薔薇姫綺譚

あらすじ

A colossal underground cavern, never once glimpsed by human eyes, and a manor built within it. A young girl, raised in this world untouched by light, lived peacefully with her beloved father and their servant. As time flowed gently by, the girl — Claritte — grew into a beautiful woman, and it seemed the days of tranquility might continue forever.

But then, Claritte's father, Clemens, was struck down by a mysterious illness, shattering the peace of the manor in the darkness. Claritte bravely retreated to her father's study in search of a cure for his strange affliction. There, she discovered a mysterious book and learned of the existence of a unique rose, said to heal any illness. The rose was said to exist only in the manor's deepest reaches, but to arrive there, one must undergo several "trials". Furthermore, the book warned that even if she were to attempt the trials, should Claritte prove unable to endure them, the path to the rose would be closed, and Clemens would meet his end at the culmination of his sickness.

One day, as Claritte dwelled on thoughts of her ailing father, the servant, Ludoana, informed her that the condition of Clemens was worsening. To the girl, resolved to save her father, the mysterious book revealed the path leading to the trials. Seeking the rose, Claritte cast herself into the darkness of the trials.