5
Though it was broad daylight, the hall was steeped in a deep, oppressive gloom. I’d noticed on the way here that the maids were
leading me to a remote, secluded part of the palace. Now, thrown inside, I saw why. The windows were all covered with thick, black
Only a single
could hear the sound of a woman crying.
Even with the windows sealed, a phantom chill snaked across my skin, raising goosebumps. I clutched my White Peach Oolong cake and tiptoed deeper into the darkness.
The closer I got to the inner sanctum, the louder the woman’s sobs became.
Now I could make out her moans and pleas.
“Your Majesty, no more…”
“Please, Your Majesty, I can’t eat another bite…”
At the same time, I heard another sound–the soft, rhythmic dripping of liquid hitting the floor.
I froze.
I’ve read enough dark romance novels. A woman’s pleas, the sound of dripping liquid… combined, they could only mean one thing.
My mind plunged straight into the gutter.
Oh God, I’m so corrupted.
But why would they throw me in here? The System said the male lead had gone dark. Did that mean he was no longer faithful to the heroine, that he’d started a harem and one woman at a time wasn’t enough for him?
Panicked, I screamed for the System in my mind, frantically calling it.
It took several seconds to respond, as if it had crashed.
[That is not the case.]
[Host, I cannot speak freely when in proximity to the male lead.]
[As for the specific circumstances, you will understand if you proceed further.]
[This world is on the verge of collapse. Only you can save it.]
[Good luck.]
With those final words, the System went completely offline. No matter how many times I called, it didn’t respond.
I’m screwed. I am so, so screwed.
What do I do now?!
I took a deep breath, trying to quell the frantic pounding of my heart, only to realize that the sounds from the inner chamber had
stopped. The woman’s voice was gone.
Only the dripping remained. Drip… Drip… Drip…
Like a faucet that hadn’t been turned off all the way.
I knew there was danger ahead. I knew the smart thing to do was hide.
But curiosity kills the cat.
I couldn’t stop myself. I crept forward, peeking around the final folding screen.
At the center of my vision was a single, burning red candle. In front of it sat a platter piled high with honey cakes. The surrounding
walls were plastered with all sorts of talismans, covered in arcane symbols I couldn’t decipher.
What I could see, with horrifying clarity, was the woman lying on the floor at the twelve o’clock position.
Her mouth was stuffed full of honey cakes. Her throat had been slit.
Blood seeped from the wound.
Drip-
Drip-
A stream of crimson flowed toward the red candle. As it touched the base, the flame flared violently.
My heart stopped.
That was the dripping sound I’d heard.
I held my breath, my limbs turning to lead. The scene was ripped straight from the goriest horror movies I’d ever watched. It was
one thing to see it on a screen, but to be here, in the flesh…
I could hear the whisper of the wind rustling the paper talismans and the sickening, steady drip of blood. The air was thick with the
cloying, sweet scent of blood mixed with the fragrance of honey, a combination that made my stomach churn.
But the most terrifying part?
There was someone else in the hall.
And he wasn’t in the inner chamber.
In the next instant, I felt the cold, hard press of a blade against my neck.
Its sharp edge was still slick with the blood of the last victim.
In that moment, the gleam of the sword reflected my own ashen face.
From directly behind me, a man’s soft chuckle reached my ears. His voice, low and gentle, curled around me as his warm breath
ghosted against my ear.
“Caught you, little mouse.”
