"Contestant one has gained the ability of the doctor. A doctor can bring two back from death by the end of the game and heal the injured ones. Such a great role." Han commented further.
Iseul's pupils dilated as they remained fixated on the bright red letters. Doctor? Her? Why was the role of support when making her mafia a way better option?
"Contestant one. Will you throw the paper on the goblet so the next contestant can pick up their roles?" Han's voice echoed the quiet environment. Iseul gave a death glance at the speaker, as curiosity arose further in her mind.
"Ehh? Scary. Don't like the goblin? No way that's the case. It's popular in the human world where the chosen one is decided. Hmm." Han continued.
Iseul sighed, tossing the paper in the goblet and walked away. If she heard more of his nonsense she would do the killing herself—the voice of annoyance.
At first, none of the prisoners went closer to the goblet as they saw Iseul leaning by the wall waiting for them without any harm. They too went and grabbed their role. "You seem unfazed by whatever is going on." A soft feminine voice called out. Iseul glanced at her.
She had a gentle smile and a voice similar to a Cuckoo. Iseul noticed the brown wavy hair and soft features. Her face was of real and mature beauty. Slowly, her eyes landed on her chest. "It might be some new psychology test. Prisoners like us are no better than lab rats." Iseul looked back at the centre as she spoke.
"Conspiracies. My daughter liked those too." The woman continued, as her eyes drifted to the past.
Iseul couldn't help but notice the shift in her demeanour. "Btw, my name is Martha. Yours?" Martha bounced back from her thoughts and introduced herself. Iseul gave a nod, "Nuwa."
Martha smiled, "That's a unique name. Your mother gave it to you?"
"No."--- Fate chose it. Iseul didn't finish her words, and before the talk could go any further the announcement caught their attention.
"We got our detective, congrats to contestant number Fifty-four. Make sure to find the mafias before they kill everyone, Detective." Han's voice taunted.
Iseul trailed towards the middle of the ground and the familiar face caught her eyes. Illysa. She was the detective. Her minions encircled her and saw the paper in her hand. Illysa was caught off guard by the new role. In a blinking second her eyes met Iseul. A smirk played on her face as Iseul watched her from a distance.
"It's getting interesting now," Iseul mumbled with a smile. Once everyone got their role, the speaker blurted out again, "Now shall we start."
Within a blink of an eye, the daunting monotone jail shifted to an old European-style village, even their dress changed from normal prison clothes to dresses any villager of the time would wear.
"Welcome to the Acorn Valley. A village nestled in a valley surrounded by dense forests of oak and elm cut out from the world. With a measly population of two hundred ninety-nine, the villagers work very hard in harmony. However, one day everything changed. Mr Chestnut, who had a house at the edge of the village was found dead in his house with an axe in his torso. Who killed Mr Chestnut? To find that a detective, Ginger came to the village but soon… every night more murder took place. Now it was on Ginger and the villagers to find the criminal before he kills more." Han narrated that the speakers in the jail were all gone; it was his voice just echoing through the air.
Iseul glanced at her herself. A long brown skirt and green blouse. "You look pretty." Martha's voice made Iseul look up at her. More than her face, Iseul's eyes fell on the chest area. Corset does take out the best of one's possession.
"Wow! Those are huge." A squeal from behind froze Iseul in her place. "Hey, Martha, what's your secret?" A young woman walked up to them, standing up beside Iseul.
Iseul was already distraught at the brazenness, as she glanced up to the young woman. Red feisty hair in a boy cut, even in the traditional the muscle on her body was clear. Unlike Iseul, Martha chuckled, "If I tell you it wouldn't be a secret."
"Not fair." The woman complained. "What do you think?" This time she finally looked at Iseul, wrapping her arm around her shoulder. Iseul was instantly crushed by the weight of her, "I-I" Iseul could only stammer what does one even say in such a situation?
Growing up, it was just her mother and Alice who were women in her life. Alice was her age and they barely talked about such stuff. It was mostly games, books or school stuff. Her mother… was anything but these. This world was rare to her.
"Aww such an innocent one, What's your name? I am Cameron, you can call me Cam." Cam introduced herself, ruffling Iseul's hair.
"N-nuwa," Iseul remarked, trying to break free from Cam's grasp.
"Chinese goddess, huh?" Cam's eyes delighted.
"First time, someone knows her." Iseul let out a smile, not struggling anymore. Nuwa, the goddess of creation. She moulded humans from clay. Young Iseul liked the idea of it so much that she promised herself every character she would ever create would be moulded carefully like Nuwa. Hence, came the name Nuwa. Now she wondered in hopes of becoming a goddess she might have angered the god for such punishment.
"My stepmom was Chinese. She told me bedtime stories about those things." A smile flickered on Cam's lips and ever so quickly disappeared. "Anyway, it was nice to meet you, Nuwa. Laters." Cam let go of her and went to the few women standing a bit afar.
Iseul took a quick look around her. It was strange, everyone was quick to adjust as if this was all so normal. Why are they not terrified? A normal human response would be flight, freeze or fight. They do neither. What's even going on?
"Don't worry. I just tweaked a little in their memory. It's fun like this, right?" Han's voice whispered in her ears. The hot breath sent shivers down her spine.
Iseul turned around to find no one, just a presence. "Welcome to your world, Nuwa."