I exited the mansion, lost and robbed of my identity. Averting my gaze to the surroundings, I realized I was back to where I had started. I spaced out, and shifted my thoughts towards the mystery at hand. There were no leads which I could gather, and the military would no longer provide assistance. I was left all alone in a pit with no thread to climb up.
The mansion's garden was filled with greenery. Trees were placed everywhere on the lush green floor. It seemed to extend in all directions, and formed a square perimeter. The plants outgrew from the boundary, leaning towards the ground. A white, marble fountain was placed in the middle of the entrance. I walked towards the creaking main gate, Now, the moon had started to settle down.
"Where are you walking to this late at night, eh? You do not seem like a local. Where are you from?"
I put a stern focus on the man. He had short grey hair which extended to his ears, and a clean shave. He wore a dark red, night outfit. A torch was in his left hand. It was the old man whom I had met before. Then, suddenly as I tried to speak, my ears started to ring from unknown voices.
"Murderer! Murderer!"
My eyes closed instinctively. Multiple voices came, and it echoed. I shouted as they became louder. An unsettling memory of my family came to mind. What if I were to never meet them again? The pain started to subside soon, along with the ringing.
"Are you all right?"
He held me with his remaining hand. I could see both pity and fear in his eyes. There was a faint sense of worry in his voice. I tried to speak. I hoped the voices would not repeat themselves.
"Sir, do you recognize me?"
He looked confused. A perplexing thought grounded me. Was that all a dream? I put my gaze on where the man stood, but I could no longer find him. I ran further away from the house. There was no one, not even a single building. I gasped in despair. The air started to shriek again, and I saw my family standing in a circle around me. I stood at the center, and the words repeated again. It shook me.
"Murderer! Murderer!"
Now, the atmosphere started to feel eerie. I saw blood on my hands. This all must have been my own doing. I had fallen. I sinned the moment I touched the library. Now, I was trapped in limbo. The name 'Immanuel' came to recognition. It became clear why I could not discern its meaning earlier. I had become a vermin. This must be another delusion.
"Search this area at once, Kircheis."
I heard a voice come from behind me. A man with long hair stood, wearing a military uniform. His hair was white, but he looked young, especially for someone in the military. It looked like he had come from the outskirts, signified by the sigil of the dragon that he wore, which was put near his shoulders. I walked towards him, and he noticed my unusual walk.
"Are you from here? Do you know about anything that happened in this house?"
I felt it was an illusion again, despite his authentic voice. The friends, and colleagues in the military whom I held dear overlapped the figure. Their voices became vivid, as they called my name which had become hidden in obscurity. My voice felt hoarse. But, I knew that I must ask him nonetheless.
"Do you know of Hermann von Richter?"
I let out the question. It seemed like a lost name to me.
"Yes. Unfortunately, he was lost in combat."
My body felt numb. It felt like my senses were deceiving me. Finally, tears came out of this rotten self. After all the struggle I had come across, it felt strange to hear that I did exist in this world as Hermann.
"Sir, I am Hermann von Richter. As of the month of the Rat, I had fallen into sin after I entered the forbidden library. I am now Wolff Muller."
The man looked away, and let out a small gasp.
"I am Heinrich von Hohenberg, third in command of the Eastern Force!"
I felt at ease, meeting a person whom I can trust.
"Sir, I must depart to the Northern House at an instant. I must seek this case at once. There has been a murder inside. The likely cause is a spirit. I must report to Central immediately."
He nodded. There was a horse cart parked behind him, and he signaled to sit inside. On the horses, there were both the emblem of the Kingdom, and the Eastern House. Silver platings covered their saddles. The cart was made of dark wood, with a glass pane in front. The insides were luxurious. A comfortable, red couch was placed opposite to each other. A tea table lay in the center of it.
"We are going to the train station, by which we will arrive at the Northern House."
I feared that the same scenery would unfold again. But, I must go to the Northern House, and seek assistance as soon as I can. There was nowhere else I could go to, despite feeling unsure of their outlook. The horsecart now sped its way, leaving the mansion behind. I felt a hidden anxiety creep on me, and I failed to shake it off. The mystery remained an ominous conundrum, and it felt more compelling the more I tried to move my mind away from it. From the murder, time travel, to this premonition sense, I failed to grasp any part of it.
I started to feel drowsy, this time, out of comfort. I saw Heinrich look out of the cart with a worrisome look. It seemed this case must be important for him as well. The last sight were the leaning trees, which were a specialty of the main town.