There is... no peace... There is no such thing as peace... Not as long as humans exist... They kill each other for the stupidest reasons. Instead of understanding one another, they slaughter each other and make their children pay for their mistakes... Wars... And I will make sure... that peace reigns by... erasing the humans of Grimmhoth! ...Only then will they finally leave the other races alone, such as elves, fairies, and of course, druids and animals. clowns thoughts
(Meanwhile, in Dukewood, more precisely in Timhooth!)
Elizabeth: "Hello, Fiona. My name is Elizabeth Ainsworth."
Fiona: "Hello..."
Elizabeth: "Please, sit down."
Fiona sat down. Elizabeth was still young, probably in her late twenties or early thirties.
Elizabeth: "I heard that you are looking for Tina Household."
Fiona: "She might be my mother... As for my father... I don't know... Is it Gargamel?"
Elizabeth: "No, it's all right... You belong to the Household family. Your father is Hanse Household. The child from the affair is unknown..."
Fiona: "How do you know that?"
Elizabeth: "I knew your mother, and I even held you in my arms..."
Fiona: "You look too young for that."
Elizabeth: "Hehehehe... I was young back then, too. You were still a baby, and I was ten... More precisely, my mother was friends with yours. Well, not exactly friends. They knew each other..."
Fiona: "I see..."
Elizabeth: "You need to understand that we are magicians... The Ainsworth family... More precisely, we are Arcanists..."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Elizabeth: "Anyway, my dear... There are several things I want to discuss with you. Surely you have heard about the vampires, haven't you?"
Fiona: "Mhm."
You need to know that these attacks began a long time ago. More precisely, in 1230... But they were rare attacks. However, recently... there have been twenty-nine victims with bite marks within a single month... That is more than in the last eighty years combined..."
Fiona: "Hmm... What does that mean?"
Elizabeth: "The vampires have apparently gathered in Dukewood... And that is, well... not exactly good..."
Elizabeth folded her hands. She had two purple eyes and medium-length black hair. She also had a very small nose, a gentle voice, pale skin, stood about 170 centimeters tall, and had a birthmark where her arm should have been.
Elizabeth: "All right, then. Let's move on to the second topic, which might interest you... Your mother... was murdered by someone you have actually met before..."
Fiona: "What?"
Elizabeth: "Mr. Edwardson."
Fiona: "Ugh..."
Elizabeth: "Mr. Edwardson is a fool... but he is brutal and intelligent. He wanted an artifact... one that only your mother possessed..."
Fiona: "And what would that be?"
Elizabeth: "An instrument."
Fiona: "Huh?"
Elizabeth: "I know... It's a real WTF moment... But it isn't an ordinary hourglass. This instrument is magical... It once belonged to... Oz..."
Fiona: "Why would my mother possess something like that?"
Elizabeth: "Hehehe... Unfortunately, your mother didn't know that it was a magical instrument... This instrument has a special property."
Fiona: "It can predict birth rates?"
Elizabeth: "(Sweating)... No... Uh... It has to do with... curses."
Fiona: "Curses..."
Elizabeth: "Now pay attention, because here comes the important part... These curses cause people to develop pale white skin... and sharp teeth... and they begin to crave blood."
Fiona: "That sounds like vampires..."
Elizabeth: "It turns humans into vampires."
Fiona: "What!"
Elizabeth: "Well... similar creatures... Uh... They are ghouls."
Fiona: "Of course... Another monster..."
Elizabeth: "Ghouls belong to the Namesis, more or less."
Fiona: "Hmm."
Elizabeth: "The instrument is a small violin called Veln..."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Elizabeth: "It was created by the musician Beethoven..."
Fiona: "Him again?"
Ludwig von Beethoven was a famous musician and symphonist in Grimmhoth. However, one day, he argued with one of his fans because she had been coughing for too long. What he didn't know was that she had been deeply embarrassed by the incident. Her appearance in the newspaper only made things worse. The young woman apparently found the situation too humiliating and took her own life.
Her sister was consumed by anger, so she placed a curse on Ludwig. The curse caused Beethoven to lose his hearing. His hands became weak, and he could no longer walk properly.
This filled Beethoven with anger, and he composed more songs. However, these songs brought curses and disasters upon the world.
He also created four instruments capable of causing curses: the small violin Veln, the large violin Laufdrub, the Piano of Dawn, and, of course, the Flute of the Hages.
What he didn't know was that the woman he eventually married was the very person who had cursed him. He married her after she had cared for him, never realizing that she was responsible for his suffering.
Elizabeth: "You know Beethoven's past?"
Fiona: "A little..."
Elizabeth: "The story doesn't end there."
Eventually, the woman who had cursed him approached him and pretended to be kind. She told him that other people had done this to him and that some had probably cursed him out of jealousy.
Fiona: "What? I thought he died without ever discovering that his wife had been responsible for the curse."
Shortly before his death, or rather, several years before he died... Beethoven wasn't angry with her. He said nothing. He felt sorry for his wife. He didn't even divorce her when he discovered the truth.
Do you know why he hid those instruments? He felt guilty about what he had intended to do, which was to make people suffer. He wasn't angry with his wife. Instead, he felt guilty because of the girl who had taken her own life...
"That is why he created one final instrument, another violin. He named it Merlene, after the girl who had died.
"This instrument is the solution, because it can make curses... disappear. At least some of them..."
Fiona: "Okay... And my mother possessed the dangerous one... Veln."
Elizabeth: "Exactly... Now, I want to tell you something else. Third... I want..."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Elizabeth: "I want you to join us..."
Fiona: "Huh?"
Elizabeth: "I know, I know... But don't forget that Dark Umbrella is after you. And I think we both know that we have no idea how strong they might have become. Nevertheless, I could protect you... Fiona..."
Fiona: "Hmm... I don't want to cause you any trouble."
Elizabeth: "But I want to help you... You have no chance against them on your own..."
Fiona: "I... I could settle things with Meliodas. He still has some good left in him, after all."
Elizabeth: "Meliodas... You mean Meliodas von Horn?"
Fiona: "Yes."
Elizabeth: "Hmm... I've met him before... Indeed, he belongs to the somewhat good side... But you must understand that this is dangerous... Please, Fiona..."
Fiona: "Hmm..."
Elizabeth: "Join the House of Clover... Please... Become part of my family..."
Fiona: "Okay."
Elizabeth: "Hehehe... A good choice..."
Fiona: "Hmm... But only because I have no chance on my own..."
Elizabeth: "Hehehe... All right..."
Fiona: "There's something I want to tell you..."
Elizabeth: "Hmm?"
Fiona: "You should close one eye."
Elizabeth: "Oh... Okay."
Fiona: "I have to do it too."
They both did so.
Fiona: "I met the Clown."
Elizabeth: "Oh... Ugh!"
Fiona: "Hmm."
Elizabeth: "You met the Clown?... The Corrupted Guardian..."
Fiona: "Exactly..."
Elizabeth: "Hmm..."
They opened their eyes.
Elizabeth: "Then closing our eyes wasn't necessary... Don't worry. The Ainsworth family has protection against that. You should have it too, since you serve Holle..."
Elizabeth looked at her.
Fiona: "I don't. No... I only have her card..."
Elizabeth: "I see... What did he want from you?"
Fiona: "I don't know... I only know that I was dead alongside my comrades."
Fiona looked at Elizabeth and pointed to the ring.
Fiona: "This saved me, though. Inside it is the blood of Holle, Guardian of Night and Darkness!"
Elizabeth: "I see..."
Elizabeth stood up.
Elizabeth: "One more thing, Fiona..."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Elizabeth: "It's okay to be sad..."
Fiona: "But... what do you mean?"
Elizabeth: "Hehe... I can immediately recognize how people feel. I can hear their heartbeats and read their eyes... Your eyes show no emotion... but your heart... is full of sorrow and pain..."
Fiona: "Ugh..."
Elizabeth: "It's okay... Your tears are important, too."
Fiona: "But... I don't know how to cry..."
Elizabeth: "Have you never cried?"
Fiona: "I've often been sad... but I've never cried. It might be that... my eyes have grown accustomed to suffering..."
Elizabeth: "Hmm?"
The experiments performed by the doctors of Dark Umbrella... were designed to make us put emotions aside... Anything negative or anything that could get in the way... pain, sadness, coma, suffering, compassion...
The experiments were meant to make us grow accustomed to every kind of pain... so that our bodies would forget it or learn to endure it..."
Elizabeth: "Even so... emotions are important. Having no emotions can stand in my way far more than having them... Fiona... It's okay to cry... It's okay to cry, to be angry, or to feel pain... You are a good girl..."
Fiona: "Huh..."
Elizabeth walked over to her.
Elizabeth: "You shouldn't forget your tears..."
She held Fiona's hand.
Elizabeth: "I can feel it. Your heart wants to cry. I know you want to cry... but you can't... Tears and crying are underestimated. When you cry, you show how sad you can be... or how happy you can be. It shows what it means to suffer or to feel great happiness... It is important for your heart..."
Fiona: "Hmm..."
Elizabeth: "One day... you will cry, and then you will understand what I mean..."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Elizabeth: "Is there anything you want...?"
Fiona: "Hmm."
Elizabeth: "Or anything you regret?"
Fiona: "...Hmm..."
She shook her head.
Fiona: "Hmm... I can't think of anything..."
Elizabeth: "(What have they done to her that she shows so few emotions?)..."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Elizabeth: "May I take a quick look at your back?"
Fiona: "What?"
Elizabeth removed Fiona's jacket and lowered her suit slightly so that she could see her back.
Fiona: "What?"
Elizabeth: "Ugh... Damn..."
There were wounds everywhere, including many burn marks.
Elizabeth: "Would you please explain this to me?"
Fiona: "The Card of Mystery heals me enough to keep me from dying... but the wounds remain, and I can still feel the pain."
Elizabeth: "Hmm..."
She noticed the cane.
Elizabeth: "Aren't you too young to use a cane?"
Fiona: "Maybe."
Elizabeth: "What happened to your foot...?"
She lifted the fabric slightly.
Elizabeth: "Ugh!"
Fiona's left foot was gone. In its place was only a purple shadow.
Elizabeth: "Hmm."
Fiona: "As a sacrifice to the Guardian Holle."
Elizabeth: "Your left eye is also a problem, isn't it?"
Fiona: "A different eye color? That happens often."
Elizabeth sat down.
Elizabeth: "Are you aware that every user of this card suffers more than enough?"
Fiona: "I'm aware of that..."
Elizabeth: "Hmm..."
Did they really think Dark Umbrella took in children, kidnapped children without parents, and treated them well? No... of course she saw with her own eyes what they did to us children... They performed experiments...
Many died during the experiments, right before my eyes... And instead of showing any compassion, they threw the children's bodies into a deep basement... There were several bodies down there...
About five children died every day... from starvation, illness, too many experiments... or by taking their own lives...
I also tried to end my life three times... but unfortunately, I wasn't as lucky as those who succeeded...
The experiments were intended to create more agents... Most of them don't even know what happened to their parents or why they are there...
"The experiments begin as soon as a child reaches the age of four... Children who perform well and get good grades receive more food... Children who fail receive less food, and more experiments are performed on them..."
Elizabeth: "Is it really like that there?"
Fiona: "Mhm... I received the Card of Mystery from a magician... But... I have a feeling that something has been wrong with me since birth..."
Elizabeth: "What do you mean?"
Fiona: "I don't know, but..."
She handed Aunt Elena's diary to Elizabeth.
Fiona: "It says here... that I've suffered from an illness, or rather... a curse, since birth..."
Elizabeth: "A curse... What kind?"
Fiona: "It doesn't say exactly... That's why I want to find out, too..."
Elizabeth: "Hmm... Perhaps there will be more information if we look at your birth records."
Fiona: "And where are they? They weren't in Dehl."
Elizabeth: "Perhaps your family's murderer has them?"
Fiona: "Why would he have them?"
Elizabeth: "I don't know. If you want, I can check whether he was ever captured."
Fiona: "Hmm."
Elizabeth: "Or would you rather begin with the case of the violin Veln?"
Fiona: "My personal matters can be dealt with later... I will help you... but under a few conditions."
Elizabeth: "Hmm?... And what would those be?"
Fiona: "First, I want to meet the members. Second, I don't want a contract. I will join or leave the organization whenever I want. Third, I work... alone!"
Elizabeth: "Hehehe... All right. The first two conditions are no problem... But the third one, my dear... You must work with the others."
Fiona: "And why is that?"
Elizabeth: "Because we are more like a family. You need to understand that most of us trust one another."
Fiona: "I don't trust anyone... The last person I trusted wanted to kill me and called me a freak..."
Elizabeth: "I understand why you feel that way... Nevertheless, that's how things are here... Just give it a try..."
Fiona: "All right... Then I want to meet them. I've already seen the Frankenstein siblings... Do I need to meet anyone else?"
Elizabeth: "There are four more investigators besides those two. You already know Oliver, of course. Then there's Jane, Daisy, and Grey..."
She stood up, and Fiona followed her. Elizabeth walked ahead and opened the door.
Elizabeth: "Come on. Let me introduce them to you..."
Fiona: "Hahh..."
Fiona followed her. The building was enormous, filled with paintings that moved and watched them. Even the suits of armor seemed to observe their surroundings. Whenever Elizabeth passed by, they struck their swords against the floor.
Fiona: "Are those ghost paintings...?"
Elizabeth: "Yes... They are guardian spirits... They ensure that the building remains protected."
Fiona: "Has anyone ever entered without permission?"
Elizabeth: "Yes, actually... Would you like to see what happened to him?"
She took something out of her pocket. It was a finger made of bone.
Elizabeth: "This is all that's left of him."
Fiona: "Hmm..."
They continued walking. The paintings watched Fiona.
Fiona: "They're watching me..."
Elizabeth: "You can talk to ghosts... Of course they're eager to meet you. You possess the Card of Mystery... It is a rare ability."
Fiona: "To me, it feels more like a curse than an ability..."
Elizabeth: "Oh, my dear... That's all right..."
She opened a large door. The remaining investigators were inside.
Elizabeth: "Hello, everyone... Fiona will be helping us from now on. You could say she's joined us, at least for the Veln case... Please be nice to her."
Oliver: "I'm glad to hear that... You already know me."
Oliver Steinmeier was twenty-four years old, with black hair and a gentleman's outfit. He was about 170 centimeters tall and male, according to a spirit who spoke.
Fiona: "Um... Is that really necessary?"
Elizabeth: "Sorry... He talks a lot..."
A girl stepped forward.
Jane: "I'm Jane Theslford. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm eighteen years old. I can control puppets and talk to them, whether they're cursed or have always been puppets."
Daisy: "Hahh... Daisy Heinsenheim, twenty years old. My ability is that objects I touch turn into weapons... It's nice to meet you, or whatever one is supposed to say in a situation like this..."
Grey: "Grey Denpart, twenty years old. My ability is blood... Well, it's a little creepy... but that's just how it is..."
Oliver: "Hmm?"
Fiona: "Don't you have an ability?"
Oliver: "No. I only have strong fists..."
Fiona: "I see... All right, my name is Fiona Household. My ability is Mystery... I possess the Card of Mystery..."
Grey: "Ugh... How interesting."
Jane: "Wow..."
Daisy: "So it really exists... What exactly can this ability do?"
Fiona: "I can talk to ghosts and even become a ghost myself. I can do that by shooting myself. As for fighting, my cane is also a blade. The Card of Mystery gives me several other things, too. I just have to pull them out of my hat."
Daisy: "Can you show us?"
Fiona: "If I have to."
She pulled something out of her hat. It was a sword.
Fiona: "This looks like an ordinary sword, but it isn't... When I use my blood..."
She made a small cut with it.
Fiona: "This happens."
The sword suddenly activated and began to float.
Fiona: "If I tell it to injure an opponent, for example, it will do so..."
Daisy: "Oh... Interesting."
Fiona: "But I prefer using these daggers. I can see that some of you think I can't fight because of my cane, but I can. I can move without it and even move quickly. I only carry it in case my left leg gives out. Besides, the cane itself is a blade..."
Daisy: "Oh... I take it back. You're more interesting than I thought..."
Fiona: "Thank you..."
Daisy: "How old are you?"
Fiona: "Twenty."
Daisy: "So we're the same age... Hmm..."
Fiona: "Exactly..."
Elizabeth: "All right, everyone... You need to know that although the instrument Veln is missing, we have several clues that might help us find it... Any ideas, Fiona?"
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Elizabeth: "You can become a ghost yourself, can't you?"
Fiona: "Yes..."
Elizabeth: "What exactly does that allow you to do?"
Fiona: "I can talk to ghosts. If I find a photograph or an object, I can also return to the past as a ghost and see what happened."
Daisy: "What? That's crazy... How... What...?"
Fiona: "Do you have a photograph?"
Daisy: "What? But... Isn't that creepy?"
Fiona: "I find it more painful..."
She showed them a photograph.
Daisy: "Why...?"
Fiona: "Because I have to shoot myself in the head..."
Daisy: "Huh?"
Jane: "What?"
Grey: "Hey... What do you mean by that?"
Oliver: "Hmm."
Fiona took out a pistol and pointed it at herself.
Daisy: "What are you doing?!"
(Bang!)
She fell to the floor.
Daisy: "Ugh... What... What..."
Fiona's body began to change as she became a ghost.
Daisy: "Ugh..."
A cup fell over. Fiona travelled back into the past as a ghost.
Fiona: "Ugh... So this is it... Hmm?"
She looked around.
Fiona: "Where exactly is this... instrument... Hmm?"
She found a box.
Fiona: "Could it be over there...?"
Fiona examined it. Suddenly, someone entered the room. She hid herself, just in case.
Fiona: "Hmm... Ugh..."
It was a woman... It was Fiona's mother.
Fiona: "...Mom..."
She stood up.
Fiona: "Mother... I mean..."
The woman was young, with long blonde hair and blue eyes.
Fiona: "Ugh..."
Tina opened the box.
Fiona: "Ugh..."
Tina: "Hahh... Why do I have such a bad feeling?"
Fiona: "Ugh... Something is wrong..."
Fiona watched her, then looked at the clock. Time was passing... quickly.
Fiona: "Ugh..."
Suddenly, everything changed. Tina disappeared, and the door opened. It was... Edwardson.
Fiona: "Ugh..."
His hands were stained with blood, and he wore an evil grin.
Fiona: "What...?"
She looked behind the door... There... was her mother's body.
Fiona: "Ugh... No... The murderer who killed my mother... my parents and siblings... is Edwardson! Ghhhh... That... bastard..."
He took the instrument. Once again, the scene changed. They were now in a dark room.
Fiona: "Hmm."
The door opened. Edwardson arrived with a vehicle, took the box, and entered a building.
Fiona: "The address... the street name... quickly... Time is running out..."
She hurried there.
Fiona: "Hahhh... Snowdale District..."
(Click!)
(Dong!)
Time passed, and Fiona returned to her body.
Fiona: "Guhhhh... (Cough!)... (Cough!)"
Daisy: "Ugh... Damn..."
Fiona: "Hahh."
She immediately stood up. Apparently, she had been lying on a sofa.
Fiona: "Hahh."
Daisy: "What happened...?"
Fiona: "Nothing... My time was up. It doesn't last very long, after all..."
Daisy: "I see."
Elizabeth: "Did you find anything?"
Fiona: "Yes... I know where it is... Snowdale District..."
Daisy: "But... that can't be right."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Elizabeth: "Hahhh... Fiona... That street... Well... it no longer exists. You see... There used to be another city called Snowline... But..."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Grey: "Eighteen years ago... a great catastrophe occurred. The Black Hole opened... and Namesis creatures emerged from it... There were too many of them... By now, the entire area has been declared a restricted zone..."
Fiona: "Hmm... I see..."
Elizabeth: "That means we have to go to Snowdale District in Snowline..."
Daisy: "Hmm..."
Fiona: "Is something wrong?"
Daisy: "No... Everything is fine..."
Elizabeth: "Hmm."
Daisy: "I'm coming along."
Oliver: "I'll come too. It would be an honor. The House of Clover has work to do."
Fiona: "The thing is... I don't know the area... But if there really were so many Namesis creatures there, and they were strong enough to cause an entire city to be sealed off... then it's dangerous."
Oliver: "Regardless... we have to get moving."