Chapter 22: Chapter 12.1

The pencil delivery began the next morning. I had told them they could take a few days to rest before sharpening them, but those overly devoted little troublemakers wouldn’t listen.

“Unnie, unnie! What are you going to do with these pencils? Gosh, working for you makes me so excited!”

Rosie’s eyes sparkled as she handed me ten freshly sharpened pencils, acting as if she had accomplished some great mission in the underworld. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth. I’m just a maid who’s gone down the wrong skill tree, nothing more.@@novelbin@@

“Oh my, candy! It’s so sweet and delicious—it’d be perfect for poisoning someone!”

Feeling a bit guilty for sending her on an errand so early in the morning, I handed her some candy. Her reaction was… unsettling. She eagerly announced she’d research poisonous herbs that could be concealed inside candy and then skipped off cheerfully. I made a mental note never to eat anything Rosie gave me. I’d thought she was a budding little dreamer, but she turned out to be a sprouting tree of poison. Maybe this is why people say you should live an honest life—my infamous reputation has made my surroundings downright lethal.

I carried the pencils to the front of the mansion and set them down next to a sign that read, “Take One.” After that, I opened the Favor List to check the status. Even though they’re assassins, they’re still kids—I should make sure they’re actually using the pencils.

Favor List:

Emily: (⁎ᵕᴗᵕ⁎) Blushing from receiving a love letter… Lv. 4 (0/40)

Kaden: __φ(．．) Scribbling with a sharpened pencil… Lv. 10 (MAX)

Grover: ___〆(・∀・) Scribbling with a sharpened pencil… Lv. 10 (MAX)

Rosie: (ﾉ´✪▽✪`)ﾉ Praising Hilda’s infamy while heading back… Lv. 10 (MAX)

Those starry eyes must be Rosie’s signature trait. Grover would probably love to stab them.

But Emily getting a love letter? Who’s the culprit this time? Who dares? No one’s allowed to date without my permission. Mumbling to myself as usual, I closed the Favor List. That’s when I spotted a familiar face beyond the screen. As soon as I realized who it was, my jaw instinctively tightened.

“Hilda.”

Joanne, on the other hand, looked delighted to see me. What had happened to her in just a few days? She looked like she’d crawled out of a grave. Just the fact that she had managed to leave the hospice with the help of her walker was remarkable. She hurriedly turned her walker toward me, wobbling as she approached, and I stood up. I tried to walk away, but Joanne reached out her wrinkled hand.

“Hi-Hilda! Wait! Please, just a moment! Just listen to me, even for a little while! Oh, no!”

There was a loud thud. I turned to see her walker had tipped forward, and Joanne was sprawled on the ground behind it. It seemed she had pushed the walker too fast and couldn’t keep up with her own steps. I was about to rush to her, but I froze in place when I saw her trembling hand pressing against the ground. She began to sob, her body shaking violently.

“…I’m sorry, sniffle, I’m so sorry. Please, my dear, sniffle, save me… Please save me…”

What is this all of a sudden? Joanne’s abrupt apology and tears left me dumbfounded. Just a few days ago, she had been hurling insults, calling me cruel and heartless. Now, she was apologizing the moment she saw me. It was so disorienting that I couldn’t move. Her eyes, once filled with disdain and anger, flashed through my memory, making me hesitate. Was this a trap? Was she planning to lure me in to settle the score she couldn’t last time?

“I’m sorry, sniffle, I should have listened to you… sniffle…”

“Um… are you alright?”

“Cough, sniffle, cough, cough!”

Blood gushed out onto the ground, pooling beneath her. Joanne tried to cover her mouth with her hands, but the blood kept pouring out, her lips trembling uncontrollably. The scene was no joke—her coughing was relentless, like a massive tidal wave crashing over her frail body. She looked utterly helpless, curling up as if she were a pill bug caught in a storm.

She’s going to die at this rate. Hesitating for just a moment, I quickly stepped forward, kneeling in front of her.

“Do you have any medicine? Should I fetch some for you? Or should I call Dr. Hubert?”

“Sniffle, Hilda, Hilda… please save me.”

“What exactly do you want me to do…?”

“Save me, Hilda. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I should have listened to you…”

Her trembling, bloodied hand suddenly clutched my wrist. Her fingers felt clammy and sticky, as though covered in spiderwebs. The humid, suffocating sensation made me want to pull away, but her grip was too weak to be forceful, leaving me unable to shake her off. I struggled to remain calm as I asked,

“What are you talking about? Please explain. Let’s sit on that bench and talk. If you’re not feeling well, we can do this later.”

“No… no, there might not be a next time. I-I… sniffle…”

“Alright, let me help you up. Be careful. Lean on me as much as you need.”

Her legs seemed completely useless. Even as I almost carried her to the bench, she trembled like a leaf. She couldn’t walk on her own, so supporting her wasn’t enough—I had to practically lift her. Once she was seated, I retrieved her walker, which had rolled a short distance away, and mulled over what had just happened.

“Hilda, you’re too soft.”

Adrian had said that to me once, shaking his head with pity. At the time, I’d laughed internally—who was he to talk about being soft, when he’s the world’s squishiest demon? But now, I had nothing to say. How long had it been since I’d told myself this was just a game, that it didn’t matter if characters killed each other? Yet here I was, wavering just because an old woman had fallen and started crying.

“Hilda… Hilda… I’m so sorry. I didn’t listen to you… and because I came here…”

“What happened? Did something happen to you?”

Joanne, clutching the walker like it was a lifeline, wiped her tears and looked at me with hollow eyes. Up close, she looked even worse—like a dried-out tree branch in the middle of winter. I could’ve sworn she and Adrian were in a race to see who would die first.

“I… sniffle, I’ve been having dreams. Sob. Every night since I came to this mansion, I’ve been dreaming of a demon coming to kill me. Every single night…”

A demon. The word felt like a dagger in my chest.

“Hilda, I’m so scared. I’ve been serving the temple for over forty years… I thought I would die peacefully, in the presence of God. But now… sob, now I fear I’ll meet a demon instead. That I’ll lose my life to it, that my soul will burn in Hell’s fire… that I won’t even be able to meet God, or be reborn…”

Her voice cracked with despair, and her words hit me harder than I’d expected. I had to bite my tongue to hold back a sarcastic remark—she spent her life in the temple but committed embezzlement? No wonder she ended up here. Still, seeing her in this state was… unsettling. Dreams of demons every night since entering the mansion. She was frighteningly accurate, and that made me pity her. If she had to meet such a grim end, maybe it was better she didn’t know. After all, the anticipation of doom is often worse than doom itself.

“Hilda, please help me.”

At that moment, Joanne grabbed my hand tightly. Her touch was so hot, it felt like it might burn me. Startled, I instinctively tried to pull away, but her grip didn’t falter.

“I know it’s shameless of me to ask, but please… out of old affection… help me, Hilda…”

“I’m sorry. I can’t.”

“Why…? Why not? Please, Hilda, I’m begging you…”

Her voice cracked with desperation, her hands trembling as she gripped mine. But I couldn’t afford to involve myself in this mess. Joanne was already marked as prey by Adrian. There was no way he’d let her go, and if I tried to intervene, I’d be the one to pay the price. I wasn’t about to die at a demon’s hands in this cursed game.

“Hilda! Please don’t do this. Help me. I’m begging you. I’ll kneel if I have to. I’ll do whatever it takes to atone for my sins…”

“Why are you doing this? Please, get up.”

Realizing I wouldn’t budge, Joanne suddenly slipped off the bench and collapsed to her knees. Her desperate gesture caught me off guard, leaving me speechless. This old woman… she’s no ordinary granny.

“Hilda, please! Please, show mercy to this old woman! Here, take this. You said it looked so beautiful when you were younger and that you wanted it, didn’t you? Go on, take it.”

“Wait, no, hold on a moment. Ah…”

“This might not even come close to making up for the 3,000 gold I took from you, but this ring… I’ve had it since I was too young to even remember. I think it was from my mother, though I can’t recall her face anymore. But now, what does any of that matter? Don’t refuse it. Here, just take it.”

She twisted a ring off her finger, one that fit so tightly it must have been there for decades, and thrust it toward me. A deep sense of foreboding washed over me, as if accepting it would mean ruining everything. As I recoiled in horror, Joanne shoved the ring closer, pushing it insistently toward my hand like poison being force-fed. Despite my refusal, she somehow managed to slip it between my fingers.

The moment she succeeded, her face lit up as though I’d promised to help her. Looking at the ring in my palm made it hard to breathe. It was a simple gold band with no embellishments, yet the countless years of wear gave it a heavy, oppressive aura. It felt like she’d handed me not just the ring, but the weight of her entire existence.

Damn it. I should’ve pretended not to recognize her when we first met. But now, with the demon already marking her as prey, what am I supposed to do? Once she’s gone, I’ll probably be next…

“You must think I’m just some senile old woman. Maybe this is all just baseless paranoia. But this mansion… something about it is deeply wrong. Before I came here, the doctor I met said I could live for at least another three months with proper treatment. But now… now I can feel it. Since coming here, it wouldn’t surprise me if I died tomorrow—or even right now.”

Look away. Just look away. No matter how pitiful she seems, this is just a game. It doesn’t matter.

“All this probably sounds strange to you, doesn’t it? Of course it does. But this time, I’m begging you—believe me, just this once. You’re my only hope. If you abandon me, I’ll die.”

I was doing so well, ignoring her. All I needed to do was keep ignoring her! My survival is the most important thing, isn’t it? Sure, young Hilda grew up under Joanne’s care, but that doesn’t mean I should risk my life for her now.

“I deeply regret everything I’ve done wrong—embezzling the temple’s donations, cursing you after I arrived here… I’ll accept whatever condemnation you think I deserve. I’ll give up anything you ask, just please, get me out of this mansion. Please…”

Joanne buried her face in her hands, mumbling apologies. Then, suddenly, she bowed her head low at my feet, pressing her forehead to the ground. Her fragile, sickly body shook as she clasped her hands together, pleading desperately. It was so pathetic that I felt like I was sitting on a bed of nails.

I crouched on the dirt to help her up, but she refused to budge, stubbornly staying on her knees. Compassion welled up in me, pushing aside my initial discomfort. No, I have to stay detached. The mantra I kept repeating in my mind was starting to lose its edge. This isn’t right…

“If you leave… do you even have anywhere to go?”

After a long pause, I asked the question. Damn it. This is insane. I’ve already secured Adrian’s favor and even a generous advance payment. Helping her escape would completely ruin my standing with him—it’s absurd.

“Just leave me in front of the temple. I don’t care if it’s the cold, hard ground. I’ll be fine with freezing to death. I just want to die in front of the goddess I’ve worshipped my whole life. Even if I’m discarded like garbage, as long as my head is turned toward the goddess statue where I’ve prayed every morning… Hilda, please. Show mercy to this old woman. Oh, my God…”

Her pitiful form, clasping her hands and bowing repeatedly, was enough to make me feel sick with guilt. Damn it. I can’t ignore this. When she was beating me up and cursing me, I didn’t feel a shred of affection for her, but now… how could I not hesitate?

Her character’s moral alignment was “good.” Even if she committed fraud, it seemed like she never intended to harm anyone.

This is driving me insane. I wanted to ignore her and let her face her fate, but my mind was already coming up with excuses to save her.

“Please, Hilda. I’m begging you. If you refuse me, I really will have no choice but to die.”

Ugh, my resolve was weakening.

Joanne believes that if she’s killed by a demon, her soul will be burned to ash. She thinks she’ll never meet God or be reincarnated. Sure, in reality, it’s just a change or deletion in game data, but for her, this fear is as real as anything.

Yes, Joanne committed sins. But does that mean she deserves to meet the worst end she could imagine? And as a child, Hilda had already forgiven her, hadn’t she? Her diary was filled with notes like, “I miss Grandma. I love Grandma!”

Ah, screw it. The more I think about it, the worse it gets. And honestly, if I refuse her, I wouldn’t be surprised if her ghost haunts me in my dreams, stealing my blanket out of spite.

Fine! When in doubt, act now and regret it later! I’ll deal with future consequences later. Future me, good luck with that!

“…Alright. Let’s go. Together.”

“What? Really? Hilda, are you serious?”

Joanne lifted her head, her eyes wide with disbelief. Just looking at her made me sigh.

“But if you return to the temple, you have to repent sincerely. All of it—the embezzlement, taking money from children, everything. And if you have the chance, write letters of apology to those kids.”

“Of course. I’ll do that. Absolutely.”

This is madness. I can’t believe I’m doing this. Adrian will be furious, I’m sure of it. He might even kill me. Just thinking about how he’ll react makes my stomach churn. The way he’s been trusting me more, even smiling at me occasionally… I might never see that again.

“For now, let’s get out of the mansion. I’ll help you walk. Let’s go right now.”

“What? Right now? Hilda, can we stop by the hospice first? My prayer book, necklace, goddess statue, and blanket are all there…”

“Uh… can’t you just get new ones at the temple?”

If we’re going to escape, we need to move quickly. Stopping by the hospice, where Hubert might be, is a terrible idea. Joanne’s shoulders slumped at my suggestion.

“I’ve kept those items with me since I first joined the temple. Even if I die on the streets, I’d like those with me. It would feel like the goddess is by my side until the very end…”

“It’s still dangerous to stop at the hospice. Hubert might be there.”

“Dr. Hubert left earlier to check on the young master of the mansion. That’s the only reason I could come out now—normally, he’d never let me step beyond the hallways.”

That makes sense. No predator would let its prey wander too far from its watchful eyes.

“When he tends to the young master, he’s usually gone for at least half the day. I promise I’ll be quick. Please, Hilda. Without those things, I’ll be too anxious to leave.”

Tears welled up in her eyes again, and I couldn’t argue anymore. For someone as devout as her, those items must feel like an extension of herself. After taking a quick look at the mansion’s fourth floor, I sighed deeply. Adrian’s condition has been worsening, and Hubert’s checkups take longer than usual these days. It’s risky, but surely a brief stop won’t hurt… right?

“Alright. But no dawdling. I can’t go into the hospice, so you’ll have to get your things quickly and come right out.”

“Yes, of course. Thank you, Hilda. Truly, thank you!”

I lifted her frail body onto my back and carried her toward the hospice, dragging her walker along with my free hand. Thankfully, this body has decent stamina and strength, or I wouldn’t have made it three steps before collapsing.

A message popped up: “You cannot enter the hospice.”

I set her down near the entrance, handing her the walker as she shuffled inside. Watching her disappear into the dimly lit hospice, I turned my gaze toward the mansion’s entrance in the distance. Maybe I can quietly borrow a carriage from someone.

“Ah… my legs…”

Even with the walker, she struggled to move, dragging her heavy legs step by painful step. As Joanne vanished into the building’s eerie silence, the hospice felt like a grave, its oppressive air sending shivers down my spine.

The ominous quiet weighed heavily.

The corridor was lined with tightly packed hospital rooms, yet there wasn’t a single trace of human warmth. The place was like an open prison, with Hubert as the only other person you’d ever encounter. They called it a treatment center, but it was more like confinement—a place to wait for death. Once someone arrived here, they were no better than a breathing corpse.

And Hubert… Just the thought of him sent a chill through my body. He always wore a kind smile, but somehow, he felt even less human than the demon I’d met in my nightmares. Following him into this hospice had been a grave mistake.

I have to find the prayer book and get back to the temple as soon as possible. Better to die in the alley beside the temple, discarded like trash, than to close my eyes forever in this forsaken place. Dragging my heavy, stone-like body, I finally reached the room. After parking the walker beside the bed, I carefully retrieved the prayer book and the goddess statue I’d stashed underneath and placed them into my bag. Just as I used the bed to push myself back to my feet, it happened.

“What are you doing?”

Hubert’s gentle voice cut through the silence like a blade. I hadn’t even noticed his presence, but there he was, smiling warmly while watching me. The moment my gaze met his cold, steely gray eyes, an icy sensation swept over me.

“Why are you packing your prayer book? It’s as if you’re planning to leave.”

“Oh, my…”

“Please, lie back down. Your treatment isn’t finished yet.”

“D-Doctor! I… I plan to leave this place. I’m grateful for your kindness in taking me in despite having nowhere else to go, but—”

My hand froze, mid-motion as I pulled the blanket aside. His gray eyes, now as dark as ink, stared directly into mine. The unmistakable anger in his gaze made my skin crawl.

“What are you talking about? Didn’t you agree to stay here, since you had nowhere else to go? I even promised to care for you until your final moments.”

“Well… I’ve found a place to go. You know Hilda, right? That kind girl found a safe place for me to stay. She’s such a good child, isn’t she? You’ve seen her around here; you must know how kind-hearted she is. She’s always been so considerate toward me…”

“Hilda, you say?”

Hearing her name, Hubert paused, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Sensing an opportunity, I summoned every ounce of strength to push the walker toward the door.

“Yes, yes! She’s waiting for me outside right now. Doctor, would you like to join us? I should really thank you properly before I leave.”

“No, no, Joanne. That won’t do.”

“What? Ah, ah, no, why, why are you doing this? Please, no!”

Despite my desperate attempt to escape, Hubert’s long strides quickly closed the distance between us. He grabbed the walker and yanked it away, the wheels screeching as it rolled far across the room. Without its support, I lost my balance and collapsed to the floor, dropping my bag in the process.

“D-Doctor, please… Save me… Please, help me. No!”

“I once knew someone like you. A deeply devout soul who, for some reason, tried to run away at the very last moment. He kept babbling nonsense about receiving divine revelations in his dreams.”

Hubert looked down at me, his face devoid of any empathy. To him, I was no longer human.

“I know exactly what bait it takes to lure fish like you.”

“P-please… Please…”

“The only thing left to do with a fish trying to escape the net is to gut it immediately.”

Hubert pulled out a syringe, filling it with an unknown substance, and knelt before me. As I trembled in fear and reached out to grab his pant leg, he coldly swatted my hand away. My arm fell limp to the ground. His gaze, filled with contempt, pierced through me.

“Isn’t it amusing? Supposedly divine beings, who inspire such devotion from humans, still bother to grant revelations even to thieves and embezzlers. If I were God, I’d stay out of human affairs entirely. Watching mortals endlessly struggle with their greed and attachment to life would be far more entertaining. Revelations? Ridiculous.”

“D-divine punishment… You’ll face divine punishment…”

“If I deserved divine punishment, I would’ve received it long ago.”

Hubert replied indifferently as he plunged the needle into my arm, injecting the drug. My trembling hands quickly stopped their spasms, and my strength drained away. Ever since I arrived at the hospice, he had been injecting me with drugs that accelerated the progression of my illness, leaving me in a state where I could die at any moment. This time, however, the drug was simply meant to put me to sleep.

“It’s unfortunate, but in this world, the wicked often thrive. My very existence is proof of that.”

Hubert laid my unconscious body back onto the bed. As he covered me with the blanket, his thoughts drifted to his wife, who had been battling a rare disease for the past thirteen years. His research into a cure had required an astronomical amount of money, and that desperation had led him down this dark path. He genuinely loved her and clung to the hope that one day she would recover. To see her smile at him, healthy again, would make all his sins feel worthwhile.

With a tender touch, he tucked me in. As he straightened up, his eyes glinted darkly.

“Hilda.”

It was time to deal with the traitor.

A warning appeared: “Someone with strong murderous intent is approaching.”

I froze, glancing around at the sudden message.

Murderous intent? Who?

Panic set in as I scanned my surroundings. Since my Detection skill wasn’t activating, it wasn’t Adrian. But there wasn’t another soul in sight. That left only one possibility—the hospice.

“Hilda.”

A low voice, sharp as a blade, cut through the air. I swallowed hard and turned toward the hospice entrance. Hubert was approaching, his hands clasped behind his back, his steps unnervingly calm. His aura was so dark and oppressive, it felt like I was suffocating.

Why does he feel like the final boss? Isn’t he supposed to be a doctor? Did the horror game get some kind of evil patch update?

“Hilda, are you waiting for your grandmother?”

His hidden hands made me deeply uneasy. What was he concealing?

“Doctor, weren’t you supposed to be with the young master?”

“Oh, yes, the young master. I originally planned to spend the afternoon with him, but wouldn’t you know it—I forgot to bring the medicine. I returned to the hospice to fetch it, only to find that the little mouse I’d caught was preparing to escape. I nearly let it slip away.”

“…What did you do to my grandmother?”

“What did I do? She was about to make a poor choice, so I calmly persuaded her to rest. It’s only natural for a doctor to do so, don’t you think?”

“You’re lying. She told me she didn’t want to stay here anymore. She only went back inside to retrieve her prayer book. There’s no way she changed her mind so quickly.”

“Ah, how troublesome. I find perceptive people so irritating.”

Hubert’s voice dropped to an unnerving depth, his face twisting into a mask of malice. His tone was now filled with cold fury.

“Hilda, I was willing to overlook your interference for old times’ sake, but now you’re just being a nuisance. If you continue to meddle, I’ll have no choice but to put you to sleep right next to your grandmother. I know the young master holds you in high regard, but even that won’t protect you if you keep pushing me.”

“Hubert’s murderous intent is increasing.”

“You’re selling patients, aren’t you?”

Hubert’s expression faltered, his jaw clenching. I could hear the faint sound of his teeth grinding.

“…You figured that out? Clever girl. It seems you’ve become a real threat.”

“What are you saving up all that money for? Haven’t you already sold enough patients? All of those people trusted you to treat them!”

“If you think guilt-tripping me into releasing your grandmother will work, you’re wasting your breath. I discarded my conscience a long time ago.”

Despite his words, his voice carried a trace of unease. His arms, still clasped behind his back, tensed visibly. It looked like he was gripping something tightly.

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