A Coincidence Full of Intention

Usually, anyone would follow the character guiding you. But asking for that after seeing an option like "Deviate" is impossible. Tempting Rian's curiosity is like turning on a red light on a wall: any cat would look. And so, sooner or later, a bombardment of intrusive thoughts begins, triggered by seeing the exact instructions again and again.

[ Left ] [ Forward ] [ Back ] [ Right ]

After confirming that they weren't going in circles—since choosing right, forward, forward, right, left is not precisely looping—Rian began to feel anxious, and the game hadn't even left the tutorial.

What should have been a research facility now felt like a maze. Rian couldn't remember every decision and eventually realized that the [ Back ] option didn't mean 'undo the steps' but literally stepping backward, which became apparent when a new panel of options appeared.

You can't go this way anymore. [ Keep walking ] [ Wait ]

Waiting is the most sensible choice in an actual situation. But this is a game; eventually, it'll give a different option or lead somewhere... right?

You wait a while... Nothing happens. Keep waiting? [ Yes ] [ No ]

“I mean, it's a game. It's designed for you to meet someone eventually, right?”

Still nothing... Keep waiting? [ Yes ] [ No ]

“You were supposed to follow Vergil. He should have noticed that you got lost at some point, right?!”

Everything still looks the same... Keep waiting? [ Yes ] [ No ]

“The game can't let this be an eternal option... RIGHT?!” Rian starts to panic.

"Huh? Is someone else here?" a message appears relating to a distant voice.

"THANK TO THE SWEET GODS THAT LEND ME A WISH! I'm not dying in the tutorial!" Rian celebrated with relief at their thoughts, eating their breakfast with a mix of nervous laughter and almost tearful expression.

"How did you get here?" the dialogue asks again, still not revealing who it belongs to.

"Must be an NPC," Rian muttered as a new set of options appeared.

[ I took a wrong turn ] [ I got lost on purpose ] 
[ I was looking for the exit ] [I'm not lost ]

Rian thought if the game didn't kill them from anxiety, the responses would. They selected [ I got lost on purpose ], which triggered three flashing colored sparkles: yellow, green, and red.

"Seriously?! Hahaha! Some people get lost accidentally, and you're doing it on purpose. Do you know the way back?"

[I'm sorry ] [ Would it matter if I said yes? ] [ I was hoping someone would find me ] [Don't you know? ]

Rian avoided the most sarcastic option—barely. Instead, they tapped [ I was hoping someone would find me ], producing gray, purple, orange, and pink sparkles.

"Well, I found you. Now we just need someone to find both of us," the unknown character continued.

[ Maybe we should keep looking ] [ Perfect, we're lost together ]
[ Hope they don't take too long ] [ Great, now we just need a map and a miracle ]

The laugh nearly made Rian spill their coffee. They couldn't resist tapping [ Great, now we just need a map and a miracle ], which triggered new red and brown sparkles.

"Okay, that was funny. You're one of the volunteers, right? At least you have an excuse—you just got here. I've been around for a while and still can't get used to it."

[ We all learn at our own pace ]
[ Where do I sign up for the "Still Not Used To This" club? ]
[ Feeling that way is valid. What matters is you keep going ]
[ Don't push it. You can ask for help ]

Rian read the second option and burst into laughter, stifling it with a napkin. Despite everything, they chose the third, which triggered gray, orange, and pink sparkles.

"Thanks. You're very kind," the voice replied, pausing momentarily before new options appeared.

[ The important thing now is to find the way ] [ Fate did us a favor ]
[ The MacGuffin is taking too long ] [ Not the best way, but nice to meet you ]

"It looks like this scene is about to wrap up," Rian murmured, getting used to the irreverent replies. They tapped [ The MacGuffin is taking too long ], which resulted in green, purple, and red sparkles.

"Hahaha! That's true! Guess we just have to run and hope for the best."

[ Nod and walk first ] [ Let them lead ] [ Be lazy ] [ Run like maniacs ]

"RUN LIKE MANIACS!" Rian shouted excitedly, forgetting that two others were still asleep nearby. They tapped the choice that gave another red sparkle.

"A race to find the exit? Brilliant! It works both ways: We find them, or they will find us. We can't fail!" the voice said between laughs. Rian didn't really catch it, still laughing and with the volume low.

The scene shifted to first-person view, running down echoing corridors. Doors opened to a far more complex room.

The lab was divided into three levels: data analysts at the top, volunteers on the lower level, and a team reviewing random images upfront. Vergil stood among them and recognized Rian instantly.

"So there you were. I thought you backed out and left," he said with a smile. His voice was now fully audible.

"And as the lead doctor, that didn't bother you? Figures," Rian grumbled.

"What's going on here?" asked a new voice—a woman with an elegant air and serious expression, holding a yellow tablet. Her illustrated presence alone demanded attention.

"Seems someone got dragged into our advisor's nonsense," added a man with a foreign accent, light hair, and striking gray eyes more vivid than any other detail.

"I call it irresponsibility. We were waiting for you to start the next simulation," grumbled another familiar figure: the Asian executive in a perfect suit with a purple tie, polished hair, and arrogant posture—clearly, the company CEO.

"Did he arrive?" came a much more cheerful voice.

"Yes, he is here," confirmed the elegant woman.

Footsteps followed, and another character appeared: a young man with green glasses, nervous but smiling.

"Finally! I thought you'd never show up. We're having problems with the mental image receptor," he said, looking at the character who was with Rian's character but then directly into the camera. "Hey! It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Leon, the lead engineer on the project. And you are?"

"This is Rian, the volunteer we were missing," Vergil finally introduced.

"Wonderful," said a woman whose character art screamed ‘diva’ in every pixel. Her flaming orange hair said it all. "Now we can proceed with the press release announcing the project's final phase."

"Your name is Rian, right? That and more we didn't clarify in the hallway," said a voice that set off every mental alarm Rian had, sprinkled with sparks on the cheeks.

"I'm Elliot, external advisor on simulation and data control," he added, flashing golden eyes and a wide smile.