Volume 1.10 Black Joker (4)

"Wait! There is one thing that I want to ask Ms. Black Joker?!"

There was a momentary silence in the air while the Black Joker stared at me for some moment.

"Alright. You have 30 seconds."

"Can I loan a healing potion?"

"You're aware of the loaning process." The Black Joker showed small surprise in her voice however before I could speak... "I will not ask you why, however if you are aware of it, you must know that you can only use it once per main event. There are no interest however, if you can't pay on the next duration of the next main event, I will have ten percent of your life force."

"Yes. It's alright." I looked directly at her.

"Very well. How many healing potions do you want? It's 1 gold per bottle."

This price… Hearing the price, I was taken back a bit. Since it was just 50 silvers in the original game. And the prize for surviving the first main event would be ten golds only. Is this the difference between a game and a real life situation?

"Are you hesitating? You didn't hesitate with your life on the line but you hesitated with the price?"

I shook my head. There was no need to hesitate, I could earn more money on the other events. It was just that the Fairytale Shop was still closed in the first event so I have no choice right now to do this. "I would like to loan ten bottles of healing potion."

"Very well."

[You received 10 bottles of healing potion on your inventory system.]

Before I could even check the item…

"30 seconds was up. Bye."

I was forcefully sucked into something like black hole. The last thing I saw was Black Joker, burying her head back to the comfort of her thick white blankets. Every line of my vision was covered with darkness next.

***

Meanwhile…

"Here we are." Princess Veronica stopped at the front of the kitchen of the palace. The place was not very hard to find since they had seen it a few times, when Yvette and Veronica explored the palace during their official visits.

Lady Melissa was holding her right hand firmly, not wanting to let go. The young lady was flinching at every scream that was resounding in the hall.

"This is the kitchen." Veronica whispered. "Yvette said that we can hide in the cellar in this place."

Lady Melissa nodded her head. One could see that she was still trembling probably from the shock of the horrible things she had seen so far.

'Yvette, please be safe.' Veronica remembered how she parted with her younger sister. It happened all too fast, that the only thing she found next was running away in the opposite direction. While her younger sister, Yvette was chased by some horrible killer.

Veronica never felt so ashamed as an older sister for failing to protect her younger sister from danger. She never understood what was happening and so far, without Yvette's orders, she completely understands that they might be dead right now. 'Yvette, please stay alive.'

Veronica held the knob of the door but to her fright it was locked. She tried to turn it more, but it won't budge at all. With her free right hand, she knocked on the door. "Is there anyone inside, please let us in."

There was a momentary silence before someone answered. "Go away! This place is already occupied," said a woman inside.

"Please, let us in. We also need to hide there."

"It's too dangerous for us. Just go somewhere else!"

Never in Veronica's life would she think of begging to other people like this. With the young girl who was depending on her, and the words that Yvette left her. That Yvette would find and meet them at this place, this was the only place where Veronica could be reunited with her sister with all the horrible mess happening everywhere. Since when Yvette says something, she had never broken it and strive to make it happen since they were young.

Frustration was creeping inside Veronica.

Clank! Clank! Clank!

Before Veronica could even speak again. Both of them froze when they heard a loud sound of metal that was like being dragged by someone. Their gazes went to the left turn that they came walking before. Where they could see a growing shadow heading towards their location in a slow manner.

Veronica pulled Melissa to her closer. She immediately looked everywhere for any weapon she could use. She saw a silver tray on the floor and grabbed it right away. Then she pulled Melissa behind the huge vase with an ornamental plant that had plenty of leaves.

She pushed Melissa there, while Veronica crept to the corner turn of the wall and readied the tray to attack.

Clank! Clank! Clank!

The sound grew louder until it came to a momentarily and eerily stop. Veronica steeled herself and with one quick motion, she raised the tray and headed to the noise! Surprise attacks would always get anyone to lower their guards. This was the best chance for her to attack.

"Get away!" She screamed out loud as she smashed the tray with all her might.

Clank!

"Mi-Milady, that was dangerous."

Just then, Veronica felt like a cold water dumped into her when she heard a gentle male voice. As she looked over, a man wearing a white suit, was on the floor. He once on his one knee, with the scabbard of his sword that blocked the tray. He had one black eye patch on his left eye while his right purple eye was staring directly at Veronica.

Beside him was another man, wounded terribly and lying on the ground.

"You are?" Veronica stepped back cautiously.

"Don't worry, Milady. I won't hurt you. I'm Harold White, a knight. I am bringing survivors that I can find in the kitchen."

Veronica pondered. 'That name was quite familiar. Where did I hear that?' However she still eyed the man sternly. "How can I know that you are telling the truth?"

"Cough. Cough."

Before the man who introduced himself as Harold could say more, the man beside him coughed more blood.

Harold stood up, which made Veronica step back even further. However, the man walked past her, and headed to the kitchen door instead.

"It's me, Harold. Please open the door."

"It's Sir Harold."

Veronica heard noises inside the kitchen, followed by the sounds of the door being unlocked. Without a moment to waste, Harold went to the wounded man and carried him. The door opened but before he could enter with the wounded man, Harold turned to Veronica.

"Please enter as well. This place is safer than any place right now." Veronica looked hesitant, then her eyes turned to the scared people inside looking at her and to the wounded man carried by Harold.

"We will do that, Lady Melissa, you can come out now."

Harold seemed surprised a bit to see Melissa coming out behind the vase. "Come quickly inside now. "

Veronica nodded her head and pulled Melissa with her. All of them entered the kitchen then the people quickly locked the door.

Inside, Veronica was surprised to see more wounded people lying on the tables of the kitchen. While there were maids and some knights tending to them. There were also other nobles, but mostly they were elderly and young people. Some people look at them for a moment before minding their own business. Then Harold was now tending to the wounded man he just brought together with some other knights.

Veronica though still has her guard up, she felt little ease now that she was here. They move to a side free of any people, still not letting go of Melissa to her side.

"Your highness, are we finally going to be safe here?" Veronica looked at Melissa.

"Don't worry. I think we will be safe here now."

"Will-will Princess Yvette be fine?"

Veronica took a deep breath. "She will."

'Yvette, you better be fine Yvette at all cost.'

"He is convulsing Milord!"

"He wouldn't be able to make it!"

Veronica's thoughts were interrupted when Harold and the other people who were assisting him, started panicking. Then her gaze narrowed at the man convulsing. 'This…'

***

[Main Event Time: 16hrs: 15 mins: 10 secs]