Clank!
The sound of clanking iron reached my ears as I pushed the wooden door open.
It was nightti now, and I had sohow stumbled upon this old, decrepit house in the middle of the forest.
This was a Legacy World, so it was obvious no one—human or any race from the lower realm—would be living here. That left only two possibilities: this place was either created by a highly intelligent mana beast to lure unfortunate wanderers into its trap or… well, there wasn't really an "or." It was a trap, plain and simple, ant to ensnare anyone foolish enough to mistake it for a safe haven.
To it, I might appear to be just another unfortunate soul, but my purpose for stepping in here was far from naive. I wasn't here for shelter—I was here to find the creature itself and, perhaps, kill it.
Why?
Well, the need for food was inevitable, and I'd been starving the whole day. No, it felt like I'd been starving for months. My body felt hollow. The only thing keeping moving at this point was the faint presence of ether coursing through .
"Anyone here?" I called out in a tired tone.
That monster should just co out. I was in no mood for a ga of hide and seek.
Huh?
I looked around.
The place was… actually livable.
I was currently in what could be considered the living room. Stools and tables were arranged strategically to give off a cozy, inviting vibe.
But…
…sothing about all of this felt off.
I moved forward and touched the couch.
Soft.
It looked comfortable to sleep on. In fact, it felt comfier than any couch I'd ever encountered, even the one back in my room at the Arenford mansion.
The tables, stools, and the mat at the center of the room where the table was placed—it all seed normal. The room was otherwise practically empty.
But…
…sothing…
…sothing felt wrong.
Wait.
Why isn't there any dust on the furniture?
That only confird my suspicion: sothing was here.
SHINNNNNNNNNNNN!
A chilling sensation engulfed as the frost sword manifested in my hand. I held it firmly, every sense on high alert. Each step I took was asured, cautious. The possibility of sothing appearing out of nowhere and launching a sneak attack was all too real.
I sighed internally. I really hoped this beast was edible—unlike those poisonous creatures I'd just fought—because this whole ordeal was turning out to be far more stressful than I'd anticipated.
Hm.
I noticed a basket sitting in the corner of the room. Tipping the lid slightly, I revealed fruits stored neatly inside.
Food.
If I were so idiot who stumbled upon this place, I might have descended upon it without a second thought. But fortunately, I wasn't that stupid. There was no way food would just be lying around without an owner.
Critically analyzing the situation, I recalled the trees I'd seen outside. They didn't look like anything capable of producing fruit, let alone anything edible. Legacy Worlds were riddled with dangers, testing the limits of one's endurance. It was also entirely possible that any creature I encountered here would be inedible—or worse, poisonous, like the last ones.
"Sigh," I exhaled, weariness seeping into my bones.
I sighed and turned to the door in the corner of the room, probably leading to the next room.
"…"
That sll.
From the mont I stepped into this place, I've been perceiving it…
… the stench of blood.
Hm.
I pushed open the door and this ti found myself in the…
… kitchen?
Ingredients were arranged strategically in every corner. I could see ats from various creatures hung, stripped bare of their skin, in one part of the room.
"Coal."
Charcoal was placed neatly in another corner.
The way I see it, it seems that whatever creature is responsible for all this desperately wants to eat sothing.
Sigh.
With a resigned sigh, I ignored the kitchen. Instead, I looked forward. Adjacent to where the ats were hung, I could see another door.
Hm.
I walked cautiously toward the door and opened it.
Is…
… is it just , or is it getting darker the deeper I go?
Sigh.
I sighed again and walked in with careful strides.
What?
Right there.
In the center of the room stood a tallic box.
It was a rectangular box, upside down. It resembled a wardrobe in so ways. But what made this scene so strange was the room itself—no windows, no furniture, no decorations. It was bare, save for the ominous box at the center.
Okay.
What exactly is it up to?
I have no idea what the creature behind all this is trying to do, but this is definitely a trap.
Still… I have no choice but to spring it if I want that creature to show itself.
I raised my hand, and instantly, bullets of ice materialized before —hovering in the air as I walked forward.
I touched the box and gripped its handles. Then, with a sharp pull, I opened it.
What I saw made my blood boil.
"…"
An imnse rage bubbled within .
Inside the box was the bloodied corpse of soone strung up. But what truly ignited this fury in was the face.
"Lily…" I muttered, an overwhelming surge of ether coursing through . I slashed my sword at the corpse before .
How dare it use her face?!
But just as my sword was about to make contact, the corpse's eyes shot open, and a crazed smile spread across its face.
THUD!
'Calm down… that wasn't her,' I muttered to myself, watching the head of the corpse roll to a stop.
But the maniacal smile remained.
"I have to get out of here," I muttered, feeling a growing discomfort claw at .
That smile.
That smile before my sword t its neck.
It was as though…
… it had exactly where it wanted .
"…"
I turned and rushed out of the room, but suddenly—
BAM!
"Great… just great."
The door slamd shut on its own, and the ground began to tremble.
I manifested more bullets of ice, gripping my frost sword firmly.
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