With the old spirit's words ringing in his ears, Kaito left the circular room and made his way back through the secret passage. His mind was focused on the task at hand - finding the three keys to break the curse. The first key, hidden beneath the roots of the ancient cherry tree in the mansion's garden, was his immediate objective.
As he emerged from the passage and made his way through the creaking halls of the mansion, the air seemed to grow even colder. The once - silent corridors now felt filled with an expectant hush, as if the very walls were waiting to see if Kaito would succeed in his quest.
Kaito finally reached the back of the mansion, where a set of large, double - doors led to the garden. The doors were warped and difficult to open, but with a heave, Kaito managed to force them ajar. A gust of cold wind swept in, carrying with it the faint scent of decay and the sweet aroma of cherry blossoms, a strange combination that sent a shiver down his spine.
The garden was a wild and overgrown mess. Weeds had taken over the paths, and the once - manicured flower beds were now a jumble of thorns and dying plants. In the center of the garden, as the old spirit had said, stood the ancient cherry tree. Its gnarled branches reached out like twisted arms, and its bark was covered in a layer of moss.
Kaito approached the tree slowly, his eyes scanning the ground around it. The roots of the tree spread out in all directions, some of them breaking through the soil. Kaito knew that he had to be careful not to damage the tree while searching for the key. He got down on his knees and began to dig through the dirt with his hands, feeling around for any signs of the hidden key.
The soil was cold and damp, and his fingers quickly became numb. But Kaito didn't give up. After what seemed like an eternity of digging, his fingers touched something hard. His heart skipped a beat as he carefully pulled out a small, rusty key. It was about three inches long, with a strange, intricate design on the head. The key was cold to the touch, and as Kaito held it up to the light of his lantern, he noticed that the design on the head seemed to match some of the symbols he had seen on the ancient book.
Just as he was about to examine the key further, he heard a soft rustling sound coming from behind him. Kaito whipped around, his lantern held out in front of him. In the shadows, he could make out the figure of a small, white - haired boy. The boy was dressed in a tattered kimono and looked no more than eight years old. His eyes were large and filled with a mix of fear and curiosity.
"Who are you?" Kaito asked, his voice echoing in the stillness of the garden.
The boy didn't answer. Instead, he took a step forward, his eyes fixed on the key in Kaito's hand. Kaito could sense that the boy was a spirit, but he didn't seem to be hostile. "Do you know about this key?" Kaito asked, showing the key to the boy.
The boy nodded slowly. "It's the first key," he said in a soft, whisper - like voice. "But you have to be careful. The other spirits don't want you to break the curse. They're afraid of what will happen if they're freed."
Kaito was taken aback. "Why would they be afraid?" he asked.
The boy looked down at the ground. "We've been here for so long. We don't know what lies outside. And there are some spirits who have become evil, consumed by their anger and pain. They'll try to stop you."
With that, the boy vanished into thin air. Kaito was left alone in the garden, the key in his hand. He knew that his task had just become even more difficult. But he was more determined than ever to break the curse and help the spirits find peace. With the first key safely in his pocket, Kaito made his way back into the mansion, ready to search for the second key in the attic.