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

The swirling chaos of pervertness began to settle, its incomprehensible variables dimming as though exhausted from their own ceaseless movement.

Yes, concepts took form in this maddening realm if they weren't reigned. Only when its master stabilized the planarity, did the concept-made manifest return to their essence of ideas.

Black Daffodil stood before me, still perched upon her imagined throne of smugness, her faceless void tilted in that ever-maddening way that suggested both amusement and victory.

"Leaving so soon?" Her tone was mockingly sweet, her fingers idly twirling a tendril of void-like essence as though she were toying with my patience itself. "After all we've shared, Narcissus?"

I crossed my arms, offering her my most unimpressed glare. "Shared?" My voice dripped with sarcasm. "If you call that sharing, I pity your definition of intimacy."

She let out a soft, melodic chuckle, the sound sending an inexplicable ripple through the reality around us. "Oh, come now. Don't be so dramatic. I'd say we both gained something valuable from the experience."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to rein in my rising irritation.

"Stress. I gained stress. And perhaps a renewed vow to never take you seriously again."

Black Daffodil's tendrils coiled lazily around her, forming a mock halo above her head. "And yet, here you are, still alive, still intact, and dare I say… enlightened?"

"Enlightened? If by enlightened, you mean scarred for life, then sure. Let's call it that."

Her hands folded delicately in her lap, a picture of elegance despite the absurdity of our exchange. "This time, you wound me, Narcissus," she said with mock sadness. "I thought you'd appreciate my generosity. After all, I gave you something truly unique. The thing that I have never given to anyone. My love, if you will."

"I prefer a much more normal kind of love."

"Who are you trying to fool? Every bit of your thoughts and experiences transferred to me. You enjoyed the whole ordeal as much as I am."

I raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips despite myself. "Oh, so now you're admitting you're just a closet pervert?"

Her void face tilted slightly, the tendrils of her essence shifting in a way that almost seemed... bashful? "If I am," she replied smoothly, "Then you're to blame. You, my dear Narcissus, were my first. Shouldn't you be more proud now that you have achieved something no living being has reached~?"

I barked out a laugh, unable to resist the opportunity for a jab. "Great. So I've only been banging old virgins since I arrived in Carcosa, huh? What a résumé~!"

Black Daffodil's tendrils froze mid-motion, her faceless void somehow managing to radiate indignation. "How delightfully cruel of you. And here I thought we'd grown closer."

"Closer to insanity, maybe," I retorted, waving a dismissive hand. "But hey, I'm not one to kink-shame. You do you, Black Daffodil. Just leave me out of it next time. You know, just manifest a toy or two and pleasure yourself with it."

She leaned forward, her presence oppressive yet oddly intimate. "Oh, Narcissus," she purred. "There is nothing more precious than an intimate time with one another. There won't be any meaning if I did things solely for my own, you know?"

I felt my face flush, though I refused to let her see me falter. "Yeah, about that," I said quickly, grasping at the first sarcastic retort that came to mind. "Doesn't that mean you got double the stimulation? Kind of unfair, don't you think~?"

"... Your sudden thoughts are always coming out of nowhere." Black Daffodil's laugh was low and indulgent, her tendrils curling inward as though to embrace her own satisfaction. "Oh, it was quite the reward," she admitted, her tone practically dripping with smugness. "Twice the sensation, twice the enjoyment. Truly a delightful experience."

That was definitely sarcasm.

I sensed hesitation as the whole scene before this went on, and since it was her first time experiencing this double-ways stimulation, unlike that time when Kuzunoha tricked me, Black Daffodil was definitely far from controlling everything that was happening.

I shook my head, half in disbelief, half in bemusement. "You really are a piece of work, you know that? No wonder you're stuck in here—you'd be an absolute menace if you ever got out."
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"And you'd miss me," she countered smoothly, her void-like visage tilting ever so slightly.

"Like a hole in the head," I shot back, turning toward the shimmering exit that awaited me. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a real world to get back to. You know, one where people don't try to traumatize me for fun."

Black Daffodil rose gracefully from her seat, her tendrils retracting as though conceding my departure. "Farewell, then, Narcissus. But do try not to forget me—I'd hate to be… lonely."

"Trust me," I said with a wry smile as I stepped through the portal. "You're unforgettable. For better or worse."

And thus, my journey back as the spiritual projection of my own consciousness, coming back to pilot my body once again.

I really should train my spiritual control more now that I think about it, since I could only handle one spiritual projection at a time, and I couldn't control my actual body simultaneously.

I really should press Kuzunoha more about how she was able to multitask so many things with her spiritual projections.

"... Hmmm??"

The first thing I noticed as I re-entered my physical body was the warmth. My skin was flushed, heat radiating from every pore as though I'd been fevered in my absence. The second thing I noticed was the weight on my lap.

"Welcome back, Narcissus," came Verina's familiar deadpan voice, her violet eyes glinting with amusement as she sat perched on my legs. "Enjoy your nap?"

I blinked, disoriented for a moment as I took in my surroundings. My quarters were dimly lit, the faint hum of the Landship's engines a comforting constant—thanks to my senses covering the whole moving bastion. Beside the couch, Charis stood with her hands clasped tightly, her expression a mix of worry and relief.

"What… what are you two doing here?" I asked, my voice hoarse as I tried to shake off the lingering haze of the soul realm.

"Checking on you, obviously," Verina replied, her tone laced with sarcasm. "You were grunting and moaning in your sleep like you were being tortured. Naturally, I assumed you were cheating on me again."

I groaned, running a hand over my face. "Cheating? Verina, how can you even come to that—ugh, never mind. Why are you here, Charis?"

Charis stepped forward, her white eyes wide with concern. "Father," she began softly, "I felt… something. A horrible feeling, like you were in pain. I couldn't just ignore it. Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?"

The genuine worry in her voice made me less traumatized by what had just happened with Black Daffodil. Charis had always been more attuned to my well-being than most, a trait that was both endearing and guilt-inducing.

I forced a reassuring smile, though it felt hollow as of currently, and Charis could probably see through me. "I'm fine, sunshine," I said, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Just… had a bit of a rough visit to Black Daffodil."

At the mention of the name, Charis' expression darkened. She already knew who Black Daffodil was and what she represented, and the thought of me willingly venturing into that realm clearly didn't sit well with her.

"You went to see her again?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. "Why? She's dangerous, Father. Every time you come back, you seem… disoriented."

Yeah, and this was the worst visit I've done, considering the content of my encounter.

Verina, meanwhile, raised an eyebrow, her amusement replaced with curiosity. "Black Daffodil, huh? Figured as much. You've got that 'I've been harassed by an eldritch entity' look about you."

Since when did Verina become a mind reader??

"Gee, thanks," I muttered, leaning back against the couch. "For the record, she's the one who was being unstable, not me. Took all her frustrations out on poor, defenseless me." I made my voice as dramatic as possible, throwing an arm over my face for effect. "It was truly a harrowing experience."

Charis frowned, her worry doubling. "She hurt you? Father, you can't keep doing this to yourself. You barely sleep as it is, and now you're letting her—"

"Calm down, my white sunshine," I interrupted gently, sitting up and placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm fine. Really. She's just… annoying. Nothing I can't handle."

Verina snorted, crossing her arms. "Annoying, huh? That's not the impression I got from all the grunting and moaning earlier."

"Verina!" Charis scolded, her face turning a deep shade of red.

Ah, shit, Verina must be uttering some nonsense when she was alone with Charis and my defenseless body.

Either that, or Charis matured too fast and had quite the naughty hunch in her personal analysis of my situation.

Okay, I had just checked the soul history of these two individuals.

Turns out, it was a little bit of both.

Before I could retort, a familiar voice echoed in my mind, smooth and sardonic. "We're nearing the Theotech site. Less than a kilometer now~"

Kuzunoha's words snapped me back to reality, and I felt a surge of anticipation. The Theotech site—our next step forward. And with any luck, a distraction from the maddening chaos of my inner world.

"Perfect timing," I said aloud, a sly smile creeping onto my face. "Ladies, it's time to get back to work."

And with that, I pushed the lingering memories of Black Daffodil aside—at least for now.