Chapter 1

“I can finally do it!”

With a face full of excitement, I turned on the computer. The day I had been waiting for had finally arrived: the day my parents left on a couples’ trip and I had the house all to myself.

That meant I could play the R-rated otome game to my heart’s content, totally relaxed. How long had I been anticipating and waiting for it, especially since my favorite voice actor was the male lead? Ignoring all the messages from friends wanting to meet up, I purchased the game and hit the play button. And then…

“That was easier than I thought?”

Perhaps it was the male lead’s sweet voice. I lost track of time playing the game and easily reached the happy ending.

But then.

“Do you not know the meaning of a happy ending?”

The moment I confirmed the ending, a curse word slipped out. Although the game I was playing was an R-rated, dark otome game, this was just too much.

My character, Edel, marries the target character, Erlian, and then spends the rest of her life unable to go outside, only engaging in this and that (the intimate kind of ‘this and that’). This was the happy ending.

“I feel like my own energy is being sucked dry.”

This game was quite high-level for an R-rated game. Perhaps to demonstrate Erlian’s virility, the scenes where he and Edel engaged in all sorts of positions were unusually long. The biggest reason Edel likely failed to escape was that Erlian wouldn’t let her go until she was completely exhausted.

It might just be my imagination, but Edel seemed particularly drained after being confined. I don’t know why I cared so much about a 2D character. Although it was a happy ending, the heroine seemed to be quite enjoying the situation, but it was a truly bizarre ending nonetheless.

“Well, it’s better than the normal ending.”

Before starting the game, I had checked the spoilers. In the normal ending, the heroine attempts to escape because she dislikes the male lead’s confining behavior and ends up…

“What did her ankle ever do to deserve that?”

The heroine ends up staring blankly out the window, dreaming of escape.

Of course, the other endings were even worse: falling out badly with the male lead and ending up in a fight before even building Affinity, or being killed by someone else, and so on. That must be why the game is called <Girl in the Cage>. Poor heroine. Edel, hang in there.

“This is the craziest game I’ve ever seen.”

Feeling like my own mental state was getting dark, I decided to head to the convenience store for a change of pace. But was that the problem?

Screech–

I was clearly crossing the crosswalk on a green light. Yet, a car running the light was relentlessly speeding towards me.

By the time I realized it, it was too late.

CRASH!

With an enormous sound, I felt my body fly high into the air.

“Student, are you okay?”

Someone who witnessed the accident rushed over to check on me.

“I… I have to go home…”

Something was streaming down my forehead, but the pain wasn’t important. Tragically, I hadn’t quit the game before leaving. If someone went home and looked at the monitor… what was the last shot of the happy ending? Were the important parts covered?

“You’re bleeding from your head. An ambulance will be here soon. Just hang on.”

“No… I can’t…”

Treatment or not, I had to get home and delete the game first. I tried to crawl by putting strength into my arms while lying down, but my vision kept fading.

How absurd. My life is ending with such a hollow bad ending.

 

***

 

“Lady Elicia, wake up.”

Someone shaking my body made me open my eyes wide in surprise. An unfamiliar ceiling was above me, and a girl I didn’t know was staring intently at me.

Did I die in the car accident? Is this somewhere between heaven and hell?

Curious, I tried to ask who she was. I was sure of it.

▷ Yes, Anna. Today’s my wedding day, right? Take good care of me.

▷ Let me just sleep a little longer. It’s not like it’s a wedding I want anyway.

‘What the hell? What wedding? Someone explain this to me.’

Before I could react, everything went dark. And then–

– Hello, Player. I’m ★Lala★, here to guide you in your playthrough.

I guess I did die. Seeing a fairy-like child with a bowl cut and wings talking to me confirmed it. I stared blankly at the cute creature.

– Congratulations! You’ve been selected for the beta test of <How to Open the Cage>, the spin-off of <Girl in the Cage>.

“Me…?”

A sigh of relief escaped me. I didn’t die after all.

But something was strange. I had applied for the beta test when I heard a spin-off version was coming out. But unlike <Girl in the Cage> that I played on the computer, I’m playing this by actually moving around? Is this a dream?

I pinched my cheek just in case. It hurt.

– Unlike the original dating simulation game, this is a nurturing simulation game. Please nurture the awful Ian well so he can have a wholesome and happy romance with Edel.

Oh, so the developers know that Ian is a hopeless trash character.

I’ve played a few nurturing games like this, so I know. The ending changes depending on how I, the parent, raise the child.

– I will introduce your role, Player.

I could roughly guess without her telling me. I must be Ian’s mother. What did Ian’s father look like? I hope he was handsome…

Ian was a handsome trash character. If so, his father’s looks should be decent, too, right?

– As you may have guessed, you are Ian’s wife, Elicia.

No? I didn’t guess that at all.

– You were married to Ian, who is the same age as you, at thirteen, and you will separate when you become nineteen.

They were so guilty that they didn’t even tell me the reason for the separation.

I know. The reason is mentioned in <Girl in the Cage>. Ian, who has severe personality issues, kills her. The relationship ends not with a divorce, but with death.

I could easily predict the bad ending of this game. I die at Ian’s hands, just like in the original work.

The game seems more difficult than I thought. I’d rather be the parent; being a wife who will soon die is too much, isn’t it?

– The beginning of the game, your wedding with Ian, will start soon. If you achieve the happy ending, you will receive a special reward in your life, so please play carefully.

“I don’t want to do it.”

– You are free to talk and act, except for moments when options appear. Also, please note that Ian can grow differently depending on your free actions.

Even if I, the player, refused, the girl named Lala stubbornly continued to say what she had to say. Honestly, I didn’t plan on playing the game seriously. I was in a car accident before entering the game world.

I don’t know how this happened, but right now, I have to go home and quickly delete the game, never mind the ending.

– Then, the game will officially start in 3 seconds.

“I said I don’t want to!”

– 3, 2, 1… START!

As soon as I heard the start sound, the fairy disappeared, and the options I saw earlier reappeared.

‘So the game is starting by force…’

Only the options remained before my eyes, and the fairy was nowhere to be seen.

‘How can I call her back? If this is a game, maybe I have to progress a bit and save to call her?’

I decided to go ahead with the first choice.

“Yes, Anna. Today is my wedding, isn’t it? Please take care of me.”

Words that contained none of my will came out of my mouth.

“That such a beautiful and kind young lady like you is marrying the young master Erlian of the Bellocchio family…”

Even the game character seems to know that Ian has personality issues.

“Don’t worry. I will protect you.”

The maid, Anna, with a firm resolve, began to adorn me.

Looking in the mirror, I could see why they called me beautiful. Silvery hair with a glossy sheen and crimson eyes. My features were delicate and beautiful. To marry such a lovely child off to Ian, who is infamous for being a malicious young master…

“To become a married woman at thirteen…”

“It’s indeed rare to marry at such a young age.”

“Why do I have to marry?”

“For the sake of the Evra family.”

Anna’s explanation followed: After Elicia’s mother passed away, the Marquis of Evra’s businesses unfortunately failed one after another. Struggling with financial problems, the Marquis one day found a document in the mansion. It contained an agreement between the former Duke Bellocchio and the Marquis Evra to marry their descendants.

Upon this, the Marquis Evra mentioned the document to the Duke Bellocchio and pushed for the marriage between Ian and Elicia.

“That’s why the Bellocchio family has agreed to sponsor our Evra family. What a relief.”

“Why?”

“Because the Lady is marrying the Young Master Bellocchio.”

I understand that the marriage itself couldn’t be refused since it was an agreement made by their ancestors and there was documented proof. But what exactly was the great Bellocchio Ducal family lacking that they permitted the marriage of two thirteen-year-olds? And why did they even promise to sponsor the failing Evra family?

The marriage could have been pushed after Ian and I became adults.

‘There must have been a reason…’

It felt like I almost remembered it, but I couldn’t quite recall. Since I skipped all the unnecessary explanations while playing the game, I didn’t even know what foreshadowing there was.

‘Ah, this is no time for this.’

First, I need to exit the game and check the status of my body in the real world.

‘Where is it?’

But no matter how hard I looked, there was no exit button. Could it be that I have to see an ending to exit?

While panicking, an option popped up.

▷ (Go to the wedding hall)

Perhaps because the marriage couldn’t be avoided in the storyline, there was only one option.

With a groan, I reluctantly followed the option.

“Wow…”

I closed and opened my eyes, and I was immediately in the wedding hall. It was clearly decorated with great effort, as befitting a noble’s wedding.

No, wait, this was a game. The design team must have worked hard.

‘Where is Ian…?’

Scanning the surroundings, the moment I spotted Ian, I couldn’t help but gasp in admiration. White skin contrasting with black hair. Coupled with bright, earnest violet eyes. As expected of the male lead, his appearance was dazzling even though he was still a child.

Even a trash-of-a-person can be cute at thirteen. I felt like pinching his cheek.

‘He looks so innocent…’

It was hard to imagine that this boy would grow up to confine another family’s precious daughter and do that until she passed out. The visual didn’t match the image at all.

Lost in thought.

‘Uh-oh?’

Against my will, my feet walked toward Ian. And an option appeared.

▷ Hello? I’m Elicia. Nice to meet you.

▷ (Do not greet him)

Without hesitation, I chose the first option. I figured I had to get close to him first to fix his personality or whatever. Plus, his young appearance was quite cute.

“Hello? I’m Elicia. Nice to meet you.”

However, Ian ignored my greeting, turned his head, and, as if in protest, the little brat didn’t look at me until the wedding was over.

 

***

 

“Don’t touch me.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t even look at me.”

“I’ll try.”

“Don’t even breathe.”

“That would be difficult.”

I chuckled as I answered, and Ian glared at me with an air of disbelief.

Ian’s voice was that of my favorite voice actor. Even though he was being abrasive, it felt like the voice actor was playing a prickly child character, which only made me smile foolishly.

“This is the worst. It’s my room.”

Perhaps to ensure a smooth story progression, we were ordered to share one room instead of having separate ones. It was an order from his father, Duke Bellocchio.

“You should have just said no.”

However, Ian couldn’t openly defy his overbearing father’s command and only showed his obvious displeasure after entering the room. I secretly smiled at the sight of him biting his lip, which must have been what he saw, judging by the way he was lying with his back to me and grumbling.

‘He’s more timid than he looks.’

Still, the wedding must have been exhausting, as I soon heard the soft, steady sound of him sleeping beside me. Just as I was about to drift off, a new message window appeared before my eyes.

[Would you like to check the Status Window?]

▷ Yes

▷ No

Yes, of course, yes.

[Name: Erlian Bellocchio (Age 13)

Temperament: 10

Affinity: -5

XX: 0

Relationship with Edel: Strangers

Special Notes: Strong sense of vigilance towards the player]

This was surprising. I thought his Temperament would be in the negatives, but it was actually 10.

‘And he still acts like that?’

It was simply astonishing. What state would he be in if that score dropped even lower? Meanwhile, the bitter thing was that his Affinity was minus 5.

‘Does he hate me that much? We just met today, that’s too harsh. Well, I guess Ian was also forced into this sudden marriage, so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised.’

I glared at the Status Window for no reason.

‘But what is that?’

What is that XX? Is it a bug?

Since it was a beta test, that possibility was high. And below the Status Window, there was a small phrase: “Check Detailed Status.”

‘What is this?’

As I stared intently at the words, the yellow-haired fairy reappeared.

– If you mentally whisper ‘Check Detailed Status’ while the Status Window is open, Erlian’s detailed status will appear. In the detailed status, you can check various abilities such as Erlian’s Stamina, Swordsmanship, Magic, Etiquette, Art, and Intelligence.

Typical of a nurturing game, it had a plausible system.

– Erlian’s occupation can change depending on which ability scores are high in the detailed status.

It wasn’t very exciting. If a young master grows up, he’ll become a Duke.

– Still, the most important thing is managing the Temperament and Affinity in the main Status Window, right?

As expected, Temperament and Affinity seemed to be the most crucial factors for achieving the happy ending.

‘Hey, yellow-haired child. Then what is XX?’

– I’m not just a yellow-haired child, I’m ★Lala★! ♬

‘Okay, Lala. What is XX? It looks like a bug.’

– Then ★Lala★ is going to bed!

Lala and the Status Window disappeared, and I was left staring at Ian’s sleeping back. That Lala, she must have run away because she didn’t want to admit to creating a bug.

‘I don’t know.’

I didn’t want to think about it for long. I was too tired.

As soon as I closed the Status Window, I too quickly drifted off to sleep.

 

***

 

“My lady. No, Little Mistress. It’s time to eat.”

At the mention of food, my eyes involuntarily snapped open, and all I saw was an empty bed. Whether he disliked me or was just a morning person, Ian was already up. I turned my body and saw Anna looking at me.

“Where’s Ian?”

“He woke up early and already finished his meal.”

‘How rude of him. He could have woken me.’

I grumbled and sat up. Even before he became that trash of a person, his personality was already difficult. I suddenly felt like believing in the concept of the innate evil of human nature.

‘First, let’s eat and then think.’

I quickly washed up and headed to the dining room. Several delicious-looking dishes were already laid out. I quietly sat down and began to eat.

“Little Mistress, is the food to your liking?”

“Yes…”

“Little Mistress, please feel free to speak casually.”

I was apparently called the ‘Little Mistress’ here. In reality, I was a full-fledged adult. The term ‘Little Mistress’ gave me the chills every time.

Like Ian, Duke Bellocchio had also finished breakfast. Although I grumbled about not being woken up, I wasn’t particularly upset. I was sure I would have indigestion if I ate with them.

Thanks to that, I was able to enjoy my meal alone at a leisurely pace.

‘No matter where I look, I can’t figure out how to quit the game.’

I sighed softly while chewing a steak. In a normal game, I would have easily found the quit button. No, even if I couldn’t find the quit button, I could simply turn off the computer. However, since I was playing this game in person, finding a way to quit was not easy.

This is not the time to be relaxing and playing a game. I don’t even know why I’m in the game in the first place.

‘At least the quit button will appear the moment I see an ending.’

I decided to aim for a bad ending to finish the game quickly. I firmly resolved this and chugged my water.

And right after I finished my meal,

▷ (Go to the training grounds)

▷ (Go to the room)

Options appeared. Ian definitely wouldn’t be in the room, as he didn’t want to be with me.

‘I should go to the training grounds.’

My guess was spot on. I saw him diligently practicing his swordsmanship in the middle of the training grounds. I approached without hesitation, and he must have heard my footsteps because he turned his head to look at me. The moment our eyes met, he immediately turned his head away, pretending not to see me. The cute thing.

“Hello?”

I realized that the most crucial point of this game was to raise that boy’s Temperament first. Because he immediately went back to concentrating on swinging his sword, acting as if he hadn’t heard my greeting.

‘I may be the wife you married, but is it okay to turn your head away like that without even a greeting?’

In reality, he was ten years younger than me, but having my greeting ignored made me, the ‘Confucian Girl,’ feel quite unhappy. Of course, right now, ending the game is more urgent than my feelings.

At that moment,

[★Lala★ Quest Occurred! Would you like to check it?]

Reward: Rare Item Gacha Ticket

▷ Yes

▷ No

Lala winked quite cutely and proposed a quest.

I had no intention of completing the quest since I was aiming for the bad ending, but I was curious, so I chose “Yes.”

[★Lala★’s Quest]

<Receive Ian’s Greeting!>

The cold Ian treats you coldly even when you approach him warmly.

But don’t be hurt. If you embrace him with love, Ian will become kind.

If you’re lucky, you can even raise Ian’s Temperament! ♬

As soon as I confirmed the quest, I laughed hollowly. Just to get one greeting, I have to treat him with love? Forget the greeting, just give me the game exit screen!

At that moment, an option window appeared.

▷ Are you ignoring my greeting? You’re so ill-mannered!

▷ Training must be tough, right?

I smiled looking at the options. The game was easier than I thought. Clearly, the first one is the route to the bad ending, right?

“Are you ignoring my greeting? You’re so ill-mannered.”

“What?”

Ian asked, looking me up and down with disbelief. It made sense; he was the precious only son of the esteemed ducal family. This was probably the first time in his thirteen years of life that he had heard such a hostile expression.

Soon, another option appeared. This time, there was only one. I chose it without hesitation, and harsh words came out of my mouth.

“When someone greets you, you’re supposed to return it. Haven’t you been taught proper etiquette?”

“M-Mistress, please calm down.”

The moment Anna frantically tried to restrain me, a notification window appeared. It was a terrifying red color.

[Ian’s Affinity has decreased by 3.]

His Affinity was reduced. It was already in the negative, and now it had dropped even further.

‘What’s the lowest possible Affinity? -100?’

Ian didn’t get angry at me. He merely ignored me as if I were a transparent person, moved his spot, and silently began practicing his swordsmanship far away.

Was it because there were many servants watching the situation? Or was it because his Temperament gauge was at 10? Despite me saying something harsh to him, the young master didn’t kill or attack me.

‘Even a bad ending isn’t easy.’

I sighed in disappointment and headed back to the room. I wanted to see the ending quickly and return to reality, but it seemed the situation wouldn’t go as I planned.

“It’s a bit boring.”

Once I got back to the room, there was nothing to do. I was lying around on the bed when a dresser in the corner caught my eye.

“That’s it.”

I was happy to see the dresser with its elaborate and delicate decoration. It was the kind of dresser that Edel, the heroine in the original game, frequently saw after being confined.

“Let’s see what’s inside.”

I smiled slyly and approached it. I opened the first drawer. Pens and papers were neatly organized inside.

“Hmm, boring!”

I hummed a tune and scattered them on the floor.

“I’m not normally this kind of person.”

There was a valid reason for my sudden, inconsiderate actions. I figured that acting rudely like this would help me reach the bad ending a little faster.

Various trinkets began to litter the cold, marble floor that had been spotless before. I stared blankly at the sight for a moment, then opened the second drawer. Inside, there was a small, lonely box.

“Wow…”

I opened the small, velvet box to find a necklace with a green gem that looked expensive even to someone who knew nothing about jewelry. The green gem, as if meeting the outside world after a long time, sparkled in the light, showing off its presence. I was momentarily captivated by its radiance but then shook my head.

The moment I raised my hand to toss the box onto the floor as well, I suddenly stopped.

“Not this one.”

I belatedly remembered the necklace’s identity and couldn’t bring myself to throw it, clutching it tightly in my hand instead. In my own way, I placed it on the table with what I considered a careful touch, just to make sure it was clear that I had touched it.

“Let’s not touch family relics.”

Because that item was the necklace left by Ian’s mother, who had died when he was five. Ian cherished the necklace because the green gem was the same color as his mother’s eyes.

However, the Ian in <Girl in the Cage> was a character with absolutely no Temperament to be found. When Edel, exhausted by his excessive obsession, tried to escape, he not only forcefully confined her but also clasped the necklace his mother had left him around her neck. He even cast a tracking spell on his supposedly precious mother’s necklace.

The scene where he smiled contentedly at the sight was truly awful.

“He was such a crazy lunatic…”

For the record, the original game, <Girl in the Cage>, did not have a Temperament gauge. But in my opinion, when Edel first met Ian at fifteen, his Temperament would have been -10, and when he was busy hunting down the runaway Edel at nineteen, it would have been about -50.

He has a Temperament of 10 now at thirteen, so how did his Temperament become such a mess in just six years?

“I don’t know.”

I was a player who would soon leave anyway. I decided not to think about it too deeply.

 

***

 

When Ian returned to the room and saw the state of the drawers, he blew up.  

He didn’t seem all that upset about the other mess I’d made.  

“Are you insane?”

But when it came to me laying hands on the necklace his mother left behind, his anger flared like fire. Until now, even when I pestered him and picked fights, he had never actually lost his temper—he just ignored me.  

Maybe because he’s still young, though, even as he glared at me I only found him cute. His voice dropping cold made me flinch a little, but that was it.  

Since I barely reacted, he only got angrier and stormed out of the room.  

The problem was, it didn’t lead to the bad ending I’d been aiming for.  

Just as I was feeling disappointed, there was a knock.  

“The master requests your presence.”

Before I could even grant permission, the butler opened the door and stepped inside.  

“Where am I supposed to go?”

“Please follow me.”

I left the room behind him and descended to the first floor.  

Because this was set in a wealthy duke’s household, the mansion seemed at least ten times the size of my real home. After walking and walking, my steps finally stopped in front of a door at the very back of the estate.  

“You may enter here.” 

“Thanks.”  

The butler knocked, then opened the door.  

Creak—  

The sound was spine-chilling, and what lay beyond was not a place I wanted to enter. I had expected a tidy study or reception room, but instead, junk was piled up haphazardly, dust thick upon it. For a duke’s residence, it was shockingly filthy.  

‘A storage room…?’ 

With no windows, the place was dark even though it was daytime; the only light came from candles.  

In the middle of that unpleasant storeroom, a tall man stood with his back to me. His hair was blood red. That had to be Ian’s father, Duke Bellocchio. I cautiously stepped right up behind him.  

The butler, meanwhile, hadn’t followed me in—he’d closed the door behind me. Traitor.  

“So, I hear there was an incident today?”

The duke still didn’t look at me, speaking with his back turned.  

‘What is this? Why am I nervous over a game character?’

I swallowed hard without meaning to. The atmosphere was so grim, nothing good could possibly come of this.  

 

***

▷ I’m sorry. We just had a small quarrel. 

▷ Well, maybe if you’d raised your son properly, this wouldn’t have happened.

Seeing the choices, I couldn’t help grinning. This wasn’t reality. It was a game. And this grim mood surely meant the bad ending was near.  

I picked without hesitation.  

“Well, maybe if you’d raised your son properly, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“You’ve lost your mind.”

Not liking my mocking words, the duke turned at last, pressing a blade to my throat.  

Sharp eyes, a proud nose—the spitting image of Ian’s face.  

‘Wow. This is so realistic.’  

‘You really are mad.’

I barely listened to his sneering, too busy marveling at the game’s quality. The blade against my neck actually stung like I’d been grazed. Blood even trickled down my skin. Lala, you really went all out on this.  

▷ The crazy ones are you people.

This had to be the bad ending—the game only offered one, disastrous-sounding choice. And honestly, I couldn’t agree more. Father and son both were clearly unhinged.  

“The crazy ones are you people.”

“Even a useless family has some value, or so I thought, which is why I allowed this marriage. I told you to watch my son, not to disregard him.”

Ah, now I remembered. The reason Ian killed his wife, Elicia—that is, me—in <Girl in the Cage>. It was because she had been acting as his father’s spy all along.  

For reasons unknown, Duke Bellocchio demanded perfection of his son, tolerating not a single misstep. He wanted to know everything Ian did, everything he thought. That was why he agreed to his son’s marriage so early, even sponsoring the Evra family. Since Ian shut out anyone else who approached, the duke tied him to a same-age girl so he wouldn’t notice.  

Ian had long realized this, but pretended not to. Yet when he confessed his feelings for Edel, his father threatened her—and Ian wasted no time killing both Elicia and his father.  

‘Yup. His Temperament really was rotten to the core.’

My moment of clarity didn’t last.  

“And on top of that, you dared touch Adria’s necklace.”

“Sorry ‘bout that.”

My halfhearted apology only enraged him further.  

“Better to discard useless trash.”

That line thrilled me. Clear confirmation of a bad ending.  

Bit harsh, though, saying that to a thirteen-year-old. Good thing this was only a game—otherwise it’d count as serious child abuse.  

“I forgive no one, no matter how young. Not when it involves my wife Adria.”

The duke raised his sword high, then brought it slashing down toward me.  

The realism was excessive. The pain of the blade cutting into me was excruciating. My stomach felt torn apart, and I collapsed, unable to stifle my sobs. The duke gazed down at me, expressionless.  

At that moment, I was certain: Ian’s wrecked Temperament was inherited straight from his father.  

‘Damn genetics.’

My eyes drifted shut of their own accord.  

 

***

 

When I opened them again, it was pitch black, like the world had suffered a blackout.  

‘What’s going on?’

Just then, a familiar figure appeared—sparkling effects and all.  

– What a pity, Player. You’ve reached <Bad Ending 1 – Broken Trust>. 

Lala’s exaggeratedly mournful expression was, I had to admit, pretty cute.  

The time had come to say goodbye. Lala, thanks for the fun. When this gets released, I’ll definitely play it again. The realism was amazing. Until next time.  

While I was silently bidding her farewell, she vanished, leaving a new choice window behind.  

– Would you like to restart the game from the beginning?

If I chose “No,” surely the game would end. But when I looked at the options, my face froze.  

[Would you like to restart the game from the beginning?]  

▷ Yes  

▷ Yes  

★Lala★, come out here right now. Are you kidding me?