Am I Really Beautiful?

[Faceless Demon's Heart]

[Quality: Cursed object]

[Curse]: Can be linked to a designated target's heart, but must be fed large quantities of blood every day.

[Description]: Every part of a powerful Faceless One contains a curse, especially their heart. Once you hear your own heartbeat, you had better be careful, because that may no longer be your heart...

Lynn: "!!!"

The old woman smiled sinisterly. "If you want someone dead, just think of them, then do the most vicious things you can to this heart. It'll bring you great joy. Heh heh-"

A chill instantly ran down Lynn's spine.

Sure enough, hardly anything this old woman carried was ordinary.

Judging by its effects, this heart was definitely a lethal weapon.

But the price of using it was bound to be enormous, too.

Soon, the old woman pulled her cart away, gradually disappearing into the black fog ahead.

Lynn watched her leave.

He looked at the beating heart in his hand, an odd look in his eyes.

His collection of creepy things really was growing.

Still, he had definitely come out ahead in this trade.

This scavenger passed the shop every morning. She was absolutely a friendly NPC he could regularly trade with for all sorts of items!

When the monster that made weekly deliveries arrived, Lynn paid a large sum of skeleton coins and restocked the shop's storeroom.

And by his reckoning-

His teacher would return tonight, or by this time tomorrow.

He returned to the counter.

Lynn quietly waited for the day's first customer.

Outside, black fog churned.

And just then-

Knock, knock, knock-

Three knocks sounded at the door.

Lynn immediately raised his head, putting on a professional smile as he said:

"Welcome..."

The Soulfire hanging on the doorpost flickered violently with a furious whoosh.

Lynn's pupils contracted.

For the Soulfire to flicker so violently, whoever had arrived had to be of a considerable level.

Outside the door-

A woman in a bright red evening gown stood smiling before the threshold. Wavy curls cascaded down her back. She was a voluptuous woman who seemed capable of draining you dry with just one glance.

"May business flourish, shopkeeper."

[Blood-Robed Evil Spirit]

[Level]: ???

[Alignment]: Chaotic evil

[Combat ability]: She will hollow you out, little by little.

[Description]: A twisted amalgamation wandering the Dark World. Never let their alluring figures entice you, or a nightmare will await...

The woman's panel appeared before Lynn's eyes.

She was also holding a covered plate, from which he could faintly smell the aroma of meat.

Lynn raised his guard, but kept his expression composed as he said:

"Hello. Is there anything troubling you that needs treatment?"

The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit smiled brilliantly, revealing a row of eerily white teeth between her vivid red lips. There was something indescribably unsettling about her.

The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit brushed back her curls and spoke in a soft, seductive voice:

"There's nothing wrong with me. I just moved onto this street this morning, so I thought I'd visit my neighbors. You wouldn't... turn me away, would you?"

She lightly licked her bright red lips.

[Lynn's sanity value -1]

Lynn knew all too well that in this Dark World, the more normal a monster looked, the more dangerous it was.

And the woman before him clearly gave off an ominous aura.

"Of course you're welcome!" Lynn's smile remained unchanged.

Meanwhile, he discreetly placed the revolver and the heart beneath the counter, within easy reach.

"Please come in. The Bloodsaw Apothecary welcomes every friendly neighbor."

Against a monster whose level he couldn't read at all-

The Soul Lamp outside the door would do little good.

If she truly came with malicious intent-

Nothing he did could keep her out.

Smiling broadly, the woman stepped gracefully over the threshold.

Almost simultaneously, a system notification sounded in Lynn's ears.

[Ding! You have triggered a quest: Stay alive.]

[Quest objective: Before the Blood-Robed Evil Spirit's hostility toward you reaches 100%, keep your sanity value at or above "0" while ensuring her hostility toward you does not reach 100%. Last for 30 minutes.]

[Quest rewards: 500 skeleton coins, base experience +200, special reward +1]

Lynn's heart tightened almost instantly.

Just as he had suspected.

This evil spirit had come with ill intent.

And it had actually triggered a terrifying quest called "Stay alive." This crisis was probably on the same scale as last night's.

He knew perfectly well that if he had done nothing last night-

That Headhunter would have eaten every resident of Wandering Soul Alley. It had been an enormous crisis.

What about this woman, then?

She didn't seem to be a Root-Level Monster, but killing him would naturally be child's play for her.

"Shopkeeper, you don't look like a native here."

The woman gracefully sat on a stool before the counter, resting her chin on the back of her hand as she gazed at Lynn with a lingering, seductive smile.

"Aren't you afraid some unfriendly customer might eat you?"

She lightly traced a finger across Lynn's chest.

Utterly seductive.

[Lynn's sanity value -10]

But Lynn immediately regained his composure.

With a professional smile, he whipped up the Boning Knife his teacher had left behind and said:

"I am a little afraid, but a doctor's duty is to heal and save lives. No matter how afraid I am, I must take every customer seriously. That's my principle as a doctor."

[Ding! Current danger level: 51%]

The woman blinked coquettishly, her breath sweet as orchids as she smiled.

"How interesting. But what if I wasn't a customer?"

"What if... I wanted to eat you?"

She gently blew a breath toward Lynn, like someone whispering softly in his ear.

[Ding! Current danger level: 61%]

Lynn remained composed, a smile on his face as he said earnestly:

"Impossible. You're so beautiful, miss. Your heart must be just as beautiful as your appearance. A lovely, elegant lady like you would surely dine with all the dignity and grace of a noble."

[Ding! Current danger level: 56%]

"What a sweet talker."

The woman smiled alluringly, lightly running a finger over her lips. "Do you really think I'm beautiful?"

"Of course!"

"Then do you still think I'm beautiful now?"

At that very instant, as Lynn watched, the woman's face slowly split down the middle.

The smile remained on her face.

A row of sharp, backward-pointing teeth slowly grew from the bloody fissure, and one slimy, foul-smelling tentacle after another squeezed out of her split face.

At the same time, a thick stench of rot and blood emanated from her body.

[Lynn's sanity value -30!]

"Do you still think I'm beautiful now?"

Wet, sinister cackles came from the fissure in that ghastly face.

[Ding! Current danger level: 81%]

[Ding! Current danger level: 85%]

[Ding! Current danger level: 90%]

Slowly, as the danger level surged, the female ghost with the split face edged closer and closer to Lynn's face.

That wet, hoarse voice drew nearer and nearer.

"Am I... really beautiful?"

Slowly-

That horrifying visage came within five centimeters of Lynn's face, its slimy tentacles and sharp barbs nearly enveloping him.

And at that critical instant-

Mwah~~

Lynn gave her a kiss.

"..."

"..."