Urano lay on the grass, exhausted and panting, feeling like he could collapse at any moment.
"We can't stop training, at least not today," he said between ragged breaths.
"Come on! Is that all the world's most handsome writer can do?" Evelin teased, smirking as he tried to continue the exercises.
"Are you seriously never going to let me forget that?" Urano replied.
Since they had returned, their relationship had become more relaxed, closer, like good friends. At first, they could barely be called acquaintances, but over time, they had grown used to each other. They still didn't talk about personal lives or deep topics, but Urano was fine with that. There were many things he didn't feel ready to discuss. Most of their conversations were casual, full of teasing and small talk.
Sometimes Evelin would tease him with an old magazine she'd found who-knows-where. In 2022, when his career was at its peak, Urano had done a photo shoot and an interview to promote a new book. To his dismay, the publication had labeled him "the most handsome writer." He deeply regretted it.
Urano clicked his tongue in annoyance but didn't have the strength to complain while lying on the ground.
"Don't worry. One day you'll also appear in a magazine—if you can even reach my level," he said with a half-smile.
"Uh-huh, keep dreaming. I'm going for a run. After that, we'll go inside and finish prepping for the next story," she said, turning away, clearly irritated.
Urano slowly sat up, chuckling to himself as he watched her jog away. Then he walked to the house and sat on the living room sofa. He looked around at what Evelin had done with the space: two small plants, some anime figures, a Disney Cruella mug, and what looked like a frog-shaped key holder. Everything was Evelin's. In just a week, she had made the place her own. In contrast, Urano only had three things: his computer, a yellow notebook where he jotted down his thoughts, and a refillable fountain pen. That was his life now.
Upon returning, he understood why the synchronization with the prince had been so strong. Both carried heavy emotions, worn down and disappointed by their past lives. Now, with part of the prince's memories fused into his own, moving forward felt different—familiar. Like it was part of him.
He walked to the bathroom and stared at his reflection in the mirror.
"Still looks like me," he muttered with a touch of disappointment.
He opened a small yellow bottle and took a pill. Since leaving the last story, he'd reduced his intake, but something inside still pushed him to grip a sword every morning. It made him feel sharper, more alive. He glanced at the bracelet with a small cross on his wrist.
"Maybe this isn't so bad," he whispered.
He heard Evelin enter the house, her steps approaching the bathroom. He quickly hid the pills among the cleaning supplies, thinking he'd retrieve them later, and stepped out.
"Already showered?" Evelin asked with a teasing smile.
"Not yet. First, I'm making breakfast."
He went to the kitchen and prepared a sandwich for himself and another for Evelin. The sound of the knife cutting rapidly, the sizzle of eggs and nopales in the pan, and the scent of fresh bread filled the space. Without noticing, Urano began to smile.
Evelin, now dressed and drying her fiery red hair, approached the kitchen.
"Smells amazing. I didn't know you could cook," she said, surprised.
During the week, she had handled the meals to help Urano keep up with his book deadlines.
"Back when I lived alone, I cooked every day. I couldn't afford takeout," he explained, still moving the pan.
"I thought you had a personal chef," she joked.
"Ha! That shows you're still a kid. I started from the bottom too, missy."
"You're only two years older than me! I'm 25, not a kid."
"Haha. Kid."
Their morning went on harmoniously, full of playful banter, until it was time to discuss how to survive the next story. They sat together and pulled out what looked like a tablet, showing photos of them and various stats.
📋 Character Sheets
Evelin
Age: 25
Occupation: Mangaka
Skills: Basic military knowledge, general survival, drawing, story writing, basic self-defense and firearms.
Narrative Ability:
Dark Charm: Capable of influencing others' decisions. The smarter or more skeptical the target, the higher the chance of failure. Failing causes natural distrust or resentment.
Basic Investigation (CR): Slightly enhances environmental awareness and analytical thinking.
Modifiers:
Strength (x) · Speed (x) · Intelligence (2) · Charm (2) · Wisdom (x) · Constitution (x)
Urano
Age: 27
Occupation: Writer and Director
Skills: Negotiation, advanced writing, relationship management, intermediate musical talent, intermediate business knowledge.
Narrative Ability:
Basic Fencing (CR): Knows the fencing principles of the Ashur continent. Slight boost to reflexes and precision in combat.
Modifiers:
Strength (1) · Speed (1) · Intelligence (x) · Charm (x) · Wisdom (x) · Constitution (1)
In this inter-story space, they could see their stats as if they were tabletop characters. Some abilities were personal, others granted by the system. They could use points to boost base stats. Today, they were making their final checks: a new story was about to begin, based on a script Urano had co-written with an old friend.
Urano had worked on film scripts, and this story in particular had been co-written years ago with an old partner he'd since lost contact with. He remembered the plot broadly, and after watching the final movie version, he had done a basic analysis. Still, many of the smaller details were hazy. The script was inspired by those early 2000s horror films where a killer doll would slaughter an entire family.
The concept was simple: a toy gifted to a child for protection eventually turned evil. It served as a social critique—suggesting that with enough neglect and abuse, even a guardian could become a vengeful monster. A curse disguised as a blessing: the doll killed with terrifying ease.
The problem? Urano and Evelin were entering the story just before the first murder, and there was no hope of appeasing the doll's rage. The system had cast Urano as Marco, Mitch's older brother, and Evelin as Linda, the sheriff's deputy.
According to the original script—written by Urano himself—Marco had been the person who bullied Mitch the most. As a result, Marco was meant to die first: pushed down the stairs by the doll, breaking his neck. Then the killings would escalate. Mitch's friends would be eliminated one by one, for increasingly petty offenses, like bumping into the boy and not apologizing. Each kill was bloodier, more creative, more personal. Eventually, the narrative concluded with the doll—CUCU—being sealed by the sheriff and Linda… though both died in the process.
Urano and Evelin's characters were fated to die. They needed a plan.
Evelin had drafted multiple escape strategies, but most were rejected by the system. Any attempt to stray too far from the main narrative earned them immediate warnings—and potentially lethal consequences. Even trying to hide for a week had triggered a penalty. In the previous story, their attempt to break the script nearly cost them their lives. This time, any plan they made had to work within the plot.
They finally settled on three potential plans—basic outlines until they knew their objectives:
1. Delay the Bomb
The first murder set everything in motion. By protecting Mitch, they might delay the doll's activation, buying time within the story's flow.
2. Police Excuse
As the deputy, Evelin could fabricate a situation—a fake robbery, perhaps—and arrest characters to slow down events. The risk? The system might forcibly redirect the plot back on track.
3. Seal the Doll
Evelin could hunt for the original story's key items, pushing the resolution arc early. However, once CUCU turned aggressive, there'd be no turning back. They'd have to face it directly.
The biggest problem: Mitch was just a child. He had no powers, no training, no magic. This wasn't a fantasy arc—it was survival horror with ordinary people.
According to the original lore, written by Urano and his old partner, the doll's backstory was tragic: a toymaker had fallen in love with a witch, and together they had a child. When villagers learned of their union, they captured the woman and burned her alive. To protect his son, the toymaker made a pact with a demon. From that day on, his toys would come to life to defend their owners at all costs.
Urano had always been proud of that introduction—the night scene where villagers tried to kidnap the toymaker's son, only for a wooden toy to emerge from the shadows, slaughtering the attackers one by one. It chased them through the village, stabbing and hanging them like a skilled predator.
Now, remembering that made his skin crawl. Despite the gore, it had been the first script he ever sold, and it won a few awards. It had launched his career. Back then, he was hopeful, hungry to prove his talent. The story was grotesque, yes—but it held a strange sentimental value.
Evelin reviewed the plan one last time using her [Basic Investigation] skill, scanning for any overlooked detail.
"Seriously… couldn't you have written something less disturbing?" she asked, grimacing and shivering. "I was never good with horror."
"Oh, really? You didn't seem too scared in the last story," Urano teased, remembering how she handled assassins with ease.
"I told you, my dad's military. I can fight people. But ghosts? You can't punch ghosts!"
"We're not fighting ghosts. It's just a cursed doll."
"That's not better!" she snapped.
A moment of silence passed. Urano looked down, guilt flickering in his eyes. Writing something this dark no longer felt the same—not when Evelin had become someone important to him. A friend. A real one.
"…Sorry. Maybe I should start writing happier things," he mumbled.
"It's not your fault. Who could've guessed we'd end up inside one of your scripts?" Evelin gave him a soft smile. "Come on, we're in this together, right?"
She tapped his forehead gently to cheer him up.
"Thanks. Really," Urano replied with a sincere smile. Evelin blushed lightly.
"It's fine, forget it. Now… what was that fancy cat's name again? The one in the suit?"
"How can you forget your servant's name? Tuby," said a voice.
A well-dressed cat appeared on the couch across from them.
Both flinched, instinctively leaning away.
"Come on now, we're good friends, aren't we?" said Tuby.
Neither answered. Silence filled the room.
"…Such a dull bunch. Well then, let's begin. All you have to do is survive for one week. That's how long until the second half of the arc starts. Oh, and the lovely ladies Hecate and Keres are huge fans of your work, Urano. They're very excited to see how the author handles his own creation. Even Hastur, who rarely speaks, sends his regards. Just remember—everyone's watching you."
"Wait, what?" Urano managed to say—
Before he could finish, Tuby snapped his fingers.
The world around them vanished. They floated in blackness as fiery text appeared in front of their eyes:
🛎️ Ding Ding
Next Story
Title:My Great Friends
Genre: Horror · Suspense
Difficulty: C (Cruel, ghosts, modern fanaticism)
Synopsis:
A fourteen-year-old boy and his friends visit an old toy shop in town, famous for the legend of a puppet master who could craft any toy imaginable. Driven by curiosity, they enter… only to find the place disturbingly eerie.
The protagonist, Mitch, is taken there by his mother, along with his older brother and a friend. Lonely and without friends of his own, Mitch is offered something special by the puppet master: a friend made just for him. He accepts, thrilled—and takes home a small wooden clown doll. But horror soon follows.
Assigned Missions:
Urano – Marco
Main Objective: Prevent or delay the death of your character for six days.
Special Objective: Break Mitch's bond with the clown doll.
Evelin – Linda
Main Objective: Prevent at least two of the doll's murders without losing your life.
Special Objective: Rediscover the magical toy shop.
🔥
Ding ding.
Next StoryTitle:My Great FriendsGenre: Horror · Suspense Difficulty: C (Cruel, ghosts, modern fanaticism)
Synopsis: A fourteen-year-old boy and his friends visit an old toy shop in their town, infamous for the legend of a puppet master who could craft any toy imaginable. Driven by curiosity, they enter… only to find the place disturbingly eerie.
The protagonist, Mitch, is dragged along by his older brother and a friend at their mother's request. Lonely and estranged from his sibling, Mitch has no friends of his own. In that loneliness, the puppet master offers to create a friend just for him. Thrilled, Mitch accepts—and receives a small wooden clown doll. He takes it home, unaware of the strange and terrifying events about to unfold.
Assigned Missions:
Urano - Marco
Main Objective: Prevent or delay the death of your character for six days.
Special Objective: Break Mitch's bond with the clown doll.
Evelin - Linda
Main Objective: Prevent at least two of the doll's murders without losing your life.
Special Objective: Rediscover the magical toy shop.
A final background message burned across their vision:
Ding ding.
Both authors have cleared the basic tutorial. Protection rules are now removed. If participants fail their objectives, they will be trapped within the story.
Moments later, Urano heard the ringing of an alarm clock—and a woman's voice calling out from another room.
"Kids! Wake up! It's time for school!"
He rubbed his eyes, groaning from a splitting headache, and slowly sat up… only for his blood to freeze.
At the foot of his bed stood a small wooden doll, beautifully crafted. It wore a half-white, half-black romper with elegant trim, its face painted ghostly pale. Black eyes stared unblinking from beneath a tiny hat.
The doll was watching him.
A scream echoed from the hallway.
"Mom! Have you seen my toy? I can't find it!" shouted a boy's voice.
"Ask your brother—he might have it! Wake him up!" their mother replied.
The bedroom door creaked open. A boy no older than eight stepped inside, his face pale with fear.
"Brother… do you have CUCU?"
"Yes. I found it in the living room and forgot to give it back to you. Here, take it."
"This isn't a trick, right?" The boy's eyes trembled with unease. "You're not going to hurt me if I come closer… right?"
Urano swore the clown's painted grin faltered for just an instant. A shiver ran down his spine as he felt the doll's gaze burn into his every move.
"N-no… don't worry. It's fine. Remember the other day, when you said you wanted to go to the arcade? Let's go after school. What do you say?"
"Really?" the boy asked, staring intently at him.
"Of course. You know I'm the best at shooters. I'll even teach you. Come on—go ahead. I'll go with you."
"Yay! Thanks, Marco!" the boy cried, hugging the clown doll tight before dashing out of the room. The door slammed shut behind him.
Urano exhaled heavily, the weight lifting from his chest. He collapsed back against the bed, his heart pounding like it wanted to break free. A nervous laugh escaped him.
He understood now—his very first objective would be critical. That night, Marco, his character, was destined to die at the hands of CUCU, the murderous clown.
If he failed to act, this would be his last day alive.
—"Linda, wake up! Linda, come on! The Robinsons' dog ran away again. Don't pretend to be asleep."
Evelin slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze was heavy, her back and neck ached as if she had only slept three hours, and a sharp headache pulsed behind her temples.