Heart of the unknown

I took a deep breath, trying to gather the scattered fragments of my thoughts, then directed my question to the employer, who stood like an unshakable wall of authority:

"What's the story behind the pink room?"

He looked at me with a calm yet piercing gaze, as if weighing his words before speaking, then replied in a tone void of any emotion:

"What do you mean?"

Without hesitation, I gestured upward, as if sketching the image of the room in the air:

"I mean that pink room on the second floor."

He raised an eyebrow slightly—a subtle expression barely visible on his face—then said flatly:

"It's just an ordinary room. Why do you ask?"

I was determined to clear this mystery, so I continued:

"But I haven't seen any sign of someone living in it. It's completely empty, as if it's never been used."

A faint smile appeared on his face, so faint it was almost invisible, and he replied with a touch of ambiguity:

"There's a young girl who lives there."

My eyes widened slightly, and surprise crept into my heart.

"But I've never seen any girl… not once. Not during our first tour, not during my shifts, not even in the kitchen."

He shook his head calmly, as if the matter was obvious, and answered with a tone filled with certainty:

"Of course you haven't seen her."

My confusion deepened, and the muscles of my face tensed as I tried to understand what he was implying.

"What do you mean?"

He paused, as if gathering the threads of a complicated tale, then said in a low but clear voice:

"The girl who lives there is the niece of Lord Valis—his sister's daughter, not his own, as many might assume. But she never stays in that room. Instead, she stays in Lord Valis's own chamber, because she's afraid of being alone in a separate room… especially with everything going on around us."

I stood silent for a moment, processing his words. I wasn't too surprised to learn she was his niece and not his daughter—something in my gut had always told me things weren't as they seemed. But I hadn't expected that answer either. More questions began to dance in my mind: Why would Lord Valis bring his niece to a place like this? Wouldn't it be safer for her to stay with her mother, away from all this danger?

I pushed those thoughts aside and looked back at the employer, asking in a quieter voice:

"By any chance… do you know why Lord Valis Raymond brought his niece here?"

The employer looked me straight in the eye, his gaze a strange blend of seriousness and indifference, and he replied in a firm, unyielding tone:

"Only Lord Valis knows why he brought her. It's not our concern. Our responsibility is to protect them—both of them. All you need to know is that her presence here makes your guard duty even more important."

I let out a quiet sigh. I didn't get all the answers I wanted, but the revelation of a young girl's presence, and her fear, added yet another layer of mystery to this castle.

I stood up and headed toward the staircase leading to the third floor. I had nothing specific to do at this time of day, and I felt that the air up there might help clear some of the weight pressing on my thoughts.

I reached the third floor, where the air was colder and cleaner, carrying the scent of distant trees and ancient stones. As usual, I found Marcus and Knox guarding their usual positions, standing like statues, their eyes fixed on the horizon.

I looked up at the sky. The setting sun painted the clouds in shades of crimson and gold, and the breeze was gentle but refreshing, brushing my face like a quiet whisper.

A sense of peace washed over me—if only for a moment.

Then I heard a voice behind me, a voice that shattered the stillness:

"What are you doing here?"

I jumped in surprise, letting out a scream that echoed off the stone walls:

"Aaahhh!"

I spun around quickly, my heart pounding, to find the source of the voice. It was Marcus, a faint smile on his face, though his eyes carried a trace of regret.

He raised his hands slightly and said apologetically:

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

I tried to collect myself and steady my breathing, then replied:

"No, it's fine. Things like that… can happen."

We stood in silence for a moment. I wasn't sure what to say after such an awkward moment. Then I decided to break the silence with another question—my curiosity was stronger than my embarrassment.

"Um… Marcus, there's something that's been on my mind for a while."

He looked at me with some interest and said:

"Yeah? What is it?"

I hesitated briefly, then asked quietly:

"Have you received your unique ability?"

A shy smile crept across Marcus's face, then he chuckled and said:

"Hehe, yes, I have."

I lit up with excitement.

"Would you mind telling me what it is?"

He nodded confidently:

"My ability is invisibility. I can disappear."

My eyes widened with awe.

"You mean… you can stay invisible for as long as you want?"

Marcus smiled and replied:

"It's not that powerful. I can only disappear for two hours a day."

Still, it was an amazing power! Two hours of invisibility could be incredibly useful in dangerous situations—unlike my ability, whose purpose I still hadn't discovered. But… I still had hope that one day, I would gain a powerful and meaningful ability like his.

I pressed on, hoping to gather more information:

"When did you get this ability?"

Marcus answered immediately, his eyes reflecting a vivid memory:

"I got it after you all saved me from that beast, remember?"

I nodded:

"Yes, I remember."

That moment had been pivotal for all of us—and clearly for him, too.

Taking the opportunity to confirm another curiosity, I asked:

"So, can you also talk to your status window?"

He gave me a puzzled look, then nodded:

"Yes, I can. Why do you ask?"

I smiled, glad to finally compare notes. I'd been trying to figure out the purpose of the 'awareness level' field in the status window, but every time I asked someone, they said it just said "Unknown."

"So… what does yours say under 'Awareness Level'?"

Marcus looked puzzled again and answered:

"It says 'Unknown.' I tried to figure out what it means, but I couldn't."

So even Marcus had no idea. What was the purpose of that field, then?

As Marcus and I continued our fascinating talk about abilities and the secrets of awareness, the sun's light faded gradually from the horizon. We heard the dinner bell ringing below, signaling the time for the evening meal. The shift change was upon us—day guards stepping down, night guards rising.

The three of us—Marcus, Knox, and I—descended from the third floor. Knox, as always, remained silent throughout our entire conversation.

We reached the second floor. I bid farewell to Marcus and Knox as they headed toward the guards' quarters.

At that moment, a gentle chill crept into my body.

Night had fallen.

And my third shift on the second floor… had just begun.