As a Reincarnated NPC, I Want to Live a Peaceful Life - Chapter 15

I woke at some point—passed out from the cold, awakened by warmth. I didn’t know what had happened, but the strange weight on my legs and neck, along with the soft sound of breathing near my ear, gave me a clue—

Someone was sleeping beside me. A girl. And her sleeping posture wasn’t exactly elegant. She had her legs and arms draped over me, as if using me as a hugging pillow. I could imagine us like a sloth and a tree branch.

Blinking, I realized I was warm—my legs, torso, head… thoroughly warm, inside and out. Did she help me? I quickly moved her arm and leg off me and stood up on the bed.

There were two of them, a boy and a girl, both players. They carried sharp daggers, with additional deadly short blades gleaming at their waists. I also noticed an empty potion bottle on the nightstand. Picking it up, I sniffed it—a pungent ginger scent. So someone had fed me ginger soup. No wonder my throat felt warm.

The cold effect had faded. I took the chance to stretch, revitalizing myself. That earlier blackout was triggered by near-death… If possible, I’d prefer fewer such “naps” in the future.

I was grateful to them—not only for helping me, but also for not taking advantage of the situation to do anything terrible. But based on the current circumstances, they weren’t exactly model citizens either.

First, they weren’t guests of the mansion. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been assigned to this room. Second, they carried weapons. A noble’s residence wouldn’t allow just anyone to bring in arms. Finally, the boy kept muttering, “I’m gonna be a famous assassin, even stronger than now…” which confirmed it.

These two were clearly assassins. What should I do? Yell for help? That wouldn’t work—it’d only bring trouble.

I half-closed my eyes, coolly observing the two assassins still fast asleep. Of course, the room still felt as cold as an ice coffin to me, and the ginger soup’s effects wouldn’t last much longer.

“…Mmm~! That’s enough sleep. Noelle, get up— Huh? Oh, you’re awake already?” The boy had woken up. Maybe his game time was up, or he was just naturally waking. When he saw me standing on the bed, he grinned easily.

I shook my head, deciding to play weak—wide eyes, arms wrapped around myself, lips trembling, topped off with a pitiful tone… Perfect.

“Wh-Who are you~?”

“Us? We’re… Well, my brain’s not working too well. I’ll let Noelle explain. Get up already!”

“Wah~ What? What? I’m getting up… Yawn~ Mumble mumble… Huh? Oh? You’re awake?” Pushed by the boy, the girl with the inelegant sleeping posture finally woke up. So she really had been asleep. When she saw me, she looked surprised too.

Good, both were up now. Time to hear their “explanation.”

I sat cross-legged naturally on the bed. Luckily, my tights allowed it without tearing, and my sweater covered… Ahem. The boy whispered to the girl, and she began speaking.

“We’re, uh… Let me introduce myself. I’m Noelle, and this guy is Yumi. Sorry for barging into your room, little one.”

“So, may I ask… what are you?”

“Well, we’re not bad people. Don’t be wary just because we have weapons… Actually, it’s normal to be wary. But don’t think of us as bad people. Big sis and big bro are—”

“Good people?”

“Well… Not exactly good people either. Actually, we’re—”

“Not good, not bad? Then what are you?”

“We’re not…” The player named Noelle (ID: Daughter of the Wolf) seemed impatient, but after calming herself, she couglightly and continued gently, “Big sis and big bro here are… assassins. But we don’t do bad things. We usually take on special missions.”

“What kind of missions? Like… slashing and killing lots of people?”

“Noelle, I think you’re making it worse. At times like this, we should just strike fast and hard to avoid complications.”

…

After listening to their earnest explanation—which included a fair amount of bickering—my head was a mess. They said they were assassins, but good assassins, yet also claimed they weren’t clean either…

Seriously, even without trying to see through it, their lies were full of holes… And big ones at that. They somehow managed to confuse me. In a way, they were impressive. The two of them should consider doing comedy duos.

“Ahem, since you’ve already revealed yourselves, I might as well drop the act. So, why are you here? What’s your mission as assassins?”

Seemingly surprised by my sudden change in attitude, the girl covered her mouth briefly before returning to a cool demeanor. If my senses were right, this was her true self.

“Little girl, that’s not something we can share. Contract details are confidential.”

Contracts—seemed like mission or bounty agreements specific to certain professions, stricter than regular quests…

I sighed, only to notice the boy named “Yumi” had picked up a dagger and was smiling at me.

“Big bro, big sis, no need to rush. Fighting here won’t do any of us any good.” I hopped off the bed and smiled casually at them.

True, if I fought these fairly high-level players now, not only might I get hurt, but it could also attract everyone in the mansion. My combat style would be exposed, and I couldn’t afford that.

I didn’t want my identity revealed. Top guilds and players would swarm here, and I’d be in deep trouble. As an NPC, death would be permanent.

They glanced at each other, chuckled, and got off the bed. The boy went to the door to check outside, while the girl stood before me, her expression still cool.

I met her gaze, then closed my eyes as if accepting my fate, waiting for the sound of wind whistling past my ears.

“I see. You’re quite sensible. As a fellow girl, I’d rather not be too rough with you…”

“Hurry up and get it over with. Just be careful.”

“Got it. Don’t blame me, then. Hmph!”

Smack— The sound of hand bones hitting tender skin. All I felt was a jolt in my neck, followed by… nothing. No unconsciousness as I’d expected.

I was puzzled. That strike should’ve knocked me out… Was it some BOSS protection against physical stuns? Seeing I wasn’t down, “Noelle” looked surprised, flusteredly glancing between her hand and my face.

“Huh? How? That move should guarantee a knockout.” She was right—it should have. But it seemed useless now.

I half-closed my eyes, pushed her hand away, and suggested they leave quickly. However, the girl sniffed, wearing an “I don’t buy it” expression, and rummaged through her waist pouch. The boy was still by the door, anxious yet helpless.

He probably knew that once this girl got worked up, she wouldn’t stop. I watched as she pulled out several syringes filled with the same colored liquid. That startled me… Anything but injections… My lips twitched. I’d always been afraid of sharp objects—they made my skin crawl.

I stepped back instinctively, nerves tense, staring at the syringes in “Noelle’s” hand, adopting a threatening posture. She seemed to get the message and put them away.

“You should leave. The night is deep—it’s the assassin’s domain. Isn’t now the perfect time to escape?”

“You… have a point. But wait, you’re just a child. How do you know more than we do?”

She still didn’t trust me. Suspicious that a child could say such things? My corners of the mouth twitched. I reached out toward her, then raised my hand with a faint glow… and released, letting her drop gently to the floor.

“Oof…”

Noelle seemed dazed throughout, only coming to her senses after landing.

“You should go now. Yumi has been waiting for you.”

“Oh… Okay, I… I understand, child. Here, I’ll leave another ginger potion for you. Remember to drink it later.” Before leaving, Noelle specially left a bottle of ginger-colored potion on the nightstand. It looked identical to the previous one. She really seemed kind-hearted.

Assassins, alchemists… Overall, they were decent players. [Daughter of the Wolf], [Nightingale Wolf]—I’ll remember you. Perhaps we’ll meet again someday…

I drank the ginger potion in one go, but a sudden “click” made me choke, the liquid going down the wrong pipe. Turning, I saw the two assassins again—rushing around frantically like fleeing rabbits, though without multiple escape routes.

Ignoring them, I finished the potion and lay down, hoping to maintain my body heat. I didn’t want to fall into cold status again. I was also hungry—my satiety level hadn’t recovered yet…

I glanced over and noticed they were still gathered at the door, panicking.

Couldn’t they get out? Well, it wasn’t my problem anymore. They were good people and had helped me, but why should I help them in my current state?

I was already like a clay idol crossing a river—barely able to save myself. I couldn’t afford to take on more burdens…

…

I lost track of how long I stared at the ceiling, feeling adrift. Why did I come to this world, anyway?

It seemed I had no choice. Did I want a peaceful life? Probably not that simple. With cumbersome companions like Airf and Alec, and Prince Lyle’s support, could I ever have the life I wanted?

Perhaps from the start, I shouldn’t have chased that carriage. Then I wouldn’t have saved Nats, wouldn’t have killed Lawston, wouldn’t have come to [Malletus], wouldn’t have been separated from Nats, wouldn’t have met Airf…

What was I thinking? It’s because I lacked the will to ignore everything. I just couldn’t do it.

Now, I needed to be ruthless. No more getting involved in trouble.

Something seemed to be happening outside—noisy commotions buzzing like mosquitoes, feeling very close. But the walls muffled most of it.

Noelle and Yumi were whispering. I couldn’t hear and didn’t want to. I turned over, curling up, hoping to rest a little… But my energy felt endless. I couldn’t even manage a brief mental break.

Then, I heard munching from their side. They were eating something. Drawn by the sound, I hopped over.

Noelle and Yumi were chewing on flatbreads. Seems their earlier actions cost them some stamina and HP… I stared blankly at the bread in their hands and unconsciously asked, “What are you eating?”

Noelle, absorbed in eating, hadn’t noticed me approach. After choking slightly, she said between bites, “You might not have seen this kind of flatbread before. It’s not common in this country. It’s great for satiety and cheap, so Yumi and I bought a lot before setting out. Ah, if only we had [Phantom Backpacks], we wouldn’t need to carry these around… Want some?”

Seeing me staring intently at the bread, Noelle understood and reached into her pack for another piece—but Yumi stopped her. After a quick whisper, he went back to eating as if nothing happened. Noelle apologized to me.

Rubbing my stomach, I sighed. I understood saving food in this situation. After all, I’d been thinking the same.

A clay idol crossing a river can’t save others… I sighed again, forced myself up, and hurried to the window. Spotting a useless iron rod in the corner, I picked it up—it seemed just right.

“…【Blue·Loyalty】, enchant…” After chanting, the rod glowed with a deep blue light, and a sharp edge formed at one end—perfect for breaking glass.

My 【Divine Seven Spirits】 was a unique skill. The system stated only I could possess and use it in this world. Even without ever using it before, I understood it instinctively—

Like 【Yellow·Justice】, 【Green·Mercy】, 【Blue·Honesty】, etc. It felt innate, unlike other spells. I could use it anytime, anywhere, without consuming mana.

Under 【Blue·Honesty】’s blessing, the iron rod was enchanted, becoming a lethal weapon… but only I could wield it. For others, the enchant would likely fade.

Gathering strength, I swung the rod at the window—Crash! Glass shattered before me, leaving a gaping hole.

Dropping the now-useless rod, I easily jumped onto the windowsill, stepped on the remaining fragments, and looked down at the lawn below before leaping down.

So much had happened. In just two days, I’d met Nats, left Nats, met an elf, met an old elf, met a noble, and got confined in a mansion.

My mind was fraying. This was far from my original goal… I’d brought it on myself. Wanting to help Nats return, wanting to help Airf return… Unconsciously, I’d started wanting to see them smile…

The loud glass break would surely attract attention. Noelle and Yumi would leave quickly. Without hesitation, I moved along the edge of the building toward the front.

Rubbing my hands, I realized it was much colder outside.

“Mr. Charlemagne, this is standard procedure. We’ve stated our suspicion that assassins are in your residence. You must allow us to search.”

“I’ve said it before—this is absurd. I know everyone in my villa.”

“This is Mayor Peace’s order. Everyone must comply with inspection, Mr. Charlemagne. Even you are no exception.”

“Alright, A, if the old stubborn won’t listen, let me handle it. Long time no see, Lord Charlemagne. Remember me?”

“Heh… How could I not know the genius who descended a year ago—Lyle en Harut. Don’t take the beastman war from months ago too seriously. You just got lucky timing with the disappearance of the Spirit Light Forest.”

Spirit Light Forest? How did they know… I could hear the conversation at the front gate now, though not clearly, so I crept forward in the shadows.

“If the Spirit Light Forest’s guardian hadn’t disappeared, you and your troops wouldn’t have handled the beastman army so easily.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about… But luck is part of strength. You understand that, right? The guardian’s disappearance—I know nothing about it. Regardless, Lord Charlemagne, you must allow my men to investigate. Otherwise, I’ll have to consider you obstructing justice.”

It was Lyle, arguing with the man named Charlemagne. He didn’t know I’d escaped yet. From the sounds of it, he was here searching for assassins coincidentally.

I slipped out from the corner of the yard, not wanting Lyle or anyone to notice me. If I appeared abruptly, it would only embarrass Lyle, and Charlemagne would retaliate… I didn’t want to trouble this “supporter.”

Seeing the street was empty, I hurried into the alley leading quickest to [Central Avenue].

…..

“Lord Charlemagne, I don’t want force. You should understand.”

“…Sigh, fine! Search if you must. But don’t blame me if you find nothing.”

“That’s better. Let’s go.”

“Your Highness! Your Highness! A messenger has urgent news!”

“Benjamin, what is it? To make you run here like this.”

“It’s… pant… Patrol guards reported a beastman army heading this way from the southwest. Confirmed multiple beast types and various monsters.”

“What? How? We just suppressed them in the last campaign. They regrouped this quickly? Let’s go! Forget the assassins. Mobilize all available troops and meet me at the south gate!”

“Prince Lyle, let my son bear join you. He can help.”

“Yes, we need all the strength we can get…”