Trapped in a Game That Flopped

Chapter 44

Episode 44

Me: Forget that! Why is the sealed monster quest popping up now?

Isn't this a bug?

Me: Agh, shit! Nothing ever goes right, this buggy piece-of-shit game!

Shit, fuck!

I finally gave up asking politely and hammered out an angry chat message.

But the answer I got back was a masterpiece.

GM Jinu: Nim, that's not a bug.

It's supposed to pop up now.

Me: What did you say? Who do you take me for, a pushover?

Me: You think I don't know it's supposed to unlock after level 100?

GM Ari: Unfortunately, what Jinu-nim said is true, Shari-nim.

GM Ari: Actually, in the very first version, it was a quest that appeared now, but due to the difficulty, we were flooded with user complaints, so it was nerfed during the third version upgrade.

GM Ari: It was a secret we've hidden all this time... ㅠ

"Ha..."

At this unexpected corporate secret, I stared blankly at the chat window.

Version three. That was from an age so long ago I couldn't possibly know about it.

But secret or not, a bug was a bug.

Me: Then why is it like this?

If the patch was released, then this is a bug.

Me: Why is it suddenly doing this while I'm playing!

I could somehow pass off drawing the resistance route in the "Stop the Disaster" quest as bad luck.

But the unexpected sealed monster quest crossed the line.

The level was one thing, but this was originally a quest that could only be cleared by the main characters, including the Male Lead, forming a party and fighting together.

It's not like I have three or four bodies. How am I supposed to stop all of that at the same time?

GM Sera: My hoobae.

GM Sera: The monster's thought-forms that you killed have recognized you as a strong hero, one who wouldn't be out of place in battle, and it seems the patch was automatically removed.

I was already going crazy, but every single thing the developer bastards said in reply drove me into an even deeper rage.

Me: Shit, how does that make sense?! Just admit it's a bug!

GM Sera: Just as the Lord of Nightmares recognized you as a hero for throwing that healing potion bottle, this world is organically affected by even the smallest actions.

That is why the miracle of it becoming a single universe...

Me: Stop, stop! Three-line summary!!

I didn't leave Kassel's side just to listen to some otaku's explanation of the game.

As I shuddered and cut him off, Jinu thankfully summarized it quickly.

GM Jinu: It means the nerf patch was removed 'cuz your level is high.

Of course, just because he summarized it quickly didn't mean I found the content convincing.

However, I couldn't just stay angry, so I first checked if the sealed monster quest was occurring.

Me: ...So how much of the seal is undone?

GM Ari: We're at the stage where the quest will start the moment you pull out the greatsword, Shari-nim. hehe

Me: That means it's completely undone.

GM Ari: ㅠ

"Ha... what a total clusterfuck."

I wholeheartedly agreed with Kassel's earlier mutter, and was glaring at the chat window with despair.

GM Ari: But don't worry too much, Shari-nim! We also judged the difficulty to be too high, so we all worked overtime and held an emergency meeting.

GM Ari: Please don't forget that we, the production team, are always doing our best to help you, Shari-nim!

Me: Then can I log out now?

GM Ari: (Typing...)

Reading Ari's continuous chats, I felt a little hopeful.

Right. If I could just log out, who cares about the sealed quest or the disaster.

I could just quit the game and leave.

But God, no, the developer bastards, were never on my side.

GM Ari: Unfortunately, that's still... ㅠ

GM Ari: Instead, we've made adjustments so that if the disaster occurs, it will end a little sooner than planned!

GM Sera: That is correct, my hoobae. We have partially merged the sealed monster quest and the stop the disaster quest, and changed the system so that if you catch the monster, the disaster will also end.

Me: That just means I have to do both!

"This is fucking driving me crazy!"

I was so pissed off that I whipped off my hood without thinking.

I roughly swept back my bangs, and the soft texture of my hair, which I hadn't felt in a long time, slipped through my fingers.

But I had no time to admire it.

So, the "difficulty adjustment" they were talking about ultimately meant I had to do the crazy task of catching the monster and stopping the disaster at the same time, one way or another.

GM Jinu: s'fine. It's easy if you just endure like you are now with the insomnia potions.

'Damn it. How does "enduring" with a five-minute duration make sense?'

Honestly, I was lucky I had prepared for the resistance route and made a thousand of them.

For normal users, who could barely craft a hundred, it was an impossible ask.

And if the duration shortens even more because of the resistance, I'll be screwed.

Me: ...Enough, stop saying things that piss me off.

I'll take care of it myself, so butt out.

Jinu's last bit of nonsense, like a counter-punch, drained me of any energy I had left to be angry.

I had asked everything I needed to, anyway. All that was left was to pray.

Just as I was about to close the chat window without a second thought.

GM Jinu has paid one S-Grade Mana Amplification Potion as a reward.

GM Jinu has paid one S-Grade Health Potion as a reward.

Suddenly, system windows popped up in succession, and two potions were paid out, thwip, as if tossing alms to a beggar.

GM Jinu: This should be enough to do it alone, right? If you can't, you're just bad at games. 'mit it?

Me: Just let me not do it at all!!!!

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

As promised with the Head Maid, I returned to the Tower before an hour had passed.

Trudge, trudge. As I climbed the stairs with heavy steps, I frantically racked my brain.

In this situation, what was the most beneficial and advantageous path for me?

'The disaster, the sealed monster. First, I absolutely have to avoid the shit-show of both of them happening at the same time.'

They gave me some pretty good potions as a "reward," but only veteran users could clear it easily with just those.

Of course, as an operator, I also knew the strategy for the sealed monster quest well.

But the problem was, I had never once caught the monster using that strategy myself.

If, in the middle of that, Kassel falls asleep and the disaster begins, and a horde of monsters swarms in, I'd panic and it would be "Game Over" in an instant.

'Me, "bad at games"...!'

It hurt my pride, but I had to admit it.

When it came to this piece-of-shit game, I was "bad at games."

The only thing I could hope for right now was that the insomnia potion's duration wouldn't shorten any further.

Fortunately, I had a very generous supply of potions, so I wasn't worried about that.

Safely endure the day, finish the "Stop the Disaster" quest, and later, while Kassel is gone to the Imperial Palace with Adam, invade the empty estate and take down the sealed monster alone.

That was the best route for me right now.

'A five-man-party raid monster, and that's the best route. You for real?'

I held back a tear and calmed my despairing heart.

Lost in these thoughts, I had already reached the top of the Tower.

"I'm back, Shari."

"You've returned!"

As I hurried into the prison, the Head Maid shot up and greeted me with an overwhelmingly happy face.

It seemed she had stayed glued to the door, just as I'd asked.

"Was everything okay?"

"Yes. I confirmed he drank the potion every five minutes, just as you said. But..."

Following her gaze as she trailed off and glanced behind her, I checked on Kassel.

I saw him properly wearing the cloak the Head Maid had brought.

He'd only put on one good piece of clothing, but for some reason, he now exuded an air of dignity and nobility I hadn't felt before.

'He really is the Male Lead, after all.'

I was pouting, thinking he was fussy when I gave him clothes, but this one must have been to his liking.

Just then, the basket in front of him caught my eye.

The soup, various breads, and roasted meat in the bowl were cold and untouched.

It looked like he'd barely touched it.

'He probably didn't eat on purpose, in case he got sleepy...'

I met the Head Maid's eyes again and nodded, as if to say it was fine.

She, who had been looking anxious, as if she'd been given a separate order from the Count to make sure he ate, finally relaxed.

"Did you eat well?"

"...Ah."

Her question reminded me that I had left under the pretext of eating.

Of course, I hadn't even seen the food she'd prepared, as I'd been busy with my furious chatting.

"Yes, well..."

I mumbled, giving an awkward smile.

"It's late, so you should head back, Head Maid."

When I quickly changed the subject, she nodded back and prepared to leave, picking up the basket of untouched food.

"Yes, I'll be going now. If you need anything, come to the estate and ask anytime, Shari."

"Yes. Goodbye."

After politely seeing off the Head Maid as she descended the Tower, the prison suddenly felt chilly.

We weren't exactly on friendly, conversational terms, so I plopped down in my usual spot (by the door), where the Head Maid had been sitting until just a moment ago.

I glanced at Kassel to check on him, but he didn't even look at me, calmly picking up an insomnia potion and drinking it.

'Thank goodness, it doesn't seem to have shortened from five minutes.'

It felt like the duration had shrunk every time I left, so I was greatly relieved that it hadn't shortened this time.

'Please, just let it stay like this.'

I prayed desperately to whatever being, God or crazy developer, was out there.

And so, the final night before the end of the "Stop the Disaster" quest began to pass.

As the dawn deepened, Kassel seemed to be keeping to the five-minute interval and drinking his potions.

For the first few hours, I watched him intently, my senses on high alert in a frozen posture, but I gradually relaxed.

It seemed this night, too, would pass safely, just like the last.

About 18 hours remaining until the end of the disaster quest.

The change in Kassel, who had been robotically and consistently picking up a potion bottle, opening the cap, and drinking, came just as the bluish twilight began to spread across the dawn sky.

'Isn't he... drinking them too often?'

At some point, the interval at which he picked up the potion became strangely faster.

But it was only a one or two-minute shorter gap, hardly enough to say the duration had shrunk, and sometimes he still kept to the five-minute mark, so I couldn't be sure.

I was debating whether or not I should tell Kassel.

Suddenly, he grabbed about six potions at once and, before I had time to react, chugged them all down in a row.

"W-wait! You can't do that...!"

Flinching as if the taste was awful, he threw the potion bottles down haphazardly.

My eyes went wide at his sudden, bizarre action, and I stammered, rushing to stop him.

"You can't do that! Drinking more doesn't make it work better, and if you overdo it, you could get potion addic..."

But I couldn't finish my sentence.

Clang!

Kassel, who had been sitting lazily with his upper body leaning against the wall, suddenly lifted his cuffed wrists high and...

Thwack! Thwack, thwack!

He slammed them against his own head with all his might.

At his bizarre, split-second action, I just froze, my jaw dropping.

He'd only hit himself a few times, but one side of his forehead split open, and streams of blood began to flow.

My vision blurred at the sight of bright red blood splattering over his pale face.

"Wh-what... are you doing?"

My senses finally returned, and I shot up and ran to him.

"Stop it! You're bleeding!"

And I barely managed to grab his arm as he tried to strike his head again.

Kassel, who had been staring blankly into the air, slowly lifted his gaze to meet mine.

"Hey, Apothecary."

"Why are you suddenly doing...?"

"It seems you'd better go get that sword."

My breath caught at his next words.

"The potion stopped working an hour ago."