Chapter 63: I Hate This Situation!

Generally speaking, Dolores would never have considered such an action.

However, she suddenly had an epiphany. Since she couldn’t escape Grin’s affection for now, she might as well openly and proactively express the parts of her that felt some level of favor toward him.

After all, being stubborn brought no benefits. Venting her feelings by saying she hated him would only cause her trouble later and change nothing.

From Grin’s behavior, Dolores could still see a few of the noble qualities of a Hero.

Dolores felt that the idea of using love to influence someone was a bit too abstract, especially for someone like her who had never experienced what it meant to truly love or be loved. In practice, it would be extremely difficult.

Because of Alberke, she had the promise of an item that would lower Affection Level in two days, as well as the pendant she was currently wearing. That ethereal sense of despair had faded significantly, giving Dolores the chance and the space to think.

Confessing her identity was still a method she couldn’t use. Grin might not necessarily let her go, and she didn’t dare gamble on his kindness. Even if he had some, what if it wasn’t enough? Or what if his revenge coding was stronger than his kindness?

With this identity, if Grin didn’t let her go, he would never allow her to leave regardless of whether she was the real Dolores or not. This was because she simply knew too much.

Even so, Dolores wouldn’t consider the path of genuinely winning him over, as that was equally unrealistic. The man had been hurt too deeply by the women of his past life, including the previous Dolores.

Combined with the System, the limited time, and various other factors—not to mention that Dolores herself didn’t understand love—it was impossible.

In the game’s plot, the first-loop Dolores was a motherly figure, gentle and reliable. That was completely different from the role the current Dolores could play. Moreover, what if she triggered Grin’s PTSD? If that happened, Dolores would be the one to suffer. If she played the part too well, it would be a fate worse than death; if she played it poorly, she would just die.

Therefore, in the limited time she had, the most realistic approach was to gamble on Grin’s kindness. In other words, she would utilize his emotions to buy more time and worry about the rest later.

While it sounded a bit ridiculous, it was perhaps the best solution Dolores could manage right now.

Previously, when the Affection Level wasn’t high, she had the option of avoiding contact to prevent any heart-fluttering moments. But now, looking at what the System displayed for him…

[Dolores]
[Affection Level: 80 (Like)]

She was truly out of options. Since she couldn’t avoid the influence he had on her emotions, she might as well use that to her advantage.

She felt like one of those “bad women” who toyed with people’s feelings. The biggest difference, perhaps, was not just Dolores’s lack of experience in such matters, but that losing would mean the end of her life.

‘Why… I transmigrated like a protagonist, so why did I end up in such a miserable situation?’

Dolores didn’t understand it either.

She hated people who toyed with emotions. Before she transmigrated, she had even thought to herself that she should never find a girlfriend who played with people’s hearts. Now, because of this chaotic situation, she was forced to learn how to manipulate another man’s feelings in practice for the first time.

But there was no other way. Anyone who transmigrated into such a messy and complex situation would feel lost and helpless.

‘If only… if only I could have a bit more time. A year or two… no, even just six months to adapt to this world.’

Dolores believed that if she had that, she wouldn’t be as rushed, frantic, and unable to escape as she was now. Unfortunately, she currently had neither time nor options. It was as if an invisible hand had placed her on a very thin wire over a bottomless abyss—there was no way back, and no room for error.

It made her feel suffocated.

However, thinking didn’t slow down the passage of time. She couldn’t escape the reality she had to face. Grin was right in front of her, the culprit was looking at her, and she had to act for the sake of something as simple yet extravagant as survival.

Grin believed her explanation. Indeed, his expression relaxed.

“Princess, I accept your explanation and apologize for my presumptuous thoughts earlier.”

Dolores smiled and didn’t press him on what those presumptuous thoughts were. Her main reason for choosing to see Grin now was to verify how deeply the System could influence her. While she couldn’t avoid the unprecedented emotions, she could at least maintain her autonomy in thinking. That was enough.

After all, before the meeting, Dolores had truly worried that the System would influence her to the point where she would suddenly fall in love with him. If that happened, all her thinking, planning, and resistance would become a joke.

Next, Dolores had Viseliane bring over some snacks to entertain him. Grin ate a few bites of the sweets and drank a few cups of tea.

He was indeed starving. While those with classes had high endurance for hunger, that was predicated on having stored energy beforehand. Grin had just gone through several consecutive battles. The sweets greatly soothed his strained nerves. Once he finished eating, Dolores let Grin leave, as the King still intended to summon him.

Viseliane cleared the remaining plates. When she picked up Grin’s plate, she held it separately in one hand. There were still a few crumbs of the sweets left on it.

She looked forward to Alberke’s return. That would mean her hope had arrived.

***

Meanwhile, in the Ruins Forest outside the Capital.

A blonde girl moved through the ancient forest. The face beneath the Academy Hat was youthful yet mature. This was Alberke, who had just left the Capital.

She had set a two-day deadline with Dolores, but the distance between the Capital, Ulgrich, and Hegeholin was nearly 500 kilometers. Naturally, Alberke couldn’t use conventional methods to travel.

The Ruins Forest could be understood as a forest with a pile of ruins, or a place where there were so many ruins they formed a forest. Alberke was more familiar with this place than Dolores—or even Grin.

This location was far too important. It encompassed almost all the chaotic elements of the Surand Region. Even the Hollow sealed beneath the Capital was just an extension of it.

For instance, in Alberke’s memory, there was the Hollow on Mercury Street, and the quest item “Elf’s Last Wish” in Grin’s main plotline. That item was linked to the Soul Plague ritual. However, in the first loop, the Soul Plague ritual didn’t happen in the Capital.

The outbreak of that plague would be stopped, but at the same time, it would lead to the revival of several of the most terrifying Wraiths of the Past Kingdom within the Ruins Forest.

If nothing went wrong, Grin—having experienced the Wraith disaster beneath the forest ruins—should have taken something particularly important to him in this loop. The priority of that item was frighteningly high. There was no reason to doubt he would have it.

“That thing” was on the way to the teleportation array Alberke was heading toward. If not for her promise to Dolores, Alberke wouldn’t have wanted to take such a dangerous and long path. The most valuable items on this treacherous road had likely already been taken by Grin.

Driven by a strange impulse, Alberke decided to stop by and check on “that thing.”

Suddenly, she froze.

‘No… how can this be? Grin didn’t take it? That’s… impossible…’

‘Something is wrong. It’s not just Dolores, but Grin as well… but… why?’