dirty dish containers. "I will see you all later this evening."
"Likewise, I'm gonna head out too." Hyunjung sighed, covering up a burp. "I really don't want to go to this lame banquet, but what can you do?"
"I don't know, but I'm probably going to rest for now." Kimiko yawned, more out of boredom than sleepiness, then headed out.
A few of the others soon followed suit. Mifune and Alexander were the first to disappear, already having one foot out the door as they left without alerting anyone. Kei was next, her laptop in tow. Goro, Lucretius, Takeru and Kaguya remained in the dining hall. I made myself scarce as well, trailing down another hallway.
Instead of doing what our captors wanted, I took this opportunity to resume the abrupt investigation from yesterday. I maneuvered through hallways full of trolleys, servants carrying all sorts of decorations from flower vases, table placements, and colorful ornaments that felt more fitting in a Christmas setting. While they were distracted, I took the chance to follow them to the ballroom where I was told not to be during this time.
"What are you doing, Miss Reiko?" One of the more vigilant maids had caught me enroute to it. "You're not supposed to be here. You need to head back to your room."
"I thought this was the way to my room." I made up a lame excuse, but she seemed to be having none of it as she had her hands on her waist.
"No, this won't do. Follow me, please, and don't think about running off."
"Or what? You'll escort me there by force?" I honestly wish I hadn't said those words. As soon as I did, a pair of hands grabbed me by the arms and forced me to follow the maid. "H-Hey! Get the fuck off me! Are you listening to me?!"
My protests fell on deaf ears. Two maids had stealthily walked up to me and surprised me with their rather forceful grips. They dragged me in tandem silence. I almost fumbled with my footing. It was pointless defying them. I soon realized I wasn't the only one to fall victim to this; some of the others were wrestling with the staff and being wrangled like cattle into their rooms.
Serina, Lucretius, Kaguya, Goro and Hyunjung were all walking to their respective rooms with staff following closely behind them while more rambunctious types like Hayami, Tetsuo and Mifune were being hustled inside. I imagined everyone else were already inside their rooms, and I was one of the few unlucky ones to get strong armed. The maid leading me inside scanned her keycard over the door scanner, while the other two shoved me inside the room. I was greeted by two more maids waiting for me with their hands resting on their aprons.
"I told you to let me go!" Once I was freed from their iron grasp, I rubbed my arms from feeling the pressure on them. "I don't need a makeover, because I'm not attending that stupid banquet. Your lord and lady can go kiss my ass!"
"Oh dear, she's quite restless, isn't she ladies?" The uptight maid who forced me here commented with a rather sassy, passive aggressive tone. "No wonder she's so pale and fidgety. Time to get to work!"
A whirlwind of emotions overcame me at that moment. I didn't have the time to respond to what was going on and what these women were doing to my person, both physically and mentally. My tote bag and clothes from this morning had been stripped away. I was forced into my personal bathroom, cleaned from head to toe, with one of the maids scrubbing me like I was some kind of bedridden patient. I couldn't even enjoy that bath after being whisked out of the tub and wiped down like a prized animal auctioned off at a fair.
Once dry, I was then assaulted by a barrage of sweet smelling perfumes that reminded me of vanilla, cinnamon, and a hint of oak leaves. The maids rubbed some kind of body lotion all over my arms and legs, then I was rushed out back to my room where I changed into cleaner underwear and bid goodbye to my lost sense of dignity. Even though we were all girls, having someone toss me around like a child's ragdoll was beyond humiliating.
I was then given a dark-violet velvet, cutout one shoulder-sleeved, bodycon dress that one of the maids helped slide over my body with relative ease, making me even more creeped out by how they knew my exact measurements. Having my right arm completely sleeved with the other side left bare almost made me feel naked. Another one of the maids showed me a pair of black gladiator lace-up platform heels that slid on to my feet as if I were a princess. They allowed me to keep my skeleton rib cage pendant necklace and paired it with both a black spiraled leaf-vine bracelet on my left wrist and fashioned amethyst teardrop earrings in my ears.
"You're looking splendid so far, Miss Reiko!" I wanted to punch her in the face in response. "Now let's go to hair and makeup."
"Haven't you done enough?" I was already exhausted but something told me I was going to get ignored again.
I was placed in one of the chairs and next to my work table, which was fashioned into a makeshift vanity. My things were replaced with hairbrushes, makeup, accessories, and other assortments that looked like they were pulled out of a Victorian museum. They soon began dolling me up against my will. It was hard to tell what they were doing, but it took them quite a lot of time. My hair had been raked through and detangled like a hedge bush. My face was dotted and brushed with powdery and liquid substances. Polish was applied to my hands.
"And we are done! Excellent work, ladies!" The maids all clapped their hands in anticipation for the final reveal. "You can open your eyes now, Miss Reiko! I do hope you like the end result."
As soon as I was free from their claws, I winced and coughed from all the fallout of the makeup. I instinctively wanted to wipe my face, but one of the maids wiped it for me with a white handkerchief. I made an attempt to swat her hand away, but once my eyes were open I saw what I had looked like. It was like day and night; I had been transformed into a completely different person, looking into someone else's perfect reflection. I was the cruel impostor who stole their look.
My bobbed hair had been straightened, with the end tips curled just slightly, and some of my bangs had been parted off to the left side of my forehead with the help of a hair barrette that was shaped like a magnifying glass. It felt bouncy to the touch and light when I moved it around, like it was made from paper. My makeup was also immaculate, with my eyeliner done in a subtle black cat eye look. My lashes caked with mascara, weighing down my eyelids. My skin looked a lot healthier from whatever bronzer, contouring, or tint they applied, with my cheeks slightly accentuated, emitting a natural glow and barely noticeable blush. The crowning jewel was the metallic dark purple lipstick, which only complimented my dark black, manicured nails.
"You look absolutely stunning, Miss Reiko!" One of the bashful maids gushed and cupped her cheeks in her hands. "Oh, you are so lucky to be attending the banquet this evening! I wish I could go, too!"
"Damn…I look…decent for once." I turned my head side to side in the mirror, making sure that it was all real and there wasn't anything suspicious on my person. "As much as I don't appreciate your methods of manhandling me earlier….this looks really nice, which I shouldn't be saying given what's going on."
"We're more than pleased with your reaction. Should you suffer from a wardrobe malfunction, please do let us know before the banquet starts in about an hour."
"Sure….wait a damn minute!" I was distracted by how different I looked and almost missed that little detail she slipped in at the end of her sentence. "What do you mean the banquet starts in an hour!? It was just morning a while ago!"
"Oh dear, it seems we've overdone it this time." The stern maid lamented the time change, looking outside the window. "We really should work on getting this done in a much faster window of time. I will admit we got a bit overzealous, but the ends justify the means as they say."
I exited my seat, my legs and lower half numb from the inactivity, sitting in the chair for who knows how long, and saw that the sun had been setting. The sky had grown dark. Had we really spent almost half a day getting ready? Is it already time for the banquet? This can't be real.
"We've no time to dawdle. Please take your time when leaving, Miss Reiko." The maids all filed out of my room. "And do remember not to be late. We have other preparations to make."
"Wait wh-" Before I could get a word in, they were gone. Just like that. "Fucking hell, this manor is going to drive me crazy!"
I paced back and forth and tried to get my bearings while fumbling in my heels, an article of clothing I don't normally wear. I was like a baby giraffe getting used to walking about. I noticed my room had been recently cleaned while I was undergoing the makeover; my tote bag had been replaced with a black clutch purse. I sauntered over and my items had been transferred inside, which was relieving to see, but knowing they rifled through my belongings caused me greater concern than relearning to walk in heels.
I saw no use in fighting it any longer. I organized my things and exited my room, making sure that no one else saw me waddling like a moron. Luckily, I was the only one in the corridor. I ambled my way down the stairs, gripping on the railing for dear life to avoid falling over like a klutz. The hallways were practically a ghost town with how empty they were. None of the servants could be seen and the echoing of my heel clicks reverberated as I made my way to the ballroom entryway. I heard voices near the waiting room and followed them to see some of the others. Practically everyone was dressed to the nines. For once in my life, I didn't feel so out of place.
The ones already there included Goro, Serina, Lucretius, Kimiko, Tetsuo, and Alexander.
Goro's attire was the same dark brown suit with blue dress shirt and blue-and-white striped tie. It looked pressed and sharper than usual. His hair was slicked back; his features were less hollow and more lively. His shoes were polished to a perfect shine.
Lucretius didn't change his outfit much either. It was pressed and freshly ironed from the crisp sheen of the fabric. His golden rings and prominent Rolex watch glistened in the evening light.
Kimiko donned her red suit as always, which made sense. It was already tailored to fit her body, due to how tall and gangly she was. Anything else would make her stick out like a fashionable sore thumb. She had red eyeshadow, cat eye black liner, and a nude-pink lip gloss. Her hair was flared out near the ends, after being styled for a while.
Serina wore a different outfit, in contrast to her emerald ensemble. A short and strapless little black dress with a slightly flared skirt; lace was at the neckline and some panels of the skirt. Black high heels adorned this chic look along with a leaf-green silk shawl over her shoulders, and gold dangle earrings with green gemstones spaced out at even intervals along the length of the chain. She also had two matching necklaces, one longer and the other shorter, and two thin gold bangles on each wrist. Her hair was tied into a low bun, with a few tendrils left loose to frame her face, adorned with perfectly done cat eye black liner and mascara, faint green eyeshadow, emerald green painted nails and dark green lipstick. It radiated a no-nonsense business look, suitable for a charity dinner which was honestly apropos for the setting.
Tetsuo tidied himself up a bit more than usual, but his hair was swept off to the sides, revealing the gold studded earrings in both ears. He looked about the same, but more put together than he normally was, with his jacket buttoned up.
Alexander, meanwhile, jumped straight out of a rugged outdoorsman magazine with how he was dressed. He wore a dark brown double-breasted winter suit, fur-padded long coat, and brown trousers held by a leather belt. His feet had dark brown loafers. A long fur scarf was loosely tied around his neck, though he kept the brown bandana and antlers around his head as before, offsetting the attempt at formality.
"My my, you look ravishing this evening, Reiko." Lucretius was the first to notice, his smug charm worming its way in my direction. "I must say I didn't recognize you for a moment. Quite the difference, in a good way!"
"Heh, that sure was a compliment." I rolled my eyes, walking over to one of the available chairs. "Ugh, these heels are already hurting my feet." I massaged the ends of my heels.
"It's normal if you're not accustomed to them." Serina consoled me, but she looked like a pro compared to me. "It's all about confidence and taking a few steps at a time."
Goro approached and extended his arm to me. "Should you require some assistance, you are free to hold on to my arm."
"I don't need to be babied, but I appreciate your chivalry. I'm just a bit on edge right now." I took off one of my heels to massage the other heel.
"Well it's only certain death waiting for us on the other end of this doorway, so we might as well make the most out of a terrible situation." Kimiko sat against the wall, filing her red painted nails, waiting around for something to happen.
"Terrible is a matter of perspective, Madam Himura!" Alexander waxed poetically as he did, reminding me of an overdressed lumberjack cosplaying as someone who wanted to appear well dressed. "We are meeting our captors face to face once more, heading into the lion's den as the prey they make us out to be. We should utilize this to our advantage and corner them when the time is opportune."
"Unless you have an ax hidden under that coat of yours, I doubt we'd make any headway." I sighed, not wanting to ruin my makeup.
Arsenia, Kota, Keishi, Hyunjung, Balfour, Shizuka and Takeru came soon after. Each one of them dressed about as flamboyant or extravagant as the rest of us.
The escape game creator's outfit was roughly the same as usual. Her glitter purple jacket was now a tailcoat. She wore black eyeshadow, with a more dramatic winged eyeliner, and a purple lipstick. Her hair was styled so some rested on the left side of her chest.
The children's party planner wore a mint green, long sleeved blouse with a folded black collar and slightly ruffled rim, tucked not so neatly into a pair of dark green trousers reaching his ankles. A pair of smart patent black dress shoes adorned his feet, accompanied by mismatched odd-patterned socks. I would say it was just his normal outfit dyed green, but it was spruced up with an emerald green silk tie patterned with cat faces, a matching waistcoat, and a silver watch on his wrist. A goofy tophat was atop his head, skewed to one side. It was accented with both a green sash and fake cat ears that were similarly colored like his hair fashioned cat ears.
He and Arsenia were laughing and complimenting the other's outfits. They looked like they popped out of a manic children's tv show.
Keishi dressed in a classic nerdy kind of outfit: a white dress shirt with a blue tie, the shirt having longer collar flaps and sleeves with two buttons each; black tuxedo pants with the same square silver buckle leather belt; and a pair of white oxford dress shoes. He didn't have his glasses atop his head, so he must be wearing contacts instead.
Hyunjung wore a pure white three-piece suit that contrasted his more stylish runway look. The sleeves had ruffled cuffs at the ends, matching the ruffled collar of his shirt. The suit jacket had a coat jacket over it, which matched the white dress pants on his lower half but were heavily contrasted by the polished black dress shoes and elaborate gold jewelry. Studded and chain earrings, a few rings on some of his fingers, and a bracelet. It all made him look like a well dressed cloud. His makeup consisted of light foundation and black lipstick. His nails were painted a deep black color.
Balfour, in comparison, looked like someone had squirted citrus fruits all over his ensemble. For some reason, his orange suit had the sleeves ripped off. His vest, dress shoes, and kerchief were all red. The latter was tied around his left wrist. His wild pink hair was messily slicked back to look somewhat presentable. It was a very outlandish outfit choice that made me feel less insecure about the dress I wore, but it felt like everyone's eyes were wandering over to me and that made me shiver a little.
Shizuka trailed behind the group, letting Takeru walk in front of her. She wore a frilly blood-red dress with a ruffled tiered skirt, the same black hooded robe she wore around her, a black bell choker around her neck, and a pair of black mary jane heels on her feet. Her hair looked a lot more manageable and stylish, with her prominent rose accessory fashioned on the side. Her makeup was faint dark gray eyeshadow, curved cat eyeliner, and pale red lipstick.
Takeru wore a less complicated outfit compared to his work clothes from before. A white button up shirt, a loose black tie patterned with gear and wire symbols, and a steel gray vest suit patterned with mechanical symbols near the bottom comprised his upper half. For his lower half, black trousers that flowed down neatly to a pair of formal black work boots. His large dark gray suit jacket was draped over his shoulders, connected by a chain like a cape, similar to how he normally dresses. His orange and blonde hair was combed to be less wavy.
"Oh my gosh, you guys look absolutely fabulous!" Arsenia mimed a surprised expression. "Some of you still look the same as ever, though. How drab and repetitive. But the rest of you sure stick out! You may even overshadow me this evening!"
"Flattery will get you everywhere, love." Lucretius was pleased by her compliment. "Of course, my outfits were custom tailored by the best tailors in the world, so I wasn't surprised that nothing could top this timeless look."
"Wowie, Miss Rina! You look beautiful. That look definitely suits you." Kota rocked back and forth on his heels, hands behind his back. "And Rei Rei looks like a gothic princess! Don't I look dashing as well?"
"You sure do, bud." Keishi reassured and smiled at his childish companion, "Though I do not like that the servants oversaw our makeover. It had to be done, much to my displeasure."
"Thank you, Kota dear." Serina smiled, expecting that sort of praise. "The maids were a bit rough, but I do like the outfit they chose for me. It really highlights my features so well, and these accessories are just gorgeous."
"I'm uh…not used to dressing this fancy, unless it's for a company party, hehe…" Takeru chuckled nervously. "I'm kind of glad they did all the deciding for me. I haven't the faintest idea of what to wear, so I just stick with my usual workwear for the most part. It fits me well and yet I feel a bit out of place, if that makes sense to anyone else?"
"Dude, I feel you." Hyunjung crossed his arms and closed his eyes, his makeup looking much more defined than mine. "I mean, they got my style down to an art, but I feel a bit overdressed, you know? Although these threads are a slam dunk, I would have added a bit more color."
"Somehow, I don't think your preference in outfit synergy will matter all that much right now," Kimiko said. "How much longer until we can get this over with?"
"I h-hope things won't turn o-out too b-bad…" Shizuka sat in a chair, fidgeting with her robe's hood. "W-What do you t-think, Balfour?"
"H-Huh? Oh yeah, nah, I uh…." The street artist fumbled to find the right words yet again. "I'm not sure, m-myself….but don't worry, yo. You l-look fine t-this evening, uh….yeah!"
The paranormal expert didn't expect it, but she blushed when he said that, thus making him look more flustered than before. Arsenia nudged him in the shoulder, giggling at his expense, and Takeru patted him on the back.
As the conversations began to spark, the last four arrived in the waiting room. For a second, I thought they were completely new people entirely. I had to blink a few times to make sure it was them as Kei, Hayami, Mifune, and Kaguya approached.
Kei wore a teal vintage sweetheart collar A-line dress, with the skirt reaching her just above her knees. There was a blue and white striped belt around her waist and a loose white necktie around her neck. She had wedge open toe heels. Both her laptop and her cat-ear headphones were absent on her person, probably lost in the makeover scuffle. A big black bow was fastened to the back of her head, the tips of it creating the same triangular shapes where the cat-ears used to be. Her hair was neatened and straighter, with the blonde ends pushed back to make her teal hair more prominent. Her teal eyeshadow, foundation-covered skin, and teal lipstick complimented her round glasses. Overall, a very pretty geek look you'd see in any nerdy romantic comedy.
It appeared that whatever powerhouse was able to force Hayami to wear a formal outfit must have had the willpower to withstand the gods, though it must have been a struggle. She wore a black sleeveless halter top with criss-cross straps and a loose purple tie around her neck. Her fancy black skirt still had the white belt from her regular outfit, along with the same accessories: the demon horns, red military hat, dark purple gloves, eyepatch, and her leather black high boots. Her messy long purple hair had been straightened out and pulled into a ponytail, hanging behind her head. She didn't wear much makeup aside from the faint purple eyeshadow on her eyes, simple black liner, and rosy cheeks.
Mifune, on the other hand, cleaned up better than I expected, looking less sloppy than before. She wore a dark blue satin evening dress with mid-length transparent sleeves. Dark blue lace was patterned over the top part of the dress, the skirt ending just above her ankles. Black high heels with silver studs decorated her feet. She looked like the midnight belle of the ball, her blue hair wavy and styled near the tips with curls. Her makeup heightened her above average attractiveness with winged black liner and blue lip gloss. The dress revealed that she had a fair bit of muscle to her frame, which was usually hidden well by her normal attire.
Last but not least was Kaguya. I expected her to wear the same outfit, as many others did, but instead she chose to impress for the occasion. She wore a purple halterneck jumpsuit with flared out pant legs and a gold chain belt around her waist. Attached to the jumpsuit was a train that extended down to the ground and trailed behind her. Gold teardrop earrings dangled from her ears, a gold ring adorned her finger, and gold colored heels fit her feet. Her golden eyeshadow, winged black eyeliner and mascara, paired with nude colored lip gloss, complimented her features really well. Her silvery white high ponytail remained the same.
"It looks like everyone else got here before us." Kaguya giggled, almost pleased to be fashionably late. "You all look like stars ready to walk the red carpet. You all look so much better than I do."
"Oh please, you guys are killing it right now." Hyunjung took in their fancy outfits. "That jumpsuit matches your golden look superbly. Though I'm probably the one who's most overdressed in comparison." He then focused on Kei's ensemble. "And holy heck, Kei! You look like you went through metamorphosis by shedding that frumpy look."
"I need my music…" The hacker was fidgety, almost on Tetsuo's level. Her fingers were twitching, as if she was typing on an invisible floating keyboard. "They won't let me have my music…"
"She's like a deer staring at headlights." Alexander observed the hacker's movements. "I know the sorrow of being estranged from something you hold dearest to you. It's a painful heartache."
"Nevertheless, I stand by what I said!" Kaguya tried to remain as cheerful as she could. "Especially you, too, Mifune. You look like a midnight maiden. That outfit oddly suits you."
"Speak for yourself." Mifune pointed out, adjusting her dress' skirt to walk better. "I feel like I'm headed to prom in this getup."
"It's even funnier when you think about how lowkey you've tried to be this entire time, and you still get caught wearing that floofy gown!" Arsenia couldn't help but laugh at the girl's discomfort. "I must say, you fit the look really well regardless. Blue definitely is your color, Mifune."
"I'm just as shocked that the servants could wrestle you down to apply your makeup, let alone put you in that outfit, Hayami." Keishi was genuinely bewildered, trying to piece that puzzle together in his mind.
"Oh yeah? Well take a picture, because this fancy getup is coming off the moment this shitty banquet is over and done with." She was just as irritated as she was this morning. "I had to compromise, so this is the best you're gonna get out of me."
"Huh. It's strange how some of the others didn't get a formal outfit as well." Kaguya observed the room, noticing the ones who still wore their regular clothes. "I suppose they're already dressed for the occasion. Why fix what's not broken?" She then noticed me sitting by my lonesome. "Is that you, Reiko? You look great! That color definitely suits your style."
"How nice of you to say…" I was taken aback by her sudden compliment, my flushed cheeks were ready to betray how I felt. "You look good, too, though I'm not sure about the train behind you. It feels a bit excessive."
"I agree as well. I would have been fine with just the jumpsuit and accessories, but the staff insisted on this look, so I can't complain." She was so go with the flow, she made things seem less dire than they actually were.
Between the amount of pampering I had received, mixed with the rush of emotions, the powdery makeup that invaded my senses, and the overwhelming ritzy atmosphere, it was like a fever dream come to life. For a moment, I felt like a teenager again, getting ready to go to the school dance and getting chills before heading inside. The difference being that this wasn't a silly little event. It was a life or death situation. The collars on our necks elicited an existential fear within me that would not dissipate.
As it reached the designated time, the doors to the ballroom opened up. A masked maid and butler appeared from either side and moved out of the way for us to enter.
"Good evening, honored guests," They both said in terrifying unison, "We welcome you to the Lord and Lady's Banquet. Please come inside. Ladies first, then gentlemen."
Most of us hesitated at first, but I and the other women entered first, with the rest filing in after us. The ballroom had definitely changed a lot from how it was prior to the decorations and planning stage. It felt like another extension of the manor altogether.
The floors were so clean, you could eat off of them. Gold, black, and red streamers, tinsel, bows and regally ornate banners decorated the vaulted ballroom. The candlelight chandelier illuminated it like a fiery star in the oceanic darkness. The tables were arranged in that blocky U shaped design I saw on the paper yesterday. At the tables were fine china plates, golden cutlery wrapped in white napkins, glass goblets with golden encrusted stems, cushioned red mahogany chairs, and vases of decorative flower bouquets made of red roses and white lilies. Little black name placards inked in gold lettering rested on each plate. As expected, the lord and lady sat at the end where the two parallel sides meet. It was a lot more lavish than where we sat; theirs had napkin swans on their plates, a large bottle of unmarked wine in the center, a basket of bread rolls, and a bowl of hand-wrapped chocolates that made me instantly jealous of them.
"Good evening, honored guests!" More servants had congregated inside the ballroom, bowing at us and keeping stationary as they did so for about a few extra seconds. "Please take your seats, our lord and lady will arrive shortly."
"Dang, they really went all out!" Hyunjung stood there in awe, mouth agape as he walked deeper inside. "I wish I could make a haunted house look this grand. If only my budget would rise… Man, this is top notch."
"We should still be cautious, Hyun." Serina brought him back to reality. "It looks enticing, but I'm unsure of what's going to happen."
"It's like Christmas evening!" Kota hopped and jumped for joy, stars in his eyes as he raced over to find his seat. "Come on, guys, the last one to their seat is a rotten egg!"
"Wait, Ko, don't run so fast. You'll trip." Keishi watched him nearly fall over trying to search for his seat. "Haha, he's so adorable." I think his definition of adorable needs a major examination.
"Now this is spectacular!" Arsenia spun around and absorbed the atmosphere with her arms outstretched. "I can just smell it almost, or maybe that's just the food. Who knows?"
"Fuck are you on?" Hayami snorted, grumpy as usual, "Let's just get this shit over with."
"Give me my music, please…"
The others walked around the room trying to find their seats. Some had a bit of trouble, while others knew their spots instantly, as if they memorized the layout beforehand or just had really good eyesight. I eventually found my seat on the left side, somewhere in the middle on the end, closest to the ballroom exits. Though I did not like this entire debacle, I was at least thankful whoever arranged the seating placed me away from being squashed between two annoying people. One of the butlers offered to pull out my seat for me, but I refused his help and did it myself. The last thing I needed was someone sneaking something without me noticing.
Once I was situated in my spot, I took the time to observe the others and where they were sitting as well. It was divided up into segments of nine for all eighteen of us; one half on the left and the other on the right. The middle section had a line of trolleys, with dome lidded items and pitchers of drinks and tea sets, plus a few servants waiting nearby to serve us. Mifune was at the other tail end, facing where I was. Starting from there was Hyunjung, Shizuka, Balfour, Hayami, Tetsuo, Kimiko, Goro, and finally Serina, in that order. On the left side, facing her, was Takeru. After him was Arsenia, then Lucretius, then Kei, then Keishi, then Kota who made a switch with Alexander, who also switched with Kaguya, so she sat next to me. Those last three may have disturbed the seating a little, but I didn't really care. Hopefully, it pissed off the servants and our captors.
"Looks like fate has us sitting next to each other, heh." Kaguya smiled, her rosy cheeks failed to hide her embarrassment. "If you'd like me to sit elsewhere, then I-"
"No, don't bother. I'd rather you than anyone else sit next to me." I then realized how that statement sounded and immediately corrected it. "Don't think too hard about it. I just tolerate you better than the others."
"Alright then, well don't mind me." The wink she gave me sent a lot of mixed messages, but I did my best to ignore them.
As everyone had found their spots, a handbell rang throughout the ballroom. Out of the blue, I noticed a live band was playing classical music at the other end. A lilting piano melody was followed by violins, cellos, flutes, and even a harp of all things. Then, as if on cue, the doors to the ballroom opened up. Out from each end arrived the masked hosts, Monolord and Monolady. The lord was dressed in the same outfit as he did before, with his gray hair slicked back and his cape swooshing behind him. He entered on the left, and the lady on the right. She took the occasion to dress a little differently than her husband. She wore a crimson red evening dress patterned with black and golden flowers trailing from the top down to the skirt hem. Lace sleeves and a long skirt reached to the floor, but I could see she wore black ribbon heels and gray stockings. Her dark eyeshadow, light blush, and blood red lipstick framed her doll-like features to an art. Even her hair was primped into an elegant bob, with her flower hairpin keeping her bangs out of her face.
"Welcome, my lord and lady!" All the servants dropped what they were doing to address their masters. It never ceased to creep me out. "Your presence graces us ever so dearly."
"Haha! You all are far too kind!" His voice boomed as the music ceased in his presence. "I am delighted that all of you are in attendance. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for everything today!"
"You flatter them too much, my lord." Monolady put a hand to her lips, covering a small smile. "Shall we head to our seats?"
"Let's do just that." The two headed to their spots and converged at the head of the table in the center of the room.
Watching them be seated like royalty with those smirks on their faces was sickening. I don't know who these two were. As far as I was concerned, their fancy pedigree and lineage could burn in a fire and I wouldn't bat an eye. I had no idea what their rules were on age-gap relationships, but something about the way they interacted left me not wanting to eat for the rest of the night. Then again, their marriage was the last thing on my mind. I wanted answers.
"Chef Vinzent has prepared a variety of meals for you all this evening." One of the head butlers approached the center gap of the table arrangement as a bunch of servants carried domed trays. "We have a foie gras roasted chicken resting atop a bed of buttered mashed potatoes, picked from the gardens and peeled to perfection, with grilled asparagus and a side of gravy. Another option is steak piccata bathed in a rich mushroom cream sauce and served with pasta. You are free to choose either dish, but only one of the two."
One of the maids jumped into the mix. "For dessert tonight, we have in-house chocolate custard gelato. We have also prepared a tiramisu cheesecake, plus vanilla rose cream-filled eclairs. For your refreshments, we have chilled ice water and a jasmine herbal tea made from picked spices and herbs from the garden." I will admit, this lineup of food did not disappoint. It made the night less terrible. When one of the servants approached me, I asked for the roasted chicken dish, tiramisu cake slice, and chilled water.
"Ooh it must be a special occasion if Vinzent made his famous chocolate gelato!" Monolady contained her excitement. "I will definitely be partaking in that after dinner."
"It is indeed a wondrous day, my lovely rosebud." Monolord's saccharine words made me want to throw up my non-existent lunch. "We are here to commemorate this gathering of masterminds under one roof. They are special guests who deserve nothing but the finest in life, even if they are undeserving of such luxuries."
"Okay, enough beating around the bush." Goro had placed his order and addressed the masters directly. "I would like to know if there's another option for us to get rid of these bomb collars."
"You dare be so bold as to converse with me before we've indulged in our feast?" Monolord was offended, but he maintained that haughty attitude showing he knew he had the upper hand. "Haha! I praise your bravery, Master Goro, but I'm afraid your pleas will fall on deaf ears."
"How so, if I may ask?" Serina asked, sitting very ladylike in her seat, "You must know something if you are the ones who trapped us like this."
"I say let's humor their whims, darling." Monolady sounded amused, as if the non-ultimate told a hilarious joke. "I feel sorry for them. Their attempts at stopping this motive have been diminished to simple begging. It's almost adorable."
"I'll allow it. It could provide some entertainment whilst dinner is being served." Monolord awaited the wine being poured into his glass. "Put it simply, there is only one way of removing those devices and I need not explain it again."
Mifune was handed her plate of steak. "While we understand your terms, we feel that there is something you are hiding from us. You may seem confident, but I imagine this kind of technology is foreign to you, given your reactions just a day ago."
"Are you suggesting that I do not comprehend these complex contraptions?" Monolord swished the wine in his glass as his food arrived and the music began to play again. "Miss Mifune, you underestimate my knowledge. I am quite offended by the mere notion of it."
"And may I ask what is stopping you two from detonating the bombs right now and saving yourselves the trouble?" Kimiko ate some of her chicken, glaring at the two captors. "Why this arbitrary time limit? If you wanted us to kill each other sooner, why not set it for one day instead?"
"Do you perhaps think they're bluffing?" Keishi wondered, while cutting Kota's chicken into smaller bites.
"I think that's what she means, Keshy." Arsenia giggled, twirling her pasta around in her fork. "These two impostors don't know a thing. They're just acting as figureheads for the real mastermind behind this killing game. At least, that's my initial guess, but I do love a challenge."
"I will not tolerate this slander while you commoners are residing in my home, eating my food, and sleeping in the rooms I had custom built to suit your needs." The lord's petulance grew with each word, his knife cutting became more loud by the second. "And now you jest and think there is someone controlling me by invisible strings? Perish the inane thought!"
"You're getting awfully flustered for someone who claims to be in control." Kei honed in on this insecurity, dipping her chicken into the potatoes and gravy. "You don't need to keep up the act. We already knew beforehand."
"Why you little-"
"It's okay, dear." Monolady placed her delicate hand on her lord's gloved one. "Let us all enjoy our meals for the time being and let these rotten children stew in their bitterness. Maybe some nice dessert can quell their hot tempers." She then turned her attention to us. "And if you are uncertain about your dishes tonight, please know that there is no poison laced in them. I do hope that alleviates any worries you may have."
As much as I wanted to join in and dogpile these two lunatics, I started eating my chicken dish. In no short time, I practically polished my plate. The meat was tender and juicy, the potatoes' rich buttery flavor paired well with the earthy gravy sauce, and the asparagus side dish was surprisingly seasoned perfectly. At that moment, a butler took my empty plate, replaced my dirty cutlery with a golden spoon for the cake and refilled my glass of water to the brim.
"Fuck this. I'm not playing house with you ancient motherfuckers. Either get this collar off of me or something bad will happen." Tetsuo snarled, his voice hoarse. He shook his end of the table, causing some food to spill on Hayami. "Every single one of you bootlickers can suck my dick."
"You little gremlin shitstain!" Hayami felt the scalding hot food against her skin and outfit, enraging her to the point of lunging at the TV producer. "I'll fucking kill you right here, if that makes you happy!"
Chaos erupted as the two of them got into a tussle, making the table jolt even more. Food and drinks spilled everywhere and glass shattered about. Balfour jumped out of the way and Kimiko avoided getting hit by the food, as the people on their side moved away from the madness. Hayami was strangling Tetsuo, who did his best to fight back against her. Shizuka started panicking, Hyunjung bolted out of their line of fire, and Serina backed away from the madness. Goro attempted to approach them but failed to do so.
"Hahaha! Now this is what I love to see." Lucretius chuckled and drank some of his ice water. "Keep it going, you two, and make sure someone bleeds."
"How are you focused on that!?" Takeru's eyes widened as he instinctively rushed over to stop them. "Alright, you guys, let's settle down."
"Fuck off, you dirty grease monkey." Tetsuo screamed at the man while he was fending off Hayami.
"Do you have a death wish, big man?" Hayami's glare could turn grown men into stone statues. "Mind your own damn business!"
"That it is enough!" Monolord's voice filled with rage as he stood up from his chair. "Please escort these pugnacious troglodytes out of my ballroom, now! They will stay in their chambers for the rest of the evening!"
The butlers did as they were told and pulled the two off from each other. Both of them were covered in food stains, had cuts on their bodies from the glass shards and broken utensil ends, and left a great mess behind. They struggled to free themselves, dragged kicking by their feet out of the ballroom. The remaining servants used this to clean up the aftermath, apologized to their masters for the unsightly display of regressive behavior and then gave the ones who were still eating new plates of food as compensation, along with bags of chocolate.
"You vile children dare cause a commotion when I am offering you the spoils of my hard work and labor!" Monolord left his chair. The fury in his eyes was untameable. "You have ruined my evening and given my wife a harrowing fright. You should be ashamed of yourselves, you scum!"
"Wow, blaming the rest of us for the actions of a few troublemakers." The audacity of these fucking people, it was unreal. "For people who claim to be magnanimous and embrace change, you adopt such an outdated mindset of decorum and grace. You must throw excellent parties."
"Be silent, Miss Reiko!" Ooh, I'm so scared. Who knows, he might toss a rat at me and give me the plague or something with that act. "Let us depart, my lady."
"You children ought to be thankful that my lord's manners supersedes his wrath." Monolady didn't seem affected, judging from her composed and subdued tone of voice. "Oh, I was so looking forward to Vinzent's delectable gelato….what a shame."
"Do not linger any longer, honored guests." The lord's voice was lined with venom when he emphasized that last part. "You may wish to regret your deviance soon enough. And then you will be on your knees begging for my mercy."
And just like that, they left the ballroom. The other servants began attending to our individual needs. I was still in awe at how random it all was. If someone had planned to kill during this banquet, then their plan may have been foiled. Yet the collars were still around our necks. I couldn't help but laugh at the insanity.
I spotted some of them trying to still eat their dinners. Goro and Alexander both left the ballroom at the same time. Kei finished her meal early and saw no point in staying behind and left as well. Balfour searched around for his cutlery, only to find them on the floor and covered in dirt. Shizuka offered him her unused cutlery and he accepted while the staff handed her a new set. Kota was babbling about the fun wrestling he saw as Arsenia humored his delusions. Keishi told him he needed to head to bed after finishing his dessert.
I savored the tiramisu for as long as I could. The creamy texture and marriage between the coffee and soft ladyfingers sent me into dessert heaven. I had asked to sample the other desserts, but the maid said we could only get one dessert per guest. I took this opportunity to slip past her and hide a rose cream eclair. After an hour and a half or two, the servants began cleaning up. The others took this as a cue to leave. I munched on the eclair and headed out of the ballroom.
I searched around the hallways for a while before finding what looked to be a nearby bathroom that reminded me of a glitzed up restroom in any restaurant. I closed the lid of the golden toilet and sat, taking off my heels and massaging my sore heels. I had anticipated something would happen at the banquet, but it appeared as if nothing noteworthy happened, which was shocking to see. Even Hayami and Tetsuo's fight seemed normal to me. The formula is usually that parties during a killing game end with someone dying, yet everyone was very much alive.
"This night just keeps getting stranger by the second." I washed my face as the water ran in the white sink basin. "I was sure someone would strike. Did their plan fail?"
I decided looking on the more optimistic side for the time being was the best recourse, though I wish I could properly enjoy this evening. I touched the collar around my neck and the pressure began to well up inside me, but it wasn't anger that boiled within me. Instead, my cheeks grew hot and bothered from the rush of sadness.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing!" Someone's voice shouted out in the corridor.
I wiped my face, grabbed my clutch purse and rushed out of the bathroom. I looked around and saw Hyunjung running after someone in the corridor a few feet away from where I was. His voice caught the attention of a few of the others, such as Takeru, Kaguya, and Serina. I didn't think about it for too long as I brushed past them to follow in pursuit.
Hyunjung and I saw one of the doors to one of the many parlor rooms left wide open. The look on his face turned grim as I assumed the worst and rushed over to see what he was looking at. I picked up the pace, still fumbling in my heels, using the door frame as a balance; what I saw could only be described as cold and practically deadly.
The room had been disturbed by some kind of struggle. The grandfather clock inside had been knocked over; it chimed louder than usual. There was a nasty dent in the wallpaper and I believe a vase tipped over, spilling water on the floor from the fallen flowers. And yet that wasn't the most disturbing aspect of this scene.
On the floor lay the body of Shizuka Nanako. Her hair was in disarray, her hood was a few feet away from her, and there was a large wound on the back of her head with faint red marks around her neck above the collar.
"Oh fuck…..haha, she's probably playing dead…" Hyunjung grew panicked, disguising his fear with morbid jokes. "S-She's not….oh god."
"Make way. I have to check her pulse." The field mechanic charged through the crowd, a sort of assertiveness that would make anyone feel safe in his presence. "Guys, she's still alive. Just unconscious, but still in bad shape! I must get her to the infirmary. Please let the servants know."
"Leave it to me." Serina headed off in the other direction.
"We need to secure this area and inform the others of what happened." I did my due diligence in ascertaining the crime scene. "Takeru, can you take her to the infirmary? Kaguya, tell the others what happened and warn them. The culprit behind this could be hiding somewhere, and we need to make sure nothing else happens in the meantime."
"Huh? O-Oh right….sorry." The casting director was momentarily distracted. "Thank goodness s-she's not dead…." She then left in a hurry.
"I've got her. Stay with us, Shizuka." Takeru carried the unconscious paranormal expert on his back and exited the room, then headed towards the infirmary.
As they left, I took mental notes of the scattered crime scene. Thanks to the broken grandfather clock, I could note that someone had attacked the ghost girl at about five minutes past ten, about an hour or two after the banquet had ended. Though it wasn't conclusive, I couldn't really eliminate anyone as a suspect. All of us were probably scattered about doing who knows what. I took this time to spend a good while penning notes about what I saw, drawing rough sketches of the scene of the attack and adding side notes to each point.
"Is something the matter, Miss Reiko?" The same long brown-haired anxious maid from before passed by, noticing the remains of the struggle and me searching for clues. "Please don't injure yourself. That's broken glass. I'll clean it up-"
"This is an active crime scene!" I told her firmly, not hesitating. "Do not touch anything else in here, as there could be evidence left behind by the assailant."
"O-Of course! I will inform the other servants and my lord and lady." She briskly left the scene and left me wondering what happened to cause this.
In the midst of it all, I exited the parlor room after concluding my impromptu investigation, not wanting anyone else to implicate me in a potential crime I did not commit. If there was a killer just around the corner, hiding in wait, I needed to get out of there. I wasted no time going back the way I came, making a beeline for the staircase upstairs, avoiding the others who noticed me pass by without so much as a word.
I gave up on wearing my heels and ran barefoot up the carpeted stairs, finally reaching the personal chambers corridor, and made it to my door. I gripped on the handle for dear life as my heart threatened to fail from all the stress and excitement. Someone made good on their promise to kill and I wasn't going to be the next fool who suffered an ill timed fate. I scrambled through my clutch purse to find my Monopad and spotted someone else approaching. It was the masked brown haired maid from before. She was in a frenzy.
"Miss Reiko, don't mind me, I'm just doing my due diligence." She seemed frantic, curtseying the best she could and knocking on doors to the others rooms hoping they were alright.
"More power to you…" I mumbled under my breath, finally finding my Monopad. "Fucking finally, now I can-"
"THUD!"
A loud sound reverberated against one of the doors. It came from one of the guys' rooms. I turned around and saw the maid staring at one in particular: Balfour's room. I stopped what I was doing and watched the maid as she nervously knocked on the door.
"M-Master Balfour?" She asked meekly. "Is everything alright in there?"
No response. She pressed his doorbell, hoping to get a response, but after a few minutes, nobody answered the door. At that moment, the collar around my neck beeped. It fell off and clanged on the floor.
I was finally free. My fate was not sealed. I was still alive…..but that could only mean one thing.
"Excuse me, but can you please open up his door? I fear something might be wrong!" I approached her as she jumped from the sight of me.
"A-Alright…." she hovered her keycard over the street artist's door. Once the lock clicked, she opened the door…. But it did not open all the way.
"Fucking hurry up and open it!" I yelled at the poor maid who dropped her keycard on the floor.
"O-Okay! My apologies, I'm uh…" She hastily picked up her card and gripped the door handle, having trouble opening it up. "It's not budging, Miss Reiko."
"Then let's push it together, it might work that way." My heart was racing a million beats per second. "One…..two…..three….now!" With that the door was forced open with a mighty gusto.
I had thought we averted one crisis but it seemed as though we ended up with another one on our hands. I had seen so much brutality, I was practically accustomed to the sight, but something as violent as this needed to be seen to be understood. The maid screamed so loud, I could not hear anything else. Everything grew deafeningly silent.
This room was also torn asunder, like a struggle had taken place. A half-finished painting was toppled over. Knocked off an easel, which lay sideways. A glass bowl of jelly beans lay shattered, its contents spilling all over the floor, along with bloodstains. There was a lot of it streaked all over the door frame as well, like something had slumped over once the door had creaked open slowly. The body lay there, frightened and looking soulless in their last moments on this planet. Their entire body was soaked in a river of blood.
Balfour Decima, the Former Ultimate Revolutionary Street Artist, lay beside the entrance to his bedroom. His own face was scarred by death and a ghastly expression that sent a chill up my spine. He was the first person to die. The first motive had been satisfied.
The killing game had finally begun…..
Gilded Glamorous Glory (Daily Life)
-END-
Remaining Guests: 17
Death Toll: 1
Commencing Gilded Glamorous Glory (Deadly Life)
Danganronpa…
A/N: Hi everyone, I know it's probably a bit late, but better that than never posting at all. Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you all are having a lovely holiday and are enjoying your gifts, spending time with your family, eating a nice Christmas meal, and spending your day relaxing. Mine was a bit boring this year. I enjoyed getting my gifts and I managed to beat one of the video games I received, so that was fun. I wanted to get this chapter out as soon as I could in time for this special day, but if it appears on Boxing Day, it comes close enough, and I do hope this longer chapter and the final reveal for it has given you much to process over the winter break.
I am going through a lot of emotional changes in my life. I passed all of my classes for the first semester of my university schedule, I am planning my own personal projects in writing, and I still need to find a job because the economy right now sucks, so wish me luck there. My parents give me grief as usual, but what can you do? It seems the change in temperature and season has made everyone moodier than usual. I will try to get out the investigation chapter as soon as I can, but it will most likely come next year in January.
That said, I do hope you all were surprised by the first body discovery reveal. Did you expect it to be Balfour? Or were you expecting someone else to have kicked the bucket? I just love reading your theories, musing over them and wondering what ideas you guys could come up with. I am excited to see what theories you can suggest for this chapter and who you think could have killed the poor street artist. I want to give a big shout out to viRal1nfection for submitting their OC, Balfour Decima, to this story. I apologize if him becoming the first victim was not on your end of 2023 bingo card, but I had a lot of decision making to do. Now that I have a concrete plan of action, it was a necessary evil to get the story started. Though he is gone, I hope you will stick around to see who the killer is in the upcoming trial.
And yeah, that's about all I can say for now because I am eager to see the reactions to this reveal. Once again, I do hope you all enjoyed this lengthy chapter and found it interesting. I know the date I am posting this will not match up with other time zones, but I just want to reiterate that I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and happy holidays to those who do not celebrate it. In the future, I hope to see you all again in 2024. I wish you all an amazing day, night, or whatever you are doing for the rest of December.
Happy reading my fellow readers, authors, and otaku alike. I will see you all in the next update or whenever I decide to post next. Take care and bye bye! Let's leave this awful year behind and greet this next one with a bang!
