WEEK 2 MINGLE - ARTEMISIA

[foundationmods]

Things had changed so rapidly in the past few days.

The loss of two of them hung over like a shroud, made even worse by the fact that an innocent person had been executed.

Was this....how the rest of the game was going to go...?🗈

....Even if it was, there wasn't much they could do now. Yuuko herself hasn't shown up in public since the trial, and while some have talked to her, she's been...subdued.

Did the trial hurt her just as much as them?

Regardless, the island is still beautiful, if deadly. Summer continues, beaming down on all of them, the waves of the sea warm and inviting.

But even if things look bleak...

They have something in their hands that will soon lead to the Truth, and the heart of this matter.

And in the air...lies a heavy sense that everything is about to change.

MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

CALENDAR | LOCATIONS | PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS | YUUKO PC POST | BIRDWITCH PC POST

Comments

[very_good_end]

[In the dining room, as if she never left, you can find one strangely familiar face, with a few key differences:

Erika is wearing a new servant's outfit.

Erika's outfit has a great big slash in the front, consistent with the wound found on her dead body the other day. A red stain is present.

She may appear a little paler than everyone remembers, but her body looks healthy and vital enough, despite these changes.

If anyone enters the room, she'll stop cleaning the furniture to give them her undivided attention.]

[excavated]

[ Syaoran goes to the dining room quite a bit, given that he's one of the few people that cooks rather frequently, and he's actually here, holding some mochi on one hand and paper, envelope and pen in another.

When he sees the face, he freezes. ]

. . . Who. . . ?

[very_good_end]

[in contrast to Erika's laughing, sneering face, the new maid's is professional and stone-faced.]

May I help you, our honored guest?

[excavated]

Ah-- [...] No. Well, actually. I was wondering who you are, actually. [ He tries to adjust himself, just a little bit, even though he's obviously not composed now. There are many explanations for this. He knows that better than anyone. Just calm down. ]

[very_good_end]

...

I am but a mere maid, young sir. You need not concern yourself with me.

[excavated]

Even if you are a maid, I'd at least like to know your name. I can't just refer to you as just 'you' all the time.

[ Especially not if he winds up having to report this back to everyone else. ]

[very_good_end]

...Of course.

[there's the slightest bit of hesitation, then she performs a deep respectful curtsey, lowering her eyes]

My name is Freida Claude. Please refer to me if you require something, young sir.

[excavated]

[ He notices that and wonders if he should ask about it... but refrains to do so, instead just shaking his head. ]

It's nice to meet you, Claude-san. My name is Syaoran. Did you just arrive here?

[very_good_end]

... Sir.

[she stares right at him]

I am a mere servant. I don't deserve such honorifics attached to my name. Please refer to me as 'Freida,' nothing more.

[excavated]

I couldn't possibly. . . [ He says the words in a rather polite manner, raising his hands apologetically. Speaking someone's name without honorifics when he barely knows them is rude. ]

[very_good_end]

In this matter I must insist, young sir. The Lady of the house would not approve.

[keydomhearts]

[ He's coming in with his breakfast when he sees her. ]

Erika! You're back!

[very_good_end]

... [she stops dusting and turns to him, distant expression and a blank stare, hands folded in front of her]

Young sir, you seem to have me confused with someone else. That is not my name.

[keydomhearts]

Huh? [ It looks like her... but not loud or anything??? ] What's going on? Are you okay-

[ And then he freezes when he sees the slash in her outfit. ]

What's going on?!

[very_good_end]

To my knowledge, nothing is going on, sir. I am simply seeing to my assigned duties, which includes the cleaning of this room.

If you have need of anything, I will gladly assist.

[anonnomnomnom]

[Of course Anon is in the dining room eventually, because the meeting later isn't going to feed him, and all the cooks are probably done stress cooking after the weekend, so he's having to forage for himself. Shock. Horror.

Nah, it's fine, he's just after a snack post-usual morning expedition to the docks and after stopping by the library. He doesn't pause when he sees Erika, instead seating himself with a rudimentary sandwich-thing.]

Ah, so you must be Vinea's new friend, right? You look in a lot worse shape than she does, but you didn't get killed in that other place, did you?

[Monch monch.]

So, which one are you?

[very_good_end]

... [she turns to him, giving a slight blink in confusion but it doesn't change her overall expression.]

I'm afraid I don't understand, young sir. I am a mere maid, tasked with the upkeep of the Lady's house. It would not be appropriate to speak of the Lady's personal servants.

[anonnomnomnom]

[Wow, it's like she's a totally different person--

He just grins at her funny face. She's a lot more like a doll now in that outfit, too. It's pretty easy to imagine Yuuko walking around just puppeteering Erika or something, what a great mental image.]

Ahahaha, I wonder what Erika would think. But what you're saying is that there's a difference between you and Vinea, isn't there? She definitely sounds like she's a lot more personal...

So who are you?

[very_good_end]

...I'm sorry, I don't recognize that name. --Yes, Vinea is above me. Saying more than that would not be appropriate.

[she curtsies]

I am Freida Claude... if you need something, you are free to call on me, most honored guest.

[anonnomnomnom]

You can think of Erika as your predecessor! Since you'll probably be hearing her name a lot.

[He's being somehow helpful?? Maybe?? Maybe not.]

How the mighty have fallen, huh, Great Detective? [that one is halfway to himself in between bites of sandwich; he does give Freida's curtsy a nod back, though, because he was raised right(?)] I'm Anon, Freida, so let's get along. Oh, and there's one more thing I'm curious about. Are you a demon? Are you not a demon?

[very_good_end]

...

[she straightens up, and at his words, starts to dip her head... as if some idea is warring in her brain. She stares at him with dark eyes.]

Yo̵un͡g ͠s͠i͢r͠... ̶I̷ ͢ha͜ve ̸n͝o͝ s͞uch...͞ pr̨e̵dece̶ss҉o͠r̸. ̵A̷re ̶yo̶u͠ ̶s̴ure... yo̵u'̨r̸e͝ n̶o͝t̷..̶.͞ ͟c̛onfu͟se̶d̴?

... [it passes as the question moves on]

Surely I am no demon.

[anonnomnomnom]

[... He cocks his head and narrows his eyes, examining her expression with keen interest.]

So that's how it's going to be, hmm? I guess it's something I'm going to have to ask Yuuko about.

But anyway, if you say you'e not a demon, then you're probably not a demon. Are you human, then?

[very_good_end]

[she blinks and her eyes go back to normal, her expression returning to the stone-faced one as she straightens up]

Sir, I am but a maid. Questions such as 'are you a human'... if you pardon my saying so, the answers should be obvious. What else would attend to the Lady's house other than her servants?

[anonnomnomnom]

Right, right, so you're a totally human servant for Yuuko's house, even if it isn't actually Yuuko's house. That makes Watanuki something in between... or something?

[That's halfway to himself, musing, before he nods.]

So what do you do, exactly? I know Vinea is in charge... Do you just clean things? I didn't even know how many servants a mansion like this had until I saw all the goats.

[very_good_end]

...This is the Lady's house. Any further comment from me would be inappropriate as a mere servant.

I am to clean and attend to my designated areas and see to the upkeep of the house. Serving the needs of the Lady and her guests is also a part of those duties. That is all. When the day is over and the next day begins, I will do so again.