The ice gave way under Suzume's boot.

  She caught herself on the rope, muscles screaming as she hauled up the weighted training dummy. Heavy enough to simulate carrying three average adults at once.

  The virtual mountain stretched endlessly above her, wind that didn't exist cutting through gear she wasn't really wearing.

  [Left hand, find the hold. There. Now pull.]

  Her virtual stamina bar blinked red.

  In real dungeons, there were no convenient UI elements telling her when she was about to collapse. But here in the simulation, she could push herself to the absolute limit and document exactly where that limit was.

  The summit came suddenly. One moment she was climbing, the next she stood on a narrow peak, the weighted dummy sprawled beside her.

  [Time: 47 minutes. Previous best: 52 minutes.]

  She removed the VR headset and immediately grabbed her notebook.

  "Ice climbing," she wrote. "Remember to test handholds twice. Ice breaks differently than rock. Weight distribution matters more when carrying bodies. Keep rope shorter for better control."

  Her makeshift database had grown chunky over the past week.

  Pages and pages of notes, sketches, observations. Monster weak points, trap mechanisms, optimal rescue routes. All carefully jotted down and memorized.

  Her System window popped up unbidden.

  [Status Window]

  [Name: Aoi Suzume]

  [Class: Rescuer (Level 4)]

  [HP: 70/70]

  [MP: 105/105]

  [EXP: 67/250]

  [Civilians Saved (Lifetime): 21]

  [Players Saved (Lifetime): 11]

  Level 4. In the span of a week, she'd gained a full level just from smaller rescues. Nothing dramatic, just pulling scared civilians from E-rank dungeons, extracting rookie Players who'd bitten off more than they could chew.

  [At this rate, I'll hit Level 5 before the month ends.]

  She checked the time. 11:47 AM.

  "Shit!"

  Her shift started at noon.

  ---

  "Welcome home, Master! What delicious treat can I serve you today? Nya~!"

  The words came out on autopilot now. Muscle memory for her mouth. She didn't even have to think about the voice anymore, either.

  The lunch rush was lighter than usual. Just a few regulars and some tourists taking photos of the "authentic maid cafe experience."

  Then the door chimed.

  Kasumi Hayakawa walked in like she owned the place.

  No, that wasn't right. She walked in like the place should be grateful for her presence. Suzume knew her from all the articles and interviews, all gushing over the latest, greatest rookie prospect. Blazing orange hair, long legs, and a confident smirk that said she knew exactly how good she looked.

  [Oh no. Oh no no no. Not her!] Suzume swallowed. [She's exactly my type!]

  Behind Kasumi, a shorter girl with brown hair held up a phone, obviously recording.

  "I can't believe you actually wanted to come here," the friend said.

  "It's for content, Mika. My fans want to see me in normal situations. Humanizing, you know?"

  If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  "A maid cafe is normal?"

  "Shut up and film."

  They sat in Suzume's section. Because of course they did.

  [Okay. Professional. You're a professional. Do not stare at her legs. Do not stare at her... anything.]

  "Welcome home, Mistresses! I'm Suzu-chan, and I'll be taking care of you today! Nya~!"

  Kasumi looked up, and their eyes met.

  [Fuck, her eyes are gorgeous too.]

  "Suzu-chan, huh?" Kasumi's voice had that rich quality that made Suzume's stomach do things. "Cute."

  "T-Thank you, Mistress! Would you like to see our menu? We have delicious parfaits and— "

  "You're Awakened."

  Suzume froze.

  "I... um..."

  "Level 4 and working in a maid cafe?" Kasumi tilted her head. "That's interesting."

  "You know how it is," Suzume forced a laugh. "Making money while I train. Besides, why not put smiles on my customers' faces, right?"

  "But Level 4?" Mika leaned forward. "Girl, you could already be making real money in dungeons by now!"

  [Shit. shit. shit. I need to dodge this conversation, ASAP. I'm literally unregistered.]

  "I just like the atmosphere here. It's... calming?"

  Kasumi smiled at that. Not a smirk, but an actual smile.

  [Oh god, I'm going to die.]

  "That's actually kind of sweet. Most Players forget about normal people once they Awaken."

  "Well, I'm hardly a real Player. Just lucky, I guess."

  "Luck has nothing to do with Awakening." Kasumi's eyes stayed on her. "The System chooses people for a reason."

  "If you say so, Mistress. Now, what can I get you?"

  They ordered parfaits. Suzume escaped to the kitchen, face burning.

  [Get it together. She's just another customer. A incredibly hot, successful, confident customer who could bench press you without breaking a sweat.]

  She brought their orders out, hands steady through sheer will.

  "Here you go! Two special parfaits with extra love! Nya~!"

  "Suzu-chan," Kasumi said. "Do the thing."

  "The thing?"

  "You know. The spell. Make it delicious or whatever."

  [Kill me.]

  Suzume held her hands over the parfaits, making heart shapes.

  "Moe moe kyun! Become delicious! Nya~!"

  Mika cackled. Kasumi's smile widened.

  "Perfect."

  They ate while Suzume served other customers. She couldn't help glancing over. Kasumi had this way of making eating parfait look elegant. Every single little movement was graceful, controlled.

  [Stop staring.]

  The TV in the corner switched to news.

  "—Rescue Girl strikes again! Last night, civilians were extracted from an unstable dungeon in Shibuya. Channel 7 has exclusive footage—"

  Kasumi's spoon hit her plate hard enough to crack it.

  "Are you fucking kidding me?"

  Every head in the cafe turned.

  "K-Kasumi-chan," Mika whispered. "We're filming."

  "Turn it off."

  "But—"

  "Turn. It. Off."

  Mika stopped recording. Kasumi stood up, facing the TV.

  "This is such bullshit. Some amateur in a hoodie plays hero and everyone loses their minds. Meanwhile, actual Players risk their lives every day and get nothing."

  "Mistress?" Suzume approached carefully. "Is everything okay?"

  Kasumi turned to her.

  "What do you think about this Rescue Girl thing?"

  [Abort. Abort. ABORT.]

  "I... haven't really followed it."

  "Good. It's stupid. Vigilantes shouldn't be praised. They should be arrested." She pulled out her wallet, dropping money on the table. "The System exists for a reason. Protocols exist for a reason. This person is going to get herself killed, and probably take others with her."

  "Maybe she just wants to help people?"

  "Help?" Kasumi laughed with no humor in it. "You want to help people? Train properly. Join a guild. Follow the rules. Don't run around playing hero for Channel 7's ratings."

  She pulled out a business card, sliding it across the table to Suzume.

  "Here, Suzu-chan. Don't be like that freak. When you hit Level 5, call me. I'll introduce you to people at Black Dragon. Real Players who do things the right way."

  Then she was gone, Mika scrambling after her.

  Suzume stood there, holding the business card. Kasumi Hayakawa, Black Dragon Guild, with a personal phone number.

  "Suzu-chan! Table four needs service!"

  "R-Right! Coming! Nya~!"

  She pocketed the card and got back to work.

  ---

  Six hours later, Suzume stood at the entrance to another dungeon. This one was C-rank, showing early signs of destabilization in its energy signatures. Two Players had been inside for two hours now. Way longer than it normally took to clear a C-Rank dungeon.

  [Vigilantes shouldn't be praised.]

  Kasumi's words echoed in her head.

  [They should be arrested.]

  She pulled her hood up, adjusted her mask.

  [The System exists for a reason.]

  Her new Protection Charm was warm against her chest. The virtual training had prepared her for exactly this scenario. She knew the layout, the monster patterns, the optimal route.

  [Protocols exist for a reason.]

  Two Players were possibly dying in there.

  And yet, the guilds weren't coming. The Association wasn't coming. Nobody was coming except her.

  [This person is going to get herself killed.]

  "Probably," she said aloud. "But, of what use are your protocols if lives are lost unnecessarily?"

  She checked her equipment one last time. Rope, check. Grenades, check. Medical supplies, check. The weight was familiar now, comforting even.

  [Danger Sense] tingled at the edge of her perception. The dungeon was definitely destabilizing. B-rank monsters in what should be a C-rank dungeon, maybe worse deeper in.

  Her phone buzzed. Yumi.

  "You there yet?"

  "About to enter."

  "Be careful. They might already be dead."

  "Only one way to find out."

  "Your funeral. Try to die on camera so I can win a posthumous Emmy."

  Suzume sighed.

  "You're all heart."

  She pocketed the phone and faced the portal.

  Kasumi's smile flashed through her mind. That confident, perfect smile.

  [Sorry, Kasumi. I just don't think the current rules are worth following.]

  She stepped through the portal.

  Time to be a dangerous vigilante.