Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

CHAPTER 19: Crude and Shrewd

Daisuke, surrounded by Sylvia, Sheba, Aldric, and a few other young adults, spoke quietly in the barn house, their faces reflected a mix of curiosity and hope.

"I'm not here to stay, and I won't leave any of you behind," Daisuke declared, capturing their attention.

"...You're not just talking out of your ass, right?" questioned an older male Beastkin. "Do you have an actual plan?"

"I do," Daisuke affirmed, and the group leaned in, ready to hear his strategy. "I managed to get my hands on the manor's floor plans a while ago, which is how I've avoided getting caught sneaking around."

"What? How on earth did you..." someone started, but Daisuke raised a hand, signaling for silence.

"..."

He observed Sheba and Sylvia exchanging looks of shock and bewilderment. "What is it? What's wrong?" he inquired, noticing their expressions.

Sylvia whispered under her breath, "That man... Lord Reginald, I mean. At this very moment, I would imagine he should be in his office or lab with... someone."

Daisuke's expression hardened. "There... was someone."

"Haxks," Sheba whispered now. "That someone you saw or heard... was one of the girls who was brought here with us by the salve traders."

Daisuke paled, his expression crumpling.

"Ruth and Tina," Aldric clarified, his voice trembling with anguish as tears streamed down his face. "They were both taken away earlier today, even though I promised to protect them!"

...Ruth and Tina, Daisuke murmured their names inwardly, a mix of disgust and outrage churning in his veins. One of them is the girl who was sent to my room. B-But they're just kids! Reginald, that sick bastard!

Sylvia's arms wrapped around herself, a shiver running through her frame, which immediately suggested that she too might have been subjected by the man's sinister experiments. Though it pained her to discuss it, the girl found her voice, determined to unveil the profound darkness that had taken root within the walls of the estate.

Apparently, during the years he spent immersed in research alongside his father, Reginald found himself compelled to cast aside his humanity and forsake all earthly desires in the name of scientific pursuit.

With his family now in ruins, he yearned to seize every drop of pleasure he had missed before time's grip tightened. A voracious hunger arose, devouring all in its path, from the finest cuisines and garments to the allure of intoxicants and companionship, irrespective of gender.

And as his desires twisted and evolved, a thirst for the forbidden emerged, reshaping his cravings into a darker form of greed. According to Sylvia, the younger girls were used solely for experimentation while those who were of age fell prone to both his carnal desires and his scientific musings.

As Daisuke listened to the frightening tale, he couldn't help but remember the predatory stare Reginald gave April. He knew it was only a matter of time before she fell prey to his experiments—a sick amalgamation of sadism and scientific pursuit.

With determination blazing in his eyes, Daisuke abruptly stood up, catching the group off guard. "Time is running out; I need to put an end to this before more harm is done."

"Again," the same Beastkin asked eagerly. "What's the plan?"

Daisuke paused, deep in thought. "I'm still working on it. But for now, I need to get back before anyone notices that I'm gone. Sheba," he turned to her with a hint of regret, "how do I say this... I'm really sorry about leaving you guys behind."