After becoming a player in place of Hezen, the visible affinity levels of people allowed me to guess their true feelings, but it also left a subtle awkwardness.

Not everyone’s affinity was good.

Perhaps from now on, I’ll be conscious of others’ affinity levels whenever I face them.

Perhaps that’s why.

Seeing Anselot, whose affinity level isn’t visible like a double-edged sword, gives me this unsettled feeling.

‘Oh no, this isn’t the time.’

Snapping back to my senses, I recalled my purpose for seeking him out and asked in a sharp voice.

“You knew this would happen, didn’t you?”

When I awakened in place of Hezen, Anselot showed no surprise at all.

“No, I didn’t know either.”

“Liar!”

As I shouted angrily, he answered with a slight smile.

“Though I thought it might turn out this way.”

“See! You did know!”

I felt like he had deceived me.

“You once told me to use you freely! You said you’d help me escape the scenario!”

“And you did escape. From the scenario that was trying to kill you.”

“You malicious bug!”

I blurted out the exact phrase shown by the system window in response to his calm reply.

“Wow. Such harsh words.”

“Take me back to when I couldn’t see this weird system! I don’t want to be a player or anything like that!”

“That’s strange.”

Anselot tilted his head and asked.

“Why do you dislike it so much? Isn’t it better than dying as a sacrifice for the player’s awakening?”

Of course, it was better than dying.

The unexpected awakening to become a Sword Master might even be considered lucky. After all, I’ve reached a level that even long-trained swordsmen can’t easily attain.

I defeated the monster Hezen summoned, saving people, and even received praise from mother.

And I learned that mother doesn’t hate me, in fact, she likes me a lot.

Moreover, the system window that informed me of Orent elder brother’s status changes during our confrontation just now was quite convenient.

So far, I’ve gained much more than I’ve lost.

But…

“So that means I have to gather companions and go defeat the Light Dragon, right?”

“Oh, you understand well.”

“I don’t want to! I just want to live my comfortable life in the imperial palace!”

I absolutely refused!

I had witnessed Hezen getting injured and dying several times while battling the .

Completing quests given by the scenario and fighting monsters wasn’t just a game story, but reality.

‘Maybe I’ll get seriously injured like Hezen too. Besides, this awful game! It’s a failed game that no one could clear due to its extreme difficulty!’

That’s right.

The biggest reason I’m so vehemently refusing to proceed with the scenario is the notoriously difficult final scenario that no one has ever succeeded in!

There were even rumors that the game company, blinded by money, deliberately made it difficult to induce users to spend real money.

But I heard that despite numerous users spending money and trying, no one could kill the Light Dragon in the game.

I’m not a real-world player but a character in the game, so I couldn’t even spend money like them.

In other words, I have to clear the final scenario entirely on my own strength without any external help!

‘It’s too dangerous! Absolutely not! Besides, if I die, I don’t just log out, it’s just the end for me!’

As I was firmly making up my mind, Anselot asked me in a casual tone.

“Since it’s come to this, why don’t you go kill the Light Dragon?”

“Why do I have to kill the Light Dragon?”

I retorted, pouting my lips.

“Well, because the Light Dragon…”

Anselot, who had been answering smoothly until now, trailed off as if at a loss for words for the first time.

“The Light Dragon?”

“…”

An embarrassed look appeared on Anselot’s face as he couldn’t answer immediately.

It must have been a question he had never properly considered before.

After thinking for a while, Anselot answered.

“The Light Dragon… disrupts the order of the world?”

Judging by his rising intonation, he didn’t seem sure either.

“What’s the order of the world? That strange order created by the system or whatever?”

“…”

“Then is that Light Dragon also an extremely malicious bug?”

“…”

Seeing him unable to respond further, I snorted, “Heng.”

“See. Even you think it’s strange, right? I have absolutely no intention of doing what the system tells me to do.”

“Hmm…”

Anselot looked down at me with a contemplative expression for a moment.

Just as I was starting to feel a bit awkward under his piercing gaze, Anselot smiled and said,

“Our young lady, it seems you’re becoming more comfortable with me now. You’re meeting my eyes well.”

Oh no.

I had gotten carried away in front of Sallto, preoccupied with the sudden thought of becoming a player.

Belatedly startled, I glanced at him cautiously, but he didn’t seem particularly displeased.

“If you get so flustered, I’ll be hurt. I meant that I’m glad you’re feeling more comfortable with me.”

His smiling face looked as if he was genuinely happy.

“And who knows. Maybe if you complete all the scenarios, then our young lady might be able to say goodbye to this damn system too.”

Anselot tried to persuade me with that handsome face of his.

“I’ll help you.”

That gentle and affectionate voice was sweet enough to make me nod unconsciously, but.

“But your method isn’t certain either, right? Besides, how can I trust you.”

I didn’t fall for it.

“No matter how you try to persuade me, I absolutely won’t give in. Even if a knife is held to my throat, I won’t give in.”

“Oh.”

Hearing my resolute words, he opened his eyes wide and let out a short exclamation.

“Is getting your neck cut your hobby?”

The Sallto from the neighboring country, who had said his hobby was cutting people, added with a bright smile.

“We’re a match made in heaven, aren’t we?”

“Don’t, don’t say such scary things!”

I stepped back, protecting my neck as if shielding it.

He let out a low laugh.

Feeling heat rise to my face for some reason, I quickly blurted out the words I had prepared.

“Anyway, no matter what you say, I have no intention of getting involved with things like scenarios or Light Dragons anymore.”

Then I took out the necklace I had untied from my pocket and placed it in Anselot’s hand.

It was the pendant necklace with the red jewel that I had borrowed from Anselot to peek at Hezen’s system window.

“Take this back. I’ve made good use of it.”

Leaving those words, I turned around resolutely.

Anselot smiled as he watched Luibel’s retreating figure.

“How resolute.”

Luibel Azester was quite an interesting woman.

The first thing he felt towards her was curiosity, and that curiosity gradually began to bring him amusement and joy.

When she was scared of him or refused his help, he felt a little disappointed…

When she showed unexpected sides or met his eyes, he even felt a subtle thrill.

She looked quite like a swordswoman when she picked up Hezen’s sword from the ground and took a stance.

‘I didn’t know she could handle a sword.’

Although she had the help of a potion, the fact that Luibel, who had just awakened, could defeat the without much difficulty was due to the synergistic effect of her hidden abilities.

He had thought she was just a young lady raised gently in the imperial palace, but that new side of her completely captivated Anselot’s attention.

Come to think of it, even when she was confronting the system cleaners, didn’t she display surprisingly swift movements?

Luibel Azester was a fascinating and interesting woman, the more he got to know her.

Then Anselot realized it had been a long time since he felt such emotions.

Anselot suddenly felt unfamiliar with himself.

He stood in the same spot until Luibel’s figure was no longer visible, then slowly lowered his gaze.

Anselot stared intently at the necklace Luibel had placed in his hand, or more precisely, at the red jewel.

Thump, thump—

The red jewel pulsed in his palm.

The playful smile that had lingered on his face gradually disappeared.

He had vaguely guessed since she used the jewel’s power, but…

‘So that means I have to gather companions and go defeat the Light Dragon, right?’

Just now, her words accurately describing the system’s purpose even though the scenario hadn’t arrived yet confirmed it.

She was an existence that had escaped the system.

Like a player from another dimension, or like bugs unaffected by the system. In some way or another.

Allowing the player’s death was an extremely experimental action even for him.

It was also a dangerous act that could potentially reset the scenario from the beginning.

But as a result, the player logged out and Luibel took his place, becoming the new player.

Luibel Azester.

She would certainly, undoubtedly be able to finally carve out the remaining heart of the Light Dragon this time.

Because this red jewel was… for the death of the Light Dragon.

Originally, Anselot had intended to give this pendant to the player.

So that he could defeat the Light Dragon more easily and accurately.

And he had planned to become his assistant to finally achieve the Light Dragon’s death this time.

The moment he learned that Luibel was using the jewel’s power, all his plans were spontaneously overturned.

Anselot tried to recall the true owner of this red pendant necklace.

But it was strange.

He couldn’t remember her face clearly.

Just that she was pretty. And her smile was even prettier.

“Why…”

A hoarse voice escaped his lips.

“Why can’t I remember anything else?”

Anselot frowned in displeasure and placed his hand on his chest.

But no matter how hard he tried to recall, he couldn’t remember her face.

“Nevermind. It’s not that important anyway.”

Anselot soon shook off those thoughts, shaking his head.

That wasn’t what was important.

The most urgent matter was how to change Luibel’s firm mind about not proceeding with the scenario.

The death of , the final goal of the scenario.

The reason he had come all the way to this distant Azester Empire was solely for that purpose.

‘Why do I have to kill the Light Dragon?’

Feeling Luibel’s question that he couldn’t answer swirling chaotically in his mind, Anselot slowly turned around.

Only the soft sound of footsteps echoed in the night air as he passed through the long corridor and climbed the stairs to his room.

Step, tap, step, tap, step, tap…

Those footsteps were off-beat.

Upon reaching his room, he looked down as soon as the door closed.

Blood had seeped into the white hem of his trousers.

He tore off the hem with an indifferent face.

Then, a black stain blooming from his ankle to below his knee was bleeding.

This was the penalty for interfering with the system’s order.

Since meeting Luibel, Anselot had been exposing himself too much lately.

There was no need to go that far.

No matter who awakened, he just needed to help the player achieve the Light Dragon’s death.

This wasn’t good.

It really wasn’t good.