NCSHG CH 09

Chapter 9

Holding Holloway’s hand — who might as well have been a live grenade — we moved cautiously, searching for an exit.

My soles hurt, but I deliberately didn’t look for slippers. They’d only fall off if we had to run from a monster, so I walked barefoot. Speed mattered here.

“Sis, what exactly are you looking for?” Holloway asked.

“Just… checking whether there’s a clue to get out of here. And trying to find other party members, too.”

I couldn’t tell him it was a game — and he wasn’t someone I could trust with that secret even if I could. Keeping quiet made my actions look suspicious to Holloway, so I was stuck.

I mumbled something vague, and Holloway seemed to accept it. No danger-gauge window popped up, so at least that was a relief.

“Why are you looking for other people…?” Holloway’s question was cut off by a thin voice.

“E-Evelyn?”

Clack.

The door opened and out came none other than Moran.

Her hair and clothes were a mess, showing she’d barely escaped a monster. When I called her name, she burst into tears and flung herself at me.

I let go of Holloway’s hand and patted Moran’s back. Relaxed by that touch, she hugged me even tighter.

“Miss Evelyn! I — I was so scared…!”

A window popped up behind her sobbing figure.

[‘Moran Eleanor’ has joined. Gathering companions (1/2)]

Nice. A coincidence, but at least I’d got one person.

“Shh. It’s okay.” I led Moran into the room. Staying in a room while a hunter was nearby wasn’t ideal, but since we couldn’t hear noise from outside, they must be pretty far off.

I sat Moran down on the sofa and asked what had happened. She kept trembling and held my hands tightly, not letting go. Her crying made her look pitiful and, without thinking, I felt protective.

‘So this is what being a protagonist feels like.’

Moran was ludicrously popular in the game — not only pretty but always the heroine who insisted on protecting everyone even while shaking with fear. She was the kind of character who shielded even the frustrating ones, which made people complain later, but that wasn’t her fault.

Holloway glanced at Moran and then away. I wondered whether Holloway found her pretty. If so, the system should’ve shown a “like” popup for him at least once. Maybe appearance alone doesn’t raise affection — especially if someone else is prettier than him.

“I tried to open the door to get out, but it wouldn’t open like you said, Miss Evelyn. Then a monster appeared… Sir Werner and Ms. Kleta tried to protect me and…” Moran trailed off.

“Did they die?” I asked.

Moran flailed and shook her head in panic. “W-what? No! They fell — that’s what happened!”

Why leave the end of that sentence hanging…?

“No one’s dead, right?” I pressed.

“At the time they fell, they were all still alive…” she sniffled, wiping her tears.

So she’d just come up to the third floor moments ago. That meant the game-system event had only applied to me. I couldn’t go down or up, but Moran had casually climbed up to the third floor — so it seemed I was the only one stuck.

Why me, of all people? Ugh.

At least the early-choice popup that had driven me crazy earlier wasn’t appearing now. It came up so out of left field before — please don’t bring that back. I soothed Moran, who was still shaken.

“First, let’s try to find other people.”

I couldn’t say “let’s avoid the hunter and look for the exit,” so I phrased it as finding others. Holloway seemed displeased and tugged my sleeve.

“Do you like being around lots of people, sis? Isn’t this woman enough for you?” he asked.

“Woman?” What — is he trying to hide his identity at all? In the game, people didn’t suspect him even after he said suspicious things, probably because he looked like a child. People just brushed it off as “kids will be kids.” In this world, there’s no reason for an adult to deliberately look like a child, nor such common magic or tech to do so. If he was a demon, that’d be different — but demons weren’t common creatures, summoning circles needed sacrifices, and I’d never heard of anyone here having that ability. As far as I knew, Holloway had been a demon from the start and had lived on this island for a long time. Nothing was known about the island or the hotel, except the basic opening explanation in the game.

“If there are more people, our chances of survival go up,” I said.

“But you saw that man earlier. He tried to use you as bait. What if that woman uses you as bait too?” Holloway fretted. He was starting to sow discord.

“Hey, sis! In that panic, you protected me, so you seem trustworthy — but I don’t know that woman. Don’t go with her. It’s unsafe, okay?” he pleaded.

…You’re the one I’m most worried about, kid.

“What do you mean, Holloway.” Moran blinked, a little taken aback, then smiled and crouched so she could look at Holloway like she was meeting eyes. In the game, Moran had always fussed over Holloway the most, protecting him. Despite that, one bad ending shows Holloway actually slicing Moran’s throat with a sword — the illustration is cold and emotionless. He looked hollow in that bad ending art; everything was an act, and his face showed no feeling.

“I’ll never betray you. I don’t know who that man was, but I wouldn’t do that, Holloway,” Moran said earnestly.

Holloway tightened his grip on my hand. I tried to free it, but this little kid’s grip was surprisingly strong. I couldn’t pull away.

Moran, face wounded by guilt, sat back and looked up at me. “Why does Holloway…?”

“He’s a child. He’s just scared,” I said.

“Who was that man? Why would he be so untrustworthy?” Moran asked.

Should I tell her or not? As I hesitated, Holloway blurted it out.

“A man with khaki-colored hair came up and tried to use me as bait! You saved me, sis, and that man became the target and died.”

So Moran already knew that Friedel had died — she must have seen or heard about it. She wasn’t trying to hide anything from me. I hadn’t told her anything.

“You would have done the same!” she exclaimed indignantly.

“Would I?” I thought.

Moran, being the saintly type, said she would have repented and apologized. I rolled my eyes — with that attitude, we’d always be at odds. She’d gather everyone’s sympathy, and I’d be the one left annoyed. For the side-quest, Cincia or Werner would be better; they were selfish but practical and wouldn’t use others as bait. They’d bite back if someone crossed them. Cincia was unpredictable because of jealousy, but without her, someone rational remained. Werner disliked me but had responsibility — he’d brought me here instead of abandoning me. Once the quest was done, we’d part ways anyway.

“Fine. Moran,” I said.

“—Yes?” she asked.

It wasn’t great that I’d let someone die, but in this situation I had to do what I could to survive. Besides, the final boss was right outside.

“Moran and I don’t get along. I can’t promise I won’t do the same again. I don’t want to hear you nagging me every time it happens.”

Moran scolded me as if I were an immature child. “Miss Evelyn, I don’t mean to blame you. But you left someone to die in front of a child, and it’s already a bad influence on Holloway. Letting someone die and fleeing — that’s your fault.”

If Moran were a real child, I’d have shown everything, but she didn’t know those details. Holloway’s irritated voice cut in.

“Sis.”

I inhaled and was just about to speak when a system message popped up.

[Holloway wants to kill Moran.]

[Moran says Friedel died because of you.]

I saw that coming — and the cold sweat ran down my spine.

Wait, no way…

[The situation is turning bad.]

[➤What should you say?]

Oh no. No, no, no. The popup was already there; I couldn’t stop it. I prayed it wouldn’t be one of those idiotic choices. But we both know this game system hated me.

[1. “That’s just who I am!” (Strike your chest proudly!)

2. “Okay, then next time I’ll selfishly abandon Holloway first. Will you forgive me then?” (With the gentlest face.)
3. “Holloway! You’re just going to stand there while they say that about your sister? You brat!” (With a face more terrifying than an ogre.)]**

I stared at the choices, aghast.

“…Is there no option not to choose?” I muttered.