These freaking choices are still trying to drag me straight to hell! If only I’d found 30 gold coins in that bag!
“And what if I do?”
Nini fell silent. With that expressionless face, I had no clue what he was thinking.
The choices made a mess and left me to clean it up.
I was just about to open my mouth to fix the mess when Nini gave a bright smile.
“Come on, there’s no way. You’re an outsider.”
Ah, that’s what I wanted to hear! Now you make sense.
“I just asked without really thinking.”
Thank goodness I didn’t even have to explain; he got it right away.
And then, the notification chime rang.
CHARACTER CARD UPDATE
Nini: A boy of unknown identity who seems to live in Shadow Riverhill
But… who knows?
Relationship: #Suspicion
Huh? For a second, I thought I was seeing things. I closed the status window and reopened it, but the word—suspicion—was still there.
Sure, I had said and done things that could’ve raised suspicion. I couldn’t avoid it.
But he just smiled and acted like he understood me, didn’t he?
And yet he still suspects me? Wait, is he one of those hidden villain characters?
I couldn’t let my guard down even for a moment.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
I narrowed my eyes and stared at Nini. He tilted his head, looking confused.
“Did I say something weird?”
Well… I guess even if you suspect someone, there’s no reason to show it. Just sucks when you’re the one being doubted.
“It’s nothing.”
“Anyway, we’re almost there.”
Just like that, Nini reset the conversation.
“See that house over there?”
“What house?”
The spot he pointed to was buried in thick fog. I couldn’t see a thing.
“Fog’s pretty heavy today, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I can’t see a thing.”
“Can I borrow your lantern?”
He extended his hand.
Would a tiny handheld lantern make a difference in this fog?
“You see it now?”
But the moment the lantern passed into Nini’s hands, the fog peeled away like curtains lifting. It cleared so cleanly, it felt like someone had just lit a lighthouse in the gloom. I could finally see the house he’d mentioned.
“That’s where we’re going. It’s the village’s safe house. Anyone can go there if something happens.”
His words left me speechless.
Safe house, my a$$. That’s the Three Sisters’ House!
It was none other than the location where the first main quest was supposed to trigger. Should I be grateful that he led us there without my guidance? Or…
Does he know something? Of all the places in the village, why here?
Sure, heading to a safe house in a situation like this didn’t seem weird on the surface, but an unexplainable feeling crept up my spine. And that unease twisted into suspicion toward Nini.
“Alright. Let’s go.”
I would resolve that later, regardless of whether my doubts held up. For now, we needed to move before the sun went down.
We reached the Three Sisters’ House, nestled atop a low hill, and I swallowed hard.
“This is a safe house? Looks more like a haunted house to me.”
Rose wrinkled her nose as she said it.
“Y-yeah… does anyone even live here?”
Jamie glanced around nervously, eyes flicking to the shadows.
The house was smothered in wild vines, untouched for years. Crows had overtaken the roof. The garden looked like you might find something, or someone, buried beneath it.
Everything was just as I remembered from the game… only chillier and darker. More real.
“Don’t worry,” Nini said, calm as ever. “The people here are kind. Even if you’re an outsider, they’ll welcome you.”
With that, he walked up to the door and knocked the iron handle twice.
Ironically, the nameplate read: A Home Overflowing with Love and the Blessings of the Gods.
Blessed by the gods? Even a stray dog would laugh.
“Hmm, looks like no one’s home—”
Victor started, but before he could finish, the door creaked open, and standing there was a young, beautiful woman.
She was radiant.
So radiant, it was hard to believe she lived in such a gloomy place.
She was Maribelle, the eldest sister.
“Oh my, what brings you all here?”
Her gentle voice melted away everyone’s tension in an instant.
“Good evening. Allow me to explain.”
Though Nini had led us here, it was Victor who stepped forward to speak.
“We’re travelers who lost their way near the village. The sun’s about to set, and we have nowhere to stay. We were hoping… perhaps we could trouble you for shelter tonight?”
“Ah, I see.”
Maribelle smiled, nodding as if she’d heard this sort of thing a hundred times before.
“If that’s the case, you’ve come to the right place. Come, come. There are plenty of empty rooms.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Phew… what a relief.”
“Right this way, then.”
Maribelle stepped aside, opening the way for us to enter.
“Excuse us, then.”
One by one, everyone entered the house, following the warmth of her kindness.
“Sis, aren’t you coming?”
Nini turned to me, the last one coming in.
“Of course I am.”
The moment I took a breath and stepped forward, a system window flared into view.
MAIN QUEST: Sacrifice of the Three Sisters has begun.
You must kill the three sistes who intend to sacrifice
you and your party to the demon and escape
Success: 8,000G / One-Time Demon Summoning Ticket
Failure: Your soul will be offered alive at the altar
I’d have to stay sharp if I wanted to avoid becoming a living offering on some cursed altar.
“What do you think? Isn’t it just a clean, normal house?”
Nini, standing right behind me, asked.
“I guess…”
The inside looked nothing like the outside. Everything was tidy, carefully arranged. Framed photos lined the hallway walls. On the table, more frames displayed smiling family members, frozen in idyllic joy.
Maybe once, they had been a happy family—before the three sisters, drunk on twisted faith, sacrificed their parents to the demon.
I reached out, absently touching one frame, and another window appeared.
Just an ordinary picture frame. Cannot be picked up
…Yeah? Don’t say. What do you take me for?
“Oh, before I show you your rooms, would you mind joining us for dinner? My sisters and I were just setting the table.”
“Actually… I was just thinking I could use something to eat. We’re all a little worn down.”
Victor, oblivious to everything, answered with a cheerful smile.
“You’re all okay with that, right?”
Then a window popped.
Maribelle has invited you to dinner
- 1. Accept
- 2. Decline
…Huh? Why is a choice window popping up all of a sudden?
In the game, dinner couldn’t be avoided.
I stared into the air, my eyes narrowed.
Whatever the reason. If I have a choice, I’ll take the second one.
“I’m—”
Nini is suspicious of your attempt to decline the invitation
Suspicion Level: 5%
Affection: -3%
※ WARNING!
As suspicion rises and affection drops, you will be marked as a high-risk target.
Game difficulty may increase.
…What?
I was about to refuse but trailed off mid-sentence, catching both the system message and Nini’s face.
F**k.
Instead of helping, the system kept getting in my way. Usually, possession-type transmigrators got perks. This system was seriously messed up.
“I’m… so hungry I could die. Please lead the way!”
I blurted it out, avoiding Nini’s gaze as I hurried to follow behind Maribelle.
The dining room was unnecessarily large for just three people.
“I prepared a generous meal today. It must be fate that you guys came.”
“It’s been so long since we’ve had such a noisy table. I’m honestly thrilled!”
“Think of this as your home for tonight. Please relax.”
Their words, translated through the lens of what I knew, meant only one thing: “How wonderful that our offerings came walking on their own! Since this will be your grave anyway… make yourselves at home.”
“Haha! We’re truly lucky to have met such kind people. It’s a relief.”
Of course, the others were more relaxed now than back at the cabin.
The three sisters moved briskly between the kitchen and the table, laying out dish after dish. Each plate looked delicious, but I knew every bite was laced with sedatives.
It was their classic trick: serve up an irresistible feast, let the travelers eat and drift off without suspicion.
That’s why I’d been so relieved when the unexpected choice popped up.
Nini, you piece of sh-!
I cursed him as he sat beside me.
“Well then, before it gets cold, please dig in!”
The meal unfolded in a cheerful atmosphere.
In this setting, with everyone eating together, it was practically impossible for me to avoid eating. I picked at the food, nibbling just enough to avoid suspicion.
“Why aren’t you eating, sis? You said you were starving.”
Nini plopped a thick-cut piece of steak onto my plate.
“This one’s incredible.”
“I, um…”
“You don’t like meat, perhaps?”
“It’s not that…”
There’s a damn sedative in it!
Nini’s suspicion is growing because you refuse to eat
Suspicion Level: +8%
Affection: -5%
You know, don’t you?
You have to know.
Log into the next quest — Chapter 5
- ▸ Yes
- ▸ No (I bet you’ll love it)
