Midnight.
The cursed hour when most people sleep… and only the mad wake.
Kael wasn't asleep.
He couldn't be.
Especially not when a blood-red envelope spontaneously combusted on his pillow and reformed midair in shining silver ash.
The words on the letter burned themselves into the wall in glowing crimson:
ROUND TWO COMMENCES NOW
"Confess or Possess – The Midnight Duel of Love and Madness."
Failure to participate will result in system-level punishment.
[Kael Adrienne's Soul Classification: Tier ??? – Observation Mode Enabled.]
Kael blinked, heart thudding. "Why is my life a dating sim directed by Satan?"
In a blink, his room twisted and melted away like wet paint.
He wasn't in his dorm anymore.
The Ballroom of Madness
A gothic ballroom stretched endlessly under a silver moon. Floating candles cast slow-moving shadows over obsidian tiles. Everything felt ancient, like a cathedral where gods were tried and executed.
In the center stood six thrones made of red velvet and bone.
Each throne was occupied.
Aria: expression cold, but eyes burning.
Luna: smile soft, fingers caressing a music note-shaped dagger.
Clara: munching on a poisoned macaron without a care.
Eva: cracking her knuckles and her neck, hungry for a fight.
Iris: silently sharpening her blade with pure mana.
Ravynne: lounging like a queen with secrets tattooed on her skin.
Above Kael, an ethereal scoreboard blinked to life:
⚖️ ROUND TWO – CONFESS OR POSSESS
Confess = Gain Trust Points
Possess = Attempt to Control Kael
Deceit = Earn both… or nothing.
Audience Reactions may change scores.
Final place = consequences.
🩸 LOWEST SCORE = PUNISHMENT.
💋 Kael may choose ONE Mercy Vote.
Kael: "This is literally a Saw trap disguised as a shoujo arc."
[1st Turn: Aria – Confession]
The black-haired sorceress stood gracefully, brushing dust from her raven cloak. She approached the glowing Confession Circle, her heels clicking like metronomes of fate.
"I confess," she said softly.
The Confession Stone shimmered.
"I used to dream of killing you."
Kael blinked.
"But it wasn't hate. It was fear. You were too reckless, too bold… like my brother."
She looked at Kael—directly, intimately.
"My brother died saving me from a demon lord. I survived because of him. I swore never to grow close to anyone who reminded me of him."
Her hand trembled slightly.
"But then you mocked me in front of the academy. Called me a 'wannabe tragic princess.' You smiled like a devil—and I hated it… because I knew I'd never escape you after that."
[SYSTEM: +10 Trust Points]
[BONUS: Deep Trauma Recognition – +2 Extra]
[Audience: 👏👏👏 Aria is in the lead.]
Kael: "Aria… I didn't know—"
She cut him off, eyes glinting. "No one was supposed to."
[2nd Turn: Luna – Possess]
The silver-haired songstress twirled, entering the circle with steps like dance.
"My confession is simple: I've already written over 37 songs about you. Some are lullabies. Some… not so innocent."
She winked. Then snapped her fingers.
A Moon Crest Sigil spun in her palm.
"I choose to possess."
Kael's pupils dilated. "That's a Class-3 Soul Charm—"
She pressed the sigil against his chest.
Time froze.
Kael saw memories that weren't his:
Luna, crying under the stars. Singing alone in a broken theater. Whispering his name like prayer.
"I begged the moon to send me someone. Then you called me tone-deaf in class, and I fell in love."
His chest burned.
But something pushed the spell back.
The sigil shattered like glass.
[SYSTEM: Possession Attempt – Failed. Rebound Detected.]
[Score: +1 (attempt), -2 (resistance)]
[Final: -1]
[Luna's eyes: Shaken.]
Audience: 🧊💀😬
[3rd Turn: Clara – Deceit]
The blonde witch smiled like a bored cat.
"I'll confess, I guess."
She placed her hand on the stone.
"One time I brewed a potion that let me look like you. Then I seduced a noblewoman pretending to be you… just to see how she reacted."
Kael gasped. "Clara—?! That's illegal in twelve kingdoms!"
Clara shrugged. "She cried after. I felt closer to you."
[SYSTEM: Confession Registered. +5 Points]
[Dark Humor Bonus: +2]
Kael: "…what kind of warped emotional logic is this?"
[4th Turn: Eva – Possess]
The red-haired fire mage cracked her knuckles and conjured a flaming whip.
"I won't lie," she grinned. "I wanna brand you."
"W-What?!"
"Let me place my Flame Crest on your soul. Just one layer. I promise it'll feel... warm."
Kael screamed as she lunged.
But before she hit, she stopped—an inch from his cheek.
"I could've burned you," she whispered. "But I won't unless you ask."
[SYSTEM: Possess Attempt Interrupted – Voluntary Mercy.]
[Trust +3, Control +4 = Total 7]
[Audience: 🥵🔥❤️]
[5th Turn: Iris – Confession]
The warrior priestess stepped up, unsheathing her blade.
"I will confess with steel."
"Wait, what?"
She carved her confession into the Confession Stone with a holy blade:
"I once broke my own engagement to a noble by humiliating him in public. I claimed to be in love with the academy's worst student. You."
Kael coughed. "That's oddly flattering."
"I would burn my family's honor again if it meant seeing your face one more time."
[SYSTEM: +9 Trust Points]
[Bonus: Nobility Defiance +1]
Kael: "Do all of you define romance as emotional terrorism?"
[6th Turn: Lady Ravynne – ???]
Ravynne did not walk.
She descended from above, in a cloak of shadow, her golden eyes glowing.
She reached into her chest…
…and pulled out an obsidian crystal heart.
"Behold," she said. "Kael's soul fragment."
Everyone froze.
[SYSTEM ERROR: Unauthorized Soul-Tether Detected]
[Anomaly Classification: Level X – Forbidden Anchor]
Kael gasped. "W-What?! That's my soul?!"
"Yes. I bound a part of your soul to mine when you were a baby. Your existence has always been tied to me. The obsession system runs through me."
[SYSTEM: Score Cannot Be Tallied – Divine Link Detected]
Clara screamed. "You cheat!"
Aria's jaw dropped. "You've had his soul this whole time?!"
Ravynne smiled. "And now… it awakens."
Final Scoreboard
Aria: 12
Iris: 10
Eva: 7
Clara: 7
Ravynne: ???
Luna: -1 (Last Place)
The floor cracked beneath Luna's throne.
"Low score detected. Luna Bellamy… prepare for punishment."
Kael: "I VOTE MERCY! I—!"
[SYSTEM: Mercy Vote Already Used.]
A starlight cage closed around Luna.
But even as she was lifted into the void, she smiled.
"I'll be waiting for our next duet, darling."
Then she vanished.
Aftermath
Kael dropped to his knees.
His soul was burning—literally.
The girls stared at him, breathless.
And then—another scroll descended from the ceiling, wrapped in chains and sealed with wax.
ROUND THREE AWAITS
Theme: "The Seven Sins Survival Game"
Location: ???
Players: All Remaining Obsessions
Objective: Win Kael's Soul Piece or be devoured by your Sin.
At the bottom…
A New Challenger Has Joined the Game.
Obsession Level: ???
Hint: "She watched from the shadows since Chapter 1."
Kael screamed into the void.
"WHO THE HELL IS IT THIS TIME?!"