Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary!

Chapter 706: An Unexpected Reunion [1]

“We’re here today to mourn an incredible individual. He was a leader, a mentor, and, above all else, someone we could always rely on.”

The Section Chief’s voice echoed throughout the auditorium, which was filled to the brim with members of the press, representatives from other Guilds, and members of the Severed Stars Guild.

On the outside, it looked like everyone was paying their respects to an individual who had achieved much throughout his career, but those with keen eyes could tell it was anything but that. Beneath all the silence and mourning, there was something else.

Something a lot more sinister.

“He carried this Guild through its darkest days and stood at the front whenever danger came knocking. He never asked us to do anything he wouldn’t do himself. His loss leaves behind a silence that will be difficult to fill.”

None of the words registered in my mind.

My back was straight.

My arms were on my lap.

And my gaze was directed towards the front.

My posture was perfect, but none of the surroundings registered in my mind. Not the small whispers around me, nor the Section Chief’s voice.

All I could hear was a constant ringing sound as everything within my vision appeared hazy.

‘A message.’

Flashes of the scene from before repeated inside my mind.

If I had my doubts before, they were now all gone. In the end, it was just as I had assumed.

‘It was them.’

They were the ones who had killed the Guild Master.

In some ways, this was their way of warning me. Of letting me know that I was now under their watch and that, just like I could, they could also run rampant. This was merely the start, and I knew it.

As things stood, it was very likely that they misunderstood my true strength.

It was for this reason that they chose to attack the Guild Master.

But also⎯

‘They don’t want to get rid of me yet. It looks like they want to do it slowly. Perhaps they want to make an example out of me.’

And there was nothing that I could do about it.

Absolutely nothing.

They knew all about me whilst I knew very little about them.

As I was right now, it was impossible for me to fight them. Unless I did something completely outrageous, it was absolutely impossible.

Not the way that I was.

“But we won’t remember him for how he died. We’ll remember him for how he lived. For the people he protected, the lives he changed, and the Guild he gave everything to.”

How?

How could I get out of this situation?

‘They were already targeting me before, and thanks to my ‘message,’ I bought myself some time. But it’s clear that there’s no escaping them. I need to do something. Should I just run?’

What if I went to hell?

If I went there, then maybe…?

‘No, if I can go there, I’m sure that they can also go there.’

Scratch. Scratch.

I felt a sudden itch on the side of my neck.

“May we carry his will forward. And may his name never be forgotten.”

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

‘I’m also certain that they’ve got eyes everywhere. The moment I escape will also be the moment when they know I’m weak. The only way to buy even more time is to stand my ground. I can’t show any opening. I can’t⎯’

“Hm?”

Lifting my head abruptly, I looked around me.

All eyes were directed at me.

Immediately, my heart skipped a beat as I struggled to understand what was going on. If not for Zoey’s whisper next to me, I truly would’ve been lost.

“What are you doing? It’s your turn.”

My turn? I wanted to blurt out the words badly. However, feeling the numerous gazes directed at me, I felt compelled to stand up from where I was.

To some extent, I had an inkling of what had happened.

I… had not been paying attention. With my thoughts elsewhere, I probably had been told about what I was supposed to do, but must’ve absentmindedly agreed.

Step.

‘Calm. I need to be calm. I can’t show any sign of nervousness.’

My every movement was being watched.

I couldn’t show any weakness.

Not now. Not anymore.

The walk to the main stage felt endlessly long. Under the silence, all I could hear was the sound of my own steps. One, two, one, two.

I paid no mind to any of it as I stared ahead. There, I caught a glimpse of the Section Chief waiting for me beneath the wooden stairs that led to the stage. As I walked past him, he whispered, “Sorry to make you do this, but you’re no longer a nobody. You’re one of the main faces of the Guild.”

I gave him a short look before walking up to the stage.

There was only one podium, with a microphone placed on top of it.

The moment I reached the podium, I adjusted the microphone to be a little lower before turning to face the numerous people within the hall. I could see everything from where I stood. The bright lights above. The numerous cameras directed my way. The many eyes watching me, each filled with different emotions.

I caught it all.

That’s when my lips parted.

“Rather than making a speech, I’d like to do something different.”

I looked around, my hands grasping the side of the wooden podium.

“I’ll select individuals at once. You may ask me questions, and I’ll try to answer them to the best of my abilities. The moment I select someone, I expect everyone to fall silent. If so much as a person makes a sound or interrupts, I’ll be leaving the stage immediately.”

There was a shift in the room.

Whispers followed, but I cared nothing for them.

The strange calmness that I had been experiencing lately once again dug itself into me. The more I stood, the less I felt.

I simply stared.

“Raise your hand if you have any questions.”

And then⎯

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Hands raised at once.

There were many of them. So many that I struggled to count just how many. Without wasting a single moment, I pointed at a young lady with squared glasses and her hair tied into a ponytail. She looked to be in her mid-thirties, and the moment she stood up, she cleared her throat.

“Ehm, ehm.”

She cleared her throat.

“Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Thorne. My name is Marie Johnson from New Times. Everyone here knows about your recent achievements, and whilst I have many questions for you, what I’m more curious about is something else.”

There was a brief pause.

One followed by a question that made the entire room tense.

“With the Guild Master’s death, what will your next step be? Will you remain in the Severed Stars guild, or will you migrate to another Guild? Thank you.”

She sat down.

“…..”

It was a nasty question.

But one that I could feel the entire room was interested in, not one eye looking away from me.

But thankfully, I had an answer.

“I’ll be staying here.”

There was no other place for me.

I scanned once more and pointed at the next person.

“You.”

“Hello, I’m Ryan Mackeline from Seacrest News… I’m surprised by your devotion to the Guild. It makes me see you in a new light. But with the Guild Master now gone, what are your plans? I’m sure there will be an arms race between the Section Chief and the leaders in order to become the next Guild Master. Ah, of course… to be eligible, not everyone needs to be part of the upper management, but I’m sure the serious candidates are. What are your thoughts on that? Who are you going to be supporting in the race for the next Guild Master?”

Ah…

Another nasty question.

Looking around, I could see a noticeable shift amongst several individuals. The way they looked at me shifted, and picking up on each and every one of those looks, I moved my attention back to the audience.

Honestly, I hadn’t thought much about this.

But it made sense.

Now that the Guild Master was gone, a new one would have to be elected. The Section Chief had told me something like this before, and several of the top Guilds were already making moves in order to take over the Guild.

If I had to choose someone to support, then the answer was clear to me.

‘The Section Chief.’

He was the only one that I thought would be the best fit for Guild Master.

And as my thoughts reached that point, I opened my lips to share my answer.

But⎯

“I…”

The words refused to leave my mouth.

“…I…”

Regardless of how hard I tried, they simply didn’t.

Why…?

Why was it so difficult to say something so simple?

“I…”

Did I not want the Section Chief to be the next Guild Master?

Then…? If not him, who?

Who did I want to be the next Guild Master?

There was nobody else who was fit for the role. Nobody besides…

Ah.

Something clicked inside of my mind, my hand reaching for my shirt as I slowly grasped it. I quickly tried to shake the thought away, but it refused to leave. It only grew with each passing second, digging deeper and deeper into my mind as though this was the most obvious answer.

But it wasn’t the obvious answer.

I lowered my head slowly, looking down.

It…

‘It should be me.’