"... What?!" I asked, trying to process her response but failing to make sense of it.
"Listen carefully, Laos," she said, returning her gaze to the map.
"The truth is, the western lands of Sevios weren't empty as the history of the Kingdom of Yarum claims. They were home to demi-humans, like Maris."
Wait... I think I get it. Yes, everything is clear now. This is the same cliché that keeps repeating in most light novels—the slavery cliché and the quest to free them!
"When human adventurers arrived in these lands, they killed and enslaved the native inhabitants. Afterward, they founded Yarum. To this day, the Kingdom of Yarum continues to enslave demi-humans. That's the root of many conflicts, especially with neighboring kingdoms like Deryal, which seeks to liberate the slaves, as the majority of its population consists of demi-humans."
"And after the last war between Yarum and Deryal, Yarum announced they would provide slaves with jobs and cease their enslavement. But this was merely a ruse to pacify Deryal. Every demi-human here was once a slave, just like Maris."
"But... this only proves one thing: Yarum is pure evil in the western lands, isn't it?! But why are you telling me this if you're from Yarum yourself?" I asked, feeling a whirlwind of questions swirl in my mind.
"Yes, Laos. We must overthrow the royal family... and I'm sure you'll despise them once you meet Tiana. So, prepare to harbor great hatred for the Yarum royal family!" Sabrina declared, her eyes fixed on mine with intense seriousness.
But I'm just an NPC. There's no way I could stand against an entire royal family. Why does Sabrina trust me enough to involve me in this coup plot? Damn, the story's mystery level just shot up!
"I'm sorry for dragging you into all this," Sabrina said, sighing. "In the end, you're not even capable of fighting. But I'm a woman who prefers to reveal the truth to those around her. My apologies again," she added, rolling up the map and gathering her legs, which she had stretched out earlier.
"No... it's fine," I replied, my mind still racing.
"By the way, what's your class, Laos?" Sabrina asked.
"NPC" I answered.
"NPC? I've never heard of that class before. But if you have any questions, you should ask the Classes God," she said, placing the map back into the drawer.
"Classes God? What's that?" I asked.
"The Classes God is a deity who knows everything about classes. After all, he is the one who created them," she explained, standing directly in front of me as I sat... My God, her figure was absolutely stunning.
"Well, it's time for lunch, Laos. Head to the dining hall where servants of your rank eat their meals. After that, return here so I can teach you the positions."
"Understood," I replied as I left the room.
Teach me the positions?!! What does this woman mean? As I pondered her words, the memory of my NPC coronation ceremony replayed in my mind. I clenched my teeth, hatred consuming me again. My God, when will I finally forget that scene? Then I remembered that Maris and her friends were once slaves... What a tragic situation.
But wait—Camilia is human. Does that mean she wasn't a slave? As I contemplated this, I found myself descending to the second floor.
But hold on, there's a bigger problem—where's the dining hall?
"Hello, Laos. I was just coming to find you. Lunch is ready."
As I wondered, a beautiful voice called my name. Yes, it was Maris. My God, just looking at her face brings me a strange sense of joy. Thank you, Maris.
"Oh... I was looking for the hall," I replied, staring at her kind and beautiful face.
"Follow me," she said, stepping ahead of me.
Maris had always been the one to guide me around ever since I arrived in this world. She was also the first person I masturbated to here. So, I hoped she would be the first to lead me to happiness in this strange place.
After spending a while lost in my thoughts, we finally arrived at the dining hall. The place was somewhat narrow and packed with servants, most of whom were demi-humans—or former slaves, to be precise.
When I glanced to the right side of the hall, I saw familiar faces: the cat-eared guy, the minotaur—or the so-called half dragonborn—and Camellia.
Maris and I headed toward them and sat down to join their meal. The dish was simple: a single chicken thigh, some strange salad, and a glass of lemon juice. Not bad, honestly. As I glanced at the others, they all seemed genuinely happy with the food, smiling brightly. Yes, everyone was joyful. After all, being a former slave and then becoming a servant in the princess' palace was a significant improvement.
...Wait, what's this feeling?
For a moment, I felt a subtle happiness while watching their joy. That was strange.
"Let's eat!" the cat-eared guy exclaimed, raising his chicken thigh high in the air.
"Petal! Where are your table manners?" Maris snapped at him, holding her fork and knife properly.
Table manners? Really? You were all slaves not long ago, and now you're talking about table manners? LOL.
After that, everyone dug into their meal, laughing and chatting cheerfully. The minotaur devoured his chicken thigh in one bite, then started eyeing Camellia's plate. Suddenly, Camellia cut her chicken thigh in half and offered it to him. Damn, she's so skinny. Flat girl, you really should eat more if you want a boobs as impressive as the cow sitting across from me.
"So, what do you think of the palace, Laos?" the minotaur asked.
"I feel good here… At least I don't have any desire to return to my old world," I replied while taking a bite of my chicken thigh. Oh, wow, the seasoning was incredible.
"Was life harsh in your world?" Maris asked gently.
"Yes, it was extremely harsh," I answered.
"I'm sorry for bringing it up," Maris added, her voice tender and apologetic. Oh, God, how much I adore her!
"I've heard you were all former slaves. Is that true?" I asked while sipping my lemon juice.
Suddenly, Maris dropped her fork and knife and bolted out of the hall. Fuck, what did I just do? Why did I even ask that stupid question?
As Maris exited, everyone in the room gave me strange looks. The cat-eared guy shook his head in disapproval as if saying, You really screwed up, man.
After that, I left the hall as well, following Maris, who had entered her room. Fuck, what should I do now? Should I go in and try to comfort her? That would be the right thing to do, but since I'm a fucking introvert, I had to overthink my decision a million times before doing anything.
Should I go in? No, it's not a question of should I go in. I have to go in. This is my mess, and I need to fix it. Come on, go in! Go in, you NPC! Go in, you divine hero! Go in, go in, go in, go in, go in, go in!!!
I'll do it!
The door was slightly ajar, so pushing it open allowed me to see inside. The room was identical to mine, with open windows letting in a gentle breeze. The feminine scent of the room was unmistakable, and in the far-right corner, on the bed, there she was—Maris, with her cow-ears, crying. Yes, I could hear her soft sobs from the doorway.
Oh my God, how could I make an angel like her cry? How dare you, you Fucking NPC?
I stepped closer, trembling, and then spoke in my cursed voice.
"Maris… I'm sorry."
"No… It's not your fault," she replied, wiping her eyes before breaking into sobs again. God, how I hate myself.
What should I do now? Sit beside her and try to comfort her? Should I? Or should I just leave? Fine, I'll leave.
I rushed to the door, trying to make my exit, but suddenly, Petal appeared and shut the door behind me, giving me a sly look before leaving. Fuck, did he just lock me in here with Maris?
As I turned back around, I saw Maris still drowning in her tears. Oh, God, what should I do now? Someone, please open the door—Camellia, Evol, anyone, I beg you! I'm just a socially inept introvert who plays games and reads light novels all day. I know nothing about comforting people. Please, someone open the door… please!
My heart started racing, pounding harder and harder. I'm not exaggerating—it was beating so loudly I could hear it.
Suddenly, without warning, I moved closer to Maris, who was still sobbing uncontrollably, and sat down next to her. It felt like I wanted to get this awkward situation over with as quickly as possible.
"Maris, I understand how you feel. I've also been through horrible situations—"
"You don't understand anything… Being a slave is the worst thing anyone can experience in this world…" Maris shouted through her tears.
"I understand... but please stop crying," I said, thinking about hugging her, as I had heard that hugs can provide emotional strength.
"No! You don't understand anything, Laos... You're from another world! I was treated like an animal, looked at as if I were just a puppet, a burden on society... I... I... I was raped repeatedly, and my body was treated in the worst ways!"
Damn! Then I realized one thing, just one thing that shattered my hopes! Maris had lost her virginity! Fuck, fuck, fuck, how dare they take the virginity of an angel like her? I'm the only one who deserves her!
"They treated me in the worst ways, but I fought and still remained a good girl, never dedicating my life to revenge. I tried to leave the past behind and live a respectable life... Yes, that's all I want... I want to live a happy life, where I can see the smiles of my friends..." she added, crying harder.
Such a pure soul, Maris... Maris is the kindest person I've ever met. Suddenly, I hugged her, trying to ease the tension between us, and perhaps I succeeded. After I hugged her, her sobbing calmed down, and she was shocked by my reaction... In truth, I was shocked too, and I was sure I would think about this decision for a long time and then feel embarrassed... but this is my fate... I was destined to hug you, Maris!
"I will smile, I will always smile at you, Maris, no matter the circumstances, and I will make sure we live a happy life. I promise, because we... are friends, right?" I said, gently touching her silky hair.
"Y-yes, yes, we are friends," she replied, wiping her eyes from the tears.
Suddenly, she hugged me back... She hugged me tightly, so much that her boobs clearly pressed against me, which made me erect a bit. Well, I'm a guy, and desire is a natural thing, so don't expect me to be overwhelmed or cry. This is not a dramatic manga about a guy falling in love with a girl who studies at a girls' school, but a real story of a fucking NPC trying to comfort a girl from another world.
"Thank you, Laos," Maris said as she released me, smiling a dazzling smile.
"You don't have to thank me; I'm the one at fault," I added.
"No, it's not you... these are just miserable memories that crept into my mind, and you helped me overcome them. Thank you."
Suddenly, the door opened, and Evol, Petal, and Camelia entered. Strangely, they started clapping and smiling. What the hell are these fools doing? Instead of comforting your friend, you're clapping as if you've seen the end of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood!
But wait, they have the right to clap. I did comfort Maris in a great way. Yes! I really succeeded, and for a moment, a feeling of happiness filled my heart. Seeing this pure angel smile made me smile too, and I stared at the trio standing right in front of us, clapping and smiling.
"Congratulations, it looks like a new relationship is starting in this palace," Camelia said.
Camelia's comment made Maris blush, and I also felt embarrassed. The situation was so awkward that we both distanced ourselves from each other. Suddenly, I stood up from the bed, remembering that Sabrina had asked me to come to her after lunch.
"Alright, I have work with Sabrina. See you later!" I said, rushing out of the room as quickly as I could.
Yes, I will keep my promise and make sure to smile at Maris no matter what. Then, I'll gather money, marry her, build a house in a rural area, and have two children with Maris. We can then live a happy life, as I promised her... I'll do it, I'll make Maris feel happy... so I can always see that beautiful smile. I promise you, Maris!
Quest: Be kind to Maris.