The Terminally-Ill Rejects the Approach (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 15

The gathered noble young ladies and their attendants had fled, so the number of people remaining here was fewer than at first.

But knights were arriving one after another, so it would take only a moment for their numbers to swell again.

After all, even at this very instant, the [Visible Population Count] continued to rise.

“Don’t worry, Lulu. I’ll protect you.”

Hezen held me firmly as he spoke.

‘Protect me? You’re the most dangerous one here.’

I swallowed those harsh words inwardly.

The fact that he was merely observing instead of leaving this place immediately made it obvious his goal wasn’t to protect me.

But I had an even bigger question on my mind.

‘Why is he so confident?’

As briefly mentioned earlier, the horn flute was a cash item designed to summon a boss-tier monster for a large reward.

Therefore, every monster summonable by the horn flute was immensely powerful—far beyond the level Hezen, who hadn’t yet completed his awakening, could possibly handle.

Yet his confidence in summoning the monster and calmly observing the situation clearly meant he’d set up some kind of safety measure.

“Oh, I’m so scared, Hezen.”

I feigned fear, burying my face into Hezen’s shoulder.

Then, with hawk-like swiftness, I scanned his interface.

In his status window, I spotted words I hadn’t seen before.

【(Rare) Seedless Watermelon】 Lv.10 Hezen Aineshan

§Stealth Status§

Attribute: Infertile

‘Stealth?’

Status: Stealth

Due to the effect of the , your status becomes [Stealth]. While this effect lasts, your presence weakens. Surrounding monsters will not detect your presence.

‘No wonder. That’s what felt off.’

Unlike bugs that attacked the weakest first, ordinary monsters usually targeted the strongest.

Although Hezen hadn’t awakened yet, he was still the strongest here.

So it had seemed odd that the ignored Hezen and instead faced off against the knights—turns out he’d selfishly used an item all by himself.

I couldn’t think of anyone who fit the descriptions “dishonest” and “cowardly” better than him.

“Oh dear, Lulu.”

Hezen patted my back, pretending to comfort me.

“It’s fine. It’ll be over soon. Just hold on a bit longer.”

I glanced quickly at the [Visible Population Count]—it had already surpassed seventy.

In such a short time, knights must have swarmed in.

‘Right. I should finish this quickly too.’

I lifted my head and looked at Hezen.

“But, Hezen—even with so many knights gathered, they still can’t defeat it? So that means…”

And while he was staring straight into my face,

Snap! Tug!

I grabbed his bracelet and yanked it off.

[SYSTEM] Stealth status has been removed.

“How about you go take care of it yourself?”

“What…?”

For a moment, Hezen looked bewildered, unable to comprehend my words.

“KIEEEEEEEEEEEK!”

The twisted its body and roared toward us.

[SYSTEM] Monster has recognized you.

Suddenly, it broke through the surrounding knights and charged straight at us.

‘Ugh, disgusting.’

The sight of a giant colossal octopus leaping on land with its eight legs wasn’t pleasant at all.

Wherever the ’s massive legs grazed, huge gouges were left behind.

A single hit from those limbs would surely cause at least serious injury.

Despite its enormous size, the creature was astonishingly fast—it reached us in an instant and leaped toward Hezen and me.

Just before the airborne could pounce, I swiftly rolled backward, distancing myself from Hezen.

[SYSTEM] Skill activated. [SYSTEM] Your movement speed temporarily increases by +500%.

Hezen also barely dodged the monster by using a skill.

BOOM!

A massive crater formed where the had pounced. The creature snorted loudly, steaming through its nostrils.

“Huh… huh…”

Hezen, gasping for breath, glared at me murderously.

“Louise Belle Azester, you just deliberately broke my bracelet…”

But before he could finish, the attacked again, forcing him to dodge once more.

“Sir Hezen!”

“Are you all right?!”

“Send reinforcements!”

The knights rushed toward Hezen in disarray, trying to help.

Yet the targeted only Hezen, ignoring everyone else.

“Ugh, damn it…”

Hezen cursed, drawing his sword to face the .

But with his current strength, it was simply impossible to match the .

[Poor seedless Player, you’re struggling against the . It’s a tricky mid-tier monster—hurry up and kill to finally awaken.]

“A—awaken? How am I supposed to—”

Wham!

While Hezen shouted at the system message, one of the ’s tentacles slammed into his side.

“Urgh…!”

Hezen clutched his ribs and collapsed onto the ground.

His face turned ashen as he froze, watching the monster charge toward him.

Soon, the leaped into the air and crushed Hezen beneath its body.

BOOM—!

A loud crash erupted, kicking up clouds of dust.

[SYSTEM] You have died.

‘Hezen… is dead…’

I stared blankly at that message for a moment.

‘It’s finally over…’

At that instant—

Ding!

[SYSTEM] If you die during the tutorial phase, your character automatically revives immediately. [SYSTEM] You have revived instantly.

A cheerful chime rang out as sparkling effects shimmered around Hezen.

Simultaneously, Hezen stood upright once more, fully revived.

‘He’s alive again…?’

Instead of attacking the monster, he turned and stared directly at me.

[Visible Population Count: 99]

At that exact moment, the [Visible Population Count] crossed precisely one hundred.

[Visible Population Count: 102]

Seeing the number, he too noticed it and curled his lips into a wicked smirk.

[SYSTEM] Skill activated. [SYSTEM] While this skill is active, no one will question your actions.

He drew his sword and charged straight toward me.

‘…!’

One of the ’s tentacles lashed his back, yet he coughed up blood and kept running toward me without faltering.

Swish—!

The sword Hezen swung barely missed me.

“Hezen, what in the world are you doing? Have you gone mad?!”

“Tch.”

He frowned in disappointment when I dodged.

“Just die obediently for me, Lulu. That’s your reason for existing.”

“No one in this world is born with such an existence!”

“Human?”

Suddenly, he burst into loud laughter.

“Hahaha! For a mere extra in a game to— Hrk!”

His laughter cut off abruptly as the crushed him again.

[SYSTEM] You have died. [SYSTEM] If you die during the tutorial phase, your character automatically revives immediately. [SYSTEM] You have revived instantly.

Yet Hezen immediately charged toward me again upon reviving.

‘He’s—he’s—he’s—he’s insane…!’

Whether the monster attacked or not, his goal seemed singular:

My death.

Since this cursed game perfectly simulated all sensations, even instant revival wouldn’t erase the pain of dying—but his determination to kill me was clear.

Still, none of the knights present found his actions strange.

That was all thanks to his activated .

“Someone, please help me! Get Hezen away from me!”

Despite my desperate cry, the knights showed no reaction.

“Looks like Sir Hezen and Her Highness Princess Louise Belle are having a lovers’ quarrel.”

“What perfect timing, hahaha.”

“Let’s quickly eliminate that vile monster before it interrupts their moment!”

Meanwhile, the distance between Hezen and me shrank again.

There was nowhere left to run.

“No one will help you. Just quietly become the sacrifice for my awakening and die.”

Just as Hezen raised his sword, clearly intent on killing me this time—

“No!”

Anselot’s pendant around my neck vibrated faintly and conjured a crimson barrier.

Ting—!

Hezen’s body, swinging his blade at me, was repelled by the red shield.

And as he flew backward, the monster trampled him once more.

“Huh… hah…”

I panted heavily, watching Hezen die and revive again.

As long as that damn system existed, Hezen would keep coming back—over and over—until he killed me and awakened.

Though this barrier protected me now, there was no telling how long it would last.

‘There must be a way… I can’t just die like this…’

Suddenly, I recalled the conversation between Anselot and Hezen.

‘You don’t even have a system window. What do you think would happen if I killed you right here?’

At those words, Hezen had immediately fled.

“Bug…”

Perhaps that was my only hope.

‘This world flows according to a grand scenario crafted by the system, Your Highness. And the system labels anyone who tries to break free from its framework as a bug.’

‘I have to become a bug.’

To become a bug meant stepping outside the system’s framework.

‘But how do I break free?’

The only reason I’d escaped the system’s compulsion and been recognized as a bug that day… was all thanks to Anselot.

“It’s disappointing. I told you you could use me anytime.”

At that moment, a familiar low voice echoed in my ear.

“You only call me now, when everything’s almost over.”

Startled, I whirled around.

There stood Anselot, his short silver-white hair tousled by the wind, smiling gently at me.