Damien is Dead.
1st Death: No Rewards
2nd Death: Life span decreases from here.
Remaining life span (0/9)
Warning: If more than 9 deaths occur after the 1st, the player dies permanently.
Misc: Eliminate the Killer.
---
My vision shifted again. I found myself in bed with a maid standing beside me. She walked slowly to the window, pulling back the curtains. Her voice was soft and melodic.
"Good morning, Master Damien."
I blinked rapidly, unable to organize my thoughts. The maid noticed and spoke with a hint of concern.
"Master, are you alright?"
"Yes," I replied.
...
After getting dressed, I headed to the hall. As I turned the corner of my room, I tried to piece together what had happened last night.
The spot sent chills down my spine as I stood there, memories of the previous night filling my mind. I felt terrified.
Gathering my thoughts, I tried to stay composed.
I began analyzing what went wrong. What could have happened?
Since the killer didn't make any footsteps, I concluded...he hid them through distraction. That made sense at the time.
How could he distract me? I wondered.
Then suddenly, a hint, a calculated guess, came to mind.
If the killer had masked his footsteps under the maid's, he couldn't have been too fast or too slow. He was close. He was near us. But I hadn't seen anyone besides the maid...
The killer was disguised as a man, appearing as a male silhouette.
That's the only clue… I had to keep thinking, keep pushing!
What are the chances the killer is the maid?
I kept rambling about all the possibilities, but she stood out the most.
She was the only one I could pinpoint, but what if I'm wrong? Then...
I can't…
There's no way the killer could have taken her out of sight and killed me instantly before I turned around...
Unless....
....
He might have set up an ambush ahead of time. That's certainly possible, but how could he pull it off in the hall, outside my line of sight... unless there's a hidden room nearby. If so, he could stash the body and show up instantly.
I begin checking around the hallway, moving frantically, searching like a hound.
Sometimes, I even sniff the walls, trying to detect a foul smell that might set it apart from the others.
The pristine walls of my manor were flawlessly white, untouched and perfectly designed. The golden embroidery on them told a story—a tale of a forbidden apple that could kill anyone who consumed it. A prince, betrayed by his kingdom, ate the apple, but instead of dying, he was granted another chance at life, reborn as a farmer's son. He went on to live a joyful and simple life.
Simple. It was.
The story highlights the inner struggle of the prince and his desire to give up. When he finally surrenders, he attains what he wanted most—a happy ending.
The apple on the tree…
was shining…
I jumped and swatted at it.
Nothing.
I waited for minutes, slowly losing patience.
It never budged.
Just as I gave up and was about to leave, something made a cracking sound—a noise of something shifting… GEARS! With a slide, a door opened beside the hall, just a few meters from where I was killed yesterday. It was perfect. It is perfect.
Overjoyed by my discovery, I had little time to spare; night was approaching, and the killer would soon come for me.
I slipped through the doorway, crouching silently as I moved. Step by step, I crept further, realizing the doorway led to the garden. It opened onto a balcony with a clear path to the garden below.
...
I spent the whole day in hiding, plotting my next move.
I want to kill the killer.
The white window provided a reward, but it was too late, I had already died once. Instead, I chose to tackle the miscellaneous task, intrigued by what this bizarre system might reveal.
I stole a knife from the kitchen and gunpowder from the warehouse, loading the powder in the doorway. I made sure the knife was hidden under my coat.
The maid will surely ask about the coat since it wasn't cold today, but I already have an excuse. I wasn't off and aligned with today's early morning memory; she wouldn't find it suspicious. Everything will go smoothly.
But there was one thing...
Smell!
I can't hide the smell of the gunpowder, it is so..
I can use oil to dampen it, but it will raise alarm too.
I rather gamble than take unnecessary precaution.
This was the final step.
---
Cautiously walking back to my room, I was escorted by the maid. Her footsteps echoed behind me. The corner was approaching, just within my sight. Soon, everything would unfold.
I felt nervous.
My stomach churned with unease.
A sudden growl erupted as unbearable pain shot through me. I clutched my stomach and crouched down.
I was dying.
The pain was severe, coursing through my veins, my nerves. I could feel it spreading through my body. My mouth moved uncontrollably, foaming at the edges. I wanted to scream, but no sound came out. All I could see was her.
The maid rushed up to me, her face filled with worry and fear, her voice trembling.
"Master, what's happening?"
She screamed for help, her desperate cries echoing through the hallway.
Well, it's not her, at least.
In a last-ditch effort, I looked toward the doorway, wanting to see him, the man with the axe, unprepared for my unusual death. He must be surprised that something else got me before him.
Through my blurring vision, I tried to make out the doorway. Squinting, I struggled to see it...
Finally, my eyes landed on the wall.
But what I saw, only push me further into the darkness.
There was no room, no slide opened. It stood closed.
*sighed*
Confused.... This cesspool of mysteries was eating my wits away.
All I could feel was regret and sorrow.
I muttered under my breath in disappointment.
It was closed.
"Second Death"
A counter appeared: (1/9).