“Sorry. I got a bit impatient.”
By now, I was used to cleaning up the system’s messes, so I wrapped up the situation fast.
“Anyway, if you notice anything strange while looking around, tell me right away.”
Nini nodded obediently and started scanning the room while I began searching for what I needed. I wished my memory were intact, but the crucial parts were hazy, like fog covering everything.
Clock without battery. Cannot carry.
Missing puzzle piece. Might be somewhere in the room.
Doll that talks when you press a switch. Might drive away nightmares.
No, none of these. Where the hell could it be?
“This is locked. I can’t check inside.”
Nini’s words grabbed my attention.
Locked, huh?
Usually, things are locked for a reason.
I swiftly turned to check what Nini was holding and brightened up.
“That’s it!”
“That? Do you even know what it is?”
“No, what I mean is… It’s one of those that open when you solve the puzzle.”
Did I sound natural?
Nini thinks you’re an idiot.
Well, better an idiot than suspicious.
I approached Nini and took the treasure-chest-like object, turning it over in my hands. It had a lock with six digits to input before it would open.
“Should I smash it?”
Why do you like breaking things so much?
“I think we should find the password.”
“Hmm.”
Nini didn’t seem to fully grasp what I meant.
“I already said—”
“I know. Stealthily, right?”
“Yeah. If you get it, let’s find the password.”
The password had to be somewhere in this room. There were two rules to keep in mind: One, there were multiple six-digit combinations. Two, the number of times you could enter a code was limited to two attempts only.
10 minutes have passed
“Nini, don’t just spin the numbers randomly… Hey! You!”
Before I could finish, Nini twisted the dial on his own. The lock clacked and spun, but of course, it didn’t open.
“…”
In the blink of an eye, a precious chance was gone. This guy’s sneaky mess-ups really reminded me of the cat I raised.
“Sorry, did I mess up?”
I sighed deeply.
“Just because you found some numbers doesn’t mean you should press anything randomly… Wait, maybe there’s a hint on the box itself.”
Sometimes, problems get solved like that.
“Well, it’s dark, so…”
“Lantern!”
I pulled the lantern from my bag and turned it on. It wasn’t enough to light up the entire room, but enough to examine the box.
“Looks like there’s something here.”
Nini rubbed the bottom of the box with his finger, brushing off dust.
“Let’s see. It says, ‘The second gift personally made for beloved Elizabeth.'”
Elizabeth was the youngest of the three sisters. This must have been a gift handcrafted by one of their parents.
“The second gift I personally made… second gift… Ah!”
There were probably more handmade items in this room besides the treasure box.
“I think I get it.”
And if one of those items holds the hint, then obviously—
“We need to find the very first gift made!”
It must be something special.
20 minutes have passed
However, it wasn’t easy to tell which items were handmade and which weren’t among so many things.
If I ever actually gather enough gold, I’ll definitely buy the ‘Third Eye’ from the shop that identifies items.
“Sis.”
“Hm?”
“Stop spacing out and keep searching.”
“Oh, sorry.”
I got lost in thought for a moment, and Nini, unable to hold back, gave me a little scolding. I couldn’t blame him. There was no time to think.
I started rummaging through everything within reach, checking if any message remained.
A music box that plays when you wind the key. The fourth gift made.
A stuffed doll with big eyes. The sixth gift made.
40 minutes have passed
This is driving me crazy!
The parents of this house must have been utterly obsessed with the youngest. Handmade gifts kept pouring out endlessly.
Just as I was stomping my foot, worried the remaining time would run out—
“Sis, here.”
“Found something?”
Excited, I rushed over to find a well-worn dressing table.
“What’s this?”
“Look underneath.”
Following Nini’s instructions, I sat down and inspected the bottom, where faint letters were written. I pretended to read them while touching the table.
Dressing table commemorating Elizabeth’s fifteenth birthday. The first gift made.
“You actually recognized this.”
“My eyesight’s pretty good.”
Though that seemed unrelated. Anyway, here it was—the very first gift we had been searching for.
“Well done.”
Before I realized it, I reached out and gently stroked Nini’s head. He made a strange face. Realizing my move, I withdrew my hand and asked,
“Did that bother you?”
“No, quite the opposite.”
Nini shook his head.
“I was just surprised because no one’s ever stroked my head before.”
“That’s…”
There was something in his words that almost made me sentimental.
“What’s that? Didn’t you lose your memory?”
“Sis, read the mood.”
“This is not the time for that.”
I cut him off sharply and started rummaging through the dressing table. Usually, in cases like this, there’s a hidden compartment or something useful behind it.
Failing to find anything suspicious, I stood up and began pushing the dressing table sideways.
“Nini, aren’t you going to help?”
“Sorry, but I don’t have the strength.”
You don’t even put effort in lying.
I narrowed my eyes and glared at Nini, then grunted alone as I struggled to move the dressing table. Nini stood still, not lifting a finger.
“Whoa! There it is!!”
At last, the dressing table slid aside, revealing a hidden wall. And right there was the hint I’d been longing for.
[ The couple disappeared from the house that day. ]
“What does this mean? Could it be talking about the couple who lived here?”
Nini stroked his chin in thought.
“Seems like it.”
Since it’s an important date, there must be some record somewhere.
“Maybe ‘that day’ means this day?”
Nini held a torn piece of paper fluttering in his hand.
“What’s that?”
“A calendar. It fell to the floor when you were rummaging through the dresser earlier.”
I practically snatched the paper from Nini’s hand and spread it out. A bright red circle marked the date April 7, 1958.
This is it.
“Nini! The password is 195847.”
“I’m already on it.”
With the satisfying click of the number dials spinning, the last digit clicked into place and the box gently creaked open. An old key dropped onto the floor.
Nini stooped to pick up the key, tilting his head.
“Don’t tell me this isn’t the key for this room?”
“It’s not. Give it here.”
Taking the key from Nini, I sat on the floor again and ran my fingers along the wall. Then my fingertips caught on a spot.
Without hesitation, I shoved the key’s head in and turned it right.
Click! The crisp sound echoed sharply.
Holding the key steady, I pushed the wall outward. The wallpaper tore, revealing a small door leading to the corridor.
“Look at this, Nini. A secret door.”
Luckily, my memory hadn’t failed me.
Nini regards your bold behavior with suspicion
Suspicion Level: 8%
Affection: -3%
Ah… I should have acted more naturally. It’s so exhausting to worry about that when my life’s on the line.
“How did you know? That there was a door here?”
Nini asked in a strange, low voice.
“Well…”
I hesitated, feeling cornered.
“I have pretty good eyesight.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Nini believes your words
Suspicion Level: 6%
Affection: -3%
Damn, that actually worked?
“Let’s get out of here, fast.”
I bent down and crawled through the door into the corridor. Nini followed behind me.
Speak to Nini:
- 1. Maybe you’re a better partner than I thought? (30G)
- 2. You were a big help. Thanks. (50G)
- 3. You should know you owe your life to me.
“You should know you owe your life to me.”
I mumbled it in a shy, barely audible voice. Nini chuckled, then placed his large hand atop my head and gently tapped it.
“What… are you doing?”
“Oh, isn’t this how you do it?”
Only then did I realize I was mimicking the gesture I’d made when praising him before.
Somehow, it felt kind of cute.
“Ahem.”
I cleared my throat, feeling sheepish, and turned away. Now that we’d escaped the room safely, it was time to find the others.
10 minutes until the Sub Quest Escape the Room and Find Your Party ends
All within the next ten minutes.
Log into the next quest — Chapter 7
- ▸ Yes
- ▸ No (Only 10 minutes left)
