My head ached as the image from my original life came into full recollection.

In my original life, Denise had also somehow managed to fall off the tower and impale herself among the mutated rose bushes.

I had thought that the small changes in my life would be enough to prevent her death by the 'butterfly effect' that Grandov frequently mentioned. However, she still died. Worse yet, it was early. It was a whole three months early.

She was killed. That was the only explanation. And I screwed something up bad enough to expedite her death.

"Remlend," I turned to him. He had not left the room after the body fell. "Please see what had just occurred and deliver the news to me. I'll be up in my room. Oh, and bring something for the nerves."

I could feel Leona's body still quivering in my hands. Ten days old, and she had seen far too many gruesome deaths come to pass. First, there was Henry, then Jasper, and now Denise.

"Very well, young master Luca." Remlend bowed and headed out first.

I would have investigated the body myself, but I didn't want to leave Leona alone after witnessing Denise's horrific death. Nor was I about to take her to the scene of the crime.

I climbed up the stairs and entered my room's comfort.

"Peep!"

You can let me go now.

Leona moved out of my hands. She fluttered over to the window sill, which to my relief, had no view of the rose gardens.

I'm feeling better now. I was just a little shocked. I ought to get used to these things by now.

I balked.

"Get used to—Oh no," I protested. "I hope you never get used to seeing something like that."

Tsk.

What kind of life did I live that this was my every day? What sort of life involves death being constantly around the corner? This was no life for a child to get used to.

I collapsed onto my bed. The soft blanket sucked me in. There was a strange calmness in my room. It felt like I was in the eye of the storm before another disaster struck.

Knock. Knock.

The calmness was finally interrupted.

"You can enter!" I called out and sat up in bed.

"I have brought you mulungu tea," Remlend said. "It is made from a flowering tree your brother Jarvis had imported a year ago. It should help calm any nerves."

"And what's the news of what occurred downstairs? How did Denise die? Tell me everything you learned." I poured two cups. For myself, I poured a conservative amount of tea, not wanting the tea to put me to sleep as it usually did in my original life. But for Leona, I poured a much fuller cup.

I tapped the second tea cup to let her know it was meant for her.

The tea tasted of cinnamon. It was mild and ever so slightly bitter. It wasn't exactly pleasant, but it was far better than any tea Denise had ever brought in the morning.

I watched Leona drink her cup without a peep.

"From what I gathered, a runic promise tattoo activated and caused her to fall off the tower's ledge," Remlend explained.

"What sort of tattoo was it?" I asked.

"A spider."

I set my porcelain cup down.

"Are you certain?" I asked. I stared into my cup of hot amber-colored tea.

"Yes," Remlend replied. "I saw a part of it when she was taken away. The thorns had ripped off the clothing on her back, revealing it."

I picked up my cup and downed the remainder of the tea as quickly as possible to loosen my nerves.

Why did Denise have a spider tattoo? Did she always have it at this point? But why?

A flurry of thoughts went through my mind.

The Spiders faction loved to use this unique type of runic tattoo of a spider on their affiliates and subordinates. If someone associated with the Spiders spoke out of turn regarding the faction's activities, they would instantly die. It was a harsh punishment, but it was also why any information about them was hard to come across. Anyone who knew anything would die before they could reveal any of the faction's secrets.

Fin had such a tattoo as well. However, being the genius mage that he was, he found a way to deactivate it.

But why did Denise have it? She wasn't with the Spiders. Or was she? But then why would they do that to her brother if she was a member?

I glanced over toward Leona.

She had finished her tea and was already fast asleep. Her little yellow body heaved up and down beside her teacup.

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"That certainly knocked her out," I noted.

"The tea might have affected your bird like that because she has a smaller body," Remlend suggested.

I scoffed.

Leona had a smaller body, but her stomach was a black hole.

Then again, I wasn't an expert on how her consumption affected her.

"What activated the tattoo?" I asked.

"Your brother, Jarvis, cornered her atop the communications tower. He discovered she had been poisoning Jasper… and attempting to poison you."

"What?" I stared at Remlend.

Just what was he talking about? Denise, Fin's beloved older sister, had been trying to poison me?

"Young master Luca, the tea she provided each morning to you was tainted with a colorless, odorless, tasteless poison," Remlend explained. "Had you drunk it long enough, you would have ended up like Jasper."

"But Jasper didn't die from the tea," I mumbled.

My eyes gazed at the empty spot where my potted plant used to sit in my room.

"No, but he had fallen ill due to the tea. It is suspected that she poisoned him, not to kill him, but to gain access to you as your new primary caretaker."

I rubbed my temples. I felt a headache come on as I recalled my original life.

Back then, I had also inexplicably fallen ill. And then recovered… after Denise died in her so-called freak accident fall off the communication tower. Had she been poisoning me back then without me realizing it?

And no one told me what had happened back then. The whole incident was swept under the rug. I was handled with kid gloves and shielded from even the fact that my life had been in danger.

But Denise? The same Denise I had every intention of saving in this lifetime had been trying to harm me this whole time?

"Remlend, could you please leave? I'd like to be alone."

"Very well, young master." Remlend bowed and swiftly left the room.

I gazed around the empty room, trying to understand what I ought to be doing next. My eyes fell on the copper chandelier in the center of the painted turquoise ceiling. The uncut crystals sparkled brilliantly as bits of random light fell through them.

What am I supposed to do about Denise? Even if I turn back time, do I kill her? Do I lock her up? But then Fin will end up in the same fate as before. And even if I take him into custody before the Spiders capture him, he'll grow to hate me for taking away his cherished sister. The cherished sister that had been attempting to harm me all this time.

I rubbed my hands through my hair.

Damn it. I need to get out of here.

The mulungu tea might have helped a bit, but everything around felt like it was closing in. The eye of the storm had shifted, and the storm was coming over me again.

I need to get out of the manor and be alone.

[ Passage Finder (Level 2) Activated ]

I stared at the blue screen.

Just what did the System find this time around? I know every hidden passage there is within the manor.

[ Step 1: Exit your bedroom and enter the hallway. ]

My curiosity and the possibility of a much-needed distraction washed over my panic, and I stepped out of my bedroom. The guard assigned to watch over me looked toward me but didn't say anything.

[ Step 2: Turn right and walk to the end of the hallway. ]

Where was it taking me?

I walked to the end of the hallways as it suggested. My guard didn't bother following after me. He and I both knew the hallway simply ended here. There was nothing else at the end of the hall except a large stained glass window that poured in the afternoon light.

[ Step 3: Turn left and walk through the mirror. ]

What?

I gazed at my reflection, staring back at me from a large, framed, full-length mirror that hung against the wall.

Technically apart from the stained glass window, there were paintings and a few hanging framed mirrors, but that was all there was. I glanced back toward the guard, whose gaze was looking forward toward the wall in front of my bedroom.

I stepped toward the mirror and tapped it with my right index finger. However, it tapped a hard, cool surface instead of going through.

"What gives? It's an actual mirror," I whispered.

[ Tapping it or attempting to inspect it will not work. You must confidently walk through the mirror for the portal to activate. ]

[ Step 3: Walk through the mirror. ]

I sighed and shook my arms and legs, preparing myself for what I was about to do.

Hopefully, the System didn't possess some odd humor where it would make me walk head-first into a mirror for its amusement. Not that I'd put it past it.

I relaxed my body and strode forward toward the mirror. I closed my eyes at the last moment, afraid of the impact. However, after making three steps forward, no impact came.

I opened my eyes and gazed about.

"Where am I?" I asked and turned in place.

Four walls lit with light stones were tightly pressed around me, leaving little room for movement. I would have been shrouded in darkness if not for the light stones in tones of yellow and purple. I gazed up and noted some sort of mechanism in place.

[ You are on the other side of the wall. ]

[ Step 4: Stand where you are and keep your arms and legs close to your body. When ready, tap the floor three times with one foot. ]

Remembering the warning from the library, I immediately pulled my legs together and my arms close to my chest. I was not about to lose any limbs today.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The moment I finished tapping the floor, the floor seemed to fall. My stomach flew up into my throat, blocking whatever panic I might have yelled out. Or perhaps, the mulungu tea was finally activating and making me feel calmer than I should have been, given my circumstances.

Just as I thought the fall would never end, the floor gently set itself down and stopped moving.

[ Step 5: Walk down the hallway and turn right or left at the fork. ]

I wobbled out of the shaft and gazed at my two options.

"Which way should I go?" I asked. "What is on the left and what is on the right?"

[ You need a higher Passage Finder level to access that information. ]

Tsk.

Well, I suppose it doesn't matter which I choose then.

I turned and walked right. The hallway was long and empty of any indicators of when this was made. The floor, walls, and ceiling were made up of some sort of gray rock with yellow and purple light stones embedded throughout.

I sniffed the air. There wasn't much of a smell, however. No stagnant water. No life of any sort. Nothing. It smelled cool and ancient.

Interestingly, the hallway wasn't in a straight line. It turned sharply left or right at times or bent about in half-circles. However, there weren't any doors or openings, nor were there any inclines or steps, making the walk relatively easy on me.

Just where does this hallway lead? And for what purpose does it even exist?

As my legs were beginning to tire, the hallway finally came to an end. A sizable gold-framed mirror hung at the end, similar to the one within the Frey manor. It felt strangely out of place in this otherwise empty gray hall lit in tones of yellow and purple.

[ Step 6: Walk through the mirror. ]

This again?

I walked forward, and while I fully intended to keep my eyes open the entire time, I ended up again closing them instinctively at the last moment.

CLANK!

I opened my eyes and smelled old worn leather, metal and dust.

"Ah-choo!" I sneezed at all the dust flying around in the dark space.

Where am I now?

My hands reached out and ran through hanging leather and fur coats while my feet stumbled over what must have been kettles or pots of some sort.

A single line of light appeared ahead, and I pushed toward it. A set of wooden doors opened, and I stumbled into a large and spacious space. I gazed back at the wardrobe I fell out of. The two doors were wide open, revealing the hanging clothing and random clutter of objects. However, it did not have anything indicating a portal on the other end.

Perhaps it was a one-way portal?

I concentrated on finding another hidden passage, but no notification appeared.

I guess there's no way to return to the manor the same way I left. On the other hand, it's best to be that way from a security standpoint.

"Well, that's the most unusual way anyone has entered my shop." A woman's voice sounded somewhere ahead of me.