[Initiating the twelfth floor quest.]0

As soon as we heard the voice, something rattled against the windows.0

Raindrops were sliding down the audience chamber’s ornate windows. Our attention immediately turned to the panes. We weren’t surprised by the sudden rain—there was something else.0

“Oh…. Ohhhh….”0

“It’s the nightmare… It’s the rain of nightmares again!”0

The rain—it was as red as blood. Perhaps it was actually blood. All of the NPCs in the chamber covered their ears and moaned in pain. It didn’t matter if they were military officers or civil servants.0

“Dear goddess, please do not abandon us!”0

“W-what? What’s wrong with them, all of a sudden…?” The Viper, exhausted from fighting the Sword Star, looked around blearily.0

“It’s the Demon King…” an NPC in armor whispered. He was curled up on the floor, trembling.0

The fear spread like a wildfire.0

“The empire is doomed…”0

“The Demon King is coming…”0

“Your Majesty… Where is our emperor…?”1

Not one NPC’s face showed a single trace of hope. Instead, they had resigned themselves to despair and lamented their fate just like any other humans. 0

The Viper swallowed nervously. “Th-this is interesting. Hey, this is all staged, right? What’s going on now?”0

“It’s the beginning of the quest,” I quietly said. “It doesn’t look like we’re going to keep fighting. If it’s difficult to incite internal conflict, the next option...0