The bell rang at six.
Normally, that's when I wake up in my bed. I'd yawn, stretch, and walk the same cobblestone street to my stall. My crate of apples would be waiting, my broom leaning against it, and my voice would carry the same tired line:
"Fresh apples! Juicy and delicious! Three coppers each!"
But this morning, I didn't move.
I stayed in bed.
My body twitched, like invisible strings were trying to pull me up. Warmth pressed behind my eyes, guiding me toward my stall, urging me to speak the words.
I clenched my jaw. "No."
The warmth stuttered. For a moment, I thought I'd be forced anyway. But then it faded, leaving only silence.
I laughed. A short, sharp, almost hysterical laugh. I wasn't forced to move. I wasn't forced to sell apples. I wasn't forced to speak the line.
I could do whatever I wanted.
So I tested it.
I left the bed late—so late the market was already bustling. Guard Bren had already dropped his spear. The baker's boy was on his third "hot and flaky!"
And I wasn't at my stall.
No one stopped me. No one even looked twice.
I walked down a street I'd never taken before. At the edge of town, I found the back of the bakery. Only there wasn't a back. Just a gray wall, flat and empty, like the world had forgotten to finish painting it.
I reached out. The air shimmered and pushed my hand back gently, like a curtain that refused to part.
The world didn't want me there.
I grinned. "Too bad."
Later, I wandered into the fountain square. Adventurers were everywhere, glowing faintly as they opened the big community chest. They pulled out coins, potions, and strange glowing shards. Normally, NPCs like me can't touch it.
But I reached out anyway.
My fingers brushed the lid. It was warm. Real.
The chest shuddered, then clicked open—just for me.
Inside, I saw coins stacked in neat piles and one small glowing shard. I picked it up, and words appeared in my mind:
[+10 EXP.]
I nearly dropped it. EXP? NPCs don't gain experience. That was for adventurers. Not me.
But I felt it. A spark inside me, small but undeniable.
The chest slammed shut, locking itself again. The adventurers nearby didn't notice a thing.
I stepped back, heart hammering. My hands shook. I'd done something impossible.
That evening, as the bell rang for sundown, the whisper returned:
[Correction scheduled. Higher priority.]
I froze in the street. NPCs smiled and swept their shops. Children laughed in loops. The world carried on as if everything was fine.
But I knew it wasn't.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and felt the bruised apple still there, soft and imperfect against my palm. It was proof that the world wasn't flawless. Proof that I wasn't stuck.
The whisper echoed again, sharper this time.
[Correction coming soon.]
I gritted my teeth. "Try me."