Gradually, consciousness was creeping back to him once again. However this time he wasn’t quick to get up.

After a hard day, he was finally lying in the comfort of his bed lulling him back to sleep. The soft and warm pillow under his head was the best companion accompanying him whenever he needed to take a break from the harsh reality. Like the one that he saw talking head…

‘Wait.’

Suddenly, His eyes opened wide. Looking blankly at the ceiling.

‘Where am I?’

Then he looked around and realized that this wasn't his room. Instead, he was in some very big yet half-empty room that looked abandoned for years. He sighed knowing that he couldn't account for the previous events as just a dream.

But being alive and well was a good omen. Unfortunately, he didn’t know what to do in this situation.

“Why is it so dirty everywhere? Doesn’t someone clean it here?”

The room in which he was sleeping until this moment could be described with one word.

Filthy.

There were so many layers of dust on every surface that he already felt the irritation in his nose. Not to mention that in every corner were the biggest cobwebs he had ever seen.

The walls and floor were made out of dark wood but were cracked in many places from which plants grew and had many stains that he couldn’t guess the origin of.

The only source of light in this was the chandelier hanging in the center of the room with several candles lit up. He didn’t see any windows.

‘Isn’t that hella dangerous? Letting the fire open when nobody conscious is present… It isn't a good omen to be here anymore.’

But what attracted his attention the most was that more than half of the room was covered by some dark fabrics as if hiding something. From the outlines, he guessed that it was the furniture that was missing from the rest of the room.

The reason? He didn’t have an idea.

However, the thing he knew was that the bed he lay on was moldy and wet from something he didn’t want to know about. The fact he slept in it gave him goosebumps.

‘That’s so disgusting. I need a shower. I also wash my clo-’

“Where are my clothes?!”

He was completely naked!

While it was a disturbing realization, even more so was that he was actually sleeping naked in this room.

“Did they undress me or something? No, wait. I remember now. I somehow lost them when those tentacles were harassing me”

*Thud*

When he muttered this to himself, the entire room started to shake.

“What now?!”

The wood creaked and twisted itself creating deeper shadows in the already dark room.

This scared him quite a lot as he wanted to get out of here.

He went out to reach for the door but they wouldn’t butch.

And there were no windows…

“Fucking earthquake?! Now? Just kill me already and put me out of the damn misery!”

The young man started to curse loudly. This place was so abnormal. He couldn’t even acknowledge what had happened to him before and something was happening again.

*Cink*

Right after he said that the big chandelier he was under, the chain holding it cracked and the entire thing started to fall.

“Bloody hell!”

And so without thinking, he jumped aside not caring whether he hurt himself over the broken floor or if he got dirty during the process.

“Sorry! I will be good from now on! Stop iiit~”

As he yelled this while rolling on the ground everything came to a halt. The calamity left as quickly as it came.

“Huh? It stopped?”

He yelled from the frustration but didn’t expect it to stop so abruptly. Was that a coincidence?

‘As if I will think it was just a coincidence in this haunted house. Wait, a house!’

The idea struck him. He was forcibly taken by the house. And since the probability that this is the same house or is at least connected to it then it means he just cursed it loudly while inside of it.

And so while still lying on the ground he smiled warmly as he patted with passion the dirty floor.

“Sorry, little one. I didn’t know you were so sensitive. I will be better. I promise. Just don’t try to kill me please?”

The room shook a little making him stiffen up but soon it came to still again.

“Is that yes?”

Again, the same event played out.

“Thank you, dear”

‘Okay, the first rule to remember while here:

Don’t piss off the house.’

He slowly stood up. Still cautious for any tremors he looked around cautiously.

When he was sure it was fine he sighed in relief.

“Meow”

The sound which sounded so familiar was heard inside of the room.

With wide eyes, he turned around and looked at the bed. There a small bundle of white fur was lying while loudly meowing as if showing its discontent over being woken up.

“Kitty! How did you get here? No, more importantly…”

When he hurriedly came to the bed he took the kitten into his arms to check its injuries. Kitty also didn’t struggle and let itself be lifted.

“No injury… How is that possible? She was…No, whatever. We are literally in the living house. I won’t care anymore.”

With that, he cuddled the kitty with relish. Finally, he met a normal thing in this place.

“Isn’t that great that you are fine? I have finally a normal companion in this stup- I m-mean, stupendous house!”

Watching the reaction of the house, he sighed in relief when he saw that nothing happened.

Maybe it didn’t realize what he wanted to say.

“So what do we do, buddy? It seems like you are also in need of a shower.”

“Meow”

Kitty as if she understood meowed disapproval.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

“Haha, we can’t destroy that beautiful fur of yours, can we?”

Seeing the kitten’s wonderful white fur getting stained was hard to see. But it could be expected when it lay on the same bed as he had.

‘Hmm? Where is the pillow?’

Looking at the bed properly he noticed that there was no pillow from the beginning.

“So that’s why it was so comfortable…”

While muttering this he rubbed the soft and warm kitty he used as his personal pillow during his sleep.

Kitty purred in contentment as it closed its eyes.

The young man could finally regain his composure as he was mentally healed seeing this innocent animal.

‘So what now? Can’t just go out naked, can I?’

Thinking about this he turned around and looked at anything that could be used as clothes.

Firstly he looked at bed sheets but denied it immediately after. Unless necessary he would never touch it again. So his second target was the only other fabric in the room.

The one covering the furniture or whatever was behind it.

But before he could make up his mind he heard scratching.

*Scratch Scratch Scratch*

His steps stopped. Slowly he turned around and looked at the door with a stiff look.

From behind the door, he heard scratching noises as if the beast was clawing at it.

He could easily imagine that this half-broken house was full of pests and wild animals. Or any other creatures that he didn’t even want to think of.

The calmness he just got back disappeared as a mirage that never existed. He is naked and defenseless in a room where he is the only way out.

Those people he met before seemed friendly but how could he believe them so easily? Especially when they can throw their heads around.

*Scratch Scratch Scratch*

The scratching continued as fear crept upon him. His palms started to sweat while the hair on his body stood up.

‘Who is this?!’

As this question appeared he almost instinctively called it out. Fortunately, his wits were quicker as he put his hand over his mouth.

'No way I will day the same way as those stupid guys in horrors.’

If it was some being capable of communication it would be fine. But would sentient creatures scratch the door?

The quiet atmosphere with the only sound being the scratching gnawed at his mind. He knew he had to do something. Waiting for death is just stupid.

And so he had two options.

Go to the door or go to the furniture behind the fabric.

The answer was obvious.

He will take the fabric as his tunic and take whatever he can use behind it.

And so he was slowly creeping towards it trying to evade the chandelier that made a big hole inside of the floor.

‘Hmm? The candles are still okay and burn just like before? Some magic?’

As he thought so he made sure that he didn’t step on any rubble or planks that looked old fearing the creaking sound would alert whatever was beyond the door. What he didn’t expect though was that his new companion would betray him as soon as a few minutes after their coalition began.

“Meow~”

Silence.

He quickly put one of his hands over the kitty’s mouth, his back wet from cold sweat.

‘Please be deaf, please be deaf, please be deaf…’

*Boom*

The stillness was interrupted as someone or rather something started to ram into the door. The frame creaked as the iron hinges gradually became loose.

“Fuck!”

Knowing that silence now was useless he quickly ran to the fabric. Once he got close enough to grab it he unraveled everything with the wave of his hand.

Immediately he looked for something to use as a weapon or for defense.

But the sight before him surprised him.

Not because there was nothing to use.

It was the opposite.

There were so many random things piled on themselves. Just during one mere glance, he noticed a chair with spikes on its seat, a wardrobe with a plump face of a woman looking sick carved in its wood on the top-most place in the center, mounted trophies of creatures he had never seen, and many other things.

“Is that freaking stone statue of mating centaurs?!”

Just as his mind just digested whatever he saw…

“Hey, mate! Can you help with a little problem? It is urgent! Scratch my snout! I can’t bear it anymore!”

There on the ground, a majestic deer lay down. Or at least his head.

“Another talking head?! Is this some kind of thing here or what?!”

One of the mounted trophies was pleading with him to scratch it. The deer had white fur as the kitty and its antlers were much bigger and translucent showing that it wasn’t the deer he knew about.

While thinking this the deer pleaded again.

“Pretty please~? Before it’s too late!”

“Huh? That’s right! Is there something I can use as a weapon against the thing trying to barge here? If you tell me I will scratch once it is over!”

Feeling that the opportunity came he started to negotiate.

“Not that! Berta will throw up real soon~”

“Who is Berta?!”

“The wardrobe! The clumsy Dullahan maid stuffed her with too many things in the name of cleaning and left her bloated and sick! Now that you removed the magical cloth you unsealed her. She will spit it all out! So hurry and scratch me before it is late!”

When he heard this he looked at the fabric he held in his arms. Then he widened his eyes as it was several times smaller than before and it started to coil around his hand. And so he turned to the deer.

“I see. Thank you, sir-.”

Seeing the young man being so polite the deer smiled at him with a human-like smile which looked creepy.

“So plea-”

“And goodbye sir”

With that, he turned around and ran to the door.

“Hey! You bastard! Scratch m-Aaagh”

Berta whose face looked as if she had overeaten couldn’t endure it anymore and with a small lady-like burp she let all of her inside out.

*Boom*

Her wardrobe doors slammed open as a flood of items spurted out of her flooding the deer before he could finish.

The young man didn’t turn around but just by the sound, he was sure that there weren't just some utensils stored in that Berta. The flood could easily crush him. And so his tempo quickened.

“Open the door! Please!”

This time he didn’t care about the creature beyond the door and called out to the house which locked the door.

And it answered his call.

*Click*

The audible clicking of unlocking the door was heard as the door opened with a bang.

“Wooooooo!”

He thought he heard some kind of dog or wolf being slammed by the door but he didn’t care as he jumped out of the room in a nick of time.

The door closed right after and with another click, they locked themselves.

The rubble and pile rammed right into the door from the inside yet this time it didn’t budge.

This made him sigh in relief. He was leaning against the door while heaving heavily. He never was the sports type of person.

“Hah hah, Damn…hah..”

“Meow”

The kitten still nestled in his hands meowed as he freeloaded on the way while he had to work hard.

“This is because of you.”

He gently flicked it on the forehead as he looked around.

He was prepared to run from anything that wanted to attack him.

But he didn’t see anything.

Instead to his left and right side, he saw a corridor that didn’t end. There were many other doors similar to the one he came out of along the way. Right before him was a wooden railing protecting people from falling into an abyss-like darkness.

Into this abyss led several uneven staircases as if leading to the lower floor. On the other hand from the darkness, another staircases led somewhere else in different directions. Some led to the roof, some to the wall without doors.

This uncanny sight unfolded before him but he couldn’t appreciate it as he was still naked in the corridor of the haunted house.

‘I need to dress.’

“Stay here and don’t run, okay?”

He put down the kitten and looked at the hand that had the cloth coiled around.

“It is tightening itself. Damn it. Get off your old rag.”

The tightening sped up.

“Ugh…”

‘Rule number two. Never talk aloud badly about anything in this shitty house.’

He frowned as it wiggled around. He felt that the flow of blood would be interrupted soon if he didn’t do anything.

“Common. Don’t be like that. I am sorry. I just wanted something to put on. If you don’t want to then fine. You can go. Just don’t do this, please. It hurts. Augh- damn it why stop it. My arm will fall off!”

After talking to a piece of rag as if it was a sulking child he tried to soothe it. But instead, the cloth started to enlarge itself as it invaded other parts of his body.

“Noo. You can’t do that! Let go or else!”

In no time he was entirely covered in it. The feeling of suffocation engulfed his mind as he thought he was gonna die. He wanted to struggle but he couldn’t.

The only thing he did was to close his eyes and mouth so it wouldn’t get into his body through those body parts. Not that he could prevent it if it really wanted to do that.

But the feeling soon receded as the entire fabric melted in a black liquid substance similar to the tar. It was like slime yet it had a tinge of smokey feel.

The young man resigned to it as he waited for what would happen.

To his surprise, the substance disappeared in the place of his head and formed a kind of dark cloak around his body.

For a moment he looked as lord of the darkness as the cloak was still settling into its final form.

“Fuuuh… I thought I was a goner.”

The fluctuation of his emotions was quite exhausting. Whenever he thought he was safe something happened.

Looking at his hands covered in black gloves he clenched his fists.

“Thank you, I guess? This means you don’t want to kill me right? You don’t hold me hostage. Right?!”

Seeing no reaction he sighed. Hopefully, nothing wrong will happen. Then he turned around to get the kitty but the kitty was hissing at the abyss next to them.

Young men have already stopped questioning what happens all the time around them. So he just grabbed the kitty and ran in a random direction.

Unfortunately, before he could do anything, a shadow emerged from the darkness of the abyss and jumped from one staircase to another pursuing the two offenders.

He wanted to cry. What did he do to deserve this?

The beast soon took a step over the fence and ran after him in the corridor.

Hearing it pursuing him from behind he ran to the absolute limits.

Surprisingly his speed started to pick up as his legs moved faster and faster.

His body was much lighter than in the past and he didn’t feel breathless. He didn’t think about the reason and just thanked whoever was the reason for this.

Seeing this the cap opened its big golden eye as it seemingly nodded in approval.

But this little acceleration didn't help him as the beast still overtook him in a few seconds and took him down on the ground.

“Grrrrrrrr”

The beast clawed at him and helped him firmly on the ground. Once again he couldn’t move but this time he felt more strength going through him and so the more he struggled in the hope of escape.

“Grrrr. Stop it or I will bite you. Grrrrrr”

Soon he was turned on his back and there he saw his enemy.

Straddled above him was a young woman with a ferocious expression. She had golden eyes shining in the dark corridor while her long dark here merged into this darkness giving her a mysterious look. He was quite mesmerized for a moment when he saw her.

But no pleasant aroma wafting from the young lady greeted the young man. Instead, the stench reminding him of a dirty dog slammed right in his face awakening him from the reverie of seeing beauty straddling his waist.

Soon he realized that she was slightly drooling for her opened mouth. Furthermore not only her dark hair but also dark pointy ears and bushy tail merged with it!

‘Another real resident? Some kind of hybrid? Maybe beastkin? A poor cosplayer?’