"This should be easy."
The young man smirked as he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.
But as he began to speak, that grin slowly wavered. His eyes dropped to the table. His voice softened.
"Well… where do I even start?"
The cockiness drained from his tone like water down a sink.
He glanced around at the others some watching curiously, others with wary silence.
His expression grew somber. His voice barely a whisper.
"I'm an only child… My mom raised me alone. I never met my father. Not once. She worked herself to the bone did everything she could to raise me right."
He paused, breath catching.
"I tried to pay her back. Got into a top university on a full scholarship. I thought I was making her proud."
He clenched his fists.
"When I finished school, I told her I'd landed a high-paying job overseas. She sold everything we had everything just to pay for my travel."
A bitter smile crept onto his face.
"But it was all bullshit."
He looked down, ashamed.
"The job offer was a scam. The only thing I found was a gang people who scammed nobles for cash. And I joined them. I didn't have a choice."
He exhaled sharply.
"My mom kept calling, asking if I was okay. I told her I was. I lied."
He rubbed his face, trying to keep his composure.
"I kept sending money home. Money I stole. Telling myself it was okay because it was for her."
A long silence.
"Then the company got raided. I got lucky wasn't there that day. I ran. Went back home."
He looked up, but not at anyone in particular.
"But I never saw her. I never went back home. I couldn't face her."
Tears welled up in his eyes. He lowered his head, both hands covering his face.
"That's all…" he whispered.
A hush fell over the room.
No punishment. Just silence.
Then DING.
[+50 Desire Points]
The boy laughed softly just a breath, barely audible as tears spilled down his cheeks and onto the table.
"Hehe…"
The others watched quietly. Someone muttered under their breath:
"…Guess not all people here are monsters."
"Yeah… he was just… trying."
Then the voice spoke again.
"Number ten. Begin."
All eyes turned to Ivana, who sat quietly at the end of the table. Her hands were folded in her lap, her timid eyes glancing around nervously.
"I've… never really done anything terrible," she said softly, almost a whisper. "At least… not like some of you…"
She paused, gathering her thoughts.
"But I guess… if I have to confess something… it would be the thing I still can't forget."
She took a breath. Her voice was trembling.
"I worked as a maid for a noble family in Dualeige. I was a slave my name wasn't even mine. I didn't have the right to speak unless spoken to. But… there was one child. The noble's daughter. She was only a few years younger than me."
Ivana looked down at her hands.
"She was… kind. To me. Secretly. She used to sneak me food when no one was looking. Helped me when I was sick. She called me 'big sister.'"
Her voice cracked.
"One day… I found her crying in the stables. She had bruises. Said her uncle had touched her."
The room went dead silent.
"I… told the lady of the house. But instead of helping… they sold me off to another noble."
She clenched her fists tightly.
"I never saw her again. I don't know if she's alive. I don't know if she ever got help."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"I should've stayed. I should've protected her. But I ran. Because I was scared."
She covered her mouth, trying not to cry.
"That's my sin."
The table glowed again.
[+50 Desire Points]
As the players exited their rooms, murmurs and uneasy silence filled the corridor.
Kret approached Ivana, who had been holding herself tightly.
"You did well," he said gently, placing a firm yet comforting hand on her shoulder. "As a holy knight… I can't fully blame you. It wasn't your sin alone. You didn't run you were taken. And still… you endured."
Ivana's eyes welled up with tears. She wiped them hastily with her sleeves.
"S-sorry… I-I didn't even try to fight back. I-I just let it happen… Thank you, Mr. Kret."
"There's no need to thank me," Kret said with a faint smile. "Just rest. You've earned that much."
Ivana nodded, trembling, and quietly sat on the white floor.
Then all eyes turned toward the last black room.
The door creaked open slowly.
A single figure stepped out.
A young man, no older than twenty, wearing a casual outfit now soaked in blood. His messy black hair clung to his forehead. His arms were shaking. His expression was hollow, eyes dark and distant, like he had stared into death itself.
Gasps spread through the crowd.
People rushed toward him.
"WHAT HAPPENED IN THERE?!"
"WHERE'S THE REST OF YOUR GROUP?!"
The man stumbled, barely able to stand. His knees gave out as he collapsed onto the floor.
"T-they all lied… every one of them," he whispered, eyes wide. "T-the system… it didn't shock them, it didn't warn them… it just killed them."
His breath hitched.
"I… I'm the only one left…"
Silence.
Then the peasant boy from Art's room stepped forward, arms folded.
"I remember those folks… most of them were elderly. Probably didn't even realize they were lying. Maybe forgot parts of their truth. That's enough for the system to execute them."
The survivor buried his face in his hands, curling up slightly.
"I… I don't know anymore…"
Others helped him sit up, wrapping jackets and cloaks around his shivering form. The crowd grew quiet no longer asking questions, just processing the horror.
Art stood off to the side, watching.
"Guess that wizard-looking guy didn't make it," he muttered to himself. "Should've stayed quiet, old man."
Then
BZZZT.
The speaker crackled again.
"Congratulations to the survivors. You have completed the first game. A total of 10 participants have been eliminated."
"90 players remain."
A low hum echoed through the chamber as the ground trembled.
A new door began to materialize in the center of the room smooth and pristine white.
"Your meals have been provided. Please eat, regain your strength, and proceed to the next chamber when ready."