As a Reincarnated NPC, I Want to Live a Peaceful Life - Chapter 8

Pitch black. I couldn’t see a thing—not even the path beneath my feet. I pressed my free right hand against the wall while sending Elfe to scout the opposite side, just to confirm our position.

As for the road ahead or any hidden dangers, we were completely in the dark. Elves might fare better—blessed with their innate [Lightfoot] trait, they could navigate the night with ease. But for some reason, even Elfe seemed disoriented in these alleyways. And since I wasn’t her, I couldn’t quite grasp what she meant.

Every step I took was met with a squelching sensation. The ground was still unpaved, damp and muddy, and occasionally, my fingers brushed against patches of moss on the walls. I quickly wiped my hand on a drier section of the wall, barely managing to scrape it off.

Our footsteps echoed in the oppressive silence. In a place this quiet, even the sound of a needle dropping into hay would be unmistakable. How could we possibly go unnoticed?

I grew increasingly agitated, desperate to escape this eerie place. To make matters worse, the sky seemed to have plunged into midnight far too early—even though, by the game’s time, it should only be dusk.

Before long, I noticed Elfe slowly drifting away. I quickly tugged her back, pressing her against the wall beside me. Without the protection of a companion, wandering alone here was practically an invitation to get robbed—or worse.

As we groped our way forward, I reasoned that whoever lurked here must have excellent night vision or echolocation. Otherwise, no matter how familiar they were with the darkness, navigating this absolute blackness without those abilities would be impossible.

I even activated [Soul Sight], only to find no trace of living souls anywhere. This either meant the massive hand I’d encountered earlier belonged to something inanimate… or that the thing itself was already dead.

…..

(—Currently Available Intel: All living beings possess souls—plants, animals, players, monsters, even undead and other demonic races (excluding vampires). A soul stays with them for life, persisting even after death.)

(—Souls can be further categorized, but broadly speaking, they are distinguished as “living” or “non-living”—the difference between organic beings and inanimate objects.)

(—Explaining it in detail would be tedious. Players usually rely on their own observations to judge, though most of the time, they can’t even see souls to begin with…)

….

This meant the moss I’d touched earlier was definitely inanimate. I nearly gasped aloud. Under nature’s protection, a plant’s soul is rarely so easily stripped away… unless some unnatural force was at work. I didn’t know what it was, but one thing was clear: whoever was here was dangerous.

Steeling myself, I grew impatient with Elfe’s slow pace and hoisted her onto my shoulder, keeping one hand on the wall as I sprinted forward. Ignoring the muddy terrain, I dashed ahead until, at a sharp turn in the wall, a faint glow finally appeared.

Still wary of the darkness, I refused to put Elfe down, afraid she might vanish the moment I let go. So I kept her on my shoulder and cautiously approached the light. It wasn’t natural—its intensity grew as I neared, and if I had to guess, it was spilling out from inside a building.

Ignoring Elfe’s muffled protests to be let down, I reached the corner closest to the light and peered around it. A house stood there, exuding an unsettling aura. It had a broken display window and a small wooden door, both of which seemed to have rotted faster than usual in this damp environment.

The whole place radiated unease.

Elfe gulped and tapped my shoulder. “Miss Shiling, Miss Shiling… I-I think there’s something behind us…” I pretended not to hear, my focus locked on the suspicious building.

But before I could react—before I remembered that an elf’s senses should be sharper than a human’s—a warm breath brushed against my face, raising every hair on my body.

I turned.

A pair of gleaming eyes and the terrifying face beneath them stared back at me—sunken sockets, a nose so dry the skin had cracked, and lips parted just enough to reveal teeth worn flat by time.

We locked eyes for a moment. Only when I felt its ragged breath again did I snap back to reality.

I tried to run.

But a massive hand clamped around my torso, squeezing hard enough to force the air from my lungs. Elfe tumbled to the ground as I struggled, too preoccupied to check on her.

So strong… It feels like my body’s about to be crushed—

But even so, I refused to lose.

Gathering my strength, I bent forward and forced my limbs outward, prying open the enormous, bony fingers. A surprised grunt reached my ears—likely because something as “weak” as me shouldn’t have been capable of such strength.

The hand stubbornly tried to close again. I wouldn’t let it. Activating [Soul Sight], I peered into the darkness, searching for the creature’s soul.

Sure enough, a single trembling soul flickered in the void. I triggered [Telekinesis], lifting the creature off the ground before hurling it forward with all my might.

BOOM.

The sound of crumbling stone followed. Judging by the successive thuds, a few heavy rocks must have landed on its head. That ought to teach it a lesson.

“Stop… stop…” A rough, guttural voice pleaded, its words laced with bestial growls. But regardless, it was surrendering.

The moment my feet touched the ground, I rushed to check on Elfe. She was unharmed—thank goodness.

When I turned back, the faint light revealed only scattered debris and a filthy moss-covered floor. The creature had vanished without a trace.

I hesitated, unsure whether to leave. But then, rustling sounds came from inside the house—someone was moving around. [Soul Detection] confirmed it wasn’t the same entity as before.

Just as I processed this…

“You two, come inside…”

The voice startled me. I glanced around—no one else was nearby. And since we’d come here looking for someone, stepping inside seemed like the next logical step.

With cautious, almost chewing-like footsteps, I approached the house, eyes fixed on the ground for traps. But none appeared. Everything remained normal until I reached the door and knocked.

A voice from within granted permission to enter. I pushed—the door was heavier than expected, forcing me to exert effort even in my normal state.

A wave of dry, scorching air rushed out, making my head spin. The abrupt shift from damp cold to stifling heat was disorienting…

The interior was nothing like the outside. What should have been a cramped space instead felt like an entirely different place—far larger than it had any right to be. The room resembled an antique shop from ancient Yan Country, its shelves lined with dust-covered traces of long-gone merchandise. Had this once been a store? Perhaps some incident had changed things…

I was about to call out when the sound of approaching footsteps stopped me. Deciding to behave like a proper guest, I stayed put with Elfe beside me.

“Hm? You’ve already arrived? Heheh… I expected you two to be too terrified to move.”

An elderly man emerged, his most striking feature an absurdly long goat-like beard. He wore a hooded robe and gripped a gnarled wooden staff topped with a gemstone wreathed in violet mist. In his other hand was a book.

Nothing about him stood out at first glance, but the sheer magical pressure he exuded was undeniable—strong enough to make my skin prickle.

Elfe and I stayed silent, but then…

Grrroooowl.

A certain someone’s stomach chose that exact moment to announce its emptiness. The old man chuckled. I shot Elfe a look, and she responded with an awkward smile.

“Seriously? Of all the embarrassing times for your stomach to sound the dinner bell…”

“I-I couldn’t help it! The last time I ate was in the forest… about a day ago.”

“Ugh, why didn’t you tell me you were starving?”

“I didn’t want to be a burden, so…”

As our argument heated up, I noticed the old man still smiling. Clearing my throat, I pulled Elfe behind me.

“Kids can’t always mind their manners like adults… But tell me, why is a human child traveling with a young elf?”

His tone had been friendly at first, but the sudden shift put me on edge. I shielded Elfe, glaring at the still-smiling elder, my fingers unconsciously tightening.

Who is this guy? Normally, anyone seeing Elfe would assume she’s just a human child. Even [Appraisal] only reveals stats… Unless he can sense her aura—is that why he invited us in?

The old man’s lips curled slightly. “No need to be nervous. I only wish to help you.” His voice sounded sincere, but how had he read my thoughts?

Mind reading? Like that pervert Lawston?

No—if that were the case, he’d have seen through me completely instead of just talking normally.

Was it my aura? Did my tension give me away?

As I pondered, a bubbling sound came from the inner room. The old man excused himself and hurried inside—was he cooking soup?

But the pungent herbal smell that followed shattered that assumption. He was brewing potions… a alchemist, then? No wonder he was so sensitive to auras.

I scanned the room for traps before turning to leave. No way was I sticking around—this was getting too dangerous.

But the moment my hand touched the door, a six-pointed magic circle flared to life across its surface. White light pulsed as the circle rapidly expanded, its six corners unraveling into chains of glowing runes that sealed the door shut.

I pushed. The chains didn’t budge.

Looks like this was a one-way invitation.

“Miss Shiling… what do we do?” Elfe’s voice trembled.

I patted her head reassuringly. This wasn’t my first rodeo.

I’ve never been one for unnecessary chatter or pointless trouble. Sometimes, actions speak louder than words—and I’d like to think I’m better than those who only talk without acting.

…Though maybe that’s just me being arrogant.

I was human in my past life, and I’m human in this reincarnation. The same existence, yet with entirely different fates…

Is this fate? Is this the suffering I’m destined to endure?

—Ugh, why am I overthinking this?

With no way out, only one option remained. I took Elfe’s hand and slowly advanced down the hallway. The place was far bigger than expected—beyond the shop-like front room, there were at least two or three more chambers.

Hadn’t it seemed tiny from the outside? The interior defied logic.

The moment I stepped into the hallway, the medicinal stench hit me full force, forcing me to cover my nose. The old man was clearly brewing something in the farthest room—his alchemical skills must be impressive.

…..

(—Currently Available Intel: Talents are unique attributes assigned to players, which also influence their stat distributions. As a result, numerous specialized class systems exist.)

(—Primary classes are typically combat-oriented, such as Warriors or Mages. However, less popular options like Clerics also exist.)

(—To date, no player has mastered the Alchemist class. Regardless of stats or innate talent, becoming an Alchemist remains notoriously difficult. Many players give up after repeated failures, switching to other classes and forever losing the chance to learn alchemy.)

(—In-game, most accomplished Alchemists are high-potential NPCs, ensuring the potion-crafting system doesn’t collapse.)

…..

After a while, the old man finally seemed to notice we were still there. Apologetically, he directed us to a so-called [Reception Room] while he remained in the [Alchemy Lab]. Yet somehow, he remotely opened a door far from his location.

Wary, I stepped inside. The space was slightly larger than the shop area, furnished with basic sofas and a coffee table. A window on the far wall revealed nothing but darkness outside.

Once I confirmed it was safe, I motioned for Elfe to enter. She settled onto the less pristine sofa—a silent gesture I understood.

I preferred standing. Ever gaining this tireless body, I’d found that sitting made my limbs feel sluggish. Plus, the sofa was only big enough for one, so it was better for the frail Elfe to use it.

Pacing the room, I scrutinized every inch of the walls but found not a single stain. Was the old man a neat freak, or was this room just that important for guests?

I had no way of knowing…