I’m Trapped in a Bloody Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 29

“We’ve arrived.”

As soon as we reached the Imperial Palace, Dion leapt out of the carriage. A knight assigned to guard us had already jumped down first, standing at a considerable distance—a sight that left me puzzled. Even when Dion’s affection was low, he had always maintained decorum. Why was he now unable to hide his apparent disdain for me?

Watching Dion hesitate, his hand twitching as if debating whether to approach me, I squinted suspiciously.

Actually, it didn’t seem like disdain…

Perhaps he was interested in me and trying to hide it. As I stared at him intently, Dietrich was the first to step out of the carriage. Offering his hand to me, he smiled.

“Be careful as you step down, Saintess.”

Dietrich, rather than Dion, took my hand and escorted me. His movements were so smooth and natural they felt effortless. Taking his hand, I stepped down and glanced around.

Still no one here.

Just like in the previous playthrough, there was no one to greet me. While I hadn’t expected anyone to welcome a Saintess from the Holy Kingdom, the stark difference in treatment compared to the Holy Kingdom left me speechless last time. Dion, noticing my hesitation, took the lead and spoke as if to guide me.

“His Majesty is waiting. Please follow me.”

“Yes.”

“His Majesty dislikes having his face seen, so do not lift your head in his presence.”

Dion gave me a brief warning. I already knew why the Emperor disliked showing his face. The current Emperor was gravely ill, suffering from an incurable disease that caused his face to decay. Since the onset of his illness, he had avoided people and grown increasingly hysterical.

I nodded lightly and replied, “I understand.”

What the people of the Empire didn’t realize was that his condition wasn’t a disease but poison. The Second Prince, aiming to keep the First Prince in check, had poisoned the Emperor to steal his position. Driven to instability by the poison, the Emperor had been falling for the Second Prince’s schemes.

If I chose the First Prince’s route here, my task would be to help him become Emperor. Considering how utterly lethargic his character is, it would be a long and arduous journey. Recalling the game’s basic settings, I followed Dion down the corridor.

The Emperor’s quarters were located in a remote area. It was likely an attempt to avoid agitating his already sensitive nerves after his poisoning. Passing through hallways filled with guards but devoid of servants, we finally reached the Emperor’s chambers.

Dietrich went in first. After a moment of silence as Dion and I waited, Dietrich reemerged and led us further inside.

“His Majesty is unwell and cannot meet you in person. Instead, you’ll meet the princes gathered here.”

Dietrich’s expression was troubled, likely due to the Emperor’s condition. Whether the Emperor was well or not didn’t concern me; I simply nodded.

After all, I’d much rather meet the capture targets.

“Please, come in, Saintess.”

We stopped at a reception room. As soon as I entered, the pungent scent of herbs hit me, and I saw three men seated within. Behind them stood a bespectacled man staring at me coldly.

<Capture Target Discovered: Adrian, Imperial Scribe!>

<Capture Target Discovered: Lucius, Crown Prince of the Empire!>

<All Capture Targets Have Been Encountered!>

• Reward: ‘Herb Identification’ (Passive Skill) acquired.

<Herb Identification (Passive Skill)>

• Linked to Potion Crafting skill.
• Allows identification of herbs necessary for potion crafting.

The man with glasses and brown hair was Adrian, and one of the seated princes was Lucius.

It was easy to tell who the capture targets were just by looking. The most strikingly handsome figures always stood out as capture targets.

Ignoring Adrian’s disapproving glare, I shifted my attention to the man lounging in his chair.

The strikingly dark-haired man’s lazy gaze was lowered. His golden eyes, similar to Orias’s, blinked slowly as he reclined.

The First Prince, Lucius. A capable yet unambitious character who showed little interest in who became Emperor.

“Welcome to the Empire, Saintess.”

The Second Prince, noticing Lucius’s lack of interest in speaking, addressed me with a warm smile.

With a calm demeanor, he rose from his seat and approached me. Taking my hand, he pressed a lingering kiss to the back of it.

Ah, he definitely looks like a villain.

Suppressing my thoughts, I returned his smile.

“Thank you for the warm welcome.”

“We have high expectations for you, Saintess. May you bring great strength to the Empire.”

The Second Prince seemed to want me on his side. While the influence of the Holy Kingdom wasn’t particularly strong in the Empire, receiving support from the Holy Kingdom would certainly make his path to becoming Emperor easier.

I smiled and nodded lightly. “Of course. Following His Holiness’s teachings, I will work for the Empire’s benefit.”

My real plan, however, was to gather as much information about the Empire as I could and send it back to the Holy Kingdom. Diligently.

As I smirked slyly, I suddenly locked eyes with the First Prince, who had been lounging idly. He was gazing at me with languid eyes that hid a sharp gleam within their depths. Despite his indolent demeanor, I couldn’t help but notice his solid, well-built physique.

It was the kind of body more suited for wielding a sword than practicing magic. Then again, even Adrian, the scribe standing behind Lucius, didn’t have the typical build of a scribe. It seemed like this was another one of those deliberate design choices for a mature-rated game, made purely for visual enjoyment.

The moment Lucius met my gaze, he openly displayed his displeasure by frowning. Sitting upright, he finally spoke.

“Adrian.”

He wasn’t addressing me but rather Adrian, who stood behind him. The sharp look in Lucius’s eyes as he scrutinized me was unmistakably hostile. It made sense; as someone from the Holy Kingdom, I was an obvious target for his suspicion.

When I met his gaze head-on, Lucius’s displeasure became even more apparent as his frown deepened slightly.

“While the Saintess is staying in the Empire, you will be responsible for everything she needs.”

“Me…?”

“Yes.”

“Couldn’t such tasks be assigned to someone else?”

“You will do it.”

This time, it was Adrian’s turn to frown. He looked at me with visible irritation, as if he had just been handed a particularly bothersome burden. His gaze held a clear sense of annoyance as he responded.

Lucius nodded and stood up. The imposing presence of his physique became apparent as he passed by me and added coldly, “And make sure the Saintess stays out of my sight.”

“Understood.”

Adrian sighed heavily, his tone reflecting his obvious reluctance. As the First Prince made his stance on me crystal clear, the Third Prince quietly slipped out of the reception room, observing the situation carefully.

The Second Prince then casually said a few pleasant words to me about getting along before leaving the room as well.

“Ha… why me…”

Left alone in the room with me, Adrian pressed his fingers to his temples, muttering under his breath. He heaved a long sigh before addressing Dion.

“Since that’s the order, we’ll have to relocate the Saintess’s accommodations. Instead of the planned location, guide her to the lodgings near the herb chambers.”

The original location had been a villa near the palace where the Imperial Princes resided. I knew the place well since I had stayed there in a previous playthrough.

But now they’re saying it’s not there?

Puzzled, I tilted my head as Adrian finished speaking and stormed out of the room.

Wow, this is a bit shocking.

From the moment I met Adrian and Lucius, not a single system notification window had appeared.

If they were even remotely interested in me, their affection levels should have shown some movement. The fact that neither increased nor decreased was clear proof that they felt absolutely nothing toward me.

They were completely indifferent.

Reeling from this realization, I barely managed to pull myself together and follow Dion. At some point, Dietrich had disappeared, and though Dion was saying something while guiding me, I was too dazed to understand a word.

Even with a charm stat maxed out at 100, they’re not interested in me? How am I supposed to capture them?

Is it even possible to capture them?

Does it mean there’s no hope unless I’m actively capturing them? No, no. It’s still only the first day in the Empire; maybe they’ll show some interest later.

Once I go through a few events in the Empire, their affections should increase.

The main event was… the banquet, right?

The banquet held on the tenth day in the Empire included an affection-raising event. I would have to use that opportunity to raise their affection somehow.

“This will be your accommodation.”

“Ah…”

Faced with accommodations that were even more modest than I’d expected, I bit my lip in frustration but quickly regained my composure at Dion’s words.

Alright, I’ll first figure out how far the main palace is from here and plan to visit daily.

Since Dietrich and Lucius reside in the main palace, I’ll have to linger near it if I’m going to capture them…

“Sir Dion.”

“Yes.”

“This place seems quite far from the main palace…”

“It is.”

“How long does it take to get there?”

“It takes about thirty minutes on foot. With a carriage, it’s roughly ten minutes.”

As I took in the place Dion had guided me to, my mouth fell open in disbelief. Noticing my reaction, Dion glanced at me and added, “Carriages are not provided unless under special circumstances, so walking will be your only option.”

No carriage? So it’s a thirty-minute walk to the main palace?

The distance was one thing, but the place itself was poorly maintained. The garden was overgrown with unkempt grass and weeds, standing in stark contrast to the well-kept grounds near the Emperor’s chambers. Looking at the waist-high, unfamiliar plants and a variety of wild weeds, I let my arms drop in defeat.

Looks like there might be bugs.

No, bugs are fine, but being so far from the main palace is the real problem. Frequent encounters are essential for capturing targets, so how am I supposed to meet them if I’m stuck all the way out here?

“Is this not to your liking?”

Dion’s sharp tone broke my thoughts as I stared blankly at the untidy garden. If I said I didn’t like it, it would surely tank his affection.

Sigh, I guess I have no choice but to say I like it.

With an inward sigh, I ignored Dion’s question and stepped into the garden.

Suddenly, system windows noisily popped up one after another.

<Passive Skill ‘Herb Identification’ of the ability ‘Potion Crafting’ has been automatically activated.>

• Discovered ingredients for ‘Universal Antidote!’
• Discovered ingredients for ‘Fatigue Recovery Potion!’
• Discovered ingredients for ‘Stimulant!’
• Discovered ingredients for ‘Uncertain Effect Aphrodisiac!’

Huh?

“If you truly dislike it, I can arrange for a different location,” Dion offered.

• Discovered ingredients for ‘Random Potion!’

More system windows kept appearing as Dion spoke. Blinking in surprise, I stared at the system windows filling the air around me.

The messy plants in this garden weren’t weeds—they were treasures.

“No!”

“…Yes?”

“This place is perfect! I’ll stay here!”

I whirled around to face Dion, shouting eagerly.