Scumbag Fate System-Chapter 52: Whispering Mansion

The white mansion had cracks spreading across the surface and windows. Louis’ eyes opened fully, and he lowered his spear with a sigh.

"The link stops here," he said while gesturing at the building. "Yor should be somewhere inside."

Rika’s eyes widened while she turned to look at Reinhard. "Wait, didn’t you and Yor cause this place to almost collapse last time you came here? I remember you said it was shaking violently."

Reinhard nodded while studying the mansion’s exterior. "The building started trembling when she reached toward a painting of her parents."

Alice shifted her hammer to her other shoulder. "Then maybe she’s staying here as a way to comfort herself? Like returning to the last place that felt like home, even though it’s full of painful memories?"

"Let’s find out then," Reinhard said while moving toward the entrance.

They approached the front doors, which hung at odd angles, and the interior beyond had its floor tilting upward. Creating a slope that led not to the ground level but to what looked like the third floor, based on the height.

"The whole structure is distorted." Louis said while climbing carefully over a pile of rubble that formed a makeshift ramp. "At least this answers whether the inside of those buildings we passed also changed."

They followed him up until they stood on what had once been the third-floor hallway. The moment they crossed the threshold into the mansion proper, something changed in the air.

Reinhard felt it first like invisible hands pressing against his chest. His breathing became slightly harder, and his limbs felt a bit heavier. Alice stumbled slightly while catching herself on the wall, and Rika’s hand went to her chest with confusion on her face.

"Does anyone else feel that?" Alice asked while her voice carried concern.

"Like something’s draining us." Louis confirmed with a frown. "Not fast but constant."

Rika nodded grimly. "We can’t stay here too long, or we’ll collapse from exhaustion."

"Then we need to hurry and find Yor," Reinhard said while starting down the hallway. "Spread out but stay within shouting distance. Check every room."

They split into pairs while Reinhard and Rika took the left side of the hallway, and Alice and Louis took the right. The first door Reinhard pushed open led to what had been a bedroom with furniture long gone, but the space was still recognizable.

A sound filled the room.

Not a voice exactly, but something like an echo of words spoken long ago. The air itself carried the memory of conversation. A child’s laughter was bright and innocent while running footsteps pattered across floorboards that no longer existed.

"Grandma, look what I found!" A younger voice. Yor’s voice but smaller and filled with pure joy.

"Oh my dear, that’s a beautiful flower. Shall we press it in your book?" A woman’s voice was warm and gentle while love colored every syllable.

Rika gasped while her hand covered her mouth. Reinhard stood perfectly still while listening to the remnants of a happier time. The whispers faded while leaving only silence behind.

They moved to the next room where more echoes waited.

"Papa, can you teach me the steps again?"

"Of course, little one. Remember to keep your posture straight and your movements precise." A man’s voice was patient and kind while the sound of feet moving in dance patterns accompanied the words.

"Like this?"

"Perfect. You’re learning so well."

Alice appeared in the doorway while having heard the whispers from the room she’d been checking. "Is that-"

"Yeah... I think this place is replaying what was said here before." Reinhard said softly.

"That’s amazing... But kind of scary." Rika muttered.

Alice’s expression had softened while something sad touched her eyes. "Regardless, she was happy here once."

"Before everything changed," Louis added quietly while joining them.

They descended to the second floor while climbing down through a hole where stairs had once been. The atmosphere shifted as they entered this level. The whispers here were different.

Reinhard pushed open a door to what looked like a study and immediately heard voices that carried weight and worry.

"You cannot play with the other children anymore, Yor. It’s too dangerous." The father’s voice was filled with irritation.

"But why? I want friends!" Young Yor shouted.

"Because you’re different. You must always be in control of your emotions. Always. Do you understand?"

"I don’t want to be different!"

"It doesn’t matter what you want. This is what you are."

Rika’s face paled while she backed out of the room. Reinhard’s face was blank as he said nothing while following her into the hallway.

He walked into the next room where Alice and Louis were. Then all three of them paused when new whispers echoed out.

"Remember, darling, a Noctyne never shows weakness in public." The mother’s voice was strained and tired.

"But it hurts to always hide how I feel."

"I know. But it’s the only way to keep everyone safe, including yourself."

Alice’s hands tightened on her hammer while she listened, and Louis looked away with his expression troubled.

Another room revealed the grandmother’s voice, but no longer purely warm.

"Come here, child. Let me see your hands."

"Grandma, why can’t I take off my gloves at dinner?"

"You know why, dear."

A pause heavy with unspoken pain.

"Because I’m dangerous."

"Because we must be careful. That’s all."

The restraint in the grandmother’s voice was clear, while love was still present but buried under layers of caution. They reached the first floor through another improvised path.

The mansion’s distortion makes normal navigation impossible. Here, the whispers turned darker and more desperate.

A child’s sobbing echoed from a bedroom.

"If only I were born in another family. Why couldn’t I be normal? I wish I didn’t have this power..."

Reinhard stood in the doorway before sighing.

"That’s heartbreaking," Rika whispered while tears gathered in her eyes.

"It’s... And it was something she had to deal with for years." He said softly.

They moved to another room where different voices whispered in hushed tones.

"Are you certain about this? Silent Peak is dangerous." The grandfather’s voice was low and worried.

"What choice do we have? If there’s even a chance they can help our granddaughter, we must try." The grandmother responded with determination.

"The journey alone could kill us."

"Then we die trying. She deserves better than this prison we’ve made for her."

Alice’s eyes widened. "They were going to try to save her."

"But it didn’t work..." Louis said while his voice was quiet.

The final room they entered held the parents’ voices, broken and defeated.

"I don’t know how to help our daughter." The father muttered; all of them noted his voice was cracking.

"Neither do I. We’ve tried everything, but nothing works." The mother responded softly.

"She’s going to hate us. For keeping her isolated. For being so strict. For making her childhood a prison."

"I know. But as long as she’s safe, I don’t mind if she hates us. As long as she lives."

"Is this living? Look at what we’ve done to her."

"What choice did we have? Her power would have destroyed everyone around her if we hadn’t been strict. This way, she at least has a chance."

"A chance at what? A life alone? A life of fear?"

"A life where she isn’t seen as a monster."

Silence fell while the whispers faded.

Reinhard stood in the center of the room with his expression completely still. Alice and Rika were both gritting their teeth while Louis was looking down at the floor.

"They loved her so much... I can’t imagine being in that position and still not being able to help my child." Alice said softly.

Reinhard quickly spoke up before the others, knowing where this topic might lead. "We need to keep searching. Yor is here somewhere and hearing all of this again..."

He didn’t finish the sentence, but everyone understood. If Yor had walked through these rooms and heard these whispers and remembered these moments. She was in a very dark place mentally.

They needed to find her now before anything drastic happened.