Wasn’t This Supposed To Be a Strategy Game? Chapter 41

By the time Eden returned to the Grand Temple, the sun had already set.

The emperor had even provided a personal carriage for her journey back—a gesture that, under normal circumstances, might have felt grand.

But all she could focus on was the sheer exhaustion weighing down her body.

After scrubbing herself clean, she finally returned to her quarters. The temple was still bustling, meaning her roommate Rita was nowhere to be found.

That was for the best.

With a heavy sigh, Eden collapsed onto her bed.

“Haah…”

She had known from the beginning that this world—a strategy game—would be full of hardships and challenges.

She had prepared herself for struggles.

But she hadn’t expected it to be this physically draining.

And worse—

“But if something like today happens again… everything will be over.”

She thought she had finally gained Asmun’s trust.

Yet, it had crumbled in an instant.

For the first time, the weight of it all felt pointless.

Forget the game.

She just wanted to go home.

No matter how much she mentally prepared, nothing could have braced her for the sheer coldness in Asmun’s gaze when he had lifted his sword—to kill her horse.

Could she really turn him into the ruler she had envisioned?

Her initial confidence was beginning to fade.

“You do not fear death, Priestess.”

That statement lingered in her mind.

It was unfair.

Even if this was a game, everything she felt was too real.

Sometimes, she forgot that this was even a game at all.

The pain of the cuts on her hand, the sting of her wounds—all of it felt real.

She curled her fingers, feeling the slight ache from her injuries.

Would she really die if she were killed here?

She had been avoiding that question.

But Asmun had forced it back into her thoughts.

Dying—even in a game—was terrifying.

And then, she thought of Hegenti.

How he had almost taken his own life.

Her chest tightened at the memory.

No.

She had things to do.

There was no time to drown in her own thoughts.

With great effort, she forced herself to sit up.

There was still one more thing she had been waiting for.

“…Achievement window.”

Her voice was weak from exhaustion.

But the moment the words left her lips, a series of translucent screens filled her vision.

[★ Basic Quest Complete!]

– You have slain 30 monsters in the western region!
– Choose your reward: [Prophecy Book] / [Item] / [Stat Boost]

[★ Event Quest Complete!]

– You have successfully completed <The Grand Duchy of Yuren’s Nuisance: Exterminate Seruka.>
– You have earned a ‘Special Reward!’

Would you like to receive it now?

[★ Level-Up Reward: You have acquired the special skill ‘Lesser Monster Eradication.’
You can now instantly eliminate all lower-ranked monsters.]

[★ Level-Up Reward: You have acquired the special skill ‘Basic Healing.’
You can now heal all external wounds.]

[★ Basic Healing Acquired! Divine Power +10]

Her gaze lingered on the skill notifications.

She hadn’t expected to level up twice in one go.

A healing ability made sense for a priestess.

But the eradication skill?

“How does this even work?”

Would it use magic? A weapon?

She thought about it for a while, then dismissed the notification.

It wasn’t something she could test now.

If monsters showed up again, she’d figure it out then.

Her eyes then shifted to Basic Healing.

“Now this is practical.”

Healing magic was highly valuable in this world.

Though healers existed, they were rare and in high demand.

If people discovered that she had both the ability to read monster weaknesses and healing skills, her influence would skyrocket.

She glanced down at her left hand.

A small cut marred her skin, likely from the battle in the forest.

She remembered watching the temple healers and mimicked their movements, lightly brushing her fingers over the wound.

“Doubt this will actually wor—”

A soft white glow flickered to life.

Her breath hitched.

Before her eyes, the wound closed itself, leaving behind nothing.

The lingering pain vanished.

“…Whoa.”

She stared at her now flawless skin.

For the first time, she felt like a real priestess.

But just as she was about to heal her face, she hesitated.

“…Wait.”

She didn’t know when she would see Asmun again.

If she removed all her injuries, he would definitely question it.

“Your wounds have disappeared. Did the gods heal you, Priestess?”
“T-The temple healers helped me!”
“…The healers of the Grand Temple had enough time to tend to a mere novice’s bruises? Fascinating. Would you like to repeat that statement under scrutiny?”

“Ahh!”

Eden let out a guttural scream and slapped both hands over her face.

Nope. Not worth it.

She would just leave the wounds as they were.

Eden left the sting on her cheek alone and moved on to the next achievement window.

[★ Basic Quest Complete!]

– You have slain 30 monsters in the western region!
– Choose your reward: [Prophecy Book] / [Item] / [Stat Boost]

Thirty monsters. Seeing that number made Eden’s eyes well up.

“I really did this… again?”

She was starting to amaze herself.

Not long ago, she had thought this quest was utterly impossible. And yet, she had completed it.

A familiar, exhilarating thrill surged through her.

For a fleeting moment, her desire to return home faded.

What was she even going back to?

A dull, job-seeking existence? A monotonous office job?

If she was going to be stuck here, she might as well enjoy it to the fullest before worrying about escape.

“Ugh, if only I had someone to brag to.”

She made a mental note to write an epic game review if she ever returned home.

With that, she selected the Prophecy Book.

At this point, she had no idea what was coming next. Buffing her stats or collecting items seemed pointless when she was completely in the dark about future events.

A translucent scroll materialized in the air before her.

Eagerly, she unfurled it and began to read.

Her eyes darted across the text.

Then, her excitement froze.

[Soon, the Imperial Hunting Tournament will be held. This tournament gathers key figures from across the empire and is an excellent opportunity to strengthen your connections. Be sure to participate!]

Eden’s expression went blank.

Two lines.

That was it.

Her hands trembled as she crumpled the prophecy.

“Damn it!”

What kind of useless prophecy was this?

Who cared if a hunting tournament was coming up?!

“Should’ve picked the item!”

She groaned in frustration, but there was nothing she could do now.

Tossing the crumpled prophecy aside, she let out a deep sigh.

“Fine. It was about time I got a dud.”

She had known this could happen.

The Prophecy Book was practically a cheat code in this game, so sometimes, it had to give useless information for the sake of balance.

But after everything she had gone through, the best it could offer was, ‘Hey, don’t miss the next social event!’

Heat flared in her temples.

Gritting her teeth, she moved on to the next window.

[★ Event Quest Complete!]

– You have successfully completed <The Grand Duchy of Yuren’s Nuisance: Exterminate Seruka.>
– You have earned a ‘Special Reward!’

Would you like to receive it now?

Her frustration cooled slightly.

At least the event reward wouldn’t be a complete failure.

“YES.”

She slammed the confirmation button.

Something dropped into her palm.

A new notification popped up.

[Special Reward: ‘Key to the High Priest’s Inner Study’ has been obtained.]

…Huh?

She blinked.

A silver key sat in her hand.

It had an ornate gothic design, but otherwise, it looked completely ordinary.

Her thoughts immediately turned to Hegenti.

The inner study—the locked section of the High Priest’s office.

This means…

It was definitely a quest.

Not just any quest—a hidden storyline.

The game was guiding her.

And if it was leading her to Hegenti, it could only mean one thing.

She was already on the hidden character’s route.

A fresh rush of energy coursed through her.

Even though she had felt like collapsing from exhaustion just moments ago, she suddenly felt invigorated.

Her mood had plummeted after the useless prophecy, but now—now she had purpose.

Her next mission was clear.

She had to bring Hegenti out of seclusion.

Fifty years of self-imposed isolation.

Could she really convince him to step beyond his walls?

Eden sat up.

“…What day is it?”

She mentally counted the dates.

Her eyes widened.

Today.

Today was the day she was supposed to clean the study.

This was the perfect opportunity.

Excitement thudded in her chest.

“Alright. Time to go reform a grand sorcerer.”

With renewed determination, she clenched the key in her fist.

The High Priest’s Office

As expected—Serman was nowhere in sight.

Good.

That meant everything was going according to plan.

If the game was directing her toward Hegenti, then her actions must have already been predetermined in the storyline.

She stepped inside, pulled out her newly acquired key, and unlocked the inner study.

Everything happened smoothly.

By now, she had already memorized the path through the hidden passage leading to Hegenti’s fortress.

It took less time than before.

The only problem was—

“…It’s huge.”

She had no idea where he was.

The castle was massive, making it impossible to find him immediately.

Eden hesitated.

She listened carefully.

But unlike before—there were no sounds.

No pained groans echoing through the halls.

Nothing.

The silence was heavy, unnatural.

The castle felt frozen in time.

“…Hegenti?”

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

No response.

She took a few cautious steps forward.

And then, she started walking.