I’m Trapped in a Bloody Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 86

“Saintess, wait.”

Just before the door closed, Lucius stopped me. He grabbed my wrist and hesitated for a moment. As I watched the wavering Lucius, I shook off his hand.

“If you have nothing to say, I’ll be going.”

“Wait.”

Lucius repeated himself, grabbing my hand again. My wrist ached where he held it, but I endured the pain and looked him in the face.

His lips quivered as though he wanted to say something, and then he lowered his gaze and spoke, “I can’t allow you to go to the herb chamber. I promised Dietrich that I’d protect you.”

“Isn’t it fine as long as I don’t run into Gillian? I’ll stay vigilant, so it won’t be an issue.”

“Even if you make the potion, the Emperor won’t use one made by you.”

Lucius spoke as if everything I did was futile. He might be right, and it could end up being a pointless effort. But so what if I did something futile once in a while?

I already knew that not everything in life was meaningful or recognized, so there was nothing new about this. Even if the Emperor didn’t use the potion I made, my skill proficiency would improve, and helping out in the herb chamber might even bring me a reward.

I tilted my head slightly as I stared at Lucius’s face while he spoke in a low voice. Then I opened my mouth to respond.

“I don’t care whose potion gets used. I’m just trying to finish what I can do.”

Lucius’s face, meeting my gaze, looked extremely cold. As he studied me with an expression devoid of any warmth, he tightly shut his eyes. His trembling eyelids covered his golden eyes, and his body quivered as though deeply affected by my actions and words. After taking a short, deep breath, Lucius opened his eyes again.

What could he be thinking?

Lucius locked his gaze on me, silently staring without saying anything. As the silence stretched on and he still didn’t speak, I sighed and removed his hand. Hesitantly, he loosened his grip.

I rubbed the reddened mark on my wrist and bowed my head slightly to him.

“Excuse me.”

Without hesitation, I turned my back to him. I could feel his piercing gaze stabbing into me, but I ignored it and walked away calmly.

“Saintess.”

After I’d taken about five steps, Lucius called out to me. His quiet voice continued without waiting for a reply.

“Don’t go to the herb chamber. Go to Adrian instead. He should have all the herbs you need.”

Startled by the unexpected words, I slightly turned my head to confirm Lucius’s face. He spoke with an awkward demeanor, like someone unaccustomed to conversation.

“…If you need other herbs or help, report it to me.”

“Are you saying you’re willing to help?”

“If it’s within what I can do…”

Lucius concluded with a trembling voice. Seeing the tension on his face, which usually appeared indifferent, I couldn’t suppress the faint smile creeping across my lips.

When I smiled faintly, Lucius, who had been watching me anxiously, visibly flinched. His broad shoulders rose slightly as if he were about to extend his arms, but they soon lowered again. Clenching his fists tightly, he fixed his gaze on my face before abruptly shutting his lips and turning his body away.

A large system window appeared, obscuring the sight of his retreating back as he strode roughly back into his room.

<Lucius’s affection has greatly increased!>

***

Adrian’s office and reception room were not suitable places for work. Leaving aside the darkness from the drawn curtains, there was only a lone table, leaving no space to spread out herbs.

Thanks to the cooperation of Lucius and Adrian, I was developing the cure in Adrian’s reception room, but instead of using the table, I had spread the herbs out on the floor.

“Ugh.”

The moment Adrian opened the door to his office and stepped out, he shielded his eyes.

“I don’t recall giving permission to draw the curtains.”

“How am I supposed to work if I can’t even distinguish between the herbs properly? Please allow me to leave the curtains open.”

“What’s the point of asking permission after you’ve already opened them?”

It was just a matter of drawing the curtains, so I had done it long ago. Seeing the tied curtains, Adrian sighed and approached me.

As I continued mixing different types of herbs and experimenting with combinations on the floor, Adrian held out his hand to me, and I tilted my head.

Is he asking for the herbs?

I placed the nearest herb into his hand, but Adrian scowled and snapped, “Stand up.”

“Why?”

“If you sit on the cold floor and fall ill, it will only extend the time needed to develop the cure. I want to minimize the time I’m lending out my reception room, so get up.”

Adrian threw the herb I had handed him back onto the floor and brushed off his hands. While I stared blankly at the scattered pile of herbs, I noticed Adrian’s fingers twitching, gesturing for me to take his hand.

Reluctantly, I grabbed his hand and got up. Just as he had said, the cold from the floor had been seeping into me, and I had been shivering as I sorted through the herbs.

Brushing off my clothes lightly, I asked Adrian, “Do I have to work standing up?”

“I’ve arranged for new furniture to be brought in. It’s scheduled to arrive this afternoon, so please wait until then.”

Adrian spoke in a businesslike tone as he pulled his hand away and added, “How are you planning to handle meals?”

“Hmm, for today, I…”

“You’re not planning to let the smell of food waft through my reception room, are you?”

Adrian asked sharply, raising an eyebrow. Watching his deliberate display of irritation, I immediately denied it.

“No, not in the reception room, but…”

I had intended to eat in the reception room, so I couldn’t finish my sentence. Adrian, observing my hesitance, softened his tone slightly and suggested, “If you’re planning to eat outside, how about accompanying me?”

“Sure, let’s go together.”

I answered with a smile, not hesitating for a moment. Naturally, I reached for Adrian’s hand, but when he didn’t move, I turned to look at him, blinking.

Why?

As I blinked in confusion, Adrian raised the hand I was holding.

“What is this?”

“Ah, sorry.”

Since Adrian was next to me, I’d reached out unconsciously. Apologizing lightly, I released his hand. Adrian stared at his hand with a dissatisfied expression before stepping ahead and leaving the reception room.

The secretaries managing the visitors outside the reception room had relocated during the time I was using the space for making medicine. I closely followed Adrian’s steps as he walked through the empty halls.

It was my first time dining with Adrian. Seeing the child who had once been confined to the herb chamber now working in the imperial palace left me feeling sentimental. He had been so scrawny and pitiful back then.

Reflecting on the change, I eagerly matched Adrian’s pace.

The place Adrian led me to resembled a dining room, but like the reception room, it only had the bare minimum of furniture for meals. The food was already prepared.

Adrian took his seat first and gestured for me to sit opposite him.

“You can sit there.”

A meal was already set at the seat he indicated. Could he have prepared this in advance to eat with me?

If Adrian had planned to dine alone, only his portion should have been set.

“Did you prepare my portion in advance as well?”

Adrian didn’t answer and instead began eating. Watching his meticulous movements with the utensils, I quickly took my seat. There were no attendants to serve us during the meal.

“There’s no one here?”

“I dislike being disturbed while eating.”

Adrian responded curtly when I glanced around and asked. I nodded slightly in understanding but continued to observe my surroundings. The building Adrian used as his office truly felt devoid of any warmth.

I wanted to commend him for establishing himself well enough to have such a space, but the way he kept everyone at a distance and built walls around himself still felt unfortunate.

Dion had seemed to treat him kindly in his own way. Why couldn’t they get along?

Watching Adrian’s precise movements, I mused absentmindedly.

“Sir Adrian, why aren’t you close to Dion?”

“Is there a need to think about why we’re not close?”

“Dion’s kind. It seemed like he wanted to get along with you.”

I voiced my thoughts aloud, and Adrian replied with a cynical tone. His calm demeanor didn’t waver, but when I stopped eating to speak, he also set down his utensils.

“There was a time when that happened.”

“It didn’t seem like he meant any harm.”

“I know.”

“Then why?”

Adrian tapped his utensils on the table lightly, as if to draw my attention, and looked directly at me.

“I don’t like Sir Dion’s eyes.”

“…Pardon?”

Perplexed by his coldly logical complaint, I frowned. Dion’s eyes? What’s wrong with them? They’re beautiful.

Dion’s eyes were a jewel-like blue. Though similar to mine, their tone was entirely different, making it hard to see them as the same shade of blue.

Unless he disliked the color blue, there was no reason to dislike Dion’s eyes.

As I frowned in disbelief, Adrian stated decisively, “Everyone in his family has blue eyes. Sir Dion, his siblings, and his parents all do.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

I asked reluctantly, but Adrian simply shrugged and closed his mouth. Watching his refusal to elaborate, I muttered, recalling a past incident.

“Did you feel uncomfortable when we made eye contact…?”

At the final moment, I had made eye contact with Adrian, and I remembered seeing a system window indicating he’d obtained information about my eyes.

“Saintess, did you say we made eye contact just now?”

Adrian reacted sensitively to my muttered words. His gaze demanded an answer, but I offered him a vague smile.

It wasn’t the right time to share the truth. The special event ‘Suspicion’ was still in progress, and the disappointment level was at 20%.

I had read that entering Adrian’s route might not be possible if disappointment reached critical levels.

“No, not at all. More importantly, Sir Adrian, could you check this for me?”

Shifting the topic, I pulled out a sheet of paper from my pocket with notes on the healing potion’s composition ratios. While it wasn’t complete, it was enough to divert Adrian’s attention.

Although Adrian frowned at my obvious attempt to change the subject, he didn’t ignore the paper I handed him.

“Give it here.”