“Move her to my private chambers. I’ll look into the rest after the meeting.”

With a dignified response, two men lifted me up. We parted ways at the intersection of the corridor after passing through the door of the small room.

‘What on… Earth?’

Finally, the world outside the door revealed itself. I couldn’t help but gape at the sight of the palace. Even the flow of the air felt heavy; the outside world was on an immense scale.

A golden palace. The space appeared to be a massive square, with a height of about 100 meters on either side. Above the first-floor indoor garden, corridors for the second and third floors were stacked one above the other. The ceiling was made of a massive glass dome, revealing the sky above. Floating above the indoor garden were stairs connecting each floor, suspended diagonally in mid-air.

Falling from those stairs would mean certain death.

What was peculiar was that aside from the dome ceiling, there were no windows to be seen. Walls, from which even the outside view was obscured, were densely lined with golden bricks. Hence, the palace resembled an ancient historical site or temple more than a royal residence.

‘This doesn’t even look like a palace, more like a… prison.’

The massive space, filled with the scent of bricks and minerals, emanated a cold aura.

Karzan disappeared to the upper floors with his assistant, and I was led by two courtiers to a secluded spot on the first floor.

After passing through a massive door, ornately engraved with the royal seal, I was met with a suffocatingly dark corridor. As if it were a different world, devoid of gold, the corridor was made up solely of damp bricks, with red torches as its only source of light.

‘Is this where the Archduke’s interrogation room is? Such a bizarre taste in interior design.’

The attendants pushed me into the innermost room of the chamber, closing the iron bars and locking it with five locks.

‘Just one would have done the job. What a waste of energy…’

Soon, they disappeared coldly. Thud. The distant sound of the main door of the chamber closing jolted me to my senses. Alone in this musty and damp space. Just the thought of what creepy things might happen next made my skin crawl.

I sat on the hard brick floor, staring at the flickering lamp.

‘Is this really inside the game I created?’

Considering I hadn’t woken up for hours, it was less likely to be a dream. Thus, I couldn’t just sit and hope for the best. But if this place really is the “Palace of Sin”, how on Earth do I get out?

I suddenly remembered the voice I heard when I first opened my eyes here.

– The objective of the game is for the petty thief-turned-maid to safely escape the palace.

– The reward for completing the game is the fully realized story the developer wished for.

Clearly, an invisible speaker had said that. Does that mean I can’t leave until I clear the game? And the reward is the story of this game?

Sure, I remember crying myself to sleep, wanting a story, and even jokingly offering my soul to the devil for inspiration, but this wasn’t what I had in mind. Who would want inspiration at the cost of battling life and death in another dimension? I let out a heavy sigh when a mission window appeared before me.

[??· Sub Mission 2 ??·]

Become an escape artist!

? Task: Find a tool and destroy one of the locks.

? Reward: A potion that instantly knocks out one NPC.

I was going to ignore it, but upon closer inspection, I noticed there wasn’t a failure penalty. Furthermore, the word “potion” caught my attention. A potion that can knock out an NPC? Isn’t that an amazing item? It’s a practical tool that can be used in emergencies!

I looked around the room. Not far away, I found a makeshift window frame in a corner. Using it, I began to furiously strike one of the locks.

Clang, clang! Bang! Clang!

The sound of the pounding echoed throughout the corridor beyond the bars. However, I was willing to take that risk. The thick main door of the chamber was probably soundproofed, so this noise wouldn’t reach the regal palace hallways.

I attacked the lock like a madman. Targeting its rusted parts with all my might, I managed to crack one of its bases.

‘What the…? I didn’t expect this. Do I have some hidden talent?’

I figured I’d been at it for about 20 minutes. I paused momentarily to assess the situation, but there was no sign of anyone approaching. It seemed the palace occupants hadn’t noticed yet. Good, just a little more.

The crack on the lock base began to widen. Another 10 minutes or so went by when I had a peculiar feeling. Lifting my sweaty brow, I was taken aback.

Huh? That man looks familiar.

Standing in the dim corridor, illuminated by the soft light of the chamber, was the Duke Karzan. I thought he had gone to a meeting. When did he return? Without any expression, he was watching my lock-breaking performance.

Clang-!

Damn it. With that last strike, the base sunk in. The overall progress rose by 2%.

“Hena. Trying to escape, were you? It’s unfortunate…”

His eyes narrowed with intensity, as he approached me. They were filled with murderous intent, and his mouth was stretched into a smile that nearly split his face.

[??·Sub Mission 2??·]

Mission Cleared!

? Reward: A potion that instantly knocks out one character.

? You’re on a roll! At this rate, clearing the game won’t be far off. It’s a useful item, so please use it when needed!

Damn. I need it right now. But how do I use it?

I frantically searched my empty pockets as Karzan got closer to the bars. I threw down the tool and stumbled back.

“I wasn’t planning to break them all, just one. Ha… ha…”

Sh*t. I’m doomed. There’s no way he would believe such an absurd excuse. He approached step by step, looking at me as one might look at a rodent caught trying to steal crumbs and trapped in the process.

Damn mission. Turns out it wasn’t helping me clear the game, but was an obstacle instead? By the time suspicion surged in my heart, it was already too late.

“Are you innocent or perverse? …Should I interpret it as a plea to forward the investigation of the other hole?”

“No!”

The shadow he cast reached the very depths of the iron-barred cell.

A part of me felt the need to use the potion I got, but I rapidly quashed the thought. Even if I somehow succeeded in applying it and managed to temporarily knock him out, I would simply be caught and killed by the guards after escaping alone.

‘Should I kill the fainted Archduke with the makeshift window frame?’