Wasn’t This Supposed To Be a Strategy Game?

“What brings you here? I believe you already finished cleaning yesterday.”

As Eden reached the High Priest’s office, the expressionless guard blocked her path as usual.

“Is the High Priest inside?”

Eden took a deep breath, keeping her gaze steady.

The guard studied her for a moment before shaking his head.

“The High Priest has not returned yet.”

Eden’s heartbeat quickened.

“I… I wasn’t able to clean properly yesterday, and it’s been bothering me all day. I forgot to dust the shelves and water the plants. I’d like to finish before he gets back.”

“Entry is not permitted outside of scheduled hours.”

Damn.

As expected, the guard was strict.

But Eden didn’t give up. She put on her most desperate expression.

“But wouldn’t it be an insult to Hamyun if the High Priest returned to a dirty office after a long day of work?”

She invoked the name of their god, and for the first time, the guard’s eyebrow twitched.

“If the plants don’t get watered in time, they’ll wither. You know how precious those plants are. And how much the High Priest cherishes them.”

“…….”

“And if I failed to dust properly, and he breathes in too much dust and loses his voice…”

Eden gasped dramatically, clutching her mouth as if imagining a horrible fate.

The guard, despite his initial reluctance, finally let out a sigh of defeat.

“Fine. But be quick.”

The moment he said it, Eden’s eyes gleamed.

“Yes! Understood!”

The moment she stepped inside, Eden didn’t even glance at the furniture.

She immediately rushed toward the study.

Since Serman had not returned, the passage was still open.

Eden had no interest in watering plants or dusting shelves.

Just like before, she found the portal and stepped inside.

The journey to Hagenti’s domain was instantaneous.

This time, she didn’t wander around—she went straight up the stairs, toward the place where he had collapsed yesterday.

However—

“He’s gone…”

Hagenti was nowhere to be seen.

Panting from running, Eden stared in disbelief at the spot where he had lain.

The cold stone tower was completely empty.

“Ha…”

Eden’s mind flashed back to the sight of Hagenti trying to stab his own heart.

A cold chill ran down her spine.

She turned hurriedly, ready to search elsewhere.

And that was when she saw him.

A silhouette standing right behind her.

“Ahhh!”

She let out a sharp scream.

A pair of cold, gray eyes stared at her silently.

Eden’s breath caught in her throat.

“…Hagenti.”

He had been right behind her, watching her without making a sound.

“…….”

Hagenti looked completely fine.

The man who had been writhing in agony last night now stood before her, as if nothing had ever happened.

Eden froze, unable to breathe.

His light pink curls contrasted beautifully with his mystical gray eyes.

She hadn’t noticed before—since he had been collapsed on the floor—but Hagenti was as tall as Asmun or Karon.

She had to tilt her head back to look up at him.

But he didn’t look like someone who had been in isolation for 50 years.

In fact, he looked even younger than her—a youthful, almost ethereal beauty.

“…….”

Eden felt a strange chill run down her spine.

She had met many unreadable men in this world.

But Hagenti was something entirely different.

Asmun was also difficult to read, but he carried burning ambition within him.

However, Hagenti—

There was nothing.

No emotions. No desires. Just a void.

His stats flashed through her mind.

Magic: 99.

Her body tensed instinctively.

If anything went wrong, she would use her last teleportation scroll and get the hell out of there.

Then, finally, he spoke.

“…How did you do it?”

Huh?

Eden, who had been on high alert, frowned slightly.

‘He’s not asking how I got here…?’

Eden didn’t answer, waiting for him to clarify.

Hagenti slowly scanned her from head to toe.

His gaze lingered on her priest robe.

Then, after a pause, he locked eyes with her again.

Without warning, he stepped forward.

Eden instinctively stepped back—but she couldn’t move.

It was as if an invisible wall had formed behind her, stopping her from retreating.

“…!”

Hagenti never touched her.

But she felt it.

The overwhelming pressure pressing down on her—

His magic.

Hagenti leaned in, so close she could hear his breathing.

Then, in a quiet voice, he said:

“Do it again.”

…What?

The frustratingly vague command made Eden’s eye twitch.

And why the hell was he speaking so rudely?

“What do you mean?”

She refused to back down, glaring at him.

She half-expected him to snap at her for using informal speech, but—

His expression didn’t change.

Instead, he replied in the same indifferent tone.

“What you did yesterday.”

Eden scowled.

‘What did I even do yesterday?’

Hagenti suddenly raised his hand.

A dagger appeared in the air, just like before—

And landed in his palm.

Eden’s eyes widened.

He was doing it again.

“…….”

Hagenti gripped the dagger firmly, his eyes locked onto Eden.

Without hesitation, he plunged the blade into his own arm.

“……!”

Eden was so stunned that she couldn’t even scream.

Her mouth fell open in pure shock.

“Here.”

Hagenti extended his bleeding arm toward her—completely unfazed by the deep wound.

Bright red blood poured from his arm without stopping.

The magical restraint binding Eden suddenly disappeared, allowing her to move again.

But she stood frozen, unable to react.

She could only stare at the rivers of blood flowing from his wound, her mind blank.

It wasn’t until the sharp, metallic scent of blood reached her nose that she snapped back to reality.

‘This crazy bastard—!I just saved him, and he does this?!’

“Come here!”

Eden grabbed his arm, forcing him to sit down, then dropped down beside him.

Her hands shook as she wrapped her fingers around the dagger’s hilt.

She clenched her teeth and yanked the blade out in one swift motion.

“ARGH!”

The moment the dagger was removed, a fresh wave of blood gushed from the wound.

Eden screamed, panicking.

In a frenzy, she ripped a piece of her robe and clumsily wrapped it around his arm to stop the bleeding.

Hagenti allowed her to tend to him without resistance, simply watching her the entire time.

But no matter how tightly she wrapped the cloth, the bleeding wouldn’t stop.

Eden gritted her teeth, then glared up at him.

“What now, huh?! The bleeding isn’t stopping!”

Hagenti, still watching her, murmured under his breath—

“…So you’re not a healer.”

What…?

Eden blinked, confused.

Before she could respond, something impossible happened.

The blood-soaked bandages disappeared, his wound vanished, and even the bloodstains on the floor were gone.

It was as if none of it had ever happened.

“…….”

Eden’s entire body went cold.

Hagenti remained expressionless, but there was a faint hint of disappointment in his gaze.

“Then what are you?”

His voice was calm—almost bored.

That was when Eden realized the truth.

‘He did this… just to test me.’

That bastard.

Her frustration exploded.

Still shaking from adrenaline, Eden grabbed the front of his robe and yanked him forward.

Despite her sudden aggression, Hagenti didn’t resist.

He merely stared at her, his gray eyes unreadable.

“Listen up.”

Eden’s voice was low and sharp as she glared into his empty gaze.

“I don’t know what the hell you’re trying to pull…”

Her fingers tightened in his robe.

“But if you ever pull that kind of bullshit again, I’ll kill you myself.”

A heavy silence followed.

Hagenti didn’t react—no anger, no amusement.

He simply watched her in quiet contemplation.

“…….”

Eden held her breath, waiting for some kind of response.

But he did nothing.

For some reason, this time, he didn’t feel as intimidating as before.

After a long pause, Eden finally spoke again.

“You are Hagenti, right?”

She was still gripping his robe, but now her voice was calmer.

Hagenti remained silent for a moment before responding.

“How do you know me?”

At that, Eden let out a short, dry laugh.

‘Is this guy serious?’

“Of course, I know you. The only Grand Mage on the entire continent.”

Hagenti showed no reaction to her words.

Eden glanced at him warily.

From his expression alone, he didn’t seem like someone about to go on a rampage.

And yet—his destruction of the Empire was a fact.

‘I can’t let my guard down.’

Finally, she released his robe, thinking carefully.

‘What do I do next?’

Trying to buy time, she decided to ask—

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

This was an important question.

But his answer was so underwhelming that Eden almost felt stupid for asking.