CHAPETR 19
Ever since I ended up becoming the player in Hezen’s place, I started seeing people’s favorability ratings. While that helped me guess their true intentions, it also left a subtle discomfort behind.
Because not everyone had a high favorability toward me.
I might start paying attention to their favorability every time I face someone from now on.
Maybe that’s why—
I felt this strange restlessness as I looked at Ancelot, who, unlike everyone else, didn’t show any favorability at all—as if it were a double-edged sword.
‘Wait, this isn’t the time for that.’
Snapping myself out of it, I recalled the reason I came to find him and asked sharply:
“You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you?”
When I awakened in Hezen’s place, Ancelot hadn’t looked surprised at all.
“No, I didn’t know.”
“Liar!”
When I shouted angrily, he smiled gently and replied,
“Well, I did think something like this might happen.”
“See! You did know!”
I felt like I’d been tricked.
“You told me I could use you however I wanted! That you’d help me escape the scenario!”
“And you did escape it. From the scenario that was going to kill you.”
“You malicious bug bastard!”
At his calm reply, I ended up blurting out exactly what the system window had called him.
“Wow. Harsh words.”
“Take me back to before I could see this weird system! I don’t want to be a player!”
“That’s odd.”
Ancelot tilted his head and asked curiously,
“Why do you hate it so much? Isn’t it better than dying as a sacrifice for someone else’s awakening?”
Sure, it was better than dying.
Becoming a Swordmaster after an unexpected awakening might even be considered lucky. It’s a realm that even skilled swordsmen who trained for years couldn’t easily reach.
I defeated the monster Hezen summoned and saved people. I even got praised by Mother.
And I found out that Mother didn’t hate me—in fact, she liked me a lot.
Also, the system window that had shown me Orent’s status changes during our confrontation just now had been surprisingly useful.
So far, I’d gained far more than I’d lost.
But…
“That means I have to gather comrades and go slay the Light Dragon, right?”
“Oh, you understand perfectly.”
“No! I just want to live my comfy life in the imperial palace!”
Absolutely not!
I’d seen Hezen get injured and nearly die countless times fighting monsters like <Lv.49 Bald Kraken>.
Doing quests and battling monsters wasn’t some game—it was reality now.
‘I might end up badly injured like Hezen. And this godforsaken game! Isn’t this the one nobody’s cleared because of the ridiculous difficulty?!’
Yes.
The biggest reason I was refusing to go along with the scenario was none other than the brutal difficulty of the final scenario, which no one had ever succeeded in clearing.
There were even rumors the developers made it intentionally hard to squeeze money out of players through microtransactions.
But even with tons of players pouring real money into it, no one had managed to slay the Light Dragon.
I wasn’t a player in the real world—I was an in-game character. I couldn’t even use real money.
In other words, I’d have to clear the final scenario entirely on my own, with no outside help!
‘It’s too dangerous! No way! And if I die here, it’s not logout—it’s just the end!’
As I hardened my resolve, Ancelot asked lightly as if in passing:
“Since things turned out this way, why not go kill the Light Dragon?”
“Why should I kill the Light Dragon?”
I pouted.
“Well, because the Light Dragon…”
For the first time, Ancelot, who had always responded so smoothly, faltered and trailed off.
“The Light Dragon?”
“…”
Seeing his embarrassed expression, I could tell—it was something he’d never really thought through, either.
After a long pause, he finally said,
“Because… the Light Dragon disrupts the order of the world?”
The way his sentence ended like a question meant even he wasn’t sure.
“What ‘order of the world’? That weird order the system made?”
“…”
“Then that Light Dragon thing must be another nasty bug too, huh?”
“…”
He didn’t answer. I scoffed through my nose.
“See? Even you think it’s weird, don’t you? I’m never doing what the system says.”
“Hmm…”
Ancelot looked down at me, pretending to consider something.
His gaze was so fixed and intense that I began to feel awkward—then he smiled gently and said,
“Our dear princess seems to feel more at ease with me now. You’re making eye contact and everything.”
Oh no.
I’d been so caught up in suddenly becoming a player that I got careless in front of this guy.
I flinched belatedly and peeked at his reaction, but he didn’t look offended at all.
“If you’re that flustered, it hurts me. I meant it’s nice you feel comfortable with me.”
His cheerful smile looked genuinely happy.
“And who knows? Maybe if you complete the entire scenario, you’ll be able to say goodbye to this cursed system.”
Ancelot started coaxing me with that handsome face of his.
“I’ll help you.”
His gentle, affectionate voice was so sweet I nearly nodded without thinking.
“But your method isn’t even guaranteed. And how can I trust you?”
I didn’t give in.
“No matter how sweetly you talk, I’m not falling for it. Not even with a knife to my throat.”
“Oh?”
At my firm declaration, his eyes widened with a short gasp of admiration.
“Is getting your throat cut a hobby?”
The prince from the neighboring country who said slicing people was his hobby smiled brightly and added,
“We’re a match made in heaven.”
“D-Don’t say scary things!”
I hugged my neck protectively and took a step back.
He let out a low chuckle.
Somehow, I could feel heat rising to my face, and I hurriedly blurted out the words I’d prepared.
“Anyway, no matter what you say, I’m done with the scenario and the Light Dragon and all of that.”
Then I pulled the necklace from my pocket and placed it in Ancelot’s hand.
It was the pendant with a red jewel I’d borrowed from him to peek at Hezen’s system window.
“Take this back. Thanks for letting me use it.”
With that, I turned and walked away without hesitation.
Ancelot let out a small chuckle as he watched Louibel’s figure disappear into the distance.
“So resolute.”
Louibel Azhester was a truly interesting woman.
At first, she had simply piqued his curiosity. But over time, that curiosity began to bring him enjoyment.
It stung a little when she was scared of him or rejected his help…
But when she showed unexpected reactions or met his eyes, he felt a curious little thrill.
The way she picked up Hezen’s fallen sword and took a stance had looked quite proper for a swordsman.
‘I didn’t know she could wield a sword.’
Though the potion helped, the fact that she could defeat the <Lv.49 Bald Kraken> with ease right after awakening was thanks to her hidden potential enhancing her abilities.
He thought she was just a pampered princess raised in the imperial palace, but her new side had completely captivated his attention.
Come to think of it, even during that fight with the system janitors, she’d moved surprisingly quickly.
The more he got to know Louibel Azhester, the more fascinating she became.
Then Ancelot realized—he hadn’t felt these kinds of emotions in a long, long time.
He felt like a stranger to himself again.
As he stood there until Louibel was out of sight, he slowly lowered his gaze.
He stared quietly at the red gem she had returned and placed in his hand.
Thump, thump—
The red gem pulsed in his palm.
The mischievous smile on his face slowly faded.
He’d already suspected it when she used the gem’s power…
“So I have to gather comrades and go slay the Light Dragon?”
But the way she so accurately described the system’s goal before the scenario even arrived—confirmed it.
She was a being outside the system.
Like a player from another dimension, or a bug unaffected by the system. Somehow, in some form.
Letting the original player die had been a highly experimental move.
It could’ve reset the entire scenario.
But in the end, the player was logged out, and Louibel took his place as the new player.
Louibel Azhester.
If it were her, she could surely, definitely, finally cut out the Light Dragon’s remaining heart.
Because this red gem…
Was made for the Light Dragon’s death.
Originally, Ancelot had planned to give the pendant to the player.
To help him kill the Light Dragon more efficiently and accurately.
He was supposed to be a supporter—to ensure the dragon’s death.
But the moment Louibel used the gem’s power, his entire plan changed on impulse.
Ancelot thought back to the pendant’s true owner.
Strangely enough—
He couldn’t quite remember her face.
Just that she was beautiful. And smiled beautifully.
“Why…”
His voice came out hoarse.
“Why can’t I remember anything else?”
Ancelot scowled and placed a hand on his chest.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t recall her face.
“Forget it. It’s not important anyway.”
He shook his head and cast the thought aside.
That wasn’t the real issue.
The urgent problem now was how to change Louibel’s resolute refusal to follow the scenario.
The death of , the final goal of the scenario.
That was the whole reason he came all the way to the distant Azhester Empire.
“Why should I kill the Light Dragon?”
Her question—one he hadn’t been able to answer—kept swirling in his mind as Ancelot slowly turned around.
As he passed the long corridor and ascended the stairs to his room, only soft footsteps echoed through the night air.
Step, scuff, step, scuff, step, scuff…
The rhythm of his steps was off.
When he reached his room and the door closed behind him, he looked down.
Blood had seeped into the white hem of his pants.
With a blank expression, he tore the fabric away.
From his ankle to below the knee, black marks were bleeding.
It was the penalty for interfering with the system’s order.
Ever since meeting Louibel, Ancelot had exposed himself far too much.
There had been no real reason to go that far.
Whoever awakened didn’t matter—as long as he helped the player slay the Light Dragon.
This wasn’t good.
Not good at all.
