I’m Trapped in a Bloody Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 174

Adrian took me and escaped in the dead of night.

He didn’t just abandon everything he had built—he trampled it, turning it into a complete wreck.

I hadn’t expected Adrian to give up his place so easily. Adrian didn’t care about Lucius, or Dietrich, or Dion, or even his own status. Nothing else mattered to him.

I should have realized something was off when he tried to follow me to the Holy Kingdom in the real world… He looked too normal, and I didn’t notice.

Now, beyond logging into the game to bring my brother back, I had even more to do.

Once I log out, I need to toughen up Adrian’s, Dietrich’s, and Lucius’s mental states.

At this rate, if I end up dying in the real world, they might all try to follow me.

Given Adrian’s behavior inside the game, this wasn’t an unreasonable suspicion.

The ones I didn’t worry about were Orias, Dion, and Ardal.

Orias had resolved all her issues, Dion had always been a fairly grounded person, and Ardal—well, there was no need to even mention him.

I couldn’t recall meeting anyone as steadfast as Ardal.

If I were to disappear, they would grieve, of course—but eventually, they’d return to their daily lives and continue on with their duties.

I’m not at the age where I should be thinking about death, but still—anything could happen.

If something goes wrong inside the game, I might not be able to log out for a very long time.

A few months—they might be able to wait. But if I end up spending over a year in here, if the situation becomes one where logging out is impossible for even longer… It would be hard to say that isn’t death.

Fortunately, it seemed that none of them had considered the possibility that I could be trapped in the game for so long.

I had drifted into other thoughts for a moment when I saw a wanted poster with Adrian’s face on it and nervously grabbed the collar of his clothes.

I was being carried by Adrian, on the run.

After meeting someone and returning, Adrian knocked me out—as if it were the most natural thing—and escaped the palace with me. I had no idea how many remote houses we had already moved through.

Adrian was meticulously erasing all traces of our presence as we fled.

Even with my mobility impaired, not once had we been stopped at a checkpoint. All I had wanted was a simple apology and to log out—now I was in a seriously troubling situation.

“It’s okay. They won’t catch us. Never.”

“…Yeah.”

His voice, full of confidence, tried to soothe me. It seemed Adrian thought I was afraid he might get caught—but that wasn’t it.

<Adrian single route, ‘The Two on the Run’ in progress>

• This route leads to one of two possible endings.
• The outcome will result in either a Normal Ending or a Bad Ending.
• Logout is disabled until the ending is confirmed.

<Check Ending Progression>

• 1. ‘Eternal Escape’: Progress 12%
• 2. ‘End of the Run’: Progress 0%

I was afraid of this situation where logout was no longer possible. Even if I wanted to escape through death, Adrian was on high alert and watching me constantly.

I couldn’t even change my clothes by myself. Adrian was most afraid of the moments when I changed clothes. Even when I held a knife too long during meals, he would quietly take it from me and feed me himself.

In this kind of situation, not being able to log out until an ending is reached?

The progression of what appeared to be the Normal Ending, ‘Eternal Escape,’ was increasing, but very slowly. ‘End of the Run’ hadn’t increased at all.

‘End of the Run’ seemed to be a Bad Ending that would trigger if Adrian were caught by pursuers. But I had no reason to think Adrian would ever get caught.

In fact, the progress bar hadn’t moved at all.

It was strange enough that I’d even gotten a Normal Ending route after being dragged around by my hair, tortured, and now having a broken ankle.

But continuing to live on the run with Adrian until the ending progressed? I’d rather pass.

The Normal Ending wouldn’t even help me summon my brother. It’d be far better to finish the game quickly.

‘I’m going to get the Bad Ending.’

That’s what I told myself as I watched Adrian cover his face.

Adrian, his face obscured, looked at me and smiled gently. “We’ll be arriving at our next destination soon. You must be tired, but please hang in there just a little longer.”

Adrian, unaware of what I was thinking, held me comfortably and spoke with care.

***

While Adrian stepped out to check the surroundings, I took out the ‘Ardal Summoning Ticket’ I had been saving in my equipment inventory.

[Would you like to use the item ‘Ardal Summoning Ticket’?]

Since Adrian was nearby, I didn’t answer aloud.

I simply nodded.

The system window showed the remaining time until Ardal’s arrival.

[Time until Ardal summons: 1 hour 20 minutes]

<Ending progression updated.>

• 1. ‘End of the Run’ Progress: 70%

As soon as I used the ticket, the progress bar for ‘End of the Run’ surged dramatically.

As expected, this seemed to be the Bad Ending.

***

“You should start practicing walking little by little now. I’ll help you, so let’s begin your rehabilitation.”

[Time until Ardal summons: 4 minutes 20 seconds]

Adrian still hadn’t realized Ardal was approaching. We were quite far from the palace now, so at this rate, it was safe to assume Ardal was coming alone.

“Try standing up. Here, take my hand.”

Adrian helped me put on my shoes and lifted my body. As he extended his hand toward me, sitting down, I cautiously shifted strength into my legs.

It had been a while since I stood on my own, since I had only been carried around.

The moment I straightened up without relying on the hand I held onto Adrian with, a sharp pain shot through my ankle.

“Ah…”

Adrian wrapped his arm around my waist the moment I let out a small groan. He supported my waist so that the strain wouldn’t fall on my ankle and spoke with concern.

“Does it still hurt…?”

He really sounded regretful—for something he himself had broken.

“Let’s rest a few more days before starting. Overdoing it won’t help…”

[Time until Ardal summons: 100 seconds]

Adrian, mid-sentence, suddenly paused. It sounded like a faint bell rang in the distance. Adrian had installed a device that rang when an intruder approached the house.

That must’ve been it. Which meant Ardal was now that close.

Adrian’s face hardened as he lifted me into his arms. He also grabbed the light luggage placed by the door. He was just about to step outside.

The door opened—though Adrian hadn’t touched it.

“Lady Haniel.”

Ardal’s face came into view. His usually neat expression was disheveled. Seeing me, Ardal exhaled and called my name as if sighing, then moved his hand.

“No, Ardal!”

I saw where his hand was headed and cried out, hugging Adrian’s neck tightly.

Ardal was about to draw his sword. If he made up his mind, Adrian’s neck—while holding me—could easily roll to the floor.

I had only meant to watch the ending, not see Adrian beheaded.

As I clung to Adrian’s neck, Ardal called my name in disbelief. “Lady Haniel, why…?”

His face was filled with bewilderment. “Why are you protecting that man?”

Adrian, too, held me tightly as if to shield me. To Ardal, we must’ve looked like lovers of the century, locked in a dramatic embrace to protect one another.

Ardal’s arms dropped helplessly to his sides.

<Ending progress has been updated.>

• 1. ‘End of the Run’ Progress: 80%

“Were you not kidnapped?”

“Kidnapped? What are you talking about? I escaped with Adrian from the village…. Ugh.”

“Lady Haniel!”

I had been answering Ardal’s questions obediently, but then I released the arms wrapped around Adrian and grabbed my head.

The act of pretending to know nothing was now over. Since the ending was right around the corner, it was time to get an apology.

When I grabbed my head as if a memory had returned, Adrian froze. Even as Ardal snatched me away, Adrian stood blankly, looking down at me.

“Huhk…!”

I gasped for air as though I couldn’t breathe, scratching at my throat.

“Lady Haniel, breathe!”

Laying me on the floor, Ardal tilted my head back and shouted. Following his coaxing, I opened my mouth as if slowly regaining breath.

“I… escaped…”

I stammered and turned my head to look at Adrian, who was staring at me. As I looked at his stunned face, my gaze dropped slightly to his shoes, and I clutched at Ardal’s arm.

“N-no. I didn’t escape… It was Adrian… he imprisoned me… a-and… my ankle…”

I mumbled incoherently and tried to sit up. Ardal, holding my trembling body, pulled me into his arms.

His gaze fell to my ankles.

Upon confirming both were still swollen, he held me with one arm and drew his sword.

“What did you… dare to do… to Lady Haniel…?”

A voice filled with fury leaked through Ardal’s clenched teeth. His blade was now aimed at Adrian’s neck.

But Adrian, pale and shaken, only stared at me. He looked terrified of whatever I might say next.

He hadn’t made that face back when I had pretended to know nothing. Back then, he had liked seeing me rely on him.

Looking at his pale face now, I thought—perhaps Adrian had hoped I would remain mad forever.

As expected, Adrian really was too dangerous.