NCSHG CH 02

Chapter 2

Alright, let’s admit it.

This was silence.

In the awkward atmosphere, I got up from my seat as if nothing had happened.

Werner didn’t even glance at me anymore.

According to the setup of this game, Werner had once had a crush on Evelyn—that is, me—but ever since we had landed on the island, those feelings had cooled off completely.

Especially whenever we entered a hotel, he didn’t just dislike me—he outright despised me.

The people who had died because of Evelyn’s blunders were more than just one or two.

“Of course, that’s not the main problem right now.”

Thanks to the memories from my previous life surfacing in this bleak situation, the fact that they hated me wasn’t the biggest issue.

The important thing was the choice window.

In this game, choosing the right response was crucial.

The story’s direction depended entirely on which options I picked.

There were seven characters, but I couldn’t romance or target them all.

I could only play as one character—either the female lead or the male lead.

That meant it was completely unpredictable what Evelyn’s choice window would show.

Even from the first set of options, it already smelled like disaster…

Werner, flustered by my absurd remark about “what’s disgusting,” weakly gestured for us to go inside, and the group followed him.

Watching their backs, I seriously wanted to ask:

Why doesn’t anyone ask if I was joking?

Of course, instead of asking, I cautiously stepped back while keeping an eye on them.

Hoping that they would just forget me and head into the hotel, my eyes suddenly met the male lead, Kleta, directly.

Why is he glaring? Won’t he look away?

Kleta, failing to notice the meaning behind my glare filled with all sorts of cursing, smiled kindly.

“Evelyn, don’t be afraid. It’s okay, come here.”

Kleta and I had been childhood friends, and I had once admired him.

It could be considered my first love during adolescence.

Now, it was just a faded memory of a first love.

After all, he wasn’t someone I could be with, and this ending was destined to be tragic.

“No.”

With a firm refusal, Werner rubbed his temples as if troubled.

Kleta, who had just been rejected, remained still, but Werner glared at me menacingly.

“Ha, Miss Evelyn. Please, do not cause me any more disappointment!”

I didn’t understand why he insisted on dragging me along instead of just leaving me behind.

“No!”

I shouted as loudly as I could, and everyone flinched, turning to look at me.

I had never raised my voice in my life before.

Before the memories of my past life returned, I had been a typical noble lady—calm and quiet.

In this horror game, consumed by anxiety and fear, I became a nuisance character.

Still, many nobles liked me.

Even the male lead, Kleta, had once had a crush on me as a child.

Just because my memories from a past life had returned didn’t mean that the Evelyn of my childhood ceased to be me.

My personality had changed somewhat, but the Evelyn standing here now was still me—unchanged.

“I don’t care if you’re disappointed. I absolutely will not go into that hotel. Cough, cough.”

Shivering and coughing, Werner shouted at me in fury.

“Now is not the time to be stubborn!”

Looking at my current state, Werner was right.

In the pouring rain, my delicate body, nurtured like a treasure, could not withstand this.

The others had basic stamina, but Evelyn in the game was literally frail.

Her stats were so low that whenever a chance arose, she’d collapse, and the protagonist had to drag her away from demons.

I, too, had a body no different from that Evelyn.

Born weak and never having exercised properly.

“Go inside the hotel and warm yourself first. I will not argue with you any further.”

If I went inside, I’d literally freeze to death.

But even so, catching a cold seemed better.

I decided to stay calm.

I wanted to speak the truth, but it wasn’t the kind of atmosphere where anyone would believe me. Still, I was determined to do everything I could.

I was a little hesitant to lead them into the hotel.

I tried to carefully word my refusal, hoping to prevent them from going inside too.

But before I could say much, a sudden pain surged within me, and I coughed up blood.

“Cough…!”

“Ah! Miss Evelyn! Blood…!”

And as if on cue, a warning appeared:

[※ If you reveal anything about the game, everyone here will meet a gruesome death.]

[You must remain silent until you escape the island.]

So I could talk after escaping…?

I could escape?

Even at this point, it was no longer a request—it was a threat.

And that wasn’t all. Another warning appeared:

[※ If you prevent them from entering the hotel, you will trigger the original game’s ‘Bad Ending: Limb Severing.’]

…Sigh.

In the end, I could say nothing, simply biting my lip.

They were saying I would trigger the limb-severing ending I had tried so hard to avoid.

Still, there was one small hope.

The warning didn’t mention what would happen if I ran away.

So maybe running was allowed?

Sorry, but I had to survive—at least myself.

I didn’t feel a strong bond with them.

Unlike the protagonist, I had no sense of duty or obligation to save them.

I wasn’t a “good person.”

Pushing away Kleta and Moran, who were concerned at my coughing up blood, I turned to Werner.

Seeing the blood at my lips, his face went pale.

“I’ll wait outside and observe. You can go in first if you want.”

But soon, he frowned deeply at my words.

“What do you mean ‘wait’? Do you think that’s reasonable?! Have you seen even a single ship pass near the island until now?”

No, I hadn’t.

Unable to speak, Werner gestured for us to stop arguing and go inside.

“Stop resisting after coughing up blood. Stop doing reckless things. Understand that you are causing trouble for everyone.”

I took a deep breath and exhaled.

If I went in, it would be a massacre.

Since words weren’t working, I decided to show them through action.

That I would never accompany them.

And in case someone tried to stop me, I pleaded.

“Please respect my choice.”

Then, without looking back, I ran into the forest.

“Evelyn!”

“Miss Evelyn!”

Behind the calls, an annoyed, high-pitched voice rang out.

“Leave her alone. If she has nowhere to go, she’ll come back. She’s not a child; how long are you going to indulge her?”

From the cold voice alone, I could tell.

The villainess of this horror game, Cynthia, who had a crush on the male lead.

<The child’s secret> was probably the most entertaining story in the game.

A story where the villainess envies the heroine’s romance with the male lead and puts her in danger was quite interesting.

Popular at first, but as I said earlier, the story disappeared due to the extreme difficulty… (omitted).

“Ha, but…”

Alhulf, who was even more cowardly than me, tried to object, but no words followed.

He had probably shut his mouth under Cynthia’s sharp glare.

Ignoring that conversation, I ran as hard as I could.

I planned to get somewhere, organize the situation, and gradually make my escape plan.

But then…

[The player has left the game area. ‘Original plot coercion’ is activated.]

…Wasn’t that supposed to only affect them?

A new window appeared in front of me.

[The effect will not disappear until the player enters the hotel.]

Was this why there had been no early warning?!

The system window appeared again, as if it had no intention of calming me down.

[There is a stone in front of you!]

Startled, I twisted to avoid the stone.

[You must trip over it!]

No, no!

My body moved on its own, charging straight at the stone.

“You crazy system!”

I was briefly stunned at the sudden skill activation, and then literally tripped over the stone, rolling across the ground.

After about ten adult-sized steps, my body stopped.

“…F***, world.”

What a cruel world.

I had no strength. My body sagged in the rain, and the symptoms of a cold began to creep in.

I shivered and kept coughing.

“Yeah, cough, cough! Maybe it’s better to die like this.”

I hated the limb-severing ending.

Images of Evelyn dying in the game replayed continuously in my mind.

The scary thing was that I could have survived if I tried.

But I hated being in pain too much.

The screams Evelyn made just before dying in the game echoed in my ears, and I finally broke down in tears.

Thinking no one was around, I cried freely, nose running and all, when a clear voice suddenly spoke in my ear.

“Sis, are you okay? Your nose…”

“Ah!”

What a shock!

“Sis?”

“….”

I was so surprised by the sudden appearance of the child that my fear vanished, replaced by embarrassment.

The kid didn’t cry, yet I, an adult, was sobbing loudly—it felt awkward.

Embarrassed, I muttered nonsense.

“Do you have a handkerchief?”

“Shouldn’t you ask who I am first in this situation?”

“Smart…”

At that moment, my body froze.

…A child?

I barely opened my half-lidded eyes and saw a little child crouched before me.

Almost white silver hair, pale skin, white eyelashes, red lips.

So angelic that I could have sworn he was a doll, he looked into my eyes, took my hand, and smiled brightly.

“I’m glad! At least someone’s here!”

“….”

Seeing this beautiful little boy smiling in front of me, I could only open my mouth in surprise.

He was… he was…

Ding.

[‘The future conqueror of this world,’ Halloway, has caught the escaping player.]

[He has approached you while hiding his identity.]

[Be careful not to look suspicious!]

※ If you act suspiciously or reveal game-related information, Halloway’s desire to kill may spike.

He was the final boss of the horror game.

The boy’s appearance lowered the guards of humans entering the hotel, making them unsuspecting.

The reckless demons, needing entertainment, would pretend to give hope before mercilessly killing them.

Halloway was the only one controlling those demons.

Shivering, whether from fear or cold, I saw the choice window.

[Halloway is staring at you.]

[➤ What should you say?

1. Do I look like a human to you? ((ಠ_ಠ))
2. You’re a child? That’s disgusting! (T_T)
3. Go to hell! ((╬▔皿▔)╯)]

F***. What kind of options were these.

I tearfully, begrudgingly pressed the least bad choice:

“Do I look like a human to you?”

“Sis… Why are you so scary?”

Smiling one moment and now whining about being scared, the final boss, Halloway, gripped my hand even tighter.