It felt like she had been plunged into a terrible nightmare.

One she hadn't experienced in a very long time.

And when her eyelids fluttered open, a pair of dark eyes stared directly at her.

"——!"

Her body reacted in an instant, her muscles tensing as she readied herself to get up, but right as she started moving, a hand pressed against her lips and held her down.

"Don't bother."

"...Mhm!"

Geneva's words were blocked by his hand as she glared at him.

She tried activating her nodes, but as if sensing what she was about to do, he clutched her face and brought her down against the ground.

BANG!

The impact was hard, leaving Geneva completely stunned.

For a moment, she didn't know how to react.

Since when had someone...

"Are you done?"

The cold words pulled her out of her daze.

When she looked up again, the pair of dark eyes from before remained fixed on her. In fact, looking at them now, his eyes looked even darker.

'There's something wrong with him. There is no way that someone like him has no node. He... definitely is working with them. I don't know why he hasn't killed me yet, but I need to take this chance to—'

"It looks like you still aren't aware of your situation."

Seth's eyes flickered, and in the next moment, he pressed his hand down.

BANG!

Geneva's vision turned white for a moment, pain flooding the back of her head as she heard a constant ringing sound in the back of her mind.

Seth's words followed a moment later as he maintained his grip over her face and lifted her up.

His strength was quite alarming.

Lifting her body effortlessly with one hand, he turned her head to show the bodies on the floor.

"Take a look."

"Mhm!"

Sick bastard!

Geneva's eyes narrowed as she glared fiercely in Seth's direction.

Was this how it was? Was he trying to show her what he had done to her teammates? Was this his sick way of finding amusement in his killing!?

Geneva's heart turned cold.

Despite everything, she knew that she had to remain calm.

This wasn't the first time she had encountered an anomaly that took pleasure in killing people.

Her hands tightened considerably as her mind scrambled to think of a way out of the situation.

But it was amidst such thoughts that Seth pointed at the bodies.

To be precise, the ones that the Conductor had killed.

"Look carefully."

"....."

Geneva didn't reply; her eyes turned away.

But even if she didn't want to look, Seth made sure she looked as he increased his grip over her face and made her look.

As he did, his tone turned even colder.

"Look."

So cold that Geneva found herself subconsciously listening to his words.

"——!"

It was also in that moment that she finally saw it.

The heads that were present on the people whose heads should've completely exploded due to the Conductor's actions.

But...

"That's not all."

Still holding onto her body, he moved forward a little and kicked one of the bodies.

"Hmmm..."

A small groan escaped from their lips a moment after.

This made Geneva's eyes widen.

That's...!

"They're all alive."

Seth answered for her.

"None of them has been killed. That wasn't the goal from the start."

Finally letting go of her, Seth reached for his pocket and took several papers before handing them to her.

Geneva subconsciously took them.

"...I don't understand how you were fooled into thinking that we were on the opposite side, but these are some of the papers and information that I've managed to find throughout the entire Gate."

Looking at the papers, Geneva found herself holding her breath.

[He knows everything.]

[He alters perception.]

[Everything is a lie. Everything is deceit.]

[The devil is coming.]

[We must stop him.]

"....."

Geneva's eyes remained fixed on the papers.

Looking at them, she didn't show much of a reaction. But she seemed to understand something.

However, she soon shook her head.

"Based on the information that you've given me, then what makes you think that I can trust you? Everything is a lie. Everything is deceit." She repeated one of the quotes that she found in the papers, looking at Seth carefully, "The devil is coming. He knows everything. He alters perception. We must stop him."

Her lips pulled into a thin smile.

"The more I read this, the more I find myself wanting to get rid of you."

The smile quickly wiped off Geneva's face as she glared at Seth.

"Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think I can't see through your deceptions?"

Her node started to churn.

This time, with Seth being so far from her, she didn't need to worry about him smashing her head against the floor.

Her lips opened again this time, but the moment the words were about to leave, Seth spoke.

"You have a little brother, correct?"

Geneva's throat clamped up at his words.

Staring at him, her eyes started to widen. Brother...

Seth remained calm, his dark eyes remaining fixed on her.

"He is someone that the public knows about because you don't want to involve him in the affairs of the world. Not even the closest people to you know about him. Of course, they also don't know about his condition, correct?"

"Haa.... Haa..."

Geneva's breathing started to quicken.

The more she stared at Seth, the more she found herself unable to hide the subtle trembling of her shoulders.

This shouldn't... H-how does he...?

All of a sudden, she was reminded of the words she read.

'He knows everything.'

'He alters perception.'

'Everything is a lie. Everything is deceit.'

'The devil is coming.'

'We must stop him.'

"Your story is quite common within the industry. Sick family member. Join a Guild in order to pay medical bills. Become famous. Manage the disease, but do not cure him completely. Immerse yourself in the work to find a complete cure. It's the usual..."

The more he spoke, the darker Seth's eyes became.

At the same time, despite her best attempts at trying to remain calm, Geneva's expression started to crumble.

At this very moment...

She felt naked.

As if all her secrets and thoughts were laid bare for the figure standing before her.

He looked emotionless.

With no clarity in his gaze.

Almost as if... He was death itself.

'I... I...'

"Since you seem rather useful, I'll make you an offer."

There was a moment of silence as the two looked at each other.

But soon—

"You seem rather useful. I'd like to use you for a bit. In exchange, I can give you something that might be useful to you."

"...."

Geneva didn't answer.

How could she answer?

She wasn't dumb. She didn't believe this offer for one second.

But eventually, her lips opened.

"...And what if I don't join?"

"Then you're going to die."

Geneva's expression crumpled.

Die?

As if that sounded like a threat to her. She had faced death many times before. Death was the last thing that she was scared of.

But his next words took her aback.

"Not by my hands, but by those that you once thought to be on your side."

"Huh?"

Seth lifted his hand and turned his wrist.

As he did, he looked back at her.

"By now, the whole world thinks you're dead. If they suddenly see that you're alive, they'll think that it's some trick. They'll kill you in order to avoid risks. You know how they are."

Geneva's breathing grew even heavier, her eyes widening the more Seth spoke.

"There's no more place for you in this world. The only thing you can do is follow me."

Checking the time again, Seth slowly turned around to face the opposite direction.

"Time is ticking. What is your decision?"

"...."

Geneva didn't move.

She remained where she was, her mind struggling to process the situation.

In the end, she clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles ached.

Then, slowly, she lifted her head.

"Devil.. You're... the devil."

"Devil?"

The corner of Seth's lips curled as he paused for a moment.

"...I'm just a game developer. A very good one at that."

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