I’m Trapped in a Bloody Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 13

When we reached the door, Ardal took the key from me and unlocked it. Holding the door open for me, he asked politely, “May I come inside as well?”

“Hmm…”

I hesitated, wondering how my actions within Haniel’s House might appear to him. Would anything seem strange? Since I was only looking for a way to log out, there shouldn’t be a problem with him accompanying me, right?

While the frequent system windows were visible only to me, there shouldn’t be anything particularly odd to him. After a brief moment of contemplation, I nodded.

Ardal’s lips curled into a faint smile, and he followed me inside, his steps light despite his large frame. I chuckled softly as I watched him close the door behind us with a contented expression. The sight of such a massive man, capable of lifting me effortlessly with one hand, obediently following my words was amusing.

“Lady Haniel, how about washing up first?”

“Do I smell?”

As soon as we were alone, Ardal suggested this, and I instinctively sniffed the collar of my clothes. Although I doubted this body would produce any odor, I checked just in case. As expected, there was no unpleasant smell—only a faint, pleasant fragrance, a trait unique to characters in reverse harem games. No matter how dirty the situation, I never truly became unclean.

While I was sniffing my collar, Ardal shook his head and clarified, “Not your fragrance, Lady Haniel. It’s my scent that remains… That is, uh…”

“Ah.”

Ardal’s calm demeanor faltered, and his face turned bright red. He seemed to remember something—perhaps what had happened in the carriage.

Watching his embarrassed expression, I whispered softly, “But I like it.”

With my nose still buried in my collar, I teased him with a smile. Ardal covered his face with his large hand, clearly flustered. Seeing him embarrassed, a stark contrast to how confidently he had held me earlier, made me step closer to him.

Oh, this character  is just too adorable. Watching Ardal act as if he was crafted precisely to match my tastes, I couldn’t help but shiver with excitement.

Unable to suppress my rising emotions, I wrapped my arms around Ardal’s waist. His solid frame felt comforting as I rested my head against his chest and nuzzled him. Ardal sighed, lowering one hand to gently hold my shoulder while his other hand remained partially covering his face.

“I really like your scent, Ardal. I’ll wash later.”

“Ugh…”

When I whispered softly into his chest, Ardal removed his hand from his face and pulled me into a firm embrace. I buried myself deeply in his chest, taking a long, contented breath. Ardal’s body stiffened awkwardly as I shifted my weight forward, clinging tightly to him.

Ah, so comfortable.

Unlike me, who was completely at ease, Ardal held me awkwardly and clumsily ran his large hand through my hair. As he slowly continued to stroke my hair, a faint chiming sound caught my attention.

Opening my eyes and turning my head slightly, I saw a system window sparkling as if demanding my attention.

<Ardal’s Affection Increased: Event ‘The Commander’s Dilemma’ Triggered>

• During this event, the likelihood of Ardal’s affection increasing is heightened.
• The likelihood of triggering the event ‘Ardal’s Oath’ has increased.
• Be cautious: excessively high affection during this event may lead to a Dead Ending.

Oh, come on. What is this now?

Comfortably nestled against Ardal’s sturdy frame, I frowned at the system window hovering before me.

Why does increasing affection lead to a Dead Ending?

Pouting slightly, I loosened my arms around Ardal’s waist and stepped back. Noticing my movement, Ardal reluctantly let his hands fall to his sides, his disappointment evident.

Judging by the event progression, if ‘The Commander’s Dilemma’ led to ‘Ardal’s Oath,’ it seemed plausible that this could culminate in Ardal killing me. Was he planning to kill me because he couldn’t bear to send me to the Empire? Given his character’s personality, it wasn’t far-fetched. If he couldn’t betray the Holy Kingdom or send me to the Empire, he might decide to kill me and end his own life in despair.

I had momentarily forgotten this was a dark-themed game, where most endings were far from happy.

If Ardal killed me, it would undoubtedly involve his sword. Glancing at the large blade strapped to his waist, I then looked at my own body, currently with a sensitivity level of 100.

If he used that sword… It would hurt a lot. Since sensitivity couldn’t be adjusted mid-playthrough, there was no way to dull the pain.

Recalling horror stories of players experiencing trauma or even shock deaths due to high-sensitivity settings, I shuddered. Although such incidents were unconfirmed rumors, they suddenly felt plausible. Just because it hadn’t happened to anyone I knew didn’t mean it couldn’t happen.

Alright, let’s focus on finding a way to log out. Once I’m out, I can adjust the sensitivity settings and try again…

Suppressing a sigh, I turned to Ardal and said, “Ardal, please sit for a moment.”

“Is there nothing I can assist you with?”

No, the best way to help right now is to avoid increasing affection points further. I don’t plan on getting stabbed to death in the game.

I nodded firmly, and Ardal obediently took a seat on the chair I pointed to, looking slightly dejected.

To log out, I needed to remove the Blessing Ring. There had to be a way to reset or disable items. Perhaps an account-wide reset or an item removal system…

Opening Haniel’s Wardrobe, I searched inside. All it contained was the default item, Haniel’s Nightgown.

<Haniel’s Nightgown – Indestructible Item>

• Wearing this item allows you to rewatch the tutorial.

​​<Intervention Not Allowed>

Hmm, this feels like a waste of time. It seems to only show the player’s situation, just like when passing out.

Closing the wardrobe, I sighed. Despite searching thoroughly, there appeared to be no way to log out. What if I really ended up spending a thousand days trapped here?

Realizing item removal wasn’t an option, a wave of unease washed over me. I slumped onto the bed, hugging my knees. My eyes fell on a small booklet resting on the bedside table.

This looks like a guide for gameplay mechanics…

Grabbing the booklet hastily, I skimmed through it. It covered equipment usage, basic system navigation, sensitivity settings, and other gameplay tips. When I reached the final chapter, a realization dawned on me.

“Ah!”

• In the Empire, a special location is provided for the player. In designated areas such as ‘Haniel’s Resting Place,’ the player can organize their inventory or communicate with the Holy Kingdom.

Right, I had completely forgotten about this feature in the Empire.

Unlike Haniel’s House, where logging out wasn’t an option, entering the designated resting area in the Empire automatically triggered a logout prompt. I remembered seeing the familiar window, “Would you like to save and log out?” multiple times whenever I entered that zone. It was a convenient place to organize inventory and manage various tasks.

If the logout option appeared automatically, that meant I could escape this game!

Overwhelmed with relief, I smiled brightly and closed the booklet. Although I’d need to play until reaching the Empire without logging out, enduring three hours was nothing compared to the thought of being trapped for a thousand days.

Feeling reassured, I clutched the booklet and glanced at Ardal, who was still seated quietly. When our eyes met, he smiled faintly.

“I’m done now. Let’s go back.”

“Have you checked everything you needed?”

“Yes.”

Aside from inspecting the wardrobe, skimming the surroundings, and reading this booklet, there wasn’t much I’d done. I nodded in response to Ardal’s question, and he stood promptly.

“If there’s anything you need to bring, it’s best to take it now.”

“There’s nothing.”

Since this wasn’t truly my house, I had no sentimental belongings here. I answered firmly but glanced at the booklet.

Ah, but perhaps I should take this book… While its contents were basic, they contained information that could help me navigate the system. Since I couldn’t log out and investigate the game externally, this seemed useful to have.

“Just this book.”

“What kind of book is it? A novel?”

“Something like that.”

To me, its title read ‘Guide for Smooth Gameplay.’ I wondered how it appeared to Ardal.

Raising the booklet slightly, I asked, “How does it look to you, Ardal?”

“It has no title on the cover, so I’d assume it’s a novel, as you mentioned.”

“No title on the cover, huh?”

Repeating his words, I smiled in satisfaction. If it appeared blank to characters, I could read it anywhere without concern. Feeling reassured, I stood, holding the booklet.

“Allow me to carry it for you.”

“It’s not heavy; I can manage,” I replied, smiling as I refused Ardal’s offer.

Even for a small book, Ardal insisted on carrying it, but I shook my head with a laugh. While playfully bickering over the booklet as we headed out, I suddenly stopped, a thought crossing my mind.

Haniel’s Nightgown, an indestructible item.

Wouldn’t it be useful to store it in the inventory?

“Lady Haniel?”

“Just a moment.”

Ardal, who had opened the door for me, halted when I stopped abruptly. His dark eyes blinked curiously as he watched me rush to the wardrobe. Under his attentive gaze, I flung the doors open.

<Haniel’s Nightgown – Indestructible Item>

Grabbing the lace-adorned nightgown, I returned to Ardal’s side. He glanced at the nightgown and asked, “Do you have multiple sets of sleepwear?”

“Huh?”

“It looks identical to what you were wearing when we first met.”

“Ah, yes. There are several identical sets.”

I hadn’t thought about it, but he was right. I had been wearing the same nightgown when Ardal found me. Where had that one gone? After losing consciousness, I awoke dressed in different clothes and hadn’t considered it since.

Being indestructible, it couldn’t have been torn or discarded.

“Where is that nightgown?”

“His Holiness is keeping it.”

I froze at Ardal’s nonchalant response.

When I inquired about the whereabouts of the nightgown, Ardal’s calm response left me speechless. Wait, why would he do that?

Although it’s an indestructible item, it doesn’t have an auto-cleaning function. Thinking about the fluids and the thief’s blood that must still be on it, I frowned.

Does the Pope have an unusual preference for keepsakes beyond his love of toys? It was a pointless concern.

Well, if he wants to keep it, let him.

Magnanimously dismissing the thought, I nodded toward Ardal.

“I have everything now. Let’s return to the temple, Ardal.”