NPC Fell onto My Bed C5

Chapter 05

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Noah gazed toward the wide window that filled one side of the room. A slender crescent moon hung there, solitary in the sky.

“The moon is the same.”

He thought back to the moon he had so often seen from the Temple of Eir. The proud, ethereal glow that seemed as though it might vanish into the horizon—it was the same here. But there was one difference.

“There are no stars.”

No, not entirely absent. If he pressed close to the glass and widened his eyes, he could glimpse a scattering of faint pinpricks. But the night sky above the temple had been a radiant ocean of stars, so magnificent that even a mere human like himself had been overwhelmed. Here, the heavens were barren. Once again, Noah realized he had truly fallen into another world.

A world where the stars were scarce. That was how Noah defined this place. Perhaps it was because this world lacked starlight that his healing power had weakened so greatly.

Slowly lowering his gaze, Noah raised his pale hand into view. Without blinking, he summoned his healing light into his palm.

“Mm…”

Yes, the sacred white glow did rise—but it was different. In his own world, whenever he focused so intently, the power would erupt explosively, filling the chamber with winds of divinity even without the aid of the holy staff.

Here, however, all that appeared was a frail, flickering light, as though it might gutter out at any moment. His healing power had not vanished, but…

“Weak.”

Staring at his palm, brow furrowed, Noah lifted his other hand. Bringing his thumb to his lips, he bit down gently until a thin trickle of blood welled forth.

Then he pressed his glowing hand to the cut. A warm energy seeped into the wound. As he watched it begin to knit closed, he counted silently in his mind.

One, two, three… nine, ten.

Nearly ten seconds had passed before the tiny wound, scarcely larger than a fingernail, was healed. In his original world, such an injury would have vanished in the blink of an eye. By his estimation, barely a tenth of his strength remained.

“At this rate… I won’t be able to heal Gu Taeheon-nim.”

There was frustration in his voice. If such a minor wound took so long, then restoring Taeheon’s leg would require tenfold upon tenfold that effort. And even then, there would be no guarantee of full recovery.

When Noah had touched his leg earlier, he had sensed that the wounds had long since closed. Worse, he had felt the foreign presence of metal—likely the very support now holding Taeheon’s leg together.

Even for Noah, who had reached the pinnacle of healers, the most difficult cases were always those whose wounds had already healed incorrectly. To undo what the body had closed required vastly more strength than healing a fresh injury.

“If only my power had remained the same…”

He looked again at his palm, regret flickering across his face. Yes, had his strength remained intact, things would not feel so daunting.

Another sigh slipped from him. But Noah swiftly drove out the despair that threatened to root in his heart. Was this not, too, a trial laid upon him by the Lord? Surely there was divine will behind his being guided here.

“The Supreme Will.”

Turning those words over in his mind, Noah absently stroked the soft bedding beneath him. Clean, crisp, and yielding—the fabric tempted him to press his cheek against it.

So different from the straw-filled mattress of the temple. As his body relaxed into the comfort, Noah felt his spirit slacken, unguarded. He knew well a priest ought not succumb to such indulgence, yet the softness of the bedding was a temptation he could not help but covet.

Like a puppy burrowing into a cushion, he shifted restlessly upon the sheets until, at last, he fell asleep. In his dream, his healing light dazzled, restoring Taeheon’s leg in an instant. A dream, nothing more.

Rustle, rustle.

Before even the dew had fallen, Noah awoke.

The bed was soft, the quilt warm, and it was tempting to linger. But his years of dawn prayers had long ago made such idleness impossible. Folding the quilt neatly and setting the pillow atop, he knelt properly upon the bed.

O Lord Eir, thank You for granting me another day in which to live.

Eyes closed, hand upon his chest, he finished his short prayer before rising. Then, glancing down at his bare feet, he flushed in embarrassment.

Where he came from, it was unthinkable to be indoors without shoes; to bare one’s feet was like exposing one’s very flesh. The sense of impropriety gnawed at him.

The clothing he wore was no less awkward. The garments Taeheon had given him the night before were short-sleeved and short-trousered—clothes like those worn by novice adventurers. Too large for him, they kept slipping until he tugged the inner drawstring tight.

Never before in his life had Noah exposed so much of his skin. Hesitating at the door, he drew a deep breath before suddenly opening it wide.

“…”

Thankfully, the living room was empty. Creeping quietly to Taeheon’s room, Noah pressed his ear to the door; silence within. Of course—at this dim hour, it was only natural he would still be asleep.

Standing in the center of the living room, Noah faltered. At the temple, his mornings had been filled with ritual—bathing in the forest lake, cleansing himself to stand pure before God.

“Ah, right. Adventurers.”

Afterward, he would send away the substitute Hildegard who stood in his stead, and take up his post as advancement guide. That, too, had been the mercy of Eir—allowing each NPC to conjure a double, though everything the double did would be imprinted on their mind.

Here, though, he had no duties. No adventurers to advance, no worshippers to pray.

As he pondered, a thought struck him.

“I should bathe.”

There was no lake here, of course. But Taeheon had shown him the bath the night before.

“Yes, he said to wash here…”

Following his memory, Noah entered the bathroom and stood before the tub. He was not unfamiliar with bathtubs—he had seen them in noble houses and castles.

But faucets he had never once encountered. Tentatively, he reached toward it, recalling Taeheon’s vague explanation.

Shhh—

Water suddenly streamed forth. Noah started, thinking he had summoned it by magic, until he realized this was simply how they bathed here.

“The water… it’s cold.”

Did this magical water come from some nearby lake? That must be why it was so icy.

Used to bathing in the forest lake, Noah stripped without hesitation and stepped into the tub. But the water was colder even than midwinter ice.

“S-so cold…”

He could not endure long. Shivering violently, he scrambled out and hastily dragged his wet body into the loose clothes from before.

But the short sleeves and shorts did little to keep him warm. By the time he stumbled out, trembling, Taeheon was there—half-awake, standing before the bathroom.

“What are you doing?”

Startled, Noah asked, “Did… did I wake you?”

His lips trembled—not from nerves, but from cold. His face had gone pale blue. Taeheon frowned deeply.

“Cold?”

“Y-yes. The water was so very cold…”

“Cold? That’s impossible.”

Brushing past him, Taeheon stepped into the damp bathroom—and found the faucet fixed firmly to cold.

“If you turn it like this, hot water comes out.”

“…”

Noah stared in disbelief as steaming water flowed easily from the tap after only a few turns.

“I see… It was my ignorance. Thank you for teaching me, Gu Taeheon-nim.”

“You nearly froze to death.”

Speaking dryly, Taeheon glanced at Noah, dripping wet and clearly too naive to even use the towels stacked inside.

“Do you even know how to dry your hair?”