[ic]

[dormancy]

[In the interest of time and mystery, Vincent and Naoto have met at the overgrown flowers an hour after sunset as promised in a not at all suspicious manner. Luckily, or not, Vincent has found a few becoming flowers for his lady of the evening, and without further ado, they are off to a wonderful evening soiree . . .

The entrance hall is tasteful and elegant with carved wood panels, marble-topped tables, vases with white orchids spilling over. There are four doors in each direction. The door to the right is an open double door with music spilling softly out from it.]

Comments

[genderbinary]

These may give us some more insight on the relationship between Owen-san and our hosts.

[opening those letters to read]

[dormancy]

[Goodness, there is quite a lot here. Grace is complaining of her father's disapproval of her love for Pleasant. Pleasant reassures her that they will find a way to win her family's approval. Owen does his best to calm Grace down, assuring her that he has no intention of marrying her as her father wishes him to. Owen goes on about his own parents who seem to be also pressing for the match. There seems to be a problem with Grace being an only child . . . Ah, there's a letter between Pleasant and Owen that sounds cordial enough, something about an apology over thinking that Owen agreed to become the inheritor of Grace's father's estate. (Owen denies that he would deprive dear Grace or Pleasant in such a way along with the shame, oh my.)]

[genderbinary]

[going over the letter between Pleasant and Owen several times]

... there's something unwritten here...

[dormancy]

Unwritten? What do you mean?

[genderbinary]

Something implied, but not outright stated. A subtext, if you will.

[dormancy]

[coming over~ checking out the letter]

What do you think is missing, then?

[genderbinary]

[doesn't answer that, exactly, still turning things over in her mind]

Grace-san wouldn't inherit leadership of the family business because she is a woman, correct? It would go to whomever she marries.

[dormancy]

Mm, that's right. Though, the owner of the business is more than allowed to name someone else. No one would dispute that, but it would be rather unfortunate and shameful to whomever she was married to be given a show of no confidence in that way.

[genderbinary]

... shameful, perhaps, but there are more important things than saving face.

[dormancy]

And being penniless and unable to keep your beloved in a proper home . . . Of course.

[genderbinary]

[looks down at the letter again]

... and just how is the relationship between Grace-san and her father?

[dormancy]

I would assume that they aren't on the best of terms, since she has defied his will. But Pleasant has been given control of the business, so he must have given into her desires. It's rather ambiguous, isn't it . . . ?

[genderbinary]

To say the least.

[dormancy]

[picking up a ledger, flipping through the pages which slowly but steadily become covered in more red ink]

I wonder if he hasn't regretted allowing Pleasant to save face at the cost of his business, though.

[genderbinary]

[looks frustrated, starting to pace]

I'm missing something. There has to be something else I haven't yet--

[pauses, and goes over to examine the light at the end of the attic]

[dormancy]

[The boards seem to have gaps in them, rather wide though not enough for anyone to fall through. There seems to be rope in a coil and looped around one of the boards before threading down . . . Do you look?]

[genderbinary]

[of course]

[dormancy]

[You can see the top of Grace's head . . . And if you turn just so, you can see her feet aren't touching the floor. Goodness, someone was determined.]

Oh, that didn't end well at all.

[genderbinary]

[gasps in shock]

[dormancy]

[It's a doll/puppet . . . ]

[genderbinary]

[SHUT UP I WAS SURPRISED]

[dormancy]

[You are very sweet, dear.]

[genderbinary]

[lets out a deep sigh and lifts herself up]

I suppose I should have expected something like that to occur.

[dormancy]

Ah, too dramatic? But it had such a nice effect. Your gasp was truly wrenching.

[genderbinary]

[ignore!!]

If Owen-san and Chastity-san haven't left the parlor, then the culprit must be Pleasant-san--that is, if this was not a suicide, which I highly doubt; or if Owen-san and Chastity-san don't corroborate each others' stories.