I’m Trapped in a Bloody Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 58

What did I do wrong?

After screaming, I felt all the strength leave my body. Sitting on the floor in despair, I blankly stared at the system window.

What did I do to deserve this? No, logically speaking, shouldn’t maintenance be conducted after the player logs out? Isn’t the player more important than the play records?

This is absurd.

The Saintess Is a Spy! was a game renowned for having no bugs or errors. User complaints were nearly nonexistent, and the game was highly praised. Who would have thought I’d be trapped playing it for 2,000 days?

2,000 days—that’s an absurdly long time beyond the usual play duration. Considering that the standard playtime for The Saintess Is a Spy! is roughly one year, it felt as though the game was suggesting I complete six full playthroughs before logging out.

“…Something’s off.”

I reopened the system, which had simultaneously appeared and disappeared.

<Repeated abnormal commands detected.>

<System shut down to protect ‘Haniel.’>

Yes, this part. Something is definitely off.

From my experience with several events, the system occasionally showed gaps in logic when displaying information. For instance, in Adrian’s Request, the condition for completing the event did not include the safety of the village chief. It deliberately omitted information about the chief, allowing players more freedom in how to proceed.

I generated another system window.

<Player ‘Haniel’ currently connected.>

As expected…

I stood up from where I had collapsed. The text clearly identified me as ‘Player Haniel.’

“To protect Haniel…”

The system wasn’t protecting me, the player. It was protecting the body I was using—Haniel’s body.

“It’s not me—it’s Haniel’s body that the system is protecting.”

Realizing this sent chills down my spine. The words that escaped my lips felt disturbingly ominous.

***

“Your Holiness.”

“Ah, Ardal. Come in. What brings you here?”

Entering Orias’s office, Ardal bowed his head. His gaze fell on a collection of items belonging to Zoro. These items, retrieved from Zoro’s room, his family’s house, and even a hidden villa after his death, were gathered by Orias. Among the items was a lock of cut hair.

The hair was the same golden color as Orias’s and Haniel’s.

Whose hair is that—His Holiness’s, or Haniel’s?

Ardal contemplated the hair’s owner as he approached Orias.

“Lady Haniel has made contact.”

“So this time, she reached out to you, Ardal. I see. How did she look?”

“She appeared to be well. She asked me to tell Your Holiness not to worry about the documents.”

“If you say she looked fine, then I’ll trust that. That’s a relief.”

Orias responded with a composed smile. A brief silence lingered between them as Orias, observing Ardal, asked another question.

“What information have you found?”

“…Just as Your Holiness mentioned, there was nothing to uncover about Lady Haniel’s life before coming to the temple. The only information I discovered was that the house where she lived was a site used to enshrine offerings after the sacred rituals. Specifically, it housed the remains of a child offered as a sacrifice.”

“Were people aware of this?”

“No. They knew it was a place where remains were stored, but testimonies about Lady Haniel living there were inconsistent, as if someone had tampered with their memories…”

Ardal’s face stiffened as he trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. Orias, noticing Ardal’s hesitation, spoke with a complex expression.

“It’s clear now.”

“Your Holiness…”

“The Saintess is using the body of my dead sister.”

“But, Your Holiness…”

“I killed Haniel with my own hands. There’s no way she could still be alive. If the Saintess were truly Haniel returning to seek me out, she would have her memories intact. It’s impossible for me to have regained my memories before she did when she was far more powerful than me.”

“This isn’t conclusive. It’s impossible for someone to use the body of a deceased person.”

Ardal’s rebuttal was met with a cynical smile from Orias.

“Very well. Allow me to clarify for you. Do you know that the body we recognize as Haniel possesses neither holy power nor magic?”

“Sorry?”

“She has no magic either.”

“What do you mean…”

“And yet, she can use a magical orb that requires magic to operate. Setting aside where she acquired it, you’ve seen her abilities, haven’t you?”

Orias’s question reminded Ardal of Haniel pulling potions out of thin air. Though he couldn’t perceive magical energy, Ardal had assumed the act required magic.

Furrowing his brow, he asked, “But, Your Holiness, didn’t you say Lady Haniel had holy power?”

“That was my mistake. It wasn’t Haniel’s power—it was residual holy energy left in my sister’s body. The energy I hadn’t yet absorbed completely.”

“Then you’re saying the self-repairing properties of Lady Haniel’s clothing aren’t magic either?”

Ardal’s firm expression wavered slightly as he spoke, struggling to process Orias’s words.

“How could such a thing be possible?”

“It certainly wasn’t one of my sister’s abilities.”

“Then…”

“The abilities Haniel uses now are granted by someone else. If you attribute it to divine intervention, the explanation becomes straightforward.”

Orias clenched the golden hair on his desk as he spoke.

“Divine intervention. That’s the answer.”

With a shadowed gaze, Orias stared at the hair in his hand for a long time before letting it fall to the floor.

“Ardal, I will find out who is inhabiting Haniel’s body.”

“Your Holiness.”

“I swear it.”

His ominous voice lingered in the office before fading away.

***

<Event ‘The Pope’s Investigation’ has ended.>

• The Pope’s Investigation – Third Round – Result: Excellent
• The Pope (Orias) has successfully completed the investigation.
• The Pope (Orias) has collected hidden information!
• Interest in the player has increased.
• The Pope’s obsession has increased.
• If the event ‘Anomalous Sensation (2)’ occurs, you may face difficulties logging out. Proceed with caution.

Dashing out of ‘Haniel’s Resting Place’ and heading straight to my room, I buried myself in the bed and stared at the system window. The event that had triggered when I left the Holy Kingdom had only now concluded.

“Are you kidding me right now?”

Fuming, I threw a pillow at the system window. The pillow passed through the window and landed on the floor.

It’s bad enough I can’t log out, but now you’re telling me it might get even harder? What am I supposed to do with that information?

“If only I hadn’t put on this ring…”

I bit my lip, reaching for the ring. However, the ring clung tightly to my finger, refusing to budge. Frustrated, I fell back onto the bed and raked my fingers through my hair, the irritation mounting.

I had no energy left—neither for progressing through the game nor for engaging in its day-to-day aspects.

Realizing that the system was protecting Haniel’s body and not me only made my resentment grow.

Maybe I should just die. Witnessing a dead ending might be a faster way to finish this game.

I stared at the ceiling, consumed by twisted thoughts.

***

“Saintess.”

The voice I had been ignoring for three days called out again. Lying on the bed, I lazily turned my head. From beyond the door, a cautious voice addressed me.

“Saintess, may I come in?”

Without replying, I turned away. Dietrich was calling me, but I had no desire to respond. Forget capturing him—I just wanted to sleep.

Apparently, my response wasn’t needed. The sound of the door opening reached my ears, followed by the soft footsteps of someone approaching the bed. Standing next to me, Dietrich placed a cautious hand on my shoulder.

“Saintess, are you feeling unwell?”

The touch on my shoulder turned me over slightly. Still lying down, I stared blankly up at Dietrich’s face. His pristine face regarded me with a worried expression.

Pretending to be concerned, even with affection level in the negatives?

Scoffing lightly, I answered him.

“Yes.”

“Even if you’re not well, maybe a walk could—”

“No.”

Startled by my sudden change in attitude, Dietrich blinked in surprise. A look of pure confusion spread across his face.

“I’d like to be alone. Could you leave?”

<Dietrich is wary of the player.>

• Dietrich’s suspicion has increased.
• Current suspicion level: 45%.
• If the level reaches 100%, affection growth will no longer be possible.

The genuine confusion disappeared as I replied sharply, replaced by a guarded look in his eyes. Watching me warily, he spoke, “Saintess, if you’re troubled, please tell me. Seeing you lie here like this makes me… worry.”

“You’re worried?”

What nonsense. Dietrich wasn’t worried about me—he was suspicious of what I might be plotting while holed up in my room.

With the system displaying Dietrich’s suspicion level, it was easy to see through his lie. Smirking at his words, I sat up. Dietrich smiled kindly as he watched me rise.

“Have you decided to get up?”

“Yes, since you are so worried about me, I suppose I should.”

I had little motivation to pursue his route anymore, but my curiosity remained.

Recalling the conversation I overheard between Gillian and Dietrich last time, I asked, “You mentioned a walk earlier, didn’t you?”

“Yes. Or would you like me to teach you horseback riding again?”

“No, I don’t want to ride horses. Dietrich.”

“Yes, Saintess?”

“Take me to the temple.”

Dietrich’s sweet smile froze momentarily. Though he quickly resumed smiling, his face betrayed a flash of fear.

“Dietrich, your answer?”

“If you wish to go, Saintess… I’ll guide you.”

What kind of relationship does he have with Gillian that he can’t defy his orders? I need to find out what Gillian’s scheme is.