Bella had survived poison, traps, and moonlit assassinations. She had slipped through castles unseen and escaped dungeons drenched in blood. Yet nothing in her past prepared her for the quiet terror of a convenience store at night.
The clock read 2:58 a.m.
The lights buzzed faintly above her. The freezer hummed like it was breathing.
Bella stood behind the counter, arms crossed, ears twitching at every sound. There were no monsters, no mana in the air, no killing intent—only an emptiness that made her skin crawl.
Nyx leaned on the counter, spinning a coin between her fingers.
"Night shifts are fun," she said. "Perfect time for scary stories."
Bella glanced at her. "I am not afraid."
Nyx smiled. "Good. Then listen carefully."
She spoke softly, slowly.
"They say this store only exists because people keep entering it. If everyone leaves at the same time, it disappears. And anyone inside with it… stays."
Bella frowned. "That makes no sense."
The automatic door opened.
No one walked in.
The bell rang anyway.
Nyx continued. "And if you hear the freezer open by itself, don't look inside. That means it's restocking something that doesn't belong in this world."
The freezer clicked.
Bella's hand moved to her dagger before she stopped herself. She exhaled sharply, annoyed at her own reaction.
Nyx leaned closer. "But the worst part? The cameras."
Bella's eyes shifted to the security monitor above the counter.
Nyx whispered, "At three o'clock, the cameras don't show what is in the store. They show what was."
The clock ticked.
3:00 a.m.
The screen flickered.
Bella stared at the monitor.
She saw herself standing behind the counter, perfectly still.
The version on the screen slowly turned its head and looked straight at the camera.
Bella spun around.
Nothing was there.
When she looked back, the screen returned to normal static footage.
The store lights snapped brighter. Footsteps echoed from the back room.
"Why is it so quiet out here?" the Demon King's voice grumbled.
Nyx laughed, loud and carefree.
Bella sank onto a stool, heart pounding.
"…This world is cursed," she muttered.
The clock ticked forward.
3:01 a.m.
The night shift continued.