I’m Trapped in a Bloody Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 4

When my hand touched Ardal’s face, he opened his eyes wide in surprise.

“Thank you, Ardal. I’m really okay.”

“……”

Ardal admired people with strong determination. Even if someone appeared fragile on the surface, he respected those with an unyielding will who didn’t succumb to sorrow. Right now, I perfectly fit that description. Due to the bug that occurred during the tutorial yesterday, Ardal’s attention was already focused on me, making this an ideal opportunity. As I smiled brightly, his black eyes widened, and he stared at me as if entranced.

“But Ardal, why did you bring me to the temple?”

“I will explain.”

I asked him with a puzzled expression, letting my curiosity show openly. While I wanted to work on capturing him later, at this moment, I was eager to meet the Pope and spend time with him. I wished I could skip over the things I already knew, but outside the tutorial, there wasn’t a skip button. Every action I took influenced the game’s direction.

The Saintess Is a Spy! was an exceptionally demanding game that even required players to act convincingly. Though its high degree of freedom allowed for various endings, it was notoriously difficult.

Ardal finally lowered his gaze from my face and spoke, “A divine revelation has been delivered to you, Lady Haniel.”

“A divine revelation?”

“Yes, Lady Haniel. You are to become the Saintess.”

He nodded as he spoke in a solemn tone. After giving this brief explanation, he extended his hand toward me.

“I will guide you to His Holiness. He will provide further details.”

I carefully placed my hand over Ardal’s large one. As I interlocked my fingers with his, lightly scratching his palm with my fingertips, Ardal appeared flustered.

“Ah, your hand…”

“Yes?”

“It’s nothing. Please do as you wish.”

He glanced at my slender, pale fingers entwined with his sturdy ones. Compared to his, my fingers looked especially delicate and fragile, as if they could easily break under the slightest pressure. Despite this, Ardal refrained from gripping my hand too tightly as he began leading me.

“Let’s go,” he said awkwardly, taking measured steps forward.

“Hello, Sister Haniel.”

“Your Holiness.”

Following Ardal’s lead, I arrived at the Pope’s office. Upon entering through the grand doors, I saw the Pope seated elegantly like a figure in a painting. His golden hair gleamed brightly under the light.

<Capture Target Discovered!>

<Pope (????) – Capture Difficulty: ★+>

The Pope rose from his seat and gestured for Ardal and me to take our places, seating himself opposite us. Standing stiffly beside me, Ardal declined the Pope’s invitation to sit.

The pope glanced at him and smiled, as if resigned to the situation.

“Ardal, you may sit as well.”

“No, thank you,” Ardal replied firmly, straightening his posture even further. The Pope, as if expecting this refusal, simply smiled and turned his attention to me.

“Have you received a brief explanation from Ardal?”

“Yes, I heard that I’m to become a saintess.”

“Indeed, Sister Haniel, you have received a divine revelation. You are destined to save the Holy Kingdom and guide the Empire back into the embrace of God.”

“How could I… possibly do something like that? Surely this must be a misunderstanding?” I shook my head and waved my hands dismissively, as if the notion was absurd.

The Pope smiled kindly. “There is no mistake. The revelation was delivered directly to me. It is unquestionably true.”

Ah, how I wished I could skip this part.

“Sister Haniel…”

The Pope began repeating the same lines I’d heard in the previous playthrough. Feigning seriousness, I widened my eyes, pretending to be deeply moved by his words. While his voice flowed in one ear and out the other, I indulged in admiring his face.

His straight nose and divine golden eyes were the most striking features of his delicate visage. Though his refined face exuded elegance, I also appreciated his rougher aspects. It was a shame he preferred using toys over engaging with his own body. Memories of our past encounters flashed through my mind, causing my sensitive body to react instinctively. Feeling the throbbing ache below, I shifted my hips slightly.

Once this explanation was over and the saintess proclamation ceremony concluded, I would finally get to be with the Pope. Just a little longer. If I acted impulsively now, this playthrough would be ruined.

Suppressing the urge to bite his lips, I nodded earnestly. This time, I was determined to achieve the reverse harem ending.

“Sister Haniel, there is something we need you to do.”

Finally, the Pope’s explanation ended. Seriously, why did he have to phrase my mission to seduce the Empire’s key figures so elaborately? My role wasn’t about saintly duties but rather spy work.

Destroying all of the Empire’s leverage over the Holy Kingdom would enable me to seduce every target character and secure the happy ending. Morality or ethics had no place in this game.

And I was the one who chose it.

***

Events deemed unimportant to gameplay sped by automatically. Time seemed to fast-forward, and now, the Pope stood on a platform delivering a speech. His golden hair sparkled under the light as he spoke with calm authority.

Concluding his speech, he turned to me.

“The Lord has sent us a precious gift. Sister Haniel, please step forward.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

Smiling benevolently, the Pope extended his hand. I grasped it and stood beside him. From the high platform, looking down was dizzying. Sensing my unsteadiness, the Pope chuckled softly, his voice low enough for only me to hear.

“Relax, Sister Haniel.”

Though his words were gentle, his actions during our past encounters had been anything but. His golden eyes fixed on me, and the tension between my legs tightened. I nodded nervously.

Seeing my stiff expression, he studied me briefly before turning back to face the crowd.

“She is the one chosen by divine revelation to become our Saintess and lead the Empire back to God’s teachings.”

Empty words.

Though I was to become a Saintess, my true mission was far from what the gathered crowd imagined. My role was to seduce the Crown Prince and erase the Empire’s leverage over the Holy Kingdom.

This was the most crucial task in the game. Eradicating these vulnerabilities was the only way to secure a happy ending. To achieve that, I needed to seduce the Crown Prince, the Grand Duke, the knight assigned to me in the Empire, and another target.

Of course, the extras below the podium, oblivious to this truth, gazed at the Pope and me in awe, their voices filled with reverence.

“Oh, God above!”

“The Lord has finally bestowed His grace upon us.”

Hearing their heartfelt exclamations, I smirked slightly. To these people, I must have looked like a saintess.

In reality, the only god in this game was the development team behind The Saintess Is a Spy!.

As I smiled faintly, whispers spread among the onlookers, praising the Saintess for her gentle expression.

“Sister Haniel will undergo training and be officially proclaimed a saintess before departing for the Empire.”

With the Pope’s declaration, the final prayer session began.

“For our Saintess.”

Their prayers were dedicated to me.

***

After the Pope’s introduction, I spent some time alone until Ardal visited me. Hearing a knock, I opened the door to find him towering over me.

“Ardal, is something the matter?”

“His Holiness asked me to inform you of your training schedule, Lady Haniel.”

“Ah, training…”

Ardal spoke in his usual upright tone.

Knowing exactly what kind of “training” the Pope had in mind, I couldn’t hide my excitement, biting my lip in anticipation.

“If it’s convenient for you, His Holiness wishes to begin your training today. He expressed a desire to impart much wisdom to you before your departure for the Empire.”

“That sounds wonderful. I’d love to learn as much as I can from His Holiness.”

Giving a textbook response, I smiled warmly at Ardal. He frowned slightly as he looked at my cheerful expression. In this playthrough, only two characters knew the truth about what my role as a saintess entailed: the Pope and Ardal.

Though Ardal didn’t oversee my training, he was aware of what it involved.

“Lady Haniel, this training…”

Looking at my expectant face, Ardal hesitated, his lips trembling slightly before he firmly shut his mouth and shook his head.

“It’s nothing. Allow me to escort you to the office.”

As he guided me to the Pope’s office, Ardal frequently glanced back at me, even as we exited the garden. I waved energetically and smiled brightly until we reached the office doors.

The other knights stationed near the Pope’s office exchanged puzzled looks at Ardal’s unusual demeanor. Perhaps sensing their gazes, Ardal gave me a brief nod before turning away completely.

It’s clear that this playthrough’s Ardal is paying attention to me. Pleased with myself, I knocked on the door to the Pope’s office.

“Come in,” an elegant voice called from within.

As soon as I opened the door and peeked inside, the Pope rose from his seat behind the desk.

“There’s no need to be so formal. Please, come in.”

“I heard that Your Holiness wishes to begin my training today. I hope I’m not imposing.”

“Not at all. Guiding your training will be the highlight of my time here at the temple.”

The Pope spoke warmly as he poured tea into a cup at the table in the center of the room. He gestured for me to join him.

As I watched him pour the tea, I noticed it was laced with a subtle aphrodisiac. Drinking it would make me completely obedient to the Pope’s words and actions.

“Relax and enjoy some tea. It’s a special blend, and it’s an honor to serve it to you, Sister Haniel.”

The Pope poured a different tea into his own cup as he spoke kindly.

What if the Pope drank the tea meant for me? Would it affect him the same way?

Curiosity bubbled within me as I stared intently at the identical-looking teas. It seemed possible to swap them without him noticing.

“Sister Haniel?”

“Thank you, Your Holiness. I do have one question…”

“Ask me anything you wish.”

Instead of sitting down, I moved closer to him and subtly swapped the cups while pointing to an irrelevant painting on the wall, asking who the artist was. Smiling, the Pope answered and guided me back to the table.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy this.”

“Of course.”

As I brought the swapped cup to my lips, the Pope mirrored my actions, taking a sip from his cup. The moment he swallowed, his expression changed dramatically.