Episode 2
Clatter, clatter.
The scent of freshly cut wood filled the air.
At the same time, a sharp, throbbing pain—as if someone had struck my head with a shovel—surged through me, followed by a violent wave of nausea.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long for my heavy eyelids to open.
‘Where… am I?’
Inside a carriage. And not just any carriage—a luxurious one, lined with plush cushions that screamed wealth.
Though the windows were all covered by curtains, the rhythmic swaying suggested we were moving somewhere.
But why was I here? My last memory was… logging into the game.
“Ah.”
That’s right. I was now inside Heart-Throbbing Fate: Love☆Crush, Korea’s first virtual reality romance simulation game.
I’d stumbled upon a closed beta tester recruitment ad, applied on a whim, and somehow got selected. My final memory was attaching that oddly shaped neural device before everything went black.
‘Wow, it’s way more realistic than I expected.’
The woody scent lingering in the air, the texture of the seat beneath me, even the ambient sounds—it all felt unnervingly real. My worries about motion sickness or poor immersion now seemed laughable.
Come to think of it, this game was rated *19+*. Did that mean I’d be romancing male leads in an environment this realistic?!
My heart pounded with excitement—until a nagging suspicion crept in.
‘Wait, wasn’t this game supposed to start with the protagonist wrongfully imprisoned in a dungeon?’
So why was I in a fancy carriage?
The answer hit me soon enough.
‘Oh… right. I’m a beta tester.’
Since this was a private test, maybe they’d skipped the prologue and dropped me straight into a specific event. My job wasn’t just to enjoy the game but to catch bugs, after all.
Just as I pieced it together, a translucent message window popped up before me.
[Welcome, Player.]
After a brief pause, the system message flickered and updated.
[Username ‘Nadia Windsor’ confirmed.]
Huh? I don’t remember picking a name. Maybe it was auto-assigned.
The lack of character customization made sense—this was just a beta.
Still, seeing familiar UI elements eased my nerves, replacing unease with giddy anticipation.
Then, the next message made me smirk.
[A ‘Beta Tester Exclusive Special Package (Non-Purchasable)’ has arrived for ‘Nadia Windsor.’ Would you like to open it?]
Hell yeah! Of course they’d give testers some perks.
‘Open it!’
No input was needed—my thoughts alone triggered the response.
A gift box animation unfolded before me, revealing the contents.
“Whoa!”
A soft gasp escaped me. The rewards were good.
◆ [S-Rank Gacha Ticket x 3]
・Obtain rare abilities or items not normally available.
・Use when gameplay gets tough.
◆ [Beginner’s Grace (24 Days)]
・Provides in-game [TIPs] as hints.
・Lasts 24 in-game days (24 real-world hours).
◆ [10,000 Diamonds]
・Currency for the Cash Shop.
・Order necessities from the catalog-style store.
◆ 《Rules for Visitors to Belmont Ducal Manor》
・(MUST READ!) A guide for safe gameplay.
・Linked to “safety”—memorize it thoroughly.
The gacha tickets, Beginner’s Grace, and diamonds vanished instantly—applied automatically.
‘Does that mean I can check the shop now?’
‘Cash Shop!’
A catalog materialized before me, pages flipping wildly.
‘Weapons, armor, accessories, miscellany, gardening…’
My head spun at the flood of options.
Curious, I tapped the [Misc.] tab, where items were haphazardly listed. One in particular caught my eye.
[Eternal Rest Music Box — 3,000 Diamonds]
・Permanently cures insomnia.
・Warning: May make waking up difficult.
Huh. Useful for insomniacs, but that description’s kinda shady.
I checked another.
[Dust Eraser of Existence — 2,500 Diamonds]
・Eliminates dust, suspicious stains, and other unsightly entities.
・DO NOT use on living creatures.
…Yeah, I’m done browsing.
The catalog seemed endless, with a search bar at the top for direct queries.
After skimming, I closed the shop and examined the last item—the Rules.
《Rules for Visitors to Belmont Ducal Manor》
A single, stiff sheet of paper.
Unlike the other items, this one made zero sense.
The more I read, the more uneasy I grew.
‘Why is it like this?!’
Every rule was bizarre—ranging from ominous warnings to outright encouraging suicide.
This wasn’t just eerie—it read like a Neapolitan horror creepypasta.
But… wasn’t this supposed to be a dating sim?!
The researcher had assured me the beta had multiple romanceable characters. Had I been tricked?
Just as doubt settled in, a new message appeared.
[MAIN QUEST RECEIVED]
▶ Uncover the Secrets of Belmont Ducal Manor!
The Belmont Ducal Manor—beautiful yet sinister. Centered around its master, Duke Edwin Belmont, this place hides unsettling secrets.
Interact with key figures, investigate the manor, and gather clues.
―Key Characters List
―Manor Map
―Rewards
‘So it’s a mystery-romance hybrid?’
Maybe the developers had blended genres to stand out in the VR market.
Clunk!
The carriage jolted to a stop.
‘Is this where it really begins?’
Heart racing, I straightened up—just as the system flashed a warning.
[WARNING! Follow the safety rules for your own good.]
Right, the rules!
I hastily folded the sheet and stuffed it into my dress pocket (probably the default outfit).
The carriage door creaked open, and a chorus of voices greeted me.
“Welcome, miss.”
“Ah, hello!”
I beamed, stepping out—only to freeze at the sight before me.
‘What… is this?’
This was nothing like the opulent, love-filled mansion from the pre-game materials.
The sky was gloomy, the garden overgrown and eerie under a thick mist.
And the manor itself? Grand, yes—but radiating a heavy, melancholic aura.
But that wasn’t the real issue.
The problem was the figures waiting for me.
They weren’t servants.
They were… something else.
