MTLNOVEL Chapter 16
I opened my eyes as the system window opened one after another.
No way, Holloway…?
Until I reached the end of the story, Holloway was never seen in his original form, so I began to wonder if it was really him.
But looking at the status window that pops up, it appears to be Holloway.
However, it’s not possible to ask whether this is Holloway himself.
If I did that and he said, “How did you know? Go die.” then I would absolutely be sent to death without any way out.
I could feel his firm body through my back, which was pressed closely together.
To be honest, I’m bewildered.
Not only is the adult version of Holloway that appears right after the ending, but the final boss is hugging me from behind right now?
I’m f*cking scared.
It wouldn’t have been surprising if Holloway had stabbed me in the back of the head with an ax and quietly disappeared.
I was biting my lip over and over again, wondering how I could get away from that guy.
[Holloway thinks, ‘It would be quite fun to raise one.’]
Isn’t he a crazy bastard, this one.
Who are you raising for you to say that!
I was so annoyed that I was about to turn around, yet his large hand stopped me, holding the back of my head as if it were wrapped in one hand.
“You don’t listen to me well.”
“I apologize.”
Apologies spontaneously jumped out at the sight of a large hand pressing on the back of my head and the fierce words.
Chuckling low in the background, he cleared his voice and spoke.
“I’m going.”
I beg you. Quickly.
Please go quickly.
“After I go, count to ten before turning around.”
“What if I look back before that?”
“You’ll die, won’t you?”
“One, two…”
“I haven’t gone yet.”
“…”
He ruffled my hair once.
His arm, which had firmly wrapped around my waist, slipped away, and the pressure I felt behind him had disappeared before I knew it.
And I diligently counted down the numbers.
“O-One, two…”
I calmed my trembling voice, counted to ten, and then slowly looked back.
A younger version of Holloway was lying there, pretending to have fainted, as if I wondered since when has he been there.
I walked up to him and squeezed my fist.
Should I hit him with this, or not.
I shouldn’t. If I do, my head will fly off.
“Holloway, holloway!”
I pretended not to know anything and shook him awake. Holloway skillfully pretended to wake up from sleep.
Annoying.
“Sister?”
“Are you okay? Are you not hurt anywhere?”
“Yes… What about your sister?”
“I’m okay for now. Someone saved me. Did you see him?”
First of all, if I asked like this, he would have recognized that I didn’t know that Holloway and the man just were the same person.
At this level, I guess I’m as good at acting as Holloway.
“No, I didn’t see anyone.”
“Really? I think he saved us. It seems that there’s someone else in this hotel besides us.”
I pretended to reason seriously. Although I know it all about who he is, I pretended not to know who was in charge.
“Seeing as he helped us, he must be a good person, right?”
No, it’s a very mean and cruel demon.
I smiled awkwardly and avoided answering. Even with empty words, I couldn’t say he was nice.
Instead, I changed the topic. I have to increase the attachment level to escape the confinement ending.
So even if I faced a monster, I had to go to the dining room no matter what.
As of now, I don’t know how to just increase attachment, so I had to narrow the gap with this quest.
“Holloway, it’s a bit difficult in the current situation… But wouldn’t a person do anything only if they’re well-fed?”
Holloway held my hand tightly as if he had been waiting for those words.
“Of course. It’s a shame, but I guess I’ll be the only one eating the food Sister cooked.”
…I feel like I’m playing out of Holloway’s palm.
Ah, so I’m actually doing that.
Before I knew it, I headed to the dining room with Holloway holding my hand. Now holding hands has become natural to our relationship.
This time, there were no monsters blocking our path, so we were able to easily enter the dining room.
The large lounge bar was quiet.
As I went inside, avoiding the rolling chairs and tables, I saw a door with a sign saying, “No entry except for authorized personnel.”
I opened that door with Holloway. As expected, the kitchen appeared.
Just in case, I sneaked in and only after making sure there were no monsters did I check to see if there were any ingredients to cook.
Even in the game, the main characters didn’t starve to death, so although they weren’t in abundance, they had all the basic ingredients.
It was neat, also,
Even if it’s a hotel full of monsters and demons, the kitchen must be clean.
“Sister, is there anything I can help you with?”
“Sitting still?”
“I will help you. I know how to refine the ingredients.”
But I have to do everything for the quest to succeed…
I didn’t want to leave any anxiety behind, so I flatly refused and sent Holloway out of the kitchen.
“Then let’s get started.”
Quest to increase Holloway’s attachment level!
***
“Even though I thought you’d do something grandiose…”
Holloway trailed off when he saw the shabby table setting.
I wanted to tell him to stop talking and eat, but I had to avoid the ending of imprisonment, so I forced a smile and scooped up the soup and put it in his mouth.
“What do you wish for in this situation? Hurry up and eat.”
He looked at me and the spoon I was holding alternately, then opened his mouth with a somewhat happy expression on his face.
“Huh? It tastes pretty good.”
Holloway widened his eyes as if he was surprised.
Feeling a little shrugged, I straightened my shoulders and fed him another spoonful.
When I held out a spoon to his hand to eat, he shook his head with a calm expression on his face.
“Sister, I want salad.”
“Do you have no hands?”
“Salad.”
Got it, I told you I got it.
Please don’t lower your voice while chuckling like that.
I quietly dipped the tomatoes and salad with a fork and put them in his mouth. Of course, I didn’t stop eating either.
You can’t do anything when you’re hungry.
After a not-so-pleasant meal, I licked my dry lips and eagerly waited for the quest success notification window to pop up.
I want to be happy, please!
As if that earnest desire was met, a window popped up with a cheerful notification sound.
[The special quest was successful!]
[As a reward, 10% attachment is given.]
[Attachment has increased by 10%.]
[Favorability: 5.5%
Attachment: 12%
Possessiveness: 12%]
[The difference between possessiveness and attachment has become less than 10%. The ‘Unhappy Confinement Life’ ending has been withdrawn.]
At last…!
Only then was I relieved.
But this was just the beginning. The biggest problem was that he was surprisingly prone to possessiveness.
That confinement ending didn’t disappear. If the desire for possession differs by more than 10% from the degree of attachment, an unhappy life of confinement begins.
So, I have to control the pace and speed well, but…
I don’t even know how to increase attachment.
If I treat him this warmly, will it go up?
“Sister, I’m sleepy because I’m full.”
Did you come to play, huh.
I envied the final boss who had no worries.
Since he’s the owner of this hotel and is in the position of a predator, he has nothing to be afraid of.
“Shall we go to that room earlier?”
Since it’s said to be a safe zone, we will be able to sleep comfortably.
Any room would be fine for Holloway, so it doesn’t matter, but.
It matters to me.
What if my body gets torn while I sleep….
“Let’s go to a nearby room.”
When I hesitated and couldn’t answer willingly, Holloway stretched and hugged my waist.
“I’ll let you sleep.”
You’re saying you won’t let me do anything else, what…
I tried to stop my thoughts from continuing to flow negatively.
“Would you mind staying on guard?”
“Yes.”
“No. I can’t give a child a hard time.”
Holloway, who was smiling softly at my urgent rejection, lightly covered his nose.
“Well… Let’s go to a room first. Sister smells like blood, so unpleasantly.”
“Ah.”
I was so upset that I forgot about it.
It was like I was walking around covered in the blood of the dead Friedel.
I was somewhat thankful that Werner and Moran weren’t scared, even though they looked quite so.
If it were me, I would have freaked out and thought it was a ghost.
Anyway, once I started to be conscious of it, I started to feel uncomfortable.
“Do they have any clothes?”
“Let us take a look.”
Holloway held my hand and hugged me despite my condition.
Indeed, since he’s a demon, he’s probably not scared of blood.
Holloway took my hand and started leading the way.
[Holloway has decided to do you a ‘favor.’]
Favor?
[Of the off-limits rooms, the 12nd room, Room 201 ‘Sleeping’ has been unlocked!]
Sleeping room?
Does a corpse sleep, I wonder.
As soon as he said room 201, Holloway went up to the second floor and opened the door to room 201, which was almost at the end of the hallway.
Once inside, Holloway deftly opened his closet door.
There were quite a few clothes scattered around inside. Holloway said he was glad and pointed into the closet.
“There are clothes, Sister!”
It’s nice to have clothes, but why are there only negligees here?
It was easy to move around, but since it was a type of pajamas, it was too thin and light, which was a problem.
I was fortunate to have a thin cardigan.
There are no shoes…
It would be extravagant to even want shoes here.
“Thank you, Holloway. Then, please keep an eye out for monsters while I take a quick shower.”
I don’t want to be someone who dies in the shower.
Holloway, who was quietly thinking, had a look of mischief on his face.
“Shall we wash together?”
I looked at Holloway talking nonsense with a stern face.
“Our genders are clearly different.”
“That’s right! You’re a woman, I’m a man.”
Uh… Why is he happy, though?
Holloway repeated, holding my hand tightly with both hands.
“Don’t forget. Alright?”
The foggy light in his eyes was eerie. Without realizing it, I was pressured by the force and stuttered to answer.
“Uh, huh.”
“Now, then go take a shower, Sister! I’ll be waiting for you.”
I hesitated and went into the bathroom.
Holloway waved his hand lightly as I continued to squint at him.
As if to see me off.
I don’t like that.
Seeing Holloway greeting for the last time as if I’m dying.
Why does it look like it’s the last greeting that much, I wonder.
“I’m just taking a shower.”
I’m not going anywhere.
“I know.”
“I won’t go anywhere.”
I won’t go to the afterlife.
I was nervous and repeated it, yet Holloway covered his mouth and laughed.
“Yes, please don’t.”
[Holloway finds you cute.]
Not really, though.
[Attachment has increased by 1%.]
Thank you for considering me cute.