I’m Trapped in a Bloody Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 156

After arriving at the palace, Dion clung to me to the point of exasperation. Even when I was being treated by the physician or choosing the outfit to wear to the welcome banquet, he never left my side.

Wherever I was, Dion was there too. He was so persistent that even I, who had been a little sulky, eventually gave in.

“Sir Dion.”

“…Yes.”

Every time I addressed him as ‘Sir Dion,’ he flinched as if something bothered him. I found that reaction amusing and deliberately used formal language when calling him. Each time, Dion responded with a slight delay, looking at me with eyes that seemed to be pleading.

He seemed to want me to call him as familiarly as I had when we were staying at the mansion.

I had softened at that sight, but I had no intention of showing it. Dion was completely following my lead—this was not a chance I should miss.

Since I was at the imperial palace, I intended to fulfill the minimum condition for a happy ending. The minimum condition was the same across all routes: securing the ‘Secret Document of the Holy Kingdom.’ If I failed to obtain the document, even after completing the capture, I would end up with a bad ending.

Fortunately, that wasn’t difficult for me. I knew exactly where the document was, how to enter the place, and how to bypass the security. It was a method I had learned directly from Lucius in real life, so it was guaranteed.

Which meant, as long as I found out when Lucius would be away from his post, I could steal the document anytime.

The best time to steal it was right now—just before or after the welcome banquet. Lucius would attend the banquet. During that time, I could infiltrate Lucius’s room where the document was hidden.

My time in the palace had been short, so I wouldn’t be under heavy surveillance either.

While preparing for the banquet with the attendants’ help, I spoke to Dion, who was nervously pacing behind me.

“You don’t have to be so tense. I’ll solve the problem with your mansion for you.”

“It’s not because of the mansion problem.”

When I responded with a cold tone, Dion replied hastily. I dismissed the attendants helping me get ready and turned toward Dion.

The attendants withdrew, exchanging glances. As soon as the door closed, Dion, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke.

“That’s not what I’m worried about.”

“Then the only thing left for you to be concerned about is that incident. Is it because of the illusion?”

“…Yes.”

“That was just an illusion. I truly don’t care about it, so you—”

“Please stop saying that!”

Dion raised his voice, then quickly lowered it when I frowned.

Avoiding my gaze, he added calmly, “Even if it was an illusion, it remains in my memory. I have no intention of evading responsibility. The injury on your hand is my fault, and I will take responsibility for it.”

“Even if you say you’ll take responsibility…”

I trailed off as I looked at the thick bandage wrapped around my hand. He wasn’t talking about castration again, was he? He had stopped self-harming, so surely he didn’t mean to make amends that way now.

He probably meant staying by my side until my hand healed—or maybe even promising to stay with me for life. But if Dion kept hovering around me like this, I wouldn’t be able to capture anyone else—

Ah, no. I had already decided to capture only Dion in this playthrough, so I didn’t need to worry about anyone else. If I used this properly, maybe I could finish the route even faster?

The nearly three-month playtime was meant for players to build up the capture target’s affection and find a way to secure the Holy Kingdom’s document.

In other words, if I raised the capture target’s affection and secured the document early, I could reach the ending ahead of schedule.

While I hesitated, trailing off, I turned to Dion. “Sir Dion, what do you mean by taking responsibility?”

“Well…”

“Are you saying you want to propose to me?”

I felt a pang of guilt, as if I were taking advantage of innocent Dion—but I wanted to wrap this up and return to reality as soon as possible.

“A proposal? But aren’t you the Saintess?”

“If that’s not the kind of responsibility you meant, then there’s no reason for you to keep being concerned about me.”

“Saintess.”

As the flustered Dion struggled for words, the system window appeared. I quickly read the text.

<To reach the Perfect Ending, you must complete the key event: Character [Dion] Mansion Search.>

<To reach the Perfect Ending, you must complete the key event: ‘Whereabouts of the Secret Document.’>

• No characters captured.
• Event has not been unlocked.

<Required event not completed.>

<Based on the current progress, the most accessible route is being guided.>

<Expected Route Entries>

1. ‘Complete Devotion’
2. ‘(Access Denied)’

• Will be viewable after completing the required event.
• Route entry is not possible if the required event is not completed.

Avoiding Dion’s hesitant gaze, I murmured bitterly, “If that’s not what you meant, then don’t say so easily that you’ll take responsibility for me. From the moment I became the Saintess, I accepted that I could never form a deep bond with anyone. Please don’t shake me any further.”

Being the Saintess was certainly a role that made it easy to steer situations to your advantage. When I spoke as if I were someone who had given everything up, Dion’s expression changed.

<Dion’s affection has greatly increased!>

<Current Affection>

• Dion: ♥♥♥♥♡

“No, I understand how you feel, but I have no intention of withdrawing my words. Very well then, Saintess.”

“…Sir.”

“When everything regarding the mansion is settled, I’ll formally propose to you.”

<Expected route progression updated.>

<Expected Route Entries>

1. ‘(Access Denied)’

• Will be viewable after completing the required event.
• Route entry is not possible if the required event is not completed.

1. ‘Complete Devotion’

Dion knelt and met my gaze, speaking sincerely. His blue eyes reflected firm resolve. Unable to meet his earnest eyes, I closed mine.

…Dion gave in far too easily, it’s a problem.

Not just Dion—Ardal was the same. The problem with knights was that they were far too upright. I decided that once I returned to reality, I’d have to protect Dion and Ardal thoroughly so they wouldn’t fall prey to bad people.

“I will take responsibility.”

“But, Sir, do you know my name?”

“…Ah.”

I suddenly realized Dion hadn’t called my name even once during this round, so I asked. A heavy silence followed. Dion’s eyelids trembled slightly, having just promised to propose to someone whose name he didn’t even know. Hearing his awkward sigh, I let out a quiet sigh of my own.

…Truly, I’m worried.

***

“Please, let me. Didn’t the physician tell you to use your hand as little as possible?”

I attended the welcome banquet, but no notable event occurred. Probably because I had raised only one affection level too much, the system didn’t suggest routes for other characters.

From time to time, a notice would pop up that Dion’s affection had increased, then disappear.

As I strolled through the venue under Dion’s protection, I spotted Lucius entering with Adrian. Then came Dietrich, Gillian, Tricia, Dahlia, and Beatrice. All the important characters I knew gathered at the venue.

After confirming several times that all the important figures were present, I turned to Dion.

“Sir.”

“Yes.”

“I’d like to get some air.”

“I’ll prepare to—”

“No, I’ll go alone.”

“That’s not acceptable.”

“My head is too full, Dion.”

Dion, who had firmly refused, paused. He opened his mouth as if to protest, then closed it and gave a nod.

“…If it’s just for a moment, it should be fine.”

***

“The Saintess.”

Lucius entered the banquet hall with Adrian. He had just received word from Dietrich. The Saintess had been injured while trying to stop Dion from harming himself.

“Is the wound serious?”

“It’s just a cut on her palm. It was sutured, but it’s not serious.”

“If it’s not serious, why is Dion so desperate?”

Adrian had come to the banquet hall to check the Saintess’s condition firsthand and answered Lucius’s question. Before coming, he had heard the wound had needed more than ten stitches, but to Adrian, that wasn’t a particularly serious injury. It shouldn’t have been to Dion either.

Most knights were accustomed to injuries. Unless it was something major, Dion usually didn’t react much.

“Ah…”

“Are you all right? Please, let me. Didn’t the physician tell you to use your hand as little as possible?”

The moment the Saintess, holding a champagne glass, flinched with her bandaged hand, Dion swiftly took the glass from her.

Aside from the sword hanging at his waist, he didn’t look like a knight but rather the Saintess’s personal attendant. The shawl draped over Dion’s arm was clearly the one the Saint had been wearing.

The delicate shawl looked out of place on Dion’s sturdy knightly arm. Even though it was light enough to feel like nothing, Dion held it in readiness to drape it over her if she so much as flinched from the cold. Adrian was momentarily speechless watching Dion’s excessive attentiveness.

“He would’ve made Dietrich do something like that before,” Lucius muttered as he rubbed his forehead.

Snapped back to awareness by Lucius’s mumble, Adrian answered, “The injury is on her hand, so he’s just being cautious.”

“I see. Well, that’s good then. There’s nothing wrong with being kind to the Saintess.”

Lucius had thought there was no better candidate than Dietrich to lure in the Saintess. What he had wanted from Dion was merely to guard her and appropriately limit her range of activity.

So she wouldn’t wander freely around the Empire.

Knowing Dion’s personality, Lucius hadn’t expected more than that. Yet now, unprompted, Dion was trying to win her over. Lucius quietly watched him.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be Dietrich but Dion who succeeded in winning the Saintess over—such a thought began to surface in his mind.

“Sir.”

“…Yes.”

“It’s really fine now, so you can stop.”

“No. You need to be cautious until your wound fully heals.”

Hah, look at that.

Watching Dion’s behavior, Lucius gave a hollow laugh. Rather than anticipation, worry now seemed more appropriate. Dion wasn’t persuading the Saintess—he was the one falling for her.

Seeing the progress the Saintess had made in just ten days, Lucius muttered with a cynical smile, “Well, of course. That blockhead isn’t cut out to win anyone over.”