If there was one thing I understood after the first scenario with the conductor, it was that seeking perfection was a curse.
Many strived to be perfect.
The desire for perfection was a deep human trait, though the intensity and expression of it varied widely from person to person.
Inherently, such logic was flawed.
Even though people strived for perfection, nothing was ever perfect.
Achieving perfection was almost impossible.
Many understood this simple truth and, as such, gave up when they got close to it.
This is enough.
To me, it's perfect.
But...
There existed those who didn't believe in such a notion.
People or beings who let their inability to reach perfection consume their minds and thoughts.
Their reality...
It was filled with nothing but anguish and despair.
With just the singular thought of perfection completely consuming their minds. To the point of madness.
The conductor was one such person.
I stared at the reflection before me. From its sewn eyes and sewn lips. I didn't understand then, but I understand now.
No voice could tarnish his piece.
No sight could influence his sound.
He sewed his lips and sealed his eyes.
To hear the music all around.
And...
To drown the world outside.
...The madness had reached a point of no return. All the conductor could think about was reaching perfection; his life driven by that one singular thought.
I couldn't relate to such a thought process.
I wasn't perfect.
I neither strived to be perfect.
I just wanted to live.
I just...
I blinked my eye slowly.
That was a lie. I could relate a little. I thought back to the game I had recently developed and thought about all the reactions I managed to see on the internet. The screams, the police calls, the... everything.
I started to understand.
...The feeling of wanting to do more.
Better. More perfect.
Blinking yet again, I stared at the conductor's image before me. He didn't say anything while he looked at me through the polished surface of the piano.
I was starting to understand better, and unknowingly, my back began to hunch over.
I didn't really understand why.
Dang—
But as I played the next note, something about it felt different.
It felt crisper.
Sharper.
"....."
My finger twitched. I felt a certain pain settle into my chest. I raised my head to look at the reflection on the piano.
The conductor was there, his baton in the air.
When did...
"Haa..."
A long breath escaped my lips.
The twitch in my finger persisted as I played the next note, its sound expanding further throughout the room as it lingered for a few seconds longer.
That sound...
'It sounds so good.'
I silently swallowed my saliva. My mouth was strangely dry as I looked at the keys before me. I wanted to hear it again.
I wanted to hear the same crisp sound from before.
And so I tried again.
Dang, Dang!
My hands moved on their own. They danced across the keys, pressing down as the notes echoed in the air.
"H-ho."
My chest trembled as the notes drifted in the air. Staring at the reflection before me, the conductor waved his baton.
He was...
Conducting my piece.
Dang!
I began to follow his lead.
...My back hunched further while my hand started to tense.
The more I played the music, the more I started to feel my hands become light. Each note of the melody unfolded with a fragility that made it seem as though the keys were made of thin glass, ready to shatter beneath the slightest pressure.
I started to be afraid.
Afraid of making any mistakes.
The mere thought of pressing too hard made my heart ache.
It made my mind swirl with all sorts of thoughts. Consuming it.
The more I played, the more I understood.
The reason for the conductor's perfectionism.
It was to...
Feel complete.
Within the emptiness inside the minds of others, perfection was a means to fill the void. It was a means to give purpose. To... give proof of existence.
Because only those who achieved perfection could be written in the history books.
Acknowledged.
...And that was all the conductor really wanted.
He wanted to be acknowledged.
'So let me do that for you.'
Dang!
I once again added pressure to the keys as the notes dragged into the air with even more force and sharpness.
The conductor remained in front of me, his baton waving slightly.
I followed its lead.
...The conductor knew which tempo and rhythm I had to follow in order to strive for perfection.
Da Dong!
My hands moved fluidly, pressing onto the keys with steady precision. I felt sweat drip down the side of my face as I played the piano.
The closer I got to the ending, the heavier the weight on my chest.
I couldn't mess up.
...I had to be perfect.
I felt my breathing quicken as those thoughts entered my mind.
"Haa... Haa..."
It was getting hard.
But as if possessed, my hands continued to move, their movements becoming even more fluid. The world around me had long faded.
The only thing was the piano in front of me and the conductor standing not far off, as a certain darkness embraced our surroundings.
I continued to play.
My movements were swift, my execution seamless, and most importantly...
I was perfect.
Dong!
But...
'No, this isn't enough.'
Something didn't feel quite right about the situation.
I looked towards the keys in front of me and the conductor in front.
Something was missing.
But what...?
What exactly was it missing?
The answer came to me shortly after as I paused and looked around, the darkness around me fading.
That's when I saw it.
The faces of everyone around the ballroom, directed towards me. Not a single person was looking at me.
...And none of them were dancing.
'Ah, I see.'
Dong!
I pressed down on the key once more.
It was them.
They were the missing piece to my perfection.
The ones to acknowledge it.
My audience.
***
With the exception of the melody coming from the grand piano in the ballroom, the surroundings were quiet. Everyone's gaze was fixed on the Jester by the piano.
The dance had long stopped.
In that moment, it felt that any extra noise would tarnish his piece.
Nobody dared to make a sound.
But at the same time, their expressions couldn't help but change as they saw the changes happening to the Jester as his back grew more and more hunched, his hands curling, and his shoulders rolling.
The sight was sickening to watch.
...But at the same time, nobody could tear their gaze away from him.
'Just what is he doing?'
'...Why is he acting like this?'
'He's a freak.'
Their stomachs churned as they stared at the host, who was blankly staring in the direction of the Jester.
His reaction said it all.
But it wasn't like this at the start.
At first, the piece felt normal. Boring. But something about it changed halfway through.
It was during the same time that the Jester changed, as something about the notes that played in the air felt entrancing, mind-numbing.
Zoey struggled to keep her eye away from the Jester.
All of a sudden, she recalled her previous words.
'Your palms are sweating. Nervous?'
'...Am I onto something?'
They felt laughable now. Nervous? No, the opposite most likely.
He was probably excited.
Excited to display this before them.
Dang!
And with each note that struck, her mind grew more and more blank.
She couldn't extricate her gaze from him, and in that moment, it felt as though the world centered around the Jester.
They were merely spectators to his world.
To his piece.
And then—
Dang!
The last note struck, gently spreading throughout the ballroom.
"....."
The silence dragged on as everyone stopped moving.
All thoughts were blank as the note lingered in the air for a few seconds after the last key was pressed.
They only snapped out of it when the note finally faded, and they raised their hands to look at the Jester.
"....!"
"Ah..."
"What is...!?"
It was also in that moment that they saw it.
The long and slender figure that stood on the opposite end of the grand piano, its slender arms resting onto the top as its sewn eyes and mouth stared directly at the hunched Jester, who slowly raised his head.
And soon...
Their eyes met.
Under the stares of everyone in the room, the Jester stood up from his seat and looked at everyone watching.
Everyone was staring at him.
Acknowledging him.
This was...
The perfect piece.
His perfect piece.
He bowed.
"....."
The ballroom was silent.
All eyes were on the Jester as he slowly bowed to them.
Behind him stood a tall, slender figure dressed in formal black, nearly half a body taller than him. Its elongated arms hung low, thin fingers grazing the polished floor. Its eyes and mouth were sewn tightly shut.
The sight of the two felt extremely contrasting.
One large, and one small.
And yet...
Surrounded by everyone, it created a picturesque scene.
...It was chilling, and nobody dared to move as they took in the sight before them.
No, it was more like they couldn't move.
A strange pressure emanated from the figure standing behind the Jester. It weighed heavily over the entire room, and it made it impossible for anyone to move.
'W-what is that...?'
'That's... That's...'
The eyes of many shook under the presence of the strange creature.
Experienced as they were, they all understood the moment its presence was felt that this was no regular creature.
...It was an extremely powerful anomalous entity.
Just its presence alone made it impossible for them to move.
They felt suffocated.
And yet, the only one that seemed completely unaffected by the strange creature was none other than the Jester.
Raising his head back up, the Jester looked around the room.
He took in their gazes.
Basked in them.
And then, he slowly turned his attention towards the host.
Tok!
His step shattered the silence. Under the watchful eyes of all those present, he moved towards the host, stopping right before him.
"So...?"
His voice, deep and slightly hoarse, cut through the silence.
"My performance? Was it satisfactory...?"
The host just stood there, his mind and expression blank.
For the briefest of moments, he almost seemed overwhelmed as he took a step back.
But that didn't persist for long as he soon recollected himself.
[Satisfactory?]
The host looked around before suddenly bursting out in a wave of applause.
[That was more than satisfactory!]
Waaaaaaah!
The other members began clapping alongside the host.
The Jester basked in the claps as they persisted for several minutes.
[...There are no words that I can use to describe what I have just witnessed. It was as you said, it was the piece that mattered. I apologize for doubting you.]
The claps once again returned.
This time, they were louder than before, with those from the Guild being forced to join.
One could notice the faint hits of respect the host had for the Jester as it spoke.
It took several Guild Members by surprise, but only for a brief moment, as they soon saw the host take a step to the side.
Clank!
The large doors of the ballroom opened.
[That was a fantastic piece, and you have truly impressed me. For playing such an amazing piece, I gift you this.]
Extending his hand, the host passed on a small gray crystal towards the Jester, who took it.
"Thank you."
[It's nothing compared to what you've given me. Thank you for coming to the party.]
Eh..?
What?
All eyes fell on the crystal in the Jester's hands.
They were confused at first, but the situation soon dawned on them.
The trial...
It was cleared!
What he had currently handed to the Jester was none other than the scenario fragment! The thing they had all been working to gain.
Similarly, understanding the situation, the Jester nodded faintly.
"It was my pleasure."
And with those words, he slowly made his way out of the room.
Tok, Tok!
The gentle echo of his steps echoed throughout as his back slowly faded into the darkness that lay on the other side of the door.
Zoey stared at his retreating back with a frown.
But then, she realized something...
'That monster? Where did he go?'
Just moments prior, a giant monster had been standing behind the Jester. How did it suddenly disappear from their view?
Her mind drifted towards the monster until the host's voice echoed again.
[Why aren't you leaving? Do you wish to stay longer?]
It was only after its words echoed that everyone snapped out of their thoughts and hastily moved towards the door.
At the same time, waiting for them near the doors were several butlers holding onto metal trays where similar-looking crystals appeared.
As they moved, they took the crystals and didn't look back.
This scenario...
It was one none of them would ever forget.
Zoey thought so too as she closed her eyes and eventually followed the rest out of the room.
Soon after she crossed the door, the doors closed behind her.
Clank!
Her world went dark.
***
"Haa..."
Coming out of the ballroom, I had to take a few seconds in order to calm my churning stomach as I felt like I was on the verge of puking.
'I feel like I've lost half of my lifespan.'
My heart was still beating like crazy.
But most importantly...
I raised my head and looked around.
I was back in the entrance hall.
It was currently empty with no one around.
...And this was the issue.
'Where is the conductor?'
I had been so sure it was following behind me just a moment prior. And yet, the moment I came out of the ballroom, he was long gone.
Why was that?
I struggled to understand this as I looked around.
He should've been with me...
I was ready for what was to come. I understood the risks of my actions, and I was prepared to handle them.
And yet, he was gone.
Nowhere in sight.
That didn't make me feel at ease.
After all, I understood that he was still most likely coming tomorrow.
And the thought...
It made my heart churn.
"I really feel like puking again."
I took a few deep breaths to steady my mind, then slowly turned my gaze toward the distant exit. There, I could see the garden as the well-trimmed bushes and flowers glinted under the bright sun.
In the distance, I could see a swirling portal, and I'd be able to leave the moment I crossed that portal.
The sight was incredibly inviting, and I thought about moving.
But then..
'Is this really it?'
I thought about the reason why I had been pulled into this scenario and who had brought me here.
I also thought back to the crying from before.
'Right, the crying...'
I turned around to see the long flight of stairs that led to the second floor of the estate.
If I could recall correctly, the crying came from there.
My lips quivered as I looked in that direction. Then, looking back towards the exit, I felt them quiver again.
"Haha."
A laugh escaped my lips.
Not just a regular laugh, but one filled with despair as I looked towards the stairs.
"...I have to go, don't I?"
I closed my eyes and let out a long breath.
Then, taking out my phone and opening my eyes again, I scrolled through my playlist.
'Conductor, do your job. I'm ready. Finish me. End my mysery. Why wait a day when you can do it now? Need a knife? I can get one that can grow...'
"Who am I kidding? I'm too cowardly to die."
Putting the phone back in my pocket where the fragment was, I decided to move up the stairs.
Although I was really curious about the fragment, for now...
I had to finish this next part.
I needed to get to the bottom of this entire scenario, and only by finding the little girl could I do that.
After all, she could very well help me gain some clues on the strange cultists after me.
"Haa."
With another sigh, I eventually moved up the stairs.
'I hope this is worth it.'
Creak!
The stairs creaked under my feet as I slowly moved up the stairs that flanked the entrance hall.
I held onto the wooden railing while taking a few breaths to calm myself down.
I looked towards my right hand, where a black marking appeared.
The Nightwalker... It was back.
However, I knew that I couldn't summon it like before.
Thinking back on what had previously happened, I could only bitterly smile.
'It'll probably attack me if I summon it.'
I needed to think of a way to handle the situation with the Nightwalker. It was a really useful helper. It had already helped me get out of multiple terrible situations.
I couldn't do without it.
"...Too bad I don't see anything in the shop that might help me."
There were quite a few items I thought could help, but there was no guarantee they would work. They also didn't seem to be able to solve the crux of the problem.
I needed to find a way to earn its loyalty back.
But how could I do that?
"Or do I even have to do that at all?"
Perhaps the best way would be to go back to the new recruits trial and get another one?
'Hm, I don't know.'
Would it even be possible?
And... did my skill have some sort of limit?
I needed to investigate the matter further before coming up with a decision. If I can really do it, I'll start farming nightwalkers... Yeah, that could work.
I imagined myself with an army of Nightwalkers.
By then, I'd feel a lot safer.
Creak!
As the stairs cracked once more, I realized that I was now standing before the entrance of the second floor.
It was pitch black, and I couldn't see anything beyond it.
I felt nervous staring at the darkness; however, feeling movements coming from the main hall, I knew that I had to go on.
'The ones from the Guild are starting to get out.'
But before I did that, I slowly removed the mask from my face and replaced it with a pair of sunglasses.
The world around me chilled as I started to shiver.
'Ah, cold...'
Holding onto my arms, I walked through the door.
***
"I see the portal has formed! We can get out!"
"Let's get out of this place quickly. Report the situations to the Guild."
"...Reports the deaths, too. Damn it."
Coming out of the ballroom, the first thing the Guild member noticed was the gate that appeared right outside the mansion. This usually indicated that the scenario had been cleared and that they could leave.
Many felt relieved upon seeing it.
After all, this entire experience had been some sort of nightmare.
Whatever wrong could've happened, had happened, and they had sustained multiple losses.
These weren't just any small losses. All the people who died were valuable recruits that the Guild spent a lot of resources on.
But with deaths being so common in the containment sector, none of the Guild recruits were too affected by the deaths. They had all seen partners come and go like clockwork.
They were now numb to it.
"Right, the fragments. What fragments did we get?"
Recalling the fragments that they had received from the host right before leaving, several people checked. That was when they took a look at the long crystals in their hands, staring at the swirling gray cloud within the crystal.
"A fragment of conceptualization? That's pretty good..."
"I got the same."
"It looks like they're all the same."
Coming out of the ballroom, Zoey similarly looked at her fragment.
She also had a fragment of conceptualization.
'That's not really what I need, but I guess I can trade it off for some points later.'
The crystal was useless to her.
It didn't suit her Decree at all.
There existed several Decrees, with seventeen the number that was currently known. The fragment of conceptualization was for those who followed the Conceptualization Decree, as in those who could will imagery into existence.
Such a Decree was rare, but also extremely useful.
Many squads tended to bring at least one who followed the Conceptualization Decree with them. There were many times when a certain item could help the team clear scenarios.
From ropes, radios, and so on... They were essential for many teams.
In fact, Zoey's current squad had one such member.
It was just a pity that the current scenario made it impossible for them to act.
'Everything happened so fast and abruptly that it was hard to do anything at all.'
Zoey thought about the current scenario and shook her head.
Her team composition ended up not being the right one for this scenario.
Kyle, with his Temperal Decree, would've been rather useful. Added with her Elemental Decree, or to be more precise, Light one, she felt that the two would've been able to clear the scenario alone.
Her specialization of the Light Element within the Elemental Decree was also the reason that she needed fragments of light in order to reach the next order.
But it wasn't all bad. The fragments were still worth quite a bit, so she could just trade them for some light fragments.
'I'll have to check the purity of this fragment later. Maybe I can fetch something good.'
The greater the purity of the fragment, the more it was worth.
The highest known purity was at around 80%, which fetched a lot of money. Purity didn't just mean greater and more efficient energy, but it also meant a more powerful Node.
Zoey made it her goal to keep the fragments she used in order to advance to at least greater than 60% purity.
Anything lower than that wasn't worth it.
"Captain, what should we do?"
"Hm?"
Pulling Zoey out of her thoughts was one of her squad members. She looked behind her to see them all looking at her.
"Oh, right."
Zoey turned her attention towards the portal in the distance.
She pursed her lips and looked behind her, towards the second floor of the building.
Logically speaking, she was certain that there was a hidden scenario within the main scenario. It was probably related to the crying that they had heard during the main dance.
The rewards for completing such a task would certainly be generous.
However, taking into consideration how risky the main mission had been, she decided to hold off on exploring the hidden scenario.
If she had Kyle with her, alongside her main squad, she wouldn't have hesitated to go.
But the truth was that she wasn't with her squad.
Right now, she was in charge of a lower-ranked squad. The scenario had also grown considerably more risky.
She didn't know if the same was true for the hidden quest.
Zoey couldn't afford to take the risk.
And as such...
"Let's go."
She decided to abandon all thoughts regarding the hidden mission.
At the same time, she looked around to see if there were any signs of the Jester, but he appeared to have long left the place.
Moving with her squad, they all walked towards the distant portal and paused before those from the Ivory and Crownfall Guild.
Her eyes paused on Tom and the other Team Leader before she shook her head.
Looking at them, it was clear that they were having thoughts about clearing the possible hidden scenario.
'Greedy bastards.'
That was all Zoey thought before entering the portal and fading.
Soon enough, her squad followed.
-x-X-x-
"What should we do? Should we leave?"
"...No, not yet."
Tom halted his team right in front of the portal while looking back at the mansion, his eyes narrowing beneath his mask.
He could see those from Crownfall still lingering by the gate.
They seemed to be having the same idea they were having.
'The hidden quest...'
Indeed, while the main scenario was fully complete, there was still a hidden scenario that could be completed.
Hidden scenarios were generally quite rare, and they tended to be provided with abundant rewards. Knowing this, how could they decide to go back?
It would be such a waste!
"Squad Leader, those from Severed Stars are leaving."
"Hm?"
Pulling his gaze away from the main building, Tom turned to look at the Guild Members of Severed Stars as they slowly moved into the portal and entered it.
His brow rose for a brief moment.
They're leaving...? Just like that? They weren't going to try the hidden scenario?
"Ha."
A small laugh escaped Tom's lips as he looked at them.
As expected of them...
This was the difference between their Guilds. This was the gap between a King-Grade Guild and a Queen-Grade Guild.
They took risks and weren't cowards when opportunities presented themselves to them.
'This is why she should've joined Ivory instead of that crappy Guild.'
Tom shook his head.
He knew Zoey quite well. The two of them once belonged to the same training Academy.
Zoey's scores were higher than his, but in the end, she ended up choosing Severed Stars instead of the other King-Grade Guilds.
As a result, the gap between the two started to diminish, until now, as Tom felt confident that he had finally surpassed her.
But as if his thoughts weren't enough proof, what he had just witnessed was all the proof that he needed as he shook his head while turning to look at his own team members.
"Don't bother with them too much. It's good for us that they're leaving. That means we'll get more rewards once we clear the scenario."
Tom stepped out of his group and retrieved a specific device he could use within the gates.
It was quite an expensive device, each call costing quite a fortune.
However, taking into consideration the current situation, he felt compelled to make the call.
He had to ask his Guild about the scenario before proceeding.
And that was exactly what he did.
***
The world was dark.
...At the very least, at first.
But then, the glasses activated, and the scene sharpened into view. A long corridor stretched ahead, a deep red carpet unfurling beneath my feet, guiding the way toward a partly open door. From within, a warm orange light spilled out.
Light?
I felt my body tense slightly at the sight.
'Am I seeing things, or...?'
I gradually removed my glasses to make sure, and sure enough, the light still appeared to spill out from the slightly opened door in the distance.
I licked my lips while staring in that direction.
But then—
Clank! Clank!
I suddenly started to hear sounds coming from behind the door.
It sounded like faint chattering, mingled with the delicate clatter of thin metal. It was hard to describe, but I didn't really have a good feeling about the situation.
Nonetheless, I still decided to move and get a closer look.
'Don't panic. Remain focused. You need to keep calm if you want to clear this scenario.'
With each step that I took, my heart pressed tightly against my chest.
I had to remind myself over and over again to remain calm.
I couldn't let the fear take over my mind, even though I wanted to do nothing more than run.
'You've already just faced a conductor who will probably hunt you tomorrow, a strange host who is still downstairs, a strange creature that thrives in the dark and that will kill you if you summon it again...'
Err...
Maybe, just maybe, I was making things worse for myself.
No, I really was...
'Shit, I want to puke.'
I swallowed the rising nausea clawing its way up from my gut and stepped closer to the door, inching my head forward to peer through the narrow opening.
That was when I saw it.
'What in the...'
A large dining room. A long table ran down its center, covered in a pristine white cloth, too white, like bleached bone. Candles flickered along its length, casting long, twitching shadows over neatly arranged plates and wilting flowers.
A chandelier sat on top, its crystals reflecting the flickering flames of the candles beneath.
Paintings, faces blurred, smeared, or turned away, hung crookedly on the walls, while at both ends of the room were large wooden doors, closed completely shut.
But what froze me... what buried a cold needle into my spine...
Were the four figures seated at the table.
They sat upright, eating and conversing in muffled tones, forks tapping against plates, producing the familiar clinking sounds from before. Servants glided between them, slipping in and out of one door without a sound.
And every single one of them... lacked a face.
Just blank skin where features should be, as if they had been erased. Still they chewed, still they spoke... Somehow.
I had to take a deep and cold breath upon seeing the sight.
What in the...
I couldn't tear my gaze away from the sight before me. Not because I was scared, but because I recognized them.
'The painting...'
Indeed, they were the same four people from the painting beneath.
It was just that they lacked faces. The only reason I could tell was their clothes. They were exactly the same as the painting.
Could they be the owners of the estate?
If so...
Click!
".....!"
A strange, dry click broke through the silence, followed by the sound of a fork clattering to the floor.
All their heads snapped toward the noise, their blank eyes locking on the fallen utensil as it skittered across the floor until...
It stopped in the same direction as the door I stood behind.
".....!"
My heart reached.
Swoosh!
...And I immediately pulled away, moving away from the door as I held onto my beating heart.
A strange silence followed shortly after.
One that felt entirely suffocating as I took several steps back.
'Did they notice? Why is there no sound? They saw me...'
And then—
Tak.
The softest of footsteps echoed in the silence.
It was far, but...
Tak... tak...
It was slowly moving towards the door.
Sweat trickled down the side of my face as I continued to move back.
Tak.
Each step dragged on, moving closer and closer to the door.
I didn't dare breathe.
I couldn't breathe.
I reached the end of the corridor, reaching for the door I came in from.
But...
It was locked.
'Oh, shit...'
I felt the pressure build, suffocating me, as the door at the far end of the corridor creaked open, its hinges groaning with every inch.
'Ohhh, fuck! Shit! Shit...! Opennnn, damn it!'
My eyes swam towards the shop in front of me as I prepared to buy a certain item, when—
Hick... Hick...
The sound of crying suddenly filled the space.
The door stopped moving.
What followed was a trembling, yet feeble voice.
"I'm hungry. I'm really... h-hungry."
Hick.. Hick...
The quiet sound of the crying drifted into the air as I stared at the door, completely paralyzed.
Through the narrow gap of the door, a faint shadow slipped in, stretching across the floor, growing longer as the figure pushed the door open.
I stopped breathing.
My eyes alternated between the shop interface and the door.
But then—
"I'm hungry... Someone..."
The girl's voice continued, and the door stopped moving.
"...I'm really hungry. Please..."
Her voice lingered in the air, drifting across from within the dining room and the place I was in.
I didn't know exactly where, but I knew that I had to move.
I couldn't stay here.
And so, pressing my lips into a thin line as I stared at the door leading to the dining room, I slipped off my shoes to muffle my steps and began moving toward it in silence.
I made sure to keep my steps as light as possible before stopping at the other end of the door.
'This should do.'
I held my breath while grasping my shirt.
At the same time, I stared at the door next to me.
'...If the door opens, it'll just cover me up. This should be better.'
Looking down, my eyes fell on the shadow that still stretched across the floor. I knew that the figure was just beside me.
Right... on the other side of the door.
"Please..."
Hick. Hick.
The crying persisted, growing louder than before.
I listened to her crying while keeping my eyes on the shadow.
I was on high alert.
My entire body was tense whilst I tried to keep my breathing as shallow as possible.
I... couldn't let it feel my presence.
Thankfully, the crying grew louder with each passing second.
"I'm hungry... Someone..."
It was loud, and the silhouette behind the door soon turned away from the door, the shadow growing smaller as it started to move away.
The sight made me feel more at ease.
However, I was still on high alert as I waited a couple of seconds before taking out my phone and slowly inching it towards the gap of the door from below.
I moved it slowly and carefully. Just enough to allow the camera to peek through.
'Yes, this should still be hidden enough. It should—'
But the moment I saw the screen, the air caught in my throat.
All faces were directed towards the door.
Staring straight at the narrow gap.
Seemingly waiting.
I felt chills run down every part of my body as I tried my best to keep my breathing even.
That...
Were they waiting for me?
I swallowed nervously before pulling the phone away and trying my best to keep my hand from trembling.
'Had I peeked directly with my head, I would've most likely have been seen...'
The thought made me shudder.
Still, thinking about them and hearing the crying that was still lingering in the air, I started to wonder why nobody was doing anything about it.
The servants were still roaming without care while the family just stared at the door.
'...This is problematic.'
If my guess was correct, I had to get to where the crying was coming from.
However, in order to do that, I needed to enter the room and move past the servants.
But how exactly could I even do that?
This mission felt impossible.
'No, it's not impossible. There must be a way.'
I started to rack my brain over the matter.
'Room full of servants. Four people are eating at the dining table. Crying child...'
Biting my lips and thinking about the situation, my mind eventually settled on a specific item that I had found on the shop.
It was one of the items that I had previously seen, and one that seemed to be fitting for the current situation.
─────[Shop]─────
[Mr. Huggs]
: A dirty teddy bear that reduces aggression in a 5-meter radius. However, extended exposure causes severe dependency and emotional instability when separated.
Price : 2,178 SP
─────[Shop]─────
"...Ah."
I felt hesitant while staring at the shop item.
There were many doubts in my mind as I stared at it.
Reduce aggression... For how long would it work? This was a first-order item, and the monsters inside were probably a lot stronger than that. For how long would it be able to keep them from being aggressive?
Would it even work on them?
There were so many doubts in my mind as I stared at the teddy bear image next to the item's description.
With 10,450 SP available, I could easily afford it.
The issue was whether it would work or not.
If it didn't work, then what would I do?
'Do I even have any other option? No, it might even come in handy later. I have to buy it.'
I looked through the other items available for me to see, and there was another item that caught my interest.
─────[Shop]─────
[Quickstitch Outfit]
: A magical set of clothing that can instantly transform into any outfit the wearer imagines. While it provides perfect style and comfort, overuse can lead to a loss of personal identity, as the wearer begins to forget their original appearance.
Price: 3,450 SP
─────[Shop]─────
It was an item I had previously dismissed as useless, but thinking about my current situation, this very item could turn things around for me.
'This, added with the teddy bear, and I might... just be able to pose myself as one of the servants.'
The problem was that this was a big 'might'.
Whether I could fool them or not was something that I wasn't entirely sure of.
The knife was the next closest useful thing for this scenario, but I doubted I'd be able to do much to the servants. If my guesses weren't wrong, they were much stronger than me.
The current situation made it impossible for me to fight them.
So then...
'I guess this is my only option.'
I didn't hesitate any longer and purchased the two items in question.
*Poof*
A teddy bear and a plain white shirt fell from above as I reached out to grab them.
The balance also went from 10,450 to 4822.
I could feel the pinch, but I tried my best to ignore it as I stared at the two items in my hand.
Eventually, I put on the shirt while holding onto the teddy bear.
'How does this work?'
Moments after putting on the shirt, I pulled at it to see if there were any changes, but it was still a plain white shirt.
That was when I looked at the description again and smacked my face.
"Right..."
I closed my eyes and imagined the clothes the servants were wearing. A black blazer with a crisp white shirt that was neatly tucked within their creaseless black pants.
The moment the image formed in my mind, something shifted. And when I opened my eyes again, my clothes had changed.
'...It worked.'
I looked down at the blazer and shirt, identical in every detail to the servants' uniforms.
Then...
Holding onto the teddy bear, I took a deep breath before turning my attention towards the door.
'This better work...'
Slowly extending my hand, I pressed it against the knob before pulling.
Creaaaaak...
Light spilled into the corridor.
And I stepped into the dining hall.
Creaaaak...
The creaking of the door echoed through the silence as I stepped into the room, the light spilling into my eyes, blinding for a moment as I adjusted.
The bright lights were immediately overpowered by a heavy, suffocating stench.
One that clung to the air...
A rotting one.
Immediately, my nose srunched up upon smelling the air.
'What is this smell?'
The smell was sickening, and it made me want to leave.
But those thoughts quickly faded as I looked ahead and saw all the faces turned in my direction.
"....."
Everyone.
Every single person was staring at me.
My legs nearly locked on the spot upon seeing the sight.
I clung to the teddy bear in my arms with even more force.
'Five meters... five meters...'
I measured the distance between me and the table. It was a little over five meters.
I swallowed nervously as I kept my head down, taking a steady step forward while holding onto the teddy bear.
My only goal was to get close enough for the bear to have an effect.
This was the plan, however...
Tak! Tak!
Each step that I took felt defeating as the hair on my entire body rose on end.
I could feel them.
The stares from everyone within the room.
Not a single person was looking away, and I unconsciously clenched the bear with even more force.
'Just keep walking. Don't mind the stares. So long as I get near enough...'
Tak—
The sound of my steps grew more pronounced the longer I kept walking.
It felt like hours, but I had barely taken a handful of steps. Time seemed to stretch, the room closing in with every breath I took.
The atmosphere felt incredibly tense, and each breath felt suffocating.
Then...
At last, I stopped.
Right before me, I caught a glimpse of the cloth that covered the white table.
I... had arrived.
"....."
Slowly, I raised my head.
Four blank faces stared in my direction. Their empty faces peered right into me as I held onto the teddy bear and stared at them.
'Please work. Please work...'
Biting my lips, I eventually forced a smile.
"Was everything to your liking?"
"....."
Silence.
My words were met with silence as the four faces continued to stare at me.
A slow, suffocating dread began to seep into my bones, digging into my flesh and body as I tried my best to remain composed.
Until eventually...
"It was quite good."
"Yes, it wasn't bad. What do the kids think?"
"Good."
"...Hm, delicious."
An immediate sense of relief washed over me the moment I heard their voices, and my grip on the teddy loosened slightly.
"I see. That's good to hear."
I continued to smile while staring at the current plates on the table, most likely their second entree, covered by metal lids.
I extended my hand.
"Should I open up the plates for you?"
"Yes, just give me a couple of seconds."
The family head grabbed a napkin and dabbed it onto his face. Almost as if he were trying to clean his mouth. But it was just that... he had no face.
The entire scene felt weird.
In some way, it almost felt comical.
Swallowing, I gradually turned to look at the servants standing not far from where we were. Standing with their backs straight, they stared in my direction, their figures not moving an inch from where they were.
'Good. This seems to be working.'
I felt a lot better knowing that the bear was working. But of course, I didn't relax.
I remained vigilant and turned my attention towards the plates as the family head finally extended his hand.
"You may."
"...Yes."
I smiled before reaching for the metal lids.
'Ugh, the smell...'
The moment I opened the lid, the pungent smell from before became even more pronounced as my entire nose scrunched up, forcing me to breathe from my nose.
On the other hand, the four family members looked utterly delighted by the smell as they commented things like, 'Smells great,' 'That's wonderful...'
I felt like puking.
However, that feeling only became more pronounced the moment I took a look at the source of the smell, and my stomach rumbled intensely, my cheeks inflating as I truly felt something rise up from deep within my stomach.
".....!"
I had to cover my mouth in order to prevent myself from puking.
'Shit!'
Clenching my teeth, I pulled my eyes away from the plates as I tried my best to forget what I had witnessed.
And yet, regardless of how hard I tried, I couldn't forget.
I couldn't... forget the skinned face of the family head, resting on the plate as though it were some sort of gourmet dish.
The reason I could recognize the face was because it was exactly the same as the painting beneath.
'...What sort of sick situation is this?'
I wanted to do nothing more than run away from this place. However, knowing that I really had no other choice, I could only force myself to open up the three other plates as I struggled to keep myself from puking.
It was only when I opened up all the plates that I bowed and tried my best to excuse myself.
"I hope that you enjoy your meal."
"Ah, yes... You may go, thank you."
Making sure that I had the direct approval of the family head, I grabbed the teddy bear and began walking towards the door where I could hear the crying coming from.
Hick... hick...
The closer I came to the door, the louder and more pronounced the crying became.
"I'm hungry..."
"...I want to eat."
"Please..."
For some reason, my chest ached upon hearing the words coming from the little girl.
The situation was quite clear to me.
That little girl...
She was being mistreated.
While it had already been quite obvious by what I had previously seen, I didn't know it was to the extent of starving her as well.
I could only force my feelings down and move closer to the door.
Hick. Hick.
The crying grew louder the closer I got, and just as I reached for the door, a certain voice echoed in the air.
"Ah, right..."
My body froze.
It was the family head.
'What does he...?'
I slowly turned my head in his direction.
Then... my entire body came to a sudden stop as I saw everyone staring at me.
I swallowed nervously.
"Can... I help you?"
"Oh, yes."
The family head lightly said, placing his utensils down.
"You can first help me by telling me why you're going in that direction? The kitchen is on the opposite side. Eh... hm? I don't think I've ever seen you before. In fact, who are you?"
The atmosphere suddenly changed at the question as I felt the temperature around me significantly drop.
'Shit.'
In that moment, I knew that the effects of the bear had run off, and my entire body tensed.
".....!"
But quickly, I moved as I saw the servants rush in my direction.
'Oh, fuck!!'
Without a second's hesitation, I spun around, flinging the door open with a violent yank. I entered through the opening, and I slammed it shut behind me, the sound of the door's final thud echoing out loud.
CLANK!
Hastily looking around, I pressed the lock button on the door before pulling away.
A faint click reached my ears, followed by the soft tremor of the door.
Then...
BANG! BANG!
Came the thundering thud of fists pounding against it, the sound reverberating through its wooden frame.
"A-ah."
Taking a step back, I spun my head and stared in the direction from which the crying was coming.
I didn't waste a single second and rushed in that direction.
'Huuuuury. I have to hurry!!'
'Thank god I previously looked through all the rooms.'
Having investigated the place in advance, I knew exactly where I needed to go.
It had to be that room...
Of everything that I had seen during my first sneak peek of the place, that was the only room that I found to have been locked.
Not only that, but the more I moved, the more convinced of my judgment I was.
That was because I could hear the crying draw closer and closer as I followed the familiar path that led to the room.
Hick... Hick...
There were seven bedrooms on the second floor. Each room was connected to another in some way, with the room I was looking for located near the master bedroom.
'Here?'
The place was enormous, and even though I knew where to go, for brief moments, I almost found myself going the wrong way.
Thankfully, I re-directed myself to the right path.
There was only one problem, however..
"Where is he?"
"...Where did he go?"
Yes, I was currently being chased by multiple faceless servants.
'This feels like déjà vu.'
It reminded me a lot of the time when I was being chased by those strange cult members as I ran around the abandoned museum.
This time, however, there were no cops to help.
No Nightwalker either.
...The only one I could rely on was myself.
As such, overhearing the voices of the servants, I picked up my pace while making sure my steps made no sound.
Holding onto the teddy bear, I surveyed my surroundings.
I was currently walking inside one of the bedrooms that seemed to belong to one of the children. The room was quite big with a large bed sitting in the middle, a lot of toys, alongside several wooden furniture pieces that I thought were perfect hiding spots.
"Should I hide?"
I shook my head shortly after.
I didn't know the number of servants that were chasing me, but I knew that there were quite a few of them. The number was also probably increasing, meaning that I couldn't afford to waste time hiding while waiting for them to leave.
Therefore, staring at the furniture, I could only dismiss it and reach for the door.
Feeling the cold touch of the knob, I yanked the door open, ready to rush forward when...
".....!"
My eyes widened in shock.
A faceless figure stood before me, holding a knife, its blank features staring straight through me.
I froze.
'Shit, shit, shit...'
"Found you."
The servant wasted no time. It lunged forward, the knife slicing through the air toward me.
I reacted just in time.
"Uah, ah....!"
I scrambled back while waving my hand as a shadowy figure appeared right in front of me.
"Hiek!"
A screeching sound echoed right after as the knife plunged into the Nightwalker as its hands reached for the servant, grasping onto its face.
'Go!'
I didn't waste a single second.
Seeing the situation turn like this, I dashed past the servant and Nightwalker before turning back and kicking with my foot.
Bang!
The servant stumbled forward while the Nightwalker continued to cling to it.
I didn't look back and closed the door right after.
CLANK!
"Haaa... Haaa..."
My breath came in ragged gasps, sweat dripping down my forehead.
I couldn't stop thinking about what just happened
'I might really need to consider getting a replacement for the Nightwalker.'
If it already hated me before, right now it probably wanted to do nothing more but kill me. I could only silently pray for it while thanking it for its sacrifice.
...It had yet again saved my life.
"Hoo."
I exhaled and glanced around, my eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light.
And then I saw it.
The door that I had been looking for the entire time.
Hick. Hick.
The crying was louder than before.
It was hard for me to ignore as I unknowingly started to shiver.
Besides the crying, the surroundings were strangely quiet. The air was dusty, and the world around me felt colder than ever.
I clutched the teddy bear tighter and walked toward it.
I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew this was the key to finishing the hidden scenario.
I didn't even try to consider that it was locked like before.
....I didn't care if it was locked.
'I just have to get the little girl to open the door for me in case it's locked.'
Holding my breath, I walked towards the door, my heart pressing tightly against my chest as I tensed up the closer I came to the door. I couldn't hear a single thing besides the muffled crying of the little girl.
The servants who had been searching for me moments prior almost seemed to have vanished into thin air.
Why was that?
I was confused, but I pushed those thought aside as I reached for the knob.
"...I'm really hungry. I—"
And the moment my hand touched the knob, the crying stopped.
Now it was really quiet.
It was as if the world around me had suddenly frozen.
"....."
My hand paused.
However, it was only for a brief moment before I grabbed onto the knob and pulled.
Clank!
The door swung open, revealing a small girl sitting on a bed, dressed in a fine white dress. Both hands were clutching her head as she started trembling.
Hick... Hick...
Don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me...
Her whimpers were the only sound now, growing louder as she slowly raised her head to meet my gaze. The rope marks on her neck were still visible.
Her eyes were black.
As black as the night sky itself.
...And the moment her gaze fell on me, I found myself freezing on the spot.
"I'm hungry. Do you have food?"
She no longer seemed to be whimpering as she looked at me.
In fact, her face was cold.
So cold that it made me unable to move.
"....Food."
I opened my mouth, but I couldn't say yes to her.
I didn't have any food.
"No food?"
Her voice grew colder, and I felt my heart starting to sink.
I could see things were starting to turn for the worse.
Rattle! Rattle!
The room trembled.
The ground shook.
The curtains swayed violently, and the cabinet rattled.
Her eyes...
Her eyes grew darker, until the blackness swallowed them whole.
'Oh, shit...'
I shuddered, feeling every muscle in my body tense.
But—
I wasn't completely helpless.
I didn't just purchase the teddy bear to help me sneak past the servants. There was another reason for it, and that reason was right before me.
Gradually, my mouth parted as I began to speak.
"I don't have food," I began slowly, "but I have something else."
"Something else?"
The rattling stopped, and the little girl looked at me.
I held my breath and stepped forward, offering the teddy bear in my hands.
"A teddy bear..."
The moment I showed the bear to the girl, everything froze.
The rattling, the shaking.
I could only watch her, heart pounding, as her black eyes remained fixed on the teddy bear, unblinking.
'She might not want it, but for now, it's enough to stop her.'
The bear had such an effect...
And this was all I really wanted as I took a step towards her.
"Do you like this? It looks cute, doesn't it?"
I gave the teddy bear a small shake, my eyes scanning the room. It was almost empty, the bare essentials filling the place: a bed, a wardrobe, a small desk. The room felt more like a spare closet than a bedroom.
Nothing more.
It was also a lot smaller than the other bedrooms that I had crossed in order to get here.
This felt more like a spare closet that had been turned into a bedroom.
"Bear...?"
The little girl tilted as she looked at the teddy bear, her large eyes blinking.
I smiled before moving closer to her.
"Yes, teddy bear."
The small details, along with everything I'd heard, told me all I needed to know about her situation. As I stepped closer and slowly leaned in to meet her gaze, I brought the bear closer to her.
"Touch it."
"....I can?"
She looked hesitant.
'No, not just hesitant... she also looks scared.'
I pressed my lips together while bringing it closer to her.
"Don't worry. I won't hurt you."
Not that I could...
"The bear will also not hurt you."
"Really?"
The girl reached for the bear with her little hand.
And then—
Her hand finally came in contact with the bear as her little eyes started to widen.
"Soft..."
"Right?"
I brought the teddy closer to her.
"You can have him if you want."
I felt a slight pang in my heart while giving the bear to her. This wasn't exactly cheap, but thinking about the points I'd soon receive from the game sales, I felt much more at ease.
Furthermore, I needed to do this in order to preserve my life, so...
"....."
The girl hesitated for a moment. But then, after seeing that I really wanted to give it to her, she reached for the bear and tried to pull it into her grasp.
At the same time, her black eyes became clearer.
"...."
Key word.
Tried to.
The moment her fingers touched the bear, it wouldn't budge. It stayed firm in my grip.
"Huh?"
I looked at the bear, stunned.
And then her.
"No, wait..."
The darkness in the girl's eyes resurfaced as she looked at me, and a suffocating weight clutched at my chest.
"You lie."
For a second, I couldn't breathe. Her gaze pierced through me in a suffocating manner.
I struggled to recover my breath.
"No, no... I'm not."
I tried to push the bear to her while letting go, but I realized that I couldn't.
My hands...
They refused to let go of the bear.
'Shit.'
I suddenly remembered the description of the bear, and my stomach sank.
Rattle! Rattle!
Once more, the surroundings shook.
The room trembled again. The curtains swayed, and the sound of footsteps outside the door grew louder, heavier.
The servants...
They were coming.
I bit my lip while staring at the teddy bear in my hand.
'Let go. Let go.'
I felt a rush of anxiety. Never in my life had I thought my survival would depend on something as simple as releasing a teddy bear.
And yet, here I was, in that exact same situation.
Rattle!
The rattling grew more prominent, and the sound of the steps coming from behind became even more rushed.
My heart raced out of my chest, the beat drumming loudly in my mind.
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump.
But even despite my best attempts, my hands refused to let go of the bear.
It was as if they were glued to it. Refusing to let go.
I glanced at the door. The servants were getting closer. I had no choice.
In desperation, I bit down on my tongue.
"....!"
The moment I did, pain shot through my mouth like fire.
'Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!'
I didn't hold back. I bit harder, my face contorting in pain. But in that same instant, the rattling stopped.
"Hehe."
A soft, almost innocent giggle echoed in the stillness.
The footsteps stopped.
I turned my head. There, on the bed, the girl was playing with the teddy bear. Her black eyes, which were previously fully black, were starting to clear, and she looked... almost happy.
"....Hehe."
Her laugh was light, like something that hadn't come from her in a long time.
For a brief moment, I forgot about the pain in my mouth.
The sparkle in her eyes was like that of someone who had found something that they had never seen before.
It was almost as if... this was the first time she had ever played with a teddy bear.
'Perhaps that's really the case.'
I glanced at the servants by the door, their faces obscured, their bodies like shadows. I could feel them there, waiting, but they didn't move.
'This place... the reason why they don't have faces...'
It clicked. This was a reconstruction of her past memories. The servants had no faces because she couldn't recall any of them, and the same applied to her parents, who appeared only as hollow skins laid out on the dishes.
In that sense, she was... the key to everything.
"Do you like it...?"
And as I asked that simple question, I saw her looking at me again.
The darkness in her eyes was still present, but it was a lot less than before.
I met her gaze while she met mine.
Eventually, squeezing the teddy bear tightly, she nodded her little head.
"...Yes."
"Is that so?"
I smiled at her while pulling my hand back.
"Then, you can keep it."
"....."
The little girl blinked, her eyes falling on the bear.
"I can?"
"Of course."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Really? Really?"
"Yes."
"....."
After a brief pause, a smile blossomed on the little girl's face as she squeezed the bear tightly. The darkness in her eyes had almost fully retreated by now, and as I stared at her, I brought my hand forward.
"Are you hungry?"
"....?"
Her gaze shifted back to me, confused.
I thought back to her previous words and continued,
"I heard that you were hungry. I can give you food. Do you want it?"
"Food?"
"...Yes."
The girl's small hands tightened around the teddy bear for a moment, then loosened slightly. She held her stomach, and that's when I noticed how thin her arms were. My lips pursed once again.
Finally, she reached out to me, her little hand before me.
I opened my lips, but soon closed them as I reached for her hand.
It was cold.
"Let's go."
I pulled her gently toward the door.
"I'll bring you to eat."
'Mirelle, you will accomplish great things for this family.'
'...You were born as a great sacrifice for our family. You will help Grandpa become stronger and live for longer. You should be happy about that.'
'What? You don't want to do it...?'
'Mirelle, you think you have a choice?'
'Be obedient and listen to your family, you ungrateful little wench! This is all for those that birthed you!'
'How dare you try to defy us?! We provide you with food, shelter, and life. And yet, this is how you treat us? See what happens when we don't give you any of that!'
Mirelle hesitated before walking out of the room.
Her mind flashed with all sorts of memories.
Voices whispered in her head as she looked towards the servant in front of her.
He stood tall. Taller than her, casting a large shadow over her little body.
She took a step back.
'Get back in! What are you doing?!'
For a moment, she almost heard his voice as he shouted.
Yes, yes...
Mirelle tried to step back, but the hand grasping hers stopped her.
His expression was calm as he looked at her.
"It's okay. They won't hurt you."
His hand was also warm.
"...Just trust me. I'm here with you. If you're scared, you can hold onto the teddy bear. It will protect you."
Mirelle slowly turned her head to look at the teddy bear in her hand.
It was soft and big.
Then...
She slowly brought it to her chest as she took a step forward, her steps moving past the servant who remained standing still.
"See? Nothing happened...?"
The strange man looked at her kindly.
He was scary, but also kind.
"I'll get you out of this place, and I'll let you eat some good food. All you have to do is follow me."
"..."
The darkness within Mirelle's eyes receded as they continued to walk.
It was dark, and the sound of their steps was the only thing that echoed throughout.
They passed several servants along the way, and each time, Mirelle felt herself tense with fear. But the terrifying man beside her kept urging her forward, his presence strangely reassuring despite everything.
'If the first one didn't hurt you, the other one also won't hurt you.'
'I'll beat them up if they do something to you.'
'...You can trust me.'
His words were as warm as his hand.
But why was he trembling while saying such words?
Soon, the two stopped before a large door.
Mirelle's entire body tensed at the sight of the door.
She wasn't supposed to go in there.
Absolutely not!
"Don't be scared. Hold tightly onto the teddy bear. If you hold on tightly, nothing will hurt you."
Really?
Mirelle looked at the teddy bear in her hand.
Indeed, so far nothing had happened, but...
"Don't worry."
The man brought his hand forward and pushed the door open, light spilling in.
As the door creaked open, a vast, unfamiliar dining room came into view. A towering chandelier hung above, casting light across the entire space.
At the far end of the room, a long table stretched out, its surface adorned with plates and utensils.
Several figures were seated around it, and as the door swung wide, their heads turned in unison, their gazes locking onto them.
Mirelle froze up.
"Mirelle?!"
"What are you doing here? You should be in your room."
"Get out!"
The moment they laid eyes on her, they shot up from their seats, their voices erupting in a barrage of shouts, each one louder than the last.
No, no, no...
Mirelle's entire body flinched as she was subjected to the shouts.
"How are you!?"
"Get back to your room before I come to you!"
No, no, no, no...
Mirelle's grip over the bear loosened as it fell on the floor, and she let go of the man's warm hand.
Mirelle curled into herself, her hands clutching her head as she tried to drown the noise away. Her knees pressed tightly to her chest, her body trembling as she huddled on the floor, trying to make herself as small as possible.
No, no, please...
Rattle! Rattle!
The surroundings shook.
"Mirelle!"
"Get back now!"
Stop, make it stop.
Their shouts continued to echo in her ears as she pressed her hands against her ears.
She wanted it to stop.
From the shouting. The noise. Everything.
"P-please..."
"Mir—"
"Here, you dropped this."
A soft voice whispered in her ear right after, as she felt something soft on her chest.
The rattling stopped, and when she looked up, she saw a large teddy bear.
"Hug it tightly."
The scary man was right beside it as he picked her up from below.
".....!"
Mirelle's body squirmed, but the man didn't let go as he carried her with both hands.
"Like I said before. I'm here. Don't be scared."
No, but...
"It'll be easy."
It won't.
"Just trust me."
"....."
Mirelle hugged the teddy bear tighter.
Eventually, she curled herself into it as the man continued to walk.
"Mirelle!!!"
"Get back here!!"
"What are you doing? I'm counting to ten before I come. You'd better understand the consequences of being disobedient!"
"One..."
A countdown started.
Listening to the familiar countdown, Mirelle hugged the bear even more tightly.
Rattle! Rattle!
The surroundings continued to rattle, but the man continued to move.
He seemed completely oblivious to the shouts.
"Three..."
His steps moved slowly across the dining room.
"Five.
Almost as if to show he wasn't scared.
"Seven."
That she was safe with him.
"Nine."
Soon, the countdown nearly reached ten.
Once again, Mirelle tensed. So did the surroundings, as everything came to a standstill.
Everything but the scary man as he continued forward.
Then—
"Ten."
The inevitable 'ten' came, and Mirelle's body scrunched up, her arms holding onto the teddy bear tightly as she started to tremble.
No, please...
Please...
But...
Silence.
Nothing ever happened even after the countdown reached ten.
Merille continued to squeeze the bear as the faint echo of the man's step echoed.
Soon, he stopped.
Merille blinked her eyes and raised her head.
A door appeared in front of her as the man looked at her. He nudged his head behind her, and as she turned her head, she saw her parents looking at her, their bodies still.
"See?"
The man's voice whispered once again.
"I told you, didn't I? They won't do anything to you."
"...."
Merille's grip over the teddy bear loosened as the man brought his hand towards the door.
"It's time we leave. It's time... for us to eat."
Clank!
The door opened, and the two entered.
Merille's gaze remained on the man as the two crossed the door and the world around them turned bright.
The light was bright, enveloping the two of them completely.
By the time the light faded, Merille's body was long gone.
Thud.
A teddy bear fell onto the floor, and as Seth lowered his body to pick it up, a faint notification appeared in his vision.
: [Basic Node : Containment Vessel Activated!]
-x-X-x-
—So you're telling me someone managed to infiltrate the raid, and as a result, the difficulty of the scenario went up? Now that you've cleared the first scenario, you think there's a hidden one, and you want to explore it?
A certain voice echoed from the speaker of Tom's device.
Following the situation, he immediately contacted his team leader and explained the situation.
Because the gate had already been cleared, the gate was set to dissipate in a few hours.
As a result, nobody could enter.
They could only go out from this point.
As a result, Tom could only decide whether to take on the hidden mission now.
"There's a chance that the rewards are high. If you allow me to go, I have confidence in retrieving at least a few fragments with high purity."
—But didn't you fail to clear the main scenario...?
"I didn't fail. That... intruder messed everything up. I was still able to somewhat impress the host. If not for the difficulty going up, I would've definitely impressed him.
—Yes, but you still failed.
"And I can do better."
Tom mumbled, his grip over the device tightened.
"If I had known the difficulty had risen, I would've played something else. You know very well that I'm overqualified for this job. Give me your permission and I'll come back triumphant. Those from Crownfall are also about to do this. We can't lose out to them!"
—.....
The line fell silent.
The silence seemed to last for an eternity before the voice spoke again.
—Give me a bit of time. I'll talk this out with the Section Chief.
"What? Why wait? If we delay the situation any longer, those bastards from Crownfall will start the hidden scenario. If that's the case, then—huh?"
Looking at the communication device, Tom's teeth clenched tightly as he saw that the communication had cut off.
"Damn it!"
He silently cursed while looking at those from Crownfall.
His heart sank when he saw them starting to get ready.
'Fuck, damn it...'
This wasn't an opportunity that they could afford to miss. If they missed it and the reward ended up being extremely good, then it would be a massive blow to them.
Especially since Crownfall was their main competitor.
He could accept anyone but them.
"Screw it."
As such, looking at the communication device in his hand, he placed it in his pocket and turned towards his members.
"Get ready. We'll start the raid in a bit."
Oblivious to the conversation between him and the team leader, the Ivory members started to get ready. To them, Tom's words meant approval from the higher-ups.
...It was just a pity that he was acting on his own.
But regardless, he was confident in clearing the scenario; therefore, he wasn't worried about the consequences of his actions.
Results mattered more than anything else within the Guild.
He understood that more than anyone, and this was exactly what he was planning on doing.
He was planning on bringing results.
"Make sure you stay focused and follow my lead. I can't guarantee that any of you will be able to live if you don't follow my lead."
Fully equipped and well-rested, Tom guided his team toward the mansion's entrance.
Following right behind him were the members of Crownfall, who took a little longer to get ready.
Tensions seemed to be at an all-time high as the two groups got ready to tackle the hidden scenario.
However....
Craaaack!
Right as they were about to get in, a subtle cracking sound echoed in the air.
It was subtle, but it was enough to make everyone stop dead in their tracks as they all looked towards the mansion.
"Did you hear that...?" One of them asked, looking around.
The recruit's words were met with similar words as they all looked towards the mansion.
"Was that my imagination?"
"No, I heard it too..."
Tom's eyes narrowed as he looked towards the mansion. He, too, had heard the noise.
However, he couldn't quite pinpoint the exact direction he heard it.
'Is something happening?'
It was just as he started to ponder the noise that another cracking sound echoed.
Craaaack!
"What the hell?"
This time, the noise was impossible to ignore. Eyes widened, and a few of the team members exchanged uneasy glances.
"Wait, look!"
Someone suddenly shouted.
A few immediately pointed at the source.
It was the large crack that appeared by the sides of the mansion, gradually expanding with each second that passed.
By now, it had become obvious that something was wrong, and the feeling only grew when the mansion started to shake.
Rumble! Rumble!
"The building is collapsing!"
"Quickly move back!"
Everyone quickly moved back upon seeing the structure shake, and even Tom moved back.
'Why is it collapsing? What's happening to the hidden scenario? This doesn't make sense...'
Tom could only stare in utter disbelief as the building continued to shake.
He couldn't believe his eyes.
Cra Crack—
But even though he couldn't believe the scene, the building continued to rattle, the cracks expanding before growing larger and larger. The windows shook before shattering, the glass shards falling onto the grass beneath.
Rumble!
The rumbling continued, and soon... The mansion's left side crumbled under its own weight. Dust billowed up into the air, and the building fell apart.
"Shit!"
Everyone panicked at the sight, and staring at the scene, many moved back towards the gate.
"Wait, look!"
To make matters worse, the mansion wasn't the only thing that was collapsing.
Far from it.
"The fountain!"
Everything was starting to collapse.
Be it fountain, garden, or even ground... Everything was collapsing.
"Quickly go back!"
"The gate is closing! Rush back! Rush back!"
It soon became clear to them that the gate was starting to close.
Everyone rushed back towards the portal that led them away. Everyone but Tom who looked in the direction of the mansion with a lost expression.
He couldn't believe his eyes.
How could this happen?
This made no sense... What about the hidden scenario?
How could the gate clear like this? There was still the hidden scenario. It shouldn't collapse so quickly unless—
And then, it clicked.
A certain image appeared in his mind as his teeth clenched tightly.
A scenario wouldn't immediately collapse unless the hidden scenario was completed.
And for the gate to collapse like this, it only meant one thing.
The hidden scenario...
It had been completeled.
"It's him."
Tom's teeth clenched tightly.
It had to be. The Jester.
***
Thud—!
"Ukh!"
I hit the ground hard, pain shooting through my back. Groaning, I pushed myself up and glanced around.
"...I'm back."
Seeing the familiar environment, I slumped to the ground in relief.
"I really... haa... am back."
Through ragged breaths, I stared at the empty white ceiling above me.
Never before did I feel so happy seeing a ceiling.
But most importantly, I raised my hand and stared at my wrist, my gaze lingering on the white mark that circled around my wrist like the black one.
'White, huh...'
"I wonder if there's a reason for the color change."
My mind drifted back to the message I'd received before reappearing in my office. This was... Mirelle.
The little girl.
I could feel the connection with my mind, and with that, I also felt like I could summon her with just a thought.
I held off on that as I took in the events from moments prior.
There was quite a lot to take in.
From Mirelle's past to her connection with the strange cult. There was quite a lot that I needed to figure out, but just as I started to ponder over such matters, a notification appeared in my vision.
[Congratulations on clearing the scenario!]
It was the system.
[Rewards calculating...]
[Rewards calculating...]
Ding!
[System update available. Do you wish to upgrade?]
▶ [Yes] ▷ [No]
"Eh?"!