I’m Trapped in a Bloody Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 23

I drifted in and out of consciousness repeatedly. Feeling the power of sensitivity at 100 in this kind of situation was the last thing I wanted.

I hate being sick.

Most of my childhood memories were unpleasant, but the ones I hated most were those of being ill. Falling sick always weakened my resolve and soured my mood. Whenever I was ill, it was never mild; I’d fall seriously sick, and during those times, I’d eat alone in a dark room and barely manage to swallow my medicine. There was no one to take care of me.

I couldn’t even afford a taxi to take me to the hospital, let alone have someone accompany me.

The memories that surfaced made me feel melancholy. Breathing harshly, I threw off the blanket that was covering me.

“Whoa, whoa?”

A voice called out, but I couldn’t identify who it belonged to. The poison had reduced my body’s functions to a minimum, making it difficult to discern anything. As the blanket slid off, a chill ran over my body, making me shiver and groan softly.

“Ugh…”

It felt like insects were gnawing at my entire body. The person watching me murmured softly.

“Hmm, you should be lying down.”

The voice sounded flustered. My vision, impaired by the effects of the poison, showed me only a blurred figure. I couldn’t even distinguish the color of their hair, let alone their face. Their clothing appeared to be black…

Ardal? Or Orias?

The only people I’d been close to were those two, so it had to be one of them.

In a trembling voice, I spoke, “Hand….”

“What?”

“Hold my hand…”

The man standing some distance away hesitated before slowly approaching me. Taking his time, he reached out tentatively as he neared my bed.

“There’s no risk of contagion, right? Since it’s poison?”

What kind of nonsense…

Definitely not Ardal. Then it must be the Pope. But was the Pope the type to say something like that?

As I buried my face in the man’s hand, I felt the unfairness of being so ill in a game. I started playing for fun; being sick was the last thing I wanted.

“I want to leave…”

Tears streamed down my face as I muttered. Why couldn’t I log out of this game, forcing me to suffer like this?

“Leave? You mean the temple?”

The man’s question went unanswered as I remained silent. The sensation of something gnawing at my body climbed to my head. The feeling of my brain being chewed was unbearable, and in a moment of desperation, I bit the back of the man’s hand.

“Ow, what the…”

Reacting instinctively to the pain, he groaned softly. He shook his bitten hand free and stood up.

<The Grand Duke (Dietrich)’s affection has slightly increased.>

I heard the familiar sound of the system window, though it was too blurry to read properly.

“Hand…”

“Are you planning to bite me again?”

I whimpered as I held out my hand, but the man rubbed the back of his bitten hand a few times before turning away abruptly.

“I hate pain, so go bite someone else’s hand.”

His retreating figure seemed cold and unfeeling. He showed no interest or care for me, and I stared blankly at his back as he walked away. Once he left, I lost consciousness again.

“Lady Haniel.”

“Mmm…”

Someone gently brushed my sweat-soaked hair aside and called my name. The cold touch of a damp cloth on my fevered cheeks made me tense, but the person leaned closer and whispered soothingly.

This touch was different from the one that had left earlier.

“Hmph.”

“I’m just trying to cool you down. It’s a cloth soaked in water, so don’t tense up…”

Hearing the soothing voice of the man stroking my head, I forced my heavy eyelids open.

“Lady Haniel.”

As I barely managed to open my eyes and see his blurred face, the man’s voice filled with relief as he called me again. His face came close to mine.

He pressed his lips to my fevered forehead before pulling back and speaking, “Please hold on a little longer. The antidote will be ready soon.”

“Ardal…”

“Yes, Lady Haniel. It’s me, Ardal.”

“Hand…”

When I weakly motioned toward him with my fingers, Ardal clasped my hand. His touch felt cool against my overheated skin.

“Cold…”

“Oh, I’m sorry…”

Hearing my feeble complaint, Ardal tried to withdraw his hand.

“Don’t let go…”

Mumbling as I grasped his retreating fingers tightly, I felt his hand return, firmly interlocking with mine. The strength of his grip brought an odd sense of comfort.

“How long has it been?”

Through the splitting headache and burning sensation consuming my body, I asked Ardal.

“It’s been about four hours since the coronation ended.”

“Orias?”

“He’s attending to his schedule.”

Four hours. That meant only two hours were left. If I didn’t get the antidote within those two hours, this playthrough would end in failure.

I’d completed Ardal’s route and was on the verge of finishing the Holy Kingdom’s tutorial. Ending with a dead ending now…

No logout option, after all my effort…

“Lady Haniel…”

Ardal’s hand became wet with my tears. He removed the damp cloth from my forehead and wiped my tears away with his own hand.

“Ardal.”

“Your Holiness.”

“The antidote is ready.”

While Ardal was holding my face and wiping my tears, a familiar voice interrupted. The Pope stood behind him, looking down at me with a calm expression. He held a glass vial containing a blue liquid.

As the Pope approached, Ardal briefly kissed the back of my hand before gently placing it on the bed and stepping aside.

“Haniel, here is the antidote.”

The Pope pulled up a chair and sat by my bedside as he spoke.

“Haniel.”

“Yes…”

“Did you know the Holy Grail was poisoned before drinking it?”

Instead of handing me the antidote, the Pope asked. I couldn’t see his expression clearly, but his voice was unusually low and dark.

Groaning softly, I placed my hand over his, which held the antidote. His hand twitched slightly at the touch of my hot fingers.

Should I admit it?

What answer would raise his affection?

What should I say…

“…I see.”

Unable to decide, I simply clung to his hand, and the Pope murmured softly.

I hadn’t said anything, so why was he saying, “I see”?

Perhaps he had found the answer he sought in my silence. Muttering to himself, he opened the vial of antidote. As the warm fingers holding my lips parted them, the cool liquid flowed into my mouth.

<You have consumed the antidote!>

• The poison is neutralized.
• Bodily functions gradually recover. (Mandatory recovery period: 7 days)

As the antidote slid down my throat, a welcome system window popped up.

<Entering forced sleep mode for optimal recovery.>

• Sleep mode will commence in 1 minute.

“Rest well, Haniel.”

“Yes, thank you, Orias…”

I responded to the Pope’s voice as my eyes drifted shut, slipping into the forced sleep state once more.

***

“Ardal.”

“Yes.”

“What about the day I am supposed to leave for the Empire?”

“Ah, I forgot to inform you. While you recover, it has been decided that you will stay in the Holy Kingdom. The Empire has agreed to this schedule, so please focus on resting and recovering, Lady Haniel.”

As I was eating the neutralizer Ardal had given me, the thought crossed my mind, prompting me to ask. Ardal, who had been inspecting my meal, answered as though he’d just remembered.

He had been tasting each bite of my meal before bringing it to my bed. Ever since I drank the poisoned Holy Grail, Ardal had made a habit of checking every little drink or dish before handing it to me.

After finishing his thorough inspection, he spoke softly.

“You can eat without worry.”

“Ardal, you don’t have to check my meals every time.”

“……”

If the food was poisoned, the system window would alert me. Consuming poison had been entirely my choice. However, Ardal had no way of knowing that, and if he accidentally ingested poison, I’d have to restart the game from the beginning.

You mustn’t die, Ardal. You’re the first character I’ve fully captured.

Unable to hide my worry, I expressed it to him. At my words, Ardal’s previously relaxed expression turned cold and tense. His shoulders tightened as he replied, his voice filled with guilt and frustration.

“It’s entirely my fault that you were put in danger. I should have been more vigilant…”

“Ardal.”

“If you were to die, I…”

Ardal trailed off, bowing his head in despair. He set the food aside, deliberately avoiding showing me his face. Reaching out, I placed my hand on his face, cradling it gently.

When my hand touched his cheek, Ardal covered it with his own, shaking his head. He still refused to look at me, his head hanging low.

“Ardal, look at me.”

“I’m sorry for showing such a pathetic side of myself, Lady Haniel.”

Ardal hesitated before following my request, lifting his head. Tears streamed down his face, recalling the helplessness he had felt earlier. He seemed ashamed as the tears flowed uncontrollably, his lips brushing softly against my palm.

Even in tears, Ardal was breathtakingly handsome. Gazing at him clinging to my hand as he wept, I was momentarily stunned before I smiled. I reached out with my other hand to gently wipe the tears from the corners of his eyes.

“You’re not pathetic. You’re just worried about me.”

Would such unwavering affection ever exist in reality?

I wondered if anyone would cry for me like this simply because I was in danger.

‘No one.’

I concluded easily. Such a person didn’t exist in reality.

Perhaps that’s why Ardal’s affection felt all the more precious. Smiling sincerely, I carefully wiped away the tears streaking down his warm cheeks. As I caressed his flushed face, I leaned in and placed a light kiss on his lips.

“Thank you.”

At least in this game, I could experience such love. Without it, I would have spent my life clinging to the people who had abandoned me, never knowing what true affection felt like.

“Ardal, will you hold me?”

Smiling, I made my request. Having completed his route, Ardal didn’t refuse. He immediately wrapped me in his arms. Resting my head against his solid shoulder, I let out a contented sigh. His embrace, enveloping me entirely, felt so warm and comforting.

If someone like Ardal existed in reality, would I have entered this game at all?

That fleeting thought disappeared the moment Ardal tightened his hold on me.