Wasn’t This Supposed To Be a Strategy Game? Chapter 42

“Wow…”

For the first time, Eden had the chance to truly take in Hegenti’s castle. She wandered aimlessly through the vast, eerily silent halls, marveling at the sheer scale of it all.

It was lifeless, almost hauntingly so, yet immaculately maintained.

There wasn’t a single speck of dust on any surface. Every item remained in pristine condition, untouched by time or decay.

She thought back to Hegenti’s vacant, indifferent gaze. There was no way he had personally maintained this entire place. It had to be magic.

“Mages really have it good,” she muttered.

As she continued her exploration, she caught sight of a faint light spilling from beneath a door.

Without hesitation, she hurried toward it.

“Hegenti?”

No response.

But unlike the rest of the castle, which was shrouded in cold emptiness, this room radiated a faint warmth.

That alone was enough to convince her that Hegenti was inside.

“I’m coming in…”

Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the large door and stepped inside.

Her breath caught.

It wasn’t just a study. It was a library.

Bookshelves stretched upward for what seemed like five floors, towering over her in endless rows.

“Whoa…”

The scene was something straight out of a fantasy novel.

Completely forgetting her original objective, Eden wandered through the room in awe.

She was so engrossed in the sight that she nearly missed the faint glow of a book tucked away in a shelf.

She stopped in her tracks.

A peculiar blue light pulsed from the spine of a book. Curious, she leaned in to read the title.

“Exciting Egg Recipes?”

Her brow furrowed.

Such an ornate, glowing book… and it was a cookbook?

Her curiosity piqued, she stood on her toes, stretching her fingers toward it.

Just as she was about to grasp the book, a hand suddenly appeared above her and pulled it down with effortless ease.

Startled, she whirled around.

Hegenti stood behind her, holding the book with his usual unreadable expression.

“Hegenti.”

She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

At the sound of his name, his deep blue eyes darkened slightly.

For the first time, he responded.

“I didn’t think you’d come.”

His quiet words caught her off guard.

For a moment, she was speechless.

Then, hastily, she began to explain.

“Oh… I, uh… I had things to do. That’s why I was late.”

Hegenti simply watched her in silence before holding out the book.

The very one she had been reaching for.

“If you want it, take it.”

And with that, he turned as if to leave.

Eden, acting on instinct, grabbed his sleeve.

He stopped.

When he turned back to her, his expression was as calm as ever, but there was something in his gaze—something distant, something almost… wounded.

The realization struck her like a lightning bolt.

Had he… been waiting?

Her grip tightened.

She quickly placed the book back on a nearby shelf and met his gaze with unwavering determination.

“I really did have things to take care of. A monster appeared near the western border.”

Silence.

“It took me longer than expected to deal with it. The monster was called Seruka. You probably haven’t heard of it. It was massive—practically the size of a dinosaur. It was eating people alive.”

Hegenti showed no reaction.

As expected, he likely didn’t care about monsters or the people they terrorized.

Still, he made no move to pull away.

Eden glanced up at him cautiously.

He wasn’t angry.

That was something.

“I’m sorry for being late,” she said carefully.

He still didn’t respond.

“Did anything happen while I was gone? You’re not hurt, are you?”

At that, his gaze, which had been fixed somewhere past her, finally shifted.

He looked at her.

And then, his eyes flickered to her face.

To her cheek.

To the red, blistered skin, still raw from the Chupi’s venom.

Eden tensed.

“Oh, this?”

She almost rambled about Chupi’s venom, about Seruka, about how she hadn’t had time to properly heal—

But then, something clicked in her mind.

Her breath slowed.

Her heart began to race.

“You…”

Her voice was barely a whisper.

“You asked me before… if I was a healer.”

Hegenti’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes met hers.

As if waiting.

Eden grinned.

She had just figured something out.

“Hegenti, watch closely.”

Eden let go of his sleeve, but Hegenti’s gaze lingered on her retreating hand for a brief moment.

“You should be looking here,” she said firmly, directing his attention back to her face.

She raised her right hand and gently touched her injured cheek.

The moment her fingers brushed the tender, blistered skin, a sharp sting shot through her. She gritted her teeth against the pain and held his gaze.

Just like before, a soft glow pulsed beneath her fingertips.

The searing discomfort melted away instantly.

Even without looking in a mirror, she knew—the wounds were gone.

Eden beamed at him.

“See that?”

Hegenti looked slightly surprised, but not overly so. After all, for a grand sorcerer like him, such a skill wasn’t unheard of.

Still, Eden wasn’t discouraged by his mild reaction. She spoke with confidence.

“This is just the beginning. It’ll get even stronger.”

If she had a skill called Basic Healing, then it was only natural that Intermediate and Advanced Healing would exist as well.

But Hegenti still looked indifferent. As if saying, So what?

Eden wasn’t fazed.

“Which means…”

She reached out and firmly grasped Hegenti’s hands.

His pupils dilated slightly at the contact.

“I might be able to heal you.”

She smiled so brightly, so confidently, that it was as if she had already succeeded.

That’s it. This is the way to stop Hegenti’s rampages.

If she was following the storyline correctly, then witnessing his suffering that night wasn’t a coincidence.

That meant her path was clear.

She had to level up as fast as possible, obtain Advanced Healing, and cure Hegenti.

With how powerful even her beginner-level skill was, the higher ranks had to be unparalleled—far beyond any ordinary healer’s abilities.

And since Eden Lilliette was the only character with such a skill, the only way to clear the game was to unlock the hidden character’s route.

That’s why no one had ever managed to finish the game.

But now—she had found the solution.

“I’ll heal you. No matter what.”

Having cracked the game’s winning strategy, Eden could hardly contain her excitement.

She gazed at Hegenti with pure adoration—he was so frustratingly beautiful, even while looking completely unimpressed.

If she could prevent his breakdowns, then half the battle was already won.

Hegenti didn’t react, merely watching her with an unreadable expression. It was as if he were measuring the weight of her words.

“But… what exactly is wrong with you?” Eden asked cautiously, afraid he might vanish again. “Do you even know why this is happening?”

For the first time, his lips parted.

“No.”

Eden blinked.

“What?”

His answer had been devoid of any expectation.

“I don’t know why it happens.”

With that, he effortlessly slipped his hands free from her grasp and turned away.

Eden stared after him, stunned.

Then, quickly regaining her senses, she hurried to catch up.

“How long has this been happening?”

Silence.

“What are the symptoms? Can you describe the pain?”

More silence.

“Is it periodic? Does it happen at specific times?”

Hegenti ignored her, walking as if she weren’t even there.

But Eden refused to give up.

She stuck to his side, throwing question after question at him like a relentless doctor.

Their footsteps echoed as they walked down the long corridor, the flickering torchlight casting elongated shadows along the walls.

Massive arched windows allowed pale moonlight to spill into the hallway, illuminating their silent march.

“Are you taking any medicine for it?”

Nothing.

“Oh! How about seeing a doctor? I know a really good one. Why don’t we go tomorrow? You don’t have any plans, right?”

She figured she might as well knock out another quest while she was at it.

But the moment she said that, Hegenti stopped.

So did Eden.

She looked up at him expectantly.

He turned to face her, his expression as unreadable as ever.

His silver-gray eyes, cold and emotionless, met hers—her own gaze alight with determination.

And then, in a voice so detached, so quiet, that it sent a chill down her spine, he finally spoke.

“The only way to end this pain…”

The silence stretched unbearably.

“…is to die.”