Now that I was alone for the moment—
I needed to find a method to erase the Emperor permanently.
I had no idea where to begin.
Holloway clearly didn’t want to explain anything related to the seal……
Meaning I had to figure it out myself.
The only one who would tell me was the system.
And I was now about ninety percent certain the system was my ancestors.
[Would you like to accept a quest to obtain a method for killing the ‘Founding Emperor’?]
See?
It appears immediately.
[Eliminate the uninvited guest.]
The unhelpful description became understandable when a vengeful spirit kicked open the door.
What would I have done if I hadn’t noticed the contradiction in the first place?
Nothing ever gets resolved cleanly.
―Organs for my master.
Mm.
No.
―Fingers for my master.
Is your master Suriel by any chance?
The spirit wore an apron drenched entirely in blood.
An axe dragged from one hand.
Its pointed teeth ground together menacingly as it approached.
Scrrrk.
Scrape.
The huge axe dragged across the floor.
―Human.
The spirit raised the axe.
Holding the halberd, I quickly dodged sideways.
Thank goodness it was slow.
CRACK!
The floor split.
I swung the halberd with everything I had.
The axe portion embedded directly into the spirit’s head.
Its body melted into sludge.
Then stopped moving.
[The halberd’s power is truly magnificent!]
Are you praising yourself?
It died so easily that I felt almost confused.
I expected more of a fight.
[A glass bottle has been presented as a gift.]
A stuffed bag appeared.
I opened it.
Inside was a glass bottle.
I removed it.
[The ‘Founding Emperor’ is weak against hands unstained by blood.
If his heart is imprisoned in the blood of a human possessing such hands, he will suffer endlessly until he finally disappears.]
……Blood?
‘Hands unstained by blood’ probably meant someone who had never killed another human.
Blood belonging to someone who had never killed.
……My blood?!
Werner and Cletta were knights.
They had probably killed at least one person before.
That left me, Cynthia, and Moran.
I was the one who said I’d end this.
I couldn’t ask Cynthia or Moran for their blood.
Moran’s family wasn’t even guilty.
Why should she?
Also—
I didn’t want the demons saying I was all talk.
And I wasn’t someone who liked asking other people for favors.
But giving blood is scary!
How am I supposed to deliberately injure myself?
I inspected the bottle.
It was large enough for a heart to fit comfortably.
I’d need to fill at least half with blood so the heart would be submerged.
Filling it completely would make the blood spill over.
What a waste.
And drawing that much could make me anemic.
No—
I could bleed too much.
So just enough……
I held the dagger.
Then opened my palm.
Unlike when attacking monsters—
I hesitated.
I hate pain.
What am I supposed to do?
If someone else wounds me, fine.
But intentionally cutting myself is terrifying.
Ah.
Wait.
My eyes are getting wet.
Tears filled them again.
I brought the dagger near my palm.
My hand trembled.
Just close your eyes and slice once.
I sucked in a breath.
Then pressed the blade toward my skin—
the door opened.
Holloway entered.
He looked first at the glass bottle in front of me.
Then the dagger.
Then my outstretched palm.
Finally—
my miserable face.
Using those long legs, he crossed the room instantly.
He stopped beside me and wiped away the tears barely clinging to my eyes.
Holloway looked confused.
“Why are you crying? It doesn’t seem like the spirit caused it. And where did that bottle come from?”
“I’m going to put my blood in it.”
“You weren’t satisfied collecting one drop of our blood each, so now you’re collecting your own?”
“Your own? Why are you using such a strange way of addressing me?”
“…….”
I couldn’t exactly tell him I planned to kill the Emperor.
But when you stare at me that dangerously—
my knees start trembling.
“I’m joking.”
“You were going to cut your palm?”
Apparently he disliked the wording.
“If you cut a blood vessel, it’ll come out better.”
True.
And who’s going to stop the bleeding afterward?
I needed to save my potions for the battle against the Emperor.
Seeing me grow progressively paler, Holloway added obnoxiously,
“Joking.”
“Never make jokes again.”
“I’ll think about it. Does it absolutely have to be big sis’s blood?”
I’m becoming accustomed to a man that size calling me big sis.
Honestly, he looked around my age.
So it didn’t feel as strange as it probably should.
“Yes. It absolutely has to be mine.”
He didn’t ask why.
But he seemed to vaguely understand that I was preparing to do something again.
“We’ll use the vein.”
“Stopping the blood……”
“I’ll generously do it for you, so don’t worry.”
Holloway gently wrapped a hand around my wrist.
Then warned,
“It’ll hurt.”
“Waaah.”
“Kgh.”
Is my crying really that funny?
Holloway lowered his head and laughed.
Then his expression brightened.
He pulled me against him.
My head pressed into his chest.
The difference in height made the position slightly awkward.
“If it hurts, you can bite me.”
Chomp!
“It doesn’t hurt yet.”
“Huh? Reawy?”
My pronunciation was a mess because I was already biting him.
Holloway stroked the back of my head.
Not long afterward—
sharp pain cut through my skin.
I groaned.
A strange sensation followed as blood steadily left my body.
Throughout it—
I kept my eyes squeezed shut and remained inside Holloway’s embrace.
When the burning pain disappeared, I finally opened my eyes.
I released his chest from my mouth.
Then looked toward the bottle.
It was half-filled with blood.
“My blood……”
Holloway immediately treated the wound.
But a thin scar remained around my wrist.
Holloway ran his fingers over it and frowned.
“Holloway?”
“……The wound didn’t disappear completely.”
“Really?”
Nothing to do about it.
It’s barely visible anyway.
Holloway stared at my indifferent face.
“What?”
“A scar remained.”
“So?”
“I left it.”
“You couldn’t help it.”
I asked you to do it.
“You really think that’s all?”
“You aren’t a healer……. Of course scars can remain.”
Inside this island, Holloway could do almost anything.
Even healing—
something demons normally couldn’t do.
But he didn’t actually possess healing power.
Holloway had explained before that he wasn’t healing injuries.
He was returning the injured area to a time before the wound existed.
So there could be side effects.
“I’ll find a potion.”
“Where are you going?!”
It barely shows!
We can find one later.
Maybe because I lost blood—
and made noise—
my head became dizzy.
I staggered.
Holloway somehow produced an expensive-looking chocolate and shoved it into my mouth.
I felt a little better.
You’re kind.
But not.
Of course it’s a horror game.
It made me fill a bottle with blood.
Still feeling unpleasant, I carefully stored the bottle inside the bag.
“Holloway, can I ask one favor?”
“Is it difficult?”
“No. If anything attacks my blood, block the first attack.”
“What about the second?”
“Only the first attack from each different spirit.”
“I’ll do it.”
Good.
My blood is safe for now.
When I opened the laboratory door—
a child suddenly passed.
“Huh? That child!”
I urgently tried chasing them.
Holloway stopped me.
“There’s a child!”
“There are many people underground.”
“……?”
“They wander around without realizing they’re dead.”
“Ah……”
“And no one touches them. Not even vengeful spirits who have nothing left but malice.”
This place has too many stories……
I covered my mouth and suppressed tears.
Then continued walking silently.
Even souls who hadn’t transformed into spirits were trapped here.
What kind of standard did God use when creating this punishment?
It’s suffocating.
So suffocating……
I wanted to end the island’s curse and destroy this cruel place as quickly as possible.
“Why aren’t you asking more?”
“Even if I ask, it isn’t like I can do anything for them……. I told you not to expect something huge from me.”
“You started crying just because you saw one child. You’re still crying now.”
“Hey.”
Watch your tone.
“Are your tears that easy?”
“Mine are.”
“But the salt concentration differs, right?”
You bastard!
I forced my trembling lips upward.
“Obviously.”
“…….”
“Why are you quiet again?”
“Nothing……. Originally, I didn’t think much about it.”
What does that mean?
He stopped talking.
If you act cute like your child form, I can’t do anything for you, but……
I’m still curious.
I glanced up.
Holloway pressed his index finger firmly into my cheek.
“It’s red.”
“Why?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“I was talking to myself.”
He seemed to think deeply.
Then abruptly asked,
“Big sis. What is it like when I’m not with you? You get anxious, right?”
“No?”
How did you know?
Are you a ghost?
The corner of his mouth lifted.
Apparently he instantly recognized the lie.
“Then I know what to do.”
“What?”
His smile became wicked.
[Holloway decides to properly domesticate the ‘adorable comedian’ and keep her beside him.]
[It is impossible to predict which Ending you will reach!]
[ERROR! ERROR!! ?(°Д°≡°Д°)?]
[ERROR! ERROR!! ?(°Д°≡°Д°)?]
[Unable to read Holloway’s exact feelings!]
[Attempting to read them
૮◞ ˕ ◟ ྀ ི꒱ა…….]
[But failed miserably
ฅ(=TㅅT=)ฅ……!]
Ancestors!
Try harder!
[Gathering strength and trying again
(งಠ_ಠ)ง…….]
[Oh no! Complete failure
༼;´༎ຶ ༎ຶ`༽……!]
Is the domestication part accurate?
[99% probability of truth.]
……That’s basically confirmed!
[Holloway’s feelings are transmitted particularly strongly!]
Apparently the system could interpret Holloway more easily whenever his emotions intensified.
“Let’s go.”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me along.
He really did seem determined to domesticate me.
His smile never disappeared.
It was beautiful enough that even knowing what he intended—
I couldn’t look away.
[Holloway is satisfied.]
Damn it.
What kind of honey trap is this?
I shook my head violently to clear it.
Holloway had barely started using his appearance intentionally.
And it already worked this well.
If he actually committed……
I’m screwed.
I’m going to get thoroughly domesticated.
Before that—
I need to resolve this island’s resentment quickly.
I recalled the laboratory numbers I had passed.
Then began searching only the ones I hadn’t visited.
The Emperor could wander.
Still, checking new areas seemed more efficient.
“Come to think of it, Dilaf disappeared.”
“He left.”
“Where?”
“Home.”
Technically, this entire place is probably his home.
I looked at Holloway suspiciously.
He said only one thing.
“Big sis. Forward.”
“Awph!”
Following his advice, I looked ahead—
and immediately crashed into a wall.
I nearly fell.
Holloway caught the bag on my back and stopped me.
“O-Ow……”
Clatter!
Something fell.
A sword?
Holding my aching nose, I looked down.
A wooden training sword lay there.
The moment I picked it up, Holloway looked interested.
“Interesting. Something really is drawing big sis toward things.”
“Huh?”
Before I could process that cryptic sentence—
a window appeared above Holloway.
[Remaining Footprint (4)
Feature: Someone’s precious wooden training sword. The owner of the lost wooden sword can roughly sense the location of the person who picked it up. Return the item to its owner, and they will be extremely grateful.]
A wooden sword?
Dilaf’s?
I should put it in the bag.
Only two stories remained.
The end was finally getting close.
“I didn’t know crashing into walls caused items to appear.”
“Neither did I.”
Why not just give it to me normally?
What if I hadn’t hit the wall?
The system couldn’t have predicted that exact action.
So maybe this one genuinely was luck.
“Why are you taking it?”
“It’s a weapon. Just in case……”
Picking up a weapon wasn’t suspicious.
Holloway accepted the explanation.
“But don’t step there.”
“You should tell me that sooner—!”
My leg suddenly sank into the floor.
I tilted sideways like a scarecrow missing one leg.
Holloway didn’t even pretend to pull me out.
“Excuse me.”
How did only one leg fall through?
While I flailed—
something caught on my leg.
“Holloway! Pull me out! Quickly! I think I caught something!”
“For example?”
“For example, for example……”
I made a finger heart.
Then winked cutely.
“Your heart?”
“…….”
Holloway turned his back on me without hesitation.
“I was wrong! I committed a terrible sin, so don’t leave!”
I’ll never flirt that badly again!
I won’t harbor filthy motives about raising your favorability so I can clear this place more easily!
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