chapter 46
George called two men upstairs and, in front of everyone, had Bob’s body taken away.
As for where it was taken, no one knew, and George firmly refused to let them ask.
Qin resisted to no avail; forced by the circumstances, she could only endure for now.
Half an hour later, they gathered in the hall.
“I regret that such a thing has happened,” George said expressionlessly. “But it’s done, and cannot be changed.”
“Where did you take Bob’s body?” Qin asked, struggling to contain her anger.
“Naturally, to where he belongs.” George glanced at her, his smile cold and insincere.
“You-!”
Qin wanted to say more, but Jenny held her back.
“Calm down.”
“I believe none of you have forgotten the purpose of your visit,” George said leisurely, completely unconcerned by Qin’s furious glare. “You were chosen as companions for Miss Lilith. Now is the time for you to prove yourselves.”
“How should we prove ourselves?” Fu Zhixing picked up his words.
George looked at him with satisfaction. “There are some small Pets kept in the Manor. You need to go feed them now.”
“We wish to become Miss Lilith’s companions, not the Manor’s servants,” Jenny said with a smile. “May I ask what connection there is between feeding Pets and being a companion?”
George shot her a cold look. “You have no right to question. If you want the opportunity, do as I say.”
“What if we refuse?” Jack asked quietly.
Tu Nan glanced at him, frowning in confusion.
Where had Rose gone? Weren’t the two of them always together?
George bared his teeth at Jack. “Then I’ll have no choice but to ask you to leave the Manor.”
A thick fog enveloped the Manor’s grounds. Without the Carriage and Coachman who had brought them, they would surely be lost here.
“Then please tell us, Mr. George, what should we pay attention to when feeding?” Tu Nan said calmly.
George gave her a cold look and pulled out a sheet of Rules from his pocket.
[Rules for Feeding “Pets”:
Rule One: “Pets” are defined as creatures that walk on all fours.
Rule Two: “Pets” may be disguised; please distinguish them carefully.
Rule Three: When the sheep bleats, leave immediately.
Rule Four: If “Pets” do not eat, they will starve to death. Be sure they have eaten before leaving.
Rule Five: Make sure to feed all “Pets.”
Rule Six: “Pets” only eat special Feed. Do not feed them anything else.]
If she hadn’t asked, perhaps George wouldn’t have given her these Rules.
Tu Nan scanned the Rules, made sure she remembered them, and passed the sheet to the others.
George sent someone to lead them to the Pets’ enclosure.
When they entered the Manor, it had been too dark for Tu Nan to notice, but now she saw that the grounds were filled with Rose bushes.
The blooming Roses covered almost the entire Manor, filling the air with a rich floral scent.
Just like the fragrance on the lady.
Halfway there, Rose came running up, panting.
“Sorry, I went to the restroom,” she said apologetically to the Maid.
The Maid led them to the Pets’ enclosure-a huge fenced-in meadow, surrounded by a Fence as tall as two people, making it impossible to see inside.
Even the Fence was entwined with Roses.
This meadow was at the edge of the Manor. Standing on the flat ground, Tu Nan looked out into the distance; beyond was a blur of thick fog. She walked to a corner and noticed that the Roses growing there were especially strange.
It was hard to describe the strangeness. The Roses looked blurry to her, as if she could never quite see them clearly.
However, the Roses at the center of the Manor did not give her that strange feeling.
Fu Zhixing was right; the Manor appeared mostly normal at first glance, but the details always gave rise to an inexplicable sense of discord.
“Why are there Roses blooming everywhere here?” Tu Nan asked the Maid with feigned curiosity.
“Because Madam likes Roses. Outsiders all call her Rose Madam.” The Maid pointed to the entrance to the Fence. “You can go in from here.”
Fu Zhixing glanced at the entrance. “Isn’t the entrance supposed to have a Lock? What if the Pets inside run out?”
“They are very well-behaved and won’t run around.” The Maid replied methodically, expressionless. “I have other things to do. Once you finish feeding them, just return the same way.”
After the Maid left, Rose looked around before quietly saying to them, “I saw them move the corpse to the Basement of the Manor.”
“How could you see that?” Jenny asked curiously. “Wouldn’t they stop you?”
“It’s my ability,” Rose said, biting her lip in embarrassment. “We agreed at the beginning to share clues with each other.”
“I didn’t expect you to be so amazing.” Jenny looked at her shyly and pinched her cheek. “I see you in a new light now.”
Rose’s face turned even redder.
“Thank you for sharing the news,” Fu Zhixing said, looking at her. “Can you tell me where the entrance to the Basement is?”
Rose nodded. “It’s behind a Mural next to the fireplace. I saw them take down the Mural and open a Secret Door. I also heard them say that tonight they’re going to move the corpse to ‘where it should go.'”
Tu Nan was slightly stunned, instinctively thinking of the huge Mural in the bedroom.
Who knows what other secrets might be hidden behind it.
“That’s very useful information, thank you,” Fu Zhixing nodded in gratitude.
“It’s nothing, I’m glad I could help. The sooner everyone solves the Manor’s mystery, the sooner we can get out,” Rose said earnestly.
“For now, let’s go feed the Pets first,” Jenny pointed to the entrance. “We don’t know what the situation is inside, or whether there will be any surprises.”
The group finally entered the Fenced Area where the Pets were kept.
Tu Nan took in the scene before her, her pupils shrinking slightly.
Even Jenny, who was usually lively, was momentarily speechless.
“There… are so many. How are we supposed to feed them all?” Jack asked in disbelief.
Inside was a grassy field that seemed to stretch endlessly, with at least several hundred animals of many kinds, all lively and frolicking on the grass. The sounds of different animals mixed together, making one’s head spin.
Tu Nan glanced over and saw Cats, Dogs, Sheep, Rabbits, Chickens, and more.
“The Feed is over there,” Rose called out, pointing to the corner.
The Feed was stored in a huge Stone Trough, with containers for scooping it placed nearby.
They walked over and finally saw what was inside the Stone Trough.
The Feed resembled Feed used for Cats, each piece uniform in size. Up close, there was a distinct, indescribable fishy smell.
“What is this stuff?” Jenny said, pinching her nose in disgust.
“Everyone, just scoop a portion for yourselves,” Fu Zhixing said calmly, as if he couldn’t smell the odor, and took the lead in scooping some Feed.
Seeing him act, the others followed suit.
But with so many animals, which ones were actually the “Pets”?
Everyone looked at the animals before them, a bit at a loss.
“Why don’t we just feed them all?” Jack looked at the Feed in his hand and said through gritted teeth.