<Wasn’t This a Strategy Game? Chapter 139>

I was worried sick, wondering if they were still suffering while I was away, but all those fears melted away at Hagen’ti’s perfectly fine appearance.

“Eden.”

Hagen’ti pulled Eden into a tight hug, burying his face in her longed-for hair and staying still for quite a while.

Just having Eden’s hand gently patting my back felt like a reward for all the waiting.

“…I didn’t step out. Not even a foot.”

Eden couldn’t hold back a smile at his obvious desire for praise.

“Good job. Let me see your face.”

Yet, it seemed Hagen’ti wasn’t quite ready to let Eden go.

“Hurry up.”

Only after repeated urgings did he reluctantly loosen his grip.

Eden lifted her head to examine Hagen’ti’s face. His handsome features were perfectly restored, showing no signs of pain.

“Hah… You weren’t hurt, right?”

Hagen’ti didn’t answer right away and just stared at Eden.

The worry in his voice during the eternity he waited for her felt more desperate than I could have imagined.

To think someone cared about my well-being—especially someone as dear to me as Eden.

My once dead heart began to thump fiercely.

“Were you in pain?”

When Hagen’ti didn’t respond immediately, Eden asked again, surprised.

Only then did Hagen’ti shake his head.

“No. Not at all.”

It was true. Since that day, Hagen’ti hadn’t felt a moment of pain. At his reply, Eden’s eyes visibly relaxed.

Eden slowly held onto Hagen’ti’s hand. Every time her hand touched his, a tingling sensation coursed through him, but Hagen’ti showed no sign of it, gazing at Eden.

“I can finally cure it,” Eden said, her eyes trembling with excitement at her long-cherished wish come true.

With the death of the monsterized Patriar checked off, Eden leveled up and obtained the much-desired advanced healing skill.

This ability needed to nullify Hagen’ti’s curse.

“I’ll give it a try.”

Eden shut her trembling eyes tightly and gripped Hagen’ti’s hand firmly with both of hers.

She had gotten used to transmitting divine power. After making contact, all she needed to do was think about wanting to heal the person connected to her.

Their clasped hands glowed softly.

“……”

After a few seconds, Eden slowly opened her eyes. The look in her eyes as she stared at their joined hands was one of despair.

“……”

Hagen’ti stared blankly at Eden.

“This can’t be happening…”

Eden’s heart felt like it was being stabbed.

This was absolutely ridiculous. Her divine power wasn’t reaching Hagen’ti at all. It was as if something enveloping his skin was blocking her completely.

She could feel that horrible sensation all too vividly.

The reality that she couldn’t heal Hagen’ti with her power.

“……”

As her last hope crumbled, Eden’s heart fell apart with it.

Hagen’ti watched Eden’s despair then reached out with his ungripped hand to caress her face.

“I’m okay.”

At those words, tears welled up in Eden’s eyes.

She wanted to deny it, but everything became clear. The only one who knew how to lift Hagen’ti’s curse was Sereman, and she had to defeat him to clear the game.

For Hagen’ti and this world.

“But now I can come here any time. I’ll come every day.”

Eden wiped her tears vigorously and smiled brightly. Yet, Hagen’ti didn’t return the smile.

“…We said we would stay together in this castle.”

Ah…

Those words made Eden’s heart flutter again.

She felt uneasy constantly making excuses and lying to Hagen’ti, but there was no other way right now.

“Things aren’t all resolved yet.”

“……”

“But what about Chediak?”

Only then did Eden remember Chediak’s existence and glance around the empty corridor.

“Did he leave?”

Hagen’ti answered in a slightly sulky tone.

“He fainted.”

At those words, Eden’s eyes went wide with shock.

“…What?”

Eden rushed to the room where she and Hagen’ti had laid him down.

Chediak was sprawled out on the bed in that room, passed out.

“What’s going on! When did this happen?”

Shocked, Eden quickly went over to check his pulse. It was normal.

As she grabbed Chediak’s hand to transfer divine power, Hagen’ti replied lazily.

“It’s useless. He’s not cursed or sick; he just temporarily exhausted his magical power and fainted.”

Eden turned to Hagen’ti, dumbfounded by his nonchalant tone. As he said, magical power couldn’t be replenished with divine power.

“Temporarily exhausted his magical power? Why? What happened here?”

Hagen’ti shrugged.

“I don’t know. He didn’t come back, so I went to check and found him like this.”

His tone implied he didn’t care what happened to Chediak, but it must have been Hagen’ti who kindly moved him to bed.

Eden stared at the unconscious Chediak, mouth agape in disbelief.

“What on earth is happening…?”

“He’ll wake up once his magical power recovers.”

“…When will that be?”

Hagen’ti looked at Eden silently. It meant he didn’t know.

“Hah…”

Eden let out a sigh of frustration. If he had exhausted his magic, then it meant he must have used a massive spell that required a huge amount of magical power.

What could possibly require that here…?

‘Sereman must have come.’

Chediak must have been trying to confront him and ended up like this.

A growing hatred made Eden clench her fists tightly.

At the same time, guilt and gratitude surged towards Chediak. He had noticed the danger of Sereman and had stood up to protect Hagen’ti.

To keep his promise with her.

“……”

A deep emotional swell rose up, filling Eden with renewed courage. She turned to Hagen’ti.

“Hagen’ti, this time you take care of Chediak. Can you do that?”

Hagen’ti, looking like he didn’t want to at all, sealed his lips tightly. Eden glared at his stubborn mouth, wide-eyed.

“I like someone who knows gratitude.”

“……”

“If you’re not that kind of person, I wouldn’t want to deal with you at all.”

Hagen’ti’s eyebrows twitched at her extreme statement.

“You would, right?”

Hagen’ti reluctantly met her gaze. Eden’s words had become absolute for him.

After forcing Hagen’ti’s agreement, Eden firmly promised to return tomorrow and turned to head back to the Chancellor’s Office.

And just as she was about to enter the basement again…

“……!”

Something utterly nonsensical brushed against Eden’s head suddenly.

Her pupils dilated as she turned around quickly to see Hagen’ti standing there, staring at her with a puzzled expression.

“……The study.”

Eden, wide-eyed and frantic, looked down the long corridor with a sense of urgency and grabbed Hagen’ti’s arm.

“Hagen’ti! To the study!”

Hagen’ti quickly held onto Eden’s hand as they took off toward the study without hesitation.

As soon as they entered the study, Eden abruptly let go of Hagen’ti’s hand and began frantically scanning the bookshelves.

Eden had been there before. She had entered while searching for Hagen’ti and found a book with a peculiar title.

Upon rediscovering that book, Eden’s breath caught in her throat.

“……”

《Exciting Egg Recipes》

Just as it had appeared when she first saw it, the book emitted a strange blue light and sat right where she had left it.

Hagen’ti, standing behind her, stared at Eden with an unreadable expression.

Eden reached out and picked up the book, slowly opening it.

“……”

While Hagen’ti didn’t seem interested in the book at all, Eden’s eyes soon filled with emotion.

“…Hagen’ti, can I take this book?”

Hagen’ti nodded his head.

“Yeah.”

It was the first time he realized there was such a book in his study, so he had no use for it.

But of course, he would give Eden anything she wanted.

He didn’t care what happened to the book; he just hoped his collection would catch Eden’s interest and keep her here a little longer.

“Thank you!”

Eden looked back at him with a teary smile.

After returning to the Great Temple, Eden headed for the Saint’s Room, which had been empty for quite a while.

The Saint’s Room was vacant. Although the search team was scouring the Great Temple, for some reason, the Saint’s Room was the only place that remained unopened.

Thankfully, since the entire tower was empty, she didn’t need to worry about being seen by anyone.

Eden dashed to the front of the Saint’s Room, gripping the doorknob with a tense face.

To her amazement, the once firmly closed door slid open, revealing a scene inside that looked just like it had before she left.

Excitedly, Eden rushed toward the Hamun statue.