text | un: kovacs

[kovach]

[ after attempting to follow some small footprints from the dining room, kovacs briefly hears some strange and suspicious laughter that echoes out for only a short time before it's gone.

— the fuck? ]

Has anyone heard some creepy fucking kids giggling in the hallways?

Or seen some tiny feet trailing around?

Comments

text ↪ un: 朱

[blackfire]

（ score one for 'never have i ever watched a horror movie' team. ）

No. Where?

[kovach]

[ finally, some sanity. ]

Outside the dining room. In the hall.

Followed some footprints that led to nowhere. Heard some kids laughing and then it was gone.

[blackfire]

（ let's not go that far... ）

Could you distinguish between voices?

（ by that description alone, were they playing by the rules of his world, he might anticipate it as being a zashiki-warashi, thought to be a sign of good fortune. however, given the castle's malleable nature, it seems unwise to assume it shares any commonality with his own fireside stories. ）

[kovach]

[ at least someone's asking useful questions, anyway. ]

It was like it was echoing in and out. Could have been one voice, maybe two. Definitely young. Small, going by the footprints. Hard to say much beyond that.

[blackfire]

（ #justcreepycastlethings. ）

It seems another of our number saw the princess' footprints. It may serve you to compare the two.

（ local spy reads everything posted on the network, news at 11. ）

Did you take photographs of them?

[kovach]

Not sure I could take photographs on this thing, but I've shown the feed around. Apparently, they're the same.

So either it's the princess' or at least something connected to the two sets. Still doesn't explain the laugh track.

[blackfire]

No, it does not.

However, the princess was learning magic. It is not unreasonable to assume that one of the spells may have resulted in what you heard, either by design as a prank or by accident.

The clay piece you found — （ yes, he's stalking you too ） — it may be meant to be a representation of the princess herself. I believe her to have red hair. Starkov-san said the princess is with her and the man Rhysand-san, you may be able to ask her directly.

（ you will pry his honourifics from his cold, dead hands, thank u. ）

[kovach]

[ well, someone's sure keeping on top of the information chain. he does make a minor note regarding the use of honorifics, if only because he's half-japanese himself, familiar with their use, even if he only uses them for select company. ]

Could be. Might be part of some broken toy or something. I'd say it could be voodoo bullshit, but if that were true and it were meant to represent her, then she'd be dead with a broken neck, so.

[blackfire]

（ he is a certified (but carefully regulated) Infomodder^TM for whom the player apologizes profusely tbqh.

'voodoo' doesn't translate for him directly — instead, it comes across as shiji hyōketsu, which is hidan's curse technique of causing pain or death via the infliction of injuries on his own body. it works well enough to get the idea across, in any case. the idea that the doll may represent damage done to the princess' body.

hm. ）

In my world, there are techniques that inflict damage on a surrogate that harms the intended target. Likewise, it is possible to create exact copies of others, or to transform one's own appearance in such a way that fools even the target's closest allies. I cannot speak to whether or not the magic in this world can do the same as I am not familiar enough with it to make that judgement, but the more possibilities we are aware of the more cautiously we can approach the outcome here.

However remote the chance, if the princess is not her genuine self, we should explore that before making any arrangements or deals with the Sorcerer.

Sabriel-san may be able to detect if magic was used on the clay. Would you be willing to share it with her?

（ of those he has met here, she stands the greatest chance at uncovering such a thing. ）

[kovach]

Well, I might've figured out the clay piece comes from a jewelry box. Ballerina inside was missing its head.

So if there's any magic involved, it might be more related to that box. Quill said something was alive inside that didn't want the box opened. I could ask him about showing it to her if he hasn't already.

[blackfire]

（ why does that not reassure him at all. ）

That seems the best course of action.