TTRIA 19

The fourth full moon at the mansion is approaching soon. It is said that this month, too, a charity event for vagrants will be held, so I must closely observe the vagrants visiting the mansion. Those who could vanish from the world without anyone caring are the perfect targets to become sacrifices for the worms, aren’t they?

For that reason, my duty as a tutor belonging to the mansion no longer feels important. Selecting bright children and handing them over to the agent was never the right thing to do. It was merely putting innocent children in danger.

“…But, can the children handed over like that become talents of the mansion?”

The ones who can become Gray’s talents must be worms with a certain “scent.” Perhaps it would be good to investigate whether they are also sponsoring real “talents” who aren’t worms. They definitely mentioned a facility in the village. A training facility where the talented children selected by Gray go through.

“…After leaving home, they receive education at the facility. Things like rules to follow in mansion life, etiquette, and forms of address.”

“When the full moon event is over…”

When the weekend after the full moon event arrives, I should visit the facility. I need to determine whether worms with the “scent” exist there, or if not, what kind of process the others go through.

However, before that, I must pay attention to the full moon event, “Eden.” In particular, I need to keep an eye on the movements of the agent, Wayne Gray’s closest confidant, and the mansion’s servants approaching the vagrants.

And when Wayne makes an appearance at the event. I must take advantage of the moment when all the servants are busiest to search the mansion. I need to find the places where the “worms” and “sacrifices” might be hidden.

The beautiful grounds of the mansion are likely just the tip of the iceberg. Since most secretive matters tend to happen underground rather than above, it would be best to find a secret passage leading to the basement…

“…The first floor will be hard to navigate without being noticed by the servants.”

Even when I closely observed the servants’ territories and movement patterns, nothing particularly stood out. It was the same when I roamed the first floor under the pretext of sleepwalking. Now, with suspicions of child abuse hanging over me, lingering on the first floor would easily draw the servants’ attention. Acting recklessly would only deepen their suspicions.

If so, could there be a passage leading to the basement somewhere on the second or third floor?

If such a passage exists, where would be the most likely place? A location where prey could be secretly supplied to the children who need the blood of sacrifices, and where Wayne Gray, who uses the worms, would be active…

“…The perfumery?”

Yes. Somewhere in the mansion, there must be a workshop where Wayne creates perfumes. The problem is that it’s a place known only to certain servants of the mansion. Outsiders like Jeff or regular servants wouldn’t know about it. In other words, it’s a secret place that even the servants trained in the mansion’s structure might not know.

“…It’s likely a hidden space within an ordinary room.”

The places I can narrow down for now are the children’s rooms on the second floor and the study on the third floor. Since the children will be returning to the main house and Wayne will be at the center of the event, those two places are the first I should check in the mansion.

The study, in particular, might contain documents about past talents and tutors, so I need to examine it carefully. Documents can be hidden in my coat, but to leave evidence of a hidden space, it might be worth stealing one of the cameras displayed in the playroom.

“…Alright. I can do this. I’m sure I can do it well…”

Whispering to himself as if brainwashing, Jeff closed his eyes. A wave of fatigue hit him instantly, but his taut nerves wouldn’t easily allow sleep. Dealing with the rampant Daniel, staying wary of the relatively well-behaved but unpredictable other two children, and enduring the servants’ gazes all contributed to subtle stress.

That’s why he hadn’t sought out Cecil lately. It seemed better not to meet him until he could fully control his heightened nerves. In his current state, facing Cecil, he doubted he could casually pretend not to know that Cecil is a “worm” or act as if everything were fine.

Cecil, living confined in the annex in the forest, isolated from the world. What meaning would an outsider’s presence hold for someone living under Wayne’s brainwashing, abuse, and control? Wouldn’t it evoke both unfamiliar fear and curiosity at the same time?

A harmless being who doesn’t harm him. A new presence who sees him as he is. Someone who could satisfy his curiosity about the world outside the mansion. I should approach him slowly. The most important thing is to gauge the pace of Cecil’s emotions. I mustn’t hastily judge his feelings like last time.

Cecil was a very delicate and sensitive being. There were often children with a similar air at the orphanage. They were usually highly perceptive. They reacted sensitively not only to their own senses but also to those of others, noticing details that others might easily miss.

Their instincts picked up on gazes, attitudes, breathing, voices, and even the indescribable sense of distance and atmosphere. Cecil was the same. His nerves reacted sensitively to every change. So, if there were any shift in the way Jeff looked at him, Cecil would notice immediately.

Jeff wasn’t confident he could treat him as comfortably as before or avoid showing a sharp attitude. He realized too late. That Cecil, too, is ultimately a “Gray” and a “worm.”

“…I was careless.”

Two full moons. The images he saw at those dawns must have etched deeply into his mind. The sight of Cecil collapsed like a corpse and the image of him writhing in pain, harming himself, had broken down his guard. Jeff had thought Cecil was different. That he, living under Gray’s abuse, was different from the other “worms.” He had arbitrarily assumed so. He had been swayed by the emotions pity brought.

Cecil could attack him at any moment. Not showing aggression doesn’t mean he lacks the intent to attack. It could be that he’s hiding it. Waiting for a more perfect opportunity.

A bitter laugh escaped Jeff’s lips. He had thought he was the one using innocent people. Perhaps he was the one being played in their hands. So, he needed to hide his emotions more perfectly and stay wary of Cecil.

“…I miss hearing his music today.”

The thought of wanting to hear the melodies Cecil created showed he wasn’t in his right mind. Even while recognizing his own contradictions, he couldn’t rein in his heart. Once acknowledged, the desire didn’t easily fade; it only grew stronger with each passing day. He wanted to go to the annex in the forest right now, feel the cool night breeze, and listen to Cecil’s music. Then, he felt he might be able to sleep peacefully.

Jeff’s gaze turned to the clock. It was already midnight, the unspoken time to visit Cecil. After a moment of hesitation, Jeff hid his mother’s glasses and notebook in a gap in the drawer and locked it. He had to be cautious in case the mansion’s troublemaker visited while he was away.

“Is it already autumn?”

The breeze coming through the balcony felt quite cool. The days were still mild, but the nights brought a chilly temperature these days. Three months had already passed since the summer when lavender was in full bloom, so it was only natural. Jeff put on a thick nightgown and left the room.

“As expected, no one’s here.”

The hallway was empty. The servant who used to monitor his sleepwalking was nowhere to be seen. They had always been lax in their duties, but after he was misunderstood as a child abuser, they stopped coming entirely. Instead, they seemed to guard the children’s rooms, but judging by the traces Daniel left whenever Jeff stepped out briefly, even that was negligent.

This mansion is indeed strange. It looks perfect on the surface but is full of holes. It feels neglected at night, unlike during the day. The absence of even a single night guard in such a lavish mansion proved it. Of course, that allowed him to continue his nighttime wanderings, but he couldn’t help but wonder what their nonchalance stemmed from.

Then, a thought struck Jeff. Perhaps it was intentional neglect. They didn’t care what happened in the mansion. Rather, they were setting the stage. For the young worms to run wild. So that no witnesses would see what they did to him.

Conversely, it could mean that it didn’t matter what Jeff did to the young worms, but that might be exactly what Wayne Gray wanted. He mustn’t fall for the mansion’s manipulation. Jeff was never on equal footing with them. He had to be especially careful not to lose his reason. But.

“…….”

When he felt a gaze like now, his firm resolve wavered. His taut nerves trembled precariously. In the end, he wanted to throw away his composure and scream madly at the gaze constantly seeking an opening. He felt an intense impulse. To the sharply sneering mouth and greedily glinting eyes…

A sharp pain spread through the tender flesh inside his mouth. Blood mixed with his saliva. Jeff pressed the bitten flesh with the tip of his tongue, pushing away his thoughts. Ignoring the impure impulse and focusing only on the pain, he turned his body.

“…….”

The hallway, bathed in orange light, stretched so long that its end was out of sight. But Jeff’s gaze didn’t waver. Among the shadows of children scattered throughout the hallway, it zeroed in on a specific form. Behind a beautiful statue. Jeff opened his mouth toward the figure hiding there.

“Come out.”

“…….”

The startled shadow ducked further behind the statue. Jeff moved forward silently. The luxurious carpet absorbed his footsteps, but it couldn’t hide the shadow cast on the wall. As the sound of the figure sharply inhaling reached him, Jeff’s shadow drew closer.

“…What is it?”

The rat Jeff faced wasn’t one of the young worms.

“W-Well, it’s…”

It was the sleepwalking monitor.

“What are you doing here?”

Funnily enough, Jeff’s tension eased. Children who made him more nervous than an adult man. Jeff let out a chuckle and rubbed his dry face. But the servant’s next words instantly reignited his tension.

“Well, uh, the kids said they couldn’t sleep… They begged to play hide-and-seek… I wasn’t hiding to spy on purpose. Really…!”

“Playing hide-and-seek at this hour?”

A sigh laced with irritation escaped him.

“So, who’s the seeker?”

“I-I am…”

So, the children were hiding somewhere in the mansion. Jeff knew this wasn’t just a simple tantrum. It was a trap designed by the young worms.

“Are you out of your mind? No matter how much they begged, it’s this late, and you’re indulging them? What if someone gets hurt?”

“…Hmph, getting hurt over hide-and-seek?”

The servant muttered irritably, then looked up at Jeff with suspicious eyes.

“What about you, Teacher? Why are you out at this hour? It doesn’t seem like it’s because of sleepwalking tonight. …You’re not going to the kids, are you?”

Before Jeff could even respond, the servant’s mind was already picturing him abusing the children. Despite never having seen it. Didn’t the other servants say? That he tried to break a child’s wrist with his strong, large hands.

“Answer me! Are you really going to the kids?”

Eyes filled with wariness and malice turned toward Jeff. Jeff, who had been looking down impassively, spoke.

“And if I am?”

“W-What?”

“I said, what if I am?”

His flat tone seemed calm at first glance, but it carried a chillingly oppressive edge. The servant shrank back, eyes wide, staring at Jeff.

“Are you going to break my legs to stop me? Or cut off my hands so I can’t touch them?”

“W-Well…”

The young man couldn’t hide his bewilderment, his mouth agape. He wanted to say something, but all that came out was a breath that didn’t form words. It was unfamiliar. He had only ever seen Jeff’s gentle smile or his dazed face from sleepwalking. The expressionless face looking down at him was chillingly cold.

Oh, I messed up. The frightened servant didn’t know what to do.

“No, I mean…”

“…….”

Jeff swallowed a sigh of self-loathing. He turned his head, closed his eyes, and calmed his mind. Then he slowly crouched down.

“…I know what you’re worried about. I get it.”

Meeting the servant’s eyes at his level, he continued.

“I just couldn’t sleep… So I was just going for a walk. I didn’t have the slightest intention of going to the kids’ rooms.”

“…….”

“I’m sorry for snapping earlier. Honestly, it stung to be treated like someone who’d harm the kids. As you know, things have been a bit… tough for me lately.”

“Well, uh…”

The flustered servant trailed off. Jeff added calmly.

“I know why you reacted that way. I understand. It’s a natural response. But I’m also pretty frustrated, and it’s hard to stay balanced. Sorry.”

The quiet words carried a heavy fatigue. The servant, without realizing it, studied Jeff’s face. The face everyone couldn’t help but stare at looked worn and tired. The sharpened features evoked pity rather than fear.

“W-Well…”

About to add an apology for pushing him, the servant stopped as Jeff suddenly stood and extended a hand. Helping the servant up, Jeff said.

“We should find the kids before it gets any later.”

“Oh, yes, yes. You’re right.”

“I’d like to help, but given my situation, I should avoid being around the kids at night. I’ll stick to my plan and go for a walk, but if you’re worried I’m going to the kids, you’re welcome to watch me leave.”

The servant flinched and quickly shook his head.

“No, it’s not like that…”

“Thanks. Good luck, then.”

With a light pat on the shoulder, Jeff walked away. He felt the servant’s gaze following him briefly. Soon, he heard, “Kids, where are you? It’s too late for hide-and-seek, so let’s go back to your rooms. Come out, please…” as the servant moved busily.

Stopping at the central staircase, Jeff checked the hallway behind him. There were no noticeable signs other than the servant’s. He looked up at the third-floor stairs. The intricately carved steps and elegant balusters. He examined the gaps closely, but there were no signs or shadows. Not the third floor.

“…….”

Then where was this scent coming from? The other hallway? Or the first floor? Mila, Daniel, and even Benjamin. The scents of the three were scattered, making it hard to pinpoint their direction. The stress he’d been under lately, affecting his physical condition, might also be a factor.

Stepping onto the landing, Jeff briefly covered his nose. As he adjusted to the scent in his nostrils and prepared to sense something new, in that fleeting moment of blinking.

“Hello, Teacher?”

From behind a tall vase on one side of the landing, Daniel poked his head out. The boy, smiling innocently, rushed toward him in an instant.

“You…!”

“Shh, you’ll wake everyone.”

Daniel, wrapping his arms around Jeff’s waist, leaned in with his full weight. The moment Jeff reflexively grabbed the boy, a sharp sensation pricked at his lower back. A knife. As Jeff flinched and tried to push Daniel away, the boy hugged his waist tighter and whispered.

“Don’t move, Teacher. You’ll get stabbed.”

“…….”

Damn little pest…

Gritting his teeth, Jeff grabbed the arms around his waist without hesitation. At the same time, the knife tip, which had been grazing his skin through the nightgown, dug in. Thanks to stopping it with force, it didn’t go deep, but he felt the sharp pain and blood flowing.

“My arms hurt, Teacher.”

Daniel, with both arms restrained, looked dissatisfied at being stopped.

“You’re being dramatic. It’s not like your skin’s been torn like someone else’s.”

“If I get another bruise, you might really get kicked out of the mansion this time. You should be careful.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Jeff, with a dry laugh, dropped the knife and said.

“Didn’t you say? The master doesn’t easily send people away. I think so too. He has no intention of letting me go. He said he trusts me.”

For a moment, Jeff’s eyes turned cold, and his lips twisted.

“But how can I trust that? How much does he know about me? That means he doesn’t really trust me. It means he doesn’t care. That he wouldn’t care even if I laid hands on you all. That kind of man is the master… Everyone’s being fooled. Wayne’s just a cowardly bystander.”

At the words insulting Wayne, Daniel’s face twisted, but he suddenly gave an odd expression. Looking up at Jeff, the boy said.

“You know, Teacher? You look better with that sharp smile than when you smile kindly.”

A strange thrill glinted in his light brown eyes.

“Don’t hold back, Teacher. You don’t need to hide your emotions here. Just act as your feelings lead you.”

“…You talk as if you know all my emotions.”

“Sometimes, an observer can see more clearly. You don’t know, do you? What your expression looks like right now.”

“…….”

Jeff only then realized one corner of his mouth was raised. That his eyes were twitching, that he was clenching his teeth. But he couldn’t tell how all these elements combined to form his expression. So he asked.

“What does my expression look like?”

“Cold, fierce, sharp.”

“Do you think you know what emotions that expression shows?”

“Well, it seems like a mix of many emotions… But one thing’s clear: they’re not very warm. And there’s one thing I’m certain of.”

Before Jeff could ask what, Daniel blurted out.

“Murderous intent.”

“…….”

To Jeff, who lost his expression, the boy continued gleefully, adding that he realized even more after saying it.

“Hostility, anger, disgust.”

“…….”

“If I put it into words, it’d probably mean something like this?”

As he continued, the boy leaned in with a smirk.

“I want to tear the kid in front of me to pieces.”

In that moment, a strange chill ran through Jeff’s entire body. Startled, Jeff pushed the boy away. Freed from restraint, the boy’s body fell back limply. Sitting on the soft carpet, the boy moved his small lips.

You know, Teacher.

“Did you bring a gun?”

“…What?”

“A gun. You said you got one just in case.”

“…….”

“So you could shoot ‘them’ dead anytime.”

“If you ever sense something strange, run to my room, okay, Daniel? I’ll protect you.”

“It feels like there’s a monster in our room.”

Daniel, crawling closer on his knees, hugged Jeff’s leg. Resting his cheek on Jeff’s tense thigh, the boy said with a strange smile.

“Will you come to my room with me?”

“…….”

A secretive voice, unlike a child’s. A strangely glinting gaze. The hidden intent behind the unreadable smile pricked at Jeff’s nerves.

He thought he’d hidden it well, but it hadn’t been hidden. He thought he’d suppressed it, but it hadn’t been suppressed. Was that why it was exposed?

“Let’s go to my room together. Kill ‘them’ in there.”

Because his disgust and anger were evident in the expression he wore and the way he held the children. Was that why the servants were so wary of him?

“Come on, Teacher. Go and kill the monsters. It’s okay, don’t hold back. Act as your heart leads. That’s your true self, isn’t it?”

Whether you shoot them with a gun or tear them apart with a knife. The mansion will understand you. Even if you kill ‘us,’ the master will forgive you.

“…No, that’s not it.”