The Baddest

When they reached the room, Anaxarete turned to Ru with a mischievous smile and thrust a folded piece of paper into his hand. "Good thoughts, my dear," she said with a wink, then gracefully slipped out through the door before he could respond.

Ru stood there for a moment, staring at the closed door. Her lingering scent of roses and incense seemed to fill the room, suffocating in its sweetness. With a sigh, he closed the door behind her and leaned his back against it, exhaustion creeping up his spine.

He glanced at the paper in his hand but ignored it for the moment, heading to the small kitchenette instead. His hands found the bottle of wine left on the counter. He popped the cork, took a swig directly from the bottle, and headed to the bathroom, searching for the only 'safe space' he could think of in this unsettling mansion.

Once inside, Ru placed the bottle on the floor and emptied his pockets onto the coffee table near the sink. Cigarettes, lighter, mascara, and the necklace—stolen from Anaxarete during their earlier encounter—all fell onto the table with a quiet clatter. He smirked at the items, his mind briefly distracted by the thrill of the theft.

He turned the sink tap on, the sound of running water filling the bathroom, providing a much-needed background noise to quiet his thoughts. He sank into the chair, the leather cool against his skin, and took a long drink of wine before reluctantly unfolding the piece of paper.

His eyes scanned the words, each line making him grip the paper tighter, his emotions a storm of confusion, anger, and disbelief:

"Dear Lirui,

I have learned some important information about the game. Please read this letter carefully and make sure you don't miss anything.

I was told that puppets are vessels to be developed for ancient spirits. It is up to us players to feed and raise the ancient spirits and the puppets. I assume that puppets are a type of tree. Each player's puppet will be fed with different materials. As far as I know, when a puppet is grown, it will be ready for a run and come to life when a spirit enters it. We will all have a baby, isn't it cute?

No, Lirui. An ancient spirit—its origin unknown—can possess the player and take over their body if it dislikes its puppet. I’ve even heard that the ancient spirit can eat the player's soul.

Another thing I’ve learned: there are only ten puppet cards, but twenty players. This means at least two players share the same puppet card—or ten players are missing their cards. I smell something foul here, Lirui.

There are exactly twenty different classes for each player. These classes have three basic skills, and the cards also have three properties. That means each player will possess six unique abilities.

My card is the Marionette of Desire. I can open forbidden places. You will all love my irresistible aura, but unfortunately, you will be jealous of me. And yes, as a downside, my aura will be dark. I hope you remember me soon, my dear :)

Luckily, my class is the Alchemist, a scientific twist on the fancy nature of a witch.

What's in it for me, pouring all of this out to you? Well, I love you, my dear, and I love you even more now that there will be a Witch Hunter in the house. Yes, a Witch Hunter is among the players.

Think carefully about the engagement with Lord Dekaris' sister. Entering the game with someone you have a connection to will give you an advantage. Furthermore, the lord’s sister is one of the players. I’m certain Lord Dekaris will give her the most advantageous card and her class will be just as strong. But his sister can’t be the Witch Hunter, can she?

There’s something Almighty Ru probably didn’t tell you. The person who brought a badly injured Almighty Ru to me for treatment was a half-demon. He said, ‘Save him, Witch,’ and, well, I fell in love with him.

This handsome man visited my hut several times to check on Almighty Ru's health. He also left a gift for Ru—a flute. ‘Give it to him when he wakes up,’ the man said. ‘It’s his.’

And now, I’ve seen him again. I glimpsed him in the mansion through Kaero’s eyes. He sat on a throne-like armchair, dressed in black leather, with gray eyes and dark hair, looking every bit like a king. Misha ran to him like a lovesick puppy, throwing herself onto his lap, and showering him with kisses. How quickly she forgot Seneca. Or perhaps she never did.

One more thing, Lirui. Almighty Ru had—or still has—a brother. When the half-demon brought him to me, most of his body burned, and Ru kept muttering about his brother. As soon as he woke, he asked about him. He lost him in a fire—a forest fire. It’s unclear whether his brother is alive or dead. But I know his name: Fu.

I hope you’ll trust me when you remember me, my little cookie.

Your aunt who loves you and will always love you.

Mwah! - lipstick stain -

P.S. Don’t forget to destroy this letter, honey.

P.S.-2: I’d appreciate it if you returned what you stole from me before entering the game."

Ru snorted. "Saving all this important information until the last minute? Oh, come on!" he muttered bitterly, downing another gulp of wine.

He pulled the lighter from the pile of stolen trinkets, flicking it on with a practiced motion. The flame kissed the corner of the letter, and he watched as the paper crumpled and blackened, curling into ash. He lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and exhaled, his eyes glued to the burning paper in the tub.

When the flame was gone he put his hand on the demon king's heart and stood there for a while.

"Are you offended?" he murmured to the heart, a mocking grin on his lips. "After all, it’s your Misha. Looks like she’s found someone else to replace you... unless it’s you, of course!" His voice was edged with sarcasm, though his chest tightened with a strange sense of loss.

As the last of the ashes drained away with the water, Ru sighed and turned off the faucet. He stood there for a moment, staring at the empty tub, lost in thought.

The room felt colder now. The wine was taking hold, clouding his mind, but it wasn’t enough to dull the storm of emotions swirling inside him. Desperate to clear his head, he undressed and stepped into the tub, turning the faucet back on. The warm water began to rise around him, and he sank deeper, letting it envelop him.

His body relaxed, but his mind continued to race. "If I have the demon king's heart," he thought, staring at the ceiling, "who has mine?"

The question echoed in his mind, unanswered, as he sank further into the water, the wine pulling him into a haze of intoxication and unease.