The Tutorial Is Too Hard (5)
“Looks like that was the end of the prepared trials.”
As Chaeyeon came to her senses, the group pressed on toward the next ordeal. The path led them to a lone door standing prominently in their way.
Fern's Restaurant
Crude, bold letters were scrawled across the door. And once again, only Chaeyeon could read them.
“What does it say?”
“Hey, Detective Sir. Can you read this one too?”
“Of course.”
Doil flashed a sly smile. The group seemed to trust him completely. If a guy like this were a con artist, he could probably fool a judge into probation.
What a joke.
Chaeyeon gave a weak laugh as she glanced at Doil. She knew next to nothing about the man beside her. Every question she asked got some vague, nonsensical reply. The funny part was his confidence made it sound plausible. He probably had no intention of giving a straight answer.
And honestly, Chaeyeon liked that about Doil. Though it was a bit ambiguous to call it rational interest.
…He looks at me without any preconceptions.
Being an idol had been a long-held dream. Achieving it brought joy. But it also revealed the truth: becoming an idol meant erasing your old self completely and acting out the concept people idealized.
Maybe that's why she felt so parched. For someone to see her straight on—not as an idol, but as human Han Chaeyeon.
“It says 'Exit to the outside,'” she read aloud.
A rare sort of person. With uncertainty ahead, finding someone this trustworthy wouldn't be easy.
Fern's Restaurant
A demon's restaurant. Probably not for actual dining. Kinda scary.
Even knowing he was spinning an obvious lie, Chaeyeon clung to a sliver of possibility. So she asked Doil one last time.
“What happens if we go through there?”
“We exit the dungeon. Into a new world. Sounds hopeful, right?”
Chaeyeon smiled—lonely, a touch sad. Now she was certain. It was all—
a lie.
“Why?”
“Pardon? Got some doubt?”
“Why does only you, Doil…”
Doil had sharp deductive skills. He was smart, no doubt. A man like that wouldn't miss the inconsistencies from the start—like the mismatched clock.
Why can only me and Doil read the stone wall's text? Knowing that, why feed the obvious lie?
‘You'll make a fine knight.’ …And that was way too on-the-nose.
She was even more curious.
“Why are you helping me?”
If this were Mafia, you'd be the culprit.
Chaeyeon was convinced. That's why she pressed further. Why wasn't he desperately hiding it? He could've if he tried. His actions were bizarre, his words like hints—begging someone to solve it.
Doil grinned brightly.
“Tutorials are more fun when they're easy, right?”
Chaeyeon laughed blankly.
“Not easy at all. Too hard for a tutorial.”
“…Pardon?”
“Hunting, riddles—total chaos.”
Doil blinked. Chaeyeon closed her eyes briefly, then placed a hand over her heart.
“Truth is, when I look at people, I see star-like specks. Probably representing their identity or disposition.”
“Nice Blessing. Yours will carry you far.”
First time he'd used her name, but it didn't spark joy. Chaeyeon bowed her head low.
Doil asked, “What color do you see in them?”
She whispered, “Black.”
“All of them?”
“Yes, all.”
“Yourself?”
Chaeyeon raised her arm. The stars flowing along it—
“Normal stars. Sparkling, pretty.”
“And me?”
“Doil, you're…”
Chaeyeon smiled bitterly.
“Ash-gray. Like the goblins.”
She dreaded looking up at his reaction. But Doil neither raged nor faltered.
“I see.”
“Who’s the Mafia?”
His voice suddenly swelled, piercing her ears.
Uncover the Lies 1
📍 Progress:1/3
The message showed progress at just the first of three. She had to uncover three lies.
She knew the answer. Like calling out the fake clock before.
Just say it.
“…All of them.”
Everyone turned to her quiet words. The chatty group now stared silently—eerie.
But Chaeyeon continued without fear.
“All of them are fake.”
Their expressions blanked instantly.
Doil asked, “Reason?”
“No one else could read the text I could. It's not a Blessing—it's the Another World translation system.”
“Could be your special perk?”
“Med student's answer got no reaction, but mine cleared the quest instantly.”
“Just coincidence?”
“All pitch-black. Weird. No two people match—yet they do. Like goblin ash-gray versus yours, slightly different shades.”
Dispositions vary wildly. Perfect uniformity? Impossible.
“Too many coincidences. And only you talk to me.”
And finally—
Doil pressed: “Me? Why fake?”
She smiled prettily, straightening his crooked hat.
“Doil, too many reasons. You gave way too many hints.”
“Impressed.”
“Really?”
Doil sounded surprised.
“Knew I was fake, but not you'd nail the others.”
Chaeyeon's eyes widened.
What was that… just now?
A child's voice echoed faintly.
“Still—”
Doil beamed at her.
“No need to explain. Nice.”
He smiled quietly, then spoke.
“Pass.”
The dungeon warped. Chaeyeon’s eyes flew wide. Doil, the people—all vanished.
Replaced by a tiny silver-haired girl.
Clear Time: 10 hours 38 minutes
You are the first user to clear the tutorial.
Collect your reward.
As the transparent window floated up, Chaeyeon frantically scanned around. The people she'd fought with—even those killed by goblins—lay asleep on the dungeon floor.
Everything she'd endured was an illusion.
“Congratulations.”
Stepping over scattered light remnants like debris—a tiny figure approached.
Her dazzling silver hair shimmered like frost flowers breaking at dawn. Her translucent silver-blue eyes held an otherworldly calm.
The little girl reached out without hesitation, grasping something in her hand.
A cute badge design.
As if she'd waited eons for this moment, the girl smiled faintly.
“This is…”
“Newbie PraisePraise Badge.”
“New…bie PraisePraise…?”
“For those who did great. Once, when huge danger hits, someone comes running.”
Chaeyeon just stared blankly. Hard to process. Her head spun with questions.
The girl tiptoed, gesturing to lower her gaze. As Chaeyeon knelt, the child hugged her—then brought lips near her cheek.
“…Taking this too would be too cruel.”
“?”
The girl stepped back, hands behind, staring up. She pointed somewhere.
Space rippled, revealing an exit.
“Exit's that way.”
“Follow the forest path straight to Terezia. Not far, you'll be fine.”
Still, better be cautious. The girl muttered, waving sadly.
“Bye-bye.”
Chaeyeon felt dazed. The gate showed the outside: a bright forest path, unlike the dim dungeon. An alluring light that drew anyone in.
She stepped forward, a strange relief washing over—like everything would be okay.
Then, something hit her. She turned back.
The girl kicked at the floor idly.
“Um…”
Among the sleeping people, no sign of Doil.
Chaeyeon hesitated, then asked.
“…Is the man named Doil fictional?”
Sisilia's kitten eyes widened in surprise. She smiled faintly.
“Who knows. But—”
The dungeon boundary blurred. Through the fading silhouette of the little silver-haired girl, her tiny mouth opened.
“Maybe. Work hard, and you might meet someday.”
What makes a human: soul or memory? If another shares the same memories, real or fake? One thing's sure—the fake sharing those memories isn't thrilled.
“Um, Sisilia…”
The child Sisilia glanced back indifferently. Fern approached stiffly.
“Sisilia-nim exists thanks to my magic anyway. …If I die, you vanish too.”
A foolish demon who'd made a higher being her guardian. The end: total loss of control. Most such demons get devoured by their guardian, gone forever.
But I'm a good demon.
Child Sisilia decided on mercy.
“S-So, shouldn't we report this first?”
Sisilia looked away from Fern, hugging her precious Nike cap tightly—like she'd never let it go.
“Do whatever.”
“…”
“I deserve that much right.”
Fern lifted the crystal orb with sad eyes.
“Contacting right away.”
As she pressed, kitten Sisilia landed a true punch.
“Y-You said do whatever!”
“My whim.”
Fern clutched the shattered orb, sobbing loudly.