I’m Trapped in a Bloody Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 167

Why is it that the more you try to take the easy route, the harder the world makes it for you? Was it really such a bad choice for me to try and take an easier path?

No, seriously, what’s so wrong about trying to make things a little easier? I have so many perfect endings left to see—shouldn’t I be allowed a little shortcut like this?

After grumbling at the system, I relaxed my shoulders with a sigh. The system gave no reply.

Fine. Complaining at a silent system won’t make the game go any smoother. Better to spend this time thinking about how to get out of this situation.

I reached up to feel around my neck and visually checked the thickness and length of the chain.

The restraint around my neck was thick, and the connected chain was anchored close to the wall, making it hard to move around the room. I could take about two steps before it pulled taut—just enough length to lie down on the floor.

Which meant the first thing I had to do was get this chain off.

“Hmmm.”

Leaning my head against the cold wall, I started to think. The ability I currently had was potion crafting. Same skill set as in the second playthrough, and proficiency: Advanced.

“The ingredients are right over there, but I can’t move.”

Adrian’s herb chamber was filled with ingredients. Even rare, high-grade materials were well-stocked, so if I could just reach them, I could make some powerful potions.

Back in the second playthrough, I only ever made health recovery potions… but that was just because I hadn’t needed anything else.

I opened the system and checked what kinds of potions I could currently make. With my advanced level, I could now craft not just consumable potions, but also drugs that could be inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

To resolve this situation without killing Adrian, I’d have to use something like a sleeping agent or paralytic—but my physical strength was no match for his. Forcing him to drink a potion was out of the question.

Which meant I’d have to make something that could be inhaled or absorbed through skin contact to incapacitate him.

The problem was, if I made something like that, I’d be exposed to it too. Whether it knocked Adrian out or paralyzed him, I’d be just as affected.

I rubbed my swollen wrist and opened my inventory. The injury had gotten worse—every time I touched it, a sharp stabbing pain shot through.

My memory manipulation ability required physical contact with Adrian while using it. I’d have to place a hand on his forehead—but there was no way Adrian would just sit still and let that happen.

Frowning, I continued scrolling through the inventory—and let out a joyful gasp.

“Ah!”

Some of the health recovery potions I’d frantically crafted in the second playthrough had been added to my inventory as event rewards. They were marked as non-tradable, but I was the only one who needed them right now, so that didn’t matter.

I used one of the health potions immediately. The moment I swallowed it, the fatigue vanished. My mind cleared up, and my thoughts flowed more easily.

I scrolled down a bit further. Just as I’d suspected—there it was. An unused aphrodisiac quietly sitting in the inventory.

<Upgradeable>

I pulled it out and applied my potion crafting skill. After upgrading it, a new description appeared, indicating that it was now usable by inhalation rather than ingestion.

I stared at the sealed vial and checked Adrian’s affection level.

“Check Adrian’s affection level.”

<Affection is in the negatives.>

I thought I’d at least raised it a little during the second playthrough, but it seemed one bad choice had completely wiped it out.

Using the aphrodisiac in this state, who knew what kind of relationship we’d end up with. I put the vial back in the inventory, but my shoulders remained stiff with tension.

This is… seriously terrifying. I guess I should be thankful it’s happening during Adrian’s route—someone with no experience—rather than with Dietrich and his sadistic tendencies.

Still… the negative affection score really is scary. I should try talking to Adrian and lowering his suspicion a little.

And if I manage to get him to let his guard down, I might be able to manipulate his memory.

I forced myself to think positively.

***

As hard as I tried to stay positive, every time Adrian came to see me, all I could do was let out a groan of pain.

“Talk.”

“Hhngh…!”

Wow. This was a first. This game is R-rated, sure, but who would’ve thought it would include a character who tortures the player? I mean, yeah, I guess this technically counts as R-rated, too…

I groaned as Adrian stepped on my hand.

The injured wrist was crushed under his foot, and only after I let out a desperate gasp did he finally lift his shoe. Clutching my wrist in agony, I barely had time to recover before he used the toe of his pristine shoe to tilt my chin sideways.

Lying sprawled on the floor, I turned my head at his prompt and looked up at Adrian’s face. Tears welled in my eyes and slid down my cheeks.

The drops fell onto his shoe, but Adrian didn’t hesitate for a moment.

“What did you do to her?”

“If I said that was me… would you believe—”

“I don’t know why you didn’t think to change your eye color. If you wanted to fool me, you should’ve gouged out those eyes first.”

Adrian pressed his shoe against my neck and spoke coldly. The green eyes that had once been so kind were now filled only with murderous intent.

He was genuinely furious. I couldn’t speak with my throat being crushed.

Forget lowering his alertness through conversation—!

I began to worry that I’d end up dead from shock after being tortured by Adrian.

Ugh, I’d assumed things wouldn’t get too bad since Adrian’s personality leaned toward good.

I had underestimated the twisted nature hidden within these capture targets. I thought that since I was the player, they wouldn’t actually harm me.

Lucius’s magic, Orias’s holy power, Ardal and Dion’s physical strength, Dietrich and Adrian’s intellect and personality—none of it had ever felt like a threat to me.

In reality, they tried to protect me, not treat me as an enemy. Even within the game, as long as I was under the title of ‘Saintess,’ I had a decent level of safety. I had become too used to that comfort.

The real Adrian was probably hoping this playthrough would bring us closer. What would he think if he found out that, even in the game, he ended up trying to kill me?

Sensing my mind drifting elsewhere, Adrian yanked hard on the chain around my neck. I grabbed at the collar with both hands as the chain tightened, choking me, and was dragged up by his rough grip.

He lifted me high enough that my eyes met his, and my toes scraped the floor. It hurt to use strength with my injured wrist, but if I didn’t, I really might die from strangulation.

In a space where logout was impossible and even sensitivity control was disabled, I was barely managing to stay alive.

Adrian said with a cutting voice, “If it weren’t for those eyes, I might’ve been fooled.”

“Kh… I-I wasn’t trying to… deceive…”

I forced out the words from my throat, which could barely make a sound. Adrian’s gaze remained cold and unfeeling.

It was as if everything I said was a lie to him.

Ugh, I’m so screwed.

I struggled to keep my balance on tiptoe, exhaling short breaths. Adrian relaxed his grip slightly so my feet touched the floor. I looked up at him and pleaded desperately.

“A-Adrian…”

“…Hah.”

When I called his name through my tears, Adrian let out a sigh and loosened the chain. I collapsed to the floor with a clatter, but he didn’t help me up—instead, he took a step back.

Now a few paces away, Adrian spoke in a more composed tone. It seemed he had calmed down a bit and regained some reason.

“Fine, Saintess. It doesn’t seem like you harmed her, so I’ll hear what you have to say.”

“Ah…”

“Don’t just gape stupidly—speak. Where is she now? Is the Holy Kingdom holding her?”

I couldn’t answer immediately because I was coughing. Adrian removed his glasses with a frustrated look. He rubbed at his eyes, then ran a hand roughly through his hair.

“Can’t talk? Then write it on the floor or something. Weren’t you good at that?”

Adrian gave a mocking nudge with his foot at my limp body.

“Go ahead and pretend to be her again.”

I could probably talk again if I took a recovery potion, but I couldn’t very well open my inventory and pull one out in front of Adrian.

I coughed a few more times, then, as Adrian suggested, reached toward the floor by his feet and began to move my fingers.

“You’re actually doing it? I see the Pope trained you well in how to play the Saintess.”

“Aaah…!”

“…Damn it.”

But before I could write anything, Adrian stepped on my fingers. And it seriously hurt this time.

I screamed involuntarily, my whole body stiffening at the pain so intense I feared something had broken.

Startled by my scream, Adrian hesitated. As he faltered, a system window appeared in front of his leg, right where my eyes were fixed.

Thankfully, the message was something I welcomed dearly.

<Information acquired by Adrian matches stored data.>

• Information Adrian has acquired: ‘Player’s scream’

“Your voice… it’s similar…”

Adrian spat the words as if grinding them between his teeth. The shoe that would’ve stayed pressing down on my hand withdrew.

<Adrian’s alertness level has slightly decreased.>

Thank goodness Adrian was sensitive to sound.

I exhaled with relief, still sprawled limply. I had found my method of capture: screaming lowered his alertness. It might ruin my body, but at least I had a plan.

Enough pointless conversation—it was time to use the potion.