The silence in the cabin weighed more heavily than any scream.
Yuto stood there, staring at Lianne as if she'd just plunged a knife into his chest—slowly, unhurriedly. The words still echoed in his head:
"Why don't you kill me?"
The question swirled, biting, gnawing.
Why not?
If she were just an NPC...
If she were just another soul in Ervanth...
If it were just numbers and experience...
But it wasn't.
He turned away, gritting his teeth, and began pacing the cabin like a caged animal.
"Damn... damn... damn..." he muttered, his fingers tugging at his hair.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Of course. Here he came.
A purple glow appeared in the corner of his vision, and the system's cynical, mocking voice cut through the air like a stiletto:
"Oh, what a lovely dilemma. The young lady offered her neck, but the executioner... went soft?"
"Fuck you," Yuto growled, his eyes flashing.
"But it's logical! Why kill someone who treats you well, who gave you shelter, food, affection? After all, it would be so... logical. Cold. Efficient. Almost like... I would do it."
Yuto punched the wooden wall.
"Shut. Your. Mouth."
"I'm just watching. Recording. Admiring, even. How... weak you are."
Yuto turned, panting, his eyes red with rage and despair.
"I'm not weak."
"Oh, but of course you are." Look: you have three hours until your body turns to ash in the hands of a dark monster created to destroy you. And there's a warm soul sitting there, ready to be sacrificed like a lamb. And yet... you hesitate.**
"I hesitate... because I'm human," Yuto growled, his eyes fixed on the empty interface. "Because she treated me like something more than a monster. Like someone real. And that's worth more than any level."
"Then you'll die."
"Maybe."
"You'll lose."
"Maybe."
"You'll fail."
Yuto smiled bitterly.
"Better to fail as myself... than to succeed as you."
The system fell silent.
For the first time... nothing responded.
Yuto walked away, his shoulders slumping. He walked over to Lianne. She was still standing there, waiting, her eyes filled with pain—not for her, but for him.
He sat on the floor beside her.
"I'm not going to kill you, Lianne."
She said nothing.
She just took his hand.
And they sat there. Sitting side by side. The crackling of the fireplace sounded like a doomsday clock.
Three o'clock.
Two-thirty.
Two.
Yuto closed his eyes.
If he was going to die... let it be like this.
With dignity.
With someone.