ATONEMENT: How to escape from a bloody survival game?

The Red Shoes Chapter 3: Sunflower room

Theo left with the maid, taking the opportunity to look around. The architecture of stone columns and arched ceilings depicts was exactly from the XII century. However, Theo suddenly felt strange when he was taken to the second floor, where the guests lived.

This floor has exactly fourteen rooms according to the number of players in the opening round. The rooms are designed close to each other, parallel and symmetrical, only distinguished by the stained glass decoration on the door. This either doesn't fit the XII century design or it looks more like a servant's residence, not like a family guest area.

Theo's room has a decoration with a light yellow sunflower field. The open door shows the sketchy interior, only a small bed, an old wooden table, and a small corner to go to the bathroom right in the room.

Theo frowned, it seemed that the grooms who came here were of a low class, Count Cleverdent did not take this marriage seriously. He looked at the maid, gesturing for a pen and paper. In just a few minutes, the thing he asked for was brought in front of him. Service speed is very good, too good compared to the quality of the room.

Theo wrote the first question:

- Where is the bride?

In response to him was the familiar silence of the exemplary NPC. The maid remained motionless.

“I have already tried. The servant here is muteness. Don't say anything when asked." Across from Theo's room, the big Markie, leaning against the rose door, spoke up. He saw that Theo looked at him for a long time and did not answer, and Markie seemed to understand.

“You… Your character trait is unspeakable?”

Theo nodded affirmatively.

Markie scratched his head as he approached, sighing: “My setup is big and rude. I am also a new player.”

Theo pursed his lips, almost laughing out loud. He felt that Markie's personality was very straightforward and quite rude but that’s alright. At least not as fake as John blonde.

The guy who saw the expression was not angry, Markie smiled. "I thought you were cold, but you're a set character."

Theo nodded, he continued to pick up the pen:

- What’s your name?

Contrary to Markie's imagination, in less than a minute, the hoarse voice gives both of them goosebumps, coming from behind the hood.

"Anna."

Theo smiled lightly, with the satisfying result, he continued to ask:

What day is today?

"Saturday."

Theo nodded and allowed the maid Anna to leave. Beside him was Markie, waiting in amazement for his explanation.

- I think the information about the bride and the wedding will be canceled, anything else is fine to ask.

Theo shrugs his conjecture. His side job is playing games to earn money, with experience in the past two years, it is best to co-operate and share clues to go through the level together. Of course, you should still be wary of exploiters.

Markie touched his chin, he had asked about the wedding before, so he didn't get an answer. He looked at the young man in front of him, laughed loudly, and patted Theo on the shoulder. “My name is Richard, Markie is my ID name. Cooperation?"

Theo calmly had decided on this matter.

- I don't think it's good to say your real name.

Markie waved his hand in disinterest, he said in a friendly tone. “I think you are a good person. If you have bad intentions, I will use my strong hands to squeeze you.”

Theo smiled, this big guy got it right. If the guy has bad intentions, I also find a way to hurt him back

- We can cooperate. I guarantee to get you through this round, but I don't guarantee you'll survive.

Markie smiled with satisfaction, he took the initiative to shake Theo’s hand instead of answering.

“What do we do now?”

- The time here doesn't seem to be right, rest first. I think it's possible to see Earl Cleverdent at dinner time. Then there will be more clues.

The two of them entered the room at the same time that blond John and his 'accompanied' reached the second floor. From his keen eye, he guessed that the other two had silently made a small deal with each other.

Theo entered the room but the door was unlocked, making him frown. Taking a step back, he bit his nails out of habit, compared to the interior of the room, this door was quite new. Seems to have been added recently.

Doors without keyholes are XII century style, but not safe for players - Thinking so, Theo pulled an old wooden table to block the door. It may not be able to stop the Boss, but it can stop other players come and harming him.

Finished he started to check the room, the small space had a strong musty smell and no windows. The room has only one exit, which is very meaningful.

He sat on the bed, it wasn't too soft, but it was better than the servant's wooden bed. Theo began to masterly peel off the bed sheets, pillows, and rugs quickly. He discovered under the carpet was a scorch mark.

Theo frowned, not only were there traces of arson, but on the bedboard, there were also a lot of fingernail scratches, with a long black streak like blood. A sudden chill came, he walked quickly to the wooden door, and pulled the table to check.

As expected, the wooden part of the bedboard used to be the door and this room had a catastrophic fire. There were many people locked inside calling for help but no one came.

Theo sighed, suddenly he didn't want to sleep on that bed anymore. Thinking to do it, he pulled the pad to the floor to make a place to sleep in the corner of the room while the thin blanket covered the bedboard.

While struggling to arrange the sleeping place, the wooden floorboard was dislodged, Theo thought for a moment and used his hand to remove the pad. Underneath was a piece of burnt black that smelled moldy, burnt, and fishy. The entire room was repaired and filled with new wood so that no one discovered the fire that year.

Great! Now he can't sleep on the floor either.

As he was about to reassemble the piece of wood, the small carving caught his eye. The sunflower image is carved with a slightly distorted knife, like a child's workmanship.

His years of gaming experience told him that this was an important clue. Theo put the piece of wood back where it was, and decided to sleep on the table, next to the new door. That's not bad, he's slept under the bridge before, and this place is already good.

Judging from the lack of time, he pushed the door stopper and climbed up to close his eyes and rest for a while.

It's not clear how much time has passed, but in sleeping, Theo hears a knock on the door. He was startled awake, judging from the sound, it was probably the maid coming. The manipulation of pulling the table back to the old place is no longer strange, adjusting the clothes, Theo opened the door.

Outside, all fourteen players were invited out at once, in the hallway was the monk Edmund.

“Everyone must have rested very well. The Earl of Cleverdent invites you to join him for dinner. The Earl wanted to personally confide in the grooms for the upcoming wedding. Please follow me.”

Theo and Markie exchanged glances, this meal would yield more clues.