Rift (5)
I had a dream. I don't know where it was. Something was burning, black smoke filling my vision.
Screams echoed through the flames. Probably the NPCs burning to death. There I stood, dagger in hand.
Bodies lay at my feet. Knights in armor, I think.
But something was off. Every knight had the same expression. Eyes shut tight, lips pressed firm—a face refusing to break. Yeah, the one Adelaide always made.
All of them, just like that.
It bothered me for some reason, so I opened my eyes. The now-familiar scenery greeted me.
Sweat drenched my forehead, and something warm touched it.
Adelaide's hand.
"Don't touch me."
"...You feel feverish."
I swatted her hand away on reflex. She withdrew it without a word, her face calm—not hurt or accusatory, just neutral.
"...You okay?"
"I'm fine. Just a dream."
"...What kind?"
"Don't remember."
"...You were sweating a lot. Want some water?"
"No. I said I'm fine."
"I see."
Lies. The burning village, the fallen knights, their frozen expressions—all crystal clear in my mind.
Before, I'd wake from dreams like that feeling good. Refreshed, even.
But now... not bad, exactly, but not good either. What do you call this feeling?
One thing was certain: the warmth of her hand lingered on my forehead.
"Let's go eat."
"...Yeah."
As usual, I swallowed the porridge and set the bowl down. Starting to stand, I noticed Adelaide hadn't moved.
Turning, I saw her hands clasped, head bowed. Praying again? What got into her?
Your god doesn't exist. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but they wouldn't come out.
I leaned against the wall, gazing at the distant temple. Light leaked from its cracks.
A quiet moment. I wondered what she was praying for. Her subordinates' safety? Her own?
...Or for lightning to strike me dead. That'd be funny.
"...What'd you pray for?"
"Should I tell you?"
"Yeah."
"...Then I won't say it out loud."
Even after her prayer ended, we didn't get up. She just kept sitting there, so I did too.
A strangely comfortable time. I pouted to deny it, and only after a while did she stand.
I took her offered hand and rose.
As if nothing happened, we headed to the warehouse. Today's haul matched yesterday's.
While mindlessly shifting sacks, Adelaide hesitated, then handed me water.
"...Master."
"Yeah."
"That dream this morning... you really don't remember?"
"I said I don't."
"Your face looked bad. You frowned and mumbled."
"...What'd I mumble?"
"Couldn't hear."
"Then it's fine."
"...I asked because I'm worried. Nothing else."
"An NPC worried?"
"...Forget it."
Today's work wrapped up early. On the way back with our pay, at a wide street's intersection.
Adelaide peeked around the corner and froze.
"...Let's go back."
"Why?"
"There."
Her slender finger pointed to a dim alley corner. Two guards pinned an old man in rags against the wall. A slum dweller.
One guard punched his face. The other kicked the fallen man.
"Know your place! We told you no begging here!"
Blood trickled from the old man's mouth. Passersby ignored it all.
Tension gripped Adelaide's shoulders. Her fists clenched tight—impossible to miss.
"Let's go home. I'm tired."
"...Got it."
But as I urged her, she sighed, biting her lip until it bled.
Annoying. It grated on me.
I pulled her deeper into the alley. She followed without resistance.
Though her heavy steps transmitted through my grip.
"You okay?"
"Why ask that?"
"Can't I?"
"...I'm fine."
"Liar."
"...No. I said I'm really fine."
Her face screamed otherwise. Even back in the alley, she exhaled softly several times.
"Not one... looked."
"At what?"
"The passersby. The old man getting beat, and no one cared."
"...That's why they're NPCs. Not people."
"..."
Back at the inn, Adelaide stayed quiet. Even through our routine, her movements lacked strength.
"Adel."
"What."
"Not going for dinner?"
"Not hungry."
"Skip it and you'll struggle tomorrow."
"...Still no appetite today."
"Fine."
I didn't drag her. She wasn't into it.
Lying side by side, her breathing evened out eventually. Took a while.
I waved my hand in front of her sleeping face to confirm, then rose.
Opening the window, cool wind brushed my skin. Shadows slithered from my feet, quickly finding the two guards.
Same patrol route, probably. One walked alone after parting from another near the intersection.
Suddenly, two shadows coiled around their legs. Crack. The illusion of breaking bone as they flailed and fell.
Before screams, shadows sealed their mouths. Eyes rolled back in convulsions, until they passed out.
I didn't kill them. Had no intent to. Why not? ...No, it'd cause a fuss. Yeah, just efficiency—like Adelaide mentioned sometimes.
I closed the window and lay back down. She was still asleep.
"Heard two guards got attacked last night."
"Attacked? In this city?"
"Both legs broken, they say. No culprit caught."
"They're insane. Touching guards."
I glanced at Adelaide as we walked. She'd heard, but her expression didn't change.
But at breakfast, she paused her spoon and stared at me.
"..."
"...What? Wasn't me."
"...I haven't said anything yet."
She resumed eating. But I caught the corner of her mouth twitch up. Definitely.
"What, you smiled."
"Didn't."
"Saw it with my own eyes."
"...The porridge tastes good."
"This porridge...? For real?"
"...Weirdly good today."
I chuckled softly. No shoulder shake. Just... funny. Maybe arguing NPC or not is pointless.
The thought hit me. My next question might stem from that.
"Adel."
"Yeah?"
"Are you really an NPC?"
"...That again."
"No, seriously. Why are you different from other NPCs?"
"Still don't get what NPC means, but... I'm alive. I breathe, I hurt, I get angry. And..."
"And?"
"...Forget it."
"Tell me."
"An order?"
"...A request."
Her eyes widened round. Then she chuckled softly, murmuring.
"Fine, since it's a request..."
"...Yeah."
"Truth is... sometimes... I'm not afraid of you. That scares me more. Feels like... I'm changing."
To her ramble, I said nothing. Couldn't, maybe.
Rift... If I had to name it, a rift. One I hadn't noticed had grown.
Adelaide, NPC, knight. Vice-captain, Royal Guard, kingdom, game. Adelaide... NPC. If this NPC... If Adelaide's truly human. Yeah, the only real person in the game. Like me—
"...No."
"...?"
She can't be human. This is a game. A game.
Snap out of it.
"...Yeah, nothing."
Nothing. The person... NPC in front of me is nothing.
My mind cleared. Did it? I don't know. Just... scared. Terrified that I had to repeat it to convince myself.