NPC wa Eiyuu no Yume wo Miru ka? (VRMMORPG : Elysia Online)

I sipped the water in front of me, while Lyra enthusiastically raised her glass of beer.

"I still can't believe you chose water," she said with a small laugh. "Are you an NPC or a monk?"

I shrugged. "Maybe I'm an NPC with a healthy lifestyle?"

Lyra narrowed her eyes. "An NPC who can fight like a player. An NPC who can heal others' wounds. And now an NPC who doesn't drink alcohol." She leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed. "You know? I'm starting to suspect you're not a normal NPC."

I gave a faint smile, but deep down I knew: Lyra is too sharp.

"So, how did you end up here?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

Lyra sighed before raising her glass again. "Like most people in this world. I entered Elysia Online to adventure. At first, I just wanted to explore this world freely... but the longer I stay here, the stranger it feels."

I nodded, hiding the curiosity that arose. "Strange how?"

She looked straight at me, then placed her glass on the table with a thunk. "There's something wrong with this game. I'm sure you feel it too."

I didn't respond immediately. Because honestly... I also feel that something is off.

"The system feels different from a normal game," Lyra continued. "The NPCs here... don't feel like artificial characters. They can think, they can react like real humans."

I remained silent. Because I am one of them.

"But the strangest thing," Lyra went on, her voice lowering slightly, "is the fact that... none of us can log out of this game."

I froze.

So, this is more than just a normal game?

I tried to keep my expression calm. "Maybe it's just part of the game's features?"

Lyra chuckled softly, but without humor. "If that's true, why haven't the GMs or moderators shown up? Why hasn't anyone who tried to log out... ever returned to the real world?"

I began to understand something. Lyra isn't just an ordinary adventurer—she's searching for answers.

And that makes her... dangerous.

But before I could ask more—

"Braak!"

The bar door slammed open, and someone entered with a grim expression.

"Oi, I heard there's a weird NPC who can fight and heal?!"

Lyra and I exchanged glances.

...Trouble had just begun.

I stared at Lyra, trying to digest her words.

"No one can log out of this game?"

As if reading my mind, she leaned back in her chair and sipped her beer slowly.

"I know it sounds crazy," she said. "But since the last update, no one has been able to log out. The logout menu is still in the system, but... it doesn't work."

I pretended to think, though deep down, I also felt something was off.

Lyra continued, "At first, everyone thought it was just a bug. Some thought it was part of a secret event. But after a few weeks, rumors started spreading."

I raised an eyebrow. "Rumors?"

She nodded. "Rumors about players who died in this game... and never returned to the real world."

I fell silent.

Of course, this game feels too real. But if death in the game truly means death in the real world... this isn't just a normal game.

I tried to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Then why hasn't anyone reported this outside? Shouldn't people in the real world have noticed by now?"

Lyra smirked slightly. "That's a good question. So far, there's been no news about this game outside. It's as if the real world isn't even aware of our existence."

I grew more uneasy.

I couldn't yet tell if Lyra was just spinning theories, or if there was something truly wrong with this game.

I tried to dig deeper. "So, in your opinion... this isn't just a game?"

She looked at me sharply. "What do you think?"

I stayed silent for a moment, then sighed. "I don't know. But this world feels too real."

"I think so too," Lyra said, playing with her fingers on the edge of her glass. "I've played many VR games before, but none felt like this. The pain, the temperature, even our survival instincts work like in the real world."

I began to feel that there was something bigger behind all of this.

Before I could say anything, Lyra leaned closer, staring at me with curious eyes.

"Rei."

I swallowed. "What?"

"Are you really an NPC?"

Damn.

I chuckled softly, trying to appear relaxed. "Why? Don't I look like an NPC?"

"Honestly, no."

I sipped my water slowly. "Well, maybe I'm just a more interactive NPC?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Or maybe you're something more than just an NPC?"

I just smiled, but deep down, I knew—Lyra wouldn't stop until she found her answer.

And the more I learned about this world... the more I felt that I wasn't just an ordinary NPC either.

I sipped my water calmly, while Lyra still stared at me with a curious expression.

"So..." Lyra rested her head on one hand, her lips curling mischievously. "I'm still not sure if you're an NPC or not."

I chuckled. "You're still on that?"

"Of course. You know, I won't stop until I get an answer."

I sighed. I could see the glint of cunning in her eyes. She was planning something.

Then suddenly—

Lyra moved closer.

The distance between us was now just a few centimeters. I could feel her warm breath.

"...What are you doing?" I asked, tensing up.

She just smiled wider. "Testing you, of course."

Her hand slowly rose toward my face, her fingers almost touching my chin before stopping.

"Tell me, Rei," she whispered, "if you're really just a normal NPC, why do you act like a player?"

I held my breath.

"And more importantly..." Her voice grew softer. "Why do you react like this?"

I immediately turned my face away. "Stop playing games, Lyra."

She chuckled softly. "Oh? Your face is a little red, you know. Can NPCs blush?"

I rubbed my temples. "I'm starting to regret bringing you here."

"Don't be like that," she said, still chuckling. "I just wanted to see your limits. Who knows, maybe an NPC like you has a hidden function I don't know about?"

I let out a long sigh. "I'm an NPC, not an android."

But Lyra didn't give up.

"Wait a second," she said with a smirk. "If you're really an NPC... what if I do this?"

And before I could process her words—

She suddenly leaned in and pressed her forehead against mine.

...

...

The room fell silent.

I could feel the warmth of her skin. The faint scent of her slightly messy hair, mixed with the aroma of the drink she had earlier.

I froze.

"...Now your reaction is even more interesting," she said with a soft laugh.

I quickly pulled away, trying not to look too panicked. "I give up. You win. Stop this."

Lyra giggled. "So, you admit you're not a normal NPC?"

I just rolled my eyes. "I just admit that you're annoying."

She laughed contentedly. "Alright, alright. I won't force you to answer... for now."

I felt this wasn't the end of her questions. But for now, at least I escaped her crazy 'test.'

But I knew one thing.

Lyra is more convinced than ever that I'm not a normal NPC.

And that could be a problem in the future.

I leaned back in my chair, still thinking about Lyra's words.

"No one can log out of this game."

On the surface, it sounded like a system bug or maybe a secret event. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized many things didn't add up.

"I have a theory," Lyra said, sipping her beer.

I turned to her. "A theory?"

"Yeah. The longer I'm here, the more I feel that this world isn't just a game."

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Lyra looked at me, her expression serious. "Think about it. In other games, even VR ones, we can still feel the difference between the real world and the virtual world. But here?" She raised her hand. "Everything feels too real. The smells, the tastes, the pain... it's all more intense than in other games."

I remained silent. I had already noticed that for a while.

"And what's even stranger," Lyra continued, "no one from the outside world has tried to contact us. No announcements from GMs, no help, nothing."

I swallowed. If this is really just a bug, there should have been an announcement from the developers.

I pretended to stay calm. "Maybe this is a secret event. Something designed to test us?"

Lyra chuckled, but her eyes showed no signs of belief. "That's what I thought at first. But then, I heard something."

I frowned. "Heard what?"

Lyra leaned closer, her voice lowering. "There's a rumor going around among players. A rumor about people who died in this game... and never returned to the real world."

I felt goosebumps rise on my skin.

I tried to stay calm. "Maybe it's just a hoax?"

"Too many strange occurrences to be just a hoax," she said. "Some people disappeared without a trace. No respawn. No signs of them logging out. It's as if they truly vanished."

I stared into my glass, trying to make sense of this situation.

Lyra continued in a more serious tone, "And what's even stranger... some players have started to change."

"Change?"

She nodded. "I'm not sure exactly. But some players I've met... they seem too eager to fight. They're not just fighting to win, but as if they genuinely enjoy killing."

I thought for a moment. If this is true...

Could there be something bigger behind this game?

Lyra sighed, looking at me intently. "Rei. If something happens to me... I want you to find the answers."

I looked at her, slightly surprised by her serious tone. "You're talking as if you're going to die tomorrow."

She gave a small smile but didn't answer.

I knew one thing—Lyra suspects something bigger is going on.

And I was also starting to feel that I might not be just an ordinary NPC... but part of something much larger.

I was still thinking about Lyra's words about this world.

"No one can log out."

"This world feels more real than just a game."

"Some players have started to change."

I tried to calm my thoughts, but curiosity began to nag at me. I had to confirm something.

While still sitting at the bar table, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

Status.

Usually, players in this world need to use hand gestures to open their status. But I'm not a normal player. I've tried it many times before, but my status screen never appeared.

However, this time felt different.

A transparent window slowly appeared in front of me.

ERROR:UnrecognizedData

Name: Rei Aetheros

Level: ???

Race: ???

Class: ???

Status: UNDETECTED

Access Restricted by System

Unique Abilities:LOCKED

I froze.

What the hell is this?

Most of my data wasn't filled in, and some parts even saidERRORERROR. Besides, level, race, and class didn't appear at all.

I glanced at Lyra, who was still busy chatting with the bartender.

"So, even the system can't recognize who I am?"

I tried to dig deeper. If I really were a normal NPC, my status should look like other NPCs

But then—

WARNING:UnstableDataWARNING:UnstableData

Adjusting...

Automatic Defense System Activated

Fake NPC Status Applied

I held my breath.

Suddenly, my status changed to a simple display:

Name: Rei

Level: 5

Race: Normal NPC

Class: Porter

Abilities: None

As if the system deliberately hid my data and replaced it with a normal NPC status.

I swallowed. So, all this time... everyone who tried to check my status only saw a fake one?

But if that's the case, who created this system?

And more importantly—

"What exactly am I?"

I clenched my fist, trying to control my thoughts. I couldn't show an overreaction. If Lyra or anyone else saw my expression now, they might grow even more suspicious.

However, one thing was clear...

I'm not a normal NPC.

And I had to find out what's really going on in this game.

After the serious conversation earlier, Lyra finally stretched and downed the rest of her beer with satisfaction.

"Phew... I need another drink," she said with a smile.

I rolled my eyes. "You've already had four glasses."

Lyra just smirked. "And?"

I sighed but couldn't help a faint smile. At least the atmosphere felt lighter now compared to earlier.

While waiting for Lyra to order another drink, I took the opportunity to observe the bar more carefully.

Something felt off here.

The adventurers were chatting, laughing, and sharing stories as usual, but... some of them seemed overly cautious.

I noticed a corner of the room where a few people were sitting in strategic positions, their backs against the wall, their eyes occasionally scanning the entire room.

They're not just ordinary adventurers... they're watching something.

I didn't know if this was just paranoia, or... were they aware of my presence?

I tried activating my status in my mind again, but as before, only the fake status of "NPC Porter Lv.5" appeared.

However, when I looked toward one of the adventurers sitting in the corner—

A faint information window suddenly appeared in my mind.

Name: ???

Level: 47

Class: Rogue (Assassin Path)

Status: Neutral

Player Killer Mode: Standby

I froze for a moment.

"Player Killer Mode: Standby?"

So, he hasn't killed anyone tonight, but he's watching for potential targets.

I glanced in another direction. A muscular man was laughing with his group.

Name: ???

Level: 53

Class: Berserker

Status: Normal

Not a threat.

I tried looking at another corner. There was a female mage with a hood covering her face.

Name: ???

Level: 50

Class: Enchanter

Status: Unknown

I narrowed my eyes. Her status couldn't be read?

Suddenly, Lyra nudged my arm. "Hey, are you daydreaming?"

I flinched slightly, then gave a faint smile. "Just thinking."

"Don't be too serious," she said, leaning back in her chair. "We're at a bar. It's time to relax."

I nodded, but deep down I knew...

I had just discovered something I wasn't supposed to know.

I tried to remain calm after discovering the anomaly in my own status.

However, Lyra didn't miss the strange expression that might have briefly appeared on my face.

"Hmmm..."

I glanced at her. "What?"

She smirked, stirring her drink with a wooden straw. "I was just thinking... you looked way too serious earlier."

I raised an eyebrow. "Am I not allowed to be serious?"

"You are, but your expression earlier was like someone who just saw something... shocking?"

I stayed silent for a moment, then sighed. "You're overthinking."

"Or maybe I'm just too observant?" Lyra rested her chin on her hand, her gaze full of curiosity. "Rei, honestly... you're hiding something from me, aren't you?"

I kept my expression neutral. "Everyone has secrets."

Lyra chuckled softly. "True. But I think you're not an ordinary person."

I tried to change the subject. "Don't you have a lot of secrets yourself?"

"Me?" She pretended to be surprised. "Of course. I'm a mysterious woman."

I clicked my tongue softly. "And a troublemaker."

She smirked wider. "But what's more interesting is that you look like someone who just discovered something big... and is trying to hide it from me."

I looked at her. "And how would you know?"

She shrugged. "An adventurer's intuition, maybe?"

I sighed again, trying to keep my expression neutral.

However, Lyra suddenly leaned closer, closing the distance between us.

"What are you doing?" I leaned back slightly.

She just smiled. "Testing you, of course."

I started to notice the pattern. Oh no... she's doing it again.

Lyra raised one finger and slowly touched my forehead with the tip of her finger.

I tensed up.

"Would a normal NPC react like this?" she asked softly.

I clicked my tongue. "I'm an NPC, not a robot."

She giggled. "But I'm curious... can you feel this?"

Before I could answer, she pressed her palm against my cheek.

I froze.

The warm touch... felt too real for something that only existed in a game.

My heart beat faster, and I realized... I could actually feel this.

I quickly pulled away, hiding my nervousness. "What's wrong with you?"

Lyra chuckled softly. "Nothing. I was just confirming something."

I looked at her suspiciously. "What were you confirming?"

She smirked victoriously. "That you can feel touch like a normal player."

Damn. I had just walked into her trap.

I pretended not to be affected. "It's just the game's mechanism to make NPCs more realistic."

"Of course, of course..." she said, but her expression showed that she didn't believe it so easily.

I let out a long sigh. This girl is really dangerous... in many ways.

I tried to remain calm, but Lyra was still staring at me with a scrutinizing expression.

Her smile was still there, but her gaze... this time felt deeper, more serious.

"You know, Rei," she said, playing with the straw in her glass, "the longer I'm with you, the more I feel something's off."

I leaned back in my chair. "Off how?"

She leaned forward, narrowing her eyes as if trying to catch even the slightest change in my expression.

"You said you're an NPC, right?"

I nodded. "Yes, so?"

Lyra let out a long sigh before leaning back. "Rei, honestly... I've met a lot of NPCs in this world. And they all... well, you know? They have limited speech patterns, predictable reactions, and static ways of thinking."

She pointed toward the bartender. "Like him. If I ask something outside his script, he'll just repeat standard dialogue."

I remained silent.

"But you?" Lyra pointed directly at me. "You have expressions. You can joke. You can react to things that aren't part of the scenario."

I sipped my water slowly, keeping my expression neutral. "Maybe I'm a more advanced NPC?"

Lyra chuckled, but her tone wasn't entirely joking. "That's the problem. There's no other NPC like you."

I still didn't say anything.

Silence hung between us for a moment.

Then, suddenly Lyra grabbed my hand on the table.

I reflexively tried to pull away, but she held on tighter.

"So, I'll ask you one more time, Rei..." She whispered softly, almost like a challenge.

"Are you really just a normal NPC?"

Her eyes stared at me with an intensity I hadn't seen before. As if she wouldn't be satisfied until I gave her an honest answer.

I could feel the air around us growing heavier.

...I had to choose my words very carefully this time.