Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary! Chapter 598: Final Awards [2]

The MVP trophy looked quite luxurious.

Its elongated form gleamed with a full silver coating, buffed to an icy luster, crafted into an upward-bending hand with fingers extended like they were reaching for a crown. No angle made it seem anything less than elegant yet strange.

A plaque sat below the trophy, displaying my name, [Seth Thorne].

The trophy felt light in weight and sturdy enough not to shatter easily. As the chill of its surface met my touch, a fleeting urge to auction it off crossed my mind.

'It ought to fetch a good price, right?'

That notion vanished as quickly as it arrived.

Considering my present circumstances, finances hardly ranked among my future worries.

'Damn.'

Reclining against the office chair's headrest, the rough leather armrests pressed under my elbows while I shut my eyes and drew in a long, measured breath.

An odd atmosphere hung over the Guild.

Many celebrated the outcome, of course. Popularity had skyrocketed for the Guild overnight. Securing the top rank was one thing, but having me clinched it.

The MVP.

Ariel and her teammates enjoyed a similar boom in fame.

PR staff fielded nonstop calls about her, the team, and myself.

Everything seemed perfect.

Except for one issue.

'Kyle.'

How do I handle him?

Kyle's vanishing cast a pall over the Guild. Losing a Paragon hit hard, particularly someone like him with immense potential for climbing the ranks.

I'd even leveraged his absence to distance myself from the group.

Outsiders likely assumed I was grieving.

And partly, I was.

Though aware he lived, I recognized his deep resentment toward me right now.

'Haa.'

Sighing deeply, I buried my face in my hands and shook my head.

'What should I do about you?'

I muttered the question out loud, wishing Kyle might overhear. But those chances were remote. All I could manage was trusting the Conductor and others to reason with him.

Even that seemed unlikely.

His enraged look from earlier lingered in my memory.

'Oh, Kyle.'

Shaking my head once more, I directed my gaze elsewhere.

To the room's corner, where a certain mirror loomed. Draped in white cloth, it drew my stare from my seat, fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk.

BUA experts and World Congress officials had inspected the mirror thoroughly. Finding it empty, they permitted me to take it home. When I insisted on claiming it, they shot me odd glances before nodding, reminded of my exploits.

'Perks of seeming unhinged, I suppose.'

Truth be told, my madness wasn't extreme.

Just mildly so.

Nothing like Ariel's level.

She was utterly insane.

Swooosh—!

I yanked the cloth aside and gazed into the shattered mirror.

Shards of my reflection fragmented back at me while I stood motionless, absorbing the view. I examined it closely for moments before stepping away as a shadow materialized beside me.

'Ensure nothing harms me.'

The Realmwalker stayed silent.

It simply lingered at my back.

I hesitated amid the thick quiet, then turned around.

'Lately, you've grown quite defiant.'

'.....'

No response from the Realmwalker.

Instead, it folded its arms, as if retorting, 'You don't say...?'

I froze at the gesture.

Then—

'Craving a brawl? Name the time. Think I've forgotten your stunt in the Limbo?'

The Realmwalker's arms dropped. It appeared to recall suddenly.

Yeah, yeah.

Damn pest.

Well...

Observing the Realmwalker and reflecting on my past treatment of it, I exhaled, placing a hand on its shoulder.

'No need to fret. I get your worries.'

The Realmwalker lifted its head, then shook it, implying, 'No, you don't.'

'But I do.'

Shake. Shake.

'Fine, I'll snag a fresh meat shield soon. Satisfied?'

'—!!'

The Realmwalker's head snapped up eagerly.

It seized my shoulders, rattling me until my head flopped side to side.

'R-release me!'

Finally, it released me, retreating swiftly with hands locked behind its back, posture rigid like a perfect sentinel.

'.....'

I found myself at a loss for words.

Still, I allowed it that moment.

After all, I'd relied on it as a disposable shield far too long.

'Cover the mirror if I'm unable to defend myself.'

Nod! Nod!

'...Good.'

My focus returned to the fractured mirror, face growing serious. Confirming the office door sealed, I inhaled deeply while fixing on the glass. Though I'd sealed the mirror anomaly inside myself, it remained defiant.

At present, anyway.

The anomaly vastly outpowered me.

Yet the mirror's broken shard let me restrain it somewhat. Still, full submission eluded me.

That became my aim.

Full containment of the anomaly was essential.

Especially with events far from concluded.

I summoned the pending quest.

——●

[New Quest Activated!]

• Difficulty: N/A

• Reward: 10 Essence Shards [Attribute of choice] | 300,000 SP

• Objective: Enter the Mist and find out its secrets.

•Location: N/A

•Failure: Death

Description: The mist carries unspeakable secrets and horrors. It is the reason humanity chose to tear chunks from the earth and build floating islands above it. What is behind the mist? What could’ve caused it to develop?

Time Limit: 2 weeks.

[Will you accept the quest?]

▶ [Yes] ▷ [No]

——●

A heavy breath escaped me upon seeing it.

'Right, this quest lingers.'

Frankly, it didn't alarm me much. My gaze drifted instinctively to the ring adorning my finger.

If push came to shove, Paimon held the solutions.

Yet that was my absolute last resort.

Paimon's wisdom equaled unmatched strength. Hence my chosen path. Despite the anomaly's resistance, its long tenure in the mist offered insights. Subduing it would unlock mist revelations and quest completion.

Plus potent new powers.

The world viewed my insanity.

But the strength concealed in that insanity stayed secret.

Wasting no time, I breathed deeply once more and locked eyes on the shattered reflection. With my first node activating, I unleashed the mirror anomaly.

The air shifted immediately.

Flick!

The overhead lights dimmed out.