Shadows of London: 2-4 Resolve and Motives

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Shadows of London

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When investigating the efficacy of "Prayer Water," Caroline immediately thinks of...

Info

Style: Event Logs: King's College London, Guinea Recommended: The Year 1666, Open Wisdom's Door Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 3 , 1 , 1 , Blueprint: Respite Under Painted Glass

Respite Under Painted Glass

Dialogue Choices

You mean...

• Roger's a vampire?
  • Story continues
• Roger's a vampire hunter?
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Transcript

Expand for script.

• The next day is a gloomy, foggy day, and Aunt Petit goes out early in the morning again.
• I watch as she boards her carriage, praying in my heart that Priscilla won't encounter her on the road.
• If Priscilla were to blurt out that we're going to visit Doctor Grey today, Aunt Petit would surely have something to say about that.

• Priscilla Barnet: Listen to yourself, Caroline. Am I that stupid?

• Priscilla impatiently runs her fingers through her slightly dampened hair, scoffing at my concerns.
• Behind her, Roger looks like someone accustomed to gloomy weather.
• Priscilla Barnet: I made sure to get off the omnibus early just to avoid running into Madam Petit!

• Priscilla Barnet: My mother may not have any talent for managing a household, but our housekeeper Mrs. Dobson is just as shrewd as your aunt.

• Priscilla Barnet: If she were to discover that I head to suspicious places every day, it would cause unnecessary trouble.

• Priscilla Barnet: Let's not talk about this anymore. Today, aren't we supposed to visit your doctor friend?

• You: That's true, but I thought you would come in your own carriage...

• Roger Evans: We can take the omnibus again, you know.

• Roger Evans: Or do you dislike sitting with the rabble?

• You: No, that's not it.

• Anna heard that I was going out to visit a friend today, and prepared an elegant dress for me. But if I were to take the omnibus, this outfit would not be suitable.
• Priscilla Barnet: Then can't you just change into simpler clothes?

• Priscilla Barnet: We need to get going. Come on, I'll help you choose what to wear.

• Changing clothes again takes some time, and the dense fog makes the congested streets even more difficult to navigate.
• When I finally step out of the foul-smelling omnibus and knock on the door of the clinic, I feel a dull pain in my ribs under my corset.
• Doctor Grey, who comes to open the door himself, immediately notices.
• Edward Grey: Miss Rayes? You look very pale. Are you feeling unwell?

• You: It's nothing serious. I'm just having some difficulty breathing...

• Without asking any further questions, he helps me sit down on a sofa and pours me a hot cup of tea.
• After a while, I finally catch my breath and smile gratefully at him.
• You: I'm sorry for making you worry, Doctor Grey. I think I'm much better now.

• Edward Grey: The color has returned to your cheeks, but I still suggest that you sit down and rest for a while longer.

• I nod and look at Priscilla and Roger sitting on the couch across from me.
• They're scrutinizing us with identical expressions—especially Doctor Grey, whose hand is resting on my shoulder.
• I can't help but shrink back and increase the distance between us.
• You: Doctor Grey, allow me to introduce you to Miss Priscilla Barnet and Mr. Roger Evans, a detective.

• Edward Grey: A pleasure to meet you both.

• Priscilla curtsies, while Roger merely nods slowly.
• You: We came to see you today because we wanted to ask you a question.

• You: About the recent incident of Scotland Yard shutting down the Scarlet Rose Club...

• Doctor Grey looks at me in confusion, then glances at Priscilla and Roger.
• Luckily, he quickly grasps my hint: that I haven't revealed the truth of the Baroness' death and his identity as a vampire hunter to them.
• Edward Grey: I've heard about that incident.

• Edward Grey: Are you here to ask about the "prayer water"?

• Before I can reply, Priscilla cuts in.
• Priscilla Barnet: Yes, Doctor Grey. Actually, Caroline and I are victims of that club.

• Priscilla Barnet: The club claimed that drinking the "prayer water" would prevent us from getting sick. We are now very skeptical about whether it really had any such effects.

• Priscilla Barnet: If you know the actual effects of the "prayer water," please tell us!

• Edward Grey: ...

• Edward Grey: Ah, so the friend who gave Caroline that medicine was you, Miss Barnet.

• Upon hearing these words, Priscilla can't help but shrink back. She looks like a dispirited cat that has just been chastised.
• I pick up my cup, using it to hide my laughter. Roger turns his head and appears to be holding back a smile.
• Edward Grey: I don't blame you, Miss Barnet. The promise that the prayer water could prevent people from getting sick must indeed have been quite tempting.

• Edward Grey: However, the Scarlet Rose Club only recruited young nobles from the Western District. The likelihood of any of them being infected was already very low.

• You: Doctor Grey, are you saying that the reason why the club's members didn't get sick had nothing to do with the prayer water they drank?

• Edward Grey: I personally have not received a commission to investigate this from Scotland Yard, so I cannot say for sure.

• Edward Grey: From what I know, the people who are studying this prayer water are medical professors at King's College London.

• Edward Grey: If you like, I can use my connections to inquire about the progress of the research on this "prayer water".

• You: That will help a lot, Doctor Grey. Thank you so much.

• Edward Grey: It might take a couple of days. I'll let you know as soon as I find out anything.

• Edward Grey: However, please don't get your hopes up. If this prayer water indeed has the power to prevent the epidemic, the medical community would have announced it a long ago.

• Edward Grey: Whenever there is an epidemic, there are always so-called "miraculous medicines" that claim to cure the disease.

• Edward Grey: I personally think that this "prayer water" is just one of those scams, so I wouldn't take it too seriously.

• You: (Vincent also made a similar point.)

• Roger Evans: Is that so? How did the club stand to benefit by deceiving its members, then?

• Roger suddenly speaks up.
• Roger Evans: Peddlers who sell miraculous medicines during an epidemic are simply trying to make a profit.

• Roger Evans: Yet that club never charged a single penny for the prayer water, even though its members were some of the wealthiest young ladies and gentlemen in the Western District.

• Roger Evans: Doctor, don't you think that's illogical?

• I don't know why Roger has been so aggressive from the moment he opened his mouth. All I can do is look back at Doctor Grey with embarrassment.
• Doctor Grey seems to have noticed my dilemma, but instead of getting angry right away, he simply regards Roger seriously.
• Edward Grey: After hearing your explanation, you're right, my reasoning doesn't make much sense. Please allow me to retract my immature speculation.

• Roger Evans: Hey, hey, don’t get me wrong. I didn't mean to ask you to take back your words.

• Roger Evans: On the contrary, I'm really interested in hearing more of your insights. Since the club didn't deceive people for money...

• Roger Evans: Why did they go to all the trouble of recruiting all those noble young ladies and gentlemen?

• Roger Evans: Do those people have something more valuable than pounds or guineas?

• You: (Roger, are you intentionally provoking Doctor Grey?)

• Doctor Grey gazes at him coldly.
• Edward Grey: I'm a doctor, sir. I can't answer such questions.

• Edward Grey: I suggest you go and ask Scotland Yard.

• Roger Evans: Enough, Doctor. Why can't you just be frank? You know what they wanted.

• Roger Evans: Jesse Lindvall died because of that, didn't he?

• You: Mr. Evans!

• Anger surges in my heart, and I rise before Doctor Grey can react.
• You: I thought our purpose for visiting Doctor Grey today was to seek his help, not to provoke him or make trouble for him!

• You: If there's something you want to know, please come out and ask your questions directly, and don't deliberately expose our wounds!

• Roger Evans: ..."our"?

• Edward Grey: Miss Rayes, please have a seat.

• Edward Grey: You've only just recovered. Exerting yourself may make you feel dizzy again.

• He presses down on my shoulder lightly, gently but firmly urging me to sit back down.
• Edward Grey: Mr. Evans, you asked me to be frank, but you're beating around the bush yourself.

• Edward Grey: What answer do you hope to hear from me? Something about vampires, perhaps?

• Edward Grey: It is true that there was much suspicion surrounding young Mr. Lindvall's death, and many rumors are still circulating in London.

• Edward Grey: There may not be any definitive conclusions yet, but I don't want to spread nonsense.

• Roger Evans: Nonsense.

• Roger Evans: So, you're saying you've never seen a vampire? You can't confirm if they really exist?

• The image of Doctor Grey confronting Vincent instantly flashes through my mind.
• Edward Grey: I've never seen a vampire.

• Doctor Grey's expression remains unchanged.
• Edward Grey: I don't know what your motivation is for asking these questions, but it's clear that you're asking the wrong person.

• Edward Grey: As a doctor, all I can say is that there are suspicions about the cause of young Mr. Lindvall's death, that's all.

• Edward Grey: I don't want to imagine supernatural killers just to have a target for my anger.

• I listen to these words with a complex mixture of emotions.
• Doctor Grey is lying. He has seen vampires, knows of their existence, and has always believed that Vincent could be the one who killed Jesse.
• But I also understand that he cannot fully disclose everything to Roger at this time.
• Because all of this involves his identity as a vampire hunter—and this must be kept secret.
• Roger has no way of probing deeper into Doctor Grey's firm denial.
• For the time being, the intense battle between the two of them comes to a halt, leaving me torn between them since I know the truth...
• Priscilla Barnet: Doctor Grey, actually, Caroline and I have seen vampires with our own eyes.

• You: (Priscilla?)

• Priscilla's gaze is sharp and determined as she locks eyes with Doctor Grey, full of fierce determination to convince the other.
• Priscilla Barnet: The leader of the Scarlet Rose Club was a vampire, and we personally saw her consuming human blood.

• Priscilla Barnet: We also suspect that the epidemic currently ravaging London is related to vampires in some way.

• Priscilla Barnet: We saw all of this with our own eyes, and it is absolutely real!

• Edward Grey: ...

• I see Doctor Grey glance at me alertly.
• If we keep the discussion revolving around vampires and get closer to the truth behind the Baroness' death...
• Then Edward Grey, the vampire hunter, is likely to ask us to leave.
• You: Um... I'm sorry, but as a doctor, I suppose you don't believe in such nonsense, do you?

• You: The main thing is, we want to investigate the origin of the epidemic in London and solve the problem.

• I bring the topic back a little stiffly, but Doctor Grey visibly relaxes, and his expression softens slightly.
• You: For this reason, we hope to learn more about the specific effects of the "prayer water". Would you be willing to assist us?

• Edward Grey: Of course, I would be happy to.

• Edward Grey: However, as I just mentioned, I'm afraid I can only provide objective facts.

• Edward Grey: I can help you find out the specific ingredients and effects of the "prayer water." But for everything else, I'm afraid I can't be of any assistance.

• Priscilla Barnet: That's plenty! Thank you, Doctor.

• Priscilla Barnet: As for Roger's rude behavior just now...

• Priscilla Barnet: I apologize on his behalf. He gets carried away with his work sometimes, and he's in the habit of playing the villain to antagonize others.

• Priscilla Barnet: He believes that people are more likely to reveal their true thoughts when they're angry. But he's not actually a villain.

• Roger puts his hand to his forehead and lets out a long sigh before turning his head.

• Priscilla's words quickly diffuse the tension in the room.
• Roger, whose purpose has been exposed, is so angry that he doesn't want to talk to Priscilla. He leaves early to find a carriage that will take us home.
• Doctor Grey smiles helplessly and, following proper etiquette, escorts Priscilla and me to the door.

• The dense fog has transformed into a drizzling rain, gently falling upon our shoulders.
• The clinic's receptionist hurries to bring us umbrellas. Gazing into the distance, Priscilla complains about Roger's abrupt departure.
• At this moment, Doctor Grey holds an umbrella for me, lowers his head, and whispers to me.
• Edward Grey: Miss Rayes, I trust you are someone who can keep a secret?

• You: Yes. I'm sorry, I really didn't tell Priscilla or Roger anything! I swear!

• Edward Grey: Don't worry, that's not what I meant.

• Edward Grey: I wasn't concerned that you'd leaked my identity. But I am concerned that it's extremely dangerous for all of you as ordinary people to recklessly investigate this matter.

• You: We just want to end the epidemic...

• Edward Grey: Of course, there's nothing wrong with that. I just hope you'll all stay safe.

• You: Thank you, Doctor Grey.

• Edward Grey: Also... I hope you'll keep a close eye on that Mr. Evans.

• You: Roger? He's a really sharp detective, and we need him for our investigation—

• Edward Grey: That's not what I meant.

• Edward Grey: Don't you think he's a little too obsessed with vampires?

• I look up at him in astonishment. Under the black umbrella, his eyes are deep and bottomless.
• Edward Grey: He is a detective, yet he firmly believes in creatures like vampires.

• Edward Grey: Is this just because of the experiences you and Miss Barnet have had?

• Edward Grey: No, I don't think ordinary people would be able to accept the existence of such dark creatures so quickly if they hadn't seen them with their own eyes.

• You: So you're saying you think that Roger has also seen vampires, and he just hasn't told us?

• Edward Grey: Maybe, but I'm more curious about the circumstances in which he would have seen a vampire.

• Edward Grey: It's very rare to escape from the clutches of a vampire. Not everyone is as lucky as you and Miss Barnet.

• Edward Grey: If he has encountered the Blood Clan and managed to survive...

• You: You mean...

Roger's a vampire?

• He does not answer, slightly turning his face and looking into the distance.

Roger's a vampire hunter?

• He furrows his brow slightly, neither affirming nor denying it.

• For some reason, Doctor Grey's silence makes me uneasy.
• Just now, he faced Roger's questioning and lied without his expression giving anything away. He has his guard up.
• You: (If Doctor Grey ever wanted to lie to me, he wouldn't waver in the slightest.)

• I know that this must be a necessary skill for vampire hunters who conceal their identity in the mortal world.
• But if he really has to lie to me someday, I hope he can keep me from ever finding out.
• Raindrops slide down the umbrella and fall onto Doctor Grey's shoulders.
• Every time he holds an umbrella for me, he himself gets rained on.
• Edward Grey: I'll support you in whatever you want to do in London, but...

• Edward Grey: Take care of yourself, Caroline.

• Edward Grey: I don't want another incident like the last one to happen again.

• The carriage approaches. I take the umbrella from Edward's warm grip and step into the heavy rain.
• I know that Jesse Lindvall's name once again stands between us.