NPC Code: Red Riding Hood

The cave had an interior design, like the shacks I saw inside other kingdoms. However, the furniture that the elves used did not include cotton, leather, or any materials that people normally used for decor. Instead, they took the logs and plants found outside of this cavern.

Those elves were a resourceful bunch, which made my lips curved upward a little.

I did not mind sitting on a wooden platform or sleeping on a rag. From where I came from, Himari and I had it worse. But of course, I did not let my little sister experience all of those hardships.

All of us proceeded to the other entrance as the dark elf girl led us somewhere in the middle. She told us to catch up, since that girl elf knew these humans were my comrades. Well, some of them, while there was one long-eared elf that tried killing me.

Elina, Eve, Ryoshi, and I sat on the make-shift couch made of stacked leaves with vines wrapping around. All of us gathered around the table, hoping to learn everything that had happened when I left them alone.

Ryoshi was the first to tell their tale.

"After setting off, just like Robin wanted, all three of us ran into the woods! Some soldiers attacked us as soon as we reached this big-looking tree. And then, Elina and I tried fighting them, but we lost. So we dragged Eve away from the battle and tried shaking them off."

That best friend of mine inhaled all the air inside his lungs and continued his sentence. "I thought we were all goners! But an arrow flings at the air, hitting the soldiers! Those arrows were faster than those bullets! Can't you believe that, Oka-... I meant, Wolf."

Ryoshi had been gasping for air for some time now, since he never dared shut his mouth. After finally ending his speech, everyone present in the scene wanted to use their chance to explain what happened to them.

I nudged his face to the side and leaned my head in front of the two girls, Elina and Eve. These two were the only survivors from Nirvana. One of them was a human, while the other was an elf.

"How about you, Elina, Eve? I know I'm not the right person you should trust right now. But believe me, I meant no harm to the elves or your people. I did not kill La Finta… Red killed her. But to your grandmother's explanation, Red did it for a reason. She was grateful to Red as soon as she knew about something."

I tried explaining myself to Elina. The two of us were not on good terms, but I still hoped she could listen to what I had to say. Although it was burdensome to believe the killer, I wanted to patch things up.

Elina rubbed her hand on her inclined shoulder as she averted her eyes from my gaze. She still felt uneasy whenever I was talking to her. Well, I cannot blame that elf for her emotions, since she witnessed everything in front of her eyes.

However, before I could even change the subject, Elina made a sudden jerk that captured my attention.

"I'm sorry that I did that… I had no choice but to defend myself."

I did not expect that there would come a time I would apologise to an NPC. These non-player characters had genuine emotions, unlike the humans back in my world. However, some NPCs acted like douchebags, but these people I met had unique minds.

"It's okay… But can I ask you a question?" Elina asked, with her eyes still staring into mine.

I gave her a nod and allowed Elina to speak her mind. After taking a deep breath, she clenched her hands and explained her side.

"My grandmother was always there for me. For hundreds of years, we lived inside Nirvana and experienced nothing like this. However, when you killed her, grandmother had a smile on her face. She believed in you about something I can't comprehend… I have to believe in you too… Even though I hate to accept it."

Elina cried a teardrop and continued, "Tell me, Wolf… Fenrir. What did you see from Red that made her this delightful? My grandmother hid nothing from me..., except now. I don't know why, but I feel like that piece of detail is an important piece for me."

Silence filled the room as I listened to every word Elina told me. That elf had been holding all her emotions inside, forcing her to burst into tears. However, Elina placed a dam to obstruct those feelings, compressing them so nobody could use them against her.

I wanted to tell Elina everything. I wished to explain to her she was living the life that the game developers created. Everything she felt and saw was all the scripts and codes from the game. These people that she believed alive were all fake people.

None of this was real… And yet, I cannot bring myself to tell Elina that.

How could I when Elina was this fragile? She was not the elf that I fought when we were inside Nirvana. That elf girl was as strong as a bear, fighting against the mighty wolf…

However, when this world took everything from her, including Elina's grandmother, that elf became unstable. She did not know where to place her hatred. At one point, Elina believed I was the person she needed to take her revenge. There were other times she thought Red was the culprit.

I cleared my throat and steeled my heart as I prepared to tell everything to her. Elina and the rest of the creatures, including the elves that saved us, should know at least this much information. But I planned on telling the dark elves this information soon.

"Everyone… Everything you see in this world is a game. A game that the humans from my side created. They created you, Elina, Eve. The game developers sent out hordes of monsters, events, and more lands in Code, which we players call updates… La Finta might have known this information form before, since this world became an all-out war with players against NPCs… like you."

"Impossible... " Elina reacted. "Then, what's the relationship between my grandmother saving you and Red?"

"Your grandmother knew about this world as a game. But because of the restrictions that Code placed on her body, she could not disclose this information to the Mainland. And since Nirvana was a secretive place far from the popular kingdom, Elina had no choice but to remain discrete with her goals, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Now that Red knows how to complete the game, she plans to free everyone… and make all NPCs human on Earth."

I didn't tell them about Red planning to kill all game developers that created Code. If they knew this scheme, the thought of these creatures and side to that goal would really mean a war against two factions.

I did not want to cause that destruction, so I played it safe and low.

"So you're saying that this girl named Red knows how to complete the game?" The dark elf girl that saved us from before cut off our conversation. "Sorry for the intrusions, but I can't help myself listening to this… meeting you're having. My name is Kouran. The dark elf with short ears, unlike Elina here who has long and pointed ears."

Kouran pointed her forefinger to Elina and curled it. A smirk emerged from her lips as she finished twirling her fingertips directed at the long-eared elf. Despite her grinning mouth, Kouran had a stern look carved on her face as the dark elf girl glared at us with steady eyes.

This dark elf girl wore a tight armour made of leaves thicker than any rare metals sold from the Mainland. Kouran's round chest gave off an elegant feeling but remained steady and intact to her body during fights. I found a short dagger sheathed in her scabbard, with her hands always ready to grab the handle in a case for a fight.

"I thought you would let us talk in peace and catch up? And how long have you been listening there exactly?" I asked.

"Longer than you could imagine."

I could only assume that Kouran heard everything I explained to this group surrounding me. Although I planned on explaining everything to them soon, I guessed now was the perfect time to disclose these details.

"Is this true that these game developers that we consider as gods create all of us?" Kouran asked, as she crossed her shoulders.

I gave Kouran a nod and confirmed her doubts in her mind. She clicked her tongue and approached me, with her eyes still glaring into mine.

"So, what are we waiting for? Let's help Red and find out everything about her and the game! We should finish this and kill those game developers that made us suffer! They too should feel pain!"

This event was the thing that I became afraid of.