Eldritch Horror Theatre

The scenery was certainly beautiful, the location truly remote, and the aesthetic undeniably luxurious.

The entire Sanitarium was built into the mountainside, resulting in numerous ramps and stairs.

But this also brought an advantage: the layout was clear at a glance.

Stepping out of that oppressively styled building, the first thing to catch Fu Qian's attention was the snowy mountain peak in the distance.

The sky was visibly darkening, yet the light seemed to refract in a unique way, leaving the snow-capped peak almost glaringly bright.

Combined with the suddenly expansive view, a rush of pure tranquility instantly poured in through the crown of his head, washing away all traces of ox-headed ghosts and snake spirits.

From this perspective, the building behind him was undoubtedly well suited to serve as a confinement room.

No matter how one was reformed inside, that first glance upon stepping out would easily deliver the shocking impact of a second life.

Especially from this vantage point, the entire structure truly gave off that exact vibe.

The room he had just been in was one of the rare spots that actually offered a view outside.

Fortunately, it seemed only this single location within the entire Sanitarium possessed such a bizarre atmosphere. The other buildings were much more normal.

In fact, at a glance, their luxurious style was even more pronounced, inadvertently projecting an aura that kept the poor away.

It wasn't surprising. Didn't this perfectly match the disposition of people like Mrs. Tracy?

Besides, poverty was a relative concept. In theory, wearing this outfit meant he was also playing the role of a top-tier client.

From his current position, he could already see the even more exquisite detached residences nestled in the shadow of the towering Main Building.

For Fu Qian, the biggest advantage was being able to easily map out a route.

He could not only bypass the Main Building containing the Head Physician's Office, but also take in the scenery along the way.

Of course, even so, the light wasn't dim enough for him to expect complete invisibility—

"Did you take a wrong turn? Are you not supposed to be here?"

Before he had gotten very far, Fu Qian was stopped by a voice.

Following the sound, he saw a young woman in a cotton dress staring in his direction with a puzzled expression.

...

This one actually fit the vibe of a Sanitarium.

Unbothered by her unwarranted familiarity, Fu Qian stopped in his tracks and silently evaluated the person blocking his way.

He had naturally noticed her earlier; he was just surprised she had taken the initiative to speak.

Judging by her face, she didn't look a day over twenty-five. Her smooth hair was cut quite short, ending above her shoulders, held in place by a simple hairpin.

Her face was slightly pale, but the eyes looking his way were exceptionally bright.

So bright that, in Fu Qian's view, they shouldn't belong to someone of the secular world, making the likelihood of her striking up a conversation with a passerby even smaller.

Yet, as they crossed paths, she still caught onto something, saddling him with the mild annoyance of being altogether too popular.

"It looks that way, so I am trying to get back on the right path."

Ultimately, Fu Qian casually played along with her assessment, pointing into the distance without minding that he was revealing his destination.

"I see. Aside from the staff, no one is advised to come near this area recently."

Her reaction wasn't dramatic. She seemed satisfied after getting an answer, and as she spoke, she turned and fell into step beside him.

"But you still came near."

Fu Qian didn't mind her tagging along, but he made sure to remind her that she, too, wasn't wearing a staff uniform.

"Yes, I took a wrong turn too."

The Hairpin Woman was surprisingly sincere. She nodded, indicating that her earlier remark hadn't been an interrogation, but rather a display of mutual commiseration.

"I have this bad habit. I tend to forget my way as I walk."

...

Inexplicably gaining a traveling companion wasn't theoretically a bad thing.

He didn't question her flimsy excuse. After all, he hadn't provided one himself; he had merely admitted to making a mistake.

Even though her behavior seemed like a hassle, it was likely more beneficial to him, considering he never expected to completely hide his tracks anyway.

"That doesn't really count as a bad habit. In my opinion, the prerequisite for a place to be called a Sanitarium is that it can at least accommodate that sort of behavior."

In return, Fu Qian even casually offered a word of comfort.

"Does Your Excellency truly think so? I have always used that excuse to comfort myself."

The Hairpin Woman looked suddenly surprised, covering her mouth as she spoke.

Furthermore, even though she spoke as if she had met a kindred spirit, the impression she gave off was one of heightened vigilance.

"It's not an excuse; it's just logic. Otherwise, a so-called Sanitarium is nothing more than an oversized prison."

Fu Qian firmly affirmed his view. As he spoke, he appeared entirely relaxed and at ease, as if he couldn't care less about the road ahead.

Even so, from the corner of his eye, he still spotted the thin scars on the inside of the Hairpin Woman's wrist.

It was obvious they were left behind by some extreme actions, lending more credibility to her unique disposition.

And for someone who had taken such actions, harboring a bit of extra caution regarding their coincidental alignment in views seemed to be human nature.

Clearly, she hoped this lost traveler wasn't actually waiting here specifically to counsel her.

Fu Qian easily empathized with her display, but that didn't delay the doubt that followed—

This woman seemed to have been here for a while. How could she not recognize the Columnist who had previously caused an uproar in the Sanitarium?

From the very beginning, she hadn't seemed to question his identity. Even the gaze sweeping across his face felt somewhat vacant.

...

"That sounds very reasonable. I suddenly feel much more at peace with it."

The Hairpin Woman actually seemed to seriously consider Fu Qian's statement. A moment later, all signs of doubt vanished from her face, replaced by a smile.

"I really should have listened to Hugh's advice back then and gone with everyone to visit Your Excellency."

But her expression quickly shifted to one of intense regret, as if she had just missed out on a fortune.

Oh? So the honorific from earlier wasn't just out of politeness?

From those words, Fu Qian immediately gleaned a significant amount of information.

It sounded like this young woman had immediately taken him for someone of considerable status and standing.

As for why—it was because the person he was currently impersonating was indeed someone of considerable status.

"It's fine. There's still time now."

Fu Qian looked down at his clothes, signaling that she didn't need to be too disappointed.

"It's getting a bit late. I have to head back before six o'clock."

Sure enough, the Hairpin Woman interpreted this as an invitation, though she ultimately declined with an embarrassed smile.

"What happened to Your Excellency's clothes? It looks like they snagged on something and tore."

Before Fu Qian could reply, she gestured toward his collar.

"It almost made me fail to recognize you just now."

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