Demons don't care about religion...
No matter if it's gods, divinity, or any kind of belief tied to them, demons simply ignore all that.
Children born after demons came into the world not only lacked faith—they didn't even understand what religion was. This was one result of the pact made with demons. One clear rule in that pact was that religion was banned.
So when Elric found this church, he was clearly shocked.
He'd never seen anything like it before, and never imagined such a place could exist in a world ruled by demons. Awe hit him, but at the same time, he felt cautious.
If demons don't believe in religion, then why was this church here?
He stepped inside slowly, his eyes scanning the room, and what he saw stopped his breath.
The ceiling was high, decorated with stained glass that shimmered like jewels. Carved patterns told stories he couldn't understand. The polished marble floor reflected his figure clearly. An altar stood proudly ahead, surrounded by people. Some had their hands clasped in prayer, others bowed their heads as if they were remembering something.
...They were people still holding onto faith.
Elric looked around until he spotted a familiar face.
"Mr. Wesley!"
His voice echoed inside the church, drawing some glances. Wesley turned slowly and smiled faintly.
"Sit here and don't speak too loud" he said calmly and gently.
Elric nodded and walked over without rushing, though worry showed on his face.
He wasn't sure how to act here. Everything felt too strange.
"Don't worry so much" Wesley said.
"I don't even know what I'm supposed to do, since I've never been taught any of this..." Elric admitted. Then he asked, "Do you believe in religion, Mr. Wesley?"
Wesley looked at him briefly before answering in a flat tone, "What do you think?"
Elric fell silent.
Even though demons ruled this world, human faith wasn't something wiped out easily. Maybe that was why some still chose to believe secretly, even if it broke the pact.
Wesley was probably one of them.
Elric, on the other hand, knew nothing about religion. Not because he rejected it, but because he never had the chance to learn.
That made him feel a sudden need to understand it.
Wesley chuckled softly. "Elric, seems like you're interested in religion now... but don't forget why you're here."
He was right. Elric nodded. After reading the village rules, he had come specifically to investigate.
Remembering that, he told Wesley everything he'd discovered—the strange rules, the mist, and the odd nature of the village.
Wesley listened silently, his face strangely calm.
...That calmness made Elric suspicious.
"Why do you look so calm in a situation like this, Mr. Wesley?"
"I don't know."
That simple answer only made Elric more curious.
Before he could ask more, Wesley spoke again.
"I was assigned the role of 'Farmer.' The strange part is the crop I have to grow." Wesley paused, like weighing something. "The plant I'm meant to tend... it needs 'blood' to survive."
Elric felt a shiver creep down his spine.
"...Not water, but blood?"
"Yes."
Wesley nodded. His face didn't change, but his words carried a chill.
"These plants might need more and more blood over time. Maybe... the Farmer role only lasts about a week before the blood runs out and the person dies."
Elric's breath caught.
He wanted to reject the idea, but the harder he tried to think of a way out, the emptier his mind became.
They talked some more, then Elric asked to leave.
He still wasn't comfortable in this place. Or maybe what unsettled him wasn't the place itself, but the mystery around the village.
Back in his room, he lay on the bed staring blankly at the ceiling, thoughts crashing through his mind.
So many mysteries remained unsolved. First, the mist around the village—it wasn't just natural. It seemed meant to hide something.
Second, the length of each role. From what he figured, no one could keep their role very long; maybe there was a set time limit. Like the Farmer role, lasting only about a week.
That made him think hard about his own role, and he felt pressure closing in. From what he knew, each role might have a fixed span, but it wasn't in clear numbers—it was hidden under some condition each person had to discover.
He only had two bullets left. If his guess was right, his role might last no more than a day or two. That meant he couldn't waste time hesitating.
The anxiety pressing on his chest was hard to ignore. He knew he didn't have enough facts to connect everything. It was all vague, so he decided to explore the village more closely.
...
This village was called Starlight Village. It wasn't very big but could hold about a thousand people. Right now, around four hundred lived there.
A five-meter-high wooden fence surrounded it. It looked solid, probably built to keep out wild animals—or something worse.
The village sat in a lowland area. To the east, a river flowed. To the south, there was a dense forest—a place where the Hunter role had to go hunting.
About half the village was used for farming, with fields and animal pens spread out.
In the center stood an old stone well. Villagers often came here to draw water, especially those with the Farmer role.
Most houses were wooden, and the roads inside were just rough dirt paths, not very convenient.
But one house stood out. Unlike the others, it wasn't wood but made from some dense, hard material. It was white, not stone, but as tough as it.
A sign in front read: House of the Village Chief.
Elric sighed quietly and walked away. He looked around some more and found a small school, a few shops, and a clinic.
From what he saw, there must be at least twenty roles for the narrative's participants.
But what was strange was...
Everything seemed too peaceful.
Was there really no trouble here?
...
Night passed slowly. By midnight, most NPC villagers had returned home. Only the narrative participants remained in the church.
That was the first time they could see each other clearly.
By rough count, about fifty people stayed. That meant over half had already vanished.
"I have to go outside... but aren't we supposed to stay hidden in the church?" a trembling girl asked, realizing the situation.
Elric felt a chill. He was the Hunter. His role told him to go out at midnight.
But the village rules said the church was the only safe place.
If he didn't go out, he'd break his role. But going out meant facing unknown danger.
The thought sank his heart.
He glanced at the clock inside the church. 11:30 p.m.
Only thirty minutes left...
"Please... someone help me... I don't want to go out..."
The girl's sobbing voice broke the silence.
Some people comforted her, others just trembled, and some pretended not to care.
"No... the time to leave is already past... Is everything okay?"
"Calm down. What role do you have?" someone asked.
"...Fisherman."
Tears filled her eyes, her hands grabbing each other in fear.
Elric ignored that and walked over to Wesley.
Wesley still sat calmly, hands clasped in prayer with steady resolve, like he was sure he'd make it through.
"Mr. Wesley, when do you have to follow your role again?"
Wesley slowly opened his eyes. "Around one in the morning."
"One in the morning...?"
Bang!
An explosion rocked the church just before the girl's body tore apart, blood spraying everywhere. Her flesh was shredded beyond recognition, and the room filled with a thick blood smell.
Screams rose up. Some people recoiled in horror, others collapsed.
Elric stood frozen, unable to move as he stared at the mangled corpse.
He'd never seen someone die like this before.
At that moment, Wesley's voice cut through the chaos.
"Elric."
He called calmly.
"Why do you think the demons call what we're experiencing a 'narrative'?"
Elric stood still, mind blank. He couldn't answer.
"Pull yourself together. It's almost midnight."
He swallowed hard, forcing down panic and trying to clear his mind.
"Do you have any clues, Mr. Wesley?"
"None," Wesley said flatly. "But the roles that go outside might find clues."
Elric let out a bitter laugh.
"I hope I don't die before then."