NPC Fell onto My Bed C4

Chapter 04

At the unfamiliar words that fell from Gu Taeheon’s lips, Noah tilted his head, confusion clouding his face. Alpha, omega—such terms had never once existed in the world of Last Chronicle where he had lived.

“What, you don’t know? What, did you grow up hiding in the mountains or something?”

“Yes, the Temple of Eir where I lived was not in the mountains, but it was deep within the Tyrel Forest. It seems I am ignorant of this matter—would you kindly explain it to me?”

The words Gu Taeheon had uttered with a touch of mockery turned, when met by Noah, into a simple question. Noah gazed at him with an expression that seemed almost apologetic for his own ignorance, and Taeheon, catching his gaze, found himself a little embarrassed.

Noah was, by nature, a priest. His temperament had been shaped so. When others spoke with barbs, he received their words with a smile. When scolded or reproached, he turned them over in his mind, searching for lessons to learn. He was a man untainted by greed, who had never once in his life indulged in selfish desire.

Gradually, Taeheon began to wonder if this man truly was what he claimed to be—an NPC sprung straight out of a game world. Still, setting his doubts aside, he explained.

“Your secondary gender. You can impregnate or be impregnated, regardless of being male or female.”

“Ah, I see…! What a blessed world this must be, where one may bear life regardless of gender.”

“And you—what are you, then?”

Taeheon had already convinced himself that Noah must be a dominant omega. Dominant omegas were often born with striking beauty, and Noah’s face was precisely that. Dominant alphas, too, were handsome, but the quality of their looks was different.

But at the question, Noah only blinked and answered cautiously.

“I do not belong to this world, Gu Taeheon-nim. Thus, I have no secondary gender.”

“There you go again. Then prove it—prove what you say. How are you Hildegard, exactly? Can you even do magic?”

“I performed healing magic just now.”

Though it had been weaker than his usual spells, the light faint and the healing insufficient, Noah glanced down at Taeheon’s leg with a touch of regret. It was the first time since childhood he had ever felt dissatisfied with the strength of his healing.

“Anybody can flash a bit of white light.”

Taeheon still believed that Noah’s glow had been nothing more than a trick, or at best, some kind of deception. After all, aside from that ticklish sensation, his leg felt no different.

Pressed by Taeheon’s suspicion, Noah fell into thought. How could he prove that he truly came from another world? After some contemplation, he asked,

“Does magic exist in this world?”

“What, like stage magic?”

“No, not illusions meant to deceive, but true magic.”

Last Chronicle had stage magicians too—actors performing tricks in the back alleys of the capital. But Noah, judging from Taeheon’s reaction, guessed there was no true magic here.

At last, Noah drew a deep breath, resolved. If this was a world without magic, then he need only show it.

“This is a simple water-element spell.”

He gave a brief explanation before flicking his hand lightly. At once, a small, round sphere of water materialized above his palm.

How long had it been since he used any magic but healing? In truth, Noah disliked employing any other spells. Most magic in existence was made to harm, and as a priest, he had feared to sully his heart with such things.

Thus, his water magic amounted only to conjuring spheres or summoning existing streams. He had never studied further, lest his soul be tainted.

“What in the…”

As Noah, still kneeling, revealed the shimmering orb, Taeheon instinctively crouched down as well. He peered at it with incredulous eyes, then poked a finger straight into it.

“…Water? Is that all? Like one of those tricks where you make raindrops flow backward?”

“It is not trickery, Gu Taeheon-nim. It is magic. Please, believe me.”

Noah’s eyes, utterly guileless, lifted to meet his. Struck by the earnestness in that gaze, Taeheon looked away, muttering under his breath in resignation.

“Fine. So that was magic. And you really came out of the Last Chronicle game.”

“Thank you for believing me! I will not fail your trust. I was sent here to help Limp1219!”

The word limp should have been nothing but an insult to Taeheon. Yet, spoken from Noah’s lips, it strangely was not. Perhaps it was the purity of his expression.

“Then… where are you going to stay?”

“Stay? Ah…”

Noah could not hide his troubled face. According to Eir’s will, he would only return once he had aided Limp1219—that is, Gu Taeheon. But with his weakened healing, he could not yet mend him.

At last, Noah straightened with resolve.

“It is fine. As long as there is a forest alive with greenery and trees to shield me from the rain, I can dwell anywhere.”

Alas, here there was no such forest. The apartment “Hangang The Hill” stood in the heart of Seoul, a forest of steel and glass.

If Taeheon cast him out now, the man would become nothing more than a vagrant. And with a face that beautiful—beautiful enough to drive even Taeheon to distraction—he would surely be in danger.

“…Stay here for now.”

“May I?”

At his words, Noah’s eyes lit instantly. Though ashamed of how little he had, he resolved that someday, he would repay this kindness.

“Follow me. This is my room—I’ll show you the one you can use.”

Though Taeheon’s tone was offhand, Noah nodded eagerly, gentle-faced, and finally unfolded his legs, rising from his knees. Taeheon turned and left the room, and Noah, after smoothing his robes into neat order, followed after.

Having seen only the inside of that room so far, Noah naturally assumed he was in a grand estate—that opening the door would reveal a great hall, as all fine houses did in his world.

But it was not so. Beyond the door lay not a manor’s main hall but a simple living room.

Stepping into it, Noah stood entranced before the vast windows that spanned one wall. Beyond stretched a gray sky, tall buildings, and below, a river shimmering with light. As though bewitched, Noah drifted toward the glass.

“What is this place…”

“Thirty-second floor. …And hey, take your shoes off.”

It was the first time Noah had ever gazed down from such a height. Was this, perhaps, how a god felt? The dizzying thrill of standing high above the world swept through him.

Even as he bent to remove his shoes and hand them over, his eyes remained fixed upon the view.

“And don’t open the window.”

While Noah gazed dreamily outside, Taeheon considered the spare rooms. At first, he thought to give him the second-largest guest room, but seeing how Noah loved the windows, he decided even a smaller room would suit, so long as it had a view.

Soon, he had tidied one of the guest rooms. Gesturing with his thumb, he said,

“Go on in.”

Obediently, Noah entered the room. Inside were a soft bed and a few simple furnishings. Brushing his hand lightly across the bedding, Noah realized that everything here far outshone the shabby temple he had once called home.

“To think you would grant me such a room… Thank you. How could I ever repay this grace?”

“No need. Just get back to your world—that’s enough.”

“Ah, understood…!”

Noah nodded fervently. Taeheon, his expression conflicted, left the room briefly and soon returned, carrying clothing Noah had never seen before.

“First, change out of that. What even is it? Looks uncomfortable.”

“This? All priests of the Holy Order of Eir are vested with such robes.”

Indeed, it was little more than cloth draped loosely around the body. It fluttered and dragged with every step—uncomfortable, truth be told. At Taeheon’s words, Noah nodded quietly.

“This is all I’ve got, but…”

“Anything at all is a blessing. I will wear it with care.”

As Noah moved to strip off his robes at once, Taeheon’s face stiffened in alarm. Abruptly, he turned, slammed the door shut, and all but fled.

Leaning against the door outside, breath ragged, his face twisted as he muttered,

“…What is this… Where does the dream end, and reality begin?”

Perhaps this was nothing but a dream—his ideal man falling onto his bed one day. For nothing else could explain the unreality of it all.

And then—

Tap, tap-tap.
Raindrops began striking the window. The thin drizzle swelled into fat drops, and soon, rain came pouring down in sheets. At the sound, Taeheon instinctively braced himself, face contorting in expectation of the pain that always climbed up from his shin when it rained.

“…?”

But strangely—no pain came.

The torment that had always clawed at his leg the instant the skies opened was, for once, silent. Staring down at his leg as though seeing it anew, Taeheon whispered,

“Healer… was it?”

It was the moment a small new sprout took root in his heart—its name, Noah.