[TKOSINM] 239 – Rivena?

He beckoned at one side of the room, where a massive portrait of the Friedan couple was hung.

As Irene approached, the butler removed the portrait and hung it upside down. Irene was puzzled by his strange behaviour but watched him silently anyway.

And after a while, something astounding happened.

‘Rumble.’

The wall began to spin with a loud clack. Once the movement of the wall stopped, a staircase leading to the basement emerged before them. There were luminous stones everywhere, so the path down to the basement was not dark.

“This place is….”

“This is a secret passage that has existed in the Viscounty for a very long time. It is a place that has been handed down to generations of heads of the estate. It was used as an escape route in case of emergency, but as the exit was blocked due to an earthquake, even that is now impossible. The thing she mentioned is down there.”

“...”

The underground stairs seemed endlessly deep. Irene gulped nervously, determined to step down the stairs with the butler.

“How does sir butler know this place?”

“My mistress told me the day before she passed away.”

“Then…Do you perhaps know what my aunt was trying to hand to me?”

“I do not know that either. But I do know it is something she immensely valued. And…”

At the end of the staircase, a large door caught Irene’s eye. The butler, who stopped walking, opened the door with a key and added.

“Count Chase wanted this, too.”

Irene’s eyes widened at his completely unforeseen words.

“My father?”

“Yes. I deserve to be punished, but I dared to overhear their conversation. I could not hear it in detail because their voices were minimal, but he was surely searching for something. I am quite certain this is it.”

“What on earth is this….”

The curiosity within her grew by minutes. When the butler finally opened the door, there was a desolate vacant lot beyond the door. It was a lot as wide as the one at the front of the mansion. Something was placed in the centre of that empty lot.

“This is…”

Irene slowly took a few steps forward. It was not long before she stopped and looked down at the ornate box adorned with jewels. Its exterior was clean, likely due to the care taken to preserve it. Leaving the butler behind, Irene carefully opened the lid of the box. Her eyes widened as she checked the content inside.

...a painting?

Inside was a small picture the size of a palm, which did not match the size of the enormous box. Irene reached out, and the moment her fingertips touched it.

‘Whoosh.’

Wind rushed into the basement. It was odd as it was a secluded place without any vent connected to the outside. Her milky brown hair and the hem of her black dress fluttered.

That’s...!

Astonishment could also be seen all over the old butler’s face watching the scene from behind.

Clearly, the wind was soaring from inside the box. Surprisingly, the wind was of different hues. -Red, blue, purple, navy blue, yellow. It wrapped around Irene in a kaleidoscope of colours.

I didn’t think I would witness such a mysterious sight before I died.

Unlike the butler, who was moved, Irene felt a sense of Deja vu.

It’s similar to that time at the Snow Tree.

And once again, a voice spoke up as if to prove that her thought was the correct answer.

[Why are you only here now? I have been waiting. My contractor, Rivena.]

The only difference from the previous experience was that it did not ask for her name or anything from her.

Rivena? It’s a familiar name.

She had heard of this name somewhere before, but she could not quite recall whose name it was.

[What’s wrong with you, Rivena? You seem quiet. It’s been a while since we reunited. Aren’t you happy to see me?]

I’m not the person named Rivena.

For some reason, Irene hurriedly revealed that she was not a Rivena to the voice that seemed to be self-conscious.

[What? Are you not a Rivena? But this energy is definitely... Then, who are you?]