How a Nuisance Character Survives in a Horror Game

 

My eyes suddenly opened.

 

At the same time, I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck.

 

“This can’t even…”

 

While I was muttering bloody words, I stopped my actions.

 

The smooth touch of my fingertips, the soft bed…

 

Instead of a heavy dress, I was wearing a light negligee and cardigan that looked like someone had changed my clothes.

 

I looked at it all and clenched my fists.

 

Cold sweat ran down my spine.

 

I slowly scanned my surroundings with trembling pupils.

 

My eyes were filled with a room that looked old yet somehow luxurious.

 

Cobwebs on the ceiling, old wardrobes and dirty marble floors covered in dust.

 

Rainwater was hitting the large window through the torn curtains at the bottom.

 

“No way…”

 

As I hurriedly pulled up the blanket and got off the bed, the broken marble creaked under my feet.

 

I got goosebumps.

 

I prayed not, and grabbed the handle to open the large glass door leading to the terrace.

 

Clack, clack-clack!

 

No matter how many times I shook the door, it wouldn’t open.

 

“This crazy!”

 

I couldn’t believe it, so I grabbed a candle holder nearby and slammed it into the glass window.

 

However, it just bounced around as if a transparent membrane had been drawn.

 

How many times did I hit it?

 

Thud!

 

My hands were shaking and I lost sight of the candlestick.

 

“Ha…”

 

A shaking sigh burst like smoke between my lips.

 

It seems that the deterrence of the original story was triggered and I entered the abandoned hotel, the main setting of the horror game <A Child’s Secret>.

 

I swept my face repeatedly and barely let out a trembling breath.

 

My body felt weak and I felt like I was getting achy after being exposed to rain for two days.

 

Holding my trembling hands together, my teeth gritted. There’s no time to be frustrated.

 

Without even thinking about putting on slippers, I walked to the door barefoot and flung it open.

 

The hallway was dark.

 

The small flickering candlelight didn’t help much.

 

The quiet hallway was so quiet that it wouldn’t be surprising if something popped out.

 

It was the hotel hallway from the horror game that I had already seen in illustrations.

 

I got goosebumps all over my body.

 

I moistened my dry lips with my tongue and slowly stepped into the hallway.

 

In response, the aged and broken marble made a sound.

 

I shivered once at the cool feel of the marble touching the soles of my feet.

 

Since it was a very expensive hotel, the floors were all made of marble.

 

To shake off my fear, I thought about nothing and headed to the lobby.

 

I had no idea where the group was.

 

I had to find the main entrance as quickly as possible.

 

“I have to find it before the door closes.”

 

Although it may have already been closed, I couldn’t give up a glimmer of hope.

 

I fumbled along the wall, leaning against the flickering candlelight, and managed to find the stairs leading down.

 

I was afraid that I might summon the demon, so I quickly went down the stairs on tiptoe to muffle the sound of my footsteps as much as possible.

 

Next, I saw an excessively large lobby and a huge front door.

 

This was the door that Friedel opened when entering the hotel in the game.

 

I ran straight in front of it and pulled the door open.

 

However, it didn’t budge.

 

I grabbed the handle, shifted my weight backwards, and pulled straight, and I also pushed with all my might.

 

“Mmmmph…!”

 

…

 

Yet there was no sound or movement from the door.

 

“Why won’t it open!”

 

Is this because I already came in so it’s over?

 

At the height of despair, a system window appeared with a crackling noise.

 

[Main Quest occurs!]

 

Main quest?

 

[Main Quest <Avoid the demons and survive in an abandoned hotel]

 

[Objective: Exit through the escape gate inside the hotel.

 

Time limit: Until you die

 

Clear reward: Survival

 

Death in case of failure]

 

Are you kidding?

 

If I couldn’t escape, I would have died anyway.

 

The opposite was the same. Of course I’d survive if I escaped.

 

It gave me that obvious thing as a reward and sat down!

 

Perhaps because it felt the burning, angry gaze, a window [Loading…] appeared, and then letters appeared, sparkling.

 

[Other rewards will be announced later.]

 

…Is there something more?

 

But that didn’t matter now.

 

I somehow ended up in this damn horror game and was forced to participate.

 

“Those damn bastards!”

 

Without realizing it, a harsh curse suddenly burst out.

 

I told them I didn’t want to, though!

 

I slammed my forehead against the front door and clamped my mouth shut.

 

I couldn’t help it. All exit routes were blocked and all I could do was find an escape gate.

 

The mere fact that there was a gate through which I could escape brought me peace.

 

Before I had time to catch my breath, the window popped up again.

 

[Sub Quest <We are trapped here!>]

 

[Goal: Let them know that they are trapped inside the hotel!]

 

[However, you must not be caught being suspicious.]

 

[Clear reward: A panacea that will completely cure you of your staggering!]

 

(a condition when you’re unable to straighten your body due to weakness or dizziness and walks as if you’re falling over)

 

[If you fail, the ‘Future Conqueror of this World’, who finds it suspicious, will have a desire to kill you!]

 

The Future Conqueror of this World would be Holloway.

 

That damn thing is suspicious…

 

I can’t even see where he went anyway….

 

[Oh my! ‘Future Conqueror of this World’ Holloway is suspicious of you!]

 

[Holloway’s current risk level is ‘No Matter What You Do, You are Suspicious.’]

 

[The danger gauge has increased by 10.]

 

[When it reaches 30, the hotel difficulty increases by 2 levels, lowering your chances of survival.]

 

[Example: Chance of one arm falling off, 85%]

 

Geez, this is so bloody!

 

A swear word almost burst out of my throat at the unnecessarily friendly system window.

 

I took a deep breath, calmed my mind and spirit, lifted my forehead from the door, and looked at the quest.

 

Let’s wake them up as if I’m scared so as not to be suspicious. And…

 

While thinking about it, I suddenly realized something strange and frowned.

 

…But that’s not the problem now.

 

I urgently looked at the floating window again.

 

There, the sentence in red letters was clearly visible.

 

[The danger gauge has increased by 10.]

 

‘The danger gauge has risen by 10?’

 

Why?

 

I haven’t done anything yet, though?

 

Did I do anything suspicious outside earlier?

 

And I didn’t understand how suspiciously I acted for it to increase by 10 all at once.

 

In this way, if I behaved suspiciously two more times, I could have entered hard mode right away.

 

At that time, a loud voice came from below.

 

“Sister!”

 

“Huaakh!”

 

I sat down, clutching my clothes tightly. Before I knew it, Holloway was in front of me.

 

“M-My heart must have dropped.”

 

“Then you’re dead.”

 

Don’t say that kind of thing.

 

You’re such a killer child, you know.

 

My heart, which had been racing like crazy at that sound, calmed down as if I had been doused in cold water.

 

“…Since when have you been here?”

 

“Since earlier! Since you said, ‘mmmph’!”

 

“That’s called since the beginning.”

 

You damn child.

 

No, he’s not even a child. Youngster? No, not that either….

 

Then… Boss?

 

Yes, it’s Boss, because he’s the final boss of this island.

 

It seems like the fever has risen quite a bit. Without realizing it, my thoughts were wandering in the wrong direction.

 

“Sister, why do you use honorifics?”

 

To live.

 

I was afraid that Boss would cut off my head for being rude as I spoke informally to him, so I decided to be as polite as possible.

 

“I respect children too.”

 

“You’re speaking casually now, though?”

 

“I decided not to do it from now on.”

 

I was so scared that all sorts of things came out. I cleared my throat softly and changed the subject.

 

Anyway, it was important not to look suspicious right now.

 

I already looked suspicious, but…

 

But what am I supposed to do when I look like this?

 

“But why aren’t you asking anything?”

 

“Yes? About what?”

 

“You saw me open the door, didn’t you. Even me swearing.”

 

I stood up shakily and quickly scanned my surroundings.

 

For an abandoned hotel, the lobby was very clean.

 

The front desk at the top, the three-pronged stairs leading up, the eerie artwork and statues set on the walls and here and there, and even the fountain covered in black moss on one side.

 

Although there seemed to be something more on either side of it, it was dark so I couldn’t see it clearly.

 

Out of fear, I unconsciously went next to Holloway.

 

“I saw it… But why do you keep coming next to me?”

 

“It’s scary.”

 

“Even if it’s scary, wouldn’t a child be more scared?”

 

I’m not sure…

 

Wouldn’t that be something you would say if you were pretending to be a child?

 

I held back what I wanted to do.

 

“I’m an adult who is more scared than a child, you know. Anyway…”

 

I started acting in earnest.

 

I cried and held Holloway’s small hand tightly.

 

“The door won’t open…! I have to tell people!”

 

I have to succeed in the quest and get the medicine.

 

If my body hurts, I can’t do anything.

 

Holloway’s dark red eyes were shining like blood as he stared at me.

 

And at the same time, a system window appeared.

 

[The danger gauge has increased by 3.]

 

[Holloway’s total danger gauge has reached ’13’. If you reach 17 more points, the difficulty level increases.]

 

…I guess I just look suspicious.

 

Or was my acting too awkward, I wonder.

 

As if something was possible, his gaze, which was staring at me, was pulled back.

 

I thought that if it had only risen by 3, it would have been concluded to

just wait and see

.

 

It was fortunate.

 

From now on, I had to save myself as much as possible to succeed in the sub quest.

 

To that end, I stopped chatting and went straight up to the second floor with Holloway.

 

My body was as heavy as if it had been soaked in water and I stumbled, so Holloway, uncharacteristic of a demon, helped me up.

 

At that moment I stopped acting.

 

This was because Holloway’s arms around my waist were very warm.

 

As Holloway’s warmth touched my chilly body, I glanced at him without realizing it.

 

Cold and painful….

 

My head was spinning and it was hard to think straight.

 

I blinked my eyes, then my legs became weak and I sat down.

 

‘This can’t go on.’

 

Even though he was the boss, he didn’t seem to have any intention of killing me right now.

 

In that case, I had to use everything that was available and then run away if it felt dangerous.

 

I looked at Holloway, who looked warm.

 

For a moment, a blurry afterimage of a man, not clearly distinguishable, appeared in front of me.

 

I’m going crazy. Now he even feels welcome…

 

I rubbed my eyes and looked at him.

 

I don’t think he’ll say anything if I hug him.

 

There was no sign of him revealing his identity.

 

If so, wouldn’t it be okay for a while?

 

I called him in a slightly weak voice.

 

“That, Boss.”

 

It was a name that came to my mind without me even realizing it.

 

It was because I was only thinking about the final boss in my head.

 

Damn, I’m in big trouble. If the danger gauge rises again…

 

But instead of the window opening, Holloway placed the back of his hand on my forehead and opened his mouth.

 

“Holloway.”

 

F*ck, scary.

 

Is it really that scary for a child to say his own name?

 

“Hol, ahem. Holloway. Can I ask you a favor?”

 

“What favor?”

 

“…I think I have a cold. But can I hold you for a while? You’re so warm.”

 

“I’m warm?”

 

Seeing him questioning me, I blurted out clearly.

 

“If you don’t want to, don’t.”

 

As I tried to get up from the wall, Holloway opened his arms.

 

“No. Because Sister is having a hard time!”

 

Seeing Holloway willingly agree, I hugged him with a slightly brighter face.

 

The warm body temperature seemed to be transmitted throughout his body. It felt like his body was melting by itself.

 

I tried to wake people up like this, holding Holloway up, yet it wasn’t enough.

 

“…I need to tell people this news.”

 

Medicine, I need to get that.

 

Should I stay like this for a while and then go?

 

But if someone wakes up first and knows we can’t leave, wouldn’t the quest be a failure?

 

My eyes were half-closed from all sorts of random thoughts. Holloway grabbed my body and shook me.

 

“Sister, are you okay?”

 

“No.”

 

“How honest. But are you that worried about not being able to go out?”

 

I narrowed my eyebrows and asked.

 

“You don’t? I thought it was some kind of hotel on a remote island, and I wondered if it would be like this… It’s the same situation I saw in the horror ga, no, novel. It’s raining, thundering, and the door won’t open…”

 

As I mumbled and lamented the current situation, Holloway stayed still and shook his head as if he realized something.

 

“Indeed, we just came into an abandoned hotel to get out of the rain. Of course it will be scary if the door doesn’t open.”

 

[Wow! Rejoice! You completely withdraw the suspicion that Holloway, the ‘Future Conqueror of this World’, has placed on you!]

 

[The danger gauge starts from 0!]

 

…What?

 

This could be reduced?

 

Without realizing it, I hugged Holloway tightly.

 

Warm.

 

At that time, a window appeared in front of me that made me, who felt as drowsy as a cat, open my eyes.

 

[Congratulations!]

 

[The favorability towards you has increased by 0.1%!]

 

[Favorability: 0.1%]

 

Pardon? Suddenly? What did I do?

 

No, rather than that, if the favorability is that much, don’t tell me.

 

I’m not happy at all.