Loading User Commands:
[X] Search Vincent's room for clues.

---

Youmu nods to herself as she starts walking towards Vincent's room. There is no point in feeling uneasy or embarrassed. No matter how one looks at it, this is already the start of a full-blown incident. The fact that their guest has unusual and dangerous abilities is enough to be concerned about. He most certainly isn't an ordinary human.

From the beginning, he had been acting strangely. He had sealed and blackmailed her, but not soon after, he showed her kindness and warmth. Claiming that he had lost his memories, he continued displaying odd skills and talents. Acting like he remembered, then acting like he forgot, it was impossible to tell who he really was. And now, he had hit a critical point and finally lost control of himself. Assuming, of course, that he was a kind person who turned violent and not the other way around.

"..."

Standing in front of his room, Youmu reflexively shields her chest with her arms. If things were slightly different, it may have been another person who would have been assaulted in her stead. Thinking back at his skills, he could have overpowered Chen or Komachi. Perhaps he might have even attempted to subdue Lady Yuyuko, though that seems much less likely. Unless he still has more abilities they knew nothing about.

"Hmph!"

The half-ghost swings the door open, slaming it loudly to the side. She storms into the room, as if to scold its inhabitant. Of course, the place is empty. No one is here to answer to her complaints and anger. Yet, she can't help but cry out, now that she is here.

"S-stupid!" she shouts.

She takes a moment to collect herself. Without a target, such an emotion is inappropriate and useless. For now, she must focus on the task at hand. As the guardian of Hakugyokurou, she needs to stay calm and solve this incident. And to do that, she needs to learn the truth.

Truth.

Youmu spots an untidy pile near the entrance. Looking closer, it looks to be Vincent's weapons and coat. A European longsword, inscribed with foreign runes, lies at the top. Upon closer inspection, it seems to be made of ordinary steel, though she can feel a faint energy emanating from it. Beside it is a crossbow and a small quiver of bolts. She notes that the bolts are silver-tipped. The last weapon is a revolver, heavily modified. It seems to be the most modern of the weapons, but the least used.

Then, she examines his coat. It doesn't seem to be anything but an ordinary piece of clothing. However, it has a lot of pockets. Maybe there is something..? She quickly goes through each pocket, but she finds the coat empty of any items.

"Haa..."

Youmu slowly stands up and looks around. Then, she notices a small pack in the corner. Lying to its side, its contents spill carelessly on the floor. Really, he should take better care of his things. At least he should close his bag properly before leaving the room.

"...what is all this junk?"

An old iron key, some rope, a lantern, a torch, a small knife, some matches, a bunch of rags, stale bread and jerky, some illegible scraps of paper - there is hardly anything she would call useful in this bag. Why would he still keep all of this? He should have left it in the storage room so it wouldn't collect all this dust and hair...

What? Hair? Youmu examines the pack carefully. There is no mistaking it. All around and inside the pack are scattered hairs, as if some animal had been shedding on it. The hairs themselves are thin and short. And at the very bottom, she finds a whole bunch of hairs clumped up in a soft and sticky mess.

"Ugh..."

A hairball.

After tidying up the room, as is her habit with all the rooms in the mansion, Youmu takes a moment to wash up nearby. Looking up at the sky, she can see that it is already dark. From a distance, she can see a few wisps floating lazily around the grounds. She probably has some time before dinner.

[ ] Head to the kitchen and start the preparations early.
[ ] Look for Yuyuko in the garden.
[ ] Check up on Chen at her room.
[ ] Go to your room and think.
[ ] Patrol around the grounds.
[ ] Custom

[X] Inventory
A long sword named "Roukanken". This blade can kill ten spirits in one stroke.
A sword named "Hakurouken". This blade can dispel the confusion of those it cuts, but it can only be used by the Konpaku family.
A black hair ribbon. You feel naked without it.
A skull wrapped in some cloth. You are keeping it inside your ghost half.

"Haa..."

Youmu slowly opens her eyes. She doesn't know how long she has been in the bath, but she can't stay here forever.

'A bath and a fresh change of clothes' Komachi had said. If the shinigami hadn't arrived that time, who knows what would have happened? Youmu didn't even realize that Vincent had fallen unconscious. At the time, she was completely helpless. Too many things happened, and too quickly. Even now, she doesn't really understand how she felt during the whole incident. Emotions she never felt before, pulling tightly at her chest, and the feeling of his hands against her body.

"..."

Youmu shivers as she recalls the alien sensations, probing and rough. She never thought that Vincent would suddenly do such... strange things to her. And his eyes. There was something wrong with his eyes when he grabbed her like that. Somehow, they looked too clear, not unlike the glass eyes of a puppet or a doll. Yet, there was certainly something familiar about them. Like she has seen this before, somewhere.

Youmu slowly turns to face her companion in the bath.

"Where have I seen those eyes before?" she asks.

"..."

"It's like he knew exactly what he was doing," she says. "Even more than he usually does. Or rather, he was acting completely different from his usual, half-hearted self."

"..."

"I never thought that he could be so barbaric..."

"..."

"O-of course I didn't enjoy it! He was so rough and uncivilized!"

"..."

"I-I don't care what you think! That stupid guy can go to hell, for all I care!"

"..."

"Well... maybe not that far, but I'll still punish him painfully for that!"

"..."

Youmu sighs heavily as she looks away from the skull. Sinking herself lower into the bath, she slowly recalls the events. Starting from a minor misunderstanding, it suddenly turned into some weird chase.

But weirder still was that he was able to catch up to her at all. No human could have possibly done that. And reacting so quickly... it's as if he read her every move. Not even the shrine maiden or the black-white could surpass her speed so easily. And no ordinary swordsman could ever overpower her attacks like that. No one except...

Her eyes widen in realization. Suddenly, she remembers.

Vincent was fighting like her father.

...

Vincent's coat and other belongings were left in his room. Komachi said that she will be returning around dinner time. She never said where she took Vincent. Chen was still asleep in a guest room the last time she saw her. She will probably have to come up with some story for the nekomata. And Lady Yuyuko hasn't returned from her walk yet. She needs to tell her about the incident right away.

After dressing herself in a fresh set of clothes, Youmu slowly steps out into the hallways. She pauses to think.

[ ] Head to the kitchen and start preparing dinner.
[ ] Look around for Yuyuko in the garden.
[ ] Search Vincent's room for clues.
[ ] Check up on Chen at her room.
[ ] Go to your room and think.
[ ] Patrol around the grounds.
[ ] Wander around aimlessly.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

Komachi is sitting only a few inches away, her scythe leaning lazily against her shoulder. With a sad smile on her face, she turns away from him and starts watching the flickering torch flames. Vincent follows her gaze, watching the fire and the shadows.

"..."

He doesn't know how many minutes passed. They sat together like that silently, engrossed in their own thoughts. Perhaps neither of them knew what to say. Or perhaps both of them knew that there was little much to say. He couldn't tell which. But for some reason, he felt at ease with her beside him.

Despite everything that had happened, he knew, without words, that Komachi still wanted to help him. He didn't need to explain that he wasn't in control. In fact, she never asked. She only smiled sadly at him, as if she already knew. Perhaps that meeting with Keine wasn't a waste of time, after all.

But even so, things can only get worse if nothing is done. Next time, he might end up doing something unforgivable. Next time, he might not wake up until it is too late. There isn't any time left for apologies and regrets. He needs to do something. Anything that can help.

If only they had some way of finding the truth...

"Sorry about everything," he says quietly. "I never wanted to hurt anyone..."

"I know you didn't," says Komachi. "You aren't that kind of person."

"I think... no - I know that I'm too dangerous to be around. But right now, while I'm still sane, I'd like to tell you something."

The shinigami slowly turns to face him, an unreadable expression on her face.

"What is it?" she says.

"Everything," he says. "While I still remember, and while I still have the chance."

Vincent sighs loudly before he continues.

"Let me say 'sorry' in advance. It's a pretty long and complicated story."

"It's alright," she says softly. "I have the time to listen."

"Well then, I guess it all started when I..."

...

He doesn't know how long it took, but he told her everything - each and every thing he could remember. Komachi said little, only asking the occasional question about this and that detail. But by the time he finished, he somehow felt that a heavy burden was lifted from his chest.

"And I guess that's everything," he says. "Sorry if it doesn't make much sense..."

Then, to his surprise, Komachi smiles at him.

"Sounds pretty rough," she says finally. "But at least I'm sure now."

"Eh? Of what?"

She just smiles wider.

"Forget about it," says the shinigami. "Anyway, I better head back to the others. Maybe I can find out something useful."

"How are the others?"

Komachi pauses.

"I haven't seen Yuyuko yet, but she should have already met up with Youmu by now. Chen was still asleep when I left. I don't think there was anyone else."

"I see..."

The shinigami stands herself up, and after brushing the dust off her clothes, she takes a few steps toward the exit. A determined and confident smile on her face, she turns back to him one last time, telling him not to worry.

"I'll definitely solve this incident," she says. "You just wait here for me."

"Like I have much of a choice," he replies.

She chuckles a bit. He manages a small smile.

"Thanks Komachi... for everything."

The shinigami blushes bright red at this, and finding nothing to say in return, she simply gives him a low bow before closing the steel door behind her.

Looks like he can't do anything until she comes back.

"..."

Isn't this game fun?

Loading User Commands:
[X] Stay silent.

---

Vincent opens his eyes with a start. He can hear some subtle tapping from outside. Footsteps? They get louder and closer as he listens. Then, he hears the steel door unlock with a loud click. Someone seems to be approaching from outside.

He lowers his head shamefully and stays silent. For some reason, he can't find the will to call out for anyone. After all, who would help a horrible person like him?

"..."

The door swings open loudly, and a tall silhouette takes a few steps closer. He doesn't raise his head, waiting for it to speak.

"Hey... are you awake yet?" says a familiar voice.

Vincent looks up, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Komachi?" he says slowly.

"Good to know that you still remember my name," she says. "Are you feeling better? Any pain in your head or abdomen?"

Vincent takes a moment to examine himself. Then, he shakes his head.

"I don't think I'm hurt," he says.

"That's good," says the shinigami. "Then maybe you can answer a little question that's been bothering me..."

"Eh?"

Komachi takes a few steps closer, a strangely sad expression upon her face. For some reason, he feels like she looks quite tired and strained. She pauses right in front of him. Then, she forces a bitter smile.

"So..." she whispers. "Why did you assault Youmu?"

Vincent looks back at her stupidly. She doesn't seem to be joking.

"Huh? I didn't -"

Slowly, the images come back to him. He was chasing her around the mansion. Ignoring the pain, he kept running until he finally caught up to her. Before he knew it, his sword was already in his hands. Somehow, he disarmed her and pinned her down on the ground. Then he...

Ha ha ha. This is funny. Ha ha ha.

His eyes widen in horror at the thought of doing such horrible things. Yet he can still remember everything, even her smell and taste. Wait, does that mean that...

"It... wasn't a dream?" he says shakily.

"So you remember it after all," says Komachi solemnly. "By the time I arrived, you had already passed out on top of the half-ghost. Youmu was pretty freaked out, and I had a hard time putting the pieces together."

"Youmu," he repeats. "Wait... is Youmu alright?"

"She's fine," says Komachi with a smile. "More than I can say for you, though. I never thought you would be the type that would treat a woman roughly."

"..."

"You really are something else," she continues. "No ordinary person could possibly overpower the half-ghost like that. Even I would have a hard time against her, if she fought seriously."

Komachi wags a finger at him, as if to scold a child.

"You should have gone slower," she says. "Girls are fragile, you know~"

"I'm sorry." he whispers. "I never wanted to hurt anyone..."

The shinigami sighs to herself. Without another word, she sits right beside him, leaning against the wall. She smiles sadly as she stares at the flickering flames of one of the torches.

"I guess that wasn't a very good joke," she says.

"..."

Vincent follows her gaze, watching the flames and the shadows.

He can probably talk to her about something.
[ ] Don't say anything.
[ ] Custom

Before she leaves...
[ ] "Take me with you?"
[ ] "Stay a little longer?"
[ ] "Just leave me here."
[ ] "..."
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Think about Youmu.
[X] Think about your dreams.
[X] Think about your amnesia.

---

Vincent sits with his back to the wall and stares blankly at the cold steel door. No matter how he looks at it, this room looks like some kind of prison cell. The shackles on his wrist and ankles are quite heavy and uncomfortable. Every time he moves, the chains drag loudly along the floor. And without his weapons and tools, there is no way he can escape.

He sighs loudly to himself, and a few minutes later, his mind starts to wander.

~~~

"Who are you?" asks the young girl.

Her short silver hair sways in the morning breeze as she speaks. Dressed in strange green and white foreign clothes, she stares at him coldly. The questions rings loudly in his ears, and he immediately opens his mouth to answer. Then, he stands in shock as he comes to a sudden realization.

He doesn't know who he is.

The last thing he could remember was a mission: investigate the strange incidents at an abandoned graveyard. When he arrived, he was swarmed by the dead. Forced to retreat, he sought refuge within the crypts underneath an old church. He discovered... something in a locked room: a way to escape. But the rest was a blur, and he couldn't even remember how he came upon this strange land.

"Well? Do you not understand what I am saying?" says the girl, her voice stern and cold.

A strange wisp-like thing floats in view from behind the girl. It feels like a dead spirit of some sort. Is this girl possessed?

...

The girl named Youmu slowly puts down her cup. Then, without warning, she stands up and draws her sword. She points it directly at his forehead.

"Don't move," she whispers.

"W-what the -"

Several things happen in the next second. The half-ghost steps forward, thrusting her weapon straight at his head. He barely avoids the attack with a quick side-step, and by reflex, he draws his revolver and fires it as a counterattack. She dodges the shot with ease, but the bullet manages to hit the strange wisp. Then, the girl cries out in pain and crumples down on the ground.

Kill her.

...

"All I have to do is utter the command, and this skull and the soul sealed inside will be destroyed. If someone tries to unseal the core forcefully, the soul will also collapse along with it. And as an extra precaution, the seal must be maintained by a spell command every two days to maintain stability. If I die, then there will be no way to reset the seal, and the soul will be destroyed."

"You... horrible man!" cries Youmu.

He carefully pockets the small black book that contained the details of the ritual. With the skull as the container, he now has a means to ensure this girl's cooperation.

~~~

Vincent blinks as he comes to a new realization. Everything came into place after that fateful misunderstanding. His stay at Hakugyokurou as a guest... the first duel with Youmu... and all that follows afterward - without that first event, none of it would have happened. Was it just a coincidence? Or was this some kind of conspiracy? Because even now, the only reason he is probably being kept alive is because of that seal.

He also had several visions after he started staying here. A confession of love between a human swordsman and an immortal spirit. The strange meeting with the ghost princess. The hermit swordmaster and the warning. The search and destroy mission at the village. The swordsman's departure and the immortal's secret. The vampire hunt and the tragedy. The ghouls, the dance, and the last request.

Vincent closes his eyes as he ponders the events. But no epiphany comes to mind. Only more questions. Why does he keep seeing these things? What does it all mean? Are these memories or prophecies? Did any of it really happen to him? Are these truths or lies?

Ha ha ha. This is funny. Ha ha ha.

He opens his eyes with a start. Footsteps? They seem to be getting louder as he listens. A few seconds later, he hears the steel door unlock with a loud click.

Someone seems to be approaching from outside.
[ ] "...Youmu?"
[ ] "...Yuyuko?"
[ ] "...Komachi?"
[ ] "...Chen?"
[ ] "... Who?"
[ ] Stay silent.
[ ] Custom

[X] Inventory
None.

[X] Status
Youmu - ?
Komachi - ?
Chen - ?
Yuyuko - ?