Nightmare Game
Copyright© 2025 by CaffeinatedTales
Chapter 22
“No chance.”
Ethan shot down the idea right away. Seeing Albert’s confused look, he explained, “The label for ‘human’ wasn’t handwritten with a pen. It was printed right on the page from the start.”
“I see.” Albert frowned, still finding it strange. “Do you think it might not be English at all, but their own script that just happens to look like ‘human,’ and you misread it?”
Ethan shook his head.
“The book’s script resembled tadpole writing. Structurally, it’s unlikely to match so closely by coincidence.”
“So, does that mean a human helped them make this book?”
Albert scratched his head. He set aside the clean plate and grabbed another dirty one, rinsing it under the cold water.
“That could work as an explanation.” Ethan kept his hands busy too. “But I have a bolder theory.”
“What’s that?” Albert’s curiosity spiked.
“I also checked out the library and flipped through some books. Everything used the same tadpole script, suggesting this world around the castle has its own civilization, with that as their standard writing.”
“The book, which seems like a races compendium, lists tons of monster species, but tacks on humans at the end, with our language labeling it specifically.”
“That points to one thing.”
“Don’t keep me in suspense, just say it.” Albert grew impatient.
“Uncle Albert, you’ve been stuck in a mental rut from the beginning. You assume the ‘human’ label is a hint for us because it’s in our native tongue, something only guests like us would understand, and it feels familiar.”
“But that’s not the case. The book is written in this world’s script, aimed originally at its inhabitants, not us.”
“So, it’s a book for the locals, not a clue we’re meant to find.”
“But that doesn’t add up either.” Albert hit the nail on the head. “If it’s for the locals, why include English at all?”
Ethan went on rinsing plates.
“In our textbooks, like encyclopedias, when covering species from other countries, we often use transliterations for names. Some even include the original language to help readers grasp it better.”
“I think the ‘human’ label serves a similar purpose here.”
“If my guess holds, it means one key fact.”
“This world didn’t originally have humans, but the locals have some way to bring them here, just like they did with us.”
Albert’s face darkened. He knew Ethan was likely right, which meant they might have no escape from the castle beyond completing their tasks.
“And there’s one more thing that bothers me.”
Ethan kept analyzing.
“If the locals have their own script, they’d have a matching language too. So why do they speak English with us? Plus, the family running this place uses human names and looks just like us.”
Albert froze. How had this guy spun so many connections from one tiny detail in a book?
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