As a Reincarnated NPC, I Want to Live a Peaceful Life - Chapter 18

Morning—such a peaceful morning. Aside from the endless wisps of smoke rising in the distance, it was truly a pleasant sight.

I still wasn’t sleepy. Standing by the warehouse window, I quietly watched everything outside, worried that monsters might attack at any moment. But the night had been surprisingly calm.

The bodies of those two demon wolves would probably be disposed of without a trace once someone found them.

I sighed and glanced at the hammock beside me—where a red-haired girl, wearing an eye mask, her left hand wrapped in bandages, tightly clutching her staff, was sound asleep. Everything about her radiated one word:

Weird. Very weird. Extremely weird. Unbelievably weird!

“Hey, time to wake up.”

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Back at the alchemy shop, after responding to all of Alec’s “family-like concerns,” I pointed to the girl behind me—Huihui—and asked if Alec could provide her with a small room to stay in for a while.

As for why I compromised and let an outsider stay in our gathering spot—a place where our small team, about to leave the city and face danger, stayed—the reason was a bit complicated… Actually, I just couldn’t stand her pestering anymore. It’s like dealing with a child much younger than you who knows how to act spoiled.

Also, her story truly made me feel sorry for her. Her hometown was destroyed by an orc invasion, she barely managed to escape after graduating from the academy, and her fireball spells weren’t even strong enough to protect herself…

This player’s life was pretty tragic. I almost genuinely shed a tear.

Alec was hesitant at first, but after I insisted, he offered a suitable room. Although it was just an abandoned warehouse, it was fairly well-equipped and not too dusty. The girl didn’t seem to mind it much.

Why did she need a place to stay? She said she didn’t have enough money left for an inn… But just because I look like a weak girl on the outside, does that mean I must provide her shelter? Where did she get that confidence?

I didn’t have a reason not to help her, though—after all, I owed her a favor. On nights when monsters frequently appear, if someone is attacked, she just needs to show up and help, and that person would owe her one. So, accommodation wouldn’t be a problem. Of course, if she could get paid directly, that would be even better.

All of this… Huihui told me herself. Fleeing and running around had left her with very little travel funds, not to mention the expensive transfer procedures. She struggled tremendously to scrape together the required amount… only to be dumped here.

Alright, alright. I already had two elves asking for my help—now am I supposed to take in a Crimson Demon too?

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Why did I agree to let her stay last night? This will only make things more complicated and easier to expose! What happened to the peaceful life I wanted? Isn’t this getting further and further away from my original goal?

Players can indeed sleep in the game, but sleeping outdoors will result in penalties, or even theft or killing. When players log off, their game characters enter a “sleeping” state, and they won’t respond to anything done to them.

I’d clearly forgotten this, so without a second thought, I flipped her out of the hammock, and she landed heavily on the floor. Once I realized what I’d done, I wasn’t worried—this little action wouldn’t reduce a player’s HP; at most, they’d feel some pain when they woke up.

But by some twist of fate, at that very moment, “Huihui’s” status changed from offline to online—

…

In the kitchen, I ate a few berries, watching my satiety level rise to 80%. Feeling a bit annoyed and worried, I stuffed more of these berries into my pocket.

There was no helping it. Just eating berries couldn’t fill my satiety completely, and if I stopped eating, it would drop rapidly. So, carrying a few extras to snack on couldn’t hurt, right? Honestly, I wished I could have some delicious bread, but [Malettes] hardly sold that kind of food. There were no wheat fields here, let alone wheat.

Elf seemed to enjoy the berries, and Alec stood nearby, stroking his white beard and chuckling “ho ho.” Seeing this warm scene, I relaxed a little…

If only things could stay like this forever.

Unfortunately, Elf and Alec couldn’t stay with me forever. They would eventually return home, and I promised I would send them back.

That, I swear—

“You there, why do you look so troubled? I’ve noticed.”

“It’s nothing. I was just reminiscing about the past. My family is still here, and Elf and Grandpa Alec are also my family.”

“Family? I lost those bonds long ago,” Huihui chuckled, but not as lightly as she had the previous night. Her gaze avoided mine for a moment.

I understood perfectly. She was suppressing something—both here and in reality. [Huihui’s Little Sister] had lost her family in real life and yearned to regain that feeling in this world. She wanted to live on according to her own wishes, but as circumstances changed, this world couldn’t give her the answers she sought.

Did she think life in this other world would be easy? No, it was cruel and real, perfectly replicating a true otherworld—filled with war, invasion, vanity, and ugliness. This game taught you everything it had to offer.

Was this still just a game? It felt more like an educational documentary.

“Miss Huihui, what will you do now? Keep running? Or give up?”

She shook her head, a slight smile lifting the corners of her mouth. “Heh, do you think I’d back down now? If I don’t take risks, how can I fight for new hope?” She struck the ground firmly with her staff, emitting a faint magical ripple.

Then, she looked at me and extended her hand.

“I will stay by your side, you mortals, and use the power of darkness to protect your hope.”

“Huh? Well… I… ahaha.” I laughed awkwardly. Though her words sounded cool, I didn’t quite understand—why would she help people she’d just met without asking for anything in return?

Huihui was indeed a good person. If not for her last night, Alec, Elf, and I would probably be gone. I looked directly at her hand, which was about the same height as my chin (Note: Huihui is 164 cm tall), hesitated, then reached out—only to try to pull back instantly.

“Wahaha! I knew you wouldn’t refuse me!” The moment I extended my hand, Huihui grabbed it like lightning and shook it vigorously.

I was going to refuse, but she was… too fast.

As if everything was already decided, Huihui laughed cheerfully and boldly—a captivating smile I’d never imagined… Who was the first person I saw smile like that?

(—Hehehe, Dad, Mom, I love you the most!)

I don’t remember anymore, and I don’t want to remember.

“Well, then, please take care of me from now on, Miss Huihui.” I withdrew my hand and bowed slightly, hoping to leave a good impression. Though that impression probably shattered when I woke her up this morning.

“Wahaha! I won’t let you down!” Seeing my polite response, Huihui replied proudly without holding back. Her tone was… how should I put it? Maybe she saw me as a younger sister-like figure.

I don’t really like being seen that way, but since Huihui is now a companion, tolerating it a little shouldn’t be a problem. At least it won’t become a point of coercion later.

By the way, hadn’t I learned a fire spell—[Fireball]? Even though it’s only level one, it’s better than nothing. It might come in handy later.

Let’s give it a try. Maybe Huihui can give me some pointers…

“What? You want me to go out with you? Sure, what do you want to do?”

After making sure there was no one on the street, I took a deep breath, raised my right hand toward the smoky sky, and silently recited the spell in my mind… Probably because my magic attribute is ??, I didn’t need to chant an incantation. That tedious process often wastes the best timing for casting.

Soon, a stream of orange mana flowed from my palm, gathering in front of my fingers and quickly transforming into a burning sphere of fire. I was thrilled, and my breathing quickened. Huihui didn’t seem surprised.

It worked! A fireball! The first offensive spell I’d learned! Now, to launch it…

I spread my fingers, and the fireball broke free, shooting into the sky before exploding into a small burst of sparks.

“Whew… I did it! My first fire spell!”

“Your skill is indeed impressive. It seems your magical talent allows you to wield magic freely. Don’t be fooled by my appearance—I may look young, but I know what I’m talking about. The fireball’s smooth, rapid movement is proof of that.”

“R-Really?” Even though I knew my magic attribute was special, I was as excited as a child receiving a birthday gift. I even forgot I had more advanced spells to learn.

Learning is truly joyful, especially when it’s something you’re interested in. Magic is profoundly fascinating.

“Hey, Miss Yuemi? Perfect timing… Who’s this?” A familiar and unpleasant voice reached my ears. I turned toward the source—it was Benjamin, waving at me with what looked like documents in his left hand.

I had no patience for him and crossed my arms, asking what he wanted. As for Huihui, I didn’t want more people knowing about our team’s situation, even if he was an ally.

“Oh, Lord Lyle sent me to retrieve the leftover transfer permits. Here…” Benjamin handed me the documents. I took them and confirmed they were official transfer station permits, handwritten and stamped.

I counted them—three permits. It seemed they’d verified Elf’s identity too. This Benjamin, who seemed like a shady character, surprisingly wasn’t swayed by money.

But… what about Huihui? I, Elf, and Alec had our transfer methods sorted, but she’d just joined us. This was one of those random possibilities, wasn’t it?

“Can’t we get one more permit?”

“…Well, if Lord Lyle were here, the transfer station might’ve obliged… But the south gate is still chaotic, and Lord Lyle is too busy. It’s hard for someone like me to manage.”

I stiffened, repeatedly counting the permits in my hand. After a moment, I asked again.

“Where will this transfer take us?”

“Hmm, since (glancing at Huihui)… ahem! This transfer station only connects to three places: the capital city [Kolofort], the demi-human city [Feltro], and the town [Croft]… Also.” Benjamin seemed to have something else. He slowly reached into his [Shadow Bag] and pulled out a medium-sized cloth pouch. “This is the support fund from Lord Lyle. It should sustain you for a good while…”

I took the pouch and nearly stumbled under its weight. Opening it, I saw it was filled with gold and silver coins—mostly silver. I roughly counted about twenty or thirty gold coins and fifty or so silver coins, totaling three or four platinum coins.

But that wasn’t all. Benjamin looked around and handed me a pure magic stone…

That was a magic stone—the highest-value currency.

I was stunned. Benjamin stuffed it into my pocket, saying, “Lord Lyle wants you to keep this as a backup.” Only when I felt the weight of the magic stone in my pocket did I snap back to reality.

Huihui was also dumbfounded, staring intently at the pouch in my hand. Every clink of the coins made her twitch.

“Well… ahem, please thank Lord Lyle for me. I wish him success in battle.”

Benjamin nodded and quickly left.

“Th-This is…! I’ve really hit the jackpot with you mortals! How did you get this funding?”

Feeling inexplicably proud, I silently walked back into the alchemy shop.

As for the permit issue, I already had a backup plan.

…

I distributed the three permits to Elf, Alec, and Huihui. I wasn’t sure why I felt compelled to give mine to Huihui—maybe for one reason: I wanted to.

I pitied her. I pitied them. I wanted Elf and Alec to go home. I wanted Huihui to find redemption.

“Shiling, are you sure about this?”

“Yes. You should head to the transfer station later. Choose [Croft] Town as your destination—it’s my hometown. Look for a family named Sherrol and stay there… Give this letter to a woman named Kliror. She’ll understand everything.”

I pulled a letter from my collar—one I’d written in advance when I first joined the Sherrol family. Although the contents were outdated, Mrs. Kliror was clever. She’d recognize my handwriting and would surely welcome Alec and the others kindly.

Alec took the letter, looking somewhat lost. He seemed to have more to say but couldn’t find the words, eventually sighing and letting it go.

“Miss Shiling, what will you do?” Elf was as worried as ever.

I patted her head and smiled, saying it would be fine. At least they would be safe—Alec and Huihui were both skilled mages who could protect them.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you down.” Huihui quickly understood my intentions. Though her smile seemed reluctant, she said the words anyway, even as she gripped her staff tightly.

“Sigh… I’m an old man now, too frail for such praise.”

(—Alec… Get up. Summon the golem…)

“Miss Shiling, you’re so kind.”

(—Elf, what did you just say?)

I looked at the three of them and laughed.

(—A Dragon Knight? What does that even matter…)

Everything will settle down.

(—If I had realized this day would come… I wouldn’t have gotten involved in this mess…)

Right?

(—Forgive you? That’s God’s job. My job is to send you to hell.)