I ran out of bread. I did not know if it was because I starved. Maybe because the great job offer I found thrilled me.
I felt suspicious here. Was the company willing to pay 20 million pesos for the game tester alone?
I am here today in front of the building. A stunned fool—that was my reaction. Whenever I get hold of the door handle, I cannot push it. My hands retreated on their own.
No one came in here. If there was, I would have received complaints because I blocked the way.
Since when it became difficult for me to open a door? The problem lies with the fact that my mind and heart were arguing. My mind reminded the consequences of this risky venture. The heart retaliated that I must consider the safety of my siblings.
“Here is my resume. Where is your bathroom?”
Yes, I gambled on a highly unusual job offer. But why?
I love the twins. They make me happy. I would not forgive myself if something bad happened to them when I know I can avoid that.
Whatever the future holds, I would accept the challenge.
My eyes wandered around. It seemed like the business was legit. The wall of their concierge decorated with different business permits and awards served as the evidence itself.
I prepped to look alive, though the mirror reflected an image of a zombie. When I’m satisfied, I waited on the bench across from the concierge.
In less than 10 minutes, the receptionist told me to follow her. She dashed, though she was wearing high heels. Am I a tiptoeing dog who followed its owner? Where did she get that courage to walk fast while wearing that ridiculous and uncomfortable shoe? I gave up wearing high heels for a long time after all the injuries.
The receptionist pressed the 8th button on the elevator.
“You need to practice how to wear high heels from now on,”
Wait, is she a mind reader?
I was about to ask her when the door opened.
Finally, we reached a room in the far corner of the floor.
The receptionist stood opposite the doorbell camera, pressed the button, then said:
“Miss, we are here.”
“Come in. She is waiting for you.”
She nodded before walking away.
I followed her instructions.
I can say the COO is a fan of minimalism. This room was bigger than mine. The color schemes are brown, gray, and white. They planned the layout carefully from furniture to decor.
A long office plaque made of wood on a desk. On the sides, it has a golden accent. The name “Heart Sy” was written on it. Below her name are the words “Chief Operations Officer”.
What a hands-on executive. I know where she was coming from.
“Have a seat,” she said
I was a little dumbfounded because of this successful person. As for her appearance, I can say that she will pass as an actress. Compared to my height, she was just a few inches tall. Narrow eyes that seemed closed when she smiled, v-shaped face like Korean pop stars. Her hair is up to her shoulders. The wispy bangs fit her.
If you will observe, we seemed to be the same age. I wonder how old she really is.
“Ms. Sophia, based on my research, you need money for your siblings to have surgery. Is that correct?”
The speed at which she got the information about me was truly exceptional. If I am in her shoes, I will do the same.
“Yes. Ma’am! I could do everything to get this job offer.”
Am I ready to stand in the cold? Fight a dragon and thousands of soldiers? Be stressed because the major characters in the gameplay are so dense? She explained that as a game tester, I would truly experience the aforementioned events. I have no idea how I will do that.
“Do not worry. I possess the requirements to be your special game tester.”
I have decided. Honestly, I was a little scared. I knew I could overcome all the challenges waiting for me.
After that, she asked me to read the contract carefully. She added that If I have questions, I should not hesitate to clarify them.
Of course, I blinked. I could not believe that the hiring process would be easy!
I spent 30 minutes reviewing the contract. I saw nothing suspicious at all. They wrote the conditions fairly. I noticed was that I could no longer apply once I completed the tasks. I should also keep that I work for this company as a secret.
It was okay with me because I am really planning to go back to school.
I thought the contract signing meeting would end. Ms. Heart also mentioned how to distribute my wages. She suggested that she would introduce herself as a philanthropist. She will inform my parents that I will only work for her before the next semester starts.
She is a kind-hearted woman. I was thinking about a plausible explanation about where I got an enormous sum of money.
Before they sent me home, she gave me books that have 2 volumes. Its title is Persephone’s Pomegranate, a novel it based the game on.
I rarely read romance novels. When I looked at the synopsis, the plot seemed promising.
I closed my eyes as I sensed the strong wind blowing in the hot weather.Only then did I open my eyes when I heard the voice of a man who seemed to look for someone."Beth, I searched everywhere to find you."My eyes widened when I felt someone hug me from behind. His hands were on my waist. His chin rested on my shoulder.It felt like someone threw a bucket of icy water on me. All my body hair stood up.I struggled with extreme fear.Who is this man? Where did he get the courage to hug me ?!When I was about to confront him, he disappeared.I was the only one in this vast lavender field.Where did that go?"Big Sister! Wake up!"I rolled my eyes because of the ear-splitting voice.I knew it was a dream that is almost a nightmare.I guess my dream is weird. I did not want to have a boyfriend. Is it the ef
A rectangular hologram gleamed with golden lights floated in the air.Task: Befriend MiuerellaXP Points: 500Dynastic Points: 500The object that glowed like a star slowly evaporated into bubbles after a minute.I shook my head in disbelief. The story clearly stated that Bethany and Miuerella met at their coming of age ceremony.I had this strong desire to grab the book once again.Bethany, a woman as fragile as glass. The Marchioness even had this ridiculous delusion that anything would make her daughter sick. She always inspected dust in their furniture by smudging her finger on the surface. Any maids who failed to comply with the cleaning standards faced punishment. Children avoided her in fear that they might break her bones.The present Bethany was an exception.Dipping my slender, rough feet in the gluey, trodden mud was not a problem. When the violent storm hit my city, the entire community even dived in th
This is the first time I have taken part in a staring game. None of us tried to look away as if we had a non-verbal agreement in which the first to give up was the loser.The poor Crown Prince became the mediator.“Good job, Lady Bethany! I think the Duke had the same opinion,” the Crown Prince declared.Duke Frederick just let out a smile before saying, “Your Highness, I agree with your statement,”If you had agreed earlier, I would have gotten inside.They started walking towards the manor. I waited until they took several steps.This was not stupidity. The shitty game world had complex rules. There was an etiquette saying that people of higher ranks should go first. Women should remember this. There should also be distance when an unmarried woman and man interacted. Like every rule, there were exceptions.I strolled as I rubbed my palms and breathed on them. I was thankful to Reyner for giving me
There was an angelic princess that the entire empire favored, so the emperor did everything to protect her from the negative things surrounding this world. He forbade the princess from playing outside, and for her playmates, they had to go through the emperor’s deliberate selection.The princess understood why her parents did that, but she still wanted to be free. She did not have the courage to express the request, it would shatter into pieces just by imagining the consequences.One day, the emperor had to travel to the other kingdom.“Father, be careful on your journey, I’ll wait for your return.”The emperor kissed the child on the forehead before riding on his carriage.The princess's skin tingled when she witnessed the intrusion of an unknown man.“Mister, if you wanted to propose, I can’t accept it. Before the knights found you, leave my sight now,” she said.The handsome stranger knelt
Madeline’s Ruby, a stolen magical artifact. The current emperor made efforts to locate this magnificent thing, but still failed.Everyone in the dining hall dropped their silverware, drunken men suddenly became sober.Reyner gulped his red wine in one go.“Bethany, were you sure that was the real Madeline’s Ruby?” he asked.“Your Highness, Duke Klein will answer all of our suspicions.”They all turned to him. Duke Klein, my father’s best friend, Miuerella’s biological father, most of all, one of the most influential Dukes in the entire empire. I shifted everyone’s attention to him because this guy is an expert with magical artifacts. One of his businesses was selling such things.He glanced from left to right before we had eye contact. He heaved a sigh before turning to the Crown Prince.“Your Highness, please allow me to examine the ring on the statue.”&nbs
I was on cloud nine after seeing the notification that I received 500 XP and Dynastic points.My throat was getting ready so I could hit the soprano note when someone slapped the wall with all his might, enough for me to flinch.Did this dude kabedoned me?I dreamt of this scene because of my anime addiction. However, I never imagined that a despicable man crushed my dream in an instant.“Thanks for your help, but it’s getting late, and need at least eight hours of sleep.”She nodded and meandered while avoiding the Duke’s ominous stare.When my attendant’s silhouette became smaller as she moved further away from us, it was at this moment that I had to activate my facade.Reyner told that he was sick to the point of skipping the banquet earlier. It turned out that the Crown Prince’s words were a bluff.“Your Grace, what brings you here?” I asked.He shook his head, pr
Hah! So this was what Ms. Heart meant when she bragged about how immersive this game was.Inside this cramped and somber place where the chains on my feet made restrictions to my movements, a chilly air brushed my skin, which made my hair stand up.Even if I could only see my roommate’s back, those silky yet curly silver hair was one of her assets. If I could not recognize my target from afar and even in the dark, what kind of player am I?“I didn’t know that your father has a habit of caging pretty ladies. Did he mistake us for dolls?”The girl with a heart of gold crawled as if she was a six-month-old baby — slowly but surely. With trembling rough hands, she held mine.A beam of moonlight coming from the window with grills shone on her, enabling me to confirm my hunch. Those apologetic eyes were a gateway to her complex inner world.“Do not blame yourself, my dear, especially with the fact that the deran
“Dang! The baby I trained became a ferocious bear!”This opponent of mine gave a triumphant smile as I wiped the blood on my right cheek, so I immediately chanted a spell because it might leave an ugly scar on my fair, blemish-free, seductive face. We should take care of our best assets.“Thanks to you, I got better every day however, this new skill of mine would be only helpful in dire situations.”Every day is a dire situation, my dear cousin! The adrenaline ran through my system now I found a decent sparring candidate.I stood up and thrust the pointed tip of my sword was in his stomach. One wrong move to kiss him goodbye forever.“Wouldn’t you think it is already time for us to head inside the manor unless you thought that the actual battle is just getting started?”In a confident tone, I said, “I’m happy that someone knew myself better than me,”I pulled back my sword, a
Purification Element. A person with this ability was a saint not only in the Empire but also in the universe.This healing power had a limit: you cannot resurrect the dead.People who were born with this ability were the victims of Solipique. Or the church might control them for the rest of their lives."My Lady, were you sure? My vision was back to normal. Breathing was easier than before.""Yes, I only prayed for your recovery."The Nora I know came back. Her lively voice and inquisitive nature annoyed me again."Serving my lady was the best decision I ever made!"I clapped my hands."Now, what meal does my lady want?""No. I would bring your meal. You're not fully recovered yet."She would experience a mental breakdown once she saw the terrible scenery outside."Do not leave this room until I say so."Hope that she would follow that order while I look for the head chef.An extraordinary journey as a kangaroo began when I had to hop to avoid stepping on the corpses. The sights at my
Chapter 39"Hey!" I shouted as run towards her while lifting my dress.Unfortunately, she disappeared before I could even explain everything. I placed my hand on one tree.This game became complicated. Why did those developers knock off my Jenga tower when I'm in the middle of placing my blocks?I am a mere employee. What can I do?For now, let us serve my new target."Did you like your room? I could arrange another one if you'd like." Mercella asked.After all, we unload my things."I am fine with everything," I said.She giggled. "It was my first time to hear those words from a noble lady.""Your Highness. Thanks for your kindness."The girl in a messy bun was Pauline."I like it, Your Highness."This lady who can't even look at her eyes is Sharon. I heard she had a boutique.Lady Mercella clapped.
"Fred, my dear, no matter what happens, promise me you would make this a secret."Though he was clueless why he would need to hide his gift, he agreed with his mother's statement.Not until one day, he learned about the death of his father from the maids. Solipique. A taboo tradition where two people could switch elements. Placing the starved victim in a magic circle while mumbling the spell was the required step. If you were the one who did the ritual, there were no side effects. But if you are the victim, it inflicted a curse on your body.Random symbols crawled their skin. It would glow up, and a burning sensation penetrated every tissue of their human being. The intense pain was worse than dying. The artificial way of obtaining an element caused it.If you could not bear the pain, the quick fix for it was to say goodbye in this world. By doing this, you would also prevent the person who stole your element from using it. The people involved in the ritual shoul
Soaking my body in steamy warm water infused with aromatic essential oils and flower petals was on the next level of luxury. When your life was chaotic, it was a necessity. I wish I could also soak my problems and watch them disappear in water.Two hours was enough to prepare for my little adventure.Food, extra clothes, water, book, paper, self-made first aid kit, pillow, and blanket.They’re not in the house, so I left my message with our butler.Few kilometers away from our estate was a peaceful mountain called Trevkor. The 350m mountain had a mildly strenuous hiking trail as well.I instructed them to pick me up before the sunset. Wild animals won’t hurt me.Of course, I would never enter a war without weapons. My second drawstring bag contained things I need to defend myself, considering I would stay here for 6 hours. From a utility knife to a makeshift stove, I pulled them all.Back in my world, I also had this same
The Prince left the moment he heard his announcement. I glanced to my left when a big rough hand overlapped mine. "Let's go to Lady Miuerella." We were already standing in Ella's room before I noticed it. The weight I carried on my back became heavier when I saw her bright smile. She pulled my hand and whispered how happy she was. Her writer's block left. "Beth, what's the Duke doing here?" "He would escort us back to Daria." She frowned. "Why so soon? I thought we are going to celebrate the festival with them?""Someone ate Prince's Reyner's fruit." She remained silent while the stream of tears flowed onto her cheeks. In Daria, there is a tradition that involved the members of the Imperial Family. They could only marry someone who has eaten Persephone's pomegranate. Well, yes. The author added a touch of Greek mythology. When
"Big Brother!" She dropped the stuffed bunny on the floor and ran towards her brothers. "We missed you. Look, I met two princesses from another Kingdom. You want to meet a princess, right?" Leo lifted her, looked at his sister with fatherly loving eyes. If their enemies saw this scene, they would kidnap the vulnerable girl. "Brother, put me down! I will greet the princesses." The little girl hit her brother's chest. Leo chuckled before granting his sister's request. She attacked us with her overflowing cuteness when she gave us a curtsy. She almost hit her head on the floor when she lost her balance. Good thing I caught her in my arms. Her brothers rushed to her side and called for the Royal physician. We did the same thing and introduced ourselves when the doctor told us there was nothing wrong with her body. She drove her brothers away until they reached the exit door. Liam sniffed, knelt on the floor,
"Dame Bethany! I'm glad you visited! Come, join with us!"Barging in during the hour where the Imperial couple savored their tea together made me feel ruthless. Whatever I've already done."Greeting to the Suns of Daria."In this world, a curtsy was a must.The Empress pointed at the seat next to her.There was a welcoming spirit in the air I did not understand."Were you here because you'll tell us about your pregnancy? I am here to protect your reputation."I smiled at how close the Empress and the Duchess were. Oh, yeah, they were siblings after all.I shook my head and cleared my throat."Your Imperial Majesty, this woman believes in the purity before marriage. Also, I went here to ask for your Imperial Highness's permission.""You'll ask permission to marry our nephew? Oh, I admire your braveness. As the rulers of this Empire, we will impose the rules."I choked cause the moment the Emperor said those
His eyes widened and murmured."I had to accept that the heavens won't give me to you."He announced we must reveal our cards now. I accepted it.First was his card. He had a straight because he had 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 cards."Please reveal yours."Ten of hearts,Ten of diamonds,Ten of spades,Nine of hearts,Nine of diamonds, which meant..."A full house. Congratulations, you didn't have to marry a jerk like me."He extended his hand to mine. There was one more thing I had to ask, though."Why Prince Liam? We did not spend enough time together but, in all the people, you were the one who cared about authenticity the most."Yeah, when he revealed himself as the Prince of Tozia, that's when I saw his character's stats. He has Earth elements which explained why he was interested in flowers.They doused the bouquets in authenticity spell that only people with Earth elements hav
Based on my conversation with Nora, it was not surprising to see my face in the newspaper.Dame Grimaldi, an authentic life Countess Brivaldi?Ridiculous! In Miurella's novel, Countess Bianca Brivaldi fought for her love even though the world was against them.I shook my head as my teeth chewed the sausage. Starting today, I had to fuel my body by eating more carbs and protein.I asked for another serving while my brother smiled as I pig-out in front of him.My decision was right when the archery training began. This body burned all those sausages, beans, eggs, and bread after an hour of exercise and practice.My cruel brother made me ran 20 kilometers. These delicate hands never touched the bow, and the arrow was like a squished tomato after the session.These circumstances didn't stop me. I formed my fist, sat on the bench they placed in the empty meadows, and closed my eyes. The pain I expe