Chapter 16
NPC of Mirabilis (2)
The shadow that had rushed right up to my face froze me for only a moment. I rubbed my slightly hunched neck and looked at the figure before me.
A broad-shouldered man in worn clothes, the kind that clearly screamed “I’m an adventurer.” Each time he wrinkled his nose, deep lines formed around it, clearly showing his age and experience.
He sat with one leg bent, perched on the window frame, tapping the glass with his fingers. The gesture felt strangely relaxed, yet alien at the same time.
“…Why not just come inside instead of clinging there? And….”
This guy also shows up like this when I summon him from other floors in the game.
Even then… did he appear like this?
I nearly let a confused expression slip, but quickly pulled myself together.
That didn’t matter.
A world where giant centipedes crawl at night and ferrets speak. A middle-aged man who prefers hanging on windows could exist too.
Accept it.
I slowly composed myself and recalled both the original script and the identity of the being before me—Vermin.
Vermin is a character who serves as both a <shop> and a <hint provider>. If you tap the leftmost window in any room, you can summon him instantly.
What he usually trades are items classified as in-game goods.
Or hints that can solve situations.
In exchange… usually mental stamina. And if that’s insufficient or too valuable, food items like dried meat. Or anything else he demands.
“…But.”
Things were different now than when I was just playing the game.
The freedom level was higher.
That’s why I called him.
To see if I could obtain a hint that would help solve the current situation.
With that thought, I recited the scripted line.
“Nice to meet you, Vermin. I heard this is how I can summon you.”
At that, the middle-aged man raised an eyebrow. His narrowed eyes curved slightly, and a smile formed on his wrinkled face.
Tap-tap.
He tapped the window frame again with three fingers and said:
“If you pay the price, we can trade.”
NPC-like words.
I asked:
“What can I trade for?”
“Anything. If you can pay the price. Apples, people, memories, time… the bones of long-dried sacrificial offerings, the tongue of a demon aged 666 years, or even a 777-year-old ‘fragment.’”
The list was not normal. I seriously doubted whether these had any kind of KC certification.
I kept my mouth shut.
A choice appeared.
▷ Trade
▷ Next time! (If no trade, 출장 fee applies!)
“출장 fee” (call-out fee).
It meant -1 mental stamina. But I had called Vermin specifically to trade.
Then here—
▶ Trade.
“Good. What do you need?”
From here, things became uncertain. I didn’t know if it would work.
But I spoke anyway.
“…I want to deal with the monster in <Mobili’s Room> without external help. Preferably in an easier way.”
At that, Vermin raised his eyebrows slightly. He tilted his head and stroked his chin with thick fingers.
The wrinkles on his face deepened and relaxed repeatedly as he spoke.
“That should already be doable alone, shouldn’t it?”
Not wrong.
Originally, the “Dollmaker Spider” was something David handles alone.
But my physical ability didn’t match this world’s difficulty. Even with this “fine” body, all I could really do was run.
In other words, I was trash-tier and needed an easier path.
“And there’s also a possibility that what tried to kill me wasn’t Deus.”
I might have been killed by the spider’s legs instead.
If so, an easy-mode route was absolutely necessary.
If the difficulty was high enough that I could be instantly taken down, I wouldn’t be able to handle it now or later.
“I lack skill, and there are too many obstacles in front of me. Could you remove some of them?”
“You want an easier path, is that it?”
I nodded silently.
Vermin’s eyes narrowed. He stopped moving.
Because of his slightly raised chin, I felt an odd pressure, as if I were being pressed down.
Strange.
He wasn’t moving, yet it felt like he was scanning me.
I swallowed dryly, throat tightening with tension.
At that moment—
Grin.
Vermin’s mouth stretched into a smile.
“The price?”
…Finally!
I immediately rummaged through my bag and pulled out <Chef Poco’s Ratatouille>, offering it politely.
Vermin’s eyes flashed briefly.
“That’s the Bear Chef’s work.”
“…?”
“I didn’t expect you to offer something this good.”
A voice I had never seen in the script.
I stiffened.
But I understood.
In the original game, David makes food using help from Poco.
But now…
Poco thinks my cooking looks like crap and makes it himself.
Of course the food I had now was higher quality than in-game food.
The master cooks better than the apprentice.
So there was room to negotiate.
Noticing Vermin reaching for the food, I pulled it back and said:
“…Tell me the method. And I’ll add a service.”
“A service?”
“You expect me to just sell this at base price?”
Vermin looked briefly flustered.
He seemed surprised by my sudden bargaining behavior.
But I didn’t care.
Before he could respond, I fed a piece of tomato from the ratatouille to Pe, the creature sitting above my head.
The quick-witted “Professor Ferret Einstein Napoleon Philadelphia Parade the First” sniffed it carefully.
Knnnnff… sniff sniff sniff.
“…So fresh… really, this is amazing…”
Its black eyes sparkled.
Then—
Crunch.
It began eating.
Chomp.
Chomp chomp.
Crunch crunch crunch crunch—
And finally… gulp.
It finished the piece cleanly.
Its eyes filled with emotion.
It looked like it might start dancing a conga line of praise at any moment.
The exaggerated marketing effect of a capitalist modern human using an animal model hit hard.
Vermin swallowed.
“Very well. I’ll try.”
“Not try. Tell me.”
“…Hmmm.”
“And for reference, I also have apple pie and fish steak from the same chef…”
“Fine, I’ll tell you.”
Deal closed.
We high-fived, and he let out a hollow laugh, brushing his wrinkled lips.
“An easy method… let me think. First, what items do you currently have?”
I listed them.
After listening, Vermin lowered his head and whispered the solution into my ear.
Then he placed two items in my hands:
A rare item: <David’s Doll>
And <Abandoned Holy Water>
I widened my eyes.
“Since it’s our first deal. I hope you’ll come again.”
My chest tingled.
Even in this harsh world of Mirabilis, there was such a thing as human warmth.
Overcome with emotion, I said:
“Can I have one more holy water…?”
“Get lost.”
What a stingy man.
Still, I was grateful, so I bowed repeatedly and handed over the ratatouille.
Then, just as I turned to leave—
Grab.
My movement was stopped.
Vermin’s large hand grabbed my arm. Even David’s sturdy body couldn’t break free.
This wasn’t in the script.
Before I could react, his face came closer.
“…!”
Deep wrinkles.
Rough skin.
Unwavering eyes.
And something in them—
Something that felt… broken.
Unfamiliar motion.
Then—
Clink.
Something fell to the ground.
My eyes widened.
‘W-what is that?’
It looked like a fragment of shattered glass.
<Item: <■■■’s ■■ Fragment>>
Description: Fragment of an unknown existence.
Unidentifiable object.
‘…Was there such an easter egg?’
Wasn’t this usually a hidden ending item?
There wasn’t a route like this.
As I stared in confusion, Vermin tapped the mirror with his fingers.
Then he smiled.
“Your friend inside the mirror sends you a second gift.”
“…What?”
Mirror friend?
One person came to mind.
But…
‘That guy giving me a gift?’
That was unheard of.
And a second one?
Then what was the first?
Before I could speak, Vermin stopped me with a gesture.
He patted my shoulder twice.
“The price was paid by that friend. See you next time.”
And then—
Whoosh.
He leapt out the window and disappeared.
Confused and full of questions, I didn’t summon Vermin again.
He didn’t seem willing to answer more anyway. And if the mirror friend really was who I suspected, I would likely meet him soon.
So I retraced the route I had taken with Deus before I died at the hands of the Dollmaker Spider.
Honestly, it was a bit scary with fewer people, but the empty space was filled by… someone else.
“Building! Very big! So cool so cool!”
…this guy.
Pe the ferret filled the silence perfectly.
‘So he was holding back earlier because of Deus.’
Anyway, still cute.
Before entering the room where the semi-boss fight would begin, I took a deep breath and looked around.
Deus… wasn’t here.
Good.
I checked my status.
“Holy water in one hand, David’s doll in the other. Pe above my head. Bag secured. Save completed before entry. Perfect.”
I can do this.
I can do this.
I can do it.
I firmly gripped both items.
Then slowly opened the door.
Once again—
Ding!
Tick-tick-tick-tick
Time limit: 10:00
tick-tick-tick-tick
Time limit: 09:59…
