101 IS THIS PURGATORY?

101 IS THIS PURGATORY?

"Hi, Demon of Gullee," Petunia greeted, giving Leo a slight nod.

"Its Lilleo", he corrected.

"Or is it Black Cock?" Petunia shot back, catching him off guard.

"What?" Leo spluttered.

"Do you like cocks?" Bara chimed in, grinning mischievously. "I do. We can share a few if you want."

"Isn't that all you fucking ever think about?" Leo sighed, rolling his eyes.

Petunia leaned in, her eyes sharp with curiosity.

"But you haven't answered me. How did you manage to change the name description on your marker? I'm stuck with my username, and it's so annoying! Do you know how many players recognize me as a player because of 'Black Pink'?"

Leo shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, don't play dumb," she insisted. "I saw you doing something to the Bell's marker earlier. Its description changed for a second before it rang like a melody."

Bara looked back and forth between them, confused. "I'm lost here."

"Probably because your friend's lost her mind," Leo muttered, turning to leave.

"Hey, don't run off! It's hard enough finding real people in this game," Petunia called after him. "The NPCs are useless for any real conversation."

"Just be careful about the friends you keep," Leo warned, glancing back at her. "This world isn't exactly trustworthy."

Petunia shrugged. "So what? What's the worst that can happen—death? This is just a fucking game."

Leo's eyes narrowed. "How long have you been in this game?"

She grinned, catching the slip. "Ah, so you're admitting you're a player now, Black Cock?"

Leo sighed. He was caught. "Fine. I get it. The username is ridiculous. I didn't key a username so the fucking System by default named me after my starter gift."

Petunia chuckled. "A lot of us end up naming ourselves after our usernames so we don't get called out by the box display. But, as you might guess, 'Black Pink' wasn't exactly a common name available in this world."

"So, why'd you accept my invite if you're so worried about being recognized?" Leo asked.

"If it was a random invite, no big deal. But if it came from someone nearby, I'd have noticed them with their usernames on their marker," she explained. "And, surprise, I didn't see anyone with 'Black Cock' on their marker. So, if you were close, you must have figured out a way to change your marker's description."

Leo gave her an impressed look. "Smart girl. I didn't expect anyone to think like that. Maybe you should consider hacking as a profession."

Petunia smiled. "Oh, come on. How'd you change your name in the marker?"

Leo considered helping Petunia change her username with his coding skills, but he'd only just met her. Whether she was a friend, or a potential threat was still unclear.

"I got my name changed through a special mission," he replied casually.

Petunia groaned. "I knew it! Why don't I ever get that kind of mission?"

"You'd have to ask your handler about that," he said with a shrug.

"Alright, enough chit-chat," Bara interrupted. "There's a feast waiting for us at the academy. Let's go!"

------

The academy's grand feast was held to welcome the new students to Sodom City Academy of Magic. This wasn't an ordinary school banquet—this was a spectacle of luxury, with tables laden with extravagant dishes fit for a royal affair.

"How much did we pay to get into this place?" Leo muttered, glancing around in amazement.

"I have no idea," Bara replied, unconcerned. "Grangya covered it."

Petunia smirked. "Why worry about the price when you're one of the wealthiest young men in the city?"

Leo narrowed his eyes at her. "And how exactly do you know that? Been stalking me?"

Petunia rolled her eyes. "Are you always so rude to girls?"

He shrugged. "I don't even know if you're actually a girl behind that pretty avatar."

Petunia blinked. "Wait, you can change gender in this game? I didn't get that option."

"There are many different genders, you can't judge merely from appearance," Leo said with a smirk.

Petunia nodded thoughtfully.

Bara, however, looked confused. "Hold on—there's more than two genders? No wonder I always feel like a guy on the inside but look like a woman outside."

Leo chuckled. "Don't worry. We'll find you a quest to grow a cock."

Petunia raised a brow at Leo. "Do you two always talk like this?"

He shrugged again. "What, you came straight out of a convent?"

Petunia laughed. "Close enough—Catholic boarding school."

Leo blinked. "Are you even old enough to be here? The Realm of Sins game is supposed to be PG-13, at least."

"I'm nineteen," she said defensively.

Leo chuckled. "Well, just steer clear of Bara. She'll eat you alive."

At that moment, a tall boy approached, looking smug. "Isn't that Petunia of the Lotus family? I'm—"

"Fuck off," Bara interrupted, flicking her hand dismissively.

Petunia glanced at Leo, curious. "Is Bara an NPC? She doesn't sound like one."

Leo shrugged. "Honestly, it's hard to tell. Some of the NPCs here feel real. They're not just codes."

Petunia's brows furrowed. "Who could create a fucking game like this?"

Leo's eyes darkened. "Maybe… it's not a fucking game."

Petunia's face turned serious. "Then what is it?"

Leo gave a wry smile. "You're the Catholic schoolgirl. Maybe this is what 'Purgatory' looks like."

The boy Bara had dismissed suddenly shouted toward them, refusing to be ignored. "You can't ignore me! I'm the future ruler of this city!"

Leo sighed. "Take a hike."

The boy's face flushed with anger. "You dare insult me? Fight me, Demon of Gullee!" he shouted, pointing a finger at Leo.

Petunia leaned in. "He's a player, too. His whole family probably is. Be careful."

Leo glanced at him, checking his marker. "Name: Knekis. Favorite book: Three Little Pigs," he muttered with a smirk.

"But I can't see his magic tier."

"He's Cakra Svad, Tier 2," Petunia whispered. "He was a member of the student association in my former school. We know each other's strengths, and he's not weak."

"Yes I heard, you're the president", Leo replied.

As their tension rose, nearby students started murmuring.