Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary!

Chapter 716: Anomaly Hearing [3]

It was as if the entire room had frozen in place.

For a few seconds, nobody moved. The workers in dark uniforms stood frozen around the case, their eyes turned toward the bench, waiting for someone or anything to shatter the silence.

Magnus Hale stared at the case in silence.

“…Take it away.”

That was all he said.

The workers didn’t need to be told twice. The case was hauled through the side door at nearly double the pace from before, and only once the door shut behind them did the hall seem to remember how to breathe.

Murmurs broke out across the benches.

“What was that at the end…?”

“Did it just copy the Guild Master?”

“It was probably just mimicking the sounds. Like a parrot.”

Maybe.

But my thoughts remained on the voice itself.

‘That voice… it sounded very similar to his. However, the words said by him weren’t the same.’

My thoughts crossed back to everything that had happened as my heart skipped a beat. Could that voice be a representation of what the Guild Master was going to say in the future?

‘Yes, that’s in line with what was being said…’

In that case, whose verdict was that?

The itch in my chest stirred once more, scratching faintly at something that rested at the tip of my tongue.

‘Judgement, huh…’

“Excuse me. I just need a minute. All I need is a minute.”

“Huh?”

My thoughts were shattered as something was shoved near my face. Lifting my head, I saw one of the reporters standing before me, and as I turned, I found a wave of reporters pushing up the stairs, cameras and recorders already raised.

“Mr. Thorne! A moment of your time!”

“What brings the Severed Stars to a hearing? Are you cooperating with Royal Chambers? Is it related to case 1048?”

“Is it true that some of the voices came from Malovia? Do you have a statement—”

“Mr. Thorne!”

‘…Give me a break.’

Before I could say anything, a figure smoothly slid between us.

“Everyone, thank you for coming today.”

Geneva stood in front of me, her lips curved into a thin, graceful smile. It was a completely different person from the woman whom I had encountered back in Malovia.

“All questions regarding today’s hearing will be answered at the official press briefing in an hour. As for our guests, the Guild asks that their privacy be respected within the Annex. Thank you for understanding.”

Her tone left no room for anyone to argue. Between her smile and the guards stepping in from the sides, the wall of reporters reluctantly parted, and a hand pressed lightly against my back.

“This way.”

I turned to see one of the guards trying to escort me out of the place.

My lips crossed together.

It felt as though they were treating a very important VIP.

‘Well, maybe I am.’

“Wait, wait… You want to interview me as well? Well, haha… What? You want to hear about the Squad Leader? How he is? Well⎯Wait, no! Joanna! I was about to speak!”

We slipped through a side passage, my team members following close behind, albeit some were a little reluctant. Mainly Mia.

The noise of the Grand Gallery faded with every step we took.

Only after we had moved to a different area and the noise had died down did Geneva finally relax. She eventually led us into a fairly sizeable room. It was nothing fancy, but looking around, it was obvious it was a sort of waiting room.

A few old paintings hung along the walls, stone pillars lined the sides, and beneath them stood a row of wooden chairs with red cushions.

Pop!

Something popped next to my ear. When I glanced over, Geneva was already popping bubble, her jaw working as though she had just eaten after not eating for years.

Wait, when did she…?

“Sorry…Numm! It’s always like this after a big case.”

“I see.”

“Wait here for a bit. I need to report in before I can show you around. It won’t take long.”

Right as she said that, a staff member hurried over from down the hall, whispering something into her ear. Geneva’s brows furrowed slightly before she gave me a look.

“Ten minutes.”

“Take your time.”

With that, she disappeared around the corner, leaving us in the room.

“…What are we waiting here for, exactly?”

At Nora’s question, I felt everyone turn their attention towards me.

I could only shrug.

“I know just as much as you. At this point, I’m just waiting for Geneva to fill me in on 1048.”

“Oh, alright.”

Mia dropped onto one of the chairs, her eyes scanning the room.

“Where exactly is this place, anyways?”

“Some sort of waiting room.”

Nora answered as she sat next to her.

“Mainly to keep us away from the reporters.”

“Well, I guess it makes sense… I am pretty popular after all.”

I leaned against the wall, letting my thoughts settle. There was a lot of things that I needed to sort out in my mind. But most importantly, my mind couldn’t help but think back to the recording box.

Something about it really intrigued me.

Especially those last words.

‘Was that really the Guild Master’s voice?’

It sounded like it, but a part of me thought differently.

I couldn’t quite put it into words, but it felt as though the words belonged to someone trying to copy the Guild Master’s tone.

‘I might be going crazy.’

But I wasn’t.

Not yet.

“Hm?”

It was then that I noticed a familiar group gathered further down the hall.

Wearing the familiar navy suits, I instantly recognised them.

They were the people from the Silver Lantern Guild.

Their earlier composure was nowhere to be found. The middle-aged representative stood with a hand pressed against his face, while the younger members huddled around him, their voices were low but sharp enough to reach me in pieces.

“…a review, on top of everything…”

“…the price is finished. Who’s going to buy a Sigil…”

“…stuck with that thing…”

‘I see. So that’s where they stand.’

It made sense. They had gambled on raising the classification and lost. The radio’s value had crashed. Furthermore they now had to undergo a strict review from the Bureau, and at the end of the day, they were left holding an anomaly that kind of did nothing useful besides giving faint clues about potential victims in the future.

Useful to some, but for large Guilds…?

Practically useless.

Nobody would want it.

Nobody sane, at least.

‘…..’

I stared at them for a moment.

Then, before I even realized it, my body had already pushed off the wall.

‘…What am I doing?’

I didn’t have an answer to my own question. My feet simply carried me forward, one step after another, until the group noticed my approach and stiffened all at once.

“Aren’t you…?”

The representative straightened, his face immediately turning grim. The younger ones behind him went quiet, their eyes darting between one another.

I stopped in front of them.

“The radio.”

My eyes scanned the box, the words simply laving my mouth on their own as I heard the surprised sounds coming from behind me.

“…Are you willing to sell it?”