The sound of rushing water filled the air...
'Whoosh...'
Torrential rain poured down incessantly, filling the air with heavy moisture.
A group of six people trudged through the muddy ground, one after another, steadily advancing toward the north.
Passerby walked at the front. Lin Ye and Asuna took the second and third positions, while the two newcomers—the office lady Linlin and the high school student Ueno—walked in the fourth and fifth positions. Cold Frost, who had the highest level, chose to bring up the rear.
She stayed at the back to ensure the safety of the team's rear flank.
'Whoosh...'
A biting wind blew past, bringing a wave of chill.
'Tap, tap, tap...'
As footsteps sounded, mud mixed with rainwater splashed into the air.
Ahead, there were still only towering ancient trees. At a glance, the forest seemed endless.
Among the newcomers, the office lady was struggling. Her high heels were extremely unsuited for moving through a forest. She had already slipped several times. If not for Asuna looking out for her along the way, she likely would have been left behind.
"I will never wear these high heels again," the office lady complained.
They had been walking for three minutes, yet they hadn't seen even a shadow of the 'Mountain Villa'.
Inevitably, some cast doubtful glances toward Lin Ye.
"There is a problem with this forest," Lin Ye said. Unless he was seeing an illusion. But Lin Ye was more convinced that the problem lay with the forest itself. "It is preventing us from reaching the Mountain Villa."
Hearing this, the bespectacled youth, Passerby, looked around. The towering trees looked exactly the same, with no changes whatsoever.
"If we don't resolve this anomaly, I'm afraid we won't be able to walk out of this forest."
Cold Frost scanned the area with her eyes, looking for anything strange. Asuna watched the surroundings vigilantly to guard against any possible Strange anomalies.
'Whoosh...'
'Whoosh...'
Aside from the sound of rain and wind, there were no unusual noises.
The chill became more pronounced. The newcomer high school student was already shrinking into himself to resist the biting cold, his lips turning slightly pale.
"If a Strange entity appeared directly, we could fight and figure out a way to deal with it. But this... we don't even know where we are. Moreover, we don't even know if there is a Strange entity in this forest," Passerby said helplessly, shrugging his shoulders.
"I have a method we can try."
Lin Ye's words instantly attracted everyone's attention.
Asuna's beautiful eyes focused on this man. This man, whose level was only one higher than hers. Having experienced several Strange events, she understood that any Strange Player who could make it this far was no simple character.
"Since the forest is blocking our path to the villa, I suggest we destroy this forest."
Silence spread.
This method sounded very unreliable.
But upon careful thought, it seemed to make sense.
"It's raining right now; we can't burn it," Cold Frost said, touching the wet and damp trunk of a tree.
If it were a sunny day, they could just set a fire. But in the current situation, it was impossible to burn it down. The fire wouldn't catch at all unless they used a specific Strange Item. However, using a Strange Item to burn a forest would not be cost-effective.
Before the forest finished burning, the people would likely be eroded by the Strange and become new anomalies first.
"Cut them."
Lin Ye looked at the spectacled youth, Passerby. "Brother, as an old player, you surely have a way to cut down trees, right?"
"You think too highly of me. With such a large forest, I definitely can't cut it all down by myself. However, cutting down a few trees shouldn't be a problem. I brought a very suitable tool."
The next second,
A ferocious-looking red metal tool appeared in Passerby's hands—a chainsaw.
Was it an item produced by the 'Strange Game', or a tool from reality?
It was impossible to judge from appearance alone.
"Brother Zero, I hope your judgment is correct."
Passerby pulled the starter of the chainsaw. A roaring 'Buzz, buzz, buzz' sound instantly rang out, drowning out the sound of the rain and the cold wind.
Lin Ye, Asuna, and the others stepped aside one after another.
"By the way, Miss Cold, you have to protect me. If the forest is destroyed, the lurking Strange entity is very likely to appear and attack me."
Cold Frost nodded.
Having experienced several Strange event missions, they all had a corresponding wariness toward abrupt changes.
Lin Ye and Asuna focused on protecting the safety of the newcomers.
"Buzz, buzz, buzz..."
'Crack...'
A large tree split open.
'Boom...'
The large tree toppled over, making a loud crashing sound.
The first tree had fallen.
Everyone looked around vigilantly, but they didn't find any changes.
"Toward the north."
Passerby didn't hesitate; he swung the chainsaw at a thick tree to the north.
The sound of 'Buzz, buzz, buzz...' rang out continuously. Wood chips flew, and yellow sawdust scattered, only to be quickly washed to the ground by the rain.
The second large tree fell.
The third one.
Still, there was no change.
This made Passerby, who was cutting the trees, wonder if Lin Ye's judgment was wrong again, or if that guy was intentionally messing with him.
'Boom...'
The fifth tree fell.
In that instant, a cold wind suddenly whipped up, and wet leaves danced and scattered.
A 'swish' sound was particularly ear-piercing amidst the noisy rain. In a flash, Cold Frost's vigilance peaked, and a pitch-black, sharp dagger appeared in her hand.
'Slash!'
A black shadow sprang out, hugging the muddy ground, and lunged straight at Passerby.
"Hah!"
Cold Frost shouted, her body slightly hunching to build momentum before bursting forward. The dagger in her hand stabbed straight out.
However, the black shadow dodged it by a hair's breadth.
The shocking change in just a few seconds caused the faces of the newcomer high school student and office lady to change drastically. That black shadow, whose features could not be seen clearly, seemed like a monster from hell, constantly releasing a terrifying aura.
"Don't run around," Lin Ye said coldly to remind them. "Running around will only make you die faster."
His sentence made the office lady nod vigorously, though her body involuntarily moved closer to him.
The high school student wanted to get closer to Asuna, but Lin Ye patted him on the shoulder just in time. "Go to the back."
"Oh, oh, oh!"
The high school student immediately obeyed and went to the back.
And now,
Cold Frost's agile body was constantly fighting the black shadow in the forest.
Her movement technique made Lin Ye praise her internally.
An absolute expert; she was not on the same level as a wild player like him.
"Brother, keep cutting trees. We've forced it out."
The moment the black shadow appeared, it proved that their method was correct. Cutting trees was an effective way to leave this forest.
Passerby immediately picked up the chainsaw. "You think cutting trees is easy?!"
"I'm not good at physical activities," Lin Ye said with a shrug.
"Heh."
The spectacled youth got to work again. 'Buzz, buzz, buzz...'
The black shadow attempted to stop him, but Cold Frost forcibly intercepted it.
'Boom...'
The sixth tree fell.
The wind suddenly died down, and the rain gradually weakened.
This was the clearest hint possible.
"Run!"
At Lin Ye's shout, Passerby immediately put away the chainsaw, turned, and ran toward the north. The two newcomers reacted even faster; the desire to survive had long made them want to flee this place. They had only stayed because they realized that without the protection of the old players, they would only die faster.
But now, they could run freely.
"Asuna, take care of the two newcomers."
Asuna glanced at him and nodded.
"Miss Cold."
"You're not leaving?"
"We are teammates, after all. If I really let you bring up the rear alone, it would affect our future cooperation."
Cold Frost didn't answer. Her gaze was fixed dead on the black shadow. Even now, this shadow was hiding within the intersecting shadows of the jungle, not revealing its true form.
"Retreat in order."
Cold Frost backed away slowly.
The black shadow attempted to launch an attack, but Lin Ye intercepted it.
Cold Frost narrowed her eyes slightly because she realized she hadn't captured Lin Ye's movements at all.
A few minutes later,
The six people retreated out of the forest one after another. The black shadow finally seemed to accept failure and gave up.
"Is it unable to leave the forest, or does it know it has no chance to attack us in the open?"
No one could answer this question.
The group of six was now on a patch of lush green open ground. It formed a stark contrast to the wet, rainy, and windy forest from a second ago. Here, birds sang and flowers gave off a fragrance. The air was filled with pleasant scents. In the azure sky, a dazzling sun hung high, releasing light and heat that warmed the heart.
Everyone felt a trance-like sensation of having entered another world.
"The Villa."
A European-style villa sat on the open ground about a hundred meters away. A figure appeared—a maid wearing a black and white maid uniform. She was bending over, using a watering can to water the plants.
She didn't notice the people arriving from afar, focusing instead on her own task.
"I suggest we rest for a while. Miss Cold and I both need a break," Passerby said.
Cutting trees with a chainsaw took effort; he had cut down six thick trees in total.
Cold Frost naturally had no objection.
The newcomers were already slumped on the ground. Both were covered in stains. In particular, the heel of one of the office lady's high heels had broken off. She took off the other shoe, trying to pry off its heel as well.
"I'll help you."
Asuna made her move.
'Swish!'
A slender rapier flashed past, and the heel of the high shoe was sliced off cleanly and evenly.
Lin Ye became increasingly certain that this 'Asuna' was the 'Doujin Asuna', the heroine of Sword Art Online.
"Brother Zero, did you make me cut down the sixth tree at the end because there are six of us?"
"Yes."
"What if I didn't cut it?"
"Probably... someone would have been kept in that forest forever."
Lin Ye looked toward the lush forest they had just broken out of.
Looking at it from this angle, the forest was full of greenery and vitality, having no association with gloom or depression.
"Just a possibility."
Lin Ye smiled.
However, he felt Cold Frost's gaze on him.
Given the situation back then, barring any accidents, the last person left in the forest would have been her.
"Brother Zero's insight makes me admire you endlessly."
"You flatter me, you flatter me."
Lin Ye also knew how to make polite conversation.
Now, the four old players had a temporary foundation of trust. However, one may know a person's face but not their heart; internal wariness toward others still existed.
At least the cooperation between the four would continue.
"Ah!"
Suddenly, the office lady Linlin's voice trembled as she pointed. "No, your neck..."
She looked at Asuna beside her, her eyes flowing with emotions of shock and fear.
"My neck?"
Asuna couldn't see the condition of her own neck. Lin Ye was closest to her, so he took two steps and looked over.
"What's wrong?" Asuna asked.
"There are dark grey spots. It should be Strange Erosion."
"..."
Asuna's face changed slightly. "When? I didn't have any contact with the black shadow."
She looked toward Cold Frost, who had had the most contact with the black shadow.
Cold Frost, in her black trench coat, frowned slightly and began to inspect herself. She didn't see any traces of Strange Erosion on her arms.
"I... seem to have them too."
Passerby looked at the faint spots on his arm. "I suspect it's related to the rain! Miss Asuna used an umbrella. Compared to raincoats, she came into contact with more rainwater than us."
If the rain was linked to Strange Erosion, once they came into contact with a certain amount of rainwater, distinct characteristics of Strange Erosion would inevitably appear.
The dark grey spots on the skin now were just the beginning.
"Did you consider this from the very beginning?"
Asuna stared at Lin Ye, trying to capture something from his expression.
Lin Ye had suggested preparing rain protection from the start to avoid getting wet. Did Lin Ye have a Strange Item that could detect the aura of the Strange?
Several gazes fell upon Lin Ye.
"Just a precaution. I've previously experienced instances where Strange auras existed in the environment, and the longer the exposure, the higher the Strange Erosion," Lin Ye explained simply. "And this mission requires us to survive for three days or eliminate the Strange."
"Putting aside the latter, regarding the former method, we said at the start we could just hide somewhere for three days. But if the atmospheric environment contains lethal factors, this explains very well why the 'Strange Game' didn't explicitly limit the area of activity for the instance mission."
A trap.
This was a trap of the Strange Game.
"We can only survive for three days if we come to the villa. Any place other than this is a land of death."
"Brother Zero, impressive!"
"I don't believe someone like you who has survived until now wouldn't have thought of this. So, no need for the compliments."
"Not at all, not at all..."
Passerby laughed heartily, claiming he hadn't thought of it at all.
"That said, the forest is dangerous, but the villa might not be safe either. What if we choose to spend the three days here?" Passerby immediately proposed one of his ideas.
"Not possible."
It was Cold Frost who spoke. "The Strange Game wouldn't leave such a big bug."
"I think it looks quite safe here."
Asuna thought for a moment and voiced her thoughts. "Just because it's not raining here now doesn't mean it won't rain later."
Rainwater had already been equated with Strange Erosion.
Unless necessary, no one was willing to come into contact with more rainwater.
The rest period lasted for ten minutes. Since they had decided to head to the Mountain Villa, lingering outside would just be a futile waste of time.
Especially since Lin Ye had raised the possibility that time and information might be linked, the six of them set off again toward the Mountain Villa.
Under the bright sunshine, the figures of the six people were moving.
Soon, the group arrived in front of the villa.
Upon approaching, everyone felt the grandeur of this luxurious mansion.
"I wonder how much this villa would cost in reality."
The office lady looked at the villa, her eyes flowing with envy. This was a luxury she couldn't afford even if she worked hard for a lifetime, unless she married a tycoon. But she also knew she didn't have the capital to marry a tycoon.
"Woof, woof, woof, woof..."
The frantic barking of a dog suddenly rang out. In the blink of an eye, a black German Shepherd wearing a collar charged out, barking madly at Lin Ye's group of six.
The office lady was so scared she took two steps back.
A medium-to-large dog without a leash was very dangerous.
Asuna instinctively tensed her body, ready to take action to eliminate this German Shepherd.
"John, stop."
A young girl wearing a black and white maid uniform trotted out, lifting her skirt. "No barking. They are guests, not bad people."
Under the maid's scolding and explanation, the German Shepherd named 'John' finally closed its mouth. However, its sharp eyes were still scanning them, not completely giving up its vigilance.
"Good boy, good boy..."
The silver-haired maid reached out to stroke the German Shepherd, finally patting its back. "Go back now!"
"Woof, woof..."
The German Shepherd barked twice and ran back.
"I apologize for startling our honored guests."
The silver-haired maid stood straight, bent her waist, and bowed, expressing her apology to the six people.
"Miss Maid, how did you know we are guests?"
"Oh my!"
The maid exclaimed, "Miss told me this morning that six honored guests would be visiting and asked me to prepare to welcome them. Could it be... you aren't them?"
If only five of them had arrived here, would this maid still have said that?
Was this a real person with self-awareness, or simply an NPC of the instance mission?
"Yes, we are. May I ask how to address you, Miss Maid?"
"Lisa. Guests can just call me Lisa."
The silver-haired maid smiled sweetly. When her gaze swept slowly across them, smiling at each person, the high school student couldn't handle it. He awkwardly averted his gaze.
Such a beautiful silver-haired maid—it hit his XP (preferences) too hard.
He had seen so many anime works, but this was the first time seeing a real maid in reality!
And the key point, the key point was that the maid was smiling at him.
"Miss Lisa..."
"Just Lisa is fine."
The maid corrected him.
"Lisa, that dog is..."
"It's the German Shepherd raised by the Master. It is the Master's favorite dog. However, the Master left some time ago and hasn't returned, so John occasionally comes to the main gate to wait, hoping to await the Master's return."
The four old players, including Lin Ye, were analyzing and memorizing the important information.
In the instance of a Strange Invitation Mission, any piece of information could be a vital clue to surviving.
As for the two newcomers, they obviously didn't have this awareness and were instead observing and admiring the villa.
"Guests, please follow me this way."
After the silver-haired maid gestured with her hand, she walked in front to lead the way for the six.
The flower beds in front of the villa were full of flowers and plants. Colorful chrysanthemums were blooming in competition, multicolored and bewitchingly charming. A faint floral fragrance permeated the air, sweet and pleasant.
"Lisa, are you the only maid in the villa?"
"Yes."
"With so many flowers and plants and the cleaning of the villa, can you handle it alone?"
"I can. Watering and cleaning don't need to be done every day. The workload isn't actually that much."
A moment later,
The silver-haired maid led the six people into the villa.
The light dimmed significantly, but there was no oppressive, gloomy atmosphere; everything seemed quite normal.
"Guests, this way. The parlor is here."
Led by the maid, the group arrived at the parlor on the right side of the first floor.
In the spacious parlor, a large marble table sat quietly. On the table was a bouquet of lilies, and beside it were ten solid wood chairs.
After the six people took their seats, the maid smiled and said, "Please rest in the parlor for a moment, guests. I will immediately inform Miss that the honored guests have arrived at the villa."
After speaking, the maid bowed slightly, retreated slowly, and softly closed the parlor door. Every move displayed the proper etiquette and breeding of a maid.
"It seems... there's nothing abnormal, right?"
The high school student cautiously spoke first, breaking the silence.
"The Strange Game isn't about looking at the surface."
The calmer it was now, the more turbulent the undercurrents.
"Look around and see if there are any clues or useful information here."
After Cold Frost finished speaking, she stood up, ready to explore the parlor.
"On the table."
Asuna discovered a sheet of paper that had appeared out of thin air on the stone table.
Lin Ye was closest, so he stood up and picked up the paper. The three people opposite him actively walked around the long table to lean in.
"'Mountain Villa Life Reminders (Guest Edition)'"
"A Rule Weird Story?"
"If we follow the rules, we can survive?"
This made the office lady's eyes light up. Compared to Strange entities that were elusive and could harm people at will, she felt that this kind of Strange scenario with clear rules was actually safer.
"Not necessarily. But violating the rules generally won't lead to a good ending."
Passerby's words caused the expressions of the two newcomers to change.
Reminder 1: Arguing and noisy behavior between guests are not allowed in this villa. If such things occur, you will be asked to leave the villa.
Reminder 2: 7:30 to 9:00 AM and 17:30 to 19:00 PM are breakfast and dinner times. Guests are requested to go to the dining room on time to eat.
Reminder 3: Maid Lisa hates the act of wasting food. Please be sure not to waste food.
Reminder 4: After 10 PM is the nighttime rest period. Guests are requested to return to their guest rooms to rest in a timely manner. If sounds are heard from outside the door, please ignore them.
Reminder 5: Miss Carter does not like to hear things about the Master. Please try to avoid this topic.
Reminder 6: The love of beauty is nature, but please do not harbor ill intentions toward Miss Carter.
Reminder 7: The German Shepherd John is very obedient. If it suddenly barks at you, please be sure not to run away.
Reminder 8: Humans cannot harm humans, but the Strange can kill humans.
...
Everyone returned to their seats. The reminder list was passed around successively, and the six people read it carefully once again.
"A rule-based instance. If anyone has thoughts, bring them up directly. Let's discuss and increase our survival rate."
Lin Ye wasn't in a hurry to state his analysis. His gaze landed on Cold Frost first.
"Observe the time. Breakfast and dinner times, and bedtime. We need to determine the villa's time to prevent discrepancies."
In the parlor, there was an antique clock swinging. The current time was 12:18.
Cold Frost took out a pocket watch to adjust the time.
Passerby raised the mechanical watch on his left hand and began to synchronize.
Lin Ye noticed Asuna had no reaction. "Miss Asuna, you've already set your watch?"
Her expression was calm as she shook her head slightly. "I didn't bring a mechanical watch."
The next second, Asuna saw Lin Ye take out a red mechanical watch and push it in front of her.
She paused. "Then you..."
"I brought two."
Three disposable raincoats, two mechanical watches. Did this guy have a phobia of insufficient supplies?
"Out of caution, I will personally set the time one hour fast."
Passerby quickly understood Lin Ye's meaning. "Brother Zero, you really consider everything. If the mechanical watch with the incorrect time isn't affected by an unknown force, we can use the incorrect watch to determine the current time."
Cold Frost thought for a moment and proactively said, "I'll set my mechanical watch one hour slow."
The watches of Passerby and Asuna showed the same time as the antique clock in the parlor. Lin Ye and Cold Frost's watches were set one hour fast and one hour slow, respectively.
"Excuse me, the two of us..."
The high school student was embarrassed to speak, but the office lady Linlin was not. As someone who had entered society and worked in sales for several years, she had absolutely no sense of 'embarrassment'.
A salesperson who still felt 'embarrassed' would have no sales performance and couldn't survive in the sales industry.
"Just follow our actions."
Passerby said with a smile, causing the office lady to swallow the suggestion she was trying to voice.
She suddenly realized a very important thing: the old players had no obligation to protect them.
Provided the old players ensured their own safety, they might spare a hand to look after the two newcomers. But if the old players didn't even have spare energy, how could they look after them?
The two newcomers were now naked burdens.
Cold Frost spoke up at this time. "You don't need to worry that we will abandon you two. The number of survivors relates to the final evaluation and reward. In some instances, if too many players die, the strength of the Strange will grow continuously."
Therefore, unless necessary, the old players wouldn't watch helplessly as massive casualties occurred without lifting a finger.
The office lady and the high school student felt slightly more relieved.
The topic returned to the 'Reminders'.
"The fifth point. Zero, what's your take?" Asuna asked.
Her bright eyes reflected Lin Ye's cheeks.
"The maid mentioned this Master. He left the villa some time ago. The German Shepherd John is the Master's favorite dog. And the rules mentioned him. I think this 'Master' and the background of this 'Mountain Villa' definitely have a significant connection; he is a key figure."
"Miss Carter dislikes the Master, obviously meaning a conflict exists between the two. This conflict might be one of the keys for us to solve the puzzle and explore this Mountain Villa."
Cold Frost spoke up then, "Our mission is to survive for three days or kill the Strange, not to solve puzzles."
Lin Ye seemed to have anticipated someone would say this. "First, deciphering the full background story can improve the evaluation and earn higher rewards."
"Second, killing the Strange also requires a method. If Miss Cold is confident in her strength, I can give you a decent suggestion."
"What suggestion?"
"Kill every living creature in the villa, including that German Shepherd."
Cold Frost paused. She really hadn't thought of that. Can't find who the Strange is? Then kill them all?
This operation seemed to have a certain degree of feasibility.
"Brother Lin, haha, I also thought of that. But we can't do that. If instance characters die, causing the instance to collapse, who knows what kind of powerful Strange will appear? It's highly probable that an unstoppably powerful Strange will emerge. At that time, no one will be able to withstand it and survive its hands."
He said with a smile, "I remember a player actually did that. The result was that in that round of the instance mission, except for one player who was lucky enough to return alive, the other eight old players all died, torn to shreds by the Strange whose power had skyrocketed."
Sure enough, other players had done this before.
Lin Ye noted this case.
Asuna continued, "The sixth point. It reminds us not to harbor ill intentions toward Miss Carter, but what if she is the Strange?"
"Violating the rules doesn't mean instant death."
That meant there was a chance to survive even if one violated them.
This was Asuna's first time experiencing a rule-based instance, so her first instinct was to obey all rules.
But looking at reality, there was a certain difference from what she thought.
Finally, everyone focused on the last rule.
Humans cannot harm humans, but the Strange can kill humans.
"Let's test it!"
Lin Ye proposed, his gaze circling around and landing on 'Passerby'.
"Cough, cough, cough, don't look at me," he immediately refused. "I'm not a masochist."
"Anyone volunteer?"
But no one reacted.
Lin Ye sounded regretful. "Since no one is willing, I'll do it!"
He spread his hand and placed it on the table. "Actually, the injured person is safer. The one who acts is the one who has to bear the risk of rule backlash."
This made Passerby, who was just about to say he was willing to help strike the blow, swallow his thoughts.
The large parlor remained silent for five seconds; no one made a sound.
Lin Ye withdrew his hand and shrugged. "My guess for the last rule is that injuries from humans harming humans will be healed. Additionally, the person who inflicts the harm will be punished, thereby prohibiting the act of 'harm'."
"I'll do it!"
Asuna pursued her lips and thought for a while, then extended her fair hand in front of Lin Ye. She was sitting right next to him.
She looked away, a bit nervous. Although she was an old player, she was still afraid of pain.
But compared to a little pain, she felt it was more important to figure out how the rules manifested as soon as possible.
"Okay..."
Lin Ye didn't hesitate. After taking out a dagger and simply sterilizing it, he lightly cut a line on the girl's hand.
A wound appeared, and blood welled up, but before the red liquid could flow out, the wound had completely healed.
In this moment, everyone realized the manifestation of this rule.
'Knock, knock, knock...'
A knock sounded on the parlor door.
"Click..." A slight opening sound was heard. The silver-haired maid appeared at the doorway. She bent slightly and pushed open the parlor door.
When the door opened fully, a beautiful young girl appeared in everyone's field of vision.
Her beautiful long blond hair flowed, and her exquisite, pale face was movingly beautiful. Under the black and red Gothic Lolita dress, her skin was snow-white, fully displaying her nobility and elegance.
The blond girl looked at everyone and revealed a smile. She lifted the hem of her skirt, curtsied slightly, and greeted everyone with a smile.
"Good afternoon, respected guests. I am Aiqi Carter. You may call me Aiqi. Welcome, everyone, for coming from afar."
She expressed her welcome once again. "However, it is regrettable that my father has not yet returned after going out. If Father returns, I will inform the guests immediately."
"For the next three days, I will host the guests in my father's place to fulfill the duties of a host."
Her smile was sunny, and her words were cheerful, just like a spring day, illuminating the heart.
At least in this instant, she didn't give off the feeling of being a Strange entity.
But Lin Ye frowned slightly. 'Master' referred to the 'Father' Aiqi spoke of. Aiqi proactively mentioning 'Master'—did that not count as violating the rules?
Lin Ye also caught Passerby's reaction; the two of them exchanged glances.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Carter. I believe we will definitely spend a wonderful time here."
"Haha, it is my greatest honor that the guests think so."
The blond Eldest Miss Aiqi looked at the maid beside her and spoke with lightly moving red lips, "Lisa, if the guests have any needs, you must try your best to satisfy them. You absolutely must not neglect the honored guests."
"Please rest assured, Miss. I will ensure the guests return fully satisfied."
"Mm."
She looked at everyone again. "Guests, if you have needs, you can tell Lisa. Lisa will try her best to satisfy everyone."
"Okay."
"Lisa, I'll trouble you with the rest. Guests, I will take my leave for now."
The blond Eldest Miss bowed with a smile and left. Her tall figure soon disappeared at the end of the parlor door.
"Lisa, is the relationship between Miss Carter and her father not good?"
"Eh? Guest, why do you suddenly ask that?"
The silver-haired maid looked at Lin Ye in surprise.
" generally, if the relationship between father and daughter is good, she would use 'Dad' to address him in front of guests. If it's a traditional noble family, they would often use the honorific 'Lord Father' in front of outsiders."
Yet Aiqi Carter used 'Father' to address him. This lacked the honorifics befitting a noble family's display, and also lacked the intimacy of the address 'Dad'.
So judging that there was a conflict and a bad relationship between father and daughter was completely reasonable.
Of course, the biggest basis for judgment came from the 'Rule Reminders'. But this wasn't suitable as a reason to explain to the maid.
"Guest, you really know a lot. Indeed, some unpleasantness occurred between the Master and Miss. This was still..."
Suddenly thinking of something, the silver-haired maid shut her mouth and didn't continue.
"As guests invited by Master Carter, perhaps we can contribute to easing the relationship between Miss Carter and Master Carter."
"Thank you for your kindness, guest, but there is no need to trouble the honored guests with this matter. Moreover, I am just a servant; it is not suitable for me to participate in matters between Miss and the Master."
She declined politely.
But this allowed Lin Ye to gain some more information.
"Guests, currently there are three spare guest rooms in our villa. Please discuss among the six of you; a maximum of two people can stay in each room. Please note, I will bring the keys to the guests later."
She bowed again, preparing to leave.
"Excuse me, I wonder if there are any taboos here? For example, doing certain things or going to certain places that would cause Miss Carter unhappiness? As guests, we do not wish to cause the villa's owner unhappiness."
Lisa nodded in sudden realization. "Guests should not approach the basement. Miss lives on the fourth floor, so please do not go to the fourth floor to avoid causing Miss unhappiness."
"Thank you. Also, one more thing. If I accidentally take too much food and don't finish it, will Lisa be angry? Will you hate me?"
In this moment, everyone looked at the silver-haired maid, waiting for her answer.
But contrary to everyone's expectations, the silver-haired maid revealed a puzzled expression instead. Then, she put on a faint smile. "Guest, you are joking. I am a maid; how could I be angry at a guest? Or hate you? However, wasting food is a bad habit, so Lisa still hopes guests will take only as much as they can eat and not waste food."
"Thank you, I understand. I will definitely supervise them so they don't waste food."
"Thank you. Do the guests have any other matters? If not, I will go prepare tea and snacks first."
"Um, I..."
After getting Lin Ye's consent, the office lady spoke up. "I need a pair of shoes, and I also want to change my clothes."
"No problem. The villa has spare clothes and shoes. Respected Miss, please follow me."
But the office lady didn't dare.
How could she dare to leave the parlor alone with a maid whose true nature was unknown?
"I'll accompany you."
Cold Frost spoke up. "Regarding other matters, like the room allocation for tonight, we'll discuss them when we return."
Soon, Cold Frost and the other followed the maid and left the parlor. The parlor fell silent.
"Brother Zero, you almost scared me to death just now."
Passerby said with a chuckle, "You've got guts, daring to ask directly."
"Asking is always better than acting directly to test it."
"So what's your conclusion?"
"Probability of being human is relatively high, but I can't rule out a Strange entity with a high degree of clear, self-logical consciousness."
Hearing this, Asuna made a guess. "You mean if we violate the rules, she might transform into a Strange entity?"
"It's possible. But I'm more curious about what reaction this maid would have if Miss Carter engaged in the act of wasting food?"
The group paused.
"If she herself wastes food, what reaction would there be?"
Would the maid waste food herself?
That was basically impossible!
Meanwhile, Cold Frost accompanied the office lady to the storage room. Along the way, she was observing.
Although the villa seemed calm now, with no sign of dangerous Strange entities, it was hard to guarantee a Strange wouldn't spring out during a moment of negligence.
These were lessons written in blood.
During the instance, vigilance must be raised.
________________________________________
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