Chapter 150: It’s your fault too

“This is that, isn’t it? The Prisoner’s Dilemma. Yeah.”

Sara said in a voice that seemed to feign composure.

• Oh no!

• Awesome test incoming lol

• Gotta betray…

• Seriously, how can you trust a fellow 3rd generation member? lol

• But if they both betray, they get nothing??

I glanced at the chat and asked directly,

“You’ll choose Reward, right?”

“I was planning on choosing Reward from the start. I’m more worried about you betraying, Leah.”

“There’s no reason to choose Betray if trust is given. I don’t want to risk both of us getting nothing.”

“Then is there anything more to discuss? I’m definitely choosing Reward! Let’s go!”

Sara pointed to the stone chambers separated on either side. It seemed like the choices were made separately.

We silently parted and stood before the doors. Just before opening the door, Sara muttered in a low voice,

“…But what exactly does ‘monopolize’ mean?”

I quickly stepped away from the door.

“What do you mean?”

“It said if only one person betrays, they monopolize the reward. Doesn’t that mean one person gets both rewards?”

“That would be the correct interpretation.”

“Then, theoretically, betraying alone is the ‘high-roll play,’ right?”

• Sara’s starting the mind games lol

• That’s right, a gamer has to aim for the high roll lol

• Can’t lose, Leah, betray too

• I can already see the outcomeㅎ

“Why are you bringing that up now? You’re not planning on aiming for the ‘high roll,’ are you?”

“Of course not! I was just curious. You have to be clear about these things, right?”

Sara turned it around on me.

“You sound like you’re building up to betray using my words as an excuse.”

“Well, it’s certainly something to be suspicious of…”

“No, if I was going to betray, I wouldn’t have even mentioned it!”

Of course, that was possible. But it could also be a tactic to confuse me or apply pressure.

Or was it Sara’s final test? To see my reaction and make her final decision?

…My thoughts became complicated.

Soon, I realized why that was inevitable.

It was a problem I couldn’t solve on my own. This was a test meant for both of us.

“Sara. Look into my eyes.”

“Huh?”

A square face. Large, black eyes turned towards me.

“The more we talk, the more confusing it becomes. Let’s look into each other’s eyes and understand each other’s true intentions. And then let’s go in.”

“Okay! Looking into my innocent eyes, you’ll know what to choose, right?”

“…I think I have a rough idea.”

• What’s she going to see by looking at game avatars lol

• This is unpredictable lol

• Leah seems to have settled on Reward…

Sara entered the stone chamber on the left, and I entered the one on the right. Torches were lit on the stone walls of the small room, and below them were wooden planks with two choices written on them.

Reward / Betray

“My choice is…”

After making my choice and exiting, I entered a spacious area that merged back into one. After waiting a bit, Sara came out too.

“Leah! You made the right choice, right?”

“Of course. I made a choice for you.”

I had a gut feeling that Sara would choose Betray. As I quietly looked at Sara, I realized why.

Her focus on efficiency while building her house-factory, the exorbitant taxi fare, and the mention of high rolls.

Today, Sara showed exactly why she was nicknamed ‘Moneygrubber Sara.’

If that was Sara’s concept on this server, she had no choice but to choose Betray, even if she didn’t want to. That was the entertainment value.

But I didn’t let on that I expected her betrayal. It wasn’t in my nature.

What would happen if Sara got double the rewards in this situation?

Of course, many viewers would be amused. But there would definitely be some who were dissatisfied or criticized Sara. Even if it was a game, the loss for the betrayed person was too great. Especially since I would look like the one-sided victim.

Then, I’ll protect Sara. Even if we both get nothing. That was my way of showing friendship.

Besides, both of us choosing Betray was an amusing outcome in its own way. My Pia would be satisfied.

“Okay! Now we both get rewards. This dungeon is awesome.”

Sara approached me. The next moment, the statue we saw earlier rose from the floor in the center of the space.

【Selection Complete】
One participant chose ‘Betray.’
The opponent chose ‘Reward.’ Accordingly, the reward is granted to the participant who betrayed.
🎁 [Bound Coins 4000] have been awarded.

…Huh?

Silence.

We stared blankly at each other, just like when we first saw the ‘Trial of Trust’ prompt.

• This is it lol

• High risk, high return!

• 4,000 is huge lol

• It’s bound, so no splitting lol

• Wow, good strategy, blocking communication and immediately backstabbing to prevent mind games ㅇㅈ?

• Until the moment I pressed the button, I thought Leah would definitely choose Reward

• Her acting was amazing…

• Betrayal is Elf-Leah lol

• Upvote if you want to full-charge Dragoon Sara at Leah lol

“…What? Look into each other’s eyes?”

As Sara took a step towards me, I reflexively stepped back.

“Listen. This was a choice for you.”

“Really? What kind of Risori are you going to use this time?”

I couldn’t possibly say it was to protect her from overimmersed Pia. In the end, a different logic came to mind.

“I thought just giving you a ride on Marbled wouldn’t be enough to clear your debt to me. Now you don’t have to thank me separately for making you a Dragoon.”

“A free 1,000-coin ride was more than enough!”

Sara, pulling out her Lancer, charged at me. I could easily subdue her with a few arrows, but I had no justification now.

I quickly dashed towards the dungeon exit I had checked earlier.

“Stop right there!”

“This is partly your fault, Sara! Why did you choose Reward!?”

“What? Are you trying to give me high blood pressure today!?”

I summoned my unicorn as soon as I exited the dungeon. A dragon in the sky followed close behind.

• Chase scene lol

• Weird colleagues lol

• Anyway, Leah got the reward, right? Profit, right?

• This is Sara’s fault for trusting Leah… lol

My unicorn leaped over rocks, and I rode recklessly, cutting through the wind. The sound of wings flapping came from above. It wasn’t far behind.

I couldn’t hold out for long. Marbled easily tracked my path, sweeping across the sky, and its shadow repeatedly fell over me. We were both at the same speed, but the distance was gradually closing. Since there were no obstacles in the air, Sara had the advantage.

I lowered my body. Carefully timing the movement of my unicorn’s hind legs, I dove down into the canyon below. The wind howled fiercely, and my vision began to blur.

That was when it happened.

Glitch.

The pixels in front of me momentarily froze. A section of my vision, about a handspan wide, distorted like a system bug.

[⚠️ The Lens of Truth is reacting to ‘something.’]

“…What’s this?”

A notification I hadn’t triggered. And the tone was unfamiliar, like a system warning.

I reflexively pulled on the unicorn’s reins and hid myself in the shadows beside a rock. I heard Sara shout from behind as if screaming, but I pretended not to hear.

The Lens of Truth had never sent a notification like this while in my inventory.

I took out the Lens. It was definitely different than usual. It wasn’t sparkling blue. A silvery white radiance flowed along its surface, as if illuminating its interior.

A reaction I had never seen before.
As I held the Lens before me, the surface of the rock shimmered and changed shape.

It looked like stone, but it was a completely different material. Not metal, not mineral. An unknown structure.

Patterns, intertwined like circuits, appeared on the surface, and the patterns tilted towards me from the center of the Lens.

[Gate of Lumina detected.]
[Successor Candidate, entry requirements met.]
[Warning: This path cannot be undone.]

• What is this???

• Seems like a legendary dungeon

• If it’s a job dungeon, something like <Super Hidden Job> might appear

• Leah will just abandon it if it doesn’t fit her concept ㅜ

• She has to change jobs soon if she doesn’t want to be jobless until the server closes lol

The dragon’s shadow crossed over the canyon. But I was no longer running.

I took a single step, and the rock silently split open, light pouring down vertically.
My hand, holding the Lens, unconsciously rose, and the next moment, I stepped into it, as if being absorbed.

The gate closed heavily behind me.

Sara’s cry echoed from afar.

“Is that an invisibility potion!?”

Even that sound faded, as if disappearing into the Lens.

“This is a bit sudden, but… shall we explore the place that’s calling me?”

As I entered, the Lens floated up and moved inward, leaving a silvery trail.

I followed the call, which I couldn’t yet name.