I woke up to a bright light.

Not sunlight, that was clear. My curtains were drawn, and besides, it was 4 PM on a January afternoon—the sun had almost entirely set already.

What woke me up was the System notification hovering above me, giving me a hell of a fright.

_

[System Notification:

User Ryo: Contract Offer Available

Partner: Llewellyn

Objective: Ensure Partner’s Continued Survival

Terms: Binding upon acceptance.]

_

I stared at it.

Was I hallucinating? Was this some weird aftereffect of whatever the hell had happened yesterday?

My muscles still ached, though.

Maybe I wasn't hallucinating, maybe I was just dreaming.

I pinched myself.

"Ouch!"

… Fuck. Not dreaming, then.

I bolted upright and reread the notification again, heartbeat kicking up.

[Partner: Llewellyn

Objective: Ensure Partner’s Continued Survival]

Goosebumps erupted all over my body.

I swiped the notification away before I could be tempted into accepting; but it reappeared immediately, crisp and unbothered.

[Reminder: Contract Offer Pending.]

For some reason, the System seemed to want to partner me with Llewellyn, thinking, supposedly, that I was the best person to keep him alive.

If last night had not happened, I would have thought this must be a prank.

As it was, I could just stare in disbelief.

I was in no condition to guarantee anyone's survival, let alone Llewellyn's, who charged into fights every five minutes without sparing a thought for his own safety.

Besides, I’d scrambled to salvage my shift after yesterday’s Distorted Realm, and it hadn’t been fun.

There was a reason we worked full eight-hour shifts—monitoring Llewellyn’s pages took time. You couldn’t cover them in a couple of hours. I’d been lucky Altan had the next shift and I could ask him to do a backcheck, but if this kept happening, it’d be a problem. I needed my job.

I exhaled.

Magic swirled inside me, making my whole body vibrate. The sensation had not vanished after the fight and it kept me on edge.

“Details.”

Another window appeared.

_

[Contract Summary

Role: Tactical Support, Sub-DPS

Specialization: Elemental Insight and Thread Analysis

Primary Objective: Prevent Partner’s Death

Secondary Objective: Assist in Knot Resolutions

Compensation: System-enhanced abilities, full living expenses coverage, hazard pay, and increased survivability.]

_

Wait, it came with payment?

However, increased survivability seemed like such an obvious lie, considering that accepting this offer would throw me directly into Knot sites, that I was inclined to disbelieve the rest too.

Everything else aside, the primary objective was preventing Llewellyn’s death, like that was a normal thing to ask someone who barely survived the VR rooms at the local Elemental Café without serious physical injury. There was a reason why I never even played in co-op.

I should’ve felt flattered or terrified, and maybe I was a bit of both—but mostly I just felt awake.

Like, really, fully awake.

I rubbed my face. “Isn’t there someone more qualified?”

The System responded immediately.

[Assessment: User Ryo has demonstrated consistent behavioral patterns aligned with Partner's optimal survival outcomes.]

That meant nothing.

“What patterns?”

[Long-term data indicates User’s unwavering defense of Partner in online environments, proactive mitigation of threats, and instinctive prioritization of Partner's wellbeing.]

I blinked.

“You mean… moderating comments?”

[Data also includes User’s independent actions from personal accounts, reflecting voluntary engagement in Partner-related defense.]

I shut my mouth.

That… Why did the System know about my personal accounts?!

I looked at the floating text, then let my head fall back against the pillow with a thunk.

I stared at the ceiling—hoping if I stayed still long enough, the System would get bored and leave, sparing me the burden of the choice.

It didn’t.

The notification pulsed softly.

I groaned, rolling onto my side, and the notification hovered back a little, to keep in my eyesight.

“Is this optional?”

[Clarification: Contract acceptance is voluntary.]

A breath of relief slipped out.

[However, refusal will result in increased risk to Partner’s survival.]

I frowned. “That sounds like a threat.”

[Statement of statistical correlation, not a threat.]

That basically meant, If you don’t accept, Llewellyn’s probably going to die.

I glanced at the clock. Already 4:12 PM. I was supposed to visit Gran today.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed. My muscles protested—a clear preview of what my life was going to be like if I accepted this offer.

“Let’s pretend for a second that this isn’t insane. What exactly do I have to do?”

[Primary tasks include: risk assessment, environmental analysis, real-time support during Knot engagements, and direct intervention when necessary.]

“…Meaning?”

[Further elaboration: Do what you did yesterday, but more efficiently.]

I squinted at the glowing text. “You mean, panic and hope Llewellyn doesn’t kill me for being in the way?”

[System Analysis: Your panic yielded optimal outcomes.]

I snorted. “Very reassuring.”

The notification just hovered.

I stood up, wincing as I stretched, and walked toward the kitchen to make coffee. The contract window trailed behind me.

I glanced at it again.

“Full living expenses coverage,” I read aloud. “What does that entail, exactly?”

[Clarification: The System will cover all living costs upon request, including housing, utilities, transportation, food, and healthcare.]

Well, that's…

I blinked. “So… I don’t have to pay rent anymore?”

[Correct.]

That was… very tempting.

"Bills?"

[Bills are also covered.]

I set the pack of ground coffee down, fingers tapping the counter. No more overtime shifts? Possible life upgrades?

"And I would work with Llewellyn directly. Right?"

[Affirmative.]

Well. I turned back to the counter.

"What if I buy a new mattress?"

[Clarification: All living expenses are covered.]

That was… Huh.

"Does that include entertainment? Eating out? Elemental Cafés?"

[Affirmative.]

“And if I die?”

[Compensation extends to next of kin.]

…Well. Gran could use a bigger room with a better view.

She’d roast me if I got myself killed over a contract, though.

Coffee dripped into the mug. I inhaled the steam. “What’s the survival rate?”

[Probability of lethal outcome for User Ryo: 28.3% in first year.]

“Wait… Only 28%?”

[Higher than baseline, lower than Partner's current 67%. Support role reduces Partner’s risk by—]

Sixty-seven percent?! I stared in shock. Llewellyn?

“Fine.” I swallowed half the scalding coffee. “Any penalties if I back out later?”

[Contract dissolution permitted with 30-day notice.]

Another notification.

[Transfer advance funds as gesture of goodwill?]

A number blinked. Enough to cover Gran’s next ten months.

My mouth went dry.

“…You fight dirty.”

[Gratitude is unnecessary.]

My phone buzzed—my calendar reminder. Gran’s 6 PM visit. Right. I needed a shower first.

I thought for a second as I sipped my coffee.

What if I quit my job and then the System decided that I wasn't good enough?!

I needed to get as much out of this as possible.

“I want 5,000 Oryang deposited into my account every month too. On top of everything you already offered.”

A brief pause.

[Request acknowledged. Additional monthly compensation of 5,000 Oryang will be provided.]

Wait… Just like that? I was expecting more of a negotiation. Maybe the System was really desperate.

Should I just quit my job then? But then I wouldn't have access to anything anymore. Unless…

I rubbed the back of my neck. “I also want a setup like I have at work. Full access. Same tools.”

[Request acknowledged. System will integrate required monitoring tools into User’s interface for optimal Partner's protection.]

Well…

I stared at the notification, then down at my worn-out socks. Rent-free living, hazard pay, the same monitoring tools I had at work, and a salary I could’ve only dreamed of.

Only for a 28.3% chance to die in the first year. And a 67% chance Llewellyn would, if I didn’t accept.

"I'm taking a shower," I told the System. "Let me think."

[Understood.]

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

The hot water did nothing to clear my mind.

My body still felt charged, too. Was this energy just going to keep coursing through?! Did I have to get used to this now?

Every nerve buzzed. Just below my sternum, I could still feel the phantom itch of last night’s Knot.

Steam fogged the bathroom mirror as I toweled off.

Back in my bedroom, I pulled on a clean hoodie and paused, staring at the faint reflection of the System notification still hovering in the doorway like it was standing guard.

"Still here?"

[Affirmative.]

“Seriously, what do you even need me for? Llewellyn can handle himself better than anyone else."

[Partner’s survival probability decreases significantly without external tactical support. Current combat efficacy is optimal, but strategic vulnerabilities remain.]

“Strategic vulnerabilities,” I repeated, snorting. “You mean he’s bad at teamwork?”

[Clarification: Partner exhibits tendencies toward operational self-reliance, leading to elevated exposure during high-risk scenarios.]

“So… yes.”

I sat down on my bed. “But there has to be someone with actual training. What would I even do? Yesterday, I barely managed not to die. Is it just because of the Threads?”

[Strength and Thread Perception are not the primary criteria. User Ryo demonstrates compatibility in pattern recognition, situational adaptability, and instinctive prioritization of Partner’s wellbeing.]

I scrubbed a hand through my damp hair, bracing. “What happens if I say no?”

[Partner’s probability of fatal outcome increases by 42% compared to supported projection. User’s likelihood of future re-involvement remains high due to pre-existing experience.]

I blinked. “Future re-involvement? Pre-existing experience?" What?

[Clarification: User Ryo’s behavioral patterns indicate a sustained, emotionally-driven fixation on Partner Llewellyn, frequently resulting in spontaneous defense. User's online defensive actions were evaluated and classified as combat experience.]

"…"

You've got to be kidding me.

“So even if I say no, you’ll probably just drag me back into this anyway?”

[Correct. However, voluntary participation maximizes strategic advantages—and is remunerated.]

Well.

"What if I get a lawyer?"

That was a pointless question because I could not afford a lawyer, but I felt like I had to ask.

[Legal representation does not affect System protocols.]

"So you're saying there's no legal loophole?"

[Correct. System operations are not subject to human legal frameworks.]

Not even a chance to threaten it with paperwork.

"What if I fake my own death?"

[Ineffective. System tracking remains active post-mortem.]

I paused. "Post-mortem?"

[Clarification: In the event of actual death, System tracking will be deactivated. However, this outcome is not recommended.]

"Yeah, no kidding."

I stood up, grabbing my keys. The notification pulsed softly, waiting.

“We’re not done,” I said, shoving the keys into my pocket and walking toward the front door. “But I’ve got a train to catch.”

[Understood. Contract offer remains pending.]

"Don't wait up."

The door clicked shut behind me.