by Terasu Senoo
It was Eduard. Erika hurriedly returned her books to the shelf. She couldn’t exactly tell him she was gathering information to avoid her inevitable demise.
“Hello, Eduard. I wasn’t trying to hide or anything. I just had some business to attend to.”
“Hmm, what sort of business?”
“It’s a secret.”
When she did her best to play the part of a spoiled, sulking child, Eduard’s expression softened.
“Hehe, it must be important. Did you finish your business yet?”
“I did.”
Eduard smiled gently and held out his hand.
“Then let’s get going. They’re all waiting for you.”
Today she would meet someone closely connected with her own death. If her memories hadn’t caught up in time, Erika feared she would be barreling straight toward irreversible tragedy and a fated conclusion. Just one more day, and perhaps she would have made a mistake she could never take back.
House Hafan contained the first love interest of Liber Monstrorum. His name was Claus Hafan.
From what Erika could remember, Claus was a sixteen-year-old, omnipotent magician; he had sharp, imposing features and a cold personality. Though hailed as a genius, he was filled with indelible regret and general disillusionment with humanity. His eyes were dark... So terribly dark. Even though his bio listed his eye color as blue, his in-game art depicted them as deeply, boundlessly black.
Why had Claus become such a person? Well, it was because he thought his younger sister, Anne, had died because of his own mistake.
However, it had actually been Erika who caused Anne’s death. To be more precise, Erika had, just for a bit of fun, invited Anne to a very hazardous place. Even if it wasn’t directly, one could say it was Erika’s fault that Anne had died.
And that kinda leads to my death six years later.
Erika recalled the scenario from Liber Monstrorum.
The messenger owls had all been killed, and after the city of Lindis, home to the Academy of Magic, was cut off from the rest of the world, Erika was the first to be found dead, her entire body turned to gold. This was the first storyline in the game, the onset of the Gold Rush Murders.
In Liber Monstrorum, six years before the scenario began, Anne was possessed by an evil spirit in the Aurelia Ruins and perished. The spirit belonged to a legendary alchemist who had been the first to successfully create a philosopher’s stone only to be killed by their compatriots, who were after their secrets.
Driven by revenge, homesickness, love, and hate, the spirit would go on to cause a series of mysterious deaths at the academy. Six years later, Anne, revived after fully assimilating with the alchemist’s spirit, targeted Erika, the one responsible for her death.
Yes, I can really see where Anne is coming from here.
If someone had lured her out and let her die, she would definitely have come back as an evil spirit to curse them to death.
Today happened to be the day she was fated to meet the Hafan duo, Claus and Anne. Naturally, Erika had no intention of inviting Anne out anywhere dangerous, but there was no telling what would happen. She couldn’t rule out the possibility that her inner villainess would awaken the moment she met them.
If I become the sort of evil lady who leads people into traps...
The thought made her silence all the more solemn.
“Erika, are you okay? You’re not looking too well.” Kind as always, Eduard touched a worried hand to her brow.
Thank you, dear brother of mine.
She quietly offered her heartfelt gratitude. Her past-life memories were making her act all too suspiciously, yet Eduard was interacting with her as tenderly as ever. She didn’t want to worry her brother any further.
Erika desperately formed a natural smile. “I’m perfectly alright, Eduard. It’s just... I’m meeting the Hafans for the first time, so I’m a little anxious.”
“Be at ease, Erika. The people from the east are calm and gentle. Ah, that’s right; Duke Hafan has a son who’s two years older than you, you know.”
Truth be told, Hafan nobles were known to be callous and xenophobic, but Eduard had told his sister a little white lie to give her courage. Realizing this, Erika smiled even wider so he wouldn’t have to worry.
“Yes, I already heard from Father. Claus and Anne, correct?”
“Precisely. I do hope you all get along.”
“Me too.”
Talking with her brother allowed her to finally regain her composure.
I have to do my best! she scolded herself.
She’d now had all of her past-life memories for two days running. While she hadn’t set up any decent countermeasures yet, she couldn’t let herself be crushed by the pressure before it even began.
“Oh, that’s right. I’ve got something for you. This pendant is charmed to inspire courage in the wearer, so even a shy girl like you can surely make friends.” With that, he hung a pendant around Erika’s neck. It gave off a faint blue glow.
This is a star crystal.
Its light reflected off of Erika’s limpid emerald eyes.
Star crystal was a mineral unique to Aurelia. It was also known as the Sailor’s Star. This special ore would resonate with even the feeblest of magical energy, glowing brighter the darker its surroundings.
A fragment the size of a pinky nail placed in a glass tube would create a lamp with the same degree of brightness as a candle. Such star crystal lamps could be found stationed all over the Spring Palace.
However, Erika had never seen a flawless crystal so large as the one dangling from her neck.
“What’s this?”
“You have to keep it a secret from Father. I found it while exploring the Seafarer’s Ruins with a friend. I thought it might be a nice present for you, so I had it faceted and made into a necklace. Outside of those ruins, you won’t find a star crystal of this size and quality anywhere in the world.”
“Huh?!” Erika froze the moment she heard him mention the Seafarer’s Ruins. “Thank you, Eduard. But Father has told us time and time again that those ruins are dangerous.”
“That’s why you have to keep it a secret, okay?”
The Seafarer’s Ruins were the site of Anne’s death and the resting place of the ancient evil spirit in Liber Monstrorum, and this very star crystal was the reason Claus and Anne had snuck into the Seafarer’s Ruins together. Anne was entranced by such a beautiful gemstone, so the young and wicked Erika spitefully directed her to the dangerous wreckage.
This scene, and even the voice track, played back in Erika’s head.
“This is a precious stone I received from my brother, Eduard! If you want one so badly, then find it yourself!’”
Erika clenched the gemstone. This was the real death flag. Though she was touched by the urge to throw it out the window right this instant, she maintained control of herself. She couldn’t treat the gift her brother and his friend had found for her so callously right in front of his eyes.
No matter what, she had to make sure it went unnoticed during Duke Hafan’s visit. Keeping her internal unrest hidden beneath the surface, Erika cautiously and calmly proposed, “It pleases me greatly, Eduard, but won’t Father notice it?”
“Hmm, I suppose you’re right. I guess it won’t work out.”
“Perhaps I might hide it on the inside of my dress?”
“Ah, I see! That should be fine.”
One down, Erika thought, feeling the sensation of her first death flag being plucked away.
2
In the entrance hall of the Spring Palace, Duke Aurelia’s household awaited the arrival of House Hafan.
Erika’s father, Ernst, was in his forties, his swept-back blond hair dappled with white. He sported a short, well-kempt goatee. Both his features and personality were reminiscent of Eduard. He tended to be terribly soft on his family, but he was also a proud military man.
Lined up beside him were Eduard and Erika in full formal dress.
A
fter some time, the Hafan couple and their two children stepped in.
When Duke Hafan—who was only in his thirties—stood next to Duke Aurelia, the contrast was staggering. Duke Hafan gave off a rather sharp impression, though his features were fine and youthful. His black hair and gray eyes matched his pale gray magician’s robe. While his clothing seemed plain and frugal at a glance, closer inspection revealed intricate silver embroidery, making it a classy, eye-catching ensemble.
The duchess was in her late twenties, and she was a woman who brought the words “robust” and “spry” to mind. She wore a light-blue, unornamented dress, and her black hair was tied up neatly over her deep blue eyes. Anyone who saw her would consider her countenance blessed with both high-class beauty and endearing charm.
Then came the firstborn, Claus, and his little sister, Anne.
Claus wore a black formal uniform with an abundance of silver thread; Anne wore a prim and proper white dress decorated with silver embroidery. The two of them strongly took after their father, but they had their mother’s eyes. Handsome faces, straight black hair like fine silk, and vivid blue irises.
Erika was surprised to see that Claus was completely different from how he appeared in Liber Monstrorum. He was lacking his signature dark aura and instead appeared to be a healthy young boy whose expression befitted a child his age. His strong-willed eyes made him seem quite dignified.
If he grows up without incident, thought Erika, he will become a handsome, refreshing young man.
Once formalities were exchanged, Duke Hafan and Duke Aurelia made for the parlor. They had much to discuss regarding the reason for this visit—the development of the silver vein that lay on the border between their territories and the resources in the forests that surrounded it.
The duchess was shown to the guest rooms by Eduard, while Erika and the Hafan siblings were told to have fun playing in the Spring Palace gardens. It was the season where the Spring Palace came to life as the plants all across its estate flowered spectacularly. The most beautiful space on the palace grounds was their Grand Garden of One Hundred Blooms, which was composed of a knot garden, a parterre garden, and the rose gardens.
Erika turned to Claus and Anne with a smile.
“Allow me to be your guide through our—”
“Look here, woman. I have absolutely no intention of getting along with you.”
Her smile grew stiff. What sort of ten-year-old boy referred to a girl two years his junior as “woman”...?
No, wait, Liber Monstrorum’s Claus wasn’t much better.
Claus hadn’t just been cold and dark; he had also been pompous and sadistic.
I can’t let myself be led astray by his looks, Erika reminded herself.
“Don’t get me wrong; it’s not you. I can’t stand this entire visit! Why must my father come all the way out here to gab with some uppity neophytes in the west?”
“I don’t know how to respond to that...”
Erika was truly at a loss for words. The reason this discussion was taking place in the Spring Palace was that it contained transfer gates to various parts of the western region, making it the ideal place to survey the mines and forests.
Transfer gates were a type of spatial circle—a magical door of sorts that connected spaces by means of ley lines. During a war many years ago, all the ley lines and transfer gates in the west had been destroyed. The Seafaring Tribe had eventually restored them, and thus House Aurelia held a monopoly over teleportation throughout the region.
This was something both dukes’ families should have been well aware of. What’s more, the Seafaring Tribe had arrived on the continent over six hundred years ago. Calling them “neophytes” simply made her confused.
“Hmph, I have no interest in this place. Your flowers are worthless.”
“Brother, please don’t act so spoiled. You’re being rude to Miss Erika!”
Just as Erika was contemplating how to reach an amicable settlement, she was abruptly thrust a helping hand from Claus’ younger sister.
“Erika is offering to show us around the Spring Palace’s famous gardens! How could you be so ungrateful?”
“Yeah, I don’t want to be seen with you either, Anne. If I stick around you, I’ll catch your weakness.”
“I see. Very well, then, Claus; do as you please. I’ll give Anne a tour of the gardens,” Erika said, parrying his utter disregard with a smile.
That’s right; he was that kind of guy. I see, I see. I knew it; the opposite sex is best observed through a computer screen, she thought to herself while maintaining her cool.
Still, given his unhealthy attachment to his sister in the first scenario of Liber Monstrorum, Claus’ attitude took Erika by surprise.
“Naturally. I’ll be doing just that.”
And so, Claus left Erika and Anne behind, returning to the palace as quickly as possible.
Yeah, do what you want, but what exactly are you supposed to do by yourself in someone else’s house?
Flustered as she was, Erika decided it didn’t really matter. Entertaining Anne was—for appearance’s sake—her objective. Not keeping Claus in a good mood. Her ulterior motive, and top priority, was to keep Anne safe and make sure she was never tipped off about the existence of the Seafarer’s Ruins.
When Erika shifted her gaze to Anne, the girl apologized on her brother’s behalf. “My humblest apologies, Erika. My brother has committed a terrible discourtesy.”
“It’s alright, I don’t mind. I do hope we get along, Anne.”
“Likewise.”
Erika couldn’t help but smile a little wider. She was fostering quite a favorable impression of the courteous young girl. Upon seeing Erika’s surprisingly gentle expression, Anne let out a sigh of relief.
“I was quite looking forward to this. I’ve heard all sorts of rumors. Are the gardens here really so vast that it would be impossible to see everything at once?”
“Oh, is it your first time seeing this sort of garden?”
“Yes, the east has no gardens with the trees trimmed so low. It all seems so unusual! I now see that beauty can take on all sorts of shapes.”
“I know what you mean.”
“I can also see that our cultural differences show in which gardens we prefer,” Anne added with a soft smile.
In Hafan, where the trees were sacred, there were plenty of natural havens, but few made with meticulous landscaping. By contrast, Aurelians preferred well-planned, artificial beauty. For Anne to perceive a cultural difference simply from the layout of a garden at the age of seven, Erika determined she was quite a clever girl.
“Ah, what’s that flower?!”
The peculiarities of the garden’s flowers kept Anne’s interest in flux. Whenever the younger girl had a question, Erika politely and dutifully provided the answer. After venturing through the knot garden, which consisted solely of evergreens, they moved on to the parterre garden with its wide variety of blooming flowers. The different make of each individual garden was a feast for Anne’s eyes.
“It’s lavender. We’ve selectively bred it to get these large flowers.”
“The pale purple is stunning... Ooh, what about that white, layered flower?” Anne next took a liking to the rose garden even further down the path.
“That’s a breed of species rose. Shall I tell the gardener to pluck some of the flowers you like?”
“Would that be alright?”
“Of course. Have as many flowers as you like.”
To Erika, hearing out the wishes of a small child wasn’t the worst thing in the world. In fact, she was always of the opinion that she should be overly sweet on kids, especially the well-mannered ones.
“Are you sure? Is it really, really okay to take them?”
“Why, Anne, you’re our precious guest,” Erika said with an enticing, elegant smile. Anne’s cheeks flushed as red as poppies.
“Thank you.”
She’s honest and cute, unlike Claus over there, thought Erika as sh
e narrowed her eyes. But, well, I guess not being upfront is Claus’ selling point.
There was a demand for this type of guy, or at least, there had been in her former world. One by one, Erika’s brain revived memories of a world where Anne had passed away.
I definitely can’t let that happen. This girl can’t be allowed to die.
Of course, her motivation partially stemmed from her own survival instinct. Erika unequivocally had no desire to die from Anne’s curse after she was possessed by an evil spirit.
3
Anne’s Erika-guided tour of the garden ended without issue. She seemed greatly satisfied to be able to see the peculiar ways flowers were modified in Aurelia.
On the way back, Erika begged the gardener to prune a few select flowers and use them to decorate Anne’s guest room. Seeing them would surely delight her.
After parting with Anne, Erika decided to return to her own room before the banquet, only to come across an unexpected sight along the way.
“Ngh! Not yet; one more match!”
“Now this is troubling. You’re already gasping for air, Claus. I’m getting famished myself, so don’t you think it’s about time we put this to rest?”
She had stumbled upon Claus and Eduard competing in the inner courtyard. Claus was armed with the longstaff of a Hafan magician, and Eduard wielded a favorite wand of Aurelian alchemists.
Judging by the atmosphere, Eduard was the clear victor.
I’d expect no less from my brother. No, wait, how about letting up a bit against a child; you’re twenty years old.
How very, very immature of him. She sighed upon noticing that the turf of the inner courtyard had been almost completely stripped away.
“Oh, hello, Erika. How are things going on your end?” The moment Eduard noticed her, he immediately called out with an expression that read, “I’m saved.” Erika saw Claus trembling in the corner of her eye.
He probably didn’t want anyone to see his overwhelming loss.
Feeling just a little bit sorry for him, Erika pretended not to see.
