I Think I’m a Horror Game Villain - Chapter 15

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Chapter 15

‘I can’t say that…’

“I just had that thought. But I think it’s better to believe that the villain is somewhere in the mansion, just as Dekir said. I don’t want to suspect my friends.”

“Yes, especially in times like this, we should trust the people who are close to us.”

As Dekir said these words, a serious look suddenly appeared in his eyes.

I couldn’t help but wonder why Dekir’s demeanor had suddenly shifted. The jovial and carefree person before me changed suddenly, making me nervous.

“What is it, Dekir?”

He hesitated for a moment, the weight of his words hanging in the air. Time seemed to slow down, each passing second stretching into an eternity.

I found myself holding my breath, fixated on his lips. And then, with a sudden gesture, Dekir lowered his head, his voice filled with remorse.

“Allow me to apologize, Heyna. I must confess, I have not known you since our childhood.”

Silence enveloped us as his words echoed in my ears. The revelation came unexpectedly, catching me off guard. I had not anticipated Dekir to unveil the truth so abruptly, especially in my presence.

I remained silent, allowing him to continue, feigning nonchalance to mask the turmoil within me.

“I lied earlier to divert suspicion from you, Heyna. I’m sorry if I caused you a lot of confusion. I truly apologize.”

Of course, I had already known the truth about his lie. After all, there had never been a fiancé in Heyna’s carefully crafted backstory. And as for me, possessing Heyna’s body and memories, I couldn’t recall him at all.

If only Dekir had been a significant figure in Heyna’s lonely childhood, a presence akin to rainfall during a drought, then there might have been a faint remnant of his existence in my memory.

Also, the fact remained that I couldn’t even conjure up Dekir’s name or appearance. Heyna never met with him in her childhood.

And yet, here he was, confessing this very fact with his own lips.

A question echoed through my mind, ‘Why?’

If Dekir was truly the villain, what reason could he have to unveil this truth now?

‘It would have been more convenient for him to seamlessly blend in if he had insisted on our long-standing acquaintance since childhood.’

My mind swarmed with doubts, but I composed myself and responded calmly.

“No need to apologize. I used Dekir to avoid the situation as well. I’m the one who should apologize.”

“Not at all. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have fallen under suspicion…”

The furrow in his brows and the dejected timbre of his voice conveyed his genuine remorse.

Though such remorse seemed unfounded.

“Well, I made the arbitrary judgment that you were the villain, which led to this situation. It’s not your fault.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

Dekir’s laughter possessed a tenderness that defied the notion of a scheming villain pulling the strings from behind.

“It’s not your fault either. Even if I were in your shoes, I would have been suspicious. I joined the game shortly after seeing the game’s clear condition message.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“In a situation where you see such a message and suddenly a stranger appears… It’s only natural to be suspicious.”

“….”

“I was wondering how to prove my innocence, but then Zion suddenly accused you of being the villain, and I was surprised. But thanks to that, we both cast away our suspicions and helped each other.”

His benevolent gaze betrayed not a trace of ill intent, pricking at the core of my conscience. All this time, I had no doubts about Dekir’s true nature…

If Dekir were indeed innocent, then he had selflessly aided and trusted me without the slightest justification for doubting himself.

Even if he just let me be suspected as the villain, he wouldn’t have suffered any harm.

“Thank you, Sir Dekir,” I uttered, sincerely expressing my gratitude for the first time.

“You’re welcome, but I’m afraid we have to keep pretending in front of people….” Deep wrinkles appeared between Dekir’s eyebrows.

“In that case, you must be uncomfortable, Heyna. What should we do? If we were to reveal the truth now, we would both be suspected…”

The look on his face as he seriously considered what to do next was quite funny.

‘Something is amiss.’

The more I conversed with Dekir, the more my conviction wavered, eroding the certainty that he was the villain. In truth, perhaps he was not the villain after all; perhaps, as he claimed, the true villain lurked somewhere within this mansion.

After a brief deliberation, I arrived at a conclusion.

‘Okay, let’s trust him.’

“Yeah. Let’s just continue with this setup. Let’s say we were close enough to be engaged when we were young.”

“Um, but is that alright?”

“Yes. If it’s someone like you, Sir Dekir, no, someone like Deki, you’re welcome anytime.”

“Thank you. Miss Heyna, I mean, thank you, Heyna.”

As the shadows of doubt dissipated, a serene tranquility washed over me.

[It’s time to make a choice.]

‘Oh, how unexpected.’

The sudden appearance of the message jolted me, nearly causing my heart to skip a beat.

‘Come to think of it, I was the only one who received a different mission.’

Dekir, basking in his contentment, remained oblivious to any such messages.

‘I don’t know why I was the only one who received this message, but for now, I should be the only one who knows about it. If someone else finds out, I’ll just end up being suspected again.’

[What is the true identity of ‘Dekir’?]
1. The villain.
2. A cherished person with whom you were once engaged.
3. Neither of them.

Read ahead here.