Weirded Out

While packing up camp and making our way out of the forest, no one spoke first. Even Luchel and Yaruru stayed quiet. Normally, they'd be chattering excitedly about what we'd just gone through. At the snap of a twig underfoot, Yaruru tensed up and stuck right by my side. Ayla didn't say much, but the way she kept glancing back showed she hadn't relaxed yet.

After trudging along in silence for what felt like forever, the village came into view over the hill. I let out a sigh without realizing it.

"...Finally, I can breathe."

Luchel shot me a baffled look at my mutter.

"What? Weren't you super chill back there?"

"In a spot like that, you gotta act tough even if you're scared shitless."

"What'd you just call me?"

"...Nothing."

As the village drew closer, voices drifted over from the distance—the rumble of wagons leaving town, travelers haggling at the market, the savory aroma of early dinners wafting through the air. The everyday bustle started washing away the queasy feeling from the tower.

Smells like people again.

We plopped down on a bench along the main street lined with inns and shops, staring blankly as we chatted.

"Now I can finally breathe easy."

"Haha... haaa... Yeah."

"Ugh, I don't think I can sleep with the lights off tonight, you know."

Yaruru muttered while rubbing her arms through her sleeves. Luchel gave an awkward laugh and scratched the back of his head.

"Uh... kinda funny to say it now, but..."

"What?"

"Sorry! The research building was just creepy chills, but this was different. Wasn't the fun kind of thrilling."

Ayla nodded gravely beside him.

"Luchel's right. I never thought that tower would be dangerous in that way..."

"It's fine. I was the one who said to tag along."

"Yeah, yeah. Chase messed up too, you know."

"..."

Once Yaruru and I accepted the apologies, Luchel straightened up with a grin.

"Cool. Next time, let's hit somewhere less scary together."

"Luchel!"

"...Got it. But Chase, aren't you a little bummed?"

"About what?"

"Didn't you wanna see it through to the end?"

I thought for a second at his question, then shook my head. It'd be a lie to say I wasn't curious. There was still so much unknown—the truth behind the erased records, what the other floors looked like, which rumors were real. But...

"Eh."

"Huh?"

"Not dying to go back in myself."

I've squeezed out everything worth getting. More than enough. Hell, I'm worried it's too much.

"What's with that look?"

"What look?"

Luchel narrowed his eyes after hearing me out.

"Dunno... like your mind's off somewhere else."

"...Nah, just imagining stuff. Tower was scary as hell."

"Doesn't feel like it."

Ayla chuckled softly, siding with him despite my excuse.

"Chase seems like the type. He gets scared, but... it's like his brain's measuring something else on the side?"

"...!!!"

Yaruru gulped at the bullseye and glanced around nervously.

"S-stomach..."

"Huh?"

"My stomach's growling, you know..."

Her clumsy pivot was kinda cute, and Ayla and Luchel exchanged glances before smirking slyly.

They've caught on to something.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

But contrary to my worries, they dropped it there. Luchel stood, stretching.

"Alright, let's call it here for today. Plenty of regrets, but... life's only got one shot."

"Take care, you two."

"Get home safe, you know!"

With Yaruru's send-off, they headed straight home. Soon after, only Yaruru and I were left on the main drag.

"Kinda anticlimactic, you know."

"Thought we'd been made, but they just peaced out?"

I nodded.

"Plus, figured we'd uncover something epic in that tower. But we bailed midway... just leaves a bad taste, you know."

She was right. No clue what the erased records meant. We couldn't even investigate the mismatched structure—didn't make it past the first floor.

"Still scary as hell though, you know..."

Yaruru shivered, rubbing her arms.

"Truth is, that imperial investigator guy freaked me out most, you know..."

"...Same."

"Answers all the questions but says jack shit that matters. So frustrating, you know."

"That's ghost stories for ya."

She tilted her head at my words.

"Ends all vague and illogical? But then it kinda clicks anyway."

"......"

"If it just flat-out says 'ghost' or 'monster,' it's actually less scary."

Was I talking to her, or just musing to myself?

"Ah."

"What's up, you know?"

"This'll be fun."

Yaruru's face soured instantly.

...Why?

"Chase is hopeless, you know."

"Hear me out."

"Hmph."

"Wait, just this!"

Excitement bubbling over, I spilled the ideas I'd only toyed with in my head.

"First off. Gotta fetch one item."

"Huh?"

"But it's not in its spot."

"..."

"To find it, head somewhere like the sealed research building's third floor."

"......"

"Along the way, all info on the item is wiped, only traces from folks who went in before you."

"Ugh..."

"Whaddya think? Solid?"

Yaruru scooted to the next bench over, grimacing.

"Went somewhere weird and now Chase's gone weird, you know."

"Not weird—it's the game dev gaze."

"That's what's weird, you know."

"..."

Even you, Yaruru!

We grabbed an early dinner by unspoken agreement, then headed to our rooms for some rest.

"..."

Yaruru stared at me in front of her door, then sighed deeply.

"Chase."

"Yeah?"

"When you make the game, show me first, you know."

She turned away, avoiding my eyes.

"Gotta see where all my hard-earned insights go, you know."

I grinned and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nodded.

"Duh. Assistant demands it."

"Hmph."

Yaruru shoved a torn page from her Infinite Memo Pad into my hand and vanished into her room. I headed to mine and flopped onto the bed.

"Yaruru's impressions, huh..."

Shaky handwriting, scrawled letters hard to make out—I pored over them, reliving the past few days. The eerie research building, the silent woods, the foul tower.

"Time to start."

I couldn't ignore the itch in my fingertips anymore. I dove into my mental space.

"You're here?!"

Adel came barreling over the second I appeared.

Shouldn't think this, but... yeah.

If she had a tail, it'd be helicopter-spinning right now.

"Not late this time!"

"Can't break promises—who'd chew me out?"

"...Dunno. Anyway! What happened? Super scary? Scarier than last time? See any magic circles again? Didja cry from fright?"

"Questions piling up—last one's what?"

"Hehe. Curious!"

I barely held back a laugh at her sparkling eyes.

Last time I spelled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it all out.

Research building vibes, magic circle, footsteps, images. But words are nothing—better to feel it.

I tapped my status window.

"Seeing beats explaining."

"Huh?"

A blue glow rippled through the air, summoning the familiar window.

Adel couldn't touch it but scurried over, peering in.

"Ooh... different from before."

"Obviously. Nothing like the games you've playtested."

"Can't wait...! Making it now?"

"Yeah. References collected—done."

"Super scary one? Like the research building?"

"Scary alone ain't fun."

I stretched casually, eyeing the window.

"Mm—watch."

New lines popped up with my choices and thoughts, dense with intricate settings you couldn't take in at a glance. Way beyond fireball dodging. Even Northern Defense wasn't this nuts.

Previous ones were tough too... but this? Cakewalk.

I filled it in step by step.

What bugged me most in the research building wasn't some mystery on the third floor. No info, yet the tension and frustration pulling you deeper. Hence mystery and survival tags.

"No combat, obviously."

Players endure, hide, flee—not fight.

Lotsa deaths that way.

Minimize combat. Slow a monster a tad or stun for seconds, tops?

"Puzzles can't dominate though."

"Exploration... mystery...?"

"Player goal ain't just survive forever."

"Huh? Fetch an item? Why run if you're grabbing stuff?"

I nodded at Adel's question.

"Spoiler for late-game."

"Mean."

Monster identity didn't matter much.

"Key's the retrieval itself."

Concrete goals hook players over vague ones.

One reason's plenty.

I fiddled with the window, diving into the storyline.

Adel got it, eyes widening.

"Aha!"

"Game starts there."

"No item, so hunt around?"

"Bingo."

My lips quirked up. At first, griped at the window blocking Earth game copies... but building from my own sights and feels? This rush. Adel's hype for my game.

"Thrilling. Always the best."

"Huh??"

"But just 'item gone' feels weak..."

I crossed my arms, tapping fingers.

"...Right. Traces."

Leave traces in the sealed space. Say prior investigators—feels realer. Bloodstains here and there... erase some sentences?

"They'll imagine all sorts of shit."

Yaruru's notes would nail this quick.

"Meet the first guys in?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

"What!"

"Even if, how? What state?"

Prior investigators and monster—linked somehow?

"Undecided."

"..."

Other parts are advancing fine.

Starts simple retrieval... grows tangled, deadly. Player senses offness. Then two choices: push on. Or quit.

Won't quit though. Too fun.