<Wasn’t This a Strategy Game? Chapter 149>

“Alright.”

That short reply brought an undeniable joy to Sereman’s face.

It seemed he was blissfully unaware of the truth behind the fifth Pact, perhaps due to a lack of proper education. This was a delightful advantage for me.

Sereman quickly hid his expression, stood up, and asked, “Now that we’ve decided, how about we act on it right away?”

“Not here.”

“…….”

“A contract could go wrong and cause chaos.”

Hmm, Sereman nodded as if he understood, giving Hagen’ti a sideways glance. I had heard that he had been consistently subjected to emotion-erasing magic.

Suddenly, curiosity got the better of Sereman, and he couldn’t help but ask, “But if you’re not afraid of death, why bother stopping chaos?”

This was genuine curiosity. Whether he died in a rampage or by his own hand, death was death.

Other magicians of ‘Esir’ had gone berserk and were gunned down while launching attacks on the Imperial Palace out of despair or vengeance.

But why this guy?

This question lingered in Eden’s mind while watching these memories. Why was Hagen’ti so desperately trying to prevent chaos?

If avoiding death wasn’t his goal.

“…….”

After a moment of silence, Hagen’ti replied to the question.

“I don’t want to kill anyone until the moment I die.”

That quiet answer drew the same expression on both Eden’s and Sereman’s faces.

A few seconds later, Eden felt despair, but Sereman smiled.

“Your sacrifice will make the world a beautiful place.”

What gleamed in Sereman’s eyes was a madness-like joy. A person was dying, and Hagen’ti was dying, yet he was celebrating.

‘That bastard…!’ Eden held back the urge to smack the back of Sereman’s head, glaring at him fiercely. She missed the moment when Hagen’ti handed a red gemstone to some guy as he left.

《…Thus, Sereman Laok tricked Hagen’ti into establishing the fifth Pact, the ‘Pact of Death.’ This was a Pact unrelated to any common goals. It was a contract for Sereman to become the master of Hagen’ti’s heart, intended to transfer the Demon King sealed within his heart to Hagen’ti.》

‘What…?’ Eden’s eyes froze.

“You don’t need to drink it all. A sip will be enough.”

Sereman pulled out two bottles of the Pact’s potion from his pocket, offering one to Hagen’ti.

Hagen’ti took a sip as instructed, pushing the remaining bottle aside carelessly. Sereman placed the half-empty bottle on the shelf and looked at Hagen’ti.

“Once I contract with my blood, it will be done. It may take a few days for the contract to take effect, but you need not worry about its certainty.”

“Just do it already.”

With a cold reply, Sereman smiled and pulled something out from his pocket.

Eden’s eyes widened as she recognized the object. It was the very dagger Hagen’ti had nearly plunged into his own chest when she first saw him.

‘But why is he doing that now…?’

Before she could finish her thought, Sereman raised the dagger high and slashed his hand deeply.

“Huh…!”

Eden couldn’t hold back a loud gasp, but no one paid her any mind.

Blood poured down his torn palm. Sereman approached Hagen’ti without a hint of pain on his face and pressed his bleeding palm against Hagen’ti’s chest.

Then something incredible happened. His blood transformed into a dark red smoke, which was entirely drawn into Hagen’ti.

It seemed a painful process, as the previously motionless brows of Hagen’ti slightly twitched.

Finally, when the dark red smoke subsided, the contract ended. Only then did Hagen’ti clutch at his heart and crumple to the ground, while Sereman looked at him with a tender smile.

“I’ve infused my Divine Power into your heart, and that power, aided by the Pact, will end your life. It may take a few days, but it will certainly happen.”

It was clear that this Divine Power had activated immediately. Hagen’ti, clutching his heart, began to writhe in agony.

Sereman watched him with satisfaction, moving his dry lips.

“Well then, I wish you luck.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Sereman vanished using teleportation. Eden stood frozen, watching Hagen’ti suffer.

His despairing visage was something Eden had seen several times before.

At that moment, subtitles floated above Hagen’ti’s head.

《…Thus, Hagen’ti formed the fifth Pact with Sereman, who deceived him into sealing the Demon King within his heart. Once the Pact is fully realized, the Demon King sealed in his heart will be revived, feeding off Hagen’ti’s power.》

Eden covered her mouth again. She finally understood why Sereman had been watching Hagen’ti and why he was a victim of a fraudulent contract.

‘So, if I don’t catch Sereman, the Demon King will eventually be revived? By killing Hagen’ti?’

Eden froze, unable to breathe, and the earlier subtitle vanished, replaced by bright red text.

《…And if the revival of the Demon King is not prevented now, the world will perish, and the Game will end.》

“What?”

Eden looked at the enormous, unstable, glowing text in shock.

“What does that even mean?”

Right now? But whenever memories were intervened with, there was no way out. Wasn’t it the same with Ibthan and Jepar?

She could very well be trapped in this place forever. But to prevent the Demon King’s revival right now?

At that moment, Hagen’ti could no longer endure the pain and screamed.

“Ugh…! Aaagh…!”

Eden flinched, gasping, and urgently looked down at Hagen’ti.

Her heart raced at the familiar sight. Hagen’ti was writhing on the ground, struggling against the agony.

Eden knew how to sedate him in such a state. He needed to take the medicine created by the Priests.

Plus, she had that medicine on her right now! She had always kept a vial in her pocket for emergencies.

But…

If she intervened…

The screams of Hagen’ti were intensifying.

Eden quickly racked her brain. She had to think of a way to save Hagen’ti without intervening…

Suddenly, the words from the Quest window flashed in Eden’s mind, and a clear light shone in her eyes.

Hagen’ti’s memories were different from those of Ibthan and Jepar. Their memories were tainted with trauma and Dark Magic, while this was a Quest unrelated to Dark Magic.

So this Quest is…

‘I have to intervene!’

Realizing the answer, Eden dashed towards the collapsed Hagen’ti without a second thought, grabbing his arm.

Fearing it might slip through her fingers like a mirage, she was soon met with a solid, tangible sensation in her hand.

“Hagen’ti!”

At that, Hagen’ti’s deranged gaze turned towards Eden. She pulled out a small vial she always kept for such moments.

“Just a moment!”

Eden bit the cork and popped it open, pouring the contents into his painfully gaping mouth.

“Hagen’ti! Get a grip!”

But for some reason, Hagen’ti’s agony did not subside. It was completely futile.

Hagen’ti, held by Eden, coughed violently, spitting out dark red blood.

“Hagen’ti…!”

Why, why is this happening…?

In panic, Eden held onto Hagen’ti’s hand, trying to channel her Divine Power to him, but the healing power did not respond at all.

“Hah… Hah….”

Hagen’ti’s eyes were turning a deep crimson.

“This, this isn’t right….”

Eden stared at Hagen’ti in panic, feeling utterly helpless.

If this continued, Hagen’ti would die, and the Demon King would resurrect by bursting his heart. Then the game would end, and she would be trapped here forever.

That was why such a serious warning was attached to this Quest.

No. No, think….

At that moment, a vital piece of information flashed in her mind, piercing through her frozen thoughts.

It was the new information Hagen’ti had obtained by achieving a high affinity.

‘The only way to save him….’

Eden’s breath caught as she repeated the information with a dazed expression.

‘Only the fifth Pact….’

Realizing this, Eden sprang up as if struck by lightning and looked around.

In her sight was something desperately needed at this moment. The half-remaining Pact potion left by Sereman.

With an expression full of conviction, as if she had seen the future, Eden ran and snatched the bottle.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she gulped down the remaining potion and tossed the empty vial aside, grabbing the dagger lying on the floor.

Just like Sereman, she cut her palm deeply with the sharp dagger—

“Ugh….”

Swallowing her groan, she rushed to Hagen’ti and pressed her bloodied palm against his chest.

“……!”

Then, just as Sereman’s blood had done, the blood from Eden’s hand transformed into white smoke and—

“Hah…!”

It began to seep into Hagen’ti’s chest.

Beep.

A new alert window popped up, shining brightly.