I Became an NPC That Rankers Are Obsessed Over

I had a pleasant dream.

It wasn’t a dream where I was being overpowered by someone but rather one where I was overpowering someone else.

In that dream, I thoroughly indulged in my opponent.

The feeling of flesh moving as I manipulated it was truly ecstatic.

A relationship where I could take the lead.

That was the mature life I had been yearning for.

I woke up envisioning that life.

The vast night sky stretched endlessly before me.

The store, bathed in the bright moonlight, came into view.

I slowly raised my head in that place.

“…”

The first thing that caught my eye was an unfamiliar woman.

She had sleek black hair and red eyes.

She was resting her chin on her hand, staring intently at me as I slept.

“You’re awake, huh?”

The woman turned her head toward the counter.

Following her gaze, I looked toward the bar table.

There sat the woman I had thoroughly touched in my dream.

She flinched when she heard that I had woken up.

Then, with a somewhat tense expression, she greeted me.

Could it be that she wore that expression because I tormented her so much?

My head throbbed.

Now that I think about it, when was the last time I emitted pheromones for this long?

Probably when I killed the CEO’s bodyguards.

And yet, she had managed to survive.

That’s a relief…

After that relief, a wave of embarrassment washed over me.

I felt nothing but guilt toward the woman who must have suffered from my disgraceful behavior.

But back then, I wasn’t in my right mind either.

I was running away from the Assemblyman.

Wandering the streets in search of traces of Anna, my only salvation.

And the place I arrived at was this inn.

There was a woman, cleaning a glass alone, who seemed easy to approach.

At first, I just thought I’d drink some alcohol she’d serve me.

I couldn’t bear my situation sober.

But soon, when I sensed Anna’s scent on her…

I felt envious of her.

I couldn’t believe that someone so seemingly ordinary had monopolized Anna’s love.

I intended to torment her for that…

I never imagined I’d get intoxicated by my own pheromones.

Still… it felt good, undeniably.

The sensation of touching her skin was truly enjoyable.

Thanks to that, I was able to ease my jealousy of Anna a little.

Anna must have left her scent on her because she liked that part of her.

It would be really fun to meet the three of us together someday.

“Hey.”

As I was lost in such thoughts, someone spoke to me in a cold voice.

It was the woman with red eyes I first saw when I woke up.

She asked sharply as if interrogating me.

“Is it true that you were the one who went after Si-ho first?”

“…”

I couldn’t answer.

Because no matter the reason, it was true.

And her piercing gaze was so intimidating it froze me in place.

“Oh my, it was true?”

The woman turned to Si-ho with an incredulous expression.

Then, Si-ho clenched the dishcloth in her hand with an indignant face.

“It’s true, I said!”

“Si-ho, you’re so lucky. A celebrity coming onto you first. Is that why you were so willing?”

Si-ho sighed heavily as she rinsed a lime.

The woman smirked and turned her gaze back to me.

“Do you know who I am?”

“No…”

“Your former CEO probably knows me well. They called me the Executor of Ilshim.”

Hearing that name sent chills down my spine.

Who wouldn’t know the Executor?

Even the godlike CEO shuddered at the mention of her name.

The CEO, who owed debts to multiple guilds, would go into a fit whenever Ilshim or Counters were mentioned.

“That… lunatic killer who stitches corpses together?”

“Calling me a lunatic to my face, huh.”

The Executor chuckled as if she couldn’t believe my audacity.

Then, pressing her hand against my forehead, she spoke.

“Looking at you, you really are just a kid. Earlier on the bar floor, though…”

“Ah, stop talking about that!”

Si-ho cut off the Executor mid-sentence.

I never imagined that the woman I had touched so much could speak so confidently to a ranker.

“Are you going to kill me too, like the CEO?”

I looked up through the fingers pressing against my forehead.

Her red eyes glinted sharply.

“Well… judging by your looks, you’d make a lovely doll if I stitched your flesh together.”

The Executor narrowed her eyes as she ran her palm down my hair.

Hearing that, I instinctively clamped my thighs together.

I had destroyed her domain, summoned the Assemblyman, and even caused a major conflict, so I couldn’t argue if she killed me.

“It’s a joke. Honestly, this little inn was already in so much debt it wouldn’t have been strange if it had gone under.”

Contrary to my expectations, warm words came from her lips.

Bathed in the faint moonlight, the Executor smiled softly.

I thought that smile was quite beautiful.

Like an actor I had occasionally seen at the broadcasting station.

I wondered if most killers were this stunning.

Both Anna and this woman…

At least the people killed by them wouldn’t die with grimaces on their faces.

“Let’s rebuild this place. Make it more like a proper cocktail bar.”

“That’s a good idea.”

Si-ho approached, wobbling slightly.

She struggled to bring over a table with legs still intact.

Her struggling figure was so adorable it made me want to touch her more.

“But seriously, what was up with you when you first came here? I thought you were absolutely insane.”

It made sense.

Back then, I wasn’t even in a state of mind to remember things clearly.

“Actually…”

I paused to gather my thoughts.

The prolonged use of pheromones had left my head spinning.

The two women looked at me with faint curiosity.

Thanks to that, I found the courage to speak.

“I drank alcohol…”

“Really? You didn’t seem that drunk.”

Si-ho tilted her head curiously.

“Yes, it was just a glass of champagne.”

“That drink was given to me by the Assemblyman during dinner. After the former CEO was killed by Anna, the Assemblyman took over his position.”

“He only took over the company because of me. He enjoyed playing with women under the influence of my scent.”

My hands, clasped on my lap, trembled uncontrollably.

Si-ho gently covered them with her warm hands.

Thanks to her, I was able to recall the horrifying past once more.

“He always dragged me to room salons and made me release pheromones in the neighboring rooms. He even tried to assault me on the day I turned legal.”

I stared blankly at the night sky.

The crescent moon hung melancholically tilted.

“Today must’ve been that day. The champagne he gave me was laced with drugs.”

Si-ho’s face twisted.

She realized that the girl who had come on to her earlier had been under the influence of drugs.

“After drinking half of the drugged champagne, I felt something wrong with my body. So I ran out of the venue under the pretense of going to the bathroom.”

Si-ho nodded calmly.

“And that’s how you ended up here.”

“Yes. I followed the faint traces of Anna, who once saved me. I was planning to die here while surrounded by her lingering scent.”

“And then you saw me, who had a strong trace of her scent?”

Si-ho asked, her face full of fear.

I nodded in response.

“That explains why you seemed a bit off.”

She exhaled deeply.

“But earlier, on the bar floor, I was being sincere.”

I teased her with a sly smile.

In response, Si-ho scooted her chair back like a cat meeting its natural enemy.

Her reaction was so adorable it was hard to believe she was older than me.

But soon, I had to acknowledge that she was far more mature than I was.

Even after my teasing, she continued to look at me with genuine concern.

“It must’ve been tough.”

She draped my fallen jacket over my lap.

“Do your parents know about all this?”

At the mention of my parents, my throat tightened.

But I forced myself to speak because it was a story that had to be told.

“My mother was injured during the monster crisis and is still in the hospital.”

“She says she waits to see me on TV. That’s her only joy.”

“I wonder what kind of expression she’ll make when breaking news about my expulsion from Aimer appears.”

When I hung my head low, Si-ho spoke.

“Don’t try to handle everything alone.”

“But I’ll be an adult soon. And I’m an idol too. If I can’t endure even this kind of humiliation…”

I stared at her quietly.

The beauty mark under her eye seemed to furrow as if in anger.

“You did nothing wrong. Reporting injustice and seeking help is also a mature thing to do.”

Si-ho’s serious words left me speechless.

Is that so?

Is knowing how to ask for help also a sign of maturity?

When I was under the CEO, I was taught that to adapt to society, I had to endure unfairness.

It’s confusing.

As I wrestled with my thoughts, the older sister asked the Executor.

If there was any way to help me.

The Executor crossed her arms and fell silent for a moment.

“There’s a way.”

She pointed her lighter toward my face.

“An assemblyman who forced sexual favors on an idol, the idol who fled, the bartender who saved her, and an Ilshim executive.”

She spoke as if reciting a newspaper article.

“If this goes public, the Association’s image and our organization’s image will flip, don’t you think?”

The lighter flicked on.

The blue flame wavered.

“Then I could get compensated for messing with those Association bastards and for the destruction of the inn. Plus, this girl wouldn’t be unfairly expelled from her group.”

The Executor, as if her calculations were done, slid the lighter into her pocket.

“But will the Association so easily admit the truth…”

“Do you have evidence?”

“I do… I even paid a famous journalist to spread it.”

At the mention of a famous journalist, the Executor frowned.

She must’ve been familiar with the notoriety of journalists.

“Those trash journalists?”

“Yes…”

“They probably failed. No amateur could handle a big case like this.”

I nodded silently.

The Executor smirked and pulled out her phone.

“Contact me at this number later.”

She showed me a number written on her phone.

“Who’s this…?”

“He’s an old colleague of mine. Crazy guy who’s over 30 and still obsessed with idols.”

The Executor shook her head, seemingly annoyed at the mere thought of him.

I slowly copied the number into my phone.

“If you talk to him, he’ll probably arrange a press conference. He’s an Ilshim executive too.”

My chest ached.

Had I ever been treated with such kindness by anyone before?

In my life, adults always pretended to be kind while demanding something in return.

But to think I’d receive such help from a killer of all people.

“Thank you…”

“But from the press conference onward, it’s on you. The Association will do everything to bury you.”

The Executor’s red eyes bore into me.

But what scared me more than her gaze were the words “the Association.”

Could I really escape from the entity that calls itself the government?

And even if I did, would I be able to continue being an idol?

I’m scared.

Scared and utterly anxious.

I suddenly found myself standing at a crossroads.

I hesitated in front of the path.

I had never imagined a life where I was expelled from Aimer.

If I left now, how would I cover Mom’s hospital bills?

I had only just signed the contract…

My lips trembled.

I slowly glanced back and forth between the Executor and Si-ho.

I let out a deep sigh.

But I still had to make a choice.

“I…”

I forced myself to swallow the lump in my throat.

And I opened my mouth.

“—.”

Just as I was about to make my choice.

Si-ho softly held my hand.

Under her warm touch, she spoke to me gently.

“Take your time to think. Don’t rush your decision.”

She smiled faintly.

Then she stood up, leaving warmth in my hand.

“I’ll make you a cocktail.”

She walked slowly toward the counter.

Then crouched down below the completely destroyed display.

She pulled out a bottle of Bacardi.

Could she be making Catharsis again?

Just the thought of drinking that strong liquor again made me nervous.

“Sorry, the store burned down, and this is the only fruit left…”

Si-ho looked apologetic.

In her hand was a lime she’d picked up from the floor.

“It’s fine. Once it’s in your mouth, it’s all the same.”

The Executor cut in cynically.

Si-ho mumbled, “It’ll be fine, right…?” like a worried animal.

She perched herself on the scorched counter.

Then crossed her long, slender legs.

The slacks she wore looked ready to burst at the seams.

I stared blankly at the sight of her skin.

Soon, she gracefully picked up the shaker while still seated.

And under the moonlight, she began shaking it slowly.

It was lively, like playing an instrument.

Unlike the time when she was defenseless against me, her movements were full of strength and rhythm.

In the chilled shaker with ice.

One ounce of smooth white rum.

0.5 ounces of amber Disaronno.

0.5 ounces of lime juice.

She added them one by one and shook them for ten seconds.

Then poured it lightly into a martini glass.

The golden liquid cascaded into the glass under the moonlight.

Rating: ★★★★ (Perfect)

Effect: Increases composure by 10.

Info: A variation of Catharsis. Used white rum instead of the strong Bacardi 151.

Shaking neutralized the harsh alcohol.

A drink made with care and encouragement for a young girl stepping into adulthood.

No garnish is needed.

Because it’s already perfect.

“Catharsis for Idol, here you go.”

The golden glass was placed on the charred table.

The contrast between the blackened table and the golden cocktail naturally drew attention.

I lowered my head and stared intently at the cocktail.

In the reflection of the golden liquid, I could see Si-ho’s face.

Like me, she was admiring the beautiful color of the cocktail.

The cool, composed face from earlier was gone, replaced by a pure, childlike expression.

I thought, maybe the person I admired could change for the first time.

From Anna to someone else.

The thought made me chuckle softly.

Unaware of my feelings, Si-ho tilted her head in confusion.

“Thanks for the drink, unni.”

I grabbed the glass.

And slowly brought it to my lips.

The soft, sweet rum moistened my tongue.

The almond aftertaste filled my mouth.

Finished with a tangy hint of lime juice.

It was delicious.

It was different from the harsh alcohol I’d had before.

Delicate and subtle.

And I realized I still loved flavors like this over strong drinks.

When that realization hit me.

My eyes brimmed with tears.

I was startled by the emotion I hadn’t felt in so long.

Since becoming an idol trainee, I have almost never cried properly.

If I cried, my makeup would smudge.

If my makeup smudged, people would notice, and strange rumors would spread.

Other members would whisper, and the CEO would give me a disapproving look.

So I worked hard not to cry…

But for some reason, I couldn’t hold back now.