The Craving That Cannot Be Denied
I've had exactly two major shocks in the past three years. The first was on the day I returned. Not only was I stunned to suddenly be sent back to Earth after defeating the hidden boss, but the fact that history itself had been rewritten with me as Oh Lora left me utterly speechless. The second came when I learned what had become of the very culprit that turned me into this—Labyrinthos.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think Labyrinthos would get a sequel. And a VR game at that. On top of everything, it had apparently become the most popular VR title in the world. I'd been avoiding it all this time, terrified I might get dragged back to that world again. But it seemed the time had finally come to face it head-on.
I suppose this, too, must be fate. Just as it's natural for a person to feel hunger or the need for sleep, it is equally natural for someone born as a villainess to feel an insatiable craving for victory. That particular craving cannot be removed. If I cannot avoid it, then I might as well enjoy it.
If the game is literally called Labyrinthos—the very title that once defined my entire life—then surely it will satisfy this hunger of mine.
That said…
"How exactly does one purchase a VR device?"
Obviously, playing Labyrinthos required a VR headset. I tried searching for "VR device" on the web, but it only left me more confused. Why was this so complicated? There were countless types, wildly different designs, and prices that varied to an absurd degree. The product descriptions were packed with technical terms I'd never heard of, making it impossible to tell which one had good specs.
It was clear I would need to study if I wanted to understand any of this properly. The realization hit me instantly, but then I thought:
"Do I really need to know all that?"
I crossed my arms and leaned back in my chair. I am Laura Iris. The jewel of a ducal house. An honorable noble daughter. I have never once cooked in the ducal manor, nor have I ever cleaned or sewn. Naturally. I am, after all, a noble duchess.
I have never drawn my own bathwater, nor have I even heard how one might go about boiling it. A noble daughter needs only hot water to wash with; knowing how to boil it is the duty of the servants. There is no reason for someone of my station to ever perform such a task herself.
Therefore, I picked up my phone and made a call.
"...What do you want?"
"Come to my room."
"...Am I your personal servant or something? Ugh, seriously…"
I hung up and tossed the phone carelessly onto the table. Not long after, I heard the door open. Without even looking in that direction, I spoke.
"You've arrived, Rion."
"...What's with that tone? Why are you suddenly speaking so formally?"
"Oh dear, I slipped into it without realizing. In the ducal house, one must maintain proper dignity at all times, you know."
"I think about this every single time… your chuuni concept is completely unhinged, sis."
"As I always say, it's hardly a concept at all, is it?"
When I glanced over, Rion let out a long sigh.
"So what is it this time? You going out and want me to do your hair? Or your makeup?"
"Neither. Why don't you stop standing there and sit down?"
"......"
Rion pouted and plopped down in the chair.
Oh Rion. As her name suggested, she was family—specifically, my cousin and the daughter of my uncle. She was also my only roommate.
Three years ago, my parents had called me with this very proposal:
"Rion's moving out of her place, remember? The landlord's raising the rent because property values went up."
"So just let her live with you. Her university is close to your apartment anyway."
"Rion's such a diligent girl, isn't she? You two were close when you were little, right?"
"It's obvious you'll just trash the house if you live alone. Wouldn't it be better if Rion was there to keep things in order?"
It was true that I needed someone to handle the housework. Having been raised as a precious noble daughter, the very idea of me getting my hands dirty was absurd. I'd been considering hiring a housekeeper, so Rion moving in was actually a perfect opportunity.
That was how Rion had ended up freeloading in my apartment all this time—on the condition that she take care of all the miscellaneous chores.
"I really wonder how long I'm supposed to keep serving you… So, what did you call me for this time?"
"I intend to purchase a VR device."
"A VR device?"
"Indeed. You're quite knowledgeable about machines, aren't you?"
"...And whose fault is that? You never touch the vacuum, the washing machine, or the dishwasher… You even make me change the lightbulbs. Seriously… Anyway, why the sudden interest in buying a VR rig?"
"Have you heard of Labyrinthos? I thought I might give it a try."
"Labyrinthos…? That's unusual. I thought you only played PC games?"
Rion tilted her head. I paused for a moment, considering how to answer.
Explaining the craving engraved into this body was rather difficult. After all, I had never told her about the ten years I spent in that world.
"I grew tired of them."
The answer came easily. If explaining was difficult, there was no need to explain at all.
"So I require a new toy. Does that suffice as an answer?"
"...Your wording is something else. If that's the case, renting would be the best option."
"Renting?"
"Yeah."
Rion nodded.
"You know how people rent massage chairs and pay monthly? It's the same idea. The company sends technicians to install it, and you just pay a monthly rental fee. It's not even that expensive."
"The one I personally recommend is this model. Since reaction speed is crucial in Labyrinthos, you want the absolute best specs. This capsule-type one has excellent signal reception."
Rion spoke with genuine enthusiasm as she introduced various options. Was this her area of expertise? She seemed to know an awful lot. She looked exactly like an otaku recommending their favorite anime. In other words, she was incredibly reliable.
Thanks to her, I was able to choose a product without much trouble.
"But doesn't renting lack a certain elegance?"
"...Sis, what are you even saying right now?"
I paid in full. Upfront.
"W-wait… Did you just buy it outright…?!"
"Is there some problem?"
"Do you even know how much that costs…? I've always thought this, but aren't you way too loose with money? Is your bank account even okay?"
"But Rion, have you ever seen a noble duchess pay in installments?"
A noble duchess and rental. Could there be two words that clashed more violently? From a young age, I had been taught that a noble daughter should only lay eyes on precious things and only speak of precious things. The ducal house had repeatedly warned me that associating with anything vulgar would diminish one's dignity.
Me, renting a product? Absolutely not.
"......Sigh. You hopeless concept addict. If you go bankrupt, don't expect me to help you."
By evening, the installation technicians had arrived. I hadn't expected them to come the same day I ordered it.
"So this is the VR device? It's bigger than I imagined."
"Ah, sis. The setup's just finished."
As I approached the capsule, Rion—who had been fiddling with the settings—stepped aside. It reminded me of the cryogenic sleep pods you see in movies. The rounded design was rather cute, though at first glance it also looked like a coffin. The comparison wasn't entirely inaccurate, considering it was a capsule meant for a person to enter.
"What are you going to do? Jump in right away?"
"Of course. Let's begin immediately."
I opened the capsule door and stepped inside.
Analyzing user's biometric data.
Biometric scan complete. Checking real-time vital signs.
Vital signs confirmed. Registering new user profile.
Registration complete.
Connecting to virtual reality world.
'Looks like it started properly.'
Rion watched as Lora lay inside the capsule. Seeing her with her eyes closed, as if peacefully asleep, Rion couldn't help but sigh. It was hard to believe this was the same arrogant, concept-obsessed woman from earlier. Her night-sky black hair, her slightly exotic features, her porcelain skin—if a real-life sleeping beauty existed, she would undoubtedly look just like this.
Of course, the princess part was only skin-deep. That was precisely why it was so frustrating.
"If I looked like that, I would've lived a much better life… ugh."
Rion slumped into a chair and stared blankly at the monitor. Displayed on the screen was an avatar that looked exactly like Lora, along with the VR space she was currently experiencing. The technicians who came earlier had connected the VR capsule to the monitor, allowing Rion to indirectly observe what Lora was seeing.
"I wonder if sis will be good at VR games too?"
Having lived with her for three years, Rion knew very well that Lora was a gaming addict—and an exceptionally skilled one at that. She had often found herself envious. How nice it would be to be as good at games as Lora. The heavens truly were unfair. Not only had they given Lora such stunning beauty, but they'd also granted her incredible talent. What a cruel, unequal world.
Still, what could she do? People could only live with what they were given.
"Haa."
Rion sighed once more and crossed her arms. She had nothing urgent to do anyway, and she wanted to make sure the VR device was properly set up. Most of all, she was curious whether Lora would dominate VR games the same way she dominated everything else.
And so, Rion kept her eyes fixed on the monitor screen.