Wasn’t This Supposed To Be a Strategy Game? Chapter 39

Eden, feeling slightly guilty, tried to ease the tension by calling out to him, but Asmun remained unmoved. His gaze was fixed outside the window, his expression unreadable—was he angry, or simply lost in thought?

She hesitated, then blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“Your sword… I put it to good use. It’s an excellent blade.”

That absurd comment finally made Asmun turn his eyes toward her.

“…….”

Gasp. His icy stare was so frigid it sent a chill down Eden’s spine. The awkward smile lingering on her lips vanished in an instant.

The sharpness in his gaze told her she had misspoken, but there was no taking it back now.

“I mean… If not for your sword, I might have died a meaningless death. So… I suppose I owe you my life… That was close, wasn’t it…?”

At that, Asmun let out a small chuckle.

A chuckle?

Eden’s eyes widened in surprise. She turned to face him, confused, but Asmun’s expression remained cold as ever. He parted his lips and spoke, his voice dry.

“You’re lying.”

Eden blinked.

Lying?

Before she could process his words, Asmun tilted his head slightly, his gaze settling on her cheek.

Her skin, once pale, was now raw and inflamed, a mix of Chupi’s venom and Seruka’s slime leaving angry welts across her face.

“You are not afraid of death, Priestess.”

The low murmur sent a strange sting through her chest. It was such an absurd statement, yet somehow, it struck a nerve.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t afraid of death. But this was a game. If she died, she assumed she would either reset or be ejected from this world entirely. That belief had made her reckless, bolder than she would ever be in reality.

If this were real life, she would never have been so foolhardy.

“That’s ridiculous. Of course I fear death,” she said.

And it was true.

She feared watching Hegenti die. She feared hearing the crack of bones as Zephar’s soldier was crushed before her eyes.

That was what truly terrified her.

Even if this was just a game.

“I’m afraid, but I couldn’t just stand by. I had a way to stop it.”

She tried to explain, but Asmun remained impassive, his eyes unreadable. Then, in a voice devoid of warmth, he spoke.

“I am canceling our contract.”

Eden’s heart plummeted.

What?

“…What do you mean by that?”

“You clearly have a greater mission than making me emperor. You should pursue it.”

His red eyes met hers, cool and controlled.

“I will claim the throne without your help.”

He smiled—a cold, effortless expression, as if he had already discarded her.

Eden’s eyes widened in horror.

If he abandoned their contract, everything would fall apart.

The game’s main quest revolved around her making him emperor.

“A—Absolutely not! You can’t just decide that!”

“…….”

“You promised! I’ve been right about everything so far!”

She desperately tried to argue, but his gaze didn’t waver. His decision was final.

Panic crept into her voice.

“The oath! Did you forget?”

She clutched her chest, where the contract’s mark had been engraved.

“You can’t just undo it! You know that!”

“I know how to break it,” he said casually, offering a slow smile. “Don’t worry.”

Eden’s breath hitched.

What? There was a way?

That was… intriguing.

But not now!

Terrified that he would sever the bond at any moment, Eden instinctively covered the marked area with both hands and pressed herself against the carriage wall, putting as much distance between them as possible.

“N-No! You said if I solved Count Retten’s case, you’d allow my help! You have to keep your word! I refuse to accept this!”

She was practically throwing a fit, but then—

She met his eyes.

And realized.

She had walked straight into his trap.

She clamped her mouth shut, but it was too late.

His smile was completely gone.

His cold gaze bore into her, stripping away every layer of pretense.

“Now, why don’t you tell me the truth?”

“…….”

Eden remained silent, feeling the weight of Asmun’s cold voice as he asked, “Why must you make me emperor?”

She pressed her lips together, unwilling to answer, but he continued.

“You have another reason. I will no longer believe the convenient excuse of divine will.”

His crimson gaze remained locked on her, unwavering. Asmun might not have believed in the gods, but he understood those who did.

If Eden were truly a devoted priestess, acting in accordance with divine will, she wouldn’t have thrown herself into reckless danger. Not when she hadn’t yet fulfilled her supposed mission of crowning him emperor.

When Eden had disappeared into the monster’s maw, Asmun had felt as if the ground beneath him had crumbled. And realizing that he had even felt that way was a greater shock than anything else. The sharp pain in his chest at that moment still lingered in his mind.

And when she had reemerged, slicing through Seruka from the inside—at that moment, his world had truly shifted.

He had to acknowledge it now.

Eden had become indispensable.

She was necessary to his rise to power.

She could not die.

The moment he came to that conclusion, something within him went cold.

Eden did not fear death.

Which meant he had no leverage over her.

The oath they shared—mere words of fate—would not be enough to keep her bound to him.

He could not control her.

His voice softened, but his words were resolute. “You don’t need to answer. I won’t cancel the contract.”

He had realized something.

The choice lay with Eden.

And that—was intolerable.

So, for the remainder of their journey through the forest, Asmun had been deep in thought.

He needed to find a way to keep her by his side.

“But if something like today happens again…” His voice trailed off, heavy with unspoken warning.

Eden swallowed. “……”

“It will all be over.”

Still, there was one thing Asmun was certain of.

Eden, too, had a reason why she could not let him go.

Seeing her panic when he had spoken of canceling their contract had reassured him.

“You said you wouldn’t die until I became emperor.”

The carriage jolted slightly as it moved over uneven ground. Strands of Eden’s chestnut hair fell over her face, brushing against her troubled expression.

What was she hiding?

She was no spy for Kyris.

She wasn’t working to bring him down.

She genuinely wanted to see him crowned.

And now, Asmun truly wanted to know why.

Fixing her with an unrelenting stare, he spoke his final warning.

“Keep that promise.”

Because whatever it was, he needed to find out.

And once he did—he would make sure she had no choice but to stay.

*****

The journey back to the capital was expected to be long and arduous.

But an unexpected turn of events allowed Eden to return much sooner than planned.

News of the events in the Grand Duchy’s forest had already reached the emperor.

As a result, high-value teleportation scrolls had been dispatched to one of the portal stations mid-route.

There were only three scrolls.

And it was obvious who they were meant for.

“The emperor will want to hear the account directly from the priestess.”

Eden was caught off guard.

“But… in this condition…?”

After everything, the three of them were a mess.

Especially Eden, who had literally crawled out of a monster’s stomach. She was covered in dried slime, dirt, and blood. She looked—horrifying.

“Shouldn’t I at least take a bath first?”

“No,” Karon replied with a kind smile. “It’s better this way.”

Eden glanced at Asmun. He wasn’t even looking at her.

His complete indifference irritated her.

Ever since their argument in the carriage, Asmun hadn’t spared her a single glance.

She understood that he was upset, but this was too much.

Both the basic quest and the event quest had been necessary. He was acting as though she had done it purely for selfish gain.

Eden clenched her jaw.

“Fine. Let’s go.”

No longer caring for Asmun’s approval, she straightened her back.

With that, the three of them used the teleportation scrolls, arriving directly at the imperial palace.

***

“Please, follow us.”

The waiting soldiers led them through the grand halls of the palace.

When they finally reached the audience chamber, Eden was struck by the sheer majesty of it.

The space was vast, lined with towering pillars and a long red carpet stretching toward an elevated throne.

Seated upon it—the emperor.

Asmun took the lead, stepping forward with practiced ease, while Karon and Eden followed closely behind.

As they approached, Eden noticed that they were not the only ones present.

Several figures stood near the emperor, watching their arrival.

Her gaze flickered over them.

Kyris.

Of course he was here.

He was standing near the throne, his polished smile barely concealing the tension in his expression.

His eyes flickered with thinly veiled unease. He had clearly heard the rumors, but seeing Asmun alive and well must have irked him.

And standing near Kyris—

“……”

Ivatan.

At first, he seemed merely curious, observing Asmun as if evaluating him.

But then—his eyes landed on Eden.

His entire expression stiffened.

Eden quickly averted her gaze.

After all, she looked nothing like the confident woman who had departed.

She must have been a sight to behold.

And judging by his reaction, he was not pleased.

Frustrated. Disapproving.

Eden could almost hear the accusations forming in his mind.

She had promised to return safely.

Now, she stood before them looking like she had barely survived.

She couldn’t blame him for being angry.

Pushing that aside, she turned her attention to the other nobles gathered in the chamber.

Several high-ranking officials stood in attendance, likely having been summoned by the emperor for this audience.

Their expressions varied—some curious, some concerned, and some clearly appalled at the state of the three newcomers.

Eden could practically feel their shock.

And at the center of it all—her.

She must have looked so utterly disheveled that they couldn’t even fathom how she had survived whatever ordeal she had faced.

She ignored them.

Asmun stepped forward.

With flawless poise, he bowed his head.

“Asmun Declend, greeting His Majesty the Emperor.”