I Was Confessed to by the Golden Sun

20 – Stockholm Syndrome.

The romance fantasy I’ve possessed, “Somewhere Strange in Reverse Harem.”

In that novel, major events are referred to as ‘episodes,’ and they name these episodes.

“The one taking on that role is none other than the protagonist, Heidi.”

She, who often reads novels, tends to group the events she experiences into a single ‘episode.’

Roughly speaking, it’s described in the novel as an episode that might be the third if we were to treat this case as a novel! Is this title good enough?” That’s about the extent of the description in the novel.

However, the word ‘episode’ was convenient for summarizing and representing the main events of the novel.

I know that even among readers of the novel, the word ‘episode’ was frequently used.

“So, in Heidi’s words.”

The current episode is the second one following the train attack.

The moment when the monsters start to actively engage in their role as stepping stones to steal the students’ dreams is in the fifth episode, “Eternal Dreams.”

“In that sense, the fact that the Saint is only now defeating a monster that will properly appear in the fifth episode…”

It means that his combat power currently surpasses the state of the fifth episode.

“Wouldn’t it be better if our comrades were stronger?”

If someone were to say such a thing, I would silently smile and give them a roundhouse kick to the calf.

I’ve said it many times, but all the male protagonists in this novel are twisted in some way.

If they posed a threat to me, that would be fine, but they are by no means allies.

“In fact, the reason nothing has happened is that the male protagonists have been restraining each other…”

If the power that should be stretched tightly between both sides is conceNT*Rated on one side?

This is almost a guaranteed bad ending.

“I guess I should be thankful that he’s a Saint…”

If that other guy had become so strong on his own, it would have been game over, but thankfully, there is a reason why the Saint doesn’t even think about killing me, or more precisely, a person named ‘Jack Orlande.’

In terms of game characters, the Saint is a tank with all the effects conceNT*Rated on defense instead of attack.

Perhaps this is reflected in the way he obsesses over Heidi.

Unlike others, he’s not aggressive; he just wants to keep Heidi locked up for life.

“Of course, that’s not a good thing either…”

If the Crown Prince were as strong as the Saint right now, I would be writing my will immediately.

Killing people around him or devouring Heidi, compared to that, isn’t the Saint’s situation much better?

Huh? Wait a minute, what am I thinking?

“I must have finally gone mad. I thought stalking was bad enough, but now I’m okay with being held captive. Is this Stockholm Syndrome? If I end up being imprisoned later, I’m afraid I’ll accept it happily, saying, ‘Better than having my organs eaten~.’ I should find a way to leave this world as soon as possible.”

“Haah… Haah…!”

At that moment, a voice filled with Fate’s agonizing pain broke my thoughts. Her breathing was becoming labored, and her eyes trembled. A pool of fresh blood spread on the floor, clearly revealing her condition.

“I didn’t want to die like this,” Fate said, writhing in pain as if she was trying to squeeze the words out. It could be described as a last-ditch effort, and I instinctively knew that she was experiencing the final moments of her life.

“Coming here means you don’t know who I am, right?” So, I quietly listened to her words. Regardless of whether she was a villain in her previous life, it was her destiny to leave this world, crushed by a saint-like figure coNT*Rolled by fate.

The current situation wasn’t about the saint being in danger but rather the saint annihilating everyone. I could at least grant this small favor and relieve her power.

“Be good to Lucia. She’s a kind child, even if her personality is slightly twisted from her true nature.”

“…?”

“I mean, do well because I find it incredibly amusing to see if people are good or bad.”

Coughing up blood a few times, Fate struggled to speak, and her lips trembled, making it difficult to articulate. After seeing Fate getting along with Lucia in the novel, I thought she might have been trying to exploit her.

“I’m talking to you like this because you’ve been a good playmate for a few days.”

Perhaps, in the novel, Lucia and Fate weren’t truly friends, but now, due to the upheaval caused by the saint, even if they died meaninglessly, they would have grown closer in the novel by spending more time together.

“I knew it would end up like this someday.”

With a relieved sigh, Fate began to close her eyes slowly. Her chest, which had risen and fallen in rhythm with her breathing, no longer moved. Soon, she gave a final smile, as if turning into dust, and disappeared from her spot.

And thus, the ceNT*Ral figure of the fifth episode, Fate, had died.

“Sleep peacefully,”

After a brief prayer for her.

Following the path marked by footprints and the scent of blood, and the faint cries, I began to walk toward where the saint resided.

“If it turns out this way, the fifth episode…”

The episode where the monsters try to devour the dreams of all the students when they’re asleep.

The ‘Endless Dream’ episode might not proceed properly.

No, perhaps the saint, Eden Holloway, might wipe out the monsters right now, and the fifth episode might not happen at all.

“This is all messed up.”

It’s messed up really badly.

The fourth episode. I had intended to help Nathil with the ‘Pandemonium Purge’ and handed it over to Nathil, but I never imagined just skipping the fifth episode.

“In most novels, it’s often better to just skip an episode, isn’t it…?”

Is this novel set on hardcore mode or something?

When the one progressing the episode becomes stronger, it puts me in an ironic situation where I need to be on edge.

“Still, maybe I can have a conversation with the saint.”

She mentioned once that the saint was ‘Heidi’s childhood friend’ back in the day.

In reality, Eden, Heidi, and I met when we were very young.

Even before I possessed Jack’s body, we were childhood friends for seven years, starting when everyone was six years old.

Why only seven years? Because when Heidi and I, as Jack, turned thirteen.

Eden received the ‘Mark of God’ on her arm, making her eligible to become a saint or a holy maiden.

“When the Mark of God is etched on your body, it automatically qualifies you as a saint or a holy maiden.”

And when you talk about saints and holy maidens, they’re not only figures representing the Holy Kingdom but also invulnerable noble shields with overwhelming holiness in front of their enemies.

They are nothing short of the embodiment of virtue, leading the people.

“That’s the external image of saints and holy maidens that everyone knows.”

So, how can we turn those who received the Mark of God into such ‘symbolic figures’?

Whether commoners or nobles, if they’re innocent children who haven’t committed any misdeeds, they can qualify at any time.

“The answer is, through a forced kidnapping.”

Under the pretense of taking the saints and holy maidens and nurturing them, the Holy Kingdom somehow takes them into their fold.

And only through systematic education do they mold these individuals into the image that the public envisions.

Of course, whether it’s food or lifestyle, they are provided quite luxuriously, so many people don’t have complaints.

“But Eden despised the fact that he had become a saint, terribly.”

He smiles brightly in front of people but curses the deity who marked him with a curse that is nothing less than a mark of damnation behind his back.

That’s why he holds a considerable grudge against Heidi and Jack, who were forced to part ways.

And with Heidi, mixed with rational interest, he even shows obsessive infatuation, which leads to an attempted confinement.

“Still, because we couldn’t meet, maybe we can resolve it through conversation…”

As I walked, trying to think as optimistically as possible, something suddenly hit my foot.

“Huh…?”

I looked down in curiosity, and there, like a lump of mangled meat, was a bunch of mongs stuck together and barely breathing.

Seeing that, I had doubts about whether it could be resolved through peaceful means like conversation.

“He’s not going to attack without even talking, right…”

No matter how twisted he was, he knew better than to do that to the childhood friend he lost when he was young.

After seeing the mangled mongs several times while passing by, I felt uneasy.

Just seeing a few mongs that were already covered in blood made them seem like there were quite a few.

“Sigh…”

I tried to calm my mind as much as possible, but as I got closer, the stench of blood became stronger.

My nose had already adapted to it.

“Scream!”

The further I went inside, the louder the screams became.

I took a deep breath and entered the place where the saint was.

What I saw was a man with blonde hair and a delicate body, surrounded by a golden aura.

And the sight of him repeatedly striking the nearly crushed mongs with a large mace.

But surprisingly, the mongs’ bodies, now resembling lumps of meat, recovered almost instantly, making them seem like they could be called pieces of flesh.

“hahahaha…!”

Eden, who laughed while playing with the mongs in a mole-catching manner, lit up his red eyes with joy, like a child laughing while crushing ants.

And so, the pure happiness reflected in his expression.

Therefore, the intense madness within him seeped into the air and onto the skin.

“..Ugh.”

How long had it been since my body stiffened due to that madness?

“..Who are you?”

Suddenly, Eden, who had turned his head eerily in my direction, began to approach me with a sinister smile, swinging the mace.

“Is this a new toy?”

..I might die like this, won’t I?