"Q: What's the benefit of being bound to the [Chef]?
A: You get a more sumptuous lunch than everyone else!"
Using her role to its full advantage, Rossweise managed to gather a significant amount of high-quality ingredients. She and Leon enjoyed a surprisingly lavish and private meal together in the communal kitchen, a stark contrast to the simple rations the other players were likely subsisting on.
After lunch, the couple sat down at the table to review the clues and item cards they had gathered throughout the morning.
First, they laid out the handful of scattered clue cards:
- [Two friends were once favored by the Princess; the three have been close friends since childhood.]
- [Although the Queen deeply loves the Princess, she seems to have another agenda.]
- [Among the eight players, there are at least two lone wolves. They are isolated but possess unique advantages.]
- [There is a special scene within the castle. Completing a task within the scene will trigger a 'Fate of All.']
"So... Muen and Aurora's 'friends' group should be part of the confirmed good side," Leon mused, his gaze then shifting to the clue card about the [Queen]. "But this card says that Claudia's [Queen] identity has another purpose. If all players on the good side have the main task of protecting the Princess and finding the Black Sacred Stone, then what could the [Queen]'s other, hidden objective be?"
Rossweise shook her head, her silver hair shimmering. "So far, Claudia hasn't shown any signs of having a separate agenda. She barely speaks during meetings, so it's incredibly hard to deduce her true goals."
Her observation was accurate; it had been hours since the game started, yet Claudia had kept to herself, not aligning with any group or contributing meaningfully to discussions. With such scarce information, they couldn't piece together her intentions.
"No worries, the game's just begun. As more clues surface, we'll be able to find the answer," Leon reassured her.
"Mhm."
Next, they examined the clue card about the [Lone Wolf]. This was the one Leon found most intriguing. Before acquiring this card, he had assumed he was the only lone wolf. The revelation that there was at least one other changed the entire landscape of the game.
Who could this other lone wolf be...? Was it Rossweise, the one bound to him right now? Or the mysterious [Queen] Claudia? His thoughts raced, but he had no clear answer.
"So there really are lone wolves in this game, and there are at least two of them," Rossweise commented, flashing a playful look at Leon. "Who do you think it is?"
Leon responded instantly, without a hint of guilt, "Of course, it's Claudia. Who else could it be?" The first skill a seasoned lone wolf must master: deflect blame at all times!
The Queen raised a skeptical eyebrow. "But didn't you just say my sister could be a lone wolf, too?"
"Your sister could be, and Claudia could be. It says 'at least two,' right? There could be more."
"Mhm... you could be one too," she said, her voice laced with teasing suspicion.
"Your Majesty, please, spare me. I swear I'm a true good guy," Leon pleaded with exaggerated innocence.
Rossweise chuckled, resting her delicate chin in her hand as she gazed at him with sparkling eyes, drawling, "But I... like men who are a little bad."
"Fine, I'm a lone wolf, Your Majesty," Leon conceded with a dramatic sigh.
Rossweise playfully punched his arm. "Oh, come on. Who do you think you're fooling?"
Leon, internally: You all saw it, right? I was honest, but she didn't believe me!
The two shared a laugh and then turned to the last clue card.
"'Special scene can trigger "Fate of All"?' Not sure what that means. There wasn't a rule like this in our family games," Rossweise remarked.
"But from the looks of it, it means if one person completes a specific task, the effect will apply to everyone, right? A universal event."
Rossweise nodded. "Makes sense."
They didn't dwell on this clue card for long and instead laid out the item cards they had collected over the morning. There were three in total:
- [Super Influence]
- Effect: Upon using this item card, your vote count becomes '5'.
- Note: Can only be used once.
- [Detective]
- Effect: Can be used on any player to check if they have 'killed' another player within the last six hours.
- Note: Can only be used once, no range restriction.
- [Avenger]
- Effect: If you witness a 'kill' firsthand, you gain the ability to 'kill' for fifteen minutes.
- Note: Lacks a card to classify 'kill' types; unable to kill empty-handed.
Compared to the enigmatic clue cards, the item cards were more straightforward and far more rare, which was why the couple had only managed to find these three during the entire morning. But including the [Mint Tea] from earlier, that made it four items in their shared inventory.
"They're all here."
Rossweise glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall and calculated the time. "Our 'bond of undying affection' is about to wear off. We should divide these items before we part ways."
Leon was taken aback, feigning hurt. "Why does this feel like we're splitting assets in a divorce...?"
Rossweise rolled her eyes, then jabbed a finger into his chest. "If you want a divorce, keep dreaming." She poked him with each word for emphasis. "I'm going... to... torture... you... for life."
Leon nearly became a pincushion. "Alright, alright, let's divvy them up."
Rossweise looked at the stack of cards on the table. After a moment's consideration, she handed the [Mint Tea], [Super Influence], and [Avenger] to Leon. She kept the [Detective] card for herself.
"The tea was already promised to you. As for Avenger, you wander around more than I do, so the chances of you witnessing a 'kill' are higher. Super Influence... you take it," she explained calmly.
"What about Super Influence? You should keep it. It's powerful," Leon protested.
"No, you take it."
Leon blinked, suddenly touched. Despite all their bickering, she was still looking out for him!
He was about to thank her sincerely. "Than—"
"If I keep it," she interrupted, a sly grin spreading across her face, "I'll just end up voting you out at the next meeting. Five votes? Instant knockout!"
"..."
The sentimental moment vanished instantly.
It was just like this morning. A few hours of forced cooperation and light flirtation didn't prevent them from being adversaries during meetings. It was no different now. Even after spending six hours together, gathering and analyzing information, it wouldn't stop the Queen from voting against Leon at the next opportunity.
You all have your own game roles—lone wolves, queens, and all that—but I, as the Queen, have one mission: to defeat Leon Cosmodeous in every game and challenge we play!
They packed up their respective cards, and then Rossweise stood up, patting Leon on the shoulder. "This afternoon we'll be on our own again. As always, don't get yourself killed before I find a 'kill card,' alright?"
With that, the Queen turned and clicked away in her heels, her silver tail swaying confidently.
Leon watched her tall, retreating figure with a fond smile, then pocketed his item cards and left the kitchen. The game was still in full swing. As more clues surfaced, everyone would become more engrossed in this hidden struggle. Yet, only a third of the game had passed. The rest... would be filled with even more unknowns and danger.
.
.
.
After dinner, Leon returned to his room to rest and prepare for the night's activities. His primary goal was to move the Black Sacred Stone, hidden in the communal kitchen water tank, to a new, more secure location.
Just as he was formulating his plan, the Memory Stone in his pocket emitted an NPC voice:
"Alert: Someone has opened the castle's alchemy room, releasing a contagious disease. All players must go to the [Doctor]'s room within one hour to obtain the antidote. Failure to do so will result in elimination."
Leon's frown deepened. "Alchemy room... contagious disease..."
He immediately recalled the clue card he and Rossweise had found earlier about a "special scene triggering a 'Fate of All.'" Could the alchemy room be that 'special scene'? And this contagious disease, the 'Fate of All' that affects everyone?
Pondering this, he made his way to his sister-in-law Isha's room.
When he arrived, Muen and Aurora were just leaving, looking relieved.
"Daddy, did you get sick too?" Muen asked, her big eyes wide with concern.
"Yep, I'm here to ask Aunt Isha for the antidote."
"The antidote is sweet, Daddy. You have to try it!" Muen chirped happily.
Leon chuckled. Little do you know, Dad already 'tried' a version of this in the first round. And guess why Dad might be sick now? Arguably because of your mom's poisoning last night.
"Alright, I know. By the way, did you find any useful clues this afternoon?" he asked, testing the waters.
"Oh, we found—" Muen started, but then she caught herself, shaking her head vigorously. "Nope! Muen and Aurora didn't find anything at all!"
Although her expression screamed 'I'm lying,' Leon still humored her with a warm smile.
"Okay, you've taken your medicine, so go to bed early. No staying up late."
"Yes, Daddy!"
The two girls walked off hand in hand, their whispers fading down the hall.
Leon entered the room.
"You're the last one to come for the antidote," Isha said from behind her desk. A single dose of orange-colored candy sat on the table.
Leon approached the table, looking down at the antidote, but didn't pick it up immediately.
"Sis, you must have seen the Memory Stone's message, right? Someone opened the alchemy room, infecting us all."
Isha muttered in frustration, "That jerk! Why open the alchemy room out of nowhere, making me work overtime distributing cures?"
"Who do you think opened it?" Leon asked, hoping his clever and observant sister might offer some insight.
But Isha just shook her head. "No idea... everyone's been here for the antidote. Even I, the [Doctor], had to take it myself or face elimination. So who opened the alchemy room... I have no clue."
Leon pondered aloud, "So if we figure out who opened the alchemy room, we likely find one of the [wolf] faction, right?"
"Yes, I think so. Do you have any clues or intel about the [wolf]?"
Leon thought for a moment, deciding to share a morsel. "There's some intel about the [Queen]. It says she loves the [Princess], but has another agenda. So I suspect Claudia might be one of them."
"That makes sense... We should question her closely at the next meeting."
"Got it."
"Now take the antidote, don't let the time run out," Isha said, nodding at the candy by Leon's hand.
Leon picked up the orange candy. He hesitated for the briefest moment, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes, then popped it into his mouth.
"Remember, the meeting is at eight tomorrow morning," Isha reminded him.
Leon nodded, offering a slight smile, then turned and left Isha's room.
The moment the door closed behind him, his expression shifted. He hurried back to his own room, his pace quickening. Once inside, he rushed to the bathroom, spit the candy into the sink, and rinsed his mouth thoroughly.
Then, he took out the [Mint Tea] Rossweise had given him. He broke the seal, lifted the vial, and drank the cool, soothing liquid in one determined gulp.