The Final Boss's Daughter Chapter 1

They dragged me into their nightmare, the fake princess and her court, and left me to be savaged by the wolves.

They thought I was just another victim.

What they didn't know is that in this kingdom of monsters, I am the true heir.

And when the monsters saw I had returned, my real family went wild.

The Scarlet Matron, her nurse’s uniform crisp and white: “My sweet girl, who did this to you? Tell Auntie. Auntie will make it right.”

The hulking Butcher, wiping his cleaver on his apron: “Point them out. Uncle will make you a present of their limbs.”

The little Ghost Child, her eyes wide and black: “People are so scary, big sister. Should I turn them into dolls for you?”

And then, the final boss, my father: “Anyone who harmed my daughter… not a single one leaves.”

What can I say? It’s good to be the favorite.

It feels… exhilarating.

* * *

The floor was a slick paste of rotted meat.

The air, thick and metallic with the stench of blood.

Down the long, dark corridor, the only light came from the sickly green glow of the emergency lamps on the wall.

It was all so familiar. I looked away from the scene and focused on the woman standing before me.

The player chat flickering in the corner of my vision filled me in.

It was Serena, the family’s golden girl, the one who’d taken my place, who had dragged me into this hell.

She stood with her arms crossed, looking down at me as if from a great height.

“Did you hear me, my dear sister?” she said, her voice dripping with venom. “If you want to live, you do exactly as I say from now on.”

A few of her cronies chimed in.

“This isn’t a game, newbie. You screw up, you die.”

“Just listen to Serena. She’s your sister, after all. We’ll even try to look out for you.”

“Hey! She’s talking to you! What are you, deaf or just stupid? Answer her!”

A hard shove sent me stumbling.

I fell to the floor, my hand instinctively going to my ankle. I forced my body to tremble.

Their laughter echoed in the corridor.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Scared already? You haven’t seen anything yet.”

“How is this weakling supposed to do us any good?”

“Serena, maybe we should test her. If she’s useless, we ditch her now. Better than having her drag us down later.”

Serena’s chin was high, her expression imperious. She pointed a perfectly manicured finger toward a heavy, locked door at the end of the hall. “They have a point. This is for your own good, Alice. You have to prove you’re worth keeping around. Now go. Open that door.”

The chat feed exploded.

【Newbie’s screwed. The Scarlet Matron’s ward on the first run? Talk about bad luck.】

【Blame Serena. That’s a bitch move, sending a level-one player in first.】

【The Matron hates having her routine disturbed. That new girl is too pretty to die like this. Don’t do it! The second you open that door, she’ll split you in two!】

【Go for it! I love watching the Matron work. A true artist.】

【Look at the newbie, she’s shaking so hard she can barely stand.】

...

Serena kicked my leg. “Alice, get moving!”

“Still think you’re Daddy’s little princess? In here, you’re nothing!”

“The clue we need is in that room. Now open the goddamn door!”

With all eyes on me, I slowly, deliberately, pushed myself to my feet. I kept my head down, letting the tremors run through me.

It wasn’t fear.

It was a thrill, a tremor of homecoming.

I walked toward the door, which pulsed with a strange, crimson mist.

I raised my hand. And I knocked.

“Auntie Rose? It’s me. I’m home.”