Popular NPC in a Gender-Reversed Game – Chapter 78

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The fourth morning arrived.

Han-byeol, as always, logged in and spent her time in quiet boredom. The stolen meal from the previous night had appeased her hunger somewhat, but she was still hungry.

And incredibly bored. Bound and helpless, all she could do was think.

She occasionally logged out to browse the internet, but…

As the top-ranked player, she spent most of her time in the game, outside of her real-life training.

She couldn’t stand being idle. It was a habit.

That was why she was often bored in her current predicament.

There was one thing she could do in this confined space. Observe Yor.

He was surprisingly busy for someone living in a secluded forest.

He’d bring her food in the morning, then leave to hunt.

He’d return around lunchtime, bring her another meal, and then do chores.

Cleaning, laundry… he even seemed to bathe around that time. He usually appeared freshly washed in the afternoon.

Then, he’d prepare dinner…

He seemed to have some free time in the evenings. He’d occasionally try to… interact with her.

She usually ignored him, since he treated her like a dog…

But he kept himself busy.

It was surprising to see an NPC so active and independent.

She knew they could be complex, thanks to the online community, but seeing it firsthand was different.

She’d even had a fleeting thought.

‘He’s really handsome…’

Despite being her captor, she was still a woman. She couldn’t help but react to a handsome face.

And he wasn’t just handsome. He had a unique aura.

Unlike other men, who had a softer, gentler presence, there was a sharp edge to him.

Peaceful, yet dangerous. Like a predator, ready to strike.

It was likely a result of living in the forest.

But she didn’t find it unpleasant. It was… intriguing.

She disliked the soft, gentle nature of most men. It felt like she had to protect them, to take the lead… She wasn’t good at that.

Perhaps that was why she’d never been in a relationship. She’d been too busy, and she’d never felt attracted to anyone.

‘…What’s the point? He’s just an NPC.’

She sighed, snapping herself back to reality. It was a pointless thought.

The important thing was escaping this cave.

Another day passed.

On the fifth day, she made up her mind.

‘…Fine, I’ll tell him.’

This was ridiculous. She could just give him the holy water and be done with it.

The price of holy water had skyrocketed recently, but it wasn’t worth five days of captivity.

She’d have to swallow her pride, but she wanted to eat, level up, and resume her stream.

She called out to Yor.

“Hey.”

“Hmm? What is it, Happy?”

“…I’ll give you what you want.”

“What?”

“The holy water. I’ll give it to you.”

“Oh…”

Yor let out a soft exclamation. He seemed pleased, but also… slightly disappointed.

She ignored his reaction and retrieved the holy water from her inventory.

Three vials, emitting a faint holy aura, appeared.

It wasn’t a huge amount, but considering how difficult it was to acquire holy water these days, it was a significant offering. She’d used two during their fight.

Yor beamed, accepting the vials.

“Thanks. You should have done this sooner.”

Three vials were a huge boon. It meant he could get through one Berserk episode without resorting to self-harm.

It could even save his life. Berserk A wasn’t just painful, it also spread the scent of blood.

He’d been able to contain the scent by enduring the episode deep within his cave, but now that its location was exposed, he needed something to mask his scent if he had to Berserk elsewhere.

‘I should save these.’

The new moon was approaching.

But he wouldn’t use the holy water immediately, even if he had a Berserk A episode. He’d endure the pain and conserve his supply until he could acquire more.

He carefully stored the vials in his storage space.

Now that he had the holy water, it was time to find out where she’d gotten it.

He looked at Han-byeol.

“I heard you can’t even get holy water inside the cathedral these days. Where did you get these?”

“…I have connections with the knights.”

She continued.

“The knights are stockpiling holy water, but they don’t use it all. Having connections is useful. You can get all sorts of benefits through trades.”

“Oh?”

Yor was surprised. He hadn’t considered that possibility.

The knights had agreed to purchase holy water regularly. They must have a surplus.

And Han-byeol, with her connections, had access to it.

“Did you learn your swordsmanship from the knights too? It’s quite refined.”

“Well… I did get some help. They didn’t teach me directly, but…”

Yor nodded, his mind racing.

He hadn’t expected this. The knights were a secretive bunch. Information about them was difficult to come by. They were a highly secure organization.

‘If I play my cards right…’

He might be able to glean some valuable information.

“The knights placed the bounty on my head, didn’t they?”

“Well… probably.”

“So… how strong are the knights?”

“What? Pfft.”

Han-byeol chuckled. His cautious tone betrayed his anxiety.

“Are you scared of the knights? Well, I guess you should be. They’d kill you on sight, hehe…”

“…”

Yor didn’t respond. He flicked her forehead.

Flick!

A dull thud, followed by a strange whimper.

“Ah…!”

“Just answer the question.”

Han-byeol winced, then spoke.

“…It’s not a simple question. Individual knights are strong, but their true strength lies in their unity.”

She continued.

“Especially the Knight Commanders. They’re monsters. Only the most talented individuals in the Empire can reach that position, after decades of training.”

“…”

Yor nodded.

He asked her a few more questions.

What were the knights doing? Had they noticed anything unusual?

But she couldn’t provide any concrete answers. She wasn’t privy to their inner workings. She lacked the necessary connections.

Still, it was helpful.

Yor, satisfied, stood up.

Han-byeol spoke.

“Are we done? Untie me now.”

“…Hmm.”

Yor smiled enigmatically. She’d fulfilled her part of the bargain.

But he didn’t want to let her go.

He was disappointed that his plan hadn’t worked out as intended.

He grinned mischievously.

“No.”

“…What?”

Han-byeol erupted, her struggles as violent as when he’d first tied her up.

“You bastard…! You broke your promise!”

“Whoa, calm down. I’ll let you go if you do one more thing for me. It’s not that difficult.”

He wanted her to eat. From the plate, like a dog.

Han-byeol scowled and refused.

“No! Just kill me! You don’t have to untie me, just kill me and set me free!”

“My, you otherworlders talk about death so casually.”

Yor wasn’t going to let her off that easily.

He hadn’t seen her eat yet.

But her resistance was too strong. He had to retreat, for now.

He reached his kitchen area, a small fire pit, and began to think.

‘What will make her eat…?’

She was putting on a brave face, but she wouldn’t last. She needed to eat eventually.

Aside from the stolen fried rice, she hadn’t eaten in five days. She had to be starving.

He needed to cook something so delicious she couldn’t resist.

Thankfully, he was a decent cook. He’d been living alone for over a decade, after all.

And he had the perfect ingredient.

The Giant Tiger’s tail.

It was a magical beast, so consuming its flesh had restorative properties. But the effects diminished with repeated consumption.

He’d eaten the tail several times already, and he no longer felt the benefits. He was also getting tired of the taste.

It had been sitting in his storage, on the verge of spoiling. Now, he had a use for it.

It might be bland to him now, but the Giant Tiger’s meat was nutritious, flavorful, and… unique.

“Alright. Let’s do this.”

He began to cook.

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Meanwhile, Han-byeol fumed, cursing Yor under her breath.

“That bastard… I shouldn’t have trusted him…”

What was his obsession with food? He was clearly not normal. Did he have some kind of eating fetish?

But beneath her anger, a flicker of anxiety ignited.

‘Is he seriously not going to let me go?’

It was a possibility. He’d been surprisingly stubborn.

She only had one choice.

The thought of eating with her mouth, like an animal, made her cheeks burn.

After a long wait, Yor finally returned with her meal.

This time, the aroma was different. Slightly sour, with a cheesy, savory scent.

The rich aroma tantalized her taste buds, her hunger pangs intensifying.

He placed the plate before her.

[Demon’s Saga] had a peculiar feature. Almost every object had a system description.

Items and potions often had detailed descriptions of their effects.

This time was no different.

A lengthy description of the dish.

Tiger meat? Where did he even get this?

And stat boosts from food? She’d never seen anything like it.

Was this some kind of elixir? The description said “small,” so the effect wouldn’t be significant… but free stats were always welcome.

She was tempted.

Yor spoke.

“Here you go. I’ll untie you after you eat, as promised.”

“…”

“What’s wrong? It’s not that difficult. It’s even beneficial for you. This meat is worth thousands of gold.”

He was right. Items with stat-boosting properties were incredibly expensive.

And she couldn’t leave the cave without eating. She’d been starving for five days. Her hunger pangs were overwhelming.

Gulp.

She swallowed hard.

Her eyes flickered, her pupils dilating.

Pride was a difficult thing to relinquish. But once broken, the barrier became much weaker.

Humans were creatures of habit.

The first time was always the hardest.

“…”

She lowered her head towards the plate, a wave of shame and self-loathing washing over her. Her bound hands trembled.

But the reward was sweet.

The tender, perfectly cooked meat melted in her mouth.

A savory explosion of flavor filled her senses. The first meal in five days was heavenly.

Yor, watching her, gently placed his hand on her head.

He’d expected her to flinch and pull away, but…

She simply froze, accepting his touch.

A feeling of triumph, of accomplishment, filled him.

He stroked her hair, a grin spreading across his face.

“Good girl, Happy.”

Han-byeol, hearing his words, felt a strange warmth spread through her.

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