As a Reincarnated NPC, I Want to Live a Peaceful Life - Chapter 0

The Luminescent Woods

Nebulae coiled across the sky, dotting the oppressive darkness of the night with an air of mystery. Meanwhile, the moon hung high above, pure and gentle, casting a serene tranquility over the world below. Its light spilled onto the forest beneath, brushing the emerald leaves with silver and faintly outlining the shadows of the night.

This was no ordinary forest—how to describe it? It wasn’t as vast as a wilderness, nor were its trees as rigidly aligned as those lining a path. And yet, in the darkness, it alone radiated a soft glow, earning it the name “Luminescent Woods.” A breeze stirred the leaves, rustling them in a soothing lullaby, lulling all creatures—beasts, birds, even the strange plants—into slumber.

“Are you all ready?”

Beneath the forest floor, voices murmured. These were adventurers—a profession common enough that no further explanation was needed. They were about to set off.

The Luminescent Woods were rumored to hold a treasure considered by many to be a “Sacred Artifact of Divine Purity.” Naturally, this drew countless adventurers in search of it—though none had ever succeeded. Yet, those who returned, despite remembering nothing, always seemed to come back with gold in their hands.

And so, adventurers kept coming, undeterred, all for the sake of that fabled relic.

“Aracius, dispel the concealment spell.”

“Mm… just a moment.”

After a few incantations, the soil, overgrown with flowers and grass, slowly split apart, lifting the hidden adventurers to the surface. There were about four or five of them in total.

Each adventurer had their own unique strengths and specialties. Even a purely physical fighter could use some auxiliary spells—like Aracius, who, despite wielding a shield and a flail, could effortlessly employ [Earth Concealment] to erase his party’s tracks.

(—In truth, the game didn’t enforce strict class barriers. A player’s abilities merely suggested their optimal role, meaning the mage you were facing one second might charge at you with an enchanted sword the next.)

Once Aracius confirmed there were no monsters nearby, he signaled to the others.

“All clear. The area seems safe for now.”

“…Phew, that was terrifying! I never thought following you guys would lead me to such a weird forest.” A blonde girl dressed as a rogue let out a heavy sigh, twirling her dagger idly. Upon closer inspection, the blade shimmered with a faint magical glow.

“Heh, I didn’t expect this to be the famous Luminescent Woods, either. We just took shelter here because night was falling.” A black-haired man, armed with a longsword and exuding the aura of a warrior, spoke up. Judging by his tone, he was likely the leader.

“E-everyone, are you okay? Aracius, do you need me to restore your mana?” A shy girl in priestly robes clutched her staff, addressing Aracius with concern.

“Liv, don’t worry about this tin can. Concealment spells don’t cost much mana. Save your holy energy—we’ll need it later.” Finally, a golden-haired man plucked at his worn wooden bow, flicking it around and rubbing an arrow against it. Clearly an archer—and one with a roguish charm.

With that, the party steeled themselves and began advancing cautiously along the path, deeper into the woods. Though they encountered few monsters, the journey was far from smooth—thick vines, thorny brambles, and tangled undergrowth slowed them considerably.

“Huff… huff… There aren’t many beasts here,” Aracius remarked, wiping sweat from his brow as he hacked through obstructing vines with his machete.

“Right. Everyone, stay alert. Orior, keep an eye out for any monster tracks.” The black-haired man took point, scanning the surroundings for threats.

Yet, the area seemed eerily devoid of life.

“…Strange. Using [Echo Sense], I detected only one cluster of life signals—layered and overlapping, growing in number.” The man called Orior opened his eyes, his expression mirroring the leader’s confusion.

In a normal forest—or even tall grass—detection skills would reveal swarms of lifeforms. Not insects, perhaps, but certainly enough to notice. Yet, [Echo Sense] couldn’t be wrong. This place was undeniably odd.

Moreover, despite frequent adventurer traffic, the path should have been rugged—not this unnaturally smooth.

“Hey, guys… up ahead. Is that… a spring?” The rogue girl pointed out, her sharp [Hawk Eye] allowing her to see far into the distance, even granting limited X-ray vision—an invaluable skill for a thief.

“Sniff… This forest is so scary… Can’t we just go back?” Liv, on the verge of tears, was quickly scolded by the rogue. She stopped crying but clung tightly to Orior’s side.

Orior noticed—this was just the rogue teasing him and Liv. But at this point, he had no choice but to let it slide.

They pressed on, walking for what felt like hours—until Aracius spotted his own mark for the third time.

They were trapped in a [Phantom Loop]. No matter how straight they walked, they kept circling back.

[Oh? They finally noticed?] A woman’s voice, never heard before, echoed from the depths of the forest. A figure with long azure hair dispersed the gathering animals with a wave.

Then, she vanished.

…..

“Sylster! Don’t go that way—it’s dangerous!”

“I don’t care! There’s only one path, yet we’re going in circles. We should check out that spring—maybe it’ll lead us out!” The rogue girl, Sylster, puffed her cheeks in defiance and stormed off toward the spring.

The others, unable to stop her, hurried after her—all except Liv, whose stamina as a priest left her lagging behind. Soon, the party vanished from her sight.

“Guys… wait for me… It’s so scary here alone…”

Exhausted, Liv wandered aimlessly through the dark woods, her vision blurring, her heartbeat frantic—until a wild wolf suddenly pounced—

“Everyone…!”

Meanwhile, the rest of the party reached the spring, only to realize Liv was missing. They called her name frantically, but even the leader’s [Party Status] skill couldn’t pinpoint her location—or whether she was alive.

“Dammit! I don’t wanna die here—I still have to report back to the guild!” Sylster wailed, as if death were the cruelest fate imaginable.

“No helping it. Even recall scrolls don’t work here, and the level warning’s way above ours. Did you really think we’d get out unscathed?” Orior sneered before casually chewing on a blade of grass.

Aracius and the leader remained silent, calling for Liv in vain. The lack of response all but confirmed her fate.

Then—crunch.

Footsteps.

The party snapped into combat stances, gulping as a shadowy figure approached.

Even if it looked human, it could still be a monster in disguise. They braced themselves, glaring at the silhouette.

[Everyday~, I imagine a future where I can be with you.]

A melodious voice rang out, stunning the group. Was this monster… singing?

“Captain, what’s the plan? This boss seems… preoccupied.” Aracius shifted nervously, torn between tension and battle readiness.

The leader swallowed hard, his mind racing—until it hit him.

“That voice… we’ve heard it before!”

“Huh? Now that you mention it… yeah!”

Aracius and the leader exchanged grim looks. Sylster and Orior, baffled, demanded an explanation.

“Wait… so we’re dead?” Sylster’s hands trembled violently around her dagger, her legs instinctively backing away.

“Hey, Captain, you’re joking, right? …Right?” Orior pressed, but the leader’s solemn expression shattered his hope.

With Liv presumed dead and no other path, the group prepared for a desperate last stand—as the figure drew closer… and closer…

The singing stopped.

[Bam! Ahahaha!]

“KYAAAAH! Stay back! Stay away!” Sylster flailed wildly with her dagger until the others restrained her. Even Orior’s legs had turned to jelly.

[Ahahaha! Oh? Did I… scare you?] The voice was gentle, devoid of malice.

Upon closer inspection, the “monster” was no hideous beast—but a stunning young woman with flowing azure hair, clad in a thick blue sweater, thigh-high stockings, and a short skirt.

“You… hello? Wait, aren’t you the boss of the Luminescent Woods? Why are you being friendly?” Aracius stepped forward, shielding the party.

[Let me ask you this—what do I gain from killing you? Nothing, right?] The girl’s retort left Aracius speechless. He glanced back at the leader, who nodded.

“I… have a question.”

[Ask away. And drop the formalities—it’s weird.] Her tone was oddly casual, her demeanor friendly. Her delicate features caught Orior’s lingering gaze.

“One of our companions… she’s missing.”

[Oh? You mean the girl being licked unconscious by a wolf? Here.] With a snap of her fingers—

Liv materialized on the ground, cheeks flushed, passed out. The party quickly pulled her to safety.

“…Thank you.” The leader bowed deeply, hoping flattery would secure their escape.

The girl smiled—but it didn’t reach her eyes. She offered to guide them out, yet along the way, she casually emphasized the importance of the treasure she guarded—even subtly revealing its location.

The others paid no mind, but Sylster couldn’t resist. Halfway through, she slipped away unnoticed—until the group reached the exit and realized she was gone.

[Hmm? Another missing companion? This forest really is a maze.] The girl sighed, handing the leader a small pouch with a meaningful glance.

“…Huh? My vision… it’s spinning—what’s… happening?”

“Elther, I—I’ve got mental resistance gear, but I still—huff… huff…”

“Orior, stay awake—Aracius too… huff…”

One by one, they collapsed, joining Liv in unconsciousness.

Only then did the girl exhale deeply, her gaze drifting toward a distant, radiant light deep in the woods. She smiled again.

“This time… I, Tsukimi Juri, will finally live in peace. And you… will remember nothing of me—just lucky adventurers who survived the Luminescent Woods.”

She turned away. Moments later, the forest began to sink—lower, and lower—until the Luminescent Woods were no more.