“Gah! Ah… Ah…”

Flint woke up desperately gasping for air. His lungs felt heavy. For every breath, a stinging pain pierced through his chest. The near-death experience pinned a paralyzing shock on his limbs.

Hyuna, the red-haired maid, stood at his side. “You are alive. Good,” she said. Not a single hint of emotion in her face.

The memories of what happened up until now came to a light. At his right, layers of steam were rising from the hot surface of the pool, a wet towel was wrapped around his waist, and the uniform from the maid was soaked. He almost drowned while bathing and the girl had to rescue him. Embarrassed, he wanted to facepalm but didn’t have the strength to do so.

“Don’t you dare to do that again,” she said.

“What?”

“Don’t try to commit suicide again.”

Flint and Suicide? The ginger maid got it all wrong! True, the boy wasn’t much of an optimistic, but he wasn’t a depressive teenager like some of his classmates.

“I didn’t try to drown! I fainted… while bathing.” Flint hated to admit he almost died in such a foolish manner.

“You’re lying. You tried to escape from Milady through death.”

“I swear I didn’t try to kill myself!” The pain in his chest forced him to wince. “But… but why did you save me? I thought I was just a worthless human for demons.”

“Milady said you’re my responsibility. Your lowly status does not concern me.”

Throughout their conversation, the maid only moved her mouth. The rest of her face was unusually stiff. There wasn’t a way to tell what emotion she felt at the moment, even the tone of her voice didn’t pass a hint.

“Milady is waiting for you at the Dining Hall,” she said. “Clean clothes await you in the Changing Room. I will be waiting in the hallway.”

The maid immediately left the bathing area as soon as she finished the instructions.

“Weird girl,” he muttered.

Flint stayed back for a while, his lungs required a bit of rest. After two minutes, he got back on his feet. Thankfully that heavy marble door had been left open.

“So these are the clothes?”

He had no trouble trying to put the new clothes onto his body. The long sleeved white cotton shirt and the brown hemp trousers were a bit large though. They were comfortable, but the pants threatened to fall. Still, rather this over his old and sweaty clothing.

“Better than nothing I guess.”

He opened the door and saw the maid standing by the other side of the hallway. The window behind her was barricaded by several wooden planks.

“Follow me, Milady doesn’t like to wait.”

*****

In the corridor, Hyuna walked four steps ahead of Flint. Her uniform dripped wet, letting a trail of water over the carpet.

“Remember, no suicide attempts from now on,” she said.

“Got it, don’t worry.” He checked the state of her uniform. “Are you fine with your clothes? It’s kind of wet.”

“No need for your concern.”

They had been walking for five minutes, not once she turned her head to face him. His experience with dating simulators told her iron personality would be a pain in the ass. She stopped and pointed at a large entrance to the left.

“Over there is the Dining Hall, Milady is waiting for you. I will take my leave.”

The maid started to walk along the same path they came from, but Flint still needed to express his gratitude. That girl did save him from drowning after all.

“Hey, thanks for saving me… I guess.”

Hyuna briefly looked over her shoulder.

“By the way, try to kill yourself again, and I will give you something worse than death.”

Her face still wore that metaphorical mask with no emotion. But regardless of her expression, the gaze from her emerald eyes sent a chill down his spine. After the threat, the ginger maid walked away.

“She’s weird for sure…”

*****

Loud shouts and noises were coming from the Dining Hall. The place wasn’t as massive in size like the Royal Chamber, but the architecture was similar: Ivory colored walls with long arched windows. A big round wooden table stood in the middle and smaller ones were spread across the floor. Weird looking people crowded the room. Some were demons and others seemed like a cross between a human and an animal. Half-humans, Flint remembered. The game was filled with them. The Queen was sitting amidst that rabble.

As Flint stepped inside, someone stood up from his chair holding a wooden mug filled with beer. It was a lizard-man. Half a lizard. Half a man.

He yelled, “Over here boy! Come! Come! Right over here! Drink with me!”

Instead of a soft skin, he had greenish scales. The color from his eyes was bright yellow, his mouth was full of sharp teeth and there were spikes in his tail.

“What's the holdup? Don’t be shy!”

As the lizard-man kept drunkenly shouting, another individual sitting at his right interrupted.

“Barama-ya! You drank too much again! Stop drinking so many like that. It is unsightly.”

This one wasn’t a normal human either. He seemed like a hybrid with a lion. Instead of a hair, he had a mane. His skin was covered by fur tinted in yellow, and his nose resembled the muzzle of a cat surrounded by long whiskers. Every time he opened his mouth to speak, his sharp feline fangs were exposed.

The lizard chugged down another mug of beer and slammed it on the table. “Shuddup kitty! Go drink your milk or something!”

The lion-man crossed his arms. “As expected of Barama-ya, to come with such petty insults. You need to learn the importance of moderation.”

“Oh! Such well-behaved kitty! Haha! Here, have some head pats!”

Hell broke out.

“Hands off me you drunk mess of a gecko!”

“I ain’t a gecko! Imma big crocodile!”

A fist fight started right on the spot for the enjoyment of everyone around the table. The Queen, in special, smirked at their heated performance.

“You'll never beat me damn kitty!”

“Gotta teach your green ass some manners!”

They kept exchanging powerful fists and swift cuffs from the left and from the right. But in the middle of their chaos, the lizard-man pushed the other, making him trip and accidentally slam a bowl filled with a red sauce. As if The Laws of the Universe and Physics conspired against The Queen, the flying liquid landed on her favorite plate: The pudding.

Her eyes widened. The color of her skin changed to the same tone as the sauce: Bright red. “YOU TWO! Take this somewhere else!”

They couldn’t hear her demand amidst their fight. Instead of personally dealing with them, she turned to a mysterious woman next to her.

“Vela, would you please?” The Queen asked.

Said woman wore a purple silk dress with a V cleavage dangerously exposing her pale skin, a pointy witch hat sat over her long and dark wavy hair. A black lipstick covered her pouty lips.

“Very well, but just because you asked nicely.”

The mysterious woman snapped her finger and in a poof both of the men causing that rabble disappeared out of thin air. No doubt she was a witch. Flint raised his brows, not only those men vanished in a literal finger snap, that woman’s voice felt… familiar. It was identical to the one who toyed with him in the bath.

The Witch directed her ruby-colored eyes towards the boy and formed a flirtatious grin with her lips. After leaning her body over to the right, she gave the young man a better view of her cleavage.

“Did you recall something?” she asked.

His cheeks blushed red. That embarrassing event was something best forgotten, however, The Queen, who was now chomping a piece of meat, got curious.

“Did something - munch - happen between you two?” she asked.

“Nothing at all Meli… Nothing at all…” The Witch said.

The Queen turned her head to Flint. “Come here already you took an awful amount of time in the bath.” She beckoned him with her hand.

He awkwardly approached a chair next to her. His stomach rumbled the moment he sat. Back in the real world, he would be sitting at the table enjoying mother’s spaghetti at this hour. Fortunately, lots of roasted meat and several unknown dishes were on the table. The savory smell excited his palate.

“Then if you don’t mind… I will be taking–”

“Here is your plate.”

Hyuna appeared out of nowhere and dropped a plate in front of him. It was actually a dog bowl with the name “POCHI” written on the back. A single piece of boiled bone resided inside.

“I am sorry… What is this?” Flint asked.

“Your plate. Please, enjoy your meal.”

Cruel and subtle giggles. Everyone around the table laughed at the boy. Everyone, but a certain blonde woman.

“Hyuna, how mean! You can’t treat our guest like that!” a soft voice said. “Here, have this.”

The beautiful blonde demon, the first person who welcomed Flint into this world. She, for the second time, showed him kindness. Putting the dog bowl aside, she slid a plate with slices of roasted meat, mashed potato and green vegetables the boy had never seen.

“He is not our guest. He might be a threat,” the ginger maid said.

“He is just a defenseless boy! There is no reason to treat him so harshly.” The blonde stabbed her finger onto Hyuna's shoulder.

A sparkle between the two ladies seemed to be about to explode into another fist fight. Before more puddings could be harmed, The Queen stopped chomping on her meal and stepped up:

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“Will I have to ask Vela to deal with you as well?”

Her words were absolute. The girls immediately stopped their little quarrel. Both of them returned to their respective seats. But before the blonde demon could leave, Flint expressed his gratitude.

“Thank you, miss… uh…”

“Mamyl… You can call me Mamyl, sweetie.” She winked.

Finally, time to eat. As the boy grabbed a fork, The Queen extended her right arm and put it over his plate.

Her brows furrowed. “Oy! I still don't know who you are! I didn't understand half of your dumb explanation!”

The Witch noticed the little impasse and decided to give them a helping hand. “Meli, I have a solution for this problem of yours.”

“What is it, Vela?” The Queen asked.

“You see… I can project his memories in a mirror…”

Flint gasped. “See my memories!? You mean like, see stuff I saw!?”

“That’s great. I didn’t know such a magic existed,” The Queen said.

“What about my privacy?”

The blue woman slammed the table. “Idiot, you’re in no position to complain. We will get those memories and that’s it!”

“Ey! Can't I explain to you instead? You know, with words.” Flint begged.

“We tried it already, idiot. That bored me out!”

Ignoring their discussion, The Witch closed her eyes and raised her right hand. A vibrant aquamarine glow loomed over her palm. Eventually, it materialized into a silver framed handheld mirror. Flint observed the process. He had never seen that magic in-game. She wore an annoying grin. “I’m sorry my dear boy… But I guarantee this way will be the best for you.”

The Queen grabbed The Witch by her shoulder. “Oy! Show me this mirror already!”

“Now, now, don’t rush me, if I do it wrong…” She dramatically paused. “The boy might go poof”

Going poof was definitively not a good thing. He immediately flinched at the possibility and tried to refuse her method once again.

“What do you mean by poof? I’m not doing this!”

In response to his insubordination, The Queen struck a terrifying scowl at him. Raising her hand, she muttered “Isatu” under her breath. A small flame rose from her palm. It was tiny, but the message it carried wasn’t.

The boy swallowed his own spit. “Oh… Okay… I… I will do it.” He had to accept defeat.

Since everyone approved the procedure, The Witch pointed the mirror towards Flint.

“Then, my dear boy, would you look at this little mirror?”

Having no other options, he sternly looked at the reflection and clenched his fist.

“Please don't go poof! Please don't go poof! Please, Mr. Mirror, don’t poof me!”

No more than five seconds later, The Witch ended the procedure. “Thank you. That should do it…”

Like a kid who is curious about her friend’s new toy, The Queen excitedly leaned over. “Let me see! Let me see!” She softly headbutted The Witch’s pointy hat.

Flint got up from his seat and tried to approach both of them. Surely, he could at least prevent them from seeing any compromising memories of the times he spent in solitude in his bedroom and bathroom. However, The Queen gestured for him to stop.

“Go eat your food,” she said.

“Don’t I have the right to see about my own life?”

“Again, you are in no position to complain. Be thankful I didn’t kill you yet.”

There was nothing he could have done at this point. Returning to his seat, he worried about what parts of his reality show would be revealed. He started to eat his meal, periodically glancing over the left to see their reaction.

Throughout the entire spectacle, The Witch kept her same little mischievous grin, but not The Queen. Her blue face became a palette of emotions. At first, she expressed confusion, but soon transformed into curiosity. Her eyes brightened by getting glimpses of what the real world offered.

There were so many things that were worthy of her attention: Fashion and clothing, food and beverages and snacks, television and movies, music and bands, houses and buildings, cars and planes and ships… The list was immense.

Up until this point, anger was the pivot of her personality, but her honest smile changed her image. Flint realized that she was more than a bitter woman. She had the face of a maiden in her twenties. Her beauty allowed the blue color from her skin to feel natural. The girl was still very scary, but pretty nonetheless. His heart skipped a beat.

Disgust.

Suddenly her face started to stretch and wrinkle. The beautiful Demon Queen wore a sour expression of utter disgust. What would be in that tiny little mirror that made her feel so horrible?

“Oh no…” the boy said to himself.

That was the one thing Flint didn’t want to happen. His little reality show had finally exposed what happens after midnight when everybody went to sleep. The sins that one does for being a young man was being revealed to The Queen and The Witch. Out of embarrassment, he stopped looking at them and stared his plate.

“No, no, no, no.”

As he glanced back at them, Hyuna and Mamyl had joined the other girls to watch. He couldn't take it anymore. Flint desperately rushed towards the little crowd. That mirror had to be stopped before more shameful scenes were exposed.

He screamed, “Please stop watching–”

“ISATU”

But that fire magic combined with the disgusted expression from The Queen froze him in place. Sadly, he cowered back to his seat. Even though the rest of the people in the Dining Hall were loud, he could hear what that little group of women was commenting.

“What is he doing?” Hyuna frenetically moved her clenched fist up and down.

“It is something completely natural for young men... It means he is healthy.” Mamyl explained.

A tear of utter defeat fell from his eyes onto his plate.

*****

“Why me? … Why me?”

Flint sobbed as the night kept going and several curious maids and butlers joined the group watching that tiny mirror.

“That damned little mirror,” he muttered.

At least, much for his ease of mind, The Witch started to skip most of the compromising parts due to public feedback. All of the people watching were curious about his world: A place where advanced technology filled the role of magic.

The time passed, and the curious crowd slowly dispersed. Some of them approached Flint. They would ask about various delicacies and inventions that were unknown to them.

1. “That ice cream thing! We have to try it!”

2. “Your people don’t use swords and bows?”

3. “For real? How many times you beat it a day?”

4. “They wear such strange clothes!”

5. “Are all cities full of tall houses like that?”

6. “You actually use that huge flying thing to travel?”

The commentaries were endless. Flint cheerfully gave them a proper conversation and explanation, except for number three. Eventually, the commotion died, everybody went back to their duties, and The Queen had seen enough. The Witch snapped her fingers, making the mirror disappear.

Lying on her back, The Queen let out a deep sigh as she grabbed a mug with red wine. Her eyes had seen so many wonders. The blue woman couldn't remember the last time she felt so entertained. “We're inside a video-game, huh... I think I understand now.” A bit of existential crisis infected her head.

The Witch sipped on a glass of wine. “See my dear boy…” She stared at Flint. “I told this was the best solution.”

He clenched his jaw. “I don’t know about that! Couldn’t I pick which memories to show?”

She took another sip. “No, what if you were naughty and hid something from us?”

The fact that his privacy had been violated bummed him lots. But at least The Demon Queen knew the truth now. It should be clear that he meant no actual harm.

The Witch, after finishing the glass of wine, stood up and yawned. “What a nice meal…”

She slowly approached Flint, seductively swaying her hips, allowing her purple dress to grind against her pale skin. But he knew the truth! She had a special package under her clothes. No way she could fool him again!

The mysterious woman leaned over next to him and snapped her fingers. A big and thick piece of sausage dropped in front of him.

“Don’t worry my dear boy. That thing in the bath… was nothing but a little prank”

She proceeded to gently blow in his ear. The boy could smell the alcohol on her breath.

“Trust me… I am an actual woman… Through and through”

His cheeks blushed in embarrassment, and The Queen looked at them with furrowed brows. The Witch corrected her posture and said:

“I will be going now. Thank you Meli... And until then my dear boy”

She snapped her fingers and vanished amidst a smoke screen. Flint rested his body as the awkward encounter ended. But it was too soon for him to relax. There was still the matter with The Queen, and he needed to somehow go back home. He forced a smile and looked at her. “So… You trust me now, right?”

“Of course not! You lied to me! This computer thing isn’t like a theater at all!”

Her voice grew louder, forcing him into a defensive stance.

“I’m sorry! Explaining video-games would be too hard! I won’t try to kill you now! To me, you were just a fictional person.”

She rolled her eyes then drank from the mug. “Whatever, you can’t keep sending heroes to me anymore. That’s enough for now.”

Something felt off. Flint only tried to fight her once. It was unfair to blame him for all the heroes that tried to kill her before.

He said, “About that… I only tried to battle you once, right before you invaded my world and grabbed me.”

“That means there are other people like you…” She raised both of her brows. “Good, I will have more opportunities to cross that portal.”

Her words came crashing down on his head. What would happen if the almighty Demon Queen escaped the game? She would bring the apocalypse and he would be at fault. Flint couldn’t let that happen.

“No!” He yelled, startling The Queen.

“Don’t suddenly shout, you idiot!” Her grip tightened to the point of bending her mug.

“I mean, there is no reason for you to go to my world–”

“There is. It seems nice.”

“But… But you’re a queen here! You have lots of responsibilities!”

“No, I don’t.”

His breathing got heavy. “Really? Don’t you command… You know…”

“Spit it out already.” Her gaze sent a chill down his spine.

“Shouldn’t you focus on leading your army to… conquer this world first?”

“Conquer? What do you mean?” She reached for another mug and filled it with wine.

“You… You’re a demon lord… So I thought…”

She sighed. “You thought I am a tyrant. Why? Because horns grow from my head? Typical human.”

He started to sweat. “No… I…”

“Say it. I will kill you if you don’t.”

“It was the game. It told me you’re evil and I had to stop your… evil plans…”

Her expression twisted. “I have been rotting inside this castle doing nothing outside for as long as I can remember.” She was pissed off. “I don’t have an army or any of the sort.”

“Then… Why would heroes try to kill you?”

“How should I know?” She gulped down another round.

Flint felt at ease. That blue woman didn’t seem like the conventional Evil Dark Lord from fictional narratives. If her theory was right, a portal would open the moment another player tried to fight her. But it didn’t make sense. The Light Hero was a single player game. Still, that was his only hope to return home.

“So, when the next hero appears, could you maybe… take me with you to the portal?” he asked.

“No.”

He leaned over the table. “Why not?”

“Because I said no.”

“But… That’s the only way I can return!”

“Ugh… I’ll decide later okay?” She extended her arm to grab another wine bottle.

“Can’t you decide now?”

“Dammit, the next hero should come in a few days. Just wait until then.” She poured yet another round.

The boy continued to beg her, but all the alcohol didn’t allow The Queen to give a proper answer. Instead, she kept chugging down mug after mug while drunkenly babbling about how frustrated she was to be confined within the castle. Not only that, the continuous visits from self-proclaimed heroes stressed her even more.

“Why don’t you leave the castle then? Go somewhere else for a change.” Flint suggested.

“I wish I could,” she replied. “Some kind of magic… No, a shit curse! There’s a curse that prohibits me from crossing the walls.”

“What happens if you try to get out?”

“It blocks me…”

After saying that, The Queen took the chair she sat on and threw it at a window, effectively shattering it. Broken pieces of glass fell over the floor. Flint winced at the abrupt action. “What was that for?!”

Without answering him, she gracefully leaped towards the now open window. When she was about to cross over the hole... Boom! Her body hit an invisible wall. The impact knocked her out. She fell flat on the ground.

Flint squinted at her. “What’re you doing?”

In spite of the blunt shock, The Queen quickly recovered and was back at her feet already. Little scraps of glass all over her blue skin.

“Just showing you why I can’t leave.” She shook off her dress.

“Did you have to put up this show?”

“Pft, it is easier to explain this way.”

A  slightly rusted metallic door at the back of the Dining Hall was slammed open. That door connected this room to the Kitchen. A white-haired butler came rushing from it. He had been alarmed by the loud noise that The Demon Queen produced while shattering the window.

“Melidia! This is the ninth window this month!” He gritted his teeth.

She pursed her lips. “Sorry about that.” 

“I know how desperate you are to leave, but you need to stop breaking them!”

Butlers and maids are servants who are meant to be submissive and respectful towards their master, but that specific white-haired butler somehow had the right to scold that frightening Demon Queen. He was outraged, flailing his arms left and right, up and down, in order to express his indignation with her irresponsible demeanor.

“I already said I’m sorry dammit!”

“You always say you’re sorry, but this is the ninth time! It's a pain to clean up after you!”

The Queen sighed and then threw a cold stare at Flint. “You, clean the floor.”

The boy was taken aback. This wasn't a five-star hotel, but did that give her the right to order him around?

He crossed his arms. “Why me? I don’t even belong here. I need to go to my world.”

“Can you go back by yourself?” she asked.

“No...”

The Queen put her hands on her hips and wore a malicious smile, she stank of alcohol. “Then you are stuck here! This is my castle and I captured you! You obey me now!”

An outrage started to burn in his chest, but he hid it. Like it or not, The Queen was his best chance to return home. He had to stay on her good side.

“Stop it Melidia! I will clean it by myself!” The butler stood up for the boy.

Finding herself in a two versus one argument, she decided to end their squabble there. Scowling at the butler, she kicked an innocent chair. It flew across the room and hit a wall. The poor seat became nothing but pieces of wood.

“He will and that’s it!” she yelled.

The blue woman stormed out of the room while stumbling through tables and chairs. Not ten seconds later, the sound of someone falling on the hallway came from the entrance, followed by “Your Highness! Are you alright?”

Flint turned to the butler, who just grinned and shrugged his shoulders.