Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

CHAPTER 22: True Intentions

April was just a few meters away from the door leading into Reginald's lab, but still her confident strides did not slow. It was the way of kids to believe that they were invincible, and April was no different—especially when anger constituted the heady cocktail that pulsed through her veins.

The double doors were open to a slight ajar, casting a slender column of light upon the red carpet that lined the long corridor. Like a predator stalking prey, April got down on all fours, weapon in hand, and sneaked a peek at the bad man who had made both Sheba and her brother sad.

Her heart pounded in her small chest, but it was a symphony of encouragement, not surrender. Before she could push to her feet with an energy fueled from a lifetime of indignation and poverty, salvation unfurled its giant wings.

"Mmm—"

April suddenly felt a pair of capable hands restraining her from behind, one securely covering her mouth so she wouldn't make a peep.

"April," Daisuke whispered in disbelief, turning her around slowly. "What's gotten into you? It's not like you to be so reckless!"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she pouted. "But he... he made you cry. I can't forgive him for hurting my friends."

Daisuke's expression softened, and then he pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry I made you see that moment of weakness, but I'm all better now. Your big brother will definitely get us out of this mess."

"H-Hn!" she nodded with a sob.

Her face now buried in his chest, Daisuke's expression hardened as he looked to Sylvia who had just arrived on the scene. "How bad is it?" he asked.

Sylvia hung her head, the details of her face shrouded in shadows. "...She's all but an empty shell now. She hasn't eaten or uttered a word since, just vacantly staring into the distance."

Daisuke gnashed his teeth, and as if his hatred suddenly became palpable—

"Who's there?" Reginald asked in a stern voice from inside the room. "Show yourself at once."

Almost simultaneously, Daisuke passed April to Sylvia with a telling gaze before pushing to his feet.

"It's just me," he said upon pushing the doors open. "Sorry to intrude; I hesitated because I didn't know if it was a good time."

"Nonsense," the man gestured with warm hospitality and a sincere smile. "A matter of fact, your timing is perfect—oh, how was the afternoon treat I sent? Was it to your liking?"

Daisuke preserved the integrity of his face. He didn't know if the man meant brunch or the slave he sent, but just to err on the side of caution, he assumed it was the latter.

"It was excellent! I truly appreciate you looking out for me in every regard," he confessed with a bow. "It's enough to wash away the hardships I endured during my time in captivity. I'm eternally grateful."

"Now, now," the man fanned his hand dismissively. "Enough of that—I'm sure you would do the same for a fellow nobleman, if our roles were reversed."

He continued when Daisuke raised his head.

"My great-great grandfather, Cedric Oswald Percival, brought the flame of alchemy into our family's lineage. He achieved remarkable strides in his studies, though regrettably, much of his legacy remains fragmented.

Nonetheless, despite the slender threads he left behind, his wisdom spurred my great grandfather onto the path of a chemist. From that point onward, the Percivals earned renown for their alchemical pursuits, and the torch was passed through each successive generation.