Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary! Chapter 4: The Jester [3]

[09 : 59s]

I hate horror.

This much was clear to .

The re exposure to it made want to puke.

Many tis, I found myself puking.

But just because I hated horror, it didn't an that I couldn't keep myself from losing my sense of reasoning.

Having tested dozens of horror gas in the past, I had learned to suppress my fear—enough, at least, to keep a clear head while navigating them.

My stomach hurt.

I couldn't open my mouth, afraid that I would puke at any second.

But,

I could still rationalize.

And that's what I started doing.

Sealing all the music away, allowing for the silence to return, I regained control of my mind.

'The music is affecting the state of mind of those who hear it. If one imrses too much into it, they might lose their mind and...'

I looked in the direction of the wall, my stomach twisting as a result.

'...I don't know who these people are, but considering how they're affected by the music and the information that I learned through the walkie-talkie, this isn't their first ti experiencing sothing like this. They also seem to be aware of the fine details of this scenario.'

How did they know?

Did they also receive the system? ...Or was there a different reason?

My gaze eventually fell on the items that I had received.

'A walkie-talkie, a paper that can print my thoughts once, earplugs, and the mask that I'm wearing.'

Having worked in a lot of gas before, there was one thing that I fundantally understood as a ga designer.

No item was random or useless.

Each item had a reason for its usage within the 'scenario', and seeing as to how I had used three items so far, the key was the paper in my hand, alongside the walkie-talkie.

'The walkie-talkie...'

A thought suddenly crossed my mind.

'If I can hear through it, then I most likely can also communicate with them. Does the scenario require their help, or can I clear it without them?'

I silently swallowed while checking the ti remaining.

[08 : 41s]

My pulse pounded in my ears as I forced myself to remain calm.

But could I really remain calm?

"Ahhhh—!"

Another scream shattered the tension.

Though the music was gone, I still heard that—a high-pitched wail of pure, mindless agony.

And then, the horror unfolded again.

It was the sa as the first death. Disfiguring themselves with their own nails, they started screaming at the top of their lungs.

Bang!

Then ca the hollow, sickening crack as they slamd their heads into the walls—once, twice, again, and again—each blow more brutal than the last.

Bang! Bang!

Blood splattered, seeping into the walls like ink on parchnt.

My stomach lurched. I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to swallow the surge of nausea.

—No... matter what you do... resist...

The voice from the walkie-talkie was strained, desperate.

—C-captain, I can't hold on for much longer... The music... I can't drown it out.

—Resist! You must resist until the second symphony! Things will get better then!

—Will they...?

I scanned the faces of those around .

Pale. Drenched in sweat. Trembling.

Taking into account the expressions of all those present, I doubted most of them would be able to make it to the second symphony.

And even if they did, what if it got worse?

But more important than that—

'I don't want to see any more blood.'

The sight was too eerie and chilling.

Closing my eyes was tempting, but I knew better. I had to observe. Had to find a way out.

Ah, how annoying...

Holding my tongue, I shifted my attention back towards the description of the scenario and read it once again.

'Self-conducting orchestra... Renowned for his relentless pursuit of perfection... One must ...be careful not to beco too entranced by the music, lest they lose their very sense of self...'

There was a way to clear this.

I had all the tools in order to clear the scenario. All I needed to figure out now was the 'key' to turning the situation around.

[04 : 37s]

Ti continued to slip.

Only four minutes remained until the earplugs lost their effect.

My mind raced.

I had to think fast!

Spurt!

".....!?"

In the midst of my thoughts, sothing wet splattered against . My muscles tensed and I lost hold of my breath for a few seconds. It trickled down my mask as I held my tongue and forced my thoughts to stray away.

'Focus, focus...'

I once again read the scenario description.

'Self-conducting orchestra... Renowned for his relentless pursuit of perfection... One must ...be careful not to beco too entranced by the music, lest they lose their very sense of self...'

I needed so sort of clue.

Sothing.

Anything.

[03 : 43s]

Ti ticked.

It waited for no one, constantly draining, just like my mind, as the beat of my heart drumd loudly in my mind.

Ba.. Thump! Ba... Thump!

Anxiety started to gnaw at .

The closer I was to running out of ti, the more my anxiety grew.

It started to eat my mind.

Chewing it slowly.

'Self-conducting orchestra... Renowned for his relentless pursuit of perfect—'

"....!?"

My head snapped up. A thought slamd into like a freight train.

Eyes locked onto the conductor at the center of the stage.

His hands moved in elegant sways, each flick of the conducting stick precise. Deliberate.

Perfect.

'Wait, perfect...?'

An idea ford, but it was an improbable one.

Ti ticked as I did so.

[01 : 22s]

My breathing turned shallow.

I was slowly running out of ti.

There was only one minute left. That was how much ti I had left before the earplugs stopped working, before the music would once again enter my ears.

By then, it would be too late for .

No, perhaps, it was already too late.

No. No, I refused to let that happen.

My lips soon parted open, and in the midst of the orchestra, my voice quietly whispered in the air.

"This fucking sucks."

My voice was drowned out amidst the music and screams.

And yet, as if capable of hearing my voice, the conductor's movents stiffened.

It was brief, but it didn't escape my eyes.

'It worked...!?'

A glimr of hope ignited within then.

That's when I opened my mouth again.

"...I'm about to fall asleep."

With my arms crossed, I pretended to close my eyes while my head drooped off. At the sa ti, I stealthily looked in the direction of the conductor.

As expected, his movents stiffened again.

But only for a brief mont.

My heart sank.

'It's not enough?'

There was a reaction, but it was far from enough.

[01 : 15s]

Ti was ticking.

I was running dangerously close to it.

Not enough. Not enough. Not enough.

I desperately looked through the items provided to before. So far, I only had two left with . Having already used the mask and the earplugs, I realized the answer would be in the two items in my hand.

But how? How could I make them work?

My chest suddenly tensed as ti continued to tick.

I felt anxious, and my stomach rumbled.

[0: 59s]

My hand shook as my eyes darted between the two items in my hands.

And then, sothing suddenly struck .

I didn't hesitate to reach out for the walkie-talkie.

Click!

Gradually, my lips parted as I spoke;

"If you want to live, do as I say."