The Heart System

Chapter 280: Chapter 280

I didn’t know where I was.

I stood in the middle of an endless stretch of greenery. It felt unreal, like someone had turned the saturation of the world all the way up. The sky was too blue, painfully vivid. The grass beneath my feet looked alive, each blade sharp and bright, swaying even though there was no wind.

I looked down and realized I was standing on a wide circular platform. It reminded me of a manhole cover, but far more intricate. Symbols were carved into it, spiraling inward, glowing faintly as if they were etched with light itself.

Then I looked up.

The world folded in on itself.

The open field vanished, replaced by the warmth of a large, cozy mansion. Wooden walls rose around me, polished and dark, and a wide fireplace crackled directly ahead. The fire cast long, dancing shadows that stretched across the room. Just above the mantle, a small window showed the same impossibly blue sky, like the outside world hadn’t changed at all.

Three figures sat around the fireplace.

I was only a few steps away from them, between the three figures and the fireplace.

To my left, lounging sideways in her chair with one arm draped lazily over the backrest, sat that pink-haired goddess. I couldn’t remember her name, but she was the one who helped me take Sarah down. Short hair, messy and sharp, framing a face locked in a permanent, mocking smirk. Her eyes gleamed with amusement, like she was constantly seconds away from laughing at the universe itself.

She wore little more than a thin, cropped top that barely contained her chest and a pair of dangerously low-cut shorts. Her legs were crossed, bare skin catching the firelight, completely unapologetic.

”My, my,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ”If we’d known we were having a guest, I would’ve shaved my pussy.”

Her smirk widened as she tilted her head, clearly enjoying my stunned silence.

Her whole presence screamed chaos. Like she hated everything and, at the same time, was daring it all to burn.

To her right sat a woman I didn’t recognize.

She was... mature. Late thirties, maybe older. Thick in a way that felt powerful rather than sloppy. There was a softness to her belly, but it only added to her presence, making her look grounded and overwhelming all at once. Her legs were full, strong. Her chest was impossible to ignore, heavy and unrestrained beneath a loose, revealing wrap that did absolutely nothing to hide her shape.

Her eyes, though, were gentle. Calm. Observant.

”Miko, honey,” she said smoothly, her voice low and rich. ”What shall we do with him before Dierella comes?”

”Dierella” I muttered without thinking. ”The goddess of dreams.” My gaze flicked around the room. My heart pounded. ”This is a dream, right?”

The mature woman’s eyes hardened instantly. She straightened slightly in her chair.

”A mortal shouldn’t speak unless spoken to,” she said coldly.

Before the words could sink in, the pink-haired goddess waved her hand dismissively.

”Mana, relax,” she said. ”He’s not our subject. We don’t discipline him.”

Mana clicked her tongue but leaned back again, her irritation barely contained.

On the other side of the fireplace sat the third woman.

She had red hair pulled into a high ponytail, thick strands falling loose around her shoulders. Her body was athletic and powerful, with wide hips and thick thighs that looked carved from muscle. She wore a tight, sleeveless outfit that clung to her frame, the fabric stretched across her chest and waist like it was fighting a losing battle.

She hadn’t spoken yet. She just watched me, eyes sharp and calculating.

They were goddesses. There was no doubt about it. The air around them felt heavy, ancient, like reality itself bent slightly in their presence.

I swallowed and forced myself to speak again.

”Do you... know a woman with an umbrella?”

The change was immediate.

Miko’s smirk vanished. Mana’s relaxed posture stiffened. Even the red-haired goddess shifted in her seat, her fingers tightening against the armrest.

They exchanged looks.

Fear flickered across their faces. Or panic. Or something far worse... or all of the above.

The fire crackled loudly, shadows swallowing half their expressions, making it impossible to read them clearly. Then, slowly, their eyes all returned to me.

The room seemed to shrink.

The light died.

Everything went black.

”NO!”

I jolted awake with a shout, gasping for air as my chest heaved violently. Sweat clung to my skin, my heart slamming against my ribs like it was trying to escape.

The familiar sight of the bedroom greeted me. The window across the room. The pale morning light.

A dream. Just a dream.

I wiped my face with my hands, breathing hard. Nala and Jasmine weren’t in bed. From the living room, I could hear the quiet clatter of forks against plates, the soft sizzle of bacon and eggs. Breakfast. Normal sounds. Grounding sounds.

Then the door creaked open.

”Evan?” Jasmine’s voice drifted in. ”Did you say some—oh.”

She stopped short when she saw me.

”Hey,” I said hoarsely. ”Sorry. Nightmare.”

She walked over quickly, sitting on the edge of the bed and brushing my hair back with her fingers. ”You’re soaked,” she said softly. ”You should take a bath.”

”Yeah,” I nodded. ”I should.”

”MASTER!”

Minne’s scream cut through the apartment like a knife.

My stomach dropped.

I was on my feet instantly, rushing toward the sound. Jasmine, Nala, and Tessa followed close behind as I shoved open Kim’s door.

Minne stood frozen near the bed, trembling. In her right hand was a folded piece of paper. She looked at me with wide, terrified eyes and silently held it out.

I took it.

My hands shook as I unfolded the letter.

”All good things must come to an end,” I read aloud, my voice barely steady.

The girls gathered around me, reading over my shoulder.

”I know this new life I had would disappear one day. Or you, Evan. But I was wrong. I guess I’m the one who is disappearing.”

My chest tightened.

”Thank you for giving me hope, Evan. Thank you for being my friend, Nala, Jasmine, Tessa. And you, little maid.”

Minne let out a small, broken sound.

”I don’t want anyone to risk this life for a stupid reason. I’m going with Carrie.”

The room felt like it tilted.

”Again, thank you for everything. And... well... bye. I love you, Evan. I’ll take good care of her... or him.”

Silence swallowed us whole.

Kim was gone.

Minne didn’t stop there.

Her hand lingered at her side for a second, fingers curling like she was bracing herself. Then she reached into the pocket of her apron and slowly pulled something else out.

”It... there was this too,” she whispered.

It wasn’t a letter.

It was a thin, glossy piece of paper—slightly bent at the corners, like it had been folded and unfolded too many times. An ultrasound print.

I took it from her without a word.

The image was grainy, washed in shades of black and gray, unfamiliar at first glance. A curved white arc marked the edge of the womb. Inside it, barely formed but unmistakable once you knew what you were looking at, was a tiny shape. A small head. A faint curve of a spine. A blur that was a heartbeat frozen in time.

Numbers and medical text ran along the edges, dates, measurements, abbreviations I didn’t understand, but they didn’t matter.

Kim was pregnant... with my baby.

Behind me, I felt the room react before anyone spoke.

Jasmine sucked in a quiet breath and then slowly shook her head, eyes fixed on the floor like she couldn’t bear to look any longer.

Tessa crossed her arms tightly over her chest, jaw clenched, exhaustion written into every line of her face. She didn’t say anything—just stared down, shoulders heavy, like she’d finally run out of anger and was left with nothing but weight.

Nala exhaled sharply through her nose and dragged a hand down her face, fingers pressing into her temples. When she finally looked up, her eyes were glassy—not crying, not yet—but wrecked.

Minne stood in front of me, her lower lip trembling now. She tried to hold it together, but her eyes shone, wet and wide, like one wrong breath would break her.

”M-Master...” she murmured, voice cracking.

I couldn’t answer.

I couldn’t move.

The ultrasound felt heavier than it should have in my hand, like it weighed more than paper ever could. My fingers tightened around the edges until the print bent slightly, the image warping under the pressure.

Kim hadn’t just left.

She’d sacrificed herself.

I slowly lowered the ultrasound, my vision blurring as anger rose up and swallowed everything else. My other hand closed around the letter still crumpled in my palm.

Then I crushed it completely.

Paper crinkled loudly as I balled it up, my knuckles whitening. I turned away from them, stalking toward the window, my breath coming hard as I stared out into the cold morning light.

Snow fell outside, calm and indifferent. The world hadn’t stopped. Cars still moved below. People still lived their quiet, ignorant lives.

My reflection stared back at me in the glass—eyes dark, jaw locked, something ugly and furious burning behind them.

”Carrie...” I muttered.

The name tasted like poison.

”Oh, Carrie. Carrie, Carrie, Carrie...” My voice dropped, shaking with restrained violence. ”I’ll fucking make you regret this.”

”M-Master...”

”I swear,” I sneered. ”I swear to fucking God.”

╭──────────────────────╮

NEW MAIN QUEST

==========================

Title: Unwanted Sacrifice

Task: Take Kim back

Reward: 8500 EXP

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