Detective Bennet [Comprehensive novel]

Klimt Castle is located on a cliff, and its scale is not grand.

Passing through the outer stone wall doorway, a four-story building stands behind the outer lawn.Above the fourth floor, one floor is built on the east and west sides respectively. Under the triangular spire are the bell tower and the observation room.

"The three please follow me."

The steward led the way ahead, introducing the general layout of the castle along the way.

Entering from the suspension bridge in the south, the main body of the castle presents a cuboid-like building.The main entrance is the south gate of the castle, and there is a back gate in the north on the central axis.

Entering through the south gate, the first floor is conventionally used as a kitchen, servant's room, cleaning room, etc.

The stairs at both ends of the east and west can go upstairs, and the second floor is arranged in a north-south direction.The south side is the earl's master bedroom, study, and collection room, and the north side is the main hall, side hall and butler's room.

"A total of 18 distinguished guests attended the banquet this time, and they were arranged in guest rooms on the third and fourth floors."

The steward said that there are 16 guest rooms on the third and fourth floors. Some guests come with their wives, so naturally they will arrange slightly larger rooms.As for the servants brought by some guests, they stayed in the residence across the drawbridge due to the room restrictions of the castle.

"By the way, please don't go to the clock tower and watchtower. It's too windy and dangerous in this season."

The steward ordered the three of them to be arranged in adjacent rooms on the third floor.

Incense is lit early in the room, and the refreshing fragrance welcomes the guests who are staying.

Guan left one step ahead and asked the three of them to press the call handle if necessary.

It has a bell attached to its other end and is located in the servants' room on the first floor.As long as the bell rings, the attendants will soon come upstairs to provide various services.

As soon as he entered the door, Kelsey extinguished the incense first, and immediately opened the window to let out all the fragrance.

The room contains one living room, one bedroom and one bathroom. After a preliminary inspection, no abnormality was found in the furniture.

Draw the curtains and use the kerosene lamp to observe the dimly lit room, making sure there are no peepholes of suspicious shadows.She put down the mirror curtain again, and then quickly washed and tidied up in the bathroom.

The dark banquet held by Earl B is actually a party themed with weird elements.

The old castle restores the real scenes of various horror stories, such as the horror portraits in the corridor, the demon statue at the corner of the stairs, and the blood claw tearing wallpaper in the guest room, etc.

Of course, the guests participating in the banquet should also put on strange clothes.

Luckily, the outfits in the wardrobe aren't overly ostentatious.

At least not Medusa with coiled hair of dead snakes, or a werewolf in a wolf-fur jumpsuit.

Kelsey looked through the clothes prepared by the earl one by one, all of which fit the bearded figure.

It seems that the first time I met the steward in Leo Town, he estimated the size of the customer with only a short time, and quickly sent back the data for the maid to trim.

The style of the clothes is still the common style of dresses, what is unusual is that each pattern is ingenious.

Dark or blood-colored patterns, or dazzling or frightening patterns, are boldly drawn onto the dresses in pieces.

Reluctantly, Kelsey picked out the most understated change.

At seven o'clock in the night.

Count B entered the main hall with eighteen guests.

Unavoidably causing controversy, the left and right sides of Earl B's throne determined the long table seats from short to tall regardless of gender.

Kelsey is fifth on the right, with gold-rimmed glasses to his right, and directly across from Watson.Watson lowered his head slightly, trying to suppress the smile on the corner of his mouth.

Laugh, laugh what laugh.Did something funny happen?

Kelsey looked as if nothing had happened, maybe she was wearing a similar dress with gold-rimmed glasses.

They chose the same black dark pattern clothes, which had nothing to do with tacit understanding, but just rejected the dazzling patterns on other clothes as a normal aesthetic.

Compared with blood red, gold, crimson purple and other colors, or decorations such as glitter or feathers, dark patterns in black clothes cannot be more low-key.

Just as the patterns embroidered on their clothes imply, the demon god Amon with the crow head and canine teeth represents the hermit.

Gracia Rabos, who has a giant winged dog, even though he is the king of massacres, Demon God, also has the ability to make people invisible.

Invisibility is Kelsey's goal within ten days.

Although the party hasn't started yet, Kelsey's spirits are running low.The purpose of whoever asked her to come here has been achieved - she got to know "Chocolate Cake".

If she hadn't shouldered the hope of editor-in-chief Mike and made the Horror Publishing House more famous, she would have turned and left willfully the moment she saw the suspension bridge.

How about saying goodbye in advance after staying for two days?

Kelsey waited seriously on the surface, but she was thinking wildly.

Earl B was the last to sit down, and the steward began to arrange for the dishes to be served.

Before the meal, Earl B did not make a long speech, "Everyone has worked hard all the way up the mountain, you might as well save other words for after the meal to talk slowly. Then let's pray before the meal

——We are already on the border of darkness, and the broad road we came from has disappeared.Henceforth, all hope should be abandoned. "

Earl B's voice fell, and the table was silent for a while.

Looking around, the walls are reliefs of the dark forest, and the murals above the head are overcast clouds.The monsters with malicious intentions hid in it, peeking at the people in the hall with their heads and tails hidden.

At this time, the pale and thin Earl B recited the prayer in a hoarse and pious tone, like a gust of cold wind blowing across the backs of everyone's necks.

When the cold wind got into the collar, it turned into a poisonous snake, and it quickly crawled down the back, making people get goosebumps.

A few seconds later, the guests did as they please and began to chant the dark prayer one after another.

I can't help but secretly praise Earl B's acting skills.He is worthy of being the organizer of various themed banquets, and he can perform well in any theme he chooses.

Amidst the prayers, someone always spoke vaguely.

Kelsey changed the words secretly, "We are already in the dark border, and the broad road we came here has disappeared. From now on, I should open up a new road."

Hearing the gold-rimmed glasses beside him, he also secretly changed his words, "We are already in the dark border, and the broad road we came here has disappeared. From now on, I should open up a new road."

The accents of both of them are strong enough. The Scottish accent and the remote accent in northern Germany are so abducted that even the locals may not be able to hear them.

But after saying the last sentence, the folded hands of both of them moved slightly, no doubt they understood the lines that the other party had tampered with.

Coincidence, this is a coincidence.

No one looked sideways.

Kelsey and Sherlock put away their prayer gestures calmly, toasted with Earl B, and started the dark feast of Christmas Eve.

Different from the eerie atmosphere of the old castle, the ingredients for dinner on Christmas Eve are rich and fresh, and the cooking techniques have nothing to do with dark cuisine.

Perhaps, this meal is one of the few comforts in the difficult journey of the castle.

Kyle enters a state of ecstasy after the Western meal, Earl B will not hold a dance party, and will start a salon chat from tonight.

Open three side halls, silver candlesticks, white candles, burning dim light.

Guests can gather in one place, or chat privately in two or three.Choose your favorite soft chair in the shape of a monster, and you will feel as if you are hugged by a monster when you sit on it.

Of course, Earl B also opened his collection room for visitors to enjoy and visit at close range.

In the display cabinet, there are giant skeletons of mysterious creatures, human skull wine glasses inlaid with silver casings, golden scepters with strange symbols and other bizarre items.

Kelsey took advantage of the opportunity to enter the collection room, scanning the collection and observing the visitors.

She finally made sure of one thing, except for the dime fiction writers The Honest Trio, the other guests were more or less just visiting.

People are whispering, talking or exchanging or buying collections, and not limited to dark collections, antique calligraphy and painting, etc. can be bought and sold.

Is this the pursuit of art?

There may be some preferences for art, but more of it can show wealth and status.

Kelsey was able to successfully disappear because no one took the initiative to talk to her.

At the beginning of the salon, Earl B briefly introduced the origins of the guests, who were roughly divided into six groups:

The two bankers in Germany brought along with them two friends from the East.

The two rich merchants of sea trade in the Ottoman Empire brought their lovers and assistants respectively.

Two Barons of Italy and their lovers.

Heir to an antique business from France.

An officer and his lieutenants who are going back to France to be promoted to earls.

And three penny horror writers from England.

From the above, the composition of the guests of this dark banquet is clear at a glance.

Almost all celebrities and rich people, except for the honest trio.But only the careers of the honest trio fit the theme of dark stories.

For a moment, it was really hard to tell who was coming to make up the numbers.

But Kelsey knows well that in the eyes of others, bearded people are not worth mentioning. This person is too close to the general public.

At least he is a musician with gold-rimmed glasses, Watson is an intern at university, and only a bearded ordinary clerk with no future.

If you don't appreciate "Apep" sincerely, celebrities and rich people will never meet beards again in the future, and who will put down their bodies to make friends with them.

"Mr. Adair, I am very glad that you have come to the castle."

When the guests left the collection room in twos and threes, Earl B walked up to Kelsey, "Please forgive me, I'm not a talkative person, I wonder if I can have a conversation alone?"

Kelsey was going to go out with the crowd, but Earl B took the initiative to talk to him, so he could only act honored. "Oh! It's my pleasure."

"this way please."

Earl B turned a vase and opened the secret door of the collection room, "Please meet my wife, she has always liked dark novels. She will be very happy to see you."

Countess?

Kelsey was a little surprised, Count B's wife passed away three years ago.

I saw a studio behind the secret door.

On the left side of the bookshelf, on the right side is a tall glass cabinet.

Under the glass cover, there was a plaster mask.

The facial features of this mask are clear, the corners of the mouth of the woman's beautiful face are slightly drawn, and she is looking straight at the desk with her eyes open.

"Hey!" Kelsey gasped undisguisedly, "This? Is this the Countess?"

Earl B smiled and nodded, with soothing words, "It might scare you at first glance. But if you look closely, this is how Griselda used to accompany me.

Death masks have always been popular in Europe, and they are reserved for the last face of the next person when they die.But I think it would be better to make such a mask if Madam can open her eyes and smile. "

Kelsey was speechless for a moment.

If it hadn't been for a chance encounter in the forest and seeing a mutilated female mask in the basement, perhaps she would still be able to sigh that Earl B's affection is very special.

Earl B didn't care about Kelsey's speechlessness. He introduced the two parties solemnly, and looked at the mask affectionately.

"Griselda, here comes your favorite Apep. The stories I usually hear come from this gentleman. Oh! I know you want to say that I prefer "chocolate cake", yes, I prefer his strange The way of poisoning. "

Kelsey is like a human pillar, watching Earl B communicate with a mask without barriers, and all she has to do is smile when she is called.

This absurd play lasted for half an hour alive.

Earl B reluctantly bid farewell to the mask and sent Kelsey away from the inner room, "Sorry, I lost track of time when I was chatting with Griselda. We are really happy to meet you. Please relax and enjoy yourself Castle time."

Before entering the inner room, before seeing the countess mask, before watching live people chatting with the mask, you can still indulge in the vacation time of the castle.

How is Kelsey going to look at the word enjoy after this?

"Haha, I have never been to the ancient castle, and I will definitely live up to your kindness."

The poor bearded man continued to smile brightly, "I hope it won't cause you any trouble."

"It hasn't been this lively in the castle for a long time. I'm glad it's too late, so why bother? Let me tell you quietly, I invite you here this time because I have selfish motives."

Earl B said in a friendly tone, "I hope the three of you can film this place and write some stories. If you can give me and Griselda some scenes, we will be happy. Especially "The Sharpshooter Who Loves Roses", I hope to become the men and women in his works main character.Oh, please keep this a secret, I want to talk to Mr. Watson in person. "

Understood, the reason for inviting Watson to come.

Kelsey responded repeatedly and did not stay in the collection room.I would rather go to the side hall and listen to other guests chatting nonsense, but I don't want Earl B to let her write on the spot after a whim.

In the side hall, after a few glasses of wine, the unfamiliar guests became familiar.

The atmosphere gradually relaxed, and some people went to the corner to chat with the bearded beard.

The person who came was Mr. Tang from Huaguo, and he introduced himself as a scholar from Huaguo.Starting from cheap horror novels, it talked about the differences between Eastern and Western ghosts.

Kelsey doesn't hold back from communicating.The historical process of this time and space is quite different, and the Eastern Flower Country is powerful, which makes people wonder how history has turned a corner.

The bearded man is straightforward, and Mr. Tang is modest. The two gradually chatted speculatively. Before they knew it, two or three hours passed.

At this time, Kelsey offered to leave.

At 10:30 in the evening, there is no special situation to prepare for a rest.She doesn't want to hold off on dating sleep for anyone else other than solving a case.

Mr. Tang smiled and nodded, and the two said good night to each other.

Just a few steps after Kelsey walked out of the side hall, a woman's slender arm stretched out in front of her.

"Hey! Beard, want something good tonight?"

Rosalia, the lover of the Italian Baron, wore a low-cut skirt.She took a step forward, bent slightly on purpose to reveal half of the spring light, "Just imagine, your beard rubs against your smooth skin. We..."

"Sorry, ma'am. It may be caused by the mountain wind. I have some headaches and must go back to my room early to rest."

Kelsey interrupted the sudden sports invitation, and the four words of self-knowledge are always engraved in his heart.

It's not just knowing that he doesn't have the tools to commit crimes, but also knowing that the baron's mistress will not invite ordinary clerks for no reason.

Rosalia didn't expect that the silly boy would reject her without hesitation, and when the silly beard looked at her, he didn't even have a look of surprise in his eyes.

"An uninteresting fellow, no, another uninteresting fellow."

Rosalia watched angrily as the bearded man left in a hurry. Like the gold-rimmed glasses, avoiding her was like avoiding the plague again. "Dare to refuse me, I wish you a lifetime of virgins! Never understand the taste of love//things!"

Next day, 05:30.

People who go to bed early wake up early.

Kelsey hadn't gotten up yet, when she heard a loud bang not far away, as if something heavy had broken.She sat up with a jerk, didn't she?Is the suspension bridge broken?

Hastily dressed and left the room, but bumped into the steward with a pale face.

The steward took a deep breath, "Oh, Mr. Adair, don't panic."

Who panicked?

Kelsey thought clearly that the steward looked panic-stricken. Could it be that the suspension bridge is really broken?

The steward said, "I'm going to properly dispose of the bodies of the two barons and the two female companions. Please don't go in the direction of the clock tower."

what?

Kelsey was completely awake. What happened last night that four of them died at once?

The author has something to say:

I will strive for more tomorrow~