Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary!
Chapter Summary
" The Section Chief gave me a half-hearted wave, his hair disheveled and the dark circles beneath his eyes even more pronounced than usual. "There's no need to worry about him attacking you again, if that's what's on your mind. Coming to a stop before a certain door, the Section Chief placed his hand on the wall, causing the door to unlock shortly after as a large room appeared before my eyes.
[Effective immediately, Myles Holms's contract with the Guild has been terminated.
We thank him for his past contributions and wish him the best in his future endeavors.
] It was a simple announcement, yet it was enough to ignite whispers throughout the entire department.
Walking through the main area felt like stepping into an exhibit at a zoo.
Every pair of eyes seemed fixed on me, with every whisper just loud enough for me to hear.
'That's him, right...?
He's the one who got Myles kicked out.
' 'I heard that Myles was jealous of him.
' 'Now that I think about it, there's merit behind that jealousy.
That guy...
based on his stats, he's actually a monster.
' 'I'd also feel the same.
' I forced myself to tune out the whispers, striding toward my office until I came to a halt in front of the door.
A figure appeared right by my door.
"Oh, you're finally here.
" The Section Chief gave me a half-hearted wave, his hair disheveled and the dark circles beneath his eyes even more pronounced than usual.
He looked even more tired than usual.
'I guess he must've pulled up an all-nighter after what happened yesterday.
' "Don't mind me.
I pulled an all-nighter yesterday after the mess that happened.
" As expected...
"Anyway, there are a few things I need to discuss with you.
Should we do it in your office?
" The Section Chief nudged his head towards the door to my office.
My office...?
I hesitated for a moment until I relented and nodded my head.
"Yeah, let's do that.
" There was nothing to hide anyway.
"Good.
" Clank—!
The Section Chief entered as if he owned the place, his stride casual.
Stifling a subtle yawn, he made his way to the chair opposite my desk and sat down, crossing his legs and leaning back.
I stared at the scene in silence before following from behind and sitting down in my seat.
A subtle silence followed as the Section Chief yawned a couple more times.
"Huaam.
" He blinked his eyes a couple of times, mumbling things like, 'I really need to stop doing all-nighters.
I don't think I've slept more than a couple of hours this week.
' I forced a smile.
He was probably exaggerating.
There was no way a human could function on so little sleep.
'Right...?
' "Let's get on with this.
I'm sure you're busy too.
" Placing his hand on the table, the Section Chief leaned forward while looking at me.
"Myles has confessed to everything.
You don't need to worry about any disciplinary action.
It wasn't your fault.
Considering that we all witnessed the scene, there was no way he could have gotten away with it anyway.
Especially after receiving your recording.
You're all good.
" "...
Oh.
" I had never been worried about it in all honesty.
I had meticulously set my trap, arranging it so perfectly that there was no way I could be at fault.
"Setting all of that aside, there are a couple of things that I want to say to you.
" Leaning his back against the chair and lifting his ass up, the Section Chief dug into his pockets and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper.
He placed it on the paper right after.
"Here.
" "This is...?
" Confused, I reached for the paper.
When I did, my brow jumped up.
"Yes, you and your team have officially passed the Trials.
You've all been selected to participate in the upcoming World Congress.
What does this mean?
It means you'll receive increased resources from the Guild, along with new sponsorship opportunities.
Later, you will most likely receive a call from HR to go up.
They will give you a list of potential sponsors to take into consideration.
" "...
I see.
" Despite my lukewarm reaction, I was actually rather excited.
Sponsorships meant money, and I needed money.
"Okay, aside from that, there's another thing that I would like to tell you.
" The Section Chief's expression grew more serious, and instinctively, mine did too as the excitement I'd felt moments ago began to fade.
"The situation with Myles is a bit complicated, but he'll most likely be dismissed from the Guild.
Another Guild might decide to take him in...
or maybe not.
We'll review any offers that come in.
" "Okay...?
" This didn't seem like surprising news.
What could he— "He's asked to have a couple of words with you.
" I froze, staring at the Section Chief in confusion.
He...
I didn't hear wrongly, did I?
Opening my mouth, I closed it right after, while staring at the Section Chief.
"He wants to have a couple of words with me...?
" "Yes.
" The Section Chief nodded.
"There's no need to worry about him attacking you again, if that's what's on your mind.
He'll be strictly monitored in the room.
He just wants a brief chat with you.
He said that once it's over, he'll comply with everything.
" ".....
" The words felt as though they were stuck in my throat.
Did I want to talk to him...?
Not really.
In fact, I wanted nothing to do with him anymore.
I just wanted everything to be done.
And yet— 'I still don't know the true reason behind his actions.
' I was dying to know.
Why was he so desperate to get rid of me?
Surely, it wasn't purely because he was insecure.
There had to be something more to it, and I knew that there was.
As such...
"Alright.
" I decided to agree.
I felt that it was important for me to find out the reason.
"Great.
" The Section Chief smiled, clapping his hands together.
He stood and began walking toward the door, then paused and glanced back at me.
"Aren't you coming?
" "Huh?
" I blinked, staring at him in confusion.
Then it hit me.
"Now!?
" "Of course!
Why?
You want to do this next week?
" "Ah, no.
" I stood up from my seat and hurried towards the Section Chief.
"This works out well for me, too.
I'd rather do it now than drag it for longer.
" "Good.
" With a smile, the Section Chief reached for the door and pulled it open.
"Let's go then.
" * The interrogation room was located on floor [-1].
The moment we stepped out of the elevator and the doors slid open, a long corridor stretched out before us, seemingly endless like the squad floors below.
A soft gray carpet muffled our footsteps as the LED lights above flickered intermittently.
Coming to a stop before a certain door, the Section Chief placed his hand on the wall, causing the door to unlock shortly after as a large room appeared before my eyes.
Several people appeared within the room, but as I stepped inside, the first thing that caught my eye was the large window at the far end.
Behind it, I caught a glimpse of another room.
Through it, a lone figure sat with his head lowered, his hair falling over his face, hiding his expression.
However, with just one glance, I could see that he looked haggard.
Even more than the Section Chief.
My heart skipped a beat at the sight, and just as I stepped further into the room, as if sensing my presence, his head lifted and turned toward the mirror.
Our eyes met in that moment, and my heart suddenly stopped beating.
Then— A pair of dimples appeared before my very eyes.
My stomach churned.
'...
I might be getting second thoughts about this.
'