Chapter 4
My eyes snapped open on their own.
At the same time, a stinging pain throbbed at the nape of my neck.
“You worthless…”
I muttered viciously, then froze mid-action.
The soft texture brushing my fingertips, the plush bed…
Instead of the heavy dress, I was clad in a light negligee and cardigan, as if someone had changed me.
Taking it all in, I clenched my fists.
Cold sweat trickled down my spine.
With trembling pupils, I slowly scanned the surroundings.
The room filled my vision—worn but somehow exuding an air of faded luxury.
Cobwebs draped from the ceiling, an old wardrobe, and a marble floor caked in grime.
Rain hammered fiercely against the large window visible through the torn curtains.
“No way…”
I hastily threw off the covers and climbed out of bed, the cracked marble creaking under my soles.
Goosebumps prickled my skin.
Praying it wasn’t true, I grabbed the handle of the large glass door leading to the terrace.
Click, click-click!
No matter how many times I rattled it, the door wouldn’t budge.
“This is insane!”
In disbelief, I snatched a nearby candlestick and slammed it against the glass.
But it bounced off with a ping, as if an invisible barrier blocked it.
How many times did I strike?
Clang!
My hands shook violently as I dropped the candlestick.
“Ha…”
A trembling sigh escaped my lips like smoke.
It seemed the original plot’s coercion had activated, forcing me into the abandoned hotel—the main stage of the horror game *Child’s Secret*.
I rubbed my face dry repeatedly, barely managing to exhale my shaky breath.
My body felt drained, likely from two days of relentless rain bringing on a feverish chill.
Clasping my trembling hands together, I gritted my teeth. There was no time for despair.
Without even thinking to slip on slippers, I padded barefoot to the door and flung it open.
The hallway was pitch black.
The faint flickering candles offered little help.
The corridor was shrouded in silence, the kind where something jumping out wouldn’t surprise me.
It was the hotel hallway I’d seen countless times in the game’s illustrations.
Chills raced over my entire body.
Wetting my dry lips with my tongue, I slowly stepped into the corridor.
In response, the aged, cracked marble groaned underfoot.
I shuddered once at the cool touch of the marble on my soles.
Befitting the concept of an exorbitantly expensive hotel, the floors were all marble.
To shake off the fear, I distracted myself with pointless thoughts as I headed toward the lobby.
I didn’t care where the others were.
I had to find the main entrance I’d come through as quickly as possible.
“I need to find it before the door closes.”
It might already be shut, but I clung to that thread of hope.
Groping the walls, relying on the dim candlelight, I barely located the stairs leading down.
Afraid of summoning demons, I tiptoed swiftly down the steps, muffling my footfalls as much as possible.
Soon, an excessively vast lobby came into view, along with the massive front door.
It was the same door Pridel had opened when entering the hotel in the game.
I rushed straight to it and pulled.
But it didn’t budge.
Grasping the handle, I shifted my weight back and yanked with all my might, then pushed with every ounce of strength.
“Hngh…!”
…
But the door made no sound, no movement.
“Why won’t it open!”
Was it because we were already inside, and that was the end?
In the midst of my despair, a static crackle sounded, and a system window appeared.
Main Quest Activated!
Main Quest?
Main Quest <Survive the Abandoned Hotel by Evading Demons>
Objective: Exit through the escape gate inside the hotel
Time Limit: Until you die
Clear Reward: Survival
Failure: Death
Was this some kind of wordplay?
Failing to escape meant death anyway.
The reverse was obvious too—escape and live.
They were offering the obvious as a reward!
As if sensing my seething, furious glare, a [Loading……] window appeared, then sparkled as text emerged.
Another reward will be announced later.
…So there was more?
But that wasn’t the issue right now.
I’d ended up in this damned horror game, forced to participate.
“Those bastards!”
A harsh curse burst out involuntarily.
I’d said no so many times!
I slammed my forehead against the front door and clamped my mouth shut.
There was no helping it. All exits were blocked, and the only thing I could do was find the escape gate.
The mere fact that an escape gate existed here brought some peace to my mind.
Before I could even catch my breath, another window popped up.
Sub Quest <We’re Trapped in Here!>
Objective: Inform everyone that you’re trapped in the hotel!
However, you must not arouse suspicion.
Clear Reward: A panacea that will neatly cure your staggering self!
Failure: ‘The Future World Conqueror’ will view you with suspicion, surging with murderous intent toward you!
The Future World Conqueror was Holloway.
That suspicion thing again…
He wasn’t even visible anywh—
Oh no! ‘The Future World Conqueror’ Holloway views you with suspicion!
Holloway’s current danger level is ‘You’re suspicious no matter what.’
Danger Gauge has increased by 10.
If it reaches 30, the hotel difficulty rises by two levels, lowering your survival odds.
Ex: Probability of losing an arm, 85%
Damn, that’s brutally savage!
A curse nearly erupted from my throat at the unnecessarily helpful system window.
I took deep breaths to calm my mind and spirit, peeled my forehead from the door, and looked at the quest.
Wake people up while acting scared but not suspicious. And…
Pondering deeply, I suddenly realized something odd and furrowed my brows.
…But that wasn’t the problem right now.
I hurriedly glanced back at the floating window.
There, in bold red letters, a sentence stood out clearly.
Danger Gauge has increased by 10.
*The Danger Gauge went up by 10?*
Why?
I hadn’t done anything yet?
Had I done something suspicious outside earlier?
And I couldn’t fathom how suspicious it must have been to jump by 10 at once.
At this rate, two more suspicious acts could plunge me straight into hard mode.
Just then, a clear voice rang from below.
“Sis!”
“Eek!”
I clutched my clothes tightly and slid down to a squat. Holloway was right in front of me, out of nowhere.
“My heart nearly dropped.”
“Then you’d die.”
Don’t say that.
You’re the one who really kills people.
The sound of his voice calmed my racing heart like a splash of cold water.
“…How long have you been here?”
“I dunno! From when you went ‘Hngh!’”
“That’s from the beginning.”
You damned kid.
No, not a kid. A young man? No, not that either…
Then… Boss?
Yeah, boss. Since he’s the island’s final boss.
I must have been feverish; my thoughts were veering off in weird directions.
“Sis, why are you using formal speech?”
To survive.
Afraid the boss might decapitate me for rudeness if I spoke casually, I decided to play it safe.
“I respect kids too.”
“But you’re speaking casually now?”
“I decided not to from now on.”
Fear made all sorts of nonsense spill out.
I cleared my throat low and changed the subject.
Anyway, right now, not seeming suspicious was key.
I already seemed suspicious, though…
But with me being like this originally, what was I supposed to do?
“But why aren’t you asking anything?”
“Huh? What?”
“You must have seen me trying to open the door. And cursing.”
Staggering to my feet, I quickly scanned the area.
Unlike an abandoned hotel, the lobby was surprisingly clean.
The front desk upstairs, the three branching staircases leading up, the artworks and sculptures on the walls and scattered about exuding an eerie aura, even the black moss-covered fountain on one side.
There seemed to be more on either side, but the darkness hid it.
In my fear, I unconsciously moved closer to Holloway.
“I saw, but… Why do you keep coming closer to me?”
“Because I’m scared.”
“Even if you’re scared, wouldn’t a kid be scarier?”
Well…
Isn’t that something you, pretending to be a kid, shouldn’t say?
I suppressed the urge to snap back, swallowing it deep inside.
“I’m an adult more scared than kids. Anyway…”
I began my act in earnest.
Sniffling, I gripped Holloway’s small hand tightly.
“The door won’t open…! I have to tell the others!”
I needed to succeed in the quest and get that medicine.
When sick, you can’t do anything.
Holloway’s dark red eyes stared at me, rippling like blood.
At the same time, a system window appeared.
Danger Gauge has increased by 3.
Holloway’s total Danger Gauge is now ’13’. Fill 17 more points, and the difficulty rises.
…Was I just inherently suspicious?
Or was my acting too awkward?
His scrutinizing gaze withdrew.
If it only rose by 3, maybe he’d decided to watch for now.
That was fortunate.
From here on, I had to be as cautious as possible while succeeding in the sub quest.
To that end, I cut the chit-chat and headed straight to the second floor with Holloway.
My body felt heavy, like it was waterlogged, and I staggered often, so uncharacteristically for a demon, Holloway supported me.
In that moment, I froze.
Because the arm Holloway wrapped around my waist was incredibly warm.
As his warmth touched my chilled, aching body, I glanced at him involuntarily.
Cold and hurting…
My head spun, making clear thoughts difficult.
I blinked, then my legs gave out, and I slumped down.
*‘I can’t go on like this.’*
Even if he was the boss, he didn’t seem intent on killing right now.
If so, I should use everything available, then bolt when it got dangerous.
I looked at Holloway, who seemed so warm.
For an instant, a blurry afterimage of a man overlapped in front of him, hard to distinguish.
This was driving me crazy. Now hallucinations too…
I rubbed my eyes and looked at him.
He probably wouldn’t object to a hug.
No sign of revealing his identity either.
So maybe it was okay for a bit.
I called to him in a slightly weakened voice.
“Uh, boss.”
The title slipped out unconsciously.
I’d been fixating on “final boss” in my head.
Damn, big trouble. If the Danger Gauge rose again…
But instead of a window, Holloway placed the back of his hand on my forehead and spoke.
“Holloway.”
Fuck, scary.
A kid saying his own name—how could that be so terrifying?
“Hal, ahem. Holloway. Can I ask a favor?”
“What favor?”
“…I think I have a cold, but could you hold me for a bit? You’re so warm.”
“I’m warm?”
At his question, I spat out curtly.
“Forget it if you don’t want to.”
As I braced against the wall to stand, Holloway spread his arms.
“No. You’re struggling, sis!”
Seeing him agree readily, I hugged him with a slightly softened expression.
His toasty body heat seemed to spread through my whole body. It felt like I was melting involuntarily.
I tried to stand while holding Holloway to go wake the others, but it was impossible.
“…I need to tell the others about this.”
I needed that medicine.
Should I stay like this for a moment and then go?
But if no one wakes first and realizes we can’t leave, wouldn’t that fail the quest?
My eyes half-closed amid swirling thoughts. Holloway shook me, holding my body.
“Sis, are you okay?”
“No.”
“Honest. But is not being able to leave worrying you that much?”
I narrowed my brows and countered.
“Aren’t you? An isolated island with some hotel—I knew it. It’s just like in the horror ge—no, novels I’ve read. Rain pouring, thunder crashing, doors won’t open…”
As I mumbled, lamenting the situation, Holloway stayed quiet, then nodded as if realizing something.
“Yeah. You just came in to escape the rain in an abandoned hotel, but if the door won’t open, it’s naturally scary.”
Yay! Rejoice! ‘The Future World Conqueror’ Holloway fully withdraws his suspicion of you!
Danger Gauge resets to zero!
…Huh.
It could decrease?
Involuntarily, I hugged Holloway tight.
Toasty warm.
Just then, as my eyes grew cat-like and drowsy, a window popped up that made them snap wide.
Congratulations!
Your favorability toward you has increased by 0.1%!
Favorability: 0.1%
What? Suddenly? What did I do?
No, more than that, don’t bother telling me for such a tiny amount.
It doesn’t make me happy at all.
