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

CHAPTER 197: Slivers of the Road Ahead

"What exactly are you doing?" he asked, eyeing her warily.

Lyndoria smacked his hand away. "Conducting a very important investigation."

Daisuke's brows knit together. "And what kind of investigation would that be?"

She straightened, copper eyes narrowing with pointed accusation. "I'm checking for the scent of sweat and shame."

"Sweat and—what?" Daisuke let out a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It's way too early for this."

Lumielle blinked, clearly baffled.

Fed up with the girl's antics, Daisuke mercilessly bound her with his magic chains and tossed her onto the other couch. She yelled and squirmed like a trapped caterpillar, but he paid her no mind.

Daisuke dusted off his hands before settling back into his seat. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted..."

The princess cast an embarrassed smile at her squirming attendant.

"When I infiltrated the manor earlier, I came across confidential documents detailing recent business dealings between them and the brothels in the red-light district."

Lacing his fingers beneath his chin, Daisuke's eyes narrowed. "That connection got me thinking. Back in Wonderelle, the Mhaledictus dabbled in prostitution. I don't see why they wouldn't have invested their chips into the same venture here in Lunarel."

Lyndoria's eyes widened with realization. "And if we can pinpoint which brothel they're working with..."

"Then we may just find a way to track them down," Lumielle finished, her gaze gleaming with newfound hope.

Daisuke nodded in affirmation. "If they had the audacity to infiltrate the royal court, I doubt they'd tolerate any competition in what they consider their future territory."

Lyndoria frowned. "What're you—?"

"I'm saying there's a good chance every brothel in the city belongs to them."

Lumielle and Lyndoria exchanged startled glances.

Daisuke leaned back, his expression darkening. "I also came across a suspicious building while I was on the property. Security was tight, so I couldn't investigate further. But I plan to pick up where I left off today."

"Then... you'll be returning to the manor tonight?" Lumielle asked.

"That's right," Daisuke confirmed. "By the way, did you come up with a plan?"

The princess's expression paled slightly at the inquiry, but she met his gaze unwaveringly. "I have an idea, but it would require the king's entire court to be gathered in one place."

Daisuke rubbed his chin, weighing the feasibility. "We can figure something out, but for now, I need to handle a few things before heading back to the manor. Whatever's concealed inside that building might point us in the right direction."

Lyndoria propped her head up on her chin. "And the brothels?" she asked, clearly accepting her metallic prison.

Daisuke glanced between her and Lumielle. "We'll investigate those after I'm done with the manor. In the meantime, continue as you normally would—we don't want anyone growing suspicious of your movements."

The princess nodded, her jade-green eyes clouded with worry. "Very well. Just... be cautious."

Daisuke smirked, a flicker of amusement in his gaze. "I always am." Then, shifting his attention, he added, "Midnight should still be out investigating. Zephyr, you stay here and keep an eye on Lumielle."

"Kyuu~"

He turned back to the princess. "Oh, and don't wait up for me."

***

The world around her was steeped in a suffocating grey, the edges frayed with a chilling emptiness. It resembled a broken puzzle, with pieces of trees, houses, and roads suspended in mid-air, jarringly out of place.

Despite the surreal disarray, Silvestia could faintly make out the shape of the apothecary in front of her. But it was the figures standing beside it that unsettled her. Their bodies were nearly featureless, their faces and most of their forms obscured by a twisting fog.

"Commission... new... clients," one of the figures murmured to the other, a heavy pouch of gold coins exchanged between them. The recipient's joy was unmistakable, their posture relaxed in satisfaction.

Silvestia's eyes narrowed, straining to focus on the individual, but it was hopeless. The more she tried to fixate, the more the scene slipped away from her grasp. The fog seemed to warp and distort, the image pixelating and blurring beyond recognition.

"Sil—!"

The world shuttered.

"—vy!"

The world splintered.

"Silvie!"

The sound of her name tore through the air like a distant echo. Then, as if the universe itself held its breath, a blinding light erupted, consuming everything in its path. When it finally receded, it revealed the comforting familiarity of a bedroom.

"Hey!" Fay exclaimed, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"...Fay," Silvestia said slowly with a frown, rubbing her temple as she glanced down at the intricate folds of the origami she had been working on around her desk. "Yes, I'm fine," she murmured, though her voice held a trace of doubt. "Is something a matter?"

"What do you mean, 'Is something a matter?'," Fay teased playfully. "We agreed to go back to the tower, remember?"

"Right! I nearly forgot about the—"

"Egg!" they both said in unison.

***

"Alright, let's get down to the first order of business," Daisuke murmured, glancing up at the jeweler's sign before stepping into the shop. "Is it possible to incorporate this gemstone into a pair of hair clips?" he asked, holding up the Flare Stone as he approached the clerk behind the counter.

"Of course," the older man replied with a grin. "That'll be no problem at all," he added, then peeked at Daisuke through a single eye before leaning in close to whisper: "So, a pair of hair clips, huh?"

Daisuke instinctively took a small step back. "Uh, yes?"

The man glanced around cautiously then leaned in even closer, clearly never been taught about personal space. "You're not... two-timing on your wife, are you?"

"Spph-huh?" Daisuke spluttered. "D-Do I look old enough to be married?!"

"Hahaha! What're you talkin' about?" the man laughed heartily, slapping Daisuke squarely on the back with an Ogre-like hand. "In these parts, you're more than man enough to be warming a gal's bed."

Daisuke cringed, a disturbing sense of déjà vu washing over him as he sensed a similarity between Cleave and the man. His instincts kicked in, and he quickly scanned his surroundings with a flicker of unease, silently hoping there wasn't a daughter nearby who shared the same obnoxious personality as the butcher's troublesome offspring.

"Okay," the man said, smoothing his features into a more professional demeanor, though a mischievous glint lingered in his eyes. "Hand me the gemstone and I'll get started right away. Oh, and I assume you want me to provide the hair clips too?"

Daisuke nodded, placing the Flare Stone into his beastly hand.

"Fret not," the man grinned slyly, "my wife handles the stone setting. I'll have her pick out a nice pair of clips for both your wife and mistress."

Daisuke's eyes narrowed, and he growled under his breath. "Mind your own business, old man," he muttered.

The burly clerk burst out into hearty laughter before disappearing through a door to the back of the shop.