Princess Henya

The bright red-haired princess.

The resemblance ended with the hair color.

It was a color that reminded Americano of the Red Dragon she had seen in the Trial Square.

The princess lowered her small bottom onto the seat.

Her face flushed crimson.

“P, please be my companion!”

“Pardon?”

“Please be my companion!”

Once she started talking, she didn’t stop.

“I heard you participated in the competition to recruit companions. But I have no intention of recruiting my companions through the competition alone.”

“Companions should be equal. I have absolutely no intention of taking anyone weaker than me as my companion!”

“A party isn’t about someone leading or being led! A party is about leading together with your companions!”

“Of course, if I only recruit people stronger than me, I’ll be the weakest in the party, but I’m a genius, you know.”

“No matter how strong my companions are, I’m from the bloodline of the prodigal Priscilla royal family. I’m the most recognized talent in the bloodline! I’ll catch up quickly if you’re just a little stronger than me!”

“Besides that, what I can provide as a princess is the funding that comes in my name, the best treatment you can receive from blacksmiths, alchemists, magic towers, and various villages and institutions!”

“I can provide a comfortable environment for the best growth!”

“Just say the word once you become my companion. I’ll answer any request in the best way possible.”

She started talking non-stop.

Besides that, she guaranteed the best training, the best instructors, the best of everything, and listed detailed examples.

But even if it was the best! It all sounded hollow.

Even though this world felt like reality and we couldn’t return to reality, the fact that this world was a game remained unchanged.

“I don’t need it.”

“The be…”

A word that slipped out unconsciously.

The princess asked back in surprise.

She didn’t expect me to say I didn’t need it.

“I’ll treat you with the best treatment!”

“I’ll decline such materialistic things.”

The best?

Good.

But the condition for enjoying that best was to become a companion with the princess?

I’m not interested.

I was a little interested before I was eliminated.

Not anymore.

I shook my head.

“I’ll treat you with the b, best…”

“The treatment is fine. The reason I participated in the princess’s companion selection competition was just because I was a little interested in the status of a princess.”

“Yes?”

“There are no princesses in my original world. So I wanted to meet a princess and see what kind of person she was. Even if I became a companion, I was thinking of only doing it for 5 floors if it was short, or 10 floors if it was long? And then leaving.”

“Then… you… won’t be… my companion… ugh…”

The princess shut her mouth tightly.

She bit her lip with her teeth.

She puffed out her cheeks, as if preventing something from boiling over.

“More than anything, I already have a party, so it’s a bit much to go solo. What would those people think of me if I raised the floors by myself?”

“You have a party?”

“Yes.”

Suddenly, a suitable rejection line came to mind.

“Do you want to form a party with me?”

“Yes!”

“Then come join our party, Princess.”

“Huh?”

I arrogantly suggested.

But I have the right to do so.

That’s what Americano brazenly thought.

She had reached rank 1 up to the [33rd floor].

It seemed that no one but her was challenging the Challenger difficulty. If she continued to win, win, and win, she would remain in rank 1.

As a potential world number 1, she was the closest existence to the Hero who would save the world. Even if the other party was a princess, no, even if it was a king, she had no right to command.

If she wanted to make them follow, she would have to subdue them with force.

‘If you can.’

The reason Americano responded to the lord’s summons was simply because she wanted to meet the lord or the princess in person.

Princess.

‘So this is what it’s like.’

Americano scanned the princess up and down, stared intently at her face, and read the atmosphere ingrained in her body. She seemed to have a very active personality, but she wasn’t just active.

Traces of education were strictly ingrained in the princess’s body.

The way she walked.

The way she sat.

The clear intonation.

The clear gaze.

Each of those small movements unknowingly made the atmosphere luxurious.

It was different from swordsmanship.

‘How fascinating.’

“By any chance…”

The princess asked.

“Is Skilla among your companions?”

“Skil… Ah, do you mean Skilla? Yes. Do you know her?”

“I know her well! Skilla’s father, Duke Raftica, is my father’s younger brother! Skilla and I are cousins! We’ve known each other since we were young!”

“….”

“Skilla… Skilla was Americano’s companion. What a coincidence!”

No, it’s not really a coincidence.

In the first place, I wouldn’t have been able to enter the village if it weren’t for Skilla.

It seems that the words I said to politely refuse have become an opportunity.

“Then I want to join the same party as Americano, just like Skilla!”

“….”

She jumped up from her seat and shouted.

How do I reject this?

The princess is joining the party.

It seems okay as a party member, but when the princess joins the party, many things come with her status.

The king’s attention.

The public’s attention.

This and that.

The hassle increases just for receiving one party member.

Americano set the standards a little stricter.

“If you join the party, you must follow my words.”

“I will.”

“I won’t make exceptions just because you’re a princess.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll swear and scold you too?”

“I’m prepared for that. I’m tired of being pampered and comforted!”

“Is it possible to get tired of that?”

What else is there?

Ah, there is.

“Our party’s difficulty is very high.”

“Welcome.”

“All three of us are Grandmasters.”

“Very welcome!”

“Do you even know how difficult it actually is?”

“I don’t know! But if I’m going to get stronger, I have to fight strong enemies and prove my strength. That’s my duty as the daughter of my father and as a princess.”

“….”

How admirable.

Well, since I’ve been provided with an environment where I can’t die, I have to make the most of it.

But the princess looks about middle school 3rd grade.

Middle schoolers are kids, but they’re adults based on the Full Dive world.

Still, she was a kid.

‘It’s a difficult time to be self-aware.’

“30th floor… no.”

On the [30th floor], I met [High Knight Evga].

At that time, the difficulty was still Grandmaster.

“Actually, our party’s difficulty isn’t Grandmaster.”

“Then what is it?”

“Challenger.”

“There was such a thing? I haven’t seen it.”

“I was able to raise it higher by accident. The important thing isn’t that, but do you know what comes out when you reach the 30th floor with this difficulty?”

“I don’t know!”

“Sword Masters come out.”

“…!!”

I actually fought [High Knight Evga], but the ominous black letters I saw after reaching Challenger only appear for monsters that are at least 30 levels higher.

30 levels.

That means level 60 monsters come out on the 30th floor.

Level 60 is the master entry level, so I didn’t exactly lie.

“On the 30th floor, of all places.”

“That’s right.”

“Amazing!”

“Yes?”

“Then who has Challenger? Ah, I see. Americano is Challenger, right?!”

“….”

“I knew you were strong!”

“Did you see me fight? Where?”

I didn’t see a red-haired girl at the scene where I fought the Dragon.

The princess opened her mouth and rolled her head, saying “Ah…”

She avoided my gaze and said.

“…In the strategy video.”

“….”

Did she find out I’m Anonymous?

If she saw the strategy video, she must have recognized me.

“Really?”

“….”

I don’t think so.

Well, does it matter?

I shrugged.

I think she’s lying, but it doesn’t matter either way.

‘I decided not to hide it.’

Whether I get caught or not.

Americano still set conditions, saying that there were such and such rules, so that the princess would give up on the idea of joining her party.

The youngest member of the party has to wake up the seniors every morning.

The youngest member of the party has to run errands for the seniors.

The youngest member of the party has to take care of the seniors’ equipment.

The youngest member of the party has to be the party’s porter.

But,

“If you’re not going to be my companion…”

She was stubborn.

“I’ll be Hero Americano’s companion!”

I couldn’t break her will. I set unreasonable conditions from the middle, but the princess’s stubbornness was extremely firm.

If her will is so firm,

‘She might endure it out of spite.’

The reason Americano didn’t want the princess to join the party was not only because of the public’s attention, but also because the princess might want to give up and leave in the middle.

Challenger difficulty.

The monsters that came out after reaching that level were [Medusa], [Chief Ogre], [Elder Treant], and [Zeus Wasp Nest].

As someone who has fought and won against them, I can say that a middle schooler couldn’t handle it.

We would be able to catch them with party play, but honestly, I was having trouble imagining how to catch them with party play.

[Boost] causes damage to the surroundings.

It wasn’t designed for team battles.

Even though they’re NPCs, they react like people, so they might run away.

Sparkling.

The princess’s eyes.

Her eyes are pleading for me to accept her.

‘I hate this kind of gaze.’

It’s hard to refuse.

“Can you give me some time?”

“Yes!”

Americano wanted to refuse the princess’s party invitation, but on the other hand, she had a little desire to bring her into the party.

Because if the princess joins the party, the party will become special.

Hunter Hero Americano,

Martial Arts Hero Tang So-hye,

Native Hero Skilla,

And the princess.

Just by mixing in the princess, I feel like it’s become something special.

Still, I’m leaning towards wanting to refuse.

I needed a reason to refuse.

I sent a text message.

To Tang So-hye and Skilla.

<Me>

[The princess wants to join the party.]

[Should I refuse?]

<CoffeeAddict>

[The princess wants to join the party.]

[Should I refuse?]

<Skilla>

[Are you talking about Princess Henya?]

[Why is she coming to our party?]

“….”

Tang So-hye also thought about the content of the text message to send.

Among the people who could be called princesses, the Heroes could be counted on one hand, even including other countries.

I know that Americano is in Dwarfneer.

There was one princess Hero in that vicinity.

It was Princess Henya, who Skilla had already mentioned.

Just as she was about to type,

“So-hye!”

“Yes!”

Someone called her.

Tang So-hye was currently staying at the Sichuan Tang Clan.

Hero Tournament.

She was going to participate in it.

Tang So-hye was receiving combat training from the acting head of the family, her second older brother.

It was then.

Tang Woo-joong, a researcher at the clan, ran into the training ground, waving his hands in the air.

“Acting head of the family!”

“What is it?”

“It’s a jackpot. I found out a jackpot! Listen to this! Brother!”

Tang Woo-joong was doing research.

He had been doing research that could be used in reality with the good simulation called Full Dive.

One of them was meridian severing.

“Nine Yin Severed Meridians! It maximizes Magical Power recovery!! It’s a jackpot!! Nine Yin Severed Meridians was the identity of Anonymous’s inexhaustible Inner Force!!”