Noctis studied Silas’s face for a moment longer, then smiled.

  “Is that so?” he said lightly. “Then it must belong to someone else. Anyway, I should get going—I don’t want to slack off on my first day.”

  “Alright,” Silas replied. “Good luck, newbie.”

  Noctis turned and walked away without looking back.

  The moment Silas was out of sight; the smile drained from his face. His steps quickened as he returned to his room, locking the door behind him before finally allowing himself to breathe. His chest felt tight, his thoughts racing.

  If he wasted time here, he would end up like the previous gardener—or worse.

  He forced himself to calm down and opened the diary once more. As he reread its pages, a thought took shape in his mind.

  What if everyone in this mansion was once a victim of the same loop?

  If that was true, then how were his chances any better than theirs?

  He tried to push the thought away, but it lingered long after night fell.

  When Noctis woke the next morning, he wasn’t surprised by the loop.

  Panic would be pointless now. The only thing he could do was follow the leads left behind in the diary.

  Before that, he sought out Silas.

  “Could you show me around the mansion?” Noctis asked. “I’m still new here.”

  Silas agreed.

  They walked in silence for a while, the sound of gravel crunching beneath their boots the only proof that time was still moving—before it was turned back again.

  “So,” Noctis said casually, “is the routine always the same here?”

  Silas nodded. “Yes.”

  “No changes at all?”

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “Not usually.”

  Noctis hummed, as if satisfied. “And if someone messes up?”

  Silas stopped beside a neatly trimmed hedge. “They are corrected.”

  “By who?” Noctis asked.

  “The mansion.”

  “I see,” Noctis replied. “How long have you been working here?”

  Silas paused.

  “One year,” he said. “If I remember correctly… maybe the date was June 4th.”

  “June 4th, huh? I’m not really fond of that date,” Noctis said.

  “Really? What a coincidence. Me neither,” Silas replied.

  “Then we’re quite similar, I guess,” Noctis said.

  Silas stopped for a moment and replied in a serious voice, “No. We’re not.”

  Then he continued walking as if nothing had happened.

  Noctis was completely creeped out by the sudden shift in behavior, but he decided to continue.

  They walked in silence for a bit until Noctis asked, “Have people quit before? Because they couldn’t handle the work?”

  “They tried,” Silas answered. “But I guess they were too attached to the mansion and couldn’t leave.”

  “I see,” Noctis replied, uneasiness showing on his face.

  Silas stopped in his tracks, turned to look at Noctis, and said, “Well, there you go. I’ve shown you the entire exterior of the manor. If you want a tour of the inside, ask one of the maids—or the head maid.”

  “Why?” Noctis asked. “Are you not familiar with the inside of the manor?”

  “No. Actually, it’s the opposite,” Silas said. “I know the interior better than the maids and the head maid. It’s just that I’m not allowed inside the manor.”

  “Why? Have you done something wrong?”

  “Well… yeah, you could say that,” Silas replied. “I’m just receiving punishment for it.”

  “I understand. Thank you for today.”

  “It’s nothing, really. Anyway, you should get back to your work now.”

  “Of course. See you tomorrow, then.”

  Silas didn’t reply. He simply walked away, ignoring Noctis. Noctis also went on his way, choosing not to think too deeply about it.

  He went to look for the garden without grass that was mentioned in the diary. He remembered passing by it while walking with Silas, but Silas hadn’t said anything about it or described what kind of place it was.

  When Noctis arrived, the ground looked barren, yet the dirt was fresh and damp. He looked around the garden, but nothing was growing there, and it was exceptionally large for no clear reason.

  Noctis remembered something in the diary about shears related to the garden, but he didn’t understand what it meant—there wasn’t even a single blade of grass on the land.

  Deciding not to linger, Noctis chose to visit the second location he had planned for the day.

  The corridors.

  Name- Noctis Graham

  Age- 22

  Occupation- Gardener