Surviving without God

Moretia.

Gunther, who knew every subtle mechanism of the world of , immediately understood who was being referred to. More than a hundred years ago—the first woman Kate devoured when she was still a servant in the Bellamor estate. The mistress whom Kate had served, and the true noble lady of the Bellamor family.

“Her self-portrait, then?”

Incidentally, this was an identity that “Kate” had already replaced decades ago. After devouring Moretia and mimicking her in order to move to the Border City, Kate eventually noticed that people were beginning to suspect something because she showed no signs of aging. So she simply devoured her own daughter and continued living under her daughter’s identity.

Thus, after repeatedly devouring her descendants and replacing identities again and again, the monster now known as “Kate Bellamor” was finally formed.

But now... a long-forgotten name—one even its bearer no longer remembered—had surfaced. Along with an unknown hint.

[Do you wish to read “Self-Portrait of Moretia Bellamor”?]

(※ This choice will unlock a hidden stage)

...Honestly, there was criminally little time to think. If he took even a few more steps, the “lengthening corridor” would end—and with it this gameplay trick would vanish. But Gunther’s decision was faster.

Rustle.

Gunther slowed his pace.

“This is the right move.”

He knew the laws of this world better than anyone. Hidden elements—that is, irregularities that did not exist in the official history—had to be investigated. It was risky, but the reward was worth it. And without that reward, surviving the coming scenarios would be impossible.

“Especially for Karma.”

Easter eggs, aside from granting massive amounts of Karma, often provided useful elements for stat growth. So this wasn’t reckless gambling. On the contrary, it was a calculated choice meant to reduce the total number of “Returns After Death.” And above all... the instinct of a player whispered that this was the correct option.

Gunther came to a complete stop.

[You are reading “Self-Portrait of Moretia Bellamor”]

The first to notice Gunther’s strange movement was Parco. Deep confusion spread across his coffee-colored face—after all, Gunther himself had insisted that disaster would strike if they didn’t run at full speed, and now he had suddenly started “trolling.”

“Gunther?! What the hell are you doing—why aren’t you running! We’re pulling away!”

At that shout, Tarsha also turned around, though a moment late. Flames flashed in her golden eyes when she saw Gunther standing still.

“Hey, you again! You’re trying to jump into some dangerous crap alone again! You bastard, have you completely—”

—!

Levain was thrown off as well.

“Gunther! You’re the commander now. You can’t just do whatever you want!”

Blanc added with a frightened expression,

“N-novice! Where are you going, leaving us behind!!!”

They were all about to turn around and run back to him. But Gunther’s gaze was fixed on only one thing. Right now, sliding out of its frame as if slipping loose, the portrait itself was emerging. And—

“—Aaaaaaa!!”

A piercing scream rang out. His comrades stared in shock as their commander thrust his sword straight into the painting.

Grrrrrr...

The self-portrait of Moretia Bellamor began to distort. Its boundaries blurred like melting paint, and ink-black pigment seeped from the cracks of the frame. And the next instant—

“Huh?”

The corridor returned to its original state. Those who had been standing far apart were grouped together again as if nothing had happened. The lighting was restored, the darkness retreated. Tarsha, staring at Gunther’s back—so close she could have reached out and touched him—muttered awkwardly,

“Huh... well that’s a little embarrassing, isn’t it?”

Levain added,

“So that’s another way to break the spell. I’ve never seen that method before—how did you know?”

But Gunther did not loosen his grip on the sword’s hilt. Through “Reading,” he had sensed the portrait’s secret and knew this was not the end.

“Sorry, guys.”

“Huh?”

“Looks like we’re about to go somewhere... pretty creepy together.”

The moment he finished speaking—

Rumble...

Dozens of portraits lined along both walls suddenly came alive and lunged toward them with a crash. Inside the interlocking frames, countless gazes of blond women fixed themselves upon the Fourth Platoon.

[Alphonse of Red Street cries out in fright!]

While everyone was distracted, viscous darkness began seeping up beneath their feet. Looking at it, Gunther gave a short chuckle.

“I told you not to go alone, right?”

Whoosh!

The air cracked. The Fourth Platoon, as a group, was dragged into the darkness.

Into the hidden stage.

.

.

.

Ding!

[Entering hidden stage: “Bellamor’s Darkness”]

[Personal scenario updated: “Silver Responsibility”!]

Objective: Clear “Bellamor’s Darkness,” reveal the secret of Kate Bellamor, and weaken her power.

Instead of attending the banquet hosted by Kate, you have discovered a hidden path within the cracks of the mansion. This is the reverse side of the house, where old memories and sins are sealed—things even she cannot control. Kate is currently in an extremely unstable state due to the unexpected intrusion of the Fourth Platoon. Clear the stage quickly to make her anxiety become reality.

Reward table updated.

– Karma: 500, large amount of experience.

– The power of the Bellamor Mansion boss, “Kate Bellamor,” is weakened.

– Rewards for clearing Bellamor Mansion increased.

※ An Easter egg is hidden within this stage. Try to find it!

***

“Beyond the mirrors lies another Bellamor. There, the devourer and the devoured cry and laugh, repeating each other’s names.”

.

.

.

Gunther opened his eyes.

Fuuuu...

The magnificent interiors of the mansion vanished instantly, leaving only crushing blackness. Endless falling into an unknown abyss. None of his comrades were visible.

“Tarsha? Levain! Blanc, Parco!”

His voice scattered into the void without leaving even an echo. Twisting in the air, Gunther looked around.

And then—

He noticed a tiny point of light beneath his feet. Deep within the dark abyss, a faint light source flickered. It slowly expanded, as though breathing.

“.......”

The speed of the fall was insane, yet the light approached unbearably slowly. Only then did Gunther realize from what unimaginable height he was falling.

[State “Self-Oblivion” activated]

Even in such a terrifying situation, his breathing gradually steadied. Calmly, he began analyzing the situation. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

“A dungeon inside a dungeon, huh.”

Bellamor Mansion itself was already an anomaly soaked in the power of Jean Daet. This kind of surreal phenomenon was hardly surprising. Gunther began recalling dungeon-within-dungeon stages that existed in .

“One thing is certain...”

Stages like this were never cleared by brute force ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) alone. Usually they were puzzles requiring observation, logic, and choice. And fortunately, battlefields like this were exactly the area where Gunther excelled most.

“I’ll clear it. No matter what.”

Five hundred Karma, an Easter egg reward, and an additional condition—weakening the boss. If he cleared this, saving Dimona would become almost certain. Gunther clenched his fists.

Whooooosh...

At that moment the light beneath him exploded outward. A blinding flash colored the end of the fall, and a new landscape unfolded before Gunther’s eyes.

“A garden?”

Red flowers bloomed through the darkness like waves of the sea. Myriad petals slowly drifting in the air. The ground was already covered in a thick red carpet of them.

Thud!

Gunther’s body pierced through the curtain of red light and slammed into the ground. Even though he had fallen from a height where not even the protection of “Flying Ahead of the Wind” could have saved him, strangely there was no impact. Instead, his entire body was enveloped in a warm, sticky substance. Gunther shook off the clinging petals... no, blood-soaked pieces of flesh, and looked forward.

Huuuuuun!

The petals swirling in the air gathered together and formed a single phrase.

[Welcome to the garden of ■■■]

[Alphonse of Red Street expresses doubt about the name “■■■”]

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats advises looking around first]

Momentarily frozen by the eerie sight of the garden, Gunther slowly turned his gaze as the King of Knights advised.

A blood-red garden with neither entrance nor exit. None of his comrades were visible, and petals drifted endlessly through the air.

[The Ruler of the Oceans expresses strong disgust toward this place]

[Flying Ahead of the Wind reports Blanc’s position: she also fell somewhere within this garden, and while flapping her wings signals that she is currently safe]

The garden, immersed in silence, seemed to wait only for Gunther’s footsteps. Since further observation revealed nothing, Gunther stepped forward.

“Alright... let’s go.”

However, after only a few steps, he felt something strange and stopped. The petals began gathering around him like iron filings drawn to a magnet.

“What now...”

Ssssssss...

At the center of the gathered petals, a figure slowly rose. The folds of a white dress unfolded soundlessly, a slender hand moving slowly through the air.

Gunther gripped his sword and took a defensive stance. But soon he realized the creature had neither the intention to attack nor the strength to pose a threat.

...It was a girl who appeared about seventeen or eighteen years old. “Appeared,” because where her face should have been, everything was burned black like charred paper.

Sss...

As if unaware that she had lost her face, the creature slowly tilted her head and greeted him with graceful, perfectly proper etiquette.

[Hello? Stranger, you smell very pleasant]

...She had no nostrils, so how was she smelling anything? Gunther briefly found himself asking that ridiculous question.

[I am Moretia Bellamor. Excuse me, but who might you be?]

After taking a few steps, she suddenly lost her balance and staggered.

[Oh dear, everything’s going dark... Have you by chance seen my maid, ■■■? That ugly and lazy ■■■... It seems she has completely forgotten the etiquette of serving her lady...]

Then, with a noble gesture, she extended her pale hand toward Gunther.

[Excuse me, would you mind holding me? My head is spinning]

Gunther stared at the faceless girl.

[Three Gods express grim premonitions]

But Gunther did not step back.

Thanks to the instincts he had developed through years of playing . And the fragmented information obtained through “Reading.” He understood that this was not an attack, but a trigger to advance the story.

“...With pleasure, Lady Moretia.”

The sensation of touching her hand was cold and hard, like that of a long-dead corpse. His vision slowly began dissolving into light. Gunther accepted the invitation of “Moretia,” the very woman Kate had devoured first.

The changes followed immediately.

[Hunger Gauge rising]

.

.

.

“...What the hell?”

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats closes his eyes at your pitiful appearance]

[The Drug-Addicted Saint defends you, saying you still look cute anyway]

[Alphonse of Red Street swallows his saliva while looking at you]

Gunther stared in complete despair at his reflection in the metal mirror.

“I... I...”

A frilled dress fluttered around him.

“...A maid?!?”