Josh appropriately showed a hint of curiosity.
The chef chuckled: "But since he is the heir to the throne, he has so much to learn every day, and the old King wouldn’t let him go out. So, he would always beg to take him out."
"I go out every month to personally purchase various spices, so I often secretly took him out to play."
"Every ti we got caught, the old King would severely punish him, locking him in the attic. They thought this would make him submit, but it only made him yearn for the outside world even more."
"Later, the old King ca up with a plan. He lied to Sisi, saying that all the citizens were cursed by a witch, and only if he got perfect scores in all subjects could the citizens be freed from the curse."
"From then on, it was as if he beca a different person, sacrificing all his ti, studying day and night like a learning puppet. This lasted for over ten years until he got perfect scores in all subjects. When the old King was ready to pass on the throne, he told him the curse was fake, just to make him study hard and not play outside."
"Sisi went mad; he started ranting and raving, hating the King like a lunatic."
"You have no idea how much suffering and breakdown he endured for those years. Countless tis he wished to fly out of the window like a bird, but thinking of the innocent citizens, he had to grit his teeth and continue studying, numbed to the point of almost not feeling anything from the outside world."
Josh pressed her lips together, recalling the gloomy and handso face of Sisi at the banquet that day.
No wonder he’s always so sullen; turns out he was tricked into overstudying from a young age.
The chef patted her shoulder: "Miss Josh, if you really love Sisi, treat him a little better. This child’s unfortunate experiences are many."
Josh nodded: "I understand, thank you, Mr. Chef."
The chef handed her a key: "If you’re willing to take him out to play, I think he would be very happy."
Josh took the key and frowned slightly. The other NPCs were all trying to keep Sisi in the castle, so why did the chef want her to take him out?
Is this a test?
Josh replied vaguely: "Hopefully, there will be a chance, but for now, I think it’s nice to stay in the castle."
The chef smiled and nodded: "Then you can wander around; there are many hidden surprises in the castle. I need to start preparing lunch now."
Josh stood up, bid him goodbye, and turned to leave the kitchen.
She glanced at the ti; it was already past 10, missing her appointnt with Yuze.
Looks like she’ll have to wait until tomorrow, or try her luck wandering around to see if she can run into him.
Josh began wandering around since the chef ntioned there were hidden surprises in the castle, which should imply there were items to find.
She found a quiet corner and opened the two items she obtained earlier, discovering they were both mory fragnts.
She held the fragnts in her hand.
[Congratulations, you’ve obtained a key item, a hair tie, unlocking the plot "The Tragic Past of Prince Sisi and His Lover" Scene 3.]
In this mory fragnt, Prince Sisi was in the castle with his beloved girl, who was combing his hair.
Josh noticed the girl’s clothing, resembling a maid’s uniform.
Could the Prince have fallen in love with a maid?
She couldn’t help but recall the words of the female ghost earlier, who implied the Prince was a romantic.
But from these mory fragnts, the Prince didn’t seem particularly frivolous.
It just showed he was indeed very lonely, needing companionship.
Josh put the fragnt away and took out another.
[Congratulations, you’ve obtained a key item, a rope, unlocking the plot "The Tragic Past of Prince Sisi and His Lover" Scene 5.]
In this fragnt, Josh saw the scene of Sisi and his beloved being forcibly separated by the King, the woman being stabbed to death in the hall by guards while Sisi was in utter despair beside them.
Apparently, due to the woman’s status, being with her would lead to the Prince’s death, and the King couldn’t stand to see the carefully nurtured heir elope and lose his life with a woman, so he had to break them apart.
Josh put the items away, frowning slightly. Who knows how many of these tiny fragnts are left.
She thought while wandering aimlessly to the first floor and pushed open a nearby door.
The arrangent of the room made her freeze.
It looked like a child’s room, seemingly often cleaned, as the dark wooden desk was spotless.
But the floor was strewn with various toys, checkers boards, Chinese checkers pieces, blocks, and a small rocking horse.
Josh walked in, and saw a painting on the wall, depicting a child that, although young, vaguely resembled Sisi’s childhood.
It seed this was where Sisi stayed as a child, a playroom perhaps.
Although a playroom, these toys looked very new, as if they were seldom used.
Josh casually rummaged through the room and opened a drawer, inadvertently seeing a diary.
She raised an eyebrow, A kid’s diary?
The feeling of snooping into soone else’s privacy was really...
Just as she was about to pick up the diary, a faint noise ca from behind her.
Josh turned abruptly, facing a pair of gloomy eyes, a vine covered with thorns rapidly erging from the ground, aiming for her heart.
She quickly pulled out her machete to defend herself, while her other hand swiftly tossed the diary into her inventory.
[Ding! Congratulations! You’ve obtained a hidden item, a magical diary. The beginning records Prince Sisi’s tragic childhood, but later, you can freely write your own desired scenarios!]
It sounded like it had practical use.
But she didn’t have ti to study this item now, as the monster was visibly enraged by her taking the diary, pursuing her with relentless attacks.
"Give it back! You thief!"
"No one can take away His Highness’s belongings! No one!"
"Give it back to !"
"Are you looking for death?"
The female ghost’s upper body resembled a dead maid’s specter, while her lower half was composed of thorns and roses.
Her legs, ford by countless thorny vines, moved much faster than human legs.
Josh was quickly falling behind, despite her rapid rolls.
Just then, soone else burst in, startled by the scene in the room.
"Josh, why are you fighting again? Didn’t I just see you with that woman earlier pulling flowers from her hair?!"
Josh glanced distractedly outside; it was Rob, with Yushi closely following him.
She pulled out her long knife, severing the vine of the opponent and instinctively retreated to Rob and the others.
Rob noticed sothing strange about her knife: "Weird, how can your knife hurt them? I couldn’t do anything to them with the fruit knife I stole elsewhere!"
Josh smacked the green pig head on his cap: "Because I’m more likable than you; the chef gave it to ."
Rob was incredulous: "Him?? That chef who chases us with a knife across eight blocks at the drop of a hat?"
Josh didn’t have ti for nonsense, dodging while saying, "Stop looking and help !"
Rob trembled, looking at the female ghost whose thorny vines rose higher than his head: "But I I I... I don’t have a weapon!"
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