At least the mission was complete. Now all he had to do was make it to the end and win the grand prize. Then the job would be complete and his brother would get the best doctor. That, or Luca would find the way to use his Perks outside the Training Room and disintegrate the labs and then island.

  Coming back the present, there was a last judge left.

  Chef Harpira finally said, almost grudgingly. “You,” she pointed at one of the demons of the red group. “And you.” Another one of the green group. Then, she glanced at the last group –Luca’s– and she… looked away.

  Well. She had said they were the worst on her opinion, so it wasn’t any surprise. But the people around him didn’t have the same opinion. Black-Wings didn’t. That according the faint sound of incredulity. But the judges didn’t gave a shit, and the host only tsked, before speaking again.

  “We’ve our lucky participants!” The host clasped their hands together. “So we’ll close the First Challenge and send the Participants to rest. Tomorrow’s morning will come quicker than you expect. For those still sad, don’t worry! The Second Challenge will be a good opportunity to get a comfortable place where to stay your second night. And may be your fall from grace.”

  The cheerfulness of the host did little to the mood of those who hadn’t been chose. Neither did the message itself.

  “Let’s wrap this up, my dears!” After the sudden clap, the effect was immediate.

  The air grew warmer and two columns of fire materialized next to the judges. They turned into two doors, tall and densely covered in a pattern of unknown symbols. One was redwood, framed in delicate silver light —the kind of door you could expect on some kind of fantasy movie, guarding some fancy royal suite. But… the other. Now. That was something else.

  It was a broken door, chained loosely with rusted iron. Red, gleaming eyes could be seen from the cracks.

  The host turned slightly, smile ever present. “Our winners,” they gestured to the first door, “may step into the luxurious hotel that served our Demon King for generations. Rest warm and sure on your rooms.” Then, with a shift in tone that could almost be pity—but wasn’t—they added, “As for the rest … don’t worry, the stables hold all the comforts that you will need for the night.”

  It was like they weren’t even trying anymore. Who would believe such thing?

  No one moved at first.

  “Are you trying to make us regret?” Chef Dominatom asked, dryly.

  “Go on, participants!” the host quickly hurried them up.

  The ‘chosen’ began to walk toward the pretty door. Luca didn’t let himself hesitate, following the line as he listened at the whispers floating around. The judges disappeared the instant they started to move, and only the host, who seemed to be quite indifferent to them, stayed.

  As his turn come, he stepped forward and crossed the threshold of the silver-framed door.

  It was like walking through silk and shadow. A moment of cold air, followed by the scent of something rotten that was overpowered by roses.

  Luca blinked. The hallway on the other side was dark but grand, lined with marble carved pillars and deep velvet curtains that moved faintly on their own. Small golden thorny rose lamps burned with blue fire. The floor was either covered or resembled a kind of red carpet, but the texture looked strange. Almost as if it were wet.

  He didn’t see anyone else there besides himself, nor did he notice more than a single door at the end of the hallway.

  Approaching the obvious option, Luca raised his hand and pushed the door open. The room inside… well, it was a spectacle. Dark oak floors, and a mahogany canopy bed with black lace dominated a whole corner. Two stained glas windows, partially covered with heavy curtains, flanked the bed, while a black metal rose chandelier hung in the center of the room, giving soft illumination.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  As he entered and closed the door behind him, he saw a carved wooden bookshelf set. The big chair was adorned with silk and embroidered rose motifs, everything in hues of dark red.

  The whole place looked old and three types of expansive.

  Luca approached first the bed, noticing it was absurdly large even for two or three persons, and then noticed a door, half-hidden on a corner. Curious, he went it and opened it, revealing what looked like the royal version of a bathroom and was big enough to tuck his whole apartment inside.

  Despite the whole appearance of the place Luca didn’t hold himself and entered first to take a bath. He stepped in a claw-foot tub of deep obsidian marble, filled by silver faucets that poured steaming water scented faintly with something spicy. And something a bit too sweet for his likings. But he didn’t see the way to change it, and after testing the water on his fingers, he hurried up to undress.

  His muscles were still tight from tension and he knew there wouldn’t be any other moment to relax like this in the following days.

  But all the warm of the water gave him a reminder. Pain made itself known again.

  Luca hissed, taking a look at his foot. Just above his calf, the skin was torn. It looked kinda scary, as a raw black line. He hadn’t had the time—or the luxury—to clean it properly earlier. Now, after getting into contact with water, it throbbed as it were alive.

  He gripped the side of the tub until his knuckles paled.

  I’ve to clean this, he thought, and then use the item. It was a stupidity to have to use his only medical item so early but he was afraid it could get infected. He wouldn’t even brush the finish line with just one foot.

  Picking a small towel, he cleaned the injury on the small marble basin next to the tub, careful to avoid putting too much pressure. It hurt. It hurt like he was cutting himself with a knife. But it was something he needed to do. A black liquid oozed out from inside the skin.

  When he finished, the water had turned grayish and the smell changed to something rotten.

  Luca didn’t hesitate to access to his inventory. The familiar window came into view. From the few items available, he selected the [Antiseptic Gauze] and it appeared in his hand in less than a blink. With careful fingers, he wrapped it around his leg slowly. It clung tightly and soon the pain dulled.

  That done, he looked at the tub. It seemed that he would have to rub a towel against his skin and be happy with that. Sighing, he did exactly that, and after finishing, he picked up a pair of clothes that were wrapped in transparent paper from inside the small bathroom cabinet.

  It was a black shirt, embroidered with a rose motif, and a pair of black short pants of the same velvet fabric. As he dressed, the fabric felt comfortable, brushing softly against his skin.

  Luca went straight to the bed, and after checking under it, he lay down.

  It was only when his eyes had begun to drift shut that something happened.

  Outside the room, beyond the main door—the one he had entered from—there were sounds.

  Footsteps. Laughter. A clatter of plates. It painted an image on his mind of the other participants eating.

  But Luca didn’t rise, didn’t even opened his eyes. He wasn’t hungry. And more than that, it was dangerous to come out from the room, wasn’t it? Yes. Too dangerous. Better to sleep.

  He pulled the sheets tighter. Let his breathing slow. Let the weight of the day slip away like sand between his fingers.

  The God of Sleep seemed to open the door to him but then—

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  His eyes snapped open.

  Three knocks.

  Not polite. Not tentative.

  So loud.

  “Are you there…?”

  The voice was high. Scratched at the edges. Something about it was off —like it was coming from a broken machine.

  He didn’t move.

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  “Are you there?” It insisted. It persisted.

  Luca didn’t move. He heard the faint noise of footsteps again, of laugh.

  The third time was softer, but somehow worse.

  “…Are you… therrre?”

  The voice was familiar this time. In some way. Luca couldn’t put his finger in who was this.

  It didn’t matter anyway.

  The silence spread, leaving him to listen only the sound of his own breathing.

  Footsteps walked away. Or at least, something walked away.

  Blinking slowly, Luca noticed that the air was lighter. He could breathe better. Not only that, but… the smell of roses was fainter.

  He didn’t move.

  Slowly, very slowly, he let the air out.

  Ahh, what a surprise, he mused.

  Despite the ‘strange occurrence’, Luca ended falling asleep.

  The room was safe.

  A lot safer than outside.