Chapter 7 — The Girl in the Highest Room
The broken window was still swinging in the cold night wind.
Moko stood beneath it, staring upward.
The girl was gone.
Only darkness remained.
Chamot sat completely still.
That was what frightened Moko the most.
Usually, Chamot never stayed still for more than a few seconds.
She climbed things.
She scratched things.
She knocked things over.
She chased shadows.
She annoyed everyone.
But now she was silent.
Her eyes remained fixed on the highest room of Rudrgarh Mansion.
Moko slowly crouched beside her.
“Chamot?”
The cat didn't look at him.
Moko touched her back.
Chamot's fur was cold.
Very cold.
Rizu walked closer.
“She knows that girl.”
Moko looked at her.
“How?”
Rizu stared at the broken window.
“I don't know yet.”
Sizububu looked toward the mansion.
“Then we'll find out.”
Tofu raised the old iron key.
“And we need to be careful.”
Moko glanced at him.
“Why?”
Tofu looked at the key.
“Because Arkan told us not to open the third prison.”
Moko frowned.
“But the second prisoner is still trapped.”
Sizububu nodded.
“And she's calling Chamot.”
Rizu looked at the highest window.
“Which means she wants us inside.”
Moko sighed.
“Every time someone in this mansion invites us inside, something terrible happens.”
Tofu smiled.
“Then tonight shouldn't be different.”
Moko stared at him.
“That wasn't funny.”
They approached the mansion.
The front doors were still open.
No wind moved them.
No sound came from inside.
The moment Chamot stepped through the entrance—
BANG!
The doors slammed shut.
Moko jumped.
“Of course!”
Tofu tried the door.
Locked.
Sizububu looked around.
“Don't panic.”
Moko stared at him.
“I'm not panicking.”
A shadow passed across the ceiling.
Moko immediately moved behind Tofu.
“I am standing here strategically.”
Tofu laughed.
Rizu raised her hand.
“Wait.”
Everyone became silent.
“What?”
“I can hear something.”
They listened.
A soft sound came from upstairs.
A girl humming.
Very quietly.
The tune was beautiful.
But there was something wrong with it.
The final note repeated again and again.
Moko whispered—
“That's creepy.”
Chamot suddenly walked toward the stairs.
Moko grabbed her.
“Not alone.”
Chamot looked at him.
Then she bit his finger.
“Ow!”
She escaped and started climbing.
Moko sighed.
“Why do I even try?”
The five followed her.
As they climbed, the humming became louder.
The first floor was empty.
The second floor was empty.
The third floor was darker.
And at the end of the corridor was a staircase leading even higher.
Moko looked up.
“How many floors does this house have?”
Tofu answered—
“Six.”
Moko stared.
“I thought it had four.”
Tofu shook his head.
“It did.”
Moko frowned.
“Then where did the other two come from?”
Rizu looked upward.
“They were hidden.”
Sizububu's face became serious.
“Keep moving.”
They climbed.
The fourth floor was covered with old paintings.
The fifth floor had no windows.
The sixth floor—
was completely different.
The walls were white.
The floor was clean.
There was no dust.
No broken furniture.
No cobwebs.
It looked like someone still lived there.
Moko stopped.
“This is worse.”
Tofu looked around.
“Why?”
“Because the rest of the mansion looks abandoned.”
He pointed at the floor.
“This place looks cared for.”
Rizu nodded.
“Someone is here.”
Chamot walked down the hallway.
At the very end was a wooden door.
A blue ribbon was tied around its handle.
Chamot stopped.
She stared at it.
Moko slowly approached.
“Do you know this?”
Chamot touched the ribbon with her nose.
Her blue mark appeared.
The ribbon began glowing.
Rizu gasped.
“That's the same color as the symbol.”
Sizububu reached for the door.
Chamot suddenly blocked him.
Moko blinked.
“She doesn't want you to open it.”
Sizububu looked at Chamot.
“Why?”
The cat turned toward the door.
Then scratched it.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Moko sighed.
“She wants us to open it.”
Tofu laughed.
“So which one is it?”
Moko stared.
“With Chamot, you never know.”
Sizububu opened the door.
The room was enormous.
There were no beds.
No furniture.
Only mirrors.
Hundreds of them.
The walls were covered from floor to ceiling.
But none reflected the five.
They were completely black.
In the center of the room stood a little girl.
She wore a white dress.
Her hair was long.
Her feet didn't touch the floor.
She was staring at Chamot.
Moko whispered—
“That's her.”
Rizu nodded.
“The real second prisoner.”
The girl smiled.
“Chamot.”
The cat's ears lifted.
She slowly walked forward.
Moko followed.
The girl crouched.
Chamot approached her.
For a moment, the cat and the ghost simply stared at each other.
Then the girl touched Chamot's head.
The blue mark on Chamot's paw began glowing.
The room changed.
The mirrors filled with images.
Moko saw himself.
Tofu saw himself.
Sizububu saw himself.
Rizu saw herself.
And Chamot—
saw something else.
A memory.
A hundred years ago.
The same room.
The girl was alive.
She was sitting on the floor.
Chamot was sleeping beside her.
The girl was laughing.
She held a small red ribbon.
She tied it around Chamot's neck.
Moko watched the memory.
His expression softened.
“So they knew each other.”
Rizu nodded.
The memory changed.
The girl was older.
She was standing beside Arkan.
He was holding a strange book.
The girl looked angry.
“You promised.”
Arkan answered—
“I know.”
“You promised nobody would be hurt.”
Arkan looked away.
The girl turned toward Chamot.
“She trusted you.”
Arkan said nothing.
The memory changed again.
The girl was crying.
Chamot stood beside her.
The Keeper appeared behind them.
The girl screamed—
“Stay away!”
The Keeper raised his hand.
Black chains appeared.
They wrapped around the girl.
Chamot attacked the chains.
The Keeper pushed her away.
The girl screamed—
“CHAMOT!”
The memory broke.
Moko clenched his fists.
“That was the day.”
The girl looked at him.
“Yes.”
“What happened after?”
She looked at Chamot.
“She tried to save me.”
Rizu asked—
“From the Keeper?”
The girl shook her head.
“From Arkan.”
Everyone became silent.
Moko stared.
“Arkan?”
The girl nodded.
“Arkan wanted to open the Hollow.”
Sizububu stepped forward.
“Why?”
“Because he believed it could bring back the dead.”
Rizu frowned.
“But you said he knew it was dangerous.”
“He learned that later.”
The girl looked toward the black mirrors.
“Before that, he believed the Hollow was a doorway.”
“To where?”
“The world of the dead.”
Moko asked—
“And Chamot?”
The girl's eyes filled with sadness.
“Chamot knew the truth.”
Rizu stared.
“How?”
The girl looked at the cat.
“She could see the Hollow.”
Moko frowned.
“But we can all see ghosts.”
“Not the Hollow.”
The girl shook her head.
“Chamot could see what was inside it.”
The room became colder.
Sizububu asked—
“What was inside?”
The girl whispered—
“Memories.”
Rizu's eyes widened.
“The Hollow feeds on memories?”
“Yes.”
“Then why does it want souls?”
The girl looked at her.
“Because memories are what make a soul.”
Moko slowly understood.
“So if it takes all your memories…”
“You stop being yourself.”
Silence.
The girl looked at Chamot.
“That was what happened to her.”
Moko crouched.
“Chamot lost her memories?”
The girl nodded.
“Most of them.”
Rizu stepped closer.
“Then how does she remember us?”
“She doesn't.”
Everyone froze.
Moko looked confused.
“What?”
The girl smiled sadly.
“She remembers how she felt.”
Moko looked at Chamot.
The cat stared at him.
“She doesn't remember your names.”
Moko's expression changed.
“But she trusts you.”
“She remembers your presence.”
Rizu whispered—
“That's why she always follows us.”
The girl nodded.
“She remembers that she once protected you.”
Moko looked away.
For the first time, his eyes were wet.
He rubbed them quickly.
Tofu noticed but didn't say anything.
Sizububu asked—
“What happened to Chamot after she entered the Hollow?”
The girl became silent.
Then she said—
“Arkan sent her.”
Moko's expression hardened.
“You said that before.”
“Yes.”
“Why did he send her?”
The girl looked toward the mirror.
“Because the Hollow would only open for her.”
Rizu stared.
“Why?”
“Because Chamot wasn't fully alive.”
Everyone looked at the cat.
Moko frowned.
“What does that mean?”
The girl answered—
“Chamot died before she entered the Hollow.”
Silence.
Moko stared at her.
“What?”
“She was already a ghost.”
Rizu's eyes widened.
“But she looks alive.”
“She chose to return.”
“To a cat's body?”
The girl nodded.
“The Hollow gave her a choice.”
Moko looked down at Chamot.
“And she chose us?”
The girl smiled.
“Yes.”
Chamot suddenly jumped onto Moko's shoulder.
Moko looked at her.
“Why do you keep doing that?”
Chamot wrapped her tail around his neck.
The girl laughed softly.
“She always did that.”
Moko smiled.
Then the room suddenly became cold.
The girl's smile disappeared.
“Someone is coming.”
Rizu looked toward the door.
“Who?”
The girl whispered—
“The Keeper.”
The mirrors began shaking.
One by one, black surfaces turned red.
Moko stepped backward.
“Again?”
Sizububu moved forward.
“Stay behind us.”
The girl shook her head.
“No.”
She stepped toward the mirrors.
“I have to face him.”
Rizu grabbed her arm.
“You can't fight him alone.”
The girl looked at her.
“I don't have to.”
She looked toward Chamot.
“She's here.”
Chamot jumped down.
The blue symbol appeared beneath her paws.
The entire room began glowing.
A voice echoed from the mirrors.
“You were told to stay forgotten.”
The girl raised her head.
“You were told to leave me alone.”
The Keeper appeared inside every mirror.
Hundreds of faces.
Hundreds of red eyes.
Moko whispered—
“That is horrifying.”
Tofu raised the iron key.
“Can the key stop him?”
The girl shook her head.
“No.”
“Then what can?”
She pointed at Chamot.
“Her.”
Chamot stared at the mirrors.
The Keeper laughed.
“You still think she remembers.”
The girl replied—
“She doesn't need to.”
The Keeper's laughter stopped.
The girl continued.
“Her heart remembers.”
The mirrors cracked.
CRACK!
The Keeper appeared in the center mirror.
He stared directly at Chamot.
“You don't know what she did.”
Moko stepped forward.
“Then tell us.”
The Keeper looked at him.
“She opened the Hollow.”
Moko frowned.
“No.”
“She did.”
Rizu shook her head.
“She tried to stop it.”
The Keeper smiled.
“That is what she believes.”
Moko looked at Chamot.
The cat was staring at the Keeper.
The Keeper raised one hand.
The mirror showed another memory.
Chamot stood inside a massive underground chamber.
The Hollow was beneath her.
The five friends were unconscious around her.
The girl was trapped in chains.
Arkan stood nearby.
The Keeper appeared.
He shouted—
“Don't open it!”
Chamot looked at him.
Then she touched the Hollow.
The entire chamber exploded with blue light.
The Keeper's voice echoed—
“She opened it.”
The memory ended.
Moko stared.
“She did open it.”
Rizu looked at the girl.
“Why?”
The girl answered—
“Because she was trying to save us.”
The Keeper laughed.
“That's not why.”
Everyone turned.
The Keeper's eyes glowed.
“She opened the Hollow because it promised her something.”
Moko's face hardened.
“What?”
The Keeper looked at Chamot.
“Your life.”
Chamot froze.
The room became silent.
The Keeper continued.
“She wanted to live.”
Moko stared.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It does.”
The Keeper looked at the cat.
“She was dying.”
The girl nodded.
“Chamot was dying before she entered the Hollow.”
Moko looked down.
Chamot was staring at the floor.
The Keeper said—
“The Hollow promised to give her a body.”
Rizu whispered—
“And in exchange?”
The Keeper answered—
“Her memories.”
Moko's face changed.
“So Chamot traded her memories for another chance to live.”
“Yes.”
Sizububu clenched his fists.
“And the Hollow lied?”
“No.”
The Keeper's voice became quiet.
“It kept its promise.”
Everyone looked at Chamot.
The cat slowly raised her head.
The Keeper continued—
“She lived.”
Moko's eyes filled with tears.
“But she forgot.”
“Yes.”
The girl stepped forward.
“And I was the one who asked her to do it.”
The Keeper looked at her.
“You manipulated her.”
“I begged her.”
“You lied.”
The girl shook her head.
“I told her the truth.”
The Keeper's voice became louder.
“You knew she would forget everything!”
The girl cried—
“She was going to die!”
Silence.
Chamot walked toward the girl.
The girl knelt.
Chamot touched her forehead against the girl's hand.
The girl began crying.
“I'm sorry.”
Chamot closed her eyes.
Moko whispered—
“She remembers her.”
The girl shook her head.
“No.”
She smiled sadly.
“She remembers loving me.”
Suddenly the mirrors shattered.
BOOM!
The Keeper disappeared.
The girl screamed.
A black chain wrapped around her wrist.
The Keeper's voice echoed—
“You will remain here.”
Sizububu shouted—
“Release her!”
The chain tightened.
The girl screamed.
Moko ran forward.
“Let her go!”
The Keeper appeared behind her.
“You wanted the ghosts free.”
Moko stopped.
The Keeper looked at the five.
“Then prove it.”
The girl was dragged toward the mirror.
Rizu raised her hand.
The blue mark on her palm appeared.
She could see the chain clearly.
“It isn't attached to her.”
Sizububu looked at her.
“What?”
Rizu pointed.
“It is attached to the mirror.”
Tofu understood.
“The mirror is the prison.”
Rizu nodded.
“Exactly.”
Sizububu looked at Chamot.
“Can she open it?”
The girl shouted—
“No!”
Everyone froze.
“Why?”
The girl stared at Chamot.
“Because if she opens it, she will remember everything.”
Moko looked at the cat.
“Is that bad?”
The girl's eyes filled with fear.
“Yes.”
“What happens?”
The girl whispered—
“She'll remember why she died.”
The room went silent.
Moko looked at Chamot.
The cat stared at the girl.
Then at the mirror.
Then at Moko.
The blue mark appeared.
The mirror began glowing.
Moko immediately understood.
“She's going to do it.”
The girl shook her head.
“Chamot, no!”
The cat stepped forward.
The Keeper appeared.
“You'll regret this.”
Chamot continued.
Moko moved beside her.
“She's not doing it alone.”
Sizububu joined them.
Then Tofu.
Then Rizu.
The five stood together.
The girl stared at them.
Moko looked at Chamot.
“Whatever you remember…”
He smiled.
“We'll be here.”
Chamot looked at him.
Her eyes softened.
Then she touched the mirror.
BOOM!
A massive wave of blue light exploded.
The mansion shook.
Every ghost in every prison screamed.
The master seal appeared in the air.
The second symbol began turning white.
The black chain shattered.
The girl fell forward.
Moko caught her.
“She is free!”
The Keeper screamed.
“No!”
The mirrors shattered completely.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Then—
silence.
Moko slowly opened his eyes.
The girl was lying in his arms.
Her body was becoming transparent.
Rizu knelt beside her.
“She is fading.”
Moko panicked.
“What?”
The girl smiled.
“That's normal.”
“Normal?”
“I've been trapped for a hundred years.”
She looked toward Chamot.
“I only wanted to see her again.”
Chamot walked closer.
The girl touched her paw.
“Thank you.”
The blue mark on Chamot's paw disappeared.
The girl looked at the five.
“You freed me.”
Sizububu nodded.
“Where will you go?”
The girl looked toward the ceiling.
“Home.”
A soft blue light surrounded her.
Her body began disappearing.
But before she vanished, she whispered—
“Don't trust the Keeper.”
Moko frowned.
“You just told us he was protecting the Hollow.”
The girl smiled.
“He is.”
“Then why not trust him?”
Her expression became serious.
“Because he is protecting something else too.”
Rizu asked—
“What?”
The girl looked toward Chamot.
“Her secret.”
Then she disappeared.
The room became silent.
Moko slowly looked at Chamot.
The cat was staring at the place where the girl had vanished.
Tofu looked at the master seal.
Two symbols were now white.
Sizububu spoke quietly.
“Two real prisoners freed.”
Rizu nodded.
“Eighteen remain.”
Moko looked toward the door.
“And the third prison?”
A deep heartbeat answered from beneath the mansion.
THUMP.
The five froze.
The second prison was free.
But the third was waking.
Then a voice came from somewhere below.
Not the Hollow.
Not the Keeper.
Not Arkan.
A woman's voice.
“Help me…”
Rizu's face changed.
“There's another spirit nearby.”
Moko frowned.
“Where?”
Rizu pointed downward.
“Under this room.”
Tofu looked at the floor.
A thin crack appeared.
Then another.
Sizububu stepped back.
The floor began opening.
A staircase appeared beneath them.
It led down.
Much deeper than the mansion's foundation.
Moko stared.
“Didn't we already go underground?”
Rizu shook her head.
“This is different.”
“How?”
She looked into the darkness.
“This staircase wasn't here before.”
Chamot walked toward it.
Moko immediately grabbed her.
“No.”
Chamot stared at him.
Moko pointed at the stairs.
“We are not following another mysterious staircase tonight.”
Chamot looked at the darkness.
Then back at Moko.
Then she slowly raised one paw.
Moko narrowed his eyes.
“Don't.”
Chamot placed her paw on the first step.
The staircase lit up.
Moko sighed.
“Fine.”
They began descending.
But they didn't notice something.
Behind them, on the wall, one of the broken mirrors still remained.
Its surface was cracked.
And inside it—
Arkan was watching them.
He whispered—
“Two freed.”
Then another figure appeared beside him.
The Keeper.
Arkan looked at him.
“You lied to them.”
The Keeper answered—
“So did you.”
Arkan's expression hardened.
The Keeper smiled.
“Now they will go to the third prison.”
Arkan stared into the mirror.
“And if they free it?”
The Keeper looked toward Chamot.
“Then the Hollow wakes.”
Arkan's face became pale.
“But if they don't…”
The Keeper finished his sentence.
“Then the third prisoner remains trapped forever.”
Arkan closed his eyes.
For the first time, he looked completely helpless.
The Keeper whispered—
“Let's see what they choose.”
Far below the mansion, the five continued descending.
And Chamot—
who had once sacrificed her memories to save them—
was beginning to remember.
Not everything.
Not yet.
But enough to know one terrible truth.
She had not entered the Hollow alone.
Someone had followed her inside.