I Became an NPC That Rankers Are Obsessed Over

Anna went farther away like that.

Fortunately, she didn’t show up at the shop even once for more than a week.

It was good since there wouldn’t be another bloodbath in the inn.

However, the inn was still filled with rumors and questions about her.

The guests were all curious about when she might return or why she spared my life.

Whenever that happened, I just answered, “I don’t know. She’s a woman who does unpredictable things.”

As the mentions continued, I, too, became curious about her recent whereabouts.

Perhaps she had taken another request and was killing someone somewhere.

I just hoped that I wouldn’t become her target someday.

I carried a bag full of beer and went home.

Since I had bought a lot of dark beer to make Black Velvet and had no more space to store it, I decided to take some.

Recently, I received my first paycheck.

Of course, with the boss absent, it was Ji-wook, the manager, who distributed it.

Having significantly contributed to keeping the shop alive, I received 2.2 million won, double the usual salary.

With that money, I was able to pay off the overdue maintenance fees all at once.

The problem was the overdue rent.

The rent… well, I’ll think about it later.

Thankfully, given the current circumstances, there were other tenants who couldn’t even pay their maintenance fees, and the landlord seemed grateful that I at least paid those in full.

Thanks to that, I could now enjoy the luxury of having hot water in the bathtub.

As soon as I arrived home, I threw off the suffocating clothes.

A habit I had since being a man, and it remained the same here.

Wearing just a tank top, I started running hot water in the bathtub.

The rising warm steam seemed to naturally release the tension in my body.

Once the water was filled to a certain level, I closed the bathroom door.

Then I lightly touched the water surface with my small, plump foot.

It was perfect.

For the first time since my possession, I immersed myself in hot water.

The ecstatic warmth traveled from my toes and spread throughout my entire body.

Enthralled by the sensation, I leaned back into the tub.

Gazing at my protruding knees, I fell into thought.

Should I continue living solely as an inn NPC?

I had been so busy that I hadn’t registered as a healer with the Hunter Association.

But perhaps that had been to my benefit, as it fostered an image of me being powerless, which ultimately helped me survive.

Now, I even felt it might be problematic if my abilities became known to the world.

Especially if Anna found out…

She merely thought I made Black Velvet by chance.

If she realized I deliberately created it by peeking into her memories…

I probably wouldn’t die a peaceful death.

Perhaps I might experience something even more excruciating than death.

The thought of her cold face alone made my legs tremble.

I lifted my hand submerged in the water.

Since we were on the topic of hunters, I decided to organize the effects of my abilities.

First, the ability to peek into someone’s memories.

Second, showing someone their happiest memories when I made physical contact.

And those abilities also applied to me.

I couldn’t believe I had such powers—not even an over-imaginative teenager would have these abilities.

I let out a laugh as I looked at my palm.

Does that mean I’m that desperate for something?

Even if it’s not obvious on the outside, everyone harbors latent desires.

Desires I wasn’t even aware of myself.

Perhaps it was the hazy warmth of the tub.

Taking the opportunity, I decided to use Angelic Hand.

A faint light shimmered at my fingertips.

I brought that light to my neck.

I knew it was a futile illusion.

But I wanted to see my noona’s face again after so long.

Even if it was an illusion.

If she could console me, maybe I’d find a bit more will to endure this harsh world.

With that thought, I let myself sink into the illusion of Angelic Hand.

Soon, my body relaxed, becoming limp and soft.

It felt as if I were intoxicated, my consciousness drifting far away.

“….”

What’s going on?

The Moment Bar that was supposed to appear in the illusion wasn’t there.

Instead, I still saw the bathroom ceiling.

What… did the skill not work properly?

Frowning, I raised myself up.

“—!”

Then I felt a sharp pain in one of my wrists.

Following the pain, I turned my gaze.

“What is this…?”

My right wrist was cuffed to the bathtub handle.

Feeling the cold metal against my skin, I came to my senses.

First, I decided to calmly examine my situation.

I was still wearing the white shirt I had on before taking off my tank top.

Below, I had my short house shorts, now soaked and damp from the water in the tub.

“I was supposed to see a happy illusion, so why is this happening…?”

My heart began to race wildly.

Did I misuse my abilities?

Or did someone break into the house and bind me while I was using the skill?

If so, who could it be…

I heard footsteps near the bathroom door.

Familiar sounds of heels.

I recognized those sounds.

No, I couldn’t forget them.

“No way…”

The door opened.

Familiar, pitch-black boots stepped onto the bathroom tiles.

Following their movement, I slowly raised my head.

Above the boots were black work pants.

Above that, toned abs and a white tank top, with black underwear faintly visible beneath.

I hadn’t seen her face yet, but I knew.

“Hello.”

It was Anna.

How did she know where I lived?

She leisurely approached me as I sat bound.

Then she perched lightly on the edge of the tub.

“Did you sleep well?”

“What is this… This is breaking and entering.”

“Do you think I care about that?”

Anna spun the handcuff key around her finger.

Then, as if by mistake, it slipped off her finger and fell toward the bathroom drain.

The key dangled precariously at the edge of the drain, sparkling faintly.

Get a grip.

This is just an illusion.

There’s no way this could be real.

“What is it that you want… It’s not like you’re here to kill me.”

When I asked, Anna looked at me intently, like a fish in an aquarium.

“That’s right, it would be too much of a waste to kill you just yet.”

Her soft hand reached for the faucet.

As her fingers caressed the faucet, the tub quickly filled with the sound of rushing water.

“I told you. Before I kill you, I’ll make sure to strip you bare.”

Who knew she’d go about it in such a brutish way.

Soon, my back and feet began to soak in the cold water.

“The fearless look you had… today, I’ll shatter it completely.”

Anna leaned her face close to mine.

Her braided hair tickled my chest.

“You’re insane.”

Anna smiled faintly, as if she had been waiting for those words.

She grabbed my chin with her hand.

“I wonder… even when you’re on the brink of death, will you still wear that defiant expression?”

Was it because of the cold water, or her madness?

My entire body trembled.

I glared at her more intensely, trying to push her away.

But Anna showed no signs of disgust or displeasure.

Instead, she released my chin as if pushing me off a cliff.

In that moment, I slowly sank into the water-filled tub.

From my hair to my cheeks.

From my cheeks to my lips.

Finally, the water reached my nose.

I gasped for air, struggling against the rising water.

“Stop this… What could you possibly gain by killing me…!”

Anna had an ecstatic expression.

Like a fisherman gazing at their catch, the corners of her lips twitched.

Anna reached out to grab her catch.

And before bringing down the knife, she pushed my neck further into the tub as if fixing the gills in place.

Though she pressed lightly, the pain was as if I were being stabbed with a knife.

This crazy woman, she really intends to kill me…

This isn’t like the fake psycho villains in movies.

Only then did I finally discard my arrogance, thinking I had impressed her with my drink.

Desperate to survive, I kicked at Anna and twisted my body.

But the more I struggled, the more exhausted I became, like a fish on a line.

My body soon became a mess.

Bruises formed on my arms and legs from colliding with the tub, and my soaked shirt dragged me further underwater.

In the torrent of cold water, I barely managed to stretch out my arm.

My tightly sealed lips finally parted.

“Save me.”

I mouthed the words desperately.

But Anna’s hand continued to push me deeper into the tub.

Through the rippling water, I looked up at her face.

Anna’s lips moved, forming the word “again.”

“Save me…”

“Say it again.”

The whole world seemed to crumble.

She no longer even looked human to me.

“Please save me…”

As I muttered unconsciously, she slowly lifted me out of the tub.

Before I knew it, her lips were close to my ear, whispering softly.

“More.”

My hair clung to my face, dripping the water I had swallowed.

Having given up everything, I managed to force out five words.

“Please save me…”

Only then did Anna smile benevolently.

She gently cradled my face and stepped into the tub herself.

Then, she slowly leaned back into the tub with me.

Soon, the damp water began to soak her clothes.

Frozen stiff, I clung to Anna.

As my heated body rubbed against her chest, the warmth seemed to transfer to her.

Thanks to that, her chest, which had felt so cold, now felt warm and soft.

That warmth made my body incredibly sensitive.

“The next time I come to kill you, make sure to have that same expression.”

The killer whispered as if speaking to a child.

The heart that had been thrashing wildly calmed down with those words.

I hated acknowledging the unsettling calmness and pleasure I felt.

Inwardly, I cursed Anna hundreds of times.

Feeling such emotions toward a lunatic killer, not Ji-soo noona, was absurd.

It was just fake emotions brought about by torture.

I tightly shut my eyes.

But Anna’s soft breathing continued to stimulate my ears.

As if savoring my overly sensitive body, she pressed her nose against my shoulder and took a deep breath.

All I could do was curl up even further in helplessness.

But the more I did, the closer she came, even tasting my neck.

While her nose on my shoulder was tolerable, the moment it touched my neck, a jolt ran through my body.

Having been violated so thoroughly, I soon lost consciousness.

I didn’t want to feel this paradoxical, chilling sensation anymore.

I shut down my ability myself.

Rising from the hot water, I sat up.

Whether it was due to the long bath or some other reason, my whole body felt flushed.

Without even drying off, I jumped onto the bed in my drenched state.

I buried my face in the blanket.

The freshly laundered blanket smelled like soap.

Breathing in the scent, I made a resolution.

I’ll never use this ability on myself again.

To think that even my power would mock its own master—it was unforgivable.

But despite that resolution, my mind was filled with the image of Anna’s face as she clung to me.

Beautiful terror.

Is there anything more bizarre and contradictory than those two words combined?

Perhaps Angelic Hand doesn’t just show happy memories.

It might even be a terrifying ability that predicts the distant future.

If that’s the case…

What will happen to me?