[◆ What are you saying, you idiot! Mind your own business, you idiot.]
What...what is this?
Am I dreaming now?
However, the newly appeared cucumber was glowing strongly, as if it wanted to confirm its existence.
It looked even different from the other options, as it was decorated with gold embellished borders and intricate patterns.
‘I… I need to move on.’
Clinging to her waning composure, Presibe chose the third option.
“Your voice doesn't sound good.”
As soon as she chose the third option, the strange golden option immediately disappeared. Dietrich shuddered slightly at Precipe's reply, as if she had heard something unexpected.
Precipe's hands shook just as it happened.
This was the first time she had chosen the third option. What if she died at the beginning of the game?
Contrary to her fears, the conversation began to flow naturally, as if it had been predetermined.
“I get colds often this time of year.”
“……”
"I said it out of concern. If I offended you...I sincerely apologize."
It didn't seem like an offensive option, but there was no reaction.
Presibe wondered: What is the secret of this silence? Then suddenly, Dietrich got up from his seat and walked towards her. With a quick movement, he grabbed her shiny silver hair with one hand.
“……!”
Precipi shuddered from the unexpected pain.
"anxiety?" Dietrich sneered. "I don't believe a word you say. And if your words express my concern? Much less!"
[System: Dietrich Atiluya's popularity has risen to 5 points.]
Five.
The advantage started at zero, meaning this option alone was worth five points.
incredible.
She couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of this. During her first attempts to propose to Dietrich, she never dared to choose such an answer out of fear. However, I got five points.
What am I, some kind of idiot?
Prisippi cursed inwardly as she looked at the lit up notification window.
However, five points was better than negative positive.
In this game, a negative score meant certain death before reaching the end. She had lost count of the number of times she had died this way, and it was only through extreme perseverance that she was able to reach the endings – even though these endings were also terrifying in and of themselves.
“You once betrayed me, and now you think you can win my favor with those words?” said Dietrich in a tone of bitter resentment.
Ah, this cursed man and his obsession.
It's not that I don't understand where you're coming from.
Dietrich stared at Precipe silently, his gaze loaded with emotion.
What was he thinking? Prisippi could somewhat guess, but her main thought was: Please... let my hair down...
Eventually, Dietrich released her hair, causing Presippi to stumble backwards from the force of his grip.
“There will be a banquet tomorrow.”
Since his accession to the throne, Dietrich has been busy dealing with the remnants of the Second Prince's faction. Although months have passed since his coronation, he did not hold a proper celebration.
“Guests have already started arriving. The place will get even busier tomorrow.”
The banquet was the first major event in the game.
In addition to Dietrich, the other four male characters - three of whom you will meet at the event - will all be present.
“Since people know you exist, it might be better for you to attend.”
As Dietrich said, people were aware of Precipe's existence.
In other words, they also knew that she was not the Emperor's real daughter, and that she had no blood connection with Dietrich.
However, he spoke such contradictory words, which was clearly testing her.
“How do you plan to respond?”
With his question, the options appeared:
[1. I would like to attend.]
[2. I don't want to go.]
[3. I will follow Your Majesty's wishes.]
[◆What does it matter to you whether you go or not?]
“Why again…!” Prisippi hesitated as she stared at the strange fourth option.
One thing was certain: the final choice was Death Flag.
For the Dietrich path, the correct answers were options 2 and 3.
Dietrich did not want Presibe to attend the banquet, simply because he did not want others to see it. He was afraid she would leave him again.
However, the banquet was a mandatory event, where you would meet other male characters who were an integral part of the story. Regardless of her choice, she would attend, but her preference points with Dietrich varied according to her choice.
But this time was different.
She wasn't focused on flirting with Dietrich, so she didn't need to favor him.
Attending the party was non-negotiable. She needed to find the real main man among those present.
Preseppe chose the first option.
“I want to attend.”
“……”
“Allow me, Your Majesty.”
Dietrich was silent for a moment, his expression full of bitterness.
"I see. That makes sense."
huh?
“You need to find ways to connect with others, after all.”
This was a new line that you did not encounter in normal mode. Dietrich usually frowned and gave her an angry look before dismissing her. As if to explain the difference, a notification window appeared:
[System: Re-wooing male characters after reaching their end may reveal secrets not available in normal mode.]
“But don't get any foolish ideas in your mind,” Dietrich warned.
“……”
“No matter how hard you try, nothing will change.”
Dietrich's voice had the tone of an angry child. It was as if he believed that Prisippi would never be able to escape from the Imperial Palace.
This was a side of him that she had never seen before.
“Leaves.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Although her mind was racing, Preseppe's body was acting on its own, bending and leaving as the game's progress dictated.
“Oh, my hair is a mess...” Prisippi grumbled as she stepped into the empty hallway.
“But seriously, what's going on?”
Dietrich's behavior was strange, but what remained in her mind was something else entirely.
[◆ What are you saying, you idiot!]
[◆What does it matter to you whether you go or not?]
While these choices perfectly reflected her true feelings, they were far from normal. ...Could this be a mistake?
If this mistake had changed the progression of the game… After numerous attempts and countless deaths, Prisippi thought she understood this game inside and out. But now her confidence is shaken.
"No...I need to stay focused. I have to find and try to find the real man as soon as possible."
Since the difficulty of the main role would undoubtedly be higher, there was no time to waste. As she descended the stairs, Presibe began to review the characters she encountered. She needed to identify someone who might be helpful.
'First, Dietrich.'
The character I cleared first, and the first character who killed me.
But Dietrich really loved Preseppe. The method was a bit wrong, but let's leave that aside for now.
[No matter how much you whispered love to me... I couldn't believe a word. If I could let go of your hand, that would be enough…]
But Dietrich could not let go of Precipe's hand, and in the end he chose to die with her.
[…I can finally trust you now.]
When he realized that Presibe had chosen to die with him, Dietrich finally smiled happily, and spat out blood.
Presibe came down the stairs with a frown on her face, thinking of the Duke of the North, Noah Duverne.
Noah was a complete piece of trash.
Dietrich had a story, at least!
When Noah heard rumors that Prisippi was imprisoned in the west tower of the palace, he approached her out of pure curiosity.
Frankly, Noah didn't like Presippi; He just wanted to own it. This was an extension of his hobby of collecting stuffed animals, statues and famous paintings. As if to prove it, he imprisoned Noah Precipe. She could only curse that bastard.
Not long after, Noah found a new toy, and Prisippi was forgotten.
Prisippi, who suffered from hunger and mental illness, ended up committing suicide in a room full of stuffed animals, and that was the end of Noah's journey.
“Next, Evan.”
Ivan was a great wizard in Atiluia. He was known to be a magician, but it was said that his skills were something that only came along once every hundred years.
Ivan used his magical skills to destroy Presipe. He created illusions, implanted false memories, and gnawed away at her mind, leaving her unable to do anything without him.
“…This man is the most terrifying.”
The next person I thought of was the Knight Commander Siegfried.
The last character I beat.
The one who fed her poison, said he wanted to possess her completely.
And then the next….
“Atari.”
Atari was the prince of the Thane Empire, which was located directly above Ateloya.
Atari came to the palace for Dietrich's birthday party and met Preseppe.
He was a pervert and had a strange hobby, but Atari also had a very good face on the outside.
Not only did he have gorgeous facial features, but his hair and eye color were ones that were not easy to see in Ateluia. Light pink.
That's why it caught everyone's attention at first sight. Precipe was also interested in him in the game.
It must have been strange for Preseppe, who had always been imprisoned, to see a man whose color was as light pink as rose petals.
Yes, just like the man in front of her now.
Precipi, who was walking down the stairs, looked at the back of the man's head in front of her and stopped in her tracks.
"Why is this pervert here? It's not a good time for us to meet in the story."
Was this due to the secret mode? Prisippi took a step back, confused.
But Presby in the game, as always, was a very unlucky woman.
“Ak!”
Precipi faltered.
She fell to her knees with a scream.
“Ah, ah…”
It was so painful that she almost cried. She lowered her head and let out a short moan.
Wait, are you coming...
In an instant, a dark shadow fell over her face.
“Young lady.”
With a familiar voice, long pink hair that looked like cherry blossom petals tickled her cheek.
[Atari/Preference 0]
The name Atari and a long window of preferential status slowly appeared…and soon a large hand that had bound Priscipe's neck several times rose to her face.
"Are you well?"
[1. He held his hand.]
[2. Push his hand away.]
[3. Do nothing.]
[◆ If I were you, would you be okay? You fool.]
Horrible choices. Presibe looked at Atari with a puzzled face, unable to choose anything.
When there was no answer, Atari clicked his tongue.
Atari bent down and picked up one of Precipe's shoes that was rolling on the floor.
After a while, he grabbed her thin ankle and put the shoe on it.
Presibe shuddered.
[I will put chains around your neck, ankles, and wrists…]
“….”
[I will lock you in a cage with mirrors. That would be great.]
Precipe's actions were reflexive.
She cursed inwardly, but she couldn't help but hesitated.
Remembering the cold and the shackles that were squeezing her entire body and hanging down, Precipe shivered slightly.
“You don't appear to be seriously injured.”
“…….”
“Now, take my hand and get up.” Atari extended his hand again, and the status windows floating in front of him began to glow dimly as if urging Presibe.
If she was planning to associate herself with Atari, the correct answer would be 2. Get rid of his hand.
Atari was a man who neither stopped women from going out nor stopped them from coming.
The reason he was interested in Precipe as a romantic interest was because she was different from the women he had met so far.
She showed no reaction to him, which sparked within him a desire for conquest.
Then, 2 was a pass. However, I hated choosing number 1 even more. She didn't want to touch that crazy perverted psychopath again. Just thinking about it made her body shifter.
Number 3.. If she wasted her time and someone came? What would happen if she was caught with Atari?
If this reached Dietrich's ear...
While she was lost in thought, she suddenly heard a sound like a siren.
[System: If you fail to choose an option within the specified time, a penalty will be imposed.]
What? penalty? I've never heard or seen anything like this before.
However, as if they were not aware of Precipe's condition, red letters were carved in the air as if threatening her.
[System: If you fail to answer within 3 seconds, the game will be completely reset.]
What?!
This means I have to defeat five other people to switch to secret mode. This is not possible.
Precipi, quickly remembering the difficult endings so far, began to hurriedly choose the option.
There was no way around that.
Even if she chose the correct answer to Atari's strategy, her popularity rating would not rise.
Preseppe was about to choose the second option.
“Master Atari!”
Suddenly, a strong man's voice was heard from behind her.
Presibe, who was astonished...
I came to choose the last option by mistake.
[◆If I were you, would you be okay? You fool.]
“No, you chose the wrong option...!”
The golden pattern embossed on the border of the selection shone and shone…
Prisippi said the words out loud.
“If I were you, would you be okay? You idiot.”