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Chapter 10
That meant it was a few minutes before the owner of that voice appeared. I had been listening to Adenhar and continuously thinking through all the possible scenarios.
After looking around, Adenhar spoke.
“Let’s try walking a bit more. I remember every detail of the path I took to get here.”
“This is a path you’ve never seen before, and you remember all of it? Wow, you’re really smart.”
When I asked in genuine admiration, Adenhar replied shyly.
“It’s not really something worth that much praise. I think I just have a good sense of direction.”
“Still, that’s impressive.”
Even as I answered, though, I couldn’t help but feel bitter. Even if Adenhar remembered the way he came, it probably wouldn’t mean much. For some reason, this underground area felt like a labyrinth—the paths seemed to change constantly.
Like the Backrooms, almost.
Still, there was no need to say something pointless and dampen his motivation. After all, the fact that Adenhar had managed to find me at all meant it wasn’t impossible to find a way out.
Just then, Adenhar carefully took hold of my hand. Startled by his warmth, I looked at him, and he hastily added, as if making an excuse,
“A monster might appear again, like before.”
His clumsy excuse made me laugh despite myself. And at that very moment, a shadow fell over us—and we came face to face with the owner of that blood-soaked voice.
“Let go of her hand. Now.”
“…!”
“If you don’t want to die.”
It was Sren. The instant I met his blood-red eyes, steeped in killing intent, my body froze. My heart felt like it slammed straight down to the ground. Then he extended his hand toward me and spoke.
“Come here. Rachel.”
His tone was gentle, yet domineering—an order saturated with intense possessiveness.
Sren was smiling. But I knew it well. The emotion behind that smile was anything but benevolent.
“Sren…”
“Come.”
The way he reiterated it was chillingly cold. When I froze in place, Adenhar seemed to sense the strange tension and pulled me behind him. Watching that scene without missing a single detail, Sren’s eyes narrowed.
He let out a short, humorless laugh, then asked me in a regretful tone, as if betrayed,
“Rachel. Why aren’t you coming to me?”
The air felt as though the temperature had dropped. A taut tension hung between us. I knew I should step in and stop him, but I couldn’t bring myself to move.
If this continued, Adenhar would be in danger. But trying to block Sren would only provoke him further… Yet if I obeyed Sren, that would push Adenhar even closer to death.
Then what should I do? How could I calm Sren down and save Adenhar?
No good solution came to mind. Then Adenhar, who had been quietly observing the situation, spoke.
“Duke Crocet. I believe this has gone too far.”
“What has?”
“Rachel does not wish to remain here. Please release her now. I will take her back.”
Though his words were polite, his voice was sharp. Sren scoffed.
“Are you daring to give me orders?”
“This is not an order—it’s a request. If even this fails to get through to you, then I can no longer show you courtesy, Duke Crocet.”
I had never seen Adenhar like this before. But his words had no effect on Sren. After staring at him expressionlessly, Sren let out a low laugh.
“You can’t show me courtesy? That’s an interesting thing to say.”
“Yes. To protect someone precious to me, I have no choice. Even if I must resort to force, I’ll make you understand.”
The atmosphere was as fragile as glass, ready to shatter at any moment. It wouldn’t have been strange if blades were drawn right then and there. In that ambiguous tension, the two continued exchanging words. I fidgeted anxiously with my fingers, unable to calm my racing heart.
Adenhar, please stop! If you provoke Sren any further, you’ll be in danger!
I had to stop Adenhar first. If I left things as they were, something terrible would happen. But before I could even raise my voice, Sren spoke first.
“Adenhar Sepesta. Are you not afraid of the consequences?”
“If I were afraid of that, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.”
At that, the smile on Sren’s lips deepened.
“Then I can take that to mean I no longer need to hesitate in punishing you for touching what belongs to me?”
This was bad—! At that moment, Adenhar’s body swayed.
“Kh—!”
Adenhar, who had been standing just fine, suddenly coughed violently. He quickly covered his mouth, but bright red blood streamed between his fingers. His face turned deathly pale.
He kept coughing dryly, blood spilling endlessly from his mouth. My chest dropped in horror. At this rate, Adenhar was really going to die.
“Adenhar!”
Despite the severity of the situation, Adenhar gestured for me not to come closer, worried about me instead. But even as he did, blood burst from his ears.
“Hngh—!”
What was happening? Sren hadn’t even lifted a finger.
Soon, Adenhar collapsed weakly to the floor, clutching his ears as he writhed in agony.
“Aaaaah!”
His body gradually became soaked in blood. It was unbearable to watch. This couldn’t continue. Adenhar was really going to die. I glared at Sren and screamed.
“Sren! Stop it!”
But he didn’t listen. Instead, he leisurely approached Adenhar and stomped down on his hand with his loafer.
Crack!
The sound of bones shattering rang out.
“Aaagh!”
Then, in a voice colder than ice, he murmured,
“You know, I quite enjoy taming beasts like you who don’t know their place.”
“Hngh—!”
“The more you realize your position, the more fear you learn, the more amusing it is to watch you crawl at my feet like a dog.”
I needed to stop him. But the aura radiating from Sren was so dark it made my knees tremble.
Soon, Sren crouched down to meet Adenhar’s gaze and drew a knife from his coat. Tracing a straight line along Adenhar’s arm, he whispered,
“Where should I start cutting? Peeling off your skin first might be fun.”
“…Ugh!”
“Or should I tear out that damned tongue of yours first? That way, you’d never dare spout such insolence at me again. Don’t you think?”
The stench of blood thickened. I had finally found the Moonstone. I had finally thought… thought we could escape this mansion. I was terrified Adenhar would die. I didn’t want him to die.
I rushed forward and hugged Sren from behind, pleading desperately, hoping my feelings would reach him.
“Sren, please stop. Please. At this rate, Adenhar will die.”
I thought he would stop. Sren had been generous with me before. I believed he would let it go. But the words that soon left his lips shattered all of my expectations.
“Rachel, did you know?”
“…!”
“This is the first time you’ve ever held me like this.”
“…”
“You always looked at me as if I were disgusting. But for Adenhar’s sake, you’re even willing to do something so repulsive?”
“…Sren?”
Only then did Sren stop moving. His gaze slowly turned toward me. But the look he gave me was so cold it froze my words in my throat. Then his fingertips brushed the corner of my eye.
“Don’t cry.”
Only then did I realize I was crying.
“Don’t cry in front of me because of that bastard.”
Saying that, Sren let out a hollow sigh. His expression twisted into something pained and sorrowful.
“Ah… now I understand.”
Whispering so, he stared at me with empty eyes and continued,
“Of course…”
“…!”
“You were planning to abandon me and leave here with Adenhar, weren’t you?”
The fingers that had wiped my tears slid slowly down to my neck. There was no kindness left in his gaze. When his cold hand closed around my throat, my body began to tremble uncontrollably.
Staring at me with a face filled with betrayal, Sren muttered,
“I will never… forgive you.”
His nails dug into my skin. My breathing grew ragged, my vision spinning. Then Sren loosened his grip. He smiled grotesquely and said,
“Don’t think you’ll die easily.”
“…Hh…”
“Watch carefully, Rachel.”
Leaving me slumped on the floor, Sren turned back toward Adenhar. He lightly spun the knife in his hand. As the blade pointed downward, he pressed more force into it and whispered,
“I’ll show you something special.”
“…W-what are you going to do…?”
“He’s your precious doll. It wouldn’t do to let him rot like this.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. Did he just call Adenhar a doll?
As if to confirm my fear, Sren grinned widely.
“Shall we begin, then?”
“…D-don’t!”
“The doll dissection ceremony. Watch closely, Rachel.”
After that, I don’t know what happened—or when I lost consciousness. What I do know is that it became the worst memory I would never want to recall again.
[THE END]
[BAD ENDING (1) – Doll Dissection Ceremony]
[You have died.]
[Be careful not to provoke Sren. If you die 6 more times, you will be trapped in this game forever.]
