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As the red text appeared, the system window began to glitch with noise.

Gilbert stared at the notification window that was gradually fading, realizing for the first time that something was wrong with the system.

Until now, it had all been a story pieced together by his own hypotheses, but seeing such a clear phenomenon confirmed that his theory was spot on.

At the same time, Gilbert felt a chill run down his spine. He had just realized that the system, which he had regarded as an absolute truth, had been tampered with by someone.

The fact that someone else knew about the system’s existence—and could even influence it—was deeply unsettling. It was a serious problem.

Perhaps Gilbert had been too relaxed and self-centered in observing the situation so far.

Even though he had fallen into a world similar to Tactical Combat, he should have doubted from the start that he was the only one who could use the system. He should have considered that someone else might also benefit from the system’s privileges.

Maybe he had subconsciously thought of Tactical Combat as a packaged game rather than an online one, leading him to believe others might have fallen here too.

Whatever the reason, the system window glitched, and ripples began to form, as if a drop of water had fallen on a still surface.

[You’re quick to catch on, huh?]

Another notification in red text appeared, followed by intense noise as the window disappeared. The sub-scenario window shook violently, flickering as if the screen was switching.

The pitch-black darkness that had surrounded him also vanished, and he found himself back in his dorm room.

“Phew…”

Gilbert, drenched in cold sweat, let out a long sigh and slumped to the floor. His legs gave out, and he couldn’t stand up.

[Gil. What happened?]

CT-777, who hadn’t seen the situation, asked what had happened to Gilbert, who had suddenly become so strange.

But Gilbert, too overwhelmed to respond, just stared blankly at the notifications that kept popping up.

[Fatal flaws have been detected due to debugging by system user Kang Do-jun.]

[Traces of a power subtly infiltrating the system have been discovered.]

[The system’s emergency recovery system has been activated to fix the flaws.]

[The sub-scenario, which had been distorted due to the flaws, is being normalized.]

Hearing that the sub-scenario had been normalized, Gilbert hurriedly opened the mission window.

<Sub-Scenario - Casanova>

Type: Sub

Clear Condition: Complete conquest of the target

Seekers: Seraphina, Briana, ???

Reward: Grade determined by progress (B+)

Progress: 50%

Info:

– Unknowingly charmed multiple individuals. Truly a legendary Casanova.

It was a sub-scenario he knew!

Gilbert barely held back a shout.

Instead of the unfamiliar “Possessors of Twisted Desire” sub-scenario, it had changed to “Casanova,” one he was familiar with.

The details were also different. There was no mention of destruction or annihilation endings based on the Twisted Index. Instead, it listed the targets to be conquered.

Seeing Brynhild and Camilla, who had already declared war, on the list confirmed it was the Tactical Combat sub-scenario he knew.

In the end, the sub-scenario that had given him such a headache was a result of the system’s corruption.

The system had the ability to directly influence the world, so when the sub-scenario became corrupted, it likely clouded the judgment of Seraphina and Briana, who were entangled in it.

Perhaps it had a hypnotic effect. Gilbert himself hadn’t questioned their state, which might have been due to the system’s influence.

It was a subtle suggestion that could be broken with the slightest trigger, but realizing that trigger was incredibly difficult.

While it was good that the system had been restored, a bigger problem had arisen.

Though he was happy for a moment, Gilbert, who actively used the system but knew nothing about it, couldn’t help but wear a serious expression.

The system was a near-miraculous power that could influence reality. If a skill registered in the skill window was used, even physically impossible postures would be forcibly corrected to activate the skill.

His ability to pull off absurd feats so far was only possible because of the system’s support.

But now, a major flaw had been discovered in this nearly omnipotent system. Someone or something could tamper with it, and a red warning light went off in Gilbert’s head.

[Analysis of the power infiltrating the system is complete.]

[System security has been strengthened.]

[We apologize for the inconvenience caused to user Kang Do-jun.]

“What?”

Gilbert shot up from his seat.

This was the first time the system, which had always sent one-sided informational notifications, had sent a message in the form of an opinion. It made him realize that the notification window wasn’t just for information.

The unknown entity that might have brought him here had just sent him a message with intent, not just information.

His mind raced.

There were so many things he wanted to ask. Most importantly, how to return to his original world.

He had to figure that out.

“Why am I here? What do I need to do to go back?”

[User Kang Do-jun. The given causality is insufficient. Due to a system error, only a brief amount of time has been allocated. There isn’t enough causality to answer everything.]

“Then what am I supposed to do?”

Though frustrated by the excuse of causality, he didn’t have time to vent. According to the entity sending messages through the notification window, causality was needed for dialogue, and he didn’t have enough.

So, instead of complaining, it was wiser to ask how to break through the situation.

[Meet the Saintess. Meet her to secure your causality.]

“The Saintess?”

He recalled Saintess Veronica, whom he had met after the Gehenna operation. She had come to heal him, a mere 5th-grade knight, but Gilbert didn’t take her words at face value.

He had thought there might be another reason, but was there something else?

[User Kang Do-jun. We wish you the best of luck.]

“…”

The notification window stopped appearing, as if it had nothing more to say.

Gilbert let out a long sigh and collapsed onto the bed.

The sudden influx of information made his head spin.

Lying on the bed, he calmed his heightened emotions and organized his thoughts.

There were two things he knew for sure about the current situation.

First, someone with unknown motives had the power to access the system he possessed.

Second, someone had definitely brought him here and had the ability to maintain and repair the system.

Though he didn’t know the specifics of why he was here or who had tampered with the system, there was a way to find out.

The last message from the notification window.

He had to meet Saintess Veronica.

***

On the day the Obitus siege ended and Seraphina, the 1st Princess, was confirmed as the Crown Princess, Prince Richard returned to his residence, the Galileo Palace, and secluded himself.

The throne war he had so eagerly anticipated had ended too easily with Seraphina’s victory.

Though his opponent, Horizon, had been more incompetent than he thought, it still didn’t make sense for the war to end so quickly, considering the size of the New Resistance.

The Obitus siege, which was only the second battle, had ended with a one-sided offensive from the throne claimants’ alliance. He hadn’t even been given the chance to deploy his prized Shinkyomyo Mountain.

Strategy and tactics were the sum of all actions taken to defeat an opponent. Naturally, an opponent was needed to employ such schemes, and if the opponent collapsed before any schemes could be deployed, no opportunity was given.

In that sense, the Obitus siege was an event that required no strategy or tactics. While tactics could surpass strategy, that didn’t mean it was the realm of individual tactics.

But that day, he had seen it. An individual.

Something that could surpass strategy, tactics, schemes, and plots—an irrationality.

Richard leaned back into the black throne.

Even now, when he closed his eyes, he could see a single Colossal Mech sweeping through enemy lines.

He wondered if he could have stopped Gilbert if he had been in Horizon’s position, and what tactics he would have needed to employ.

It wasn’t impossible. On the contrary, facing a difficult opponent had ignited his competitive spirit.

His mind began to fill with thoughts of Gilbert and the siege.

At first, he pondered how many troops would be needed to stop him. He based his calculations on the data gathered during the Obitus siege.

He had deployed a large number of Colossal Mech Knights of equal rank, but their mechs couldn’t keep up with Gilbert’s. He doubled the number to block his movements and compensate for the lack of piloting skill.

This time was no different.

Gilbert, who had lost his mech with minimal movement, effortlessly escaped the encirclement. Doubling the troops again finally stopped him, and Gilbert’s mech was destroyed.

But the damage taken was far from a success.

Richard smirked and thought of the next step.

A month passed like this. While preparations for Seraphina’s Crown Princess designation ceremony progressed smoothly, Richard spent his time running simulations to defeat Gilbert.

He had never been interested in the imperial succession. He had only joined the throne war to compete with his younger sister, Seraphina. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have cared.

After a month of seclusion in the Galileo Palace, Richard felt a certain thirst. The more he ran simulations, the stronger it grew.

He pondered why, but the reason wasn’t hard to figure out.

He wanted to face Gilbert in real combat.

A primal, simple reason.

But Gilbert was a hero of the empire, not an enemy. If Richard moved to eliminate him, Seraphina, now the Crown Princess, would act.

Gilbert was her avatar, her sharpest sword. If another royal, who could be a threat to the throne, targeted him, it would be seen as a challenge.

In that case, Seraphina would move to suppress Richard to prevent unrest. Unlike Seraphina, whose power was consolidating as the Crown Princess, Richard had few allies left.

Though he had been secluded in the Galileo Palace for the past month, he still understood that much.

If only he had made up his mind a little sooner, things might have been different.

– Prince Richard.

“Have you come for me? An uninvited guest, I see.”

Just as he was lamenting, a mysterious voice echoed in the room he thought was empty. Though he had been pushed out of the center of power, this was still a palace where royals resided.

An intruder appearing in the heart of the empire was a serious matter.

– Fear not. I am merely here to deliver a message from my master. I mean no harm.

“A hidden intruder shouldn’t be saying such things.”

Richard’s sharp eyes scanned the room, but even his insight couldn’t locate the intruder. They were that skilled to have infiltrated the Galileo Palace.

– The fact that you’re still alive is proof enough.

“Not a wrong statement.”

– Then, I shall deliver my master’s message.

Richard was curious about the master who commanded such a skilled individual, but he listened to the intruder first.

Though the intruder seemed uninterested in Richard’s life, he wondered why they had taken the risk to infiltrate this place.

– Prince Richard. Don’t you want to face Gilbert Lion Heart?

Richard, who had been straining to understand the intruder and their master’s motives, smirked.

Just as he wondered what they would say, they brought up a topic that piqued his interest.

“Interesting. I’m in the mood to talk.”

– I thought so.

Richard burst into laughter at the intruder’s words.

Whatever their motives, they had certainly caught his interest.

 

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