“Ha…”
Cassel was looking at me, but I couldn’t hold back my sigh.
The game was progressing differently from what I knew, but in any case, it seemed to follow the intended storyline.
‘At least it’s giving me time to prepare.’
Just when I was feeling relieved, I had the thought that the potion might suddenly stop working, as if hitting me in the back of the head. It made me feel like I was going crazy.
Of course, I had already prepared a massive amount of potions, even considering this worst-case scenario.
‘There’s approximately 36 hours left. He’ll drink six awakening potions per hour, so I’ll need 216 potions to feed him.’
I still had over 900 potions, so it didn’t matter much.
However, I couldn’t ignore the possibility that excessive potion consumption could harm Cassel’s body or even lead to addiction.
Potion addiction would make proper thinking impossible, and it caused gradual necrosis starting from the extremities of the body.
‘…Should I start making antidotes now?’
I pondered briefly while glancing at Cassel.
To make antidotes, I would have to go outside Hailey’s territory.
The creatures needed for the ingredients were in some dark forest far away.
Hunting and crafting were not a problem, but I couldn’t be sure about the time.
‘Ugh, but I’m already so busy until midnight tonight.’
After a moment of consideration, I decided to postpone making the antidote.
Anyway, if we successfully averted the disaster, Cassel’s curse would remain dormant for a while.
And then he’ll lead Count Adam’s knights to the capital, take down those who betrayed him, and reclaim his position.
Since the impending disaster had not yet occurred, there was no reason to restrain him.
‘It’s all my hard work, and I’m handing the credit over to you.’
Originally, it was the player’s task to persuade Adam to help Cassel…
‘Well, I don’t care about the process as long as the outcome is good.’
Returning to the main point, even if Cassel does become addicted to the potion, he would still be able to receive treatment from the imperial palace’s apothecary, who would be far more skilled than an apothecary from a small village.
Of course, the part of ‘far more skilled’ was entirely something Cassel could say.
‘That’s because this world’s top-ranked genius apothecary is me.’
At that moment,
“Ugh…”
A groan from below snapped me out of my deep thoughts.
Turning my gaze towards the source of the sound, I saw the men I had knocked out writhing on the ground, completely naked.
“Ah.”
I had forgotten. I had to deal with these guys.
When it seemed like they were about to regain consciousness, I rushed over and kicked them even harder.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
“Oof!”
Fortunately, they quickly quieted down even though I didn’t use any skills.
“What are you doing?”
“Wait a moment. Urgh!”
Cassel looked at me in disbelief, but I was busy rolling and dragging the guys out of the prison.
After shoving them out the door, I paused for a moment.
‘Should I ban them?’
I was already having a hard time appeasing Cassel, let alone worrying about these small fries.
Honestly, from my perspective, just blocking them would be more convenient, but…
‘I’ll give them another chance, for Adam’s sake.’
Even if banned characters chose to leave on their own, it could still arouse suspicion from Adam if two of the knights responsible for Cassel’s meals went missing at the same time.
Moreover, these guys could still be used as a part of their force when Cassel eventually returned to the palace.
Bang!
Having made my decision, I immediately slammed the prison door.
How those naked bastards would fare was none of my business.
As I re-entered, Cassel looked at me with a strange expression.
“…Has this kind of thing happened to you before?”
I asked, glancing at the wound that had stopped bleeding but was still gaping red.
Although he had a broken personality, he must have lived as a noble prince for some time…
Even though it was just a game, it was a bit disheartening to see the character being stripped of his position and subjected to humiliation and torment.
“It’s none of your business.”
But what came back was a rude response.
Cancel my sympathy!
With that mouth of his, there’s a 99% chance that this guy brings the trouble on himself.
“I was going to give you a healing potion, but I guess I don’t have to.”
“I don’t need it.”
“Oh, come on. Just tell me.”
I was getting frustrated with this jerk for making a big deal out of nothing.
Without realizing it, I found myself grumbling, pounding my chest.
“If you tell me, maybe I can help.”
“What the…?”
「 [The Lord of Nightmares] is bewildered by your unexpected actions. 」
Along with the system window, he retorted in disbelief.
“You’re just a hired apothecary. What can you possibly do?”
“Never mind.”
I quickly gave up. Yeah, what’s the point of building intimacy with this character?
Dealing with a guy who was both mentally and physically ill would only give me a headache.
“Just heal yourself.”
I took out a health potion and crouched down on the floor, rolling it towards him.
Roll, thud―.
It rolled smoothly and stopped right at Cassel’s feet.
Considering how he had strongly refused it earlier, it was almost anti-climactic how easily he took it this time. I looked at him, my eyes slightly widening in surprise.
I don’t care whether you drink it or not.
I turned my head away, indicating that I was done dealing with him.
That’s when he spoke.
“…The situation of a sinner is the same wherever you go.”
“…”
“Playing with my food is nothing compared to torture.”
I thought he would use the potion right away, but he unexpectedly gave a belated response to my question.
As I listened quietly, I suddenly became puzzled.
“Count Hailey isn’t that cruel, though.”
“What would you know about him?”
“I report to him regularly, and he trusts me with the essence of darkness.”
“…”
He was left speechless by my response.
Then, suddenly…
Roll. roll.
He rolled the health potion I’d given to him back towards me.
Thunk.
The potion bottle that had always stopped at Cassel’s feet now stopped at my feet.
“…What are you doing?”
I asked, dumbfounded. However, his reply left me stunned.
“From now on, come over and hand it to me yourself.”
“Why? You hated it when I touched you!”
“I don’t like it when you roll and throw me the potions as if you’re just playing around.”
“Who in the world would throw expensive potions around for fun?”
“Someone I know, someone who’s a crazy brat.”
Cassel, who had been speaking nonsense with an expressionless face, suddenly spat those words out with a murderous glare.
Just as I tilted my head at the sudden swearing…
“By the way… You look somewhat similar to that brat.”
Leaning against the door, Cassel scanned me from top to bottom and mumbled meaningfully.
A shiver ran down my spine.
‘…Crap, that’s me.’
I remembered something I’d forgotten.
In the past, I threw potions at a sinner’s convoy to prevent them from being taken away by Jack and the other heroes…
“Th-they threw an expensive potion like that? It might not have been a joke; there could have been a reason.”
It was my business, so I desperately defended myself. However,
“I don’t care if there’s a reason or not. When I find that person…”
“…”
“I’ll kill them on the spot.”
And just like that, I had another secret I needed to keep from Cassel.
Trying to hide my nerves, I forced myself to change the subject.
“…Anyway, I don’t want to go anywhere close to you. What if you get angry again and try to kill me?”
Cassel, who had been emitting an aura of impending death towards an unknown enemy, suddenly turned his attention to me.
“…I promise that I won’t strangle you anymore.”
“Just… my neck? What about breaking my arms and legs, kicking my back, or crushing my head?”
“Do you take me for a murderer?”
He looked genuinely offended.
‘Aren’t you, though?’
The things I just listed were all from stories I had read or experienced in the player’s community about the players getting killed by Cassel.
He sighed and stepped back, seemingly giving up.
“…I swear I won’t threaten you while you’re here.”
“Fine.”
When did he ever respond positively when it came to things that involved touching his body?
Dealing with someone so capricious and temperamental was hard, but I had no choice.
After picking up the health potion, I stood up and walked towards him.
In the process, I didn’t forget to take out the gloves from my pocket and put them on. It was a considerate gesture for Cassel.
Finally, I stood in front of him and handed him the health potion.
「 [The Lord of Nightmares] is displeased by your actions. 」
He looked at my hand with an indescribable expression before reluctantly accepting it.
‘Huh, but why?’
I felt unjust because I had no idea what was going on.
But I soon felt relieved when I saw him pouring the health potion onto his wounded area.
“Oh, and take this, too.”
Suddenly, I remembered something I had forgotten and handed it to him.
It was the bread I had brought from lunch. Thankfully, it was still warm.
Cassel just stared at the bread I offered to him without taking it right away.
“…Is it out of pity?”
“No.”
Even though it was a dialogue I had never seen in the players’ videos, I understood that I shouldn’t respond positively.
Besides, I didn’t have much sympathy for him anyway.
“I didn’t know you had someone to look after your meals. Since no one came yesterday, I thought maybe it was something I was supposed to do.”
“…”
Cassel was silent for a while after my straightforward response.
Feeling awkward in the sudden silence, I glanced at him, but I couldn’t figure out what was on his mind.
After what felt like a long time, he finally spoke.
“…I can’t expect a proper meal here anyway. They probably ordered them to starve me as much as possible.”
‘I can’t believe you took so long to tell me that.’
I was a little frustrated, but it wasn’t unexpected.
He was a sinner who shouldn’t sleep.
Feeling full might make him drowsy, so Adam’s order made sense.
However, he probably didn’t realize that even Cassel’s single meal per day wouldn’t be properly provided due to that order.
“Eating a piece of bread won’t make you sleepy.”
I urged him to take the bread with a sigh.
“Besides, isn’t that what I’m hired for? I’ll wake you up if it seems like you’re going to fall asleep.”
“Like what you did a little while ago?”
“Yes.”
I replied nonchalantly because I had only been giving him an awakening potion to prevent him from falling asleep.
Then, finally, Cassel accepted the bread from me.
‘Phew. It’s tough to feed this guy even a piece of bread.’
As I thought that, Cassel, who had been leisurely biting on the bread like a carnivore tearing at a piece of meat, suddenly stretched his lips into a long smile.
“Well, that’s…”
“…”
“Not very convincing, is it?”
「 [The Lord of Nightmares] feels a certain level of favor towards you. 」
‘…What?’
I was dumbfounded by his words, which contrasted with the system message.
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