“They were searching for a box. A white box with two wings drawn on it.”
“That’s the same thing the criminal said. Have you ever seen the box?”
“No. Never. They probably heard some absurd rumor and came searching. They said it was absolutely necessary to elevate the Prince to Crown Prince.”
Maybe because this wasn’t directly related to the hotel, Holloway answered without hesitation.
According to him, death-row prisoners had been entering this place for the past twenty years searching for the box.
Every one of them came filled with hope that their crimes would be pardoned and they would be granted ordinary lives.
But in a place like this—
their malice only made everything worse.
Demonic energy reacted to negative emotions.
On an island overflowing with that energy, slipping into the twisted minds of death-row prisoners was easy.
Even without Holloway or the other demons doing anything—
the criminals became consumed by slaughter.
They killed each other.
Eventually, they lost even their fear.
They attacked the demons too and destroyed their territory.
For the first several years, the demons merely watched.
But every group eventually threatened them.
So the demons stopped showing mercy and began killing the intruders without hesitation.
The prisoners had brought it upon themselves.
I didn’t feel particularly sorry for them.
“Forget the box for a moment. How exactly did those prisoners get in here?”
“I’m curious too.”
His expression didn’t look like he was lying.
Then again, if he knew, he probably wouldn’t still be trapped here.
The demons didn’t know where the gate was.
Yet the Empress apparently did……
“The death-row prisoners entered through a gate.”
“No one has ever seen that gate.”
“Are there other people here besides you demons?”
“No.”
His answer was extremely firm.
Then there was nothing else I could ask……
―Hhh. Huuuh. Hhh……
……Ah.
Right.
This is the basement.
Only when that deflated breathing echoed nearby did I remember where we were.
Holloway’s presence was so overwhelming that I had forgotten we were underground while questioning him.
I tightly hugged the arm holding my hand.
[Holloway feels sorry for the comedian.]
……Why?
What for?
“You’re scared, aren’t you?”
“Why waste breath asking something obvious?”
“That……”
Screeee.
Scrrrrch.
Holloway’s words were cut off by fingernails scraping against a wall.
I immediately stopped breathing.
Then straightened my shoulders.
It’s okay.
Holloway is here.
Scratch.
Scritch.
Scratch-scratch.
The sound grew closer.
Still holding Holloway’s hand, I quickly changed direction to get away from it.
“If you go that way, you’ll move farther from the exit.”
“First, avoid the monster.”
For some reason, I didn’t get the impression Holloway would work particularly hard to keep me completely unharmed.
He probably wouldn’t let me die.
But he seemed like the type to think losing an arm was acceptable.
I tried entering a nearby room to hide.
Every door was locked.
With no choice, I gave up and prepared to run.
Creeeak……
A door opened.
My legs froze.
I pulled Holloway’s sleeve.
Black hair slowly crept through the opening and surrounded us.
“Hiiik!”
I grabbed Holloway and tried jumping over it.
The long strands instantly wrapped around my ankle and lifted me upside down.
“Aagh!”
At this rate, is there some perfume on my ankles that attracts monsters?
B-Blood is rushing to my head.
Holloway walked calmly toward me.
Dangling upside down, my eyes met his directly.
“Big sis is having a difficult time, so would you mind putting me down?”
“You only call yourself big sis at times like this.”
“That’s how it works.”
“Ahh.”
Don’t just sound impressed.
Put me down!
Your big sis is going to die from all the blood rushing into her head.
Holloway stared at me.
Then grabbed my hair.
And patiently began braiding it strand by strand.
“This isn’t playtime.”
“Want me to tell you something?”
“Can’t you put me down first?”
“I can’t kill them.”
It was completely out of nowhere.
But I understood.
He couldn’t harm these vengeful spirits.
In a situation like this, hearing something like that made me want to reject reality.
“Evelyn doesn’t like lies like that.”
“Holloway doesn’t lie.”
Damn it.
Don’t copy my way of speaking.
Holloway saw my miserable face and grabbed my hand.
“I can’t kill them. I can do everything else.”
“Everything else?”
“Like beating them half to death.”
The instant he finished—
Slash!
The spirit’s hair was severed.
The grip around my ankle loosened.
Before I could hit the ground, Holloway caught me effortlessly.
“Ah, thank—”
―DON’T INTERFERE!
The scream was loud enough to split my ears.
The spirit emerged from the doorway, crawling flat against the floor like a spider.
Bright-red eyes appeared through her hair.
Unknown thick black liquid dripped from her body.
She was furious.
―Don’t interfere! Don’t interfere! Don’t interfere!
“She seems angry because I rescued big sis.”
What a horrible woman!
You can save someone!
If you keep getting that angry, my heart won’t survive!
“Since she’s already angry, keep saving me.”
I’m generous.
I forgive you.
Ignore her.
“Could you run for me?”
BANG!
Hair that looked as hard as steel blocked both sides of us.
The spirit’s breathing became violent.
Our retreat was cut off.
She twisted her joints unnaturally and warned Holloway.
―Leave that human behind and go.
“She says I should leave you.”
“What? Don’t listen to that wicked thing.”
“Yes.”
Good.
What an obedient answer.
―You shouldn’t do this. You shouldn’t do this to me……
The spirit began babbling incoherently.
Then flattened herself against the floor and sobbed.
―Hhh…… ngh……
After crying—
all four hands began pounding the ground violently.
BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG!
―YOU SHOULDN’T DO THIS! THIS IS AGAINST THE RULES! AGAINST THE RULES!
“Ah.”
Holloway gave a small sound of realization.
Then looked down at me.
“W-What?”
“She’s angry because I interfered.”
“I’m not angry.”
So it’s fine.
Hurry and pick me up again.
I spread my arms widely, demanding to be held.
[Holloway thinks, ‘She really is adorable.’]
Then hurry up and carry me away!
Apparently unaware of my urgency, Holloway played with my cheek and shook his head.
“I guess these ones are different.”
“……So?”
“The basement spirits are gathering.”
“What should I do?”
I lowered my arms and asked.
If he said that—
it probably meant he shouldn’t interfere any further.
Holloway lifted one finger and lightly drew a horizontal line through the air.
The hair blocking our left side dropped apart in pieces.
―Y-You……! You bastard!
“Run, big sis.”
He had already changed back into his child form.
He reached toward me.
There was no time to ask why.
Instead—
it was time to do exactly as he said and flee.
I scooped him up and sprinted left.
Then tilted my head.
‘Wait. Why does my body feel completely fine?’
I had definitely fallen down the stairs and been badly injured……
It happened so naturally I hadn’t even noticed my body had completely recovered.
“Big sis, if your legs are too slow, they’ll catch you.”
“Ah!”
Whatever.
Maybe the system healed me.
Maybe Holloway did something while treating me.
Either way, I ran as fast as I could with my perfectly healthy body.
―S-Stop! Stop there!
―Grind, grind……
―……You cannot escape.
The curses of countless spirits chilled my spine.
“Turn right there.”
I gritted my teeth and turned right.
I never looked behind me.
I heard things breaking.
Running.
Crawling.
Every kind of horrible sound mixed together.
“Big sis, upward!”
“S-Stairs!”
Will my thighs survive?
Even if they explode, I have to run!
I took the stairs two at a time.
My desperate will to live forced my legs to keep moving even though they felt ready to snap.
―Leave her! Leave her……!
―D-Don’t touch Holloway……
―Don’t touch him……
―Move! Move!
……What?
Are the spirits disagreeing among themselves?
Is this why the basement was considered dangerous?
Even Holloway couldn’t control this place.
That was probably why entering the basement meant guaranteed death in the game.
“Hah, hah……”
But you know something?
I just had a thought.
A very desperate thought.
Holloway can walk by himself now, can’t he?
“Haaagh, huff……”
“What diverse breathing noises.”
I don’t even have the energy to argue……
As my speed gradually dropped—
―Got you.
Slither.
Tap.
A chill ran through my body.
Something rough wrapped around my ankle.
I turned.
A long tongue belonging to one of the spirits had wound around it.
“Ah, please!”
―I won’t let go.
“Ugh!”
Let go.
Please!
“Even if you don’t want to, just let go once!”
The spirit slowly approached with a grin.
The distance had shortened enough that I could see the other spirits behind it.
Should I use one of my defensive items?
‘But if I need to enter the basement again because of the gate……’
The exit was right there.
I couldn’t waste a valuable item if I could avoid it.
What do I do?
What can I……
“Big sis, you still have my brooch, right?”
“Uh……?”
“The brooch you picked up. The one with the imperial crest.”
“Ah.”
Right.
The brooch.
Then that naturally belonged to Holloway.
“I have it. Why?”
“Take it out. Press the jewel and a blade will come out.”
I immediately pulled the brooch from inside my cardigan.
Then pressed the jewel.
Click.
A sharp razor blade snapped out.
I lowered Holloway and shoved him ahead.
“You go up first!”
“Yes!”
You bastard!
You’re supposed to at least pretend to worry!
Give me something to be moved about!
I glared at Holloway’s back as he ran upstairs.
Then immediately stabbed the razor into the tongue.
STAB!
―KRAAAAAAGH!
Dark-red blood sprayed through the air.
The tongue around my ankle loosened.
I sprinted instantly.
“Big sis! The exit is here!”
Wow……
The contrast really is incredible.
His adult form is so intimidating that I become careful with every movement.
But now he’s acting like a real child.
Adult Holloway is much quieter too……
Now I think I understand what people mean when they say they get hit by the gap……
“Big sis, behind you.”
“Don’t say things like that!”
I threw myself toward the open door like someone doing a standing long jump.
A long tongue passed narrowly over my head.
Then vanished back into the basement.
Beyond the open door—
countless red eyes glowed silently beneath the dark stairs.
―…….
The spirits watched me.
Then quietly descended.
As the red lights vanished one by one—
the basement door slammed shut by itself.
THUD!
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