Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

Christmas Eve dinner was held outside. In celebration of this symbolic festival in Columbia, Felix invited his close friends and the girls around him, along with Muelsyse, Snowsant, and her grandmother.

Among the members of Rhine Lab, Kristen and Saria chose to spend the holiday together. Yara went to visit old friends from the entertainment industry. Ferdinand enjoyed a romantic candlelit dinner with his newlywed wife, while Ahrens brought gifts to Trimount Polytechnic Institute to visit some of his longtime friends.

Though Rhine Lab—usually operating like a finely tuned machine—still had its lights on, and its power and heating systems running, the researchers within were all off living their own lives.

Everyone was enjoying themselves in their own way. Across the land, people were celebrating the season in different places. With just a few days left before the arrival of the year 1090, players took a pause to reflect on their lives in Terra over the past year—there had been laughter, growth, happiness, and even redemption.

The atmosphere gave the players a deeper sense of belonging, as if they were truly part of this world. Though they possessed the seemingly "immortal" powers of Originium Arts, many still saw Terra as a different realm—one where they could log in and out freely. But now, they were walking the streets with NPCs, sharing in the celebrations, and welcoming the New Year together.

During dinner, Felix and the others enjoyed roast ham and turkey. Afterward, everyone began exchanging gifts—or rather, it wasn't exactly an exchange, as most had prepared multiple presents.

Felix gave Senomi a mechanical sword of his own design, one that could be wielded both by the current Senomi and her future, grown-up self. For Mandragora, he gifted a pair of stylish boots embedded with mechanical components that would help her run faster. To Susie, he presented a Originium staff topped with a bulb-shaped ornament; the staff was made from light metal and glass, and when she cast spells, the bulb would glow. Susie loved it instantly.

For Degenbrecher, he had prepared a protective wristwatch capable of absorbing shock—an expensive item he had sourced from the black market. Carnelian received a spring-autumn jacket with an elegant design. Not only did it have great stats, but it could also release electric currents.

Muelsyse's gift took the longest to decide. Since she rarely joined battles and spent most of her time in the ecological park researching and tending to plants, Felix wasn't sure what would suit her. In the end, he chose a necklace—something simple that most girls would like. At its center was a teardrop-shaped gemstone, reminiscent of Muelsyse herself. Though not particularly expensive, it felt just right.

Snowsant received a complete set of precision tools, while her grandmother was gifted a full set of warm, plush winter clothing.

Everyone was delighted with their gifts. The three younger girls excitedly tried on the Christmas presents they'd received from their "big brother" or "master" Felix. Degenbrecher examined the wristwatch, the corners of her lips curling into a satisfied smile. Carnelian eagerly put on the jacket and struck poses in front of the mirror. Snowsant and her grandmother thanked Felix together, their faces glowing with gratitude.

"Felix… Hey, Felix." Muelsyse gently poked his arm. When he turned to look at her, she lowered her head slightly, a faint smile on her lips. "Um… about the necklace. Can you help me put it on?"

"Of course."

Felix picked up the necklace and stepped behind Muelsyse, gently brushing aside her soft hair to clasp it around her slender neck, flawless as white jade. As the cool metal touched her skin, Muelsyse let out a soft gasp. Slowly, the chill of the gem warmed against her body heat. A faint blush crept up her cheeks, and she smiled gently, the corners of her lips curling ever so slightly.

She then noticed the faint smiles in Degenbrecher and Carnelian's eyes and quickly lowered her head, her cheeks flushing with warmth.

Senomi and Mandragora couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. They too wished they had received jewelry from their brother—or master—especially something as special as a ring.

Felix didn't place much importance on receiving gifts, but since they were heartfelt gestures from everyone, he opened them one by one to take a look. Senomi had given him a branded belt, Mandragora gifted a pair of high-end leather gloves, and Susie handed over a pair of sleek, stylish sunglasses. Degenbrecher and Carnelian had prepared men's skincare products and a premium razor respectively. As expected from the dependable big sisters figure—their gifts were top quality. It was obvious that the skincare products were meant for him, who constantly exposed his face to the heat of the stove, and of course, razors were daily essentials for men. Clearly, she was very thoughtful and knew his stuff well.

Snowsant had prepared a self-massaging chair that targeted shoulder fatigue, while her grandmother gave Felix a hand-knitted sweater, soft and warm with care.

Muelsyse's gift was a bracelet made of fine leather, inlaid with a small, rare piece of metal.

"I found this piece while exploring the Sargon rainforest," Muelsyse said softly. "Look—the metal is gold and green, the colors blending into each other beautifully. It's a material that hasn't been discovered before. Unfortunately, I could only find this one small piece… As the one who discovered it, I decided to name it Emerald Gold."

"Thank you, Muelsyse."

Felix smiled warmly and immediately scanned the bracelet with his terminal.

[Emerald Gold Bracelet]

[Quality]: Blue

[Attributes]: +5 Dexterity, +10 Endurance, +10 Spirit

[Durability]: 1314/1314

[Equipment Requirements]: None

[Additional Ability – Sound of Resonance]: Increases luck when making judgments

[Additional Ability – Dawn Oath]: Further increases spirit-based judgments by 10

An impressive piece of equipment. Even Felix couldn't help the excitement that rose in his chest. This was Muelsyse's friendship, solidified in a physical gift. Suddenly, he felt like the necklace he gave might have been overshadowed by this thoughtful bracelet.

Under Muelsyse's gaze, Felix slipped the bracelet onto his wrist. Hmm… he didn't feel any immediate boost to his luck. Maybe his luck stat was just too low to notice a difference?

"By the way, Felix," Muelsyse said, "you'll be coming to the senior researchers' New Year party at Rhine Lab, right?"

"Yes, I saw the invitation email," Felix replied with a nod. "Do I need to bring anything? I'll be there on time."

"Oh, you just need to show up. Yara's handling the catering," Muelsyse said softly, nibbling at a delicious bite of food. After swallowing, she asked casually, "By the way, how's your paper going?"

"More or less," Felix muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. He was currently struggling with his graduation thesis, focusing on ecology and Originium studies. Fortunately, after attending many lectures by Professor Naumann and his wife, he'd built up a decent foundation. Having spent a long period as a so-called problem student, Felix had finally managed to unlock these two secondary academic paths.

He had already submitted his mechanical engineering paper and was still working on his ecology thesis. As for the Originium research paper—he hadn't written a single word yet. Whether it was due to his own talent or the advantages of his deep blue panel, Felix found that as his proficiency increased, his understanding deepened as well. He was no longer just memorizing or learning—he had truly grasped the material.

That realization brought a refreshing sense of fulfillment. For Felix, attending lectures wasn't merely about raising his proficiency levels; it was because he genuinely understood the content being taught.

"Make sure to take care of yourself. Don't overwork," Muelsyse said gently.

"Got it," Felix replied with a smile.

After dinner, Felix and the others walked Snowsant and Grandma to the street corner. The three little girls clung to Muelsyse, she happily calling out "Senomi-chan," "Mandragora-chan," and "Susie-chan," while the other three chanted "Mumu." The atmosphere was joyful and warm.

But eventually, it was time to part ways. The three little ones were clearly reluctant to let Muelsyse go and clung tightly to her hands.

"Alright now, it's Christmas Eve. I should get some rest too," Muelsyse said as she squatted down, smiling at the girls. "You all should get a good night's sleep as well."

"But…"

They hesitated to voice their thoughts. It felt too pitiful to let Muelsyse go home alone on Christmas Eve.

Thinking of this, the girls turned their gaze toward the adults walking behind them—especially toward Felix.

Mandragora remembered Felix's earlier suggestion and whispered, "Brother Felix… can you invite Mumu to stay over tonight? Don't we have an empty room?"

Felix didn't mind. He turned to look at Muelsyse, who tugged slightly at her scarf, looking a little embarrassed. "It might trouble you…"

"It's no trouble at all," Felix replied. "But, Muelsyse, don't you need to go back to the dorm to get some clothes?"

Muelsyse pursed her lips before giving a soft smile. "My water clone already went to retrieve them."

Hearing that Mumu would be staying the night, the three little girls cheered happily and immediately began planning which books to read, which stories to share, and what games to play together.

Back at home, the warm air-conditioning quickly lulled the children into drowsiness. Degenbrecher and Carnelian took them to the bathroom for their baths. With nothing else to do, Felix settled into the living room to watch a Christmas Eve TV special with Muelsyse. The screen was showing classic Christmas films—and Felix noticed that the female lead in the movie was none other than Yara.

Yara was still beautiful today, but in her younger days, she was breathtaking—radiating charm wherever she went. It was no different in the movie.

Degenbrecher and Carnelian returned not long after, having tucked the girls into bed. The four adults—well, technically, only Felix was still a minor legally, though… ahem, if he could drink, he counted as an adult—shared a bottle of champagne and red wine in the living room. After a few sips and some light conversation, they each headed off to shower and wind down for the night.

"It's really lively," Felix murmured.

He was blow-drying his hair in the bathroom when he caught a glimpse of Muelsyse, who had also just finished her shower. He couldn't help but wonder—did water elves really need to bathe? Or was it just out of habit?

"Yeah… I'm still not quite used to it," Muelsyse replied with a bashful smile. She usually lived alone in a single dorm at Rhine Lab. Though she technically owned an apartment in Trimount, she hadn't returned there in a long time.

Compared to her quiet apartment, Felix's house truly felt like a home. With its high ceilings, soft beds, and spacious layout—it even had three bathrooms—Muirseth had been quietly amazed while showering. Real estate in Trimount was clearly becoming more and more impressive.

Felix felt refreshed after blow-drying Susie's short hair. He glanced over at Muelsyse, who was still drying her own hair.

"Can't you control the water element to dry yourself?" he asked.

"Well… I could, but it's a bit troublesome. It's so late, and I don't really want to use the Originium Staff just for that," Muelsyse replied, her long hair falling gently over her shoulders. She looked at Felix and gave a charming smile. "Felix, can you help me dry my hair?"

"Sure, but it's my first time doing this, so forgive me if I'm a little clumsy."

"I don't mind."

Felix stepped behind Muelsyse and began drying her soft, damp hair with the hair dryer. Muelsyse, in a cheerful mood, began to hum a tune—the ending song from the movie they had just watched. In it, the hero and heroine held hands, sharing an unforgettable Christmas.

The three little ones had already fallen asleep, and both Degenbrecher and Carnelian had turned in for the night. As the last two still lingering in the living room, Felix turned off the fire in the fireplace and walked upstairs with Muelsyse.

"Good night," he said.

"…Can you say it again?" Muelsyse asked softly, tugging lightly at the hem of his clothes.

Felix looked at her face and suddenly realized—perhaps no one had said good night to Muelsyse in a long time.

He smiled gently. "Good night. Sweet dreams, Muelsyse."

A warm, contented smile appeared on Muelsyse's face. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she waved lightly at him.

"Good night."

That night, no more words were spoken.

The next day was Christmas. The streets of Trimount came alive as people went out to enjoy the holiday. Felix wore the gifts he had received the day before—after all, they were the three little ones' favorites, and he didn't want to let them down.

They ran into Kristen and Saria, who were chatting at a café. The two groups exchanged friendly greetings, silently agreeing not to disturb each other's holiday plans. Kristen wasn't at all surprised to see Muelsyse and Felix together—after all, Felix had already taken Muelsyse on a vacation to Dossoles before.

Temporarily free from schoolwork and reading, Felix was ready to relax and enjoy the holiday. The year 1090 was drawing near, and with it, the end of version 1.0. He would have to start planning for the future soon… but at least the first half of next year was already settled. He planned to return to Victoria once in the first half, and visit Ursus in the second. The bear players there had been crying and waiting for him for quite some time. Felix felt a little guilty—after all, he had originally planned to visit Ursus just to buy some gear, but somehow ended up wandering all the way to Kazdel.

Version 2.0—the civilized city is coming.