NPC Code: Red Riding Hood

"Can you see the screen floating in front, Match?" I asked.

The little girl nodded at my question with her eyes staring in front. "I do, and I can also see yours."

Match leaned her head on my shoulder and marked her hand on the screen in front of me. Her weak breath touched my face while feeling sleepy from the conversation. But she knew this was necessary for her to know.

As if responding to her hand, the words written on the blue boards flickered while she read the phrases out loud.

"NPC, not a player, Red Rose. What does that mean?" She confessed.

Her eyes slid through her front and stared at the bluish panel floating before her. I could also perceive her status window and locked our eyes at the similar sentence inscribed on the monitor.

"NPC, not a player, Match Everette." She added.

I stared at the space in front of me, unsure to answer her question. "Would a child know we are inside a game? That the game developers killed her sister, just like mine?" Those were the words that kept my mouth shut, despite wanting to disclose the information to her. Match raised her head and held my hand. "It is okay if you do not tell me."

"I want to tell you, but could you take it and understand?" I answered as directly as I could.

Nobody can believe that the game developers fabricated the world to look like the actual thing. Everything I knew became fictional in my eyes as I learned such revelation because of my system.

If I had not known, would I have lived my life ignorantly? Was shutting my eyes from the truth would help me from the chaos happening in this world?

I do not know.

After a few moments, Match shook her head, telling me an honest answer.

"I would not, but I can try."

My mouth painted her a beam as I continued explaining to her the world surrounding us. We were living on this crazy planet created by other human beings that thought of themselves as gods.

We were living in this crazy virtual world for their satisfaction.

They controlled our job, strength, weaknesses, freedom, and life. These game developers were the ones who announced the death of her sister. These players or adventurers entering the game were also human like us but got their strength inside the game. They had the power but refused to wield it for us.

The surrounding environment was far from the actual reality.

We concluded the conversation and went to bed afterwards and brought our heavy hearts to the mattress. But with the thorns sticking in my heart, it became difficult for me to sleep.

Like a pill arduous for me to swallow, I refused to believe anything I knew from this world. The talk with Match kept haunting me from my sleep as my heart boiled with rage and anger, thinking the cruel world lashed out its entertainment to a child like her.

They killed her sister, and the game developers killed mine. We were rocking in the same boat, only to find out the holes hidden at the side after getting sent out. The people who tossed us away like petty objects did not leave us with anchors or any instructions to escape.

If we drowned, nobody would care as long as it could entertain the audience watching from afar.

Despite the burden attached to my heart, my body fell into a slumber, washing away the regretful thoughts inside of me.

The roosters outside blared a song after noticing the sun rising from the east. I peered my eyes open and welcomed the dull and grey ceiling. I moved my body and gaze to my side and discerned the unconscious body of Match still succumbed in her sleep. It became difficult for me to wake her, so I left her be for the time being.

I saw a blank sheet laid on the drawer and a pen resting on top. My body reached out for the pen and paper and wrote all the things Match needs to do by the time she wakes up.

I also planned on telling her a part of my scheme. It would not be ideal for the two of us if she came surprised hearing my goals.

After scribbling the instructions on the paper, I went outside and strolled near the city.

In the morning, I saw the plaza, crowded with varieties of merchandise and people window shopping. They fixed their eyes at the items displayed from the shops and continued to buy the nourishments they needed for the morning.

I moved forward and felt the early breeze of the day tickling my skin. All the birds singing in the distance made the day sublime, like any other kingdom found in this land.

However, I disrupted my thoughts and tasted the bitterness called truth. As I gawked my eyes, the world reminded me of its false senses, tricking my brain and believing it was all real.

I still had spare coins clinking inside my pockets. However, I cannot use them as I please. It would be far too difficult if we were in a situation that needed money to flee from something, so I would save a reserve when the time comes biting our tails.

My eyes meandered at the stalls, selling the same goodies that the other marts had, only more inflated than the others. We do not need to buy anything apart from the few meals we could bring for the rest of the week and simple weapons that could defend us from monsters.

However, each of the items I required costs more than the inn we were staying in down the road. Their prices exceed thirty silvers and more for a knife and twenty-five silver coins for each meat at the size of a hand.

I did not want to spend much more than what I needed, so I strolled the vast road and continued looking for inexpensive products. But the signs stayed the same as if inflation consumed the market.

A crowd on the other side caught my attention and listened to their conversation.

"The horde attacked and killed the fishers, so we might receive little fish for the week, or even a month."

"The land monsters also destroyed the crops and devoured the poultries."

"Hey, have you heard? The monster horde also destroyed the nearby village and the Freiya Kingdom two days ago."

"It was because of the monster event. We were lucky to survive inside this town since the legendary adventurers stayed in our citadel."

Their conversation went on, but my ears drifted with the wind as I lost interest in listening to their squabbles. I carried on my way and resumed searching for a merchant, selling me those things I demanded.

My eyes reached over my forehead at the recognisable face of a lizard walking around the park. I recalled his dark and verdant scales clustered on the dragonewt's skin. I also discerned his tail swaying back and forth while finding consumers like any other merchants in the town.

"Hello, Mr. Dragonewt," I called for his attention and waved my hand.

The lizard noticed my figure approaching in his direction. He looked ahead with broadened eyes and waved his hands in return.

"Ms. Red, it is great to see you alive." The merchant addressed me.

The dragonewt fluttered his cape open and revealed the set of equipment attached. Upon looking in the middle of his cloak, my eyes perceived and greeted the red and blue flasks. Above the brewed potions were various packed meals that came from the meat of horned rabbits and bullfrogs. The acrid smell coming from the cooked nourishment entered my nostril and made me stirred my focus.

Mother had always said that these exotic animals give off a stench unbearable to our human noses but have rich vitamins and minerals once eaten. I experienced eating a few before and made me vomit everything I even ate from the previous day. My gastric juice turned purple with the mix of green and yellow flowing through my mouth.

I felt horrendous every time I recalled that grimy past, but the meal gave me strength for the entire day. My body sensed different energy surging through my muscles and fetched many baskets to the fishers and farmers in return for bronze coins.

I looked below the dragonewt's tunics were the daggers and knives made of peculiar steel. As I squinted my eyes, I saw dwarven signatures on each blade, marking them as their brands. A notification also appeared in front of my face, telling me a piece of scanned information about the weapons.

According to my system, the blacksmith imbued these tools with a unique arcane. Its durability is comparable to those tusk of mammoths found on the inhospitable lands of the South. Their materials exceeded those metallic chunks commonly found in the market and weapon shops. The only downside of the daggers were their unpleasant designs.

"Are you interested in trading, Red?" The dragonewt asked with gleaming eyes.

"You gave me these coins-," I interposed.

"But you can use it the way you want."

The dragonewt's peculiar eyes never disappeared on his face and offered me a deal. I returned his gaze and helped myself with the products, hoping that I could bring something niffy along the way.

"Ninety gold for all the supply. Only for you, Red."

I raised my brow and continued to observe his actions. But merchant showed no hostility or deceptiveness. His eyes were as bright as the sun, with no hint of any dubiousness from his words.

"Is not that quite a bargain?" I said.

"It is! That is why I offered it to you."

I had nothing to lose, so I accepted his offer and handed him the remaining ninety silver coins to his waiting hands. The price he paid was equivalent to two red and blue potions, a one week's worth of meal good for two people, and the Penitent's Blade.

A dagger crafted from an angel's feather. It was like the word described. Those who felt sorrow for a sin or wrongdoing and disposed to atonement; repentant; contrite. But the results depended on the wielder if they let their foe live or die.

"How can I store these?"

"You have a storage room using your system,"

With his words, the system granted me a storage box. It could store anything inside; even fire, living creatures, and ice in its original state.

"However, it only has limited space. Be wise to use it, Red."

After saying his words, the merchant stepped back and vanished from the crowd. The dragonewt even left his coat on the ground. I picked the tattered cloak and wore it as if it was mine. My eyes continued locking onto him, but I could not keep track of his whereabouts. I dashed straight to the mass and found nothing that resembled his ominous coat and his emerald skin.

Hel left alone once again inside the busy plaza and received help from the unknown peddler.

I moved to my next goal and headed towards the heart of the town. Upon looking skywards, an image of a holographic bell quivered. The kingdom was soon resounding with a solemn chime, reminding both NPC and players about the two o'clock segment.

It was the time for NPC to post their quest so that the adventurers could do their jobs and make spare cash and levels.

I joined the crowd and hid my face with the mantle. It was the beginning of the end, and I had to do something about my roaring heart.

The vengeance that I cannot contain escaped from me. I sensed the scorching pain seeping through my eyes as I wrote the sentences for a quest.

[Behead the King of the Mainland and kidnap his wife and daughter]

The mission shook the entire world.

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