Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

Felix felt a chill creeping up his back.

Mostima wore her usual gentle smile. When Felix's searching gaze fell on her, she simply returned it, lips curving wider.

"Are we really going to have this talk here on the roadside?"

"Whatever you decide, Pioneer," Lappland replied.

She clicked her tongue, not at Felix, but at a certain old man sipping coffee leisurely back in his office—the head of the Saluzzo family. "A reunion should have been something meaningful, but it always ends up tainted with that disgusting aftertaste."

Felix noticed a few Saluzzo enforcers appear at the street corner. They bowed politely before quickly slipping away.

"Surveillance?" he asked.

"On the contrary," Lappland snorted, shooting a glance at the distant figures who looked ready to report back at any moment. "That old man's way of showing goodwill."

"Pioneer, shall we walk?"

"You really are in a complicated spot."

"'Family'… I couldn't care less about that nonsense," Lappland said flatly, propping her head against her hand.

If Alberto had heard his daughter speak such heresy, his veins would have burst on the spot. But to the others present, her words didn't sound strange at all. Felix himself, as a player, had never been interested in factions with little future or meager rewards—like the so-called "families."

Beside him, Cellinia stayed silent, walking shoulder to shoulder with him.

"How have you been lately?" Felix asked.

"Ha. The old man mutters day and night about self-preservation and making quiet money. Clearly, he's caught some kind of scent… probably from Madam Sicily." Lappland didn't hesitate to throw her father under the carriage. She turned slightly. "The families that once competed with Saluzzo are either gone or scattered. No one could endure such humiliation and ruin, only to keep fighting for a shattered house."

"And Alberto has no intention of dealing with them?"

"None. He's scared too. Madam Sicily isn't someone you cross. Step over the line, and even if the Saluzzo family is one of the Twelve, they'll be struck off."

Lappland leaned lazily against the railing, her silver hair flowing in the breeze. "What about you, Pioneer? And this beautiful sister here—she must be your girlfriend?"

"My name's Mostima. A pleasure to meet you."

Standing at Felix's side, she deliberately leaned closer against him, still smiling.

"Lappland," the wolf introduced herself.

"I'm… Cellinia." The girl's lips parted hesitantly.

"Glad to meet you both," Mostima said smoothly.

She had carried out countless missions with Andoain's squad and was skilled at reading people through their gestures and tone. From the conversation so far, she concluded Lappland and Felix were just friends, nothing more. As for Cellenina—Mostima couldn't quite read her heart.

After names were exchanged, Felix shifted the subject to their current destination.

"Lungmen?" Lappland repeated the name, testing the word on her tongue. "That's in Yan, isn't it?"

Cellinia's lupine ears twitched slightly.

"Yeah. We'll be staying in Lungmen for a while. After that… the plans are uncertain."

"I see."

Lappland tapped idly against the railing, her boredom plain. "Cellinia's leaving soon too. If I keep rotting here, I'll stink."

Felix glanced at Cellinia. She gave a small nod. "Mm. I'll be leaving Siracusa before the year's end. Back to Columbia."

"…"

The Texas family had once been firmly rooted in Siracusa, later expanding into Columbia to break new ground in both trade and influence. By now they were well-established there, though they still belonged to Siracusa in name, bound to make regular reports and send their "tributes" back to Grey Hall.

Cellinia Texas. Her family would shatter within the year, vanishing without a trace. She would wander the land alone, until the Emperor took her in and carried her to Lungmen—where her life at Penguin Logistics would begin.

That was in the past life. In this one, the Emperor had been dragged off by Felix to serve as a laborer. If Cellinia's path kept to its old course… she might not survive the Wastelands at all.

Next year, he would have to make a trip to Columbia. After all, in his previous life, the Cellinia who fought in a sleek combat suit, black stockings, and sneakers had been one of the wives he so fondly spoke of. But with the Emperor gone in this life, Felix would step in himself.

"My base of operations is partly in Columbia now. If you go home and find yourself without company—or just need someone to talk to—you can always come find me in Trimount."

Cellinia froze for a moment. Then she gave a small nod, murmuring a soft "Mm." One hand stayed clenched around the pistol at her waist, as though she couldn't quite let go.

Seeing that, Felix smiled. "As it happens, I'll be here for another day. I've got some materials with me—I can upgrade your Guardian a little."

"…Alright."

Carefully, almost reverently, Cellinia drew out the pistol and offered it to him with both hands.

Lappland, watching from the side, curled her lip. "Pioneer, you don't know how much she treasures that gun. Carries it every day, no exceptions. Practices with it like clockwork, then spends forever polishing it after. She practically worships the thing."

"Let's go."

Cellinia tugged at Lappland's sleeve, pulling her away before she could keep rambling.

At Felix's side, Mostima leaned close and blew lightly into his ear.

"Hey—what are you doing?" Felix flinched, a bead of cold sweat sliding down his back.

"Hehe. Come on, weren't you going to work on that pistol?"

The group returned to their new ride. Lappland circled the truck, whistling in surprise at the sight, while Cellinia followed Felix and Mostima inside, into the cramped little workshop.

The Guardian had been one of his early works. Back then, he could hardly craft anything beyond white- or yellow-tier gear. For the time, this pistol had been one of his better pieces—a gift he'd given Cellinia. Now, holding it again, he couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia.

"Pioneer… what are you planning to do next?"

With Lappland absent, Cellinia finally asked the question that had been sitting in her heart.

She wasn't a doll without emotions. That was simply her nature, leading others to mistake her for a cold and distant beauty. But she felt curiosity, anger, joy—her seven emotions and six desires were all there. She just expressed them in her own way.

Without Lappland's constant teasing, she could finally voice her thoughts.

"To build a force of my own. To do what I can in this land."

Felix picked up his tools and materials. The workshop was small, and three people made it cramped, so Mostima excused herself. Before stepping out, she gave Cellinia a smile, then glanced back at Felix.

"If you ever find yourself lost, or if life in Columbia feels too stifling, you can always come to me. My hand will always be there for you."

"…I'll think about it."

Cellinia's reply was cool and even. She rested her chin in her hands and quietly watched Felix work the forge.

Clang—clang—

The rhythmic hammer strikes filled the space. Sparks burst into the air like tiny fireworks against the night sky, and for a moment, Cellinia was entranced—watching not a craftsman, but an artist at work.

"I think I might have a job that suits you."

"…What?"

Cellinia, who had been staring blankly, blinked as Felix's words pulled her back.

"Transport and logistics. Ever heard of the profession of a courier or messenger? I used to be one myself—delivering messages across the mobile cities. To complete my missions, I traveled from city to city. Logistics is much the same, only instead of information, it's goods that are carried."

"Compared to one nation, isn't this land as a whole much bigger?"

Cellinia drew in a deep breath, her eyes shifting to his profile. After a long pause, she let out a quiet sigh. "Pioneer… are you recruiting me?"

"You could see it that way."

"…Why?" she pressed.

"When I travel across this land, I rarely make friends."

Felix gave a wry smile. "But the ones I do meet—the ones I share bonds with—they naturally hold a higher place in my heart."

"Cellinia, our relationship is stronger than you think. You can let yourself relax. Maybe we're not at the point of trusting each other enough to fight back-to-back, but at the very least… being ordinary friends isn't too much to ask, right?"

Friends… friends, huh?

In her years in Florence, Lappland had been her only real companion. In the cold, rigid Saluzzo family, Lappland was the one person who kept life from turning unbearably dull.

Strictly speaking, this was only her second time meeting the Pioneer. The first time, he had handed her the Guardian pistol. The second, he smiled and called her his friend.

That kind of bond… maybe it wasn't so bad.

It was just a pity—he was only passing through. A brief appearance in her life, not someone who would stay by her side.

And yet, he stopped and waited for her.

"Next year, when you return to Columbia, I'll visit properly. By then, my company should be taking shape. You'll be in for a surprise."

"…Is that so?"

Cellinia's lips curved into a faint smile. "Then I'll look forward to it."

"Oh, right… Pioneer, I still don't know your real name."

Her lips moved softly, her eyes blinking with a gentle curiosity. "We're friends, aren't we? And yet I don't even know your true name."

That was a mistake—a succubus's failure, he thought wryly. He prided himself on winning over NPCs with his charm, yet here he was, forgetting to tell one of his so-called wives from his past life even his name. The thought made Felix stumble for a moment before replying.

"Felix. Felix Shawn Lanshem."

"Felix..."

She repeated the name, tasting it carefully. After a moment, she smiled. "A beautiful name."

Right now, she still seemed like a high school girl… no, that wasn't quite right. She had already endured the trials of her family—first the Texas clan, and now the Saluzzo. Environments like those forced people to grow quickly, and Cellinia was without question more mature than others her age. But even so, this was her limit.

Her spirit still wasn't strong enough.

There were things she would have to experience for herself. That was unavoidable. Felix didn't know exactly how the Texas family had fallen, nor did he plan—or have the strength—to stop it. All he could do was be there for her: welcome her when she grew weary of her family, and stand at her side when she needed help.

He worked at the Guardian, hammering and reforging until its quality rose to blue tier. Then he placed it back into her hands. She turned it over carefully, studying the upgraded weapon before putting it away with deliberate care.

"I'll be going now."

"Mm."

"Brother Felix, are you leaving tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow."

Cellinia hesitated, then stopped in her tracks. "Then tonight might be the last time we see each other. It could be a year before we meet again."

"Yeah. But short farewells are for better reunions. Cellinia, I hope that when we meet again, we'll both be better versions of ourselves."

"…Mm."

Cellinia stepped closer. She leaned in and pulled his arm tightly against her body.

For a moment, Felix froze. What the hell—seventeen years old and already sneaking up on an old comrade like me?

"…Just a moment. Just for a moment."

Cellinia's voice was soft, almost timid. "I can't say the words of gratitude out loud… so this is the only way I can show it."

"The Guardian… it truly did protect me."

Her whisper brushed against his ear, carried with the faint warmth of her breath. "If, in the future… it could continue to protect me, that would be even better."

The Lupo girl's tail flicked lightly across his thigh. Her breathing was slow, gentle—like a small, affectionate creature curled against his ear, exhaling warmth.

The moment lingered for nearly five minutes before Cellinia finally seemed content. She let out a small, satisfied sigh and, as if nothing unusual had happened, gave Felix a nod of thanks.

"Thank you, Brother Felix… see you next year."

"Mm. See you next year, Cellinia."

The Lupo girl smiled faintly. But as she turned away, her face slipped back into its familiar calm, expressionless mask.