Strategy Guide for a Merry Bad Ending

Then, he lowered his head quietly, as if he had genuinely repented, but it seemed like acting. Nevertheless, that alone wouldn’t be enough for Dia’s forgiveness.

Ahotep had thrown Dia to the aroused tugens before and even tried to kill her in some way.

Even if it was a painless death compared to before, the sin was not light. How could she forgive him? He had already ruined her life several times.

If Ahotep were a player and Dia his target, surely a status window like this would have appeared by now.

‘Dia Meskenet wants to “ruin” the player’s “mind.” ‘

But Ahotep would have arrogantly believed that he could entrap her with just one big stick. However, that was a mistake.

“I was curious about the news anyway.”

Ahothep behaved tenderly towards Dia as if they hadn’t seen each other in a long time.

Dia glared at him with a cold expression. She hoped that at least her dislike for him would be conveyed, even though his lethal face wouldn’t reveal any flaws.

However, to her dismay, Ahothep approached Dia closely.

“I heard you brought back a combatant from the Idalrus Arena…”

As the distance between them narrowed, Dia had to raise her head to look at him. The difference in stature was significant enough to hurt her pride.

Dia preferred not to make eye contact and turned her head away.

At this change in attitude, Ahothep chuckled for a moment. Then he tilted his head down and examined Dia’s face.

“Are you sharing a room with that slave?”

At the sudden question, Dia couldn’t help but meet his arrogant gaze. Her neck tensed.

As if realizing her discomfort, Ahothep took a step back.

However, even his considerate gesture felt mocking to Dia, and she felt like he was ridiculing her.

“If my question was too personal, I apologize. I was only concerned about the dignity of the royal family.”

“Dignity?”

“I hope you didn’t even show it to Kuwas.”

Although his tone sounded quite formal and advisory, the meaning behind it was utterly impure.

Seeing Dia’s displeased expression, Ahothep lifted the corners of his mouth.

“Are you sleeping by his side?”

“You crazy bastard.”

Dia spat out a curse momentarily. Despite knowing that as a noble, she had no right to insult him, she couldn’t help it.

Wasn’t it Ahothep who had encouraged her to show herself to the ‘Kuwas’? Dia glared at Ahothep with irritation.

“You already knew I was going to the arena.”

Dia immediately pointed at Rohard.

The man who had been her only secretary and Ahothep’s minion now looked tense, with a dark expression, as he received Dia’s scolding.

“That man is your lackey.”

“…,”

“You tried to lure me to the arena to kill me…”

Dia’s breath was uneven as she spoke.

“You tried to kill me.”

She said it reluctantly, but Dia didn’t like the uncertainty in her tone. To be precise, he didn’t try to kill her; he did kill her.

She was murdered by Ahothep. Perhaps for the first time, including the terrible assassination attempt she had to endure at the Rannex Temple.

“Do you have any evidence?”

Ahothep narrowed his eyes and stared at Rohard. As he did, Rohard’s face turned pale. Fear took hold of him.

“Uh…”

Suddenly, Rohard began to tremble violently. His pupils dilated with just a glance from Ahothep. Dia, who was pointing at Rohard, furrowed her brows in confusion.

“You…”

Just as Dia was about to call out to Rohard, intending to comfort him, Rohard suddenly drew out a dagger he had been holding and rushed towards her.

“Oh, damn it.”

Dia, who never imagined that Rohard would try to kill her, simply closed her eyes. The incident happened so suddenly that she couldn’t react in time.

Dia expected sharp pain. It would be a death she had experienced many times. Yet, she felt annoyed.

Seconds passed as she waited. However, the direction the blade was aimed at was entirely different.

“Uh…”

Dia opened her eyes.

In front of her wasn’t the notification window signaling a bad ending, nor was it her pierced flesh or a pool of blood.

Instead, the sharp tip of the dagger was firmly embedded in Rohard’s forehead.

“Dia Meskenet.”

Ahothep whispered into Dia’s ear as he broke off the dagger lodged in his skull.

“Do you still think I tried to kill you?”

Dia tried to figure out the situation with a blank expression. Ahothep smiled innocently, as if to prove his innocence.

“This was solely Rohard’s doing.”

“…,”

“I had nothing to do with it.”

Ahothep embraced Dia’s waist with the hand that was stained with Rohard’s blood.

Again, the scent filled the air. It wasn’t just overpowering; it was intoxicating.

Ahothep’s palm was warm. It still retained the warmth of the man who had been alive just moments ago.

Disgusting bastard. Dia pushed Ahothep away and yelled.

“Let go, Ahothep.”

“Do you want to sleep with me again?”

Ahothep stared intently at Dia’s lips. He wanted to devour her. But kissing her now would only bring the nauseating smell of blood.

He somehow didn’t want that.

“Dia.”

Instead, Ahothep leaned down and placed his lips on Dia’s slightly opened ear. She trembled lightly.

“If that’s not the case, you’d better not oppose me.”

Ahothep nibbled gently on her earlobe, as if to prove his innocence. Soon, a strange moan escaped from Dia’s lips.

Ahothep chuckled softly. He wouldn’t attack her today. What he needed now wasn’t a woman’s body, but simply amusement.

Ahothep pushed Dia away from him and spoke formally.

“You may leave now.”

“Ah…”

Dia staggered back. Even though she tried to move her fingers to exert strength, her body trembled at the unexpected sight of death.

As Dia, frozen in place, backed away, Ahothep returned to his desk and sat down. As the distance between them increased, the air in the room cooled rapidly.

With a pen in hand, Ahothep spoke as the door closed.

“I won’t see you off.”

It meant that he had no intention of seeing her off. There was no energy left in Dia to argue, and she opened the door.

Before leaving, she glanced at Ahothep one last time, but he didn’t even spare her a glance.

He was too absorbed in his neglected duties to care about Dia.

Dia ignored her trembling legs and walked quickly to the main gate.

Compared to the darkness inside, the outside was bathed in scorching sunlight. When Dia, dizzy from the heat, tried to collapse, someone grabbed her body tightly.

“Dia Meskenet.”

It was Theos Hitarashis.

He grabbed Dia’s waist tightly and examined her side. But there was no visible wound, only bloodstains.

Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief and looked at Dia without words for a moment.

Tears welled up in Dia’s eyes. Theos, seeing Dia’s weakened face for the first time, was momentarily at a loss for words.

Theos didn’t know what to call this emotion he was experiencing for the first time. Only the status window noticed his change.

“Theos Hitarashis feels ‘sympathy.’ Obsession increases by 5.”

Theos pressed his lips together, unsure of what to say to Dia. This time, he didn’t force her.

“Please be careful.”

After the farewell, Dia passed Theos without a word. Theos sighed and watched her with his eyes. For

* * *

Ahotep glanced disapprovingly at his son, who had suddenly visited. Considering the timing, it was obvious that Theos and Dia would have encountered each other. That fact particularly bothered Ahotep.

“What’s the matter?”

“I came to discuss the announcement ceremony issue. But…”

Theos pointed to the body lying on the ground and asked, “Isn’t this Iza, Dia Meskenet’s secretary?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you kill her?”

Ahotep glanced at the corpse briefly before responding with an indifferent tone, “She’s just one person. Don’t make a fuss.”

Theos furrowed his eyebrows. It wasn’t just anyone; she was Dia Meskenet’s close aide.

Unaware that Rohad was Ahotep’s confidant, Theos doubted his father. Did he really intend to harm the woman in this situation?

Theos couldn’t take his eyes off the corpse for a while.

Seeing Theos’s expression, Ahotep asked with a mocking tone, “Why the grim face?”

“You see… I…”

“You look like you’re worried about that woman.”

Followed by bitter laughter. Ahotep felt an unfamiliar anger towards his son.

“Are you interested in her now?”

“Ha…”

Theos chuckled, running his hand over his face. It was clear to anyone that his father was overreacting.

Was he really concerned? About that woman?

Theos sarcastically retorted his father’s words, “And what about you?”

He knew that Ahotep had visited Dia’s mansion after the funeral ceremony.

In the late night, the spokesman of Panku personally visited the princess’s mansion. If someone found out, it would have caused a scandal.

There was no reason for Ahotep to visit that woman, risking such danger. Unless it was purely out of interest in her.

“Ridiculous.”

Ahotep sneered at Theos’s bold question. Was it because of her that he was losing his mind?

He sighed and stood up from his seat, then clenched his fist and struck his son’s abdomen.

“Argh!”

“Remember, Theos.”

Theos, who had been steadfastly holding his ground, suddenly collapsed to the floor.

“She’s just a tool.”

Ahotep laughed, kicking his son’s shoulder as he walked away.

There was no room for Theos to retaliate. Even if he had a chance, he wouldn’t be able to defy Ahotep.

There was no way to defeat someone at the center of power. Disappearing without a trace would be his fate.

Ahotep warned, lightly pressing his foot against Theos’s spine, “Don’t meddle in my affairs anymore.”

Spitting out the blood stuck in his mouth, Theos laughed bitterly. He had never been able to interfere in his father’s affairs, and he never would.

Interference? When had he ever been given such an opportunity? Theos’s lips twisted in bitterness.

As Ahotep walked back to his desk, leaving his son sprawled on the floor, Theos rose from his place and tidied up his clothes.

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Alright, now leave.”

Theos nodded respectfully and left the study.

Once the door was closed and he was a bit away from his father’s study, Theos pounded the wall and finally let out the curses he had been holding back.

If he had gained power away from his father’s influence, could he have fought back in that situation just now? Could he have resisted?

Could he have ruthlessly strangled that damn bastard?

Theos’s face gradually darkened like the shadow cast on the floor. The deep pit finally harbored anger.

* * *

Back at the mansion, Dia opened her diary to sort out her thoughts. She needed to record everything that had happened so far and analyze the situation.