RPG Veteran Possesses Their Main Character

Lumiel quietly shook her head.

"...No?"

The food cart owner looked puzzled, then soon relieved.

"That's a relief."

He nodded with a deep sigh.

He really seemed relieved.

"It happens sometimes, you know. Poor new adventurers deceived by the village chief and coming to this gloomy place."

Lumiel's eyes sparkled slightly.

Oh, this NPC knows about that quest too.

The food cart owner slowly continued.

"That's why I set up this food cart here."

Lumiel's ears perked up at his words.

Does this NPC have his own story too?

"I wanted to provide food and a place to rest for the poor adventurers who get lost and find their way here."

He said this while looking around the interior of the food cart.

There was a strange affection in his gaze.

Perhaps he had put in his own effort for the adventurers who come here.

—However,

'...This is why newbies can't escape.'

Lumiel wanted to say that.

That because this food cart is considered a 'safe zone', dead newbies respawn here and keep getting beaten by monsters without being able to go anywhere.

That the NPC's good intentions had become a hopeless trap for newbies.

But—

Lumiel didn't say those words out loud.

It seemed too dismissive of the owner's sincerity.

-I wanted to provide a place to rest for poor adventurers who get lost and find their way here.

The sincerity felt in those words was too pure.

By the way, to think such a behind-the-scenes story was hidden.

Lumiel slowly looked around the interior of the food cart.

A space she had never paid attention to during her gaming days. A place she had passed by thinking, 'Why is there a food cart in a place like this?'

This place had its own meaning too.

It wasn't just a simple background, but a place with an NPC's story.

Lumiel nodded.

This food cart might be a small resting place for those lost wandering in the Ant Hole.

Of course, it would be hell for newbies.

The food cart owner looked at the empty dish Lumiel had finished and raised his eyebrow slightly.

"You left a lot."

Hearing those words, Lumiel looked again at the traces of her meal.

The dish was scattered with sauce stains spread here and there, and spilled lettuce and tomato pieces.

She hadn't actually left any.

She had just spilled it.

Because the hamburger was too big, eating with her small mouth meant half was caught by her fingers, and half was left on the table.

But, since she was already full and couldn't eat anymore, it wasn't wrong to say she had 'left' it.

So Lumiel quietly nodded.

The food cart owner laughed heartily and said:

"Still, you need to eat a lot to grow tall. Right?"

At that moment—

Lumiel's ahoge shot up sharply.

"..."

The food cart owner seemed to realize his mistake belatedly.

Lumiel's expression instantly stiffened.

With a creaking movement like a rusty machine, she nodded very, very slowly.

—She froze.

She was definitely upset.

The food cart owner's eyes widened.

He scratched his head, unable to hide his flustered look.

"Oh, oh? Are you upset?"

Lumiel resolutely—

Shook her head.

But her ahoge was still standing straight up.

Contrary to her denying gesture, the movement of her ahoge very accurately represented Lumiel's feelings.

The food cart owner cleared his throat with an awkward face.

"Ahem."

Then he carefully continued:

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease you."

Lumiel sat quietly without saying anything.

Her eyes half-closed, looking as if staring into space.

The food cart owner looked at her and smiled slightly awkwardly.

"I was just happy to see someone after so long."

Lumiel mulled over those words for a moment.

She shook her head once more.

The food cart owner forced a smile and spoke again.

"So please don't be upset anymore."

Lumiel still didn't say anything.

Then, for just a brief moment—

She opened her mouth.

"...I'm not upset."

A short answer.

However, Lumiel's ahoge was still slightly puffed up.

The food cart owner smiled slightly. It was the typical reaction of a kid when they're upset.

He didn't tease Lumiel anymore.

He just quietly smiled contentedly and turned his gaze back to the kitchen area.

○

As she stepped out of the food cart door with the owner's send-off, the damp air enveloped Lumiel once again.

Cold moisture brushed her skin, and the faint sound of dripping water could be heard.

The low breathing of monsters heard from afar seemed to emphasize the silence of the deep cave even more.

However—

To Lumiel, who had just spent time eating a hamburger under warm light, this darkness didn't feel very threatening.

She lightly patted her stomach.

As warm food filled her body, even her mood seemed to become relaxed.

With her stomach full, her next destination was already decided.

It was time to return to the village.

Before that, she had to get out of the Ant Hole.

Lumiel lightly stretched her body and carefully stepped on the damp floor as she moved forward.

Going back was easy.

Just retrace the path—

Huh?

Suddenly, Lumiel's footsteps stopped.

Something was strange.

She slowly turned her gaze to the floor.

The drop items had disappeared.

Lumiel blankly looked around.

Just before, when she came down here, she had swept away all the monsters. The drakes that had burst instantly due to the effect of her movement skill.

So naturally, items should have been scattered in their place.

But—

There was nothing.

Gold, junk items, even the common monster drop items that should have been strewn on the floor were nowhere to be seen.

'...Did they disappear because time passed?'

Lumiel pondered, fiddling with her hair.

Even in the game, there was a system where dropped items automatically disappeared after a certain time.

In her novice days, she had lost precious items a few times by going out to eat after hunting without picking them up.

Still, something felt off.

The time it took to get here was at most about 10 minutes.

It should take at least 30 minutes for items to disappear.

"..."

She sighed.

It didn't matter.

It wasn't particularly important anyway.

Lumiel already had an overflow of gold, and her inventory was full of necessary equipment and potions. So there was no need to worry about the disappeared drop items.

Lumiel lightly stretched her body.

Then she raised her fingertips and activated a skill.

[Holy Road]

Whoosh—!

The darkness of the Ant Hole was pushed back.

The unique damp air and dark walls of the underground dungeon quickly disappeared from her sight.

She moved quickly along the path, repeating the skill several times.

Passing through the silent Ant Hole, crossing the cave shrouded in thick darkness—

Finally, Lumiel left the underground dungeon and arrived at the path leading to the village.

The damp air cleared, and the familiar lights of the village could be seen in the distance.

Lumiel let out a light breath and began walking towards the village, step by step.

The village was still filled with a dark and gloomy atmosphere.

A quiet stillness enveloped the village, and the only noise was the occasional sound of flowing water from somewhere.

It was always like this here.

Unlike the surface villages, there was no sign of bustling activity.

A landscape close to monochrome.

Most of the NPCs wandering the village were just quietly keeping their places with listless appearances.

Lumiel's gaze naturally turned to the topmost part of the village.

There stood a building larger and more majestic than the others.

[Sleeping Tree Hotel]

The sign with those words written on it caught Lumiel's eye.

The hotel, true to its name, had a structure that looked as if a large tree was embracing the building.

Lumiel had used this place a few times during her gaming days.

When hunting in the underground dungeon, there were times when health and mana needed to be recovered, one could stay for a day here and recover health at a relatively cheap price.

Of course, the efficiency wasn't very good.

At the time, she had only used it a few times, thinking 'Wouldn't it be better to just drink potions?'

She quietly moved her steps.

The faint lights of the underground village cast dim shadows along the walls.

And passing through those shadows, Lumiel slowly approached the door of the hotel.

Clunk.

As she pushed open the heavy wooden door, the unique scent of old wood brushed her nose.

Unlike the outside, the interior was lit with soft candlelight, and gentle, quiet music was playing.

Furniture made of old hardwood.

Old frames and decorations hanging in every corner.

All of these things made Lumiel's lips twitch slightly into a smile.