Noctis’s footsteps echoed softly against the cold stone floor, each one pulling him farther from the safety of the common room. Somewhere ahead, a shadow shifted—too quick, too deliberate. He froze, holding his breath as he listened. The corridors were supposed to be empty… yet something didn’t feel right.

  The hallway was dimly lit, as if the mansion itself were trying to scare him away. Still, Noctis pressed on. He couldn’t afford to turn back now. The corridor was lined with paintings he had never seen before—some depicting breathtaking natural landscapes, others portraying people who looked as though they had stepped straight out of a magazine. And then there were a few that unsettled him for reasons he couldn’t quite explain.

  As he walked further, he noticed several paintings bearing the surname “Vexwood”, the name of the master of the manor. When he read it aloud, his voice echoed unnaturally, as though the hallway were whispering his words back to him. The corridor remained eerily silent—no hurried footsteps of maids, no sounds of daily work. Nothing.

  The oppressive quiet soon became too much to bear. Noctis decided to leave, his legs trembling from what he had just witnessed. It felt as though he were the only person left in the world… and yet, paradoxically, not alone at all. He tried searching for information about the name Vexwood, but found nothing. It was as if the name itself had been erased from existence. Contacting the outside world was impossible. He was isolated—trapped in a place that seemed intent on breaking him.

  Forcing himself to calm down, Noctis recorded his findings for the day. Nothing extraordinary—yet important, at the very least.

  The next day, he decided to explore the basement first. However, it was far too dark, as though the void itself had swallowed the entire space. There were no light switches, and he had no torch with him. Reluctantly, he postponed exploring the basement until he could find another way.

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  Instead, he chose to head for the third floor.

  As he climbed, the stairs creaked beneath his weight—each step louder than the last. He lifted his foot, hovering just above the next step—

  “STOP!”

  The word struck like a blow. His body froze before his mind could react. Muscles locked as the sound echoed through the stairwell. Slowly, he looked back down toward the second floor—and saw the head maid standing there, her glare sharp enough to pierce his soul.

  Fear gripped him. This was the first time he had ever seen such an expression on a servant’s face.

  He slowly made his way back down, the stairs creaking once more—though this time, each step sounded softer than the last. The head maid never looked away. She didn’t blink. Her eyes gradually turned red as she continued to stare at him.

  When he reached the second floor, his heart was pounding violently in his chest. He turned to look at her—only to find her suddenly standing directly in front of him, barely an inch away from his face.

  He was terrified. Words refused to come.

  Then, the head maid spoke.

  “Why were you going to the third floor?” she asked.

  “I-I was j-just exploring the mansion…” Noctis replied, his voice trembling.

  “I understand that this is your first day here,” she said coldly, “but do you really think a mere gardener can roam wherever he pleases? Get back to your work. The third floor is off-limits. Do not come here again.”

  Noctis nodded hurriedly, afraid to hesitate, and turned away. His heart felt as though it might burst and fall to the floor. Still shaken, he dared to glance back—just once—

  The corridor was empty.

  There were no footsteps. No presence. The head maid had vanished, as if she had never existed at all.

  A chill ran down his spine. Whatever was happening, he knew one thing for certain—he couldn’t stay there any longer.

  Noctis hurried back to his room and collapsed onto the bed, his heart still racing. Questions spiraled through his mind.

  Why is the third floor restricted?

  Where did the head maid come from?

  There was no one there before I started climbing the stairs.

  Where did she disappear to… and how?

  How was the previous gardener able to visit the third floor?

  The questions flooded his mind with no answers. For now, he chose to focus on the basement—because if the third floor was forbidden, then the terrace was out of reach as well.