How to Survive as the Horror Game Villain's Fake Fiancée - Chapter 8
***
A moment later, Cynthia opened her eyes again.
A message appeared, confirming she’d been moved to a different location than where she’d just been standing.
“……”
Cynthia was in despair. If they were going to teleport her, they should have done it when she first made a U-turn in front of the dressing room… Not right when she was about to reach the exit out of this hell!
Still, it was too soon to give up. Cynthia grabbed the handle of the dressing room door in front of her and turned it.
“I said, I’m leaving!”
But as if mocking her, the door wouldn’t open, as though it was locked from the outside.
No matter how long she pushed and pulled with her whole body, it was no use. Panting, Cynthia finally had to stop. Perhaps because this noble young lady’s body was so thin—aside from her chest—she had even less stamina than when she was an office worker. Just bumping into things made her feel like her bones would snap.
She gave up, still sweating, and looked back at the door that wouldn’t budge no matter how she tried. Just as the system described, the expansive dressing room stretched out before her.
Fortunately, the catastrophe of running into the villain right away had been avoided.
Reward granted. Please check your inventory!
“……”
Cynthia glared at the floating message, her face full of irritation.
When she opened the status window to check, the reward was actually there. She brought her finger to the sun-bright gold coin floating in her inventory window like a hologram, and a description appeared.
: Can be used to purchase special items at shops you may encounter at random, or to select special options.
Aim for a happy ending using items and special choices!
‘Come to think of it, this wasn’t in the original, either…’
The pre-update ‘Coffin of the White Rose’ was the very definition of brutal unfriendliness. You had to figure out where survival items were by yourself and farm them, and even then, their locations were always randomized, only obtainable by navigating bizarre traps and difficult puzzles.
There was a merchant who sold rare items. But usually, you had to trade items found during the story or even offer parts of the protagonist’s or a companion’s body as payment.
‘At least the appearance of gold coins is proof the game’s gotten more user-friendly.’
Maybe the addition of these features had increased her odds of survival. In any case, with escape attempts now rendered pointless and the story advancing only as the quest led, Cynthia began to lose her energy and resign herself.
‘It can’t be helped. I just have to make use of whatever I’m given and survive.’
Steeling herself, however reluctantly, Cynthia turned around.
The quest was complete, but the door still wouldn’t open, so she had no choice but to explore the room’s interior. But remembering that the villain was somewhere in here made her freeze again. Nothing immediately caught her eye, but she couldn’t calm down.
Nevertheless, with no other option, Cynthia took a few steps deeper into the dressing room… Only to freeze in place after just a few steps.
Someone was lying on a long sofa. The angle from the entrance had kept him hidden, so she hadn’t spotted him right away.
A man, wearing a white poet shirt and long black trousers, appeared to be asleep. Even lying down, it was clear at a glance that he was very tall and well-built.
His long silver hair, glowing white under the chandelier, flowed over the back of the sofa.
“……”
In this game, there was only one person with such striking hair.
The villain of ‘Coffin of the White Rose’, the Duke of Wincastle.
The very being who, by holding a banquet, lured the protagonist and others to the manor, only to lead them to their deaths. As soon as Cynthia recalled his illustration from the main screen, goosebumps ran up her whole body. No matter how she looked at it, it had to be the villain.
She instinctively took a step back—
When suddenly, that now-hated sound rang out.
Ding—
‘What do you mean, what will I do? I’m going to run away!’
