I think it indicates that the Bucket Knight locations that we see in the game, before the “Once Upon A Time” chapter, do not necessarily indicate true Bucket Knight locations from Jennifer’s forgotten past.

~

In the “Once Upon A Time” chapter, we find a Bucket Knight by the sinks and mirrors of the 2nd floor lavatory, and Jennifer explains the true purpose that it had in her past:

“Bucket Knight… A makeshift knight that Nicholas and Xavier used for sword practice.”

Although I suspect that Nicholas and Xavier did not actually do their sword practice in the lavatory itself, but only stored the Bucket Knight there, I see no reason why they would choose to set up a Bucket Knight right in front of Gregory’s house.

We have no reason to think that Nicholas and Xavier ever visited Gregory’s house, and I see no reason that they should choose do their sword practice so far from the orphanage and so near to Gregory’s house. So I think that the presence of a Bucket Knight in this chapter should just be viewed as a feature solely belonging to Jennifer’s dream (Jennifer’s dream being what I propose that the story of the Rule of Rose game is). And if this is true, I think that it means that at least some of the other Bucket Knight locations, that we see in the game, may also be unrepresentative of Bucket Knight locations in Jennifer’s actual past.

I would characterize the music (solo piano) of the “Once Upon A Time” chapter as sweet and nostalgic.  This is admittedly subjective opinion. If it affects you differently, feel free to post a comment about it.

No voices are ever heard in any of the rooms of the mansion or in the very tiny hallways (such as the one connecting the filth room with the 2nd floor lavatory).  And no voices are ever heard anywhere in the basement.  Voices are only heard in the major hallways and stairways.

In the various rooms we only hear the songs of birds from outside, except in the lavatories where some water drip noises are heard as well.

All of the voices heard inside of the mansion are disembodied voices (that is, no person associated with a voice is ever seen by us).  We hear:

—Children giggling and laughing.

—Children making animal noises:  a goat bleat, pig snorting, a roar (?). [I would guess that the goat bleats are made by Nicholas and the pig snorts are made by Xavier, as they are the boys associated with those animals.]

—A teasing sound is repeated good-naturedly in different ways and by different voices.  [How can I describe it in words?  Do you understand what I mean if I say that the voices use the tones of "Na na nana na" but don't use the "n"s?]

—Jennifer’s name is sometimes whispered, some times called out.  Various voices do this, including Mr. Hoffman’s voice (gently and good-naturedly).

Never do any of voices the seem (in my opinion) to be in the least bit hostile or threatening.

Are there any voices in the mansion that you recognize?

~

Bird songs are heard louder outside than inside the mansion, naturally.

In the front yard, a burst of wind can be heard to blow away Wendy’s hat.

Press “x” three times at the front gate of the orphanage, once it has closed, to hear Wendy speak the following:

“Jennifer?  Where are you going?  Please?  Don’t leave me.“

Gregory speaks with Jennifer at the bus stop, but only written text is given to us, without the sound of his voice being heard.

Brown is heard whining, as Jennifer nears the rickety shed and after she enters.

~

Have I left out anything?

~

In the “Once Upon A Time” chapter of Rule of Rose, Jennifer tells us the following story at the blocked off toilet stall in the Men’s Lavatory:

Once, Susan started a rumor about voices coming from this room at night… It turned out it was only the door creaking in the wind, but one night, sounds came from the room even with the windows shut. Susan jumped out of her bed and screamed. It was really just a prank by Nicholas and Xavier. From then on, the room was believed to be haunted and was considered off limits.

One question that comes to my mind is one of translation. Does “room” refer to the entire lavatory (as would be expected of normal English usage) or does “room” refer to the blocked off toilet stall?

In either case, I wonder if we are missing something if we just assume that this little story of Jennifer’s only exists to give us an innocent “slice of life” from the orphanage.

Jennifer, herself, sees a ghost in the course of the game. She sees Martha’s ghost in Clara’s cabin. And Clara’s cabin is also the location where Jennifer sees Martha alive, but bound and bagged. I suggested previously that Martha died at the location in the orphanage represented as Clara’s cabin in the airship and that’s why Jennifer sees her ghost there. See The Mysteries of Clara’s Cabin (Part 2): Martha’s Death.

Could it be that the orphans are quick to think that the Men’s Lavatory is haunted because they think that Hoffman died (or something happened that led to his death) there?

In a previous blog-post, I suggested that Thomas’s doodlings on Hoffman’s portrait in the Reception Room contained a threat that Stray Dog would “get” Hoffman.  See my See-all Walkthrough, With Commentary: “The Little Princess” Chapter (Part 14): Reception Room: Stray Dog Gobbles Hoffman In Hoffman’s Portrait.

I have also, in previous blog-posts suggested that the “Sir Peter” storybook tells a story that is, at least in part, about Mr. Hoffman. See:

“Sir Peter” Storybook: The Story of Hoffman? (Part 1)
Clara and Hoffman: Mermaid and Hare?
“Sir Peter” Storybook: The Story of Hoffman? (Part 2)

In the “Sir Peter” storybook we see a drawing of Stray Dog at a door with a sink beside it (you can also see this drawing on page 20 of the game handbook). I suggest that the sink represents the location as being that of a lavatory. In the storybook, Sir Peter is running, looking for a toilet, and is running toward Stray Dog (who is apparently at a lavatory). Could part of the message of the storybook be that Stray Dog “got” Hoffman in a lavatory? And, if so, wouldn’t the lavatory, that Mr. Hoffman would be expected to use, be the Men’s Lavatory?

In Jennifer’s little story of the Men’s Lavatory (in the “Once Upon A Time” chapter), Susan is the one most worried about the sounds she hears. Is it a coincidence that Susan was working with Meg to investigate Stray Dog? In Meg’s Notebook, Meg wrote:

Stray Dog investigation:

1F Restroom

Gather notes from rumors scribbled on walls: assigned to Susan.

Did the orphans know, or have reason to suspect, that something happened to Mr. Hoffman in the Men’s Lavatory? Is this why the Lavatory (or lavatory stall) was made off-limits and the fear of haunting took hold?

~

Thanks to Passerby for the snapshot of the “Sir Peter” storybook used to illustrate this blog-post.

The Clover Field

Once upon a time, there was an unlucky girl.

All she wanted was to be happy.

So she went to a clover field.

She found a one-leaf clover, but she dropped it on the road.

She found a two-leaf clover, but it slipped into the shadows.

She found a three-leaf clover, but a witch hid it away.

She wanted to find a four-leaf clover, but she was too unlucky.

The story of this storybook closely reflects the events associated with Jennifer finding (or not finding) clover-leaf keys in the course of the “Unlucky Clover Field” chapter of Rule of Rose.

~

She found a one-leaf clover, but she dropped it on the road.

Jennifer will find the one-leaf (clover) key on the floor of a corridor in the First Class Guest Sector of the airship immediately after Meg and Susan run through the corridor. The key was not there earlier, so the suggestion might be that either Meg or Susan dropped it in the corridor as they ran through. The storybook line “dropped it on the road” would then reflect that the key was found on the floor of the corridor after it had been dropped.

~

She found a two-leaf clover, but it slipped into the shadows.

Jennifer will find the two-leaf (clover) key near Nicholas, in the 2nd Passenger Corridor.

Pressing “x” near Nicholas results in the narrator telling us (in text): “The unlucky girl met Nicholas, the sloppy Prince. With a look of annoyance, the Prince clicked his tongue and mumbled at her.”

Another press of “x” and we hear Nicholas say, in a whisper: “Why you…! Go away! Go away!”

Nicholas then continues (text only, no sound): “…I’m a shadow, a shadow.”

With more pressing of “x” we get from Nicholas (as text):

“…Get away from me.”
and
“…I’m a shadow, a shadow.”
and
“…Don’t talk to me.”

Once Jennifer finds the two-leaf (clover) key, Nicholas runs away (he can subsequently be found in a stall of the Men’s Lavatory in this same area of the airship).

The storybook line “it slipped into the shadows” is reflected by Jennifer finding the two-leaf (clover) key near the “shadow” Nicholas.

~

She found a three-leaf clover, but a witch hid it away.

In room 9 (Clara’s cabin) Jennifer will find a dirty rag belonging to Martha.

Then the narrator will say (in text): “In the dark room, the unknown occupant spoke in a shrill voice.”

The text continues: “…I was a mighty witch. Yet now, I am but a powerless wretch. Rubbish and dust. …My precious, precious key. I hid it secretly. …I hid it in a pure and dirty place. I hid it secretly. Your eyes cannot find it. You are truly a poor, unlucky girl…”

This reflects the storybook line “a witch hid it away.”

~

She wanted to find a four-leaf clover, but she was too unlucky.

Jennifer won’t find the four-leaf (clover) key during the course of the game (it is only acquired on replay after the player successfully completes the Rule of Rose game, saves the completed game, and starts the replay from there).

The fact that Jennifer won’t find the four-leaf (clover) key during the game is reflected in the storybook line: “She wanted to find a four-leaf clover, but she was too unlucky.“.

Pressing “x” near Xavier, you get a different camera angle on the scene, and the following game text appears:

The gluttonous Prince said with his mouth full, “…Miss Meg? She walked by here a minute ago. Why do ya wanna know? I’m getting ready for a final duel with my arch rival. …Now go away. I’ve got training to do.”

Pressing “x” additional times, you see the following subtitles:

Ha, I’ll beat that sissy any day. Hee, hee, hee…

and

Does paper taste good? They say goats love to eat it. All right, I’ll give it a try later.

and

Do goats taste good? …Well, I’m gonna ask Miss Diana for a bite out of that goat she caught.

None of this funny scene appears in the game script posted by TheSinnerChrono.

I wonder how many players of the Rule of Rose game neglect to check out the Port Livestock Room in the “Goat Sisters” chapter? And of those that do go there, I wonder how many don’t press “x” enough times to get all of the funny text?

In “The Funeral” chapter of Rule of Rose, two animal imps, a pig-imp and a goat-imp, appear in the area by the front door where Xavier and Nicholas were earlier in the chapter. No doubt the pig-imp is associated with Xavier.

This is the time period from 20 March 1930 to 20 December 1930.

This is a follow-up to Document-based Time-line: Before Jennifer Arrived at the Orphanage

Four of the documents presented in this time-line, by the way, are ones overlooked in the GameSpot/GameFAQs game-script faq. I marked those documents with ###.

I also included two of Jennifer’s memories that relate to precise dates.

The last of Amanda’s diary entries have no dates. They consist of one written passage and numerous drawings. I included the diary passage, and a summary description of the drawings, out of sequence at the end of this post for completeness. These should date to no earlier than 19 October 1930.

I also left two dated headlines, attributed to the Daily Flamingo newspaper, out of the sequence: I don’t think that these share the reliability of the other documents. But I have included them at the very end of the post, for completeness.

If I have made any errors, or have left out a document that should be here, please let me know in the “comments”.

TIME-LINE:

~~~

Sunday, March 20

Things are going wonderfully!
Today they called me out to the backyard.
As long as that girl is here, I won’t ever be last.
What a relief!
(Working Class Luggage, “Rag Princess Sews”, Amanda’s Diary)

~~~

20 March
From J to W

Wendy,
I’m here now, but I’m kind of afraid.
Everything is new to me.
I’m worried if I’ll get along with everyone.
(Sick Room, “Once Upon a Time”, letter on nightstand)

~~~

25 March
From W to J

My Dear Jennifer,
There is nothing to fear.
I am always by your side.
I will never betray you.
We made an oath remember?
(Filth Room, “Once Upon a Time”, letter on shelf)

~~~

Sunday, April 4

Maybe there really is something wrong with me.
What have I done wrong?
I tattled on Mr. Hoffman as they told me to do, but I failed again.
I’m still lower class, even after that girl came.
I’m scared. I don’t know what to do.
(Working Class Luggage, “Rag Princess Sews”, Amanda’s Diary)

~~~

###7 April 1930

Every day, that child gives me a headache.
Shirking her duties, doodling on walls, making Olivia cry, etc, etc.
What a wretched child!
(Sick Bay—after boss battle, Sir Peter chapter, Hoffman’s diary)

~~~

###12 April 1930

Today, I gave that child a good scolding.
When I found out she let the rabbit escape, that was the last straw.
As I took out my pointer to punish her, she started quibbling again…
…However, she’s still young.
She gave in and apologized, so I let it go at that.
I’m such a kind, understanding teacher.”
(Sick Bay—after boss battle, Sir Peter chapter, Hoffman’s diary)

~~~

Sunday, April 18

I’m as happy as can be today!
They showed me the symbol of the Aristocrats.
If I can get the red crayon, I, too, will be one of them!
But that girl will NEVER get a crayon.
She’s far too uncouth.
In any case, I’ll never be last again. I’m sure of it.
(Working Class Luggage, “Rag Princess Sews”, Amanda’s Diary)

~~~

Sunday, June 1

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
Those awful things got into my mouth!
She’ll be sorry the next chance I get.
But why me again?
What have I done?
(Working Class Luggage, “Rag Princess Sews”, Amanda’s Diary)

~~~

22 July
From J to W
Dear Wendy,

I have great news. I found something wonderful!
I look forward to every morning now, and hope you will too.
(Sick Room, “Once Upon a Time”, letter on nightstand)

~~~

25 July
From W to J
My dear Jennifer,

I am so relieved that you are well again!
Is that why I couldn’t find you yesterday morning?
It’s no use trying to fool me!
I can see right through your pranks.
Anyway, thanks in advance.
Tee hee hee.
(Filth Room, “Once Upon a Time”, letter on shelf)

~~~

Sunday, July 27

I HATE HER I HATE HER I HATE HER
I HATE HER I HATE HER I HATE HER
Oh, my! I’ve got to sew the rags…
(Working Class Luggage, “Rag Princess Sews”, Amanda’s Diary)

~~~

13 August
From J to W
How are you, Wendy?

You haven’t said anything to me since I showed you the surprise…
Do you like my cute little puppy Brown?
Let’s take care of him together.
(Sick Room, “Once Upon a Time”, letter on nightstand)

~~~

16 August 1930

Today, I was busy catching up on my work, when Clara came by to offer me a hand.
I guess my teaching paid off.
I was grateful for her kindness.
In the wee hours of the morning, she was still working, so I gently took her to bed.
I can hardly believe it. My little Clara, bless her heart, is already 16 years old.
She tells me she wants to stay at the orphanage and help with the daily chores.
Maybe I should seriously consider the offer.
Tomorrow, I’ll discuss it with Martha.”
(Headmaster’s Room, Hoffman’s diary, “Once Upon a Time”)

~~~

20 August
From J to W
My dear Wendy,

This little guy is just so adorable.
When I call his name, he comes bounding to me.
I know you’ll like him too.
(Sick Room, “Once Upon a Time”, letter on nightstand)

~~~

24 August
From W to J
Jennifer,

Thank you for introducing me to Brown.
…But, such a filthy dog is not a good match for you and me.
Just give it to Nicholas or something, and let’s just be content with the two of us.
(Filth Room, “Once Upon a Time”, letter on shelf)

~~~

24 August 1930

This is inexcusable!
My precious koi is gone.
The children must be responsible.
I won’t stand for this.
Where is Diana?
What’s she been up to?
My opinion of her will suffer because of this.
(Headmaster’s Room, Hoffman’s diary, “Once Upon a Time”)

~~~

Sunday, August 31

I HATE HER I HATE HER I HATE HER
I HATE HER I HATE HER I HATE HER
Oh, my! I’ve got to sew the rags…
(Working Class Luggage, “Rag Princess Sews”, Amanda’s Diary)

~~~

10 September
From W to J
My stubborn Jennifer,

Is Brown that important to you?
It’s just a dog. A filthy animal.
Please stop sharing your wonderful smile with that thing…
Please smile only at me.
(Filth Room, “Once Upon a Time”, letter on shelf)

~~~

24 September
From J to W
How are you doing, Wendy?

Are you alright?
We’ll always be friends, and Brown can be our friend too.
I know you don’t understand, but I can’t just abandon him.
(Sick Room, “Once Upon a Time”, letter on nightstand)

~~~

Sunday, September 28

I HATE HER I HATE HER I HATE HER
I HATE HER I HATE HER I HATE HER
Oh, my! I’ve got to sew the rags…
(Working Class Luggage, “Rag Princess Sews”, Amanda’s Diary)

~~~

1 October
From W to J
Jennifer the Heartless,

Why didn’t you come?
I waited and waited for you.
Why can’t I see you every morning?
I think only of you…
Are you avoiding me?
(Filth Room, “Once Upon a Time”, letter on shelf)

~~~

Sunday, October 5

After all that time I spent sewing it!
Basil, Fanny, George, Hector, Ida, Leo, Paul!
Why must they always bother me so?
Oh, woe is me!
(Working Class Luggage, “Rag Princess Sews”, Amanda’s Diary)

~~~

6 October
From J to W

You’ve got it all wrong, Wendy.
This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.
I never expected you to react this way.
All I wanted is for us to live happily ever after together.
(Sick Room, “Once Upon a Time”, letter on nightstand)

~~~

Sunday, October 12

Oh, why can’t they all just go to hell!
Basil, have a nap on the railroad tracks!
Fanny, take a dive off the roof!
George, I’ll hang you upside down!
Hector, get run over by a carriage!
Ida, I have some fancy poison jam for you!
Leo, walk across an open manhole!
Paul, get smothered by a great rug!
And lastly, that girl!
The Aristocrats will have their way with her!
Oh, how very delightful life is!
(Working Class Luggage, “Rag Princess Sews”, Amanda’s Diary)

~~~

Sunday, October 19

That wretched girl will do my dirty work.
I’ll work her to the bone!
Oh, I feel wonderful today!
(Working Class Luggage, “Rag Princess Sews”, Amanda’s Diary)

~~~

20 October 1930
Re: Mr. Gregory Wilson
Dear Ma’am,

Please forgive the delay in our response.
In your letter, you report suspicious activity on the partof Mr. Gregory Wilson.
After investigating the matter, we have come to the following conclusion.
There is little to indicate that the said individual is connected to the recent kidnappings.
Mr. Wilson is father to a son who closely matches your description in your letter.
Therefore, we have determined that there is insufficient evidence to warrant further investigation.
We appreciate your cooperation and understanding in this matter.

Anthony Doolittle
Cardington Police

~~~

31 October (corrected date, see this post for details)

From W to J
My dear Prince,

Yes, you are my Prince.
A Prince and a Princess must be together, after all, Jennifer, you are my eternal companion.
Just promise to stay by my side, and save your smiles for me.
That’s all I ask.
We don’t need a filthy dog!
We can’t let anyone come between us.
(Sick Room, “Once Upon a Time”, letter on nightstand)

~~~

(Memory that can be dated to October 31)

“On Halloween, we all dressed up in costumes…
Everyone else wore bags over their heads, and stared at me through tiny holes…
Their blank faces and muffled voices…
It scared me like you wouldn’t believe…
‘Is it really you under there?’ I asked, fearing it was something else.
But, no one would answer me.”
(Closet Room, “Once Upon a Time”, memory at the clothes hangers)

~~~

###November 1930

The children are spreading rumors about a killer named “Stray Dog.”
They say, “He comes at dusk under the cover of darkness and devours the children he kidnaps.”
Disturbingly the rumors seem to be motivated by the recent disappearances that have the public in a panic.
However, I find that the rumors I use to get the children to do their cleaning are working splendidly.
The orphanage is spotless.
I’m such a clever teacher.
(Headmaster’s Room, Hoffman’s diary, “The Funeral”)

~~~

11 November 1930

I’m leaving the orphanage.
Clara’s here to look after things, and the children are quickly growing up.
I’ve done right and fulfilled my duty.
…Bloody hell!
All the trouble started when that wretched child arrived…
I’ve done nothing to deserve this!”
(Headmaster’s Room, Hoffman’s diary, “Once Upon a Time”)

…That’s the end of the diary. We never saw Mr. Hoffman again.

~~~

24 November
Officer Doolittle,

My name is Martha Carol, and I work at the Rose Garden Orphanage.
In the past month, I have sent six letters to your attention, but have yet to receive a response.
Have my letters reached you?
I ask that you please investigate this matter at once for the safety of our children.
Yesterday, I saw them together again… Mr. Wilson and Wendy, a child at our orphanage.
I am very concerned for her safety.
The two of them have been acting quite strangely.
Oh, it’s terribly odd.
By strangely, I mean… Mr. Wilson walking on all fours and nodding… and Wendy appears to be scolding him…
I don’t know how to explain it except that it resembles dog training gone wrong.
Ooo… it gives me the shivers just thinking about it.
Please come investigate this matter as

~~~

28 November
From W to J

You still have that filthy dog?
I’ll never forgive you.
Have you forgotten your oath, the rule of rose?
Good-bye, Jennifer.
You will regret choosing that dog over me.
(Sick Room, “Once Upon a Time”, letter on nightstand)

~~~

###20 December 1930

A tragic multiple homicide has occurred at an orphanage in Cardington resulting in the deaths of all the children housed there.
Among the dead was one adult, Gregory M. Wilson, a local resident.
Analysis of the crime scene suggests that Wilson shot himself with a pistol.
Police have identified him as their prime suspect in the murders of the children.
(Smoking Room, Sir Peter chapter, Goat Sisters chapter, newspaper)

~~~

Front gate:

–At the orphanage sign to the left of the gate:

“The Rose Garden Orphanage…
That day, I was escorted from the scene by Officer Doolittle.
At first, it was reported that there were no survivors…
Then, word got out that, miraculously, I had escaped the tragedy…
When rumor spread that I was also the sole survivor of a horrific airship accident in which the passengers were all presumed to be dead,
the media went into a frenzy.
And so, the tragic murder of the residents of a rural orphanage was instantly bumped from the front cover of the daily newspaper to an obscure corner…
I’m sorry everyone.
You don’t deserve to be forgotten…
But I’ll remember you.
Thank you all for the precious memories.”

~~~

END OF TIME-LINE

~~~

~~~

(Amanda’s diary, undated last written entry, the entry preceding it was dated 19 October):

I’m so worried…

I just don’t know what’s going to happen…

(Working Class Luggage, “Rag Princess Sews”, Amanda’s Diary)

Drawings by Amanda, apparently of herself, follow this entry. In these drawings more and more stars surround Amanda and she is smiling, then she sprouts wings and flies up, at first happy, but then she apparently crashes. The subsequent drawings consist of scribbles that are hard to interpret: the last scribble might be Amanda dead and buried, but that is a speculative interpretation by me.

~~~

~~~

~~~

July 21, 1930

Daily Flamingo

Husband “Borrows” 60 Pounds From Wife’s 365-Pound Bank Account.

(Room 26, “Bird of Happiness”)

~~~

(July 21, 1930)

Daily Flamingo

Husband Swipes 60 Pounds From Wife’s 365-Pound Bank Account.

(when you read the above article from your inventory)

~~~

July 1930

Daily Flamingo

Husband Borrows Yet Another 30 Pounds From Wife’s Bank Account

(Room 9–Clara’s Cabin, “Bird of Happiness”)

This collection includes five of Jennifer’s memories/comments that were omitted in the GameFAQs game-script faq written by TheSinnerChrono. I marked these with “####” to make them easier to find (for readers only interested in these).

This post does not contain commentaries by me (unless some of my descriptive comments count as being commentary).

If anyone finds anything I missed, or any mistakes I’ve made, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!

Filth Room:

–At the shelf:

“This letter looks familiar… Yes. it’s one of the secret letters that Wendy and I traded.” (reads letters) “Wendy… You were always so lonely. Poor, lonely Wendy… I wonder if my letters ever reached her.”

–At the central pillar:

“Tied to this pillar, unable to move, I was all alone. It took a while, but I finally freed myself. I was always the slow poke… But, that won’t happen again. I’ll never let myself be tied up again.”

–At the suitcase:

“When I came here, this suitcase was the only luggage I had… I lost everything in the accident. My mother, my father, all my possessions, and even my memories.”

–At the sunny window:

“I spent so much time in this room… Who knows how many times I woke up here? The nights were lonely and cold, but you’d always greet me in the morning… Only you greeted me warmly. Thank you so.

–At the rubbish bin:

“It’s the detested rubbish bin. No one ever suspected that something precious was hidden inside it. Nor did they know that it was the only place where I could keep my things safe.”

–At the empty corner (where Bucket Knight had been):

“It feels as if something very dear to me was here. Someone or something that always looked after me… helped me.”

Hallway:

–At the laundry shelves:

“Everyone would put their dirty laundry here, and it was my job to wash it. How ironic… The one they called “filthy” washing their filthy clothes. It all seems so silly now.”

2nd Floor Lavatory:

–At the toilet that has an eye drawn on the toilet lid:

“‘We’re watching you.’ That’s what the picture meant. But it was still scary.”

–At Bucket Knight (by the sinks and mirrors):

“Bucket Knight… A makeshift knight that Nicholas and Xavier used for sword practice. Though they may have forgotten about it, I’ve always remembered. For, I yearned for a loyal knight to come to my rescue.

Hallway (Front Stairway balcony):

–At the empty picture frame:

“There used to be a picture here, of everyone at the orphanage. It was a picture filled with hope, taken the day I was brought here. I was afraid someone would try to steal this precious memory from me…so I took the picture down and kept it safe.”

Sick Bay:

–At the drawers (these look like the same drawers as had the forbidden drawer in the “Unlucky Clover Field” chapter):

“Clara was a quiet person. To me, she looked like just another student at the orphanage…except when she spoke to Mr. Hoffman or Martha. Then, she looked scary. I wonder if I’ll be like Clara when I’m older… Will I enjoy those days?”

Sickroom:

–At the rabbit cage:

“Peter the rabbit… He was the pet that Wendy suddenly decided to take care of. It was the same time I started looking after Brown… I wonder if Wendy really loved Peter… Was she sad when she had to give him up?”

–At the lamp:

“This letter looks familiar. Yes it’s one of the secret letters that Wendy and I traded. ” (reads letters)

Balcony:

–At the birdcage:

“The red bird in the cage… The doll Eleanor treasured. ‘If only we could fly like birds and go wherever we wished,’ she whispered softly. Yet, no matter how much Eleanor wished, she’ll never be able to just fly away from this orphanage. Poor Eleanor… She was burdened by her own frozen heart.”

Play Area:

–By the chair and train-track circle:

“Thomas was always playing with his trains…They were his only friends. There were no final stops on his railroad, for that would be devastating to him. It’s rumored that this obsession had something to do with his birth, but Thomas never spoke about it with anyone.”

####By the blocks:

“No one really played with the toys here because they were all old. Only Thomas was the master of this room. ‘A new girl, a new girl!’ he exclaimed when we first met. He seemed to enjoy teasing me.

Library:

–By the white goat doll:

“It’s a stuffed goat… The white goat Mary. The black goat Sally. When Meg found her letter to Diana torn apart, she was deeply wounded and cried in Diana’s arms, even though she was the one that ripped it up… And, when Meg’s notebook was found all scattered about, Diana made fun of her, saying, ‘Mary and Sally must’ve ate it.’ Poor Meg… She was bound by the shackles of foolish devotion.”

–By the painting of the airship:

“The future that people dreamt of never came and was soon forgotten. From the blue skies of hope, it sank into the depths of oblivion. The new life born from it was an existence devoid of hope. It slowly wriggles its large body and stares at the sky with a remorseful look… That’s its only purpose.”

Sewing Room:

–At the sewing machine:

“Amanda was fond of using the sewing machine. When she got absorbed in something, she’d think of nothing else, especially sewing, which was always on her mind. If we ran out of cloth or thread, she’d just sew rags with an empty needle over and over again… And then she’d smile at the tattered rag with satisfaction.”

Hallway (2nd floor):

–At the graffiti on the floor near the Sewing Room door:

“There are doodles everywhere. No matter how many we cleaned, more would show up the next day.”

Dormitory:

–At one of the two central tables:

“The night was quiet dark and scary. Yet it was a mysterious time that aroused excitement. Some nights, we’d stay awake in secret, hiding from the teacher, and draw pictures by lamplight. It made us feel very much like adults–something not possible during the day.”

–At the other central table:

“A mermaid doll… What a proud and pure creature. Diana yearned to become a beautiful lady, like a mermaid, but as she grew older, she realized that she was straying further and further from her ideal self. Poor Diana… She was trapped by her own ideals.”

Front Stairway:

####At the ladder:

“That day when Thomas couldn’t get down from the tree, the ladder, which had been collecting dust, sure came in handy. Back then, Mr. Hoffman was a kind and admirable teacher.”

Main Hall (first floor):

–At the vase of flowers:

“There used to be beautiful roses here, picked by Wendy from the rose garden. …But, as with all things, they wilted away with the passage of time.”

–At the potted fern:

“Miss Martha used to scold Nicholas for forgetting to water the plants, and then she’d turn her wrath on me, snapping, ‘What are you laughing at, young lady!?’”

Hallway near Classroom door:

–At a bucket-headed construct:

“A silent scarecrow… It stands there quietly, not meddling in the affairs of others. It sways in the breeze, like me…a cowardly girl who was unable to assert her true feelings.”

Men’s Lavatory:

####At the blocked-off toilet stall:

“Once, Susan started a rumor about voices coming from this room at night… It turned out it was only the door creaking in the wind, but one night, sounds came from the room even with the windows shut. Susan jumped out of her bed and screamed. It was really just a prank by Nicholas and Xavier. From then on, the room was believed to be haunted and was considered off limits.”

Classroom:

–At the blackboard (which has written on it: “Hitlerism is a form of government controlled by one man’s will / Democracy is a form of government controlled / Hitlerism is a form of government controlled by one man’s will”):

“I learned many things at this orphanage…The alphabet… words… how to clean and do laundry… But the most important thing I learned… was the lesson I received in exchange for my dear friend’s life… I finally came to understand myself. My beliefs and the will to stand up for them… I don’t want to lose those ever again.”

–At the drawings on the wall (a map of Great Britain):

“The map of this country… That day we flew from England… Those memories were buried deep inside of me… The airship…and the accident… Thereafter, the story of my life became a tale of misfortune. Even when the others played ‘airship’ I couldn’t bear to join them, so I was left out.”

–At the schedule of classes on the wall:

“A brat, a know-it-all, an introvert, a crybaby, and an elitist… I know misfortune, because I tolerated them all. I thought I was the only grown up, but we were all just kids, myself included. But what does it really mean to be a grown-up? Will I ever become one?”

–At the furnace:

“On cold winter days, we all used to gather here and talk… I, of course, couldn’t join in, so I sat off to the side. Even so, it felt so warm.”

Bathroom:

–At the mirror (looking at her own reflection):

“Jennifer, are you happy now, considering how bad it was for you, back then? …That tragedy you wanted to forget. Now that you remember everything, how do you feel? Is the answer inside you? Think carefully Jennifer.”

Wash house:

–At the sinks:

“I came to this room every day to do laundry… The water was so cold, and the soap would sting my eyes, but I didn’t hate it, because clean laundry is so refreshing.”

Kitchen:

–At the table:

“If Miss Martha had disappeared, there would’ve been no one to cook… If Clara had disappeared, there would’ve been no one to tend our wounds… If Mr. Hoffman had disappeared, there would’ve been no one to teach us. You can’t live life eating snacks all day, with no exercise or studying. If you look at it that way, even the Aristocrat club needed adults around… Our world was so small.”

Martha’s room:

–On the bed:

“There are a couple of letters here. It’s a letter from the police… “(reads letter) “It’s a letter from Martha…”(reads letter) “The letter ends there… Perhaps if the matter had been addressed publicly, things wouldn’t have turned out as they did. Adults are so selfish.”

Cafeteria:

–At a fork on the table:

“Olivia, the one who cried all the time, stopped crying completely when all the adults were gone. With no teacher to give her attention and no cleaning lady to scold her, there was no point in crying anymore. …Poor Olivia.”

Inner Court:

–Site of Brown’s burial:

“It all started here, when I dug up the mound… I sensed that something precious to me was buried here… and I couldn’t stop myself… The old me… the one who didn’t understand herself… I lost my friend because of her. If… If I could go back… I’d try to save him… but what has happened can never be undone. I’ll never break a promise again.”

Cell of Remorse:

(nothing)

Cell of Pleasure:

(nothing) film projector

Cell of Repentance:

(nothing)

Cell of Solitude:

–At the central chair:

“One time, Diana was absorbed in deep thought here. She was the prettiest, the most mature of the Aristocrats. She wanted so much to be an adult… and yet she was also afraid of growing up too fast.”

Cell of Bliss:

–At the table:

“The spooky things… The scary creatures that everyone talked about… They’ll come and clean if you don’t, sweeping bad children away like dust… Well, they actually came and attacked me… I knew what they really were… but that wasn’t the problem. The real problem was my weak heart. My weakness was what drew them here.”

Closet Room:

–At the clothes hangers:

“On Halloween, we all dressed up in costumes… Everyone else wore bags over their heads, and stared at me through tiny holes… Their blank faces and muffled voices… It scared me like you wouldn’t believe… ‘Is it really you under there?’ I asked, fearing it was something else. But, no one would answer me.”

–At the mirror:

“Amanda was always more sensitive about her looks than anyone else. One day she was given a severe scolding by Miss Martha. That’s because Miss Martha’s lipstick had gone missing. The lipstick was never found, but I know Amanda took it. I’ve seen her applying it late at night.”

Hallway (ground floor, connecting Headmaster’s Room and Closet Room):

####At drawing on the floor of a big donut-shaped one-eyed person (near cabinet):

“This sloppy drawing must be Thomas’s. See what happens when you give him chalk? The walls, the floors… To him, it’s one big canvas.”

####At drawing on floor of spooky things (nearest the Headmaster’s Room):

“The spooky things… They swept away everything that’s dirty, including disobedient children. It was a scary story that started as a rumor and spread like wildfire.”

####At drawing of spooky things (nearest the Closet Room):

“The spooky things love to clean. That’s why they always carry mops and brooms. They’ll kidnap you if you don’t clean. At least, that’s what everyone says.”

Headmaster’s Room:

–At the PA system:

“Mr. Hoffman loved to broadcast over the PA system… while we were cleaning, while we were eating, and even after we were in bed. He always announced our names in the order of his favorites. We’d try our best to win his approval and be the first one to be called. But he never called my name, not once. I thought it was all rather silly, anyway.”

–At the desk:

“The book is open… ” (reads Hoffman’s diary entries). “At the time it seemed so frightening… Were those scary things that attacked me just figments of my imagination…?” (another entry) “..The diary continues, but the last page is particularly interesting… It’s Mr. Hoffman’s last entry before he disappeared.” (another entry) “…That’s the end of the diary. We never saw Mr. Hoffman again.”

–At the fish tank (a fish swims inside):

“I know you’re in a very stinky place, because that rag Diana put to my face smelled just awful. But, no matter how clever or fast you are, there’s no escaping. You’re like a mermaid in captivity… adapting to a new reality. Leaving your home behind…did you find happiness?”

Headmaster’s Closet:

–At the shelf that has shoes:

“That day, Mr. Hoffman disappeared, like he was running away from something. He had tried too hard to be someone he wasn’t. The expectations were too much for him… and he wanted to escape those restrictions. However, children and adults live in the same world, and we must both play by society’s rules.”

Reception Room:

–At the record player:

“The record player is brand new. Playing a record would fill the room with sweet music.”

–At the fireplace:

“It was a cold, winter night… I had been scolded as usual, and called into the headmaster’s room. I didn’t like being scolded, but I didn’t mind so much when it was in front of the fireplace, which was warm and cozy.”

–At the vase on the central table:

“All of us loved red roses. Even the name of the orphanage was befitting of an Aristocrat… It wasn’t until I swore the oath of the rose that I learned roses have thorns.”

–At the dish cupboard:

“This is Mr. Hoffman’s prized collection of fine dishes. We would sometimes sneak them out and play house with them in the attic, but that’s our little secret.”

–At the graffiti covered portrait:

“This is a picture of Mr. Hoffman when he was a young man. He was so proud when he showed it to us… He never caught the one who doodled on it though. But, I know who did it. I saw Thomas trying to move the ladder on the day it happened.”

Women’s Lavatory:

–Toilet stall with bird drawing:

“Red bird drawings. A red crayon and… a red broach… A red rose and… red blood… Red is the most beautiful color, yet it comes at a price. It is my most favorite color and my most hated color.”

Entrance-way:

–At the lockers:

“It’s a small locker, but it was just for me. My name was even on it. They made me feel welcome. I was so happy… I’d move my shoes in and out, over and over again.”

–At the umbrella stand:

“We never used umbrellas. On snowy days, we’d go out for snowball fights. On rainy days, we’d go out and play in the rain, and get soaking wet. Every time, Xavier would trip and get himself all muddy and we’d laugh. It was so much fun.”

–At the portrait of Hoffman:

“One day, Mr. Hoffman suddenly disappeared. Clara and Miss Martha soon followed, leaving me and the other orphans alone.”

Front gate:

–At the orphanage sign to the left of the gate:

“The Rose Garden Orphanage… That day, I was escorted from the scene by Officer Doolittle. At first, it was reported that there were no survivors… Then, word got out that, miraculously, I had escaped the tragedy… When rumor spread that I was also the sole survivor of a horrific airship accident in which the passengers were all presumed to be dead, the media went into a frenzy. and so, the tragic murder of the residents of a rural orphanage was instantly bumped from the front cover of the daily newspaper to an obscure corner… I’m sorry everyone. You don’t deserve to be forgotten… But I’ll remember you. Thank you all for the precious memories.”

Fork In The Path:

####At the sign:

“The sign has been broken ever since I came here. I guess it doesn’t matter: no one comes to visit anyway.”

Bus Stop:

–At the bus stop sign:

“That bus that brought me here… Should I try to take it the other way? …No, that’s not right. There are still things I have to do here. Wait for me, Brown.”

Outside the rickety shed:

–At the door:

“Please wait for me. I’ll be there.”

Inside the rickety shed:

(Spoken to Brown) “My dear friend… I never want to lose you again. I’ll protect you… forever and ever until I die.” (Writes on chalkboard: “everlasting/true love/ I am yours”) “I’ll protect you… forever until I die.”