Chapter 3
Even the monstrous Sudra, consumed by evil thoughts, hesitated for a moment under the presence of Lyria.
Could it be that there’s still a trace of sanity left?
“Lyria, it’s dangerous, come over here!”
No one could predict when this monster, which had fallen due to the mistake of the Supreme God, might suddenly turn hostile.
So, it was crucial to never let my guard down, even for a second.
‘What should I do now?’
I looked around and saw a small hole beneath Sudra’s left leg, just big enough for one person to crawl through.
It was a stroke of luck in an otherwise dire situation.
But it was barely large enough for just one person.
There was no way both Lyria and I could escape together.
Sudra’s movements might be sluggish, but it wasn’t so slow and stupid that it would simply let two people get away.
One of us would definitely get caught if we tried.
The hallway had been shattered ever since Sudra made its entrance, and as far as I remember, Wendy’s… No, my room was on the fifth floor, the highest point in the mansion.
‘No matter what, I’m going to die.’
The best course of action was to distract Sudra and use that time to escape through the hole together.
According to the original storyline, Wendy would lure the distracted Sudra and kill it using a massive bookshelf.
The reward for completing this quest was a portal ticket.
“…Sigh.”
Seeing those earnest eyes up close weakened my resolve.
Suggesting that we kill the nanny would make me seem like a villain.
Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to deviate from the plot just once.
After all, earning the trust of the heroine would greatly improve my chances of survival.
“Alright, I won’t hurt her, so please calm down….”
I took a step closer to Sudra, but unlike with Lyria, it let out a harsh screech and revealed its ferocious nature without hesitation.
If I took one more step forward, I’d end up flattened under that huge foot like a dried piece of jerky.
This isn’t fair—doesn’t this count as discrimination?
“Nanny, I know you’re still in there. I know that the gentle nanny who loved and took care of us is still alive in there.”
Lyria, who had half-risen as if worried I might get hurt, placed her hand on Sudra’s leg and softly whimpered.
“No, Nanny. We’ll find a way to turn you back into a human. So please…!”
Suddenly, Sudra’s fierce aura subsided again as its three eyes rolled down to look at Lyria.
It might have been my imagination, but I thought I saw a glimmer of compassion in Sudra’s eyes.
Just as I felt a brief moment of relief, a strange thought crossed my mind.
‘Did the original Lyria have such an ability?’
Sudra, who had been growling moments ago, now seemed completely docile, scratching its head as if it had no intention of attacking anymore.
What?
I stared at this bizarre sight with my mouth hanging open in shock.
If I had killed Sudra according to the original storyline, I would never have witnessed such an unbelievable scene.
[An abnormal reaction has been detected from the monster Sudra.]
But then, a sharp warning sound rang out, as if to snap me out of my thoughts.
Of course. A world heading toward destruction, filled with malice, would never tolerate such a peaceful situation.
The will of the world itself must have already been tainted with evil.
“Haha, damn it.”
[Due to the abnormal reaction, the tutorial clear conditions have been updated.]
[Sudra is entering a state of “Forced Execution.”]
[The tutorial conditions have been updated.]
[Previous: Identify the weak point of the berserk monster and eliminate it.]
》
[New: Escape from the controlled monster and enter the portal leading to the survivors’ base.]
The stream of messages was accompanied by Sudra, which had been motionless until now, letting out a low groan and beginning to writhe.
Its three eyes turned bloodshot, and red blisters appeared all over its muscular body.
Lyria, startled by its agonized movements, approached the monster.
“Lyria!”
As Sudra’s eyes turned crimson and it let out a terrifying roar, I didn’t think any further.
I grabbed Lyria’s wrist and started running.
[The portal is located at the entrance of the mansion.]
[Time remaining until the portal closes: 120 seconds.]
[Failure will result in the death of all living beings within the mansion.]
“Is there no beginner mode?!”
If I wanted to live, it was time to start running.
As far as I remembered, the path to the mansion’s entrance was quite perilous.
Not only were the stairs of the mansion stacked one on top of the other, but—
A majority of the servants had already been infected by the monsters that had invaded the mansion, turning them into beasts.
If we could make it to the corridor with the shortcut, we’d have a chance of reaching the entrance on time.
But that path was only usable if Sudra was dead.
Now that Sudra was actively using its brain, there was a high chance that not only it but also other monsters would be drawn to us and attack.
And Lyria and I were currently at the highest point of the mansion.
There was barely 100 seconds left now.
It would take more than 60 seconds just to descend one floor.
It was impossible to make it to the entrance in time from the fifth floor.
‘This is basically a death sentence.’
Despair filled my mind.
But in the face of imminent death, despair was a luxury.
No matter what, I needed to survive first.
Shaking my head roughly to gather my thoughts, I shouted at Lyria, who was trembling and hiding behind me.
“Lyria, this might sound crazy, but we’re going to jump.”
I pointed at the railing of the fifth-floor staircase.
With no other way to reach the front door, it seemed only fitting that we take an unconventional route to our destination.
“Do you see that large chandelier beyond the railing? We’re going to use it to get down.”
Once we descended, the massive purple portal glowing just ahead would allow us to reach the entrance on time.
“Isn’t it better to fall and die than to become food for the nanny?”
Lyria’s face turned pale, then blue as she looked at me.
Her expression shifted rapidly, as if she couldn’t believe the situation she was in.
It made sense, considering that the world was on the brink of destruction in just a single day.
But soon, the eerie cries of monsters echoing behind us seemed to snap Lyria out of her daze, and she nodded.
“Let’s go, Sister.”
At some point, Lyria had picked up a piece of broken glass and unhesitatingly cut off the hem of her dress.
Then, she divided the thick fabric into pieces and wrapped them around her hands.
Once her hands were fully covered, they looked roughly like bandages.
“If we grab onto the chandelier rope bare-handed, our hands will get torn up.”
Noble dresses worn in the dead of winter were layered with multiple fabrics for insulation.
As a result, they were sturdy and thick.
This would help reduce the friction burns when sliding down the chandelier rope.
I glanced at Lyria, slightly taken aback.
Focused solely on surviving, I hadn’t even thought about the most important thing: safety.
Given the urgency of the situation, I skipped the thanks and quickly wrapped my hands in the fabric before stepping onto the railing without hesitation.
[Time remaining until the portal closes: 19 seconds]
Whether it was enough time or not was debatable.
After confirming the countdown message floating in midair, I stood on the railing and looked at Lyria.
“Lyria.”
Her face, drenched in sweat, looked pitiful, if not miserable, as if she understood that it was her turn next as soon as I jumped.
“When I jump, you need to follow right away.”
[Time remaining until the portal closes: 17 seconds]
[Time remaining until the portal closes: 16 seconds]
[Time remaining until the portal closes: 15 seconds]
The countdown continued, and there was no more time to waste.
It was now or never.
Reaching forward, I roughly gauged the distance to the chandelier.
‘Alright, it’s not so far that I’ll die from the fall.’
Rising onto my toes, I leapt as far as I could.
As my body lifted off, my hair whipped against my face, obscuring my vision.
This is bad. I can’t see in front of me.
‘I didn’t expect this.’
I couldn’t properly figure out where the chandelier rope was.
I must have panicked and failed to jump far enough.
“Sister! Reach out your hand more!”
Just before I started falling, I extended my hand a little further as Lyria urged.
Finally, I felt the cold touch of metal at my fingertips.
‘Just a little more.’
Leaning forward a bit more, I managed to grab hold of the heavy chain with my hand.
Gripping it tightly like a lifeline, I hung my entire weight on it.
Despite the cloth wrapped around my hands, my palms stung as if they were being torn apart, likely due to the force of my fall and the effect of gravity.
If it weren’t for Lyria’s foresight, my palms would’ve been shredded to pieces by now.
Feeling the ground beneath my feet again, I looked up at where Lyria was standing.
Seeing that I had landed safely, Lyria’s face was filled with both relief and concern.
“I’ll catch you.”
I hurriedly called out to reassure her, even though it was an empty promise.
“Hurry.”
There were barely 10 seconds left.
It had taken over 5 seconds just for me to land, so we’d be cutting it very close if we wanted to reach the portal.
[Time remaining until the portal closes: 9 seconds]
[Time remaining until the portal closes: 8 seconds]
Absurdly enough, Lyria seemed reassured by my promise to catch her, and, with lips pressed tight, she leapt into the air.
Perhaps because she had witnessed me do it first, Lyria grabbed the rope more steadily and descended without much trouble.
[Time remaining until the portal closes: 5 seconds]
“You did well, Lyria.”
My joy was short-lived. As the countdown neared its end, the portal, which had seemed like it would stay open forever, began to fade.
Luckily, it was only a few more steps away, so we still had plenty of time.
“Lyria!”
The problem was that Lyria stood frozen, showing no sign of moving.
“Why are you standing there?!”
I snapped impatiently, my frustration bubbling over as I grabbed her arm.
“Nanny’s necklace….”
Lyria muttered absentmindedly, her face blank.
It seemed she had lost the necklace that had been hanging around her neck when she slid down the chandelier.
Having read the original novel, I knew exactly what that necklace meant to Lyria and how precious it was to her.
But right now, there was only one option available to me.
[Time remaining until the portal closes: 3 seconds]
I hugged Lyria tightly, preventing her from escaping, and glanced back at the mansion, which was engulfed in flames and crumbling to pieces.
“I’m sorry.”
[Time remaining until the portal closes: 2 seconds]
Even as the portal was disappearing, Lyria’s gaze remained fixed on the ruins of the mansion.
More specifically, on Sudra, who was buried under the collapsed wall.
[Time remaining until the portal closes: 1 second]
Sudra’s condition was pitiful, with green skin crushed and yellow pus oozing out, blood gushing from its mouth.
One of its eyes had popped out and rolled across the ground.
The other monsters weren’t any better off.
Some had their heads impaled by long pieces of scrap metal, while others dragged themselves across the floor, missing both legs.
These were all people who had been cheerful and chatty employees just yesterday.
I gently raised my hand and covered Lyria’s eyes. My palm felt wet—perhaps from her tears.
[Time remaining until the portal closes: 0 seconds]
With the end of the countdown, the mansion began to shake as if it would collapse at any moment.
The low-level monsters charging toward the portal were struck by the chandelier and split in two, dying instantly.
Even amidst this chaos, the quest window displayed a cheerful fanfare, in stark contrast to the gruesome scene.
[Quest Complete. Both individuals have survived.]
[Objective achieved. You will be transported to the survivors’ base.]
Is surviving all that matters?
‘There’s no way.’
As flower petals floated beautifully on this side, blood splattered violently on the other.
The bizarre contrast made my stomach churn.
It wasn’t a sense of relief from surviving.
If anything, it felt closer to despair.
The sense of helplessness from being unable to do anything and the terror of knowing that I could die at any moment.
A nameless anxiety welled up and pounded against my chest.
A loud buzzing rang in my ears as the portal activated, and my vision was enveloped in a blinding white light.
“Goodbye, Mom.”
Lyria bid her final farewell to the crumbling world she had cherished.
—
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