Besides Lilith, who could be a tsundere, a perennial loser heroine, or even a yandere, the yet-to-appear Primary Heroine was privately dubbed the 'Ultimate Siren' by the player community. The danger and sheer exhaustion associated with her romance route were legendary on the forums.
As for the fourth heroine currently before him, Catherine Roman, once her affection reached a certain threshold, her tendency to meticulously calculate and utilize every available resource to achieve her goals would become exceptionally pronounced.
She might smile while guiding the player character into the chamber's conspiracies or calmly evaluate the benefits a relationship could bring, factoring emotions directly into her survival equations.
Greg knew very well that the heroines of this work were by no means innocent, naive characters. They were beautiful, powerful, and distinct, but they each carried complex pasts and dark sides; they could even be called 'villainesses.'
Hoping for a harmonious harem ending? Given the game's intricate, conflicting character logic and hidden 'blackened' routes, it was an almost impossible task.
Until the moment he transmigrated, no one on the gaming forums had ever posted a guide for a successful harem ending.
"Lady Catherine."
The maid's voice interrupted Catherine's thoughts. She remained respectfully bowed as she offered a suggestion.
"Regarding the loss of contact with those three in the dungeon... could we consider anonymously leaking some vague information to the academy professors about 'missing students'?"
"Perhaps the academy would organize a search party for the deep area. Even if the people aren't found, they might discover... lingering traces or data that could be of use to us."
Without a moment's hesitation, Catherine gently shook her head. The moonlight cast a cold, silver edge over her expressionless face.
"No, absolutely not."
Her voice was clear and cold, carrying an indisputable finality. "This matter must not have any form of official connection to the academy."
For her, she would rather those three testers perish in the dungeon and have all experimental data buried forever in the darkness along with that prototype than allow the academy's influence to intervene in the investigation.
This new magic conduit was a key step in her secret plans.
If the tests were successful, after improvements and mass production, it would earn her immeasurable prestige and substantial profits within the chamber, becoming a vital chip in her struggle for the succession.
Its existence had to remain a complete secret until the moment she was ready to reveal her hand.
Once the academy got involved, the nature of the situation would change. The investigation would likely trace back to the source of the magic conduit. Even the slightest clue would be enough to catch the attention of her sharp-witted siblings.
By then, she wouldn't be facing a simple experimental failure, but a merciless siege and suppression from within her own family. They would never allow her to possess anything that could potentially threaten their status.
Risk versus reward—the precise scales in Catherine's mind had already weighed the options. A temporary loss of data was acceptable; premature exposure meant the possibility of losing everything.
She paused for a moment, her azure eyes showing no ripples of emotion.
"Once this intruder disturbance has completely settled and the academy returns to normal, immediately scout the next group of suitable testers. Until then, act as usual. Do not make any unnecessary moves."
"Yes, my lady."
The maid bowed in response, quietly exited the room, and gently closed the door.
Silence returned to the room, save for the faint scratching of a quill across paper and the distant, fading clamor of the dormitories outside the window.
The moonlight continued its cold vigil, reflecting off the blonde girl's exquisite yet detached profile and the documents of her secret plans spread before her.
...
"Hey, my other half, do you smell something strange?"
Shortly after the two of them officially stepped into the dungeon's entrance corridor, Nightmare's voice suddenly echoed in Greg's mind.
"Who—who are you calling 'other half'?! Please address me as the Sovereign of Night! Right now, you're the only one in this world who can let me enjoy that majestic title. If even you won't cooperate, then what was the point of me risking my life to win that title from you? Am I supposed to talk to myself in the mirror? That would be too pathetic!"
Greg's internal monologue burst forth like a reflex, a long string of resentful complaints.
Nightmare fell silent for a heartbeat before smoothly changing her address. "Hey, Sovereign of Night, do you smell something strange?"
Greg: "Actually, being called that feels even more embarrassing than I imagined. Forget it, just call me Greg."
Nightmare: "...You truly are a handful."
Greg cleared his throat, bringing his focus back to the matter at hand.
"Alright, back to the smell. What strange scent are you talking about? It's... not me, is it?"
He subconsciously looked down and sniffed his own collar.
Although he spent a lot of time in the dungeon, as a modern soul with basic standards, he tried his best to maintain personal hygiene whenever possible.
"It is not you."
Nightmare's voice carried a hint of amusement. "It is coming from the girl beside you."
"Silvia has a strange smell?"
Hearing this, Greg couldn't help but turn to look at the girl walking beside him.
Silvia was carefully following his lead. Her long pink hair gave off a soft luster in the dim light, and her pink eyes were focused ahead, reflecting the faint glow of the luminescent moss on the dungeon walls.
She bit her lip slightly, her cheeks naturally flushed. Her slender frame and pure, innocent aura truly did make one feel a strong urge to protect her.
As expected of one of the heroines, her beauty is beyond reproach...
Greg dazed out for a moment.
"Gr—Greg, Senior?"
Sensing his gaze, Silvia turned her head and met his eyes. A hint of confusion and an imperceptible shyness appeared on her face.
"Is something wrong? Is there... something on my face?"
"No, it's nothing!"
Greg snapped out of it and immediately looked away, his tone slightly stiff as he explained, "I wasn't doing anything weird, and I definitely wasn't trying to smell you, so please don't mind me."
"...Is that so?"
Silvia blinked her pink eyes. She still looked puzzled but didn't press further, only giving a soft "Mhm" before refocusing on the path ahead.
Greg questioned Nightmare in his mind: "Aside from a faint scent that's a bit like lilies... I don't smell anything 'strange' at all?"
Nightmare: "...What exactly are you sniffing for, you pervert?"
Greg: "Weren't you the one who said she had a strange smell?!"
Nightmare spoke in an ethereal tone tinged with a subtle touch of disgust.
"Indeed, a certain scent lingers upon her... a fragrance that displeases me, one belonging solely to a vixen."
Greg stopped dead in his tracks, nearly tripping over the uneven ground.
"...Coming from you, those words make you sound like the vixen!"
Rate on N.U.
