Chapter 61: The Crying Room

After that mortifying moment with Scaramouche, Lumine tried to shake off her flustered state as they continued exploring. She was determined not to think about the so-called angel kiss, and definitely not about the way his lips had felt against her forehead.

The group ascended a creaky staircase, their lanterns casting flickering shadows along the dusty walls. The air grew heavier, colder—almost suffocating.

Then, a sound froze them in place.

Waaaaaah… waaaaaah…

A baby’s crying.

Lumine’s breath hitched.

"But… there’s no one here," Furina whispered, gripping her lantern tighter.

Heizou’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the hallways. "That’s coming from up ahead."

Aether’s expression darkened. "We should be careful."

Hu Tao, however, grinned. "Oooh~ spooky~! Maybe it’s a ghost baby! What if it jumps at us when we open the door?"

Lumine glared at her. "You don’t have to say that right before we check!"

Scaramouche smirked. "What’s wrong, princess? You’re not scared, are you?"

"Shut up, indigo."

As they moved closer, the wailing grew louder, echoing through the empty hall. The eerie sound made the hairs on Lumine’s arms rise.

Finally, they reached the nursery door.

It was slightly ajar.

The crying stopped instantly.

An unnatural silence filled the air.

Lumine swallowed. "That’s not normal."

Aether stepped forward cautiously, pushing the door open fully.

Inside, an old rocking chair creaked ever so slightly, though there was no one sitting in it. Dust coated the abandoned room, a few broken toys scattered on the floor. A small, cracked crib sat in the corner, empty and forgotten.

"There's nothing here…" Furina whispered.

Suddenly—

THUMP.

The crib shook violently.

Everyone jumped.

Lumine grabbed Scaramouche’s sleeve without thinking.

"Tch—!" He glanced down at her with a smirk. "Scared, princess?"

"No," she lied, but refused to let go.

Hu Tao, completely unbothered, stepped inside. "Well, if there’s a ghost baby, we might as well say hi—"

SLAM!

The door shut behind them.

The lanterns flickered.

The crying started again—but this time, it sounded distorted.

Like it wasn’t coming from a baby at all.

Well mimic players and fans I know it's not plotting like the actual game but I really want to make this interesting