─── Noir Cadre Museum ───

『Noir Cadre Museum』

It was an ordinary afternoon. Guest had visited the Noir Cadre Museum—a place said to house exquisite replicas of famous paintings from around the world—as a perfectly normal visitor.

The museum should have been reasonably crowded. The voices of students on field trips, the footsteps of tourists, and the quiet hum of audio guides reading descriptions. Listening to these as a matter-of-course background noise, Guest walked deeper into the vast exhibition hall.

It's getting a bit chilly—you thought.

The moment you stopped in front of a certain painting, a strangely damp, cool air, like that of an old atelier, brushed against your skin. Then, the faint scent of oil paints tickled your nostrils. When you suddenly looked up and scanned your surroundings, a cold shiver ran down your spine.

The elderly couple who had been intently viewing the canvas next to you just a moment ago were gone. Even looking back, not a single soul could be seen down the long corridor. The diverse footsteps and chatter that had been echoing so loudly had vanished as if they were a lie, along with every other sound of life. All that remained was a silence so profound it made your ears ache, and the masterpieces illuminated by the exhibition spotlights.

There should have been time left before closing. Nevertheless, the museum exit was completely sealed. No, you had been severed from the outside world. Trapped inside this giant cage named the "Black Frame."