"Oh."

  "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

  The moment Val-sama [Skystepped] onto the second floor balcony railing, we came to a common understanding.

  One, her being here was putting (me) in danger.

  Obviously! If I started acting friendly to the girl who took out two guards with the pointy end of her thin stick, the Horseguys around this mansion would be looking for ME instead! Therefore, a "gokigenyou, Val-sama" is definitely, definitely, out of the question!

  Two, we both want to know what's behind the door!

  Madi-san always said if I ever got lost, "go in the direction where there are enemies"! Unless the level designer a hack, the more enemies there are guarding an area, the more likely there are PLOT triggers there! Isn't it convenient, there are a whole SIX Horseguys guarding that door!

  Problem is, they won't move unless you are in range of that door.

  Val-sama, wouldn't you say that it is in your best interest to dispatch them? Quickly please!

  That was the end of our common understanding.

  Next came a small misunderstanding...

  Val-sama did the most inexplicable thing---

  Spinning around with the tip of her toes on the thin railing, the camera centers on and follows Val-sama's arm raised up high like an idol's dance move; her arms spread out wide then cross and hook themselves with exaggerated gusto in front of her chest, finger-gun pointed directly at me---

  "In the name of true love and magick, I am the pretty guardi---"

  "AHHHHHHHHH!!! GUARDDDDS!!! ASSASSIN!!! Asatsushaaa!!!! ASESINAAA!!!!! "

  Usxgi-sxn?! That was definitely Usxgi-sxn, wasn't it?! Regardless, I don't know which part of me shouting in three nguages got the attention of the Horseguys, but they all turn their heads in our direction, gaze now locked on Val-sama, marching towards her in lockstep!

  [SFX:Fwip!]

  Val-sama light-foots off the railing, nding softly in crouched position besides me. By now my legs have already given way and I look up at Val-sama in indignant kneeling position, who pushes a small card into my chest; this action hidden from the Horseguys by the long sleeve of my kimono!

  "(softly) Oho, you're pretty good at this."

  Hurry up and get lost, Val-samaaaa!!!!!

  Val-sama dashes in the other direction of the hallway in a burst of windy green swirls on her feet. Following her are the six thunderous pairs of horseshoed footsteps in dark pursuit! The sounds of rge spotlights being turned on sound in the clopping distance as Val-sama disragards all danger and speeds under the [Security Orbs]! Even in retreat, Val-sama doesn't forget to give her frilled skirt a dignified and light lift, her receding upper body bent low and forward in the magickal upwind!

  Initially, I wanted Val-sama to simply take out the guards for me, but apparently Val-sama has other pns in mind! I can already guess her reasons: we don't know how many Horseguys there are in the mansion at all! Even if Val-sama managed to narrowly beat them, what if the other side of the door were ALL Horseguys?! What would happen next can only be shown in RPGMxker games sold by fox-masked non-traditional mikos! The other reason might be that even Val-sama will find it hard to fight off six Horseguys and keep (me) safe at the same time. Therefore, the rational course of action is to...

  ... split up!

  Of the four of us in the chateau, only Val-sama's identity has been exposed! As far as everyone else is concerned, she's working alone! Madi-san, Oracion and (Me) have no retions with this wildly posing blonde woman! Who she is, Ayano wakaranai[1]! You draw the attention of the Horseguys, I'll stay here and investigate!

  We could have done it without the Sailxr Mxxn sheeto though.

  Now, the coast is completely clear.

  There's nothing blocking my path to the door.

  But try as I might, my trembling legs will not move...!

  Its like when you py a horror geimu, and you scream and scream and screamu,

  until you are completely out of breath!

  Spping on my cute little thighs were no help!

  Frozen in a sitting wariza[2] for what seems to be an eternity,

  the sound of footsteps running up stairs,

  jolt me back into reality...!

  From a side staircase emerges the st person I wanted to see, the recent target of Madi-san's mischief...

  ... Prinz Rufti de Galopin...!

  Accompanied by the thumping footsteps of a single Horseguy...!

  Ahhhhhhh----

  Swallowing a silent scream down my throat, I should be gd my cowardice got me out of trouble this once! Imagine if the Prinz saw me lockpicking that red door over there, no amount of expining would be able to remove the fshing red alert bar then! If it was just one person, I might be able to 'Ayaya, Ayayaed' my way out of it, but the presence of this Horseguy is absolute bad news for Ayano!

  "... where did she disappear to? Tell the [Inner Circle] the auction is called off. She can't have run far, rough the golden-haired brat up and keep her chained in the wine celr..." The tomboyish girl in Olden marching shorts is talking into an [Orb] in her hand, managing damage control and the loss of face with the other! Tomboy Prinz sure can take a lesson from Val-sama on keeping one's noble dignity intact, her seething is already visibly coasing in a cursed silvery aura around her back!

  "... but Prinz Galopin, The Auctioneer has already brought her helpers and goods from downstairs..." The tall and heavyset Horseguy points towards the red door, oblivious to the small and cute detective who is trying make her legs work again!

  "Then send her back! The honor of the Galopin family is at stake here---" As soon as the boyish girl finishes that sentence, Rufti swings her long and snarling neck in my direction, narrowed irises eyeing the most suspicious thing in the room---

  --- (me).

  If this were an anime, ominous battle music would be sounding right about now!

  "You... I didn't see you on the ballroom floor."

  Of course not! I can't exactly tell you I snuck into the chateau either, can I?!

  "Are you... hurt?"

  At this moment, the world appears to have frozen in a freeze frame. Deep blue eyes meet the Prinz's marigold irises, each side surveying the other with careful intent! A thousand possibilities run through my small and cute mind; fight, flight, friend, flop, fought, duel, litigate, belittle, cackle, execute, resurrect, deceive, deceit, delude---!

  When your small and cute detective heard Rufti's words, she immediately knew what to do!

  The small and cute detective raises both hands to the sky in a straight-armed V, as if expecting the recently-arrived Prinz to lift her up from the ground,

  "Clovis, I have waited for you!"

  "But my name's Rufti."

  "It doesn't matter what your name is."

  「Goodo」, 「Goodo」! That is EXACTLY the reaction your detective was expecting to see! Even Horsefaced Muscle-Tuxedo-Kamen is a little shocked back by the sudden rudeness! If you are the host of this sorry soiree, then everyone who attends this party is your friend of some sorts! Yet, there is someone here who doesn't know who you are, and even worse, dares to belittle you in your own home...!

  Yet, here she is expectantly, arrogantly waiting for you to lift her up!

  Now... just (((who))) could this person be?

  Hurry up and decide, like your family's honor depends on it!

  In Rufti's mind, this person, if not mad, then she must be an important guest...! And not just a bootlicker like the talking animal heads downstairs, but someone far, far more important! Now, if you believe yourself to be smart, you will fill in the bnks yourself...

  "Excuse my teness... Are you with the [Shadowthrone]?"

  It was a reasonable assumption on the Prinz's part. To celebrate entering the [Inner Circle], many letters were sent out to the non-aligned factions. the Prinz didn't really expect many to respond back. It was more a formality than anything, networking is a biichii! Out of all the non-aligned factions, the [Shadowthrone] is a dark faction whose infamy rings throughout the continent! Many powerful sorceresses with horror-aligned magicks reside here, a faction whose rising star shines bright in Vespana's star-scarred sky!

  And it so happens... I know a single name from there!

  I dust off the back of my kimono when Rufti lifts me right off the ground. Body falling onto her somewhat puffy shoulders, my legs are no longer wobbly jelly. Fighto-juice runs through every vein of my body, screws in my mind speeding faster than engine of a Kotetsu-csswarship!

  Cold reading... is a success!

  This sort of trick is possible for Ayano Sane!

  Do you think I was reading 【Lixr Gxme】for fun?!

  The essence of cold reading is to observe...! It is not just pretending, or guessing, but it is about fulfilling a certain human need...! Right now, Prinz Rufti has a very specific need! To assauge his earlier humition and look good in front of her guests...! Your detective merely caught onto that from her words, actions and deeds!

  But leading questions are merely the first step.

  If I want to solve the mystery behind this messed up chateau...

  ... I have to pass through those red doors!

  ... and you, my grey-haired Prinz,

  are going to become my golden key!

  Now, for my second step.

  If you are going tell a lie, you have to make it BIG!

  This is the essence of...

  [ZA BIG LIE]! Bodies pulled close and head resting on Rufti's shoulder where she cannot see my expression, I muster up every ounce of pitch-bckness in my heart. When my dark and malevolent smile spreads across my face, even doubting Horseguy had to be convinced...!

  "Ignorant child, even in the [Shadowthrone],

  this name of mine rings with dark majesty.

  Have you not beheld before the name...

  ... [La Monarquía] !"

  Go Go And Learn Moonrunes With Aya-chan![1]wakaranai- wakaranai, Means "I don't know", usually accompanied with an emoji of a Lxyue zombie lying ft on the ground.

  [2]wariza- わりざ, A special kind of kneeling stance where both knees are bent backwards in a 'w' shape, hence the name. This is NOT dogeza, that's a different thing! "I never said ANYTHING Aya-chan!"

  HouseDerouxScribbles