in this country, no one lives past the age of 23. the curse takes root in people's lungs, rotting away at their systems until they become bedridden and die from organ failure and gurgling on their own blood. miraculous technology has given the people a way to escape this fate. to become a reliver means to have a chance at a longer life, even if it comes with certain... drawbacks.
Dion, you're a gallant man who values life far too much to be happy with it ending at an early 23. Your mother died young of a disease unrelated to the curse, and your wealthy, doting father took you to Cerneveaul to be closer to the life-saving technology of the Institute. You became a Reliver at the end of your 22nd year when the curse had nearly eaten you through. Now, you're on your 52nd year and your second Reliver body, whiling away your days in a mediocre sort of peace that's only occasionally interrupted by the presence of your father's new suitor. Having experienced death before, does it feel a little rote now?
Diluc, you're a member of the Royal Family by marriage rather than birth. You were born to two Reliver parents in Cerneveaul whose loveless union ended in bloodshed after a violent spat - a fatal flaw of a society doomed to a future of broken emotion. Still, at 21 years of age, you have hopes and dreams of your own, things that only you can do, and the easiest way to unlock doors is by having as many keys as you can, right? Unfortunately, despite the care of your spouse, the Royal Family at large hasn't taken kindly to you and you often feel unsafe in the castle walls. There are a handful of people that you can trust even in this den of snakes, though.
Scien, you're a member of the Royal Family by birth, with a distaste for most of your relatives, including the mother who looks at you with scorn and the father who was assassinated in your youth. You've always preferred doing things with your own two hands. You've meddled in countless affairs and irritated the King dozens of times, and you get better results than anybody, though that's getting harder for you to do. Now at the end of your 21st year, your body is beginning to break down at a faster clip than expected. It's only a matter of time before you have to make your decision: do you die before finishing all that needs to be finished?
The sun is setting.
Scien and Diluc, you are both within the Castle walls. A banquet has just ended and everyone is clearing from the room, or had done so hours before. Where do your thoughts drift as you walk through the halls? Where do your feet take you?
Dion, you are out in Chedis. Another day's work, another day lived, and endless days ahead of you yet. As you walk through the well-manicured streets that speak to the wealth of its residents, what do you think of? What do you do?]
[ Well, I guess Dion is having a great time. He's famously a character that loves living, and here he is: having lived fifty-two years, with probably another fifty-two to go. What a dream.
Tired from a long day of chatting with wealthy people on how to become wealthier—and then billing those conversations as consulting services—he'll take a moment to stop by the patisserie on his way home, and pick up something for him and his father to enjoy. It's about a 50/50 chance as to whether or not the evening will be interrupted by a suitor, but he opts to be prepared in case things swing in his favour.
So here he is! Greeting the shop keep and looking at the wares. ]
[ Diluc is not particularly fond of banquets, and yet his life since marrying into the Lawrence family has been one social spectacle after another. He can still hear the drone of noble gossip heavy in his ears as he takes his leave, and feel the press of malicious eyes fixed on his person. At each turn, it has been made known he is not welcome in the castle.
Eula has been more than reasonable to him since their marriage (thanks aki), but neither of them are particularly happy with their station, and neither of them speak after the banquet, eager to find reprieve from familial obligations.
Diluc will go anywhere he can be safely alone to decompress—an unfrequented location he's probably established since his first day here, and a place he's careful to visit by himself. Maybe a partially-obscured corner of the courtyard, or a quiet alcove in the library. ]
[scien left the party hours ago. as soon as someone else inched toward the door, he went ahead and dipped. it's a miracle he even stopped by, but he heard the dinner rolls were gonna be good today.
he's retreated to the library, having settled haphazardly with a few books, until he eventually fell off the couch entirely while reaching for his pencil—and instead now he's at home on the floor, annotating directly into the book he's reading
his thoughts drift to how to incapacitate the king without killing him and if that would be a worthwhile use of his time. is diluc interested in being king. maybe scien will make him king.]
[Dion, the character who famously loves life, enters the patisserie! At this late hour, it's been fairly picked over. The woman behind the counter smiles and offers a wave, before gesturing at the few pastries left on display.
The rest are on discount for the night, monsieur. Help yourself, help yourself! We have to get rid of the wares before the bake crew comes in.
As he's perusing the tasty-looking tarts and baguettes, a few things may catch his attention. At one of the tables in the corner of the room, two men are discussing something. He'll catch the phrase killed like the last ones. A woman stands by the counter waiting for her order to be bagged, and he can overhear her say But the Royal Family, really...? There's also a flurry of activity from outside the door as a small group of four people run by in quite a frantic rush. What does a lil post-party snack man do?
Meanwhile, we've got two nerds in the library over here, both of them desperate to escape the strain of being an unwanted guest and the drain of being an antisocial recluse having to larp someone who eats more than bread.
The library, at least, is quiet at this hour despite how vast it is. The rows and rows of books tower so high that you'd need a two-story ladder to reach the top of some of them, and it doesn't seem like many people visit the place if the thick dust is any indicator. That said, a row of books does seem recently rummaged-through, and there's an area of carpet that appears to have been disturbed.
Do our two nerds meet, or do they just spend their time in different sections of the library like dweebs?]
[ Huh. That's unusual. Dion is well aware of his station (a consultant, and not a detective), and he's not exactly the type to get involved in gossip, but how can a topic of such import—murder? and the royal family?—not demand his attention?
He drops a card on the counter with his name and address. ]
If you could arrange a delivery of your cream horns and lemon tarts—
[ Without specifying the quantity, or even confirming if they have a delivery service, he steps outside, looking after the harried group and following after them if they're still within eyesight. ]
Edited (did i make up eyeshot is that a real word) 2024-04-08 05:07 (UTC)
honestly diluc is not in the mood to socialize with anyone right now, but the fact that scien is just? reclining on the floor lost in his book and machinations is enough to warrant wary curiosity. (how long has he even been here? diluc tries to mind palace when he'd last seen him at the party.)
he just observes him silently, and if scien doesn't happen to notice him that's totally fine too. sorry he is like this. ]
[scien probably left the party three hours ago, which diluc can know from his mind palace. he's truly just hanging out, turning the page of his book and speaking through the pencil that's caught between his lips, muffling his words]
Lawrence-in-law. [terrible nickname] Do you care to be king.
[he's really thinking about it. but also when he shifts to lower his book and look at diluc, he'll probably notice the weird carpet? he'll reach out to pull at it... if he can reach... from his floor spot]
[Luckily for Dion, the group is still in (spoon voice) eyeshot, yes. They're perhaps a bit hard to keep up with because they are truly booking it like their lives depend on it - but maybe they do? Or maybe someone's life does.
As they're zooming through the tidy and fairly wide alleys of Chedis, Dion will see where the group is heading soon enough. There's a large crowd of noisy people up ahead at the end of one alley, and as he draws nearer, he'll be able to hear some of the things they're shouting. In Chedis?! and Who could do this?! and No, no, no—, all in voices of rising panic. He'll also catch what appears to be a figure cloaked in black darting down a narrower alley as he moves past. What next?
Back with the library nerds, Scien and Diluc are just hanging out, potentially one-sidedly planning a casual coup. Scien also can't reach the weird carpet from his current floor spot. Make even the smallest amount of effort, you piece of shit stoner.]
[ Well, this is kind of exciting. The voices around him sound more horrified than anything else, but Dion is nothing but curious as he moves after the group. And when he catches sight of the cloaked figure, he immediately turns heel.
It's an unusual feeling, one that drives him to hunt, and he finds himself almost amused as he chases after the figure.
He won't say anything so as not to startle them, but if manages to close the gap, he'll be grabbing into that cloak to stop them. ]
[ HELP WHAT AN AWFUL NICKNAME! AND ALSO WHAT A SUDDEN QUESTION HELLO! diluc frowns mildly, carefully taking his answer into consideration. is scien someone he can trust? is it possible there are others eavesdropping in the library?
while scien struggles to investigate the carpet, he'll move over and examine the row of books that have been rummaged through. what's going on here? anything he would realize is missing? anything physically concealed or written in these books, etc... ]
...Such talk is high treason, Scien.
[ would the throne secure his future, or just paint a larger target on his back? diluc is ambitious, but not greedy to the point of folly. however, if he could have the resources of the kingdom at his disposal, perhaps he might find a way to...
...no, he's getting ahead of himself. he keeps investigating the books. good luck with the carpet, scien. ]
[scien wiggles like a stupid lil worm on the carpet—rolling onto his stomach and then dragging himself up to actually look at the weird spot. are you content now, gods. bare minimum effort. what is happening here.
as for diluc,]
I wouldn't ask if it wasn't a halfway decent idea. The current regime does nothing but waste away and take up space.
But I don't want to deal with a power vacuum...
[diluc said 'this is treason' and scien said 'damn right it is']
[Dion is having a good time launching into his serial killer arc! He hunts down this cloaked figure heedless of the sounds of horror he's leaving behind, though he'll find that whoever he's chasing is incredibly light on their feet and hard to grasp. Truly just some nerd zippin through these alleys at mach fuck. They appear to be carrying something, and holding a rather large weapon in their opposite hand, but neither of these things seem to slow them down. The figure takes a sharp turn into an alley, which may be the opening Dion is looking for - except when he turns the corner, no one else appears to be there. It's possible the figure may have darted off down another narrow side-alley. In this specific area, the scent of blood is quite strong and there appear to be several shapes lining the walls. Does he investigate this area or keep nyooming?
As Diluc goes to take a look at the books, he'll notice a few things! First, all of the books in this row focus on genetics except for one, which instead discusses the history of the lycoris noirge - the black spider lily endemic to the island. All tomes in this row are dust-free, like they've been thumbed through recently. Nothing else seems to happen when he's looking.
Also yes the gods are content with this bare minimum amount of worm-wriggling effort, so Scien can go look at the weird carpet spot. Specifically, it's an edge of carpet that's tucked under itself, like someone's recently flipped it up and hastily placed it back down. Someone needs to work on subtlety.]
[ DAMN he was looking forward to capturing whoever that was. There's definitely a moment that he wants to continue chasing the figure, but the scent of blood stops him.
He'll stop then, and that a look at the shapes against the wall. ]
[ not spoon sending tags in the middle of a solar eclipse
also wow... cyoa flower imagery during this week of flowers... he will read some of the pages, trying to glean knowledge while simultaneously discussing a hypothetical coup with scien, who is woerming on the floor. he doesn't disagree with his assessment on the ruling class, however, ]
The current regime isn't fond of me. I imagine there'd be severe backlash if I suddenly inherited the crown.
[ like even if they (they? he, scien, diluc is not a part of this) got rid of the current king, who's to say someone might not just take out diluc next. power vacuum continues, etc. ]
I don't care about backlash as long as you do something better. But I guess being faint of heart won't make for successful king.
[ok rude. but scien's always been disrespectful of the crown while also being a part of the crown. sometimes... you are just so useful that it is hard to get rid of you, but he knows his days are numbered. might as well make as many problems until then.
but he tilts his head at the weird carpet section.... okay well. scien will just move to get up and yank at the whole carpet away. what is this.]
[If only Dion was more fleet-footed like Rosamund... Anyway, he goes to investigate the shapes! The smell of blood is strongest over here, and it becomes clear why soon. Several bodies are piled against the wall, including a familiar face that might jog some old memories. These people are all definitely mega dead, as every corpse is missing their heart. This one's wound is messy, as though a beast clawed it from its cage. Others are neater, almost like someone has cut it out.
They're just out here in front of god and satan discussing the ins and outs of a wholeass coup, huh. Bold. The book contains information he may already know; mostly just about the cursed nature of the lycoris noirges and how snapping the flowers will hasten a person's grisly TB death.
Scien yanks up the carpet! It's floorboards. But if he looks closely, he'll see that there seems to be a line cutting around the edge of it, almost like a door. Funky! It doesn't seem to have any visible handles, though.]
[ The chase thus far had been a novelty, something new in the monotony if one day after the other. He thought he'd find something to entertain him, maybe gain a bit of notoriety for a moment if he got his claws into some underhanded individual.
But the sight of the bodies gets him to stop, a cold shock to a system previously running hot.
The sight of Joshua elicits almost something close to pain. Perhaps a shadow of it. ]
Joshua...
[ It's been many years since their time together in the fraternity, but it was no less precious for its age.
Unfreezing his limbs slowly, he walks closer to the bodies, trying to see if he can see the missing hearts or any other clue regarding what might've happened here. ]
[so the solution is.... coup and make someone else do it. but scien makes a face and will just tap on the floorboards? what the hell. can they try to pry it open even without a handle....]
[Well! On the plus side, what better way to break up the monotony of a long, long life than a little murder mystery? And what a murder mystery it is! Should he check, he'll find Joshua's body is still warm, his eyes left open and unseeing. The blood soaking this corner of the alley also seems to be relatively fresh, still wet and warm to the touch, though rapidly cooling. There are three other bodies with his, though none look familiar to him.
Examining the area for clues will reveal that some of the hearts are gone - specifically, those from the bodies with cleaner removal wounds. For the ones with messy and beast-like injuries, he'll find the pulpy remains of those same hearts clutched within the corpse's hand. As he's examining things, he'll hear a distant shout from down the alley: There! I see someone!, followed by the sound of running footsteps. Uh-oh... He can stay here to talk to whoever is on the way, if he wants. There's also the second narrow alley the figure escaped down. Finally, he may notice something wet dripping down on him from overhead. What next?
The library nerds, in the meantime, continue their less unfun floorboards examination! They can try to press this funky door-looking thing open, but it seems pretty solidly stuck in place and not like a pressure mechanism is keeping it shut. The gaps on the sides hardly look like they could fit more than 2 sheets of paper, too, so it doesn't seem like prying it up will be an option. They could try to brute strength it, or they could look for another way. Or they could just abandon this spooky door in the floor entirely! The choice is theirs.]
[ Imagine if they think he did all these murders. If he was a sentimental idiot, he might close Joshua's eyes, but instead he doesn't tamper with an obvious crime scene.
Frowning, he'll glance up to see what is wet on him, but only a moment before he's going down that second alleyway in the hopes that he might catch up with the suspicious.
[ but hmmm... diluc will go back to the row of books and see if there are any hidden switches to be found behind or around the books, or there's any part of the shelf itself that can be budged... spooky door, what is the key to your secrets...!!! ]
[thinking about how scien's strength is even more average if he's just a lil baby normie. loser. idiot. fool. so he's not going to succeed in brute forcing the floorboard...
is there anything else in this library besides... all these books. so many shelves of books. if he once again becomes one with the earth (floor) will he notice any other disrupted pieces of carpet or ground]
[i for one think it'd be hilarious for Dion to get arrested for some crazy murderer's crimes. Tragically it is not meant to be... Now he's the one being pursued down an alley, wow! He'll have just enough time to discern that the wetness appears to be coming from the blood dripping off of a hand hanging over a balcony, but not enough time to further investigate. Now he's a man on a mission with justice in his heart...
Following the figure down the second alley won't reveal the figure themselves, considering it's been a little bit of time. Strangely, this alley ultimately leads to a dead end. There are some boxes to the side that look stackable and climbable, though he'll also notice a reddish smear on one of the bricks. From behind him, he'll hear a distant: I think they went down this way!!
As Diluc's looking around behind the books, he'll find what appears to be a lil glass square... A thumbprint scanner! As Scien looks around the library for something other than books, he'll find several ladders, a couple of thick upholstered chairs and couches, and a row of paintings of the Royal Family. Strangely, one seems to be missing. Becoming one with the floor again won't net him any particularly interesting bits of information, but he will kick up some dust that makes him sneeze and might trigger a coughing fit.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ACT I: THE CASTLE.
as you awake in arpéchéle, the country beloved by death, a second life becomes your own. memories that feel as real as anything that you've ever experienced before. thoughts of space, distant planets, and the people that you met there come and go only in brief flashes. the primary life that you recall, that guide your choices and your beliefs, are these:
in this country, no one lives past the age of 23. the curse takes root in people's lungs, rotting away at their systems until they become bedridden and die from organ failure and gurgling on their own blood. miraculous technology has given the people a way to escape this fate. to become a reliver means to have a chance at a longer life, even if it comes with certain... drawbacks.
Dion, you're a gallant man who values life far too much to be happy with it ending at an early 23. Your mother died young of a disease unrelated to the curse, and your wealthy, doting father took you to Cerneveaul to be closer to the life-saving technology of the Institute. You became a Reliver at the end of your 22nd year when the curse had nearly eaten you through. Now, you're on your 52nd year and your second Reliver body, whiling away your days in a mediocre sort of peace that's only occasionally interrupted by the presence of your father's new suitor. Having experienced death before, does it feel a little rote now?
Diluc, you're a member of the Royal Family by marriage rather than birth. You were born to two Reliver parents in Cerneveaul whose loveless union ended in bloodshed after a violent spat - a fatal flaw of a society doomed to a future of broken emotion. Still, at 21 years of age, you have hopes and dreams of your own, things that only you can do, and the easiest way to unlock doors is by having as many keys as you can, right? Unfortunately, despite the care of your spouse, the Royal Family at large hasn't taken kindly to you and you often feel unsafe in the castle walls. There are a handful of people that you can trust even in this den of snakes, though.
Scien, you're a member of the Royal Family by birth, with a distaste for most of your relatives, including the mother who looks at you with scorn and the father who was assassinated in your youth. You've always preferred doing things with your own two hands. You've meddled in countless affairs and irritated the King dozens of times, and you get better results than anybody, though that's getting harder for you to do. Now at the end of your 21st year, your body is beginning to break down at a faster clip than expected. It's only a matter of time before you have to make your decision: do you die before finishing all that needs to be finished?
The sun is setting.
Scien and Diluc, you are both within the Castle walls. A banquet has just ended and everyone is clearing from the room, or had done so hours before. Where do your thoughts drift as you walk through the halls? Where do your feet take you?
Dion, you are out in Chedis. Another day's work, another day lived, and endless days ahead of you yet. As you walk through the well-manicured streets that speak to the wealth of its residents, what do you think of? What do you do?]
no subject
Tired from a long day of chatting with wealthy people on how to become wealthier—and then billing those conversations as consulting services—he'll take a moment to stop by the patisserie on his way home, and pick up something for him and his father to enjoy. It's about a 50/50 chance as to whether or not the evening will be interrupted by a suitor, but he opts to be prepared in case things swing in his favour.
So here he is! Greeting the shop keep and looking at the wares. ]
no subject
Eula has been more than reasonable to him since their marriage (thanks aki), but neither of them are particularly happy with their station, and neither of them speak after the banquet, eager to find reprieve from familial obligations.
Diluc will go anywhere he can be safely alone to decompress—an unfrequented location he's probably established since his first day here, and a place he's careful to visit by himself. Maybe a partially-obscured corner of the courtyard, or a quiet alcove in the library. ]
no subject
he's retreated to the library, having settled haphazardly with a few books, until he eventually fell off the couch entirely while reaching for his pencil—and instead now he's at home on the floor, annotating directly into the book he's reading
his thoughts drift to how to incapacitate the king without killing him and if that would be a worthwhile use of his time. is diluc interested in being king. maybe scien will make him king.]
no subject
The rest are on discount for the night, monsieur. Help yourself, help yourself! We have to get rid of the wares before the bake crew comes in.
As he's perusing the tasty-looking tarts and baguettes, a few things may catch his attention. At one of the tables in the corner of the room, two men are discussing something. He'll catch the phrase killed like the last ones. A woman stands by the counter waiting for her order to be bagged, and he can overhear her say But the Royal Family, really...? There's also a flurry of activity from outside the door as a small group of four people run by in quite a frantic rush. What does a lil post-party snack man do?
Meanwhile, we've got two nerds in the library over here, both of them desperate to escape the strain of being an unwanted guest and the drain of being an antisocial recluse having to larp someone who eats more than bread.
The library, at least, is quiet at this hour despite how vast it is. The rows and rows of books tower so high that you'd need a two-story ladder to reach the top of some of them, and it doesn't seem like many people visit the place if the thick dust is any indicator. That said, a row of books does seem recently rummaged-through, and there's an area of carpet that appears to have been disturbed.
Do our two nerds meet, or do they just spend their time in different sections of the library like dweebs?]
no subject
He drops a card on the counter with his name and address. ]
If you could arrange a delivery of your cream horns and lemon tarts—
[ Without specifying the quantity, or even confirming if they have a delivery service, he steps outside, looking after the harried group and following after them if they're still within eyesight. ]
no subject
honestly diluc is not in the mood to socialize with anyone right now, but the fact that scien is just? reclining on the floor lost in his book and machinations is enough to warrant wary curiosity. (how long has he even been here? diluc tries to mind palace when he'd last seen him at the party.)
he just observes him silently, and if scien doesn't happen to notice him that's totally fine too. sorry he is like this. ]
no subject
Lawrence-in-law. [terrible nickname] Do you care to be king.
[he's really thinking about it. but also when he shifts to lower his book and look at diluc, he'll probably notice the weird carpet? he'll reach out to pull at it... if he can reach... from his floor spot]
no subject
As they're zooming through the tidy and fairly wide alleys of Chedis, Dion will see where the group is heading soon enough. There's a large crowd of noisy people up ahead at the end of one alley, and as he draws nearer, he'll be able to hear some of the things they're shouting. In Chedis?! and Who could do this?! and No, no, no—, all in voices of rising panic. He'll also catch what appears to be a figure cloaked in black darting down a narrower alley as he moves past. What next?
Back with the library nerds, Scien and Diluc are just hanging out, potentially one-sidedly planning a casual coup. Scien also can't reach the weird carpet from his current floor spot. Make even the smallest amount of effort, you piece of shit stoner.]
no subject
It's an unusual feeling, one that drives him to hunt, and he finds himself almost amused as he chases after the figure.
He won't say anything so as not to startle them, but if manages to close the gap, he'll be grabbing into that cloak to stop them. ]
no subject
while scien struggles to investigate the carpet, he'll move over and examine the row of books that have been rummaged through. what's going on here? anything he would realize is missing? anything physically concealed or written in these books, etc... ]
...Such talk is high treason, Scien.
[ would the throne secure his future, or just paint a larger target on his back? diluc is ambitious, but not greedy to the point of folly. however, if he could have the resources of the kingdom at his disposal, perhaps he might find a way to...
...no, he's getting ahead of himself. he keeps investigating the books. good luck with the carpet, scien. ]
no subject
as for diluc,]
I wouldn't ask if it wasn't a halfway decent idea. The current regime does nothing but waste away and take up space.
But I don't want to deal with a power vacuum...
[diluc said 'this is treason' and scien said 'damn right it is']
no subject
As Diluc goes to take a look at the books, he'll notice a few things! First, all of the books in this row focus on genetics except for one, which instead discusses the history of the lycoris noirge - the black spider lily endemic to the island. All tomes in this row are dust-free, like they've been thumbed through recently. Nothing else seems to happen when he's looking.
Also yes the gods are content with this bare minimum amount of worm-wriggling effort, so Scien can go look at the weird carpet spot. Specifically, it's an edge of carpet that's tucked under itself, like someone's recently flipped it up and hastily placed it back down. Someone needs to work on subtlety.]
no subject
He'll stop then, and that a look at the shapes against the wall. ]
no subject
also wow... cyoa flower imagery during this week of flowers... he will read some of the pages, trying to glean knowledge while simultaneously discussing a hypothetical coup with scien, who is woerming on the floor. he doesn't disagree with his assessment on the ruling class, however, ]
The current regime isn't fond of me. I imagine there'd be severe backlash if I suddenly inherited the crown.
[ like even if they (they? he, scien, diluc is not a part of this) got rid of the current king, who's to say someone might not just take out diluc next. power vacuum continues, etc. ]
no subject
[ok rude. but scien's always been disrespectful of the crown while also being a part of the crown. sometimes... you are just so useful that it is hard to get rid of you, but he knows his days are numbered. might as well make as many problems until then.
but he tilts his head at the weird carpet section.... okay well. scien will just move to get up and yank at the whole carpet away. what is this.]
What is this.
no subject
They're just out here in front of god and satan discussing the ins and outs of a wholeass coup, huh. Bold. The book contains information he may already know; mostly just about the cursed nature of the lycoris noirges and how snapping the flowers will hasten a person's grisly TB death.
Scien yanks up the carpet! It's floorboards. But if he looks closely, he'll see that there seems to be a line cutting around the edge of it, almost like a door. Funky! It doesn't seem to have any visible handles, though.]
no subject
But the sight of the bodies gets him to stop, a cold shock to a system previously running hot.
The sight of Joshua elicits almost something close to pain. Perhaps a shadow of it. ]
Joshua...
[ It's been many years since their time together in the fraternity, but it was no less precious for its age.
Unfreezing his limbs slowly, he walks closer to the bodies, trying to see if he can see the missing hearts or any other clue regarding what might've happened here. ]
no subject
Believe what you wish. You're welcome to take the king's seat yourself.
[ as for diluc, his priority is...
...wait what is that. he moves closer to investigate the mysterious shape in the floorboards. ]
...Perhaps there's a pressure mechanism?
[ if there's no visible handle on it. idk words. ]
no subject
[so the solution is.... coup and make someone else do it. but scien makes a face and will just tap on the floorboards? what the hell. can they try to pry it open even without a handle....]
no subject
Examining the area for clues will reveal that some of the hearts are gone - specifically, those from the bodies with cleaner removal wounds. For the ones with messy and beast-like injuries, he'll find the pulpy remains of those same hearts clutched within the corpse's hand. As he's examining things, he'll hear a distant shout from down the alley: There! I see someone!, followed by the sound of running footsteps. Uh-oh... He can stay here to talk to whoever is on the way, if he wants. There's also the second narrow alley the figure escaped down. Finally, he may notice something wet dripping down on him from overhead. What next?
The library nerds, in the meantime, continue their less unfun floorboards examination! They can try to press this funky door-looking thing open, but it seems pretty solidly stuck in place and not like a pressure mechanism is keeping it shut. The gaps on the sides hardly look like they could fit more than 2 sheets of paper, too, so it doesn't seem like prying it up will be an option. They could try to brute strength it, or they could look for another way. Or they could just abandon this spooky door in the floor entirely! The choice is theirs.]
no subject
Frowning, he'll glance up to see what is wet on him, but only a moment before he's going down that second alleyway in the hopes that he might catch up with the suspicious.
Now it's a matter of JUSTICE! ]
no subject
[ but hmmm... diluc will go back to the row of books and see if there are any hidden switches to be found behind or around the books, or there's any part of the shelf itself that can be budged... spooky door, what is the key to your secrets...!!! ]
no subject
is there anything else in this library besides... all these books. so many shelves of books. if he once again becomes one with the earth (floor) will he notice any other disrupted pieces of carpet or ground]
This better be worth our time...
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Following the figure down the second alley won't reveal the figure themselves, considering it's been a little bit of time. Strangely, this alley ultimately leads to a dead end. There are some boxes to the side that look stackable and climbable, though he'll also notice a reddish smear on one of the bricks. From behind him, he'll hear a distant: I think they went down this way!!
As Diluc's looking around behind the books, he'll find what appears to be a lil glass square... A thumbprint scanner! As Scien looks around the library for something other than books, he'll find several ladders, a couple of thick upholstered chairs and couches, and a row of paintings of the Royal Family. Strangely, one seems to be missing. Becoming one with the floor again won't net him any particularly interesting bits of information, but he will kick up some dust that makes him sneeze and might trigger a coughing fit.]
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now in the right place
also moves
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just kidding hehe?
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