The Sisters of Darkness immediately recognized the gravity of the Oldest Flame's words.
Devil's Roulette.
A demonic game of life and death where they would become hunters tasked with eliminating the participants, who, in turn, would fight desperately for survival.
The game was held within the Void Mansion, a domain where the Sisters of Darkness possessed an overwhelming advantage. With the Sixth Fable severed from the Outside World, any chance of escape was completely nullified.
Victory was almost guaranteed.
For that matter, the likelihood of the Sisters succeeding in their hunt, should the game be set in motion, was an overwhelming ninety-nine percent.
No one had ever survived against them.
However, the Devil's Roulette was a measure of last resort, only used under dire circumstances.
For the Oldest Flame to propose it could mean only one thing:
「 These intruders were strong enough to demand caution 」
This singular thought reverberated among the Seven Sisters of Darkness.
"Hehehe! Now, isn't this interesting?"
"The Devil's Roulette? I wasn't expecting big sister to suggest something so extreme."
"Ah, yes... When was the last time we invoked the Game of Demons? This might actually be fun."
"Do we really have to go that far? Can't we just use the mansion's defense mechanisms? *Yawn*"
"Shut up, Acedia. You just want an excuse to sleep. Hey! Are you seriously dozing off already?! Wake up, you lazy bum!"
"Sorry, were you saying something? The wind feels so nice tonight..."
"You—why, you..."
"Enough, both of you!"
The sharp voice of Ira cut through their bickering. "Must you always fight? Don't you realize how serious this is? You're disgraceful!"
"Apologies, nee-san!"
Ira's piercing glare silenced both Luxuria and Acedia, forcing hurried apologies from the two as they clamped their mouths shut.
Ira's piercing glare silenced both Luxuria and Acedia, forcing hurried apologies from the two as they clamped their mouths shut.
True to her name, the Flame of Wrath was quick to anger, her fury more terrifying than even the oldest among the Sisters. Once provoked, none of the sisters dared to confront her.
Everyone except Superbia.
Superbia observed the exchange with an air of calm detachment before speaking in her usual composed tone, "Does anyone have any objections to initiating the Devil's Roulette?"
The Sisters of Darkness reacted in turn, one by one.
Acedia (Sloth): "Tch. Fine, I'll join... but only if someone wakes me up when the fun begins. All this talking is exhausting. Can we start already so I can get this over with and nap?"
Luxuria (Lust): "Hehe! Oh, this will be delightful! Nothing arouses the senses quite like the thrill of a hunt. Let's make sure they scream beautifully for us, shall we?"
Gula (Gluttony): "Licks lips. Hm, I do wonder how these intruders will taste. They say desperation has a flavor, and I'm absolutely starving for something... decadent."
Avaritia (Greed): "Oh my, isn't this good? I've been craving a new set of toys. If they lose, I'll claim and add them to my collection."
Ira (Wrath): "Aren't these fools rather arrogant because they found a fragment or two? They deserve nothing less than absolute annihilation."
Invidia (Envy): "Hm hm hm. Naturally, I have no objections, big sister. After all, simply standing by and watching would grow unbearably dull, don't you think?"
Superbia's lips curled into a faint smile as she listened to her sisters. It was clear that none of them had any objections to her suggestion.
Her innocent question, posed like that of a child, only deepened Avaritia's embarrassment.
"It's nothing! You don't need to know anything about that."
"What? Why does everyone know, and I don't?" Luxuria asked, genuinely puzzled.
Ira shrugged, "Gula, Avaritia, please restrain from saying anything weird when Luxuria is present. She's still too young to understand this."
"Ehhh? Nee-san, what does that mean? Can't you see I'm already mature? So why is everyone keeping secrets?"
"Luxuria, give it a rest. Now is not the time. You'll learn about it when you're older. As for you, Avaritia, we'll talk later."
"Ah, yes. I... understand."
"Hmph. Why does everyone treat me like a child?" Luxuria muttered under her breath, in a low voice.
Superbia's faint smile widened as she observed the familiar dynamic among her sisters. This, too, was part of the entertainment. She interjected with a light chuckle.
"Very well. Since nobody can come up with a solution, we shall allow fate to decide the order. That way any further chaos can be prevented."
She focused her magic into the center of her palm. Mana swirled like a gust of wind, slowly coalescing into a perfect cube.
Six square faces materialized, each inscribed with the numbers "1," "2," "3," "4," "5," and "6," glowing faintly with an ethereal light.
A pair of dice.
The Oldest Flame, Superbia, smiled darkly. "After all, what better way to begin the Devil's Roulette than with a roll of the dice?"
†
†
"ACHOO!"
I sneezed, and Miyuki, sitting on my lap, immediately said, "Bless you." The sudden noise startled everyone, and they all turned to look at me.
Soo Jinyoung, Moon Jiyeon and Yoo Rin.
Moon Jiyeon furrowed her brows with concern, "Hey, are you okay? Not feeling sick, are you?"
"Ah, of course not. Hehe! Can't you see I'm fine? It's just a runny nose, no big deal," I replied, rubbing the bridge of my nose.
Moon Jiyeon gave me a skeptical look but didn't press the issue, returning to the conversation.
We had returned to the parlor and settled on the couches, sorting through all the evidence we'd gathered. With Ryu Yeji gone, devoured by the House, it seemed like a good time to take a break and compare notes from all the Memories.
But then, that nagging feeling returned.
It felt like someone had been talking about me. Maybe someone was cursing me behind my back.
Could it have been Park Joonhyuk?
Yeah, it had to be that bastard, throwing curses at me from the shadows. I'm sure he must be enjoying himself while he was in Seoul.
But something about that thought didn't sit right with me.
The cold sensation that crawled up my spine was unmistakable—it wasn't just a random shiver. A gut-wrenching premonition gnawing at the edges of my mind.
What could have caused this strange sensation?
Had it begun?
Could it really be time for that event?
A frown tugged at my lips.
I turned my head, feeling the air grow heavier. It was as if the very shadows in the room were waiting, shifting in quiet anticipation.