The entire party hall froze when the young servant girl raised the small key. The eyes that had looked down on her moments earlier instantly turned into fear and suspicion. The Mayor, who had been quietly wiping the red wine stain from his white suit, slowly turned toward the wealthy host. “What does this mean?” he asked coldly. The host’s lips trembled, but he forced a smile. “It’s nothing, Mr. Mayor. That girl is crazy. She’s just a servant looking for attention.” But the girl immediately answered, her voice breaking but her gaze still brave. “I’m not crazy. I know what I saw. Inside your bedroom, there’s a secret door. Behind that door, there are stairs leading down. And underneath this house… there are people being locked away.” The guests’ whispers suddenly grew louder. The host’s wife stepped back, trying to hide her trembling hand, then snapped, “Shut up! You don’t know what you’re talking about!”
The Mayor stepped closer to the girl. “Where is the room you’re talking about?” he asked, his tone becoming more serious. The girl looked at him, tears still running down her face, but her fear was gone. “In the master bedroom, sir. Behind the large wardrobe, there’s a place no one is allowed to open. This key opens it.” The host immediately interrupted, almost shouting, “Mr. Mayor, you can’t just enter the private part of my house!” But his panic only made everyone more suspicious. “Private?” the Mayor repeated in a low, sharp voice. “Or are you simply hiding the truth?” The host’s wife knelt in front of the Mayor, pretending to cry. “Please don’t believe her. She just wants to destroy us.” But the Mayor looked at the servant girl, with a wound at the corner of her mouth and her dirty uniform, then stared at the couple dressed in luxury while their eyes were full of fear. “Open that room,” he ordered. “Right now.”