Three days later, as the system had predicted, the first main scenario arrived.

[SYSTEM] Main scenario has arrived!

[SYSTEM] Main scenario is activated! (▶Preview scenario)

However, I had no intention of simply becoming a player and proceeding with the scenario, so I ignored the arrived scenario.

‘I saw it then. As soon as Hezen pressed [▶Preview scenario], the quest arrived.’

The main quest Hezen received that day had a [Failure Penalty] of ‘Bad Ending’, yet it was impossible to even refuse the quest.

Who knows what dangerous quest might arrive if I carelessly press that button.

‘So if I just don’t press that button, no quests will come?’

As if to confirm my guess, the noisy lime-green window appeared in front of my eyes several times, whining and begging me to press the [▶Preview scenario] button.

[Uh, Player? Are you not proceeding with the scenario? (((( ;°Д°))))] [Player? You need to press the [▶Preview scenario] button to move on to the next… Player?]

‘Hah, do you think I’ll press that and proceed with the scenario just because you say so?’

Then the system window even started wailing.

[Hueeeeeeee. Player, please… just once… please press the [▶Preview scenario] button once, okay? Hueeeeeeeeeeee… ༼;´༎ຶ ۝༎ຶ`༽]

‘So noisy.’

Certainly, the system window seemed much noisier than when Hezen was the player.

But I steadfastly ignored it.

Hoping that if I keep ignoring it, the system might give up on me.

Two more days passed like this, and the day of mother’s birthday celebration arrived.

I hadn’t seen Anselot since the day I became the player in place of Hezen.

While before I had been avoiding him and couldn’t run into him, after that day I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of Anselot.

There were rumors that he was sick, but I shook my head thinking, ‘No way.’

However, when he still didn’t show up even on the day of mother’s birthday celebration, I felt both suspicious and worried at the same time.

‘I thought he would surely appear asking to be my partner.’

Remembering how persistently he had been acting towards me until now, I started to worry.

‘Is he really sick?’

The ball starts at 6 PM. And now it’s already 3 PM.

There’s still about three hours left.

‘Should I go pay him a sick visit?’

While I was hesitating, another 30 minutes passed, and finally I got up belatedly and went to find Anselot.

‘Why does he make me worry so much?’

This is all Anselot’s fault.

If someone chases you so persistently and then suddenly disappears, it’s natural for anyone to worry.

So this isn’t me specially worrying about him or caring…

I stopped.

I spotted a group of people walking from the opposite direction and stopped in my tracks.

They also stopped when they saw me, and glared at me sharply.

[Wow, look at that pathetic guy. Look at how he’s glaring. I just wanna…!!! =͟͟͞͞(๑•̀ㅁ•́ฅ✧

Player, I have a good way to teach that guy a lesson! First, if you press that [▶Preview scenario] button once…]

The system window that popped up impatiently chattered noisily, but I easily ignored it and smiled brightly at the person opposite me.

“Hello, elder brother Orent.”

“Tch…”

Orent openly showed his dislike and frowned.

‘He’s not a child, yet his emotions show so easily.’

I clicked my tongue inwardly.

Why did I think elder brother Orent was so great all this time?

I gave a small chuckle and passed by elder brother Orent.

‘Huh?’

Suddenly feeling a sharp gaze from behind, I turned around.

But behind me were only elder brother Orent fuming and his companions trying to restrain him.

‘Did I feel it wrong?’

I tilted my head and continued on my way.

[This is the timeline separator]

The man stared intently at Luibel’s back.

Luibel seemed to have no intention of proceeding with the scenario. Despite having successfully awakened as a player.

“…This is troublesome.”

The man muttered in a slow voice while stroking his chin.

It seemed necessary to remind the player of their duty.

[This is the timeline separator]

Knock, knock.

I arrived in front of Anselot’s room and knocked on the door.

After waiting for a moment, the closed door opened and a man poked his head out with a sullen face.

Then, upon discovering my face, he opened his eyes wide,

“Lady Luibel?”

Soon after, he smiled gently with crinkled eyes.

“Wow, this is an honor. Could it be that the Imperial Princess has come to escort me personally?”

“Escort? What are you talking about!”

I blushed furiously and waved both hands.

“Then?”

“Ah, I heard rumors that you were sick and came to check. In case you might have been hurt. I’m not such an unkind person.”

Contrary to the rumors, Anselot didn’t look sick at all.

Softly groomed silver-white hair and a white uniform that seemed to be his preference. Even a light purple necktie.

He was perfectly dressed for mother’s birthday celebration that would be held shortly.

“But you don’t look sick at all”

It must have been just a false rumor after all.

“Are you disappointed that I’m not sick? That’s a bit cruel.”

Anselot’s playful retort somehow felt annoying, so I glared at him sharply.

“Did you deliberately spread false rumors to make me come all the way here when you’re not even sick?”

“Wow, how did you know?”

Anselot curled up the corners of his mouth crookedly and added.

“Indeed. This is why people with sharp intuition are troublesome.”

“Gasp!”

I was startled by those words and took a step back.

‘I spoke out of turn again. He’s a salamander!’

Because he keeps treating me comfortably, I unknowingly forget his true nature and act out.

“Well, now that I’ve confirmed you’re healthy, I’ll be going…”

“Imperial Princess Luibel Azester.”

However, he gently caught my hand as I was about to retreat.

“The partner request you allowed last time, it’s still valid, right?”

I stopped for a moment and met his gaze. Then I quietly nodded.

“Of course. I’m a person who keeps promises.”

Well, in any case, it was true that I defeated Hezen with his help. So I should properly fulfill my promise.

“That’s a relief. I was worried.”

“Huh? About what?”

A man who looked like he wouldn’t know worry at all, saying he was worried.

When I asked curiously, he smiled gently.

“I thought our Imperial Princess’s little head was full of thoughts on how to avoid me.”

“Avoid? That’s a misunderstanding.”

Of course, if I could avoid Anselot, I would be thrilled.

“Well, I can’t check inside the Imperial Princess’s head. Let’s leave it at that.”

“…”

Why does that statement about not being able to check inside my head sound so scary?

‘If it’s Anselot, I feel like he might be able to do it somehow. Through physical means…’

Feeling like I might start imagining things, I shook my head to clear the thoughts.

Anyway, for having come all the way here because of a false rumor, I felt a little relieved to know that he wasn’t really sick.

“Well, now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, I’ll really be going now…”

“Where are you going?”

“There’s still time until the ball starts, so…”

“Since you’ve come all this way to escort me, why don’t we take a walk together?”

“I didn’t come to escort you!”

When I cried out angrily, he burst into laughter.

Feeling like I was being teased, my face turned even redder than before.

“Okay. I understand. So please show me around the Imperial Palace, Lady Luibel.”

‘…I must be crazy. I should have just stayed put. Why did I create trouble for myself?’

I lamented my action of coming all the way here belatedly.

[This is the timeline separator]

Under the sky that was still bright as the sun hadn’t set yet, I walked side by side with him.

Despite asking to be shown around the Imperial Palace, Anselot didn’t seem interested in the geography of the palace.

While walking for a while, we saw knights blocking passage near the lakeside.

Sir Erbain, the vice-captain of the knights, was commanding the knights in place of Hezen.

I heard that mother considered this incident as an attempt to defame the Imperial family and was investigating. Because of that, Hezen’s funeral hasn’t been held yet.

‘It’s not wrong. Hezen released the monster at the lakeside to kill me.’

As I was quietly looking at that scene while walking, I muttered out of curiosity.

“I wonder how Hezen obtained the horn flute?”

It wasn’t an item that could be easily obtained.

I searched through the [Player Exclusive Shop] that I can now access with my authority, but even there, [Aegir’s Horn Flute] wasn’t sold.

“Maybe someone who wanted to help the player awaken handed over the horn flute. For example, the system’s minions.”

“But…”

I frowned deeply and argued.

“No matter how much it’s to help with awakening, releasing a monster in such a public place… That’s too dangerous, isn’t it?”

“Those guys originally don’t care about means and methods to achieve their goals.”

Well, the cleaners I encountered before tried to kill me, the Imperial Princess, and Anselot, who came as an envoy from another country, inside this Imperial Palace.

It seemed they didn’t care at all about the fact that it could have turned into a major national incident.

I thought of Roana, who was my maid, for a moment.

Their deaths were processed unnaturally naturally. None of the maids of the 3rd Imperial Princess’s Palace questioned Roana’s sudden absence.

I frowned with a slightly serious face.

Perhaps, just like Roana and the other cleaners I saw that day, the guy who handed over the horn flute to Hezen might be mixed among the people.

‘Someone who can contact Hezen and possess a special item like Aegir’s Horn Flute…’

However, no one came to mind clearly.

‘Will the knights be able to find out?’

I watched the knights at the lakeside with a seemingly serious expression, then opened the inventory where Hezen’s items remained intact.

Item

An ominous horn flute made by carving monster bones. There are traces of someone using it in the past. If you collect 10 and bring them to the Dark Guild merchant, you can receive a reward.

The one-time item was destroyed as soon as Hezen used it. And in its place, remained.

This worn horn flute that remains after summoning a monster with the horn flute is divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced grades depending on the grade of the summoned monster, and was a reward item with no function at all.

Simply put, it was a game company’s marketing tactic to induce purchases, like an event where you get one cookie if you drink 10 cups of coffee.

‘Dark Guild merchant… It sounds illegal just by hearing it.’