The first thing I noticed was the atmosphere, it felt… lighter. Not as dark as I remembered.
Slowly, I opened my eyes.
Everything around me looked cartoonish, too colorful, like something pretending to be innocent.
And yet… the wallpaper seemed sad.
Faded. Off.
I reached for my collar, like instinct but instead of fabric, I felt cold metal. Armor. A shed piece, heavy and clunky.
Then I looked down. A sword rested in my hand. It should've weighed more.
Something that pristine should've felt impossible to lift. But it didn't.
Before I could speak, a glowing screen flickered into view in front of me:
ACT 1
TASK: UNCOVER THE MISFITS OF THE CURSED DUKE
And then, another flicker:
EPISODE TWELVE
THE DUKE SENDS HIS ASSASSIN
My breath caught. I knew this scene. This was the intro to the game I had just finished.
It sounded crazy, but it made sense. In the game, if you unlock all endings, you can choose a starting point.
Choosing the villainess always dropped you straight into Episode Twelve.
My blood ran cold. I remembered what happened next.
In less than a minute, an assassin would burst through that very window.
And if I didn't block his strike perfectly… I would die.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
MAIN QUEST: SURVIVE THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
MODE: PERMADEATH ACTIVE
OBJECTIVE: WIN OR DIE
I froze. It wasn't just a game anymore. It was a death sentence.
The worst part? The fatigue. That's the reason this character doesn't appear until later in the story, he's a war hero, dragging himself through every scene.
My arms ached. My vision blurred.
I couldn't move at the moment. I felt like one wrong breath would knock me out cold.
There was only one option left. Fight.
With trembling hands, I lifted the sword, gripping it one-handed.
My fingers barely responded, but I forced them into place.
Then—
CRASH
He burst through the window. A feral grin stretched across his face, like he'd already won.
Our eyes met.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
WARNING: HOSTILITY LEVEL SPIKING
EMOTIONAL OVERRIDE IMMINENT
YOU ARE LOSING CONTROL
Stabilize or risk forced synchronization with Crown Prince Kallias.
I could feel it happening. Something dark coiling inside me.
My anger wasn't mine anymore, it was his. It throbbed in my chest almost like I had a second heartbeat.
I didn't just want to fight. I wanted to kill.
The assassin lunged at me.
My body moved on instinct. I blocked his blade before it met my throat.
I grabbed him by the collar, lifted him off his feet, and slammed him down.
His weapon clattered away.
He coughed, in a clear daze. "Finish it," he said. "Go on. Do it."
I grimaced. The audacity. This man who happens to be a mass murderer…had the nerve to beg?
"You come into my home… and then beg me to kill you?" I spat. "I thought you were better than this."
BLAM
The door burst open behind me.
"Your Highness!" a voice cried.
I turned. It was her. The villainess. Cyrielle.
She stood there. She was real. Alive. Radiant. Her eyes wide.
Her mouth open in shock. "Your Highness, turn around!" she shouted.
I did. Just in time to see the assassin lunging again, this time with a hidden dagger aimed not at me but her.
I caught his wrist, redirecting the blade. It glanced off my armor, sliding between the plates.
I yanked it out. I grit my teeth and hurled it back with all the fury in my veins.
It struck the back of his skull with a sickening crunch.
His body fell limp, hung over the balcony edge. His posture looked almost like broken furniture.
I turned slowly and met Cyrielle's eyes, they were green and radiant beneath her thick lashes.
Her dark brown hair spilled over her shoulders like velvet.
She raised her hand. I thought she'd slap me. She didn't. Instead, she cupped my face, gentle. Real.
"Cyrielle," I whispered.
Her eyes narrowed. The crown prince never called her by name. Ever.
Suddenly—
BLEEP
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
ASSASSINATION EVENT COMPLETE.
STATUS: SUCCESSFUL KILL
CORRUPTION +4
WARNING: CROWN PRINCE INSTINCTS ACTIVATING
Cyrielle was speaking. I think. Her lips were moving.
Her hands were shaking. But I couldn't hear her.
I couldn't hear anything. There was only the silence.
And then—
A voice.
Low. Cold. Familiar. Not mine.
"Everyone must die."
My hands twitched around the hilt of the sword. My breathing slowed.
The room darkened, not by shadow but by the voice invading my thought.
Everyone must die.
And for the first time. I wasn't sure if that voice was wrong.