BVWG 07

chapter 07

I needed time to think.

‘But since Dahlia is the guide for the game, I probably don’t have many other options.’

Dahlia kept lingering in front of me. The child’s deep pink eyes and her small, delicate nose and mouth still carried the charm of a toddler.

She was too cute—I felt like my judgment was getting clouded!

This decision would have a major impact on my future while participating in the devil’s game. So I wanted to make a choice I wouldn’t regret.

For now, it seemed best to keep my distance from Dahlia and focus on the tasks at hand. I headed toward the servants of the Esperanza Duke’s mansion, who were busily handling their assignments.

“Any issues with the meal distribution?”

The highest-ranking mage among the servants I had brought answered.

“No, milady.”

“Is it almost done?”

“Yes.”

It seemed the volunteer work for the meal distribution was going reasonably well, and I had secured the game guide. Should I just head back now?

But after traveling three days and nights by carriage, it felt a little disappointing that the task was finished in just about five hours.

The servants must be exhausted too, so returning immediately would be impractical. The best option seemed to be setting up camp here and spending the night.

Camping wasn’t my preference, but there was no proper accommodation in the slums anyway.

“Mage, you can summon tents with magic, right?”

“I’m not skilled enough to cast summoning spells yet, but I happen to have twenty tents in my pocket dimension. Shall I set them up?”

The mage seemed to read my mind.

I briefly wondered why anyone would carry multiple tents for no reason, but I didn’t have time to care.

“Set them all up so everyone from the Duke’s household can rest. We’ll stay here tonight and depart tomorrow.”

The mage, along with the other servants, set up the tents. Naturally, I took one for myself.

I assigned a knight to watch over Dahlia, just in case I lost the game guide I had worked so hard to find.

Once everything was in order, I rested inside my fully set-up tent.

‘But… it’s too hot. I’m roasting in here!’

The tent shielded me from direct sunlight, making it slightly better than outside, but it was still unbearable. I called for the mage.

“Mage, can you use magic to cool the air inside the tent?”

I asked, thinking of air conditioners and fans from my past life.

“I’m sorry… I’m not skilled enough for that yet,” the mage said, looking timid.

‘You should be able to do at least that. Cooling magic isn’t that hard, is it?’

Even I, a magic novice, knew that much.

‘When I get back to the Duke’s mansion, I might have to suggest replacing this mage.’

Normally, I would have started throwing a tantrum at the thought.

But I was trying to change my attitude on this journey. Seeing the Duke worried about the potential heir made me sympathetic.

When he sent me off this time, his face was full of concern and anxiety. Unexpectedly, it moved me.

I was also a bit afraid of being noticed by the Emperor as the Duke family’s troublemaker…

I forced myself to suppress my habitual temper.

“Then can you at least bring some cold water?”

The mage’s eyes brightened at the practical suggestion.

“I have a special aptitude for water magic. There happens to be a dried-up lake nearby, but I can summon the remaining water and make it refreshingly cool for you.”

“Do that, then.”

The mage cast the spell immediately.

Soon, clear and cool water rippled in the lake at the center of the slums.

Not only I, but the Duke’s household and even the slum residents gathered to watch.

This level of magic was actually quite useful!

I began to understand why a mage so weak in other areas had caught the Duke’s attention. I reconsidered my earlier idea of replacing him.

“It’s purified water safe to drink. Everyone, enjoy,” the mage announced, and people flocked eagerly. Children who couldn’t bear the heat splashed into the lake.

Dahlia was among them. Her adorable golden mushroom-like hair fluttered in the air for a moment before splashing into the water, soaking immediately.

The lake wasn’t deep, so there was little danger of anyone drowning.

Still, just in case, I had the mage cast a buoyancy spell on the children.

For the first time in a while, the slums were lively. People fetched water, washed themselves, and splashed about.

A maid brought me some cool water, specially purified once more by the mage. I sipped it while enjoying the scene before me.

People who regained their composure after enjoying the cool water came over to thank me.

I had only done it for my own comfort, but I didn’t mind their gratitude.

That night, after preparing to sleep in the tent, a light appeared in my right hand. I stared at it, wondering if another mission was about to appear.

The magic circle expanded, and instead of a mission, the devil’s face appeared, exuding decadence.

“You seem rather relaxed, don’t you? Improving welfare for the slum dwellers?”

“It just… happened that way,” I replied.

“I thought you were a model of wickedness. Disappointing. Now that you’ve found the game guide, you should get on with the game.”

Despite the sarcastic tone, the devil didn’t look disappointed at all.

His furrowed brow and black obsidian eyes gave him a mischievous, almost charming appearance.

“If you get this nice, when will you ever be ready to accept my kiss?”

I replied flatly, “I don’t want your kiss at all. Isn’t there a risk of turning into an incubus if I do?”

Somehow, I was speaking comfortably with the devil. He seemed fine with it.

“Then you should hurry and play the game if you don’t want that.”

“I don’t even know what to do next, even though I’ve found the guide.”

“You should ask the game guide. She’s played this game in her past life.”

“What?”

“Use her well.”

“Can I tell her that I’m playing a game?”

“If you don’t, it’ll be impossible to play. I’ll allow that much.”

The devil drew out his sharp red lips in a long greeting and then vanished.

The magic circle returned to a normal mirror and was absorbed back into my right hand.

I stared blankly for a moment before deciding I needed to summon Dahlia immediately. But night had already fallen.

Reluctantly, I returned to my spot. No matter how urgent, I couldn’t disturb a five-year-old’s sleep.

The next morning, I summoned Dahlia to my tent.

The knight I had assigned to watch her moved quickly, and it didn’t take long before she arrived.

Leaving our past lives behind, I went straight to the point.

“I’m currently playing a game with a devil. And you’re the guide for this game.”

“Huh?”

Dahlia’s deep pink eyes widened like a rabbit’s.

“Do you know anything about the game?”

“Um… I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you mean,” she said.

She’s supposed to be the game guide!

I cursed the devil silently again in my mind.

‘A being that only knows decadence!’

I sighed and tried to calm down.

“The devil said this game is one you played in your past life.”

“I read a lot of books in my past life. I didn’t play many games,” Dahlia replied.

I remembered as well. In my previous life, Yoon Jeong-hee often read books in the room next to mine. When I slept, I absorbed the content with only my consciousness awake.

Her readings covered a wide range of subjects, giving me extensive knowledge.

As Dahlia thought, her gaze seemed to clear as if she remembered something.

“The only game I ever played was a mobile game called ‘Survival Dating.’ Come to think of it, the game was set in a country called Deus Cornu.”

“That sounds like the right game. Tell me everything you know about it,” I said, excited that she finally reacted.

But her expression was somber.

“I only played it three times. I kept dying and gave up. At first, I thought it was a dating sim, but it turned out to be a survival game.”

I froze.

“Wait… it’s a survival game?”

“Yeah,” she confirmed.

I knew it—I cursed the devil again in my mind.

“Anything else? The main mission says I need to be proposed to by a male candidate, but I don’t know who they are.”

Dahlia thought for a moment before opening her tiny pink lips.

In another situation, even my cold-blooded self would have melted at the sight.

“Um… I think there were three possible marriage candidates: Berret, Klepta, and Morpheus.”

All three were names I’d never heard. The thought that I knew none of the candidates felt oddly empty.

I didn’t understand why I felt this way. Was I unconsciously expecting something?

Dahlia continued, glancing at me.

“I’m not sure I can help much. I tried courting all three, but I died every time.”

Hope was fading.

Maybe giving up on this game is the answer?

But strangely, I couldn’t let go.

‘And completing missions in this game is supposed to help me take revenge on that bastard, Kim Young-woong.’

I didn’t know exactly how this game led to revenge against Kim Young-woong. Nor could I recall why I was so determined to play it.

Suddenly, sharp screams pierced the air, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Ahhh! Someone help!”

I rushed outside the tent to see black mist thickly spreading, taking human forms and devouring people.