I’m Trapped in a Bloody Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 64

The apothecary desperately tried to assert his usefulness, but I interrupted him and replied, “You may leave now.”

“B-but…”

“She said you could leave. If the Saintess says it’s fine, then it must be fine.”

“Yes, understood.”

The apothecary, who had been glancing nervously at Dietrich, bolted out of the room as soon as he received permission. Watching his fleeing figure, I turned to Dietrich.

“Dietrich, I have something to discuss about the tea party. Can you spare some time?”

“Of course.”

The reason I didn’t outright reject the physician’s visit was to bring Dietrich into my room. Since it was an apothecary and not a physician, unnecessary records wouldn’t be left behind, allowing me to speak privately with Dietrich.

Moving to the tea table, I asked him, “Hella seems really excited about the tea party, so I was wondering if we should make it a bit more elaborate…”

Dietrich followed me, pulling out a chair for me before sitting across the table.

“She did seem quite enthusiastic.”

“Yes, I don’t want her to be disappointed.”

“You seem very fond of her, despite not knowing her for long.”

Pouring tea from the pot on the table into my cup and his own, Dietrich spoke gracefully. The motion of pouring the tea was elegant.

After giving him a brief word of thanks, I brought the cup to my lips. I had already mixed a truth serum into the tea. While I sipped, Dietrich picked up his cup as well.

If it was the ever-polite Dietrich, he would surely drink the tea…

<Dietrich has consumed the Truth Serum!>

• The effect will last for 15 minutes.

As I smiled lightly at the timely system notification, I set the teacup down and spoke, “Yes, she’s someone worth cherishing.”

“I see…”

<Dietrich has consumed the Muscle Relaxant!>

• The effect will last for 10 minutes.

The muscle relaxant I had mixed alongside the truth serum started to take effect. It was a potion recipe I had found after some research.

If he only consumed the truth serum, Dietrich might try to escape. Overpowering him physically was impossible, so I needed a way to restrain his actions to get the answers I wanted.

Dietrich frowned and addressed me. “Saintess, there’s something strange about this tea…”

“Dietrich, are you okay?”

The teacup slipped from Dietrich’s hand, hitting the table weakly. He stared at me in disbelief as I stood upright.

“What is this?”

“You seem fine. You can answer my questions, right?”

“Yes, of course… But I’m asking, what is this?”

<Dietrich’s affection has decreased!>

Oh well, that couldn’t be helped.

<Dietrich is wary of the player.>

• Suspicion has significantly increased due to the player’s actions.
• Current suspicion level: 80%.

Right, that couldn’t be helped either. Acting completely normal while he drank strange tea—it would be more suspicious if he didn’t find it odd.

Ignoring the consecutive system notifications, I approached Dietrich and asked, “What is your relationship with Gillian?”

“He’s my master…. No, why am I even answering…”

“Master? Why? For what reason?”

“Gillian inscribed a binding seal on me…”

“Don’t bite your tongue.”

Realizing the inappropriateness of his statement, Dietrich tried to bite his own tongue. I forced his lips open and inserted my fingers into his mouth.

I felt his teeth clamping hard on my fingers, but I pressed on with my questioning.

“What kind of binding seal? How could someone without magical power inscribe one?”

“It’s a seal that kills me if I disobey Gillian’s orders. The magic power is drawn from Lucius…. Damn it!”

Gently rubbing his furrowed brows with my free hand, I said, “Stop biting so hard—it hurts! My finger’s going to snap off.”

Dietrich obediently answered my questions, swearing in between responses. His usually composed face was now twisted in frustration.

“I’m biting it so it’ll snap off. Get your finger out of my mouth right now.”

“I still have so many questions to ask.”

“Move it now, before I bite off both your finger and my own tongue.”

His voice, filled with murderous intent, made it clear he wasn’t joking. Nervously, I pressed down on his tongue with my finger before withdrawing it.

<Dietrich’s Event: ‘The Source of Fear.’>

• First Objective Completed.
• First Objective: Discover the relationship between Dietrich and Gillian (Completed).
• Second Objective: Not yet generated (Objective not yet unlocked).

<Fragment of Lucius’s Past Collected!>

• Lucius’s Past Fragment 2/5.
• Collecting all fragments will trigger an affection-increasing event.
• Lucius’s affection has slightly increased.
• Your understanding of Lucius has slightly increased.

The information required for the first objective was sufficient. While wiping my fingers, I sat back across from Dietrich.

Because of the relaxant, he lay slumped, glaring at me intensely. His once warm violet eyes were now dark and stormy. Though his smiling face was beautiful, his scowling expression carried its own charm.

Meeting his fierce gaze, I said, “If you don’t want to follow his orders, why not just remove the binding seal?”

“It’s not that simple. The binding seal was originally created to restrain Lucius. Removing it is impossible unless Lucius’s magic power is completely eradicated.”

“And if his magic power disappears?”

“Lucius will die.”

He bit his lip and answered. According to Dietrich, the binding seal originally meant to restrain Lucius had been transferred to him instead. His loyalty toward Lucius ran deeper than I had anticipated.

I had thought theirs was merely a cooperative relationship on the surface, but it turned out to be one of genuine loyalty.

<5 minutes remaining until the Muscle Relaxant effect wears off.>

• Death will occur once the effects end.
• Escaping to ‘Haniel’s Resting Place’ is recommended.

Though Dietrich seemed to be calmly answering my questions without attempting to bite his tongue, it was clear he intended to kill me the moment the drug’s effect wore off.

The system’s recommendation to flee meant this wasn’t a situation it intended to create.

Watching the system window advising me to escape, I wondered if I could somehow take advantage of this situation. Ignoring the warning, I continued to ask questions.

“Then is it possible to transfer the binding seal?”

“It’s possible. If I wanted to, I could transfer it back to Lucius.”

“You won’t, will you?”

“Never.”

Dietrich, whose body refused to move as he pleased, flinched as he answered. I noticed his fingertips twitch and looked him straight in the eye.

“What about transferring it to someone other than Lucius?”

“It has to be someone with magical power. Otherwise, the seal can’t be transferred.”

“Then what about someone with holy power?”

“What do you mean by that…?”

The murderous glint in Dietrich’s eyes flickered momentarily, and his gaze faltered. He frowned deeply and stared at me.

I didn’t avoid his gaze as I replied, “Magic and holy power are similar, aren’t they? I possess holy power. Wouldn’t it be possible to transfer the binding seal to me?”

“It might be possible. But what benefit would that bring you, Saintess?”

Of course, there was no benefit for me. I only had a vague feeling that I might learn something about the system through the process.

<1 minute remaining until the Muscle Relaxant effect wears off.>

Smiling at the wary Dietrich, I answered, “I want you to be free, Dietrich.”

“There’s no need to lie.”

“Fine. I want to be free myself.”

“How would transferring the binding seal to you make you free…?”

Dietrich, whose fingers were trembling as he questioned me, suddenly stopped speaking.

<The Muscle Relaxant effect has worn off.>

Glancing at the system window, I tilted my head as I watched him clench his fist.

Would he try to kill me? Well, a Dead Ending wouldn’t be too bad.

Dietrich, watching his body begin to move again, repeatedly clenched and opened his fist as he stared at me. His gaze scanned me thoroughly before he let out a low sigh and stood up. Passing by me, he opened a drawer in the room and took something out.

“Saintess, your hand.”

“My hand?”

Not my neck, but my hand?

Blinking in confusion, I extended my hand to him. The finger he had bitten earlier was reddened and slightly bleeding.

“Oh…”

“I thought you weren’t in pain since you didn’t flinch, but it seems it hurt after all.”

“I said it hurt, didn’t I?”

“Yet you acted so calm.”

From the drawer, he retrieved some ointment. As he applied it to the wound on my finger, he said, “I’ll consider this as payment for forcing me to take that drug.”

<Dietrich’s affection has increased.>

As I admired the now-composed and gentle Dietrich, I nodded in agreement.

“Thank you.”

“But don’t speak of what we discussed to anyone.”

“Of course.”

“Let’s also consider the method to transfer the seal.”

<Dietrich’s favorability has increased.>

• Favorability increases do not affect suspicion levels.

With a soft tone, Dietrich raised my treated hand to his lips and kissed it. The gentle kiss was so tender it was hard to believe he had been contemplating killing me moments ago.

Still holding my hand, he locked eyes with me and smiled brilliantly.

“If it’s possible to transfer the seal, I’ll gladly cooperate with you, Saintess.”

“And if it’s not possible?”

“Well then, I suppose I’d have to set you free myself, wouldn’t I?”

Dietrich’s eyes curved into an elegant smile as he responded. Watching his beautiful smile, I guessed what he meant by setting me free.

If it wasn’t necessary, he would kill me with his own hands.

Even though his affection and favorability increased, his suspicion level remained unchanged, making my guess almost certain.

“Fine, do as you wish, Dietrich.”

<Dietrich’s affection has increased.>

Whether he killed me or not, I didn’t care. Letting him do as he pleased didn’t seem like a bad option.

As I nonchalantly replied, Dietrich frowned as though he were about to cry and murmured, “Do as I wish… you mean it?”

<Dietrich’s affection has increased.>

Staring blankly at the system window announcing the affection increase, I realized how to capture Dietrich.

“And Dietrich, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

Looking at Dietrich, I asked, “In the prayer room, you enjoyed yourself, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I enjoyed it. It was the first time I felt such pleasure from sex…”

Frowning, he answered honestly. Unable to stop his true feelings from spilling out, his face twisted as the system window appeared.

<The Truth Serum effect has worn off.>

“It wasn’t the first time…”

As soon as the effect ended, Dietrich changed his answer. Watching him contradict himself, I nodded indifferently.

I had already figured out his true feelings.