Chapter 2

The butler's gaze on me shifted.

Before, he'd looked at the other players with cold contempt. Now, his eyes held something else.

"Miss," he said. His voice was no longer robotic. It was full of human concern. "Are you sure you want to choose this room? His Highness... hasn't had a guest in a very, very long time."

I nodded and picked up the ice-cold card. "Thank you for the warning. I'm sure."

A shocked murmur went through the crowd.

"She's insane! The final boss lives on the top floor!"

"Poor girl. We won't even find her body tomorrow."

The livestream chat was mocking me relentlessly.

[LMAO, is this newbie here for comic relief?]

[The Prince's Suite! That room has a 100% death rate!]

[The last pro who went in there didn't even last ten minutes!]

[I bet she dies tonight. Any takers?]

I couldn't see the mocking comments. I just gave everyone a polite wave and followed a ghostly attendant to the elevator.

"This way, please." The attendant's voice was surprisingly respectful.

The elevator slowly climbed. As we passed each floor, I could hear terrifying sounds from within—the roar of a beast, a woman's scream, the drag of heavy chains.

The other players would have been petrified.

But for a girl who grew up with countless guardian angels, I was just curious. "Does a different friend live on every floor?" I asked the attendant.

The attendant paused, then gave a slight chuckle. "Yes. A loyal... friend is waiting on every floor."

[Floor 30]

The elevator doors opened onto a long hall with a deep red carpet.

The walls were lined with old oil paintings. The eyes of the people in them seemed to follow me.

Candles on the wall flickered, though there was no breeze, casting dancing shadows.

"Your room is at the end of the hall, Miss," the attendant said with a bow. "If you need anything, simply call for us."

His tone was completely different. The malicious sneer was gone. Now, it was genuine respect.

My steps were silent on the soft carpet. I actually started to feel relaxed.

The place felt a little gloomy, but the decor was gorgeous. Deep red velvet curtains. Intricately carved Gothic furniture. Everything had a touch of aristocratic elegance.

It was just like the old castles Dad used to take me to see.

At the end of the hall, a massive, black double door waited for me.

It was carved with complex magical symbols. A dark red gem was set in the center, like a sleeping eye.

I took a deep breath and knocked softly on the door.

Silence.

I hesitated. Then I spoke softly to the door:

"Excuse me? Is anyone in there? They... they assigned me this room. I hope I'm not disturbing you?"

My voice sounded tiny in the vast, empty hall.

Still, nothing but silence.

Maybe no one was inside after all?

Taking a deep breath for courage, I reached for the handle, ready to push it open.

But before my fingers could even touch the metal, the door swung open on its own, slow and silent.

It was pitch black inside. I couldn't see a thing.

An icy chill spilled from the doorway. It carried the stench of old graves and rot.

I stepped into the room, fumbling along the wall for a light switch.

Suddenly, a little girl's shrill scream tore through the room.

"Aaaaaah—!"

A small, soaking wet figure with long, tangled hair lunged at me from the darkness!

Her eyes were a dead, lifeless white. Her mouth was stretched wide in a horrifying shriek.

A wave of pure hatred rolled off her, so cold it burned the air.

The chat stirred to life again.

[Here we go! Classic jump scare!]

[That's one of the manor's most vicious ghosts! It feeds on the players' fear!]

[This newbie is toast! She won't even have time to react!]

[I can already picture her getting torn to shreds...]

But I didn't scream. I didn't run.

Of course, my heart condition chose that exact moment to flare up. The pain was so bad I could barely stand.

The moment the little girl lunged, even through my blurred vision, I saw her face clearly—that pale little face, the features were faintly familiar.

Wait... could that be Lily?!

She was my only friend growing up! We played in the garden, shared secrets... my most precious playmate.

Until she vanished one day. I was heartbroken for so long.

So... this is where you've been.

A wave of shock and heartache crashed over me, so powerful it eclipsed the pain in my chest.

"Lily!" The name burst from my lips. Without a second thought, I opened my arms and caught her as she flew at me, pulling her into a tight hug. "Oh my god, you're soaking wet! You must be freezing, poor thing."

The ghost girl froze mid-attack. Held in my arms, her dead white eyes were filled with a shock and confusion she'd never known.

Feeling how ice-cold she was, my heart ached for her.

"Don't be scared, don't be scared, it's me, Aurora!" I whispered, stroking her wet hair, my voice trembling with emotion. "I missed you so much... I'm so glad I found you. This time, let me be the one to protect you, okay?"

I slipped off my Hermès cashmere scarf and carefully wrapped it around her small frame. "This will help you warm up. How about I make you some hot cocoa later? The kind with lots of marshmallows."

Lily just stared, stunned.

The venom and hate in her eyes were melting away, replaced by a flicker of light, as if a long-lost memory was stirring.

"A...Aurora...?" Her voice was no longer a terrifying shriek, but the lost, hopeful whisper of a little girl.