14 The Phantom Fifth Floor

"Father?" Casimir knocked on the door of Mr. Proulx's office but, after hearing no answer even after he had knocked repeatedly, he decided to just enter directly instead. "Father, I'm coming in."

Tentatively, Casimir entered the office and was greeted by... No one. The room was empty.

No wonder no one answered! Well, at least I can explore this place all I want!

And Casimir did just that.

With eyes glistening, he flitted around the office like a butterfly on drugs, checking out the various objects inside unreservedly.

Wow! It really is an eyeball! Oh oh! Is that a human brain?! Ooh~ What's this? I've never seen anything like this one before! The library doesn't seem to have this book?

Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, Casimir spotted a mysterious looking book.

Hmm? Magick Moste Evile?

Sounds like a collection of the most evil dark arts... I'll take it.

Casimir sat down on the floor at the space between the bookshelf and the corner of the room and began reading silently.

Coincidentally, the place he just picked to read in was actually a blindspot to a person if he were to stand by or sit on the chair behind the desk, not to mention, the area was also situated beside the door so, if one were to enter the office, the door would open in a way that would cover that space.

Or perhaps, it wasn't a coincidence at all.

Perhaps, due to the instinct that had been honed from his decades of experience from being an assassin in his previous world, Casimir had unconsciously chosen a spot where his body felt was the safest in the room.

Whatever it was, no one but Casimir would probably know. At least in this world.

...

After an unknown amount of time,Mr. Proulx finally appeared in his office.

Although he arrived silently, Casimir still noticed his arrival.

The air shifted... Casimir thought to himself and looked towards the desk at center of the back part of the office, seeing a silhouette of a man sitting on the leather chair. It seems that father has arrived.

Seeing that the man seemed to be busy thinking about something deeply, Casimir decided to keep quiet and not disturb him for the meantime.

Casimir continued reading as silence enveloped the room... Well, that was until Mr. Proulx began to mumble to himself.

"...what...thing...dangerous...get rid of it...cursed object...Malfoy...Slytherin..." Due to the distance between the two of them, Casimir couldn't hear what Mr. Proulx was saying. All he heard were snippets of his mumbling but, that was enough for him to guess what it was about.

He theorized that his father was carrying with him an object that might be cursed or dangerous which, Mr. Malfoy is in need of and was connected to some Slytherin thing or person.

He wasn't quite sure though. That was only his theory.

Having already heard enough, Casimir decided to make his presence known. He hid the book inside the hidden pocket of his coat and stood up. "Cough."

Mr. Proulx's head snapped towards Casimir's direction in a panic but, quickly felt relieved when he saw that it was only his son. "...Casimir... How long have you been there?"

"I had just arrived, father." Casimir lied.

"Oh, I see." Mr. Proulx said, clearly out of it.

"...Father?" Casimir waved his hand in front of the man's face to grab his attention which seemed to have flown to Neverland.

"Ah... Yes?" Casimir had the urge to facepalm himself.

"Why did you call for me, father." Casimir just sighed and asked.

"...Ah, right!" Finally, Mr. Proulx had a reaction. He smiled apologetically to Casimir but, he had an exhausted look in his eyes despite him trying to hide it.

Mr. Proulx then proceeded to grab something from under his desk.

It was a black, oddly shaped case!

After laying the case on his desk, Mr. Proulx opened it, showing a shiny, stringed instrument and a bow inside.

"Your present from your mother. A violin." Mr. Proulx said after seeing Casimir's look of confusion.

Oh! I nearly forgot about that matter!

"Thank you, father." Casimir smiled knowingly.

Casimir actually only said he wanted an instrument as a joke and didn't expect to actually receive one but, he really did feel genuinely grateful for this. The only thing was...

His mother's owl never came to bring the instrument. That was why, he thanked his father instead of his mother.

Mr. Proulx sighed helplessly to himself when he realized this fact.

...

The next morning, when Casimir got up and was ready to head for the stables, he heard soft whispers coming from the kitchen.

It was the servants gossiping with each other. Curious, Casimir decided to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"I swear! I really heard it! You can go ask Alice! She was with me last night!" A maidservant said desperately. "Why don't any one of you believe me?"

"Dear, we would like to believe you but... There really is no fifth floor in this manor." A voice which Casimir recognized to belong to a chef in the kitchen replied.

"But... I really did hear footsteps above the fourth floor..." The same voice from before said quietly.

After that, Casimir started walking away.

Footsteps above the fourth floor? Perhaps there is a phantom fifth floor in this manor...

Casimir grinned to himself, his eyes glowing with excitement; ready to cause mischief.

That just means another floor to mess up!