Mythos Of Narcissus: Reborn As An NPC In A Horror VRMMO

The lake had quieted, its surface shimmering in soft ripples that belied the chaos of moments prior. Viviane stood at its edge, shoulders tense and gaze distant, her exhaustion both physical and emotional, albeit not the worst one I've seen.

She could probably go more for a couple of rounds fighting Verina and eventually won through battle of attrition. But it seemed like she had no intention to deal with us for a prolonged period of time.

Verina, triumphant but composed, kept a wary eye on the nymph, while Kuzunoha, ever the spectating provocateur, lounged atop her conjured platform with an amused smile.

And me? I was still dripping wet, my pride slightly bruised but otherwise intact, and determined to salvage what remained of this negotiation.

I stepped forward, the wet earth squelching under the boots that I had procured back from the riverbed. "Lady Viviane," I began, my tone softer now, "I owe you an apology. A proper one."

Viviane's orange gaze flicked toward me, wary and unimpressed. "Apology? For what, exactly? The intrusion? The battle? Or your insufferable persistence?"

"Yes," I said simply, spreading my hands in a gesture of surrender. "For all of it. From the moment we arrived, I've disrupted your peace, disrespected your role, and brought chaos to your domain. None of this should have happened."

Viviane crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. "And yet, here you are, still trying to convince me to join your little bastion. Do you truly think an apology changes anything?"

I nodded. "It might not change the past, but it's the least I can offer for everything I've caused. I take full responsibility—for the intrusion, for the violence, and even for my earlier arrogance in thinking I could sway you with words alone."

Verina raised a peace-sign, her silence speaking volumes.

"And what would you have me do with your responsibility?" Viviane asked, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Should I write it down? Frame it on my riverbed?"

"Use it," I said earnestly, meeting her gaze. "Use me. Blame me for everything. If taking that burden makes it easier for you to even consider my proposal, then so be it."

Kuzunoha's smirk widened, her scarlet eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Oh, this is getting interesting," she murmured.

Viviane frowned, her lips pressing into a thin line. "You're absurd," she said, though there was a flicker of something else—confusion, perhaps?

Absurd or not, I wasn't done yet.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I was about to say next. "Lady Viviane," I began, "I know you're not just some random Lady of the Lake. It might be a role that can be acquired, and while I might be young and clueless, I can somewhat assume that the reason to be one of the Ladies of the Lake are different from one another, or to put it bluntly, came from a different source.

"You're tied to something bigger—a corporation, aren't you?"

Viviane froze, her eyes narrowing sharply. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me," I said, feigning more confidence than I felt. "You're part of the Excalibur Corporation. And if I'm right, your role as the Lady of the Lake is part of an ancient contract with them, isn't it?"

It was a rough guess but it didn't hurt for me to try and probe more information by mentioning the faction that Viviane was tied to.

Kuzunoha, who had been quietly sipping her dubious tea, suddenly leaned forward, her expression shifting into something far more serious. "Excalibur Corporation," she repeated, her tone laced with a peculiar mix of amusement and disdain. "Now there's a name I haven't heard in a very, very long time."

Viviane's gaze snapped to Kuzunoha, suspicion flaring in her eyes. "And how would 'you' know about them?"

Viviane was probably curious why I knew of the name, but she was probably even more devastated for a non-fae to know of the Excalibur Corporation.

Kuzunoha chuckled, setting her teacup aside. "Oh, darling, I've been around longer than you think. Let's just say I'm familiar with their… operations." She then proceeded to louden her tone to make sure that I heard them. "Viciously bureaucratic, unimpressively stagnant, endlessly tedious, and direly oppressive.

"It's no wonder your role as the Lady of the Lake hasn't changed in millennia."

Viviane's jaw tightened, her frustration evident. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, but I do," Kuzunoha replied smoothly, her tone dripping with condescension. "Let me guess: your contract binds you to this lake more than the average Lady of the Lake, to this duty, with no room for deviation or growth. You're a cog in their ancient machine, aren't you?"

The nymph's silence spoke volumes, albeit her expression felt less hostile and exasperated than before.

As if she was glad that someone pointed it out.

Considering that none of the points Kuzunoha made about the Excalibur Corporation received any kind of rebuttal, it was safe to assume that the contract Viviane took had prevented her from disclosing any detail of Excalibur Corporation and the clauses that she had agreed to.

Kuzunoha turned to me, her smirk softening into something almost genuine. "Narcissus, my love, this is your chance. You've seen how tightly this Lady of the Lake is bound by this corporate nonsense. Offer her something nobody can't—a loophole~"

A loophole.

The idea sparked in my mind like a struck match.

I turned to Viviane, who was now glaring at Kuzunoha with a mixture of anger and unease. "Viviane," I said gently, "I'm not asking you to break your contract. I wouldn't dare. But what if there was a way for you to join me without violating it?"

Her eyes narrowed. "And what way would that be?"

I hesitated for only a moment before dropping to one knee, the wet ground soaking through my pants.

"You said your duty is to remain at this lake," I said, my voice steady despite the absurdity of what I was about to suggest. "But what if you were forced to leave? What if you were kidnapped—taken against your will? That wouldn't be a breach of your contract, would it?"

Viviane stared at me, her expression a mixture of disbelief and incredulity. "Are you seriously proposing that I pretend to be kidnapped?"

"Yes," I said without hesitation.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then Kuzunoha burst out laughing, her amusement echoing across the lake. Even Verina, who rarely displayed emotion, let out a faint snort of disbelief.

Viviane, however, looked anything but amused. Her face turned a deep shade of red, whether from anger, embarrassment, or both, I couldn't tell.

"You're unbelievable," she muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

"And yet," Kuzunoha interjected, her tone light and teasing, "It's not a bad idea. If nothing else, it's simple and creative."

Viviane shot her a glare before turning back to me. "You're serious about this?"

"As serious as I've ever been," I replied, meeting her gaze with unwavering determination. "Viviane, you've been stuck here for centuries, and perhaps millenia under the same environment, haven't you? Bound to this lake, fulfilling the same role over and over again. Don't you want something more? Something different?

"I might not be the best person to give an honest thought, nor was I trying my best to follow any moral principle. But I know my limitations and the mistakes that were pointed out to me, giving me a foundation to become a better person.

"And in this case, I just honestly want to break you free from your ennui."

Her lips parted as if to argue, but no words came out.

"I can't promise it will be easy," I continued, "But I can promise it will be worth it. You don't have to abandon your duty—you can fulfill it in ways you've never imagined. And I'll take full responsibility for anything that goes wrong."

Viviane looked at me for a long moment, her orange eyes searching mine as though trying to discern the truth behind my words.

Then, with a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes and muttered, "I must be out of my mind."

When she opened her eyes again, her cheeks were tinged with the faintest hint of color. "Fine," she said reluctantly. "You win, Narcissus. I'll… accompany you. No, you have bested me and taken claim of my authority, forcing me out of my post and lambasting my duty, just for you to have me by your side...

"But don't think for a second that this means I trust you."

I grinned, rising to my feet. "Fair enough. I'll earn that trust, one way or another."

Viviane sighed again, her shoulders slumping as though she had just agreed to the most exhausting endeavor of her life. "You're insufferable."

"And yet, here we are," I replied cheerfully.

Verina and Kuzunoha exchanged glances, their amusement barely concealed.

"Well," Verina said, her tone deadpan as usual, "This should be interesting."

Kuzunoha smirked. "Oh, it will be. I guarantee it."

As Viviane reluctantly stepped closer, I couldn't help but feel a surge of triumph. It wasn't a victory in the traditional sense, but it was progress.

And in Carcosa, progress was always worth celebrating.