RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE - The House of Dimitrescu

Chapter 5 - Keys and Creatures

'How do I escape the village?' Y/N asked, intent on Duke's face.

'The village?' Duke repeated with a chuckle. 'Now, that might be a little more difficult than it appears.'

Y/N took note of the ominous tone in Duke's voice, and switched tack at top speed. 

'Alright then.' He continued. 'The village as a whole we can get to later. For now, how about the castle?'

'Now that,' the Duke's eyes flashed as he smiled broadly, 'is more do-able. I trust that, having survived this long already, you're aware of the Countess' daughters and their abilities?'

'Yes, I am.' Y/N replied, thinking back to the journals upstairs. The Duke nodded approvingly. 

'Good, then you will understand why all of the windows in this castle have been sealed shut with lead as to prevent... unfortunate accidents.' The Duke chuckled darkly. 'As for the doors, most of the internal ones remain unlocked so as to circulate heat between the rooms, but the external doors are sealed at all times, and can only be opened by a single key which the Countess keeps with her.'

Y/N nodded in understanding, thinking back to his last encounter with the Countess, and the large, brass key she had used to lock the doors as she entered the castle. 

'And I have to leave through one of the external doors?' He asked thoughtfully. Duke nodded.

'Indeed. The cliffs surrounding the castle are sheer, and in this weather,' he gestured outside to where Y/N could hear the wind howling, 'the rocks are slick and treacherous with snow.' Y/N nodded, then his mind returned to the brass key.

'How would you suggest going about taking the key?' Y/N asked gravely, already evaluating how he could overcome the inhuman woman. 

'Hmm... perhaps take a look inside her private chambers.' The Duke suggested to him. 'Though they are only slightly easier to access than Lady Dimitrescu herself.'

'How do you mean?' Y/N asked.

'Her chambers are accessed by means of a key which she keeps on her person at all times, and the chambers themselves are in the building to the right side of the courtyard, facing the outer wall.' The Duke explained.

'The courtyard doors remain locked, for the snow outside provides a threat to her daughters when the doors are opened. If you manage to locate the key and cross to the halls, you would still have to access her chambers from a balcony at her window, which may only be reached by a ladder from the cellars underneath the Hall of Ablutions.' 

Y/N's head was beginning to hurt. Keys, locks and halls swam across his mind like a haze of mosquitoes over water. 

'Isn't there an easier way?' he asked painedly. The Duke chuckled. 

'Well, you could always climb down,' he suggested, taking a deep pull from his cigar, 'but again, the tiles are treacherous, not to mention the creatures guarding the roof. You would need to be very skilled indeed to make it past them.'

Y/N took a deep breath, fiddling with the loop of chain on his belt, then glanced back at the door behind him. 

'Well, I guess I could give it a shot.' He murmured. Y/N got to his feet, thanked Duke for his help and for the food, and made to leave through the small doorway, but not before the Duke had called out to him. 

'One last piece of advice, Y/N.' He called over. 'The Countess and her daughters may have seen decades among them, but this castle has stood for centuries. You might find it has a few secrets which it has not yet revealed to its tenants.' Y/N paused, considering this, before he thanked Duke again for his help, and after checking to see if the coast was clear, he slipped out into the castle.