Clatter, clatter.
The scent of freshly cut wood filled the air.
At the same time, a sharp, throbbing pain struck me, like someone had hit my head with a shovel. A wave of intense nausea followed.
Thankfully, it didn’t take long for my heavy eyelids—feeling like they weighed a ton—to finally open.
‘Where… is this?’
I was inside a carriage. A luxurious one, lined with plush cushions beneath me, just one glance was enough to know it was expensive.
Though all the windows were covered with thick curtains, the gentle swaying made it clear: we were moving.
But… why am I here? I’m pretty sure I was just… logging into a game a second ago.
As that realization hit me, my hazy memories suddenly snapped into place.
“Ah.”
That’s right. I’d logged into 〈Thump Thump: Fateful Love☆Crush〉the first virtual reality dating sim in South Korea.
I remembered now. I’d seen a closed beta tester ad, signed up on a whim, somehow got selected, and the last thing I recalled was putting on that weird brainwave headset.
‘Dang… this feels way more real than I expected.’
The scent of wood at the tip of my nose, the soft cushion beneath me… even the background sounds felt completely natural.
I’d been a little worried—what if the VR headset made me nauseous? What if the world felt too fake? But those concerns disappeared instantly.
Now that I think about it, the game was rated 19+… Does that mean I’d be dating the male leads in this ultra-realistic setting?
I hadn’t expected it to feel this real, and maybe that’s why my heart started racing with excitement.
But then… something felt off.
I was pretty sure 〈Thump Thump: Fateful Love☆Crush〉was supposed to begin with the heroine being falsely accused and locked up in an underground prison. So why was I riding in a carriage right now?
It didn’t take long for me to come up with a possible explanation.
‘Maybe it’s because I’m a beta tester?’
Since this is a closed beta, they might’ve skipped the prologue and dropped me into a specific event they need to test.
After all, I’m not just here to enjoy the game—I’m supposed to look for bugs and report anything weird.
Just as that thought crossed my mind, a translucent message window popped up in front of me.
[Welcome, Player.]
The system window blinked at a comfortable pace, as if giving me enough time to read, then soon replaced itself with a new message.
[Username: ‘Nadia Windsor.’ Successfully confirmed.]
I didn’t remember choosing a name—it seemed like it had been assigned automatically.
Assuming the player customization system hadn’t been implemented yet, I accepted it without much thought.
That made sense, since this wasn’t the official release—just a beta version.
Still, as the familiar system UI windows popped up one after another, my nervousness about the unfamiliar situation quickly turned into excitement.
And when I read the message that appeared on the screen, I couldn’t help but smile a little.
[A ‘Beta Tester Exclusive Special Package (Not for Sale)’ has arrived for ‘Nadia Windsor.’ Would you like to open it?]
Of course! It only made sense that, as a tester for an unstable game, I’d be given some perks like this.
‘Obviously. No doubt.’
Since this was a brainwave-based game, my intention must’ve been transmitted instantly, without me needing to move a muscle.
Right after, a special animation played in front of me, like a gift box being unwrapped. A message with the results soon popped up.
“Oh!”
A soft gasp escaped my lips as I checked the contents. It was even better than I expected.
[S-Rank Draw Tickets X 3]
∙ Tickets that allow you to draw special abilities or rare items normally unobtainable through regular gameplay.
Try using them when the game becomes challenging.
[Beginner’s Blessing (24 Days)]
∙ Provides in-game hints displayed as [TIP].
∙ Lasts for 24 in-game days (equivalent to 24 hours in real-world).
[10,000 Diamonds]
∙ A currency that can be used in the ‘Cash Shop.’
∙ You can order necessary items from a catalog-style shop.
《Visitor Guidelines for Belmond Ducal Castle》
∙ (Must Read!) A user guide to help you play. Since it’s also related to ‘safety’, you must certainly read it carefully.
As I was skimming through the flood of item descriptions that popped up, a message appeared saying that certain items had been automatically applied. The draw ticket, the Beginner’s Blessing, and the diamonds all vanished right before my eyes.
Does that mean I can use the shop right now?
‘Cash Shop!’
A catalog shaped like a book instantly opened before me, its pages flipping smoothly.
‘Weapons, Armor, Accessories, Miscellaneous, Gardening…’
The overwhelming stream of information made my head spin.
Beneath the shop’s name, the items were neatly sorted into categories, each offering an astonishing variety.
Curious, I tapped on the [Miscellaneous] tab, marked with a small pouch icon. Items that had once been jumbled together were now clearly organized by type.
At first glance, most of them looked completely useless. What’s this? I randomly selected one item to check its details.
[Orgel of Eternal Rest — 3,000 Diamonds]
∙ Permanently cures insomnia. However, please be aware that it may become difficult to wake up on your own.
Hmm, the description felt a bit unsettling, but for someone suffering from severe insomnia, it could be quite useful.
Should I check another one?
[Dust Cleaner of Annihilation — 2,500 Diamonds]
∙ Eliminates dust, suspicious stains, foreign substances, and other unsightly or malevolent presences. Warning: Never use on living creatures.
…Let’s stop browsing for now.
Anyway. No matter how much I scrolled, there seemed to be no end.
At the top, there was a search bar, probably meaning I had to type in keywords myself to find specific items.
After casually looking around, I closed the shop and checked the last remaining item.
《Visitor Guidelines for Belmond Ducal Castle》
What remained in my hand was a single, stiff sheet of paper, perfectly fitting the description of a rulebook.
The two items that had disappeared earlier were self-explanatory, needing no explanation, but this paper titled ‘Visitor Guidelines for Belmond Ducal Castle’ was different—even after reading its description, I still had no idea what it was supposed to be.
Curious, I sat up straight and unfolded the paper, but the more I read, the more baffled I became.
‘What is this even saying?’
Each rule was suspicious—no matter how I looked at it, even upside down.
There were reckless warnings and even parts that seemed to encourage self-destruction… all packed with the kind of ominous, bizarre instructions you’d find in urban legends—screaming that something was seriously wrong here.
But wait, wasn’t this just supposed to be a dating sim?
Before I logged in, the researcher told me this beta version had plenty of love interests to choose from and said I should enjoy it to my heart’s content. Did they trick me?
Just as my doubts about the game’s genre started to grow, a new message window appeared in front of me.
[Main Quest has arrived.
▶ Uncover the Secrets of Belmond Ducal Castle!
The eerie yet beautiful Belmond Ducal Castle. Centered around Edwin Belmond, the master of the house, this place hides many suspicious secrets.
Interact with the main figures staying at the Ducal estate, investigate every corner of the castle, and gather clues.
—List of Main Characters
—Map of Belmond Ducal Castle
—Reward List]
As I slowly reread the quest details, I pushed aside the lingering unease in my mind and nodded.
‘Was it based on a mystery genre?’
From the looks of it, the theme of the game wasn’t outright horror. It seemed like the romance targets—the male leads—simply had that ‘kind of concept’.
Well, there is such a thing as a romance thriller. And since this is the first fully open virtual reality game, maybe they’re trying to set themselves apart by adding these extra elements.
Clunk!
Just as I leaned in to examine the quest more carefully, the carriage suddenly came to a stop.
Is this the real beginning?
Heart pounding with excitement, I quickly sat up straight.
At that moment, the system flashed and issued a warning.
[WARNING! You are strongly advised to follow the safety guidelines.]
Oh, right. I’m not supposed to get caught.
I hurriedly folded the guideline paper into a small square and stuffed it into the pocket of my dress—probably the default outfit.
Almost immediately, as if waiting for me, the carriage door swung open. At the same time, I heard a greeting, the voices overlapping as if spoken by several people at once.
“Welcome, young miss.”
“Ah, hello~!”
I cheerfully returned the greeting as I stepped out of the carriage, only for the grand scenery to come into view and bring me to an awkward, uneasy stop.
‘Oh, what is… this?’
This was nothing like the virtual reality guide map or the training materials I’d seen before entering the game.
They clearly said I would be living in a grand mansion filled with love and luxury…
But the sky above was dull and gray, and the garden beneath the gloomy fog was completely unattended, giving off a chilling, eerie vibe.
Sure, the mansion looming before me was grand and ornate, but—how should I put it? It radiated a heavy, depressing aura.
But that wasn’t the real issue. What truly caught my eye wasn’t a line of neatly assembled servants, it was a group of… ‘something’.
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