Closet? Swan thought it was an absurd story, but Arianthe seemed serious. Her expression indicated as if Mayana was truly trapped in Jocelyn’s closet.

“So… what do we do, Arianthe?”

“We have to go rescue Mayana!”

Arianthe declared resolutely, holding her fist. Somehow, it felt like if Swan refused to go, Arianthe would swing a sleep-inducing punch…

Swan descended under the bed, put on a shawl, and even though she wore cozy slippers, her body shivered when she stepped out of the sheet. Arianthe, wearing only her nightgown, confidently led the way with a small lamp in hand.

“Wait a moment, Arianthe.”

“Why?”

“If you just go out like that, it’ll be cold. Put this on.”

Swan draped the shawl that I had wrapped around her shoulders firmly onto Arianthe. Arianthe complained that it was hard to move her arms, but because Swan, with quite a stern expression, said she wouldn’t go if she didn’t wear it, Arianthe eventually gave in.

When they went out into the corridor, Arianthe said, “But what about Swan if I wear this? It’s cold.”

“I’m fine. Take this lamp too.”

Swan reached out her hand. Receiving the lamp from Arianthe’s hand, with the other hand, she tightly held Arianthe’s small hand and cautiously walked down the corridor. If by chance they saw the shadow of an employee turning the corner, they hid the lamp behind the corner and hid themselves.

Arianthe said, “It feels like an adventure.”

Hushing, Swan turned her head as an unidentified shadow passed by. Arianthe, holding Swan’s hand, rose when she realized.

“We’re going to rescue Mayana. It’s not an adventure.”

“That’s also an adventure. Well then, Swan and I are heroes. Mayana is the princess.”

Swan, who had been contemplating with a hesitant expression, said, “Then Jocelyn is a bad dragon.”

Arianthe grinned, wrinkling her nose.

“Exactly. A bad dragon. It would be great if she disappeared.”

The two children cautiously entered the back corridor, which turned around to the right of the mansion. As the rooms of the employees were lined up there, it was almost certain to be caught by someone else. Other employees, even if they saw the two, would likely just send them back to their rooms, but if they were caught by Jocelyn…

“Then there could be big trouble.”

Swan whispered. It wasn’t just Mayana who might never be found, but they themselves could also be trapped in her closet forever.

Arianthe, adjusting Swan’s hand, replied, “If that happens, Swan, quickly take Mayana and run away. Go to your father.”

The lamp in Swan’s hand shook. Looking at Arianthe with wide-open eyes, Swan asked, “What are you saying? What about you if I take Mayana and run away?”

“I can fight Jocelyn.”

“Don’t say nonsense.”

“Why is it nonsense!”
Arianthe, who had unintentionally raised her voice, abruptly covered my mouth and pushed Swan’s back. The rattling sound of the lamp continued, and as Jocelyn’s room drew nearer, sweat poured from the clasped palms. Arianthe and Swan, while fixing their hands several times, breathed heavily.

Jocelyn’s room looked engulfed in darkness. However, it also felt like something might suddenly pop out from inside… When the light of the lamp subtly illuminated Jocelyn’s room, Arianthe unknowingly grabbed Swan’s arm.

“It seems like no one’s here…”

Whispered Swan. Arianthe, breathing heavily with squinted eyes, quietly released Swan’s arm.

“Don’t go, Arianthe!”

As Arianthe tried to enter the room, Swan hurriedly grabbed her shoulders. However, with just the shawl falling, Arianthe’s body slipped out.

Swan was on the verge of bursting into tears. But Arianthe couldn’t leave her alone in that dark room…

Jocelyn seemed to be absent, but maybe she was lurking in the dim corners where they couldn’t see. Perhaps she was silently standing, waiting for them, and might stretch her neck like a snake and bite them as soon as they entered the room.

But Swan gathered courage and went inside. Standing guard as if protecting Arianthe, she quickly illuminated the room with the lamp, but no one was visible. Jocelyn was not in the dark corners or hanging upside down from the ceiling.

“Mayana, are you here?”

Arianthe opened the wardrobe. At that moment, something fluttered like a ghost and passed by the faces of the two children.

“Ahh!”

“Ah!”

Arianthe and Swan screamed simultaneously. Along with that, doors opened one after another from both sides and across the hall. Running footsteps, children shouting, the sound of more doors opening…

“What’s going on?”

“Is it the princess?”

“Not the young master?”

The children, without even considering picking up the lamp that had fallen, were hugging each other, wide-eyed, looking at each other. The corridor lights turned on, and the employees who had rushed in were crowded at the door.

“What are you doing!”

The resonant voice of Head Maid Kosha made the employees step back. In a loosely tied nightgown, Koshka looked into Jocelyn’s room, and her jaw dropped.

“No, milady! Even young master Swan! What on earth were you two doing here? Come out, hurry!”