“Ansel… ot? How are you… here?”

“Hm? Didn’t you call me, Your Highness? I thought you called me because you used ‘that power’.”

He pointed at the pendant hanging on my chest and tilted his head, then narrowed his eyes.

“Ah, no. You’re right, I did call you!”

I quickly answered, as I happened to need Anselot’s help.

“I need a bug like last time. We must stop Hezen…!”

“Ah, that player whose eyes have gone mad?”

Anselot asked, pointing at the resurrected Hezen who was staggering.

“Yes, but there’s no way to escape the system’s scenario…”

“Ah, so that’s what’s been troubling you, our dear Princess?”

Anselot said with a snicker, in a nonchalant tone.

“Is there a good solution?”

“Unfortunately, there’s no good solution to use in this situation.”

I was about to be disappointed by his words, but only for a moment.

“But I don’t need to fret about finding a good solution.”

“…?”

“I’m a bug, remember? You still look confused.”

Anselot snapped his two fingers in the air.

Then a window appeared above his head.

Prince of Luenhart Kingdom

It was his name window, which I had never seen before.

And he snapped his two fingers once more.

At that moment, the letters above his head changed, turning into a combination of red letters and numbers.

System Bug: no.000000000001

“…!”

I held my breath for a moment, looking at the red letters floating above his head.

The blue windows floating above people’s heads were a kind of business card that told about the person’s name, occupation, characteristics, and so on.

‘But that’s not a name.’

However, there was no time to doubt Anselot’s identity.

Because Hezen was charging towards us right away.

“Yaaaaaah!”

Clang―!

Hezen’s sword clashed with Anselot’s spear that had appeared out of thin air.

“You, what, what are you? Where’s your name, and system bug? What on earth is that…!”

Hezen asked in a voice filled with terror, glaring at the space above Anselot’s head.

“Well, what do you think?”

Anselot smiled crookedly and put strength into the spear he was holding.

With that, Hezen’s sword was pushed back and rolled on the ground.

[SYSTEM] Bug occurred!

[SYSTEM] Bug occurred!

With a slightly delayed warning sound, the system window I had seen before appeared again.

[SYSTEM] Adjusting system due to sudden bug!

[SYSTEM] Adjusting system due to sudden bug!

[SYSTEM] Adjusting system due to sudden bu…▤▥◐♧♨◈▨

And as that system window flickered and shook,

[SYSTEM] Blocking system due to critical bug.

It disappeared with a pop sound.

“…!”

Hezen’s eyes widened.

But the system window was already gone.

“No, no… No…!”

His face turned pale.

As he was floundering, not knowing what to do.

Thwack―!

struck Hezen once more.

Hezen fell without even letting out a small scream, coughing up blood.

His fallen body did not rise again even as time passed.

“…”

I thought as I watched him not reviving anymore.

Hezen was dead. Really…

“Kieeeeeeeek!”

Just as I was about to feel relieved. roared with a chilling sound.

I stared at the hideous giant octopus monster with desperate eyes.

‘Even Hezen, a player, couldn’t kill this monster, so who will eliminate it now?’

If we can’t get rid of this monster, everyone here, including me, will end up like Hezen.

“Lo, Lord Hezen…!”

“Lord Hezen was defeated by the Bald Kraken!”

“Wh, what should we do now…!”

The knights were also in confusion, not knowing what to do.

It was a bit strange that they showed no reaction when Hezen was trying to attack me, but now they were at a loss after Hezen died.

It was then.

The system window that had disappeared with a flicker appeared again.

System rebooting… [08.27%/100.00%]

It seems the system doesn’t disappear even though Hezen, a player, has died.

System rebooting… [12.92%/100.00%]

System rebooting… [36.51%/100.00%]

Click.

I heard Anselot snapping his two fingers towards the air beside me.

Then the blue window floating above his head slowly disappeared.

“What did you just do?”

“Disguise. It would be troublesome if they found out I’m a bug.”

System rebooting… [64.28%/100.00%]

System rebooting… [78.33%/100.00%]

“Disguise? I don’t see anything above your head…”

“That’s because you’re neither a player nor a system minion, Your Highness. I deliberately showed it to you earlier.”

System rebooting… [99.07%/100.00%]

System rebooting… [100.00%/100.00%] [SYSTEM] The system is rebooting.

By the time Anselot and I finished our conversation, the system had rebooted.

Bam bam bam! Bam bam ba-bam!

As the system rebooted, there was an excessively flashy and boisterous sound.

It was like the sound of trumpets at a victory parade for a general returning from a successful war.

[Oh my, sorry for the delay, Player｡゜(｀Д´)゜｡ Those damn bug bastards paralyzed the messenger department and caused quite a ruckusヽ( ຶ▮ ຶ)ﾉ!!!

But don’t worry(｢･ω･)｢~~ I’ve received a proper handover, at least!]

A green window that somehow felt much noisier than before appeared before my eyes. And simultaneously,

“Hmm…?”

An effect like stars falling from the sky descended.

[SYSTEM] Quest completed!

‘???’

My eyes widened in an instant.

[Bam bam!!! (๑˃̶͈̀∇˂̶͈́)و⁾⁾˚* Congratulations on your awakening!!! ♪♪(oᐛ)o～♪♪ I knew I could count on you―!!]

“What are you talking about? Hezen just…”

I looked around frantically.

Could Hezen have revived again?

No way. After all this, we still can’t defeat Hezen?

Then, then I… must die obediently to Hezen…

I picked up Hezen’s sword lying on the ground and took a stance.

It was a minimal protective measure to block Hezen who might pop out from anywhere.

[Main Quest: Death of a Lover] Completed!

▷Clear Conditions

−Death of a lover [√]

−Crowd of 100 or more [√]

▶Reward: [Awakening―Light Warrior]

‘Huh…?’

I felt something was strange.

The quest’s clear conditions were clearly two things: ‘Death of a lover’ and ‘Crowd of 100 or more’.

And I could be certain that at least one of those two, ‘Death of a lover’, had not been fulfilled yet.

Because I was still alive with my eyes wide open!

‘Hm? Wait a minute, come to think of it…’

I looked up above my head.

“…!”

My eyes widened in shock.

The pink window that had been shining above my head until the system was blocked had disappeared.

Until now, there was only one person without letters above their head. It was Anselot, the bug…

‘Then, could it be that I too…?’

[SYSTEM] Starting Player’s awakening as a reward for completing the main quest!

Whoosh―!

The air gently enveloping me seemed to flow softly, and then with a sparkling light, it seeped into the body of the sword I was holding.

[SYSTEM] Awakening complete!

[SYSTEM] You have acquired the title 【Sword Master of Radiance】 by completing the awakening! You will use a golden name window as a title special benefit.

[SYSTEM] You have gained 1000 experience points.

[SYSTEM] Your level has increased! (Lv.11)

[SYSTEM] You have acquired 10 skill points.

[SYSTEM] Awakening completion reward has arrived in your mailbox.

[SYSTEM] You have completed the tutorial scenario !

[Oops, as a special benefit of awakening, your lost reproductive ability is also… Oh? It’s fine( •︠ˍ•︡ ƪ)?

Anyway, these malicious bug bastards(°ㅂ° ╬) They keep causing errors!!!]

‘What’s this? Is it talking to me…’

[Well, rest well until the main scenario arrives! ദ്ദി˶ˊᵕˋ˵)] [SYSTEM] Time remaining until main scenario arrival: 3 days 00 hours 00 minutes

Above my head floated a golden name window I had never seen before.

【Sword Master of Radiance】 Lv.11 Luibel Azester

A golden name window with title and level (Lv) displayed, just like Hezen’s. Then this could it be…

“Wow, congratulations on your awakening, Your Highness.”

Anselot clapped his hands, congratulating me in a monotone voice.

“What’s going on? Why have I become a player!”

I grabbed Anselot and shouted.

A golden name window of a different color from others.

The system’s suspicious attitude and the interface that used to appear only when I was close to Hezen…

There was no doubt.

The system was recognizing me as a player.

I had become a player!

“Is this really the time? Look, we need to catch that giant octopus.”

Anselot replied nonchalantly.

“Ah, right! The Bald Kraken!”

I turned to look at the that Hezen had left behind. Then I tilted my head and asked.

“But now that I’m a player, why isn’t it attacking me and hitting that person instead?”

was charging towards Erbain, the vice-captain of the royal knights, not me.

“That’s because you’re weak, Your Highness.”

Well, no matter how much I’ve awakened and leveled up, I couldn’t be the same as Hezen who was armed with various items…

‘Huh? Then what happened to Hezen’s items?’

I nervously opened my inventory.

‘Wow, jackpot!’

Hezen’s items were still there.

I found something quite useful among them.

Item 1

Invincibility Potion made by a suspicious apothecary. When consumed, it temporarily makes you invincible at Lv.99. Note that it has no effect on players who haven’t awakened.

‘So Hezen couldn’t use this potion because he hadn’t awakened.’

Although it was a one-time use potion that would disappear after use, there was no time to hesitate.

I quickly drank the potion.

[SYSTEM] Your level temporarily skyrockets. (Level: 99)

[SYSTEM] You become invincible.

At that moment, , which was charging towards Erbain, paused and turned its head towards me. made direct eye contact with me.

Flinch!

visibly stiffened and began to back away slowly.

“What…?”

[SYSTEM] The level difference between you and is more than 20.

[SYSTEM] enters a state of fear, sensing a strong power difference from you.

As if answering my question, the system window kindly explained.

“It has a clear survival instinct for a monster.”

I rushed towards the Bald Kraken, holding the sword that was now humming with a red light.

I could feel my body becoming surprisingly light.

As I leaped into the air, raised its eight giant legs to protect its flat head.

I struck ‘s head hard.

“Kuweeeeeek!”

screamed and split in two.