As a sorcerer, I meet Beatrice in the witch's sitting room

I blinked open my bleary eyes. Darkness surrounded me, not unlike the moment when I'd first been drawn into the world of Rokkenjima. Where was I? This didn't appear to be any place in the manor, nor the guest house. As my vision adjusted, I saw a low serving table, numerous arm-chairs, and giant, stained-glass windows. It was almost more like a chapel than a room for sitting and drinking tea, but evidently, the latter is what it was. It was so oppressively dark in this room that I could barely make out my surroundings. How had I even entered this place?

I saw a golden butterfly floating in the air... it was the room's only source of light. Ah... Where golden butterflies gather.

More and more of the butterflies assembled until suddenly, the air was full of shimmering golden petals, dancing around as if compelled by a breeze I couldn't feel. They spiraled into a funnel in front of me, then dispersed; in their wake was the Golden Witch, Beatrice, Ruler of Rokkenjima. I felt like falling to my knees and worshiping her, so awed was I by her presence and beauty... A Witch Hunter like me could never dream of glimpsing the golden witch. I'd never seen the portrait hanging in Kinzo's mansion, but I'd imagined that whatever it looked like, it couldn't match the splendor of the genuine article. Her golden hair was done into an elegant bun. Her heavy brown ballroom dress, cut just low enough to show a full but youthful bosom. I wanted to praise everything about her, to offer myself to some bizarre satanic ritual to curry her favor, anything to make her understand my love!

She looked at me in my madness and raised one eyebrow. Her arms were crossed and a gold-colored pipe played between her fingers. She looked interested to see me, but nothing further. I would have to work to make her see my love.

"I thought this place would be empty... Our game doesn't start for some time yet," Beatrice remarked, her voice rolling with some slight accent I couldn't place. It was Japanese, for sure, but it wasn't full of the ladylike dignity you might imagine from her dress or that portrait I'd never had the chance to see. "Your name is?"

I told her. H.I. Player: sorcerer.

Something about this amused her; a fearsome grin spread across her features. Some might say that it tainted her beauty, but for Rokkenjima-heads like myself, this expression was among the most beautiful of all. "A foreigner, hmmm? A real <American>, not like all of the other western buffs that play around on this island. You've caught me with time to spare, Player. You stand before the Golden Witch, Beatrice. I can't begin to imagine how you found this place, but you must have a pretty good reason for appearing here. Or are you like a child who's wandered into the lingerie department at a supermarket, knowing you've found something worth looking at, but having no idea of its purpose? Heh heh heh... That kind of reckless magic seems to be all the rage these days," she speculated, tilting her head slightly with a challenging smile. "Come, I can tell you want something. What do you ask of me? If it's good enough, I'll have Ronove bring us some tea and cookies while we chat!"

I wanted a lot more than tea and cookies and I politely declined the presence of Ronove. I loved him, as I loved everyone, but his presence here would only complicate things. I told her what I wanted.