Part 1NPC and Final Boss

When the horror game descended upon our world, my boyfriend awakened as the ultimate Boss.

But me? I was stuck as the lowest-tier NPC.

It happened again while I was complaining and demanding he spend his hard-earned points on expensive fresh fruit.

That was when I saw the chat feed.

【He is so dramatic and annoying. Literally does nothing all day but stuff his face.】

【The Boss is fighting for his life out there against those psycho players. He is exhausted, and yet every single point he makes goes straight into this useless NPC's mouth. Have some shame.】

【Exactly. The top healer on the leaderboard is coming to this instance soon. He and the Boss are the ones meant to end this world together. Useless NPC, just drop dead.】

I stared at the ridiculously priced fruit on the screen, my heart hammering against my ribs.

Beside me, Ross turned to look at me while washing blood off his hands.

"What's wrong? Pick whatever you want, babe. We have plenty of points."

Terrified, I slapped the interface shut, my voice trembling.

"I don't... I don't want to eat anything anymore."

* * *

Ross straightened up, shaking the bloody water from his hands.

It had been three years since the apocalypse, three years since the horror game descended upon our reality.

He had become the ultimate Boss of this sector. In the entire Northern Sector, there wasn't a single player who didn't fear him.

Yet, right now, he tilted his head at me, his dark eyes filled with nothing but confusion.

"What's wrong, babe? Weren't you begging for strawberries last night?"

He walked over, pressing the back of his hand to my forehead.

"You don't have a fever."

I instinctively flinched away.

The cuts on his hands were still seeping blood. I had slowly grown accustomed to him returning from every instance covered in wounds.

But now, the chat feed told me the truth. Those points were bought with his life, and I was using them to buy fresh fruit. How shameless of me.

"I really don't want to eat anything," I murmured, keeping my head down.

Ross narrowed his eyes, his crimson-tinted gaze locking onto me for several tense seconds.

"Fine. If you don't want it, you don't want it."

He didn't press further, turning his attention back to wrapping his wounds.

"So, what do you want to do instead? Want to go for a walk? I'll go with you."

I shook my head.

"I want to be alone for a bit."

Ross's movements faltered. Then, he sat on the edge of the bed and patted the space beside him.

"Come here. Sit."

I didn't move.

He just watched me, patient, never rushing.

After a long silence, I dragged my feet and slowly shuffled over. He reached out, pulling my shoulder into his chest.

"What's the fun in sitting alone? I'm here. But Jesse, you're acting weird today."

I buried my face in his chest, staying quiet.

Ross let the matter drop. He just held me close, resting his chin on my head, one hand gently tracing slow, rhythmic circles on my back, like he was soothing a frightened child.

The chat feed drifted past again.

【Why did the little NPC stop whining? Did he suddenly find a conscience?】

【Please, him? Conscience? Pigs will fly first.】

【But seriously, Ross is so good to him. It actually hurts to watch.】

【What's the point of being good to him? He's not the main character. He's bound to get written out sooner or later.】

I closed my eyes, refusing to look at the words.