"Hey sis, you hiding good? Hehehe!"
That sugary kiddo voice had this creepy vibe, like nails on a chalkboard, bouncing around the dead quiet room and totally freaking Elena out.
She blinked her eyes open, only to realize she was all scrunched up under some bed, knees to her chest. The icy floor was creeping through her fancy silk nightie, giving her the chills.
"Wait... did I just transmigrate?"
The thought hit her like a bolt of lightning, and suddenly, all the memories of this body came rushing in.
Elena was the kid of a vampire and a human.
She was drop-dead gorgeous—perfect features, ruby-red eyes that sparkled like jewels, and long, silvery-white hair that flowed like moonlight. But her mom had passed away young, and at twelve, she'd been whisked off to live in her dad's vampire castle.
So, even though her dad's a full-on vampire, Elena didn't get any of his mojo. She's 100% human, no kidding. And in a vampire castle? Humans are basically just snacks on legs. If it weren't for her dad being the big boss of the place, Elena's pretty sure she'd have been turned into a juice box ages ago, just another blood bag for all those creepy vamps hiding in the dark corners.
So, over the years, she'd been living on edge, barely stepping out of her room. She'd become more and more of a loner, super shy, and kinda fragile. And then, just a little while ago, her vampire stepmom—all worried about her "mental and physical health"—had suddenly sent this "sweet little girl" to her room to hang out and play games. But after just one round? Elena was... totally freaked out.
"Big sis, you hiding good?"
The chirpy voice rang out again, snapping Elena out of her thoughts.
"Alright then, I'm coming to find you! Hehehe, hahaha!"
The laughter turned kinda creepy as Elena, still under the bed, spotted a pair of shiny red shoes bouncing across the floor, paired with white lace stockings and a black-and-red gothic dress. At first glance, the girl looked cute, but... something was off.
But the memories from this body's previous owner told a whole different story.
This girl? She was a straight-up monster.
A bloodthirsty, terrifying slit-mouthed doll.
Elena shuddered as she remembered the last thing the original owner saw before dying.
"If big sis gets caught again, Nini's gonna eat you! Hehehe!"
Elena froze. What the heck do I do? What the heck do I do?!
Did I just get reincarnated only to end up as snack food for some nightmare doll?!
The little girl's red shoes went bouncing cheerily over to the wardrobe, swinging the doors wide open.
"Nope, not here! Hehe!"
Then she hopped over to the window, yanking the curtains back in a flash.
"Not hiding behind the curtains either! Hahaha!"
Elena was biting her lip. This game was a total bust. As long as she was stuck in this room, she was gonna get found out. And then—chomp chomp, she'd be lunch.
Just when she was about to give up hope, something carved into the bottom of the bed caught her eye.
Words.
Lots of 'em, carved right into the wood.
Elena suddenly got it—these were the survival tips the previous owner had left behind. The bed was her safe spot, the place she'd crawl into whenever she was scared out of her mind. And in those moments, she'd whisper the words above her:
[Dark World Survival Rules]
In the vampire castle, you're totally safe. If you start feeling uneasy, just ask yourself: "Have I lost my cool and charm?"
Never peek into a mirror.
Don't mess with anything that has tentacles.
Don't chat with Chaotic-aligned beings—even if they say they're "good." But if they start talking, you've gotta reply.
Always keep up your "normal" act, no matter what.
Anything below Level 100? Just your average everyday creature.
Elena knew these rules were the real deal, learned the hard way through years of survival. Every single one was a must-follow.
Then—
Thud.
A brown teddy bear hit the floor with a weirdly heavy thump. It landed facing Elena, its tiny black eyes seeming to move, locking right onto her under the bed.
Elena instantly slapped a hand over her mouth.
"What? What?!"
The little girl burst out laughing. "Teddy! Did you see her?! Did you? Hahaha!"
"Big sis..."
Elena's heart was racing like crazy.
Then—
A head suddenly popped upside-down right in front of her.
A mouth stretched wide from ear to ear, splitting the face in half, filled with rows of sharp, jagged teeth that clicked hungrily.
Elena's eyes went wide.
[Your SAN -10]
"Gotcha!"
"Gotcha!"
"Gotcha!"
"Now..." The little girl hopped off the bed, her fangs grinding with crazy excitement. "So, can I munch on you, sis?"
Elena gulped. Then, with a slow, sly grin, she gave a nod.
"Sure thing."
She stretched out her pale hand toward the girl's wide-open mouth, where those scary teeth could totally crush bones.
"Giggle! Time to chow down on you!"
The girl let out a wicked laugh, then—
Chomp.
Wait... she didn't actually bite.
Instead, her teeth just barely touched Elena's wrist, like soft grass brushing against it, tickling instead of tearing.
Then, she clapped her hands, all excited.
"I ate big sister! So much fun! So much fun!"
Elena breathed out in relief. Of course. It was all just a game.
Dark World Survival Rule #1: In the vampire castle, you're totally safe. If you feel unsafe, ask yourself: Have I lost my cool and style?
Grace and elegance were what made a vampire princess who she was.
No way a proper vampire princess would get gobbled up in her own home by some creepy doll.
Unless, of course, she forgot who she was.
Elena slid out from under the bed with her usual grace. The little girl in front of her didn't have that creepy split mouth anymore—just a sweet, chubby face, staring up at her with big, innocent eyes.
"You know... you're actually kinda adorable," Elena whispered, running her fingers through the girl's bright red hair.
Everything falls apart eventually. But cuteness? That's forever.
A little smirk crept onto Elena's lips, making her pale face look kinda wild.
"Big sis! Let's play again! Come on, again!" The girl hopped around, her cheeks all flushed with excitement.
Right then—
BONG—BONG—BONG—
The castle clock rang out twelve times.
[Ding! Host is officially an adult now! Queen System is getting set up...]
Elena froze, and then her eyes started to fill with tears.
Of course. As someone who's been thrown into this world, I get a system too.
[Ding! Queen System is all set!]
[This system's here to help you become chaos, tear worlds apart, and rise as queen!]
Elena blinked.
Queen System?
That's... kinda over the top.
But then the original owner's memories hit her—her only goal was to make it through this crazy nightmare world alive.
[18th Birthday Gift: "World Perception"]
[A true queen must understand the world intimately to conquer it.]
[This skill allows real-time monitoring of the host and other lifeforms' attributes.]
An investigative skill?
Elena's lips curled. She turned her gaze to the little girl now clutching at her nightgown.
Well then, let's get... intimate.
A status screen materialized before her:
[Nini]
[Race]: Blood Doll
[Age]: 101
[Level]: 98
[Alignment]: Lawful Evil
[Possessions]: Terrifying Teddy (Level: ???)
[Weakness]: The three loli traits—tiny, squishy, and easy to boss around.
[Description]: She's the stuff of kids' nightmares, chowing down on flesh and trapping souls in stuffed toys. Can't stand being alone. Her voice messes with your mind, so saying no's not an option. If you can't keep her entertained, you're gonna end up as her next plushie—permanently.
Elena: ((;꒪ꈊ꒪;))
This adorable little horror...
She checked her own stats next.
[Elena]
[Race]: Human
[Age]: 18
[Level]: 1
[Alignment]: True Neutral
[Possessions]: Mother's Hairpin
[Weakness]: Basically a walking snack—everyone wants a piece of her.
[Description]: She's the human princess of Vampire Castle. Don't let her sweet looks fool you—she's got a bit of a dark side. She's got a weird thing for slit-mouthed lolis. Might even have some... questionable intentions towards them.
"Ugh, this system's such a mess..."
"Big sis! Let's play hide-and-seek again! Come on, please!" Nini kept pulling at Elena's nightgown, not taking no for an answer.
Play again? Are you trying to drive me crazy?
But before Elena could even say no—
[New Quest: Play hide-and-seek until Nini's happy]
[A queen's gotta keep her people happy, right?]
[Reward: Queen's Aura]
[Fail Condition: If your sanity hits zero, you're done for—say goodbye to being normal.]
Elena's blood-red eyes narrowed with focus.
Dark World Survival Rule #6: Keep your "normalcy" no matter what.
If she messed up, she'd lose her grace—and in a vampire castle, that meant game over.
But how long could she hold out? Nini's games were a total sanity killer.
Still, a sly smirk crept onto Elena's face as she bent down.
"Alright. But let's make it one epic round."
Nini's head spun a full 360 degrees.
[Your SAN -10]
"How?" she asked, her eyes popping wide.
"Alright, you hide, I'll find ya. If I do, you're gonna be my blood-bound servant, got it?"
Weakness? She's tiny, soft, and a total pushover.
Or in plain English—super easy to trick.
"Big sis plays dirty!" Nini's mouth split open again, her tongue hanging out.
[Your SAN -10]
"This is so much fun! Nini's so hyped she might just explode!" she squealed. "Deal! But... you only get one minute, no more."
Elena paused. Huh, this little one's sharper than she seems.
But hey, one minute's all I need.
"Alright, fine."
"What if big sis loses?" Nini grinned.
"Then I'll be your blood-bound servant."
"Nini doesn't want any weaklings!"
Elena: (▼ヘ▼#)
"Then... hand over your hairpin."
Elena reached for the blood-moon hairpin in her silver hair—Mother's Hairpin.
Nini's eyes lit up with greed.
"Deal."
"No take-backs!" Nini cackled, showing off her fangs.
"Same here." Elena smiled sweetly.
"Ten!"
"Nine!"
...
Elena counted down, eyes shut. When she opened them, Nini was gone.
One minute.
She walked over to her vanity and—against every instinct—stared into the mirror.
**Dark World Survival Rule #2:** Never look into a mirror.
Her lips moved silently:
"Tell me. Where is she?"
The reflection grinned back—a smile Elena knew wasn't hers.
[Your SAN -10]
"Why am I so fragile?!"
The reflection's grin stretched unnaturally, cracking the glass. Blood seeped from the edges, forming three words:
**—In the teapot.**
Elena turned away, gliding to the desk where an ornate porcelain teapot sat.
"Nini~ Where are you~?"
Her fingers traced the lid before—
*Snap.*
She whipped it open and thrust her face inside, one crimson eye peering into the darkness.
"Found you!"
[Nini's SAN -10]