As I walked down the hallway, I felt someone staring at me.
"Oui... This place is so creepy. I feel like something might come out and grab me."
The torches flickered unnaturally. Shadows danced across the cold stone walls. Everything was too still.
Then—movement.
The painting beside me stirred.
"Huh?"
Unlike the others—detailed portraits of regal kings and queens, ministers and knights—this one was empty. A black void stretched across the canvas like a maw. I stepped closer. A chill traced my spine.
"Strange. Even though the painting is empty, I feel like something is moving inside."
Creak. Creak. Creak.
The sound wasn't from the walls.
A hand. A pale, human-like hand reached out of the painting.
"AHHH!!! A hand! A hand came out of a painting! It wasn't my imagination!!!"
I quickly dodged to the side.
The human-like hand missed and retracted into the painting.
Just then-
RUMBLE. RUMBLE.
The entire corridor began to shake violently. The walls trembled. The paintings trembled. The very air buzzed with chaos.
"Oui?"
There was nowhere to hide—just rows of haunting, life-like portraits and bare stone floor.
"What is wrong with this place!"
I dropped to the ground, covering my head and neck.
Pebbles and dust rained down.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"ACKK! These stones are small, but they hurt."
Time dragged, but eventually the shaking stopped.
I peeked out. Everything was still again.
"The shaking stopped? Finally."
I pushed myself up, legs wobbling beneath me.
"Uwahh... My legs feel so wobbly... I wonder what's all that about."
I continued down the hallway, only to be blocked by a wall.
A dead end.
"What...? It's a straight road, no turnings. I couldn't have gotten lost on a straight road, right?"
I turned around. The stairs where I'd come from were still at the opposite end.
I faced the wall again.
"Maybe a door will come out if I touch it? HAHAHA. Ain't that gonna be magical? But that's impossible, right?"
Still… curiosity clawed at my gut.
"Of course, if you never try, you'll never know."
I reached out.
The moment my fingers brushed the stone, a hidden door shimmered into existence.
My eyes widened.
"I-It appear?!! This place is getting stranger and stranger. I-I better get out of here before I go crazy."
With trembling hands, I gripped the doorknob. But—
"It's locked? I don't see any keys."
I leaned in, peering through the keyhole—and gasped.
Inside was a throne room. Massive. Empty. Ornate.
"I guess this is the boss room, huh?"
I rummaged through my inventory and pulled out two metal paper clips.
"Looks like those rewards from the treasure chests aren't useless after all."
I bent one clip, then the other.
Clack. Clack. Clang!
The lock clicked open.
"That sure took some time. I guess my skill got rusty. This sure reminds me of the time I used to pick the door lock connecting to the rooftop. I would sleep on the rooftop until recess was over. Though sometimes I overslept, then when the teachers found me, they would chase me with a bamboo stick."
I chuckled.
"Good times those were."
The heavy door creaked open.
I stepped inside—and froze.
The throne room was massive. Majestic. The ceiling stretched almost eight stories high. Yet the vast chamber was mostly empty… save for fourteen statues.
Each one detailed to the finest degree. Almost lifelike.
My gaze locked onto the two statues seated on the thrones.
"The King and Queen...?"
I moved to the next pair standing beside them.
"The Royal Guard and the King's Advisor."
Then… the remaining ten statues.
Ministers, judging by their posture and robes.
But something was off.
"Oui... Freaky..."
Each of the ten ministers had the same face.
[Isaac and Rona's side]
Isaac frowned at the blue screen. "Why is the room so weird? Those 10 statues have the same face."
[Player Llyne entered the Room of Illusion]
"Room of Illusion?"
[It's a room that dives into the player's mind and finds their greatest desire. The room will create the illusion, making the players unable to leave. If they cannot overcome their desire, the core will not appear, and they will be trapped forever.]
"There's such a room?"
"Lil's strong desire is this? Lil weird...?"
Isaac narrowed his eyes. "...Are you not telling us something?"
[What you and Player Llyne are seeing is the actual appearance of the room. However, some parts are influenced by her desire. For example, the faces of the statues.]
"The face...?" Rona tilted her head.
"Why some parts only?"
[That's not something I can say.]
"I guess there's nothing to worry about since we can see the core all the way from here."
[Llyne's side]
I took a deep breath.
"Stay focused. Got to find that core and waltz myself out of here."
I approached one of the ministry statues.
"Wow... The detailed craftsmanship. I could see his wrinkles, too."
I snickered, then walked along the line of statues.
Each one bore a unique emblem—animals carved into their chests:
Lion. Snake. Rhinoceros. Owl. Panda. Turtle. Hyena. Dove. Koi fish... and—
"...Sloth? Of all animals?"
I slapped myself.
"Why can't I stay focused?"
I examined the Royal Guard and Advisor—nothing.
Then turned my attention to the thrones.
"Don't chop my head for my disgraceful act," I whispered, before inching closer.
No core. Not in plain sight.
[Isaac and Rona's side]
Isaac leaned closer to the screen.
"Rona, isn't the King holding the core? Or am I just blind?"
"Nah! The core is there."
"Then what is Llyne doing?"
"Maybe she lost something while searching just now."
Isaac sighed. "...I hope so."
[Llyne's side]
Time passed. Too much of it.
"Ughh... My body hurts..."
I sank to the floor in front of the King's statue.
"This must be my bad luck. I've searched for hours but I couldn't find any round ball."
My eyes drifted up to the sceptre in the King's hand.
It ended in a lion head, jaw open, gripping a crystal sphere.
"...The only round thing here is this sceptre."
I stared at it.
And then—realization struck.
"The core!"
I leapt to my feet and yanked the sceptre free.
"This is the core? I took hours to find it, only to realize it was right in front of me the entire time?"
I groaned and glared at it with righteous betrayal.
[Isaac and Rona's side]
"D-D-Did she—"
"Lil was searching the core the entire time?"
"S-She wasted hours looking for something that was right in front of her face!"
"...Oh, Lil."
Isaac rubbed his forehead. "I regret asking her to go."
[Llyne's side]
"Okay, now to destroy it."
I raised the core high—but hesitated.
"...What if this isn't the core? I'd be destroying a national treasure. Who knows, maybe it's sellable and I can earn lots of money with it."
I drooled a little at the thought.
[Isaac and Rona's side]
"Don't fall for it, Llyne!"
"Lil!"
[Unfortunately, Player Llyne cannot hear you.]
"Damn it!" Isaac slammed a fist against the screen.
[Llyne's side]
"It's so tempting..."
The crystal glimmered like a diamond dipped in starlight.
Then—throb. A sudden, sharp pain split my head.
"Ouch! What's the deal?"
I hissed and clutched my temple.
"...What's the use of money if I can't survive here? Pssh!"
I hurled the core down with all my strength.
Crash!
The core shattered into a hundred glassy shards.
[Isaac and Rona's side]
"Gosh, she frightened me there. I thought she wouldn't destroy the core."
"Lil so awesome!"
[Llyne's side]
I stretched and smiled.
"Job here is done. Finally! I can rest!"
But fate had other plans.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The entire room quaked violently.
"Darn it!" I shouted. "Just when I could rest for a while, and this happens! Grr!"
[Warning! The dungeon is collapsing. Please proceed to the exit in front of you.]
"In front of me?"
I spun around, heart pounding.
A hidden door had appeared behind the throne.
"There!" I sprinted forward—
CRASH!
Something massive fell from the ceiling.
I flinched and covered my head.
When I looked up, I saw—
"...Oui. Where did that chandelier come from?"
Drip.
Blood trickled down my face, arms, and body. Tiny shards of glass had sliced through my skin.
Some were still embedded.
The pain wasn't sharp—but the discomfort was unbearable.
Then—
BOOM!
Massive boulders began crashing down on me.