Trapped in a Game That Flopped

Chapter 145

Episode 145

I felt a presence, as if Kassel had come much closer.

'What do I do? Should I use a teleport scroll?'

But I remembered that in the Imperial Palace, you can't use magic tools in places that aren't dungeons.

'Damn it!'

A situation where if Kassel decided to search Elaine's pocket, I would be caught just like that.

"I, I was talking with these!"

It was then. Elaine, who had been hesitating, suddenly shouted.

For a moment, I thought that bastard had opened his pocket and sold me out just to save himself, and my eyes squeezed shut.

"...With these?"

Finally, at Kassel's flat voice, which came after a moment of silence, I slowly opened my closed eyes.

Fortunately, the pocket was still dark, its entrance tightly closed.

It seemed Elaine wasn't as much of a trash bastard as I thought.

I don't know what on earth Elaine had held out instead of me, but a 'Ha,' and continuous huffs of air burst out of Kassel.

"It sounded like you were spouting something about a wild boar."

"...They are friends who shared joys and sorrows with me while fighting the wild boar monster."

"These... onion slices?"

"Yes. When I vent to them, my mind and body find peace."

At Elaine's bold reply, I finally let out a sigh of relief.

Elaine used to put onion slices in the gaps of his sleeves to make it easier to turn invisible in a hurry.

But to think it would be used like this.

"Ha."

Kassel, who let out a dry laugh as if dumbfounded, soon muttered lowly.

"You're not in your right mind."

"I hear that quite often."

Silence fell after my party member's embarrassing-no-matter-where-you-put-him answer.

I earnestly prayed to the game system that that bastard would just screw off.

Elaine probably felt the same.

But at Kassel's voice that followed, I had to feel my heart clench again.

"...You brought a healer."

Because that bastard mentioned me.

"How about getting your head treated too."

"My healer specializes in bruises. And these friends are the method that healer told me about."

I told him to find another way, I never told him to squeeze juice out of onion slices...

In any case, fortunately, Elaine responded smoothly.

But for some reason, Kassel didn't stop mentioning me.

"I checked the tent, and they're not there now. No, I don't think I've almost ever seen your healer wandering around the Imperial Palace."

"That's because they went out to get necessary things or herbs for me, and only moved at night..."

Elaine, who was naturally spouting the lines I told him to say if anyone asked if it was weird, suddenly flinched and asked back.

"Don't tell me, are you monitoring me right now?"

"As if you're the only one I'm monitoring."

A reply came back, confidently admitting it with a snort.

Then again, he was probably monitoring all the tournament participants.

'Right. Right now, he's probably busier receiving reports about the heroes and the new Pope than some mere apothecary.'

The pretty, silver-haired face I had forgotten came to mind.

Of course, since he's a bastard with sharp, beast-like senses, he might be inwardly suspicious about the identity of the healer Elaine brought, i.e., me, but there was no concrete evidence.

That was enough.

If I just finish this quickly and bolt, everything will be perfect.

'But. Every time I say this, haven't I been caught by that Crown Prince bastard? No, don't say ominous things!'

I tried to shake off the feeling of unease I'd had ever since running into Adam earlier.

And I resolved to be more careful while in the Imperial Palace.

It was then, thud.

The sound of heavy footsteps approaching even closer in front of Elaine was heard.

"You'll be extremely busy for a while because of the newly changed rules."

What he spouted in the banquet hall wasn't a joke.

As if he was stubbornly going to change the rules for ranking aggregation, that bastard spoke mockingly.

Elaine retorted quite sharply.

"Don't you worry."

"Be careful of the Emperor."

Immediately after tossing out those words, which were like a warning, that Kassel-bastard brushed past Elaine.

Thud, thud.

At the sound of him walking away, Elaine muttered in a voice full of displeasure.

"...What's with that bastard?"

That's what I wanted to say.

'He couldn't have waited all this time just to say that.'

The Emperor, the Crown Prince.

They both felt like equally incomprehensible bastards to me.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

As soon as he returned to the tent, Elaine flopped down on the sleeping bag prepared on one side.

"Noona, I need to take a quick nap. I think I have indigestion from eating while being so on edge."

"Take medicine and sleep!"

I shouted, throwing the Mid-grade Digestion Promotion Potion in my pocket.

"Hehe, you're eccentric and kind, anyway."

[Elaine Griselda slightly suspects you might have handed him poison, at your kindness.]

[Elaine Griselda feels a glimmer of favorability toward you.]

'Poison?! That bastard complains even when I give him something.'

That bastard, who managed to catch the potion, laughed like an idiot.

It was pathetic that he was the type to sleep off indigestion, but since it was true he suffered between the Emperor and the Crown Prince today, I didn't say any more.

Rather, I needed time alone, so it was a good thing for me.

I confirmed Elaine was breathing evenly and had fallen into a deep sleep, then immediately opened the chat window.

Me: The quest order, please!

Me: Are you really crazy, this game!!!!!

GM Ari: Did you already undo the miniaturization potion? It was cute. ㅠ

GM Sera: Hoobae, are you not in need of items these days?

The chat is really lukewarm.

GM Jinu: hy

As always, as soon as I typed, absurd replies came back.

This was not a time to leisurely exchange greetings, so I asked immediately.

Me: Enough, explain why the Imperial Palace quest is out already.

Me: FYI, excuses like 'the AI's will' or 'because of level' won't work.

This time, I could say it confidently.

Before leaving for the monster subjugation, the last main quest in the capital.

That is, about catching the monster inside the Imperial Palace dungeon.

Because the one who catches it is not the user, but the Male Lead, Kassel.

GM Jinu: yeah, neither.

Fortunately, a reply came back quickly from Jinu.

Me: Then what is it?

GM Jinu: Nothing.

Me: Kidding?

GM Jinu: nn, for real. It's proceeding as originally.

"What. Then the main quest hasn't started...?"

Seeing Jinu, who would have been messing around at any other time, say it was for real, it didn't seem like a lie.

But that didn't mean it was understandable.

Me: Then why is the Emperor calling Elaine separately at night.

GM Jinu: That is the original scenario.

"The original scenario...?"

I frowned and recalled the original Imperial Palace main quest.

The Imperial Palace quest was the last main quest in the capital, occurring right after all the tournament, black market, and temple quests were finished.

Of course, my order was all jumbled.

In a normal game, quests are usually split in two directions.

Catching monsters and solving incidents like I've been doing, and just being nominally included for story progression.

The Imperial Palace quest was, rarely in this game... no, almost uniquely, in the latter category.

It might be the developer's considerate arrangement to let you rest for a moment before the upcoming monster subjugation.

In any case, the user who came to the Imperial Palace with the Male Lead's comrades right after finishing the temple quest didn't have much to do.

In the meantime, Kassel, unable to just watch his conflict with the Emperor worsen, personally disposes of the boss mob inside the dungeon, and the Imperial Palace quest ends.

Of course, the other comrades, including the user, don't just stand by with their hands folded.

They supported their new master body and soul, but it means Kassel got the decisive last hit.

'I didn't want to see that, so I tried to give Elaine some power with Cheondung...'

I'd recalled up to this point, but Jinu's words were still a mystery.

Me: What do you mean, original scenario!

No matter how I think about it, there's no part in the Imperial Palace quest where the Emperor calls Elaine.

GM Sera: Think carefully, hoobae.

About what happened to the participants assigned to the Imperial Palace dungeon in the original scenario.

"What happened to the participants assigned to the Imperial Palace dungeon in the original scenario...?"

How am I supposed to know that.

The only thing I knew was that the participant originally assigned wasn't Elaine.

But at that moment.

"...How can you call someone who is crazy about monsters, who disregards not only his child but also the lives of his people, an Emperor!"

I vaguely heard a rough voice rising from the depths of my memory.

I thought it was clearly a voice actor's voice, but maybe it's because I've been trapped in the game for so long.

"...Because of father's greed, six young heroes who could have greatly contributed to the monster subjugation for the empire died."

"Take those worthless pieces of gold with you to the afterlife and use them for your travel expenses."

Kassel's voice echoed vividly in my ears.

And the fate of the participants originally assigned to the Imperial Palace, whom I had never even cared about, also came to mind.

They all died.

When I watched other people's gameplay videos, it didn't show in detail how they died, so I couldn't know, but...

It wasn't hard to deduce.

The altar erected in front of the lake in the dungeon, the Emperor who met Elaine in front of it.

And the series of events, including being secretly summoned inside the dungeon at midnight tonight.

Me: Don't tell me... as food for the boss mob?!

Ding! Dong!

Not long after I typed in the chat, a loud bell sound suddenly rang out.

[GM Jinu has summoned you.]

It was the correct answer.