I Became an NPC That Rankers Are Obsessed Over

Anna’s hair tickled my neck.

She leaned in close enough that I could hear her breathing and whispered to me.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

The scent of rich soap wafted from her.

“Just wait and see. There aren’t many things in this world as good as my drink.”

I swallowed dryly and replied firmly.

Anna stared at me for a moment, as if she’d heard something unexpected.

Then, as if remembering something, she smiled faintly.

She approached me and gently touched my side hair with her fingers.

“I’ll look forward to it.”

The silver-haired killer brushed past me, leaving those words behind.

She slowly looked around the shop for a moment and sat down in her seat.

Phew…

I could finally breathe a little easier.

Thanks to her, I could take a look at the only other survivor of this living hell.

Se-hee was still sitting on the floor, trembling.

I went to the kitchen and brought out a blanket for her.

It was a cute blanket with a cat pattern.

I draped it over her short skirt.

But her shaking showed no sign of stopping.

“Unnie, I’m sorry…”

Se-hee muttered.

“Sorry for what…?”

“Actually, the reason I acted so harsh today was to make sure you didn’t run into Si-woong too much. He prefers short girls…”

So that’s why she blew cigarette smoke at me earlier.

It was unpleasant, but it worked.

It had made me so tense, it was like I’d gone back to my school days.

“I see…”

“I didn’t really hang out with them because I wanted to.”

Her voice trembled as she began to tell her story.

Was it because she was pulling painful memories from her heart?

“When I first enrolled, I was famous as my dad’s daughter, but I didn’t inherit much of his ability.”

Was that why I didn’t feel much intimidation from her when we first met?

“Because of my reputation, I was placed in a class with strong kids, but once they found out I was weak, I ended up being treated like baggage.”

I understand that feeling.

Trying as hard as you can and still not becoming stronger.

Who would understand that feeling better than my past self?

“That’s why I started getting bullied at school. I joined Si-woong’s gang just to try to overcome it somehow…”

Se-hee pulled her knees to her chest.

Then, she buried her face.

“Have you talked to your dad about it?”

“I can’t. If my dad, who’s already barely holding on, hears about this too…”

Se-hee’s murmuring voice leaked out from between her knees.

“My dad blames himself for my mom’s death.”

So her mother passed away too.

“My mom went to the inn late one night to see my dad, who was hosting regulars…”

She continued her story calmly.

“She was torn apart by a nocturnal monster. That’s why he drinks like this now.”

I recalled the streets I’d walked through earlier tonight.

I imagined a dark, long silhouette watching me from an alleyway.

The thought alone was chilling.

“If he found out I was being bullied, he’d probably think it was all his fault too.”

“So you joined this kind of group just to make a name for yourself at school?”

Anna’s dead eyes looked down at Se-hee.

The girl curled up even more.

“…”

Every time Anna spoke, Se-hee trembled like she was hearing the cry of a predator.

Of course, Se-hee was at fault too.

After all, Si-woong’s gang was full of drug addicts and perverts.

Maybe she’d already experienced something horrible, just like I had.

I didn’t want this young girl to go through that kind of thing ever again.

With that thought lingering in my mind, I got up from the floor.

“Wait here. I’ll get you something to drink.”

“Alcohol?”

“Uh… something like that?”

“I hate alcohol. It just makes people drunk and violent…”

It wasn’t really her place to say, given she smoked, but I understood.

It was probably because of her alcoholic father.

“Don’t worry. Not all drinks are just for getting drunk.”

I patted Se-hee on the head.

“Sometimes people find comfort in a drink too.”

I headed to the kitchen.

I poured milk into a kettle.

I had a drink in mind for her.

This drink wasn’t cold or strong.

It was warm, soft, and comforting.

While I was focused on preparing the ingredients, I felt a piercing gaze.

It was probably the silver-haired killer sitting idly with her chin resting on her hand.

Anna, who had just killed six people earlier, looked surprisingly composed.

She followed my every move with her eyes.

That alone wasn’t unpleasant.

It was almost like a pet cat watching its owner.

But the blood smeared under her eyes gave me chills.

Maybe she was more like a cheetah or a leopard than a cat…?

“Um… could you stop staring at me?”

I handed her a wet tissue as I asked.

“Do you have something to say?”

When I asked, Anna pointed a finger at my face.

She narrowed her eyes and smiled faintly.

“Hypocritical.”

“What?”

Her Korean wasn’t fluent, but she sure knew a lot of words.

Hypocritical? When was I ever that?

“When I tried to kill that kid. You recklessly jumped in.”

Anna wiped her face with the wet tissue I gave her.

“What’s the problem with that?”

I asked, baffled.

Was risking my life to protect a child hypocritical?

“You knew I’d stop if you intervened. You took advantage of that.”

That was just a gamble.

I trusted that she’d hesitate to kill me, so I acted in that fleeting moment.

“I had a similar experience in the past. I’ve regretted it my whole life.”

I said as I pulled the kettle of hot milk off the stove.

“I don’t want to repeat those mistakes.”

Anna’s smile faded as she heard the word “past.”

“For someone so small, you sure talk big.”

She dropped the wet tissue I gave her on the floor.

The white tissue had turned a dark red.

I smiled faintly at her and replied.

“Sometimes, there are things worse than death.”

If death was a moment of pain…

Regret was the longest agony in the world.

The moment you start regretting something, it becomes the longest suicide in the world.

Like my life right now.

“…?”

Anna’s face slowly turned into a smile as she listened to my words.

Her smile grew and grew until it turned into laughter.

She laughed so hard that she even slammed the table.

Her exaggerated reaction gave me chills, as if she were a machine with a pre-programmed response.

“You’re really interesting.”

She finally stopped laughing and approached me.

The killer, with her narrowed eyes, pinched my shirt collar.

“I’ll strip it off for you.”

Did I hear that wrong?

What did this girl just say?

“That hypocritical mask of yours.”

Under the glow, her eyes flashed.

I shivered, as if all my flaws had been laid bare before her fatal beauty.

“Go away. I’m bartending…”

I pushed Anna away with effort.

It was troublesome how hazy my mind became when she was close.

I shook my head side to side to clear the feeling.

She crossed her arms and watched me engross myself in bartending again.

I straightened up and rolled up my sleeves, responding to her gaze.

“Alright… let’s get started.”

I prepared a thick mug.

I poured in the steaming hot milk.

I brought the fragrant Kahlua bottle to the rim of the cup.

I slowly rotated it along the edge as if caressing it.

Finally, I sprinkled cocoa powder on top to finish.

Rating: ★★☆
Effect: Recovers 30% of the consumer’s abnormal state.

Information: A flawless Kahlua Milk made with a perfect recipe.
It has a soft, subtle vanilla and coffee scent.

Especially for Se-hee, I increased the milk ratio, making the alcohol flavor almost undetectable.
With the Angelic Hand effect, it received a bonus ☆.

“Try it, Se-hee.”

“…”

Se-hee held the warm mug tightly with both hands.

The steam rose and gently caressed her face.

“This is alcohol?”

“Technically, it’s a cocktail.”

I wiped my hands with a cloth.

“It’s just coffee milk.”

Anna asked bluntly with her chin resting on her hand.

“Don’t underestimate it. It’s way better than store-bought milk.”

“Who’d drink something like that? It’s not even vodka.”

Se-hee looked down at the warm cocktail.

Then, as if making up her mind, she slowly took a sip, letting the foam touch her lips.

“…”

I waited calmly for her reaction.

The girl coughed, unaccustomed to drinking a hot cocktail for the first time.

“Careful, it’s hot.”

Her eyes watered, and the tip of her nose turned red.

I couldn’t tell if it was because it was too hot or for some other reason.

The answer came a moment later.

A spark of life returned to Se-hee’s eyes.

She wiped her tears with the back of her hand after regaining her composure.

But no matter how much she wiped, tears kept flowing from her eyes.

I used a tissue to help wipe them for her.

“It’s… a familiar taste.”

The fear that had filled her face melted away like snow.

With a much calmer expression, Se-hee looked at me.

“When I first entered the academy, my father made this for me.”

Sorry, to be honest, I saw your memory earlier when I covered you with the blanket.

“It’s smooth but has a sweet and slightly spicy coffee aroma at the end. It’s really delicious.”

The Kahlua Milk I made for her had only a tiny amount of liqueur.

The old owner probably made it mild like this too.

For his daughter, who hated alcohol.

“Let’s go see your dad. I’m sure he’ll take your story seriously.”

“Unnie…”

“If it’s too hard to go alone, I’ll go with you.”

Se-hee hugged me tightly.

She grabbed my shoulders and buried her face in my chest.

I felt her damp warmth, but I didn’t mind.

What mattered now was her feelings.

“…”

Anna watched us before standing up from the table.

Her face was cold, as if something had upset her.

“Uh… where are you going?”

“I can’t stand to watch this any longer.”

She grabbed her sword and prepared to leave.

“Wait a second—!”

I hurried to the kitchen and grabbed a tumbler.

I ran outside after Anna and barely managed to stop her with labored breaths.

“Is there another show… you want to put on?”

“Haah… this is…”

Sweating, I handed her the tumbler.

“What’s this?”

Anna looked bewildered, as if she hadn’t expected a gift from me.

“Kahlua Milk. I made one for you too. Drink it on the way back.”

“I don’t drink stuff like this…”

I forced the tumbler into her hand, cutting off her refusal.

“It’s cold outside.”

I didn’t know what I was saying in front of a murderer.

But I still had to say it.

I couldn’t let a debt go unpaid.

“Thanks for today. Even if your methods were extreme…”

Anna’s eyebrow twitched.

She quickly turned her head away, as if to hide her reaction.

“I can’t stand people like you.”

She muttered as she walked away, clutching the tumbler I gave her.

I shook my head as I watched her leave.

What a twisted personality.

“Are all rankers like that?”

We were all broken in some way.

I could only hope my drinks could heal their wounds, even a little.