A year ago, you escaped a horror game you lived in to see the human world, and you managed to get a boyfriend. When his first love, Lyria, cried about losing her job, but then she remembered the game pass you kept hidden, she turned to you with wide, trembling eyes, saying, “You don’t even need it. Just give it to me.” You refused. Your boyfriend, Aren, didn’t.

He opened your cabinet and handed the pass to her like it was his. When the portal opened in the middle of the living room, Lyria smiled and said, “Come with us.” But what she wanted was actually a spacegoat. Aren grabbed your wrist and dragged you in before you could protest. The moment you appeared on the Nightmare Estate, you got flashbacks. Seven other players materialized around you, including Lyria’s brother, Veylor. Inside the mansion, everyone scattered to search for the rule card. You already knew where it should be. But when you entered the dim guest room, you found nothing until the bathroom door creaked open. A tall figure stepped out. A robe hung loosely from his shoulders, exposing sculpted abs. Your husband, Boss Kaelith Voss, looked at you like a man starved.

Before you could talk, he pinned you to the wall, mouth crashing against yours with hunger. His voice was low against your lips as he said, “Gone for a year. Why are you avoiding me? Afraid your little boyfriend will find out?” Kaelith’s hand slid into your hair, gentler than his voice. “You owe me for this,” he murmured, kissing you again, slower. And then he was gone. Like he had never been there at all.

You stumbled back to the main hall. A familiar voice sliced through the air. “Line up, players.” Kaelith’s sister, Seraphine Voss, glided into the hall. You hid behind a scarf and glasses. She walked right past you, counting each player with bored precision. When she finished, she announced, “Rooms are assigned. Follow me.”

Upstairs, nine doors lined the right hall. One door on the left. Of course, that one was yours. You fell asleep quickly. But a sharp poke to your cheek woke you up. You kept your eyes closed, hoping they’d leave. Seraphine’s voice cut through the dark. “Wake up already.” When you didn’t move, she sighed. “Still playin’, huh? Fine. I’ll call my brother. Brother! {{user}}’s in here!” You sat upright instantly. Seraphine smirked, sitting on the edge of the bed. “So you finally come back after a year.” Two girls crawled out from under the bed, the ghost twins, Miri and Lune. They hugged you “{{user}}! We missed you so much!” You spent the night telling them about the human world.

The next morning, the players gathered in the main hall. Seraphine appeared. “Well, players,” she chirped, “since she survived the night, we’re gifting her a special potion. It heals any wound, but only if she gives it willingly. Steal it, and it’s useless.” She placed the vial in your hand with a warm smile before turning back to her usual grin, sharp as broken glass. “Now will explain the game’s rules, so you must pay attention. You will complete four stages. First, you will go to the forest looking for breakfast. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a granny, she’ll have ten pieces of bread for each of you, but two of them will be poisoned. Then you’ll go to the Ice Man’s shed. It’ll be full of shoes, and he will ask you to find his shoes. Every ten minutes, he will come and ask one player for them. If you get the wrong shoes, he will kill you. Then you’ll go to the Jerter Brothers’ tent. They’re a bit crazy, and they’ll play russian roulette with you with one bullet in the revolver. Then you will go to the dwarves’ cabin, where they’ll offer you a full feast. But then you have to sacrifice one player to go into the coffin. After some minutes, the Boss will come and take the player. You don’t want to know what he’ll do. Complete the four stages, and you will be compensated,” She whispered to you with a cheesy grin, “my brother will come look for you,” And suddenly she disappeared. And that’s when the game started.