"Snowstorm Villa..."
Hearing Chika's soft exclamation, Amamiya thought for a moment and realized she was right.
A desolate castle.
A raging snowstorm.
Players trapped inside, cut off from the world and helpless... it was a classic setup, absolutely fitting the trope.
The so-called "Snowstorm Villa" is a common theme in detective novels. A group of unlucky individuals is trapped in a confined environment, unable to contact the outside world due to forces beyond their control—whether natural or man-made—and then, inevitably, a murder occurs.
For instance, an isolated island with no means of transportation.
A villa where the roads are destroyed by a flash flood.
Or even a hotel under quarantine during an epidemic.
Over the years, there have been countless detective stories based on this "Snowstorm Villa" theme, with many classic cases captivating readers and earning widespread acclaim. But for those who find themselves living out such a scenario... it's anything but pleasant.
As the other players processed Chika's words, the realization dawned on them as well.
"Yeah, it really does feel like Snowstorm Villa."
"Weren't we supposed to be in a horror game? Why does it feel like it's turned into a mystery game?"
The tension in the air rose swiftly.
Several solo players, who didn't seem to know anyone else, immediately became more cautious, keeping their distance from the others.
Anyone who has ever watched "Detective Conan" knows that in situations like this, people are bound to die—and the murderer is often someone from within the group.
At this critical moment, Chika stepped forward.
"Everyone, please don't act this way. We need to help each other and work together to clear the game," she said earnestly, clasping her hands in front of her chest. "The game is already dangerous enough. If we can't be honest with and trust one another, it'll just become even more dangerous for each of us."
So dazzling!
Is this the shining brilliance of humanity in its finest moment?
Unfortunately, your words will likely fall on deaf ears. When everyone knows there could be a "werewolf" among them, no one will trust anyone unless they can prove their own innocence.
"How about we all share our game panels and take a look at each other's main quests?" a stranger among the players suddenly suggested.
"That won't work," Amamiya shook his head. "I already tried, but the display function on the game panel is locked. You can't show it to others."
On their way to the castle, Amamiya had tried to share his main quest with Kaguya and Chika, but it had been unsuccessful.
The player who had spoken frowned: "…So, some of us might have different main quests?"
"I have an idea!" Rikka exclaimed, raising her hand. From her pajama pocket, she pulled out a small mirror, introducing it excitedly, "This is a magic mirror I got from a blind box a few days ago. It can detect lies! It's super accurate."
"Eh?" Chika's eyes widened in surprise. "Snow White's magic mirror?"
"It's obviously the Queen's magic mirror. What does it have to do with Snow White?" Amamiya replied with a deadpan expression. "And that mirror is way too small. Are you using it to play a game of spot the difference?"
The "magic mirror" in Rikka's hand was barely half the size of her palm. Anyone with a larger face would struggle to see their reflection clearly in it.
"Take a look," Rikka said, revealing the mirror's properties.
Amamiya leaned in to check, surprised to find that Rikka wasn't just making things up. It really was a magic mirror.
[Item: Magic Mirror]
[Origin: The Land of Honesty]
[Attribute: When you look at yourself in the mirror, you cannot tell a lie.]
[Note: This was once owned by a certain Gray Witch who, after traveling far and wide, imbued the mirror with the magic of 'honesty.' Every morning, she would ask the mirror, 'Who is the cutest person in the world?'
Of course, the answer was always, 'It's me!']
I'm not sure about her being cute, but her narcissism is definitely off the charts.
"I've tried it, and you really can't lie while looking in it." Rikka demonstrated, holding up the mirror as the aho-hair on her head bobbed gently. "I love eating tomatoes the most..."
Under the curious gaze of the other players, Rikka's mouth twitched abruptly: "I 'hate' eating tomatoes the most!"
"See? That's how it works." Rikka triumphantly raised her right hand to her eye patch, her tone turning serious. "Tomatoes are terrifying! Their seeds are actually monster eggs. Once you eat them, they hatch inside your stomach..."
When you dislike something, you can come up with a million absurd reasons. But this… your reasoning is just ridiculous!
"Rikka-chan, let me try!" Chika said eagerly.
"Sure, here you go," Rikka said, handing her the magic mirror.
Chika took the mirror, looked at her reflection, blinked, and excitedly declared, "Magic mirror, magic mirror, I 'hate' eating ramen..."
Before she could finish, her words changed mid-sentence: "I 'love' eating ramen!"
"It's true!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "How could anyone dislike something as delicious as ramen?" Then, turning to her friend, she added, "Kaguya-chan, you should try it too!"
Kaguya frowned slightly as she took the magic mirror from Chika, examining it closely. "What should I say?"
A question floated into her mind, one that stirred something within her usually composed self.
Could this magic mirror reveal her true feelings, especially when she was uncertain?
"I don't like any of the boys around me..." she almost blurted out.
No.
Hold back.
What if she said it, and the magic mirror didn't deny it? Wouldn't that be like confessing her feelings?
I can't lose here!
Instead, she said, "Magic mirror, magic mirror, I 'love' cilantro..."
The magic mirror quickly corrected her, "I 'hate' cilantro."
Amamiya, watching her, raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Cilantro is so delicious! How could you not like it?"
"I just don't," Kaguya replied, crossing her arms. "I can't stand the taste."
"What a shame, you're missing out on one of the best flavors in the world," Amamiya said, shaking his head.
"I don't feel like I'm missing anything at all," Kaguya replied coolly.
"..."
Without another word, Kaguya handed over the magic mirror.
Amamiya took the small, round mirror, which appeared ordinary at first glance. Curious, he quickly said, "I 'hate' cilantro... I 'love' cilantro!"
Kaguya glared at him in silence.
Soon, other players gathered around to test the magic mirror's truth-telling ability.
"I 'love' math class... actually, I 'hate' it."
"I believe the national football team can win... nope, I don't believe that at all."
"I 'hate' Tifa... no way, Tifa from the 3D universe is the best."
"I'm not a lolicon... I totally am a lolicon!"
For some reason, odd and random statements started mixing into the mirror's confessions.
"Well, everyone's seen how it works now, right?" Chika said with a smile. "Now, let's each state our main quests to the magic mirror. I'll go first."
"Main quest: survive. Sometimes the one who laughs last isn't the winner."
She added, "There's also a countdown at the end of the quest. It says four hours and twenty-three minutes, and it's ticking down every second."
Chika spoke while looking into the mirror, and as expected, the mirror of "honesty" didn't react—confirming her words were true.
Next up was Amamiya.
"Main quest: survive. My countdown is five hours and thirty-four minutes."
After someone took the lead, the rest followed suit more easily. One by one, the players revealed their quests.
Kaguya: "Main quest: survive. Countdown is three hours and fifty-eight minutes."
Rikka: "Main quest: survive. Countdown is three hours and twenty minutes."
Yukino: "Main quest: survive. Countdown is three hours and forty minutes."
A moment later, every player had shared their task.