As I walked down the hallway, I felt someone staring at me.

  "Oui... This place is so creepy. I feel like something might come out and grab me."

  The torches flickered unnaturally. Shadows danced across the cold stone walls. Everything was too still.

  Then, movement.

  The painting beside me stirred.

  "Huh?" I turned to it.

  Unlike the others, detailed portraits of regal kings and queens, ministers and knights. This one was empty. A black void stretched across the canvas like a maw. I stepped closer. A chill traced my spine.

  "Strange. Even though the painting is empty, I feel like something is moving inside."

  Creak. Creak. Creak.

  The sound wasn't coming from the walls. A pale, human-like hand reached out of the canvas, the skin translucent and slick.

  "AHHH!!! A hand! A hand came out of a painting! It wasn't my imagination!!!"

  I quickly dodged to the side. The fingers brushed the air where my shoulder had been a second ago, cold like wet ice, before the limb retracted into the black void with a wet, sickening squelch.

  I stared at the canvas, my heart hammering. That wasn't a 'bloop.' That was a 'I want to pull you in' sound.

  Just then...

  RUMBLE. RUMBLE.

  The entire corridor began to shake violently. The walls trembled. The paintings trembled. The very air buzzed with chaos.

  "Oui?"

  There was nowhere to hide, just rows of haunting, life-like portraits and bare stone floor.

  "What is wrong with this place!"

  I dropped to the ground, covering my head and neck. Pebbles and dust rained down.

  Tap. Tap. Tap.

  "ACKK! These stones are small, but they hurt."

  Time dragged, but eventually the shaking stopped. I peeked out. Everything was still again.

  "The shaking stopped? Finally."

  I pushed myself up, legs wobbling beneath me.

  "Uwahh... My legs feel so wobbly... I wonder what's all that about."

  I continued down the hallway, only to be blocked by a wall.

  A dead end.

  "What...? It's a straight road, no turnings. I couldn't have gotten lost on a straight road, right?"

  I turned around. The stairs where I'd came from were still at the opposite end. I faced the wall again.

  "Maybe a door will come out if I touch it? HAHAHA. Ain't that gonna be magical? But that's impossible, right?"

  Still… curiosity clawed at my gut. "Of course, if you never try, you'll never know."

  I reached out.

  The moment my fingers brushed the stone, a hidden door shimmered into existence.

  My eyes widened. "I-It appeared?!! This place is getting stranger and stranger. I-I better get out of here before I go crazy."

  With trembling hands, I gripped the doorknob. But...

  "It's locked? I don't see any key."

  I leaned in, peering through the keyhole and gasped. Inside was a throne room. Massive. Empty. Ornate.

  "I guess this is the boss room, huh?"

  I rummaged through my inventory and pulled out two metal paper clips.

  "Looks like those rewards from the treasure chests aren't useless after all."

  I bent one clip, then the other.

  Clack. Clack. Clang!

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  The lock clicked open.

  "That sure took some time. I guess my skill got rusty. This sure reminds me of the time I used to pick the door lock connecting to the rooftop. I would sleep on the rooftop until recess was over. Though sometimes I overslept, then when the teachers found me, they would chase me with a bamboo stick."

  I chuckled.

  "Good times those were."

  Wait. Why am I talking my memories out loud? Am I going insane?

  The heavy door creaked open.

  I stepped inside and froze.

  The throne room was massive. Majestic. The ceiling stretched almost eight stories high, lost in shadows that felt more like velvet than stone. As I walked toward the center, the air didn’t feel cold or damp like the rest of the castle. It grew warm. It smelled of woodsmoke and iron. The exact scent of Ma's kitchen back home.

  Wait, why do I feel so... relaxed?

  The vast chamber was mostly empty save for fourteen statues, each detailed to a terrifying degree. Almost lifelike. My legs felt heavy. Not with exhaustion, but with a strange, honey-like comfort. I sank onto the ground for a moment; the stone felt as soft as a hand-woven rug.

  I could stay here forever. No monsters, no death games, just this peaceful, golden light.

  My eyes grew heavy. Maybe I'll just look for the core after a short nap... I deserve a break, don't I?

  I shook my head violently, snapping myself out of it. No! Focus! You’re in a dungeon, not at home.

  I approached the statues, studying each one. That’s when the comfort turned into a chill. I locked eyes with the two seated on the thrones; the King and Queen. Then the Royal Guard and the King's Advisor. Finally, I turned to the remaining ten statues: the Ministers.

  "Oui... Freaky..."

  Each of the ten ministers had the exact same face. Blurred at the edges, like a fading memory. I knew the face, but couldn’t place it.

  Isaac frowned at the blue screen. "Why is the room so weird? Those 10 statues have the same face."

  [Player Llyne entered the Room of Illusion]

  "Room of Illusion?"

  [It's a room that dives into the player's mind and finds their greatest desire. The room will create the illusion, making the players unable to leave. If they cannot overcome their desire, the core will not appear, and they will be trapped forever.]

  "There's such a room?"

  "Lil's strong desire is this? Lil weird...?"

  Isaac narrowed his eyes. "...Are you not telling us something?"

  [What you and Player Llyne are seeing is the actual appearance of the room. However, some parts are influenced by her desire. For example, the faces of the statues.]

  "The face...?" Rona tilted her head.

  "Why some parts only?"

  [That's not something I can say.]

  "I guess there's nothing to worry about since we can see the core all the way from here."

  I took a deep breath. "Stay focused. Got to find that core and waltz myself out of here."

  I examined the ministry statues closely. “Wow… the detailed craftsmanship. I can see his wrinkles.” I snickered. Then walked along the line, noting the unique emblems carved into their chests: Lion. Snake. Rhinoceros. Owl. Panda. Turtle. Hyena. Dove. Koi fish, and...“Sloth? Really?” I slapped my forehead. "Why can’t I stay focused?"

  I checked the Royal Guard and Advisor. Nothing. Then the thrones.

  “Don’t chop my head for my disgraceful act,” I whispered before inching closer.

  No core. Not in plain sight.

  Isaac leaned closer to the screen.

  "Rona, isn't the King holding the core? Or am I just blind?"

  "Nah! The core is there."

  "Then what is Llyne doing?"

  "Maybe she lost something while searching just now."

  Isaac sighed. "...I hope so."

  Time passed. Too much of it.

  What am I doing here? My mind... My gorgeous mind.

  "Ughh... My body hurt..." I stretched my body before sinking to the ground in front of the King's statue.

  "This must be my bad luck. I've searched for hours but I couldn't find any round ball."

  I stared at the sceptre in the King’s hand. It ended in a lion head, jaw open, gripping a crystal sphere.

  “…The only round thing here is this sceptre.”

  I froze. And then realization struck.

  “The core!”

  I leapt to my feet and yanked the sceptre.

  “This is the core? I took hours to find it, only to realize it was right in front of me?”

  I groaned and glared at it with righteous betrayal.

  Isaac placed a hand behind his neck, agonizing. “D-D-Did she...”

  “Lil was searching the core the entire time?” Rona tilted her head, baffled.

  “S-She wasted hours looking for something that was right in front of her face!” Isaac’s veins popped on his neck.

  “…Oh, Lil.”

  Isaac rubbed his forehead. “I regret asking her to go.”

  "Okay, now to destroy it." I raised the core high but hesitated.

  “…What if this isn’t the core? I’d be destroying a national treasure. Who knows, maybe it’s sellable…” I drooled at the thought.

  "Don't fall for it, you monkey!"

  "Lil!"

  [Unfortunately, Player Llyne cannot hear you.]

  "Damn it!" Isaac slammed a fist against the screen.

  "It's so tempting..."

  The crystal glimmered like a diamond dipped in starlight. Then, throb. A sudden, sharp pain split my head.

  It was like Ma’s hammer whacked my skull into oblivion. Along with Ma’s voice: “I. DARE. YOU.”

  My mouth left agape. Right. No life, no money.

  Activating my acting skill, I clutched my head. “Ouch! What’s the deal?”

  I hissed, holding my temple.

  “…What’s the use of money if I can’t survive here? Pssh!”

  I hurled the core down with all my strength.

  Crash!

  The core shattered into a hundred glassy shards.

  "Gosh, she frightened me there. I thought she wouldn't destroy the core."

  "Lil so awesome!"

  I stretched and smiled. "Job here is done. Finally! I can rest!"

  But fate had other plans.

  RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

  The entire room quaked violently.

  "Darn it!" I shouted. "Just when I could rest for a while, and this happens! Grr!"

  [Warning! The dungeon is collapsing. Please proceed to the exit in front of you.]

  "In front of me?" I spun around, heart pounding. A hidden door had appeared behind the throne.

  "There!" I sprinted forward.

  [Warning! You are currently carrying 450lbs of 'Junk'. Your Dash speed is reduced by 0% due to 'Hoarder Queen' title.]

  Thank goodness for being a trash collector! I dove under a falling pillar.

  CRASH!

  A massive chandelier came down from three meters above. Inches to my right. I flinched.

  "...Oui. Where did that come from?"

  Drip. Drip.

  Tiny shards of glass stuck out from my left cheek, pricking my skin like glittering needles. Blood trickled down, warm against the cold dust in the air. The pain wasn’t sharp, not yet, but unbearable, like a thousand tiny stings.

  Great. Now I'm a trash collector and a pincushion.

  BOOM!

  A boulder slammed meters behind me, pebbles ricocheting off my left foot.

  Dust puffed into the air, stinging my eyes.

  I lunged forward, exit ten feet ahead, glancing at the ceiling where the chandelier teetered menacingly.

  If I don't move now... I'm going to be a very expensive floor decoration.

  The “Room of Illusion” serves as both a test of perception and temptation. A subtle mirror to Llyne’s flaws and instincts.

  The comedy here masks the underlying theme: her desire to escape pain, even if it means losing focus.

  Next chapter begins the aftermath of the collapse.

  Appreciate everyone following the arc so far; feedback is always welcome.