I’m Trapped in a Bloody Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 116

“You’re not leaving early today?”

Dietrich asked as he watched me ignore the alarm and continue lying down.

“No, I’m not going out. I’m planning to stay with you today.”

Seeing me buried deep in the bedding, my mouth the only thing moving, Dietrich twisted his lips into a smile, unsure if he found it amusing or endearing. Then, he lifted me up along with the blanket.

Holding me effortlessly in his arms, Dietrich placed several kisses on my forehead. As he carried me out of the room, I saw Ardal preparing breakfast. It seemed that meal preparation had become his responsibility.

Dietrich, smiling, meddled in his work just enough to irritate Ardal. He had done the same last night, provoking Ardal so much that I had to drag him into the room to keep the peace.

Perhaps that was why Ardal had woken up early today, preparing everything in advance before the alarm even rang.

Hearing the door open, Ardal turned around and spoke, “Saintess, breakfast—”

He seemed about to explain that he had prepared it with the available ingredients, but his voice trailed off. He remained silent, simply watching us, until Dietrich seated me on a chair and removed the blanket wrapped around me.

Only after Dietrich pecked my lips lightly like a bird, took the blanket, and returned to the room did Ardal finish his sentence.

“I followed the system’s instructions to prepare it.”

He hesitated before adding, “I would like to taste it first, but… that…”

“What you made yesterday was delicious. [    ]. Ah, it’s inconvenient that I can’t call you by your name properly.”

I interrupted his murmuring with encouragement, and Ardal bowed his head slightly in appreciation.

“[    ], [    ].”

Looking at him, I tried calling Ardal and Dietrich’s names one after another. As expected, the names wouldn’t come out properly—they scattered before I could articulate them.

Orias, Lucius, Dion, Adrian—even Haniel. It was the same for all of them.

Now I understood why Ardal called me “Saintess” instead of Haniel. I mumbled the name “Haniel” a few times before turning to Ardal.

“[    ], instead of ‘Saintess,’ why don’t you try calling me Juha?”

“Juha-nim.”

“Hmm…”

His neatly spoken tone sounded unfamiliar. It felt so awkward that I rubbed my cheeks and corrected myself, telling him to just call me Saintess.

Whether it was ‘Saintess’ or ‘Juha,’ it was still me.

It didn’t matter what name I was called; I just preferred whatever felt less awkward. After murmuring my name a few times, Ardal agreed.

“Saintess, this thing keeps making noise. What should I do?”

Dietrich, who had gone back into the room, returned holding my phone. It was ringing noisily and vibrating in his hand. He held it out to me.

Since I used to leave for work early before I got sick, I figured my absence had been quickly noticed. The call rang on until it was cut off.

I did plan to return to work once I finished my assigned tasks, but right now, spending time with Ardal and Dietrich was more important.

In just three days, I wouldn’t be able to see them anymore. I didn’t want to waste those precious moments at work.

For the second time, following yesterday’s half-day excuse, I lied again. I sent a message saying I had been re-hospitalized, and the response was blunt: If I was going to be admitted without notice, I should just quit.

After sending an apology and turning off my screen, Dietrich, who had been peering at it with me, frowned in discontent.

“Do you need permission to be sick here?”

“It’s just something they say. Don’t worry about it.”

I placed my phone on the dining table, but Dietrich kept glancing at it, displeased by the message. His gaze remained fixed on the dark screen, so I had to move my phone farther away to keep him from staring at it.

“Saintess, please eat.”

“Ah, yes.”

As I put the phone down, the screen lit up, but I turned my head away at the sound of Dietrich calling me. It was probably just another message from work, so I didn’t bother checking immediately.

Sitting at the table with Dietrich and Ardal, I swallowed the rich-flavored food and tilted my head.

Across from me, Ardal and Dietrich were eating, but their expressions weren’t normal.

Each time they put food in their mouths, their composed brows furrowed slightly.

Was it bad? It tasted fine to me.

I wondered if they simply didn’t like the food, but as soon as they noticed my gaze, they quickly masked their expressions, leaving me unable to figure out the reason.

I only realized what was wrong two days later—when there were just twelve hours left before the server shut down.

***

“[    ]!”

“Ah…”

Standing side by side in the kitchen, preparing a meal, I screamed as I witnessed Ardal’s mistake.

While cutting fruit, Ardal had sliced into his own finger with a large knife.

“[    ], grab the first-aid kit over there!”

I pressed cloth to Ardal’s finger to stop the bleeding and urgently called out to Dietrich. The cut was so deep that the flesh between his fingers was torn and ragged.

Blood dripped onto the floor. Dietrich, who had been rushing over at my voice, suddenly turned his back to us and began tidying the dining table instead.

“[    ]!”

I choked back tears as I called his name again, pleading for him to move.

Move quickly! What are you doing?!

Ardal reached out and carefully patted my shoulder.

“Saintess, please calm down. It’s just a minor wound.”

“Do you even realize how much you’re bleeding?”

“It’s fine.”

“Fine? What do you mean fine—?!”

Frustrated by Ardal insisting he was fine despite the blood pouring from his hand, I lifted my head—only to realize that he wasn’t looking at me.

His gaze was fixed on something else, somewhere off to the side.

Ardal?

I removed my hand, which had been pressing against his wound to stop the bleeding, and waved my palm in front of his face.

“[    ].”

“Yes?”

“Can you… not see me right now?”

“…Yes.”

His gaze didn’t follow my hand. Even as I waved it, he didn’t seem to notice. Blinking slowly, he answered in a small voice.

What… What is this?

Suppressing the tremble in my hands, I helped Ardal sit down on a chair. He followed my guidance well, but as soon as he sat, his body swayed unsteadily.

I placed a towel in his hand and grabbed the collar of Dietrich, who was still calmly cleaning the table.

“[    ], something weird is happening right now—”

“Why, Saintess?”

Dietrich turned toward me with a gentle expression, his face looking completely at ease as he asked. He acted as if he hadn’t heard all the noise Ardal and I had just made.

I knew their relationship was strained, but was he really ignoring an injury?

Seeing Dietrich’s relaxed face, I stumbled through my words.

“[    ] seems to have lost his sight….”

As I hesitated, Dietrich’s expression darkened.

“What in the world…?”

When I finally managed to finish speaking, Dietrich looked at me with a troubled expression and opened his mouth.

“Excuse me, Saintess, I apologize for interrupting, but… I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“…What?”

His words weren’t meant to mock me. He genuinely looked distressed. Slowly, he touched his ear, running his fingers over the curve as if trying to grasp something. He tapped his ear a few times and then pressed his throat, attempting to speak. Finally, he came to a conclusion.

“I can’t hear your voice, Saintess.”

The moment he finished speaking, I rushed into my room as if rolling inside. If something strange was happening to both Ardal and Dietrich, there was only one possible cause.

The system.

I hurriedly grabbed my phone, which had been lying face down on my bed. I hadn’t checked it for days, and now the screen was glowing red.

[12 hours remaining until server shutdown.]

• Before the server shuts down, character data will be deleted.
• Deleting [Ardal]’s data…
• Deleting [Dietrich]’s data…
• Deleting [Ardal]’s sensory data…
• Deleting [Dietrich]’s sensory data…
• Once all data is deleted, the characters will die.

I frantically tapped the screen to stop the deletion, but the game had switched to administrator mode and ignored my commands. No matter what I did, the deletion process continued.

Without realizing it, tears streamed down my face. My cheeks were soaked, and I hastily wiped them away with the back of my hand—only to have my hand caught by Dietrich, who had followed me.

“Why are you crying?”

“[    ], the deletion…”

I never imagined the server shutdown would happen like this. Seeing that he couldn’t understand my words, Dietrich furrowed his brows apologetically and gently wiped the tears from my eyes.

“You’ve hurt yourself.”

“Really, it’s okay, Saintess. The system is just malfunctioning temporarily. This is only happening because our time here is running out.”

Ardal, who had approached at some point, awkwardly patted my back as he spoke. Seeing him fumbling around, unable to locate me properly, Dietrich chuckled and spoke with amusement.

“Watching you stumble is quite the sight. Don’t cry, Saintess. This is happening because the system usage period is ending. Once you return to where you belong, everything will go back to normal.”

Dietrich repeated his explanation, unable to hear Ardal’s voice.

No, that’s not it.

Once the server shuts down, Ardal and Dietrich will lose their senses one by one and eventually die.

I suddenly recalled their somber expressions during meals two days ago. Turning to Ardal, I urgently asked, “[    ], when did this start? It’s not just your sight—other things have been affected too, haven’t they?!”

“It’s fine.”

“Is ‘fine’ the only thing you can say?!”

They were losing their vision, their hearing, yet they acted so indifferent.

I couldn’t understand why they weren’t trying to drag me back with them by force.

Breathing heavily, I glared at both Ardal and Dietrich before rummaging through the drawer, pulling out the neural electrodes required for game access.

When I reached out to Dietrich, who had been staring at me blankly, he tilted his head but still took my hand.

“[    ], I’m going back.”

“What?”

“Let’s go back. Right now.”

I refuse to sit here and watch Ardal and Dietrich die.

I stuffed my phone into my pocket and held Ardal’s hand tightly.

The employee had clearly stated that if I reconnected, the server would remain active.

As an odd sensation pierced my skull, I squeezed my eyes shut.

I had no idea what consequences this choice would bring.

But there was no other option.

Knowing that the server would shut down and they would die, I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

I had only just realized this now.