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

"Erika," I began, my tone careful. "Are you… all right?"

Her gaze met mine, and for a moment, I sensed something otherworldly. A presence, faint but undeniable, lingered around her—a thread of connection that felt both familiar and distant, like an echo of my father's essence.

And the reek scent of death and despair.

"I'm fine," Erika replied, her voice steady. "More than fine, actually. Serving Narcissus is the greatest honor I could ever have."

Her words carried an intensity that made me believe her, though a part of me couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to her story.

She was, overall, really scary…

After having enough engagement in the storeroom, we departed to the next one.

The mansion's place of knowledge and wisdom.

The library.

The grand space was vast as its walls lined with shelves that seemed to stretch endlessly.

Bastioneers named Callista and Lydia were seated at a large table, poring over ancient tomes and magical manuscripts.

Callista glanced up first as we approached, her sharp hazel eyes gleaming with amusement. Wearing a similar outfit like the one the trio fighters wore, her bronzed skin seemed to glow in the warm light of the room, and her brown ponytail swayed as she leaned back in her chair.

"Well, well," she drawled, a playful smirk spreading across her lips. "The young master graces us with her presence."

"Callista," Lydia admonished gently, though her gray eyes carried a flicker of amusement as well. Her long black hair framed her elegant features, and her posture remained poised and regal. Not to mention, her apparel was much more formal and covered. "Be polite."

"I am polite," Callista replied, gesturing toward me. "See? I even called her 'young master.'"

"Thank you?" I said, unsure how to respond.

Lydia rose gracefully, offering a slight bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Charis. Name's Lydia, and this buffoon here is Callista. Don't mind her antics, your presence here is a symbol of joy and hope for us who followed your sole parent."

"My father!" I corrected

"Yes, your father," Lydia corrected herself as her smile widened.

"Likewise. It's an honor to meet you both," I replied, matching her formality. "I hope to learn from your wisdom as well."

Callista chuckled. "Oh, you're going to fit in just fine."

Unlike Erika and Sera who were tasked with an objective, Lydia and Callista were sent here to hone their own knowledge and let themselves get familiarized with all sorts of arcane connections that were scattered all around this library.

In Lupina's words, their mind and souls were being nurtured, since they need to possess some sense of connection with psychic influence for them to be able to act and plan in different dimensions than anyone else.

Of course, something that my father appeared to have mastered and were now teaching them two through the Scripts on how to achieve it.

"This is fun," I nonchalantly uttered, feeling myself loose and trustful of these two companions that my father gave to me.

Our final stop for the bastioneers was the armory, a cavernous space filled with weapons and armor of every critical shape and size. Naosi was there inspecting a gleaming sword that seemed to shift through dimensions depending from which angle you look at it—her silver hair catching the otherworldly prismatic light as she turned it over in her hands.

"Naosi," Verina called out, her voice breaking the stillness. "How focused are you to not notice us sneaking this close?"

Naosi's yellow eyes lifted from the blade, narrowing slightly before softening as she spotted us. With an almost sheepish grin, she set the sword aside on a velvet-lined stand and stepped forward. "Ah, the young master," she said warmly, giving me a slight bow. "Welcome! I'm Naosi. Pleased to meet you!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you too," I replied, mirroring her gesture. "This mansion's armory is… breathtaking."

Naosi's grin widened, her pride unmistakable. "It's more than breathtaking," she said, gesturing to the room around her. "Each of these has a history, a purpose." She then leaned closer to my ear. "Madam Kuzunoha's collection isn't just a random assortment of weapons. They are art pieces of civilizations, dimensions, and philosophies, all forged into steel, bone, and many more."

Oh! Oh! This is interesting!

Her passion was palpable, and I couldn't help but be drawn in immediately. "Can you tell me about some of them?" I asked, my curiosity piqued to the max.

Naosi's eyes sparkled at my request, and she beckoned me over to the stand where the dimensional blade rested. "This, for example," she began, lifting the sword with care, "Is called the Infinity Shard Blade in our language. It was forged in a dying dimension by a smith who infused the collapsing essence of their world into the metal. That's why it appears different depending on how you look at it—it's literally reflecting fragments of its origin dimension."

She handed the blade to me carefully, and I felt its weight—or rather, the lack of it. Despite its size and appearance, it felt as light as air, almost as if it weren't entirely bound to this reality.

"It's beautiful," I said softly, marveling at the way the blade seemed to shimmer in my hands.

Just imagining myself wielding this kind of weapon to protect my father from threats made me feel giddy about going to Carcosa and fighting these so-called Calamity Objects!

"It's also temperamental," Naosi warned, her tone playful. "It doesn't take well to be mishandled. According to its record, the last person who tried to wield it without understanding its essence was… well, let's just say they were scattered across three different planes of existence."

I hastily returned the blade to its stand, earning a laugh from Naosi, Verina, and Lupina.

Through Lupina's equally eager request, Naosi also gave us a good tour about this place and some notable parts of the weaponry and its content.

Unlike the artifacts in the storeroom of the mansion, Kuzunoha forbade us from taking a single piece of her collection in her weaponry, so Naosi was here to learn and examine these ridiculously eccentric treasures to enhance her blacksmithing knowledge to a different level.

"Looks like all of the Vivianes are gathered in the same room," Verina notified us. She seemed to receive that information through telepathy. "If you feel overwhelmed, just raise both of your arms, and we will scoop you out of the scene."

"I appreciate the gesture," I smiled, but worried about the words of expression that she used.

Before we knew it, we arrived at my last stop for an introduction.

"Talk about the final boss," Lupina jested.

Walking into the grand chamber where the eleven Vivianes awaited was like stepping into a vibrant dreamscape. This was thanks to their fae constitution as water nymphs, and their method of regulating their unique vessel from flooding the mansion with water, by transforming them into pure energy.

The gentle and refreshing kind.

The air shimmered faintly with a warm bluish hue, casting a soft glow on the figures gathered there like they were amidst an important meeting. Despite their shared orange-sunset hair and vivid orange eyes, each Viviane exuded a distinct aura, making it easy to differentiate them after only a few moments of observation.

The first Viviane I met greeted me with an air of professionalism. Her posture was rigid and upright, her hands clasped neatly in front of her. "Charis," she said with a respectful bow, her voice calm and measured. "It's an honor to finally meet you. My name is Viviane—well, as are all of us, of course. If you ever require guidance, you need only ask."

"Thank you," I replied, matching her composed demeanor. "I'll keep that in mind."

As she stepped back, another Viviane surged forward, her bright eyes sparkling with mischief.

Her movements were animated, her grin wide and unapologetically cheerful. "I'm also Viviane, but you can call me Vivi if you want! Oh, you're even cuter than I imagined!" she exclaimed, circling me like an excited puppy.

"Viviane from reality seven," the professional one muttered, her voice tinged with exasperation. "Please refrain from overwhelming her."

"What? I'm just telling the truth!" Vivi retorted, throwing up her hands in mock indignation. "Charis, you can come to me for anything fun. You know, when these stuffy versions of me are too boring."

I noticed that some of them preferred to watch from afar. It seemed like they were not as keen to involve themselves with the matter concerning the original Viviane, the one that my father met first in her Carcosa—or so what Verina and Lupina said.

Another Viviane sighed audibly, stepping forward with a graceful poise that reminded me of my father. Her hair was tied into a loose braid, her orange eyes serene as she offered a gentle smile. "Don't mind her, Charis. She's always like this. Oh, and my name is Viviane as well."

Yeah, I know, all of you are Vivianes.

"She's the babysitter," Vivi interjected with a cheeky grin, earning a pointed glare from the braided Viviane.

Another Viviane then approached me. Unlike everyone, she looked as young as me, but her demeanor was much more mature than the implied childish appearance.

"Guess my name," she said with a mischievous smug.

"You're Viviane too, right?" I answered.

"Wrong," she mockingly sneered. "I'm Veronica."

How would I even know!??

The other Viviane then explained that Veronica was technically still Viviane. She was just on a different eccentric level than the rest.

As I continued meeting each of them, it became clear that the Vivianes shared the same foundational qualities but expressed them in unique ways.

One was quiet and reflective, her voice sounded like a soft murmur yet clearer than the most pristine of lakes. "To think that the younger generation managed to get an offspring before us."

Another was sharp and analytical. "If you're anything like that young fairy, you'll want to learn quickly. She doesn't coddle incompetence, but she rewards initiative!"

A particularly playful yet tomboyish Viviane leaned close, her grin conspiratorial. "Don't let the other version of me fool you. They're just stuck-up busybodies~"

In conclusion,

They were a lot of work.

The original Viviane, however, was different. She pulled me aside, her orange eyes sharp but kind.

"Charis," she began, her voice gentle but firm. "I need to ask you something."

I nodded, bracing myself. "Of course."

"Do you understand your origin? Your mother? Your purpose?"

I answered her questions calmly, recounting what my father had told me. Her expression softened, and she nodded approvingly.

There was this soft and reliable gentleness that this Viviane exuded. Despite her harsh demeanor and frowns, she showcased the most care out of everyone I met outside of my own father,

"You're a kind flower bud," she said, a faint smile gracing her lips. "Pure and unspoiled by the rest of nature. But… be careful."

"Careful?" I echoed, tilting my head.

"Don't let Narcissus's darker tendencies influence you too much," she warned. "She's honest and principled, yes, but also manipulative and relentless when she needs to be."

"... I'll take note of it."

Her words lingered in my mind as we finished our conversation.

But most of those worries were washed up by exhaustion—I guess it was a little bit too much for this young body of mine, especially since it was the first day I woke up.

Even though it was only a brief moment, I have already missed being with my father by a large distance…

As we walked back through the halls, I turned to Verina. "Verina, where is my father currently?"