Trapped in a Game That Flopped

Chapter 43

Episode 43

There was no one who would visit this remote prison at this hour, past midnight.

But perhaps because I'd been dragged away by knights once before, both Kassel and I stared at the door with a strange tension in our eyes.

"...Who is it?"

I asked cautiously, trying to guess who from the estate might come here.

"It is I, the Head Maid."

But the tension immediately dissipated at the reply.

'Right. I asked for an outer garment.'

Remembering the request I'd made to Adam earlier, I shot up and opened the door.

Madam Lena, standing in the darkness, had a slightly nervous expression.

"You brought the outer garment, right? You can just give it to me."

The clothing she handed me was of much better quality than what I had brought Kassel earlier.

It was a sleeveless, black, fur-lined cloak, as if in consideration of the prisoner's state with both wrists bound in chains.

As I was muttering "Thank goodness" to myself and hugging it tightly, the Head Maid held out her other hand to me.

"This, too."

In her hand was a rather large basket I hadn't seen in the dark.

"What is that?"

"I brought some food."

"Food?"

I was a little surprised, since I had only requested an outer garment.

Then I realized that my words had had some effect on Adam.

'Right. Get your act together and treat him well from now on.'

He must have been pretty scared by the "Crown Prince's reinstatement" talk, enough to stop the poor treatment and send the Head Maid herself.

"Thank you for bringing it."

The more their relationship improved, the better it was for me, so I readily tried to accept the basket.

But before my hand could touch the handle, the Head Maid pulled the basket back.

When I looked at her with curious eyes, she smiled gently and said.

"You've been through so much, you didn't even get to eat dinner. I've had a meal prepared in your room, so go and eat."

"Ah..."

I let out a stupid sound at her unexpected words.

Of course, it was true I was a benefactor to the Count's estate, including her.

But thinking of Adam from just a moment ago, who had unhesitatingly criticized me as "money-crazy," I hadn't expected this level of consideration.

"But it's an emergency situation, so I'm a little hesitant to leave..."

"I will watch in your place while you go and eat. The Count ordered it as well."

With her insisting this much, it wasn't right to refuse.

Besides, I also had a ton of things to check with the developer bastards and needed some time alone.

"Then, please. I've prepared all the potions, so you just need to watch him drink one every five minutes."

As I said that, I glanced back over my shoulder.

Whether it was because she was afraid of the vicious prisoner, the Head Maid, who had followed my gaze, suddenly widened her eyes.

It seemed to be because of the potions stacked like a mountain in neat rows at the prisoner's feet.

It was an emergency, as I didn't know when the duration would shorten again, but even I had to admit it was a ridiculously large pile, like something mass-produced in a factory.

"I'll just go tell him I'm stepping out for a moment..."

I smiled sheepishly and quickly turned back, approaching Kassel.

"I'm going to eat. I'll be back soon, so make sure you keep taking your potions."

"..."

"This is a cloak. You should put it on."

I held out the garment, but he didn't seem to have any intention of taking it, just staring at it with wary eyes.

This wasn't the first or second time, so I ignored it and just placed the garment at his feet.

'He'll be wearing it when I get back, anyway.'

I was grumbling about how fussy he was, just as I was straightening up.

"Starving until dinner... what trouble did you go through?"

He must have been eavesdropping on my conversation with the Head Maid, as he didn't miss the chance to question me.

'That damn assassin suspicion, he still hasn't dropped it?'

I wanted to recite my incredible achievements and obliterate his ridiculous suspicions, but I was just a lowly apothecary NPC.

In the end, I had no choice but to sigh briefly and give him a summary.

"I cleared my name... and, while I was at it, I also cured the Count's sister."

"The likes of you cured that illness?"

He must have known about Serina's illness, because he looked surprised.

"I'm a very capable apothecary, so something like that is nothing."

I added boastfully, but he scanned me with a displeased look, as if he didn't quite believe it.

I was a little annoyed by that, but I had a lot to do, so I made a small request.

"Anyway. The Count heard your situation and brought an outer garment and food as a sign of goodwill. So please, just be patient while I'm gone eating."

Even as I said it, I was worried sick that he might kill the Head Maid just because he didn't like her.

From the Butler's death, I'd seen that the members of the Count's estate were more tightly knit than I thought.

Adam had only just now opened his heart because of the "possibility of the Crown Prince's reinstatement" that I'd reminded him of.

But if Kassel caused trouble here, the relationship between the two would be irredeemably shattered.

That would mean all my hard-earned credit and all the trouble I'd gone through would instantly turn to nothing.

I shuddered at the terrible thought.

'Should I just tell the Head Maid to leave?'

As I was staring at Kassel with a serious expression.

He suddenly scowled and threatened me.

"You said you were going to stuff your face, so why are you still standing there? Get those gloomy eyes out of here and get lost."

"...You can't choke or threaten the Head Maid to interrogate her like you did to me."

"What?"

"The Head Maid is an innocent person who knows nothing. So do not, under any circumstances, treat her the way you treat me. Got it?!"

As I warned him several times out of anxiety, a system window suddenly popped up.

The Lord of Nightmares is displeased by your words and actions.

"Now you're openly treating me like a blood-crazed murderer."

Along with that, he muttered, glaring at me as if he would eat me alive.

But I was actually relieved by the system window.

'I've provoked him this much, so he won't do it, if only for his pride.'

Feeling lighter than a moment ago, I was just about to walk back toward the door where the Head Maid was.

"Hey."

He suddenly called me.

I was getting sick and tired of how these crazy game characters never just said what they needed to say all at once.

I sighed and glanced back.

"...Did you request my treatment be improved?"

He hesitated for a moment, then asked with narrowed eyes.

This sudden situation, where he not only received a decent outer garment but was also visited by the Head Maid, must have seemed quite strange.

"Who knows."

I answered vaguely on purpose.

"I did plead my case about a few things to clear my name of beating up the employees..."

"..."

"But I didn't specifically step up and request anything."

With that, I turned my back sharply and walked away, as if to express I had no intention of talking further.

It was true that I had requested an outer garment for Kassel to wear and had hinted to Adam that the food was terrible and should be improved.

But the reason I didn't tell Kassel was because I knew how much pride he had.

"...A prisoner's lot is the same everywhere, I suppose."

"Toying with food is nothing compared to torture."

He was the type to silently accept his situation, without killing the knights who tormented him or reporting it to the Count, even in the face of unfair treatment.

If he found out that a commoner girl he despised had stepped in and exposed his unjust treatment, he would definitely be furious.

A proud royal is sensitive to pity and ashamed by a commoner's help.

'Good grief... what a handful, even when you're trying to help him.'

It was absurd that the developer bastards' words could be helpful in this way.

"After you place it at his feet, please stay as close to the door as possible. I'll be back within an hour."

As I left the prison, I whispered the request to the tense Head Maid.

The Head Maid, who had flinched, soon nodded with a determined expression, like someone who had taken on an enormous mission.

"I will do my best, somehow."

It was a far too solemn vow for someone who would be relieved in less than an hour.

But thanks to her, I could escape from the goddamn Male Lead, at least for a little while.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

I returned straight from the Tower to my room in the estate, and the moment I closed the door, I opened the chat window.

Me: Is this difficulty level insane, Producer?

It was the most polite question I could manage.

I was dying to start swearing the moment I opened it, but I had too many questions, so I struggled to hold it in.

Besides, this was the first time I'd opened the chat in the middle of the night, so I didn't expect an immediate reply.

Even if they were monitoring in real-time, those bastards had work to do.

But.

GM Ari: (Typing...)

I was dumbfounded by the sharp, immediate typing signal.

Starting with Ari, the usual, obvious chats popped up in a stream.

GM Ari: Shari-nim! You were so amazing earlier!

GM Ari: It was so thrilling when you caught the leader...!

GM Ari: From today on, I'd be grateful if you'd call me Shari-nim's Fan #1 Ari!

GM Sera: You chanted the activation phrase splendidly, my hoobae.

GM Sera: I shall acknowledge you as my true successor from this day forth.

GM Jinu: yo thanks to us you didn't die by the Male Lead's hand, right?

"Ha."

I let out a dry laugh, dumbfounded by the still-ongoing real-time chat.

Me: Don't you guys work?

GM Jinu: Are you crazy? Doing something else when this epic show is on? That's loser behavior, right?

GM Ari: I even have popcorn ready.

I really underestimated them.

That these crazy bastards were super-otakus, far more obsessed with this game than I could have ever imagined...

GM Sera: Is this the site of ※A GAME FIRST!

GM Sera: ※Sealed Arch-monster to be Defeated in the First Scenario!

GM Sera: ? I am making a holy pilgrimage in advance.

'Then why am I the one trapped here, and not these guys...!'

I screamed silently as I read Sera's even more flamboyant final chat.