Chapter 32: Painting [1]
Did someone enter my room...?
That was my first thought the moment I saw the strange black cloth draped over what looked like a square-shaped object.
My body tensed as I scanned the room, eyes darting for any sign.
For anything out of place.
'Could the fact that I found my USB in front of my office not be a coincidence?'
At first, it struck me as odd, but considering how exhausted I'd been earlier that morning after finishing my work, accidentally dropping my USB didn't seem all that far-fetched.
But now...?
I swallowed hard, staring at the draped object.
A thought seeped into my mind.
'...Could it be something by the conductor?'
I raised my head to stare at the large V on the wall and felt that it was more than just likely. I drew a cold breath and stared at my arm.
Then, walking over to the switch—
Click!
The lights turned off, and the darkness swallowed me.
All the sounds around me seemed to sharpen in that moment as I tried to stay composed, instinctively rubbing my forearm.
"Come out."
A presence stirred in front of me. Though I couldn't see it, I felt it all too well.
As I was about to open my mouth to speak, my mouth stopped, and I stepped back. Something about the Nightwalker's gaze... It didn't feel right.
It felt... almost similar to the time in the trial.
'...Oh, shit.'
This wasn't the first time I had seen that gaze from it. It first happened right after the conductor killed it, and ever since that incident, its behavior had changed.
It no longer felt... obedient.
'Could it be that it lost some affinity with me as a result of its death to the conductor?'
The thought clicked into place.
Indeed, something like this could explain the Nightwalker's sudden change in attitude. It was just a pity that I couldn't confirm my thoughts since there was no window for me to reference.
"Unfurl the black cloth."
I still decided to have the Nightwalker unfurl the black cloth by the end of the room. As of now, although it was defiant, it still listened to me.
On the off chance that it did die again, I could just not summon it again.
"....."
The Nightwalker stared at me silently. Its eyes pressed down on me.
Then, wordlessly, it turned towards the covered object.
Step. Step.
Each step echoed through the room like a drumbeat, eventually coming to a stop before the object.
The room felt silent.
It felt dragging, and then...
Swoosh!
It pulled the cloth away.
Immediately, I recalled it into my arm and flicked the lights on, hand braced against the door, ready to run.
Click!
However...
"Uh?"
What stood in the middle of the room wasn't what I expected.
I blinked, once... twice.
And my expression changed.
"A painting?"
Hidden behind the cloth was none other than a painting.
I stepped closer to get a better look, still in disbelief.
"...This doesn't seem like something the conductor would have."
Then.. who placed it here?
I frowned, studying the painting. Its simplicity was deceiving—beautiful, yet unsettling in its minute detail. A woman in white, walking along a narrow path flanked by lush greenery, heading toward the edge of a vast forest. The sky was clear, a brilliant blue, with sunlight pouring down from above. Her face was concealed beneath the shade of a large white umbrella, making it hard to see her features.
"There doesn't seem to be anything strange with this..."
I turned the painting over, expecting the same: a simple wooden frame. And for a moment, that's exactly what I saw. But then, a small marking in the corner caught my eye.
"What's this?"
I leaned my head took a closer look at the mark. It was there that I managed to spot several words. I carefully read them.
[No. 12 Ivory Hollow District - Velora Art Museum]
"An address?"
To a museum, none other?
I was confused. How did something like this end up in my office?
Just as I was about to pull out my phone to do some research, something flashed across my vision.
Ding!
[Optional Quest Activated!]
• Difficulty: Second Order • Reward: 5,000 SP • Objective: Investigate the painting's origins. • Location: Velora Art Museum
Description: Clues hide within the museum's halls. Travel to the Velora Art Museum and uncover the story behind the mysterious painting.
Time Limit: 2 days
[Do you wish to accept the quest?]
▶[Yes] ▷[No]
An optional quest?
"Wait, what? What the hell...?"
I stared at the window, still trying to process the sudden appearance of this new objective. Then, as the realization hit me, my confusion shifted into something else.
"Wait, could it be that the one who sent me the painting was the system?!"
It all made sense now. If it were the system, it would explain the strange timing of the appearance.
At least, it made me feel a little more at ease.
But still, there was no guarantee that it was the system. I then looked around the room and eyed each corner of the room.
"Just in case, I should probably install some cameras so that I can see if anyone tries to enter my office."
The only issue with this thought was that it cost quite a bit of money, and I was severely lacking in that aspect. Therefore, I quickly brushed those thoughts aside and focused my attention back onto the quest.
"Difficulty, Second Order..."
I frowned as my eyes lingered on that part. Once again, I was staring at a familiar set of words. It wasn't the first time I had seen them, and now, more than ever, I felt an undeniable urge to find out what they meant.
'Right, I did say I was going to ask Kyle about it. I should do that now.'
I grabbed the cloth from the floor, about to cover the painting again. But before I could, another notification flashed across my screen.
[Do not cover the painting]
The notification appeared suddenly, catching me off guard. By the time I registered it, the cloth had already been draped over the painting.
"Crap!"
I instantly grew alarmed, pulling at the cloth in an attempt to remove it from the painting. But the moment I tried to, the cloth moved, shifting unnaturally, twisting into the shape of a hand that latched onto my wrist.
"....!?"
The hand gripped onto my wrist tightly, its grip extremely strong as my entire body stiffened.
Immediately, I tried to pull my hand away, but the grip seemed stronger than me as I felt my hand slowly get pulled into the painting.
'No, no, no...!'
My heart pressed tightly against my chest as I saw this, anxiety gnawing at me as I desperately looked around for anything, any way to escape.
But it was no use.
Everything was too far.
The desk, the lights—they were all out of reach!
I couldn't even call for the Nightwalker.
'Shit!'
In my restlessness, I reached for my pocket with my free hand, fumbling for my phone. I opened the recording app with trembling fingers, scrolling through the list of previous recordings.
An idea had occurred to me as I scrolled down the numerous recordings I had.
'Where is it? Where is it...? Come on, come on!'
"There!"
The moment I found the right recording, I hit play.
A tune flowed out almost immediately after.
Ting~
It began with the soft, comforting melody of a violin, soon joined by the rich resonance of a cello.
The familiar tune began to play as I nervously looked at the hand, hoping for a reaction.
'It's reacting!'
And it did.
The hand froze almost immediately, shivering, as if suddenly frightened by the tune echoing through the air. It still refused to release my wrist, but the hesitation was enough.
"Ukh!"
I yanked my hand back, tearing the cloth away with it. I fell back on the floor at the same time, breathing heavily as the cloth dropped next to me.
"Haa... Crap!"
At the same time, I turned off the recording while staring in the direction of the painting.
It was...
The same as it was before.
No.
I narrowed my eyes.
The woman in the painting—
She was closer than before.