Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended [Part One]

CHAPTER 119: The Slum Sprites' Predicament & Reginald's Dark Legacy

Daisuke frowned challengingly, much to the horror of his companions. "I could've easily made my way to another town the same way I traveled from the manor to Wonderelle."

"You mean by fleeing from monsters and sneaking around like a rat," Adrian taunted with a smile.

Daisuke snarled. "What made you think the corpses weren't mangled well after I'd escaped?"

Adrian flexed his wrist, inspecting his freshly gloved hand. "The walls of the manor are enchanted with a natural monster repellant, so we deduced that the beast somehow originated from within the manor. You wouldn't happen to know something about that now, would you?"

Daisuke regarded the man with undisguised loathing. You can try to justify it all you want, but I'm not buying it. Zephyr and I didn't notice anyone watching or tailing us, so someone we know must be feeding information to these scumbags.

It has to be someone who's been observing us closely, studying our strengths and weaknesses for a while. My suspicions were confirmed when we were so easily taken out by that squid earlier—it felt like a trap specifically set to capture us. Someone's out to get us. The question is, who? Osten? Lyanna? Finnian? Gavric?

"What exactly are you after?" Daisuke asked after a deep breath. "Are you planning to pick up where Cedric and Reginald left off by continuing their research?"

Adrian's perfectly smooth skin wrinkled for the first time, evidently appalled by the notion. "Don't be ridiculous," he rebuked. "I couldn't care less about the Percival name or their legacy. Just because we couldn't complete the impossible task that was bestowed upon us, we were hopelessly condemned to a life of shame and poverty by the whims of the royal family.

I knew my place as the illegitimate son," he explained with a frown. "A shadow that barely existed. But that was fine; I never cared about power or fame. All I wanted was a life of comfort and pleasure, but even that was taken from me. So, I joined an organization better suited to providing the lifestyle I desire."

"And let me guess," Daisuke regarded him with pity, "the currency to sustain this life of extravagance is alchemy."

"Bingo!" Adrian raised his index finger with a neat grin. "You're a quick study. I like that. After the Percivals were mercilessly crushed beneath the hell of the capital, my brother immersed himself in his work.

I didn't stick around long enough to know what he was working on, but I do know that he desperately needed funding, whatever the cost."

"...I don't like where this is going," Brek murmured.

Ribbit farted again.

But Garrett was too busy nervously biting his fingernails to care.

Adrian pulled out a small glass vial from his jacket and gently began stirring the contents inside that shimmered like polished salt. "Have you ever heard of mana dust, otherwise known as pixie crystals?"

Daisuke's forehead furrowed quizzically.

"...Isn't that some kind of illegal drug?" asked one of the quieter boys among the group.

"Where did you learn about that?" asked Brek.

"I overheard one of the slave traders talking about it."

"That's right," Adrian confirmed dryly. "It's the most popular brand of narcotic currently on the market. As you may have already guessed, it was created by Reginald."

So alchemy can be used in that way too, Daisuke thought disappointedly.

"To keep customers hopelessly addicted and remain a bar above the competition, Reginald would regularly refine the recipe. Now that he's dead, it's imperative that his replacement is found.

And that, my friend," he glared up at Daisuke, "is where you come in. Now, you can either play nice and assume your appointed role, or I'll start feeding your friends one by one to a monster. No pressure."

The color instantly drained from Ribbit's face, then he farted. Garrett swallowed nervously, his eyes quivering, while the other four boys exchanged horrified glances.

Brek watched as their feminine captor departed along with his brawny henchman. "Well, forget being slaves for the rest of our lives—it looks like we're all about to end up in some monster's belly by the end of day."

The children started panicking.

"Relax," Daisuke reassured calmly. "No one's going to get eaten."

Brek felt offended by his input, especially when he could hardly stand on his own two feet. "Sure, you're not going to get eaten, but the rest of us sure as hell will. By the way, you mind explaining to me what this alchemy's all about?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Daisuke responded blandly before effortlessly summoning a mana potion from his inventory and chugging it down, much to the astonishment of the others.

"Wait a minute!" Garrett exclaimed in shock. "Did you just hocus-pocus that potion out of thin air just now?"

"W-Was that alchemy?" one of the others asked.

"How the heck did you just do that?" Brek gushed with obvious envy.

"It's a long story," Daisuke responded flatly.

"More importantly," Ribbit pushed forward while salivating, all traces of fear gone. "Could you maybe conjure up a juicy piece of monstron like you did with the potion?? I'm starving!"

Daisuke regarded the boy in disbelief. "...Pretty sure our priority right now should be getting out of here alive."

"That's right, you greedy oaf," Garrett reproached, elbowing him in the side. "Can't you use your head instead of your stomach for once!"

Ribbit clutched his aching ribs and retorted, "didn't you hear that guy just now? If we attempt to escape, we'll be killed in one way or another."

Having recovered his strength upon consuming the potion, Daisuke cautiously made his way over to the lock to inspect it. "Then, instead of attempting to escape, we'll get out of here the appropriate way."