As a Reincarnated NPC, I Want to Live a Peaceful Life - Chapter 3

Morning arrived. I hadn’t slept a wink—apparently, my [Boundless Energy] trait meant I never felt fatigue. No drowsiness, no exhaustion. Just infinite stamina.

Not that it mattered. The real issue was that I’d just spent an entire night watching the moon set and the sun rise. Past me would’ve collapsed from boredom.

Another day in this game world, huh?

Sighing, I glanced at the girl still asleep on the bed. Something about her stirred a strange feeling in me.

She was undeniably beautiful—long ebony hair, delicate features, a figure that screamed nobility. But what I envied most was her freedom. She lived unshackled by status or circumstance, untouched by the world’s cruelty.

Her sister’s corpse, of course, hadn’t been allowed inside. But the girl had refused to sleep unless it was nearby, so I’d… procured it through the window.

Weirdly, despite being dead for 13 hours, the body showed no signs of decay.

Probably a game mechanic. Don’t overthink it.

(—Current Public Knowledge: In Art World Online, NPC deaths leave behind corpses. These remains don’t decay naturally—only special skills or funeral rites can remove them.)

(—When players die, the system wipes their recent memories, confiscates their gear as a penalty, and respawns them at the nearest checkpoint—clinics, hospitals, town squares, etc.)

Last night’s events still gnawed at me. Why would that player orchestrate an “accident” to kill a noble girl? What was the angle?

…Eh. Not my problem. I’m just an NPC.

Rustling sheets signaled the girl waking. I didn’t turn, instead checking the main room. No sign of the homeowners—just a loosely shut door. They’d probably stepped out.

“Mmm… Nngh… Already morning…?”

Her drowsy mumbling suggested she wanted to sleep more. Tough luck. Once I confirmed she was dressed, I hoisted the corpse over my shoulder and headed out.

The girl—now wide awake—scrambled after me.

…..

The walk back to town was… awkward.

I’d tried draping my sweater over the corpse to avoid attention, but it was hopeless. The body was too large, too conspicuous.

“Don’t… don’t treat my sister like a burden, okay?” she prattled.

“Yeah, yeah. Got it.”

My half-hearted reply only encouraged her. To outsiders, we probably looked like a grieving family—

“Poor sisters… so young to lose one of their own.”

“That girl won’t even let go of her sister’s body…”

“The mother looks so young too. How tragic.”

Mother?!

My face burned. They’d mistaken me for the little sister and her for the mom?!

Once we escaped the gossiping villagers, I shoved the corpse at her. It wasn’t heavy—

THUD.

She collapsed instantly.

Of course. A pampered noble with the strength of a wet noodle.

Current Status: Minor Boss

Attack: ??
Speed: ??
Magic: ??
Strength: ??
Precision: A
Growth Potential: ∞
Wisdom: B

Innate Traits:

• [Boundless Energy]

• [Forced Regression]

• [Blood of KRYY]

• [Recovery Healing]

Weaknesses:

• [Cold Sensitivity] LV. MAX

• [Heat Sensitivity] LV. 3

• [Mental Resistance] LV. 0

Party Member Added:

• Princess of Cloveret, Nasu S. Laura

Sighing, I reclaimed the corpse. Now bystanders would see a tiny girl carrying an older sister’s body—

Wait. That’s not better.

“Tired…?” she asked, mistaking my sweat for exhaustion.

I ignored her, trudging onward.

This backwater had no clear paths—just vague signs and rumors pointing toward town. I could’ve [Impression: Teleported] myself back instantly, but with this deadweight (literally), that wasn’t an option.

For a split second, I considered ditching her.

…No. Even I’m not that heartless.

She smiled sunnily when I glanced back.

“What? Do I have something on my face?” She rubbed her cheek, leaving a red mark. I stifled a laugh.

Her identity was the next puzzle. That tiny crown (made of magic ore) hinted at royalty, but nothing else.

No beating around the bush.

“Who are you? Where’re you from? Who’re your parents?”

She hesitated.

“Nasu S. Laura… from Cloveret. My parents…”

I cut her off. I could already guess—a princess, parents assassinated, a usurper king sending hitmen to finish the bloodline.

“Don’t dwell on painful memories. They’ll cloud your judgment. Get consumed by them, and you’ll die by your own hand, not your enemies’.”

“…I understand.” Her voice shrank.

Maybe I’d been too harsh on a 17-year-old. Too late now.

…..

The scorching sun made the trek unbearable. Five kilometers in, the town finally appeared—a shimmering mirage on the horizon.

Nasu used her dress as a parasol, panting. I, meanwhile, felt like meat on a grill. My back burned from the corpse; my front roasted under the sun.

Note to self: Temperature is a weakness. Hide it.

“Ughhh… Juri… how much longer…?”

“Almost there. Two kilometers.”

She nearly crumpled. I dragged her until she begged to walk again.

But the heat was frying my brain. The distance stretched endlessly—

CLOP CLOP CLOP.

A carriage approached. I yanked Nasu aside as it rumbled past—then froze when its window slid open.

“Hey! You two headed to Cliff Town?”

A middle-aged man peered out. I nodded mutely, playing the pitiful mute.

Nasu frowned. I pinched her back to shut her up.

“We’re passing through Cloveret en route to the royal capital. Hop in!”

His kindness seemed genuine. Plus, the road ahead was deserted. I hauled Nasu inside.

The carriage’s interior was deceptively modest—no gaudy noble flair. But the mahogany panels and magic-ore decorations screamed money. Stranger still, despite the carriage’s massive exterior, the interior felt… smaller. Like half the space had vanished.

(—Current Public Knowledge: Magic Ore, the premium currency in Art World Online, can’t be exchanged for regular coins. Aside from transactions, it’s used for crafting, enchanting, or—most commonly—NPC décor.)

Nasu dozed off instantly. I stayed alert, studying the man.

No player tag. Just an NPC.

A sweet, heavy scent filled the air—refreshing to me, but Nasu slept like the dead.

The man watched me oddly. I sat rigidly, scanning for exits.

The carriage’s interior defied physics. The rear wall seemed to swallow space.

Then—familiar scenery flashed outside. We’d passed the town.

Impossible. Unless…

“You used a warp spell?!”

The man chuckled. “Clever girl. Not many notice spatial shifts.”

My stomach dropped.

“Why kidnap us?” I mentally screamed, hoping he’d sense it.

“Why? Well…” His grin turned predatory. “After some… training, you’ll make excellent merchandise. Noble girls fetch a fine price.”

He stepped closer. A purple mist seeped from a vial at his waist—the source of the scent.

This bastard’s a slaver.

With a wave, the “wall” behind him dissolved—

Revealing a hidden chamber.

Inside, disheveled girls lay listlessly, their eyes hollow.

My blood boiled.

“I hate scum like you,” I spat. “Treating people as commodities—it’s disgusting.”

He blinked, then smirked. “Not mute after all. I wonder what other sounds you can make?”

That’s it.

“Yare yare daze… you’re done.”

I lunged. My hand clamped his skull.

“Ghk—! Get off, brat—!”

Ignoring his flailing, I channeled azure energy into my palm—

CRACK.

His neck snapped.

The carriage shuddered as his body slumped. I kicked the hypnotic vial out the window, then checked outside—

We were on a cobblestone road now, forests long gone. A sign loomed ahead:

[Now Entering: Malletus]
[6 km Northeast: Cloveret]

…Are you kidding me?!

Peaceful life—why do you keep running away from me?!