Chapter 15
As a sudden chill ran down Cynthia’s neck, she remembered what happened next. Not only did the supposedly dead duke turn out to be alive, but he would also lead the creatures through the mansion, searching for any survivors.
At that point, the only way to survive was…
‘Hiding. Behind the mirror!’
“Over there, that mirror! Can we just go check it for a second?”
Cynthia stood up, pointing toward the large, ornately decorated full-length mirror.
For now, he was acting as if they were on the same side, and if the villain had shown any intention to kill her, the event to hide behind the mirror probably wouldn’t have triggered. That meant the intention was for both of them to hide together.
The duke looked at her with a puzzled expression, then asked with a crooked smile,
“Why are you looking for a mirror at a time like this? Got someone you want to impress?”
“It’s not that, I just thought I saw something in that mirror!”
She accidentally shouted in her frustration, and instantly regretted it. What if he suddenly snapped, “How dare you raise your voice? Die!” and stabbed her with his sword? Even with a save point, she didn’t want to experience death firsthand.
“If you’re not interested, I’ll check by myself!”
Without waiting for his reply, Cynthia hurried over to the mirror, trying not to show how scared she was.
Behind her, she heard a sigh, then the duke stood up. In just a few strides, he caught up to Cynthia and asked indifferently,
“What did you see? Let me look.”
“I have to check now.”
Standing before the mirror, both their reflections appeared. The duke was so tall that his face didn’t even show up properly.
Cynthia studied the mirror for a moment. Unlike when she’d first seen it, now her face looked waxy pale and bloodless. She nervously waited for something, and as the duke left her to examine herself, he spoke in a bored voice,
“There’s nothing here. Isn’t it better to move than waste time here for no reason?”
Cynthia swallowed back her urge to say “Just wait a second,” and stubbornly stared at the mirror’s surface. If she hid behind the mirror before the signal appeared and the event didn’t trigger because of the update, the duke would just find her suspicious.
On the other hand, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy, wondering how much the game had changed in the update that she hadn’t been killed by the villain yet.
It could turn out to be a total betrayal at any moment. Maybe she should just try to run for it.
Her head spun with worries… Then finally, the sign appeared.
Red letters, as if drawn in blood, began to form on the mirror.
“…I hear footsteps,”
the duke commented at just the right moment. Cynthia grabbed his arm.
“Hide, now!”
The creature was coming. If it caught them, it was over.
All the creatures in the mansion belonged to the duke, so even if he stayed out in the open, he wouldn’t be killed, but since they’d been acting together, if she hid alone, he might resent her and decide to kill her afterward. She had to be careful in everything.
But when Cynthia shoved the duke behind the mirror, she realized there wasn’t enough space for herself, given his huge frame.
Panicking, Cynthia flailed in place, but the duke suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her in.
“You really are a hassle.”
Then he yanked Cynthia against his body, holding her tight so she was pressed close.
‘Oh…’
Suddenly, Cynthia found her face buried against his chest.
Discussion
0 CommentsReactions
No comments yet.