Luckily, Jania saw no entities; hence, they made their way to the Threshold Parlor.

  You have entered the Threshold Parlor!

  Threshold Parlor

  A quiet antechamber between the known and the uncertain. A space for polite welcomes and farewells.

  There were no doors, only a rge archway. Inside, the room was as she remembered it. Grand, hollow, and pristine. But something was different.

  The four columns. The ones marked with foreign symbols. The ones that had been there when she woke up. They were bnk now.

  She stepped forward cautiously, her eyes drawn to the very spot where she had first regained consciousness. But instead of the cold floor, something else was there.

  A podium.

  And on it, a red guestbook and an odd fountain pen that had a shimmering red script all over its brown shell. She reached for the pen and flipped the guestbook open. The pages were bnk. The first page, however, was different. There, written in elegant words:

  Jania Amis.

  Her name. Somehow, it was already written. Next to it was another column entitled ‘Signatures.’ Jania winced. Signing the guestbook could be a trap to make her sign a contract.

  Was she overthinking? Jania gnced at the aurivin, who was looking at her innocently. Yeah, probably. She exhaled sharply, shaking off the anxiety gnawing at her mind, and signed.

  You have completed the task, Daily Sign-In. You have gained 15 EXP.

  The aurivin cpped, soft and rhythmic as the gentle patter of raindrops. It sounded… happy.

  Jania exhaled slowly, gncing from the guestbook to the aurivin. Please remain cute and supportive, she hoped in her mind. The aurivin only chirped, spinning in pce like it had heard her thoughts.

  Jania closed the guestbook, running a thumb over its worn cover. Her gaze flicked to the aurivin, still floating beside her, its tiny form pulsing faintly with a diffused light. It was looking at the other archway of the Threshold Parlor, the path she did not take. For one simple reason.

  Walking closer to this archway, Jania found not a grand passage or hidden stair, but a shallow space pretending to be a corridor. A dead end. Several potted pnts lined the short stretch of floor. She let out a breath through her nose.

  There was nothing urgent here, and there was no reason to explore further today, not when exhaustion was settling deep in her bones. She needed rest. Time to process everything. And check her wound to see if it was infected. Maybe she could find a quiet corner, somewhere safe.

  Just as she turned to leave, a small tug at her shirt stopped her.

  Jania blinked and looked down. The aurivin had grabbed onto the hem of her shirt, pulling gently but insistently. She tilted her head in question.

  It didn’t respond, only tugged again and floated forward, stopping a few feet away as if waiting for her to follow.

  Jania hesitated. She remembered the notification, how the aurivin could sense certain energies. Hopefully, good ones.

  With this thought, Jania nodded.

  The aurivin chimed and flitted ahead, guiding her into the unknown.

  In a recognizable hall, Jania found herself in the corridor that led to the Keeper’s Keep. The journey was smooth with the aurivin leading the way with confidence. Could it detect entities?

  If it could, the chase earlier could have been avoided.

  In any case, she followed the flying creature with her worn-out body until a familiar door stood before Jania. At its center was a rge, geometric shape, a perfect hexagon. From each corner, slender triangles reached outward, acting as rays of light, their tips almost touching the circur boundary that encircled the whole design. The circle itself was adorned with thin, curving lines, almost like vines, looping back and interlocking in delicate patterns. Around the circle were blurry…runes?

  The aurivin went closer to the door, drawing Jania’s attention. It hovered in front of the hexagon for a moment, reaching out and touching it.

  Light bloomed beneath the aurivin’s touch, tracing the shapes with glowing precision. Symbols materialized inside the hexagon. Two, to be precise. On one side, it had a line crossing a diamond and, on the other, it had a weird-looking seven, as well as an inverted L. Beyond the outer circle, the blurred runes became clearer. Its font style made Jania focus because it was simir to the ones on her wrist. Elegant. Regal. But the… words seemed different.

  The aurivin let go, and the symbols glowed. Pink and white.

  Sanctum Recharged.

  The designated Sanctum has been successfully reactivated. Duration: 9 hours, 10 minutes, and 20 seconds. Guests may freely enter and exit during this time. While inside, you are protected from external threats and may rest, make noise, or engage in activities. Upon expiration, all occupants will be forcibly evicted into the halls.

  Time Remaining: 9:10:20

  Jania’s eyes went wide, and, without even thinking too much, she swiftly opened the door. Her companion zipped inside, and she followed. So far, the system might have kept information, but it never lied, which was why Jania believed so easily.

  She closed the door and locked it. Yeah, she did have a sembnce of trust in the system, but that didn't mean she was naive.

  Inside, the walls were a delicate shade of ivory with accents of gold leaf that shimmered. Overhead, a sprawling fresco adorned the ceiling. Spirals of light and shadow entwined with abstract shapes: a hand reaching upward, wings shaped from branches, and an open eye barely visible in the glow. There was a bed with soft, white linens and clean sheets. Near it was a stoup with flowing water and a door that Jania hoped would be a bathroom.

  She stood there for a moment. Her breath came in slow, shallow waves as her legs wobbled beneath her, her exhaustion weighing on her. The full weight of the past few hours came crashing down on her. She’d been running, hiding, barely clinging to the edge of survival, and now here she was, in a pce that felt safe.

  Finally, Jania allowed her shoulders to sag. The tension in her muscles unraveled. The phone's fshlight still blinked a faint light, and she clicked it off.

  Afterward, she squatted down on the marble floor, her head leaning on one of her hands. Safe, her mind whispered. She felt that sensation spreading through her, a slow pulse of relief.

  Her gaze flickered to the aurivin, who had been trailing her faithfully, but now it was hovering near the bed, its wings fluttering in anticipation. The little creature chirped. Its tone was light and almost affectionate, as though aware of how much she had been through. It floated closer to her and nudged her leg.

  Jania looked down at the aurivin, her eyes burning with her emotions. A sob caught in her throat. Her vision blurred for a split second. She turned away quickly, her hand rising to wipe at her eyes before the tears could fully spill over. She hadn’t allowed herself to break down. But here, in this quiet, peaceful space, this haven, she felt it was okay.

  A deep, aching release flooded her chest. Her breath hitched. The tears streamed down her face as her body trembled, her emotions finally spilling out after the prolonged stress.

  The aurivin chirped again, its glow flickering. It tried to console her by touching her hand.

  Jania’s chest rose and fell with each shaky breath. The sobs wracked her body in waves. She pressed her palm to her forehead, fighting to keep herself together.

  Memories of her family, her friends, and the life she’d left behind swirled in a blur. Her mother’s face, full of warmth and support. Her friends, ughing, arguing, and sharing meals. The familiar scent of home. All of those. She could lose it anytime here. If she died, she would never see any of them again.

  I want to go home…

  Jania felt small warm pats from the tiny creature, who was looking at her with its big, worried eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered hoarsely.

  The aurivin gave her a comforting smile in return.

  Jania took a shaky breath. Her hands trembled as she wiped at her face again. She tried to regain some sembnce of control, but the tears wouldn’t stop.

  Breathe the ground. Breathe the ground. These words echoed in her mind. A mantra that her mother taught her. She took slow, deep breaths while staring past the aurivin, to the floor. Cold air filled her lungs, and the scent of subtle sweetness wrapped around Jania. The smell reminded her of morning mist hovering over a pond. She drifted into it.

  She straightened, taking another deep breath. The tears still lingered, but they felt less heavy now.

  Minutes passed by. Jania stayed in the same position while the aurivin cuddled her cheek. Its warmth was comfort against Jania’s skin.

  When her emotions settled, Jania stood up. She didn’t want to waste any more time crying. So, she pced her shoulder bag and phone on the nightstand. Her bag was dry as it was waterproof. Most of her items were the same since she wanted to prevent any damage from any unexpected event.

  On the other hand, her companion flew straight to the stoup where it drank water. Could she assume it was also safe for her? Maybe. She would check it ter.

  The wardrobe near the bed caught her interest first, so she wanted to see what was inside. It was tall and dark, its wooden surface smooth yet cool to the touch. As soon as Jania’s fingers brushed against it, a translucent notification appeared in the air.

  Wardrobe

  Please be advised that all wardrobes inside the Sanctum in this section of the Arrival Hall are linked, ensuring uniform storage avaibility across every rest area. Your convenience is our priority. Kindly retrieve what you require at your leisure.

  She btantly ignored the words: Your convenience is our priority.

  So it's like the Fauna Junction? Jania thought, recalling a certain game where she pyed as a human moving to a town filled with bipedal animal residents. She let out a big sigh and pulled the wardrobe doors open.

  In it were neatly folded clothing, three sets. Each one had the same design, featuring earthy colors. The tunic top was made from a richly woven material with a slight weight and a wrap-style neckline, which wasn’t deep. It had tailored sleeves that hugged the arms and fred at the wrists. Along the hems and cuffs, delicate embroidery shimmered faintly under the light, forming celestial motifs: winged patterns, soft curves, and lines that resembled the writing on her wrist. The trousers were fitted and flexible. It was accompanied by a wide fabric belt meant to wrap around the waist and secure the tunic. Also, there were hangers, a pair of sturdy boots, and a small bag.

  Jania grabbed a fresh set of clothes, draping them over her arm before shutting the closet. She turned to the other door in the room.

  Please be a bathroom. With a quiet exhale, she pushed it open and was relieved to find that it was exactly what she had hoped for.

  The small but elegant bathroom was fitted with a mirror, a basin, and a stall with clean towels folded neatly on a rack. More importantly, there was a shower. Great! She could check her wound first, shower, change, stat check, and rest.

  She did not expect that this pce would even provide another sanctum or a bathroom. Yet, here it was. A luxury compared to the unnerving halls outside. But why?

  Why provide this much comfort?

  It was a twisted form of hospitality. One that let its guests breathe, heal, and prepare, but only within the set parameters. The sanctums had time limits, after all. And when that limit runs out? Back to survival.

  She exhaled sharply, pushing those thoughts aside for now. Overanalyzing wouldn’t change the reality of her situation. The best thing she could do was take advantage of what was given.

  Jania sat on the bed, dressed in new clothes and relieved that her wound wasn’t infected. She was so sure that it would be, but for some reason, it wasn’t.

  The aurivin fluttered up to her and nestled comfortably in her p. It curled into a small ball of warmth and light. She ran her fingers gently over its form and silently summoned her status window.

  Jania Amis

  Arrival Hall 101 | Guest 7765

  DAY 1 - DAY ??

  Level: 1

  Experience Points (291/1,000 EXP)

  Age: 20

  Pnet: Verd

  [CORE STATS]

  PERCEPTION

  WILLPOWER

  RESILIENCE

  15

  15

  13

  ENDURANCE

  DEXTERITY

  STRENGTH

  8

  10

  9

  ?DESIGNATED TASKS

  Jania squinted at the experience bar. 291 out of 1,000. That was all she had earned from an entire day of running, hiding, getting injured, and barely surviving? Weren’t early level-ups supposed to be fast? In most games she’d pyed, or even read about, the first level was the easiest to get through. To be fair, some games had slow progressions, and, unfortunately, it looked like this system was one of them.

  She let her head fall back against the wall with a dull thump and eyed the aurivin. “You think if I compliment the system, it’ll give me bonus EXP?”

  The aurivin let out a low, sympathetic chirp and fluffed its tiny wings.

  Jania narrowed her eyes at the status window. “Do I even get skill points? Abilities?” she asked out loud, directing the question to the ghost, who was holding the countdown sign.

  Countdown: 00:08:05:23

  Then, additional text materialized below it.

  Please explore the rules of the Arrival Hall on your own.

  Of course.

  Jania rubbed her fingers in thought. If I keep getting 291 points a day, I won’t even level up for another three days. And that's if I survive that long.

  A week at this pace would give her over 2,000. Enough to hit level two, maybe three... but barely. Not exactly reassuring, especially since she had no reliable capabilities to counter entities head-on.

  However, there was a way to earn more points. Every time she completed a part of the map or survived an entity encounter, whether through escape, evasion, or sheer luck, the system granted her some points. As if it were rewarding her for proximity to death.

  If there was no other way to gain points, she had to.

  Explore the whole pce. Face entities. Learn their patterns. Survive them.

  Her chest tightened slightly at that thought, and her companion, who felt her uneasiness, cuddled closer to her.

  Speaking of entities—

  “Those... entities from earlier. What was it? The one with the fmes and the one that sounded…metal?” Jania asked.

  Candlebearers.

  They linger where corners breathe and shadows lead the way, their fmes pointing not forward, but inward.

  Oh, Jania widened her eyes at that. She wasn’t expecting some follow-up details. “Inward,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. The idea scratched at the edges of her thoughts, unsettling. “How about the metal one?”

  Please explore on your own, dear guest.

  Oh?

  ….

  Is it because I haven’t seen it face-to-face?

  Jania sighed and dismissed her status window. For a moment, she stared at the ceiling and then at the aurivin who was already sleeping peacefully on her stomach.

  Waiting for information from the system wouldn’t be great. If she wanted to learn more, she had to figure it out herself.

  Jania gently moved her companion on top of a pillow, grabbed her notebook and pen, and started jotting down notes about the entities she encountered. When she was done, she drew the yout she remembered to make progress with her map.

  Lines. Rough sketches. Little notes. The system didn’t give her any more experience, specifically for mapping.

  Maybe, there were areas of that section she hadn’t explored yet. Jania twirled her pencil and sighed. It looked like tomorrow was going to be a rough day. She pced her things back, set an arm, and plugged her phone into the power bank. Despite not being super religious, Jania prayed, whispering hopes and pleas before she fell asleep.

  Jania stirred beneath the soft weight of bnkets, her eyes fluttering open. She slowly sat up and checked the time.

  “Oh,” she murmured, voice still coated in sleep, and turned off the arm. “Five minutes early.”

  She stretched her arms overhead. A long breath escaped her as her shoulders cracked slightly from the motion. Her body leaned into the stretch, spine arching, muscles waking up one by one. After a moment, she dropped her arms and rubbed at her eyes with the heels of her palms, smudging away the remnants of sleep.

  I didn’t think I’d sleep that comfortably, she thought.

  For all the mansion’s creeping dread and the memory of the wax-faced entity in the hall, her rest had been oddly peaceful, warm, and uninterrupted. The presence of the aurivin might have helped. Or the room’s scent.

  She gnced toward the other side of the bed. The pillow where the aurivin had fallen asleep was untouched, its small indent already smoothed away as if it had never been there at all. “Little one?” Jania’s voice wavered as she tossed the bnket aside. She stood abruptly, her heart beginning to race. “Where are you?”

  At that moment, a system window appeared.

  Congratutions, dear guest. The estate remembers your footsteps. The walls have watched. The silence has listened.Blessed are you who endured temptation.

  For your soul,

  A crown of life has been given.

  You have gained 150 EXP.

  Thank you for surviving another day.

  Continue enjoying your stay!

  Jania, frustrated, winced with her eye and continued looking for the aurivin. She opted to look for her companion rather than compin about the system’s detached optimism, robotic benevolence, or sardonic words. So, she stood up and looked around the room. The bathroom was empty. She moved to the closet next, pulling the door open with a sharp motion. Nothing. Her eyes darted to the stoup and then upward, scanning the ceiling, in case her little companion was just leisurely flying. Still nothing. Even under the bed, no aurivin in sight.

  In the middle of the room, Jania rubbed her fingers, thinking. Trying to figure out why.

  ….

  Her thoughts began to whirl, a memory sparking in the recesses of her mind. The aurivin’s description. There had been something about slumber. That had to be it. She needed more answers.

  With a sharp motion, she summoned her status window, the familiar interface flickering into existence, and turned her focus toward the ghost.

  “Do aurivins disappear after a certain amount of time?” Jania asked. This was her guess since going to the Luminarium was a task she had to do every day. That means she had to light up every candle again and summon the aurivin. Slumber must have implied the return of the aurivin to where it came from to rest, so it could only stay for so long before needing to do so.

  Yes.

  “How long do they get to stay after being summoned?”

  Six hours.

  Jania let out a sigh of relief, and her hands rexed. Even if only spent a short time with the aurivin, she has grown fond of it. Nevertheless, this cleared the fact that the aurivin was a limited companion, who could activate sanctums that were scattered throughout the Arrival Hall. This could give her a tactical advantage to survive more easily.

  But, at this moment, she had to do every single task again and survive the following days.