Trapped in a Game That Flopped

Chapter 95

Episode 95

Me: Enough, just hurry up and tell me!

Me: The temple quest starts after killing Ballakk and coming to the temple.

I remembered that part clearly.

According to the original game scenario, the heroes who will defeat the final boss are selected through the tournament.

The user, Adam, and Elaine, who are selected as heroes, become the Male Lead Kassel's faithful companions and first wipe out the Dark Society.

They divide the roles and defeat the Lv.200 Puppet Ballakk, but in the process, they get exposed to poison and curses.

Just like how I broke the cursed doll's black magic and received the health reduction penalty.

Because of that, the party has no choice but to head to the temple for curse and poison purification and healing.

And that's when the scenario of uncovering the temple's secret and rescuing the final companion begins in earnest.

So, it made no sense for mercenaries to be bringing new monsters to the old temple before the tournament even opened.

It was a vile deed planned and executed by the temple to keep the Crown Prince in check after his popularity surged from defeating Ballakk and crushing the Dark Society.

The temple uses dead monsters to fabricate an attack, just like they did during the 'Saintess's Procession'.

Namely, the Fake Disaster.

'Are they already trying to keep him in check because his fame surged after wiping out the Dark Society last time?'

If so, it was understandable.

As if to prove my thoughts, Ari's answer came back.

GM Ari: Yes, that's right. But because Kassel moved up the schedule, it seems the temple has also become impatient.

I couldn't hide my bewilderment at the reply.

No matter how much of a buggy, flopped game it is, how can the order of the scenario get mixed up?

Me: No, where does it say the pre-determined scenario order can just get switched around? I've never heard of a bug like that!

GM Ari: It is possible within the system. ㅠ Just like how you, Shari-nim, defeated the Giga-Centipede and Puppet Ballakk in advance.

Me: Did I do that because I wanted to? -_-

This was absurd.

It wasn't that I wanted to do it. What was I supposed to do when they were just unlocked and popped out on their own?

GM Sera: Hoobae. Try to think about it objectively. Right now, the temple is backed into a corner by the Crown Prince's reinstatement.

GM Sera: They can only survive when the world is in chaos. That's the only way people will endlessly seek the gods. It would be troublesome if the object of their faith shifted from the gods to the Crown Prince, wouldn't it?

GM Sera: So of course they'll try to slander him the moment the opportunity arises.

GM Ari: Slander, Sera-nim! Not everyone in the temple is like that. ㅠ

GM Sera: I'm just saying that's the situation. So inflexible.

GM Ari: Please don't be angry and take pity on the characters, Shari-nim.

"Who's taking pity on whom? I'm the most pitiful one here."

I muttered discontentedly, glaring at the chat window.

Then, as if to appease me, a system window suddenly popped up.

[GM Ari-nim has provided an S-Grade Area-of-Effect Artifact as compensation.]

[GM Ari-nim has provided an S-Grade Healing Potion as compensation.]

[GM Ari-nim has provided an S-Grade Mana Amplification Potion as compensation.]

[GM Ari-nim has provided a Hailey Village Teleport Scroll as compensation.]

GM Ari: I'll give you these, so please cheer up. ㅠ

GM Jinu: Oh, what's this? You're actually giving out good stuff.

I stared at the system window with slightly surprised eyes.

Just as Jinu said, they usually just tossed me one or two items like giving alms to a beggar, but this time, they gave me an excessive amount.

With this much, I could clear the quest with practically no effort.

Unlike a moment ago, when I was completely annoyed by the sudden scenario change, I had softened up considerably and asked right away.

Me: When does the first quest start?

GM Ari: Tonight.

I nodded and closed the chat window.

The sub-quest 'Stop the Fake Disaster', part of Uncovering the Temple's Vile Secret, which I had to do tonight, wasn't a very difficult task.

After going through the tournament and defeating the Lv.200 Puppet Ballakk, the party, led by the Male Lead, stays at the temple for a while to heal.

During this time, the Male Lead has several banquets with the Pope, and he goes to bed early every time.

It turns out, it's because every single dish he eats contains sleep potions.

In the dead of night, while he and his party members are asleep, a swarm of monsters suddenly attacks the Hailey estate.

It's the temple, causing another 'Fake Disaster' in the Hailey estate, the same one they used Nise to create during the Saintess's Procession.

Why the Hailey estate? It was obvious.

Because the Crown Prince, who had been a prisoner, was trapped there and returned safely without causing a disaster.

From the Grand Temple's perspective, the prophecy had to be fulfilled, or they would lose the people's trust.

However, the user, who has no idea the temple is pulling such a scheme during the night, is flustered by the system window that pops up as soon as morning breaks.

[Last night, the Hailey estate was attacked by a swarm of monsters due to a Fake Disaster.]

[Find the origin of the next Fake Disaster, stop it, and then make contact with the third companion.]

'The second one was Berun Village.'

The Fake Disaster occurs a total of three times.

The user can't do anything about the Fake Disaster in the Hailey estate, so they must realize the Saintess is not the main character and rescue Nise within the remaining two chances.

Using the Saintess's Procession quest, the fact that the Saintess has a twin she abuses, and the regions where the Fake Disasters occurred as hints.

'How the hell are you supposed to figure it out from hints like that......'

If you succeed in stopping the Fake Disaster, the path to the old temple is also unlocked.

But most users would be flustered and miss the hints.

It was hard to catch the hints while frantically doing the quest.

Besides, the Saintess's presence was too strong, and compared to her, Nise's presence was almost non-existent.

'Hah…… Why did they make the settings so difficult?'

I let out a deep sigh and swept my hair up.

I already knew from the forums that Nise was the main character, but I could fully understand why first-time users would struggle.

But just because I knew, it didn't mean I was in a better position.

Because there was one problem.

In the process of stopping the Fake Disaster and figuring out who the third main character was, Nise could die at any moment.

'Like a sunfish Female Lead……'

Nise died frequently for various reasons while the temple main quest was progressing.

He died from using too much power to revive monsters, and he died from being abused by the Pope.

Sometimes, he would even commit suicide out of guilt for not succeeding in the 'Fake Disaster'.

On top of that, the Saintess's Procession was just yesterday, meaning Nise had currently used up a considerable amount of power controlling the undead gargoyles.

"This is driving me crazy. Should I just have held onto him earlier and told him not to go?"

"N-Now we're accomplices."

"Th-Then I'll be going!"

I recalled the innocent Nise, who had suddenly kissed my hand and run off with a beet-red face.

It wasn't that I hadn't considered the option of forcibly holding him back.

But if I had, the mentally weak sunfish might have just died from the guilt he felt toward his younger sister.

'To keep him alive somehow, I have to meet Nise first.'

To do that, I first had to unlock the path to the old temple.

Fortunately, this time, in a very rare occurrence, the developers were being cooperative, so I thought I could take care of it easily.

'To think a day would come when I'd think this crazy game is easy......'

It was the first time I'd thought that since the quest to stop Kassel from sleeping with insomnia potions.

But I suddenly felt a chill and shuddered.

"Can't let my guard down."

So what happened then?

The Sealed Monster and the disaster, which I hadn't even been thinking about, were all unleashed, and it became a total hell party.

This crazy game had a habit of bashing me in the back of the head with a hammer when I least expected it, so I had to be cautious, and then some.

With a somewhat anxious heart, I waited for the call from the developers, signaling the start of the 'Fake Disaster' quest.

I wonder how much time had passed as I lay idly on the sofa, killing time.

Thud, thud, thud.

Suddenly, the faint sound of someone's footsteps echoed from outside the door.

'Are there other guests staying here?'

I thought nothing of it, but as the presence grew closer, I flinched.

'Come to think of it......'

It was about time for Kassel to return after finishing his meal with the Pope.

Thud.

At the same time as that thought, the approaching footsteps suddenly stopped right in front of my room.

'Gasp.'

For some reason, I held my breath without realizing it.

I moved rooms as instructed.

I hadn't done anything wrong, but I felt like the Male Lead bastard would burst open the door and start grilling me.

'To say I've done nothing wrong... I've racked up way too much bad karma......'

I swallowed my tears and watched the door, extremely tense.

A moment of silence. And then, thud. thud.

Thankfully, the footsteps echoed again.

Before long, Creeeak! Thud!

Perhaps because it was the room right next door, the sound of the door opening and closing was as vivid as if it were in my own room.

"Phew! What in the world is with the soundproofing here……"

I let out the breath I was holding and muttered, then abruptly shut my mouth.

I was afraid even this would be heard in the next room.

'While I'm in the temple, I'll stay quiet as a mouse, without doing anything to get on his nerves.'

Kassel told me to bring him potions every day, but I had no intention of doing so.

If I can avoid the bastard, I will, unconditionally.

This was the only method I'd come up with to break through the threat of my identity being exposed.

Just then.

Ding-dong!

[GM Ari has summoned you.]

Right on time, the call came from the developers.

I immediately opened the chat window, and Ari informed me the quest had started.

GM Ari: Shari-nim. The undead monsters have begun moving toward Hailey.

Me: Thx

I immediately got up and went to the window beyond the sofa.

The use of magic tools was restricted inside the temple, so I had to go outside to use a Teleport Scroll.

The temple sealed its entrances at six, so the window was the only way to get outside stealthily.

Creeeak.

As I carefully opened the window, the old hinges let out a rather loud, bloodcurdling shriek.

My heart sank. I hurriedly looked next door, but thankfully, the window to Kassel's room was firmly shut.

It was as loud as thunder to my ears, but objectively, it was a sound that could be mistaken for the wind, so it wasn't a major concern.

However.

'Why on earth are they so close together……!'

The window to Kassel's room and my room were much closer than I expected.

Besides, based on the layout I saw earlier, that window was also definitely behind his sofa.

'Please, let that bastard be in bed.'

I pleaded desperately, suppressing my presence with all my might.

Step.

As I barely climbed onto the windowsill, a fierce wind howled, 'Whooosh'.

No wonder the stairs at the entrance seemed endlessly high.

It seemed to be built on high ground; a dizzying cliff lay below the window.

There was a place to step, but the ledge was extremely narrow.

The thought of having to press myself flat against the wall and move along the entire length of that long corridor made my vision swim.

'Maybe it would be faster to just jump off the cliff and get forcibly summoned?'

It was a passing thought, but it was quite rational.

Dover Village and Hailey Village were very close, and I could use a Teleport Scroll.

But there was one concern about trying it right away: I might just get ejected because the map doesn't exist, like last time.

'I don't know. Let's just try it and see.'

There was no other way, so I carefully stepped outside the window.

I was going to fall anyway. It was a bit ridiculous how I was standing plastered to the wall, gripping the window frame tightly, my knees weak.

'But it's scary, what can I do?'

Looking down at the distant cliff where rough gusts of wind were swirling, dizziness and fear washed over me.

Before doing the deed, I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath.

'It's fine! It won't hurt even if I die……!'

Finally, just as I inwardly yelled that pep talk and threw myself off the cliff.

Snatch.

"Ugh!"

With the sudden sensation of my neck being choked, I couldn't fall, and just dangled, swinging in the air.

"You're insane."

From right above my head, the most sinister voice I wanted to hear least of all right now rang out.

"Uh……"

I barely managed to lift my head and look up. Inside the wide-open window, I saw a man reaching out, roughly gripping the back of my hood.

It was none other than.

"Now you've moved on from self-harm and developed a hobby for suicide?"

Kassel.