Wasn’t This Supposed To Be a Strategy Game? Chapter 90

Hearing the lightened tone in his voice, Eden cautiously lifted her head to look at him.

Zephar was smiling softly, like someone who had already forgotten and forgiven everything.

“So there’s no need to feel sorry toward me.”

And yet, that only made Eden feel more sorry.

When she really thought about it, Zephar was someone broad-minded and kind. Even if it was all for the sake of the game, it weighed on her that she’d used someone like him so thoroughly.

Especially since the Festival of the Sun episode hadn’t been related to any quests. That made it worse.

“Your Grace, I promise you this.”

“……”

“If the day ever comes when you truly need me, I’ll make sure to repay your kindness.”

That promise, at least, was sincere.

It seemed unlikely that a man like Zephar, who already had everything, would ever find himself in need of her. But if that moment ever did come—if he genuinely needed her—Eden wanted to help him, wholeheartedly.

“If you ever need information about monsters… or, um… well, like you saw, it’s mostly just small creatures like the Chupi. But if you ever need power to vanquish minor beasts, please don’t hesitate to ask!”

Zephar gave a faint smile.

“I’ll be sure to do so.”

It was a clean, lighthearted smile, as if he truly bore no grudge. That, at last, set Eden’s heart at ease.

“If that moment ever comes, I won’t hesitate to ask for your help, Priestess.”

Hearing those words, Eden smiled back, then pulled something out from within her robes.

“This is just a small thing, but…”

Zephar raised an eyebrow at the ornate gift box. Eden carefully placed it on the table.

“What is this?”

“It’s nothing much. I happened to stop by a gift shop and… I thought of you, Your Grace.”

At those words, Zephar’s large hand reached for the box. He deftly unwrapped the packaging and opened the lid.

“You probably have far better things already, but…”

His blue gaze settled on the brooch inside. Inlaid with a blue magic stone, it was obvious why Eden had thought of him.

Of course, it couldn’t compare to the expensive accessories Zephar owned, but for someone on a priest’s salary, this was no small gesture.

“It’s not much, but I heard it’s enchanted—you can store magic or holy power in it.”

Zephar looked up at her.

“So I infused a bit of my holy power into it. It might help if you get a sudden headache.”

At that, his eyes hardened. He stared at her, unmoving, then parted his dry lips.

“……How did you know?”

Unlike his previously kind voice, this one was cold as ice.

“Pardon?”

Taken aback by his sudden shift, Eden blinked in confusion.

His expression was grim. Sudden headaches might be common, but the ones Zephar experienced were in a different class entirely.

And he had never once shown them in front of others.

“Ah… um… It just seemed like… sometimes you looked uncomfortable. When I have headaches, my neck muscles get stiff too, so…”

Eden explained cautiously, flustered.

There were moments when Zephar’s gaze turned strangely cold—and when she’d paid closer attention, it had seemed like a headache. It was a guess, but she’d gone with it.

She didn’t have the means to buy him anything truly valuable, so she’d tried to make something meaningful. But now he was reacting so harshly…

Zephar stared at the brooch with an intensity that felt almost frightening.

‘Damn it. I shouldn’t have said anything.’

Just as she was beginning to regret her actions, Zephar finally parted his lips.

“……I see.”

His gaze had returned to its earlier calm.

“You really are…”

He gave a breath of laughter, almost like a sigh.

“…an amusing person, Priestess.”

Then he lifted his head and smiled again.

“I’ll make good use of this gift.”

As he closed the box, his face returned to the same composed expression as before, and Eden’s heart relaxed. It seemed the gift hadn’t offended him after all.

Well, even if it ended up buried in a drawer, she couldn’t complain. Zephar probably had items like that in abundance.

Eden glanced at the clock on the table and suddenly stood up in surprise.

“Oh! I should head back to the temple. Starting today, I’m on library duty.”

“Very well.”

Zephar escorted her to the front of the estate, then returned alone to his study.

His expression, now cold and unreadable, was so intense that even the servants dared not speak as he passed.

“……”

Seated once more, Zephar stared into the air for a long time, then slowly picked the box back up from the table.

He was well-versed in managing his own emotions. And he now clearly understood what was filling his chest.

His icy blue eyes gleamed with dangerous clarity.

“……Now you’ve left me with no choice but to want more, Priestess.”

It was a possessiveness so sharp it tingled at the base of his throat.

***

Meanwhile…

“Haah…”

Eden let out a sigh as she shelved books in the temple library. Since the Festival of the Sun, she could feel that public support for Asmun had clearly grown.

They had only just seized the advantage—and now, the real battle was beginning.

‘I hope Hegenti’s doing alright…’

Eden tucked the worry deep inside as she shelved another book.

After she was chosen as a special priestess, a brief debate had erupted in the High Temple over whether she should be officially elevated. But Eden had declined.

It didn’t seem wise to invite more jealousy or scrutiny than she already faced.

And so, Eden was once again fulfilling her duties as a probationary priest, organizing books in the library.

「Hegenti has returned.」

She’d gone out of her way to tell Asmun that, not just so he wouldn’t be startled by Hegenti’s sudden appearances—as he tended to show up at critical moments—but also because she had envisioned a future where Hegenti and Asmun would break down their walls and race together toward her successful clear.

Besides, Silverstone, of all things.

No doubt about it—if they were going to search for a legendary item whose location was completely unknown, Hegenti’s abilities would be incredibly useful.

Of course, it had been a complete failure.

「I can find it without such an old-fashioned magician.」

Hegenti had responded the same way—as expected. He outright rejected her suggestion to stay at Asmun’s estate for the time being.

「But then where will you stay? If I don’t know where you are, I won’t be able to find you. Wouldn’t it be better to return to the castle? I promise I’ll come see you.」

At those words, Hegenti had silently stared at Eden for a long moment before answering.

「No, not anymore.」

His resolute answer came with a gaze far deeper and more somber than anything she’d seen in him before.

「…I don’t want to be alone anymore.」

Faced with that quiet reply, Eden had no response. And she shuddered inwardly at her own cruelty.

To tell someone who had been alone in that castle for fifty years to just go back there…

「Don’t worry. I’ll come back. Before it’s too late.」

Hegenti had made that gentle promise—then vanished once again.

Hegenti was firmly convinced that Eden would join him after making Asmun emperor. Asmun, too, had been seeking constant reassurance that Eden would stay by his side until the end.

“……”

To think both of them had reached 90 in affection.

Eden couldn’t shake the feeling that this game was heading down a strange path.

‘Wait… was this actually a dating sim in disguise? Then what was the point of this affection system?’

If it was a dating sim, maybe like most others, she had to reach 100% affection with someone to achieve a full clear.

Right now, that didn’t seem impossible at all—but the problem was…

‘It’s not just one person.’

At this point, Eden couldn’t bring herself to give up on either Asmun or Hegenti. Not only were they both essential to completing the game, but—

‘I shouldn’t have gotten attached like this…’

She’d given her heart for different reasons. And now both of them were pouring intense affection back at her.

“It’s flattering, sure, but…”

With a troubled sigh, Eden reached up on her toes to shelve a thick book on the higher shelf—

“When the Third Prince has emerged as the leading heir, you must be quite pleased.”

Ivatan appeared without warning, smoothly taking the book from her hand and sliding it neatly into place.

Startled, Eden turned around. This was the temple’s library—it was the first time Ivatan had ever come here in person.

“Chancellor.”

It was also the first time they’d seen each other since the Festival of the Sun. Ivatan wore his usual expressionless face, but Eden could now read his moods.

‘There it is. Suspicion again.’

Sure enough, the interrogation began immediately.

“How did you know?”

A blunt question, completely lacking context—but Eden understood him perfectly.

He was asking how she’d known what would happen at the festival.

Someone like Ivatan would’ve easily deduced that Eden was involved in both the plaza’s defense and Asmun’s actions.

“You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you.”

Eden replied lightly as she gathered the remaining books in her arms and resumed sorting.

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

His pride clearly wounded, Ivatan also seemed angry—perhaps at himself for failing to anticipate such a massive incident.

But it wasn’t his fault. No matter how smart or capable he was, Ivatan was still just human.

“You don’t believe in gods, do you?”

“Are you saying you received a divine oracle?”

He continued to follow her, pressing relentlessly even as she calmly shelved the books.

“If I said yes, would you believe me?”

“Do you have a divine stone?”

“Must you see something with your own eyes to believe it?”

“Blind belief in what cannot be confirmed is the very thing one must guard against.”

“So if I had a divine stone, you’d believe me? Even though you don’t believe in gods?”

At that, Ivatan’s expression grew more serious.

“I simply haven’t confirmed the existence of a god. But holy power itself has been repeatedly proven real. I merely question where that power originates.”

Eden sighed inwardly. She had neither the strength nor the intention to explain all of this to Ivatan.

Once she finished placing the last book, she turned to face him—who had come close behind her without her realizing.

“I can’t explain it to you, but I can make you a promise.”