I Regressed and the Genre Changed

Chapter 48 – Three-Way Confrontation (1)

The next morning.

Creak—

The door opened without any warning.

I cautiously turned around.

“Kyle.”

Through the crack of the open door, Luna entered.

Then, without hesitation, she plopped down beside me.

“What are you doing?”

I narrowed my eyes and asked, to which Luna chuckled.

“Just woke up?”

It was a question not worth answering, but I nodded vaguely.

At least, for now, I still needed Luna.

“You look handsome even when you just woke up.”

Of course, this was too much nonsense to just listen in silence.

I clicked my tongue and interrupted her words.

“The Holy Blood?”

“I got it.”

“…You really got it?”

Got it.

That clear resonance echoed in my ears.

‘Did she succeed? Really?’

Seeing no disturbance so far, it seemed like nobody had noticed.

I trusted Luna, but I never expected her to succeed so cleanly.

Amazement erupted from the gap in my lips.

Luna looked at me like that and smiled brightly.

“I told you, didn’t I? Just wait for good news.”

Luna flipped her hair back and pulled out a glass bottle from her pocket.

The liquid inside the bottle sparkled like a jewel in the sunlight streaming through the window.

“Here, take it.”

With trembling hands, I accepted the Holy Blood she handed me.

And I examined it closely.

“…”

I slowly turned my head to face Luna.

Then, in a tender voice, I spoke.

“Thank you.”

Luna, who had been staring at me as if enchanted, swallowed nervously.

She stared at my face for a moment, then slowly shifted her gaze.

And she replied.

“Hehe, I’m glad you appreciate it.”

Don’t forget, maintain your expression.

I kept a smiling face and asked.

“Shall we have dinner together tonight?”

“…What?”

Luna, lost in thought, looked at my face, then suddenly snapped out of it and nodded vigorously.

“Are you serious?”

“Of course.”

“…Okay.”

Luna’s face blushed slightly as she shyly spoke.

Then, as if to hide her flushed face, she quickly turned her head and stood up.

“I… I’ll get up first.”

“Already?”

It was just a casual remark, but Luna blushed intensely from her ears to the back of her neck.

“I’ll send the butler to your room on time, so rest until then.”

With quick steps, she fled the room.

I chuckled softly as I watched Luna’s retreating figure, then confirmed that she was completely gone before turning my gaze away.

“…”

I carefully held the glass bottle containing the Holy Blood.

For a few minutes, I stared at the glass bottle intently.

From the outside, it was impossible to tell the difference between a fake and the real thing.

The most reliable verification method was the reaction to divine power.

If this was authentic, it would trigger significant chemical reactions upon contact with divine power.

Of course, I had no divine power, but that’s okay.

I still had a way.

“Good thing I kept it.”

I retrieved the Sacred Solvent hidden by the bedside.

There is only a very small amount left after making the Elixir, but it was enough.

Carefully, I removed the stopper and tilted the bottle.

Then, plop— a drop of the Sacred Solvent fell onto the Holy Blood.

A ripple spread from where the Sacred Solvent landed.

And then.

“…!”

The Holy Blood began to bubble.

It started to churn like boiling lava, and soon, a brilliant burst of sacred light erupted from it.

I tightly shut my eyes.

The room was bathed in a blinding white light as if a flash had gone off.

After a few minutes.

I finally opened my eyes and saw the Holy Blood, now calm as if nothing had happened.

“…It’s the real Holy Blood.”

Ah, finally, I got it.

A shiver ran down my spine.

Emotions swirled in my chest, a mix of relief and overwhelming feelings.

After a moment, Merlin’s firm voice rang in my ears like an echo.

— When you drink the Holy Blood, your soul’s power will ascend one step.

— After that, even if you die, your soul will linger near your body.

Preparations are complete.

Now that I had the Holy Blood, all I had to do was drink it.

“Huuu….”

Clang—

I shook the glass bottle from side to side.

The effect of the Holy Blood was overwhelming compared to ordinary consumable items.

But with great effect came great drawbacks.

That’s right, the process of drinking it was quite painful.

“….”

In the game, the character would groan a few times and then collapse briefly, and that would be the end of it.

But there was no way to know how much pain the player would feel during that process.

Of course, I wouldn’t die.

The item description only mentioned “intense agony,” nowhere did it say anything about permanent damage.

But who enjoys pain anyway?

I swallowed hard.

“…Will it be okay?”

I wouldn’t die, so it should be fine.

I took a deep breath and exhaled.

Gulp—

Without hesitation, I poured the Holy Blood into my mouth.

With a smooth swallow, a subtle pleasure spread down my throat.

That’s when it happened.

“Ughhh…!”

Every cell in my body seemed to be squeezed with excruciating pain.

A terrible ache reverberated through every bone.

It was indeed [intense agony].

Thud—

My head grew heavy, and I lost balance, collapsing to the floor.

I breathed irregularly, my eyes bloodshot.

The searing pain that struck my entire body made me want to scream immediately, but reality dictated that only faint groans escaped through my parched lips.

“Ah….”

Consciousness faded away.

It felt like my body was melting under the heat enveloping it.

Slowly, very slowly.

The fear of death began to creep up from behind.

Then, a refreshing sensation washed over my head as if I had been doused with cold water.

The excruciating pain that had gripped my entire body slowly subsided.

And soon after, my fading consciousness began to sharpen.

“…Fuck.”

My clothes were drenched in the sweat that poured down.

How long had it been?

I lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling, having lost track of time.

This was real…

“I thought I was going to die.”

Yeah, I was literally in excruciating pain to the point that I thought I was going to die.

****

Not long after drinking the Holy Blood, significant changes occurred within me.

My entire body felt lighter.

Using mana within my body became as comfortable as breathing.

And the flow of mana began to appear as a single hue.

It seems Merlin’s words about the ascension of the soul’s power after drinking the Holy Blood were not mere rhetoric.

And above all, the most significant change was.

◆ Scenario Progress

: 65%

The scenario progress rate rose significantly once again.

After the Elixir, now the Holy Blood.

Now, all preparations were complete.

“Soon.”

I carefully held the dagger in my pocket.

The Dagger of Tranquility, a one-time use with an instant death effect.

True to its name, it brings a peaceful rest without any pain.

The moment the progress rate reaches 100%, everything will be over.

By using the Dagger of Tranquility to end my life, I’ll neutralize the system, and Diana, who received the Elixir, will seize the opportunity to revive my body.

And then…

“Rudine Eckhart…”

I’ll abduct the princess.

Then, after killing her, I’ll seize the Relic.

Everything was going smoothly.

Almost too smoothly, to the point of feeling slightly uneasy.

And above all.

— Lee Seung-jun.

Rudine definitely knew my name.

And not in the imperial language, but in Korean.

What did she know, and how much did she know?

Everything was shrouded in uncertainty.

At that moment, Luna’s voice cut through, piercing my ears.

“Kyle, what’s wrong?”

Since she got me the Holy Blood, Luna had been increasingly obsessed with me.

She followed me around so persistently, it felt like watching a duckling chasing after its mother.

Most annoying of all was the subtle change in Luna’s attitude.

It wasn’t the worried attitude of an older sister, but now it was like…

Yeah, it was like the gaze of someone desperate to seduce.

It was utterly repulsive.

To the point where the taste of food turned sour.

“Is the food not to your liking?”

“No, it’s fine. I just had something to think about.”

I sighed and hastily stuffed the food into my mouth.

And then.

“L-Lady Luna!”

The pale-faced butler burst into the dining room, panting heavily as he ran up to Luna, continuing his report.

“Something terrible has happened! The Holy See… The Holy See…!”

“What about the Holy See?”

“They’re accusing the Young Lady of attacking the Saintess on the day of the Founding Ceremony… and they want to interrogate the Young Lady separately!”

What? Attacking the Saintess? Luna attacked Isabel?

I watched the unfolding situation dumbfoundedly.

“They want to interrogate me?”

“Considering that the Pope himself came with the Saintess, the situation seems quite serious. What should we do while the Duke isn’t present…!”

“Haah….”

The butler nervously shuffled his feet with a troubled expression.

Luna chuckled as if it wasn’t even funny and stood up from her seat.

“Lead the way.”

Luna got up and followed the butler out of the dining room.

Unable to resist my curiosity, I followed behind Luna.

‘What’s going on?’

The Holy See wanting to interrogate her means they want to take her to the Holy See to directly assess whether she’s a heretic or not.

And above all, Luna attacking Isabel on the day of the Founding Ceremony?

Why on earth…

‘So, was that why the atmosphere was so tense back then?’

What will happen if this escalates?

If Luna is indeed taken to the Holy See…

‘…It’ll be a huge gain, huh?’

Clearing away the obstacles.

Leaving the mansion behind.

It’s truly killing two birds with one stone.

“…”

As we passed through the foyer and stepped outside the main gate, I noticed unfamiliar carriages.

Special emblems, symbols of the Holy See, were engraved all over the carriages.

And there stood a woman facing this way.

“Kyle.”

Blonde hair bathed in moonlight, and eyes as blue as waves.

Isabel smiled brightly as she looked at me.

“I wanted to see you.”

I openly frowned.

Luna, too, shot a fierce glare with a twisted face.

“Isabel Yustia.”

“Nice to see you, Luna Winfred.”

The air froze abruptly.

A chilly breeze brushed against my skin.

“You really came all the way here to interrogate me?”

“Did you think you could attack me, the Saintess, and get away with it?”

“Saintess? Who? You?”

Luna arched her back and snickered.

Isabel’s brow furrowed as she watched Luna’s laughter.

“Is this situation amusing to you?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? What crazy woman would poison her fiance for no good reason? The Saintess? It seems like even the Holy See has lost its senses.”

“You’d better watch your mouth.”

“Get a grip. No matter how hard you try, nothing will change.”

“This crazy woman…”

The tense conversation only lasted a moment.

The Pope and the priests who had been observing the situation began to step forward.

“Lady Luna, please do not resist.”

“How amusing. Do you have any evidence that I attacked that woman?”

When Luna asked coldly, the Pope unfolded a scroll as if he had been waiting.

Elegantly written script filled the scroll.

And stamped at the end, was the seal of the Empress’ Palace.

“This is an imperial decree. Please come with us.”

An imperial decree, most likely from Her Majesty, the Empress.

Luna furrowed her brow and muttered.

“Hah, I was wondering what gave you such confidence to make these baseless accusations…”

“I warned you, didn’t I? Can you handle it?”

Isabel sneered mockingly.

“If you understood, you wouldn’t have reached this point. You have no place here.”

The Pope and the priests began to approach step by step.

The butler looked back and forth between Luna and Isabel with a pale blue complexion.

Then Luna stepped forward.

“Are you confident?”

Then, she drew her sword.

“You think you can handle it, even with just this many people?”

The gleaming blade she wielded in the air sparkled in the moonlight.

Isabel exclaimed in shock.

“Are you seriously planning on turning the entire Empire against you?!”

“Do you doubt my capabilities?”

“Are you insane?!”

“This is your last warning. Leave now if you don’t want to die here.”

They’re all just blabbering, just blabbering.

I inwardly scoffed at their astounding childishness.

Whether they fight each other or all perish together.

Honestly, I couldn’t care less.

However, a reason arose.

— 66%

— 67%

…

…

…

As Luna and Isabel’s craziness escalated, the progress rate continued to rise.

“…Huh?”

And then, I realized.

I have to fulfill the progress rate of 100%.

But if both of them die in this situation?

What would happen to the progress rate?

Surely it wouldn’t just stop…

‘Fuck, that can’t happen.’

Anyway, since I already obtained the Holy Blood and Elixir, all necessary preparations were complete.

From now on, I just need to focus on increasing the progress rate.

I swallowed a sigh and took the lead quietly.

Then, I whispered to Luna.

“Stop it.”

“But Kyle, this is clearly-”

“Let’s just comply with the interrogation for now.”

“What? Are you seriously…”

“I’ll go with you.”

Luna blinked dumbfoundedly.

The fierce gleam in her eyes dimmed, and before she realized, tears began to well up in her eyes.

“Sis…”

Plop—

The tears welling up in her eyes fell silently.

{TL/N: Kyle, the master manipulator ]