Chapter 442: The Fall of the Usher Family (2)

Chapter 442: The Fall of the Usher Family (2)

The Usher family's mansion was indeed fitting of the term fortress.

If the Torchka fortress was a natural stronghold created by the environment, the Usher mansion was an artificial fortress filled with all sorts of extraordinary traps.

Books or picture frames that occasionally fell, curtains that fluttered without any wind, the slow-moving gears of the grandfather clock, statues that suddenly burst into laughter, withered plants trapped in pots, taxidermied animals, roughly stacked brick walls, an overly grand chandelier, and so on... everything was a trap filled with malice towards intruders.

However, Bianca, who was born as the rightful owner of this mansion and had lived in it all her life, naturally knew how to bypass all these traps and make her way inside.

"When the bookshelf collapses and the books fall, that's the best time to pass through the hallway. Ah, this only applies to horror novels. If books from other genres fall, it's no good. Only when books like 'The Masque of the Red Death', 'The Black Cat', 'The Cask of Amontillado', 'Hop-Frog', 'The Tell-Tale Heart', and 'The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym' fall to the floor."

"When the curtain flutters even slightly, you must lie flat on the floor. It doesn't matter whether there's wind or not."

"When the grandfather clock strikes the hour, the secret door in the hallway opens. But just because it opens doesn't mean you can go through right away. You have to wait exactly five minutes after opening the door, or you'll end up in a completely different place."

"When that statue laughs, be cautious all around. It doesn't trigger any traps, but... it gets excited when it thinks an intruder is about to die miserably."

"Never pass by a withered plant in a pot.."

"You can pass by the taxidermied animals, but if you see any with moving eyes, cover your ears and run forward quickly."

"Be careful not to touch the red brick walls. If you must touch them, run away immediately from that spot. Never look back, even if someone calls your name."

"Under no circumstances should you walk under the chandelier. If you absolutely must, never look at it. Instead, keep your eyes on the chandelier's shadow on the floor at all times."

Bianca navigated through numerous traps and labyrinths, penetrating deep into the mansion.

Following closely behind her, Tudor muttered softly, "...I kind of understand why you have such a twisted personality."

"What did you say, you bish?"

Bianca gave Tudor a light smack on the head before turning her head away.

"Hmph! Well, this place is quite far from a typical home."

She added in a very small whisper, "...Thank you for following me this far."

"What?"

"Nothing. Let's go."

Bianca pulled Tudor along.

Soon, Bianca and Tudor stood in front of the bedroom of the head of the family, Roderick Usher.

This place, too, was thick with the aura of the Red Death.

A suffocating miasma, unbearable for any human, spread throughout the mansion like a mist, swirling and leaping through the empty corridors like a crimson jester or a dancing demon.

Despite having drunk the holy water created by Dolores, Bianca and Tudor could hardly suppress their rising nausea.

At last, the bedroom door opened.

Creak—

The rusty hinges, corroded by the mist, groaned like a dying creature.

The scene inside the slowly opening door made Bianca and Tudor's eyes widen in shock.

"Father!"

Bianca cried out involuntarily.

Sitting upright in a chair was undoubtedly Bianca's father and the current head of the Usher family, Roderick.

He looked so pale that he could be mistaken for a corpse, and his body was as emaciated as a mummy, but his eyes were wide open, and he was very much alive.

"......."

However, it seemed he was not in a state to speak.

Although his blackened tongue moved a few times inside his shriveled lips, all that emerged from his parched throat was the sound of a broken clockwork mechanism.

"...Father! How did you come to be in such a dreadful state!"

Bianca stroked Roderick's cheeks with an expression of disbelief.

But there was nothing in Roderick's eyes as he looked at her. Only blank, cloudy whites with a glint of fierce intent fixed straight ahead.

Watching Roderick's condition, Tudor bit his lip.

"...He's exactly like my father."

Just as Cervantes succumbed to the Red Death and died in a debilitated state, Roderick was in the same condition. However, while Cervantes used his last bit of strength to end his own life, Roderick was stubbornly clinging on until the end.

"The Red Death is spreading through the mist inside the mansion. It seems the demon has poisoned the swamp. The mansion, built over the swamp, is gradually being engulfed by the poison."

Having assessed the situation, Tudor pulled out fireworks from his coat—one red, one black.

'After confirming the status of Roderick, the head of the Usher family, if he is alive and able to escape with us, set off the red firework. If he is dead or alive but unable to move, set off the black firework.'

Vikir had instructed them before infiltrating the Usher mansion.

Tudor, after much hesitation and with trembling hands, bit his lip.

"He's alive. Lord Roderick is alive."

Finally, Tudor chose the red firework.

He was just about to take it to the window when—.

...Thwack!

A hand grabbed Tudor's wrist.

It was Bianca.

"...Are you crazy?"

She snatched the red firework from Tudor's hand and threw it into the swamp outside the window.

"Do you want to kill all the others too?"

"No! Lord Roderick is alive!"

"Don't you remember what Vikir said? Father... Father can't move anymore."

Bianca lowered her head and trembled.

At this moment, no one wanted to light the red firework more than she did.

Tudor, too, could only bow his head, seeing Bianca like this.

Just then—

"Hohohoho— Aren't you giving up a bit too easily?"

A voice sharply drew the attention of Bianca and Tudor.

Turning their heads, they saw a woman with a similarly pale complexion standing with an imposing demeanor.

Madeline Usher. Roderick's sister and the current acting head of the family.

She was the mastermind who practically held all the power in the Usher family.

"Like father, like daughter. Treating a living relative as if they're already dead."

Madeline glared at Bianca with corpse-like eyes, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Are you going to bury your father alive too? Just as he did to me?"

Madeline had suffered a severe fever as a child.

Roderick, thinking she was dead due to her corpse-like heartbeat and pallor, had buried her underground.

But somehow, Madeline had survived.

After being buried alive, she broke out of her coffin, dug through the earth, and emerged from the grave.

Afterwards, Roderick was tormented for life by the guilt of nearly burying his sickly sister alive.

He granted her every request and endured anything for her.

Gritting her teeth at this realization, Bianca spat out, "You were a demon from the start, weren't you? You took over Aunt Madeline's body after she died of fever and have been deceiving Father ever since. Isn't that right?"

"Hohoho— Who knows? When did I become a demon? When I was buried alive? Or was I one from the very beginning? Or perhaps, am I even a demon at all?"

Madeline steadily closed the distance between herself and Bianca.

Just then, a line was drawn between Bianca and Madeline, blocking her path.

"Don't cross the line."

It was Tudor. He stood firmly, blocking Madeline's advance with a determined gaze.

Madeline's eyes narrowed as she looked at the Gungnir spear and the leather ornament hanging from its blade held in Tudor's only hand.

"Using Monte's skin as a decoration for your spear? Playing with the corpse of your uncle who lost in the royal succession battle. That's quite a macabre taste for a knight who supposedly upholds justice and integrity, isn't it?"

Despite Madeline's taunts, Tudor remained focused on their mission.

Tudor took Bianca's hand and began running.

"Run, Bianca! We need to get out of here!"

However, their attempt to escape was in vain.

As Madeline extended her hand, the surroundings froze over, and a thick ice wall surged up to block the window.

"Damn!"

Tudor halted for a moment.

Madeline's seductive voice wrapped around Tudor's ear.

"You wish to leave the mansion, don't you? But that's impossible without my permission."

"..."

"Hohoho— Don't look at me so fiercely."

Madeline covered her mouth and laughed elegantly.

Then, as if granting a favor, she spoke again.

"Actually, it's not that hard to let you leave the mansion. You just have to pass my test."

"Forget trying to deceive me with your words."

Tudor clutched his spear tightly, standing firm against the ice wall.

However, Madeline's next words were unexpected.

"It's true. If you can pass a very simple test, I'll let you leave this place."

"...?"

Seeing Tudor's frown, Madeline continued.

"You just need to prove that you are brave enough to pass my test. They say knights of the Donquixote Clan are very brave. Surely, you're not afraid?"

It was a blatant provocation, but Tudor had no choice.

Eventually, Madeline spoke.

"If you can say this out loud three times: 'Where is the one who can kill me?' I will acknowledge your courage and open the mansion door for you."

It seemed like an easy deal. There were no ambushes here besides Madeline.

Tudor and Bianca exchanged determined glances.

After confirming once more that there were no immediate dangers, Tudor opened his mouth.

"Where is the one who can kill me? Where is the one who can kill me? Where is the one who can kill me?"

Tudor's words were filled with firm belief.

Besides the demon before him, there was no one who could harm him.

It was an obvious fact.

...However.

Upon hearing Tudor's words, Madeline's eyes softened.

As Tudor felt a drop of cold sweat on his forehead in front of her ominous smile.

"...Here."

A voice, sounding as if it were entranced, came from right behind Tudor, near his ear.