The manor was vast — gathering clues wasn’t something that could be done in a moment. They first went to their respective rooms.

Along a long corridor, seven rooms stood side by side. Each door bore a nameplate with one of the women’s names on it.

After entering her room, Bai Youwei began by examining the walls, floor, and ceiling for hidden compartments, then checked the furniture — tables, chairs, wardrobe, bed — and finally the smaller objects: candleholders, mirrors, and jewelry boxes.

Nothing abnormal anywhere. She bolted the door from inside, and carefully drew the golden key from her collar —

Turning the key clockwise by half a turn in any space would open the door to the doll house.

She didn’t intend to hide inside just yet, but she was curious: could the doll house be used normally while inside a game?

Bai Youwei looked around the room and settled her gaze on the wardrobe door, which was carved with rose motifs.

She wheeled over, pressed one end of the golden key against the wardrobe door, and turned it clockwise, slowly, by half a turn…

Click.

The lock opened.

Bai Youwei felt an immediate wave of relief.

The doll house could still be used inside the game! That was unquestionably good news!

She opened the wardrobe door, and in doing so, opened the door to the doll house as well.

She could see the entrance hall and the sitting room within. She was just about to go inside when she found she couldn’t.

Bai Youwei reached out and felt it — as though an invisible barrier was blocking her, keeping her out.

A cold system chime sounded in her mind:

*”Player is currently in a game instance. Departure from the instance is not permitted.”*

Bai Youwei: “…”

She frowned, feeling displeased, and withdrew her hand.

So the doll house could be opened, yes — but she couldn’t enter it.

Bai Youwei pursed her lips, her mood soured.

At that moment, a soft knocking came at the door.

She furrowed her brow, slowly wheeled around, and went to answer it.

Standing outside were Zhu Shu and Su Man.

“Something the matter?” Bai Youwei asked with a slight frown.

“We wanted to ask…” Zhu Shu pressed her lips together and chose her words carefully. “We wanted to ask — do you have any thoughts about this game?”

Bai Youwei looked at her, then at Su Man. She exhaled a mildly impatient sigh and stepped back. “Come in.”

Zhu Shu and Su Man entered immediately and closed the door.

“We mainly wanted to confirm — in this game, is only one person allowed to survive?” Zhu Shu asked, watching Bai Youwei’s face as she spoke, searching for any trace of an answer. “If… if it truly is just one, then Su Man and I are willing to forfeit.”

“Forfeit?” Bai Youwei laughed softly. “What does that mean? Are you going to kill yourselves?”

The two exchanged a glance, both expressions resolute.

“No.” Su Man said. “We know your odds of winning are the best, so rather than tearing each other apart in some grim deathmatch, we’d prefer to cooperate. Zhu Shu and I can help you become ‘The Last Bride.'”

Bai Youwei was momentarily caught off guard.

Or rather — she was genuinely surprised.

She hadn’t expected Su Man and Zhu Shu to be on the same side. And she hadn’t expected that these two women would suddenly find this spirit of self-sacrifice.

Women really were extraordinary creatures.

Bai Youwei smiled quietly, lowered her eyes, and said, “That won’t be necessary.”

Zhu Shu and Su Man were briefly taken aback.

“The Arbiter’s hints were already quite clear.” Bai Youwei said, unhurried. “The first hint: become the last bride. The second hint: Bluebeard —

Bluebeard killed one wife after another, taking one new bride after another. Who would be the *last* bride? Well… unless he dies, there will never be a last.”

Zhu Shu’s eyes opened slightly wider. “So you mean… as long as we kill Bluebeard, we all become The Last Bride? We don’t have to fight each other down to the final one?”

“That’s my reading of it, at least.” Bai Youwei nodded. “Just like in the fairy tale — Bluebeard is killed, and the woman inherits all his property, and from then on begins a new life.”

“If that’s how it works, then it’s almost too easy!” Su Man’s face lit up with a smile. “There are seven of us — surely we can kill one man?!”

Bai Youwei heard this and sighed softly, “…That Arbiter’s games have never once been easy.”