“What… Did I see it wrong?”
I approached the same doll and shone the light directly on it.
Like a switch had been flipped, the doll’s black eyes moved toward me.
“Gasp!”
I covered my mouth in shock, stepping back. The doll in front of me creaked, stretching out its trapped hands and feet.
You have encountered the treasure keeper Smiley Bunny
That’s way too fast!
Smiley Bunny’s appearance was grotesque, even more so in person.
SUB QUEST: Play with the Treasure Keeper Part I has begun
Defeat Smiley Bunny for bonus gold.
Success Reward: 300G
Failure Consequence: Become a doll for 36 hours.
The main quest only gives 24 hours, and they’ll turn me into a doll for 36 hours??
“Are you kidding me?”
╭══ ≪ •❈• ≫ ══╮
“What do we do, Nini? Looks like Kate got separated from us.”
“Hmm.”
“Should I try shouting to find her?”
“…”
“Nini?”
“Shut up already, will you?”
“W-what?”
Jamie’s constant chatter had been annoying. Nini glanced at her with emotionless eyes.
‘Of all people to be stuck with…’
He’d kept up the act of a boy who had lost his memory, but that was only for Kate. Now that she wasn’t around, the human girl was nothing but a bother and a piece of food he could eat.
Yet he still held back for a reason of his own. The more they were exposed to fear and terror, the closer they came to despair—and the richer the soul would be when consumed.
Nini gave a sly smile.
“Sorry… I got a little rough with my words because I was scared.”
“A-ah… I see. That makes sense.”
‘Anyway, how’s she doing?’
His attention remained fixed on Kate. No matter what, she was an interesting specimen.
‘Gotta cook her properly… make it taste good.’
Nini licked his lips, stepping toward the sound only he could hear.
“Let’s go together, Nini!”
Trailing behind was the annoying little baggage that refused to leave him alone.
╭══ ≪ •❈• ≫ ══╮
Cold sweat trickled down the back of my neck, the opposite of the chill in my fingertips from sheer tension.
I was locked in a deadly standoff with Smiley Bunny. Its main body revealed, the creature didn’t move fast—it simply stared at me.
I should’ve run the moment I saw it.
But fear had frozen me, and I’d missed the window to escape. As I racked my brain for anything useful, Smiley Bunny suddenly grinned.
“Hehe.”
Its enormous mouth stretched unnaturally wide, revealing long, razor-sharp fangs. Even a single bite would be fatal.
“So pretty~”
I clenched my fists and swallowed hard.
“Let’s play~”
With those words, it drew a knife from its own chest pocket.
Who the hell pulls out a knife to play?!
Smiley Bunny crouched slightly, tensed its hind legs, and launched itself at me with terrifying speed. Only then did I turn and flee.
“Don’t go~! Let’s play!”
“Shut up and get lost!”
The room was so dark I couldn’t even tell which way to run. Behind me, Smiley Bunny slashed with its knife in every direction, steadily closing the distance.
“I said don’t go~”
“Ugh, this insane bunny bastard!”
I cursed under my breath, rounding a corner and plunging straight into a pile of dolls. I focused on calming my breath, which was coming raggedly.
How the hell am I supposed to deal with that thing?
My only weapon was that damn recorder I’d left with Nini!
“Sniff! I smell you~”
Before I knew it, Smiley Bunny had caught up, slowing its pace slightly, its enormous eyes darting around as it scanned the area.
Thunk. Thunk. Every time it stabbed at the towering piles of dolls with its knife, innocent lumps of stuffing were cut apart, tumbling to the floor.
Please… just pass by. Please…
I squeezed my eyes shut, watching through the narrow gap, hoping against hope.
Should I scream for Nini and Jamie now? Or just let myself be captured and turned into a doll for 36 hours?
And then what?
A flood of panicked thoughts raced through my mind when, suddenly, the pile of dolls surrounding me collapsed.
“Ahhh!”
I lost my balance and tumbled to the floor, sprawling helplessly.
“Hehe. Found you~”
F**! For the first time since getting sucked into this game, I actually wanted to pass out.
This is exactly why people call it the ultimate level of difficulty. Thrown defenseless in front of a monster like this… unreal.
“You… I like you~”
Smiley Bunny raised the knife high, saliva dripping from its torn grin. My mind screamed “run,” but my body was frozen, unable to move an inch.
“Let’s be friends~”
Just when it seemed I was done for, trapped with no hope…
“What are you doing? Snap out of it!”
“Nini?”
“Catch!”
With that familiar voice, something rolled right in front of me.
It was the recorder.
“That damn recorder!”
I let out a scream-like shout as I snatched it up. I had to swing something and…
Huh?
Sturdy recorder. Recall the recorder’s primary function
A line that hadn’t been there before appeared.
The recorder’s primary function… like sound?
There wasn’t much time to think, but I had to try.
“Nini, buy me some time!”
“How?”
“Just… you know, handle it!”
“You’re really irresponsible, you know?”
I left Smiley Bunny to Nini and racked my brain for a plan.
“Kate! A-are you okay?”
Taking advantage of the distraction, Jamie crawled over on the floor, her worried face peeking up at me.
“Perfect timing! A recorder’s primary function is sound, right?”
Are you interested on doing advanced quests?
- ▸ Yes
- ▸ No
