I’m Trapped in a Bloody Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 35

How many routes does this game even have? I’d messed up my gameplay in the last playthrough, but the events this time were so different from the previous ones that my head was spinning.

Why did a character I’d never seen in the previous playthrough suddenly show up? The major events, like the proclamation ceremony, coronation, and welcome banquet, were the same as in the first playthrough. However, all the minor details and events were things I’d never encountered in the first playthrough.

Hiding my surprise at the appearance of a man I’d never seen before, I shook his wrinkled hand.

“Thank you for the warm welcome. I…”

“Ah, forgive my rudeness. I forgot to introduce myself. Age makes one forgetful, you see.”

Looking at his face, he didn’t seem older than his forties. Hmm, but his hands felt like those of someone in their seventies.

<Warning! Abnormal contact detected. Stamina is…>

‘Close!’

Before the man could speak, a system window appeared, blocking his face. I quickly closed it. With the system window obstructing the characters’ faces, focusing on the situation was difficult. I’ll have to change the settings later so that the window doesn’t pop up during conversations.

The system window disappeared, revealing the man’s face again. He was smiling with a strangely wide grin, his lips stretching unnaturally. He tightened his grip on my hand.

“Ouch…”

“Saintess.”

Just as I winced at the painful grip, Dion, who had been absent, reappeared. Casually prying the man’s hand from mine, Dion handed me a glass he had brought.

“You said you were thirsty.”

“…Yes, thank you.”

“Sir Gillian.”

“Dion, it’s been a while.”

“Indeed.”

If he’s speaking informally to Dion, he must be a pretty powerful character. Gillian… Hmm, I feel like I’ve seen that name before. It might have been in the character introductions.

Oh, right. Gillian was the name of the character responsible for teaching Lucius magic theory. Orias had mentioned him before, saying he was knowledgeable about theory despite lacking magic himself. He had also assured me not to worry about Gillian since Lucius had stopped attending his lessons long ago.

What a relief. That creepy grin he had behind the system window was unsettling, so I’m glad I probably won’t see much of him.

“I’ve heard you’ve been assigned as the Saintess’s guard. You’re doing wonderfully.”

“Thank you.”

“Does Sir Lucius have no intention of seeking me out?”

“I’m not the one to answer that, Sir Gillian.”

As Gillian gently conversed with Dion, I suddenly felt a sharp headache.

<A!$# Abnormal@#!>

<Due to abnormal contact&% connection status@$! unstable [email protected]>

The system window flickered erratically, with broken text flying through the air. A piercing pain spread across my temples and forehead, making it hard to focus.

Ugh, what is this? Why can’t I see the text properly? Is the connection unstable?

Trying to read the disjointed words, I struggled to regain control of my unresponsive body. It felt as if my body and consciousness were becoming disconnected, similar to logging out. Just as I feared I might faint, someone placed their hand on my back.

“…You’d better pull yourself together.”

A surprisingly familiar voice murmured near my ear. Lucius had placed his right hand on my back, speaking in a low tone.

“If the Saintess collapses at the welcome party, it’ll cause problems. I’ll help you just this once.”

As Lucius finished speaking, a tingling sensation spread from his hand on my back.

“Ah!”

The sensation traveled from my back, through my temples, to my forehead. My head burned as I leaned against Lucius, letting out a groan.

“Saintess?”

“Ugh…”

“What’s wrong?”

“She doesn’t seem well.”

Dion, who had been talking to Gillian, turned to look at me. He glanced at me leaning against Lucius with a concerned expression.

Lucius then pushed me toward Dion as if tossing me aside. Dion’s face was filled with confusion as he caught me. Meanwhile, Lucius stepped forward to face Gillian, wearing a brief look of disgust.

As Lucius moved forward, Gillian greeted him with a wide smile, the complete opposite of Lucius’s demeanor.

“Sir Lucius. You haven’t changed a bit.”

“Invitation?”

“Pardon?”

Lucius’s cold question startled Gillian. At his slight gesture, the guards in the hall quickly approached.

“Did you call for us?”

“Check that man’s invitation. We can’t have an uninvited guest at the Saintess’s banquet.”

“Pardon? But this banquet doesn’t require invitations…”

“Check it.”

Even as I leaned weakly against Dion, gasping for breath due to the intense dizziness, I squinted my eyes narrowly at Lucius’s firm and unyielding demeanor.

What invitation? This is an open event. Nobody here has invitations.

Despite their confusion, the guards approached Gillian to search for his invitation, which, of course, didn’t exist. Gillian, lowering his head in humiliation, quickly looked up, locking eyes with Lucius. But Lucius, urging the guards on, tapped his foot, creating sharp, rhythmic noises.

“He doesn’t have an invitation, Sir Lucius.”

“Escort him out.”

“Yes. Our apologies, Sir Gillian. Please come this way…”

“Sir Lucius. Do you still misunderstand me…”

“Move faster.”

As soon as Gillian tried to speak to Lucius, Lucius stopped tapping his foot against the floor. His sharp eyes flashed as he looked at the guards. The usually dull gaze was now strangely alert. The guards, who had been acting cautiously around Gillian, quickly bound his arms and escorted him out of the hall.

<Information on ‘Gillian’ has been collected.>

• Unlocked information about Gillian.

<Gillian>

• • Magic teacher to Lucius.
  • Related to the capture routes of Dietrich and Lucius.

• (Insufficient information to view further details.)

Ah, the system window is functioning again.

Watching the system window pop up above Gillian’s head as he was dragged out, I sighed in relief. I had been worried that it was a serious error. Since I can’t even log out yet, a system malfunction would drive me insane. I need to be careful.

Feeling relieved by the restored system window, I suddenly noticed Lucius staring intently at me. Turning away from me, he addressed Dion.

“Dion, it’d be best to let the Saintess rest before the welcome banquet begins.”

Dion blinked in surprise at Lucius’s considerate suggestion, then nodded. “Understood. I’ll take care of it.”

Lucius scanned my face briefly before turning away. Returning to his seat, he accepted a drink from an attendant and began surveying the hall slowly. The chair for the second prince, positioned below Lucius’s seat, remained empty.

“Saintess, this way to the lounge.”

Shifting my gaze from the empty seat, I followed Dion across the hall. My steps were unsteady, but I managed to reach the lounge and sat down with a deep sigh. This spot had been prepared specifically for me.

I remember coming here in the previous playthrough. Back then, it was Dietrich who had accompanied me instead of Dion. This was also where I had spent time rolling around with Dietrich. That playthrough had been a complete disaster….

“Saintess, excuse me.”

Lost in the hazy memories, I noticed Dion approaching me. Standing before me as I sat in the chair, he leaned in slightly and gently grabbed my chin. Then, with light and precise movements, he turned my face from side to side.

“What are you doing?”

I asked as I let Dion handle my face, noticing the seriousness on his expression. He didn’t answer immediately, and when he did, his voice was blunt.

“Open your mouth.”

“Huh?”

“Drink this.”

What…?

As soon as I parted my lips slightly, a cold potion bottle touched them, and the liquid was poured into my mouth before I could react. It was a recovery potion that I had refused to drink earlier.

Wait, hold on. If I drink this now, it’ll ruin my plan to faint later…!

I tried to pull my lips away, but Dion’s firm grip on my chin kept me in place.

Pressing my chin down, he made sure I drank every drop of the potion. Tears welled up in my eyes from the forced ingestion, but Dion was merciless. He didn’t release his hand until the last drop was gone, then promptly covered my mouth with his hand.

“Mmph!”

“Swallow. You’ve already drunk it, so don’t waste it.”

Though I tried to push his hand away, I couldn’t argue with his logic. Spitting out the potion would indeed be a waste…

Eventually, I swallowed the potion that filled my mouth.

<You have consumed a Stamina Recovery Potion.>

• Recovery amount is reduced due to a system malfunction.
• Stamina is slightly restored.
• Rest is required to fully recover your stamina.

Satisfied that I had swallowed the potion, Dion stepped back with a pleased expression. I glared at him, but he casually placed the empty bottle on the table and sat across from me, looking quite relaxed.

He spoke in a teasing tone, “See? You should’ve just taken it when I offered.”

“How could you force me like that? It scared me.”

“You wouldn’t take it otherwise. As your guard, I can’t let you collapse.”

“But…”

As I frowned at him and checked the system window, I noticed my stamina hadn’t improved much. Normally, drinking a potion would immediately restore my energy, but my condition hadn’t changed significantly. My stamina bar still hovered dangerously close to empty, leaving me on the verge of collapse.

Recovery amount is reduced due to a system malfunction?

As I mulled over the message on the system window, Gillian’s face came to mind. The system started malfunctioning after he grabbed my hand. Since he’s related to the capture targets, there might be something hidden about him. I should be cautious around him from now on.

As unease crept in, Dion repeated my earlier unfinished sentence.

“But?”

“The potion doesn’t seem to have much effect.”

“That can’t be… I’ve already verified the effectiveness of the potions you made,” Dion muttered as if the situation didn’t make sense.

See? That’s why you shouldn’t have forced me. What a waste.

Meeting Dion’s bewildered gaze, I smiled and said to him, “Who told you to force me to drink it?”

“Are you complaining about my concern for you?” Dion replied gruffly.

Though his actions were forceful, they were well-meaning. I decided not to scold him further.

“Next time, I’ll take it on my own. Thanks, Dion. Even if it didn’t help much.”

<Dion’s affection has slightly increased!>

“…It’s strange that it’s not working,” he murmured as he picked up the empty bottle from the table.