Trapped in a Game That Flopped

Chapter 148

Episode 148

A long, giant monster, like a snake, with two sharp horns sprouting from its head and its whole body densely covered in shimmering black scales.

The Chimera that burst out of the lake, at first glance, resembled a dragon.

But unlike its majestic and terrifying appearance, that bastard's state was a little funny.

'Huh? What's with the crown...?'

Hanging on one of the soaring horns was a golden crown that looked extremely old.

On the other horn, a necklace with a large red jewel dangled.

So, that bastard had the comical appearance of wearing a crown tilted on its head and a dangling necklace.

"Kkieeeeeeeek!"

It was then.

That bastard flicked its forked tongue and roared fiercely once more.

Charrrrrrruk!

Due to that movement, something heavy fell with a splatter near the lake, along with water droplets.

Shimmering here and there under the moonlight, it was none other than.

'...Gold coins?'

Is there some kind of treasure vault at the bottom of the lake?

Gold coins, which had been tightly wedged between the Chimera's dense scales, were raining down like, well, rain, due to that bastard's violent movements.

It was a sight I hadn't seen in other users' gameplay videos, so I stared at the scene, my eyes shining.

However, I wasn't the only one whose eyes were shining while looking at the gold coins.

"Ooh! Once again, you look down upon us, oh Abyss!"

Swoosh! Thud! Thump!

Things heavier than gold coins cut through the air and crashed to the ground.

The Emperor, who had been shouting towards the Chimera with a face filled with ecstasy, caught sight of the crown rolling at his feet and his eyes flashed.

"No, this is no time for this!"

Following that, he looked around, spotted Elaine sprawled carelessly nearby, and his expression changed.

"Here! I have brought the sacrifice! Take the sacrifice and bring us wealth, gold, instead!"

The Emperor pointed at Elaine, drawing the Chimera's attention.

At that, the monster's eyes, which had been snorting steam, slowly shifted in that direction.

The pupils, split horizontally like a reptile's and glowing bright yellow, were utterly terrifying.

'I wondered why he started worshipping the monster he'd been agonizing over eliminating.'

It wasn't simply that fear had morphed in the wrong direction.

I didn't know the exact reason, but it seemed the lake was filled with piles of treasures.

And it seemed those things were getting caught on the Chimera's body as it swept through the place.

The Emperor, who had seen it by chance, seemed to have been coveting it ever since, offering people as sacrifices, as food for the monster.

I felt a strange mix of feelings at the previously unknown backstory of the Imperial Palace quest.

I'd called it a 'flopped game,' but every time a new scenario opened, it was backed up by a somewhat plausible setting.

"Kkieeeeeek..."

The Chimera's head, having confirmed its prey, finally moved slowly toward the lakeside where the Emperor's group was.

Out of the water, that bastard was very slow.

That was very fortunate for me.

Since I was closer, it seemed I could easily outrun that bastard's speed even in my miniaturized state.

'Now!'

I quickly took out a miniaturization potion from my pocket and drank it.

Poof!

A moment later, I was running pitter-patter-patter toward Elaine, wearing a leaf that was rolling on the ground.

My initial plan to stun everyone and wreck the Chimera had completely changed, but there was no choice.

With that Kassel-bastard standing there, eyes wide open...

Now, having not only secretly participated in the tournament but also trespassed into the Imperial Palace, was not the time to leisurely hunt monsters.

I recalled how the stun skill I had blasted at Adam in the Siren dungeon earlier hadn't worked at all.

He's a bastard who readily gives such high-end equipment even to his lackey.

There was no telling how much gold plating he had applied to his own body.

'Dirty item-reliant bastards... Well, I can just come back and catch the monster later.'

I rationalized it to myself like that and glared at the green head that had come much closer.

'First, I grab that wild boar and run!'

It was actually lucky that the Chimera appeared now.

In a life-or-death situation, anyone would exert superhuman mental strength to escape.

Elaine's sudden teleportation while supposedly unconscious could be packaged like that.

As soon as I grabbed Elaine, I'd use a teleport scroll.

It was the moment I was smiling contentedly at the perfect plan I had just devised, and stretching out one hand with all my might toward the green hair.

"Load."

Suddenly, not far away, a man's heavy voice echoed low.

Between the dull clank of metal, I instinctively flinched.

The man continued to intone.

"Fire."

Bang! Pyuuuuuuuu...

I, who had glimpsed a black orb swiftly passing by my head, stopped moving and slightly moved aside the leaf covering my body.

It was to survey the situation, but by then it was already too late.

The fired cannonball struck the Chimera's head, which was standing rigidly on the water's surface, dead center.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

Following that, with a sound like the heavens and earth splitting apart, a fiery gale erupted.

Whoooooosh!

"Aaaack!"

I, who was floating softly on the gust of hot, heat-laden air, barely managed to reach out and tightly grip Elaine's hair, which was right in front of my nose.

Flutter!

Thanks to that, I lost the leaf covering my body, but this was no time to worry about such things.

"Save me...!"

Still flapping, my feet not touching the ground, I held on, relying solely on Elaine's hair.

It was incredibly difficult to endure such a gale without being swept away with a body the size of a thumb.

However, that crazy Kassel-bastard was not satisfied with just one attack.

Pyuuuuuu...

Bang! Kwaaaaang!

Three or four more cannonballs struck the Chimera in succession.

"Kkieeeeeeeek!"

That bastard, weak to fire, writhed its body wildly and roared.

The sight of that bastard thrashing its body against the water's surface here and there to put out the fire was reminiscent of an eel on a grill.

But I didn't have the luxury to leisurely entertain such thoughts.

"You crazy bathtard, stop iiiiiit!"

Because while other humans could just cover their ears and protect their eyes, I was down below, fighting a life-or-death battle.

Whoooooooooosh!

Flutter, flutter!

Like a fluttering cloth, my body flapped wildly in the raging gale.

"Uuht..."

Perhaps because I was holding onto the hair with all my might, that Elaine-bastard started to groan shallowly, as if feeling pain.

In this situation, I couldn't possibly take out the teleport scroll from my pocket and tear it.

"Wake up quickly, you wild boar bathtard!"

Thus, I shouted at the top of my lungs with a desperate heart.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

But it was immediately drowned out by the ensuing explosion.

There was no way Elaine, who hadn't woken up even at the ear-splitting explosions, would react to my tiny voice.

'Is the mission to rescue that Elaine-bastard a failure just like this...'

It was the moment I was thinking with blurry eyes that maybe it was better for just me alone to survive, since things had come to this.

Mercifully, there was a human who blocked that crazy Kassel-bastard's frenzied attack.

It was none other than the Emperor.

"Wh, what are you doing! Stop at once, stop!"

"Kkieeeeeeeek!"

The Emperor, seeing the Chimera roaring helplessly under the cannon attack, turned pale and tried to stop Kassel.

"Load."

However, that bastard ignored his father and emotionlessly recited the attack command.

At that, the Emperor, his face contorted, harangued the awkwardly standing Imperial Mages.

"Guards, what are you doing! Do something to stop him at once!"

"Yes? Yes, understood!"

The mages, who had been standing stupidly, began to hesitantly chant spells at those words.

Several of them raised the long wooden sticks they had been using to strike the water's surface.

I thought they were oars for parting the water, but it seems they were magic staves.

"Abra kadabraham..."

As those bastards chanted, several spheres emitting a faint white light began to form around Kassel and his subordinates behind him.

"...Di Hab!"

Around the time the mages finally finished their incantations.

The light, which had been growing larger, finally became the size of basketballs and were shot at Kassel all at once.

I, who was able momentarily plant my feet on the ground thanks to the Emperor and mages' efforts, held my breath for an instant at the attack directed at Kassel.

He didn't even pretend to dodge.

For some reason, the moment I witnessed that fact, my heart sank.

Even though I knew that such pitiful attacks couldn't kill this game's Male Lead...

"..."

As expected, even after several seconds had passed since the mages unleashed their attacks, nothing happened.

"Wh, what..."

"Di Hab!"

The mages chanted spells repeatedly in confusion, but the spheres of light vanished as soon as they touched the Crown Prince's armor.

The situation was the same for his subordinates.

"Fire."

Kassel simply recited the command calmly, as if he already knew that neither he nor his subordinates would be harmed in the slightest.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

Once again, the sound of the heavens and earth splitting apart shook the forest.

And a hot wind, accompanied by demonic flames, began to blow fiercely.

"Aaaaaaack! Fuck, you dirty item-reliant bathtard...!"

I knew he'd be decked out in broken items.

I once again gripped Elaine's hair tightly and deeply regretted not running away sooner, having worried about that bastard even for a moment.

Pyuuuuuu...

Bang, Kwang! Kwaaaaaang!

How many more attacks were poured onto the Chimera like that.

The relentless assault continued, to the point where I wondered if even a level 220 monster wouldn't have been turned into pulp by now.

Then, at some point.

"Fire."

Clunk.

Suddenly, the cannon, which had been firing shells without issue until now, stopped working, as if it had gotten caught on something.

"Uh, uh... Why is this..."

"Th, the cannon isn't working, my lord!"

The Crown Prince's subordinates, who had been diligently firing the cannon under orders, looked at their superior with panicked faces.

Around that time, I was almost out of my mind, so I didn't even realize my feet had touched the ground.

'I feel sick... Ugh.'

Thud, thud.

Through my reeling vision, a tall figure approaching with rough steps came into focus.

Even amidst that, afraid of being caught by that bastard, I squirmed and curled up amongst Elaine's hair.

"...Are you insane?"

Shing!

Kassel, emitting an unprecedentedly menacing aura, even drew the sword hanging at his waist.

"Heok!"

The Emperor flinched back at the direction of the sword tip pointed at him.

Kassel, seemingly having thrown away even the minimum courtesy toward him, spat out as if chewing his words.

"To damage a weapon while catching a dangerous and wicked monster attacking people in the Imperial Palace. You're not in your right mind."

I wondered why the cannon attack had stopped.

It seems that when their attacks didn't work on Kassel and his subordinates, the mages had finally messed with the cannon.

I glanced over to check on the Chimera.

That bastard was lying limp on the water's surface, bleeding blue blood.

But seeing it still twitching, it seemed to be alive.

As expected of a high-level monster, it wouldn't die so easily.

Meanwhile, the Emperor shouted, enraged.

"Insane! You're the insane one, Kassel Ludwig! How dare you point your sword at the Emperor!"

"What are you going to do now? It may be unconscious for a moment, but that thing recovers quickly and will wake up soon."

Kassel added, glaring fearsomely at the Emperor.

"You've thoroughly provoked it with the attacks, so it'll try to wreck the Imperial Palace; how are you going to take responsibility?"

"What do you mean, what to do! We just offer the sacrifice as planned!"

However, the Emperor lifted his chin stiffly, as if he had done absolutely nothing wrong.

"This is all your fault, so offer your subordinates additional sacrifices! Only then will the angered Shadow of the Magic Dragon calm down."

The Emperor said, pointing at the subordinates standing behind Kassel.

They were the ones who had been firing the cannon.

At that, their faces turned pale, and they all looked toward the Crown Prince.

"See, if you hadn't interfered unnecessarily, we could have ended this with minimal sacrifice!"

"..."

"If it were up to me, I'd offer you as a sacrifice... Be grateful for your father's generous measure! Aish, tsk!"

Kassel, who had been silently staring at the Emperor, who was grumbling continuously as if displeased, suddenly burst out laughing.

"...You really make even non-existent affection disappear."

"Wh, what did you say?!"

"Do you like gold that much?"

"What..."

"Then why don't you go inside and get it yourself."

"What kind of reckless talk is that! The stronger the empire, the more the accumulation of wealth helps its prosperity; how can someone who's become the Crown Prince truly not know...!"

"Yes, I don't know."

Kassel cut off the Emperor with a bored face.

"If you like gold coins that much, wouldn't it be fine for Your Majesty to sacrifice yourself and crawl down to the bottom of the lake."

His expression changed, and he began to stride toward the Emperor with a menacing face.