Mythos Of Narcissus: Reborn As An NPC In A Horror VRMMO

Chapter 267 - 267: Timely Truth

The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers is a strange and haunting collection of stories connected by a sinister play that shatters the minds of its readers.

The forbidden play, also titled The King in Yellow, is said to be beautiful but devastating. Anyone who reads past its first act is driven to madness or despair, haunted by the mysterious figure of the titular King and the enigmatic city of Carcosa.

The themes of madness, forbidden knowledge, and cosmic dread permeate the first four stories of the collection, which blend gothic horror with existential terror.

The Repairer of Reputations was the first one.

In a dystopian version of New York, Hildred Castaigne becomes consumed by delusions of grandeur after reading The King in Yellow. Believing himself destined to rule an empire, his paranoia and ambition lead to betrayal and tragedy.

The Mask was the second one.

A tale of unrequited love and tragedy, where a sculptor's alchemical invention turns people into marble. The play's influence lingers, casting an air of doom over the characters.

In the Court of the Dragon was the third.

A man is pursued by a sinister church organist after glimpsing the truths hinted at in The King in Yellow. Madness overtakes him as he feels trapped by the King's influence.

The Yellow Sign was the fourth..

A painter and his model are cursed after discovering a mysterious yellow sign, believed to be connected to the play.

They succumb to dread and death, haunted by a grotesque figure resembling a graveyard watchman.

The remaining stories, such as The Street of the Four Winds and The Street of the First Shell, deviate from the supernatural horror of the earlier tales, focusing on love, war, and art in a Parisian setting.

However, the ominous presence of the King and the city of Carcosa lingers in the background, giving the entire work an air of unresolved mystery.

The room had settled into a rare moment of quiet. Charis had finally calmed down enough to rest her head against my chest as she nibbled on a piece of fruit, while the others—Kuzunoha, Verina, Viviane, and Lupina—occupied themselves with the sudden revelation that was just dropped on this occasion.

It wasn't long before the lull was broken, though, as Kuzunoha tilted her head with a sly smile.

"So," she began, her voice dripping with mischief, "Shall I regale you with the tale of the King in Yellow? Or rather, Carcosa's version of him?"

Charis stirred slightly, her gaze lifting to Kuzunoha with quiet curiosity. Verina set her musket aside with a faint sigh, and Viviane arched an eyebrow, though she didn't object. Even Lupina, who had been sulking after the earlier teasing, seemed to perk up at the mention of the curiosity.

"Go on, Kuzunoha," I said, indulging her. "Let's hear this version of yours."

Kuzunoha's grin widened as she leaned forward, folding her hands beneath her chin. "Ah, where to begin… The King in Yellow, is but a tale, an existence that is woven into reality by a play formed by a certain existence that suddenly decides to live amongst the downtrodden humanity amongst their fight against the Ordeal. Or that was what the majory of sources described it.

"The Solemn Whisperer—a name that lingers like the echoes of a forgotten song, soft but persistent. He was a pilgrim, or at least that's how the stories begin. A lone figure of unknown origin, wandering the land in

Her words stirred a deep unease within me.

My mind drifted to the scripts I had written for the early bastioneers—the personalized bibles I had created to guide them.

Could those texts… could they be part of the Timely Truth, even though I was the one who made them with my own mind and words? The thought sent a shiver down my spine, though I kept it hidden.

Trying to shake the growing tension, I asked the question that had been weighing on me. "Is the King in Yellow's return a bad thing?"

Both Kuzunoha and Viviane spoke at once, their voices overlapping with stark contrast—Kuzunoha smug, Viviane stern.

"Yes."

"Yes."

Kuzunoha leaned forward, her grin sharp as a blade. "It's bad, not for Carcosa itself, but for the inhabitants.

Viviane nodded. "The King in Yellow has also been hinted at in countless ancient texts as a rightful ruler of Carcosa. So consider this: Carcosa already imposes limits and constraints on those who live here. Now imagine what kind of… rules that will get enacted, which will come with the King's return."

Verina, ever the pragmatist as of the current, voiced her opinion, "Doesn't it depend on the King's personality? What does he decide to do?"

Lupina nodded, her wings twitching slightly. "Yeah, what if he's not so bad?"

Charis, her voice small but thoughtful, added, "Maybe he will help humanity?"

Kuzunoha laughed, a mischievous, almost gremlin-like sound. "Oh, you sweet summer children," she said, grinning. "The risk alone is bad enough. If it can be delayed or prevented, it should be. But…" She waved a hand dismissively. "It's not our job to think about this whole crisis, really.

"Plenty of factions in Carcosa are already working together to prevent the arrival of the King in Yellow. Let them handle it, as we enjoy our dreaded time here on Carcosa's soil~"