The relentless attacks and Piya’s cries were disorienting.

Where I had barely dodged, the ground was split and cratered, leaving a hole as big as my body.

[SYSTEM] Skill is activated.

[SYSTEM] Your defense increases by +165% for 3 minutes.

[SYSTEM] Skill is activated.

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

[SYSTEM] Item is used.

[SYSTEM] Your health increases by +350 for 5 minutes.

.

.

[SYSTEM] Item is equipped.

[SYSTEM] Your holy resistance for 10 minutes…

Boom! Bang! Bang! Crash!

While I was frantically using skills and items, Anselot’s continued attacks grazed my left shoulder and right side.

I finally realized.

That Anselot who attacked me at the Imperial Palace training grounds last time had not even used 1/10… no, not even 1/100 of his true abilities.

Even after using every skill and item I could, it was still difficult to dodge Anselot’s attacks.

Moreover, all of these would lose their effects after a certain time.

While I was desperately trying to avoid his attacks with all my might, he remained languidly nestled in the arms of the black form, not even blinking.

Nevertheless, his attacks were merciless and violent, threatening to crush me if I let my guard down for even a moment.

I was barely hanging on for now, but even this was precarious.

“Stop it, Anselot! I, Luibel… Kyaaak!”

Crash!

“Snap out of it, Ansel… Kuaak!”

Bang! Crash!

I shouted while dodging the barrage of attacks, but my cries didn’t reach him.

Anselot simply wouldn’t come to his senses.

His unfocused eyes seemed unable to recognize me or even be aware of what he was doing.

It was then that his attack grazed my cheek, leaving a thin cut.

“Your Highness!”

Klaus rushed over with hurried footsteps and deployed a holy barrier.

[SYSTEM] deploys a holy protective barrier.

[SYSTEM] The holy protective barrier nullifies all attacks.

A golden light formed into a large shield shape, barely blocking Anselot’s attack.

“Are you alright?”

Klaus asked me as I caught my breath behind the shimmering golden curtain.

“Thanks to you. Thank you, Sir.”

“Why is he… Could it be, he’s fallen victim to the forest mist?”

Klaus asked in a bewildered voice.

Anselot’s eyes were half-tinted black.

It was evidence that he was being corrupted by the mist.

The moment those eyes were completely covered in black, Anselot would be swallowed by the mist.

‘No.’

I bit my lower lip hard.

“Damn it, we need to get rid of that mist…”

“I’ll do it.”

Klaus said, gripping his sword in response to my muttering.

“Wait, Sir Klaus! You must be careful…!”

It was when I tried to stop him.

Even more white spheres than before blossomed around Anselot and then poured towards us.

Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!

Fortunately, Klaus’s holy barrier blocked Anselot’s attack…

Crack―

‘Huh?’

Crack-crack―

‘…!’

Crack-crack-crack-crack-crack-crack!

[SYSTEM] Emergency situation!

[SYSTEM] Emergency situation!

[SYSTEM] The durability of the holy protective barrier is being damaged.

My goodness, cracks were forming in Klaus’s holy barrier!

Peep! Peeeeeep!

―This can’t be, Lady Lulu! The only thing that can break the holy barrier is…!

Piya, who had been shouting in confusion, abruptly closed her mouth.

And at that moment.

Crash!

The massive golden shield shattered.

“Ugh…!”

Klaus clutched his heart and collapsed to the ground.

“Sir Klaus!”

[SYSTEM] takes damage due to the holy protective barrier being destroyed.

[SYSTEM] ‘s health is below 5%.

As Klaus coughed, a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

At the same time, two options appeared before my eyes.

[You can send to a safe place by canceling his companion registration. Do you want to cancel the companion registration? (Note: Re-registration will not be possible for one week after cancellation.)

1. Cancel

2. Maintain]

Peep!

―Unlike Lady Lulu, if Klaus dies, he can’t be revived and it’s just over. Because he’s not a player…

There was no time to consider this and that. Saving Klaus was the priority.

“Piya! Klaus…! I’m going to cancel Klaus’s companion registration!”

[SYSTEM] You have selected ‘1. Cancel’.

[SYSTEM] Canceling ‘s companion registration.

[SYSTEM] Sending to a safe place.

Peep!

With Piya’s cry, Klaus was enveloped in golden light and disappeared.

At that, Anselot’s expression, who had been quietly nestled in the arms of the black form, furrowed.

He slowly rose, detaching himself from the black form, and looked at me.

I looked at Anselot’s still unfocused eyes and asked Piya.

“Piya. I’m asking just in case, but what happens if I die?”

―D-don’t worry, it’s okay because Piya is here. You can be revived. But we’ll have to reset.

“Reset?”

―Yes, that means all the gameplay up to now will be erased and you’ll return to the point right after awakening…

“…”

I silently swallowed as I listened to Piya’s continued explanation.

Hezen had died from being hit by but was revived instantly on the spot.

It was possible because he was still in the tutorial stage before awakening.

But now that we’ve entered the main scenario, instant revival was impossible without paying or using special items.

“So if I die, I have to start over from the beginning, right?”

From the beginning, again.

The moment those words left my mouth, I felt my heart sink.

The events that had happened to me right after awakening flashed quickly through my mind.

The threats from Sedrick, the system administrator, the madness Orent had committed and the corruption in the other dimension, the black mist of past life family members that was unpleasant just to recall…

But that wasn’t the only problem.

―A-and… the pain of death…

Piya burst into tears with a peep.

I knew better than anyone how horrific the pain of dying was, having already died once and been reborn in this world.

“But, Piya. You said it would be okay if you were here.”

I asked in a calm voice, still keeping my gaze fixed on Anselot.

“What if… you’re not here?”

Peeeep!

―D-don’t say such scary things!

Piya angrily protested, telling me not to even mention it.

“…It’s not a scary story, it seems like it might become reality.”

And as soon as I finished speaking, the letters above Anselot’s head shook and mixed, turning red.

System Bug: no.000000000001

“Run away, Piya!”

Anselot, who had revealed himself to be a bug, immediately directed his killing intent towards Piya.

I quickly grabbed Piya, shielding her from Anselot’s sight and wrapping her protectively.

[SYSTEM] Bug occurrence!

[SYSTEM] Bug occurrence!

[SYSTEM] System adjustment due to sudden bug…▤▥◐♧♨◈▨

[SYSTEM] Blocking system due to critical bug.

Click―

Piya collapsed in my palm without even letting out the tiniest scream.

At the same time, the system connection was cut off.

I felt my body become heavier as the effects of the skills and items protecting me disappeared.

I instinctively knew. The current me was no match for Anselot.

‘Piya…’

With trembling hands, I carefully placed Piya under the shade of a tree.

Anselot glanced at the collapsed Piya, then slowly raised his head to look at me.

Our eyes met, his filled with nothing but murderous intent.

The white spheres that had blossomed around him all took the form of sharp spears.

‘I might really die.’

My fingertips trembled finely at the passing fear.

‘If the same situation as yesterday happens again, and I can’t be there to protect the Princess.’

With the sudden recollection of that voice, I reflexively grasped the pendant hanging around my neck.

‘The Princess needs to be able to protect herself.’

Although I never thought the one I would need to protect myself from would be Anselot himself.

‘Take slow, deep breaths and try to feel the pendant’s pulse.’

Recalling that soft voice, I steadied my breathing and focused on the pendant.

And the moment the sharp white spears created by Anselot flew towards me.

Red light burst from the pendant, causing all of Anselot’s attacks to disappear at once.

“I’m alive…!”

Just as I thought that.

Anselot drew his sword and charged at me.

“Eek!”

I hurriedly raised my sword to block him.

Clang―!

With a sharp metallic sound, the two swords clashed in midair.

A red aura flowed from the Azester greatsword bestowed by my mother, but Anselot’s sword, which should have shattered from the aura, didn’t budge an inch.

Even though the pendant’s power had neutralized the white energy he wielded, I was barely able to block him.

“Urgh…”

I felt my body slowly being pushed back due to the difference in strength.

It was only thanks to manifesting the sword aura that I was holding on; without it…

Clang!

Finally, the Azester greatsword, losing the battle of strength, flew far away.

Thrown back by the recoil and collapsing to the ground, I watched as Anselot approached me step by step.

With each step, the sharp tip of the sword in his hand dragged along the ground, making a terrifying metallic sound.

“An, selot…”

My voice trembled as I called out to him, my teeth chattering uncontrollably.

Anselot’s face as he approached me was chillingly expressionless. Unlike how he always used to smile mischievously…

“You said you wouldn’t make me worry!”

Even knowing it wouldn’t reach him, I couldn’t help but shout.

What went wrong?

Was it a mistake to join hands with that rascal from the beginning?

I should have kept my guard up.

I was fooled.

Fooled by that sly eye smile and that seemingly kind tone.

‘It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt anymore, Princess.’

‘I’ll protect you. I won’t let anyone harm you, Princess.’

I had relied on the warmth embracing my shoulders and that firm voice.

“You said you’d protect me!”

My vision blurred as tears welled up in my eyes.

I could no longer see Anselot’s expression.

But that was better.

I didn’t want to see that expressionless face that couldn’t recognize me anymore.

However, even with my blurred vision, I could sense his presence drawing closer.

“You promised!”

I shouted with my last ounce of strength and kicked his shin hard enough to make a ‘thud!’ sound.

His eyes blinked slowly as the sword he was holding clattered to the ground.

‘An opening!’