episode_0009

The unknown beast was huge, its rotten flesh torn and dangling.

It was exactly like a memory etched with death.

An unexpected encounter.

Asher’s courage, which had sprouted overnight, was withering away.

“Haa… Haa… Ugh…!”

My breathing becomes rapid. My body is frozen like ice, but I feel my breathing becoming more intense.

Crunch.

One step.

Crunch.

One more step.

He calmly steps back, away from the monster he encountered. His steps are very delicate and careful.

‘Not responding…’

It was clearly different from when I experienced death. The monster that had attacked without mercy as soon as I opened the door was currently in an incomprehensible state.

‘What’s different? What’s different from that time that you don’t rush in?’

Either way, it was a stroke of luck. Asher wasn’t stupid enough to let fear overwhelm him and let the opportunity slip away.

Whirl!

Turn your back immediately.

The moment when you want to run away at full speed.

As Asher’s long blonde hair fluttered, the bastard roared.

“Kahahah…!!!”

“Why all of a sudden…?!”

Boom, boom, boom, boom!

The hound runs. It stretches out its heavy legs as if the dangling flesh on its legs doesn’t bother it.

“Fuck!”

Asher also reacted immediately.

I ran as fast as I could after regulating my breathing, which had become rapid due to trauma.

Even though she’s rotten, she’s still a royal. Her physical abilities surpass those of most soldiers.

Now that we have sufficient distance and alertness, we cannot be helpless like the day before.

“Kah… Haaaak…!!!”

“Where in the world does a dog bark like that!?”

It’s just so absurd.

Now that I think about it, it was a monster with a problem with its sensory organs. Its rotten flesh was shaking, and it would be harder to find a healthy part.

Then, would it be reasonable to assume that there is some kind of problem with the vocal organs?

“Ugh…!”

In the midst of the urgency, Ashe stopped.

Because a fork in the road has appeared.

One was a hallway leading to Maid A’s room. The other was a hallway decorated with old-fashioned masks.

“Whew…”

Snap, and he gnashes his teeth.

If we were to follow the safety first principle, it would be right to return to Maid A’s room…

I have a gut feeling that that’s not the ‘right’ answer.

This mansion is endlessly absurd to its visitors, but it doesn’t necessarily present impossible tasks.

The coin that revived me, the leather pouch that increased my convenience, and the clue that penetrated the secrets of this mansion – the butler was the proof.

‘I don’t know why, but… this mansion wants me to overcome the trials and uncover its secrets.’

In other words, complacency cannot be the answer.

If you test your will, it would be natural to accept it.

Asher, who had established this thought process in an instant, quickly changed direction.

Kkrick! Bang!

A hallway filled with decorations came into view.

“Kehi…!”

Kuung!

Meanwhile, the hunting dog went straight into the hallway where Maid A’s room was located.

However, soon he sensed a sense of discomfort and slowly backed away, then showed his murderous intent by heading towards the hallway that Ash had turned towards.

‘also…!’

At this point, Asher was convinced that the hypothesis was true.

That monster relies solely on its sense of smell to track its opponents.

At the same time, the line I had said also came to mind.

[Butler. You… have a clue?]

Clue. Yeah, that fucking clue that I want to hit at least once.

That perverted pervert butler is the clue, so there’s no way that guy who’s being mentioned so openly isn’t the clue.

Apparently, ‘something’ had happened to the lively and cute hunting dog.

A disaster where ears are torn off, eyeballs are gouged out, and skin is horribly torn off.

“Tch, if I think about it a little more, I think I might figure something out…!”

Your thinking power is depleted.

It is a considerable task to have advanced the thinking to this extent, considering that a disaster that is fueling hatred towards me is running rampant behind the scenes.

“Haa…!”

Feel the limits of your physical strength.

The absolute distance I ran was short, but I squeezed and squeezed out all my speed. I moved my legs as if I was squeezing water out of a dry rag.

Even if you pause for a moment and open any door, the future of a giant maw crushing flesh is vivid.

So, Asher had no choice but to choose the forced option.

“Butleraaa …

◇

A hallway with a view of the outside scenery outside the window.

I was lost in thought, tracking down the hounds.

‘It’s a mystery, but the expression is very intuitive.’

It is a content that can be interpreted as it is read, without a single metaphorical expression.

The characters in the message are two women. One of them gives something to the hunting dog, and the other steals it.

‘She must mean Maid B if she gave me something precious as a gift.’

If Maid B’s gift was stolen, who would be the culprit?

The diaries of Maid A and Maid C that Asher obtained seem to provide an answer at first glance.

Maid A, who has a crush on Maid B, and Maid C, who shows hostility towards Maid B.

It’s obvious who’s feeling gloomy. Maid C hated Maid B’s face so much in the photo that she burned it.

So what gift was it that the hunting dog took away?

In the first place, how many things would be worth giving to a beast…

As I was pondering the mystery, I could faintly hear a woman’s loud voice.

“Butleraaa …

“Ashe…!”

It was a voice that sounded like a cry. However, judging from how faint it was, it must have felt quite distant.

I started running straight away.

‘Why didn’t you hide straight in Maid A’s room?’

Questions arose in my head.

I hope Asher takes good care of her body if possible.

I was the one who suggested that we each go our own way, but that was based on the assumption that Asher would prioritize safety.

If the chase is prolonged, Ashe’s stamina will inevitably be depleted first.

Asher’s choice was too risky.

“Ashe!”

It is detected. The ground shaking caused by the giant body taking a step forward.

She was close.

I hurried in the direction where the ground shaking was getting worse.

“Kah, haaah!”

“Ugh, ugh… Butleraaah!”

“What the hell are you doing!”

At the end of my gaze, I saw Ashe running towards me, with an overly large pursuer dangling behind her.

With a face free of tears and snot, I gave it my all as if I were the finish line.

“Butler! Shield! Quickly, quickly…!”

“Huh.”

Jump quickly.

Then, he embraced Asher, who was almost like a hug, like a princess, and threw her far away.

The next moment a collision of enormous mass occurred.

Boom!

Although it was a hunting dog that had been struck by a huge mass, the curse that surrounded me did not cover Pia.

[This is an indestructible object.]

The laws of this mansion, which do not allow murder or even suicide, protect us well.

“Kah… Ah…?”

To him, it must feel like he’s blocked by a transparent wall.

Deprived of sight and hearing, I could never have imagined that the one who stopped me was a small human being.

In reality, the hunting dog was just tilting its head and drooling like water.

“… Hmm?”

But the longer the standoff went on, the more the contradictions became apparent.

The guy’s main sense is smell.

Inevitably, I would have been fully aware that I was a living being and not a wall.

‘I’m sure that’s true… but aren’t you showing any hostility?’

There was no attempt to bite or even press down with the front paw.

The only difference from the first encounter was whether there was direct contact.

However, touching or being touched is definitely not the trigger for hostility. If contact were the trigger, there would be no reason for Ashe, who has no contact, to be chased to death.

‘Just because Ash is the main character? Because it’s a game that can only be established if you’re attacked?’

Actually, it is a convincing reason.

It is a question that can be solved by sacrificing probability and accepting that ‘that kind of world’ exists.

Because this is a world view within a game.

Because it would have been focused on putting the protagonist in a difficult situation, without any purpose…

“…… That can’t be true.”

I deny it by asking myself the question.

It is Asher’s mission to unlock the mansion’s secrets.

Therefore, it would be reasonable to assume that there is a reason for everything in this mansion.

There must also be a reason why the hunting dog is particularly aggressive towards Ashe.

This is why Asher inevitably becomes the target.

“Kehik…”

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

The hounds retreat.

He’ll be wandering around somewhere in the mansion, waiting for an opportunity.

Before that, we need to complete some of the deduction.

As I turned to face the slumped Asher, tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Butler… sob.”

“Yes.”

“Ugh… I really thought I was going to die…!”

Kwak!

Suddenly, he was grabbed by the collar. Then, Asher grabbed him by the collar and buried his face in it.

“You should have come sooner! Do you know how scared I was?”

“As Asher said, I am weak.”

“That! Huh? You call that an excuse! How dare I have the courage… You want me to praise you! And reflect on it!”

“… Well done. Very.”

“What about reflection?”

“I will run faster.”

“Disloyal… Disloyal… You’re like a foolish butler who only likes dirty things and is completely obsessed with maid B.”

Asher started talking nonsense.

Maybe it’s because I ran out of oxygen from pushing my limits.

I was about to tell her the reason why I didn’t take refuge in Maid A’s room, and I was going to criticize her…

The saying that a woman’s tears are a weapon seems to have some credibility.

“Butler.”

“Please speak.”

“My legs are loose.”

“Rest comfortably.”

“In that case, you should say you’ll carry me first.”

What should I do with this fool?

“… Just this once.”

“Okay, I’ll ask you again next time.”

I don’t respond to requests that I can ignore. So instead of saying yes, I deliberately changed the subject.

“Ashe. I thought about it more than that.”

“What is it?”

“Maybe… I think I know. The reason the hounds are trying to kill Ashe.”