As a Reincarnated NPC, I Want to Live a Peaceful Life - Chapter 9

Before long, the old man arrived in the reception room, an automated serving cart trailing behind him, laden with tea utensils.

What was this? Advanced technology or magical power? Why was the cart following him on its own? Strange… I stared at the cart, hoping to spot something unusual, but unfortunately, it was just an ordinary serving cart.

“Ohoho… Young lady, curious about the cart?” The old man noticed my keen interest and asked.

I saw no reason to hide it and nodded, hoping he’d explain. He agreed, then pointed to the coffee table in front of me, instructing me to watch it closely.

Then, the old man slightly closed his eyes and raised his finger just a fraction—and the coffee table slowly lifted off the ground, floating upward a full meter as if moved by an invisible hand, with room to spare.

The old man looked completely at ease, but seeing Elfir’s astonished expression, he chuckled before gently lowering the table back down.

“See that? That’s why the cart follows me…” he said, then used the same power to neatly arrange the tea set on the table. Holding the teapot, he asked, “Would you like some tea?”

I sat down on the sofa next to Elfir, squeezing in beside her. After nodding in agreement, the old man poured tea for both of us… The liquid was clear, its fragrance refreshing, instantly clearing my mind.

“This is a basic spell every mage learns early on—[Mage Hand]. Though, in most cases, it’s just a handy tool.”

I wasn’t fond of tea, but the old man’s sincerity made it hard to refuse. I took a few small sips… Bitter at first, then warmth spread through my stomach as the tea settled. I had to admit, it tasted good, though I wasn’t skilled at appreciating its subtleties.

When the old man asked how I liked it, I nodded silently. He smiled and turned to Elfir—who, being an elf, could discern the perfect ratio of tea leaves to water and even identify the water’s source.

The old man seemed pleased, stroking his unusually long goatee.

“As expected of a natural-born elf—your taste is as refined as ever…” After smoothing his white beard, the amusement faded from his face, and he cut straight to the point.

“Who are you? Why are you traveling with a young elf who’s the subject of such a coveted bounty? Don’t you know she’s the priceless little elf the [Krolfort] royal family has put a bounty on?”

I was momentarily speechless—not because his question was provocative, but because I was shocked by Elfir’s status. I hadn’t realized her bounty was so widely known… At this point, hiding her elven traits wasn’t enough. Players would surely recognize her appearance regardless.

Seeing my lack of response, the old man’s tone grew sharper. “You won’t speak, is that it?” Then he muttered words in a language I’d never heard before.

The incantation was rapid, compressing multiple phrases into a single breath. Before I could even process the unfamiliar sounds, a gust of wind shot past my shoulder like lightning, slicing a chunk out of my loose hair. I turned to look—not only had my hair been sheared, but even the hard wall behind me bore a fresh gouge.

So fast. Faster than I could react… My [Speed] stat didn’t directly translate to reflexes, but this was ridiculous. Were there really so many people in this world stronger than me?

The old man was an NPC—one who didn’t rely on quest items or pay-to-win gear. To reach this level through pure training… impressive.

“Speak quickly. Next time, you won’t dodge.”

His tone left no room for doubt. While I could probably evade his attacks now, there was no harm in telling him the truth.

I explained Elfir’s request—that she wanted me to help her return to the Elven Forest. Hearing this, the old man leaned back on the sofa, satisfied, and withdrew the hand he’d been preparing to cast with.

I wasn’t sure if that had been a spell, but I knew an ordinary person would’ve been on the ground by now. Players often refused to cooperate, thinking stubbornness would unlock new paths… only to find it led to their demise.

“Good. Compliance avoids suffering. Besides, I only wanted to help you from the start.”

“What’s your reason? I’ve heard relations between elves and humans are far from friendly. Old man, I’d like an answer to that too.” I countered, questioning his motives. This was our first meeting—trusting anyone so easily was unwise, no matter how kind they seemed.

After a brief hesitation, the old man claimed he had no ulterior motive, simply wanting to assist. I smirked, my gaze sharpening as I stared into his narrowed eyes.

“If you won’t talk, things might get troublesome for me too, old man.”

“I told you, there’s no reason. Why won’t you believe me, child?”

“You’re older, more experienced—I’ll give you that. But what I’ve been through has taught me one thing: never trust anyone too easily.”

“Oh? So you’re determined to press further? What if I refuse to speak and don’t let you leave? What then?”

I tilted my head up, staring at the enchanted chandelier overhead, still smirking. But my finger was already raised, aimed squarely at the old man’s chest—and clenched tight.

“Gah—! Wh-what is this…?! You—was this your doing?! [Mage Hand]?!” The old man’s eyes widened in fury as he noticed the glow emanating from my palm.

I didn’t answer. I just intensified [Force Manipulation], tightening my grip—

The crushing pressure on his body would soon become unbearable. Unless he begged and gave me a reason, I’d squeeze him into a limbless pulp.

I demanded an answer, but he remained silent, chanting something under his breath. I didn’t stop him—let him try.

“[Earth·Golem]! Protect me!”

As the incantation ended, an intricate magic circle expanded from his body across the room. Then, I heard something tearing through the wall behind me.

“Make one move, and I’ll crush this old man into pieces,” I said flatly, increasing the pressure. The old man groaned in pain, a trickle of blood escaping his lips.

Perhaps the warning worked—the “creature” behind me halted.

“Just talk, old man. I don’t want to kill anyone… but I won’t hesitate if you force my hand. Like you said—compliance avoids suffering.” I glanced at Elfir, who was too stunned to speak, and motioned for her to cover her eyes. No need for her to witness what came next… though she’d probably seen worse before.

With no other options, the old man reluctantly nodded. He hadn’t expected me to turn the tables—just as I hadn’t expected him to be such a formidable mage.

I gently set him back on the sofa. As guests, we had to maintain some decorum. I straightened his posture, wiped the blood from his lips, and flashed him a smile.

“Child… just who are you? A normal child with stats like yours (Note: Shirou’s stats can’t be read by ordinary appraisal skills)—how did you corner me like this?”

“Me? Just a normal 13-year-old human kid. Don’t overthink it, old man.”

“Is that so? Just a child… Fine. As for why I wanted to help you… it’s because I hoped you’d take me to the Elven Forest.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. We’d never agree to that. Wait—you knew we were heading to the [Elven Forest]?”

The old man nodded. After hastily healing himself, as if worried I’d attack again, he quickly gestured to the wall behind me—and a familiar face gradually materialized from it.

Sunken eyes, a nose so dry the skin had cracked, and lips parted just enough to reveal teeth worn flat by time. It was the same creature from before—only now I realized it was just an earth-elemental golem.

…..

(—Current Revealable Intel: The Five Elements cycle through creation and destruction—Metal fells Wood, Wood parts Earth, Earth dams Water, Water quenches Fire, Fire melts Metal. Elements primarily manifest in elementalists, enabling unique spellcraft. They can also forge golems aligned with their element, requiring mastery of alchemy.)

(—When an elementalist’s alchemy reaches its peak, a golem tempered in pure elemental fusion can unleash even greater power.)

…..

After the old man’s lengthy explanation, I learned the golem had been surveilling Elfir since her arrival in [Malletus]. It had witnessed our entire encounter earlier… Not a big deal, though Elfir seemed uneasy. But people would do anything for their goals—this was mild in comparison.

“Why do you want to go to the Elven Forest? You’re already an old man… Don’t tell me you fought in that great war against the elves?” I asked. Truthfully, I’d been suspicious of his race from the start—his hooded robe made it hard to tell.

Unexpectedly, the old man nodded solemnly, then pulled back his hood, revealing a head of stark white hair and long, aged ears that barely twitched.

So he was an elf—one who’d fought in the Elven War a century ago and still lived in human cities. But that raised another question: if he was an elf, why couldn’t he rely on his [Instincts] to find the Elven Forest himself?

The old elf explained, “In the great war between elves and humans a century ago, my side suffered a crushing defeat. I was captured by human commanders and handed over to a researcher… cough That was when I lost my [Instincts].”

(Note: The game’s current year is 743. The Elven War occurred in 154.)

“I see… That’s unfortunate. Wait—old man, you’re over six hundred years old?!”

He nodded, startling me. I hadn’t expected the elderly elf before me to be among the eldest of his kind… My apologies—I should’ve been more respectful earlier. I’d been too harsh. Noticing my fluster, the old man chuckled weakly.

“Miss Shirou, asking someone’s age so bluntly is quite rude…”

“Y-yeah, yeah! Don’t lecture me…”

Just then, Elfir’s stomach growled again—mine too. Guess relaxing brought out our hunger.

The old man laughed as before, and I reluctantly bowed my head with Elfir, begging for food.

“Very well. I still have some fruit left—you can share.” With that, he struggled to his feet and shuffled unsteadily toward the door.

Later, we enjoyed a modest meal. The old man didn’t touch the fruit, claiming he was full.

“Old man, lying isn’t good. You’re the host—you should eat too.” After finishing my share, I pushed the rest toward him, stopping Elfir from taking more.

But the old man remained kind, discreetly sliding the fruit back to Elfir. I gave up and asked for the current time.

Around 8 or 9 PM, he said. The shadowy barrier covering the sky was his doing—to deter intruders. I stayed silent for a moment before retorting, “What if we couldn’t get in?” He chuckled dryly. “No helping that.”

“Child, that strange power earlier… was it [Mage Hand]? Judging by the mana flow, it must’ve been…”

I hesitated but decided not to reveal [Force Manipulation], so I nodded. The old man sighed deeply, his disappointment palpable.

“To think… after four hundred years of training, I’d be outmatched by a child with innate talent… Child, may I ask your name?”

“Sure. I’m Tsukime Shirou—just Shirou is fine. And you?”

After a pause, the old man spoke slowly.

“Ann Alek. That’s my elven name… heh, laughable, isn’t it? A dark elf wanting to return to the Elven Forest.”

“Not at all. It’s like a black man wanting to return to his homeland in a nation dominated by Asians. So what if you’re a dark elf? What’s it to them?”

My response left the old man at a loss—his lips twitched before he burst into laughter.

“Shirou, you’re quite the amusing child… You’ll go far in life. I won’t live to see the world’s wonders, but you will… Though, I’ll probably outlive you.”

“Obviously. I’m not an elf—my lifespan can’t compare to yours, Ann. When the time comes, you’ll have to send off this white-haired human.”

(—Current Revealable Intel: Unlike regular NPCs, bosses and high-ranking monsters age at a much slower rate. This renders the “aging strategy” many players rely on ineffective in Art World Online, usable only against minor foes.)

(—Hidden bosses, in particular, cease aging entirely once they reach a certain stage, persisting until their eventual demise.)