The taste of bitter almonds and sugar lingering on my tongue was the first sign that something was wrong.
In my previous life—exactly forty-five seconds ago—I was Han Soyul, a world-class bug-tester for Nebula Games. I had been in the middle of a 48-hour crunch session, drinking my tenth energy drink, when my heart decided to "Alt-F4" out of existence.
Now, I was staring at a pair of polished black boots that cost more than my college tuition.
"Your theatrics are tiresome, Seraphina," a cold, melodic voice echoed through the hall. "The poison was a fake, and your engagement is over. Be thankful I don't throw you in the dungeon for this pathetic display."
I blinked. A translucent, flickering blue screen hovered in my field of vision.
> [CRITICAL SYSTEM ERROR]
> [User: Han Soyul] synced with [NPC: Seraphina von Lapis]
> [Compatibility: 99.9%]
> [Warning: Admin Tools are 'Glitched'. Proceed with caution.]
>
I looked up. The man speaking was Crown Prince Alaric. Silver hair, sapphire eyes, and a "Protagonist Aura" so thick it was practically shimmering. Above his head, a red bar floated, pulsing with data.
> [Crown Prince Alaric]
> Level: 45 (Swordmaster)
> Affection: -50 (Disgusted)
> Status: [Plot Armor: Active] [Inventory: Locked]
>
My gamer brain took over. I didn't see a handsome prince; I saw a high-level boss with a very tempting loot table.
"Did you hear me?" Alaric demanded, his eyes narrowing. "Get up and leave the palace. You are a disgrace to the Dukedom."
Normally, the "Villainess" Seraphina would crawl to his feet, crying and begging for another chance. But I noticed something Alaric didn't. Because of the [Glitched Admin Tools], I could see the code of the world.
Right near his left hip, a small cluster of pixels was flickering. It was his Dimensional Storage Ring. In the game lore, that ring held the Tear of the Goddess—an SSS-rank item that could heal any wound or boost mana by 500%.
If I'm going to be exiled, I thought, a slow smirk spreading across my face, I'm taking a severance package.
"You're right, Alaric," I said, my voice raspy from the fake poison. I stood up, wobbling slightly. "The engagement is a drag. You're a drag. This whole palace is... a bit tacky, don't you think?"
The Prince froze. The "Affection Bar" above his head flickered wildly.
> [Affection: -50] → [-55]
> [Status: Confusion (Level 1)]
>
"What did you just say?" he hissed.
I stepped closer, ignoring the gasps from the surrounding knights. I reached out, ostensibly to steady myself by grabbing his arm. Instead, I focused on the flickering pixels of his ring.
Admin Command: Force Trade.
> [SYSTEM ALERT: Illegal Action Detected!]
> [Glitch Override... Successful.]
>
As my hand "brushed" past his waist, I felt a surge of cold energy. A golden notification exploded in my retinas.
> [ITEM ACQUIRED: 'King's Legacy Storage Ring' (Ancient Grade)]
> [ITEM ACQUIRED: '15,000 Gold' (Automatic Currency Pickup)]
>
Alaric winced, clutching his hand. "Ngh! What... what was that? A needle?"
"Just your conscience prickling you," I lied smoothly, tucking my hands behind my back. I could feel the heavy weight of the stolen ring in my virtual inventory. "Anyway, you wanted me gone. I'm going."
I turned on my heel and began to walk toward the grand exit.
"Stop!" Alaric shouted. "You haven't been dismissed!"
I didn't stop. I opened my mini-map. The palace was a maze, but to a speedrunner, a maze is just a series of shortcuts. I saw a balcony up ahead. Beyond it was a 50-foot drop into the royal gardens.
To a normal person, it was a suicide jump. To me?
If I jump at the exact frame the animation resets...
"Guard her!" Alaric yelled, his face turning a shade of angry red that clashed with his cape.
I reached the balcony railing and looked back. "Hey, Alaric! Thanks for the 'gifts'. Don't bother calling. I've blocked your number!"
I hopped onto the railing.
"Seraphina, no!" Alaric lunged forward, his hand outstretched.
I didn't fall. I dashed.
> [Skill Activated: 'Frame-Perfect Leap' (Level 1)]
>
I soared through the air, my silk dress billowing like a parachute. I hit the ground with a roll, took zero fall damage due to a physics exploit, and vanished into the shrubbery.
> [System Message: The Male Lead is 'Stunned'.]
> [Affection: -55] → [-40]
> [Warning: Plot line 'The Exile of Seraphina' has been 'Broken'. Recalculating...]
>
I breathed in the fresh night air, a wild grin on my face. The "Villainess" was supposed to die in poverty. But with a glitched system and a bag full of the Prince's gold, I was going to turn this dating sim into my personal sandbox.
First stop: The Black Market. I needed to sell this ring before the "Game Admins" realized I'd stolen the plot's most important item.