Let's check in the parlor.

Well... what about the parlor? Something gives me a hunch we'll have good luck there.

My talk of "hunches" and "luck" didn't seem to sit well with Eva, who immediately grew impatient. "Are you serious? Who are you expecting to find there? If you're just playing around, I'm not going to entertain this. What am I going to say when someone sees you sneaking around the mansion with me, anyway?"

I coughed, then gestured to my huge briefcase of money. I think we'll be able to buy some silence, if it comes to that... However, let's use a bit of caution, so it won't. I'm completely serious about getting this done... Trust me. If we work together and pull it off, you'll be glad you did...

Oh, right. Leave the gun here. I think sneaking around this mansion is going to be harder if you're carrying a rifle.

Eva shrugged, not seeming as resistant to that idea as I had expected. She did hide the weapon under some nearby vegetation, though. It might make sense to assume her concern was about someone else, rather than me...

"I'll lead the way and check corners, Player. Don't fall behind." She gave me a smirk, one that didn't look especially playful. "If someone sees you skulking around following me, I'm going to scream like I hadn't known you were there, okay...?"

I nodded, wondering if I should plan a way to die quickly and avoid being tied up and **** to wait until midnight for ****, if it came to that... No, probably better to think on my feet. In spite of all my talk about taking this seriously, I was already thinking about what shenanigans I'd use my last breaths on if I became cornered.

To my surprise, Eva and I made our way to the parlor rather easily. The cousins were currently in the courtyard, and we managed to sneak past while they were dealing with Maria. I noticed her mother wasn't there with her...

I counted on Eva to let me know when the coast was clear. She walked ahead of me, peered around corners, then gave me a subtle flip of her hand when it was time to move forward. My biggest concern was that we'd run into one of the husbands, especially Hideyoshi.

I realized that concern was well-founded when we came upon voices in the hall. Drat... It wasn't just Hideyoshi, but all three husbands, from the sound of it! I listened to the conversation, praying Eva would find some way for us to proceed before some servant walked by and saw me around the bend.

"Rudolf!" I heard Eva's friendly tone, although I didn't dare peek around to see her. "You didn't give up that smoking habit of yours, did you? I'm surprised to see you all standing here chatting..."

"Hmph." Krauss's deep voice scoff in response. "Natsuhi read some article or another, and now she's been trying to have me quit. Your husband and Rudolf were being considerate of me, Eva."

"Oh...?" I heard the sole woman laugh a bit derisively. "Krauss, those two aren't simply being considerate, they're suffering for you! I can tell you're craving one, Dear, and Rudolf surely can't be any better. I'm certainly not going to tell your wife, Krauss, so why not loosen up a bit... while it's still early in the evening?" The end of that suggestion was packed with unspoken meaning...

... Meaning which her husband seemed to pick up on immediately. "Haha! Eva's right, Krauss. With the family conference coming up tonight, ya gotta relax while ya still can, huh? Let's all step out back a sec."

"Mm. I'll be borrowing one of yours, then." Krauss caved in immediately. Just like that, all three of the husbands were heading for the rear exit through the kitchen.... Gohda would be vexed that they were spoiling some of the mystique of his fancy dinner by doing that, but he wouldn't complain, of course. Hideyoshi probably thought his wife was just being considerate of him. In a way, maybe she was, but he could never have guessed what we were actually up to.

I peered around the corner, then flashed Eva a thumbs up before seeing her get on the move again.

Finally, the two of us arrived just outside the parlor. I pressed outside the door frame to avoid being seen. I leaned around the corner just slightly... Then, seeing those inside were distracted, I decided to peer just a bit more.

The two I'd seen engaged in a conversation were Natsuhi and Shannon. It was clear the servant had slipped up on something again, and, believing the two of them to be alone, the lady of the manor was giving her bullet-pointed instructions in a low voice, along with repeated emphasis on how important this day was, over and over again... I couldn't hear that, but the body language made it obvious. Watching her give increasingly weary bows with each apology, I thought Shannon would probably thank me if I could do something to break up that conversation.

Those two were facing each other, so neither would see me as I peered in a bit further. There, on the couch by the window, Rosa was taking a nap. She'd probably only intended to do crosswords until the cousins brought Maria back in, but she'd fallen asleep with the book open on her lap. It didn't look like a particularly deep sleep, so I wouldn't feel especially bad about disturbing it. I allowed myself to stare a bit too long at Rosa's sleeping face...

Eva zipped back around the corner so she could face me directly, then hissed in a low whisper. "Let me get this straight. You're saying someone in this room... that stuffy Natsuhi, that clumsy maid Shannon, or that hopeless Rosa... One of them is our secret master of erotic dance? Seriously?"

... Seriously. If I was being one-hundred-percent honest, sure, it was hard to imagine... Still, I had come this far already. I'll cast the die and bet on a miracle! I told Eva I would point out her target. Then, it would be up to her to use her wits to find out if they knew anything about erotic dance. I reminded her what was on the line, lightly tapping the silver briefcase I was still lugging around. Earlier, I had called that the magic she could use to make people do what she wanted, glossing over the obvious truth that it was my magic to use against her, as well.