126 - Terms of Service Violation
“Go on.”
As I abruptly sat up, small waves rippled across the bathtub.
NoName's account is not currently registered as an official account with Wearsoft. May I ask what model of capsule you're using?
My mind raced. Do they really have zero info on me?
“Samsung Stella A8.”
Ah, yes... confirmed. Sigh For now... We've just confirmed receipt of your account recovery request via Wearsoft Korea, and our HQ was already aware of the bug occurring during story progression.
...Huh? Is someone next to you?
“No. I'm in the bathroom. Alone.”
From what I've been told, NoName, you're experiencing an issue where NPC Adella didn't properly drop out in Part 1, preventing 4th boss Mephistopheles from appearing. Correct?
“Keep talking.”
Here's our proposal: Under the condition that you don't use this account for ranked matches on the channel, we'll transfer 100% of Adella's experience and growth stats to your player character.
“What about Adella?”
To allow Mephistopheles to appear normally in 4th stage, we'll delete her.
What kind of nonsense is this...
I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts.
“Let me hear other options.”
Alternative: Instead of formatting the entire world, we'll handle the clear for you. Combat power will be rated low since no boss kill, but you can enjoy ranked matches like any other user on your main account.
“That's all?”
Server recovery for guest accounts isn't policy-supported, but given this exceptional case, we've discussed internally and are accommodating you.
Her tone dripped with condescending charity, but it was really just delete the bug cause and wash their hands of it. Not even locking the barn after losing the cow—they wanted to cover the whole barn with a tarp.
“What I want is different.”
What dissatisfaction? We'll provide maximum support possible...
“I don't care about ranked or whatever, but let me proceed with 4th boss battle alongside Adella.”
Unfortunately, we have no separate plan for that. Sorry.
“Fine, no boss battle then. Just keep Adella and process the clear.”
Story clear requires Mephisto's defeat first, so that's difficult too. Plus, Adella lingering post-clear could cause unknown server errors since it wasn't designed that way.
In open-world games, "combat power tally" events only trigger after final boss defeat. It's necessary and sufficient for story clear, but Mephistopheles can't spawn with Adella. Simply put, the time bomb in Adella's body must explode for the ending.
“Is this the best Wearsoft can do? I thought World of Arceria's strengths were user-driven stories and high freedom.”
Please understand the technical limits. The bug stemmed from 'illicit access' via guest account for improper purposes, so we recommend accepting our accommodation.
“There was no illicit purpose from the start—why blame me now? Even if the bug's my fault, isn't it your fault for letting the story continue?”
In Part 1 boss, your account's uniqueness left prior data undeleted, overlapping two open worlds.
“So? Now delete Adella? For server maintenance, it's fine to trample a user's memories with an NPC? Is that Wearsoft's unified stance?”
I gnawed my nails. They held the hostages and info. No matter how much I pushed, control wouldn't shift to me. I wanted to storm HQ and drop a meteor, but my situation made that impossible. Infuriating.
We don't view users that way.
“Ha, that's exactly what you're saying.”
Info protection laws limit our knowledge of you, so full empathy is hard... but we must counter your claim of no illicit purpose.
“What?”
You knowingly violated the age restriction terms for Nightmare content, right? NoName isn't over 15, are you?
NoName hadn't planned to hide her age at first. But with her strong adult self-perception, she just wished people would treat her like one despite her child's voice—a small hope.
She'd hidden it so far mainly to avoid World of Arceria account suspension. To run Nightmare, she skipped the mandatory age verification.
If the company learned this, all her cards would be worthless.
The hot bathwater felt frozen solid. Her body went rigid. Beneath trembling eyelids, her pitch-black eyes darted sideways—to the chat window.
The screen froze for 2 seconds like lag, then comments flooded like a dam burst into the narrow channel.
Not everyone took the raw info at face value. Given NoName's track record, it was too outlandish.
Best to keep mouth shut. Fact bombs forbidden.
What to do in this case? Dozens of options branched like tree roots in her mind per second, none right.
Meanwhile, Michelle Badieu called her in a flustered voice.
NoName, I swear I heard a real voice just now. Family with you?
HQ kept probing if NoName was with someone. NoName wasn't oblivious, so she gripped her trembling hand with the other.
“I'm alone. But I'm streaming.”
Pardon?
“Platform's Twitwitch, 3k viewers now.”
Wait, why stream the call...?
This was it. NoName was certain. Forgetting the bath, she shot up and took the call again. Sudden anemia made her head spin, but excitement over finding a breakthrough overwhelmed it. Water streamed off her naked body, echoing unfiltered through stream and phone.
“So Wearsoft has no will or ability to resolve this bug incident?”
That's not—
“That's how your business director's words come across. Can't even spawn or adjust a single boss outside manual? That's the situation, right?”
NoName had heard via news that Wearsoft's stock plummeted. Why the high valuation? Market leader in VR games, expected to drive future VR industry. But if exposed as mere overseers outsourcing to a small ASI expert team?
Of course it's not that simple; they must have some tech. But public perception is scary. People skip nuance. If some think Wearsoft solo-made WoA, the reverse is plausible too. NoName trusted a director would grasp her implication.
It hit. The most satisfying response yet came.
...We'll explore additional solutions, so please wait patiently. Thank you, NoName.
“By tomorrow. That's all I can wait. Or I'll leak everything you said today to the press.”