I fidgeted with the hand he was holding and glanced upward.
Whether Holloway looked like a child or an adult—
his thoughts were incredibly difficult to read.
The only thing I could tell was that judging by the warmth of the hand touching mine—
his feelings toward me weren’t particularly negative.
I dragged Holloway onto the lifting platform and went to the fifth floor.
Honestly, I expected him to ask why.
He only glanced at me.
I feel like I’m going to die from the pressure alone.
Even while doing nothing, he radiated such an oppressive presence that I couldn’t chatter freely.
When he finally stopped staring at me, Holloway asked,
“Finished exploring?”
I smiled awkwardly.
“Did you at least gain anything?”
“……An unrealistically beautiful face?”
He gave a low laugh at how deeply poisoned I was by lookism.
The awkward silence continued.
Fortunately, the platform arrived on the fifth floor.
I hurriedly pulled his hand and stepped off.
“You don’t need to keep acting even when you’re in child form.”
“Should I stop?”
“No.”
My immediate denial made him smile.
The atmosphere relaxed slightly.
When I grinned, Holloway lightly stroked my cheek.
Without realizing it, I touched the place where his fingers had been.
We reached one of the newly unlocked restricted rooms—
‘How About a Game?’
Then I encountered Extenron walking from the opposite direction.
Why do I keep running into him so often……?
“Hm?”
Extenron tilted his head.
He alternated his gaze between Holloway and me.
For a moment, he simply blinked as though unable to understand the situation.
Then he startled so badly he stepped half a pace away.
“Uh, uh……!”
Yes.
That’s Holloway.
The Holloway you all trust and rely on so much.
He’s standing beside me in his true form.
Shocking, isn’t it?
“Uh, ah……”
Unable to speak properly through the muzzle, Extenron stammered.
Then apparently remembered what was on his face and hurriedly removed it.
With a clumsy expression, he asked,
“H-How……. No, why……?”
“Why?”
Holloway repeated the last word.
I’m terrified whenever you do that.
Extenron apparently felt the same.
His huge shoulders visibly jumped.
“I shouldn’t have asked……”
Hey.
You give up that easily?
You’re just like me.
I turned away from Extenron and opened the casino door so I could get back to business.
Fortunately, unlike the party hall disaster, this place seemed relatively normal.
Other than being dark.
Despite being a system, it didn’t even give me an inventory.
I had lost the lamp while fleeing the spirits underground.
So I tried pulling one of the wall-mounted candlesticks free.
“…….”
Can’t reach it.
Anyone know why they mounted it so high?
I looked at Holloway.
“I want that.”
“If Princess Purple wants it, of course she should have it.”
“W-Why, why, why, why are you saying that?!”
I stuttered so badly I didn’t even know how many times I repeated myself.
Holloway ignored my distress.
He casually reached up, ripped the candlestick free, and handed it to me.
[Obtained ‘Forcibly Removed Candlestick’!]
[Forcibly Removed Candlestick
Feature: Because it was forcibly removed, the candle may not shine very brightly.]
What?
Even candles have feelings?
As though obeying the description, the previously bright flame dimmed dramatically.
I’ll put you back later.
Stop sulking.
Holloway still refused to release my hand.
So while holding it, I stroked the candlestick consolingly.
“Princess Purple……?”
“Put the muzzle back on.”
And stop talking.
At my firm order, Extenron quietly put the muzzle back on and followed behind me.
What?
Why are you following?
[Extenron wishes to accompany you.]
Why?
[Extenron wants to discover what ‘Princess Purple’ means.]
I’m too humiliated to live.
But I couldn’t exactly tell him to leave either.
For the sake of the gate, I had to collect stories.
To do that, I needed to increase the demons’ favorability.
So there was no reason to deliberately send away Extenron after accidentally meeting him.
His feelings toward me didn’t seem negative anyway.
I didn’t tell him to go.
Holding the candlestick, I entered.
I moved the light around and inspected the interior.
The ceiling was high and arched.
Dark orange lights flickered.
Broken machines spun around before repeatedly stopping.
Ruined roulette wheels, chips, and dice littered the floor.
A cue snapped in half and billiard balls rolled nearby.
Chairs with broken legs.
Tables shattered into pieces.
The casino was completely silent.
It would be nice if rummaging through this place caused a Critical and all the stories suddenly appeared……
That won’t happen.
I tried pulling my hand from Holloway’s to make moving easier.
He refused to let go.
“Can you let go for a second?”
“Yes.”
“…….”
You said yes.
Why aren’t you releasing me?
This is uncomfortable……!
While awkwardly inspecting the room one-handed—
[Sub Quest Triggered!]
[Sub Quest
Objective: Find 2 items.
Time Limit: None.
Clear Reward: Cross-Shaped Shuriken.]
Items?
Usually it at least told me exactly what I needed to do.
This was unusually vague.
What items?
This place is full of random junk.
Since it told me to find items inside an unlocked room, maybe I had to determine which objects mattered myself.
Let’s search quickly.
If we stay here too long, something might appear.
I handed the candlestick to Holloway so I could pick up a cue lying on the floor.
“Hold this and shine it wherever I go.”
“What will you give me in return?”
Give you?
What am I supposed to give you……?
I tried ignoring him.
Holloway refused even to accept the candlestick.
You think you’re my only choice?
“A candlestick gifted to you.”
Extenron, accept my offering.
I abruptly held it out.
Extenron started to take it—
then stopped.
[Holloway silently threatens him.]
“Don’t!”
“…….”
I shouted without thinking.
The problem was that now that I knew Holloway understood everything, I kept letting my guard down.
I hurriedly pressed my lips together.
Holloway looked down at me.
Then turned his head away sharply.
……Is he sulking?
Now’s my chance!
I tried pulling my hand free.
I failed spectacularly.
To conceal my pointless attempt, I asked Extenron,
“I’m Evelyn. Your name?”
He lifted his muzzle slightly.
“Extenron……”
“Right. Extenron. Please hold this.”
He hesitated.
When I kept pushing it toward him, he reluctantly accepted the candlestick.
I took the cue in my free hand.
Using it, I quickly pushed aside objects scattered everywhere.
Something glinted beneath one of the machines.
I immediately approached and tried bending down.
But the hand Holloway held became taut.
“Can you let go for a moment?”
“…….”
[For some reason, Holloway is irritated that you aren’t paying attention to him.]
I’m irritated too.
“Would you please release me?”
I deliberately used polite speech and stubbornly insisted.
Something in Holloway’s gaze darkened.
“There seems to be something underneath this, Holloway.”
Scary.
Don’t make that face.
All my stubbornness disappeared.
I spoke gently.
Perhaps deciding to give in, Holloway released me.
My life just became slightly endangered.
I crawled toward the machine and stretched my arm underneath.
I groped around.
The instant my fingers touched something—
I grabbed it.
Watching me, Holloway commented,
“You could’ve used the cue.”
“Did nobody ever teach you to say useful things earlier?”
“No. There was no one to teach me.”
Now I feel guilty……
Changing the subject seemed best.
I examined the object in my hand.
A thick ring carrying a crest.
For some reason, I was afraid to look at the emblem properly.
But I knew I couldn’t avoid it.
[Holloway and Extenron are watching you.]
That alone confirmed this was one of the houses that had participated with the Emperor.
They were probably waiting for my reaction.
I carefully controlled my face and examined the crest.
Three waves……
This was the Acrotic family crest.
The family of Friedel—
the man who died shortly after we arrived.
I had already learned this from Holloway.
So it wasn’t particularly surprising.
[Obtained ‘Signet Ring of House Acrotic, Viscount’!]
[Signet Ring of House Acrotic, Viscount
Feature: Signet ring belonging to the Viscount House Acrotic, which aided Albrecht, founding Emperor of Balone.]
[Items Collected (1/2)]
The coincidence I had desperately wanted to believe in—
was increasingly unlikely to be a coincidence.
Cynthia.
Friedel.
At this point, perhaps someone had deliberately brought us all here.
I felt like crying.
My eyes became wet without permission.
If that were true—
the demons could wipe us all out and we wouldn’t even have an excuse.
[Holloway and Extenron wonder what that reaction means.]
[Holloway wonders whether you are mourning Friedel.]
Not that.
I sniffed and stared at the ring.
The demons didn’t know our identities.
So they probably weren’t the ones who summoned us here.
The system was obviously the most suspicious.
But it only seemed to act strange around me……
If it wasn’t the system—
was there someone else?
For now, I put the ring away.
If the second crest also belonged to someone in our group, my theory would become much stronger.
Then my family too……
I inhaled deeply to avoid becoming angry.
Then raised the cue again.
Holloway walked up behind me.
He whispered beside my ear.
“Nothing to say?”
“About what?”
“You know whose signet ring that is.”
Don’t speak informally……
Half-polite speech isn’t thrilling when my chest is full of fear.
“I know. It’s House Acrotic’s crest. Friedel’s family.”
“And after seeing proof, you still have nothing to say?”
I had no idea what he wanted.
But saying nothing seemed safest.
I didn’t know enough.
Empty words wouldn’t reach Holloway anyway.
“I’m still confused.”
“Hide things if you want. Just don’t lie.”
He cupped my cheek and warned me.
“If you want to preserve even that fragile little life.”
……Could someone please check whether all his Affection disappeared?
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