Trapped in a Game That Flopped

Chapter 38

Episode 38

Naturally, Adam's expression hardened at my words.

"You..."

"Wait!"

I quickly cut him off before his suspicious words and some "Your identity is..." system window could pop up.

"You were just about to ask how a mere apothecary could possibly know that, weren't you?"

"..."

I must have hit the nail on the head, because he narrowed his eyes slightly.

I quickly used Kassel as a shield.

"As I've said repeatedly, everything I know is what the prisoner told me."

"..."

"I am merely a subordinate who was promised a reward later and am just doing as I'm told."

"This, too. Did he tell you to relay it to me directly?"

"Yes. When he said he seemed to have developed a resistance to the Insomnia Potion, he told me to find the right time and inform you, Count."

At this point, I decided to just accept the title of 'Lying Mouth' that the developer bastards had bestowed upon me.

Even I had to admit, lies were popping out automatically every time I opened my mouth.

But there was no other way.

I had to see the ending of this goddamn game safely, no matter what.

And I had to prepare for a hell-of-hells difficulty level that was unheard of even in communities full of hardcore veterans.

Adam Hailey is skeptical of your words.

As expected. He never lets anything slide, not even once.

"Has the prisoner ever dozed off?"

Adam asked coldly, his blue eyes flashing sharply.

"You speak as if you've seen what happens when he falls asleep."

Fortunately, I had an excuse for that accusation.

"He didn't fall asleep, but there was a situation at lunch today where he almost entered a state of light sleep."

"What? Why didn't you run and report it immediately?"

Adam demanded, his face contorted.

It was pretty scary seeing a guy who usually wore an indifferent, NPC-like expression actually get angry.

But it really wasn't my fault, so I answered calmly.

"He snapped out of it quickly, and... the Insomnia Potion's duration had shortened so much that I couldn't leave the prisoner's side."

Adam's gaze was icy, perhaps because he'd been completely unaware that the domain's safety had been threatened.

"...I failed to fulfill my responsibility. I apologize."

I felt wronged, but I apologized obediently.

This was to gain momentum for my next tattling.

Besides, it wasn't that I didn't understand how Adam must have felt, like he was going crazy.

He'd just barely managed to resolve the Darkness-Eating Centipede issue that had threatened Serina's life and made the estate's atmosphere tense, and was trying to catch his breath.

But he had to worry about the damn seal, and prepare for the goddamn disaster.

To make matters worse, hearing that the day of disaster might have almost been today must have made his head spin.

'Hey, you too? Yeah, me too!'

That's exactly how I felt earlier when I heard that 'Ruuuumble!' and saw those crazy bastard knights stabbing Kassel with a knife.

'I knew it, I should have beaten those bastards up more and banned them.'

One of them even met such a pointless death.

Just as I was licking my lips in regret.

Adam sighed and muttered to himself.

"...So that's why Bill Kendlick, that bastard, was raising such a fuss to have you captured and brought to the estate."

The reason the Adjutant made such a fuss about capturing me was probably because I was stirring up the whole estate, hunting down and killing the Darkness-Eating Centipedes that were trying to lay low.

I couldn't tell him the truth, so I just laughed awkwardly.

"He was spouting nonsense about knights being assaulted while naked..."

"Ah, that part is true."

Adam finally brought up the topic I'd been waiting for.

I generously used the momentum I gained from my apology just moments before.

"The two knights in charge of distributing meals were dumping the bowl over the prisoner's head and stabbing him with a dagger, treating him in a very inhumane manner."

"...What?"

"It seems he entered that light-sleep state because of it. I had no choice but to smash their heads with a brick to stop them."

"...A brick?"

After rattling that off, I quickly pointed behind Adam.

"He happens to be right over there! Unfortunately, one of them died from my potion that the Adjutant sprayed earlier."

"Heek!"

The Kassel-abuser, who had been standing next to his dead colleague not knowing what to do, flinched at my pointing.

"C-Count. Th-that's... that's not what happened..."

"I specifically ordered you to pay close attention to the prisoner's treatment... Ha, enough. Kalix!"

Adam stopped talking and gestured to the Knight Commander.

"Expel that man from the knight order and drag him away for interrogation immediately."

"By your command!"

"C-Count! E-expelled! Please listen to me! I really didn't mean to...!"

The man pleaded with Adam, his face pale, as he was dragged away by the knights.

Normally, one wouldn't be punished so harshly just for failing to look after a prisoner properly.

Adam's expression as he gave the order wasn't good either.

'Of course. Even if he's a prisoner stripped of his title, he's still the Crown Prince...'

It would be extremely awkward if word got out that the Hailey family had mistreated the Crown Prince.

Because of that, he quietly let the matter of me stripping them naked and tossing them out slide.

Thank goodness.

Adam turned back to me with a troubled expression.

"It was my mistake. I will take measures to ensure it doesn't happen again. You may add to your compensation, if you wish."

He was offering hush money.

"That's alright."

I wasn't someone to fuss over such pocket change, so I refused firmly and requested something else.

"Instead, please give me some outer clothing for the prisoner to wear."

"...Outer clothing?"

"Yes. The supplies I was accused of stealing were, frankly, just shabby pants fit for a servant, nothing decent."

With this, I also cleared my name of being a supply thief.

She was probably one of the hosts, that maid who gave me the pants.

If I find her, I won't let her off.

"Besides, I'm a respectable woman... It's embarrassing to keep looking at a naked man's body."

There it is again.

At my follow-up, Adam stared at me with a bizarre expression.

After a moment of silence, he finally gave his permission.

"...I will speak to Madam Lena and have it prepared."

"Thank you."

"Count! I have prepared what you ordered."

It was then.

The woman who had disappeared after receiving Adam's instructions reappeared.

'Yeah!'

In her hand was a heavy bundle that was unmistakably a money pouch.

Adam motioned with his chin, ordering her to give it to me.

Soon, the heavy bundle was in my hands.

'Finally, payment complete.'

Adam Hailey has paid 1,000,000 Coins as a reward.

Current Coins: 6,062,900 C

The system window popped up, but I untied the bundle and checked the pile of brilliant gold coins packed inside.

It only feels real when you see it.

'Awesome! I just made half of all the money I've made from ripping off users and selling potions, all at once!'

I grinned stupidly, looking at the new first digit.

'Maybe... I have an aptitude for playing games.'

Was it because the reward had softened my heart?

This X-like game started to feel almost playable.

"...Are you that happy?"

Adam, who was watching me celebrate, suddenly asked in a flat voice.

"A-hem. It's the price for high-intensity labor. How could I just be happy about it?"

"Your mouth is stretched from ear to ear."

At that, I frantically raised both hands to cover my mouth.

Then I belatedly realized that no one could see my face because of the hood.

'Wait, did I just get teased?'

But Adam's face was far too stoic for that.

"...I'm curious what kind of reward you were promised by the prisoner to make you act as such a faithful servant."

He asked with an attitude that still seemed to hold zero affection for me.

It was a natural question for the king of suspicion, Adam, to ask.

I had used Kassel as a front every single time I opened my mouth.

"No, before that. Do you think he is in any position to pay you a reward?"

His cool blue eyes took on a meaningful glint, as if sounding me out.

Since I'd already blabbed about the start of the disaster, it was absurd to pretend I didn't know Kassel's true identity now.

To Adam, this was an interrogation, but to me, it was an opportunity to get what I wanted without doing the work.

Wiping the smile from my face, I asked him back in a rather serious voice.

"What do you think, Count?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you believe the prisoner is capable of paying me a reward?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

Adam retorted bluntly at what sounded like wordplay.

I answered immediately.

"I believe it depends on you, Count."

"What..."

"If the disaster never arrives, or even if the worst-case scenario happens and the disaster does arrive..."

"..."

"...if you fight until the end and stop it, won't it become impossible to call the prisoner a prisoner any longer?"

Adam's mouth snapped shut at my words.

Seeing his expression harden, it seemed he hadn't been entirely without such thoughts either.

That must be why he gave orders to pay moderate attention to Kassel's treatment, even though he's a prisoner.

"I also have something I'm curious about."

"...What is it?"

"Earlier, you said the prisoner came to be detained here by order of His Majesty the Emperor."

I was referring to when Adam was lamenting his powerlessness to the employees.

"There are things that I cannot stop, no matter how hard I try, Frank."

"Like His Majesty the Emperor's order to detain the prisoner in our domain, and like the Tower's seal gradually coming undone."

Adam's complexion soured, as if recalling that moment.

"...But."

I met his gaze, which was pressing for me to continue, and intoned.

"In that case, if the prisoner ceases to be a prisoner, what happens to the Hailey family, which failed to serve him properly?"

In short, it meant: when Kassel is restored as the Crown Prince, how will you take responsibility for the atrocities you've committed?

Adam Hailey feels clear anger at your words and actions.

Naturally, Adam's expression turned murderous.