An intense pain radiated from her head as she slowly regained her consciousness. Grogginess that she had never felt before assailed her whole body. Catherine slowly opened her eyelids that felt so heavy and was welcomed with nothing but a hazy image of her surroundings. Only light was distinguishable with her current state.

“Uggh.”

She wanted to puke but was unable to, due to her stomach that lacked nourishment. Catherine could faintly recall that whenever a party was held at the castle she once lived at, people who drank too much would suffer the same consequences she was enduring right now. But then, she had never drank alcohol or even any kind of beverage that could contain liquor.

“You’re awake at last.”

Feeling as if a bucket of cold water was splashed onto her face, Catherine shuddered at the voice that suddenly came out of nowhere. Being in the deepest tone she could possibly imagine, the words conveyed by the voice sounded full of malice. Her body that felt woozy was forcibly woken up, her senses alarmed every part of her body that danger was imminent. Even so, any command she sent to her body had failed to move it. Her arms and legs were impossible to move, as if it was tightly anchored to something. Catherine’s felt her body was in a seated position and was unable to get out of it. Additionally, some areas of her chest and head felt ice cold.

“It’s alright, take your time princess.”

The deep voice, as if mocking her helplessness, casually called her a princess. It seemed that the one who spoke was familiar with her, which made her more curious of his identity.

“Who are you?”

Catherine inquired calmly even though her vision was still blurry. Whichever direction she turned to, a bright source of light greeted her. Similar to the light, the voice resounded in all directions which made it difficult to determine where the speaker was at.

“I am the owner of the land you people had trespassed into.”

The speaker identified itself without any hesitation. Annoyance and hostility, clear from his manner of speaking. Catherine’s shaky state was forcefully blown away right after hearing that line. Her muddled thoughts became clear as well, allowing her to successfully recall the events that took place.

“We just want to ask for help.”

She pleaded to the owner with a voice that was full of desperation. Her vision that was fuzzy became clear all of a sudden which made her aware of the situation she was currently in.

!!?

Multiple windows ,that could unnaturally emit light, encircled her inside a dimly lit room. Even though the windows were numerous enough to fill the whole room, only a single figure was shown in each and everyone of them. A face hidden behind a mask that looked similar to a jester’s face. The false face that smiled maniacally with its pearly white teeth fully visible. Red pupils imprisoned within two slits that looked as if it was mocking everyone it sees. And lastly, covering the entirety of the mask was an ivory white paint that made it look pale and lifeless.

“I’ll give help of course, but before that.”

A head that was covered in a disturbing mask which emitted a voice so deep, one might mistake it for a demonic entity. It playfully weaved every word it spouted and hinted to Catherine that something must be done before any assistance could be provided.

“I want to play a game.”

Subconsciously, she swallowed a mouthful of saliva after hearing the condition. The masked entity laughed amusingly at them, glad that he could find a source of entertainment. Terror struck Catherine’s mind, a premonition of her being reduced to a mere plaything of the owner filled her still murky head.

“I will ask five questions which the both of you should answer honestly.”

Hearing the word ‘both’, Catherine realized the she wasn’t alone in this room. Experiencing the same fate as her, Geraint was also seated in the same manner behind her. Not a single word was uttered by the attendant, his eyes contained nothing but despair.

“Those things attached to your chest and head will notify me if you are lying or not.”

Connected to their skins were numerous circular patches that felt terrifyingly cold. Attached to the patches were wires that flowed to a certain part of the room.

Catherine wasn't sure if the owner was bluffing, saying that this device could detect if a person was lying. Such a sophisticated magical tool ,that could be used in the interrogation of criminals and the likes, was totally unheard of for the princess. Nevertheless, she hesitantly believed it for the sake of winning the game.

“With every question you fail to answer correctly and every lie you tell, toxic gas will be released inside the room.”

Geraint and Catherine stiffened after hearing the game they were supposed to take part in. Failure would result to their death, the owner implied. Nevertheless, Catherine didn’t lose hope and just quietly listened to the explanation. On the other hand, Geraint didn’t move an inch from his original position as if he was petrified into a statue.

“Only three errors are permitted, with the third one resulting in a gruesome death. A pitiable end indeed.”

The speaker’s mocking tone changed into one that expressed pity. It didn’t want its newly found playthings to be sent to the afterlife that easily.

“Each question should be answered by the both of you or else it will be counted as a failure.”

It continued to explain the rules of the game in a manner that seemed to be enjoying their ordeal. With each sentence it told, hope became smaller for the both of them. Sweat profusely dripped through their skins that was littered with goosebumps.

“Enough with the explanations, let the game begin!”

Seemingly bored of giving such long explanations, the owner cut to the chase and shouted enthusiastically. The atmosphere felt heavy, their heartbeats began to pound wildly. Feeling as if they were marching towards the gallows, waiting for the moment they cease to breathe.

“For the first question-.”

For a short moment, Catherine forgot to breathe. Even though their survival was being treated as mere entertainment, she couldn’t do anything about it. Their only way out here was to answer the questions correctly. No one knows if the questions would be answerable at all with their current knowledge.

“What are your names?”

Catherine's despairing face immediately lightened up after as soon as she heard the question. If only basic questions similar to these were asked, a win would definitely be within their reach.

“Catherine Alders Montcroix.”

She answered without hesitation, not wanting to waste any time at all with such an easy question. But then, Geraint seemed to be unusually quiet even though he was unmistakably conscious. Since they needed to both answer correctly in order to pass the question, Catherine grew anxious with every second that had passed.

“What are you doing Geraint! Answer it!”

She yelled frustratingly at her attendant who didn’t seem to be at his top form. The princess lost her composure at such a crucial time but the owner wasn’t minding it at all. The windows that filled the walls showed the image of him waiting patiently, occasionally fiddling with the mask he was wearing out of boredom.

“Err....Geraint…… Umm….Geraint…….. Holmes.”

The answer he told was fragmented, his voice decreasing in volume with every syllable he pronounced. Nonetheless, his full name was successfully relayed to the owner.

“Good, your answers are correct.”

Catherine took a breath of relief as they barely managed to pass the first question that was supposed to be easy. Luckily, the owner was quite lax with the rules of the game and didn’t pressure them with the time limit, as if it was keen on hearing their answers.

“Let’s move on to the next question.”

Seemingly bored with the direction the game was going at, the owner monotonously announced the next stage of the game. With its every gesture being displayed in such a conspicuous way, one could clearly tell that the owner wasn’t entertained in the slightest bit.

“Where are you from?”

Catherine could feel her hope rising up after hearing the second question that was quite similar to the first in terms of difficulty. Even though the owner had managed to create such a dreadful atmosphere inside the room, it sorely failed with the creation of the game itself. Everything felt a bit too easy, the princess thought. Nevertheless, she couldn’t afford to let her guard down.

“Whitstone castle, Alteria kingdom.”

She told the owner confidently, her home that was countries away from here. Catherine had a distant look in her eye, inadvertently reminiscing of the memories she had with that place. The things she could’ve done to preserve her simple but fulfilling life within those walls, she was deep in thought for a moment but immediately regained her focus.

“.........”

Once again, silence was Geraint’s answer to the question which made Catherine extremely worried. Probably experiencing something worse compared to what Catherine had felt, Geraint couldn’t properly respond with the situation they were currently in.

“Snap out of it!”

Resorting to violence whenever she was in a pinch, Catherine frustratingly striked Geraint’s head using her own.

!!?

Being struck forcefully on his head, Geraint could feel an immense amount pain at the point of impact. After his brain was vigorously shaken, his senses were awakened from the trance he was lost in.

“Whit.....stone…....castle…….....Al…………...te……………………...ria.”

The interval between each word and syllables he uttered exponentially increased. But still, he managed to repeat what the princess had said before him. Slowly his consciousness ,that was barely awake, began to sink even deeper. Starting from the tips of his fingers and toes, a numbing sensation flowed throughout his whole body. Followed by the loss of sensation with both his lips and tongue. Geraint was sure that it was a ploy orchestrated by the owner. Their demise was already set into stone the moment they came in contact with that strange house.

“Splendid! Another correct answer.”

After hearing yet another right answer from the players, the owner gave a standing applause. But instead feeling proud of themselves, Catherine and Geraint didn’t react in any way. Something sinister loomed around the owner’s actions which made them shudder in fear.

“Next question.”

The owner’s joyous display was suddenly interrupted by his own voice. Invading almost the whole diameter of the window with his masked face, the owner had already abandoned his original position. As if waiting for something interesting, his visible pupils quivered in delight.

“Where is this place?”

Another basic question was relayed which made the owner sound ignorant of the basic knowledge of this world. He annoyingly placed his head in front of the window and made a gesture of wanting to hear something intriguing by placing a hand behind his ear.

“Summit of Amantes, located inside the demonic continent of Uzira.”

Catherine, who had received high class education ever since she was a child, effortlessly answered the question. Nonetheless, the hope that had piled up after correctly answering the first two questions felt nonexistent by now. Gloom quickly filled the entire room which worsened the already stuffy atmosphere.

“..................”

Yet again, her answer was followed by an eerie silence. Geraint who was supposed to follow up an answer of his own, kept quiet for the second time.

“What are you doing!”

Catherine blew her fuse again, her patience that was already short was alarmingly halved in response to the situation. Another strike to his head was the only thing she could do, Catherine thought. She flexed her head forward to gain momentum and immediately pulled the trigger, intending to cause more pain compared to the first blow.

“Aaugh!”

Nothing was hit even though she exerted an increased amount of force, thus overextending her neck muscles. The pain that she wanted to deliver had backfired. A lashing pain radiated from her nape which made her cry in agony.

Geraint had already succumbed to the numbing sensation. His head that was in an upright position was now bent forward, not allowing Catherine’s blow to land on its designated target. During that moment, Catherine realized that they were already doomed from the beginning. Dancing on top of the owner’s palm, pointlessly struggling from the future that was already definite. The only thing she could do was wait, wait until their time in this world was over.

“Time’s up! Too bad! Your friend seems tired from the long journey.”

The owner mockingly laughed at their utter hopelessness. He deliberately made it look like the game was winnable. But as soon as the players could see the light of hope, he would brutally demolish their morale in a single swoop.

You demon!

Catherine gnashed her teeth in vexation after hearing the owner’s distasteful way of speaking. Even so, her rage didn’t last long. Her tongue tasted something sweet even though nothing was inside her mouth. It was probably the toxic gas that the owner had mentioned before. Such a delightful taste began to diffuse into the tightly sealed air that they breathe in. It felt like candies were flowing freely into their mouths, truly a sweet but pitiable ending.

“Don’t worry! The both of you won’t die with just this. It will take at least three canisters~.”

Voluntarily, the owner reassured them that they wouldn’t die that easily. However, Catherine had already refused to believe him. Every word that came out from his mouth couldn’t be trusted at all.

Gradually, she could feel the effects of the supposedly toxic gas. Her brain slowly drowned in a state of euphoria, contrary to that feeble constitution she had experienced before. Instead of being drained of energy, Catherine felt energized. Her senses heightened to its limit, not only the beating of her heart but even the flow of the blood through her veins was clearly felt.

“Let’s carry on with the next question.”

Satisfied with the events that unfolded in front of his eyes, the owner enthusiastically resumed the game. It was all but mere entertainment for him, not even a little bit of remorse was showed from his actions.

“How did you get here?”

At last, the owner inquired about something that was much more complicated. Among the prisoners, only Geraint and Catherine were aware of the real purpose of their journey. The others believed that they would only be used as slaves for pleasure and manual labor, but the truth was far more sinister.

“We-.”

Catherine ,who was about to give her answer, decided to stop. They were already done for, answering wouldn’t get them anywhere. Further compliance with the owner wouldn’t bring them any benefits at all. It would be the best if she stayed silent, thereby impeding the owner’s ulterior motives.

“Alright, let's make a compromise. If you answer all the questions correctly even if you're alone, I’ll let you go okay!”

As if reading her exact thoughts, the owner made a deal with Catherine. With her being so unusually silent, he knew that the game wouldn’t reach its conclusion. It certainly was deserving of a climactic ending. Having a few adjustments wouldn’t hurt at all, the owner implied.

“We were taken as slaves by the highland orcs.”

She made it look like she was swayed and had already lost completely to his tricks, but in reality Catherine refused to budge. The princess fed an incomplete information to the owner that was curiously thrusting his head onto the window. Originally, they believed it was only the case, thus Catherine was far from lying. She refused to explain the whole truth and only stated an easily known fact.

“Hmmmm……”

Seemingly unsatisfied with her short answer, the owner contemplated with his decision. Unsure if it was correct or wrong, he rubbed the hideous mask’s chin while in deep thought.

“Wrong!”

Bzzzzzt Bzzzzt

Accompanied by his final decision was a series of buzzing sound that was straight out of a TV game show.

A strong taste of iron replaced the sweetness in Catherine’s taste buds after hearing the owner’s judgement. Seeing that the owner was well aware of her very thoughts, she bit her own lips out of extreme frustration. She winced from the agonizing pain she had caused to herself. Not knowing that her sense of pain heightened as well, she didn’t expect it to be this painful.

Even so, that pain didn’t stay for long. The sweetness that was replaced with the rusty taste had dominated her mouth once again. Feeling as if her senses were separating from her body, her euphoria reached its peak. Her sense of touch felt nonexistent, every inch of her skin felt as if it was floating in space. Catherine could certainly feel that another error could easily end her life.

“At last! The final question.”

Enjoying til the very end, the owner excitedly announced the climax of the game. He looked like a child that was expecting a christmas gift from Santa. His body erratically shook in joy, happy that his playthings would finally meet their maker.

“What is your final wish before you die?”

Asking a question that was befitting of an executioner, Catherine had already expected such an outcome. Despite that, she couldn’t help but feel enraged at the owner for making fun of them. The princess wanted to break free and mercilessly punch him in the face repeatedly until his eyes were devoid of light.

“Oops, before I forget. Don’t worry about the other girls-”

Out of nowhere, the owner reassured Catherine of the whereabouts of Ranxa and the others but stopped with his sentence midway.

“-they’ll make fine specimens.”

He continued to ridicule without a shred of guilt from his voice, followed by a laugh that mocked every bit of her dignity.

YOUUU IMBECILEEE!!!

Fueled by the piled up rage she felt for that demonic entity, Catherine could feel her blood boil. The numbing sensation ceased to exist, her body that felt lethargic was now brimming with vitality. Her hair that looked normal at first glance, began to shimmer with a scarlet radiance. It felt as if she exert it her all, the restraints wouldn’t hold up to her sheer strength. However, something completely unexpected happened before she could even muster enough energy to escape.

“Big brother Seth! The heater isn't working!”

A familiar voice resounded from the window that displayed a somewhat confused owner. Youthful and feminine, the girl who Catherine and Geraint had met before was the only one who came into mind. In response to that voice, the owner acted meek all of a sudden. Which made Catherine, who was about to unleash her power, greatly confused.

“Yes! I’m coming!”

The voice that replied to the girl was different from the deep toned voice the owner used to confront them. A male’s youthful voice that sounded more natural and was leagues away from sounding demonic. The owner was eventually lost in sight as he pitter-pattered away from the window, inadvertently showing his real size to Catherine.

A young boy was toying with us.

Too short to be considered an adult male, the owner seemed to be younger than the princess herself. To be so fearful and cunning at such a young age, Catherine could only shudder in fear albeit feeling annoyed at the same time.

A normal room was now displayed through the window. It looked high class and was filled with premium looking furnitures that Catherine hadn’t seen before. Currently, no one was inside but after a few minutes, a familiar figure emerged from the window.

It’s that girl again.

The blonde haired girl whom they had met before made an appearance. With her body covered in a fluffy looking towel, it looked as if she was about to take a bath. Curiously, she made her way in front of the window that served as the connection between the prison ,where Geraint and Catherine was held at, and the room where the owner had mercilessly tormented them.

“Hello, Are you guys alright?”

Seemingly concerned about their well-being, the girl asked the tied up princess. She looked perfectly normal compared to that young owner that possessed quite a twisted personality. Furthermore, her concern looked genuine enough to Catherine.

“Please, help us get out of here!”

“Okay!”

The plead Catherine had made to the girl was immediately answered positively. For a moment Catherine feared that her personality might be affected by the owner’s after spending her daily life with him under one roof. Despite that, she looked like a honest kid that was also pure and innocent.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, the girl left the room with large strides with only a towel covering her tiny body.

Catherine was already prepared for her death but it seemed that her destiny wasn’t so tragic after all. Completely unexpected, an angel had managed to stop the ploy of the devil and even graciously offered a helping hand for their escape.