Mythos Of Narcissus: Reborn As An NPC In A Horror VRMMO

The 24-hour night cycle in Carcosa had finally passed, and with it, the tumultuous Ordeal. The Landship rumbled steadily onward, the sound of its screw-propellers churning the ground beneath it like clockwork.

Beyond the armored windows of the observation deck, the sky began to shift—darkness retreating, giving way to a blindingly vivid horizon where the Carcosan sun rose.

Still, the fact that the so-called 'sun' was a black hole, a monstrous entity with a luminous accretion disk spiraling around it—5t was both awe-inspiring and oppressive, its light an eerie combination of stark brilliance and shadowed intensity.

The light being more yellowish than the morning I remembered on Earth truly gave this world an entire apocalyptic vibe that I sometimes forgot everytime I breathe in the morning air.

"Morning," I whispered softly to myself, the thought of greeting a black hole almost making me smile.

The Landship's bastion stirred as its occupants began to recover from the night.

And none of them were waking from a good night's sleep. This is Carcosa after all.

My thoughts turned toward the newest additions to our bastion: the Heavenly Maids, is what I called them inside my head.

Twenty of them, all exact replicas of the demigod-like entity dubbed as the Heavenly Victory, a unique presence that I had extracted from the Mirroring Well.

Each of them had been swiftly integrated into the Landship's ecosystem, learning their roles and responsibilities under the watchful supervision of Viviane and Kuzunoha.

They were surprisingly quick learners, even if their transition from defiant demigods to subservient maids had been… unorthodox.

I also like watching them trying their best to maintain the Landship's cleanliness outside of the bastioneers.

Their pride was no longer there, but their troubled expression was sometimes too hilarious to observe.

Of course, their job was not only that. They were also going to be in charge of taking care of our hydroponic farm and dabbling with the Cognitive Engines connected to many places of the Landships.

And if the result was positive, I might give them more work to do after I renovated the Landship again with upgrades and greater defensive features.

And since they possessed Naosi's muscle memories to a great extent, I might start making them to help the production of products made from Neuro Alloy, and just overall more projects regarding the Neuromorphic Technology.

Ah, speaking of them. One of the Heavenly Maids had just bowed her head to me.

Maid-1, the first of the Heavenly Victories to be summoned, remained distinct from the rest. Not because of her demeanor—though she was marginally more reserved than her counterparts—but because of her missing arm.

Her disembodied hand, claw-like fingers and all, remained in Kuzunoha's possession, undergoing a series of experiments. Kuzunoha was investigating the interaction between the divine influence of the Heavenly Victory's soul and the Theotech modifications embedded in her vessel.

She hadn't shared her findings yet, but I trusted her curiosity would yield results. It always did.

After all, I would be the one who should dabble into that research, if not for the enormous amount of plans that I have in pending.

"Gather all of the Maids to the dining table in thirty minutes," I ordered.

"Yes, Master!"

Watching them, one might almost forget their divine origins, were it not for the faint remnants of their godly auras and the way they occasionally stared at the world with a lingering sense of existential irony.

"Maids, huh," I mused aloud, smiling. "It's not every day you enslave demigods and have them wearing maid uniforms."

And yet, I did.

Also, after a good round of abuse and threats, it seemed fitting to properly welcome them into their new roles. And how better to do that than with a meal worthy of gods?

Yes, my ego has been inflated since the last dining session, and I wouldn't call any of my cooking otherwise.

"Ah, the timing couldn't get even more perfect," I said, as I started to feel another attack of my cooking withdrawal. "Welp."

The kitchen buzzed with activity as I set to work. Rows of ingredients lined the polished Neuro Alloy counters, illuminated by the gentle glow of enchanted lights. I worked with a quiet intensity, letting my hands move instinctively as I transformed raw materials into dishes of unparalleled quality.

The aroma that filled the dining hall was intoxicating, even by the high standards of our bastion.

When the Heavenly Maids were finally summoned to the table, their collective expressions ranged from wide-eyed amazement to thinly veiled hunger.

I unveiled the feast, and the reaction was immediate.

"This…" Maid-6 stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "This is… incredible."

Maid-11 clasped her hands together, tears glistening in her eyes. "If I can eat like this every day, I wouldn't even mind being enslaved or… or even physically abused!"

"Don't say that out loud!" Maid-8 hissed, panicked. "You'll give her ideas!"

I chuckled softly, unable to resist the humor of the moment. "Oh, don't worry," I said warmly, my tone light but carrying an undercurrent of amusement. "I already have plenty of ideas."

"I-I assure you, Master! Maid-6 doesn't know what she is saying!"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"To be honest, I kinda agree with Maid-6… I won't mind going through hell and back just to get a feast of this again."

"Yeah, this is better than anything I consumed in that shitty world."

"As if you're saying that this world isn't as shitty enough too…"

"... I swear, all of you!"

As soon as they experienced the warmth, they started to become more chatty and expressive with one another. To them, their other version was never the same entity, but a comrade in arms who suffered the same twisted fate of being enslaved by me.

But I could see it. Slowly, in their eyes, my presence evolved from that of a demon into a benevolent and rightful goddess.

I guess my newfound charm had found its usefulness now that we got new people onboard.

My bastioneers' opinion didn't really change drastically, so it felt good getting a new sense of praise.

Gotta feed that narcissistic side of me before I rip someone's face again.

Maid-1, ever reserved, remained silent as she sampled the dishes. Though she kept her composure, I noticed the faintest flicker of wonder in her eyes as she tasted each bite.

"You're all adapting well," I remarked as I appeared behind her. "Perhaps better than I anticipated."

Several of the maids exchanged glances, unsure whether my words were meant as praise or a subtle threat.

I guess my tone was still a little bit too intimidating to them.

They'll get used to it.

With the Ordeal behind us and the sun casting its eerie light over the horizon, it was time to focus on our destination: the Theotech Vault. But the Landship still had hours, if not days, to travel before we reached it.

The Maids were settling into their roles, the bastioneers had returned to their routines, and my confidantes were immersed in their various experiments and tasks. For once, there was a rare sense of calm within the bastion.

It was the perfect time to indulge in a personal endeavor.

I retreated to my quarters, the door sliding shut with a soft hiss behind me. The room was a blend of comfort and grandeur, its walls lined with shelves of books and artifacts from Kuzunoha's mansion, something that I personally asked to the owner of those goodies herself.

I haven't finished all of the wonderful tomes and scrolls, after all.

"My eighth day in Carcosa~"

I settled onto the plush sofa, closing my eyes as I exhaled slowly. Then, with deliberate focus, I began to project my spiritual consciousness.

While I barely have any access to magic and all of those sparkly sorcery that my precious confidantes possessed, I'm still able to perform some fun tricks just by being greater in existential height that a normal mortal alone.

And this time, I'm going to use it to visit a peculiar friend of mine.

The transition was seamless. One moment, I was in my quarters; the next, I was adrift in a realm of incomprehensible beauty and chaos.

Mathematical concepts coiled and writhed around me, alive in a way that defied logic. Variable strings spiraled into fractals, forming bridges and pathways that connected planes of existence within my soul.

And then, as if responding to my presence, the realm began to shift. The swirling chaos gave way to structure—a drawing room, similar to those in Kuzunoha's mansion.

Seated at the center of the room was Black Daffodil.

She had taken a new form, as she always did. This time, she wore a regal gown of black and silver, its intricate patterns shifting and flowing like liquid starlight. Her iconic void-covered face remained, framed by her long, flowing black hair.

"You've returned," she said, her voice elegant and poised. "How rare, for you to grace me with your presence unprovoked."

I approached the table in the center of the room, my smile widening as I sat across from her. "Oh, don't flatter yourself," I said lightly. "I've simply grown tired of ignoring you. And besides, you've been awfully submissive since my ascension. I thought I'd check in and see if you're still sulking."

Black Daffodil tilted her head, her faceless visage somehow managing to convey amusement. "Submissive? Hardly. If anything, your ascension was precisely what I desired. Watching you carve your path through Carcosa has been… satisfying, to say the least."

For the past Carcosan days after I got my ascension, I had been making some personal visits to Black Daffodil myself.

She voiced how annoyed she was at me for playing with her, and I voiced my annoyance about how cryptic and dangerous she was.

We somewhat became quite the close buddy after that exchange.

"Is that so?" I replied, leaning back in my chair. "Then why do I get the feeling you're still scheming something?"

"Schemes, my dear Narcissus, are merely tools for entertainment," she said, her tone carrying a hint of condescension. "And you've provided me with quite the spectacle thus far."

We continued our back-and-forth, the conversation flowing like a game of chess. Black Daffodil's words were always carefully chosen, layered with meaning and intent.

And then, she made her offer.

"A boon," she said, her voice soft but resonant. "A way to call upon me should the need arise. Consider it a gesture of goodwill."

I raised an eyebrow, my skepticism evident. "A boon? From you? That sounds… suspicious."

Black Daffodil chuckled, a low, melodic sound. "Oh, I won't deny there's an ulterior motive. But rest assured, it's nothing that would jeopardize your precious bastion. Quite the opposite, in fact. I simply wish to ensure your continued survival. After all, you're far more entertaining alive than dead."

Her words piqued my curiosity, though I remained wary. "And what exactly do you get out of this?"

"Perspective," she replied smoothly. "You've put a great effort on defying the fate of every Daffodil before you. That alone is worth preserving."

"Thank you for realizing that."

"I bet that their constant whining must be annoying."

"It seems that you're also experiencing that as well."

"I'm connected to you, after all."

"Still, why the sudden change in heart?" I shrugged.

Her tone shifted slightly, becoming more serious. "There is a presence outside Carcosa. A dark force, waiting for its moment to strike. It wants you dead, Narcissus. Desperately so. But it is bound by limitations—criteria that must be met before it can act."

She appeared to be genuine for this one, and I don't know if I should felt intimidated or even more cautious of her with this.

I leaned forward, my gaze narrowing. "And you know what those criteria are?"

"I know enough, but it changes every day, or every hour, or every minute, every second. I won't be able to notify you, so you need some kind of backup in case that you're cornered like a pitiful rat outside of my influence," she said cryptically. "And if that time comes, and you need my help, all you simply must do…" She paused, her faceless void tilting as if to meet my eyes directly.

"…Is to strip your face clean."