Chapter 189

Before I’d even processed what was happening, light washed over my vision, deeply blue.

The artifact! Realizing what Ivonne was trying to do, I quickly covered my eyes with my hands.

“What are you doing—”

“I never could have guessed it would come to this. You’ve always been such a predictable bore that using the artifact on you would have been a waste of its power.”

“Stop this! I don’t know anything!” I shouted desperately, squeezing my eyes shut.

“But now...” Ivonne continued as if she hadn’t even heard me.

What do I do? How do I get away? Am I going to be brainwashed, too? My heart was racing. As I stood there filled with fear, the blue light only grew stronger. I backed away, trying to get enough distance between us that the light was out of my eyes, but Ivonne grabbed my shoulder and held me in place. Unable to see, I struggled feebly like a fly caught in a spider’s web.

“Listen closely, Penelope. If you continue to resist me, this is what will become of you when I take that fragment back.” Still gripping my shoulder tightly, Ivonne whispered in my ear as if she were letting me in on a secret. “Once the mirror is complete, you’ll be powerless to stop me as those most important to you fall under my control.”

As the last of her whispered threats reached my ears, it seemed as if objects began flying by me, unidentifiable to me since my vision was now consumed by a solid wall of blue. I’d experienced this once before on Solael. Countless apparitions floated around me, a product of my fracturing psyche, and I struggled, trying to wrestle my own mind back under my control.

“I don’t know where the fragment is! So stop this—”

“Those who once hated you will believe themselves to be in love with you, seize you, and confine you so you can’t escape. In the end, their affections will tear you to pieces.”

“L-let go of me!”

“Poor Penelope... You’d better tell me where it is before this becomes your fate—”

The shadows of unseen things flying around me distracted me endlessly. Luckily for me, that was the extent of the mirror’s attack. I felt dizzy, but other than that, once I’d adjusted, her assault was bearable.

I felt soft skin under my fingers as I reached out and tried to push Ivonne away. I gripped whatever part of her I could grasp hard like my life depended on it. “I said let go of me.”

“Ow!”

My eyes flew open when she moaned pitifully. I panted, finally free of the light’s hold. We were clutching one other by the shoulder and wrist, locked together, neither one of us willing to let go. I’d somehow managed to grasp Ivonne’s wrist and force it upwards, pushing the mirror fragment that she’d been holding up to my face away.

The blue light pouring from within it was still washing over my face, but for some reason, I was unaffected. When I opened my eyes, the faint shapes that had been rushing past me had vanished as well. Struggling to catch my breath, I realized that her spell hadn’t worked. I smirked at her.

“Looks like your brainwashing doesn’t work on me, I’m afraid.”

“Oh. So this isn’t the right method, then?” Ivonne appeared completely unconcerned, unaffected by my mocking. She tilted her head to the side for a long moment. “Then what is it that you fear most? I thought it was surely me.”

“There’s no such thing, I fear nothing.”

“Don’t lie. Why are you trying so hard to hide the fragment from me, if that’s the case? I told you I would leave you alone, all you need to do is return it to me.”

Ivonne still didn’t believe that I knew nothing about the fragment. I hesitated.

The reason I’m hiding it? I didn’t have any real reason. I was just doing what the system had told me to do. It was just a quest. But... if she leaves me alone afterward, why go to all this trouble hiding it? I have no idea what the hidden ending actually is.

There was no guarantee I would escape this stupid game even if I reached the ending, and I didn’t want to die as the game’s pre-determined plot demanded. Should I just hand it over and leave? Maybe if I keep searching I’ll be able to find a different way out...

I felt like I was going crazy, trying to decide what to do.

“Hmm? Just tell me, Penelope,” Ivonne coaxed, her expression resembling the pleading face of an angel, the same one she’d worn so many times before.

That expression was what brought me back to reality. I gasped, then gritted my teeth. “I don’t have it. I already told you.”

“Then what kind of death do you fear most, Penelope?” She suddenly changed the subject.

“What?”

“Take a look.”

While I tried to figure out what she was trying to say, Ivonne looked down with teary eyes. She was staring at the mirror fragment still clutched in her hand, the same hand I was holding by the wrist.

“The death you fear most is right here.”

The blue light emitting from the mirror faded away slowly, but Ivonne’s ominous words made me anxious despite the way the fragment seemed to have gone still.

“I’m sorry, but unlike you, I don’t fear death. If I die, then I die,” I bluffed, gazing warily at the broken piece of mirror.

Ivonne smiled broadly at my words, pressing her eyes close. “That can’t be true. You just told me, remember?”

“What?”

“I heard you muttering that you didn’t want to die.”

“What—”

My gaze wavered. That thought had flitted through my mind subconsciously, so quickly I hadn’t even been aware of it. How did Ivonne know?

Wait, did I say it out loud? No. I’m sure I didn’t... She noticed my uncertainty. Slowly leaning forward, she brought her face close to mine. She stared at me, her large eyes the same color as the blue light the artifact emitted.

“I guessed incorrectly what it was that would send you into despair, Penelope.”

“Wait.” Something was wrong.

Before I could wrench away, she whispered, “Let’s start over from the beginning, shall we?”

“W-wait, that’s not—”

“Dee asoom.”

I felt my body being pulled through time and space. There was a great splash as if I’d fallen into water and my vision was completely consumed by blue light.

* * *

I gasped raggedly as I came to. I found myself standing in the middle of a very familiar room, breathing heavily. I looked around wildly, my entire body sweating.

“This place...”

It was my studio apartment, the semi-basement that I’d finally acquired despite the spiteful pranks my bastard eldest brother had insisted on right to the very end. This was where I’d slept every night after long, tiring days studying, but it felt unfamiliar to me after being gone for so long. I kept looking around, trying to familiarize myself with the space once more.

I realized there were flies buzzing all around me and a strange odor I couldn’t identify was assaulting my nose.

“Ugh. What is that smell?”

It was a terrible stink, like that of a fish market or rotting food. It was only growing stronger as time passed. Pinching my nose and scowling, I searched for the source of it and soon found one area in particular where an incredible number of flies had gathered. It was on top of my mattress.

The dark flies hummed loudly as they crawled all over the sheets. And that wasn’t even the worst of it. Small white things the size of my index finger wiggled about in the mass of insects...

“Wh-what in the world... Blargh!” Retching at the sight of the filthy bugs, I backed away. Then I heard voices coming from the other side of the door.

“My goodness! How terrible!”

“Yes, exactly. She was only a college student. Too young to die.”

“She was such a bright girl, too. I hadn’t seen her in a while, but I just assumed she was busy with her studies. I never thought...”

The second voice was familiar to me. She sounded like the woman who ran the little mart nearby my apartment. During my time living in the tiny studio, I’d seen her nearly every morning when I’d dropped by to buy a small carton of milk for breakfast.

“What are they talking about?” I wondered, deeply confused by their conversation even as I stared at the mattress crawling with flies and maggots. I wasn’t stupid, though, I could put two and two together. “I... died?”

Even saying it out loud, I couldn't believe it. I frantically felt all over my body with shaking hands. But I’m standing right here... how can I be dead? I shook my head violently in denial.

“No.”

I can’t be dead. Not after how hard I had to struggle just to survive in that cursed game. Everything I did to try and return here! Lifting my head, I rushed to the door. This couldn’t be real. I need to tell them that I’m not dead, that they’ve made a mistake.

I threw the door open meaning to rush outside.

“What!”

All I could see through the doorway was a sea of blue light. I blinked and when I opened my eyes again, I found myself standing somewhere entirely different. There were chrysanthemums everywhere, and in the center was my... portrait.

“W-what...” I stammered, unable to form words. They’d used the ID picture taken when I’d started university. My face was completely expressionless in the portrait.

“Next up in today's news. The youngest daughter of a well-known chaebol CEO was found dead ten days ago in her studio apartment…”

I spun around searching for the voice that sounded like it was coming from speakers. I found a TV sitting in the corner of the empty funeral home room I now found myself standing in.

“...began living alone after being admitted to her dream university...

Autopsy reports show that she died from malnutrition and fatigue, leading police to begin investigations into abuse from within the family as well as prolonged bullying from other students as possible causes...”

The newscaster was talking about me.

“F*ck that sh*t!” someone shouted, turning off the TV.

I turned around. My second eldest brother?

Three men wearing black were sitting at the entrance, waiting to greet mourners as they came. It was my family.

“It was nice not having to see her face around the house. Then she just had to go and die! That b*tch.” My adoptive brother threw the remote at the floor, grabbing a fistful of his hair angrily.

My biological father frowned. “Tsk. Lower your voice. This is her funeral.”

“What does it matter? No one’s going to bother coming anyway.”

“Sit down. There are reporters outside,” my eldest adoptive brother warned sharply, glaring at his younger sibling.

“Ha! Pretending you’re an up-standing gentleman right until the end, I see?” the younger of the brothers said with his usual vicious scowl, glowering at his older brother. “You know, it’s your fault that she died. Father gave you enough money to get her a nice studio apartment, but you just had to squirrel the money away for yourself.”

“Shut your mouth.”

“Why? I’m just saying it like it is.”

“Fine. If we’re assigning blame now, you’re the one most responsible for her death.”

“What? What did I do?”

“You didn’t allow her to eat a single proper meal during the entirety of her school years. How could you blame me—”

“Both of you, be silent!” my father growled.“This is no time for your petty quarreling! The company’s stocks are plummeting or haven’t you been paying attention?”

“None of this sh*t would have happened if you hadn’t brought that miserable b*tch to live with us in the first place,” my second brother muttered, glaring at my portrait resentfully.

My eldest brother didn’t comment, but his expression made it obvious that he felt similarly.

I gasped for breath as I listened to their vile squabbling. Something bitter and furious was boiling up from deep within me. “I-I never asked you to take me into your family!” Tears dripped from my eyes. “How can you still be so cruel, even after I’m already dead? You miserable wretches!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, feeling like I would come apart at the seams. I was so furious.

I’d never once asked them to save me from my pathetic existence. They’d been the ones who'd done their best to make my life a living hell.

“Why am I always the one made to be the victim? Why do I always have to put up with this sh*t? Why?” Rage, despair, and disappointment weighed down on me, immobilizing me.

I was tired. I suddenly didn’t even have the energy to be angry anymore, much less continue living.

I want to die... I slowly allowed my limbs to go limp. Just like I’d done all the times I’d beat my emotions down, I held my breath.

Please, just let me rest...

Suddenly, a brilliant light blinded me for a moment.

<SYSTEM>

Danger! Danger!

You’re being [Brainwashed] by the [Forces of Evil]!

<SYSTEM>

Special quest!

Defend against the attack using magic?

[Accept / Decline]