I’m Trapped in a Bloody Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 110

“The ritual? I prefer it over the Pope officiating. As long as you don’t find it difficult.”

Lucius readily agreed. His response ignored Orias, who was listening nearby. Orias, disregarded right in front of him, smiled with an expression that hinted at his unpleasant nature.

Though they had colluded to keep me here, it seemed they didn’t respect each other’s opinions.

“Orias—no, Your Holiness, what do you think?”

“Of course, it’s fine. Do as you wish, Saintess.”

When I asked the smiling yet visibly displeased Orias, he responded in a gentle tone. It seemed he hadn’t noticed that I had overheard their conversation.

That was a relief. If I had been caught, they would have also questioned why I wanted to participate in the ritual.

As I sighed in relief while watching the unbothered expressions of Lucius and Orias, Orias called Ardal.

“Then we’ll need a ceremonial sword. Ardal, go with the Saintess and retrieve one—”

“Ah, I already have one. It was a gift for self-defense, but since I’ve never used it, it should be fine for the rite.”

“…You received a sword as a gift?”

For the first time, cracks appeared in the otherwise composed expressions of those who had maintained their calm demeanor. Orias turned to me with a face devoid of his usual smile.

“From whom?”

“Lady Haniel.”

A stiff voice cut through the air. Ardal, who had been standing at a distance, approached and knelt before me. He extended his palm toward me, his voice cold.

“Please hand over the sword.”

The atmosphere turned frigid.

“I thought it was a well-crafted blade, so it would be fine for the ritual… Do we need another one?”

I mumbled awkwardly as I looked at Ardal’s outstretched hand. He shook his head and spoke.

“That’s not the issue. No one dares to present a sword to the Saintess.”

“Who is the insolent one that gave you such a gift?”

“Please give it to me, Lady Haniel. If you tell me who gifted it to you, I will return it to them.”

A deep killing intent lingered on Ardal’s usually kind face. His expression made it clear that if I revealed the giver’s identity, he would drive a blade through their throat immediately. Orias’s fingers twitched sensitively as well.

Watching their reactions, I finally realized the significance of the gift. Most people in the Empire might not know its meaning, but those from the temple certainly would. They would understand the implications of gifting a dagger.

Dion and Dietrich simply blinked, unaware, but Lucius parted his lips.

“That must be Tr—”

“It wasn’t given with that intention. It was truly for self-defense. Don’t get the wrong idea.”

I shot a sharp look at Lucius as he attempted to say Tricia’s name.

Can’t he read the room? Ardal is furious.

At this moment, if Orias ordered him to kill the one who gave me the gift, Ardal would undoubtedly carry it out. I couldn’t let Tricia and Dahlia be put in danger, so I firmly stated.

“Haniel.”

“Orias, don’t even think about it.”

Orias furrowed his brow and called my name. Meeting his gaze unwaveringly, I saw his expression soften as if resigning himself to the situation. The tense atmosphere dissipated in an instant.

“Then at least allow me to hold onto the sword, Haniel.”

“It’s fine. I’ll use it for the ritual.”

“But…”

Ardal hesitated, reaching out once more. His expression was uneasy.

Though it was nothing more than superstition, he seemed genuinely troubled by the symbolic meaning of the gift. He repeatedly urged me, but I shook my head while thinking of the dagger stored in my inventory. If I handed it over, Method 2 might become impossible.

I didn’t want to take that risk.

Ignoring Ardal’s concerns, I stood my ground. Even as the meeting ended, Ardal lingered anxiously at my side. In the end, unable to change my mind, he made one final request with a worried look.

“Please allow me to stay by your side during the ceremony.”

It wasn’t a difficult request. I gave a slight nod.

***

<Ending Entry Event (1) ‘The Emperor’s Death’ has been completed.>

• In one hour, the event ‘Lucius’s Coronation’ will begin.

“Haah…”

I rubbed my stiff hands together nervously as I checked my inventory.

‘Sensitivity Adjustment Ticket,’ ‘Dagger of Meaning.’

Everything was still intact. The coronation was an hour away, but the ritual I was officiating would begin in just ten minutes.

“You’re nervous.”

As I let out a deep sigh, Ardal approached and took my hand. His cold fingertips intertwined with mine, kneading them gently. Once warmth returned to my fingers, he released his grip.

“After the coronation ceremony, you’ll finally be able to rest.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

This time, I will finally be able to rest properly in reality.

If I can log out properly.

As Ardal rubbed his hands and tried to step away, I grabbed his arm and pressed my forehead against his chest, exhaling lightly. Feeling the warmth of another person eased my tension.

As I leaned against him and exhaled, his chest pounded so loudly that I could feel the vibrations against my forehead. If I removed even a single layer of his neatly arranged clothes, I felt like I would be able to see his chest moving.

The steady movement was reassuring, and my tension completely melted away. The characters in the game were what had made me anxious, and now it was a character who was putting me at ease. It was a strange feeling, as if I was experiencing all the joys and sorrows of life within this game.

Ardal, who had been stiff and rigid, clumsily wrapped his arms around me. With my ear pressed to his chest, I could faintly hear the steady thumping of his heartbeat.

Alright, now I’ve made up my mind.

‘Use Sensitivity Adjustment Ticket.’

<Sensitivity Adjustment Ticket.>

• Adjust sensitivity level.

Listening to the dull thudding sound in my ears, I reset the sensitivity level.

1%.

<Sensitivity adjustment complete.>

• Current sensitivity: 1%
• Remaining duration: 30 minutes

The heavy sensation that had been resting on my shoulders vanished. With my sensitivity reduced to 1%, the sense of realism I had been feeling disappeared entirely. It felt like I was submerged in water while breathing.

Even the sensation of inhaling and exhaling barely registered. Like this, even if I were pierced by a sword, I wouldn’t feel any pain.

“Saintess, if you are ready, please come out.”

As I sat in Ardal’s embrace, testing my now numb hands, a voice called to me from outside. I detached myself from him and stepped away.

Moving my legs, which now felt foreign to me, I awkwardly made my way outside. The breathtakingly picturesque scenery filled my vision. The sky was clear without a single cloud, and the sunlight blazed brightly. It should have been blinding, but it wasn’t, so I simply stared up at the sky blankly. Then, feeling the weight of countless gazes upon me, I snapped back to my senses.

The eyes of the gathered crowd, assembled for the coronation ceremony, were all fixed on me.

“Lady Haniel.”

Ardal, who was standing close by, moved his large body to shield me and rubbed his eyes. Tears clung to his fingertips. He must have strained his eyes staring at the sun.

I wiped my own eyes and stepped past him, walking toward the platform. No prepared offering was present. Instead, a brazier for burning hair was set up on the platform.

Following the steps I had learned in rehearsal, I lit the fire, and as I placed the flames into the brazier, they roared upward fiercely.

The blaze, rising from the small brazier, was far larger than expected. The flames leaped high into the sky, close enough that they seemed ready to catch my hair on fire. Just then, someone pulled me back.

“Saintess, you must proceed with the ceremony.”

It was a priest who had accompanied me onto the platform to prepare the ceremonial items. He handed me a cloth to tie my hair with and then bowed his head before stepping back.

As I gathered my long golden hair forward and tied it, I scanned the faces watching me. Ardal was filled with concern, while Orias’s expression was unreadable.

Lucius, dressed in elaborate ceremonial robes, was staring at me intently. Dietrich’s expression was more rigid than usual—clearly troubled by the thought that I might return to the Holy Kingdom.

Dion’s face, too, was visibly dark, making him look less like a noble watching a coronation ceremony and more like someone mourning.

Only Adrian remained calm. I knew it wasn’t because of some sudden change in his emotions.

When I had gone to inform him of my officiation at the ritual, I had seen the application for immigration to the Holy Kingdom. The person applying to leave was Adrian.

When I had looked at him in disbelief, Adrian had told me to secure him a position.

When I had asked what he would do if I refused, he had confidently replied that he could climb his way up from the bottom. And if he couldn’t rise, he would simply bring me down to where he was.

As I had tensed at his words, Adrian had merely smiled calmly and reassured me that he was joking.

For someone classified as ‘good,’ his behavior was anything but. Perhaps the system had miscategorized his personality. If it had labeled him correctly, I couldn’t even begin to imagine what he would have been like had he been classified as ‘evil.’

That was a terrifying thought.

After one last look at Adrian’s composed face, I raised my hand. I cut off a lock of my smooth hair and threw it into the brazier. The flames surged even higher.

To think this ritual was meant to cleanse all lingering regrets and sins. Letting go of attachments seemed all too easy.

“Now, please step down…”

Ignoring the priest’s instructions for the next step, I approached the brazier. The dagger, reflecting the sunlight, glowed with a sharp blue hue.

“Lady Haniel!”

Ardal, who was closest to me, was the first to notice my strange actions. The moment he saw the dagger aimed at my index finger, he leaped onto the platform. Before his hand could reach me, I brought the gleaming blade down onto my finger.

“Saintess!”

Something foreign fell into the brazier. The crowd let out strangled gasps as they saw the blood dripping down.

There was no pain. As if mocking all my previous struggles and suffering, the ring fell effortlessly.

<Logout has been activated.>

• You may now log out.

<Would you like to log out?>

Hmm, but I haven’t seen the ending yet…

As I contemplated, I noticed people running toward me. Dion and Ardal, their faces filled with shock, rushed forward. Behind them, Adrian and Dietrich were pale as ghosts, and Lucius stood frozen with a stiff expression.

Orias, who had been seated, moved swiftly. However, instead of coming toward me, he headed straight for Lucius, whispering something into his ear.

“H-Haniel, y-your hand…”

Dion, who had made it onto the platform, stammered as he reached out toward the brazier. Seeing my severed finger inside the flames, he extended his hand without hesitation. His sleeve caught fire, but Dion ignored it, desperately trying to retrieve my finger from the brazier.

Meanwhile, Ardal roughly grabbed my arm, pulling me back and wrapping my hand in cloth. His pristine white uniform was quickly stained red.

<‘Unknown Seal’ has been supplied with holy power.>

• The seal’s effects have been greatly enhanced!
• Due to the influence of holy power, logout will be temporarily disabled. (Logout will be disabled in 1 minute.)

Still restrained by Ardal, I checked the system window and looked up sharply. Orias, standing beside Lucius, had a piercing gaze fixed on me.

Ah, damn it.

“Haniel, why would you do such a thing…”

Ardal murmured in disbelief. Glancing between his trembling hands and the countdown timer in the system window, I finally spoke.

I regret not seeing the ending, but I can’t let myself be trapped in this game any longer.

“Logout.”

“Ha-”

<Logout>

A gray, shimmering button appeared midair. As the game world started to dissolve into darkness, I saw Ardal catching my falling body.

He lifted me, tilting his head up. For a brief moment, it felt like our eyes met.

It was just my imagination.

<Exiting the game.>

***

“Gasp!”

The moment the game world faded, excruciating pain crashed over me. My stomach churned violently, and my head throbbed unbearably.

“Ah, ah…!”

Crawling across my bed, I reached for my phone. Before I could even remove the electrodes stuck to my skin, the game’s login screen forcibly pulled me back.

<Due to the influence of the ‘Unknown Seal,’ login is being initiated!>

• Logging in in 30 seconds.

“Ah, huh…”

What kind of nonsense is this? I clenched my eyes shut against the rolling nausea and tried to rip off the electrodes connecting me to the game.

<Logging in in 20 seconds.>

Despite disconnecting the electrodes, the system window remained visible.

W-what the hell…?

The countdown continued to drop. It wasn’t an illusion. Clutching my throbbing head, I grabbed my phone.

Block it. How do I block the login?

My sweat-drenched fingers slipped against the smooth screen.

<Logging in in 15 seconds.>

The unbearable pain made it hard to think. I scanned the screen and moved my finger over the words I found.

<Delete Character>

It was a choice that would erase everything I had worked for, but I didn’t have time to hesitate.

<Would you like to delete player data?>

• There are 6 linked characters.
• The consequences of deletion are irreversible.

<Delete>

<Deleting all data for player ‘Lee Juha.’>

<Deleting playthrough data.>

<@#^ Erasing playthrough data>

<The use of player character ‘Haniel’ has been terminated.>

The system window before me vanished completely.

***

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital room. A thick tube was inserted into the back of my hand, stark against my pale skin. There was some pain at the site, but it was nothing compared to the pounding ache in my head. Grimacing, I focused on the steady hum of the humidifier.

This was a hospital in reality.