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>>6185871 (OP)
You wake up to the sound of thunder, but after a moment of blissful unconscious ignorance, you realize it is not. It’s the summer of your third year in the Mageknight Academy, the setting of your favorite game, and things are almost as they should be. The haughty villainess has been banished, and the capital riots have started. They’re different this time, so very different. For thirteen years, you’ve been trying to emulate Anastasia's life, to be cheerful, optimistic, and full of joy, all so that you can enjoy the romance that Sasaki Hikari never had. You think you did a pretty good job of it, too, so why now? Why is everything going wrong? Why can you feel the claws of depression return to wrench your tired eyes inward? And what the hell is a Stranger?

You lift the comforter up and climb out of the guest bed at Albretch’s house. The guest room you’ve been provided with is larger than your dingy apartment back in Tokyo, and the bed is very comfortable, too. But you’re not going to be able to sleep for a while; you haven’t been able to sleep for the last couple of nights. So why not watch the world burn off in the distance? The smoke seems to be far away this time at least, you think with a mote of security as you pull up a chair and open the curtains, revealing a balcony that overlooks both the garden and city. You think for a second about ringing a bell to summon a maid for tea, but you don’t want to hassle anyone this late at night. But all that does is leave you alone with your thoughts. And when you think, your mind always manages to drift back to that game.

It was a small title, relatively niche, and it was not even translated for foreign audiences, but you loved it. The characters? Cliche. The story? Cliche. The audience? Small. The mechanics? Done many times before. Still, it gave you the relaxation you needed after overtime at the black company you worked at. And the guys were hot. That too. But for the past week, the knowledge of that game has given you nothing but fright.

In the summer of Anastasia’s third year is when, a good player has enough love points with their chosen capture target to stay at their estate as a guest, which may lead to a steamy romance with them. No matter which route she takes, Anastasia will be a factor of the villainess banishment, leading to her vengeful tyrant of a father to figuratively strange the nobles of the Kingdom, leading to unrest and civil strife as cliche evil-looking Royal Guard to crack down on any dissidents. This leads to some pretty steamy romance scenes while the player is isolated in a mansion, and the world seems to fall apart around her, which is a prelude to the fourth year and the climactic civil war.

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>>6185875
You thought you played your role perfectly. The villainess was banished, which you don’t even feel too bad about, seeing as she had all the makings of a commoner-hating tyrant; she even gets off pretty well in most routes, banished to some no-name crusade where she learns to find meaning in her service and duty as apposed to her noble lifestyle. Though granted, while you’re well on your way to a reverse harem, you did choose Albretch as your primary route, which gets a bit more drama-explosive. But does that even matter now? You read the newspaper, and you’re intelligent enough to put together context clues.

How could you have been so blind? How could you have never noticed this world was a dangerous one for you? Stranger riots? The Inquisition? The villainous running away to seemingly join it as the Royal Times Paper hints at? She's coming to kill you. That has to be the truth. The claws of despair wretch even deeper, and your heart rate quickens. How could you have not noticed you aren’t alone in this world? How did you even make it this far with the entire church set up to get rid of you? Though you suppose in the end there’s one regret that plagues your mind.

You really should have paid more attention to politics.

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>>6185876
The first thing you notice when you wake up is that the merchant cart you hitched a ride on is as bumpy and uncomfortable as usual. The second thing is the back pain. Oh wait, that actually comes from the third thing, the assault pain. That is the pain coming from the armored boot that rudely found its way to the top of your spine. So, with that said, you immediately sputter awake. “Ow, Jesus, what the hell?!” you wheeze.

“We’re here, ya jackass,” Comes the moody voice of your current partner, another Stranger nicknamed Sally.

“Carts still moving, isn’t it?” You lamely reply as you rub your back and sit up. The two of you managed to hitch a ride with a merchant, a rather pleasant hawk girl, on your journey to the southwest. Technically, she’s heading south, but with a bit of coin, you’ve managed to convince her to at least take a pitstop by the coast, seeing as that’s where the compass continues to point.

“Ya, but I can see the sea. Gotta little town out there too,” Sally says while pointedly looking out behind the wagon and not towards you. You can’t imagine why, other than you throwing her under the bus against the Inquisitor and that griffon, well, the wyvern too, but that’s different even if she did almost get swallowed. Besides, she’s invincible. She should just learn to deal with it. You just roll your eyes.

“We’re headin’ tuah the City of Rocklight! Clan Khavern’s close by tuah!” For some reason, you wince as the hawk girl driving the cart says that. It's like some ancient psychic damage resurfaced for some reason. Then the cart starts to slow down, “Actually, looks like there are some of your buddies hailing us over now.”

Confused, you peek your head out next to the driver and see two Inquisitor-looking fellows, though Abram isn’t with them. They even have the classic hat and everything-

The next thing you know is that your heading is exploding from a magically charged bullet. It’s going to be a long day.

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>>6185877
Seo-Yun

Seo-Yun stared at the two papers in front of her and felt the cold steel of the knife in her hand. Seo-Yun stared at her future, contemplating a decision that would direct the rest of her life. One paper would sign her away to harsh training and eventual recruitment into the Inquisition, a life of toil and duty to a country she couldn’t care less about. The other would banish her to isolation in a remote cabin on the frontier, a gilded cage with few modern amenities she still craved and even fewer social attachments. Her time was up; she had stalled too long, and now she had to make a choice written in blood, or else her life would be at stake. Later, she found that it would be the easiest decision of her life.

Catherine

“What do you mean they’re next to worthless!” The noblewoman screams at the merchant who has just docked at Ivern’s port.

“Well, my lady,” the old and sea-hardened captain stutters to the younger woman. “They are just flowers,” he sheepishly says.

“Just flowers!” She screams, “Last week, they were worth over fifty gold a petal! Do you know how many of these things we planted?! We even hired dryads to tend to the new farm!”

“M-maybe you could see about selling them to that flower shop in town?” The captain replies half-heartedly.

He receives nothing but the wails of a rather unlucky noble. He will praise the Goddess later that night, thankful that he at least kept his job.

Clarice

“It’s still so hard to believe the princess was here,” The girl says to her father as they lift one of the wooden tables back into place after it flew out the window during last night's bar fight. A common occurrence at their establishment, seeing as the Adventurer’s guild sits in the same building.

“Aye, to that one. I’ll be getting free advertising for the next decade at least!” Her father bellows out a laugh as they set the table down. “Shame what happened to the poor lass, though,” he suddenly said with a more solemn tone. “Maybe I should see about getting the Inquisition here to give out Strange Quests? I’d love to crack a few of their skulls myself, and sure, the boys would, too. I’ll be givin’ more of my paycheck to the church at least, that’s for sure.”

Her father’s hostility makes sense seeing what the cause was for the princess to visit their establishment. Even Clarice herself still feels dirty when she thinks about that event, those thoughts are usually followed by a helping of alcohol. But as the looks out the broken window towards the builders working on repairing the not-so-distant palace and thinks back to the woman who saved her, “I’m sure she’s going to be all right, Dad. No way anything keeps that woman down for long.”

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>>6185878
Elsewhere, in the kinda-sorta early hours of the morning. Like an hour before the sun rises, three women look over a villa near an ancient forest. Graves with names lost to time dot the outskirts of said growth and no doubt go deeper. The Bloodgrave family is one of ancient history and deadly secrets that are known by all, so why wouldn’t their main mansion be on hallowed ground? Though you get the feeling, it’s more like no one else wanted to build their hunting estate in an area as creepy as this. Goddessdammit, don’t they know there are vampires in those misty woods? Of course, the property would be cheap!

Ugh, you have to remind yourself to calm down a little bit. The lack of sleep must be getting to you, but dammit, the nerves kept you up all night planning! You really can’t screw this up! Really! So due to that fact, the three of you have spent the previous night drinking as much tea as you can while discussing the plan for how you’re going to either prove the innocence or condemn the Bloodgraves as members of a Strange conspiracy.

>Though in the end, you settled on the Loud Plan

The essence of this plan is pulling your weight as an Inquisitor and trying your best to bully the Bloodgraves into letting you explore their estate. Of course, you’re not going to announce your presence as the missing princess, so Marie will be introducing herself as the Inquisitor, and you and Alyssa are just her adjutants. This plan is less risky but will more easily allow the Bloodgraves to hide their dirty laundry, assuming they have any.

>Though in the end, you settled on the Silent

The essence of this plan is snooping around undetected by using stealth, magic, and perhaps disguises to not even let the Bloodgraves know of your presence. You and Alyssa will enter under the cover of the night and get in and out as fast as possible while Marie stays observant as a reserve, seeing as she is, well, Marie. This plan is very risky, seeing as the Bloodgraves, innocent or not, will be unlikely to take a liking to intruders, and in the worst case scenario, they discover the princess “illegally” messing in their affairs, which could lead to a major diplomatic incident.

>You, of course, went with Plan [Write-in]

Hey StrangeQM, good to see the next portion up!

>>6185875
>>6185876
The plot thickens... Almost as thick as Ana's skull, apparently.

>>6185877
Can't wait to have Asher back in the party again. I want to see him face off with Albretch in a duel!

>>6185878
>Seo-Yun
Possible new tomboy teammate?

>Catherine
Possible new Ojou-sama teammate?

>Clarice
Glad to know she's doing okay. Hope she gets over her Stranger trauma, though, considering our friends.

>>6185880
>Though in the end, you settled on the Silent

>>6185885
Oh, yeah, you check out any reviews of 2024's bad isekai that you think you could crib from? I've heard that A Nobody's Way Up to an Exploration Hero was pretty egregiously bad, as well as Failure Frame and The Banished Former Hero Lives As He Pleases. Admittedly, I only saw 2024's Bad Anime review from Mother's Basement on them, and I don't know whether or not 4chan's okay with him, so take it with a grain of salt.

>>6185880
>Though in the end, you settled on the Loud Plan
No way we can pull off silent

>>6185895
I haven't watched much trashy isekai lately other than the new one about the old dude becoming a villainess. I'll probably have to watch a review of this season to see what catches my interest. I've just watched so much sludge recently with anime that I'm trying to palate cleanse with actual good shows in my free time.

>>6185880
>Though in the end, you settled on the Silent

>>6185880
>You, of course, went with Plan Watercooler Gossip
Which relies on befriending the manor's servants when they're out in town at the market or for other rreason, and getting their tongues loose.

Hello all! I've decided that a play isn't quite what I'm going for, instead we should have a scripted wargaming session. Say, there's a distant island™ with hidden jungles™ that could be used as a preparatory base for... exploring more distant islands™ .

The immediate goal of such a plan would be to rush to these islands before a cosmic flashbang™ could take place, because those are really nasty. Let's say for hypothetical reasons that such a flashbang is going to occur in May.

Roles:
Moshiach (definitely taken, temple mount moment)
Holy™ Roman™ Emperor™ (taken)
Everything else (up for grabs)

Under this unique wargaming session, we could choose to call our home base™ either Astral Avalon or the Holy™ Roman™ Empire™. (HRE) Just wait until we get a Holy™ Roman™ Armada!™

The only rules behind this wargaming session are Karma™ and Cosmic Balance™.

Plan: Revelation has already happened, so why are you so scared of hell, huh?
- Offer "Natives" an infinite money glitch™
- Say there's no way they could go to hell even if they wanted to, they just respawn™ somewhere else.

This sound fun to ya'll?

>>6185880
>>Though in the end, you settled on the Silent

>>6186199
Yeah, sure thing man sounds great.

Anyway, bite-sized update incoming.

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>>6186601
Pretty quickly, you leave Marie alone on a wooded hilltop on the outskirts of the Bloodgrave lodge. Sure she whined a bit when you chose to follow through with the silent plan due to the fact she will probably have nothing to do but draw circles in the dirt with her sentient sword. You managed to mollify her with the fact that if anything terrible does happen she’ll get to make a grand hero’s entrance to your rescue, sword blazing.

Now, however, as you approach one of the side entrances of the three-story building, taking a route through the forest outskirts, you do your best to remember the layout of this specific building. The last time you were here was about nine years ago, but you hope not too much has changed over the years, seeing as this is more of a retreat for the Redgrave family than their actual home in their lands to the west. Though you do know for a fact the entire family should be here, seeing as there would be no way your father would ever allow them to leave the capital when there’s a possible insurrection happening, after all, them being the kingdom's largest vassal puts them under immediate suspect, even without the Stranger conspiracy added onto that.

Now, seeing as it’s an hour before dawn, there’s no way any of them are awake. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a noble in Lindan that wakes up even two hours after dawn, it’s unfashionable, but some of the servants should just be rising to begin the housecare. And that is the premise of the following problem you tackled; how do you deal with them?

A few immediate solutions came to mind, and you remember exactly which one you chose to follow through with

>Integrate

Alyssa already has experience as a maid. How hard can it be? The two of you will go and join the groggy servants in changing and try to blend in with the scullery maids, giving yourself an air of legitimacy to your presence as you explore. However, the biggest problem with this is that, over the years, each noble house and the servants that have served for generations have developed a unique culture in their households. Alyssa and you will have to move despite total ignorance of what Bloodgrave maid etiquette is like.

>Stealth

This plan is easy. You won’t get seen at all. Perfect if you can pull it off, and it means you won’t have to change into uncomfortable, commoner clothes, which is a win-win. Well, it would be if you spent your formative years training to be an assassin instead of a warrior princess. With this plan, the longer you explore the manner, the more likely it is for the constantly rising serving staff and nobles to see you, so you should make whatever you’re about to do quick and snappy!

>[Write-in]

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>>6186625
>Integrate
I want to see how Lorina learns how the peonage lives. Maybe she'll start to be nicer to the palace staff.

Also because LORINA MAID OUTFIT PLEASE

>>6186625
>Stealth
Sneaky sneaky.

>>6186625
>Stealth then integrate
We hide and observe the servant culture until too many of them wake up, then we join them in disguise

>>6186625
>>Integrate
Can't resist a maid outift

>>6186625
>Integrate

>>6186625
>Integrate

>>6186625
>>Integrate

>>6186625
>Integrate

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When one thinks of a noble household, the image in their mind’s eye is usually only that of the top of the goblin pole. The actual nobility, that is, but that does quite a disservice to the hundreds to thousands of laymen that also exist within the bounds of that household, and that is not even counting other noble vassals and courtiers. To simplify it for the sake of uneducated ears, unlike yourself, one can imagine a noble estate very similar to that of a workhouse, though much more luxurious, of course. Its bounds usually contain, and often houses, the servants of said family who have traditionally worked for one noble family who employed them for generations. A sort of commoner vassalage, if you will. Now, with so many servants who perform such a wide array of tasks, from gardening to smithing to housecare, the hierarchy has naturally sprouted up. While each fiefdom has a degree of autonomy, the trends of this hierarchy have usually stayed the same from house to house.

Now, why is this important? Because even the maids of the estate have a hierarchy in their ranks, from leadership to laundry, to cleaning, and, of course, to cooking. The scullery maid is one such example, a servant at the lowest point of the servant hierarchy, usually having the role of chef’s assistant and predominantly a job worked by young women like yourself. It is also an occupation where the maid is supposed to be unseen by the nobles and other servants. To them, their work will miraculously appear without note or fanfare. It is the role that suits both you and Alyssa the best, for if one who is not the maid boss happens to see a scullery maid, they are likely to simply ignore them rather than cause a fuss. There’s also the bonus that their quarters are always easy to find for one looking, in a corner of the estate oft forgotten about by anyone of note.

And that is where you find yourself now. In a dingy, forgotten, but not abandoned section of the estate. You’ve never been here before, but like always, your intuition was correct. Though there is one minor issue, the scullery maids are some of the first to rise in the morning so that they may get about their duties while the rest of the manor still sleeps, and you and Alyssa, both gorgeous women, if you must say so or a quality more refined than the simple peon stick out like a sore thumb against faces that are so… common. Also, your completely black cloaks don’t help either.

However, as you walk through a backdoor into the changing and washroom next to the scullery quarters, you believe you should count yourself lucky that only two maids are currently inhabiting it. In their grogginess, neither of the young women seems to notice you as they dress themselves and spray what looks to be a concoction of magical and mundane perfumes. Maybe that is why the manner smells so much of sweetness?

>>6187852
Whatever, that doesn’t matter right now. What does is the fact the two women wouldn’t stay ignorant of you in their changing room for long and the fact that Alyssa just walked past you with a hammer. Where did she even get that? You shake your head. That's not essential to know right now. You need to do something quickly, though you think whatever it is that you do doesn’t matter so much as you do it quick.

>Walk up to the maid Alyssa isn’t approaching and knock them both out simultaneously

>Pull Alyssa back and simply observe the maids

>Call out to the maids [What do you say]

>[Write-in]

>>6187853
>Walk up to the maid Alyssa isn’t approaching and knock them both out simultaneously
Finally get to use our sap for the first time, both in and out of character!

>>6187853
>Walk up to the maid Alyssa isn’t approaching and knock them both out simultaneously
Two of them and two of us
Pottery

>>6187853
>Cast Sleep on them like a civilized person
Knocking people out with hits to the head leads to brain damage. Don't believe the movies.

>>6187853
>Cast Sleep on them like a civilized person

>>6187917
We’re in a fantasy medieval world with magic, there probably hasn’t been any studies on traumatic brain injuries like CTE yet. Concussions are probably the biggest known issue.

YOU CAN’T KEEP ME FROM BONKING PEOPLE FOREVER, LORINA WILL SOON KNOW THE MEANING OF UNGA BUNGA

>>6187853
>Walk up to the maid Alyssa isn’t approaching and knock them both out simultaneously

>>6187917
Anon, movie logic is what we work with around these parts. Anyway writing.

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You shake your head as you walk in step with Alyssa, your footfalls echoing hers so that it only sounds like one pair of feet approaching the maids. As your servant approaches one and you approach the other you ponder if it would be more effective to use sleep magic on them like a more civilized mage might. Then you feel the leather of your hidden sap in your fingers and something clicks off in your brain. Now, it is not a shameful thing to admit that you like to hit things with weapons, specifically people, and you did beat an underclassman over the head with a pipe once in a duel. But you do like hitting people with instruments of combat and once you look over to Alyssa standing directly behind one maid, and see the one in front of you start to turn, your most basic urge surfaces.

“Unga bunga,” you think, and then there’s the satisfying thud of impact and an unconscious body falls to the floor. You wonder if Alyssa just experienced the same bliss you did. Eh, she probably did.

“Do you require any help with your dress, commander?” Alyssa says as she begins to strip the body she took down, which you hastily follow in doing despite how shameful it is.

“That will be quite alright. I am not unfamiliar with dresses, as you may know from my yearly debuts to celebrate the new year,” You state with some pride at the memories of such occasions, then there’s also of course the many royal balls and festivals where you are always supplied with a new, elaborate dress, and in which you quite completely overshine the other attendants, including your family members if you say so yourself.

“I am now, but I understand your intention,” Alyssa says in her usual monotone. You deflate somewhat. “I will now barricade the doors, please hurry.”

The next few minutes take embarrassingly long because, unlike those momentous occasions, you do not have a legion of maids to help you get all those damnable straps and buttons on. This is a commoner outfit how could it be so complicated!? It’s not like you can ask for help now either, not after saying you didn’t need any! You half expect to hear knocking from the blocked door but mercifully none comes and while you struggle with your dress, one Alyssa put on with the utmost speed. Hmph, like showing off how quickly you can cover yourself with peasantry clothing is any indication of anything!

Whatever, at least she takes the excess time to make herself useful and hide the unconscious bodies in an empty crate in the corner. You do end up casting that sleep spell though, to extend their unconsciousness to at least a couple of hours then another spell, an illusion to make the bottom of the crate appear to be higher than the bodies are. Hopefully, you’ll be long gone before either of them wakes up almost naked and stuffed in a crate with their co-servant. You don’t want to half to deal with the fallout of that one and the less time you spend in this itchy, worn, commoner attire the better.

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>>6188928
But in order to get out of here you need to decide where you’re going to go first in this estate.

>Investigate the master bedroom

The duke and his consort should still be asleep by this time of day but if they’re going to hide something secret their bedroom would be a good starting place. Besides you’re certain you know where this room is.

>Try and find the Dukes study [investigate first or second floor?]

Another safe bet for finding important documents and the like, but you’ve never actually been there.

>Investigate Percy’s room

You honestly have no idea what his schedule is like, you never cared or really bothered to learn too much about him personally other than what is required of your station but if that creep is up to something you’d bet he’d keep anything important close to home. Get it?

>Investigate the basement

Okay, this is obvious, at least that’s what Asher told you. Apparently, evil bad guys love to use the obviously evil basement to do all their dastardly evil deeds. That’s a direct quote actually.

>[Write-in]

>>6188930
>Investigate Percy’s room
First thing first, correspondance. We've got a handwritten letter from an apparent noble who wants revenge, we should see if Percy's or his friend's handwriting match. After that, though, definetly the basement.

Also, grab that perfume for later, just in case the family is vampires or werewolves. The fact that those scullery maids were using it when they should be out of sight and ignored brings up some questions...

Anybody else hoping to start a revolt with the maids and butlers if the Bloodgraves are actually vampires or necromancers or whatever?

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>>6188935
CRAP! Almost forgot to ask two important questions to QM!

1> Does Lorina's dress have buttons?
2> If it does, how well does it fit?

TLDR: I wanna weaponize a wardrobe malfunction as a last ditch attack in case we're captured.

>>6188930
>Try and find the Dukes study [investigate the same floor as his bedroom]

>>6188930
>>Investigate the master bedroom

>>6188930
>Percy’s room
Invade all the privacy

>>6188930
>Investigate Percy’s room

>>6188930
>Investigate Percy’s room

>>6188935
>>6189483
>>6189496
>>6189735
Another small update since I struggle for free time on Wednesday.

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Alright, you have to be honest with yourself. There’s no way you’re not going to investigate that white-haired fopdoodles room. If only to see what goes on in that bastard's little mind. Which is why the same minute you find enough space to hide all your weapons away in your new dress and that bottom of perfume, you march off in the direction you remember it being in. If you remember correctly, the first floor to the back has a nice view of the forest that would have freaked you out as a child, but you remember him ranting and raving about it. Why would anyone ever want a cemetery in their backyard? Well, at least it’d be silent as a grave at night. Get it?

Once you approach what should be the appropriate door, you hold a hand up, and Alyssa stops without a word. You close your eyes and sense the area with your sixth sense. Although never as skilled as you, Percy was still an exceptional mage, almost on par with Herrman, so it would not be surprising if he hid wards around his room like some of the most paranoid are known to do. Granted, there’s nothing you can sense here, so either you’re wrong about his room or his paranoia, but either way, caution never hurt anyone. So, you gently open the door and are assaulted by a stench that is… pleasant? The only way to describe it is like saying you overdosed on lavender. It's a ludicrous concept, but honestly, you have no other words to say. The second thing you notice is that Percy’s bed is unmade, and there’s a draft on the far curtain.

“Lock the door and investigate the room,” You whisper-command to an ever-obedient servant. There’s no reply other than the clicking for locks behind you. Sure, Alyssa is pleasant enough company, but something nags you at the loss of both Marie’s and Asher’s banter as you begin to open the closest drawers and search through them. The room itself has not changed much; it’s much smaller than your own, more closely resembling a dorm at the Academy, but that is to be expected somewhat with a manor mostly used during vacations and when it’s required for the family to meet at the capital. It’s an away estate, not the Bloodgrave's true home. It also has the same rustic cabin feel that much of the estate does, though it does not bear any hunting trophies that you can see. Still, the various occult-like symbols do make your skin crawl, even if they aren’t exactly heretical. The Goddess’ teaching never forbade the worship of lesser deities or spirits, so ancient druidism, while looked at with distrust by many, is not something you, as an Inquisitor, can afford to pay attention to now. Even if you don’t understand what some of these symbols even mean, like that star with a circle around it and goat’s head in the center framed in multiple locations.

>>6190230
Then, on your way to the curtain, you open his closet and are subsequently distressed. It’s not at his clothing choices; those are actually pretty good, with plenty of reds and blacks, which, in your royal opinion, is one of the best color combinations. No, it’s the portrait of you at the far end of the wall with many long holes in it, like it was used as a target or a dagger-throwing competition. That is, well, grounds for an immediate royal investigation, if nothing else, at the very least. But it also brings to your mind that letter that was delivered to you from inside a man's head. Concerning. Very concerning. So much so that you take a few steps back and need to grab the base of the windowsill to keep yourself orientated. That is when you notice that the window is fully open, and muddy boot tracks lead deeper into the misty, grave-filled forest. What is it that Asher says in these situations? Oh yes! Jesus Christ.

>Despite your unsettled nerves, you decide to follow those tracks into the woods

>Investigate another part of the house [Where?]

>No, just no. You’re leaving this place now!

>[Write-in]

>>6190231
...Lavender was historically used in WWI to cover up the horrible smells in medical wards, to the point where soldiers gangrenous wounds were given bags of lavender and verbina when there was no way to help them from dying to the rot. So it might make sense for it to be used to cover up the smells of bodies.

>Investigate another part of the house [Where?]
Jesus Christ, and he danced with us at the ball... If this is Percy's room, we gotta check both his parents room and the basement.
Also, take a quick whiff of the perfume, in case it's either lavender or garlic.
And grab some of his summer homework so we can check it against the letter we have.

>>6190231
>>No, just no. You’re leaving this place now!

>>6190245
Oh, almost forgot:
>Try and find the Dukes study

>>6190230
Okay, there should be a limit to what artists do to poor Selvaria. It's not even a human at this point. Why the hell is her ribcage fucking concave?

>>6190231
>Investigate another part of the house
The basement

>>6190231
>>Despite your unsettled nerves, you decide to follow those tracks into the woods

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>>6190231
>Despite your unsettled nerves, you decide to follow those tracks into the woods

>>6190303
That's what happens when the original artist draws hentais

>>6190231
>Despite your unsettled nerves, you decide to follow those tracks into the woods

>>6190231
>Despite your unsettled nerves, you decide to follow those tracks into the woods

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First things first, you steal what looks to be summer homework, even if it’s not a match to that letter in your belongs back at the cathedral it’s the least that creep deserves. You don’t need words to communicate what's wrong to Alyssa, just a few points. Then a deep breath before you climb out the window of the estate. Something about the woods makes your skin crawl and you can’t put a finger on what exactly it is. Disconcerting but it’s probably nerves and nothing serious. At the very least you won’t have to risk being caught by the servant staff as they begin to rise with the sun. The sun that isn’t managing to penetrate far into the forest you can now see.

It’s almost kind of suspicious how easy these tracks are to follow, you don’t even need Alyssa to lead you. Though that you can attribute Percy not to think an Inquisitor would break into his room in the early morning. Needless to say, that was not a concern you had when you were still ignorant to the institution you’re now a part of and it’s likely many noble are too privileged ever to think that an Inquisitor could come for them, that they’d be above it all. Well, you’ve learned they’re not, not even close.

Now other than the pressing issue about how much longer you’re going to be in this black and white dress, there is one more issue. In a hidden pocket, you currently have a Strangetech device to let you communicate with Marie, with i,t you can get her to come with you. She would no doubt be a huge asset in a fight. You’ve seen her progress in combat in only a few short months, it’s honestly unfair, but as stated previously before entering the manor you can scratch any illusions about sneaking into the forest with her nearby. She is about the least stealthy person you have ever met and you bet if there is any stray branch on the ground she will step on it. At a most inopportune moment too.

>Bring Maire

>Leave her as backup

>>6191620
>Bring Maire

>>6191620
>Leave her as backup

>>6191620
>Leave her as backup

>>6191620
>>Leave her as backup

>>6191620
>Leave her as backup

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>>6191620
>>Leave her as backup

>>6191620
>Bring Maire

Just letting everyone know that the update will come tomorrow. Also that the Chiefs got what was coming to them.

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>>6193708

I broke up with my girlfriend today which wasn't fun, going to probably make a short update because of that.

The forest is dark, cramped, lonely, a bit spooky, and a smidge evil. That’s all in your (correct) opinion of course but you’ve reason to believe many others would share your thoughts. The graves certainly add to the ambiance if nothing else, it’s not a very pleasant ambiance but hey it’s there. It doesn’t look like Alyssa is bothered one bit either. Sure it would be nice if she could talk now and then to try and ease your nerves but nobody's perfect. At the very least both of you are silent as a grave.

As you wander deeper and deeper into the woods it gets progressively harder to follow the tracks made by what you can assume is Percival. Not because they get covered up, no, but because the woods get harder to traverse. It’s harder to leave a track on an exposed root compared to the muddy ground and eventually, you’re forced to let Alyssa, the more experienced tracker due to her veterancy, take the lead. That gets you a bit farther, past a few gruesome strung-up sigils in trees, you for instance had no idea goats' intestines were that long, and while there’s certainly the feeling that you’re being watched you press on regardless. That is until

“Commander, I believe we are lost,” Alyssa says.

“What do you mean we’re lost?”

“Do you require me to repeat myself?” Alyssa says the worst part is that she means it.

You sigh, “No, I do not. How did we get lost?” You ask with the utmost restraint.

“The tracks are impossible to see with this mist and I believe I have seen that tree before.”

You don’t curse, not one bit, but you do look around and see what appears to be a peculiar section of graves in this area of the forest. Well, they’re peculiar for the reason that there seems to be mist emanating out of them like some smokey material was placed inside the coffins and it’s been seeping up.

>Investigate

>Walk in a different direction

>[Write-in]

>>6194570
>Investigate

>>6194570
>Investigate

>>6194570
>Investigate

lets see what we can find

>>6194570
>Investigate

>>6194570
>>Investigate

>>6194570
>Investigate, reluctantly.

>>6194570
>>Investigate

>>6194550
My condolences. Your players and Lorina would never break up with you at least.

>>6194570
>>Investigate

>>6194550
My condolences, i hope things get better on your end soon.

>>6194550
Take a break if you need it. Prioritize yourself.

>>6195052
>>6195104
>>6195145
Thank you, anons, it means a lot knowing that both you and my totally real waifu will never leave me. Anyway, update probably tomorrow happy valentines day.

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The last thing you ever thought you’d be in this life was a grave robber but even if you don’t even intend to take anything, you’re rich enough as is, desperate times call for desperate measures. Still, as the foliage crumples underneath your boots your stomach churns, though it’s alleviated somewhat at the distinct scent of lavender that fills your nose. It’s so strong it almost makes you step back.

“Alyssa, you wouldn’t happen to have a shovel handy, would you?” You quietly ask.

She shakes her head as if to say, “No.”

“Damn,” You curse as you kneel down to the closest grave. The smell is even more intense here, though you can’t see any lavenders mixed in with the area's normal wildflowers, mosses, and ferns. Plenty of daisies, however. When you look up at the grave itself, instead of the breathing(?) soil in front of it, you see what looks to be a purple flower crown sitting across the stone. None of the petals are wilted. Perhaps it was put here recently? They’re newer than the grave, whose etchings have long since eroded to illegibility. Perhaps some would think it a shame that such an ancient part of history has been lost to time. Not you, though; you don’t really care.

However, there is something you care quite a bit about right now. Remember how you mentioned the ground breathing? Well, now what just felt like the winds getting under and moving the moss has turned into what can only be described as a bunch of gnomes lifting unset soil up, and down, and up again making it into a wave-like motion in front of the each of the graves. With each of these motions, more mist seeps from the ground and that scent gets thicker. It’s such an assault on your senses that you almost don’t see the two rotted hands that tear open the earth in front of you nor the flower-crowned decaying head that lunges for you.

Almost.

With effortless grace, you leap back onto your feet and onto more solid ground. Alyssa takes a step beside you as the two of you bear witness to an evergrowing legion of corpses rising from the countless graves around you. There has to be dozens.

“You ever fought ghouls before Alyssa?” You ask as you steel yourself.

“Not ghouls, commander,” Alyssa says, her head never moving but her eyes quickly analyzing the area, “Their movements are not fluid enough. Zombies most likely.”

“Good to know,” You admit with a quick quirk of your head, “You think there’s any relation to our suspect?”

“I don’t know,” She says. You don’t know either.

You sigh, “At least I’m sure we’ve both faced worse than this,” All you get is a nod in response before her back lines up with yours. You’re surrounded.

>You grip your sword [Or another weapon]. This shouldn’t even take ten minutes

>Your hair rises as feel the magic surge through you [What spell do you cast?]

>You have no idea if this is the worst this forest will send at you. Commit to a fighting retreat

>[Write-in]

>>6197960
>Your hair rises as feel the magic surge through you [What spell do you cast?]
Entangling roots should hold the zombies for a bit to give us some room to escape. Maybe lead them back to the Manor?

>>6197960
>>6197990
+1
Goodbye, the set of Thriller by Michael Jackson

>>6197960
>>6197990
Supporting

>>6197960
>Your hair rises as feel the magic surge through you [What spell do you cast?]
Turn Undead, naturally

>>6198415
+1

>>6197990
+1

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Your hands shoot to the floor as you kneel at such a speed there’s no doubt the average commoner's eye couldn’t keep up. Without a second thought, you channel magical energy through your body through your arms and into the tangled roots covering the ground. The soil trembles for the second time this day, though not because of foul magics but through your power alone. Hardened roots and thorny vines cascade from the forest's plethora of flora and lash out at the nearest not-so-living creature. The zombies seem to be unable to do much of anything against Sister Nature herself as razor-sharp leaves serrate them apart as they soar through the air, as vines grapple them and tear them limb from limb suspended in mid-air, and as roots trip their shambling feet and tear the ground open to swallow these abominable creations beach from whence they came. Alyssa has to do little more than ward off the few approaching corpses with a shashka she got from- well, somewhere.

It seems that in a battle of plants vs. zombies, the victor is quite easy to determine.

Actually, it’s rather too easy now that you think about it. It's too easy if you’re going to be honest. You should have only put in a small dosage of magic, and yet you find yourself feeling rather faint as the forest comes alive around you. Did that tree just eat a zombie? Maybe you’re seeing things and need to take a nap. There’s a tiredness behind your eyes that won’t go away. You just need to close them-

“Commander, your arm!” Alyssa says with more emphasis than you’re used to from her. It’s not a lot moreso she just speaks quicker but that's still way more than usual.

“My what..?” You trail off as your head falls, coincidently making you look down to where your hands are connected with the ground, letting you see the vines coiling up them. On instinct, you try to free yourself, but the thorns have bit deep, making blood cascade down your perfect, smooth arms. Blood, however, is not the only thing the forests saps from you, as you can feel your mana being drained rapidly. Perhaps you were wrong before when it was just your nerves upsetting you. There are not evil things in these woods, but the woods itself is evil.

As consciousness is about to fail, Alyssa’s sword cuts through the forest’s binds and hooks an arm around your shoulders, preventing your fall. “We should retreat,” She says as her sword cuts through both a zombie and the mossy creature following close behind it.

>>6201754
“Mmghm,” You respond with much dignity before being somewhat slightly assisted through the forest. Much of the first few minutes is a blur as you teeter on the edge of awareness, but as you press on slowly but ever so surely, the blackness at the edge of your eyes recedes. The waking world presents itself to you. Alyssa seems to have made it far even with a hindrance but that does not mean the threat has ended, only lessened. In the distance, you can still see a few shambling corpses with the help of the sun's first rays, and the vines seem to swing, threatenly, towards you, but it is without much power. Behind you, blocking the sun, stands the Bloodgrave Manor. Whatever compelled them to build so close to this evil place? Could it truly be just noble eccentricity?


>That… didn’t exactly go as planned. Perhaps you should go back to the manor?

>You’re still standing and still curious about where Percy went off to, now more than ever. Press deeper.

>You should probably call Marie before anything

>[write-in]

>>6201755
>You’re still standing and still curious about where Percy went off to, now more than ever. Press deeper.

>>6201755
>That… didn’t exactly go as planned. Perhaps you should go back to the manor?
Nothing brightens a shit day like an update to this quest for me.

>>6201755
>That… didn’t exactly go as planned. Perhaps you should go back to the manor?

>>6201755
>>You should probably call Marie before anything

>>6201755

>You should probably call Marie before anything

Maybe

>>6201755
>That… didn’t exactly go as planned. Perhaps you should go back to the manor?

>>6201755
>You’re still standing and still curious about where Percy went off to, now more than ever. Press deeper

>>6201755
>>That… didn’t exactly go as planned. Perhaps you should go back to the manor?

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You rub your eyes and scrunch your face before letting out a deep sigh. You hate having to admit defeat for an ingenious plan of your own, but in times like this? Well, you aren’t going to! “Alyssa, let’s head back to the manor as we wait for everything to calm down. Perhaps it won’t be long until Percival returns.”

“Understood,” Is all she says. You’re found wanting when you wait for anything else from her.

The walk of shame back isn’t long, though it feels excruciatingly so, and you really do hope no one saw you walk back inside the manor through the window you left it from. That would do nothing to help you here. Once you’ve both returned back to the creep's room and have a moment to catch your breath, the unimaginable happens, the door opens, and a pink-haired maid walks in. Well, it is pretty imaginable that you hardly thought you could evade the others forever, especially seeing as you returned to the manor after sunrise. It’s just as imaginable as the fact that when she sees you, two serious-looking women in torn maid uniforms, she squeaks and drops the tray of food she was carrying.

“I-i’m sorry I didn’t- I didn’t know- uh- uh- I’ll go!” She flusters before scrambling to grab hold of the door.

“No!” You yell as you bolt towards the concerned woman and drag her inside the room. Her voice gets increasingly higher as she stammers and stutters before you roughly slap her mouth with your hand, silencing her as you maidhandle her. She squirms quite a bit in your grasp but is not even close to a match for you, though Alyssa doesn’t seem to think so as she approaches the young woman quite menacingly, causing her to try and shriek. You fiercely shake your head at her to get the battlemaid to back off on attacking the actual maid.

“You’re not going to scream,” Is the first thing you say to settle the nerves of the woman who is misunderstanding this whole situation, “There’s a good explanation for this, just please don’t make a scene,” You continue, “You won’t.. Right?” She rapidly nods at your comforting tone, “Good,” You say and let go of your hold.

Good news: she doesn’t scream. Bad news: You need to come up with a good excuse before she does in lets say, in the next ten seconds. Great news, this should be trivial to your superior intellect.

>What is your excuse?

>>6205026
>”Actually, no, I don’t really have one, but since Percy’s got a portrait of m- the princess that he uses as a dartboard in his closet, and that he’s under suspicion of working with a secret Stranger society attempting to kill the royal family, do you really want to go with him to the noose?”
>”Also, we have better pay and nicer uniforms.”

>>6205026
>Give her a bag of gold and tell them to shut up and stay here until we tell them otherwise

>>6205026
"We receiver special task, that we can't talk about from {Whatever Percival's father is called}"

>>6205116
Supporting

>>6205454
>It ends up going from a hostage scenario to Lorina poaching House Bloodgrave’s staff out from under them to get to Percy

>>6205116
+1

Looks good

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Thank the Goddess you have your hair tied up to distance yourself from the regal yet torn portrait in Percy’s closet. “I assume you are the maid who takes care of this room in the manor?” You lead with a question.

Hesitantly, the maid nods, “Y-yes.”

“And are you aware of the portrait of m- the Princess in his closet? The dartboard one?”

“Uh, um-”

“Well, do you?” You stress.

She nods, her fear of you skyrocketing, “W-who are you?” She stammers while unconsciously stepping back towards the door. She lets out a small “Eep!” When she bumps into Alyssa’s firm body.

From a pocket you pull out two things, your new Inquisitorial Medal and a few gold, “Did you also know that Percival Bloodgrave is under suspicion for consorting with Strangers? Perhaps, you know even more than us?”

Her eyes widen, not in anxious fear but in pure unbridled terror as she sees your medal, “NO!” She says far too loudly causing Alyssa to snatch her mouth. Thinking fast you stomp on the metallic tray she dropped to mimic the sound of her dropping it again for any servants close by.

“It would behoove you to stay quiet,” You say in order to calm her, seeing as things can only get worse for everyone if she attracts attention. It seems to work as she nods rapidly, though, for some reason, a tear falls from one of her eyes; maybe she has summer allergies? “Now you do realize these are pretty serious crimes, yes?” Another nod as Alyssa lets go of her mouth, “And it would be a shame if such an ‘innocent’ lady such as yourself was to be sent to the noose with him as a collaborator,” She whimpers, “But that does not necessarily need to be the case.”

“W-what do you mean?” She says with a complex mix of expressions on her face and in her eyes.

You pocket your medal but keep the gold out, far more than a simple serving girl would see in a year, mere pocket change for yourself, “After all, we have better pay, and while it may not look it now, nicer uniforms.”

Her eyes, somehow, get wider, “Are you offering to recruit me?”

“Temporarily, at least,” You say, “That is if you tell me about-”

>What do you ask the maid?

>>6206266
>Ask about any suspicious characters Percival or his family has come in contact with, along with any other abnormal behavior

>>6206266
>”To start with, name and current assignment.”
>”What’s the deal with the lavender perfume? Why’s it smell like that outside?”
>”Is there anything we should be made aware of in the basement?”
>Be slightly annoyed that Asher was correct about basements once again (if there is anything to know about the basement).
>”For your assistance, you may be offered your choice of assignment with either the Inquisition or the Lindan Royal family, assuming the latter survive and this mission succeeds.”

>>6206299
+1

>>6206333
All of this and also what's going on with the forest
As well as advice on how to move through the manor to avoid detection

>>6206266
>Ask about any suspicious characters Percival or his family has come in contact with, along with any other abnormal behavior
>”To start with, name and current assignment.”
>”What’s the deal with the lavender perfume? Why’s it smell like that outside?”
>”Is there anything we should be made aware of in the basement?”
>Be slightly annoyed that Asher was correct about basements once again (if there is anything to know about the basement).
>”For your assistance, you may be offered your choice of assignment with either the Inquisition or the Lindan Royal family, assuming the latter survive and this mission succeeds.”

>>6206499
+1

>>6206499
Supporting

>>6207578
“To start with, what of your name and current assignment?”

“I-I’m Rory, and I’m a- uh, housemaid. I mostly deliver food and clean the noble's study and bed-chambers, else I’m to be within earshot of a serving bell,” A generic serving girl then.

“I see. Have the Bloodgraves you’ve been attending had any suspicious company? Or been having any abnormal behaviors?”

She blinks for a second and tries to think before sheepishly replying, “Not that I know of? We all try to keep our heads down, and if I’m honest, all nobles are the same to me,” A foolish sentiment every noble is utterly unique, “I wouldn’t be able to tell you if one noble was too much more shady than another or if Lord Bloodgraves newest eccentricity is something serious or a weekly fad of higher society.”

“Hmph, fine. Then what of the scent of lavender everywhere? I saw serving girls applying it in perfume everywhere. Is that a new fad as well?”

“Oh no,” She says with a shake of the head, “Everyone’s been doing that far before I got here. I asked once, too, and the Head Maid said Lord Bloodgrave has a sensitive sense of smell and doesn’t want to smell anything bad in his own home?”

“Then what about the forest? It had the same stench. I even saw undead with crowns of lavender.”

She shrugs with a helpless look, “I’ve never gone into the forest, feared wolves or maybe trolls would tear me apart if I did. But please believe me I don’t know anymore about that,” She seems a bit antsy and there’s tears in the corner of her eyes as you keep asking questions. Why? A sign of guilt perhaps?

“Then what of the basement? What goes on in there?” You’re going to be quite miffed if Asher turns out correct on this one.

Again she looks helpless, “I, ergh, I don’t know? Please I just work here and that’s not my job. I’ve always assumed it was just storage for family heirlooms or treasures or something since Lord and Lady Bloodgrave keep it locked.”

“That’s not very helpful you do understand? Realize there’s a very real opportunity for you to gain employment for either the Inquisition or the Lindan Royal Family, to which I have many connections too, should I deem your assistance of quality.”

“It’s the truth, Lady Inquisitor! I-I don’t know anything else!” You roll your eyes, peasants, always so emotional. Though while she, along with probably all the serving staff, seems to be kept in the dark about the goings on in this manner, perhaps she can still be useful?

>What would you like to say to/do with the Maid?
Otherwise, it probably isn’t wise to loiter in Percy’s room while you’ve no knowledge of when he will return
>Where do you want to go? climb in back and we'll be off

>>6207912
>”Well, Rory, seeing as what we had to deal with outside, we’re going to need a set of clean uniforms for us and an ally, a safe place to her to enter and for us to change.”
>”After that, we’ll be heading down to inspect the basement. That includes you.”

Maids versus zombies… if this doesn’t end with Lorina, Alicia and Marie leading an army of maids against the Bloodgrave family, I’m gonna be very upset.

>>6207991
+1

>>6207991
+1

>>6207991
+1 just for the prospect of an army of maids

>>6207991
+1

>>6207912
Ask about the Bloodgraves' routines and schedules.

>>6208399
Actually… while we’re changing…

>”Has Percival voiced his opinions regarding the Princess while you were in earshot?”
>”Do his parents know of his animosity towards her? Do they even bother to discourage him about it?”
>Wonder to self, “If he hated me enough to use a picture of me as a knife stop, why on earth did he offer to dance with me?”