Fantasia of the Inn Sleeping with Obsessions Chapter 7

[xuebingcode]

Chapter 7

Figaro: Kill them, rebuke them, first of all we need to find out where they are. 

I tried scanning the area, but couldn’t find anything. This inn has magic worked into every crevice of the building, so it helps hide their presence easily.

And besides that…

Figaro shifts his gaze to the strange skull hung onto the wall.

Figaro: All sorts of magic charms and tools scattered about the inn have been activated. In other words, the presence of magic has increased an abnormal amount.

If we had the time I could eventually sniff out their hiding place, but not with the skeletons chasing us like this.

As he spoke, skeletons would slowly make their way towards us. Each time they grew close, the wizards would repel them, pushing them away. 

Twins in the Painting: Still, we just don’t get it…

Overlooking the back-and-forth sequence of skeleton repelling, Snow and White furrowed their eyebrows.

Snow: If it’s our lives they’re after, why must they go through such tedious actions? 

White: If it’s murder they want, there’s more upfront ways to do it.

Owen: Because it’s uncool?

Bradley: So basically you? …Woah!

Owen’s attack spell misses Bradley by a hair. With a jarring noise, the skeleton behind him is blasted away. 

Ignoring Bradley’s insults, Owen replies listlessly.

Owen: Whatever, there needs no reason. Sometimes fighting upfront can get irritating.

Shall we destroy the entire inn? It’ll all be over then. 

Mithra: But that would be such a waste. I’ve come to like the atmosphere of this inn. 

Everyone turned to Mithra with surprised looks on their faces. As if moved by his words, the twins also grimaced. 

Snow: Yes yes, indeed…we have magic tools of the highest quality assorted here that we have grown some attachment to after using them for a period of time…

White: We find it most heartbreaking to part with our little hideout.

When everyone’s opinions were laid out, Rutile surveyed the area with an anxious look.

Rutile: As well…I don’t think we’re the only ones here. 

Before we decide on what to do with the inn, can we search the building for any others, just in case? 

Lennox: I agree…we don’t know for sure if previous guests haven’t been locked up in here too. 

Akira: Let’s head down to the lobby for starters, and go out searching in turns. 

While there were no skeletons after us, we made our way to the lobby. 

Perhaps it’s because we know that the inn has been taken over by somebody else, but even though the lobby remains unchanged it still has become noticeably more spooky.

Lennox: This is strange.

Mitile: What is it, Mr. Leno?

Lennox: I was trying to open the entry door, but the doorknob won’t move.

Akira: Is it locked?

Lennox: No, if it was just locked I could easily break it open with pure strength…

Bradley: You can break that open?

Figaro, along with the painting of the twins he received from Lennox, investigates the door.

Twins in the Painting: …There’s a barrier cast on it. 

Figaro: Not to mention, a barrier that looks like it took years to prepare, along with a lot of spite. This is quite the intricate technique, they truly don’t want to let us go.

Akira: So, in other words…we’re trapped inside?

Owen: As if. We have Mithra here.

Rutile: Oh, right. We can just have Mithra open a door and escape.

Mithra: Indeed. You all better thank me.

Snow: Thank goodness! Let us return to the manor for now.

White: Arthim, Mithra, Arthim!

Mitile: Uhm, please wait a moment.

Is it really alright if we left like this? We still haven’t searched the entire building yet.

And it seems like a bad idea to just leave a place as dangerous as this be…

Akira: You’ve got a point there…

Right now, this inn is a monster’s nest. There’s no telling if the skeletons running rampant in this inn won’t break out and attack the nearby villagers.

As if summoned, more appeared, bringing their rattling noise with them. 

That clatter grew larger and larger as heaps of them surrounded us. 

Rutile: …!

Mitile: They’ve increased! 

Was it because we were standing around that they managed to multiply in the meantime? While we were discussing whether to abandon the inn or not, they all came creeping into the lobby.

Everyone brought out their magical weapons.

Twins in the Painting: It seems it’s time for house cleaning.

Bradley: Yep. And there’s loads to do, so take your time. 

The encroaching skeletons trapped us in a ring of their making and attacked.

A gun’s cry along with the light of its magic, the heat of flames, and the sound of winds groaning. Their magic attacks roared together like a chaotic score.

But the skeletons don’t stop. No matter how many are brought down, more keep taking their place. 

One skeleton that parted from the crowd backed up, and jumped at the nearest opportunity.  

Akira: …No!

Lennox: Master Sage!

Lennox managed to push me away in time. The skeleton that launched itself at me broke with a fist to its face, and fell to the ground.

Lennox: Are you alright? 

Akira: Y-Yes, thank you, Lennox. Uhm, did you just do that barehanded?

Lennox: I did. I’m more comfortable fighting this way, so.

Like providing an example, Lennox kicks down yet another approaching skeleton. 

Mitile: Ortonik Sealsi…waugh!

Rutile: Ortonik Setomaouge! 

Mitile, you’re not hurt are you?

Mitile: N-No! Is it just me, or are the skeletons getting tougher to beat…

The skeletons were gradually getting stronger, and it felt like with each skeleton we beat down, a more ferocious one would replace it.

At first Rutile and Mitile could handle the skeletons, but now it’s becoming increasingly difficult for them.

The more magic the younger wizards used, the quicker they became fatigued.

Akira: (No good…at this rate the brothers will…)

Twins in the Painting: …Sage, do you have a moment?

Owen: Cure Memini.

Bradley: Adno Potensum!

Owen: Gosh, what a bother. 

Bradley: There’s no end in sight. They’re like damn maggots!

There was no end to the skeletons who relied on their high numbers. Even though the wizards used to battling weren’t tired out, their patience was.

Mithra: Arthim.

Bradley: …Gh! Mithra, you bastard! Watch where you aim, you coulda hit me! 

Mithra: Haaaugh. Then please dodge it. Holding back is not my specialty. 

…?

Out of nowhere, like he dropped something, Mithra eyes his surroundings. 

Akira: Mithra?

Mithra: Where are Rutile and Mitile?

If those two got lost in this mess, they’d be easily overwhelmed by a wave of skeletons and crushed.

Saying this, he made his way around the skeletons and tried to leave the lobby.

Bradley: Hey!

Akira: No, Mithra! The brothers are with Figaro…

Rutile: Don’t you talk about us like that, Mithra!

Dodging the skeletons as he came down the stairs was Rutile, with Mitile and Figaro who held the twin’s painting in his arms trailing behind him. 

Mithra: Huh? Just where did you run off to?

Mitile: Ugh, didn’t we explain this to you before we left?

Figaro: We would leave the lobby to you guys, while we went off to search the inn. 

Akira: It’s as Snow and White discussed earlier.

Twins in the Painting: Even with all of us fighting, there is no end to them. We will be taking a quick expedition to search the inn, for there is something we are interested in. 

So while everyone distracted and handled the skeletons here, Figaro took the brothers, and under the twin’s orders, searched the inn for any presence. 

Mithra: Is that right? First I’ve heard of it.

Owen: We all knew about it. Except you of course.

Akira: Did you find anything?

Rutile: There is no one else trapped in here besides us. However…

From his coat, Rutile took out a doll of a little girl. It was an old looking doll, with tears and loose seams everywhere, and its curly hair and clothes were dirty.

Lennox: A doll?

Akira: What’s with this doll?

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