<Wasn’t this a Strategy Game? Episode 28>

“What’s going on? I thought the cleaning was done yesterday.”

As usual, the expressionless guard blocked Eden at the entrance of the Chancellor’s Office.

“Is the Chancellor inside?”

Eden took a deep breath and looked at the guard. The guard stared at her for a moment before shaking his head.

“The Chancellor hasn’t returned yet.”

Hearing that, Eden’s heart raced even more.

“I… I couldn’t clean properly yesterday, and it’s been bothering me. I forgot to dust and water the plants inside. I’d like to clean again before the Chancellor returns, if that’s okay?”

“Access is not allowed outside of appointed times.”

Damn.

As expected, the guard was as sharp as a blade, but Eden didn’t give up and made an earnest expression.

“But if the Chancellor comes back from a long day of work and finds his dirty office, wouldn’t that be disrespectful to Hamun himself?”

Mentioning Hamun made the guard’s eyebrows twitch slightly.

“If the plants don’t get water on time, they’ll all die. You know how precious the plants in the office are, right? And how much the Chancellor cherishes them.”

“…….”

“Moreover, if I don’t dust properly and the Chancellor ends up breathing in all that dust and chokes….”

Eden stopped mid-sentence, covering her mouth in horror, as if her outrageous words had somehow convinced the guard, who sighed softly.

“Then finish up quickly.”

At those words, Eden, who had been pretending to cry, brightened up.

“Yes, understood!”

Finally allowed into the office, Eden dashed towards the study without looking back. Since Sereman hadn’t returned yet, the study was still open. Things like plants or dust were of no concern to her.

Just like yesterday, Eden found the portal and stepped inside.

Reaching Hagen’ti’s castle happened in the blink of an eye. This time, she didn’t get lost and climbed up the stairs to where Hagen’ti had fainted the day before. But…

“He’s not here….”

Hagen’ti was nowhere to be found. Eden let out a breath she had been holding from running and looked around the empty stone tower where Hagen’ti had been lying.

“Huh….”

This can’t be a mistake.

Eden recalled the image of Hagen’ti trying to stab her heart again, and a horrific thought chilled her blood.

‘No, if that were the case, there should be a corpse.’

As she turned around in a hurry to search elsewhere, Eden came face to face with a figure standing before her and screamed.

“Aah!”

Right in front of her were eerily calm gray eyes staring right at her. As soon as she recognized his identity, Eden froze.

“……Hagen’ti.”

He had appeared behind her without a sound.

“…….”

Hagen’ti looked unbelievably fine. Seeing him as he was last night, in such pain, seemed impossible, as if she was looking at a different person altogether.

Eden stood frozen, unable to breathe, staring at Hagen’ti.

His moist pink curls perfectly complemented his mysterious gray eyes. She hadn’t noticed yesterday since he was collapsed, but Hagen’ti was as tall as Asmun or Karon, requiring her to look up.

But no matter how she looked at him, he didn’t seem like someone who had been hermit for 50 years. He appeared so much younger, like a handsome youth who might even look younger than her.

“…….”

Under Hagen’ti’s relentless gaze, Eden felt goosebumps down her spine.

As much as Asmun was a man of hidden depths, Hagen’ti was a complete mystery. His expression was as expressionless as ever, but there was no hint of ambition behind those eyes like there was with Asmun. She couldn’t grasp what he was thinking at all.

Was he even aware of her presence after last night’s chaos? With a magical power of 99, Eden pondered Hagen’ti’s stats while preparing to run if things went south when a quiet, low voice broke the silence.

“……How did this happen?”

Huh?

Eden, on edge, furrowed her brows at the sudden, unexpected question.

How did she get here?

‘Not asking how I got in, huh?’

Confused and unable to gauge the intent behind the question, Eden stood there speechless as Hagen’ti slowly scanned her.

His gaze lingered on Eden’s priest robe. Hagen’ti seemed to ponder something for a moment before his eyes met hers again, and he suddenly stepped forward.

Surprised, Eden reflexively tried to step back, but Hagen’ti wouldn’t allow it. It felt as if an invisible wall had formed behind her, preventing Eden from moving an inch.

“……!”

Hagen’ti didn’t touch Eden, but she felt it instinctively. The terrifying force constraining her body was Hagen’ti’s magical power.

With nowhere to retreat, Hagen’ti closed the gap and stared at Eden silently, then spoke.

“Do it again.”

Eden started to feel annoyed by the nonchalant demand.

Plus, why was this guy so brief with his words?

“Do what?”

Eden shot back defiantly. Contrary to her expectation, Hagen’ti showed no signs of anger for addressing the Great Mage so rudely; instead, he merely responded with the same indifferent tone.

“What you did yesterday.”

And what was that?

As Eden’s brows creased in confusion, Hagen’ti reached out. Just like yesterday, a dagger appeared in mid-air and quickly fell into his hand. Seeing the sharp blade again, Eden’s eyes went wide.

“…….”

Gripping the dagger, Hagen’ti looked straight at Eden and plunged it down without hesitation. The blade’s target was his own arm.

“……!”

In the sudden event, Eden couldn’t even scream, her jaw dropping in disbelief.

“Here.”

Hagen’ti extended his palm without flinching. Bright red blood flowed profusely from the stabbed arm to the point of overflow.

Eden felt her magically frozen body gradually relax, but she was still frozen, completely unable to move.

As she stared at Hagen’ti’s blood-soaked arm, the coppery smell of blood reached her nose, snapping her back to reality.

This crazy bastard, just when she thought she saved him!

“Come here!”

Eden gripped Hagen’ti’s arm and pulled him down, quickly seating herself beside him as she grasped the hilt of the dagger with trembling hands.

Damn it!

Eden squeezed her eyes shut and yanked the blade out in one swift motion.

“Aah!”

As blood gushed from the wound, Eden screamed. In a panic, she tore her clothing to hurriedly bandage Hagen’ti’s injury. Hagen’ti watched discreetly as Eden pulled him down and tended to his wound.

But no matter how tightly she tied it, the bleeding wouldn’t stop.

Damn it!

Cursing under her breath, Eden looked up.

“Now what am I supposed to do? The bleeding won’t stop!”

Hagen’ti, observing Eden with a blank expression, muttered.

“……You’re not a healer.”

What…?

Eden froze, unable to process his words, as Hagen’ti’s blood-soaked arm suddenly became spotless.

The blood-soaked cloth wrapped around his torn arm, not to mention the pool of blood on the floor, disappeared as if they had never existed.

“…….”

At that unbelievable sight, Eden felt her insides freeze. Although Hagen’ti still had his usual blank expression, she sensed a hint of disappointment in his gaze.

“Then what does that make you?”

Eden realized he had shed blood to test her.

This bastard…

The sweat that had just formed from panic quickly turned cold, and anger surged within her. Without a second thought, Eden yanked on Hagen’ti’s collar. Despite her unexpected aggression, he stood still, looking back at her.

“Just know that I’ll be the one to stop you from pulling stunts like this in the future.”

Eden glared at Hagen’ti as a warning. The reckless prank had pushed her to the limit.

“Try this kind of stunt one more time, and I’ll personally kill you.”

“…….”

“Got it?”

Though Hagen’ti didn’t respond to that menacing statement, he didn’t bind her again or show any anger. He merely regarded Eden with an impassive expression, leaving her uncertain whether he was agreeing or not.

“…….”

Surprised by his unexpectedly docile demeanor, Eden looked around. The castle remained cold and eerie.

She turned back to Hagen’ti, who was still staring at her, but for some reason, he didn’t seem as terrifying as before.

“You are Hagen’ti, right?”

To Eden’s question, still gripping his collar, Hagen’ti paused briefly before asking back.

“How do you know me?”

That question made Eden chuckle a little. There wasn’t a soul in the Empire who didn’t know Hagen’ti. However, he had gone missing 50 years ago, leaving behind only rumors without solid information.

“Of course I know. The continent’s one and only Great Mage.”

Although Eden’s response was straightforward, Hagen’ti showed no surprise. She glanced at him, realizing he looked anything but like a person who would suddenly go on a rampage, nor did he seem to possess the power to destroy the Empire.

But she knew not to be fooled by appearances. There was no doubt Hagen’ti had the potential for a catastrophic end.

Finally, Eden released his collar and began to think.

So, what now?

“……Aren’t you curious how I got here?”

After finally finding her voice, Eden asked, which seemed like an important question.

Did Hagen’ti know that her castle connected to Sereman’s Chancellor’s Office?

But Hagen’ti’s response was absurdly nonchalant.